مَنwhoever يَكُنmay be يَعشَقُloves النِساءَwomen فَإِنّيthen indeed I
مَن يَكُن يَعشَقُ النِساءَ فَإِنّي
مولَعُenamored القَلبِthe heart بِالغُلامِwith the boy الظَريفِcharming
مولَعُ القَلبِ بِالغُلامِ الظَريفِ
Whoever may love women—as for me,
Whoever loves women, I am
Whoever chooses to love women, know that I
My heart is enamored of the charming boy.
Smitten with the heart for the graceful youth
Am captivated at heart by the charming young lad,
حينَwhen أَوفىreached عَلىup to ثَلاثٍthree وَعَشرٍand ten
حينَ أَوفى عَلى ثَلاثٍ وَعَشرٍ
لَمnot يَطُلgrow long عَهدُthe time since أُذنِهِhis ear بِالشَنوفِwith earrings
لَم يَطُل عَهدُ أُذنِهِ بِالشَنوفِ
When he had reached thirteen,
When he reached fifteen
Who, just as he reached the age of thirteen,
It had not been long since his ear wore earrings.
His ears did not long remain unpierced
Had not long been acquainted with the earring;
فَبِهِfor in him غُنَّةُnasal tone الصِباchildhood تَعتَليهاrises above it
فَبِهِ غُنَّةُ الصِبا تَعتَليها
بُحَّةُhuskiness الاِحتِلامِpuberty لِلتَشريفِto lend dignity
بُحَّةُ الاِحتِلامِ لِلتَشريفِ
For he has childhood's nasal tone, overlaid
With him the melody of youth takes flight
In him, the soft nasal tone of childhood is overtaken
By puberty's huskiness, lending him dignity,
The first down of manhood for adornment
By the rasp of puberty, serving as a mark of honor,
حينَwhen رامىshot glances at النِساءَwomen مِنهُof his بِعَينٍwith an eye
حينَ رامى النِساءَ مِنهُ بِعَينٍ
وَطَوىand closed أُختَهاits sister مِنَbecause of التَخويفِintimidation
وَطَوى أُختَها مِنَ التَخويفِ
When he shot glances at women with one eye
When he casts his eye at women
When he shot a glance at the women with one eye,
And closed its sister out of fright.
And turns away her other out of diffidence
And closed its sister in a gesture of intimidation.
Sol 6.1