وشادنٍand a fawn مُختصَرِslender الخَصرِthe waist
وشادنٍ مُختصَرِ الخَصرِ
مُكحَّلkohled الأجفانthe eyelids بالسحرِwith enchantment
مُكحَّل الأجفان بالسحرِ
And a fawn with a slender waist,
With a slender waist and kohl-lined eyelids
His eyelids kohled with enchantment;
Like magic's water on his cheeks
كأنَّas though ماءwater الحُسنbeauty فيin خدِّهِhis cheek
كأنَّ ماء الحُسن في خدِّهِ
ماءُwater النَّدىdew يُمزَجُis mingled بالخَمرِwith wine
ماءُ النَّدى يُمزَجُ بالخَمرِ
As though the water of beauty in his cheek
Dew's water mixed with wine it seems
Were dew-water mingled with wine.
In the blush that colors his face
وقُبلةand a kiss منهfrom him علىin غفلةٍan unguarded moment
وقُبلة منه على غفلةٍ
زيادةٌan increase فيin مُدَّةِthe span of العُمرِlife
زيادةٌ في مُدَّةِ العُمرِ
And a kiss from him in an unguarded moment
A stolen kiss from him unknowingly
Adds to the span of life.
Lengthens the span of my life
لاحَظنَنيthey glanced at me بالوعدwith a promise أجفانُهُhis eyelids
لاحَظنَني بالوعد أجفانُهُ
فَصدَّقso affirmed الظنَّthe expectation بهof him فكريmy mind
فَصدَّق الظنَّ به فكري
His eyelids glanced at me with a promise,
His eyes promised me with their gaze
So my mind trusted its expectation of him.
And my heart believed their pledge
فيin ليلةٍa night صلىprayed كهاlike it زاهرٌradiant
في ليلةٍ صلى كها زاهرٌ
تصغرpales عنهbeside him ليلةُthe Night of القَدرِDecree
تصغر عنه ليلةُ القَدرِ
On a night [unclear wording: a radiant one prayed like it],
On a night as splendid as Laylat al-Qadr
Beside him, the Night of Decree pales.
All other nights seem small in comparison
أنظُرُI gaze فيat البدرِthe full moon لعلّيperhaps I بهthrough it
أنظُرُ في البدرِ لعلّي به
أُسكِّنُI soothe اللوعةَthe anguish فيin صدريmy breast
أُسكِّنُ اللوعةَ في صدري
I gaze at the full moon, hoping through it
I look up at the full moon hoping
To soothe the anguish in my breast.
To soothe the anguish in my heart
والقلبand the heart يأبىrefuses أنto يكنbe سالياًconsoled
والقلب يأبى أن يكن سالياً
عنfor مُشبهٍone similar للبدرto the full moon بالبدرِby the full moon
عن مُشبهٍ للبدر بالبدرِ
Yet the heart refuses to be consoled
But my heart refuses to be consoled
For one like the full moon by the full moon itself.
By a mere substitute for the moon
حتّىuntil إذاwhen جاوَزَhe passed beyond ميعادناour appointed time
حتّى إذا جاوَزَ ميعادنا
والدمعand tears يجريflow حذرَfor fear of الفَجرِdawn
والدمع يجري حذرَ الفَجرِ
Until, when he had missed our appointed hour,
Until our promised time had passed
And tears were flowing for fear of dawn,
And tears flowed at dawn's cautious light
أقبلhe came والحَيرةُand bewilderment فيin عينهhis eye
أقبل والحَيرةُ في عينه
شاهِدَةٌa witness تشهدtestifies بالعُذرِto the excuse
شاهِدَةٌ تشهد بالعُذرِ
He came, and the bewilderment in his eye
He came, confusion in his eyes
Was a witness testifying to his excuse.
Witnessing to his excuse
والخَجَلand bashfulness الظاهرapparent فيin خدِّهhis cheek
والخَجَل الظاهر في خدِّه
قدhad زادهadded to him زَهراًbloom علىupon زهرِbloom
قد زاده زَهراً على زهرِ
And the bashfulness apparent in his cheek
While the visible shyness on his cheek
Had added bloom upon bloom to him.
Added more radiance to its bloom
يلتمِسhe seeks العَفوَpardon علىfor ماwhat مضىhas passed
يلتمِس العَفوَ على ما مضى
فيماconcerning what جَنىhe committed بالنَّظَرwith the glance الشَّزرِsidelong
فيما جَنى بالنَّظَر الشَّزرِ
He seeks pardon for what has passed,
Seeking forgiveness for what had passed
For the wrong he did, with a sidelong glance.
From the mischief made by his gaze
Sol 6.1