ونارنجةand a bitter orange فيin حلقthe throat بلّورةa crystal vessel صفتwas pure
ونارنجة في حلق بلّورة صفت
بياضاًin whiteness كأنّas though الرومthe Romans منin comparison with وصفهاits qualities زنجُZanj (Black Africans)
بياضاً كأنّ الروم من وصفها زنجُ
And a bitter orange in the throat of a crystal vessel, pure
Like an orange in a crystal bowl it sat
in whiteness—as though the Romans, compared with it, were Zanj.
Whiteness, as though the Byzantines from describing it were black
فشبّهتُso I likened ماwhat قدhad راقdelighted طرفيmy eye منهماof the two
فشبّهتُ ما قد راق طرفي منهما
بجذوةto an ember نارfire قدhad تضمّنهاenclosed it ثلجُsnow
بجذوة نار قد تضمّنها ثلجُ
So I likened what had delighted my eye in the two
So I compared what pleased my eyes of them
to an ember of fire that snow had enclosed.
To a coal of fire enveloped in snow
Sol 6.1