صَرَفتُ وُدّي إِلى السودانِ مِن هَجرِ

صَرَفتُ وُدّي إِلى السودانِ مِن هَجرِ

وَما اِلتَفَتُّ إِلى رومٍ وَلا خَزَرِ

وَما اِلتَفَتُّ إِلى رومٍ وَلا خَزَرِ

I turned my love toward the dark-skinned folk of Hajar,

I turned my affection toward the Black people of Hajar,

and paid no heed to Byzantines or Khazars.

and paid no heed to Byzantines or Khazars.

أَصبَحتُ أَعشَقُ مِن وَجهٍ وَمِن بَدَنٍ

أَصبَحتُ أَعشَقُ مِن وَجهٍ وَمِن بَدَنٍ

ما يَعشَقُ الناسُ مِن عَينٍ وَمِن شَعَرِ

ما يَعشَقُ الناسُ مِن عَينٍ وَمِن شَعَرِ

I have come to adore, in face and body,

I have come to love in a face and a body

what others adore in eyes and hair.

what people love in an eye and in hair.

فَإِن حَسِبتَ سَوادَ الجِلدِ مَنقَصَةً

فَإِن حَسِبتَ سَوادَ الجِلدِ مَنقَصَةً

فَاِنظُر إِلى سُفعَةٍ في وَجنَةِ القَمَرِ

فَاِنظُر إِلى سُفعَةٍ في وَجنَةِ القَمَرِ

If you count blackness of skin a blemish,

So if you consider the blackness of skin a flaw,

then look at the dusky shadow upon the moon’s cheek.

then look at the dark patch on the moon’s cheek.