كَأنَّمَاas though خَالُهُhis mole المِسْكِيُّmusk-colored حِينَwhen بَدَاappeared
كَأنَّمَا خَالُهُ المِسْكِيُّ حِينَ بَدَا
تَحْتَbeneath العِذَارِthe cheek-down عَلَىupon خَدّa cheek مِنَof العَنَمِthe scarlet ‘anam plant
تَحْتَ العِذَارِ عَلَى خَدّ مِنَ العَنَمِ
As though his musk-colored mole, when it appeared
As though his cheek were scented with musk
Beneath the cheek-down upon a cheek of scarlet ‘anam,
When it appeared from beneath the veil upon a cheek of dew
بِلالُBilal حُسْنٍbeauty عَلَىupon رَوْضِa meadow الشَّقِيقِthe anemones غَدَاwent forth
بِلالُ حُسْنٍ عَلَى رَوْضِ الشَّقِيقِ غَدَا
يَرْعَىkeeps watch over صَبَاحَthe dawn الثَّنَايَاthe front teeth فِيin دُجَىthe deep gloom الظُّلَمdarkness
يَرْعَى صَبَاحَ الثَّنَايَا فِي دُجَى الظُّلَم
Were beauty’s Bilal, who went forth upon a meadow of anemones,
The morning of beauty dawned on the garden of al-Shaqq
Watching the dawn of the front teeth in the depths of darkness.
Grazing the morning of the folds in the darkness of gloom