طرَّةُ مِسكٍ وشارِبٌ أخضَر

طرَّةُ مِسكٍ وشارِبٌ أخضَر

وثغرُ دُرٍّ ومُقلَتا جُؤذَر

وثغرُ دُرٍّ ومُقلَتا جُؤذَر

A forelock of musk and a green moustache,

A scent of musk, a green chalice

And a mouth of pearls and the two eyes of a wild-ox calf.

Lips like pearls, eyes like daggers

رِيمٌ إِذا رُمتُ أن أكلِّمَهُ

رِيمٌ إِذا رُمتُ أن أكلِّمَهُ

كلَّمَني مِن جُفُونِهِ خِنجَر

كلَّمَني مِن جُفُونِهِ خِنجَر

A gazelle: when I seek to speak to him,

I yearn to speak to him when I visit

A dagger from his eyelids speaks to me.

But his glances stab me in the heart

وإن تَعوَّضتُ مِن عَوارِضِهِ

وإن تَعوَّضتُ مِن عَوارِضِهِ

لَثماً تَجنَّى عليَّ واستَكبَر

لَثماً تَجنَّى عليَّ واستَكبَر

And if I seek recompense from his cheeks—

If I try to overlook his flaws

A kiss—he falsely accuses me and grows haughty.

He spurns my kiss and acts haughty

كأنَّ خِيلانَه ووَجنَتَهُ

كأنَّ خِيلانَه ووَجنَتَهُ

سَماءُ حُسنٍ نُجُومُها تَزهَر

سَماءُ حُسنٍ نُجُومُها تَزهَر

It is as though his moles and his cheek

As if his moles and dimples

Were a sky of beauty whose stars shine.

Were stars blossoming in the sky of beauty

سُبحانَ مَن صاغَهُ على قَدَرٍ

سُبحانَ مَن صاغَهُ على قَدَرٍ

فذلكَ اللَّهُ خَيرُ مَن قَدَّر

فذلكَ اللَّهُ خَيرُ مَن قَدَّر

Glory be to Him who fashioned him in due measure;

Glory to Him who shaped him perfectly

For that is God, the best of those who give measure.

For that is God, the Best of Creators