كَأَنَّهاas though she مِنfrom طيبِهاher fragrance فيin يَديmy hand
كَأَنَّها مِن طيبِها في يَدي
تُشَمُّshe is smelled فيin المَحضَرِpresence أَوor فيin المَغيبِabsence
تُشَمُّ في المَحضَرِ أَو في المَغيبِ
Her fragrance makes her seem, in my hand—
Breathed in, whether present or absent—
ريحانَةٌa basil sprig طينتُهاher clay عَنبَرٌambergris
ريحانَةٌ طينتُها عَنبَرٌ
تُسقىshe is watered مِنَfrom الراحِwine بِماءٍwith water مَشوبِmingled
تُسقى مِنَ الراحِ بِماءٍ مَشوبِ
A basil sprig whose clay is ambergris,
Watered with water mingled with wine.
عُروقُهاher roots مِنfrom ذاthis وَتُسقىand she is watered بَذاwith this
عُروقُها مِن ذا وَتُسقى بَذا
مَمزوجَةًblended ياO صاحِmy friend طيباًfragrance بِطيبِwith fragrance
مَمزوجَةً يا صاحِ طيباً بِطيبِ
Her roots are of this, and she is watered with that,
Blended, my friend, fragrance with fragrance.
تِلكَthat one الَّتيwhom هامَfell madly in love فُؤاديmy heart بِهاwith her
تِلكَ الَّتي هامَ فُؤادي بِها
ماnot إِنemphasizes the negation لِدائيfor my ailment غَيرُهاother than her منany طيبِfragrance; figuratively, balm
ما إِن لِدائي غَيرُها من طيبِ
She is the one with whom my heart fell madly in love;
For my ailment there is no balm but her.
Sol 6.1