أَقامَتshe remained لَدىbefore مَرآتِهاher mirror تَتَأَمَّلُcontemplating
أَقامَت لَدى مَرآتِها تَتَأَمَّلُ
عَلىin غَفلَةٍinattention مِمَّنof those who يَلومُblame وَيَعذِلُand reproach
عَلى غَفلَةٍ مِمَّن يَلومُ وَيَعذِلُ
She lingered before her mirror, contemplating herself,
She stood before her mirror, gazing
She stationed herself before her mirror, lost in contemplation,
unnoticed by those who blame and reproach.
Oblivious of those who blame and rebuke her
Heedless of any who might blame or chide,
وَبَينَand between يَدَيهاher two hands كُلَّماall that يَنبَغيis needed لِمَنfor one who
وَبَينَ يَدَيها كُلَّما يَنبَغي لِمَن
يُصَوِّرُdepicts أَشباحَthe forms of الوَرىhumankind وَيُمَثِّلُand portrays
يُصَوِّرُ أَشباحَ الوَرى وَيُمَثِّلُ
And before her lay all that is needed by one
Before her all that one needs
With all that is needed laid out before her hands
who depicts people's forms and portrays them.
To depict the shadows of people and act them out
For one who paints the figures of mankind and mimics them.
مِنَamong الغيدِgraceful women تَقليshe loathes كُلَّevery ذاتِpossessor of مَلاحَةٍbeauty
مِنَ الغيدِ تَقلي كُلَّ ذاتِ مَلاحَةٍ
كَماjust as باتَhas come to يَقليhate صاحِبَthe possessor of المنالِwealth مُرمِلُa pauper
كَما باتَ يَقلي صاحِبَ المنالِ مُرمِلُ
Among graceful women, she loathes every lovely one,
Bits of finery to adorn every charming thing
Among young women, she loathes every possessor of beauty,
as a pauper has come to hate a man of means.
As her overcooked friend continues to char
Just as the destitute man comes to loathe the man of means.
تَغارُshe grows jealous إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle قيلَit is said تِلكَthat woman مَليحَةٌlovely
تَغارُ إِذا ما قيلَ تِلكَ مَليحَةٌ
يَطيبُis delightful بِهاabout her لِلعاشِقينَfor lovers التَغَزُّلُamatory praise
يَطيبُ بِها لِلعاشِقينَ التَغَزُّلُ
She grows jealous whenever it is said, 'That woman is lovely;
She is jealous when it is said “that one is pretty”
She flares with jealousy if it is said, "That one is fair,"
lovers delight in praising her in love verse.'
A pleasure for lovers to whisper sweet nothings about
A woman whom lovers find sweet to court with verse.
فَتَحمَرُّso she reddens غَيظاًwith rage ثُمَّthen تَحمَرِّshe reddens غَيرَةًwith jealousy
فَتَحمَرُّ غَيظاً ثُمَّ تَحمَرِّ غَيرَةً
كَأَنَّas though بِهاupon her حُمّىa fever تَجيءُcomes وَتُقفِلُand departs
كَأَنَّ بِها حُمّى تَجيءُ وَتُقفِلُ
So she flushes with rage, then flushes with jealousy,
She blushes with anger, then flushes with jealousy
She flushes red with rage, then crimson with envy,
as though she had a fever that comes and goes.
As if stricken with a recurring fever
As though struck by a fever that comes and retreats.
وَتُضمِرُand she harbors حِقداًresentment لِلمُحَدِّثِtoward the speaker لَوif دَرىhe knew
وَتُضمِرُ حِقداً لِلمُحَدِّثِ لَو دَرى
بِهِof it ذَلِكَthat المِسكينُpoor fellow ماnot كادَwould nearly يَهزُلُjest
بِهِ ذَلِكَ المِسكينُ ما كادَ يَهزُلُ
And she harbors resentment toward the speaker—if he knew
She harbors resentment towards the speaker, if only he knew
She harbors malice toward the speaker; were he to know,
of it, that poor fellow would scarcely jest.
That poor soul could scarcely jest
That poor wretched soul would surely cease his jesting.
أَثارَhe stirred up عَلَيهِagainst himself حِقدَهاher resentment غَيرَnot عامِدٍdeliberately
أَثارَ عَلَيهِ حِقدَها غَيرَ عامِدٍ
وَحِقدُand the resentment of الغَوانيbeautiful women صارِمٌa sharp sword لاnot يَفلُلُgrows blunt
وَحِقدُ الغَواني صارِمٌ لا يَفلُلُ
He unwittingly aroused her resentment against himself,
She vents her spite unintentionally
He stirred her hatred against him quite unwittingly,
and the resentment of beauties is a sword that never dulls.
And the spite of coquettes is stubborn and endless
And the malice of fair maidens is a sword that never dulls.
فَلَوso if وَجَدَتgrew angry يَوماًone day عَلىat الدَهرِTime غادَةًa belle
فَلَو وَجَدَت يَوماً عَلى الدَهرِ غادَةً
لَأَوشَكَhe would almost مِنfrom غَلَوائِهِhis excesses يَتَحَوَّلُturn away
لَأَوشَكَ مِن غَلَوائِهِ يَتَحَوَّلُ
So if a belle ever grew angry with Time,
If she found the days complacent just once
If she were to find Time itself embodied as a maiden,
he would all but abandon his excesses.
She would scarcely refrain from her wiles
Time would likely be forced to shift from its steady course.
فَتاةٌa girl هِيَshe الطاوُوُسُthe peacock عُجباًin vanity وَذَيلُهاand her tail
فَتاةٌ هِيَ الطاوُوُسُ عُجباً وَذَيلُها
وَلَمand not يَكُwas ذَيلاًa tail شَعرُهاher hair المُتَهَدِّلُhanging loosely
وَلَم يَكُ ذَيلاً شَعرُها المُتَهَدِّلُ
A girl, a peacock in her vanity; her tail
A girl, a peacock indeed, her train
A girl who is a peacock in her vanity, and her tail
is her cascading hair, though it is no tail.
Was none other than her cascading hair
—Though not a tail—is her hair cascading down.
سَعَتshe strove لِاِحتِكارِto monopolize الحُسنِbeauty الحُسنِbeauty فيهاwithin her بِأَسرِهِin its entirety
سَعَت لِاِحتِكارِ الحُسنِ الحُسنِ فيها بِأَسرِهِ
وَكَمand how many حاوَلَتhas tried حَسناءُa beauty ماwhat لاnot يُؤَمَّلُcan be hoped for
وَكَم حاوَلَت حَسناءُ ما لا يُؤَمَّلُ
She sought to monopolize beauty—all beauty—within herself,
She sought to monopolize all beauty within her
She strove to monopolize beauty, claiming it wholly for herself,
and many a beauty has attempted what cannot be hoped for.
And how many beauties seek what cannot be had
And how often has a beauty sought the impossible!
وَتَجهَلُand she is unaware أَنَّthat الحُسنَbeauty لَيسَis not بِدائِمٍlasting
وَتَجهَلُ أَنَّ الحُسنَ لَيسَ بِدائِمٍ
وَإِنand not هُوَit إِلّاexcept زَهرَةٌa flower سَوفَwill تَذبُلُwither
وَإِن هُوَ إِلّا زَهرَةٌ سَوفَ تَذبُلُ
And she is unaware that beauty does not last,
Oblivious that beauty is not lasting
She remains ignorant that beauty is not everlasting,
and that it is only a flower that will wither,
That it is but a flower, soon to wilt
And that it is but a flower destined to wither away,
وَأَنَّand that حَكيمَthe wise man of القَومِthe people يَأنَفُdisdains أَنto يَرىsee
وَأَنَّ حَكيمَ القَومِ يَأنَفُ أَن يَرى
أَسيرَa captive of طِلاءٍpaint بَعدَafter حينٍa while سَيَنصُلُwill fade
أَسيرَ طِلاءٍ بَعدَ حينٍ سَيَنصُلُ
and that the wise man among the people scorns to see himself
That the wise disdain to behold
And that the wise man of the people disdains to be seen
a captive of paint that will fade after a while.
A prisoner of paint which will soon fade
Captive to paint that shall fade after a short while.
وَكُلُّand every فَتىًyoung man يَرضىis content بِوَجهِwith a face مُنَمِّقٍembellished
وَكُلُّ فَتىً يَرضى بِوَجهِ مُنَمِّقٍ
مِنَfrom among الناعِماتِdelicate women البيضِfair-skinned فَهوَthen he is مُغَفَّلُa fool
مِنَ الناعِماتِ البيضِ فَهوَ مُغَفَّلُ
And every young man content with a prettified face
He who admires an artificial white complexion
Any young man satisfied with a decorated face
from among delicate, fair-skinned women is a fool.
Is a fool swept away
Among the soft, fair maidens, is truly a fool.
إِذاif كانَis حُسنُbeauty of الوَجهِthe face يُدعىis called فَضيلَةًa virtue
إِذا كانَ حُسنُ الوَجهِ يُدعى فَضيلَةً
فَإِنَّthen indeed جَمالَbeauty of النَفسِthe soul أَسمىloftier وَأَفضَلُand better
فَإِنَّ جَمالَ النَفسِ أَسمى وَأَفضَلُ
If beauty of face is called a virtue,
If a beautiful face is called a virtue
If facial beauty is to be called a virtue,
then beauty of soul is loftier and better.
Then the beauty of the soul is far nobler
Then the beauty of the soul is far loftier and superior.
وَلَكِنَّماbut أَسماءُAsma بِالغيدِafter graceful beauties تَقتَديmodels herself
وَلَكِنَّما أَسماءُ بِالغيدِ تَقتَدي
وَكُلُّand all الغَوانيbeautiful women فِعلُthe deed of أَسماءَAsma تَفعَلُdo
وَكُلُّ الغَواني فِعلُ أَسماءَ تَفعَلُ
But Asma takes the graceful beauties as her models,
Yet she adheres to the names of coquetry
Yet Asma follows the example of the vain young women,
and every beauty does as Asma does.
And all coquettes act like Asma
And all the beauties do exactly as Asma does.
فَلَوso if أَمِنَتshe felt safe from سُخطَanger of الرِجالِmen وَأَيقَنَتand was certain
فَلَو أَمِنَت سُخطَ الرِجالِ وَأَيقَنَت
بِسُخطِof the anger of الغَوانيbeautiful women أَوشَكَتshe would almost تَتَرَجَّلُact like a man
بِسُخطِ الغَواني أَوشَكَت تَتَرَجَّلُ
So if she felt safe from men's anger and were certain
If she feared men’s wrath and expected
If she were safe from men's displeasure and certain
of the beauties' anger, she would all but take on men's ways.
The spite of coquettes, she would scarcely dress up
Of the wrath of other beauties, she would nearly turn into a man.
قَدِindeed اِتَّخَذَتshe has taken مَرآتَهاher mirror مُرشِداًas a guide لَهاfor herself
قَدِ اِتَّخَذَت مَرآتَها مُرشِداً لَها
إِذاwhenever عَنَّarises أَمرٌa matter أَوor تَعَرَّضَpresents itself مُشكِلُa difficulty
إِذا عَنَّ أَمرٌ أَو تَعَرَّضَ مُشكِلُ
She has taken her mirror as her guide
She took the mirror for a guide
She has taken her mirror as her sole guide,
whenever a matter arises or a difficulty presents itself.
When puzzled by some matter or complication
Whenever a difficulty arises or a problem appears.
وَماand not ثَمَّthere مِنany أَمرٍmatter عَويصٍintractable وَإِنَّماbut only
وَما ثَمَّ مِن أَمرٍ عَويصٍ وَإِنَّما
ضَعيفُweak in النُهىreason فيin وَهمِهِhis imagination السَهلِthe easy مُعضِلُbaffling
ضَعيفُ النُهى في وَهمِهِ السَهلِ مُعضِلُ
And no matter is intractable; it is only
No command is too difficult, but
Yet there is no truly complex matter at hand; rather,
the weak-minded who imagine even the easy to be baffling.
Weak resolve makes the easy seem complex
To the weak-minded, in their delusion, the easy seems impossible.
تُكَتِّمُshe conceals عَمَّنfrom whoever يَعقِلُunderstands الأَمرَthe matter سِرَّهاher secret
تُكَتِّمُ عَمَّن يَعقِلُ الأَمرَ سِرَّها
وَلَكِنَّهاbut she تَفشيهِreveals it ماwhat لَيسَdoes not يَعقِلُunderstand
وَلَكِنَّها تَفشيهِ ما لَيسَ يَعقِلُ
She hides her secret from those who understand the matter,
She hides her secret from reasonable men
She conceals her secret from those of understanding,
but reveals it to what has no understanding.
Yet exposes it to those unable to reason
Yet divulges it to that which cannot understand.
فَلَوso if كانَتِwere المِرآةُthe mirror تَحفَظُpreserving ظِلَّهاher reflection
فَلَو كانَتِ المِرآةُ تَحفَظُ ظِلَّها
رَأَيتَyou would see بِعَينَيكَwith your eyes الَّذيwhat كُنتَyou were تَجهَلُignorant of
رَأَيتَ بِعَينَيكَ الَّذي كُنتَ تَجهَلُ
So if the mirror could preserve her reflection,
If her image kept her shadow
If the mirror could but retain her reflection,
you would see with your own eyes what you had not known.
You would behold what you were oblivious to
You would see with your own eyes what you had not known.
وَزادَand increased بِهاin her حُبُّlove of التَبَرُّجِflaunting beauty أَنَّهُthat it
وَزادَ بِها حُبُّ التَبَرُّجِ أَنَّهُ
حَبيبٌbeloved إِلىto فِتيانِthe young men of ذاthis العَصرِage أَوَّلُfirst
حَبيبٌ إِلى فِتيانِ ذا العَصرِ أَوَّلُ
And her love of flaunting her beauty grew because it is
And what enhanced her flirtatiousness
And her love for adornment was increased by the fact
the first love of the young men of this age.
Was that it is most beloved by the youth of today
That it is the primary passion of the youths of this age.
أَلَمّواthey became familiar بِهِwith it حَتّىuntil لَقَدindeed أَشبَهواthey resembled الدُمىdolls
أَلَمّوا بِهِ حَتّى لَقَد أَشبَهوا الدُمى
فَماso not فاتَهُمhas escaped them وَاللَهِby God إِلّاexcept التَكَحُّلُapplying kohl
فَما فاتَهُم وَاللَهِ إِلّا التَكَحُّلُ
They have taken to it until, indeed, they resemble dolls;
They are sick with it, so that they resemble effigies
They have obsessed over it until they resemble dolls;
they have missed nothing, by God, except applying kohl.
Lacking only kohl around their eyes
By God, they lack nothing now but to paint their eyes with kohl.
فَتىthe youth of العَصرِthe age أَضحىhas become فيin تَطَّريهِhis preening حُجَّةًan argument
فَتى العَصرِ أَضحى في تَطَّريهِ حُجَّةً
تُقاتِلُناfight us فيهاwith it النِساءُwomen فَتَقتُلُand so slay us
تُقاتِلُنا فيها النِساءُ فَتَقتُلُ
The youth of this age, in his preening, has become an argument
The youth of today cites her coquetry
The modern youth, in his grooming, has become a justification
with which women fight us—and slay us.
As evidence with which women dispute us and prevail
Used by women to fight against us, and slay.
إِذاwhen اِبتَذَلَتbehaves immodestly حَسناءُa beauty ثُمَّthen عَذَلَتهاyou rebuke her
إِذا اِبتَذَلَت حَسناءُ ثُمَّ عَذَلَتها
تَوَلَّتshe turns away وَقالَتand says كُلُّكُمall of you مُتَبَذِّلُimmodest
تَوَلَّت وَقالَت كُلُّكُم مُتَبَذِّلُ
When a beauty behaves immodestly and you then rebuke her,
If a beauty is shamed and then spurned
If a beauty degrades herself and you rebuke her,
she turns away and says, 'You are all immodest.'
She turns away saying: you are all contemptible
She turns away saying, "Every one of you degrades himself too."
Sol 6.1