خَدعُ الخدودِ يَلوحُ تَحتَ صَفائِها

خَدعُ الخدودِ يَلوحُ تَحتَ صَفائِها

فَحَذَارِهَا إنْ مُوِّهَتْ بِحَيائِها

فَحَذَارِهَا إنْ مُوِّهَتْ بِحَيائِها

The guile of cheeks gleams beneath their clarity;

The cheeks' guile shines under their clarity

so beware of them, even if cloaked in their modesty.

So beware if she feigns with her modesty

تِلكَ الحَبائِلُ لِلنُفوسِ وَإنّما

تِلكَ الحَبائِلُ لِلنُفوسِ وَإنّما

قطْعُ الصَّوارِم تحتَ رَوْنَقِ مائِها

قطْعُ الصَّوارِم تحتَ رَوْنَقِ مائِها

Those are snares for souls, and it is only

Those are the snares for the souls; verily

beneath their watery sheen that keen swords' cutting power lies.

The blades are sheathed under the glint of her water