سَباني جَمالٌ مِن مَليحٍ مُصارِعٍ

سَباني جَمالٌ مِن مَليحٍ مُصارِعٍ

عَلَيهِ دَليلٌ لِلملاحةِ واضِحُ

عَلَيهِ دَليلٌ لِلملاحةِ واضِحُ

A beauty captivated me—a lovely wrestler’s grace;

The beauty of a handsome wrestler has taken me captive.

A beauty contests with a handsome lad

upon him is a manifest proof of loveliness.

He bears a clear sign of loveliness.

An obvious guide to the encounter

لَئن عَزّ مِنهُ المِثلُ فَالكُلُّ دونَه

لَئن عَزّ مِنهُ المِثلُ فَالكُلُّ دونَه

وَإِن خَفَّ مِنهُ الخَصرُ فَالرِدفُ راجِحُ

وَإِن خَفَّ مِنهُ الخَصرُ فَالرِدفُ راجِحُ

Though his equal is hard to find, all others fall below him;

If indeed his equal is hard to find, then all fall short of him.

Though the like of him be rare, all else seems less

and though his waist is slender, his haunches weigh heavily.

And though his waist is slender, his buttocks are weighty.

And if his waist seems slender, his hips make up