كيفhow قلتُمْyou (plural) said ماno عندَwith عينيْهhis two eyes ثارُblood-debt
كيف قلتُمْ ما عندَ عينيْه ثارُ
وبخدَّيْهand on his two cheeks منfrom دميmy blood آثارُtraces
وبخدَّيْه من دمي آثارُ
How could you say his eyes owe no blood-debt,
How could you say my eyes have no tears
when his cheeks bear traces of my blood?
When my cheeks bear traces of my blood
لوif شهدتمyou (plural) witnessed إِعْراضَهhis turning away وخُضوعيand my submission
لو شهدتم إِعْراضَه وخُضوعي
لمnot يكنْthere would be فيin قضيّتيmy case إِنكارdenial
لم يكنْ في قضيّتي إِنكار
Had you witnessed his turning away and my submission,
Had you witnessed his indifference and my submission
there would be no denying my case.
My case would not have been denied
ياO لَقوميmy people, to the rescue وكيفand how تُنْكرdeny قتليmy slaying
يا لَقومي وكيف تُنْكر قتلي
لَحَظاتٌglances جُحودُهاtheir denial إِقرارan admission
لَحَظاتٌ جُحودُها إِقرار
Help, my people! How can my slaying be denied
Oh my people, how could you deny my murder
by glances whose denial is an admission?
When his rejection lasted but moments of admission
إِنif تطلّبتُمُyou (plural) seek منfrom الطرْفthe eye
إِن تطلّبتُمُ من الطرْف
والوجْنةand the cheek عُذريmy excuse ففيهماthen in both أَعذارexcuses
والوجْنة عُذري ففيهما أَعذار
If you seek from the eye
If you asked my eyes and cheeks for an excuse
and cheek my excuse, in both lie excuses.
In them you’d find ample justification
أضوunclear in the supplied text سأَلتُمْyou (plural) asked أَيُّwhich of البديعيْنthe two beauties أَذْكىkindled
أضو سأَلتُمْ أَيُّ البديعيْن أَذْكى
جُلَّthe greater part of ناريmy fire فذلكthen that is الجُلَّنارthe pomegranate blossom
جُلَّ ناري فذلك الجُلَّنار
[Unclear opening] You asked which of the two beauties kindled
If you asked who was wittier of the eloquent
the greater part of my fire: it was the pomegranate blossom.
My burning embers would name that kindler
ماnot أَرانيhas shown me ليليmy night بغيرwithout نهارٍdaylight
ما أَراني ليلي بغير نهارٍ
غيرُexcept ليلٍa night يلوحgleams فيهwithin it نهارُdaylight
غيرُ ليلٍ يلوح فيه نهارُ
My night, without daylight, has shown me
I see my nights with Laila as naught but days
only a night in which daylight gleams.
My nights without her, nights minus all light
زادincreased إِراقُradiance (uncertain reading) وجههhis face بينbetween صُدغيْهhis two temples
زاد إِراقُ وجهه بين صُدغيْه
وفيand in الليلthe night تُشْرقshine الأَقمارthe moons
وفي الليل تُشْرق الأَقمار
His face's [radiance?] increased between his temples,
The flow between his cheeks augments
and moons shine in the night.
And in the dark, the moons shine bright
لاdo not تسلْنيask me عنabout الهوىlove فهوfor it is فيin
لا تسلْني عن الهوى فهو في
الأَجفانthe eyelids ماءٌwater وفيand in الجوانحthe ribs نارfire
الأَجفان ماءٌ وفي الجوانح نار
Do not ask me about love, for it is in
Ask me not about passion, for in my lids it’s water
the eyelids, water; and within the ribs, fire.
And in my soul, it’s inner fire alight
ويظنّand thinks العذولُthe reproacher أَنّthat مشيبيmy graying
ويظنّ العذولُ أَنّ مشيبي
ضاحكٌsmiling عنهrevealing it لِمَّةٌlocks of hair وعِذارand sideburns
ضاحكٌ عنه لِمَّةٌ وعِذار
And the reproacher thinks my graying
The chaste think my temples turned gray
is what my locks and sideburns smile to reveal.
Laughing off any taunt or humiliation
لمnot أَشِبI have gone gray غيرonly أَنّthat نارthe fire of فؤاديmy heart
لم أَشِب غير أَنّ نار فؤادي
أُلهبتwas kindled فاعتلىso rose above الدُّخانthe smoke شرارُsparks
أُلهبت فاعتلى الدُّخان شرارُ
I have not gone gray; it is only that my heart's fire
I haven't grown old, just the fire in my heart
was kindled, and sparks rose above the smoke.
Made the sparks from smoke rise high
Sol 6.1