بِجانبِbeside الكرخِal-Karkh منof بغدادBaghdad عنّappeared لناto us
بِجانبِ الكرخِ من بغداد عنّ لنا
ظبيٌa gazelle ينفّرهُfrightens him away عنfrom وصلناunion with us نَفَرُa group of people
ظبيٌ ينفّرهُ عن وصلنا نَفَرُ
Beside al-Karkh in Baghdad, there appeared to us
Beside the Karkh of Baghdad a gazelle appeared,
A gazelle whom a group frightens away from union with us.
Startled by our approach, it fled in fear.
ذُؤابتاهhis two tresses نجاداthe two baldrics of سيفthe sword of مقلتِهِhis eye
ذُؤابتاه نجادا سيف مقلتِهِ
وَجَفنُهُand its sheath جَفنُهُhis eyelid واِفرِندُهُand its damascening الحَوَرُthe eyes' black-and-white contrast
وَجَفنُهُ جَفنُهُ واِفرِندُهُ الحَوَرُ
His two tresses are the twin baldrics of his eye's sword;
Its curved horns were like curved swords,
And its sheath is his eyelid, and its damascening is his eyes' black-and-white contrast.
Its eyelids so delicate, blinking with charm.
ضَفيرتاهُhis two braids علىto bring about قَتليkilling me تَضافَرَتاjoined forces
ضَفيرتاهُ على قَتلي تَضافَرَتا
فمنso who رأىhas seen شاعراًa poet أودىbrought death بهupon him الشَّعَرُthe hair
فمن رأى شاعراً أودى به الشَّعَرُ
His two braids joined forces to kill me;
It conspired against me, to slay me,
Who, then, has seen a poet whom hair has slain?
Who has seen a poet undone by his art?
Sol 6.1