بِابيwith my father as ransom شادناa gazelle-fawn تجدّرhe contracted smallpox فَاِزداand so gained (continued next line)
بِابي شادنا تجدّر فَاِزدا
دَcompletion of 'gained' تَجديرهhis pockmarks جَمالاbeauty وَنوراand radiance
دَ تَجديره جَمالا وَنورا
My father be ransom for a gazelle-fawn who caught smallpox and gained—
With my father I built a house and adorned it
—through his pockmarks, beauty and radiance.
Its adornment is beauty and light
ماnot كَفاهُit sufficed him أَنthat تمhe attained perfection فيin الحُسنbeauty حَتّىuntil
ما كَفاهُ أَن تم في الحُسن حَتّى
كللwas crowned الوجهthe face لُؤلؤاpearls مَنثوراscattered
كلل الوجه لُؤلؤا مَنثورا
Perfection in beauty did not suffice him until
It was not enough that it was perfect in beauty
his face was crowned with scattered pearls.
The face was crowned with scattered pearls
وَأَظُنّand I think البُدورthe full moons قَدhave نَقَّطَتهdotted him
وَأَظُنّ البُدور قَد نَقَّطَته
عِندَماwhen لاحَhe shone بِالنُجومِwith stars سروراout of delight
عِندَما لاحَ بِالنُجومِ سرورا
And I think the full moons have dotted him,
And I think the stars dotted it
when he shone, with stars, out of delight.
When it shone with the stars' joy
رقhe grew delicate جسماin body حَتّىuntil رَأَيتَyou saw لَآليpearls
رق جسما حَتّى رَأَيتَ لَآلي
ثُغرهhis mouth فَوقَupon وُجنَتَيهِhis two cheeks سُطوراin rows
ثُغره فَوقَ وُجنَتَيهِ سُطورا
His body grew so delicate that you saw the pearls
A delicate body until you saw the brightness
of his mouth in rows upon his cheeks.
His mouth above his cheeks lined
بدرa full moon تمperfect ترىyou see علىupon وَجنَتَيهhis two cheeks
بدر تم ترى على وَجنَتَيه
انif تَأَمّلتyou examine closely خالهhis beauty spot كافوراcamphor
ان تَأَمّلت خاله كافورا
A perfect full moon—upon his cheeks you see,
Like a full moon you see on his cheeks
if you study his beauty spot, camphor.
If you looked closely at his mole like camphor
قدتننيunclear; perhaps 'he captivated me' فمالthen he swayed غُصناa bough رَطيباsupple
قدتنني فمال غُصنا رَطيبا
وَتبدّىand he appeared فلاحthen he shone بَدراa full moon مُنيراradiant
وَتبدّى فلاح بَدرا مُنيرا
He captivated me [uncertain reading], then swayed like a supple bough,
It leaned towards me, a gentle branch
and appeared, shining like a radiant full moon,
And the shining full moon appeared
بجبينwith a forehead يُضىءthat shines تَحتbeneath طَرازan embroidered band
بجبين يُضىء تَحت طَراز
أَخضرgreen زانadorned جِفنهhis eyelid المَكسوراlanguid
أَخضر زان جِفنه المَكسورا
with a forehead gleaming beneath an embroidered band,
With a forehead shining under a green turban
green, which adorned his languid eyelid.
That adorned his sleepy eyelid
ياO غَزالgazelle الكَاسof the wine-cup كُناwe had عَهدناwe knew (continued next line)
يا غَزال الكَاس كُنا عَهدنا
كyou (completing 'we knew you') أَنيساa companion مَتىwhen عَرَفتyou learned النُفوراshying away
ك أَنيسا مَتى عَرَفت النُفورا
O gazelle of the wine-cup, we had known
O gazelle of the cup we knew you
you as a companion; when did you learn to shy away?
A companion whenever you knew aloofness
خَلّleave aside هذاthis الدَلالcoyness وَاِرحَمand have mercy on مَعنىa tormented soul
خَلّ هذا الدَلال وَاِرحَم مَعنى
لَمdid not يجدfind فيin الهَوىlove عَلَيكَagainst you نَصيراan ally
لَم يجد في الهَوى عَلَيكَ نَصيرا
Abandon this coyness and pity a tormented soul
Leave this flirtatiousness and have mercy on a meaning
who has found no ally against you in love.
That did not find in love a helper for you
فيكfor you قَدindeed صارhe has become مُطلَقunrestrained الدَمعtears مضنىworn out
فيك قَد صار مُطلَق الدَمع مضنى
مُستَهاماlove-crazed لَمdid not يَلقfind مِنكَfrom you مُجيراa protector
مُستَهاما لَم يَلق مِنكَ مُجيرا
For you he has become worn out, his tears unrestrained,
For you tears have become a habit
love-crazed, having found no one to shelter him from you.
Seeking refuge but finding no shelter from you
Sol 6.1