مَنْwho عاذِريone who excuses me مَنْwho ناصِريmy supporter مَنْwho مُنْصفيone who does me justice
مَنْ عاذِري مَنْ ناصِري مَنْ مُنْصفي
هذاthis دَميmy blood سَفكَتْهُshe spilled it بِنْتُthe daughter of المُنصِفِal-Munsif (the fair one)
هذا دَمي سَفكَتْهُ بِنْتُ المُنصِفِ
Who will excuse me? Who will support me? Who will do me justice?
Who shall excuse me, who shall aid me, who shall do me justice?
This is my blood, spilled by the daughter of al-Munsif,
This is my blood, shed by the daughter of the just man,
بِفِرَنْدِwith the damask sheen of خَدٍّa cheek كالحُسامِlike the sword مُذَرَّبٍkeenly sharpened
بِفِرَنْدِ خَدٍّ كالحُسامِ مُذَرَّبٍ
وقَوامِand the poise of قَدٍّa figure كالقَناةِlike the spear-shaft مُثَقَّفِstraightened
وقَوامِ قَدٍّ كالقَناةِ مُثَقَّفِ
With the damask sheen of a cheek like a keenly sharpened sword,
With a tender cheek like an Indian sword, finely sharpened,
And the poise of a figure like a straightened spear-shaft,
And a slender form like a delicate branch, gracefully curved,
وسِهامِand arrows of لحظٍa glance عَنْfrom قِسِيِّbows of حَواجبٍeyebrows
وسِهامِ لحظٍ عَنْ قِسِيِّ حَواجبٍ
تَرْميshe shoots بِرِيْشِwith the feathering of الهِدْبِthe lashes مِنْfrom طَرفٍan eye خَفيfurtive
تَرْمي بِرِيْشِ الهِدْبِ مِنْ طَرفٍ خَفي
And arrows of glances from the bows of eyebrows,
And glances from languid, heavily fringed eyelids,
She shoots them, fletched with lashes, from a furtive eye.
That shoot the arrows of love from a hidden corner.
سَفكَتْspilled أنامِلُهاher fingertips الدِّماءَblood فَقَدْand indeed غَدَتْit has become
سَفكَتْ أنامِلُها الدِّماءَ فَقَدْ غَدَتْ
عَلَماًa mark بِرَخْصِupon the softness of بَنانِهاher fingers المُطَّرِّفِhenna-tipped
عَلَماً بِرَخْصِ بَنانِها المُطَّرِّفِ
Her fingertips spilled blood, and it has now become
Her rosy fingers have shed this blood, and so they have become
A mark upon her soft, henna-tipped fingers.
Banners proclaiming the cheapness of her flirtatious ways.
إيهٍspeak on! غُزَيِّلةَlittle gazelle of الأراكِthe arak trees مَنِwho الَّذيthe one who
إيهٍ غُزَيِّلةَ الأراكِ مَنِ الَّذي
أغْراكِincited you بِيagainst me ظُلماًunjustly ولَمّاand has not yet يُنْصِفِacted fairly
أغْراكِ بِي ظُلماً ولَمّا يُنْصِفِ
Tell me, little gazelle of the arak trees, who is it
Alas, Gazelle of the sand dunes, who has wronged me unjustly?
Who set you unjustly upon me, and has not yet been fair?
Who will do me justice against you?
أتُراكِdid you, I wonder حِيْنَwhen سَبَرْتِyou tested سُبْلَthe paths of تَصَبُّريmy patient endurance
أتُراكِ حِيْنَ سَبَرْتِ سُبْلَ تَصَبُّري
ألفَيتِyou found خِلَّكِyour lover قدalready أحَلَّbroke his pledge ولمand did not يَفِkeep faith
ألفَيتِ خِلَّكِ قد أحَلَّ ولم يَفِ
Did you, I wonder, when you tested the paths of my endurance,
Did you think, when you traced the paths of aloofness,
Find your lover had broken his pledge and failed to keep faith?
That your people had changed and become unjust?
كَلاّnot at all! انْطِباعيmy inclination فيin هَواكِlove for you طَبيعةٌan inborn nature
كَلاّ انْطِباعي في هَواكِ طَبيعةٌ
أضْحىhas become بِهاthrough it كَلَفيmy passion بِغَيرِwithout تَكَلُّفِaffectation
أضْحى بِها كَلَفي بِغَيرِ تَكَلُّفِ
No: my inclination toward loving you is inborn;
No, my attachment to you is natural,
Through it, my passion has become free of pretence.
I have become accustomed to it without affectation.
أَأُخيَّةَO little sister of البَدْرِthe full moon المُنيرِshining وضرَّةَand rival of الthe
أَأُخيَّةَ البَدْرِ المُنيرِ وضرَّةَ ال
غصنِbough النَّضيرfresh and green وربَّةَand mistress of القَلْبthe heart الوَفيfaithful
غصنِ النَّضير وربَّةَ القَلْب الوَفي
O little sister of the shining full moon, and rival of the
O sister of the radiant full moon, charm of the delicate branch,
Fresh green bough, and mistress of the faithful heart,
And lady of the faithful heart!
للهِto God أنتِyou مَهاةَan oryx خِدْرٍa secluded chamber لوif بَدتْshe appeared
للهِ أنتِ مَهاةَ خِدْرٍ لو بَدتْ
للشَّمسِto the sun حَيَّتْهاit greeted her ولَمand did not تَتوقَّفِhesitate
للشَّمسِ حَيَّتْها ولَم تَتوقَّفِ
God be praised for you, an oryx of the secluded chamber! Were she to appear
By God, you are the priceless treasure, were you to appear
Before the sun, it would greet her without hesitation.
To the sun, it would halt in its course and stand still.
هَيفاءُslender-waisted يَثْنِيهاbends her الصِّباyouth طَوعَobedient to الصَّباthe east wind
هَيفاءُ يَثْنِيها الصِّبا طَوعَ الصَّبا
تَلْتاحُshe shines forth عنrevealing مِثلِthe likeness of الصَّباحِthe dawn المُشْرِفِradiant
تَلْتاحُ عن مِثلِ الصَّباحِ المُشْرِفِ
Slender-waisted, youth bends her to the east wind's will;
Haifaa, whom the breeze bends gently like the morning breeze,
She shines forth, revealing the likeness of the radiant dawn.
She is too shy to reveal her morning beauty.
دُريَّةِpearl-like الجِسمِin body استُشِفَّwas seen through أديُمهاher skin
دُريَّةِ الجِسمِ استُشِفَّ أديُمها
فَيكادُso it almost مُضْمَرُthe concealed part of سِرِّهاher secret لاnot يَختفيremain hidden
فَيكادُ مُضْمَرُ سِرِّها لا يَختفي
Pearly in body, her skin is translucent,
The smoothness of her body can be glimpsed through her clothes,
So her innermost secret can scarcely remain hidden.
So her hidden charms are scarcely concealed.
لانَتْbecame pliant أعالِيهاher upper parts لِغِلْظَةِbecause of the fullness of سُفْلِهاher lower parts
لانَتْ أعالِيها لِغِلْظَةِ سُفْلِها
ياجَوْرَoh, the tyranny of رِدْفَيْهاher two buttocks وحَمْلَand the burden of المعطفِthe flank
ياجَوْرَ رِدْفَيْها وحَمْلَ المعطفِ
Her upper body yields to the fullness of her lower body;
The slenderness of her waist contrasts with the fullness of her hips -
Oh, the tyranny of her buttocks, and the burden on her flank!
What an imbalance between her shoulders and trunk!
حَسناءُa beautiful woman قدindeed جَلَّتhas risen above بِفَضلِthrough the excellence of جَمالِهاher beauty
حَسناءُ قد جَلَّت بِفَضلِ جَمالِها
عَنْabove زِينةٍadornment بِتَطَوُّقٍby wearing necklaces وتَشَنُّفِand wearing earrings
عَنْ زِينةٍ بِتَطَوُّقٍ وتَشَنُّفِ
A beauty whose surpassing loveliness has raised her
A beauty who surpasses all adornment and ostentation,
Above adornment with necklaces and earrings.
Through the excellence of her beauty.
غَنَّاءُsweet-voiced مُغنِيةٌrendering needless بِحُسنِthrough the beauty of غِنائِهاher singing
غَنَّاءُ مُغنِيةٌ بِحُسنِ غِنائِها
عَنْthe need for لَذَّةِthe pleasure of المَغْنىthe dwelling وطيبِand the sweetness of المألفِthe familiar haunt
عَنْ لَذَّةِ المَغْنى وطيبِ المألفِ
Sweet-voiced, her lovely singing renders needless
A songstress whose singing surpasses the sweetest melody,
The pleasure of home and the sweetness of familiar haunts.
Through the charm of her song and the grace of her composition.
إنْif تَشْدُshe sings فَالأسماعُthen the ears رَهْنُcaptive to تَشَوُّفٍeager expectation
إنْ تَشْدُ فَالأسماعُ رَهْنُ تَشَوُّفٍ
أوor تَبْدُshe appears فالأبصارُthen the eyes رَهْنُcaptive to توقُّفِstillness
أو تَبْدُ فالأبصارُ رَهْنُ توقُّفِ
If she sings, ears are captive to eager expectation;
If she begins to sing, the ears are held in longing,
Or if she appears, eyes are held transfixed.
If she appears, the eyes are fixed in wonder.
مِلءُfilling المَسامِعِthe ears والنَّواظِرand the eyes بَهْجَةًwith delight
مِلءُ المَسامِعِ والنَّواظِر بَهْجَةً
ماthere is no مِثلُهاher equal حدِّثspeak بِذاof this ثُمَّthen احْلِفِswear
ما مِثلُها حدِّث بِذا ثُمَّ احْلِفِ
She fills ears and eyes with delight;
She fills eyes and ears with a joy that is unparalleled -
None is like her—say so, then swear to it.
Speak of this, then swear it is true!
طُبِعَتْshe was fashioned علىaccording to طَبْعِthe nature of النُّفوسِsouls فَشخصُهاso her person
طُبِعَتْ على طَبْعِ النُّفوسِ فَشخصُها
قَصْدُthe aim of المُحِبِّthe lover وطُرْفَةُand the rare delight of المُتَطرِّفِthe seeker of rarities
قَصْدُ المُحِبِّ وطُرْفَةُ المُتَطرِّفِ
She was fashioned to suit the nature of souls, so her person
She is naturally disposed to win men's hearts, so her person
Is the lover's aim and the rarity-seeker's delight.
Is the desire of the lover and the delight of the admirer.
ياO شمسَsun of حُسْنٍbeauty قَدindeed شَدَتْhas sung شَمْسَthe sun of الضُّحىthe forenoon
يا شمسَ حُسْنٍ قَد شَدَتْ شَمْسَ الضُّحى
إنif شئتِyou wish فالتاحِيthen shine forth وإنْand if شئتِyou wish اخْتَفيhide yourself
إن شئتِ فالتاحِي وإنْ شئتِ اخْتَفي
O sun of beauty, who has sung of the forenoon sun,
O sun of beauty, you have outshone the sun itself -
If you wish, shine forth; and if you wish, hide.
Reveal yourself or disappear as you wish!
ياخُوطةًO tender shoot مَهماwhenever انثَنتْit bends ثَنَتِit bends النُّهىreason
ياخُوطةً مَهما انثَنتْ ثَنَتِ النُّهى
هلis there عَطْفةٌa kindly turn تشفيthat heals صَبابَةthe yearning of مُتْلَفِone brought to ruin
هل عَطْفةٌ تشفي صَبابَة مُتْلَفِ
O tender shoot, whose every sway sways reason,
O you, whose dainty figure sways so gracefully,
Is there a kindly turn to heal a ruined lover's longing?
Can any charm compare with your gentle ways?
أوَماand does she not تَرِقُّfeel pity عَلىfor مُحِبٍّa lover مالَهُwho has no
أوَما تَرِقُّ عَلى مُحِبٍّ مالَهُ
أملٌhope سواكِother than you أجَلْyes وماby what فيin المُصْحَفِthe Qur'an
أملٌ سواكِ أجَلْ وما في المُصْحَفِ
And does she not pity a lover who has
Is there any hope for a lover unless it be you?
No hope but you? Yes, by what is in the Qur'an!
Indeed no, neither in life nor in the Holy Book!
هَلّاwhy not اقْتديتِyou modeled yourself بمعطَفيْكِafter your two flanks فَتَعطِفيand thus show compassion
هَلّا اقْتديتِ بمعطَفيْكِ فَتَعطِفي
هَلّاwhy not ارْتَدَيْتِyou put on حُلَىthe ornaments of أبيكِyour father فَتُنْصِفيand thus be fair
هَلّا ارْتَدَيْتِ حُلَى أبيكِ فَتُنْصِفي
Why not follow your supple flanks' example, and show compassion?
Why can you not be kind, like your mantle?
Why not don your father's ornaments, and so be fair?
Why can you not be just, like your noble father?
ماnot أنتِyou مُنصِفةٌfair ولاnor ابْنَةُthe daughter of مُنْصِفٍa fair man
ما أنتِ مُنصِفةٌ ولا ابْنَةُ مُنْصِفٍ
كَذبَhas lied الهَوىlove إنif كُنتyou are بنْتَthe daughter of المُنصِفِal-Munsif (the fair one)
كَذبَ الهَوى إن كُنت بنْتَ المُنصِفِ
You are not fair, nor the daughter of a fair man;
You are not just, nor the daughter of a just man -
Love has lied if you are the daughter of al-Munsif.
Passion lied if I called you daughter of the just man!
Sol 6.1