بَدويٌّa Bedouin كَمْhow many جَدَّلتhave felled مُقْلتَاهُhis two eyes
بَدويٌّ كَمْ جَدَّلت مُقْلتَاهُ
عَاشِقاًa lover فيin مَقاتِلthe killing grounds of الفُرْسانِthe horsemen
عَاشِقاً في مَقاتِل الفُرْسانِ
A Bedouin—how often his two eyes have felled
A Bedouin—how often his two eyes have felled
a lover on the horsemen’s fields of slaughter!
a lover where horsemen meet their death!
ذُوpossessing مُحيّاًa face يَصيحُcries out ياO لِهلالٍfor a crescent moon
ذُو مُحيّاً يَصيحُ يا لِهلالٍ
وَلِحاظٍand glances تَقولُsay ياO لِسنانِfor a spearhead
وَلِحاظٍ تَقولُ يا لِسنانِ
Endowed with a face that calls us to our doom,
He has a face that cries, “O Crescent!”
and glances that cry, “O for a spear!”
and glances that say, “O Spearhead!”
