وَمُسْتَحِثِّand a rouser of الأَوْتَارِthe strings مِنْfrom نَامِgrowing (wood)
وَمُسْتَحِثِّ الأَوْتَارِ مِنْ نَامِ
لاَnot بِعَيِيٍّtongue-tied وَلاَnor بِتَمْتَامِa stammerer
لاَ بِعَيِيٍّ وَلاَ بِتَمْتَامِ
And a rouser of strings, made from growing wood,
Neither tongue-tied nor stammering,
فِيin حِجْرِthe lap of مَجْدُولَةٍa slender woman مُذَكَّرَةٍboyish
فِي حِجْرِ مَجْدُولَةٍ مُذَكَّرَةٍ
غَلاَمُa boy خَلْفٍfrom behind فَتَاةُa girl قُدَّامِfrom the front
غَلاَمُ خَلْفٍ فَتَاةُ قُدَّامِ
In the lap of a slender, boyish woman—
A boy from behind, a girl from the front.
تَلْوِيshe twists مَلاَوِيْهِhis tuning pegs مِنْfrom أَنَامِلِهَاher fingertips
تَلْوِي مَلاَوِيْهِ مِنْ أَنَامِلِهَا
لُطْفَاًin delicacy وَقَدَّاًand in shape بِمِثْلِwith the like of أَقْلاَمِpens
لُطْفَاً وَقَدَّاً بِمِثْلِ أَقْلاَمِ
She twists his tuning pegs with her fingertips,
Like pens in their delicacy and shape.
تَعْرُكُshe rubs آذَانَهُhis ears وَتَخْنُقُهُand chokes him
تَعْرُكُ آذَانَهُ وَتَخْنُقُهُ
مَاwhat lies بَيْنَbetween سَبَّابَةٍa forefinger وَإِبْهَامِand a thumb
مَا بَيْنَ سَبَّابَةٍ وَإِبْهَامِ
She rubs his ears and chokes him
Between forefinger and thumb.
قَالَتْshe said لَهُto him وَاليَمِيْنُwhile the right hand تُنْطِقُهُmakes him speak
قَالَتْ لَهُ وَاليَمِيْنُ تُنْطِقُهُ
عَصَيْتُI defied فِيْمَنْfor the one whom هَوِيْتُI loved لُوَّامِيmy reproachers
عَصَيْتُ فِيْمَنْ هَوِيْتُ لُوَّامِي
She said to him, as her right hand made him speak:
“I defied my reproachers for the one I loved.”
فَقَالَso he said يَحْدُوsinging بِمِثْلِto the like of نَغْمَتِهَاher melody
فَقَالَ يَحْدُو بِمِثْلِ نَغْمَتِهَا
وَإِنْand even if أَطَالَprolongs الحَبِيْبُthe beloved إِرْغَامِيmy humiliation
وَإِنْ أَطَالَ الحَبِيْبُ إِرْغَامِي
So he replied, singing in a melody like hers:
“And even if the beloved prolongs my humiliation.”
Sol 6.1