كأنَّas though فاهاher mouth إذاwhen مَاemphatic particle الراحwine قبَّلَهاkissed her
كأنَّ فاها إذا مَا الراح قبَّلَها
مِسمارُa nail تِبْرٍraw gold جرىpassed فيin سمِّhole ياقُوتِruby
مِسمارُ تِبْرٍ جرى في سمِّ ياقُوتِ
It is as though her mouth, when wine kisses her,
Her mouth is like carnelian whenever the breeze kisses it
were a nail of gold passing through a ruby’s hole.
A nail of pure silver running through a string of rubies
قُوتيmy sustenance بفيِهاin her mouth وعيْشيand my life بَرْدُcoolness ريقَتِهاher saliva
قُوتي بفيِها وعيْشي بَرْدُ ريقَتِها
إذاwhen نأىgrew distant ريقُهاher saliva ناديْتُI called out ياقُوتيO my sustenance! (a pun on 'my ruby')
إذا نأى ريقُها ناديْتُ ياقُوتي
My sustenance is in her mouth, and my life is the coolness of her saliva.
My strength is in her mouth and my life is the coolness of her saliva
When her saliva is far away, I call out, 'O my sustenance!'
Whenever her saliva is distant I call “Oh my ruby!”
Sol 6.1