كَأَنَّ اِبنَةَ العُذرِيِّ يَومَ بَدَت لَنا

كَأَنَّ اِبنَةَ العُذرِيِّ يَومَ بَدَت لَنا

بِوادي القُرى رَوعى الجِنانِ سَليبُ

بِوادي القُرى رَوعى الجِنانِ سَليبُ

It was as though al-ʿUdhrī’s daughter, the day she appeared to us,

As though the maiden of the Bedouin, when first she showed herself

in Wadi al-Qurā, were a gazelle, frightened at heart and bereft,

In the valley of Qura, scared the minds of the gardeners there,

مِنَ الأَدمِ ضَمَّتها الحِبالُ فَأَفلَتَت

مِنَ الأَدمِ ضَمَّتها الحِبالُ فَأَفلَتَت

وَفي الجِسمِ مِنها عِلَّةٌ وَشُحوبُ

وَفي الجِسمِ مِنها عِلَّةٌ وَشُحوبُ

of the pale gazelles; ropes had held her fast, then she escaped,

Her wrists were shackled with adamant and she broke loose and escaped

and in her body were sickness and pallor.

While in her body was a quality causing pallor and leanness.