وَمَليحَةٍand a beautiful woman كَالشَمسِlike the sun رَأدِthe early part of الضُحىthe forenoon
وَمَليحَةٍ كَالشَمسِ رَأدِ الضُحى
خَطَرَتshe walked with a sway تُميلُsways عَلىover الوَرىhumankind بِقَوامِهاwith her figure
خَطَرَت تُميلُ عَلى الوَرى بِقَوامِها
And a beauty, like the sun in early forenoon,
Like the radiant sun at dawn’s first light,
Passed with a sway, captivating all with her figure.
She came gliding, leaning with her slender shape.
حَيَيتُهاI greeted her فَثَنَتthen she returned إِلَيَّto me تُحِيَّتيmy greeting
حَيَيتُها فَثَنَت إِلَيَّ تُحِيَّتي
فَتَسَلَّمَتthen she took possession of روحيmy soul بِرَدِّby returning سَلامِهاher greeting
فَتَسَلَّمَت روحي بِرَدِّ سَلامِها
I greeted her, and she returned my greeting to me;
I greeted her; she returned my greeting,
Then she took possession of my soul with her answering greeting.
And with her peace my soul was filled and draped.
وَعَدَتshe promised وِصالاًunion أَخلَفَتهُshe failed to fulfill it وَأَرسَلَتand she sent
وَعَدَت وِصالاً أَخلَفَتهُ وَأَرسَلَت
طَيفاًa dream-phantom يَمينُdeceives النَفسَthe soul فيin أَحلامِهاits dreams
طَيفاً يَمينُ النَفسَ في أَحلامِها
She promised union, failed to fulfill it, and sent
A tryst she made but then left unfulfilled,
A phantom that deceives the soul in its dreams,
Sending instead from sweet imaginings
بِرِسالَةٍwith a message دَقَّتwere subtle مَعانيthe meanings of لَفظِهاits wording
بِرِسالَةٍ دَقَّت مَعاني لَفظِها
وَزَهَتand shone لَآلئُthe pearls of عَقدِهاits necklace بِنِظامِهاin their arrangement
وَزَهَت لَآلئُ عَقدِها بِنِظامِها
With a message whose wording held subtle meanings;
A phantom messenger with words that thrilled,
And the pearls of its necklace gleamed in their arrangement.
Well-strung like pearls and fair in gleamings.
مَضمونُهاits content حِفظُpreserving الوِدادِaffection لِمُغرَمٍfor a lovesick lover
مَضمونُها حِفظُ الوِدادِ لِمُغرَمٍ
لَمnot يُلفَwas found غَيرَother than مُحافِظٍa keeper لِذِمامِهاof her covenant
لَم يُلفَ غَيرَ مُحافِظٍ لِذِمامِها
Its purport was to preserve affection for a lovesick lover
The message told of loving and delight
Who was found only faithful to her covenant.
For one passion-thrilled, who else but guards her troth.
رِسالَةُthe message of الطَيفِthe dream-phantom الَّذيthat آوىgave shelter بِهاthrough it
رِسالَةُ الطَيفِ الَّذي آوى بِها
مِنهاfrom her الخَيلُthe fancy أَلَذُّsweeter مِنthan إِلمامِهاher visit
مِنها الخَيلُ أَلَذُّ مِن إِلمامِها
The message of the phantom that gave shelter through it
The phantom and his missive wings took flight;
To the fancy from her is sweeter than her visit.
Than which no sweeter draught my spirit quaffed.
Sol 6.1