أثنِ عليه وقد تثنَّى البانُ

أثنِ عليه وقد تثنَّى البانُ

وكفاهُ ما شهدت به الأغصانُ

وكفاهُ ما شهدت به الأغصانُ

Sing his praise as the bān tree sways;

Praise him—the bān tree has bowed,

the branches’ testimony to him is enough.

And what the branches have testified to is enough for him.

ورنا فقيل هو الغزالُ وأينَ من

ورنا فقيل هو الغزالُ وأينَ من

لحظاته وفتورها الغزلانُ

لحظاته وفتورها الغزلانُ

He gazed, and they said, “It is the gazelle!” Yet where are

He gazed, and they said, “He is the gazelle!” Yet where are

gazelles beside his glances and their languor?

Gazelles beside his glances and their languor?

رَشأٌ بديعٌ الحسن أما قدُّهُ

رَشأٌ بديعٌ الحسن أما قدُّهُ

عصنٌ وأما وجهه بستانُ

عصنٌ وأما وجهه بستانُ

A young fawn of wondrous beauty: as for his stature,

A young gazelle of wondrous beauty—as for his stature,

a branch; and as for his face, a garden.

A branch; and as for his face, a garden.

فأقاحُهُ الثغر النظيمُ ووردهُ ال

فأقاحُهُ الثغر النظيمُ ووردهُ ال

خدُّ الرقيم وصدغُه الريحانُ

خدُّ الرقيم وصدغُه الريحانُ

Its daisies are his well-strung teeth, and its rose—the

Its daisies are his well-set teeth, and its rose is the

ornamented cheek; his side-lock is basil.

Inscribed cheek; and his temple-lock is basil.

ورُضَابه خمرٌ حَوتهُ جفُونُه

ورُضَابه خمرٌ حَوتهُ جفُونُه

فلأجل ذا يُحمى بها ويُصانُ

فلأجل ذا يُحمى بها ويُصانُ

His saliva is wine encompassed by his eyelids,

And his saliva is wine contained by his eyelids;

and therefore by them it is protected and preserved.

For this reason it is guarded by them and kept safe.

فاشرب بكأسِ الثغرِ خمرة ريقهِ

فاشرب بكأسِ الثغرِ خمرة ريقهِ

لكن إذا أذنت لك الأجفانُ

لكن إذا أذنت لك الأجفانُ

Drink from the cup of his mouth the wine of his saliva,

So drink the wine of his saliva from the cup of his mouth,

but only if his eyelids grant you leave.

But only if the eyelids grant you leave.

لا تَغترِر بفتورِ طرفٍ ناعِسٍ

لا تَغترِر بفتورِ طرفٍ ناعِسٍ

فالسحرُ من لحظاته يقظانُ

فالسحرُ من لحظاته يقظانُ

Do not be deceived by the languor of a drowsing eye:

Do not be deceived by a drowsy eye’s languor,

the sorcery within his glances is awake.

For the magic of his glances is wide awake.

كم قد هممت بقطفِ وردةِ خدّه

كم قد هممت بقطفِ وردةِ خدّه

لو كانَ لي من مقلتيه أمانُ

لو كانَ لي من مقلتيه أمانُ

How often I have thought to pluck the rose of his cheek,

How often I have meant to pluck the rose of his cheek—

if only his two eyes would grant me safe-conduct.

If only I were safe from his two eyes!

وشقائقاً قبَّلتها من خدهِ

وشقائقاً قبَّلتها من خدهِ

حتى رثى لذبُولها نَعمَانُ

حتى رثى لذبُولها نَعمَانُ

And anemones I kissed upon his cheek,

And I kissed anemones upon his cheek,

until Nu‘mān pitied them as they wilted.

Until Nuʿmān lamented their withering.