ظَلَّkept on يَسقيwatering حَدائِقاًgardens وَجِناناًand orchards
ظَلَّ يَسقي حَدائِقاً وَجِناناً
ياoh لَهاhow wondrous they are مِنof حَدائِقٍgardens وَجِنانِand orchards
يا لَها مِن حَدائِقٍ وَجِنانِ
It kept watering gardens and orchards—
He kept watering gardens and orchards
Oh, what gardens and orchards!
What marvelous gardens and orchards!
خَطَرَتglided بَينَهاamong them الرِياحُthe winds سُحَيراًjust before dawn
خَطَرَت بَينَها الرِياحُ سُحَيراً
فَتَناصَتthen they tugged one another’s forelocks تَناصِيَthe forelock-tugging of الأَقرانِrivals
فَتَناصَت تَناصِيَ الأَقرانِ
The winds glided among them just before dawn,
The winds blew gently between them
Then they tugged one another’s forelocks as rivals do.
As pear trees sway next to each other
وَتَناجىand whispered together الغُصونُthe branches فيهاin them سِراراًsecretly
وَتَناجى الغُصونُ فيها سِراراً
وَتَنادىand called to one another الطُيورُthe birds بِالإِعلانِaloud
وَتَنادى الطُيورُ بِالإِعلانِ
And the branches whispered there in secret,
And branches whisper secrets
And the birds called to one another aloud.
While birds announce out loud
فَتَناجيso the whispering of الغُصونِthe branches شِبهُthe likeness of عِتابٍreproach
فَتَناجي الغُصونِ شِبهُ عِتابٍ
وَتَناديand the mutual calling of الطُيورِthe birds مِثلُlike أَغانٍsongs
وَتَنادي الطُيورِ مِثلُ أَغانٍ
So the branches’ whispers were like reproach,
The whispers of branches like muted laments
And the birds’ calls were like songs.
The calls of birds like songs
مِنof كُرومٍgrapevines تَمايَلَتswayed بِعَناقيwith grape clusters (word continues)
مِن كُرومٍ تَمايَلَت بِعَناقي
دَcompletes the preceding word “clusters” كَجَعدِlike the curls of الزُنوجِthe Zanj وَالحُبشانِand the Abyssinians
دَ كَجَعدِ الزُنوجِ وَالحُبشانِ
Of vines that swayed with grape clusters,
Of vineyards, their clusters bending
Like the curls of the Zanj and Abyssinians.
Like the curls of Africans and Abyssinians
وَمُلاحِيَّةٌand a Mulāḥiyya white grape تُمَيِّلُsets swaying أُخرىanother
وَمُلاحِيَّةٌ تُمَيِّلُ أُخرى
كَوُجوهِlike the faces of الخَرائِدِthe shy maidens الغُرّانِthe radiant ones
كَوُجوهِ الخَرائِدِ الغُرّانِ
And one Mulāḥiyya grape sets another swaying,
Other vineyards swaying
Like the faces of radiant maidens,
Like the faces of alluring gazelles
كَلَآلٍlike pearls تَشَبَّثَتclung بِلَآلٍto pearls
كَلَآلٍ تَشَبَّثَت بِلَآلٍ
وَبَنانٍand fingers تَشَبَّكَتinterlaced بِبَنانِwith fingers
وَبَنانٍ تَشَبَّكَت بِبَنانِ
Like pearls clinging to pearls,
Tendrils clasping onto tendrils
And fingers interlaced with fingers.
And vines entwining with vines
فَهيَso it كَالنَجمِlike a star فيin فُروعِthe branches of كُرومٍgrapevines
فَهيَ كَالنَجمِ في فُروعِ كُرومٍ
وَهيَand it كَالشَمسِlike the sun فيin بُطونِthe bellies of الدَنانِwine jars
وَهيَ كَالشَمسِ في بُطونِ الدَنانِ
So it is like a star in the branches of vines,
They are like stars amid the vineyard’s branches
And it is like the sun in the bellies of wine jars.
And like suns in the cores of fruit
Sol 6.1