وَنَيِّرٍand a radiant one يَلْعَبُplays بالنّارwith fire
وَنَيِّرٍ يَلْعَبُ بالنّار
كالصُّبْحِlike dawn يرعىwatches over القَمَرَthe moon السّاريtraveling by night
كالصُّبْحِ يرعى القَمَرَ السّاري
And a radiant one plays with fire,
A youth playing with fire
like dawn watching over the moon traveling by night,
Like the dawn grazing the shy moon
أوor مثلlike ماthe act of قلّبturned أحْدَاقَهُhis pupils
أو مثل ما قلّب أحْدَاقَهُ
ذوone with عُفْرَةٍtawny coloring فيin غابةٍa thicket ضاريfierce
ذو عُفْرَةٍ في غابةٍ ضاري
or like the turning of the eyes
Or like the glances of one with pure eyes
of a fierce, tawny beast in a thicket.
In a hostile jungle wildly roaming
بيَin me اشتياقٌlonging وبهِand in him مِثْلُهُits like
بيَ اشتياقٌ وبهِ مِثْلُهُ
لولاwere it not for اتّقَاءfear of اللهGod والعارand shame
لولا اتّقَاء الله والعار
There is longing in me, and its like in him,
In me longing, in him alike
were it not for fear of God and shame.
If not for fear of God and shame
إنif لمnot أُنَازِعْهُI vie with him الهوىpassion والتقىand piety
إن لم أُنَازِعْهُ الهوى والتقى
كلاهماboth of them حظٌّa share لمختارfor one who chooses
كلاهما حظٌّ لمختار
If I do not vie with him in passion and piety,
If I don't contend with desire and piety
both are the lot of one who chooses.
Both fate for the chosen one
Sol 6.1