طالَ لَيلى وَاِعتادَني اليَومَ سُقمُ

وَأَصابَت مَقاتِلَ القَلبِ نُعمُ

My night grew long, and today sickness has made itself at home with me,

Attacking the vital parts of my heart with deadly, unerring arrows—

قَصَدَت نَحوَ مَقتَلي بِسِهامٍ

نافِذاتٍ وَما تَبَيَّنَ كَلمُ

This gazelle with the radiant cheeks, the graceful figure, and the soft

Words of greeting for whoever wins any bit of luck.

حُرَّةُ الوَجهِ وَالشَمائِلِ وَالجَو

هَرِ تَكليمُها لِمَن نالَ غُنمُ

She brings down the very birds from the air when she speaks

In this manner, and tempers it with modesty.

وَحَديثٍ بِمِثلِهِ تَنزِلُ العُص

مُ رَخيمٍ يَشوبُ ذَلِكَ حِلمُ

Her curling tresses ravish hearts; her face is faultless

As the full moon rising through the ordered stars.

سَلَبَ القَلبَ دَلُّها وَنَقيٌّ

مِثلُ جيدِ الغَزالِ يَعلوهُ نَظمُ

She has a noble gait like a polo pony cantering easily

Through the dunes, mantled with the dust.

وَنَبيلٌ عَبلُ الرَوادِفِ كَالقَو

رِ مِنَ الرَملِ قَد تَلَبَّدَ فَعمُ

Bright as the sun in a clear sky, breeze-swept

In the evening, redolent with fragrance.

وَوَضيءٌ كَالشَمسِ بَينَ سَحابٍ

رائِحٍ مَقسَرَ العَشيَّةِ فَخمُ

Fair, slender, with a goodness beyond all other tastes—

An innocent fawn, blameless when accused.

وَشَتيتٌ أَحوى المَراكِزِ عَذبٌ

ما لَهُ في جَميعِ ما ذيقَ طَعمُ

Such, in brief, is my knowledge of her outward show.

What is kept hidden, I have no power to know.

طَفلَةٌ كَالمَهاةِ لَيسَ لِمَن عا

بَ إِذا تُذكَروا المَعايِبُ وَصمُ

Except that I see her clothes as a brimming

Cup, graced for fair measure upon that figure.

هاكَذا وَصفُ ما بَدا لِيَ مِنها

لَيسَ لي بِالَّذي تُغَيِّبُ عِلمُ

Whether you smile or frown, it will be gloriously done.

For good or ill, you will not be slighted, O Ideal.

غَيرَ أَنّي أَرى الثِيابَ مِلاءً

في يَفاعٍ يَزينُ ذَلِكَ جِسمُ

إِن تَجودي أَو تَبخَلي فَبِحَمدٍ

لَستِ يا نُعمُ فيهِما مِن يُذَمُّ