لاdo not تَحسِبيyou suppose سَباسِبَopen wastes العِراقِIraq
لا تَحسِبي سَباسِبَ العِراقِ
وَنَغَضانَand the jolting القُلُصِthe young she-camels المَناقيwell-fleshed
وَنَغَضانَ القُلُصِ المَناقي
Do not mistake the wastes of Iraq
Do not suppose the pleasure palaces of Iraq,
and the jolting of the plump young she-camels,
Nor its slender-waisted lovelies with eyes like gazelles,
كَأَنَّماas though يَرقَينَthey climb فيin مَراقيstairways
كَأَنَّما يَرقَينَ في مَراقي
نَومَsleep الضُحىthe late morning واضِعَةَhaving lowered الرِواقِthe tent-curtain
نَومَ الضُحى واضِعَةَ الرِواقِ
as though they were climbing steps,
Languorous as they recline at dawn's break to rest,
for late-morning sleep with the tent-curtain lowered.
Languid with drowsiness in the arcades;
هانَwas a small matter عَلىto ذاتِthe woman with الحَشاthe waist الخَفّاقِslender
هانَ عَلى ذاتِ الحَشا الخَفّاقِ
ماwhat لَقِيَتsuffered نَفسيmy soul مِنَof الإِشفاقِapprehension
ما لَقِيَت نَفسي مِنَ الإِشفاقِ
To the slender-waisted woman, it is a small matter—
Little the wild deer cares for the network snare.
what my soul has suffered of apprehension,
Nor have I in my soul met with compassion,
وَماand what تُلاقيendures قَدَميmy foot وَساقيand my leg
وَما تُلاقي قَدَمي وَساقي
مِنَfrom الحَفاfoot-soreness وَعَدَمِand the lack of السُواقِthe camel-drivers
مِنَ الحَفا وَعَدَمِ السُواقِ
and what my foot and my leg endure
And my feet and my legs encounter not
from sore feet and the lack of camel-drivers.
Care for me nor guard against peril-
جارِيَةٌa slave girl مِنfrom among ساكِنيinhabitants of الأَسواقِthe markets
جارِيَةٌ مِن ساكِني الأَسواقِ
لَبّاسَةٌa habitual wearer لِلقُمُصِof the tunics الرِقاقِthe thin ones
لَبّاسَةٌ لِلقُمُصِ الرِقاقِ
A slave girl from among the market-dwellers,
A girl of the common people of the market stalls,
a habitual wearer of thin tunics;
Clad for her master in gossamer thin silks.
أَبغَضُmost hateful ثَوبَيهاher two garments إِلَيهاto her الباقيthe remaining one
أَبغَضُ ثَوبَيها إِلَيها الباقي
تَأكُلُshe eats مِنfrom كيسِpurse of اِمرِئٍa man وَرّاقِrich in silver coins
تَأكُلُ مِن كيسِ اِمرِئٍ وَرّاقِ
of her two garments, she hates the remaining one most.
To her what remains of her garments is hateful.
She eats from the purse of a man rich in silver.
She feeds out of the purse of a fanciful, extravagant man,
قَدindeed وَثِقَتshe is confident إِنif ماتَhe dies بِالنَفاقِof being in demand
قَد وَثِقَت إِن ماتَ بِالنَفاقِ
فَهوَso he عَلَيهاfor her هَيِّنُeasy الفِراقِthe parting
فَهوَ عَلَيها هَيِّنُ الفِراقِ
She is sure, if he dies, that she will be in demand,
Certain that, should he pass away in hypocrisy,
so parting from him is easy for her.
Parting with him would be easy for her.
تَضحَكُshe smiles عَنrevealing ذيone with أُشُرٍtooth-edge serrations بَرّاقِgleaming
تَضحَكُ عَن ذي أُشُرٍ بَرّاقِ
كَالأُقحُوانِlike the chrysanthemum اِهتَزَّswayed فيin البِراقِthe gravelly flats
كَالأُقحُوانِ اِهتَزَّ في البِراقِ
She smiles, revealing gleaming, finely serrated teeth,
She laughs loudly in the face of a rascally dotard,
like a chrysanthemum swaying on the gravelly flats.
Bobbing like a float that danced about wildly in the sea.
Sol 6.1