نسيتُI forgot ولستُand I am not أنسىI forget حسنbeauty بكرa maiden
نسيتُ ولستُ أنسى حسن بكر
وحسنَand the beauty عشيةan evening معهاwith her وصبحهand its morning
وحسنَ عشية معها وصبحه
I have forgotten, yet I do not forget a maiden’s beauty,
I forgot, though I'll not forget, the beauty of an early dawn,
And the beauty of an evening with her and its morning.
And the beauty of an evening I with it have spent and morn,
ضممتُI clasped الخصرَthe waist ثمَّthen نحوتI aimed toward أمراًa matter
ضممتُ الخصرَ ثمَّ نحوت أمراً
فياso, oh لكfor you ضمةan embrace (also: a ḍamma vowel mark) كانتit was وفتحهand an opening (also: a fatḥa vowel mark)
فيا لك ضمة كانت وفتحه
I clasped her waist, then sought something—
Holding waist I sculpted matter,
Oh, what an embrace it was, and what an opening!
Oh, what an embrace it was, and its release!