كبارةٌa caper bush لاحappeared بهاon it
كبارةٌ لاح بها
زهرٌa blossom عجيبُwondrous الْخُلُقِnature
زهرٌ عجيبُ الْخُلُقِ
On a caper bush appeared
A flower of wondrous form appeared
A blossom of wondrous nature.
In a pot, radiant and unique
كأنهas though it لماwhen بداappeared
كأنه لما بدا
فيin شكلهits form المنمَّقornate
في شكله المنمَّق
When it emerged, it seemed,
As though when it came into view
In its ornate form,
In its elegant, well-groomed look
بيضُwhite القَباطيCoptic linens أُودعتْwere laid
بيضُ القَباطي أُودعتْ
أنصافَhalves قشرِshell الفُسْتقpistachios
أنصافَ قشرِ الفُسْتق
Like white Coptic linens laid
The white of an egg was placed
In halves of pistachio shells,
In halves of a pistachio shell
منوطةhung أجوافُهits hollows
منوطة أجوافُه
بشَعْرِwith hair شِيبthe gray-haired يَقَقpure white
بشَعْرِ شِيب يَقَق
Its hollows hung
Its hollows bound round
With pure-white, hoary hair,
With gray hairs' light spiral
كأنَّas though فيat أطرافهits tips
كأنَّ في أطرافه
أُثْرِa trace خِضابdye قدindeed بقِيremained
أُثْرِ خِضاب قد بقِي
As though upon its tips
As though on its edges remained
A trace of dye still remained,
Traces of dye that stayed fast
يشبهresembles ماwhat أَثارَهbrought it forth
يشبه ما أَثارَه
شحْطُremoteness النَّوىseparation فيin مَفْرّقيmy hair’s parting
شحْطُ النَّوى في مَفْرّقي
Resembling what was brought forth
Resembling what was left
By distant separation in the parting of my hair.
By a date stone on my temples
Sol 6.1