لِعائِشَةَfor Aisha اِبنَةَdaughter of التَيمِيِّal-Taymi عِنديwith me
لِعائِشَةَ اِبنَةَ التَيمِيِّ عِندي
حِمىًa protected pasture فيin القَلبِthe heart ماnot يُرعىis grazed حِماهاher protected pasture
حِمىً في القَلبِ ما يُرعى حِماها
For Aisha, daughter of al-Taymi, I hold
a preserve within my heart; her pasture lies ungrazed.
يُذَكِّرُنيreminds me of اِبنَةَthe daughter of التَيمِيِّal-Taymi ظَبيٌa gazelle
يُذَكِّرُني اِبنَةَ التَيمِيِّ ظَبيٌ
يَرودُroams for pasture بِرَوضَةٍin a meadow سَهلٍgentle رُباهاits knolls
يَرودُ بِرَوضَةٍ سَهلٍ رُباها
A gazelle reminds me of al-Taymi's daughter,
roaming a meadow whose knolls are gentle.
فَقُلتُso I said لَهُto it وَكادَand nearly يُراعُbe startled قَلبيmy heart
فَقُلتُ لَهُ وَكادَ يُراعُ قَلبي
فَلَمand did not أَرَI see قَطُّever كَاليَومِas today اِشتِباهاresemblance
فَلَم أَرَ قَطُّ كَاليَومِ اِشتِباها
So I said to it, my heart almost taking fright:
For never have I seen such resemblance as today,
سِوىexcept for حَمشٍthinness بِساقِكَin your shank مُستَبينٍplainly visible
سِوى حَمشٍ بِساقِكَ مُستَبينٍ
وَأَنَّand that شَواكَyour limbs لَمdid not يُشبِهresemble شَواهاher limbs
وَأَنَّ شَواكَ لَم يُشبِه شَواها
save for the obvious thinness of your shank,
and that your limbs do not resemble hers,
وَأَنَّكَand that you عاطِلٌunadorned عارِnaked وَلَيسَتwhile she is not
وَأَنَّكَ عاطِلٌ عارِ وَلَيسَت
بِعارِيَةٍat all naked وَلاnor عُطُلٍwithout ornaments يَداهاher two hands
بِعارِيَةٍ وَلا عُطُلٍ يَداها
and that you are unadorned and naked, while she is not
naked, nor are her hands without ornaments;
وَأَنَّكَand that you غَيرَnot أَفرَعَlong-haired وَهيَwhile she تُدليlets hang
وَأَنَّكَ غَيرَ أَفرَعَ وَهيَ تُدلي
عَلىover المَتنَينِboth sides of the back أَسحَمَjet-black hair قَدalready كَساهاhas clothed her
عَلى المَتنَينِ أَسحَمَ قَد كَساها
and that you are not long-haired, while she lets fall
over both sides of her back black hair that cloaks her.
وَلَوand even if قَعَدَتshe sat idle وَلَمand did not تَكَلَفbecome enamored بِوُدٍّwith love
وَلَو قَعَدَت وَلَم تَكَلَف بِوُدٍّ
سِوىbeyond ماthat which قَدalready كَلِفتُI became enamored بِهِof it كَفاهاit would suffice her
سِوى ما قَد كَلِفتُ بِهِ كَفاها
Even if she sat idle and felt no affection
beyond the love that grips me, it would suffice her.
أَظَلُّI remain إِذاwhenever أُكَلِّمُهاI speak to her كَأَنّيas though I
أَظَلُّ إِذا أُكَلِّمُها كَأَنّي
أُكَلِّمُI speak to حَيَّةًa serpent غَلَبَتhas defeated رُقاهاthe charms cast upon it
أُكَلِّمُ حَيَّةً غَلَبَت رُقاها
Whenever I speak to her, it is always as though
I were speaking to a serpent that defies incantations.
تَبيتُshe spends the night إِلَيَّtoward me بَعدَafter النَومِsleep تَسريtraveling by night
تَبيتُ إِلَيَّ بَعدَ النَومِ تَسري
وَقَدand already أَمسيتُI entered the evening لاnot أَخشىI fear سُراهاher night journey
وَقَد أَمسيتُ لا أَخشى سُراها
She travels toward me through the night, after sleep,
though I had entered the evening unafraid of her night journey.
Sol 6.1