إِذاwhen غابَhe is absent عَنfrom عَينيmy sight أَقولI say سَلَوتُهُI have forgotten him
إِذا غابَ عَن عَيني أَقول سَلَوتُهُ
وَإِنand if لاحَhe appears حالَchanges اللَونُthe complexion فَاضطربthen trembles القَلبthe heart
وَإِن لاحَ حالَ اللَونُ فَاضطرب القَلب
When he is absent from my sight, I say, “I have forgotten him”;
When he is absent from my sight, I say I have forgotten him;
But when he comes into view, my color changes and my heart trembles.
And if he appears, my complexion changes and my heart trembles.
يُهَيّجُنيstirs me عَيناهُhis two eyes وَالمبسمُand the smiling mouth الَّذيthat
يُهَيّجُني عَيناهُ وَالمبسمُ الَّذي
بِهِin it المسكُthe musk مَنظومٌstrung بِهِin it اللُؤلؤُthe pearls الرَّطبُmoist
بِهِ المسكُ مَنظومٌ بِهِ اللُؤلؤُ الرَّطبُ
His eyes inflame me—and the smiling mouth
His eyes stir me, and the smiling mouth that
where musk is arrayed and fresh, dewy pearls gleam.
Holds musk, with moist pearls strung within it.
