وماand what is بيضاءa white one حمراءred الإهابthe skin
وما بيضاء حمراء الإهاب
منقبةveiled تزورshe visits بلاwithout نقابِa veil
منقبة تزور بلا نقابِ
And what is this white one, red of skin,
Neither white nor red is the complexion
Veiled, yet visiting without a veil?
Of this veiled girl who visits unveiled
معراةstripped bare تعوضshe replaces جسمهاher body منin place of
معراة تعوض جسمها من
ثيابclothes الشربfine linen أثوابgarments الشرابِdrink
ثياب الشرب أثواب الشرابِ
Stripped bare, she replaces on her body
Bare she compensates for her body with
Garments of fine linen with garments of drink.
Clothes of drinking, clothes of wine
مهفهفةslender لهاshe has خضرgreenery رقيقdelicate
مهفهفة لها خضر رقيق
تتيهshe struts proudly بهwith it علىover الخودthe young maiden الكعابِbudding-breasted
تتيه به على الخود الكعابِ
Slender, she has delicate greenery,
Rustling, she has tender green
With it she vaunts herself above the budding-breasted maiden.
She wanders with it on her blushing cheek
تزانshe is adorned بأعينwith eyes نجلwide وتجلىand she is unveiled
تزان بأعين نجل وتجلى
بحسنby the beauty of أناملfingertips لدنsupple رطابِmoist
بحسن أنامل لدن رطابِ
She is adorned with wide eyes and unveiled
She sways with languid eyes and shines
By the beauty of supple, moist fingertips.
With the beauty of soft, delicate fingers
عجبتI marveled لهاat her تنعمshe enjoys bliss فيamid شقاءmisery
عجبت لها تنعم في شقاء
منof الدنياthis world وتعذبand she grows sweet فيamid عذابِtorment
من الدنيا وتعذب في عذابِ
I marveled at her: she enjoys bliss amid misery
I wondered that she enjoys in misery
Of this world, and grows sweet amid torment.
Of this life and suffers in torment
لهاshe has خدرa secluded chamber تصانshe is protected بهwithin it منيعimpregnable
لها خدر تصان به منيع
مهابٌfeared عندin the eyes of ذيthe wielder of البطشviolent force المهابِthe fearsome one
مهابٌ عند ذي البطش المهابِ
She has an impregnable bower in which she is protected,
She has an intoxicant with which she is protected
Feared by the fearsome wielder of force.
Impenetrable at the mighty's violence
إذاwhen اشتقناwe longed إليهاfor her ذاتone يومday
إذا اشتقنا إليها ذات يوم
قليناهاwe fried her; also, hated her وذاكand that منamong العجابِwonders
قليناها وذاك من العجابِ
When one day we long for her,
If we long for her one day
We fry her—and that is a wonder.
We say to her, that is of wonders
فتسمعthen you hear منfrom غناهاher singing كلevery صوتsound
فتسمع من غناها كل صوت
يداويheals كلevery ذيpossessor of قلبa heart مصابِwounded
يداوي كل ذي قلب مصابِ
Then from her singing you hear every sound
So you hear from her singing every voice
That heals everyone with a wounded heart.
That heals each heart wounded
إذاwhen ماemphasis أنعشتshe revived بالوصلthrough union شيخاan old man
إذا ما أنعشت بالوصل شيخا
تردshe restores إليهto him أيامdays الشبابِyouth
ترد إليه أيام الشبابِ
When she revives an old man through union,
If she revived an old man with union
She restores to him the days of youth.
She restores to him the days of youth
ومعand despite ذاthis بينناbetween us كانتthere were حروبwars
ومع ذا بيننا كانت حروب
ولمand not يكwas ليfor me حسامٌa keen sword غيرُother than نابِa fang
ولم يك لي حسامٌ غيرُ نابِ
And despite this, there were wars between us,
And with that between us were wars
And I had no sword but a fang.
And I had no sword but my tusks
Sol 6.1