وشادنٍand a young gazelle ماnot توخّىattempted وصفَهdescribing him أَحَدٌanyone
وشادنٍ ما توخّى وصفَه أَحَدٌ
إلّاexcept that تلجلجhe faltered فيin وصفdescribing الذيthe one whom وَصَفاhe described
إلّا تلجلج في وصف الذي وَصَفا
And a young gazelle whom no one has sought to describe
Without faltering in his description of him.
يلوحُgleams فيon خدِّهhis cheek وردٌa rose علىupon زَهَرٍblossoms
يلوحُ في خدِّه وردٌ على زَهَرٍ
يعودreturns منthrough حسنهhis beauty غضّاًfresh إذاwhen قطُفاit is plucked
يعود من حسنه غضّاً إذا قطُفا
On his cheek a rose gleams upon blossoms,
Growing fresh again through his beauty whenever plucked.
لاno شيءَthing أَعجَبُmore wondrous منthan جَفنَيهhis two eyelids إتَّهماindeed, they both (reading إنّهما)
لا شيءَ أَعجَبُ من جَفنَيه إتَّهما
لاnot يُضعفانِthey both weaken القُوىstrength إلّاexcept إذاwhen ضَعُفاthey both grow weak
لا يُضعفانِ القُوى إلّا إذا ضَعُفا
Nothing is more wondrous than his eyelids, for they
Weaken strength only when they themselves grow weak.