ورافلٍ في صوانِ الحُسنِ مشتملِ

ورافلٍ في صوانِ الحُسنِ مشتملِ

بمبذلٍ وهو فيهِ غيرُ مبتذلِ

بمبذلٍ وهو فيهِ غيرُ مبتذلِ

And one walking proudly in beauty’s covering, clad

With elegance in the vessels of beauty embodied,

In an everyday garment, yet not debased by it;

Generous while in it uncustomary.

مظاهرٌ بين أثوابِ الجمال وقد

مظاهرٌ بين أثوابِ الجمال وقد

أغناهُ ذلك عن حَلْيٍ وعن حُلَلِ

أغناهُ ذلك عن حَلْيٍ وعن حُلَلِ

Layered in the robes of beauty—and indeed

Appearances amidst the robes of beauty, so

That has spared him the need for jewels or fine robes.

That adorned him beyond jewelry and fine clothes.

كأنه بين أطمارٍ له قطعٍ

كأنه بين أطمارٍ له قطعٍ

بدرٌ بدا من شقوقِ الغيم في سَمَلِ

بدرٌ بدا من شقوقِ الغيم في سَمَلِ

As though, amid his rags, torn to shreds,

As if amid expensive fabrics he has pieces

He were a full moon emerging through cloud-rifts, clad in threadbare cloth.

Like a full moon that appeared from clouds' crevices.

قد قلتُ لما نبتْ عنه عيونُهُمُ

قد قلتُ لما نبتْ عنه عيونُهُمُ

وهُم بطِمرَيْهِ عن خَدَّيهِ في شُغُلِ

وهُم بطِمرَيْهِ عن خَدَّيهِ في شُغُلِ

I said, when their eyes turned away from him,

I said, when their eyes sprouted towards him,

While his two rags distracted them from his cheeks:

While they busily glanced at his cheeks.

لا تنظروا يا مجانينَ العقول إِلى

لا تنظروا يا مجانينَ العقول إِلى

خُبْثِ الإناء فإنَّ الطِيبَ في العَسَلِ

خُبْثِ الإناء فإنَّ الطِيبَ في العَسَلِ

Do not look, you witless madmen, at

"Do not look, O madmen of minds, to

The vessel’s foulness, for the sweetness lies in the honey.

The filth of the vessel, for goodness is in the honey."