لَمnot تَنصفيyou have been fair ياO سميّةَnamesake of الذَهَبgold
لَم تَنصفي يا سميّةَ الذَهَب
تتلفُyou destroy نَفسيmy soul وأَنتِwhile you فيin لَعِبِplay
تتلفُ نَفسي وأَنتِ في لَعِبِ
You have not dealt fairly, O golden Sumayya;
You have not been fair, O namesake of gold.
You were not fair, O musky dark-tressed Sumeya,
you destroy my soul while you are at play.
You destroy my soul while you are at play.
My soul is ruined while you play.
ياO ابنةdaughter of عمّthe paternal uncle of المسكmusk الزَكيfragrant وَمنand you who
يا ابنة عمّ المسك الزَكي وَمن
لولاكِwere it not for you لَمnot يُتَّخذbe made وَلَمand not يَطبِsmell sweet
لولاكِ لَم يُتَّخذ وَلَم يَطبِ
O cousin of fragrant musk—which,
O cousin of fragrant musk, and you
O niece of sweet smelling musk,
but for you, would neither be prized nor smell sweet.
without whom it would neither be made nor smell sweet.
If not for you, perfume would not exist nor would it be prized.
ناسَبَكwas akin to you المِسكmusk فيin السوادblackness وَفيand in الرthe (beginning of “scent”)
ناسَبَك المِسك في السواد وَفي الر
رِيحِscent (continued) فأَكرمso how noble! بِذاكَwith that مِنas a نسَبِkinship
رِيحِ فأَكرم بِذاكَ مِن نسَبِ
Musk resembles you in blackness and in fra-
Musk is akin to you in blackness and in
Musk suits your dark locks and your fragrance -
grance—how noble a kinship that is!
scent—how noble that kinship is!
So you are honored for that lineage.
Sol 6.1