قلبي من الضيق ممَّا ضمَّ قَرْقَرُها

قلبي من الضيق ممَّا ضمَّ قَرْقَرُها

يحوي افتتاناً بما يحويه مِئزرُها

يحوي افتتاناً بما يحويه مِئزرُها

My heart, in its constriction, is among what her tunic enfolds;

My heart is suffocated by the clinking of her anklet

it holds a passion for what her waistcloth contains.

It harbors fascination with what is hidden by her wrap

راقتْ محاسنها عيناً أراق دماً

راقتْ محاسنها عيناً أراق دماً

بعد الدموع حذارَ البين مَحْجِرُها

بعد الدموع حذارَ البين مَحْجِرُها

Her charms delighted an eye; blood was shed

Her beauty pleased an eye that shed blood

by its socket, after tears, for fear of parting.

After tears, beware the separation of her eyelids

غرَّاءُ غُصَّتْ بما فيها دَمالجها

غرَّاءُ غُصَّتْ بما فيها دَمالجها

كما شكا قَلقاً بالقُلب قَرقرُها

كما شكا قَلقاً بالقُلب قَرقرُها

Radiant she is; her armlets choked on what they enclosed,

The smoothness of her cheek complains of what is in it

just as her tunic, with her bracelet, complained of looseness.

As the heart complains of restlessness due to her ankle bell

معسولةُ الريق يحكي طيبَ نكهتها

معسولةُ الريق يحكي طيبَ نكهتها

بعد الكرى وغُؤُورِ النجم مَنْشَرُها

بعد الكرى وغُؤُورِ النجم مَنْشَرُها

Honey-sweet is her saliva; her breath's sweet scent is echoed,

The sweetness of her saliva tells of the goodness of its taste

after sleep and the star's sinking, by her fragrance.

After sorrow and the disappearance of stars at dawn

غُصنٌ رطيبٌ أعالي خَلقها ونقا

غُصنٌ رطيبٌ أعالي خَلقها ونقا

تحت النطاق إذا تهتَزُّ يَبهرها

تحت النطاق إذا تهتَزُّ يَبهرها

Her upper form is a supple branch, and a sand dune

A soft branch, the heights of her creation and purity

beneath her girdle leaves her breathless when she sways.

When her waist sways, it dazzles those who look upon her

ماء الشباب بخدَّيها إذا سَفَرتْ

ماء الشباب بخدَّيها إذا سَفَرتْ

جرت به الرَّاح حتى أنت تُبصرها

جرت به الرَّاح حتى أنت تُبصرها

The water of youth lies in her cheeks when she unveils;

The water of youth on her cheeks when she travels

wine has flowed through it until you can see it.

The wind makes it flow so that you can see it

يقول لي الناس إذ مال الوُشاةُ بها

يقول لي الناس إذ مال الوُشاةُ بها

عنّي وغيَّرها بعدي مُغيِّرُها

عنّي وغيَّرها بعدي مُغيِّرُها

People tell me, when tale-bearers have turned her

People tell me when the slanderers speak ill of her

away from me and someone has changed her in my absence:

And change her after me, her changer

عليك بالهجر علَّ الهجرَ يُرجعها

عليك بالهجر علَّ الهجرَ يُرجعها

إلى الوصال ولا أسطيع أهجرها

إلى الوصال ولا أسطيع أهجرها

Forsake her; perhaps estrangement will bring her back

Insist on estrangement, perhaps estrangement will return her

to union—but I cannot forsake her.

To affection, though I cannot estrange her

وكيف أهجر من نفسي مُعلّقةٌ

وكيف أهجر من نفسي مُعلّقةٌ

بذكره وهو ناسٍ ليس يذكرها

بذكره وهو ناسٍ ليس يذكرها

And how can I forsake one when my soul is bound

How can I estrange one whose soul

to remembering her, while she forgets and does not remember it?

Is attached to the memory of me, though I do not remember her?

ومن عجائب ما يُبلَى المحِب به

ومن عجائب ما يُبلَى المحِب به

أنّي على ذاك أرجوها وأحذَرها

أنّي على ذاك أرجوها وأحذَرها

And among the strange trials a lover suffers

Among the wonders the lover is worn down by

is that, despite all this, I hope for her and fear her.

Is that I hope for her and fear her