أرىI see عجباًwonder إذاwhen أبصرتُI behold قوميmy people
أرى عجباً إذا أبصرتُ قومي
وماand not تخلوare free منof العجبِwonder الدهورُthe ages
وما تخلو من العجبِ الدهورُ
I see something wondrous whenever I behold my people,
I see wonders when I behold my people,
And the ages are never free of wonders:
And the ages are never free of wonder.
صعاليكُpaupers إذاwhen ماemphatic particle ميزوهمْthey assessed them
صعاليكُ إذا ما ميزوهمْ
وكلٌّand each فيwithin عشيرتهِhis clan أميرُa prince
وكلٌّ في عشيرتهِ أميرُ
Ragamuffins, whenever they are singled out—
Paupers, when they are assessed,
Each one an emir among his own clan.
Yet each is a prince within his clan.
ومنand whoever يكُis أعوراًone-eyed والقلبُand the heart أعمىblind
ومن يكُ أعوراً والقلبُ أعمى
فكلُّthen all الخلقِpeople فيin عينيهِhis eyes عورُone-eyed
فكلُّ الخلقِ في عينيهِ عورُ
Whoever is one-eyed while his heart is blind
And whoever is one-eyed and blind of heart,
Sees all creation as one-eyed.
In his eyes, all people are one-eyed.
فياso, O للهِto God أيwhat a فتىًyoung man اراهُI see him
فيا للهِ أي فتىً اراهُ
كماjust as انعطفتْswayed بشاربهاwith their drinker الخمورُwines
كما انعطفتْ بشاربها الخمورُ
Good God, what a youth I see—
So, O God, what a young man I see,
Swaying as wine sways with the one who drinks it!
Swaying as wine sways its drinker!
كأنَّas though قوامهُhis figure غصنُa branch ولكنْbut
كأنَّ قوامهُ غصنُ ولكنْ
تفتحَblossomed فوقَabove عروتهِhis buttonhole الزهورُthe flowers
تفتحَ فوقَ عروتهِ الزهورُ
His figure is like a bough—but
His figure is like a branch, and yet
Flowers bloom above his buttonhole.
Flowers have blossomed above his buttonhole.
كأنَّas though ثيابهُhis clothes شدَّتْwere drawn tight عليهِupon him
كأنَّ ثيابهُ شدَّتْ عليهِ
كماas لبستْwore منof الريشِfeathers الطيورُthe birds
كما لبستْ من الريشِ الطيورُ
As though his clothes were cinched tight upon him,
His clothes seem drawn tight about him,
Just as birds are clad in plumage.
As birds clothe themselves in feathers.
فتحسبَso you think قدَّهُhis figure فيهنَّin them خضراًverdant
فتحسبَ قدَّهُ فيهنَّ خضراً
وتحسنُand look lovely فيin المشدَّاتِcorsets الخصورُwaists
وتحسنُ في المشدَّاتِ الخصورُ
You would take his figure within them for a green shoot,
So you think his figure in them verdant,
And waists look lovely in corsets.
And waists look lovely in corsets.
كأنas though الحليjewelry يبرقُglitters فيon يديهِhis hands
كأن الحلي يبرقُ في يديهِ
لتكمدَso that they grieve منbecause of تلألئهِits glitter النحورُnecks
لتكمدَ من تلألئهِ النحورُ
As though jewelry flashes upon his hands,
Jewelry seems to glitter on his hands,
Making women’s throats pine at its glitter.
So that necks may grieve at its glitter.
ألاtake heed! أبقواkeep (you all) الحجابَthe veil علىon الغوانيthe beautiful women
ألا أبقوا الحجابَ على الغواني
قدalready اشتبهَbecame indistinguishable الحمائمُthe doves والصقورُand the falcons
قد اشتبهَ الحمائمُ والصقورُ
Come, keep the veil upon the beauties—
Oh, keep the veil on the beautiful women:
Doves and falcons have become indistinguishable.
Doves and falcons have become indistinguishable.
Sol 6.1