إِنْif كَانَis وَجْهُthe face الربيعof spring مبتسماًsmiling
إِنْ كَانَ وَجْهُ الربيع مبتسماً
فالسَّوسَنُthen the iris المُجْتلىbeheld ثناياهُits front teeth
فالسَّوسَنُ المُجْتلى ثناياهُ
If spring’s face is smiling,
If the face of spring is smiling,
the gleaming iris is its front teeth.
Then the iris we behold is its front teeth.
ياO حسنَهُits beauty سِنَّa tooth ضاحِكٍof a smiling one عَبِقٍfragrant
يا حسنَهُ سِنَّ ضاحِكٍ عَبِقٍ
بطيبِwith the sweetness ريحِof the scent الحبيبِof the beloved رَيَّاهُits fragrance
بطيبِ ريحِ الحبيبِ رَيَّاهُ
How lovely it is—a smiling, fragrant tooth,
How lovely it is—a fragrant smiler's tooth,
fragrant with the sweetness of the beloved’s breath.
Its fragrance sweet with the beloved's scent!
خافَfeared عَلَيْهِfor it الحسودَthe envious one عاشِقُهُits lover
خافَ عَلَيْهِ الحسودَ عاشِقُهُ
فاشتَقَّso he derived منfrom ضِدِّهits opposite فسَمَّاهُand so he named it
فاشتَقَّ من ضِدِّه فسَمَّاهُ
Its lover, fearing the envier’s eye upon it,
Its lover feared the envious one might harm it,
coined its name, sawsan, from its opposite: sūʾ sinn, “bad tooth.”
So he derived a name from its opposite and named it.
وَهْوَand it إِذَاwhen مُغرَمٌa lovestruck admirer تنسَّمهbreathed its scent
وَهْوَ إِذَا مُغرَمٌ تنسَّمه
خلَّىleft عَلَىupon الأَنْفِthe nose منهfrom it سِيماهُits mark
خلَّى عَلَى الأَنْفِ منه سِيماهُ
And when a love-struck soul inhales its scent,
And when a lovestruck admirer breathes its scent,
it leaves upon the nose its mark—
It leaves its mark upon his nose,
كَماjust as يُخَلِّيleaves الحبيبُthe beloved غالِيَةًghaliya, a rich perfume
كَما يُخَلِّي الحبيبُ غالِيَةً
فِيon عارِضَيْthe two cheeks إِلْفِهِof his beloved لِذِكْرَاهُin remembrance of him
فِي عارِضَيْ إِلْفِهِ لِذِكْرَاهُ
just as the beloved leaves costly perfume
Just as the beloved leaves ghaliya perfume
upon his darling’s cheeks, to remember him by.
On his lover's cheeks, in remembrance of him.
يَاO حاجباًchamberlain مُذْsince بَرَاهُfashioned him خالِقُهُhis Creator
يَا حاجباً مُذْ بَرَاهُ خالِقُهُ
توجَّهَcrowned him بالعُلىwith eminence وحَلّاهُand adorned him
توجَّهَ بالعُلى وحَلّاهُ
O chamberlain, ever since his Creator fashioned him,
O chamberlain, whom his Creator, ever since fashioning him,
He crowned him with eminence and adorned him.
Has crowned with eminence and adorned!
إذاwhen رآهsees him الزمانُTime مبتسماًsmiling
إذا رآه الزمانُ مبتسماً
فقدْthen indeed رأىhas seen كُلَّall مَاthat which تَمَنَّاهُwished for it
فقدْ رأى كُلَّ مَا تَمَنَّاهُ
When Time sees him smiling,
When Time sees him smiling,
it has seen all it ever desired.
Then indeed it has seen all it wished for.
وإِنْand if رآهُsees him الهلالُthe crescent moon مُطَّلِعاًappearing
وإِنْ رآهُ الهلالُ مُطَّلِعاً
يقولsays ربِّيmy Lord وربُّكَand your Lord اللهُGod
يقول ربِّي وربُّكَ اللهُ
And if the crescent moon sees him rising into view,
And if the crescent moon sees him appear,
it says, “My Lord and your Lord is God.”
It says, 'God is my Lord and yours.'
Sol 6.1