وبريقُ أسْنانِ الحَبيبِ سَبى النُّهَى

وبريقُ أسْنانِ الحَبيبِ سَبى النُّهَى

لمّا تبَسَّمَ والدَّياجِي في غَسَقْ

لمّا تبَسَّمَ والدَّياجِي في غَسَقْ

The gleam of the beloved’s teeth took every discerning mind captive;

And the gleam of the beloved’s teeth captivated minds,

When he smiled, while the dark nights lay in deepest gloom,

When he smiled, while the dark nights lay in deep gloom.

فكأنّهُ نُورٌ بِبَيْتِ عَقايق

فكأنّهُ نُورٌ بِبَيْتِ عَقايق

أوْ لَمْعُ بَرْقٍ قدْ بَدا لي من شَفَقْ

أوْ لَمْعُ بَرْقٍ قدْ بَدا لي من شَفَقْ

It seemed a light within a house of carnelians,

So it was like a light in a house of agates,

Or a lightning-flash appearing to me out of the twilight.

Or a flash of lightning that appeared to me from twilight’s glow.