جُنِنت بِها سَوداء لَون وَناظِرٍ

جُنِنت بِها سَوداء لَون وَناظِرٍ

وَيا طالَما كانَ الجُنونُ بِسَوداءِ

وَيا طالَما كانَ الجُنونُ بِسَوداءِ

I was driven mad by her, black of complexion and eye.

Black-haired and dark-eyed, for her love I pine,

And oh, how often madness has come from black bile!

Though oft for brunettes men lost their minds before,

وَجَدتُ بِها بَردَ النَعيمِ وَإِن يَكُن

وَجَدتُ بِها بَردَ النَعيمِ وَإِن يَكُن

فُؤاديَ مِنها في جَحيمٍ وَلأواءِ

فُؤاديَ مِنها في جَحيمٍ وَلأواءِ

And in her I found the coolness of bliss, though

With her I found delights past all design,

my heart, because of her, is in hellfire and distress.

Though she makes my heart burn deep in hell's core,

وَشاهَدتُ مَعنى الحُسن فيها مُجَسِّداً

وَشاهَدتُ مَعنى الحُسن فيها مُجَسِّداً

فَاعجب لِمَعنى صارَ جَوهَرَ أَشياءِ

فَاعجب لِمَعنى صارَ جَوهَرَ أَشياءِ

And I saw the idea of beauty embodied in her;

In her I saw the meaning of beauty shine,

so marvel at an idea that became the substance of things.

A meaning made the essence of all lore,

أَطاعنةً مِن قَدِّها بِمثقفٍ

أَطاعنةً مِن قَدِّها بِمثقفٍ

أَصَبتِ وَما أَغنى الفَتى لبسُ حَصداءِ

أَصَبتِ وَما أَغنى الفَتى لبسُ حَصداءِ

O woman who strikes with a straightened lance fashioned from her stature,

With arrows from her heavy hips that fine,

you struck true, and wearing close-woven mail did the young man no good.

She hit her mark, though useless to fight war,

لَقَد طَعَنت وَالقَلبُ ساهٍ فَما دَرى

لَقَد طَعَنت وَالقَلبُ ساهٍ فَما دَرى

أَبالقَدِّ مِنها أَم بِصَعدَةِ سَمراءِ

أَبالقَدِّ مِنها أَم بِصَعدَةِ سَمراءِ

Indeed, she struck while the heart was heedless, so it could not tell

She wounded me while careless of her crime,

whether with her stature or with a tawny lance.

Unsure if 'twas her hips or brown hair's power,

جُنِنتُ بِها سَوداءَ شعرٍ وَناظِرٍ

جُنِنتُ بِها سَوداءَ شعرٍ وَناظِرٍ

وَسَمراءَ لَون تَزدَري كُلَّ بَيضاءِ

وَسَمراءَ لَون تَزدَري كُلَّ بَيضاءِ

I was driven mad by her, black of hair and eye,

For black hair and eyes I lost my mind,

and brown of complexion, disdaining every fair-skinned woman.

Brunette who scorns all other girls so dour.