لِمَنِ الشُموسُ عَزيزَةَ الأَحداجِ

لِمَنِ الشُموسُ عَزيزَةَ الأَحداجِ

يَطلُعنَ بَينَ الوَشيِ وَالديباجِ

يَطلُعنَ بَينَ الوَشيِ وَالديباجِ

Whose are these suns in their precious litters,

For whom are the radiant suns with slender waists,

Rising amid embroidery and brocade?

Rising between the myrtle and brocade?

مِن كُلِّ فائِقَةِ الجَمالِ كَدُميَةٍ

مِن كُلِّ فائِقَةِ الجَمالِ كَدُميَةٍ

مِن لُؤلُؤٍ قَد صُوِّرَت في عاجِ

مِن لُؤلُؤٍ قَد صُوِّرَت في عاجِ

Each of surpassing beauty, like a figurine

Each surpasses in beauty like a doll

Of pearl, already fashioned in ivory.

Of pearl that has been carved from ivory.

تَمشي وَتَرفُلُ في الثِيابِ كَأَنَّه

تَمشي وَتَرفُلُ في الثِيابِ كَأَنَّه

غُصنٌ تَرَنَّحَ في نَقاً رَجراجِ

غُصنٌ تَرَنَّحَ في نَقاً رَجراجِ

She walks and trails her robes, as though her form were

She walks and sways in clothes as though

A branch swaying on a quivering sand dune.

A branch swaying gently amidst fragile china.

حَفَّت بِهِنَّ مَناصِلٌ وَذَوابِلٌ

حَفَّت بِهِنَّ مَناصِلٌ وَذَوابِلٌ

وَمَشَت بِهِنَّ ذَوامِلٌ وَنَواجي

وَمَشَت بِهِنَّ ذَوامِلٌ وَنَواجي

Swords and slender spears surrounded them,

Girdled with belts and sashes about their waists,

And trotting camels and swift ones bore them along.

Walking with such grace and charm.

فيهِنَّ هَيفاءُ القَوامِ كَأَنَّه

فيهِنَّ هَيفاءُ القَوامِ كَأَنَّه

فُلكٌ مُشَرَّعَةٌ عَلى الأَمواجِ

فُلكٌ مُشَرَّعَةٌ عَلى الأَمواجِ

Among them is one slender of figure, as though her form were

In them the slender waists as though

A ship with sails unfurled upon the waves.

Ships with sails billowing on the waves.

خَطَفَ الظَلامُ كَسارِقٍ مِن شَعرِه

خَطَفَ الظَلامُ كَسارِقٍ مِن شَعرِه

فَكَأَنَّما قَرَنَ الدُجى بِدَياجي

فَكَأَنَّما قَرَنَ الدُجى بِدَياجي

Darkness stole like a thief from that one's hair,

Darkness stole like a thief strands of his hair,

So it seemed to join night's gloom to dark nights.

As though night coupled with the gloom.

أَبصَرتُ ثُمَّ هَوَيتُ ثُمَّ كَتَمتُ م

أَبصَرتُ ثُمَّ هَوَيتُ ثُمَّ كَتَمتُ م

أَلقى وَلَم يَعلَم بِذاكَ مُناجي

أَلقى وَلَم يَعلَم بِذاكَ مُناجي

I saw, then fell in love, then concealed what

I looked and then I fell, but kept it hidden,

I was suffering, and my confidant knew nothing of it.

I met but my confidant knew nothing of it.

فَوَصَلتُ ثُمَّ قَدَرتُ ثُمَّ عَفَفتُ مِن

فَوَصَلتُ ثُمَّ قَدَرتُ ثُمَّ عَفَفتُ مِن

شَرَفٍ تَناهى بي إِلى الإِنضاجِ

شَرَفٍ تَناهى بي إِلى الإِنضاجِ

So I reached her, then had the power, then remained chaste, out of

And so I attained but measured myself, and restrained

Honor that carried me to full maturity.

An honor that led me to perfection.