كَذاthus مَنone who حازَattained فيin الحُسنِbeauty الكَمالاperfection
كَذا مَن حازَ في الحُسنِ الكَمالا
يَصولُhe lords it عَلىover مُحِبّيهِhis lovers دَلالاcoquettishly
يَصولُ عَلى مُحِبّيهِ دَلالا
Such is he who has attained perfection in beauty:
He lords it over his lovers with coquetry.
أُعاتِبهُI reproach him فَيُعرِضُand he turns away عَنfrom عِتابيmy reproach
أُعاتِبهُ فَيُعرِضُ عَن عِتابي
كَأَنّيas though I قَدalready ذَكَرتُI mentioned لَهُto him الوِصالاunion
كَأَنّي قَد ذَكَرتُ لَهُ الوِصالا
I reproach him, and he turns away from my reproach,
As though I had mentioned union to him.
حَسَدتُI envied سَوادَthe dark pupil عَينيof my eye حينَwhen أَضحىit became
حَسَدتُ سَوادَ عَيني حينَ أَضحى
لِذاكَfor that السالِفِcheek الفِضيِّsilvery خالاa mole
لِذاكَ السالِفِ الفِضيِّ خالا
I envied my eye's dark pupil when it became
A mole upon that silvery cheek.
مَلولٌeasily bored كُلَّماwhenever أَرخَصتُI cheapened مِنّيfrom myself
مَلولٌ كُلَّما أَرخَصتُ مِنّي
دُموعيmy tears رَغبَةًout of longing فيهِfor him تَغالاhe raised his price
دُموعي رَغبَةً فيهِ تَغالا
Fickle—whenever I freely spend
My tears in longing for him, he raises his price.
بِنَفسيmy life as ransom مَنhim who يَفوقُsurpasses البَدرthe full moon حَسَناًin beauty
بِنَفسي مَن يَفوقُ البَدر حَسَناً
وَغُصنَand the bough البانِof the bān tree ليناًin suppleness وَاِعتِدالاand shapeliness
وَغُصنَ البانِ ليناً وَاِعتِدالا
My life for him who surpasses the full moon in beauty,
And the bān bough in suppleness and shapeliness.
يَصولُassails عِذارُهُhis cheek's down فيناamong us يَميناًon the right
يَصولُ عِذارُهُ فينا يَميناً
وَيَفتِكُand slays طَرفهُhis glance فيناamong us شِمالاon the left
وَيَفتِكُ طَرفهُ فينا شِمالا
The down on his cheek assails us on the right,
And his glance slays us on the left.
أَحِنُّI yearn لِرائِقٍfor a clear draught مِنof خَمرِthe wine of فيهِhis mouth
أَحِنُّ لِرائِقٍ مِن خَمرِ فيهِ
يَفوقُsurpasses الشَهدَhoney وَالماءَand water الزُلالاclear and sweet
يَفوقُ الشَهدَ وَالماءَ الزُلالا
I yearn for a clear draught of his mouth's wine,
Which surpasses honey and crystal-clear water.
أُحِبُّI love لِقَدِّهِfor his stature السُمرَthe brown spears العَواليthe tall ones
أُحِبُّ لِقَدِّهِ السُمرَ العَوالي
وَأَعشَقُand I adore مِنbecause of تَلَفُّتِهِhis turning glance الغَزالاthe gazelle
وَأَعشَقُ مِن تَلَفُّتِهِ الغَزالا
I love tall brown spears for his stature,
And adore the gazelle for his turning glance.