ومالِئَةٍ مِن سَناها العيونَ

ومالِئَةٍ مِن سَناها العيونَ

أَأَبصَرتَ شَمسَ الضحى هي كَذاكْ

أَأَبصَرتَ شَمسَ الضحى هي كَذاكْ

And a woman whose radiance fills the eyes—

With eyes like a gazelle's at dawn,

Have you seen the forenoon sun? She is just like that.

Have you seen the radiant sun thus?

تَسوكُ حَصَى بَرد في عَقيق

تَسوكُ حَصَى بَرد في عَقيق

فَيا لَهُما ظُلِما بالسّواك

فَيا لَهُما ظُلِما بالسّواك

She brushes hailstones set in carnelian;

She grinds gems into powdered pearl,

So alas for them both, wronged by the tooth-stick!

So dark are those two grinders!

وما قَهوَةٌ مُيِّعَتْ مِسكة

وما قَهوَةٌ مُيِّعَتْ مِسكة

فَبَينَهُما للأَريجِ اشتِراكْ

فَبَينَهُما للأَريجِ اشتِراكْ

And no wine—a morsel of musk made liquid—

No coffee is as musky as she -

For the two share a common fragrance—

Aroma they both partake.

بِأَطيَبَ مِنها جَنى ريقَةٍ

بِأَطيَبَ مِنها جَنى ريقَةٍ

إذا نَحَرَ اللَّيلَ رمحُ السماك

إذا نَحَرَ اللَّيلَ رمحُ السماك

Is sweeter than the nectar of her saliva,

Sweeter than it is the spittle

When al-Simāk's lance slaughters the night.

Of night pierced by fate's spear.

وما ذُقتُ فاها وَلَكِنَّني

وما ذُقتُ فاها وَلَكِنَّني

نَقَلْتُ شهادَةَ عُودِ الأراك

نَقَلْتُ شهادَةَ عُودِ الأراك

And I have not tasted her mouth, but I

I've not tasted her mouth, but I

Have relayed the testimony of the arāk twig.

Bear witness to the fragrant wood.