وأهيف القد لدن العطف معتدل

وأهيف القد لدن العطف معتدل

بالطرف والظرف لا ينفك قتالا

بالطرف والظرف لا ينفك قتالا

And one slender in build, supple of flank, well-proportioned,

With a supple frame and graceful bearing

With glance and grace, he never ceases to slay.

His glance and gesture ceaseless battle wage

إن جال أهدى لنا الآجال ناظره

إن جال أهدى لنا الآجال ناظره

أوصال قطع بالهجران أوصالا

أوصال قطع بالهجران أوصالا

If his gaze roams, it bestows death upon us;

If his face shine forth, his days grant unto us

Or if he attacks, he severs limbs through abandonment.

Limbs severed by estrangement he could assuage

وإن نظرت إلى مرآه وجنته

وإن نظرت إلى مرآه وجنته

حسبت إنسان عيني فوقها خالا

حسبت إنسان عيني فوقها خالا

And if I gaze into the mirror of his cheek,

And if to his polished mirror I should look

I take my eye’s pupil upon it for a beauty spot.

I'd think no human owns eyes above this sage

كأن عارضه بالمسك عارضني

كأن عارضه بالمسك عارضني

أو ليل طرته في خده سالا

أو ليل طرته في خده سالا

As though his cheek-down confronted me with musk,

As though his cheek had donned sweet musk for me

Or the night of his forelock flowed over his cheek,

Or night did o'er his face a shadow page

أوطاف من نور خديه على بصري

أوطاف من نور خديه على بصري

فخط بالليل فوق الصبح أشكالا

فخط بالليل فوق الصبح أشكالا

Or, from his cheeks’ radiance, it passed across my sight,

The light of his cheeks pours on my vision

And so it traced shapes with night upon dawn.

Sketching by night shapes over dawn presage