ضمِنتenfolded غلائلُfine robes ربَّةِmistress of الأرجfragrance
ضمِنت غلائلُ ربَّةِ الأرج
ماwhatever شئتyou wished منof هِيفٍslenderness ومنand of دعجlarge, dark eyes
ما شئت من هِيفٍ ومن دعج
The fine robes of the mistress of fragrance enfold
The locks of the mistress of fragrance
All you could wish of slenderness and dark-eyed beauty.
Promised whatever I wished of passion and intimacy
معشوقةُbeloved of اللحظاتِglances قدindeed كُحلتwas adorned with kohl
معشوقةُ اللحظاتِ قد كُحلت
بالفاتِنَينِwith the two charmers السحرmagic والغنجand coquetry
بالفاتِنَينِ السحر والغنج
Beloved of gazes, she has had her eyes kohled
The beloved of moments was adorned
With the two charmers: magic and coquetry.
With the two enchantments: magic and captivation
إنَّindeed الذيthe one who لشقايfor my misery صوَّرهاfashioned her
إنَّ الذي لشقاي صوَّرها
بالشهدwith honey قالsaid لريقهاto her saliva امتزجmingle!
بالشهد قال لريقها امتزج
Indeed, he who fashioned her for my misery
Indeed, he who portrayed my misery
Told her saliva, “Mingle with honey.”
Said to her saliva, “Mix with it”
كمhow often أرشفتنيshe made me sip الثغرَthe lips قائلةًsaying
كم أرشفتني الثغرَ قائلةً
هلis there فيin حُميَّاthe intoxicating power of الريقِsaliva منany حرجsin
هل في حُميَّا الريقِ من حرج
How often she has made me sip her lips, saying,
How often her lips quenched me, asking
“Is there any sin in the intoxicating power of saliva?”
“Is there any shame in saliva?”
بيضاءfair-skinned تبعثshe sends forth منfrom ضفائِرهاher braids
بيضاء تبعث من ضفائِرها
بسلاسلwith chains of الريحانsweet basil كالسَبَجlike jet
بسلاسل الريحان كالسَبَج
Fair-skinned, she sends forth from her braids
A white woman whose braids emit
Chains of sweet basil, like jet.
Chains of basil like lightning
إنif قالsaid لليلto the night ادجgrow dark! فاحمُهاher coal-black hair
إن قال لليل ادج فاحمُها
للصبحto the dawn قالsaid جبينهاher brow ابتلجshine forth!
للصبح قال جبينها ابتلج
If her coal-black hair tells the night, “Grow dark,”
If the night said “Be dark,” shield her
Her brow tells the dawn, “Shine forth.”
If the dawn said “Be bright,” chill her forehead
تشدوshe sings فتطربُand so enchants فيin تنقّلهاher shifting
تشدو فتطربُ في تنقّلها
باللحنwith the melody منfrom رَمَلٍramal rhythm ومنand from هَزَجhazaj rhythm
باللحن من رَمَلٍ ومن هَزَج
She sings, enchanting as she shifts
She sings, enchanted in her movements
Her melody between ramal and hazaj.
To the tune of gentle sand and rugged terrain
Sol 6.1