وعدَت بوصلٍ والزمانُ يُسَوِّفُ

وعدَت بوصلٍ والزمانُ يُسَوِّفُ

حَورَاءُ ناظِرُها حُسَامٌ مُرهَفُ

حَورَاءُ ناظِرُها حُسَامٌ مُرهَفُ

She promised union, and time keeps putting it off.

She promised a reunion, but time kept postponing,

A dark-eyed beauty whose gaze is a finely honed sword.

Her cheeks blushed, her glances like sharp swords.

نَشوانَةٌ صَهباءُ منهَلُ ثَغرِها

نَشوانَةٌ صَهباءُ منهَلُ ثَغرِها

دُرٌّ ورِيقَتُها سلافٌ قَرقَفُ

دُرٌّ ورِيقَتُها سلافٌ قَرقَفُ

Intoxicated, tawny-haired—her mouth's fountain

A delicate, fair-skinned gazelle, her mouth a spring,

Is pearls, and her saliva is choice wine that brings shivers.

Her saliva like pearls, her lips softly parting.

تختالُ بينَ البدرِ منها والنَّقا

تختالُ بينَ البدرِ منها والنَّقا

غُصنٌ يَمِيسُ به النعيمُ مُهَفهَفُ

غُصنٌ يَمِيسُ به النعيمُ مُهَفهَفُ

She struts between her full moon and the sand dune,

She sways between the full moon and the star,

A slender bough that bliss sets swaying.

A branch caressed by pleasure, gently waving.

لا تحسبَنَّ الخُلفَ شِيمَةَ مِثلِها

لا تحسبَنَّ الخُلفَ شِيمَةَ مِثلِها

وَعَدَت ولكنَّ الزمانَ يُسَوِّفُ

وَعَدَت ولكنَّ الزمانَ يُسَوِّفُ

Never think broken promises a trait of one like her.

Do not think breaking a promise normal for her,

She promised, but time keeps putting it off.

She promised, but time kept on postponing.

يا بانةً قد أطلَعَت أغصانُها

يا بانةً قد أطلَعَت أغصانُها

وَرداً جَنِيّاً باللواحِظِ يُقطَفُ

وَرداً جَنِيّاً باللواحِظِ يُقطَفُ

O bān tree whose branches have brought forth

O you whose branches have blossomed,

Fresh roses, plucked by glances.

Your roses ready to be plucked by the glances.

وغزالةٍ تحكي الغَزالةُ وَجهَها

وغزالةٍ تحكي الغَزالةُ وَجهَها

وبعينِ ناظِرِها الحُسامُ الأوطَفُ

وبعينِ ناظِرِها الحُسامُ الأوطَفُ

And O gazelle whose face the sun imitates,

And gazelle, your face tells of a gazelle,

And in her gazing eye lies the long-lashed sword.

Your eyes like the sharpest sword of the loving.

ما تأمُرين لِمُغرَمٍ تَسطُو بهِ

ما تأمُرين لِمُغرَمٍ تَسطُو بهِ

أجفانُكِ المرضى ولا تستعطِفُ

أجفانُكِ المرضى ولا تستعطِفُ

What do you decree for a love-stricken man assailed

What do you order for a lovesick one in throes of love,

By your languid eyelids, which seek no pity?

Your harsh eyelids show no mercy or softness.

أو ماءُ وجهكِ وهو صُبحٌ مُشرِقٌ

أو ماءُ وجهكِ وهو صُبحٌ مُشرِقٌ

وسوادُ شعرِك وهو ليلٌ مُسدِفُ

وسوادُ شعرِك وهو ليلٌ مُسدِفُ

Or the lustre of your face, which is a radiant dawn,

Is it your face, the radiant light of dawn,

And the blackness of your hair, which is a darkened night,

And your hair the dark night closing in?

ويهزُّ غُصنُ البانِ مِنكِ على النَّقا

ويهزُّ غُصنُ البانِ مِنكِ على النَّقا

فإليَّ من أحدٍ سواكِ تَشَوَّفُ

فإليَّ من أحدٍ سواكِ تَشَوَّفُ

And your bān-tree bough is swayed upon the sand dune;

The bough sways for you against the starry sky,

So toward me comes yearning from someone other than you.

To none but you have I looked with yearning.