أرقmore delicate منthan الصباthe east breeze النجديfrom Najd طبعاًby nature
أرق من الصبا النجدي طبعاً
والينand more supple منthan قضيبa bough البانthe bān tree خصراin waist
والين من قضيب البان خصرا
More delicate by nature than Najd’s east breeze,
More slender than an eastern Najdi youth,
And more supple of waist than a bān-tree bough.
And more pliant than a wand of pliant cane,
طوىhe enfolded فيin صبحthe morning صحنthe expanse الخدof the cheek شمساًa sun
طوى في صبح صحن الخد شمساً
فأطلعand so he made rise تحتbeneath ليلthe night الشعرof the hair فجراa dawn
فأطلع تحت ليل الشعر فجرا
He enfolded a sun in his cheek’s morning-bright expanse,
He folded morning in his cheek's expanse
And made a dawn rise beneath the night of his hair.
And brought forth dawn beneath his hair's dark night.
لهhe has جدunclear; perhaps 'neck' الغزالthe gazelle وعينand the eye of ريمa white gazelle
له جد الغزال وعين ريم
وهزةand the sway of سمهريa slender spear ودلالand the coy charm of حوراa dark-eyed maiden
وهزة سمهري ودلال حورا
He has a gazelle’s [neck?] and a white gazelle’s eye,
The gazelle's glide is his, Rim's eyes are his,
And a slender spear’s sway and a dark-eyed maiden’s coy charm.
A Houri's charm, a fawn's allure are his.
إذاwhen ماemphatic particle افترparted in a smile مبسمهhis smiling mouth أراناhe showed us
إذا ما افتر مبسمه أرانا
صغارsmall جواهرjewels سورنthey were encircled خمراwine
صغار جواهر سورن خمرا
Whenever his smiling mouth parts, he shows us
When his smile opens we behold displayed
Small jewels encircled with wine.
Small pearls of wine set out in order due.
إلاlo! (probable intended reading) للَهto God منهof him كحيلkohl-dark عينof eye
إلا للَه منه كحيل عين
بكسرwith the lowering of الطرفthe gaze يكسرhe shatters جيشthe army of كسرىKisra
بكسر الطرف يكسر جيش كسرى
Ah, praise be to God for this kohl-eyed one,
By God, he has kohl in his eyes that could
Who, with a lowered gaze, shatters Kisra’s army.
Destroy, with a single glance, Khusraw's great host.
Sol 6.1