وَأَقَبَّ كَالمحبوبِ حُسناً لَم يَجِد

وَأَقَبَّ كَالمحبوبِ حُسناً لَم يَجِد

كَصفاتِهِ لَو حُدَّ في تِمثالِ

كَصفاتِهِ لَو حُدَّ في تِمثالِ

And a lean-flanked steed, as lovely as the beloved—one could not find

And he approached, handsome like a beloved whose beauty could not be found

the like of his qualities, even were he portrayed in an image.

In his attributes even if carved into a statue

في سُرعَةِ الأَوهامِ ليس كجريه

في سُرعَةِ الأَوهامِ ليس كجريه

في البُعدِ إِلا خِلبَةُ الآمالِ

في البُعدِ إِلا خِلبَةُ الآمالِ

Swift as imaginings, his gallop has no equal

In the swiftness of imaginations, his pace is not like their flow

over distances, save the beguiling lure of hopes.

In distance, except for the delusions of hopes

وَمَعارضٌ لِلريحِ في حَرَكاتِهِ

وَمَعارضٌ لِلريحِ في حَرَكاتِهِ

لَولا اللِّجامُ لجالَ كُلَّ مَجالِ

لَولا اللِّجامُ لجالَ كُلَّ مَجالِ

And he rivals the wind in his movements;

A challenger to the wind in his movements

but for the bridle, he would roam through every open space.

If not for the rein, he would have roamed every open space

ذو مَنظر حَسَنٍ تَضَمَّنَ مَخبرا

ذو مَنظر حَسَنٍ تَضَمَّنَ مَخبرا

حَسَناً فَكانَ لِزِينَةٍ وَقِتالِ

حَسَناً فَكانَ لِزِينَةٍ وَقِتالِ

He has a handsome appearance enclosing an inner nature

With a beautiful appearance containing an informer

equally fine; thus he was fit for adornment and battle.

Of beauty, so he was made for adornment and battle

حَسُنَت بِهِ الحَرَكاتُ وَالمَعشوقُ لا

حَسُنَت بِهِ الحَرَكاتُ وَالمَعشوقُ لا

يصبي لِغَيرِ بَراعَةٍ وَدَلالِ

يصبي لِغَيرِ بَراعَةٍ وَدَلالِ

Through him, movements grew lovely, and the beloved does not

The movements were beautified by him, and the beloved does not

captivate except through surpassing beauty and coquetry.

Incline to other than cleverness and coquetry

أَلقَوا عَلَيهِ حَليَهُ فَبَدا لَنا

أَلقَوا عَلَيهِ حَليَهُ فَبَدا لَنا

فيهِ كَما تَبدو العَروسُ لجالِ

فيهِ كَما تَبدو العَروسُ لجالِ

They laid his ornaments upon him, and he appeared to us

They adorned him with his jewelry, so he appeared to us

in them as a bride appears to one unveiling her.

In it like a bride appears to her entourage

وَكَأَنَّما يُزهَى بِما يَعلوهُ مِن

وَكَأَنَّما يُزهَى بِما يَعلوهُ مِن

حَليٍ فَيَمشي مِشيَةَ المُختالِ

حَليٍ فَيَمشي مِشيَةَ المُختالِ

And he seems to glory in what covers him—

And it is as if he is embellished by what rises above him

finery—so he walks with a swaggerer's gait.

Of jewelry, so he walks the walk of the conceited

حَطَمَت حَوافِزُهُ السِّلامَ صَلابَةً

حَطَمَت حَوافِزُهُ السِّلامَ صَلابَةً

فَكأَنَّها مِن أَوجُهِ البُخَّالِ

فَكأَنَّها مِن أَوجُهِ البُخَّالِ

His spurs shattered the hard stones through sheer hardness;

His stirrups broke obstinacy with strength

so they seem made from misers' faces.

As if they were made from the faces of misers