أَجلُو عَرُوساً بخدّها خَجَلٌ

أَجلُو عَرُوساً بخدّها خَجَلٌ

كالورد لوناً ونشرها عَبِقُ

كالورد لوناً ونشرها عَبِقُ

I unveil a bride with a blush upon her cheek,

A bride with cheeks blushing red

Rose-like in hue, and fragrant in her scent.

Like a rose in color, her fragrance spread

كأنّما كوكبٌ يصافحني

كأنّما كوكبٌ يصافحني

مُجَوَّفُ الجسم روحُهُ شفَقُ

مُجَوَّفُ الجسم روحُهُ شفَقُ

As though a star were clasping my hand,

As if a planet greeting me

Hollow-bodied, with twilight's glow for its soul.

Her body hollow, her soul aglow with glee

حمراءُ مشمولةٌ لها عُمُرٌ

حمراءُ مشمولةٌ لها عُمُرٌ

في طَرَفٍ منه دَهْرُهَا غَرِقُ

في طَرَفٍ منه دَهْرُهَا غَرِقُ

Red, cooled by the north wind, she has a lifespan

Rosy, bashful, yet full of life

In a fraction of which her whole age lies drowned.

In the corner of her eye, her age belied

أسألها حُمْرَةَ العقيق فلي

أسألها حُمْرَةَ العقيق فلي

من لؤلؤٍ بعد شربها عرقُ

من لؤلؤٍ بعد شربها عرقُ

I ask her for agate's redness; and mine

I asked the red carnelian and I know

Is sweat of pearls after drinking her.

After her drink no pearl could brighter glow

راحٌ أضافتْ إلى دَمي دَمَها

راحٌ أضافتْ إلى دَمي دَمَها

طبائعٌ في المزاج تَتّفِقُ

طبائعٌ في المزاج تَتّفِقُ

Wine that has added her blood to my blood—

She brought vigor to my blood anew

Natures that harmonize in the mingling.

Our natures were compatible and true

وللثّرَيّا يدٌ مُخَتَّمَةٌ

وللثّرَيّا يدٌ مُخَتَّمَةٌ

منها بناناً خضابُها الغَسَقُ

منها بناناً خضابُها الغَسَقُ

And the Pleiades have a ring-adorned hand,

For the Pleiades she had a ring-marked palm

Its fingers ringed with her, its dye the dusk.

From which flowed henna the color of dusk's calm

كأنّها والصباحُ يقطفها

كأنّها والصباحُ يقطفها

عنقودُ نَوْرٍ له الدّجى ورقُ

عنقودُ نَوْرٍ له الدّجى ورقُ

As though she, while dawn plucks her,

As if she and the morn picked the dawn

Were a cluster of blossoms with darkness for leaves.

A cluster of light, gone is night's yawn

وفَحمَةُ اللَّيلِ كلَّما اعتَرَضَتْ

وفَحمَةُ اللَّيلِ كلَّما اعتَرَضَتْ

ألْهَبَ فيها اتّقادَهُ الفلقُ

ألْهَبَ فيها اتّقادَهُ الفلقُ

And whenever the charcoal of night intervenes,

Whenever the darkness of night crossed her path

Daybreak kindles its own blaze within it.

The daybreak within her lit up in wrath

عَجِببُ من مُحْرِقٍ ومحترِقٍ

عَجِببُ من مُحْرِقٍ ومحترِقٍ

لا فحمةٌ منهما ولا حرقُ

لا فحمةٌ منهما ولا حرقُ

I marveled at a burner and a thing burned:

A wonder, the burner and the burnt

Neither leaves charcoal nor a scorch.

No ember or scorch from either was learnt