وطيِّبِ الريقِ عذب آبَ في آبِ

وطيِّبِ الريقِ عذب آبَ في آبِ

وزار مُشتَمِلاً في زيّ أعرابِ

وزار مُشتَمِلاً في زيّ أعرابِ

And a luscious one, sweet of saliva, returned in August,

With fresh and sweet saliva in the month of August

and visited, wrapped in Bedouin garb.

He came dressed like a Bedouin

مُخَمّلِ الثوبِ لم تَخمُل رئاستهُ

مُخَمّلِ الثوبِ لم تَخمُل رئاستهُ

بين الفواكهِ من نَقصٍ ولا عابِ

بين الفواكهِ من نَقصٍ ولا عابِ

Velvet-robed, his preeminence never waned

Wearing an embroidered garment, his leadership was not pretentious

among fruits through any deficiency or blemish.

Among fruits without any defect or blemish

خالستُهُ نظري فاحمرَّ من خجلٍ

خالستُهُ نظري فاحمرَّ من خجلٍ

خَدّاهُ ثم انثنى عني كمرتابِ

خَدّاهُ ثم انثنى عني كمرتابِ

I stole a glance at him, and red with shyness grew

I stared at him, so he blushed with shyness

his cheeks; then he turned away from me like one in doubt.

He smiled, then turned away from me hesitantly

من اسمه فيه مَقلوباً ومُبتدئاً

من اسمه فيه مَقلوباً ومُبتدئاً

أربى على اللوز في تطريز جلباب

أربى على اللوز في تطريز جلباب

One whose name lies within him, read backward and forward,

His name, when reversed, begins with the letter 'A'

outdid the almond in the embroidery of a cloak.

The number of almonds on his robe's embroidery