شَبَّهتُ فَرقَ الحَبيبِ حينَ بَدا

شَبَّهتُ فَرقَ الحَبيبِ حينَ بَدا

صُبحاً تَبَدّى ما بَينَ لَيلَينِ

صُبحاً تَبَدّى ما بَينَ لَيلَينِ

I likened the beloved's hair-parting, when it appeared,

I likened the separation of my beloved when it appeared

to a dawn emerging between two nights;

At dawn, appearing between two nights,

وَعَقرَبَ الصَدغِ عِندَ لَفتَتِهِ

وَعَقرَبَ الصَدغِ عِندَ لَفتَتِهِ

لَيلاً تَبَدّى ما بَينَ صُبحَينِ

لَيلاً تَبَدّى ما بَينَ صُبحَينِ

and the scorpion-curl at his temple, as he turned,

And pleiades at the temple when he turned away

to a night emerging between two dawns;

At night, appearing between two dawns.

وَوَجهَهُ بَينَ دُرَّتي صَ

وَوَجهَهُ بَينَ دُرَّتي صَ

دَفَ الآذانَ بَدراً ما بَينَ نَجمَينِ

دَفَ الآذانَ بَدراً ما بَينَ نَجمَينِ

and his face between the two pearls of the ear-

And his face between two pearls

shells, to a full moon between two stars;

His ears eclipsing the full moon between two stars

وَفَضلَةَ الكَأسِ حينَ يَشرَبُها

وَفَضلَةَ الكَأسِ حينَ يَشرَبُها

خُرورَ نَجمٍ ما بَينَ بَدرَينِ

خُرورَ نَجمٍ ما بَينَ بَدرَينِ

and the cup's last draught, when he drinks it,

And the remainder of the cup when he sips it

to a star's fall between two full moons.

Is like a star glittering between two full moons.