لما التحى أصبحت عمامته ال

لما التحى أصبحت عمامته ال

سوداء تجلى مخضرة الحبكِ

سوداء تجلى مخضرة الحبكِ

When he grew a beard, his turban came to be—

When he got dressed, his black turban

The black one—displayed with a green-tinged weave.

Became green with love's dye.

وصار يختال أن يلين بخلق ال

وصار يختال أن يلين بخلق ال

خز عن ردفه أو الفنك

خز عن ردفه أو الفنك

And he began to strut, letting worn cloth drape softly—

He started swaggering, acting gentle

Silk-and-wool or fennec fur—from his rump.

With a nature not of harshness or aloofness.

في كل يوم تراه مؤتزراً

في كل يوم تراه مؤتزراً

بالروض بين الحياض والبرك

بالروض بين الحياض والبرك

Each day you see him girded at the waist

Each day we see him with his waist wrapped

With a meadow, among the basins and pools.

In the garden, between the enclosures and the pools.

وما علمنا بأنه قمر

وما علمنا بأنه قمر

حتى اكتسى قطعة من الفلك

حتى اكتسى قطعة من الفلك

And we never knew that he was a moon

We did not know he was a moon

Until he clothed himself in a piece of the firmament.

Until he wore a piece of the celestial sphere.