أرق من الصبا النجدي طبعاً

أرق من الصبا النجدي طبعاً

والين من قضيب البان خصرا

والين من قضيب البان خصرا

More delicate by nature than Najd’s east breeze,

More slender than an eastern Najdi youth,

And more supple of waist than a bān-tree bough.

And more pliant than a wand of pliant cane,

طوى في صبح صحن الخد شمساً

طوى في صبح صحن الخد شمساً

فأطلع تحت ليل الشعر فجرا

فأطلع تحت ليل الشعر فجرا

He enfolded a sun in his cheek’s morning-bright expanse,

He folded morning in his cheek's expanse

And made a dawn rise beneath the night of his hair.

And brought forth dawn beneath his hair's dark night.

له جد الغزال وعين ريم

له جد الغزال وعين ريم

وهزة سمهري ودلال حورا

وهزة سمهري ودلال حورا

He has a gazelle’s [neck?] and a white gazelle’s eye,

The gazelle's glide is his, Rim's eyes are his,

And a slender spear’s sway and a dark-eyed maiden’s coy charm.

A Houri's charm, a fawn's allure are his.

إذا ما افتر مبسمه أرانا

إذا ما افتر مبسمه أرانا

صغار جواهر سورن خمرا

صغار جواهر سورن خمرا

Whenever his smiling mouth parts, he shows us

When his smile opens we behold displayed

Small jewels encircled with wine.

Small pearls of wine set out in order due.

إلا للَه منه كحيل عين

إلا للَه منه كحيل عين

بكسر الطرف يكسر جيش كسرى

بكسر الطرف يكسر جيش كسرى

Ah, praise be to God for this kohl-eyed one,

By God, he has kohl in his eyes that could

Who, with a lowered gaze, shatters Kisra’s army.

Destroy, with a single glance, Khusraw's great host.