ياO بارِقاًlightning flash قَدَحَstruck sparks from الزِنادَthe flints وَعارِضاًand rain-cloud
يا بارِقاً قَدَحَ الزِنادَ وَعارِضاً
مُتَهَلِّلاًradiant رَكِبَrode الرِياحَthe winds فَساراthen journeyed on
مُتَهَلِّلاً رَكِبَ الرِياحَ فَسارا
O lightning that struck sparks from the flints, and rain-cloud,
Radiant as it rode the winds and journeyed on,
قولاsay, you two لِأَحوىto a dark-lipped one بِاللِوىat al-Liwa مُتَنَصِّرٍprofessing Christianity
قولا لِأَحوى بِاللِوى مُتَنَصِّرٍ
عَقَدَtied النُحولُslenderness بِخَصرِهِabout his waist زِنّاراa girdle
عَقَدَ النُحولُ بِخَصرِهِ زِنّارا
You two, tell a dark-lipped Christian at al-Liwa,
Whose slenderness has tied a girdle about his waist:
ياغُصنَO bough حُسنٍbeauty قامَrose يَنشُرُunfurls فَرعَهُits branch
ياغُصنَ حُسنٍ قامَ يَنشُرُ فَرعَهُ
وَرَقاًleaves وَيَفتُقُand opens نورَهُits radiance نُوّاراblossoms
وَرَقاً وَيَفتُقُ نورَهُ نُوّارا
O bough of beauty, risen to unfurl its branch
As leaves, and open its radiance into blossoms,
ماwhat كانَwould have ضَرَّكَharmed you لَوif هَصَرتُكَI bent you down لَيلَةًone night
ما كانَ ضَرَّكَ لَو هَصَرتُكَ لَيلَةً
فَنَثَرتَthen you scattered مِنfrom قُبَلٍkisses عَلَيَّupon me ثِماراfruits
فَنَثَرتَ مِن قُبَلٍ عَلَيَّ ثِمارا
What harm would it have done you had I bent you down one night,
And you had then scattered fruits of kisses upon me?