نَطَقَت مَناطِقُ خَصرِهِ بِصِفاتِهِ

نَطَقَت مَناطِقُ خَصرِهِ بِصِفاتِهِ

وَاِهتَزَّ غُصنُ البانِ مِن حَرَكاتِه

وَاِهتَزَّ غُصنُ البانِ مِن حَرَكاتِه

The girdles at his waist proclaimed his charms,

The girdles about his waist spoke of his charms.

and the bān-tree’s bough swayed with his every motion.

And the moringa bough swayed with his movements.

وَدُهيتُ مِن خَطِّ العِذارِ بِخَدِّهِ

وَدُهيتُ مِن خَطِّ العِذارِ بِخَدِّهِ

في صَدِّهِ وَالمَوتُ في لَحَظاتِه

في صَدِّهِ وَالمَوتُ في لَحَظاتِه

I was undone by the line of down upon his cheek,

And I was stricken by the line of down upon his cheek

amid his cold rebuff—with death in his glances.

As he turned away, with death in his glances.

وَكَأَنَّ وَجنَتَهُ تُفَتِّحُ وَردَةً

وَكَأَنَّ وَجنَتَهُ تُفَتِّحُ وَردَةً

خَجَلاً إِذا طالَبتَهُ بِعِداتِه

خَجَلاً إِذا طالَبتَهُ بِعِداتِه

His cheek seemed a rose unfolding,

And it is as though his cheek unfolds a rose

blushing whenever you pressed him to fulfill his promises.

In bashfulness, when you press him to keep his promises.

وَحَياةِ عاذِلَتي لَقَد صارَمتُهُ

وَحَياةِ عاذِلَتي لَقَد صارَمتُهُ

وَكَذَبتُ بَل واصَلتُهُ وَحَياتِه

وَكَذَبتُ بَل واصَلتُهُ وَحَياتِه

By my reproacher’s life, I swear I broke with him—

By the life of her who reproaches me, I have indeed broken with him.

I lied! No, I remained joined to him—by his life.

And I lied—rather, I have kept my bond with him, by his life!