وَقَفَتْshe stood تُصَوِّرُنِيportraying me وَتُؤْثِرُand favors جَانِباًa side
وَقَفَتْ تُصَوِّرُنِي وَتُؤْثِرُ جَانِباً
يَبْدُوis visible لَهَاto her مِنِّيof me وَتُغَفِلُand overlooks سَائِريthe rest of me
يَبْدُو لَهَا مِنِّي وَتُغَفِلُ سَائِري
She stood portraying me, favoring one side
of me that was visible to her, overlooking the rest.
وَلَوand if اسْتَطَعْتُI could لَرُحْتُI would set about أَثِبِتُI record رَسْمَهَاher image
وَلَو اسْتَطَعْتُ لَرُحْتُ أَثِبِتُ رَسْمَهَا
بِالنَّاظِرَيْنِwith both eyes وَمَاand not اكْتَفَيْتُI was content بِنَاظِرِwith one eye
بِالنَّاظِرَيْنِ وَمَا اكْتَفَيْتُ بِنَاظِرِ
And if I could, I would set about capturing her image
with both my eyes, not content with one.
يَاO رَبَّةmistress of الفَنِّart البَدِيعِwondrous بِصِدْقِهِthrough its truthfulness
يَا رَبَّة الفَنِّ البَدِيعِ بِصِدْقِهِ
لاdo not تَصْدُقِيهِbe true to it تَلَطَّفاًout of kindness بِالشَّاعِرِto the poet
لا تَصْدُقِيهِ تَلَطَّفاً بِالشَّاعِرِ
O mistress of art, wondrous in its truth,
do not be true to it, out of kindness to the poet.
أَخْشَىI fear كَثِيراًgreatly مِنْof إِجَادَتِكِyour mastery الَّتِيwhich
أَخْشَى كَثِيراً مِنْ إِجَادَتِكِ الَّتِي
تَجْلُوlays bare بِلاwithout رِفْقٍgentleness دَمَامَةَugliness ظَاهِرِيmy outward appearance
تَجْلُو بِلا رِفْقٍ دَمَامَةَ ظَاهِرِي
I greatly fear your mastery, which
lays bare, without gentleness, my outward ugliness,
إِلاَّexcept إِذاif مَاemphatic particle جَاءَcame forth رَسْمِيmy portrait نَاطِقاًspeaking
إِلاَّ إِذا مَا جَاءَ رَسْمِي نَاطِقاً
فَلَقَدْfor perhaps أَكُونُI am ومَنْطِقِيand my speech هُوَit سَاتِرِيmy veil
فَلَقَدْ أَكُونُ ومَنْطِقِي هُوَ سَاتِرِي
unless my portrait should come forth speaking—
for my speech may well be what conceals me.
لِيَعُنْكِmay he aid you رَبُّكyour Lord يَاO مُصَوِّرَتِيmy portraitist عَلىwith
لِيَعُنْكِ رَبُّك يَا مُصَوِّرَتِي عَلى
مَاwhat سُمْتِyou imposed upon فَنَّكyour art مِنْof عَنَاءٍtoil بَاهِرoverwhelming
مَا سُمْتِ فَنَّك مِنْ عَنَاءٍ بَاهِر
May your Lord aid you, O my portraitist, with
the overwhelming toil you have imposed upon your art.
أَمَّاas for أَنَاI فَلَقَدْthen indeed رَسَمْتُكِI have drawn you فِيin الحِجَىthe mind
أَمَّا أَنَا فَلَقَدْ رَسَمْتُكِ فِي الحِجَى
رَسْماًa portrait بِهِthrough it مَلأَfilled السُّرُورُjoy سَرَائِرِيmy inner depths
رَسْماً بِهِ مَلأَ السُّرُورُ سَرَائِرِي
As for me, I have indeed drawn you in my mind—
a portrait through which joy has filled my inner depths.
لكِfor you فِيهِin it مِرْآةٌa mirror إِذَاwhen اسْتَطْلَعْتِهَاyou look into it
لكِ فِيهِ مِرْآةٌ إِذَا اسْتَطْلَعْتِهَا
رَاعَتْكِwill astound you أَلْوَانُthe hues الجَمَالِbeauty السَّاحِرِenchanting
رَاعَتْكِ أَلْوَانُ الجَمَالِ السَّاحِرِ
In it you have a mirror; when you look into it,
the hues of enchanting beauty will astound you.
Sol 6.1