وأهيف مشروط الخدودِ لِطَرفه

وأهيف مشروط الخدودِ لِطَرفه

إذا ما رَنَا فعل السّيوفِ القَواضبِ

إذا ما رَنَا فعل السّيوفِ القَواضبِ

And a slender youth with scarred cheeks—his gaze,

The blushing of his cheeks for a glance makes swords ring when armies clash.

whenever he looks, does the work of keen-cutting swords.

He has charm, enchanting as the crescent moon, his glances like a warrior’s blade.

لَه غُرّةٌ فتّانةٌ تَنْتمي إلى

لَه غُرّةٌ فتّانةٌ تَنْتمي إلى

هلالٍ وطرفٌ ينتمي لِمُحَارِب

هلالٍ وطرفٌ ينتمي لِمُحَارِب

He has a bewitching, radiant brow that claims kinship with

They ignorantly blame his cheeks’ complexion though by God no flaw exists.

a crescent, and a gaze that claims kinship with a warrior.

Rather his glances are swords that make remnants of armies take to their heels.

يعيبونَه جهلاً بشَرطِ خدودِه

يعيبونَه جهلاً بشَرطِ خدودِه

وما فيه لا واللهِ عيبٌ لِعايبِ

وما فيه لا واللهِ عيبٌ لِعايبِ

They ignorantly find fault with him for the scars on his cheeks,

yet he has no flaw for a faultfinder—no, by God!

ولكنّما هاتيكَ أسيْاف لَحْظِهِ

ولكنّما هاتيكَ أسيْاف لَحْظِهِ

بهنّ فلُولٌ مِن قراع الكَتائبِ

بهنّ فلُولٌ مِن قراع الكَتائبِ

But those are merely the swords of his glance,

bearing notches from clashes with battalions.