أَسحرٌ لِتلكَ العَينِ في القَلبِ أَم وَخز

أَسحرٌ لِتلكَ العَينِ في القَلبِ أَم وَخز

وَلينٌ لِذاكَ الجسمِ في اللَمسِ أَم خَزُّ

وَلينٌ لِذاكَ الجسمِ في اللَمسِ أَم خَزُّ

Is it magic that eye works upon the heart, or a sting?

A magic in those eyes pierces the heart, or a sting

And is that body soft to the touch, or is it silk?

A softness in that body touches gently, or pricks

وَأملود ذاكَ القَدّ أَم أَسمَرٌّ غَدا

وَأملود ذاكَ القَدّ أَم أَسمَرٌّ غَدا

لَهُ أَبَداً في قَلبِ عاشِقِهِ وَهزُ

لَهُ أَبَداً في قَلبِ عاشِقِهِ وَهزُ

And is that figure a supple branch, or a brown spear that has come

Smooth is that waist, or dark has it become

To thrust forever into its lover's heart?

Forever swaying the heart of her lover, shaking

فَتاة كَساها الحُسنُ أَفخرَ مَلبَسٍ

فَتاة كَساها الحُسنُ أَفخرَ مَلبَسٍ

فَصارَ عَلَيهِ مِن مَحاسِنِها طرزُ

فَصارَ عَلَيهِ مِن مَحاسِنِها طرزُ

A maiden whom beauty clothed in the finest garment,

A girl robed with beauty, the finest dress

So her charms became embroidery upon it.

Her charms upon it shaped like embroidery

وَأَهدى إِلَيها الغُصنُ لينَ قوامِهِ

وَأَهدى إِلَيها الغُصنُ لينَ قوامِهِ

فَماسَ كَأَنَّ الغُصنَ خامرَهُ العِزُّ

فَماسَ كَأَنَّ الغُصنَ خامرَهُ العِزُّ

And the bough bestowed on her the suppleness of its form,

The branch offered its supple form to her

So it swayed, as though the bough were filled with pride.

As if drunk with glory the branch it did caress

يَضوعُ أَديمُ الأَرضِ مِن نَشر طيبِها

يَضوعُ أَديمُ الأَرضِ مِن نَشر طيبِها

وَيخضَرُّ في آثارِها تُربُهُ الجرزُ

وَيخضَرُّ في آثارِها تُربُهُ الجرزُ

The earth's surface exhales fragrance as her perfume spreads,

The earth's skin grows tender where her scent spreads

And its barren soil turns green in her footsteps.

In her footsteps the dust turns soft and fresh

وَتَختالُ في بُردِ الشَبابِ إِذا مَشَت

وَتَختالُ في بُردِ الشَبابِ إِذا مَشَت

فيُنهِضُها قَدٌّ وَيقعِدُها عَجزُ

فيُنهِضُها قَدٌّ وَيقعِدُها عَجزُ

And she struts in the mantle of youth when she walks:

She sways as she walks in the chill of youth

Her figure lifts her up, while her hips weigh her down.

Her waist rising, her hips settling without rush

أَصابَت فُؤادَ الصَبِّ مِنها بِنَظرَةٍ

أَصابَت فُؤادَ الصَبِّ مِنها بِنَظرَةٍ

فَلا رُقيةٌ تُجدي المُصابَ وَلا حِرزُ

فَلا رُقيةٌ تُجدي المُصابَ وَلا حِرزُ

She struck the lovesick man's heart with a glance of hers,

Her glance struck the heart of a young man

So neither incantation nor amulet can help the stricken man.

No chant will help the stricken, no amulet

أَقامَ زَماناً وَهوَ أَخرَسُ باهِتٌ

أَقامَ زَماناً وَهوَ أَخرَسُ باهِتٌ

فَإِن رامَ تَكليماً يَكونُ لَهُ رَمزُ

فَإِن رامَ تَكليماً يَكونُ لَهُ رَمزُ

He remained a while, mute and dazed;

Long he was struck dumb and pale

And if he tried to speak, he could only gesture.

If he tried to speak, it was in gesture and sign

وَلَو أَنَها تَسخو بِأَدنى وِصالِها

وَلَو أَنَها تَسخو بِأَدنى وِصالِها

لأَقنَعَهُ المسكينُ مِن لَحظِها غَمزُ

لأَقنَعَهُ المسكينُ مِن لَحظِها غَمزُ

And were she to grant the slightest intimacy,

Had she deigned to grant him her slightest union

A wink of her eye would satisfy him, poor man.

That poor soul would have been sated by a wink