بَرَعتْexcelled محاسنهhis charms فجلَّso he was exalted لهاbecause of them
بَرَعتْ محاسنه فجلَّ لها
عنbeyond أنto يقومundertake بوصفهاwith their description لَفظُa word
عن أن يقوم بوصفها لَفظُ
His charms excelled, and through them he rose
Her beauty excelled, so eloquence failed
beyond any word’s power to describe them.
To describe her, no words were availed
نطقspoke الجمالbeauty بعذرin defense of عاشقهhis lover
نطق الجمال بعذر عاشقه
للعاذلاتto the reproaching women فأخرسso mute الوعظُadmonition
للعاذلات فأخرس الوعظُ
Beauty spoke in his lover’s defense
The beauty pleaded the lovestruck's excuse
to the reproaching women, and admonition fell silent.
To the blamers, all sermons were stilled
لمdid not يبدappear منهof him للعيونto the eyes سوىexcept
لم يبد منه للعيون سوى
ماwhat نالattained منfrom وجناتهhis cheeks اللحَّظُthe gaze
ما نال من وجناته اللحَّظُ
Nothing of him appeared to the eyes except
Naught was revealed to the eyes save
what the gaze took in from his cheeks.
What was grasped in a fleeting glance filled
ماno للقلوبfor the hearts إذاwhen التَبَسْنَthey became entangled بهwith him
ما للقلوب إذا التَبَسْنَ به
منهfrom him سوىexcept حسراتهاtheir sorrows حظُa share
منه سوى حسراتها حظُ
Hearts, when they become entangled with him,
When hearts enmesh with his, naught remains
have no share from him but their sorrows.
But their bitter regrets, wishes unfulfilled
ماwhat ضَرَّharmed منthe one whose رَقَّتbecame delicate محاسنهhis charms
ما ضَرَّ من رَقَّت محاسنه
لوif كانhad رقّsoftened فؤادهhis heart الفظُّharsh
لو كان رقّ فؤاده الفظُّ
What harm would it have done him, whose charms are delicate,
It matters not if his soft beauty hurts
if his harsh heart had softened?
Even if his heart be harsh and unstilled
Sol 6.1