وأبيضَand a fair-skinned youth فيin حُمرِred الثيابthe garments كأنهas though he were
وأبيضَ في حُمرِ الثياب كأنه
إذاwhen ماemphatic particle بداhe appears نسرينهhis white rose فيamong شقائقِred anemones
إذا ما بدا نسرينه في شقائقِ
And a fair-skinned youth in red garments, as though
In white robes, amidst a sea of red, he seemed
His white rose, when he appears, were amid red anemones.
A tulip flowering amid anemones—
سقانيgave me to drink بكفيهwith his two palms رحيقاًpure wine وسامنيand urged me
سقاني بكفيه رحيقاً وسامني
فسوقاsinfulness بعينيهwith his two eyes ولستُand I am not بفاسقِa sinner at all
فسوقا بعينيه ولستُ بفاسقِ
He gave me pure wine with both his hands, and urged me
He gave me to drink from his hand sweet wine,
To sin with his eyes, though I am no sinner.
Alluring me with his eyes. I’m no debauchee!
وأُقسمand I swear لولاwere it not for خشيةُfear of اللَهِGod وحدَهHim alone
وأُقسم لولا خشيةُ اللَهِ وحدَه
ومنand of one whom لاnot أسمِّيI name كنتُI would be أوّلَthe foremost عاشقِlover
ومن لا أسمِّي كنتُ أوّلَ عاشقِ
And I swear, were it not for fear of God alone
By God, but for fear of Him alone,
And of one I will not name, I would be the foremost lover.
And one unnamed, I'd be first lover he’d see.
وانيand I لمعذورٌsurely excused علىfor شَغفيmy passion بهfor him
واني لمعذورٌ على شَغفي به
وانand even though وسمتنيhas marked me شيبةٌgray hair فيat المفارقthe hair’s partings
وان وسمتني شيبةٌ في المفارق
And I am surely excused for my passion for him,
My passion for him is forgivable—though
Even though gray hair has marked me at my hair’s partings.
A hoary lock now mar the part in my hair.
ولاand no عشقَlove ليfor me أوunless يُحدِثَbrings forth الدهرُtime شِرَّةًardor
ولا عشقَ لي أو يُحدِثَ الدهرُ شِرَّةً
تعودreturns بعاداتِwith the ways of الشبابyouth المُفارقِdeparted
تعود بعاداتِ الشباب المُفارقِ
And there is no love for me unless time kindles an ardor
No love is mine, nor has time hatched a plot
That brings back the ways of departed youth.
To bring back habits of my youth now rare.
ولوand if كنتI were شكلاًa match للصباfor youthful passion لاsurely (conditional emphasis) تبعتهI would follow it
ولو كنت شكلاً للصبا لا تبعته
ولكنand yet سنيmy age بالصباfor youthful passion غيرُnot لائقِsuited
ولكن سني بالصبا غيرُ لائقِ
And were I a match for youthful passion, I would follow it,
If I still had the mien of hot-blooded youth
But my age is not suited to youthful passion.
I would pursue him—but my age wouldn’t pair.
Sol 6.1