نَفسيmy soul الفِداءُthe ransom لِمَنfor the one who فيin طَرفِهِhis eye دَعَجُdeep darkness and breadth of the eyes
نَفسي الفِداءُ لِمَن في طَرفِهِ دَعَجُ
يَسبيtakes captive بِهِwith it الأُسدَthe lions مِنهُfrom him شادِنٌa young gazelle غَنِجُcoquettish
يَسبي بِهِ الأُسدَ مِنهُ شادِنٌ غَنِجُ
My soul be ransom for one whose eyes are dark and wide.
My soul I'd sacrifice for one whose gaze
A coy young gazelle, he takes lions captive with that gaze.
Can make the lion obedient, tame, and sage
يُصَيِّرُturns اللَيلَthe night صُبحاًinto morning مِنهُfrom him حَيثُwherever سَرىhe journeyed by night
يُصَيِّرُ اللَيلَ صُبحاً مِنهُ حَيثُ سَرى
وَجهٌa face لَهُbelonging to him فيهِin it مَنfrom أَنوارِهِits lights سُرُجُlamps
وَجهٌ لَهُ فيهِ مَن أَنوارِهِ سُرُجُ
Wherever he journeys by night, night is turned into morning
Who turns the night to morn with radiant face
by his face, which holds lamps of its own radiance.
With light that lanterns lack and suns presage
إِذاwhen بَداappears خَدُّهُhis cheek مِنfrom تَحتِbeneath سالِفِهِhis sidelock
إِذا بَدا خَدُّهُ مِن تَحتِ سالِفِهِ
حَسِبتُهُI took it to be فَضَّةًsilver مِنfrom فَوقِهاabove it سَبَجُjet, a black stone
حَسِبتُهُ فَضَّةً مِن فَوقِها سَبَجُ
When his cheek appears beneath his sidelock,
When from his wrap his cheek shows rosy hue
I take it for silver with jet above it.
I'd think it silver plated o'er with dew