وبديعِand wondrous in الدلِّcoy charm قصريَّcourtly in الغنجcoquetry
وبديعِ الدلِّ قصريَّ الغنج
مَرِهِunpainted with kohl العينِof eye كحيلٍkohl-dark بالدعَجwith deep blackness
مَرِهِ العينِ كحيلٍ بالدعَج
And one of wondrous charm, courtly in coquetry,
With eloquent charm and coyness sublime
His eyes unpainted, yet kohl-dark with their deep blackness.
His bashful glance beguiles like kohl-lined eyes
سمتُهI asked him شيئاًsomething واصغيتُand I listened attentively لهto him
سمتُه شيئاً واصغيتُ له
بعدafter ماthat صرفdrank unmixed wine كأساًa cup ومزَجand mixed it
بعد ما صرف كأساً ومزَج
I asked him for something and listened to him,
Though I yearned for him, to my words gave no heed
After he had drunk a cup neat and mixed his wine.
After drinking his fill, the cup he decries
واستخفَّتهand carried him away علىamid نشوتهhis tipsiness
واستخفَّته على نشوته
نبراتٌnotes منfrom خفيفKhafif rhythm وهزَجand Hazaj rhythm
نبراتٌ من خفيف وهزَج
And, amid his tipsiness, he was carried away
Amused by my joy, he laughed at my glee
By notes of Khafif and Hazaj.
With notes of a tempo light, teasing and sly
فتأبىthen he refused وتثنَّىand swayed خجلاًbashfully
فتأبى وتثنَّى خجلاً
وذراand scattered الدمعَthe tears فُنوناin varied ways ونشجand sobbed
وذرا الدمعَ فُنونا ونشج
Then he refused and swayed bashfully,
Abashed he recoiled, demurring from me
And scattered tears in varied ways, and sobbed.
His tears cascading like founts of regret
لجpersisted فيin لولاwere it not for وفيand in سوفwill ترىyou see
لج في لولا وفي سوف ترى
وكذاand so كفكفheld back عنيfrom me وخلَجand pulled away
وكذا كفكف عني وخلَج
He persisted in 'Were it not...' and 'You shall see,'
With “if only” and “soon you will see”
And so he held back from me and pulled away.
He dismissed me, leaving me forlorn
ذهبَpassed الليلُthe night وماand did not نوَّلنيfavor me
ذهبَ الليلُ وما نوَّلني
دونbefore أنthat أسفرshone forth صبحٌdawn وانبلجand broke into light
دون أن أسفر صبحٌ وانبلج
The night passed, and he granted me nothing
The night passed with no glimpse of morn’s first light
Until dawn shone forth and broke.
Blanketed in fog, horizons still dark
هوَّنَmade easier الأمرَthe matter عليهfor him فَرَجٌFaraj
هوَّنَ الأمرَ عليه فَرَجٌ
بتأتِّيهthrough his tactful approach فسقياًso, blessings of rain لفرجfor Faraj
بتأتِّيه فسقياً لفرج
Faraj made the matter easy for him
But hope buoys his plight
Through his tactful approach—so may rain bless Faraj!
With trysts yet to come, his desires take flight
خَمِرُintoxicating النكهةِof breath لاnot منfrom قهوةٍwine
خَمِرُ النكهةِ لا من قهوةٍ
أرَّجperfumed الأصداغَthe temple-locks بالمسكِwith musk الأرِجfragrant
أرَّج الأصداغَ بالمسكِ الأرِج
His breath was intoxicating, though not from wine;
Not coffee that roused him with fragrant delight
He perfumed his temple-locks with fragrant musk.
But wine that enflamed his cheeks rosy bright
وبنفسيand with my own soul نفسthe soul منof him who قالsaid وقدand already
وبنفسي نفس من قال وقد
كانhad happened ماwhat كانhappened حرامٌforbidden وحَرَجand a sin
كان ما كان حرامٌ وحَرَج
And with my soul I would ransom the soul of him who said—after
In myself I see one who said, as was said
What had happened had happened—'Forbidden, and a sin!'
What was done was forbidden, improper and trite
Sol 6.1