أطلعن من فلك الجيوب كواكبا

وسدلن من تلك الشعور غياهبا

They brought stars forth from the firmament of their bosoms.

And let down depths of darkness from those tresses.

وسفرن من هالاتهن أهلّة

يبدين من فرط الدلال غرائبا

And unveiled crescents from their halos.

They display marvels through their extravagant coquetry.

وبرزن من حلل الديار كواسيا

يخطرن في برد الشباب كواعبا

And emerged clothed from the dwellings' quarters.

They sway in youth's mantle, full-breasted maidens.

فاذا انسن اليك كن ربائبا

واذا نفرن رأيتهن رباربا

Then, when they grow familiar with you, they are tame gazelles.

And when they shy away, you see them as herds of wild antelope.

القاتلات الناهبات السالبا

ت اللابسات من الحرير جلاببا

The slayers, the plunderers, the despoilers,

Those wearing outer robes of silk.

من كل مائسة القوام اذا رنت

عجبا تريك عواسلا وقواضبا

Each woman of swaying figure, when she gazes,

Wondrously shows you quivering spears and keen swords.

لم يكف أن سترت اساود شعرها

حتى لوت فوق الخدود عقاربا

It was not enough that she concealed the black snakes of her hair;

She even coiled scorpions above her cheeks.

ومهفهف ترنو الي لحاظه

فتريش في الاحشاء سهما صائبا

And a slender youth whose glances turn toward me,

And so fletch an unerring arrow in my entrails.

يرمي فؤادي عن قسي حواجب

ومن العجائب ما تعدى الواجبا

He shoots at my heart from the bows of his eyebrows,

And among marvels is what exceeds what is due.

طاوعت فيه صبوتي وصبابتي

وعصيت فيه واشيا ومراقبا

For his sake I obeyed my infatuation and ardent longing,

And for his sake defied a slanderer and a watcher.

رشأ يعد المرهفات لواحظا

والنبل هدبا والقسي حواجبا

A fawn who counts sharpened blades as glancing eyes,

And arrows as eyelashes, and bows as eyebrows.

فاحفظ فؤادك ان تبسم او رنا

وحذار منه مسالما ومحاربا

So guard your heart if he smiles or gazes,

And beware of him, whether at peace or at war.