وَغَيدَاءَand a graceful woman لاnot تَرضىshe consents بِلَثمِيَto my kissing خدّهاher cheek
وَغَيدَاءَ لا تَرضى بِلَثمِيَ خدّها
إذاif لمnot أُلاطفْI gently humor عِزّهَاher pride بتذَلّلِwith self-abasement
إذا لم أُلاطفْ عِزّهَا بتذَلّلِ
And a graceful woman who will not consent to my kissing her cheek
Ghada does not accept my kiss on her cheek
unless I humor her pride with self-abasement.
Unless I flatter her pride with submission
لَهاshe has حُمرَةُthe redness الياقوتِof ruby فيin خَدِّa cheek مخْجَلٍblushing
لَها حُمرَةُ الياقوتِ في خَدِّ مخْجَلٍ
وَقَسوَتهand its hardness منهاof hers بِقَلبِin a heart مُدَلّلِpampered
وَقَسوَته منها بِقَلبِ مُدَلّلِ
She has the ruby’s redness in a blushing cheek,
Her cheeks blush like ruby in modesty
and its hardness in a pampered heart of hers.
Yet her heart remains hard and spoiled
كَأنِّيas though I أَرىI see هاروتَHarut مِنهاfrom her مُصَوَّراًportrayed
كَأنِّي أَرى هاروتَ مِنها مُصَوَّراً
علىin صورتيmy likeness فيin كلِّevery طرْفٍeye مكحَّلِkohl-lined
على صورتي في كلِّ طرْفٍ مكحَّلِ
It is as though I see Harut portrayed in her,
It's as if I see Harut incarnated in her
in my own likeness, in every kohl-lined eye.
In my image in each glance of her kohl-lined eyes
Sol 6.1