لَيتَwould that شِعريmy knowledge هَلwhether أَذوshall I taste (first part)
لَيتَ شِعري هَل أَذو
قَنtaste indeed (word completion) رُضاباًsaliva مِنfrom حَبيبِa beloved
قَن رُضاباً مِن حَبيبِ
Would that I knew: shall I taste
I wish I knew, will I ever enjoy
indeed, the saliva of a beloved,
A kiss of pleasure from my beloved
طَيِّبِsweet الريقَةِthe saliva وَالنَكand the breath (first part)
طَيِّبِ الريقَةِ وَالنَك
هَةِbreath (word completion) كَالراحِlike wine القَطيبِblended
هَةِ كَالراحِ القَطيبِ
sweet of saliva and of
Of sweet saliva and soft cheek
breath, like blended wine,
Like the cool breeze of the north wind
واضِحِbright اللَبَّةِthe hollow of the throat وَالسُنand the face (first part)
واضِحِ اللَبَّةِ وَالسُن
نَةِface (word completion) كَالظَبيِlike a gazelle الرَبيبِhand-reared
نَةِ كَالظَبيِ الرَبيبِ
fair of throat and of
With bright lips and white teeth
face, like a hand-reared gazelle,
Like a tender fawn
مُخطَفِslender الكَشحَينِthe two flanks عاريbare of flesh الthe
مُخطَفِ الكَشحَينِ عاري ال
صُلبِback ذيpossessed of دَلٍّcoquetry عَجيبِwondrous
صُلبِ ذي دَلٍّ عَجيبِ
slender in both flanks, lean of
With snatched sideburns, smooth chest
back, with wondrous coquetry,
With amazing allure
مُشبَعِfilling out الخَلخالِthe anklet وَالقُلand the two bracelets (first part)
مُشبَعِ الخَلخالِ وَالقُل
بَينِtwo bracelets (word completion) صَيّادِhunter of القُلوبِhearts
بَينِ صَيّادِ القُلوبِ
filling her anklet and both
Adorned wrists and heart
bracelets, a hunter of hearts?
Hunter of hearts
قَدindeed سَبَتنيshe captivated me بِشَتيتِwith sparse الthe
قَد سَبَتني بِشَتيتِ ال
نَبتِgrowth فيon سَقطٍa lower slope كَثيبِa sand dune
نَبتِ في سَقطٍ كَثيبِ
She has captivated me with sparse
Who captivated me with the torment of love
growth on the slope of a sand dune.
In a high sand dune
حَبَّذاhow lovely ذاكَthat غَزالاًa gazelle
حَبَّذا ذاكَ غَزالاً
قَدalready شَفىhealed قَرحَthe soreness of نُدوبيmy scars
قَد شَفى قَرحَ نُدوبي
How lovely that gazelle,
Blessed is that gazelle
who has healed the soreness of my scars,
Who healed the scars of my wounds
وَجَزانيand rewarded me بِهَوائيfor my passion
وَجَزاني بِهَوائي
وَثَنائيand my praise فيin المَغيبِabsence
وَثَنائي في المَغيبِ
and rewarded me for my passion
And rewarded me for my passion and praise in absence
and my praise in her absence.
And indeed I lamented from love of you
وَلَقَدand indeed أَشفَقتُI feared مِنfrom حُبlove (first part)
وَلَقَد أَشفَقتُ مِن حُب
بِكُمُof you (plural; word completion) أَقضيI spend to the end نَحيبيmy sobbing
بِكُمُ أَقضي نَحيبي
And indeed, I feared that through love
I sigh my sorrows
for you, I would weep my life away.
Know my heart is everyday
إِنَّindeed قَلبيmy heart فَاِعلَميهِso know it (feminine command)
إِنَّ قَلبي فَاِعلَميهِ
كُلَّevery يَومٍday فيin وَجيبِthrobbing
كُلَّ يَومٍ في وَجيبِ
Indeed, my heart—so know it—
In your bosom
throbs every day.
How can I be patient from a girl
كَيفَhow صَبريmy endurance عَنaway from فَتاةٍa maiden
كَيفَ صَبري عَن فَتاةٍ
أَحسَنِfairest of الناسِpeople لَعوبِplayful
أَحسَنِ الناسِ لَعوبِ
How can I endure being apart from a maiden,
Most delightful of people to play with
the fairest of all, so playful,
Rosy cheeked, cheeked with beauty
صَلتَةِsmooth الخَدَّينِthe two cheeks خَودٍa tender young maiden
صَلتَةِ الخَدَّينِ خَودٍ
خَلَطَتshe mingled حُسناًbeauty بِطيبِwith fragrance
خَلَطَت حُسناً بِطيبِ
smooth-cheeked, a tender young beauty,
Mixed with pleasant fragrance
who has mingled beauty with fragrance?
Partial English translation: 23 of 24 Arabic lines translated.