صَبَغَتْهُ صِبْغَةَ الحَدَقِ

صَبَغَتْهُ صِبْغَةَ الحَدَقِ

خِلْقَةٌ مِنْ أَحْسَن الخِلقِ

خِلْقَةٌ مِنْ أَحْسَن الخِلقِ

He was dyed the hue of pupils

His complexion was colored the hue of kohl,

By a natural form among the fairest forms.

A creation of the most beautiful physique.

فَهْوَ كالكُحْلِ المُمَكَّنِ مِن

فَهْوَ كالكُحْلِ المُمَكَّنِ مِن

وَجْنةٍ مُحْمَرَّةٍ يَقَقِ

وَجْنةٍ مُحْمَرَّةٍ يَقَقِ

So he is like kohl set firmly upon

Like kohl smoothed into perfection

A flushed, pure-white cheek.

In a flushed cheek showing its sleek.

غُصُنٌ غَضٌّ بلا ورقٍ

غُصُنٌ غَضٌّ بلا ورقٍ

في كثِيبٍ غير مفترِقِ

في كثِيبٍ غير مفترِقِ

A tender bough without leaves,

A sapling, tender, without leaves,

In an undivided mound of sand.

In a mound not separated or peaked.

وكفاني أن مَبْسِمَهُ

وكفاني أن مَبْسِمَهُ

فَلَقٌ قد لاح من غَسَق

فَلَقٌ قد لاح من غَسَق

And it suffices me that his smiling mouth

And enough for me was his smile

Is dawn that has shone out of darkness.

Appearing suddenly from the dusk.

بابليّ الطَّرفِ في دَعَج

بابليّ الطَّرفِ في دَعَج

لُؤْلُئِيّ الثَّغْرِ في نَسَقِ

لُؤْلُئِيّ الثَّغْرِ في نَسَقِ

Babylonian of gaze, with dark, wide eyes,

Babylonian in glance, in a wind-blown lock,

Pearly of teeth, set in an even row.

Pearl-like of mouth in an arrangement unique.

إن يكن في خَلْقِه حَلَك

إن يكن في خَلْقِه حَلَك

فهو فيه أَبْيَضُ الخُلُقِ

فهو فيه أَبْيَضُ الخُلُقِ

If there is blackness in his outward form,

If there be any flaw in his creation,

Then within it he is white of character.

It is that his manners are most meek.

سكنتْ ألحاظُه فرمت

سكنتْ ألحاظُه فرمت

قلبَ مَن يهواه بالقَلَقِ

قلبَ مَن يهواه بالقَلَقِ

His glances grew still, then struck

His glances stilled me, so I tossed

The heart of whoever loves him with unrest.

The heart of one passionately obsessed.

طاف يَسْقِينيِ مُشَعْشَعَةً

طاف يَسْقِينيِ مُشَعْشَعَةً

صاغ فيها الماءُ كالحَلَقِ

صاغ فيها الماءُ كالحَلَقِ

He went round, serving me diluted wine;

He came watering around me persistently

The water fashioned ring-like shapes within it.

In it the water flowed circle-linked.

فكانَّ الليل راحتُه

فكانَّ الليل راحتُه

وكأّنَّ الراحَ مِنْ شفَق

وكأّنَّ الراحَ مِنْ شفَق

So it was as though night were his palm,

So his eve was restfulness for me

And as though the wine were made of sunset's glow.

As if the stillness was from the glow of dusk.