حَمواthey guarded بِكُعوبِwith the joints of السّمْرِthe tawny spears بِيضَthe fair-skinned الكَواعِبِfull-breasted maidens
حَموا بِكُعوبِ السّمْرِ بِيضَ الكَواعِبِ
وَصانُواand they safeguarded منfrom الأَتْرابِpeers دُرَّthe pearls of الترائبِthe upper chests
وَصانُوا من الأَتْرابِ دُرَّ الترائبِ
With the joints of tawny spears, they guarded fair, full-breasted maidens.
They protected the fair-skinned maidens with reddish heels,
And safeguarded the pearls of their breasts from peers.
And shielded the radiant pearls from the motes of dust.
وَهَزُّواand they brandished العَواليthe tall lances مِنْfrom أَكفٍّhands قَوابِضٍgripping
وَهَزُّوا العَوالي مِنْ أَكفٍّ قَوابِضٍ
رِقابَthe necks of المعاليlofty honors بالسُّيوفِwith the swords القَواضِبِcleaving
رِقابَ المعالي بالسُّيوفِ القَواضِبِ
And they brandished tall lances from hands that gripped
They shook the lofty heights with clenched, forceful hands,
The necks of lofty honor with cleaving swords.
Severing the necks of the eminent with sharp swords.
فكمso how many حَاجبٍa gatekeeper يَلْقَاكَmeets you مِنْfrom دونِbefore أَعْيُنٍeyes
فكم حَاجبٍ يَلْقَاكَ مِنْ دونِ أَعْيُنٍ
وكَمْand how many أَعْيُنٍeyes تَلْقاكَmeet you منfrom دُونwithout حَاجبِa gatekeeper
وكَمْ أَعْيُنٍ تَلْقاكَ من دُون حَاجبِ
How many a gatekeeper meets you before the eyes,
How many eyebrows will meet you without eyes!
And how many eyes meet you without a gatekeeper!
How many eyes will meet you without brows!
وكَمْand how often بِتُّI spent the night أرعىI watch over مِنْof بُدُورٍfull moons طَوالِعٍrising
وكَمْ بِتُّ أرعى مِنْ بُدُورٍ طَوالِعٍ
وَأَرْعَىand I honor عُهوداًpledges مِنْfrom شُموسٍsuns غواربِsetting
وَأَرْعَى عُهوداً مِنْ شُموسٍ غواربِ
And how many a night I spent watching rising full moons,
How many young ladies fairer than the rising moons,
And honoring pledges from setting suns.
And more chaste than setting suns have I herded!
وسَارواand they departed فياso O للَّهGod, invoked for help كَمْhow many مِنْof حَبائلٍsnares
وسَاروا فيا للَّه كَمْ مِنْ حَبائلٍ
تَصيدُcapture قُلُوباًhearts مِنْfrom عُيونِthe eyes of الحَبائبِthe beloveds
تَصيدُ قُلُوباً مِنْ عُيونِ الحَبائبِ
And they departed—O God, how many snares
And how they marched! By Allah, so many snares
From beloveds' eyes capture hearts!
That capture hearts from the eyes of the fair ladies!
جَلوْنَthey unveiled علىbefore الأَحْدَاقِthe eyes خَيْرَthe finest سَوالفٍsides of the neck
جَلوْنَ على الأَحْدَاقِ خَيْرَ سَوالفٍ
وكُنَّand they were علىto العُشَّاقِthe lovers شَرَّthe worst سَوالِبِdespoilers
وكُنَّ على العُشَّاقِ شَرَّ سَوالِبِ
They unveiled to the eyes the fairest necks,
They revealed the best intimate talk to the cheeks,
And were the worst despoilers of lovers,
And were the worst separation for the lovers.
بحمرةwith the redness of خدّa cheek لاnot تُصابُis afflicted بِعارضٍby a passing affliction
بحمرة خدّ لا تُصابُ بِعارضٍ
وَخَمْرةِand the wine of ثَغْرa mouth لاnot تُعافُis disdained لشاربِfor a drinker
وَخَمْرةِ ثَغْر لا تُعافُ لشاربِ
With a cheek's redness untouched by any passing affliction,
With a redness of cheek that is not marred by a freckle,
And a mouth's wine that no drinker would disdain.
And wine of a mouth that cannot be resisted by any drinker.
ألاbehold فيin سبيلِthe cause of الحُبّlove ياO عَلْوَʿAlwa مُهْجَةٌa soul
ألا في سبيلِ الحُبّ يا عَلْوَ مُهْجَةٌ
عليهاupon it لكِfor you الأَشْواقُthe longings ضَرْبَةُa stroke لازبِsomething binding
عليها لكِ الأَشْواقُ ضَرْبَةُ لازبِ
Lo, in love's cause, O ʿAlwa, there is a soul
Indeed, for love - O most adorable cheeks -
Upon which longing for you is inescapably imposed.
Upon which yearnings cut like a destructive blade.
قِفيstop ودّعيناand bid us farewell قَدْalready بَدَتْhas appeared غُرْبَةُthe exile of النَّوىseparation
قِفي ودّعينا قَدْ بَدَتْ غُرْبَةُ النَّوى
وآذنناand notified us بِالبَيْنِof the parting سَيْرُthe march of الركائبِthe riding camels
وآذننا بِالبَيْنِ سَيْرُ الركائبِ
Stop and bid us farewell; separation's exile has appeared,
Stop! Bid us farewell, for the departure of companions appears,
And the riding camels' march has told us of parting.
And the traveling litters summon us to separation.
Sol 6.1