بدت فأنارت من سناها المطالع

بدت فأنارت من سناها المطالع

وما هي إلا البدر في التم طالع

وما هي إلا البدر في التم طالع

She appeared, and from her splendor the horizons shone.

She appeared, and the horizons shone with her radiance.

She is nothing but the full moon, rising in its fullness.

And she is none but the full moon, rising in its fullness.

تهيم بها كل القلوب صبابة

تهيم بها كل القلوب صبابة

وتعشقها قبل العيون المسامع

وتعشقها قبل العيون المسامع

Every heart is passionately enthralled by her,

All hearts are lost in passionate longing for her.

and ears fall in love with her before eyes ever do.

And ears fall in love with her before eyes do.

مرنحة الاعطاف بين وشاحها

مرنحة الاعطاف بين وشاحها

قضيب عليه صادح الحلي ساجع

قضيب عليه صادح الحلي ساجع

Her graceful sides sway within her sash—

With flanks swaying within her sash,

a slender branch on which her ornaments sing in cadence.

A slender bough upon which the jewels sing and coo.

وغصن نقا بالحسن مثر قوامها

وغصن نقا بالحسن مثر قوامها

ألست تراه وهو ربان بانع

ألست تراه وهو ربان بانع

Her stature is a dune-grown bough, made fruitful by beauty—

And her figure is a bough on a sand dune, rich in beauty.

do you not see it, lush and ripe?

Do you not see it, in its prime and tall?

وعن لؤلوءٍ رطب تبسم ثغرها

وعن لؤلوءٍ رطب تبسم ثغرها

وابدت لنا وجها له الحسن طالع

وابدت لنا وجها له الحسن طالع

Her mouth smiled, revealing moist pearls,

And her mouth smiled, revealing moist pearls.

and she showed us a face upon which beauty dawns.

And she showed us a face upon which beauty dawns.

عقيلة جزل وصلها لي مطلب

عقيلة جزل وصلها لي مطلب

ولكن عليها للوصال موانع

ولكن عليها للوصال موانع

A noble lady—union with her is my quest,

A noble lady of great worth—union with her is my quest.

but barriers stand between her and union.

But obstacles bar union with her.

عذرت عليها في الغرام عواذلي

عذرت عليها في الغرام عواذلي

لجهلهم عما حوته البراقع

لجهلهم عما حوته البراقع

I excuse those who reproach my passion for her,

I excused those who reproached my passion for her,

for they know nothing of what the veils enfold.

For they knew not what the face veils concealed.

تبيت من الاشواق وهي خلية

تبيت من الاشواق وهي خلية

ولم تدر ما تجنى عليه الاضالع

ولم تدر ما تجنى عليه الاضالع

She passes the night untouched by longing, free of it,

She spends the night free of longing,

unaware of what his ribs are wreaking upon him.

And knows not what the ribs inflict upon him.

جعلت هواها نصب عيني وها انا

جعلت هواها نصب عيني وها انا

لها خبري في مبتدا الحال رافع

لها خبري في مبتدا الحال رافع

I set love of her as the object before my eyes—and here I am,

I set my love for her before my eyes, and here I am,

raising to her my report—my predicate to the nominative—at the affair’s outset.

Raising my tale to her at the outset of my plight.

قضى الصب وجد فيك يا بنت مالك

قضى الصب وجد فيك يا بنت مالك

فهل لقتيل الهجر في الحب شافع

فهل لقتيل الهجر في الحب شافع

The lover has perished from longing for you, O daughter of Malik;

The lover died of yearning for you, O daughter of Malik.

is there, in love, an intercessor for one slain by separation?

Is there, then, an intercessor in love for one slain by estrangement?

لقد مت وجدا في الغرام بحبها

لقد مت وجدا في الغرام بحبها

وخالفت عذالا عليها تنازع

وخالفت عذالا عليها تنازع

Indeed, through loving her, I have died of passionate longing,

Indeed, I have died of yearning, in ardent love for her.

and defied reproachers who disputed with me over her.

And I defied reproachers who quarrel over her.