إِذاwhen خَطَبَsought in marriage الزَهراءَthe radiant beauty شَيخٌan old man لَهُhe has غِنىًwealth
إِذا خَطَبَ الزَهراءَ شَيخٌ لَهُ غِنىً
وَناشِئُand a young man عُدمٍpoverty آثَرَتshe preferred مَنthe one whom تُعانِقُshe embraces
وَناشِئُ عُدمٍ آثَرَت مَن تُعانِقُ
When a wealthy old man seeks a radiant beauty's hand,
When an old man with wealth proposes to Zahra
And a penniless youth does too, she chooses whom to embrace.
And a destitute youth she prefers to embrace
وَقَلَّand was slight غَناءًbenefit عَنto فَتاةٍa maiden وَزَوجُهاwhile her husband
وَقَلَّ غَناءً عَن فَتاةٍ وَزَوجُها
أَخوa man of هَرَمٍdecrepitude أَحجالُهاher anklets وَالمَخانِقُand the necklaces
أَخو هَرَمٍ أَحجالُها وَالمَخانِقُ
And of little use to a maiden, when her husband
And he stops singing of a girl when she's married
Is decrepit, are her anklets and necklaces.
To an old brother whose time has passed and noose tightened
وَإِنand if حاوَلتَsought out رَكبَa caravan الظَلامِdarkness نِياقُهُمtheir she-camels
وَإِن حاوَلتَ رَكبَ الظَلامِ نِياقُهُم
فَتِلكَthen those لَعَّمرُby the life of اللَهِGod بِئسَhow wretched الأَيانِقُthe she-camels
فَتِلكَ لَعَّمرُ اللَهِ بِئسَ الأَيانِقُ
And if their she-camels seek out the night caravan,
If you try riding their darkness's steeds
Then those, by God's life, are wretched she-camels.
By God, those are evil mounts!
وَماand not تَستَويare alike الأَخدانُintimate companions قِيَّمُguardian هَذِهِthis woman
وَما تَستَوي الأَخدانُ قِيَّمُ هَذِهِ
مُسِنٌelderly وَلِلأُخرىand for the other woman وَليٌّa protector غُرانِقُa handsome youth
مُسِنٌ وَلِلأُخرى وَليٌّ غُرانِقُ
And intimate companions are not alike: this woman's guardian
Not equal are the two cheeks—the price of this one
Is elderly, while the other has a handsome young protector.
Is an old man, but for the other a fleshy fruit.
تَوَقواbeware سَبيلَthe path of الغانِياتِbeautiful women فَكُلُّهاfor each of them
تَوَقوا سَبيلَ الغانِياتِ فَكُلُّها
كَلَيثِlike a lion of الشَرىal-Shara وَالطَيِّبُand perfume فيهاin her فُرانِقُa herald
كَلَيثِ الشَرى وَالطَيِّبُ فيها فُرانِقُ
Beware the path of beautiful women, for each of them
Avoid the way of singers—all of them
Is like a lion of al-Shara, and perfume is her herald.
Are savage beasts, with the good among them so rare.
Sol 6.1