ماnot كنتI was لولاwere it not for كلفيmy infatuation بالعذارwith cheek-down
ما كنت لولا كلفي بالعذار
أصبوI yearn إلىfor الشربdrinking بكأسfrom a cup of العقارwine
أصبو إلى الشرب بكأس العقار
But for my passion for cheek-down, I would not
Had I not been burdened with passion,
long to drink from a cup of wine.
I would not crave a drink from the cup of wine.
سالflowed كذوبlike molten المسكmusk فيupon وجنةٍa cheek
سال كذوب المسك في وجنةٍ
ورديةٍrosy تجمعmingles ماءًwater ونارand fire
ورديةٍ تجمع ماءً ونار
It flowed like molten musk upon a cheek,
The perfume of musk flows on his rosy cheek,
rosy, mingling water and fire.
Where water and fire mingle together.
هذاthis وماthough not دبstirred جنونيmy madness بهfor it
هذا وما دب جنوني به
فكيفso how أنif تمgrew full بهupon him واستدارand encircled
فكيف أن تم به واستدار
This, though my madness for it has not yet stirred—
And whatever madness has crept into me,
what then, if it grows full upon him and encircles his face?
How could it possibly leave me and go away?
وفاترand languid المقلةthe eye ماnot زلتI ceased منof
وفاتر المقلة ما زلت من
نواظرthe gazes الخلقall people عليهover him أغارI feel jealousy
نواظر الخلق عليه أغار
And a languid-eyed one: I have never ceased
Though my eyelids have become languid, I still
to be jealous over him of other people's gazes.
Envy people their gaze falling upon him.
ملكتهI made him master of رقيmy bondage علىon condition أنهthat he
ملكته رقي على أنه
يجيرhe shelters قلبيmy heart فتعدىbut he transgressed وجارand acted unjustly
يجير قلبي فتعدى وجار
I made him master of my bondage, on condition that he
His beauty has conquered me, so that
shelter my heart; but he transgressed and acted unjustly.
My heart hoped he would shelter it, but he transgressed and did wrong.
ويلاهalas for me منfor صحةhealth أجفانهhis eyelids
ويلاه من صحة أجفانه
وماand what بهاin them منof مرضsickness واحورارand vivid black-and-white eye contrast
وما بها من مرض واحورار
Woe to me for the health of his eyelids,
Woe to the health of his eyelids,
and the sickness and vivid black-and-white beauty within them!
And the sickness and reddening in them!
وآهٍand ah منfor وجنتيهhis two cheeks كلماwhenever
وآهٍ من وجنتيه كلما
تعقربcurled like a scorpion الصدغthe temple-lock عليهاupon it ودارand wound around
تعقرب الصدغ عليها ودار
And ah, for his two cheeks, whenever
And woe to his two cheeks, whenever
the temple-lock curls scorpion-like upon the cheek and winds around!
The sideburn creeps upon them and revolves!
أهيفslender-waisted ماwhat تحتbeneath مزرfastening point القباthe coat
أهيف ما تحت مزر القبا
أبلجradiant ماwhat تحتbeneath مدبcreeping path العذارthe cheek-down
أبلج ما تحت مدب العذار
Slender is what lies beneath the coat's fastening;
Is what lies under the black hair
radiant is what lies beneath the cheek-down's creeping path.
Whiter than what lies under the loose strands?
مثلlike قضيبa bough البانthe bān tree لكنهbut he
مثل قضيب البان لكنه
يحملhe bears فيat أعلاهhis top شمسthe sun النهارof day
يحمل في أعلاه شمس النهار
Like a bough of the bān tree, but he
It is like a stalk of chamomile, except
bears at his crown the sun of day.
The sun at dawn rests upon its top.
وكلماand whenever تاهis lost عليto me اسمهhis name
وكلما تاه علي اسمه
وجدتهI find it فيin الوردroses والجلنارand pomegranate blossoms
وجدته في الورد والجلنار
And whenever his name is lost to me,
And whenever I lose sight of his name,
I find it in roses and pomegranate blossoms.
I find it again in the roses and basil.
Sol 6.1