لمdid not أنسI forget لوeven if طالgrew long المدىthe span of time
لم أنس لو طال المدى
وتقادمتand grew old شهبُshooting stars السنينthe years
وتقادمت شهبُ السنين
I have not forgotten, though time stretched on,
Though time may pass, I'll not forget
And the years' shooting stars grew old,
The glittering stars of memories yet
عجانةa woman who kneads dough ضنتshe withheld علَيfrom (continued)
عجانة ضنت علَي
يَme (suffix completing عَلَيَّ) بريقهاwith her saliva العذبsweet الثمينprecious
يَ بريقها العذب الثمين
A dough-kneading woman who withheld from me
'Ujana was miserly with me
Her sweet, precious saliva.
Withholding her sweet brilliance, you see
لكننيbut I لماwhen لثمkissed (verb stem)
لكنني لما لثم
تُI (past-tense suffix) خدودهاher cheeks عددas many as الطحينthe flour
تُ خدودها عدد الطحين
But when I kissed
But when I kissed her cheeks, like flour
Her cheeks as many times as grains of flour,
And claimed that I deserved her flower
وزعمتand I claimed أنيthat I كفؤهاher equal
وزعمت أني كفؤها
لانتshe softened كماjust as لانsoftened العجينthe dough
لانت كما لان العجين
And claimed that I was her equal,
You were not as soft as dough, my dear
She softened as dough softens.
As the grinding stones that millstones steer
Sol 6.1