أَيقَظتُهُنَّI woke them وَماwhile not قَضَتhad finished نَوماتِهاtheir slumbers
أَيقَظتُهُنَّ وَما قَضَت نَوماتِها
نُجْلُwide العُيونِthe eyes نَواعِمُsoft الأَبشارِthe skins
نُجْلُ العُيونِ نَواعِمُ الأَبشارِ
I woke them before they had finished their slumbers—
Wide-eyed women, soft of skin.
بيضٌfair women يُزَيِّنُهاadorns them النَّعيمُluxury كَأَنَّهاas though they were
بيضٌ يُزَيِّنُها النَّعيمُ كَأَنَّها
بَقَرُwild cows الصَّريمِal-Ṣarīm عَوانِسٌmature unmarried women وَعَذاريand virgins
بَقَرُ الصَّريمِ عَوانِسٌ وَعَذاري
Fair, adorned by luxury, as though they were
Wild cows of al-Ṣarīm, mature maidens and virgins.
وَكَفىand shielded حَداثَتهاtheir youth عَفافُthe modesty جُيوبِهاtheir bosoms
وَكَفى حَداثَتها عَفافُ جُيوبِها
رُغَبَcovetous desire العُيونِof the eyes رَعيةَa protected charge المغيارِthe jealous man
رُغَبَ العُيونِ رَعيةَ المغيارِ
And the modesty of their bosoms shielded their youth
From covetous eyes, in a jealous man's keeping.
يَنْفَحْنَthey waft fragrance بِالآصالِin the late afternoons كُلّevery عَشِيَّةٍevening
يَنْفَحْنَ بِالآصالِ كُلّ عَشِيَّةٍ
نَفحَthe wafting fragrance الرِّياضthe meadows بِحَنْوَةٍwith ḥanwa, a fragrant herb وَعَرارِand ʿarār, a fragrant flowering plant
نَفحَ الرِّياض بِحَنْوَةٍ وَعَرارِ
They waft fragrance at day's end, every evening,
Like meadows scented with ḥanwa and ʿarār.
وَلَقَدand indeed ذَكرتُكِI remembered you وَالخُصومُwhile the disputants يَلُفُّهُمْgathers them
وَلَقَد ذَكرتُكِ وَالخُصومُ يَلُفُّهُمْ
بابٌa doorway يُقارِبُهُمbrings them close عَلىdespite الأَوتارِthe feuds
بابٌ يُقارِبُهُم عَلى الأَوتارِ
And indeed I remembered you while the disputants were gathered
By a doorway that drew them close despite their feuds,
عِندَbefore الخَليفَةِthe caliph أَنthat تُنَجَّحَbe granted حاجَتيmy request
عِندَ الخَليفَةِ أَن تُنَجَّحَ حاجَتي
أَوor أَنْthat تردّbe answered حُوارهاits plea بِحُوارِwith a reply
أَو أَنْ تردّ حُوارها بِحُوارِ
Before the caliph, hoping that my request would be granted,
Or that its plea would be answered with a reply.
كَذِبa lie تَخَرُّصَهُhis fabrication عليّagainst me لِقَومِهِfor his people
كَذِب تَخَرُّصَهُ عليّ لِقَومِهِ
سلمُpeaceable اللِّسانِof tongue مُحارِبُwarring الإِسرارِin secret
سلمُ اللِّسانِ مُحارِبُ الإِسرارِ
His fabrication against me for his people was a lie—
Peaceable of tongue, waging war in secret.
Sol 6.1