إِنّindeed العُيونَthe eyes مِنَof الملاحِthe beauties قَواضبkeen-edged swords
إِنّ العُيونَ مِنَ الملاحِ قَواضب
مِنهاfrom them المَنِيَّةdeath حَدُّهاtheir cutting edge الإِنسانُthe pupil of the eye
مِنها المَنِيَّة حَدُّها الإِنسانُ
Indeed, the eyes of beauties are keen-edged swords.
Eyes that slay with a glance like skiffs riding the flood-tide of sweet water,
Death comes from them; their cutting edge is the pupil.
They circumscribe mortal man, their keen blades never sheathed,
لَوif لَمnot تَكُنbe فيهِمin them سُيوفاًswords لَمnot تَكُنbe
لَو لَم تَكُن فيهِم سُيوفاً لَم تَكُن
جَعلتwere made لَهاfor them ياO ذاpossessor of الحِجىwisdom أجفانُeyelids; scabbards
جَعلت لَها يا ذا الحِجى أجفانُ
Had they not been swords within those beauties, they would not have
Else, by Thy life, their gaze were not so sharp to sever souls from life
been given eyelids as scabbards, O man of wisdom.
Or rend asunder lovers’ hearts though sundered they be not.
Sol 6.1