هي صفعة لهج الأنام بذكرها

هي صفعة لهج الأنام بذكرها

ودرى البعيد بها ومن لم يعلم

ودرى البعيد بها ومن لم يعلم

It is a slap whose mention was on everyone's lips;

She is a slap to the dialects of people when mentioned

Those far away learned of it, as did those who had not known.

And the distant one knows her, and whoever does not know

قد بالغ الأدباء في أوصافها

قد بالغ الأدباء في أوصافها

ما بين منشور وبين منظم

ما بين منشور وبين منظم

The writers went to excess in describing it,

The literati have gone overboard in describing her

In published prose and composed verse alike.

Between prose and verse

فغدا قفاك يقول منذ هلالهم

فغدا قفاك يقول منذ هلالهم

هل غادر الشعراء من متردَّم

هل غادر الشعراء من متردَّم

So your nape began saying, ever since their crescent appeared:

So your nape says since their crescent moons

“Have the poets left any rent to mend?”

Have the poets left anything to patch up