وَكيفَand how صَبرُendurance النَفسِthe soul عَنaway from غادَةٍa graceful maiden
وَكيفَ صَبرُ النَفسِ عَن غادَةٍ
تَظلِمُهاyou wrong her إِنif قُلتَyou said طاووسَهa peahen
تَظلِمُها إِن قُلتَ طاووسَه
And how can the soul endure without a graceful maiden
How can the soul be patient without Ghada,
whom you wrong if you call her a peahen?
Whom you wrong if you call her a peacock,
وَجُرتَand you acted unjustly إِنif شَبَّهتَهاyou likened her بانَةًa bān tree
وَجُرتَ إِن شَبَّهتَها بانَةً
فيin جَنَّةِthe garden of الفِردَوسِParadise مَغروسَهplanted
في جَنَّةِ الفِردَوسِ مَغروسَه
And you are unjust if you liken her to a bān tree
And sell short if you compare her to a gazelle
planted in the garden of Paradise.
Planted in the garden of Paradise?
وَغَيرُand not عَدلٍjustice إِنif عَدَلناwe equated بِهاwith her
وَغَيرُ عَدلٍ إِن عَدَلنا بِها
لُؤلُؤةًa pearl فيin البَحرِthe sea مَنفوسَهprecious
لُؤلُؤةً في البَحرِ مَنفوسَه
And it is unfair if we equate her with
And it is not just if we liken her
a precious pearl in the sea.
To a pearl breathed into the sea,
جَلَّتshe is exalted عَنِbeyond الوَصفِdescription فَماso no فِكرَةٌthought
جَلَّت عَنِ الوَصفِ فَما فِكرَةٌ
تَلحَقُهاreaches her بِالنَعتِthrough description مَحسوسَهperceptible
تَلحَقُها بِالنَعتِ مَحسوسَه
She transcends description; no thought
She transcends description, so no thought
that can be conceived can capture her in words.
Can reach her with tangible praise.
Sol 6.1