مَلَكan angel بأفقon the horizon of الرملal-Raml هلّappeared كريماgracious
مَلَك بأفق الرمل هلّ كريما
يدعوcalls الجمادlifeless things جمالهhis beauty ليهيماto become lovestruck
يدعو الجماد جماله ليهيما
An angel appeared, gracious, on al-Raml’s horizon,
An angel on the horizon of sand called gently,
His beauty calling lifeless things to fall madly in love.
Inviting the inanimate with his beauty to become enamored.
أبهىmore splendid منthan الدنياthe world وأزينand fairer طلعةin appearance
أبهى من الدنيا وأزين طلعة
وألذand sweeter منthan عَرفthe fragrance of الحياةlife شميماin scent
وألذ من عَرف الحياة شميما
More splendid than the world, and fairer in appearance,
More splendid than this world and of purer ascent,
And sweeter in scent than the fragrance of life.
And sweeter than the most intimate knowledge of life's breath.
الريحthe wind تحضنembraces بانةa bān-tree منfrom قدهhis stature
الريح تحضن بانة من قده
والبحرand the sea يرحمpities درّa pearl فيهwithin it يتيماorphaned
والبحر يرحم درّ فيه يتيما
The wind embraces the bān-tree of his slender form,
The wind cradles his supple form,
And the sea pities a pearl orphaned within it.
And the sea shows mercy to a pearl orphaned within it.
والشمسand the sun تغشىcovers شَعرهhis hair وكأنماand as though
والشمس تغشى شَعره وكأنما
خلعتbestowed عليهupon him نضارهاits gold الموهوماimagined
خلعت عليه نضارها الموهوما
And the sun bathes his hair, as though
The sun veils his hair as though
It had robed him in its imagined gold.
It had bestowed its imagined radiance upon him.
والناسand people فيin شغلpreoccupation بهwith him وتعجبand wonder
والناس في شغل به وتعجب
لاnot يذكرونremember منof الهمومthe cares قديماanything old
لا يذكرون من الهموم قديما
And people are absorbed in him, marvelling,
And people are busy with him, amazed,
Remembering none of their old cares.
Forgetting their old troubles.
يارملةO Ramlah الثغرof the seaport استرقىenslave واملكيand possess
يارملة الثغر استرقى واملكي
منwhoever باتhas spent the night منfrom فتنthe temptations of الغرامlove سليماunscathed
من بات من فتن الغرام سليما
O Ramlah of the seaport, enslave and possess
O dune of the bay, steal him and possess him
Whoever has passed the night unscathed by love’s temptations.
Who passed the temptations of passion unharmed!
تتجملadorns itself الدنياthe world بشمسwith the sun of سمائهاits sky
تتجمل الدنيا بشمس سمائها
وجمالand the beauty of أفقكyour horizon بالشموسwith suns عموماall around
وجمال أفقك بالشموس عموما
The world adorns itself with the sun of its sky,
The world adorns itself with the sun of his heavens,
And your horizon’s beauty lies in suns all around:
And the beauty of your horizon with suns in abundance,
بالنعاماتwith the ostriches اللاهياتthe playful بمنتدىًat a gathering place
بالنعامات اللاهيات بمنتدىً
يبدوappears أشمّlofty علىabove المياهthe waters فخيماmajestic
يبدو أشمّ على المياه فخيما
In the playful ostriches at a gathering place
With sporting ostriches on a forum
That looms lofty and majestic over the waters,
That seems most fragrant over the waters,
الحاكياتthose evoking عليهupon it أندلسthe Andalusia of الهوىlove
الحاكيات عليه أندلس الهوى
عرباArabs لناto us طوراat one time وحيناand at another time روماRomans
عربا لنا طورا وحينا روما
Who evoke there the Andalusia of love,
Those telling of the passion for him are Andalusia of love,
Now Arabs to us, now Romans.
Once narrating, once again singing his praises.
الطالعاتthose rising ولاand not أقولI call فراقداFarqad stars
الطالعات ولا أقول فراقدا
حذرfor fear of العيونthe eyes ولاand not أقولI call نجوماstars
حذر العيون ولا أقول نجوما
The rising ones—I do not call them Farqad stars,
The risings, but no, I shall not say planets,
For fear of envious eyes; nor do I call them stars.
Are cautious of eyes, but no, I shall not say stars.
والمائجاتand those billowing منfrom اللطافةgrace لجةa deep sea
والمائجات من اللطافة لجة
والهافياتand those wafting منfrom الدلالcoquetry نسيماa breeze
والهافيات من الدلال نسيما
And those who ripple with grace like a deep sea,
The undulating with gentleness make a stir,
And those who waft with coquetry like a breeze,
And the swooping with coquetry a breeze.
واللافظاتand those uttering عنon behalf of القيقthe jay مرقّقاsoftened
واللافظات عن القيق مرقّقا
والباسماتand those smiling عنto reveal الجمانpearls نظيماstrung in order
والباسمات عن الجمان نظيما
And those lending the jay a softened voice,
The soft-speaking with sincerity make it delicate,
And those smiling to reveal pearls neatly strung,
And the smiling with bounty make it harmonious.
والساحباتand those trailing منof الحريرsilk مطارفاbordered robes
والساحبات من الحرير مطارفا
ودَّloved الأصيلthe late afternoon فشيبهنّso it silvered them أديماin surface color
ودَّ الأصيل فشيبهنّ أديما
And those trailing bordered robes of silk,
The trailers of silk make it fluttering,
Which the late afternoon loved and silvered on the surface.
And the original jet black make it lasting.
منfrom كلeach مقبلةapproaching woman تخفgrows light لهاfor her النهىreason
من كل مقبلة تخف لها النهى
وثباin a leap ويأخذهاand takes her الفؤادthe heart صميماdeep within
وثبا ويأخذها الفؤاد صميما
Each approaching beauty makes reason spring
From every newcomer passions for him grow faint
In a leap, and the heart takes her into its core.
And the heart takes her with intense desire.
هيفاءa slender-waisted beauty تندىis dewy بهجةwith radiance فيin إثرهاher wake
هيفاء تندى بهجة في إثرها
هيفاءa slender-waisted beauty تقطرdrips نضرةfreshness ونعيماand bliss
هيفاء تقطر نضرة ونعيما
A slender beauty glistens with radiance; in her wake,
Delicate, spreading delight in his pursuit,
A slender beauty drips freshness and bliss.
Delicate, dripping prosperity and bliss.
متجانساتalike فيin سياقthe procession of وفودهاtheir arrivals
متجانسات في سياق وفودها
يحكينthey resemble هذاthis اللؤلؤthe pearls المنظوماstrung together
يحكين هذا اللؤلؤ المنظوما
Alike as they arrive in procession,
Harmonious in the manner of their approach,
They resemble these pearls strung together.
They recount this strung pearl.
Sol 6.1