1. لا ما أَعجبه

    هَوىً بَقَلبي نزلا

    No—how wondrous it is!

    A love that has settled in my heart,

  2. هَوىً عَلى علاته

    أَبني علَيهِ أَملا

    a love, despite its flaws,

    on which I build a hope.

  3. هَوىً لِمَن لَم أَرها

    يَذهب عَني مَثَلا

    A love for one I have not seen,

    that will become proverbial through me.

  4. أَقبل عَنها راضياً

    كُلّ حَديث نَقَلا

    I gladly accept, about her,

    every report passed on.

  5. قيل سمت خَلقاً عَلى

    أَترابِها قُلت بَلى

    They said, 'In appearance she rose above

    her peers.' I said, 'Yes.'

  6. قيل اِنتَهى الحسن لَها

    قُلت لَها وَاِكتَمَلا

    They said, 'Beauty culminated in her.'

    I said, 'In her—and reached perfection.'

  7. قيلَ اسمها محاسن

    جلَّ مِن اسم وَعَلا

    They said, 'Her name is Mahasin.'

    How great and exalted a name!

  8. لا طابَ لي عَيش إِذا

    رَضيت مِنها بَدَلا

    May life never be sweet to me if

    I accept another in her place.