بخضابby dye قدindeed زينadorned الكفthe palm كفّيhold back
بخضاب قد زين الكف كفّي
ياO سليميSulayma نبلarrows العيونthe eyes فيكفيso it suffices
يا سليمي نبل العيون فيكفي
By the dye that has adorned the palm, hold back,
With henna I have adorned my palms,
O Sulayma, your eyes' arrows—enough!
O my love, the nobility of eyes is enough for you,
فأجابتso she replied قدindeed جلّwas exalted عنabove ذاكthat وصفيmy description
فأجابت قد جلّ عن ذاك وصفي
ليسis not حسنbeauty الخضابthe dye زينadornment كفيmy palm
ليس حسن الخضاب زين كفي
So she replied: my description is far loftier than that.
So she answered, turning away from that description,
The dye's beauty is not my palm's adornment,
The beauty of henna is not the adornment of my palms,
لاno وثغريby my mouth العذبsweet اللمىthe lips' dark hue والرضابand saliva
لا وثغري العذب اللمى والرضاب
No—by my mouth, sweet in its dusky hue and saliva!
No, my sweet mouth and pleasing complexion,
With my cheeks the rain of beauty showers,
فبخديfor on my cheek سباكcaptivated you خاليmy beauty mark وافتنand bewitched
فبخدي سباك خالي وافتن
وبجيديand on my neck حسنbeauty الحليthe jewelry قدindeed تفننdisplayed artistry
وبجيدي حسن الحلي قد تفنن
For the beauty mark on my cheek captivated and bewitched you.
And with my neck the elegance of jewelry excels,
And on my neck the jewelry's beauty has displayed its artistry.
And if you deny, insist and proclaim,
واذاand if منكرa denier اصرّpersists واعلنand speaks out
واذا منكر اصرّ واعلن
فضياءthen the radiance البنانthe fingertips يشهدbears witness ليfor me أنthat
فضياء البنان يشهد لي أن
And if a denier persists and speaks out,
The radiance of my teeth testifies that,
Then the radiance of the fingertips bears witness for me that
The beauty of my palms adorns the henna.
حسنbeauty كفيmy palm مزيّنadorning للخضابfor the dye
حسن كفي مزيّن للخضاب
My palm's beauty is what adorns the dye.
Partial English translation: 9 of 10 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1