بدا وَرَنْت لواحظُه دَلالا

بدا وَرَنْت لواحظُه دَلالا

فما أبهى الغزالةَ والغزالا

فما أبهى الغزالةَ والغزالا

He appeared, and his sidelong glances lingered coyly.

His glances began to flicker alluringly,

How splendid the sun and the gazelle!

How graceful is the doe and the young stag!

وأسْفَرَ عن سنا قمرٍ منيرٍ

وأسْفَرَ عن سنا قمرٍ منيرٍ

ولكنْ قدْ وَجَدْتُ به الضلالا

ولكنْ قدْ وَجَدْتُ به الضلالا

And he unveiled the radiance of a shining moon,

And there emerged from his teeth a shining moon,

yet I found in him misguidance.

But in it I found misguidance.

صقيلُ الخَدِّ أبْصَرَ من رآه

صقيلُ الخَدِّ أبْصَرَ من رآه

سوادُ العين فيه فخال خالا

سوادُ العين فيه فخال خالا

His cheek was polished; whoever saw him saw

The smoothness of his cheek is clearer to whoever sees him

his own eye’s blackness there, and mistook it for a mole.

The blackness of his eye has a distinct beauty mark.

وممنوع الوصال إذا تبدى

وممنوع الوصال إذا تبدى

وجدت له من الألفاظ لالا

وجدت له من الألفاظ لالا

And union with him was withheld; when he appeared,

And union with him is forbidden when he appears -

I found among his words “No, no.”

I found in his words a coquetry.

عجبتُ لثغره البسام أبدى

عجبتُ لثغره البسام أبدى

لنا دُرًّا وقد سكن الزلالا

لنا دُرًّا وقد سكن الزلالا

I marveled at his ever-smiling mouth: it revealed

I'm amazed by his smiling lips that showed

pearls to us, while they dwelt in limpid water.

Us a pearl, though hail settled in the streams.

شهدتُ بشهد ريقته لأنِّي

شهدتُ بشهد ريقته لأنِّي

رأيتُ على سوالفه نمالا

رأيتُ على سوالفه نمالا

I bore witness to the honey of his saliva, for I

I testified with the honey of his saliva because

saw ants upon the sides of his neck.

I saw bracelets on his wrists.

فيا عجباً لحسن قد حواه

فيا عجباً لحسن قد حواه

وقد أهدى إلى قلبي الوبالا

وقد أهدى إلى قلبي الوبالا

Oh, how wondrous the beauty he possessed,

So wonderful is the beauty he contained

and yet he bestowed ruin upon my heart!

And which brought ruin to my heart.

سأشكو الحبَّ ما بَقِيَتْ حياتي

سأشكو الحبَّ ما بَقِيَتْ حياتي

وأشكرُ من صنائعه الجمالا

وأشكرُ من صنائعه الجمالا

I shall complain of love as long as my life lasts,

I will complain of love as long as I live

and praise beauty among its gifts.

And thank the one whose works are beauty.