أَبصَرتُ في بَغدادَ رومِيَّه

أَبصَرتُ في بَغدادَ رومِيَّه

تَقصُرُ عَنها كُلُّ أُمنِيَّه

تَقصُرُ عَنها كُلُّ أُمنِيَّه

I saw in Baghdad a Roman woman;

In Baghdad I saw a Roman beauty

I saw a Roman beauty in Baghdad,

every wish falls short of her.

Far exceeding all my fondest wishes

Surpassing all that heart could ever wish;

قَصرِيَّةُ الطَرفِ شَآمِيَّةُ ال

قَصرِيَّةُ الطَرفِ شَآمِيَّةُ ال

خَلوَةِ في نَكهَةِ زَنجِيَّه

خَلوَةِ في نَكهَةِ زَنجِيَّه

Qasri in gaze, Syrian in her

Her glances, Syrian; her figure, Greek;

With modest glance, Levantine in her chamber,

seclusion, Zanjian in the scent of her breath;

Her hair, an Abyssinian's curled tresses;

Yet scented with the fragrance of the Zanj;

صُدغِيَّةُ الساقَينِ تُركِيَّةُ ال

صُدغِيَّةُ الساقَينِ تُركِيَّةُ ال

ساعِدِ في قَدِّ طُخارِيَّه

ساعِدِ في قَدِّ طُخارِيَّه

Sogdian in her legs, Turkish in her

Her arms, a Turk's; her hips, a Copt's;

With Sogdian legs, and Turkish forearms cast

forearm, Tokharian in stature;

Her legs, an Indian dancing girl's;

Within a stature of Tokharian grace;

هِندِيَّةُ الحاجِبِ نوبِيَّةُ ال

هِندِيَّةُ الحاجِبِ نوبِيَّةُ ال

فَخذَينِ في زَهوِ عِبادِيَّه

فَخذَينِ في زَهوِ عِبادِيَّه

Indian in brow, Nubian in her

Her bosom, a Nubian's; her buttocks,

With Indian brows, and thighs of Nubian mold,

thighs, ʿIbadi in her proud bearing;

Of a Hottentot's or Jadaite's.

Bearing the vanity of 'Ibad's kin;

حيرِيَّةُ الحُسنِ كَيانِيَّةُ ال

حيرِيَّةُ الحُسنِ كَيانِيَّةُ ال

أَردافِ في أَلِيَّةٍ عاجِيَّه

أَردافِ في أَلِيَّةٍ عاجِيَّه

Hiran in beauty, Kayanian in her

But her ravishing beauty comprises

A Hiran beauty, with Kayanian hips,

hips, with an ivory rump.

All the glories of the world, you see!

Set in a curve of ivory majesty.