أرقَّ نسيمَ الصبا عَرْفُهُ

أرقَّ نسيمَ الصبا عَرْفُهُ

وراقَ قضيبَ النقا عِطفُهُ

وراقَ قضيبَ النقا عِطفُهُ

More delicate than the east wind is his fragrance,

His fragrance made the east wind's breeze more delicate,

and his supple sway charmed the dune’s slender bough.

And his form charmed the branch upon the dune.

ومرَّ بنا يتهادى وقد

ومرَّ بنا يتهادى وقد

نَضا سيفَ أجفانِهِ طَرْفُهُ

نَضا سيفَ أجفانِهِ طَرْفُهُ

He passed by us, swaying languidly, while

And he passed by us, swaying gracefully, while

his glance unsheathed the sword of his eyelids.

his gaze had unsheathed the sword of his eyelids.

ومرَّ لمبسمهِ راحةً

ومرَّ لمبسمهِ راحةً

فخلتُ الأقاحَ دنا قَطْفُهُ

فخلتُ الأقاحَ دنا قَطْفُهُ

And a palm moved toward his smiling mouth;

And he passed a palm toward his smiling mouth,

I fancied the daisies were close to being plucked.

So I thought the daisies were about to be plucked.

أشار لتقلبيها في السَّلام

أشار لتقلبيها في السَّلام

فقال فمي ليتني كَفُّهُ

فقال فمي ليتني كَفُّهُ

He gestured toward kissing it in greeting,

He gestured for you to turn it over in greeting,

and my mouth said, “Would that I were his palm.”

Then my mouth said, "If only I were his hand!"