كتب الحسنُ في محياكَ سطراً

كتب الحسنُ في محياكَ سطراً

وهو نونٌ تبْرِى وعينٌ وَميمُ

وهو نونٌ تبْرِى وعينٌ وَميمُ

Beauty wrote a line upon your face:

Al-Hasan wrote in your cheek a line

a golden nūn, an ʿayn, and a mīm—

It is the letter noon relaxed, an eye and a meem

حاجبُ مقلة فمٌ لؤلؤى

حاجبُ مقلة فمٌ لؤلؤى

نشْرُه المسكُ درُّه منظومُ

نشْرُه المسكُ درُّه منظومُ

an eyebrow, an eye, a pearly mouth.

An eyebrow is a mascaraed eyelash, a mouth like pearls

Its fragrance is musk; its pearls are strung together.

Its fragrance is musk, its essence well-composed

قُطرتْ قطرتانِ من قلم الحس

قُطرتْ قطرتانِ من قلم الحس

ن بخديك وهو سرٌ عظيمُ

ن بخديك وهو سرٌ عظيمُ

Two drops fell from Beauty's pen

Two drops fell from the pen of passion

upon your cheeks—and it is a mighty secret.

On your cheek, it is a great secret

قل نعم في لقائِنا لا تقل لي لا

قل نعم في لقائِنا لا تقل لي لا

إنَّ لا بعدها لَخُلقٌ ذَمِيمُ

إنَّ لا بعدها لَخُلقٌ ذَمِيمُ

Say 'yes' at our meeting; do not tell me 'no'.

Say "yes" in our meeting, do not say "no" to me

Indeed, 'no' after that is surely a shameful trait.

After "no" comes ugly manners

عنون الكون فيه صورة قوسٍ

عنون الكون فيه صورة قوسٍ

مَنْ مِنَ العَالَمَينَ مِنهُ سَليمُ

مَنْ مِنَ العَالَمَينَ مِنهُ سَليمُ

The universe inscribed upon him the shape of a bow:

The universe contains the image of a bow

who in the two worlds is safe from it?

Who in the two worlds is safe from it?

قوسُه حاجباه والأنفُ تشا

قوسُه حاجباه والأنفُ تشا

بتُه تحتهن جَفنٌ سقيمُ

بتُه تحتهن جَفنٌ سقيمُ

His bow is his two eyebrows, and his nose his arrow;

Its bows are its eyebrows, its nose is its string

beneath them lies a languishing eyelid.

Under it a sick eyelid

عجباً منه وهو ناءٍ بعيدُ

عجباً منه وهو ناءٍ بعيدُ

حاضرٌ وهو في الفؤادِ مُقيمُ

حاضرٌ وهو في الفؤادِ مُقيمُ

How wondrous he is: though distant and far away,

Strange is he, distant yet present

he is present, and he dwells within the heart.

Absent yet residing in the heart

رحمَ اللهُ مَن سخَا بجوابٍ

رحمَ اللهُ مَن سخَا بجوابٍ

وعليه السلامُ التسليمُ

وعليه السلامُ التسليمُ

May God have mercy on whoever generously gives a reply;

May God have mercy on those who respond generously

and upon him be peace and salutations.

And upon him be peace and safety