وهيفاءand a slender-waisted woman منfrom آلthe people of الفرنجthe Franks حجابهاher veil
وهيفاء من آل الفرنج حجابها
علىfor طالبيseekers of معروفهاher favors فيin الهوىlove سهلeasy
على طالبي معروفها في الهوى سهل
And a slender-waisted woman of the Franks, whose veil
Wahifa is of Frankish descent, her veil
Is easy to lift for those who seek her favors in love.
Upon those who seek her favors in love is easy.
تعلقتهاI fell in love with her لاno فيin هواهاlove for her مراقبwatcher
تعلقتها لا في هواها مراقب
يخافis feared ولاnor فيهاin her علىtoward عاشقa lover بخلstinginess
يخاف ولا فيها على عاشق بخل
I fell in love with her; in loving her there is no watcher
She is not possessed by her passion, nor does she
To fear, nor any stinginess in her toward a lover.
Fear a lover, nor is she miserly toward a lover.
إذاwhen أبصرتshe sees منfrom ضربthe minting of باريزParis قطعةa coin
إذا أبصرت من ضرب باريز قطعة
منof الأصفرthe yellow metal الابريزpure gold زلتslipped بهاwith her النعلthe sandal
من الأصفر الابريز زلت بها النعل
When she sees a coin minted in Paris,
When she sees a piece of yellow satin
Of pure yellow gold, her sandal slips.
From Paris, she trips on it with her slipper.
هنالكthen لاno هجرabandonment يخافis feared ولاnor جفاcoldness
هنالك لا هجر يخاف ولا جفا
لديهاon her part ولاnor خلفa breach لوعدof a promise ولاnor مطلdelay
لديها ولا خلف لوعد ولا مطل
Then no abandonment is feared, nor coldness
There is no fear of abandonment or aloofness
From her, nor a broken promise, nor delay.
Near her, no vain promises or procrastination.
أتيتI came كماas شاءwilled التصابيyouthful dalliance رحابهاher spacious quarters
أتيت كما شاء التصابي رحابها
وماand not كانwas ليfor me عهدacquaintance بأمثالهاwith women like her قبلbefore
وما كان لي عهد بأمثالها قبل
I came to her spacious quarters, as youthful dalliance urged,
I came to her as fortuitously as her hospitality allowed,
And I had never known women like her before.
Having no prior experience with the likes of her.
فلماso when تعارضناwe exchanged الحديثconversation تعرضتshe offered herself
فلما تعارضنا الحديث تعرضت
لوصلfor intimacy ومنand from أمثالهاwomen like her يطلبis sought الوصلintimacy
لوصل ومن أمثالها يطلب الوصل
So when we exchanged words, she offered herself
When we spoke, she hinted that she would
For intimacy—and intimacy is sought from women like her.
Permit a union―the likes of her seek union.
فرحتI rejoiced بهاin her فيin حيثa place where لاno عينeye عائنone who casts the evil eye
فرحت بها في حيث لا عين عائن
تراناsees us ولاnor بعلhusband هناكthere ولاnor أهلfamily
ترانا ولا بعل هناك ولا أهل
I delighted in her where no envious eye
I rejoiced with her where no spying eye
Could see us, and neither husband nor family was there.
Could see us―no husband or family was there.
وبتand I spent the night وليand I had سكرانtwo intoxications منfrom خمرwine لحظهاher glance
وبت ولي سكران من خمر لحظها
وراحand wine ثناياهاher front teeth ومنand from خدهاher cheek نقلtreats served with wine
وراح ثناياها ومن خدها نقل
And I spent the night doubly drunk on the wine of her glance
I spent the night drunk on the wine of her glances
And the wine of her front teeth, with treats from her cheek.
And the sweetness of her cheek and mouth.
وقمتand I rose ولمand did not أعلمI know بماabout what تحتbeneath ذيلهاher hem
وقمت ولم أعلم بما تحت ذيلها
وانand even though كانwas شيطانيmy devil لهfor him بينناbetween us دخلinvolvement
وان كان شيطاني له بيننا دخل
And I rose without knowing what lay beneath her hem,
I got up not knowing what was under her dress,
Even though my devil had a hand in what passed between us.
Though some devil between us might know.
Sol 6.1