لَقَدindeed تَكامَلَreached perfection فيهِin him اللينُsuppleness وَالهَيَفand slenderness
لَقَد تَكامَلَ فيهِ اللينُ وَالهَيَف
لِراقِصٍfor a dancer كُلُّall ماthat which يَأتيhe comes بِهِwith it طُرَفُmarvels
لِراقِصٍ كُلُّ ما يَأتي بِهِ طُرَفُ
Indeed, in him suppleness and slender grace have reached perfection—
Suppleness and slenderness have indeed reached perfection in him,
a dancer whose every performance is a marvel.
a dancer whose every act is a marvel.
إِيقاعُهُhis rhythm كَمانٍa violin (uncertain here) غَيرَnot ناقِصَةٍincomplete
إِيقاعُهُ كَمانٍ غَيرَ ناقِصَةٍ
وَحَثُّهُand his quickening كَقَوافٍlike rhymes لَيسَnot تَختَلِفُthey vary
وَحَثُّهُ كَقَوافٍ لَيسَ تَختَلِفُ
His rhythm is like a full mān measure, undiminished,
His rhythm is a violin, with nothing lacking (wording uncertain),
and his impetus like rhymes that never vary.
and his quickening is like rhymes that never vary.
يُبديhe displays لَناto us حَرَكاتٍmovements فيin تَخَلُّعِهِhis loose-limbed swaying
يُبدي لَنا حَرَكاتٍ في تَخَلُّعِهِ
كَأَنَّهاas though they رَجَزٌrajaz verse ماnot فيهِin it مُنزَحِفُa shortened metrical foot
كَأَنَّها رَجَزٌ ما فيهِ مُنزَحِفُ
He displays movements to us in his languid swaying,
He shows us movements in his loose-limbed swaying,
as though they were rajaz verses untouched by metrical variation.
as though they were rajaz verse without a shortened metrical foot.
قَدindeed قُلتُI said لِماwhen تَهادىhe swayed gracefully فيin إِشارَتِهِhis gesture
قَد قُلتُ لِما تَهادى في إِشارَتِهِ
وَالقَلبُand the heart مِنّيof mine عَلىfor أَعضائِهِhis limbs رَجِفُtrembling
وَالقَلبُ مِنّي عَلى أَعضائِهِ رَجِفُ
I said, as he swayed gracefully in his gestures,
I said, as he swayed gracefully in his gestures,
while my heart trembled for his limbs:
while my heart trembled for his limbs:
إلامَuntil when يُتعَبُis wearied هَذاthis الغُصنُthe bough قامَتَهُhis frame
إلامَ يُتعَبُ هَذا الغُصنُ قامَتَهُ
ياO قَومُpeople هَذاthis one عَلىabove أَغصانِهِits branches شَرَفُeminence
يا قَومُ هَذا عَلى أَغصانِهِ شَرَفُ
“How long will this bough weary his own fair form?
How long must this bough's frame be wearied?
O people, what glory rests upon his branches!
O people, this one excels its fellow branches.
إِنّيindeed I وَإِنand although كُنتُI was أَستَحليI find sweet تَمايُلَهُhis swaying
إِنّي وَإِن كُنتُ أَستَحلي تَمايُلَهُ
فَإِنَّنيyet indeed I خائِفٌafraid إِنif مالَhe bends يَنقَصِفُhe snaps
فَإِنَّني خائِفٌ إِن مالَ يَنقَصِفُ
Though I delight in his swaying,
Indeed, though I find his swaying sweet,
I fear that, if he bends, he will snap.”
yet I fear that, if he bends, he will snap.
Sol 6.1