طرقتshe came by night وساريةُwhile the night-roving ones النجومِof the stars هَجودُwere asleep
طرقت وساريةُ النجومِ هَجودُ
وسرتand she journeyed وشاردةُwhile the wandering ones الرياحِof the winds ركودُwere still
وسرت وشاردةُ الرياحِ ركودُ
She came by night while the night-roving stars slept,
and journeyed while the wandering winds lay still.
مهزوزةswaying هزّthe swaying of القضيبthe slender twig كأنّماas though
مهزوزة هزّ القضيب كأنّما
فيin الرَّيطِfine robes غصنُa bough البانةِof the ban tree الأملودُsupple
في الرَّيطِ غصنُ البانةِ الأملودُ
Swaying as a slender twig sways, as though
she were a supple bough of the ban tree clad in fine robes.
نقعتquenched مساويكُtooth-cleaning sticks الأراكِof the arak tree غليلهَاtheir thirst
نقعت مساويكُ الأراكِ غليلهَا
برضُابهاwith her saliva والهاشميُّwhile the Hashimite صدودُheld aloof
برضُابها والهاشميُّ صدودُ
The arak tooth-sticks quenched their thirst
with her saliva, while the Hashimite held aloof.
ماnot كنتI was أعرفknow والحدودُwhile the restrictions ذريعةٌa pretext
ما كنت أعرف والحدودُ ذريعةٌ
أنّيthat I شقيٌّwas wretched والأراكُwhile the arak tree سعيدُwas fortunate
أنّي شقيٌّ والأراكُ سعيدُ
I did not know—with restrictions as a pretext—
that I was wretched while the arak was fortunate.
والَمندَلُand the aloeswood الهنديُّIndian أولىmore deserving لوif دَرىit knew
والَمندَلُ الهنديُّ أولى لو دَرى
لولاwere it not for أحاظٍshares of luck قُسِّمَتwere apportioned وجُدودُand fortunes
لولا أحاظٍ قُسِّمَت وجُدودُ
And Indian aloeswood would be more deserving, if it knew,
were it not for apportioned lots and fortunes.
Sol 6.1