ما كُنتُ أَعلَمُ وَالبَلاغَةُ صَنعَتي

ما كُنتُ أَعلَمُ وَالبَلاغَةُ صَنعَتي

أَنَّ البَديعَ بِحُسنِ وَجهِكَ يُعلَمُ

أَنَّ البَديعَ بِحُسنِ وَجهِكَ يُعلَمُ

I did not know—though eloquence was my craft—

I did not know—though eloquence is my craft—

that the art of embellishment is learned through the beauty of your face,

that rhetorical artistry is known through the beauty of your face,

حَتّى تَبَدَّت لي مَحاسِنُ حُسنِهِ

حَتّى تَبَدَّت لي مَحاسِنُ حُسنِهِ

بِبَدائِعٍ تُملي عَلَيَّ وَأَنظِمُ

بِبَدائِعٍ تُملي عَلَيَّ وَأَنظِمُ

until the charms of its beauty revealed themselves to me

until the charms of its beauty appeared to me

as wondrous conceits that dictate to me, and I weave them into verse.

in marvels you dictate to me and I set in verse.