عَجِبَتshe marveled فَطمَةُFatma مِنat نَعتيmy description لَهاof her
عَجِبَت فَطمَةُ مِن نَعتي لَها
هَلcan ...? يُجيدُexcel at النَعتَdescription مَكفوفُdeprived of البَصَرsight
هَل يُجيدُ النَعتَ مَكفوفُ البَصَر
Fatma marveled at my description of her:
Fatima was amazed at my praise of her
“Can one deprived of sight excel at description?”
Can a blind man excel in praise?
بِنتُa girl of عَشرٍten وَثلاثٍand three قُسِّمَتwas apportioned
بِنتُ عَشرٍ وَثلاثٍ قُسِّمَت
بَينَbetween غُصنٍa bough وَكثيبٍand a dune وَقَمَرand a moon
بَينَ غُصنٍ وَكثيبٍ وَقَمَر
A girl of ten and three, apportioned
A girl of thirteen divided
Between a bough, a dune, and a moon.
Among a branch, a dune, and a moon
دُرَّةٌa pearl بَحرِيَّةٌof the sea مَكنونَةٌhidden away
دُرَّةٌ بَحرِيَّةٌ مَكنونَةٌ
مازَهاhe singled her out التاجِرُthe merchant مِنfrom بَينِamong الدُرَرthe pearls
مازَها التاجِرُ مِن بَينِ الدُرَر
A pearl of the sea, hidden away,
A hidden sea pearl
The merchant singled her out from among the pearls.
That the merchant could not distinguish among the pearls
أَذرَتِshe shed الدَمعَthe tears وَقالَتand she said وَيلَتيwoe is me
أَذرَتِ الدَمعَ وَقالَت وَيلَتي
مِنbecause of وَلوعِeager الكَفِّof hand رَكّابِa habitual rider of الخَطَرperil
مِن وَلوعِ الكَفِّ رَكّابِ الخَطَر
She shed tears and said, “Woe is me
She shed a tear and said "Woe is me!
Because of a man with a roving hand, a rider of peril!
From the burning anguish of bold gamblers."
أُمَّتاmy mother! بَدَّدَhe scattered هَذاthis one لُعَبيmy toys
أُمَّتا بَدَّدَ هَذا لُعَبي
وَوِشاحيand my sash حَلَّهُhe untied it حَتّىuntil اِنتَثَرit came apart
وَوِشاحي حَلَّهُ حَتّى اِنتَثَر
Mother, this man has scattered my toys,
O my beloved, this toy of mine is scattered
And he untied my sash until it came apart.
And my scarf is untied and scattered about.
فَدَعينيso leave me مَعَهُwith him ياO أُمَّتاmy mother
فَدَعيني مَعَهُ يا أُمَّتا
عَلَّناperhaps we فيin خَلوَةٍseclusion نَقضيwe fulfill الوَطَرthe desire
عَلَّنا في خَلوَةٍ نَقضي الوَطَر
So leave me with him, Mother,
So let me be with you my beloved
Perhaps in seclusion we may fulfill our desire.”
To fulfill our desire in privacy
أَقبَلَتshe approached مُغضَبَةًangrily تَضرِبُهاstriking her
أَقبَلَت مُغضَبَةً تَضرِبُها
وَاِعتَراهاand it seized her كَجُنونٍlike madness مُستَعِرblazing
وَاِعتَراها كَجُنونٍ مُستَعِر
She came forward angrily, striking her,
She came angry, beating him,
And something like blazing madness seized her.
And madness overcame her like a raging fire
بِأَبيmy father be the ransom وَاللَهِand by God ماhow أَحسَنَهُlovely it is
بِأَبي وَاللَهِ ما أَحسَنَهُ
دَمعَtears عَينٍof an eye يَغسِلُwashing away الكُحلَthe kohl قَطَرdripped
دَمعَ عَينٍ يَغسِلُ الكُحلَ قَطَر
My father be the ransom! By God, how lovely it is—
By my father I swear, nothing was finer
Tears from an eye, washing away the kohl as they dripped!
Than a teardrop washing kohl and dripping.
أَيُّهاO you النُوّامُsleepers هُبّواwake up وَيحَكُمwoe to you
أَيُّها النُوّامُ هُبّوا وَيحَكُم
وَاِسأَلونيand ask me اليَومَtoday ماwhat طَعمُthe taste of السَهرsleeplessness
وَاِسأَلوني اليَومَ ما طَعمُ السَهر
O sleepers, wake up—woe to you!
O sleepers, arise and restrain yourselves
And ask me today what sleeplessness tastes like.
And ask me today about the taste of wakefulness.
Sol 6.1