بعثتyou sent ببرْنيٍّwith Barni dates جنيّfreshly picked كأنهas though it were
بعثت ببرْنيٍّ جنيّ كأنه
مخازنstorehouses تبرٍraw gold قدalready مُلئنَhave been filled منwith الشهدِcomb honey
مخازن تبرٍ قد مُلئنَ من الشهدِ
You sent freshly picked Barni dates, as though they were
With a bright letter, sweet as honey,
Storehouses of raw gold that have been filled with honey,
Filled as if with treasuries of musk,
مُختَّمَةَsealed الأَطرافthe ends تنْقَدُّsplit open قُمْصُهاtheir tunics
مُختَّمَةَ الأَطراف تنْقَدُّ قُمْصُها
عنfrom around العسلthe honey الماذيِّpure white والعنبرand the ambergris الهنديIndian
عن العسل الماذيِّ والعنبر الهندي
Sealed at the ends, their tunics splitting open
Sealed on all sides, its dress exuding
To reveal pure white honey and Indian ambergris.
Aromatic oils and camphor of India;
ينقَّلis shifted منfrom خُضرgreen ones الثيابthe garments وصفرهاand their yellow ones
ينقَّل من خُضر الثياب وصفرها
إلىto حُمرهاtheir red ones ماwhat lies بينbetween وشيbrocade إلىto بردِstriped cloth
إلى حُمرها ما بين وشي إلى بردِ
They pass from green garments and yellow ones
Shifting in hue from the green of its leaves
To red ones, ranging from brocade to striped cloth.
To their yellow, between saffron and snow.
فكمand how long لبثتthey lingered فيin شاهقٍa lofty height منهof it لاnot ترىare seen
فكم لبثت في شاهقٍ منه لا ترى
ولاnor تُجْتَنَىare plucked باللحظby a glance إلاexcept منfrom البعدِafar
ولا تُجْتَنَى باللحظ إلا من البعدِ
How long they lingered high upon it, neither seen
Long have I lingered on its lofty lines
Nor plucked by a glance except from afar!
Glimpsed only from afar, beyond my reach,
ألذَّmore delectable منthan الشكوىlament وأحلىand sweeter منthan المنىwishes
ألذَّ من الشكوى وأحلى من المنى
وأعذبand sweeter منthan وصلunion الحبيبthe beloved علىdespite الصدَِrejection
وأعذب من وصل الحبيب على الصدَِ
More delectable than lament, and sweeter than wishes,
Sweeter than yearning, happier than attainment,
And sweeter than union with the beloved despite rejection.
More delightful than a lover come to wed.
Sol 6.1