وَكادَت وَبَيتِ اللَهِ أَطنابُ ثابِتٍ

وَكادَت وَبَيتِ اللَهِ أَطنابُ ثابِتٍ

تَقوَّضَ عَن لَيلى وَتَبكي النَوائِحُ

تَقوَّضَ عَن لَيلى وَتَبكي النَوائِحُ

And, by the House of God, Thabit’s tent ropes nearly

The mighty pillars of Layla's house did quake,

fell away from Layla, and the mourning women wept.

As her elegies wept and the dirges shook.

تَمَنّى فَتىً مِنّا فَلاقى وَلَم يَكَد

تَمَنّى فَتىً مِنّا فَلاقى وَلَم يَكَد

غُلاماً نَمَتهُ المُحصَناتُ الصَرائِحُ

غُلاماً نَمَتهُ المُحصَناتُ الصَرائِحُ

He wished for a youth from among us and encountered—though barely—

A young man wished for her, alas he met

a boy reared by chaste women of pure lineage.

But a boy, raised sheltered by modest maids.

غُلامٌ نَما فَوقَ الخُماسِيِّ قَدرُهُ

غُلامٌ نَما فَوقَ الخُماسِيِّ قَدرُهُ

وَدونَ الَّذي قَد تَرتَجيهِ النَواكِحُ

وَدونَ الَّذي قَد تَرتَجيهِ النَواكِحُ

A boy whose stature had grown beyond five spans,

A boy who came of age beyond fifteen years,

yet below what women seeking husbands might desire.

Yet below what brides do hope to wed.

فَإِن تَكُ نالَتهُ خَطاطِفُ كَفِّهِ

فَإِن تَكُ نالَتهُ خَطاطِفُ كَفِّهِ

بِأَبيَضَ قَصّالٍ نَمى وَهوَ فادِحُ

بِأَبيَضَ قَصّالٍ نَمى وَهوَ فادِحُ

So if his hand’s clutching fingers had reached him

And if his soft hands did caress thy cheek,

with a white, keen-cleaving blade that rose, grievous in its stroke,

They were nurtured thus, still tender and meek.

فَقَد شَدَّ في إِحدى يَدَيهِ كِنانَةً

فَقَد شَدَّ في إِحدى يَدَيهِ كِنانَةً

تَداوى لَها في أَسوَدِ القَلبِ قادِحُ

تَداوى لَها في أَسوَدِ القَلبِ قادِحُ

then he had indeed fastened a quiver in one of his hands,

For he had bound to one hand a toy,

for which a gnawing pain in the heart’s black core sought healing.

Nursing in a dark heart wounds of the coy.