ومهفهَفِ الأعطافِ مُرْهَفِها

ومهفهَفِ الأعطافِ مُرْهَفِها

كالغُصْنِ يومَ الطلِّ والطشِّ

كالغُصْنِ يومَ الطلِّ والطشِّ

And one with slender, delicate flanks,

Her slender waist sways

Like a branch on a day of dew and drizzle.

Like a branch on a day of drizzle and rain

يُزهَى بوجهٍ جَلَّ منظرُهُ

يُزهَى بوجهٍ جَلَّ منظرُهُ

خَلَعَ الجمالَ عليه ذو العرش

خَلَعَ الجمالَ عليه ذو العرش

He glories in a face magnificent to behold;

Adorned with a face of surpassing beauty

The Lord of the Throne clothed him in beauty.

On which the Lord of the Throne bestowed perfection

نَقَشَتْ يدُ الجُدَريِّ وَجْنَتَهُ

نَقَشَتْ يدُ الجُدَريِّ وَجْنَتَهُ

ما جازَ دينارٌ بلا نَقْش

ما جازَ دينارٌ بلا نَقْش

The hand of smallpox engraved his cheek;

The hand of the Maker has engraved her cheeks

No dinar is accepted without an engraving.

As no gold coin is without engraving

تالله أُقْصِرُ عن مودَّتِهِ

تالله أُقْصِرُ عن مودَّتِهِ

ومطيَّتي شيءٌ سوى النعش

ومطيَّتي شيءٌ سوى النعش

By God, I will not cease to love him

My riding beast falls short of my love for her

As long as my mount is anything but the bier.

And nothing carries me but the bier