جاريةٌa maiden شعرُهاher hair ملاحِفُهاher wraps
جاريةٌ شعرُها ملاحِفُها
تعجزُare unable عنto حملهcarry it وصائفُهاher maidservants
تعجزُ عن حمله وصائفُها
A maiden whose hair is her wraps;
Her hair is so long it trails behind her
her maidservants cannot carry it.
Too heavy for the braids to bear
تنالُreach أطرافُهُits ends إذاwhen سقطتthey fall
تنالُ أطرافُهُ إذا سقطت
فيin المشيwalking ماwhat لمdid not تنلْreach مطارفُهاher cloaks
في المشي ما لم تنلْ مطارفُها
Its ends reach, when they fall,
Its tips touch the ground when she walks
as she walks, where her cloaks do not reach.
Unless she holds their ends with care
مفترقُparted الشَّمْلthe gathered strands هاهناhere وهناand there
مفترقُ الشَّمْل هاهنا وهنا
قدhave فَرَّقتdivided شملَهits gathered strands روادفهاher buttocks
قد فَرَّقت شملَه روادفها
Its gathered strands are parted here and there;
Split by the combs that stroke her hair
her buttocks have divided its gathered strands.
The dawn is fair to see at night
للَّيلfor night فجرٌa dawn يَسُرُّdelights منظرُهُits sight
للَّيل فجرٌ يَسُرُّ منظرُهُ
وليلُهاand her night فجرُهُits dawn سوالفهاthe sides of her neck
وليلُها فجرُهُ سوالفها
Night has a dawn whose sight delights;
But dawn to her is nightfall's glare
and her night's dawn is the sides of her neck.
Partial English translation: 7 of 8 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1