وَقَصيرَةِand short الأَيامِthe days وَدَّwished جَليسُهاher companion
وَقَصيرَةِ الأَيامِ وَدَّ جَليسُها
لَوif only باعَbought مَجلِسَهاher company بِفَقدِat the cost of losing حَميمِa dear friend
لَو باعَ مَجلِسَها بِفَقدِ حَميمِ
And one with whom the days seem short—her companion wished
The days are short and her companion desires her,
He could buy her company at the cost of losing a dear friend.
If he sold their time together he'd grieve the loss,
مِنamong مُحذِياتِthose who bestow أَخيthe devotee of الهَوىlove غُصَصَchoking pangs الجَوىheartache
مِن مُحذِياتِ أَخي الهَوى غُصَصَ الجَوى
بِدَلالِwith the coquetry of غانِيَةٍa beautiful woman وَمُقلَةِand the eye of ريمِa white gazelle
بِدَلالِ غانِيَةٍ وَمُقلَةِ ريمِ
One of those who bestow on love's devotee the choking pangs of heartache,
For the pain of love is like arrows in my brother's heart
With a beauty's coquetry and a white gazelle's eye.
Sent by a coquettish singer with languid eyes.
صَفراءُyellow-hued مِنamong بَقَرِthe wild cows of الجِواءِal-Jiwāʾ كَأَنَّماas though
صَفراءُ مِن بَقَرِ الجِواءِ كَأَنَّما
تَرَكَleft الحَياءُmodesty بِهاupon her رُداعَthe pallor of سَقيمِan ailing person
تَرَكَ الحَياءُ بِها رُداعَ سَقيمِ
Yellow-hued, among the wild cows of al-Jiwāʾ, as though
She is yellow as desert cattle, as if
Modesty had left upon her an ailing person's pallor.
Modesty has left upon her its feeble cloak.
Sol 6.1