ظَلومُẒalūm ياO مُنيَةَheart's desire مَولاهاher master
ظَلومُ يا مُنيَةَ مَولاها
ياO زينَةَadornment الدُنياthe world وَمَهناهاand its delight
يا زينَةَ الدُنيا وَمَهناها
Ẓalūm—O desire of her master,
Ẓalūm, O heart's desire of her master,
O adornment of the world—and its very meaning!
O adornment of the world and its delight!
يَنظُرُhe looks مَولاهاher master إِلىat وَجهِهاher face
يَنظُرُ مَولاها إِلى وَجهِها
فَقَلَّماand so seldom يَهتَمُّhe worries مَولاهاher master
فَقَلَّما يَهتَمُّ مَولاها
Her master gazes upon her face,
Her master looks upon her face,
and seldom then is her master troubled.
And so her master seldom worries.
ظَلومُẒalūm ياO تِلكَthat الفَتاةُthe maiden الَّتيwho
ظَلومُ يا تِلكَ الفَتاةُ الَّتي
زَيَّنتِshe adorned الدُنياthe world بِمَرآهاwith her appearance
زَيَّنتِ الدُنيا بِمَرآها
Ẓalūm! O that maiden who—
Ẓalūm, O that maiden who
the world was adorned by the sight of her.
Adorned the world with her appearance,
تُضيءُshe shines بِاللَيلِat night إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle بَدَتshe appears
تُضيءُ بِاللَيلِ إِذا ما بَدَت
أَزَّرَهاgirded her الحُسنُbeauty وَرَدّاهاand robed her
أَزَّرَها الحُسنُ وَرَدّاها
She lights the night whenever she appears;
She shines at night whenever she appears;
Beauty girded her in an izār and draped her in a ridāʾ.
Beauty has girded her and robed her.
ياO أَيُّهاyou السائِلُthe one asking عَنabout وَصفِهاher description
يا أَيُّها السائِلُ عَن وَصفِها
لَقَدindeed وَصَفناwe described لَوif بَلَغناهاwe reached her (in description)
لَقَد وَصَفنا لَو بَلَغناها
O you who ask for a description of her,
O you who ask about her description,
we would surely have described her, had we attained her.
We would surely describe her, if we could do her justice.
إِنَّكَindeed you لَوif أَبصَرتَهاyou saw her مَرَّةًonce
إِنَّكَ لَو أَبصَرتَها مَرَّةً
أَجلَلتَهاyou esteemed her too highly أَنto تَتَمَنّاهاyou wish for her
أَجلَلتَها أَن تَتَمَنّاها
Indeed, if you beheld her even once,
Indeed, if you saw her once,
you would deem her too exalted to long for her.
You would deem her too exalted to wish for her.
لَمdid not نَدرِwe know ماwhat الدُنياthe world وَماand what طيبُهاits sweetness
لَم نَدرِ ما الدُنيا وَما طيبُها
وَحُسنُهاand its beauty حَتّىuntil رَأَيناهاwe saw her
وَحُسنُها حَتّى رَأَيناها
We knew not what the world was, nor what its sweetness
We did not know what the world was, nor its sweetness,
and beauty were, until we saw her.
Nor its beauty, until we saw her.
فَقُلso tell لِقَومٍto a people حُرِمواthey were denied أَنto يَرواthey see
فَقُل لِقَومٍ حُرِموا أَن يَروا
وَجهَthe face of ظَلومَẒalūm اِستَرزِقواask for sustenance اللَهَGod
وَجهَ ظَلومَ اِستَرزِقوا اللَهَ
Then tell those denied the sight
So tell people denied the sight
of Ẓalūm’s face: seek provision from God.
Of Ẓalūm's face: "Ask God for sustenance."
Sol 6.1