وَسَمراءَ تَحكي الرُمحَ لَوناً وَقامَةً

وَسَمراءَ تَحكي الرُمحَ لَوناً وَقامَةً

لَها مُهجَتي مَبذولَةٌ وَقِيادي

لَها مُهجَتي مَبذولَةٌ وَقِيادي

And a dusky woman, like a spear in color and stature—

Dark-skinned beauty, she is like a spear in color and stature

my lifeblood and my reins are freely hers.

I have given her my heart and leadership

وَقَد عابَها الواشي فَقالَ طَويلَةٌ

وَقَد عابَها الواشي فَقالَ طَويلَةٌ

مَقالَ حَسودٍ مُظهِرٍ لِعِنادِ

مَقالَ حَسودٍ مُظهِرٍ لِعِنادِ

And the slanderer faulted her, saying: She is tall—

The slanderer decried her as being too tall

the words of an envious man making a show of defiance.

The words of an envious and stubborn foe

فَقُلتُ لَهُ بَشَّرتَ بِالخَيرِ إِنَّها

فَقُلتُ لَهُ بَشَّرتَ بِالخَيرِ إِنَّها

حَياتي فَإِن طالَت فَذاكَ مُرادي

حَياتي فَإِن طالَت فَذاكَ مُرادي

So I told him: You bring good news! She is

I said to him “You bring good tidings, she is

my life; if it lasts long, that is my desire.

My life, so if she is tall, that is my desire

نَعَم أَنا أَشكو طولَها وَيَحِقُّ لي

نَعَم أَنا أَشكو طولَها وَيَحِقُّ لي

لَقَد طالَ فيها لَوعَتي وَسُهادي

لَقَد طالَ فيها لَوعَتي وَسُهادي

Yes, I complain of her height, and rightly so:

Yes, I complain of her height, and it is my right

my burning longing and sleeplessness for her have indeed lasted long.

For my yearning and wakefulness have been prolonged in her

وَما عابَها القَدُّ الطَويلُ وَإِنَّهُ

وَما عابَها القَدُّ الطَويلُ وَإِنَّهُ

لَأَوَّلُ حُسنٍ في المَليحَةِ بادي

لَأَوَّلُ حُسنٍ في المَليحَةِ بادي

Her tall stature does not mar her; indeed, it is

Her towering height was not decried, for it

the first charm apparent in a lovely woman.

Is the first of beauties in the elegant one

رَأَيتُ الحُصونَ الشُمَّ تَحرُسُ أَهلَها

رَأَيتُ الحُصونَ الشُمَّ تَحرُسُ أَهلَها

فَأَعدَدتُها حِصناً لِحِفظِ وِدادي

فَأَعدَدتُها حِصناً لِحِفظِ وِدادي

I have seen towering fortresses guard their people,

I saw the lofty citadels guard their people

so I prepared her as a fortress to safeguard my love.

So I made her a fortress to guard my love