وَلَقَد رَجَوتُ مَعَ العِذارِ سُلوَّهُ

وَلَقَد رَجَوتُ مَعَ العِذارِ سُلوَّهُ

فَإِذا بِهِ مِن أَبيَنِ الأَعذارِ

فَإِذا بِهِ مِن أَبيَنِ الأَعذارِ

Indeed, I had hoped that, with the down upon his cheek, I might forget him;

And indeed, with his cheek-down I had hoped to forget him,

but behold—it was itself the clearest of excuses.

but behold, it proved one of the clearest excuses.

وَرَأَيتُ بَينَ جَبينِهِ وَعِذارِهِ

وَرَأَيتُ بَينَ جَبينِهِ وَعِذارِهِ

نُورَ الشُّموسِ وَرَونَقَ الأَقمارِ

نُورَ الشُّموسِ وَرَونَقَ الأَقمارِ

And between his brow and the down upon his cheek I saw

And I saw between his brow and his cheek-down

the sunlight and the splendor of moons.

the light of suns and the radiance of moons.

يا شادِناً لَم أَدرِ قَبلَ غَرامِهِ

يا شادِناً لَم أَدرِ قَبلَ غَرامِهِ

أَنَّ الرَّدى مِن أَعظَمِ الأَوطارِ

أَنَّ الرَّدى مِن أَعظَمِ الأَوطارِ

O young gazelle, before my passion for him I never knew

O young gazelle, before my passion for him I did not know

that death could rank among the greatest of desires.

that death is among the greatest desires.

مِمّا يُبَيِّنُ أَنَّ ثِغرَكَ زَهرُهُ

مِمّا يُبَيِّنُ أَنَّ ثِغرَكَ زَهرُهُ

طيبُ النَّسيمِ بِهِ مَعَ الأَسحارِ

طيبُ النَّسيمِ بِهِ مَعَ الأَسحارِ

One sign that your mouth is its blossom is

Among what shows that your mouth is its blossom

the breeze’s fragrance upon it in the hours before dawn.

is the sweetness of the breeze about it in the predawn hours.