أَحِمَىis the precinct...? الْجَزِيرَةِthe island مَطْلَعُrising place الشَّمْسِthe sun
أَحِمَى الْجَزِيرَةِ مَطْلَعُ الشَّمْسِ
أَمْor لاحَappeared ضَوْءُradiance غَزَالَةِa female gazelle الإِنْسِhumankind
أَمْ لاحَ ضَوْءُ غَزَالَةِ الإِنْسِ
Is the island's precinct the sun's rising place,
The sun rises over the island
Or has the radiance of a human gazelle appeared?
Or the glow of a doe's light
خَرَجَتْshe went out إِلَىto الْبُسْتَانِthe garden لاهِيَةًamusing herself
خَرَجَتْ إِلَى الْبُسْتَانِ لاهِيَةً
تَخْتَالُshe sways proudly بَيْنَamong كَواعِبٍfull-breasted maidens خَمْسِfive
تَخْتَالُ بَيْنَ كَواعِبٍ خَمْسِ
She went out to the garden, enjoying herself,
She went out to the garden playfully
Swaying proudly among five full-breasted maidens.
Sashaying among five maidens
فَتَبِعْتُso I followed مَسْرَاهاher path عَلَىin عَجَلٍhaste
فَتَبِعْتُ مَسْرَاها عَلَى عَجَلٍ
حَتَّىuntil ظَفِرْتُI obtained بِنَظْرَةٍwith a glance خَلْسِstolen
حَتَّى ظَفِرْتُ بِنَظْرَةٍ خَلْسِ
So I followed her path in haste,
I followed her path hastily
Until I won a stolen glance.
Until I stole a furtive glance
فَسَتَرْنَهَاso they hid her عَنِّيfrom me وَسِرْنَand they walked بِهَاwith her
فَسَتَرْنَهَا عَنِّي وَسِرْنَ بِهَا
فِيin رَوْضَةٍa garden فَيْنَانَةِlushly spreading الْغَرْسِthe planted trees
فِي رَوْضَةٍ فَيْنَانَةِ الْغَرْسِ
So they screened her from me and walked with her
She hid herself from me and slipped away
In a garden of lushly spreading trees.
To a garden of burgeoning trees
فَوَقَفْتُso I stood مَطْوِيَّاًfolded inward عَلَىupon كَمَدٍgrief
فَوَقَفْتُ مَطْوِيَّاً عَلَى كَمَدٍ
وَمَضَتْand went on عَلَىin آثَارِهَاher footsteps نَفْسِيmy soul
وَمَضَتْ عَلَى آثَارِهَا نَفْسِي
So I stood, wrapped in grief,
I stopped, bent over a reed
And my soul followed in her footsteps.
While my soul traced her steps
تِلْكَthat woman الَّتِيwho لَوْلاwere it not for هَوَايَmy love بِهَاfor her
تِلْكَ الَّتِي لَوْلا هَوَايَ بِهَا
مَاnot بِتُّI spent the night مِنْfrom أَمَلٍhope عَلَىin يَأْسِdespair
مَا بِتُّ مِنْ أَمَلٍ عَلَى يَأْسِ
She is the one—had I not loved her,
She for whom, were it not for my love of her
I would not have spent the night in despair after hope.
I would not cling to a shred of hope
هَيْهَاتَnever أَنْسَىI forget حُسْنَthe beauty صُورَتِهاher form
هَيْهَاتَ أَنْسَى حُسْنَ صُورَتِها
وَحَوَادِثُand the vicissitudes of الأَيَّامِthe days قَدْmay تُنْسِيmake one forget
وَحَوَادِثُ الأَيَّامِ قَدْ تُنْسِي
Never shall I forget the beauty of her form,
Alas! I cannot forget the beauty of her face
Though time's vicissitudes may make one forget.
Though the days' events make one forget
Sol 6.1