سمراءُdusky إِلاَّexcept رقةَslenderness الأَسْمَرِthe dusky spear
سمراءُ إِلاَّ رقةَ الأَسْمَرِ
ودَعْand disregard ذُبُولاًwithering لاحَappeared فيin السَّمْهَرِيthe rigid lance
ودَعْ ذُبُولاً لاحَ في السَّمْهَرِي
She is dusky, save for the slenderness of the dusky spear;
She is dark-skinned, yet gentle as dusk
And disregard the withering seen in the rigid lance.
Let go of curls that gleam under moonlight
نشيطةُnimble العِطْفِthe flank إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle انْثَنَتْshe bends
نشيطةُ العِطْفِ إِذا ما انْثَنَتْ
وإand if (truncated) رَنَتْshe gazes فاتنةُenchanting المحْجَرِthe eye socket
وإ رَنَتْ فاتنةُ المحْجَرِ
Lithe of flank whenever she bends,
Lively in gesture when she sways
And if she gazes, her eyes are enchanting.
Alluring when she blinks her kohl-lined eyes
كالزَّهْرةِlike Venus الغرَّاءِradiant لكنهاbut she
كالزَّهْرةِ الغرَّاءِ لكنها
ماnot نظرتْshe looked قطُّever إِلىtoward المُشْتَرِيJupiter
ما نظرتْ قطُّ إِلى المُشْتَرِي
Like radiant Venus, yet she
Like a delicate flower, but one that has
has never once looked toward Jupiter.
Never once glanced at prospective buyers
والحسنand beauty شخصٌa figure لمnot يَزَلْcease قائماًstanding
والحسن شخصٌ لم يَزَلْ قائماً
فيin وجْهِهَاher face المنتقبِveiled المُسْفِرunveiled
في وجْهِهَا المنتقبِ المُسْفِر
And beauty is a figure that has always stood
Beauty itself, ever present
in her face, veiled yet unveiled.
In her veiled, unveiled countenance
تُرِيكَshe shows you إِذwhen تَبْسِمُshe smiles عنwith خَفْرةٍbashfulness
تُرِيكَ إِذ تَبْسِمُ عن خَفْرةٍ
منfrom ثغرِهاher mouth مَنْطَقَتَيْtwo girdles جَوْهَرjewels
من ثغرِها مَنْطَقَتَيْ جَوْهَر
When she smiles bashfully, she shows you
When she smiles discreetly, she shows
two bands of jewels from her mouth.
Two rubies nestled in her parted lips
Sol 6.1