وقينةٍand a singing girl أحسنfairer منthan لقياهاmeeting her
وقينةٍ أحسن من لقياها
تمليdictate كتابthe book الحسنof beauty مقلتاهاher two eyes
تملي كتاب الحسن مقلتاها
And a singing girl, fairer than meeting her,
More faithful than her meeting is the thought of her
Her two eyes dictate the book of beauty,
Who dictates to me the book of beauty and transcribes its letters,
ونقطهand its dots وشكلهand its vowel marks خداهاher two cheeks
ونقطه وشكله خداها
إذاwhen اجتلاهاhe beheld her أنشدناهاwe recited verse to her
إذا اجتلاها أنشدناها
And her two cheeks are its dots and vowel marks.
Dots it, gives it shape, and sketches its outlines.
When he beheld her, we recited to her:
When it takes form, we recite it
بجسرةٍon a sturdy she-camel قائدهاher guide براهاher nose-rings
بجسرةٍ قائدها براها
فيin السيرtravel بلrather سائقهاher driver رجلاهاher two legs
في السير بل سائقها رجلاها
“On a sturdy she-camel whose nose-rings guide her
With ease. It guides its leader. In traveling, indeed, it directs his feet.
As she travels—rather, her two legs drive her.
Freedom is written on its plaits.
قدalready كتبhas been inscribed العتقnoble breeding علىupon ذفراهاher poll
قد كتب العتق على ذفراها
أيwhat a قلوصٍyoung she-camel راكبٍa rider’s تراهاyou see her
أي قلوصٍ راكبٍ تراها
Noble breeding is already inscribed upon her poll.
What miserliness can you see in a rider of her stature?
What a rider’s young she-camel you see her to be!”
Partial English translation: 7 of 8 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1