1. مخدّرةٌ أعوذ بربها من

    تدلّلها إذا ذكر الخداع

    A secluded maiden—I seek refuge in her Lord from

    her coyness whenever deception is mentioned.

  2. لها التحكيم في الألباب دأبا

    تباع لها النفوس ولا تباع

    She holds constant sway over minds;

    souls are sold to her, yet she is not for sale.

  3. تطاوعها الطباع كما أرادت

    كما حسنا توافقها الطباع

    Dispositions obey her as she desires,

    just as they accord with her in beauty.

  4. ومنطقها الرخيم له ارتياح

    يغار تطرّيا منه السجاع

    And her mellow speech brings delight;

    the cooing birds envy its freshness.

  5. وخمر الثغر يجري فوق ظلم

    وليس به النزيف ولا الصداع

    And the wine of her mouth flows over gleaming teeth,

    yet it brings neither drunkenness nor headache.

  6. ورفقا يا ضفائر بي إذا ما

    تخلّلك الوضاءة والشعاع

    And be gentle with me, O braids, whenever

    radiance and rays of light thread through you;

  7. وجذب الردف مرط الساق مهما

    يجاذبه انخفاض وارتفاع

    and O tug of her buttocks on her leg-wrap, whenever

    downward and upward pulls contend for it.

  8. صرفت إلى سواها الحبّ طوراً

    مودعة وما عذب الوداع

    I turned my love toward another for a while,

    bidding her farewell—and farewell was not sweet.

  9. فقالت رجعن ما سارحتما

    ولي طرب بذلك وارتداع

    Then she said, “Bring back what you two have let loose!”

    And I felt delight at that, and desisted.

  10. وسلم للهوى إن شئت تسلم

    فقلت مسلما أمر مطاع

    “And submit to love, if you wish to be safe.”

    So I said, submitting, “Your command is obeyed.”

  11. فقالت سرمتى سلّمت أوجىء

    أقرّ الخصم وارتفع النزاع

    Then she said, “Go or come, once you have submitted;

    the adversary has conceded, and the dispute is over.”