وقثاءةand a cucumber مثلlike هلالa crescent السماءthe sky
وقثاءة مثل هلال السماء
ولكنهاbut she البستwas clothed سندساfine silk
ولكنها البست سندسا
And a cucumber like the crescent in the sky,
With a face like the crescent moon in the sky
yet she is clothed in fine silk.
Yet she is dressed in fine silk
عراقيةIraqi لمdid not يذبmelt away جسمهاher body
عراقية لم يذب جسمها
هزالاfrom emaciation ولمand did not تحسsip فيمنamong those who حساsipped
هزالا ولم تحس فيمن حسا
An Iraqi one, her body has not melted away
An Iraqi whose body has known no emaciation
from emaciation, nor has she sipped among those who sipped.
Nor felt the pangs of hunger
زبرجدةa chrysolite حسنتwas beautiful منظراًin appearance
زبرجدة حسنت منظراً
وكافورةand a piece of camphor بردتwas cool ملمساto the touch
وكافورة بردت ملمسا
A chrysolite, lovely to behold,
An emerald beautiful to behold
and a piece of camphor, cool to the touch.
And camphor cool to the touch
علىon رأسهاher head زهرةa blossom غضةtender
على رأسها زهرة غضة
كنجمlike a star الظلامthe darkness اذاwhen عسعساgrew dark
كنجم الظلام اذا عسعسا
On her head is a tender blossom,
On her head, a fresh flower
like a star in the darkness when night falls.
Like a star in the dark night when it blinks
جاءcame بهاwith her مغرسa planting-ground طيبfertile
جاء بها مغرس طيب
منfrom الارضthe earth اكرمhow noble! بهit is مغرساas a planting-ground
من الارض اكرم به مغرسا
A fertile planting-ground brought her forth
Born of a sweet branch
from the earth—how noble a planting-ground!
The most precious shoot of an orchard
لهاshe has اخواتsisters لطافslender القدودfigures
لها اخوات لطاف القدود
اذاwhen ماan emphatic particle تبرجنthey display their beauty خضرgreen الكساthe robes
اذا ما تبرجن خضر الكسا
She has sisters of slender figure,
With sisters as slender as boughs
who, when they display their beauty, are green-robed.
When they display their verdant gowns
محجبةveiled عنfrom شموسsuns النهارdaytime
محجبة عن شموس النهار
بأرديةin robes كنسيمlike a breeze المساthe evening
بأردية كنسيم المسا
She is veiled from the suns of day
Veiled from the rays of the sun
in robes like the evening breeze.
Behind a cloak like a gentle breeze
تقوسshe bends فيat حينthe time ميلادهاher birth
تقوس في حين ميلادها
ولمand did not ارI see ذاone of صغرyoung age قوساًbowed
ولم ار ذا صغر قوساً
She is bowed at the moment of her birth,
She arches as she comes to life
and never have I seen a young one so bowed.
Never have I seen one so young yet arched
يطولgrows long اللسانthe tongue باطرائهاin praising her
يطول اللسان باطرائها
ويصبحand becomes منfrom ذمهاdisparaging her اخرساmute
ويصبح من ذمها اخرسا
The tongue speaks at length in her praise,
Tongues fumble to compliment her
and falls mute when speaking ill of her.
And fall mute criticizing her
Sol 6.1