وَلمَّا رمَى باللَّحظِ عن قَوسِ حاجبٍ

وَلمَّا رمَى باللَّحظِ عن قَوسِ حاجبٍ

إلى قَلبِ صبٍّ لو دَرَى إذ رَنا احتَجَب

إلى قَلبِ صبٍّ لو دَرَى إذ رَنا احتَجَب

And when he shot a glance from the bow of an eyebrow

And when he shot a glance from the bow of an eyebrow

Into a lovesick lover’s heart—had he known when he gazed, he would have veiled himself—

To the heart of a melting youth, had he but known what he did!

وَكانَ لُجيناً مُشرِقَ اللَّونِ فاغتدَى

وَكانَ لُجيناً مُشرِقَ اللَّونِ فاغتدَى

وَقد تَرَكتهُ سَطوَةُ الخَوفِ كالذَّهب

وَقد تَرَكتهُ سَطوَةُ الخَوفِ كالذَّهب

And he had been silver, radiant in hue, but then became

He was shining of hue, and forward withal,

Like gold, left so by the overpowering force of fear.

Yet fear had left him as gold beaten out into leaf.