وَرَاقِصَةٍ بِالسحرِ في حَرَكاتِها

وَرَاقِصَةٍ بِالسحرِ في حَرَكاتِها

تُقيمُ بِهِ وَزْنَ الغِناءِ عَلى حَدّ

تُقيمُ بِهِ وَزْنَ الغِناءِ عَلى حَدّ

And a dancer, with magic in her movements,

And a dancer at dawn with her movements

by which she keeps the song’s rhythm exact;

Sets the rhythm of song to a measure

مُنَغّمَةٌ أَلفاظَهَا بِتَرنُّمٍ

مُنَغّمَةٌ أَلفاظَهَا بِتَرنُّمٍ

كَسا مَعبِداً مِن عِزِّهِ ذِلَّةَ العَبدِ

كَسا مَعبِداً مِن عِزِّهِ ذِلَّةَ العَبدِ

she sets her words to melody with a trill

Her words sung with a chant

that clothed Maʿbad, despite his glory, in a slave’s abasement.

Like a robe worn with pride brought low by a slave

تَدوسُ قُلوبَ السامِعينَ برخْصَةٍ

تَدوسُ قُلوبَ السامِعينَ برخْصَةٍ

بها لَقَطَتْ ما لِلُّحون مِنَ العَدِّ

بها لَقَطَتْ ما لِلُّحون مِنَ العَدِّ

She treads upon the listeners’ hearts with a supple foot,

She treads on listeners' hearts with ease

with which she has picked out every beat of the melodies.

Catching whatever songs hold of count

بِقدٍّ يموتُ الغُصْنُ من حَرَكاتِهِ

بِقدٍّ يموتُ الغُصْنُ من حَرَكاتِهِ

سكوناً وأين الغُصْنُ من بَرَهِ القدّ

سكوناً وأين الغُصْنُ من بَرَهِ القدّ

Her figure’s movements make the bough die

With a nape that would slay the branch with its motions

into stillness—and how can a bough rival her figure’s grace?

Still while the branch is far from the nape’s grace

وَتَحسَبُها عمَّا تُشيرُ بِأَنمُلٍ

وَتَحسَبُها عمَّا تُشيرُ بِأَنمُلٍ

إِلى ما يُلاقي كُلَّ عُضوٍ مِنَ الوَجدُ

إِلى ما يُلاقي كُلَّ عُضوٍ مِنَ الوَجدُ

And you would think, from her fingertip gestures

You’d think her fingers’ hints and signs

toward the passion that touches every limb,

To what each limb feels of rapturous joy

بِنا لا بِها ما تَشتَكي مِن جَوَى الهَوى

بِنا لا بِها ما تَشتَكي مِن جَوَى الهَوى

وأَدمُعِ أَشواقٍ مُخَدِّدَةِ الخَدّ

وأَدمُعِ أَشواقٍ مُخَدِّدَةِ الخَدّ

that the anguish of love she laments is in us, not her,

But not her, what she complains of love’s ardour

as are the tears of longing that furrow the cheek.

And tears of yearning hollowing the cheek