ومَعْدولَةٍand a shapely woman مَهْماwhenever أَمالَتْshe sways إِزَارَهاher waist-wrap
ومَعْدولَةٍ مَهْما أَمالَتْ إِزَارَها
فَغُصْنٌthen a bough وأَمّاand as for قَدُّاin stature فَقَضِيبُthen a slender branch
فَغُصْنٌ وأَمّا قَدُّا فَقَضِيبُ
And a shapely woman—whenever she sways her waist-wrap,
With swaying hips no matter how she hitches up her skirt
she is a bough, and in stature a slender branch.
She is but a branch while my staff is rigid
لَهاto her القَمَرُthe moon السّارِيtraveling by night شَقِيقٌa brother وإنّهاand indeed she
لَها القَمَرُ السّارِي شَقِيقٌ وإنّها
لَتَطْلُعُshe surely rises أَحْياناًsometimes لَهُto him فَيَغِيبُthen he vanishes
لَتَطْلُعُ أَحْياناً لَهُ فَيَغِيبُ
The night-roaming moon is her brother, and she
The wandering moon is her lover, and though at times
indeed sometimes rises before him, and he vanishes.
She rises to meet him, he soon sets
أَقولُI say لَهاto her واللّيلُwhile the night مُرْخٍletting down سُدُولَهُits curtains
أَقولُ لَها واللّيلُ مُرْخٍ سُدُولَهُ
وَغُصْنُand the bough الهَوىof love غَضُّtender النّباتِin growth رَطيبُfresh
وَغُصْنُ الهَوى غَضُّ النّباتِ رَطيبُ
I say to her, while night lets down its curtains,
I say to her as the night lets down its tresses
and love's bough is tender in growth and fresh,
And the boughs of desire reach their prime:
ونحنُand we بِهِin it فَرْدانِtwo alone فيin ثِنْيِthe fold of مِئْزَرٍa waist-wrap
ونحنُ بِهِ فَرْدانِ في ثِنْيِ مِئْزَرٍ
بِكِwith you العَيْشُlife ياO زَيْنَadornment of النِّساءِwomen يَطيبُbecomes sweet
بِكِ العَيْشُ يا زَيْنَ النِّساءِ يَطيبُ
and we are alone together there, within a waist-wrap's fold:
Though we're secluded in the folds of a robe
“With you, life is sweet, O adornment of women.
Life with you, fairest of women, is sweet
لأَنْتِindeed you المُنَىwishes ياO زَيْنَadornment of كُلِّevery مَليحَةٍlovely woman
لأَنْتِ المُنَى يا زَيْنَ كُلِّ مَليحَةٍ
وأَنْتِand you الهَوىlove أُدْعَىI am called لَهُto it فَأُجِيبُso I answer
وأَنْتِ الهَوى أُدْعَى لَهُ فَأُجِيبُ
You are indeed all I long for, O adornment of every lovely woman;
You are the wish, O beauty of all loveliness
and you are love: I am called to it, and I answer.”
You are love, I profess it, so hear me
فقالَتْthen she said نَعَمْyes إِنْif لَمْnot يَكُنْthere be لَكَfor you غَيرَناother than us
فقالَتْ نَعَمْ إِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَكَ غَيرَنا
بِبَغْدادَin Baghdad مِنْamong أَهْلِthe people of القُصُورِthe palaces حَبيبُa beloved
بِبَغْدادَ مِنْ أَهْلِ القُصُورِ حَبيبُ
She said, “Yes—if, other than us, you have no
She answered: Yes, if you have no other
beloved in Baghdad among the people of the palaces.”
Love than I in Baghdad, in all its mansions
Sol 6.1