يَقولُhe says وَقَدand had already لاثَsmeared فيupon خَدِّهِhis cheek
يَقولُ وَقَد لاثَ في خَدِّهِ
مِدَاداًink حَكىmimicked اللَيلَthe night فَوقَabove النَهارِthe day
مِدَاداً حَكى اللَيلَ فَوقَ النَهارِ
He says, having smeared upon his cheek
With ink staining his cheek
Ink that mimicked night above day:
he told of night overlaying day.
أَتَعجَبُare you amazed? مِمّاat what جَنَتهُwrought it يَديmy hand
أَتَعجَبُ مِمّا جَنَتهُ يَدي
فَماfor … not كانَwas ذاكَthat بِغَيرِwithout اِختِياريmy choosing
فَما كانَ ذاكَ بِغَيرِ اِختِياري
“Are you amazed at what my hand has wrought?
Do you wonder at what my hands have sown?
For that was not against my will.
For it was not without my consent.
وَلَكِنand yet أَرَدتُI wanted يَرىto see عاشِقيmy lover
وَلَكِن أَرَدتُ يَرى عاشِقي
تَضاعُفَdoubling حُسنيmy beauty بِنَبتِthrough the growth of العِذارِthe cheek-down
تَضاعُفَ حُسني بِنَبتِ العِذارِ
But I wanted my lover to see
Rather, I wanted my lover to see
My beauty doubled by the growth of cheek-down.”
my beauty doubled by the myrtle's growth.
Sol 6.1