1. وشادنٍ مُختصَرِ الخَصرِ

    مُكحَّل الأجفان بالسحرِ

    And a fawn with a slender waist,

    His eyelids kohled with enchantment;

  2. كأنَّ ماء الحُسن في خدِّهِ

    ماءُ النَّدى يُمزَجُ بالخَمرِ

    As though the water of beauty in his cheek

    Were dew-water mingled with wine.

  3. وقُبلة منه على غفلةٍ

    زيادةٌ في مُدَّةِ العُمرِ

    And a kiss from him in an unguarded moment

    Adds to the span of life.

  4. لاحَظنَني بالوعد أجفانُهُ

    فَصدَّق الظنَّ به فكري

    His eyelids glanced at me with a promise,

    So my mind trusted its expectation of him.

  5. في ليلةٍ صلى كها زاهرٌ

    تصغر عنه ليلةُ القَدرِ

    On a night [unclear wording: a radiant one prayed like it],

    Beside him, the Night of Decree pales.

  6. أنظُرُ في البدرِ لعلّي به

    أُسكِّنُ اللوعةَ في صدري

    I gaze at the full moon, hoping through it

    To soothe the anguish in my breast.

  7. والقلب يأبى أن يكن سالياً

    عن مُشبهٍ للبدر بالبدرِ

    Yet the heart refuses to be consoled

    For one like the full moon by the full moon itself.

  8. حتّى إذا جاوَزَ ميعادنا

    والدمع يجري حذرَ الفَجرِ

    Until, when he had missed our appointed hour,

    And tears were flowing for fear of dawn,

  9. أقبل والحَيرةُ في عينه

    شاهِدَةٌ تشهد بالعُذرِ

    He came, and the bewilderment in his eye

    Was a witness testifying to his excuse.

  10. والخَجَل الظاهر في خدِّه

    قد زاده زَهراً على زهرِ

    And the bashfulness apparent in his cheek

    Had added bloom upon bloom to him.

  11. يلتمِس العَفوَ على ما مضى

    فيما جَنى بالنَّظَر الشَّزرِ

    He seeks pardon for what has passed,

    For the wrong he did, with a sidelong glance.