مهفهفُslender القدِّthe figure إذاwhen ماemphatic particle انثنىhe swayed
مهفهفُ القدِّ إذا ما انثنى
قالَhe said ولاand not يخشىhe fears منَfrom الردِّthe retort
قالَ ولا يخشى منَ الردِّ
Slender of figure, whenever he sways,
The sand dune bends with the wind, fearing no return,
he says, fearing no retort:
"You are not my beloved, O winding hills,
ماnot أنتَyou حمليmy burden ياO كثيبَdune اللوىal-Liwa
ما أنتَ حملي يا كثيبَ اللوى
ولستَand you are not ياO غصنَbough النوىseparation قديmy stature
ولستَ يا غصنَ النوى قدي
“You are not my burden, O dune of al-Liwa,
Nor you, O bending branch of Nawan trees.
nor are you my stature, O bough of separation.”
If I were to steal a kiss from his cheek,
لوْif نلتُI obtained مِنْfrom خدَّيهِhis two cheeks تقبيلةًa kiss
لوْ نلتُ مِنْ خدَّيهِ تقبيلةً
تزيَّنَbecame adorned الريحانُthe basil بالوردِwith roses
تزيَّنَ الريحانُ بالوردِ
If I won a kiss from his cheeks,
The myrtle would adorn itself with roses."
the basil would be adorned with roses.
Partial English translation: 5 of 6 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1