أَجَلyes أَناI فيin لَونِthe color of الشَبيبَةِyouth مُغرَمُenamored
أَجَل أَنا في لَونِ الشَبيبَةِ مُغرَمُ
وَإِنand even if لَجَّpersisted عُذّالٌcensurers وَأَسرَفَand went too far لُوَّمُblamers
وَإِن لَجَّ عُذّالٌ وَأَسرَفَ لُوَّمُ
Yes, I am enamored of the color of youth,
though censurers persist and blamers go too far.
وَماذاand what عَلَيهمto them أَنthat كَلِفتُI became enamored بِأَسوَدٍof a dark-skinned man
وَماذا عَلَيهم أَن كَلِفتُ بِأَسوَدٍ
محلتهُhis dwelling فيin العَينِthe eye وَالقَلبِand the heart مِنهُمُof theirs
محلتهُ في العَينِ وَالقَلبِ مِنهُمُ
And what harm is it to them that I love a dark-skinned man,
whose dwelling is in their eyes and hearts?
وَقَدand indeed عابَنيfaulted me قَومٌsome people بِتَقبيلِfor kissing خَدِّهِhis cheek
وَقَد عابَني قَومٌ بِتَقبيلِ خَدِّهِ
وَماand not ذاكَthat عَيبٌa fault أَسوَدُthe Black Stone الرُكنِof the Corner يُلثَمُis kissed
وَما ذاكَ عَيبٌ أَسوَدُ الرُكنِ يُلثَمُ
Some have faulted me for kissing his cheek,
yet that is no fault: the Corner’s Black Stone is kissed.
لَئِنeven if ضَمَّenclosed جُنحَthe darkness اللَيلِof night أَثناءُthe folds بُردِهِof his cloak
لَئِن ضَمَّ جُنحَ اللَيلِ أَثناءُ بُردِهِ
لَقَدsurely شَقَّparted عَنto reveal مِثلِthe likeness of الصَباحِdawn التَبَسُّمُthe smile
لَقَد شَقَّ عَن مِثلِ الصَباحِ التَبَسُّمُ
Though the folds of his cloak enclose the darkness of night,
his smile has surely parted to reveal the likeness of dawn.
وَماand not شانَهُmarred him لَونُthe color السَوادِof blackness لِأَنَّهُbecause he
وَما شانَهُ لَونُ السَوادِ لِأَنَّهُ
بِغُرِّby the brightness of الثَناياthe front teeth وَالخَلائِقِand character مُعلَمُdistinguished
بِغُرِّ الثَنايا وَالخَلائِقِ مُعلَمُ
Nor has his black hue marred him, for he
is distinguished by gleaming front teeth and noble character.
فَكَمfor how many a أَشقَرٍchestnut horse يَومَon the day of النزالِbattle رَأَيتَهُyou have seen it الـthe
فَكَم أَشقَرٍ يَومَ النزالِ رَأَيتَهُ الـ
ـسُكَيتَlast-place finisher وَجَلّىand took first place يقدمُgoes ahead of النَقعَthe dust أَدهَمُa black horse
ـسُكَيتَ وَجَلّى يقدمُ النَقعَ أَدهَمُ
How many a chestnut on battle day have you seen as the
last to finish, while a black steed took first place, outstripping the dust!
وَمُستَعجِمِand many an inarticulate one الأَلفاظِin speech يُفصِحُspeaks clearly تارَةًat times
وَمُستَعجِمِ الأَلفاظِ يُفصِحُ تارَةً
وَيُرتَجُand is shut off عَنهُfrom him تارَةًat times فَيُجَمجمُso he stammers
وَيُرتَجُ عَنهُ تارَةً فَيُجَمجمُ
And many an inarticulate speaker speaks clearly at times,
and at others speech fails him, so he stammers.
Sol 6.1