إِذاwhenever شِئتُI wished غَنّانيsang to me مِنَof العاجِivory قاصِفٌa clattering bangle
إِذا شِئتُ غَنّاني مِنَ العاجِ قاصِفٌ
عَلىupon مِعصَمٍa wrist رَيّانَplump لَمnot يَتَخَدَّدِbecome furrowed
عَلى مِعصَمٍ رَيّانَ لَم يَتَخَدَّدِ
Whenever I wished, a clattering ivory bangle sang to me,
When I wish, a skilled singer on an ivory lute
Upon a plump wrist that had never grown furrowed,
With a supple, well-irrigated arm undesecrated,
لِبَيضاءَbelonging to a fair-skinned woman مِنfrom أَهلِthe people of المَدينَةِMedina لَمnot تَعِشlive
لِبَيضاءَ مِن أَهلِ المَدينَةِ لَم تَعِش
بِبُؤسٍin hardship وَلَمand not تَتبَعfollow حَمولَةَthe pack train of مُجحَدِa destitute man
بِبُؤسٍ وَلَم تَتبَع حَمولَةَ مُجحَدِ
Of a fair-skinned woman of Medina's people, who had never lived
For a fair woman of Medina who did not live
In hardship, nor followed a destitute man's pack train.
In misery nor follow the caravan of an infidel—
نَعِمتُI took delight بِهاin her لَيلَthe night of التَمامِgreatest length فَلَمyet did not يَكَدcome close
نَعِمتُ بِها لَيلَ التَمامِ فَلَم يَكَد
يُرَوّيslake اِستِقائيmy drawing water هامَةَthe head of الحائِمِthe circling one الصَديparched
يُرَوّي اِستِقائي هامَةَ الحائِمِ الصَدي
I delighted in her on the year's longest night, yet scarcely could
I enjoy her on the night of consummation, and my thirst
My drawing water slake the head of the parched, circling one.
Is scarcely quenched by her overflowing pool.
وَقامَتand she rose تُخَشّينيmaking me fear زِياداًZiyad وَأَجفَلَتand darted about
وَقامَت تُخَشّيني زِياداً وَأَجفَلَت
حَوالَيَّaround me فيin بُردٍa mantle رَقيقٍthin وَمُجسَدِand a saffron-dyed garment
حَوالَيَّ في بُردٍ رَقيقٍ وَمُجسَدِ
She rose, warning me to fear Ziyad, and darted
She stands, increasingly excites me, turns her hips
Around me in a thin mantle and a saffron-dyed gown.
About me in delicate, cool skin.
فَقُلتُso I said ذَرينيleave me be مِنconcerning زِيادٍZiyad فَإِنَّنيfor indeed I
فَقُلتُ ذَريني مِن زِيادٍ فَإِنَّني
أَرىI see المَوتَdeath وَقّافاًever standing watch عَلىat كُلِّevery مَرصَدِlookout
أَرى المَوتَ وَقّافاً عَلى كُلِّ مَرصَدِ
So I said, 'Spare me talk of Ziyad, for I
So I say, “Let me be, for I see death
See death ever standing watch at every lookout.'
Standing watch at every lookout.”
وَلَيسَتand she is not مِنَamong اللائيthose women who العَذانُthe stony uplands مَقيظُهاtheir summer quarters
وَلَيسَت مِنَ اللائي العَذانُ مَقيظُها
يَرُحنَthey go out in the evening خِفافاًlight-bodied فيin المُلاءِthe wraps المُعَضَّدِbroad-striped
يَرُحنَ خِفافاً في المُلاءِ المُعَضَّدِ
She is not among those whose summer quarters are the stony uplands,
She is not one of those women sleep rouses them
Who go out in the evening, light-bodied, in broad-striped wraps.
To trip lightly in interwoven robes,
وَلَكِنَّهاbut she يُجبىtribute is collected from النَصارىthe Christians لِأَهلِهاfor her family
وَلَكِنَّها يُجبى النَصارى لِأَهلِها
وَتَنميand she traces her descent إِلىto أَعلىthe loftiest مُنيفٍtowering مُشَيَّدِfirmly built
وَتَنمي إِلى أَعلى مُنيفٍ مُشَيَّدِ
But she is one whose family receives tribute from Christians,
But one Christians collect for her family
And she traces her descent to the loftiest of towering, firmly built houses.
And she climbs to the highest appointed roof.
حَوارِيَّةٌa fair-skinned woman تَمشيshe walks الضُحىat midmorning مُرجَحِنَّةًswaying heavily
حَوارِيَّةٌ تَمشي الضُحى مُرجَحِنَّةً
وَتَمشيand she walks العَشِيَّin the evening الخَيزَلىwith a languid swagger رِخوَةَrelaxed in اليَدِthe hand
وَتَمشي العَشِيَّ الخَيزَلى رِخوَةَ اليَدِ
A fair-skinned woman, she walks at midmorning with a heavy sway,
A Christian, walking sprightly at dawn
And walks in the evening with a languid swagger, her hand relaxed.
And walking again at dusk, hands weak.
Sol 6.1