يَفتُنُhe enchants القَلبَthe heart بِخَدِّwith a cheek
يَفتُنُ القَلبَ بِخَدِّ
لَمdid not يَدَعleave لِلوَردِfor the rose قَدراany worth
لَم يَدَع لِلوَردِ قَدرا
He enchants the heart with a cheek
Your cheek seduces the heart
That has left the rose no worth,
It did not leave any worth for the rose
مِثلَماjust as تَكتُبُyou write بِالمِسكِwith musk
مِثلَما تَكتُبُ بِالمِسكِ
عَلىupon الكافورِthe camphor شَطراa half-verse
عَلى الكافورِ شَطرا
As when you write with musk
As musk inscribes on camphor a verse
A half-verse upon camphor;
And a coquetry that bewitches the young man
وَعِذارٌand cheek-down يَسحُرُbewitches الصَبَّthe lovesick lover
وَعِذارٌ يَسحُرُ الصَبَّ
وَماyet not يَعرِفُit knows سِحراsorcery
وَما يَعرِفُ سِحرا
And cheek-down bewitches the lovesick lover,
Yet, it does not know any sorcery
Though it knows no sorcery;
With a temple that settled on the cheek
وَبِصَدغٍand with a sidelock دارَcurled فيupon الخَدِّthe cheek
وَبِصَدغٍ دارَ في الخَدِّ
كَماjust as تُعقَدُis formed with the fingers عِشراten
كَما تُعقَدُ عِشرا
And with a sidelock curled upon the cheek,
As ten are knotted
Like the finger-sign for ten.
Whenever my night darkens
كُلَّماwhenever أَظلَمَgrew dark لَيليmy night
كُلَّما أَظلَمَ لَيلي
كانَwas ليfor me وَجهُكَyour face فَجراa dawn
كانَ لي وَجهُكَ فَجرا
Whenever my night grew dark,
Your face was a dawn for me
Your face was dawn to me.
Partial English translation: 9 of 10 Arabic lines translated.