يَاO بَدْرُfull moon هِنْدِيُّIndian sword لَحْظِكَyour glance الْحَدْthe keen-edged
يَا بَدْرُ هِنْدِيُّ لَحْظِكَ الْحَدْ
جَاوَزَhas surpassed فيin الحَدّsharpness غَايَةَthe utmost extent of الْحَدْthe limit
جَاوَزَ في الحَدّ غَايَةَ الْحَدْ
O full moon, the keen Indian sword of your glance
has surpassed, in sharpness, the utmost limit.
وَعَنْبَرُand ambergris الخَالِthe mole صَانَhas guarded حُسْنًاbeauty
وَعَنْبَرُ الخَالِ صَانَ حُسْنًا
وَنَرْجِسُand the narcissus of اللَّحْظِthe glance بَانَةُthe ban-tree of القَدْthe figure
وَنَرْجِسُ اللَّحْظِ بَانَةُ القَدْ
The mole's ambergris has guarded beauty,
and the glance's narcissus, the figure's ban-tree.
وَصَارِمُand the sword of اللَّحْظِthe glance ظَلَّkept يَحْمِيdefending
وَصَارِمُ اللَّحْظِ ظَلَّ يَحْمِي
بِعَقْرَبِwith the scorpion of الصُّدْغِthe temple-lock وَرْدَةَthe rose of الخَدْthe cheek
بِعَقْرَبِ الصُّدْغِ وَرْدَةَ الخَدْ
And the sword of the glance has kept defending,
with the scorpion of the temple-lock, the rose of the cheek.
يَاO خَدَّcheek of بَدْرٍa full moon وَقَدَّand figure of غُصْنٍa bough
يَا خَدَّ بَدْرٍ وَقَدَّ غُصْنٍ
وَثَغْرَand mouth of وَرْدٍa rose وَجِيدَand neck of أغْيَدْa graceful youth
وَثَغْرَ وَرْدٍ وَجِيدَ أغْيَدْ
O cheek of a full moon and figure of a bough,
and mouth of a rose and neck of a graceful youth!
قَدْindeed طَلَّقَhas divorced النَّوْمُsleep فِيكَbecause of you عَيْنِيmy eye
قَدْ طَلَّقَ النَّوْمُ فِيكَ عَيْنِي
فَهْيَso it لَهُfor him بِالسُّهَادِin sleeplessness تَعْتَدْobserves its waiting term
فَهْيَ لَهُ بِالسُّهَادِ تَعْتَدْ
Sleep has divorced my eye because of you,
so it observes its waiting term for him in sleeplessness.
وَفَرَّطَand has unstrung الوَجْدُpassion عِقْدَthe necklace of دَمْعِيmy tears
وَفَرَّطَ الوَجْدُ عِقْدَ دَمْعِي
أمَاdo you not تَرَىsee دُرَّهُits pearls مُبَدَّدْscattered
أمَا تَرَى دُرَّهُ مُبَدَّدْ
And passion has unstrung the necklace of my tears;
do you not see its pearls scattered?
يَاO لَذَوِيto those endowed with الحُسْنِbeauty هامَbecame infatuated قلبِيmy heart
يَا لَذَوِي الحُسْنِ هامَ قلبِي
بِشَادِنٍwith a fawn لَحْظُهُhis glance تَأسَّدْhas become lionlike
بِشَادِنٍ لَحْظُهُ تَأسَّدْ
O you endowed with beauty, my heart is crazed
with a fawn whose glance has turned lionlike.
كَلِيلُlanguid جَفْنٍof eyelid حَدِيدُkeen طَرْفٍof gaze
كَلِيلُ جَفْنٍ حَدِيدُ طَرْفٍ
كَحِيلُkohl-black شَعْرٍof hair مُوَرَّدُrose-tinted الخَدْthe cheek
كَحِيلُ شَعْرٍ مُوَرَّدُ الخَدْ
Languid of eyelid, keen of gaze,
kohl-black of hair, rosy of cheek,
شَنِيبُbright-toothed ثَغْرٍof mouth شَهِيُّenticing لَحْظٍof glance
شَنِيبُ ثَغْرٍ شَهِيُّ لَحْظٍ
رَقِيقُslender خَصْرٍof waist مُهَفْهَفُlissome القَدْthe figure
رَقِيقُ خَصْرٍ مُهَفْهَفُ القَدْ
bright-toothed of mouth, enticing of glance,
slender of waist, lissome of form.
هَارُوتُHarut عَيْنَيْهِof his two eyes قَامَarose يَدْعُوcalling
هَارُوتُ عَيْنَيْهِ قَامَ يَدْعُو
بِسِحْرِwith the sorcery of طَرْفٍa glance لَهُof his مُهَنَّدْan Indian sword
بِسِحْرِ طَرْفٍ لَهُ مُهَنَّدْ
The Harut of his eyes arose to call
with the sorcery of his Indian-sword glance.
لَمَّاwhen تَجَلَّىhe revealed himself لِعَاشِقِيهِto his lovers
لَمَّا تَجَلَّى لِعَاشِقِيهِ
خَرُّواthey fell لَهُbefore him رُكَّعًاbowing وَسُجَّدْand prostrate
خَرُّوا لَهُ رُكَّعًا وَسُجَّدْ
When he revealed himself to his lovers,
they fell before him, bowing and prostrate.
أرْسَلَhe let fall فَرْعًاtresses فَلاَحَand then gleamed فَرْقٌa parting
أرْسَلَ فَرْعًا فَلاَحَ فَرْقٌ
حَسِبْتُهُI thought it فِيin الظَّلاَمِthe darkness فَرْقَدْa Farqad star
حَسِبْتُهُ فِي الظَّلاَمِ فَرْقَدْ
He let his tresses fall, and a parting gleamed;
I thought it a Farqad star in the darkness.
صَانَhe shielded بِهِwith it ردْفَهُhis buttocks وَلِمْand why لاَnot
صَانَ بِهِ ردْفَهُ وَلِمْ لاَ
يَحْجُبُveil مَاwhat صَانَit guarded وَهْوَwhile it is أسْوَدْblack
يَحْجُبُ مَا صَانَ وَهْوَ أسْوَدْ
He screened his buttocks with it; and why should it not
veil what it has guarded, being black?
مُبَلْبَلُtousled الصُّدْغِthe temple-lock كِسْرَوِيُّKhosrow-like الthe
مُبَلْبَلُ الصُّدْغِ كِسْرَوِيُّ ال
جُفُونِeyelids قانيpossessing الجَمَالِbeauty أوْحَدْpeerless
جُفُونِ قاني الجَمَالِ أوْحَدْ
Tousled of temple-locks, Khosrow-like in the
eyelids, rich in beauty, peerless;
مُظَفَّرُvictorious الشَّعْرِof hair ظَاهِرِيُّmanifest الthe
مُظَفَّرُ الشَّعْرِ ظَاهِرِيُّ ال
سَّنَىradiance عَزِيزُmighty البَهَاthe splendor مُؤَيَّدْupheld
سَّنَى عَزِيزُ البَهَا مُؤَيَّدْ
triumphant of hair, manifest in
radiance, mighty in splendor, upheld.
خَرَّجَhas transmitted وَرْدِيُّthe rosy hue of وَجْنَتَيْهِhis two cheeks
خَرَّجَ وَرْدِيُّ وَجْنَتَيْهِ
حَدِيثَthe account of نَبْتِthe growth of العِذارِthe cheek-down مُسْنَدْchain-attested
حَدِيثَ نَبْتِ العِذارِ مُسْنَدْ
The rosy hue of his cheeks has transmitted
the account of his beard-down's growth, with its chain.
وَثَغْرُهُand his mouth الجَوْهَرِيُّthe jewel-like لَمَّاwhen
وَثَغْرُهُ الجَوْهَرِيُّ لَمَّا
أنْبَأنَاit informed us بِالصّحَاحِwith sound reports أسْنَدْprovided a chain of transmission
أنْبَأنَا بِالصّحَاحِ أسْنَدْ
And his jewel-like mouth, when
it told us sound reports, traced their chain.
وَقَدُّهُand his figure العَادِلِيُّthe well-balanced يَرْوِيnarrates
وَقَدُّهُ العَادِلِيُّ يَرْوِي
عنْfrom كَعْبِthe rounded prominence of ثَدْيٍa breast لَهُof his تَنَهَّدْhas swelled
عنْ كَعْبِ ثَدْيٍ لَهُ تَنَهَّدْ
And his well-balanced figure narrates
from the rounded peak of a breast of his that has swelled.
وَسُكَّرِيُّand the sugar-sweetness of اللَّمَىthe dusky lips رَوَىrecited لِيto me
وَسُكَّرِيُّ اللَّمَى رَوَى لِي
عنْfrom رِيقِهِhis saliva كَامِلَal-Kamil (The Complete) الْمُبَرَّدْal-Mubarrad
عنْ رِيقِهِ كَامِلَ الْمُبَرَّدْ
And the sugar-sweetness of his dusky lips recited to me
from his saliva, al-Mubarrad's al-Kamil.
وَحُسْنُهُand his beauty اليُوسُفِيُّJoseph-like لَمَّاwhen
وَحُسْنُهُ اليُوسُفِيُّ لَمَّا
أطْلَقَit freed مَعْنَىthe meaning of الجَمَالِbeauty قَيَّدْit bound
أطْلَقَ مَعْنَى الجَمَالِ قَيَّدْ
And his Joseph-like beauty, when
it freed beauty's meaning, bound it fast.
مُزَرَّدُmail-clad العَارِضَيْنِalong both cheeks أحْوَىdark-hued
مُزَرَّدُ العَارِضَيْنِ أحْوَى
يَاO مَنْwho رَأىhas seen الشَّادِنَthe fawn المُزَرَّدْmail-clad
يَا مَنْ رَأى الشَّادِنَ المُزَرَّدْ
Mail-clad along the cheeks, dark-hued—
O who has seen a fawn clad in mail?
قَدْindeed صَارَhave become تُفَّاحُthe apples of وَجْنَتَيْهِhis two cheeks
قَدْ صَارَ تُفَّاحُ وَجْنَتَيْهِ
مُخَضَّبًاdyed بِالدّمَاwith blood مُفَهَّدْspotted like a cheetah
مُخَضَّبًا بِالدّمَا مُفَهَّدْ
The apples of his cheeks have become
blood-dyed, spotted like a cheetah.
وَعَاذِلٍand many a reproacher فِيهِconcerning him لَوْif رَآهُhe saw him
وَعَاذِلٍ فِيهِ لَوْ رَآهُ
سَلَّمَwould yield طَوْعاًwillingly وَمَاand not تَرَدَّدْhesitate
سَلَّمَ طَوْعاً وَمَا تَرَدَّدْ
And many a man who censures me for him, if he saw him,
would yield willingly, without hesitation,
وَظَلَّand would keep يَدْعُوcalling إلَىto هَوَاهُlove of him
وَظَلَّ يَدْعُو إلَى هَوَاهُ
مَنْthose who لمnot يَكُنْhad been بِالهَوَىto love تَعَوَّدْaccustomed
مَنْ لم يَكُنْ بِالهَوَى تَعَوَّدْ
and would keep calling to love of him
those who had never grown accustomed to love.
يَلُومُنِيhe blames me فيfor الحَبِيبِthe beloved كُفْراًin unbelief
يَلُومُنِي في الحَبِيبِ كُفْراً
وَلوْand if رَأىhe saw حُسْنَهُhis beauty تَشَهَّدْhe would profess faith
وَلوْ رَأى حُسْنَهُ تَشَهَّدْ
He blames me for the beloved in unbelief;
yet, if he saw his beauty, he would profess the faith.
ألَمْhave you not تَرَseen الخَلْقَpeople كيْفَhow ضَلُّواthey strayed
ألَمْ تَرَ الخَلْقَ كيْفَ ضَلُّوا
فيover حُسْنِthe beauty of مَعْنًىa quality بِهِin it تَفَرَّدْhe is unique
في حُسْنِ مَعْنًى بِهِ تَفَرَّدْ
Have you not seen how people have gone astray
over the beauty of a quality uniquely his?
وَيَدَّعِيand he claims بِالشَّبِيهِthat he has an equal جَهْلاًignorantly
وَيَدَّعِي بِالشَّبِيهِ جَهْلاً
أمَاhas not هَدَاهُguided him الجَمَالُthe beauty الأوْحَدْthe peerless
أمَا هَدَاهُ الجَمَالُ الأوْحَدْ
And he ignorantly claims there is his equal;
has peerless beauty not guided him?
مِنْfrom أيْنَwhere لِلْبَدْرِfor the full moon لِينُthe suppleness of قَدٍّa figure
مِنْ أيْنَ لِلْبَدْرِ لِينُ قَدٍّ
مَهْمَاwhenever ثَنَاهُhe bends it يَكَادُit nearly يُعْقَاْunclear as written; perhaps 'is knotted'
مَهْمَا ثَنَاهُ يَكَادُ يُعْقَاْ
Whence could the full moon have so supple a figure
that, whenever he bends it, it nearly [forms a knot]?
أمْor كَيْفَhow للغُصْنِfor the bough وَرْدa rose of خَدٍّa cheek
أمْ كَيْفَ للغُصْنِ وَرْد خَدٍّ
إذَاwhen جَرَىflows مَاؤهits moisture تَوَقَّدْit blazes
إذَا جَرَى مَاؤه تَوَقَّدْ
Or how could a bough have a rose of a cheek
that blazes when its moisture flows?
أمْor أيْنَwhence لِلظَّبْيِfor the gazelle وَجُهa face of صبْحٍdawn
أمْ أيْنَ لِلظَّبْيِ وَجُه صبْحٍ
وَفَرْعand tresses of لَيْلٍnight وَفَرْقand a parting like فَرْقَدْa Farqad star
وَفَرْع لَيْلٍ وَفَرْق فَرْقَدْ
Or whence could a gazelle have a face of dawn,
and tresses of night and a parting like a Farqad star?
مَنْwho لِيfor me بِهِwith him جَوْهَرِيُّjewel-like ثَغْرٍof mouth
مَنْ لِي بِهِ جَوْهَرِيُّ ثَغْرٍ
قَدْindeed نَضَّدَhe has arranged الدُّرَّpearls فَوْقَabove عَسْجَدْpure gold
قَدْ نَضَّدَ الدُّرَّ فَوْقَ عَسْجَدْ
Who will bring him to me, jewel-mouthed,
having arrayed pearls above pure gold?
يَفْتَرُّhe smiles عَنْrevealing جَوْهَرٍjewels نَضِيدٍarrayed
يَفْتَرُّ عَنْ جَوْهَرٍ نَضِيدٍ
مَاhow أحْسَنَlovely الجَوْهَرَthe jewels المُنَضَّدْarrayed
مَا أحْسَنَ الجَوْهَرَ المُنَضَّدْ
He smiles to reveal jewels set in rows—
how lovely are the jewels so arrayed!
تَوَّجَهcrowned him الحُسْنbeauty إذْwhen كَسَاهit clothed him
تَوَّجَه الحُسْن إذْ كَسَاه
حُلَّةَa robe of نُورٍlight طِرَازهَاits embroidery النَّدْnadd perfume
حُلَّةَ نُورٍ طِرَازهَا النَّدْ
Beauty crowned him when it clothed him
in a robe of light whose embroidery is nadd perfume.
مُهَفْهَفٌlissome قُلْتI said إذْwhen تَثَنَّىhe swayed
مُهَفْهَفٌ قُلْت إذْ تَثَنَّى
يَاO جَامِعَgatherer of الحُسْنِbeauty أنْتَyou مُفْرَدْpeerless
يَا جَامِعَ الحُسْنِ أنْتَ مُفْرَدْ
Lissome—when he swayed, I said,
O you who unite all beauty, you stand alone!
وَإنْand if بَدَاhe appears أوْor رَنَاcasts a glance أرَانَاhe shows us
وَإنْ بَدَا أوْ رَنَا أرَانَا
فِيin حُلَّتَيْthe two robes of حَالَتَيْهِhis two states فَرْقَدFarqad: a star or wild calf
فِي حُلَّتَيْ حَالَتَيْهِ فَرْقَد
And whether he appears or casts a glance, he shows us
in his two guises a Farqad—star or wild calf.
إنif لَجَّpersists obstinately فِيهِconcerning him الحَسُودthe envious man حَسْبِيenough for me
إن لَجَّ فِيهِ الحَسُود حَسْبِي
أنَّthat جَمِيعَall المِلاَحِthe beautiful ones تُحْسَدare envied
أنَّ جَمِيعَ المِلاَحِ تُحْسَد
If the envious man persists about him, it is enough for me
that all beautiful ones are envied.
أوor عَابَhe faults وَصِفيmy description لَهof him فَعَوْدِيthen my return
أو عَابَ وَصِفي لَه فَعَوْدِي
لِمَدْحِto praising خيرِthe best of الكِرَامِthe noble أحْمَدْAhmad
لِمَدْحِ خيرِ الكِرَامِ أحْمَدْ
Or if he faults my description of him, then my return
is to praising Ahmad, the best of the noble.
Sol 6.1