نشقنا طيّب العرف

نشقنا طيّب العرف

له بالعين والأنف

له بالعين والأنف

We inhaled the sweet fragrance—

We scent the sweet breezes,

his—with both eye and nose.

draw in their fragrance through eyes and nose-

صفا كالخمر في الكاسِ

صفا كالخمر في الكاسِ

رشاً يصفو ولا يصفي

رشاً يصفو ولا يصفي

He was clear as wine in the cup—

clear as wine in a goblet,

a fawn who is pure, yet offers no true affection.

sprinkled about, yet nothing escapes.

فما الطف خديه

فما الطف خديه

زجاجا صيغ من لطف

زجاجا صيغ من لطف

And how delicate his cheeks are—

Your cheek's softness-

glass fashioned from delicacy.

glasswork shaped from tenderness-

خضيب الكف لو يكفي

خضيب الكف لو يكفي

لجمشناه بالكف

لجمشناه بالكف

Henna-stained of palm—if it would suffice,

if your gray hairs suffice,

we would caress him with our palms.

we’d pluck them with our hands.

نصلِّي وهو القبلةُ

نصلِّي وهو القبلةُ

والصفّ الى الصفِّ

والصفّ الى الصفِّ

We pray, and he is the qibla,

We pray towards you, who are our qiblah,

and row stands beside row.

row after row.

ولولا اللَه لا الناس

ولولا اللَه لا الناس

عبدناه على حرف

عبدناه على حرف

And were it not for God—not for people—

Without Allah-not people-

we would worship him on an edge.

we'd worship you on the edge.

حبيبٌ كلما يمشي

حبيبٌ كلما يمشي

مشى غصناً على حقف

مشى غصناً على حقف

A beloved who, whenever he walks,

Beloved, when you walk,

walks like a bough upon a curving sand dune.

you sway like a branch on a cliff.

فيا هزهازة الكشحِ

فيا هزهازة الكشحِ

ويا جراجة الردف

ويا جراجة الردف

So, O you of the swaying waist,

Oh you, swaying your hips,

and O you of the quivering rump!

Oh you, swinging your shoulders,