لَمّا حَجَبَت جَمالَها عَن نَظَري

لَمّا حَجَبَت جَمالَها عَن نَظَري

أَضحى بَصَرِي مُراقِباً للقَمَرِ

أَضحى بَصَرِي مُراقِباً للقَمَرِ

When she hid her beauty from my gaze,

When her beauty was veiled from my sight,

my eyes began keeping watch on the moon.

My eyes became fixed upon the moon.

هَب أَنَّهُّما بِناظِريَّ اشتَبَها

هَب أَنَّهُّما بِناظِريَّ اشتَبَها

نُوراً فَهُما شِبهٌ لَها في الخَفَرِ

نُوراً فَهُما شِبهٌ لَها في الخَفَرِ

Suppose the two seemed alike to my eyes

As if in my eyes they were both alike -

in radiance—then both resemble her in bashful modesty.

Radiant lights, each a likeness of the other.

ما كانَ لَنا نُحِبُّها مِن غَرَضٍ

ما كانَ لَنا نُحِبُّها مِن غَرَضٍ

لَكن قَدَرٌ أَتاحَهُ عَن نَظَري

لَكن قَدَرٌ أَتاحَهُ عَن نَظَري

We had no ulterior motive in loving her,

We loved her not for any purpose,

but fate brought it about through my gaze.

But fate allowed it beyond my sight.

سَمراءُ لَها بِمُهجَتي مُعتَلَقٌ

سَمراءُ لَها بِمُهجَتي مُعتَلَقٌ

فَالعَينُ لَها مُديمَةٌ بِالسَّمَرِ

فَالعَينُ لَها مُديمَةٌ بِالسَّمَرِ

A brown-skinned beauty, she has a hold upon my heart.

A browned complexion has my heart in its grip,

So my eyes linger on her during nightly conversation.

So my eyes are ever upon the browned.

مَهما نَسمت فَمِسكَةٌ في أَرَجٍ

مَهما نَسمت فَمِسكَةٌ في أَرَجٍ

أَو ما بَسمَت فَرِقَّةٌ في دُرَرِ

أَو ما بَسمَت فَرِقَّةٌ في دُرَرِ

Whenever she breathes, she is a fragrant morsel of musk;

Be she gently blowing musk-scented breezes,

or whenever she smiles, she is tenderness amid pearls.

Or smiling with a radiance like pearls,

شَمسٌ سَفَرت كَم أَخجَلَت مِن قَمَر

شَمسٌ سَفَرت كَم أَخجَلَت مِن قَمَر

رَودٌ نَظَرت بِسِحرِها في الحَوَرِ

رَودٌ نَظَرت بِسِحرِها في الحَوَرِ

A sun unveiled—how many a moon has she put to shame!

A sun traveled, shaming the bashful moon,

A graceful beauty, she gazed with the spell of her eyes, dark against their whites.

A gazelle glanced with her magic at the maidens.

غابَت زَمَناً فَخاطِري في قَلَقٍ

غابَت زَمَناً فَخاطِري في قَلَقٍ

مِنها وَجَوانِحي غَدَت في سَعَرِ

مِنها وَجَوانِحي غَدَت في سَعَرِ

She was absent for a time, so my mind was in turmoil

She was absent a while, and my thoughts were disturbed,

over her, and my ribs were aflame.

My feelings aflame in yearning for her.

راحَت وَلَها تَشَوُّقٌ أَزعَجَها

راحَت وَلَها تَشَوُّقٌ أَزعَجَها

للحَجِّ فَما تَقاعَدَت في السَفَرِ

للحَجِّ فَما تَقاعَدَت في السَفَرِ

She departed with a longing that roused her

She left, and longing disquieted her,

for the pilgrimage, so she did not hang back from the journey.

For the pilgrimage, not tarrying in travel.

حَجَّت وَقَضَت زِيارَةً وافَقَها

حَجَّت وَقَضَت زِيارَةً وافَقَها

سَعدٌ وَأَتَت سَليمَةً مِن ضَرَرِ

سَعدٌ وَأَتَت سَليمَةً مِن ضَرَرِ

She made the pilgrimage and paid a visit; attending her was

She made the pilgrimage, completed a visitation,

good fortune, and she returned safe from harm.

Fortune met her, she came safe from harm.

فَالدارُ بِها مُضِيئَةٌ مُذ وَرَدَت

فَالدارُ بِها مُضِيئَةٌ مُذ وَرَدَت

وَالرُوحُ لَها مُطيعَةٌ في العُمُرِ

وَالرُوحُ لَها مُطيعَةٌ في العُمُرِ

So the house has shone with her since she arrived,

The house, since she returned, is luminous,

and my soul obeys her throughout my life.

My spirit obedient, for her sake, to life.