بَيضاءُfair-skinned باكَرَهاcame early to her النَعيمُcomfort كَأَنَّهاas though she were
بَيضاءُ باكَرَها النَعيمُ كَأَنَّها
قَمَرٌa moon تَوَسَّطَstood amid جُنحَthe darkness of لَيلٍa night أَسوَدِblack
قَمَرٌ تَوَسَّطَ جُنحَ لَيلٍ أَسوَدِ
A fair one, whom ease attended from her earliest days—as though she were
Fair-skinned, blessed early with comfort, as though she were
A moon poised in the heart of a black night;
A moon amid the darkness of a black night.
مَوسومَةٌmarked بِالحُسنِwith beauty ذاتُpossessing حَواسِدٍfemale enviers
مَوسومَةٌ بِالحُسنِ ذاتُ حَواسِدٍ
إِنَّindeed الحِسانَbeautiful women مَظِنَّةٌa likely target لِلحُسَّدِfor the envious
إِنَّ الحِسانَ مَظِنَّةٌ لِلحُسَّدِ
Branded with beauty, and beset by envious women—
Marked by beauty, she has women who envy her;
For beauties are ever likely to be envied.
Indeed, beautiful women are a likely target for the envious.
وَتَرىand you see مَدامِعُهاher tear ducts تَرَقرُقَthe shimmering of مُقلَةٍan eye
وَتَرى مَدامِعُها تَرَقرُقَ مُقلَةٍ
سَوداءَdark تَرغَبُturns away عَنfrom سَوادِthe blackness of الإِثمِدِantimony kohl
سَوداءَ تَرغَبُ عَن سَوادِ الإِثمِدِ
And in her tear ducts you see an eye’s moist glimmer,
And in her eyes you see the shimmer of a pupil,
Black, disdainful of the blackness of antimony.
Dark, disdaining the blackness of antimony kohl.
خَودٌa delicate maiden إِذاwhen كَثُرَbecame plentiful الكَلامُthe talk تَعَوَّذَتshe sought refuge
خَودٌ إِذا كَثُرَ الكَلامُ تَعَوَّذَت
بِحِمىin the sanctuary of الحَياءِmodesty وَإِنand if تَكَلَّمshe speaks تَقصِدِshe is measured
بِحِمى الحَياءِ وَإِن تَكَلَّم تَقصِدِ
A tender maiden: when talk grows plentiful, she seeks refuge
A delicate maiden: when words multiply, she seeks refuge
In modesty’s sanctuary; and when she speaks, she is measured.
In modesty's sanctuary; and if she speaks, she is measured.
Sol 6.1