إسمعْListen to مَقالاًa tale منfrom أخٍa brother ذيpossessed of وُدِّaffection
إسمعْ مَقالاً من أخٍ ذي وُدِّ
وذاكand that أنيthat I كنتُwas حِلْفَa sworn companion of وَجْدِpassionate longing
وذاك أني كنتُ حِلْفَ وَجْدِ
Listen to a tale from an affectionate brother.
And this is it: I was passion's sworn companion,
بشادنٍfor a young gazelle فيin كلِّevery حُسْنٍbeauty فَردِunique
بشادنٍ في كلِّ حُسْنٍ فَردِ
مليحِhandsome وجهٍface ورشيقِand graceful قَدِّstature
مليحِ وجهٍ ورشيقِ قَدِّ
For a young gazelle, peerless in every charm,
Handsome of face and graceful of stature,
كَبَدْرِlike a full moon تمٍّat its fullness فيon قضيبِa bough رنْدِlaurel
كَبَدْرِ تمٍّ في قضيبِ رنْدِ
فزارنيso he visited me الآنjust now بغيرِwithout وَعْدِan appointment
فزارني الآن بغيرِ وَعْدِ
Like a full moon on a laurel bough.
So he visited me just now, without an appointment.
جاءَhe came مفاجأةًunexpectedly وليسَand there was not عنديwith me
جاءَ مفاجأةً وليسَ عندي
إلاexcept طعامٌfood غيرُnot مُستَعِدِّprepared
إلا طعامٌ غيرُ مُستَعِدِّ
He came unexpectedly, and I had nothing
But food not yet prepared:
دَجاجةٌa hen فيin شَبَهِthe likeness of السَّمَنْدِthe dun horse
دَجاجةٌ في شَبَهِ السَّمَنْدِ
تَليدَةٌlong-kept وفخرُهاand her pride بالهندِin India
تَليدَةٌ وفخرُها بالهندِ
A hen resembling a dun steed,
An old possession, whose boast was India,
عظيمةُlarge الزَّوْرِupper chest بِصَدْرٍwith a breast نَهْدِswelling
عظيمةُ الزَّوْرِ بِصَدْرٍ نَهْدِ
أجريتُI drew منهاon her فيin مَجالِthe place of العِقدِthe necklace
أجريتُ منها في مَجالِ العِقدِ
Broad-chested, with a swelling breast.
I drew across her neck, where a necklace would lie,
مُرهفةًa finely honed blade ذاتَpossessing شَباًa sharp point وحَدِّand an edge
مُرهفةً ذاتَ شَباً وحَدِّ
لغيرِnot for ماany ذَحْلٍblood vengeance وغيرِand not حِقْدِrancor
لغيرِ ما ذَحْلٍ وغيرِ حِقْدِ
A finely honed blade, with point and edge,
Not from any blood feud, nor from any spite,
بلrather رغبةٌa desire فيهاfor her شبيهَakin to الزُّهْدِabstinence
بل رغبةٌ فيها شبيهَ الزُّهْدِ
ولمand did not تَزَلْcease بالماءِwith water كفُّthe hand of العَبدِthe servant
ولم تَزَلْ بالماءِ كفُّ العَبدِ
But from a desire for her akin to abstinence.
And the servant's hand, with water, never ceased
تَفرُقُseparating بينَbetween ريشِهاher feathers والجِلدِand the skin
تَفرُقُ بينَ ريشِها والجِلدِ
وفُصِّلَتْand were cut apart أعضاؤهاher limbs منfrom بَعْدِafterward
وفُصِّلَتْ أعضاؤها من بَعْدِ
Separating her feathers from her skin.
And then her limbs were cut apart,
معwith لُبِّthe pulp of أُتْرُجٍّa citron كلونِlike the color of الشَّهْدِhoney
مع لُبِّ أُتْرُجٍّ كلونِ الشَّهْدِ
بلyet طعمُهits taste عنfrom طَعمِهits taste ذوpossessing بُعْدِdistance
بل طعمُه عن طَعمِه ذو بُعْدِ
With citron pulp the color of honey,
Yet its taste was far removed from honey's.
حتىuntil إذاwhen أسعرَهاhe heated her بالوِقْدِwith firewood
حتى إذا أسعرَها بالوِقْدِ
صبَّhe poured عليهاover her اللوزَthe almonds مثلَlike الزُّبْدِbutter
صبَّ عليها اللوزَ مثلَ الزُّبْدِ
When at last he had heated her over a wood fire,
He poured almonds over her like butter.
وغُلِيَتand she was boiled بعدُafterward بماءِin the water of الوَرْدِroses
وغُلِيَت بعدُ بماءِ الوَرْدِ
ثمthen أتىhe came يسعَىhurrying بهاwith her كالمُهديlike a gift-bearer
ثم أتى يسعَى بها كالمُهدي
And afterward she was boiled in rosewater.
Then he came hurrying with her, like a gift-bearer,
كأنهاas though she قدhad بُخِّرَتْbeen perfumed بالنَّدِّwith fragrant incense
كأنها قد بُخِّرَتْ بالنَّدِّ
As though she had been perfumed with fragrant incense.
Sol 6.1