1. غوانيا غواليا بها الشجي مشجون

    غواديا عواديا قلبي بها مسجون

    Fair, precious maidens—through them the sorrowful lover is grief-stricken.

    Going forth at dawn, raiding—my heart is imprisoned by them.

  2. بواديا نواديا قرّت بها عيون

    فؤاديا أحشائيا في حبّها مفتون

    In open lands and gathering places, eyes find solace in them.

    My heart, my very vitals, are enthralled by love of them.

  3. الكاعبات الناهدات المترفات الناعمات

    المرهفات السالبات الجالبات شجون

    Budding-breasted, full-breasted, pampered, tender.

    Delicate ravishers, bringers of sorrows.

  4. الحاليات مراشفا الجالبات متالفا

    المائسات عواطفا تسبي قدود غصون

    Sweet of lips, bringers of ruin.

    Swaying in their curves, their branchlike figures enthrall.

  5. الحاويات رقائقا القاعدات مناطقا

    الراميات رواشقا في لحظها المسنون

    Bearers of delicate graces, with firmly seated girdles.

    Loosing piercing darts from their whetted glance.

  6. النيّرات مشارقا المشرقات شوارقا

    الجامعات فوارقا في نور حسن شؤون

    Radiant in their dawns, shining with rising lights.

    Uniting contrasts within beauty's many radiant aspects.

  7. الناعمات ترائبا اللينات قواضبا

    المهديات عجائبا وجنونهنّ فنون

    Soft across the upper chest, supple as cutting swords.

    Bestowers of wonders; their madness takes many forms.

  8. المطلعات كواكبا الطالعات ثواقبا

    المسمعات غرائبا عقلي بها مجنون

    Making stars rise, rising as piercing lights.

    Making marvels heard—my mind is maddened by them.

  9. حسن الأغاني أعربت وبالمثاني أطربت

    وبالمعاني أغربت كالجوهر المكنون

    They voice the beauty of songs and, with strings, bring rapture.

    And with meanings they astonish, like a hidden jewel.

  10. بحسنها قد أعجبت وللجمال أنجبت

    حبّي لها قد أوجبت بلحظها المسنون

    They have dazzled with their beauty, and for beauty they were born.

    They have made my love for them inevitable with their whetted glance.

  11. منهنّ غيد قد غزت مغرمها مذ برزت

    للفتك حتّى أحرزت قتلي بسيف جفون

    Among them are graceful maidens who assailed their lover ever since they emerged

    to slay, until they secured my death with the sword of eyelids.

  12. إنّي رشيق نبالها شهيد بدر جمالها

    وبطعنها وقتالها لي أجرها ممنون

    I am pierced by their arrows, a martyr to their beauty's full moon.

    For their thrusts and their fighting, their reward to me is counted as a favor.

  13. ليلى بليلٍ أشرقت شمساً وحجبي مزّقت

    بدر السما قد محقت فعاد كالعرجون

    Layla shone as a sun by night and tore my veils apart.

    She effaced heaven's full moon, and it became like a curved palm-stalk.

  14. سكري غداً يا صاحي بوجهها الوضّاح

    باللوم عاد اللاحي بصفقة المغبون

    Tomorrow, O sober one, my intoxication will come from her radiant face.

    With his blame, the reproacher came away with a dupe's bargain.