تَزَوَّجَتهاyou married her وَهِيَwhile she فيماin what تَظُنُّyou suppose
تَزَوَّجَتها وَهِيَ فيما تَظُنُّ
شَمسُthe sun الضُحىmidmorning بِأَواقٍfor ounces وَنَشّand a half-ounce
شَمسُ الضُحى بِأَواقٍ وَنَشّ
You married her, and in your eyes she was
I married her while she was, as you think,
the sun at midmorning—for ounces and a half-ounce.
The morning sun with curves and dimples.
يَنوشُattains بِهاthrough her القَلبُthe heart أَوطارَهُits desires
يَنوشُ بِها القَلبُ أَوطارَهُ
فَلَيتَso, if only مَآرِبَهُits wishes لَمnot تُنَشّbe attained
فَلَيتَ مَآرِبَهُ لَم تُنَشّ
Through her the heart attains its desires;
The heart sips her charms,
if only its wishes had not been attained!
If only her misfortunes were not shaped!
عَروسُكَyour bride أَفعىa viper فَهَبso fear قُربَهاher nearness
عَروسُكَ أَفعى فَهَب قُربَها
وَخَفand fear مِنof سَليلِكَyour offspring فَهُوَfor he is الحَنَشthe serpent
وَخَف مِن سَليلِكَ فَهُوَ الحَنَش
Your bride is a viper, so dread her nearness;
Your bride is a viper, so avoid her closeness
and fear your offspring, for he is the serpent.
And fear her offspring, for he is tricky.
تَنَشّىgrew tipsy الفَتىthe young man بِلَذيذِon delicious المُدامِwine
تَنَشّى الفَتى بِلَذيذِ المُدامِ
فَكانَand there was الخُمارُa hangover عَقيبَfollowing التَنَشintoxication
فَكانَ الخُمارُ عَقيبَ التَنَش
The young man grew tipsy on delicious wine,
The youth indulges in sweet wine
and a hangover followed his intoxication.
But the veil comes after the revelry.
إِذاif لَمnot يُطَيِّبكَmakes you fragrant حُسنُthe beauty of الثَناءِpraise
إِذا لَم يُطَيِّبكَ حُسنُ الثَناءِ
فَلاthen no خَيرَgood فيin مِسكِthe musk of قَومٍa people يُنَشّis sniffed
فَلا خَيرَ في مِسكِ قَومٍ يُنَشّ
If fine praise does not make you fragrant,
If you don’t like hearing good praise
then no good lies in the musk that people sniff.
Then no good comes from a people who sculpt.
لَعَمريby my life لَقَدindeed أَمِنَwere safe العائِذونَthose seeking refuge
لَعَمري لَقَد أَمِنَ العائِذونَ
وَعونِشَand was grappled with ذوone possessing بِغضَةٍhatred فَاِعتَنَشso he grappled back
وَعونِشَ ذو بِغضَةٍ فَاِعتَنَش
By my life, those seeking refuge were indeed safe;
By my life, those who sought refuge are safe
and one bearing hatred was grappled with, and grappled back.
And a hater obtained help, so he sculpted.
فَياso, O قَسُّpriest وَقِّعauthorize بِرِزقِfor the stipend of الخَطيthe preacher (continued)
فَيا قَسُّ وَقِّع بِرِزقِ الخَطي
بِcompletes the word 'preacher' وَاُنظُرand see to بِمَسجِدِناour mosque ياO مُنَشMunash
بِ وَاُنظُر بِمَسجِدِنا يا مُنَش
So, priest, authorize the preacher’s stipend,
Oh stubborn one, provide the livelihood of the villager
and see to our mosque, O Munash.
And look after our mosque, O sculptor!
Sol 6.1