تَقَنَّعَتْ بالدّجى فَوْق الضحى فَجَلَتْ

تَقَنَّعَتْ بالدّجى فَوْق الضحى فَجَلَتْ

في عاجِ عارِضِها لاماً من السَّبَجِ

في عاجِ عارِضِها لاماً من السَّبَجِ

She veiled herself with night’s darkness over morning’s light, revealing

She was veiled by gloom above the radiance, so she unveiled

in the ivory of her cheek a lām of jet.

In the ivory of her cheek, a flaw from kohl

كأنَّها اسْتَرْهَنَتْ في ناظِري سَقَماً

كأنَّها اسْتَرْهَنَتْ في ناظِري سَقَماً

بِلَحْظِ أَجْفانِها المَرْضى من الغُنُجِ

بِلَحْظِ أَجْفانِها المَرْضى من الغُنُجِ

As though she had taken sickness in my eye as a pledge,

As if she had pawned in my sight an illness

with the glance of her eyelids, sick with coquetry.

With the gaze of her sick eyelids from the antimony

لَوْ أَنَّها في ظَلامٍ لاستَنارَ بِها

لَوْ أَنَّها في ظَلامٍ لاستَنارَ بِها

لأَنَّ إِشراقَها يُغني عن السُّرُجِ

لأَنَّ إِشراقَها يُغني عن السُّرُجِ

Were she in darkness, it would be illuminated by her,

If she were in darkness, it would be illuminated by her

for her radiance makes lamps needless.

For her radiance suffices instead of lamps

كأنَّما أُلبِسَت مِن لَونِ مَبسِمِها

كأنَّما أُلبِسَت مِن لَونِ مَبسِمِها

غِلالةً طرزتها من دم المُهَجِ

غِلالةً طرزتها من دم المُهَجِ

As though she had been clothed, in her smiling mouth’s hue,

As if she was clothed in the hue of her smile

in a fine robe she embroidered with the blood of hearts.

A robe embroidered with the blood of passion