إِنَّماonly; nothing but العَيشlife أَنto; that يُنازعكَshares with you الكاthe cup (first fragment)
إِنَّما العَيش أَن يُنازعكَ الكا
سcup (final fragment) رَقيقgentle الأَلفاظthe words حُلوsweet الحَديثthe conversation
س رَقيق الأَلفاظ حُلو الحَديث
Life is but sharing the cup with one
Life is but to have a gentle companion,
gentle in speech, sweet in conversation.
Of elegant words and sweet discourse,
جَمعgathered الظَرفcharm; grace فيهِin him مُقتسمdivided الأَلحthe glances (first fragment)
جَمع الظَرف فيهِ مُقتسم الأَلح
اظglances (final fragment) بَينَbetween التَذكيرmasculinity وَالتَأنيثand femininity
اظ بَينَ التَذكير وَالتَأنيث
Charm is gathered in him, his looks divided
Who unites refinement and rules of grammar,
between masculinity and femininity.
Between masculine and feminine in speech.
فاتنenchanting كُلَماwhenever نَظَرتَyou looked إِلَيهِat him
فاتن كُلَما نَظَرتَ إِلَيهِ
ذُبتَyou melted مِنfrom سحرmagic طَرفِهِhis gaze المَنفوثbreathed forth
ذُبتَ مِن سحر طَرفِهِ المَنفوث
Enchanting—whenever you look at him,
So charming that whenever you look at them,
you melt from the magic breathed forth by his gaze.
You melt from the magic of their glance.
طالَhas grown long عَهديthe time since my last meeting بِهِwith him فهَلso is there مِنany تَلاقmeeting
طالَ عَهدي بِهِ فهَل مِن تَلاق
ياO مُغيثrescuer المُتيمthe lovesick one المُستَغيثthe one crying for help
يا مُغيث المُتيم المُستَغيث
Long has it been since I saw him—shall we meet again,
Long have I yearned for such a meeting,
O rescuer of the lovesick one crying for help?
O savior of the helpless who calls for aid!
Sol 6.1