1. عَجِبَت فَطمَةُ مِن نَعتي لَها

    هَل يُجيدُ النَعتَ مَكفوفُ البَصَر

    Fatma marveled at my description of her:

    “Can one deprived of sight excel at description?”

  2. بِنتُ عَشرٍ وَثلاثٍ قُسِّمَت

    بَينَ غُصنٍ وَكثيبٍ وَقَمَر

    A girl of ten and three, apportioned

    Between a bough, a dune, and a moon.

  3. دُرَّةٌ بَحرِيَّةٌ مَكنونَةٌ

    مازَها التاجِرُ مِن بَينِ الدُرَر

    A pearl of the sea, hidden away,

    The merchant singled her out from among the pearls.

  4. أَذرَتِ الدَمعَ وَقالَت وَيلَتي

    مِن وَلوعِ الكَفِّ رَكّابِ الخَطَر

    She shed tears and said, “Woe is me

    Because of a man with a roving hand, a rider of peril!

  5. أُمَّتا بَدَّدَ هَذا لُعَبي

    وَوِشاحي حَلَّهُ حَتّى اِنتَثَر

    Mother, this man has scattered my toys,

    And he untied my sash until it came apart.

  6. فَدَعيني مَعَهُ يا أُمَّتا

    عَلَّنا في خَلوَةٍ نَقضي الوَطَر

    So leave me with him, Mother,

    Perhaps in seclusion we may fulfill our desire.”

  7. أَقبَلَت مُغضَبَةً تَضرِبُها

    وَاِعتَراها كَجُنونٍ مُستَعِر

    She came forward angrily, striking her,

    And something like blazing madness seized her.

  8. بِأَبي وَاللَهِ ما أَحسَنَهُ

    دَمعَ عَينٍ يَغسِلُ الكُحلَ قَطَر

    My father be the ransom! By God, how lovely it is—

    Tears from an eye, washing away the kohl as they dripped!

  9. أَيُّها النُوّامُ هُبّوا وَيحَكُم

    وَاِسأَلوني اليَومَ ما طَعمُ السَهر

    O sleepers, wake up—woe to you!

    And ask me today what sleeplessness tastes like.