ياAh! حبَّذاhow lovely حُلْوَانُHulwan فالنيلُand then the Nile
يا حبَّذا حُلْوَانُ فالنيلُ
رَبْعٌan abode بِحُسْنwith the beauty of اللهوِrevelry مأْهولُinhabited
رَبْعٌ بِحُسْن اللهوِ مأْهولُ
Ah, how lovely are Hulwan and the Nile!
O how splendid are the surroundings of my friend!
A place alive with delightful revelry.
A quarter with beautiful entertainment is crowded
رُحْتُI set out ومركوبِيand my mount بِهupon it أدهمٌjet-black
رُحْتُ ومركوبِي بِه أدهمٌ
علىupon جَناحِthe wing of الريحthe wind محمولُborne
على جَناحِ الريح محمولُ
I set out, my mount upon it jet-black,
I went and my mount, which is gray,
Borne upon the wing of the wind.
is carried on the wings of the wind
كأنهas though it were فيin الماءِthe water زَنْجِيّةٌa Black African woman
كأنه في الماءِ زَنْجِيّةٌ
لهاfor her منfrom الموجِthe waves أكاليلُgarlands
لها من الموجِ أكاليلُ
As though it were a Black African woman in the water,
As though it were in the water, a barge
With garlands made of waves.
With waves forming garlands around it
والنّيلُand the Nile فيin رونَقِthe radiance of شمسِthe sun of الضحاmidmorning
والنّيلُ في رونَقِ شمسِ الضحا
سيفٌa sword صَقيلُpolished المتنِthe blade's back مسلولُunsheathed
سيفٌ صَقيلُ المتنِ مسلولُ
And the Nile, in the radiance of the midmorning sun,
And the Nile in the splendor of the morning sun
Is an unsheathed sword with a polished blade.
A polished, smooth sword unsheathed
حتىuntil إذاwhen ماan emphatic particle دَرَجَتْهruffled it الصَّباthe east wind
حتى إذا ما دَرَجَتْه الصَّبا
وماجand surged مِنهof it العَرْضُthe breadth والطولُand the length
وماج مِنه العَرْضُ والطولُ
Until, when the east wind ruffles it,
Until when the morning breeze stirred it
And it billows across its breadth and length,
And it surged in breadth and length
فهوthen it is لمَنto whoever أبصرهsees it جَوْشنٌa coat of mail
فهو لمَن أبصره جَوْشنٌ
علىupon مِهادِthe bed of الأَرضِthe earth مسدولdraped
على مِهادِ الأَرضِ مسدول
It is then, to whoever sees it, a coat of mail,
To one who saw it, it is a carpet
Draped upon the earth's bed;
Spread out on the bed of the earth
أوor حُبُكٌrippling patterns تَرصِيعُهاtheir inlay جَوْهَرٌjewels
أو حُبُكٌ تَرصِيعُها جَوْهَرٌ
مُبَدَّدٌscattered فِيهنّamong them مَحْلولunstrung
مُبَدَّدٌ فِيهنّ مَحْلول
Or patterned ripples inlaid with jewels,
Or a fabric embroidered with gems
Scattered among them, unstrung.
Scattered on it and dissolved
نادمتُI shared wine with فِيهِtherein أحْوَراًa dark-eyed man كَشْحُهhis waist
نادمتُ فِيهِ أحْوَراً كَشْحُه
أهيفُslender فوقabove الردفِthe buttocks مجدولwell-knit
أهيفُ فوق الردفِ مجدول
There I shared wine with a dark-eyed companion, whose waist
I shared drinks with a companion whose stinginess
Is slender, well-knit above his buttocks.
Is more generous over the flask and more affectionate when kissing
أكثرُmost ماwhat يبذُلُhe offers مِنof وصلِهِhis intimacy
أكثرُ ما يبذُلُ مِن وصلِهِ
لَثْمٌa touch of lips علىupon الكأسِthe cup وتقبِيلand kissing
لَثْمٌ على الكأسِ وتقبِيل
Most of the intimacy he offers
Most of what he offers of his intimacy
Is a touch of lips upon the cup, and kisses.
Is a kiss on the goblet and an embrace
Sol 6.1