مرَّpassed بناby us ظَبيٌa gazelle هضيمslender الحشاin the waist
مرَّ بنا ظَبيٌ هضيم الحشا
يَرقُّis delicate فيin خديهِhis two cheeks ماءٌwater; freshness الصِباof youth
يَرقُّ في خديهِ ماءٌ الصِبا
A slender-waisted gazelle passed by us.
A graceful gazelle passed by us,
The dew of youth shimmers delicately on his cheeks.
His cheeks shining with the water of youth,
ذكّرنيreminded me مرآهُthe sight of him روضَthe garden of المنىwishes
ذكّرني مرآهُ روضَ المنى
وطيبand the sweetness of عهدa time منfrom لياليthe nights of الوفاfaithfulness
وطيب عهد من ليالي الوفا
The sight of him reminded me of the garden of wishes,
His image reminded me of the meadows of Mina,
And the sweetness of a time of faithful nights,
And the good days of faithful nights,
أيامdays كانwas العيشlife حلوَsweet الجنىthe fruit; harvest
أيام كان العيش حلوَ الجنى
وحيثُand when كانwas الكأسthe cup كأسthe cup of الهوىlove
وحيثُ كان الكأس كأس الهوى
Days when life bore sweet fruit,
When life was sweet and carefree,
And when the cup was the cup of love.
And when the cup was a cup of love.
باللهِfor God's sake بَلّغْconvey ياO نسيمَbreeze of الصَباthe east wind
باللهِ بَلّغْ يا نسيمَ الصَبا
تلكthose الظباgazelles عنof; concerning تحاياgreetings of الهناjoy
تلك الظبا عن تحايا الهنا
For God's sake, O east breeze, convey
By Allah, O morning breeze,
To those gazelles greetings of joy.
Convey my greetings to those gazelles,
كمhow many a ليلةnight فيat سفحthe foot of ذاكthat اللوىcurving sand dune
كم ليلة في سفح ذاك اللوى
ويومand a day of أنسdelight; companionship وسْطَamid تلكthose الرُبىhills
ويوم أنس وسْطَ تلك الرُبى
How many a night at the foot of that curving dune,
Of how many nights we spent on the slopes of that hill,
And day of delight amid those hills,
And days of bliss amidst those pastures.
قطعتهI spent it منfrom حيثwhere كانتthere were لناfor us
قطعته من حيث كانت لنا
آرامwhite gazelles أنسcompanionship عاطياتstretching out الطُّلاthe necks
آرام أنس عاطيات الطُّلا
I spent where we had
You met them where we used to be,
Companionable gazelles, their necks outstretched.
At ease, relaxed, carefree.
لمdid not أنسI forget عيونَthe eyes of المهاthe oryxes
لم أنس عيونَ المها
كلاcertainly not ولاnor أعطافthe curves of غصنthe bough of النقاthe sand dune
كلا ولا أعطاف غصن النقا
I have not forgotten the eyes of the oryx,
I have not forgotten the eyes of the lovely one,
No, nor the curves of the bough upon the dune.
No, nor the branches of the leafyBan tree.
Sol 6.1