لَئِنeven if تَكُshould be لِمِّتِىmy locks شَعثَتhave become disheveled زَمَاناًfor a time
لَئِن تَكُ لِمِّتِى شَعثَت زَمَاناً
ودَامَand persisted الدُّهنُthe oil فيamong بِعضِsome of التَّلاَمِthe servants
ودَامَ الدُّهنُ في بِعضِ التَّلاَمِ
Though my locks have been disheveled for a time,
If you remain silent for a time
and some servants have remained well-oiled,
and sorrow lingers in some expressions
فَإنَّfor indeed الجُرَبthe mangy camels تُدهَنُare anointed مِنwith some هَنَاءٍtar
فَإنَّ الجُرَب تُدهَنُ مِن هَنَاءٍ
ويَبقَىand remains قَرمُهَاtheir camel stallion شَعِثَshaggy السَّنَامِthe hump
ويَبقَى قَرمُهَا شَعِثَ السَّنَامِ
for mangy camels are smeared with tar,
still, relief soothes with tenderness
while their stallion remains shaggy-humped.
though its scars remain rough to the touch
وكَائنand many a عَلَّلَتshe repeatedly anointed بِالدُّهنِwith oil رَأسِىmy head
وكَائن عَلَّلَت بِالدُّهنِ رَأسِى
مُنَعَمَّةٌa pampered woman مُخَضَبةُdyed البنَامِthe fingertips
مُنَعَمَّةٌ مُخَضَبةُ البنَامِ
And many a woman has repeatedly anointed my head with oil—
And however my head annoys with pain
a pampered woman with dyed fingertips.
adorned, dyed in dark henna
تَخَالُyou would take جَبِينَهَاher forehead والليلُwhile the night دَاجٍis dark
تَخَالُ جَبِينَهَا والليلُ دَاجٍ
شُعَاعَa ray الشَّمسِthe sun أوor ضَوءَthe light الحَلاَمِal-Ḥalām (meaning uncertain)
شُعَاعَ الشَّمسِ أو ضَوءَ الحَلاَمِ
You would take her forehead, while the night is dark,
her forehead shines as night falls dark
for a sunbeam or the light of al-Ḥalām.
with sunlight's rays or dreams' light
Sol 6.1