إِذاbehold وَجَرٌa den عَظيمٌvast فيهِin it شَيخٌan old man
إِذا وَجَرٌ عَظيمٌ فيهِ شَيخٌ
مِنَfrom among السودانِthe Black people يُدعىis called الشَرَّتَينِal-Sharratayn
مِنَ السودانِ يُدعى الشَرَّتَينِ
Behold, a vast den with an old man in it,
In a vast cavern dwelt an old Negro
One of the Black people, called al-Sharratayn.
Called Sherteen; with him I entered his cave
وَأَدخُلُand I enter وَجرَهُhis den أَمشيI walk بِكَفّيin my hand
وَأَدخُلُ وَجرَهُ أَمشي بِكَفّي
حُسامُa sharp sword الحَدِّthe edge ماضيkeen الشَفرَتَينِthe two cutting edges
حُسامُ الحَدِّ ماضي الشَفرَتَينِ
And I enter his den, walking, bearing in my hand
Walking erect, with naked blade in hand,
A sharp-edged sword, keen on both edges.
Two-edged, well tempered, as swift to assail.
تُقَلِّبُshe turns over فاتِراslack خِدراًnumb كَليلاًblunted
تُقَلِّبُ فاتِرا خِدراً كَليلاً
فَلَمso, did not أَرَI see مِثلَthe like of تِلكَthose الحُرَّتَينِthe two freeborn women
فَلَم أَرَ مِثلَ تِلكَ الحُرَّتَينِ
She turns it over, slack, numb, and blunted.
I found him faint, nerveless, dull of sense,
So I have never seen the like of those two freeborn women.
But never saw I one with harder nails,
فَلَمso, did not أَرَI see مِثلَthe like of مَحبُوٍّa favored man أَتاهاhe came to her
فَلَم أَرَ مِثلَ مَحبُوٍّ أَتاها
وَلَمand, did not أَرَI see مِثلَthe like of فيهاher mouth مَلثَمَينِtwo places for kisses
وَلَم أَرَ مِثلَ فيها مَلثَمَينِ
So I have never seen the like of a favored man who came to her,
Nor ever one who sent me more in love
Nor have I seen two places for kisses like her mouth.
Of wearing black, becoming brow and chin.
Sol 6.1