للَهto God حُسنHusn (literally, beauty) وحسنهاand her beauty الغضُّfresh and tender الذيwhich
للَه حُسن وحسنها الغضُّ الذي
هامتwere enraptured بهby it عربُthe Arabs الرهاal-Ruha والرومُand the Romans
هامت به عربُ الرها والرومُ
God be praised for Husn and her youthful beauty, which
God has granted her beauty, and her youthfulness
Enraptured the Arabs of al-Ruha and the Romans.
Has enthralled the Arabs and the Romans alike.
ورضابهاand her saliva العذبsweet الذيwhich ماnot طابwas pleasant ليto me
ورضابها العذب الذي ما طاب لي
لولاهwithout it مشروبٌa drink ولاnor مشمومa scent
لولاه مشروبٌ ولا مشموم
And her sweet saliva—nothing was pleasant to me
Her sweet saliva, which nothing has surpassed in taste,
Without it, neither drink nor fragrance.
Is the only drink I crave, nothing else will do.
بدويةa Bedouin woman تأبىrefuses الهراشrough play عقودهاher necklaces
بدوية تأبى الهراش عقودها
مثلlike الفراشthe moths علىover النهودthe breasts تحومhover
مثل الفراش على النهود تحوم
A Bedouin woman who refuses rough play; her necklaces
A Bedouin beauty who refuses necklaces as adornment,
Hover like moths over her breasts.
Hovering over breasts like a butterfly over flowers.
ونهودهاand her breasts ككواكبlike planets منof فضةٍsilver
ونهودها ككواكب من فضةٍ
فيهنin them منof أكرspheres العقيقagate نجومstars
فيهن من أكر العقيق نجوم
And her breasts are like planets of silver,
Her breasts are like silver stars,
Within them are stars formed of agate spheres.
With ruby teats as their shining gems.
قلتI said اطرديdrive away هذاthis الفراشthe moths عنfrom اللظىthe blaze
قلت اطردي هذا الفراش عن اللظى
وضممتهاand I embraced her فتأوَّدso it swayed المضمومthe one embraced
وضممتها فتأوَّد المضموم
I said, "Drive these moths away from the blaze,"
I said, “Shoo away this butterfly from the flames!”
And I embraced her; she swayed in my arms.
And drew her close, embracing the embraced.
وغدتand she began تدافعنيshe pushes me away بهنَّwith them عنِfrom اللَمىdarkness of the lips
وغدت تدافعني بهنَّ عنِ اللَمى
وتقولand she says مهstop! إنindeed النهودthe breasts رجومmissiles
وتقول مه إن النهود رجوم
And she began pushing me away with them from her dark lips,
She began to defend herself from my passion
And she says, "Stop! Breasts are indeed missiles."
Saying, “Do not pelt the breasts with stones!”
صدقتshe spoke truly فماfor ... not دفعdrove away الهمومthe cares وذادهاand repelled them
صدقت فما دفع الهموم وذادها
عنيfrom me بغيرby anything other than نهودهاher breasts القيومthe Ever-Sustaining One
عني بغير نهودها القيوم
She spoke truly: my cares were dispelled and warded off
You speak true, nothing has warded off anguish like
From me by the Ever-Sustaining One through her breasts alone.
Her upright breasts have done.