عِذارdown along the cheeks سعدSaʿd الدينal-Dīn لَمّاwhen بَداappeared
عِذار سعد الدين لَمّا بَدا
كَهالةlike the halo of البَدرthe full moon بِأَوجat the zenith of الكَمالperfection
كَهالة البَدر بِأَوج الكَمال
When the down on Saʿd al-Dīn’s cheeks appeared,
When Saad al-Din's excuse appeared
like the full moon’s halo at the zenith of perfection,
Like the full moon at its peak of perfection
لاحَshone forth لَناto us سَطراًas a line بطرسon the page of البهاsplendor
لاحَ لَنا سَطراً بطرس البها
كآيةlike the verse of النورlight بَديعwondrous المِثالform
كآية النور بَديع المِثال
it shone before us as a line upon splendor’s page,
A line shone for us like the star Aldebaran
like the Verse of Light, wondrous in form.
An example of beautiful light
فَكانَso it became حرزاًa talisman وَوقاءًand a protection مِنagainst الthe
فَكانَ حرزاً وَوقاءً مِن ال
عينevil eye وَلَوand even if جاءتit came بسحرwith enchantment حَلالlawful
عين وَلَو جاءت بسحر حَلال
It became a talisman and protection against the
Thus it became a protection and shield from
evil eye, even if it came with lawful enchantment.
The evil eye, even if it came with permitted sorcery
حارَتwere bewildered بِهِby it الحورthe houris جَمالاًin beauty فَماso how
حارَت بِهِ الحور جَمالاً فَما
ألطفdelightful ماwhat قالتَsaid ذَواتthose possessed of الدَلالcoquetry
ألطف ما قالتَ ذَوات الدَلال
The houris were bewildered by its beauty—how
The maidens were confused by his beauty, so
delightful the words of those coquettish beauties:
The most gentle thing they said, those with coyness
بِقَلَمwith the pen of القُدرةdivine power أَرّخَتrecorded the date in verse لاnot
بِقَلَم القُدرة أَرّخَت لا
بِالمسكwith musk خطَّinscribed السَعدُgood fortune حرزَthe talisman of الجَمالbeauty
بِالمسك خطَّ السَعدُ حرزَ الجَمال
With the pen of divine power—the chronogram declared—not
With the pen of destiny it recorded, not
with musk, Fortune inscribed beauty’s talisman.
With musk, Saad inscribed the protection of beauty
Sol 6.1