نَفسيmy soul الفِداءُthe ransom لِشَخصٍfor someone لَستَI am not (intended first-person reading) أُسميهِI name him
نَفسي الفِداءُ لِشَخصٍ لَستَ أُسميهِ
كَأَنَّas though شارِبَهُhis moustache قُفلٌa lock عَلىupon فيهِhis mouth
كَأَنَّ شارِبَهُ قُفلٌ عَلى فيهِ
My soul be the ransom for someone I do not name.
My soul is the sacrifice for someone I do not name
As though his moustache were a lock upon his mouth.
As if his drinking cup has a lock upon his mouth
لَمdid not يُصبشحُbecome in the morning (apparent typo) الغُصنُthe bough مِنbecause of أَعطافِهِhis body's curves خَجَلاًashamed
لَم يُصبشحُ الغُصنُ مِن أَعطافِهِ خَجَلاً
إِلّاexcept that وَأَمسىand became by evening حُيَيّاًbashful مَنfrom (intended preposition) تَثَنّيهِhis swaying
إِلّا وَأَمسى حُيَيّاً مَن تَثَنّيهِ
The bough never greeted morning abashed by his body's curves
No branch in his embrace would blush with shame
without growing bashful by evening at his swaying.
Except to awake lively, whoever he may bend
وَقائِلٍand one who said هُوَhe تَيّاهٌproud فَقُلتُso I said لَهُto him
وَقائِلٍ هُوَ تَيّاهٌ فَقُلتُ لَهُ
إِنif تاهَhe is proud فَهوَthen he أَحَقُّmost entitled الناسَpeople بِالتيهِto pride
إِن تاهَ فَهوَ أَحَقُّ الناسَ بِالتيهِ
And to one who said, “He is proud,” I replied:
And if he says he is lost, I say to him
“If he is proud, he has more right than anyone to pride.”
If he is lost, he is the most deserving of people to lose his way
Sol 6.1