وَحَديثِand recent عَهدٍexperience بِالفِطامِwith weaning كَأَنَّماas though
وَحَديثِ عَهدٍ بِالفِطامِ كَأَنَّما
قَدalready صيغَwas fashioned مِنfrom صَدفِيةٍa shell بَيضاءِwhite
قَد صيغَ مِن صَدفِيةٍ بَيضاءِ
And a child only just weaned, as though
With the freshness of one just weaned, as though
he had been fashioned from a white shell.
Molded of white pearl.
سُبحانَGlory be to مَنthe One who أَذكىkindled بِصَفحَةِon the surface of خَدِّهِhis cheek
سُبحانَ مَن أَذكى بِصَفحَةِ خَدِّهِ
ناراًa fire يُؤَجَّجُis stoked وَقدُهاits blaze فيin ماءِwater
ناراً يُؤَجَّجُ وَقدُها في ماءِ
Glory to Him who kindled upon the surface of his cheek
Glory to Him who kindled by his cheek's surface
a fire whose blaze is stoked in water,
A fire whose fuel is in the water.
وَأَنارَand lit up ضَوءَthe light of جَبينِهِhis brow مُتَوَضِّحاًshining clearly
وَأَنارَ ضَوءَ جَبينِهِ مُتَوَضِّحاً
فيin لَيلَةٍa night مِنof شَعرِهِhis hair لَيلاءِpitch-dark
في لَيلَةٍ مِن شَعرِهِ لَيلاءِ
and made the light of his brow shine bright
And illuminated the glow of his forehead, shining
in the pitch-dark night of his hair.
In a night of his hair, dark and black.
يَفتَرُّparts his lips عَنto reveal مِثلِthe like of الجُمانِpearls مُؤَشَّرٍfinely serrated
يَفتَرُّ عَن مِثلِ الجُمانِ مُؤَشَّرٍ
قَدalready صينَwas protected تَحتَbeneath عَقيقَةٍan agate حَمراءِred
قَد صينَ تَحتَ عَقيقَةٍ حَمراءِ
He smiles, revealing finely serrated, pearl-like teeth,
He would put to shame the like of perfect moons, adorned
kept safe beneath a red agate.
Beneath a red carnelian.
وَمُضَيَّقُand narrow of الأَلحاظِglances يَهزَأُmocks سِحرُهاtheir magic
وَمُضَيَّقُ الأَلحاظِ يَهزَأُ سِحرُها
وَفُتورُهاand their languor بِالمُقلَةِat the eye النَجلاءِlarge and wide-open
وَفُتورُها بِالمُقلَةِ النَجلاءِ
And his narrow eyes, whose magic mocks—
The narrowed glances make fun of her sorcery
along with their languor—the large, wide-open eye.
And her languor with the soft dark eyes.
وَكَأَنَّماand as though بُرداهُhis two cloaks فيduring خَطراتِهِhis swaying steps
وَكَأَنَّما بُرداهُ في خَطراتِهِ
سُنّاwere draped (both) عَلىover يَزينَةٍa Yazani spear (reading uncertain) سَمراءِdusky
سُنّا عَلى يَزينَةٍ سَمراءِ
And as he sways, his two cloaks seem
As if his clothes in their motions
to have been draped over a dusky Yazani spear.
Are rays upon a brown bow.
ماnot إِنemphasizes the negation رَأَيتُI have seen وَلاnor سَمِعتُI have heard بِمِثلِهاof its like
ما إِن رَأَيتُ وَلا سَمِعتُ بِمِثلِها
نَجمٌa star تَوَلَّدَwas born مِنهُfrom it بَدرُa full moon سَماءِof the sky
نَجمٌ تَوَلَّدَ مِنهُ بَدرُ سَماءِ
Never have I seen or heard of its like:
Never have I seen or heard the like of her,
a star from which a full moon of heaven was born.
A star from which a full moon is born.
Sol 6.1