وَصُفْرٍ مِنْ بَنَاتِ النَّحْلِ تُكْسَى

وَصُفْرٍ مِنْ بَنَاتِ النَّحْلِ تُكْسَى

بَوَاطِنُهَا وَأَظْهُرُهَا عَوَارِي

بَوَاطِنُهَا وَأَظْهُرُهَا عَوَارِي

And yellow daughters of the bees, clothed

Clothed in saffron are the interiors and exteriors of the daughters of bees

On their insides, while their outsides are bare;

Maidens bursting from the heights

عَذَارَى يُفْتَضَضْنَ مِنَ الأَعَالِي

عَذَارَى يُفْتَضَضْنَ مِنَ الأَعَالِي

إِذَا افْتُضَّتْ مِنَ السُّفْلِ العَذَاري

إِذَا افْتُضَّتْ مِنَ السُّفْلِ العَذَاري

Virgins deflowered from above,

When the maidens burst from below

While virgins are deflowered from below.

And no lights do they produce until

وَلَيْسَتْ تُنْتِجُ الأَضْوَاءَ حَتَّى

وَلَيْسَتْ تُنْتِجُ الأَضْوَاءَ حَتَّى

تُلَقَّحُ فِي ذَوَائِبِهَا بِنَارِ

تُلَقَّحُ فِي ذَوَائِبِهَا بِنَارِ

And they bring forth no light until

Pollinated in their curves with fire

They are impregnated with fire at their tresses.

Like stars of oral tradition falling silent about you

كَوَاكِبُ لَسْنَ عَنْكَ بِآفِلاَتٍ

كَوَاكِبُ لَسْنَ عَنْكَ بِآفِلاَتٍ

إِذَا مَا أَشْرَقَتْ شَمْسُ العُقَارِ

إِذَا مَا أَشْرَقَتْ شَمْسُ العُقَارِ

Stars that never vanish from your sight

When the sun of the Pleiades rises

When the sun of wine shines forth.

I sent it to a generous king

بَعَثْتُ بِهَا إِلَى مَلِكٍ كَرِيْمٍ

بَعَثْتُ بِهَا إِلَى مَلِكٍ كَرِيْمٍ

شَرِيْفِ الأَصْلِ مَحْمُودِ النِّجَارِ

شَرِيْفِ الأَصْلِ مَحْمُودِ النِّجَارِ

I sent them to a generous king,

Noble of origin, praised of carpentry

Noble in origin, of praiseworthy lineage.

So I gifted illumination through it to one whose

فَأَهْدَيْتُ الضِّيَاءَ بَهَا إِلَى مَنْ

فَأَهْدَيْتُ الضِّيَاءَ بَهَا إِلَى مَنْ

مَحَاسِنَهُ تُضِيءُ لِكُلِّ سَارِي

مَحَاسِنَهُ تُضِيءُ لِكُلِّ سَارِي

So, with them, I gave light to one

Beauties give light to every firmament

Whose virtues shine for every traveler by night.