بِنَفسي شَقيقُ الرُّوحِ حَيَّا بِزَهرَةٍ

بِنَفسي شَقيقُ الرُّوحِ حَيَّا بِزَهرَةٍ

كأخلاقِه بيضاءَ طَيِّبةِ النَّشرِ

كأخلاقِه بيضاءَ طَيِّبةِ النَّشرِ

My life for my soul’s twin, who greeted me with a flower,

With my own soul, the kindred spirit greeted

White as his character, sweetly fragrant.

With a blossom as virtuous as his white morals

وجَاءَ بها في ثَوبه الغُصنِ مائِساً

وجَاءَ بها في ثَوبه الغُصنِ مائِساً

ولا عَجَبٌ لِلغصنِ إن جادَ بالزَّهرِ

ولا عَجَبٌ لِلغصنِ إن جادَ بالزَّهرِ

And the bough came with it, swaying in his robe;

He brought it in his garment, the branch being dry

And no wonder if the bough is generous with blossoms.

No wonder for the branch to give generously the flower

وحَيَّا بها والوَجهُ يُشرِقُ طَلعَةً

وحَيَّا بها والوَجهُ يُشرِقُ طَلعَةً

ومِن نَجمةِ الصُّبحِ انجَلَت غُرَّةُ الفَجرِ

ومِن نَجمةِ الصُّبحِ انجَلَت غُرَّةُ الفَجرِ

And he greeted me with it, his face shining bright;

He greeted with it, his face shining like the dawn

And from the morning star, dawn’s bright brow was unveiled.

From the morning star shone the first light of dawn

بَدرِيَّةٌ لوناً مُعَطَّرَةُ الشَّذا

بَدرِيَّةٌ لوناً مُعَطَّرَةُ الشَّذا

ولم نَرَ مِن دُرٍّ تَنَفَّسَ عَن عِطرِ

ولم نَرَ مِن دُرٍّ تَنَفَّسَ عَن عِطرِ

Like the full moon in hue, suffused with fragrance—

Moon-like in color, fragrant with aroma

And we have never seen a pearl breathe out perfume.

We have not seen a pearl that breathed such fragrance