وَمُرَقرَقِand rippling الإِفرِندِthe damascened sheen أَبرَقَflashed بَهجَةًwith beauty
وَمُرَقرَقِ الإِفرِندِ أَبرَقَ بَهجَةً
وَدَجاand grew dark فَأَطلَعَthen brought forth فيin الظَلامِthe darkness ضِياءَlight
وَدَجا فَأَطلَعَ في الظَلامِ ضِياءَ
And one with a rippling, damascened sheen flashed with beauty,
With its shimmering silk the robe sparkled with delight,
and grew dark, then brought forth light in the darkness.
And shone in the darkness radiating light,
كَسَفَتwas eclipsed بِهِby it لِلشَمسِof the sun حَسَناًin beauty آيَةٌa marvel
كَسَفَت بِهِ لِلشَمسِ حَسَناً آيَةٌ
تَستَوقِفُholds still الرائيthe beholder لَهاof it حِرباءَlike a chameleon
تَستَوقِفُ الرائي لَها حِرباءَ
A marvel of the sun's beauty was eclipsed by it,
By it the sun was graced with beauty a sign,
one that holds its beholder still, like a chameleon.
That stops the onlooker, for it a sharp claw,
وَتَخَتَّمَتand wore as a ring مِنfrom فَصِّهِits gemstone بِغَمامَةٍwith a cloud
وَتَخَتَّمَت مِن فَصِّهِ بِغَمامَةٍ
كَفٌّa hand تَكونُis عَلىover السَماحِgenerosity سَماءَa sky
كَفٌّ تَكونُ عَلى السَماحِ سَماءَ
And a cloud from its gemstone was worn as a ring
And was sealed by its collar with a small cloud,
by a hand that, in generosity, is a sky.
A hand that rests gently on the heavens,
قَدindeed صيغَwas fashioned صيغَةَin the form of حِكمَةٍwisdom أَصبىkindled longing لَهاfor it
قَد صيغَ صيغَةَ حِكمَةٍ أَصبى لَها
نَفسَthe soul الحَكيمِof the sage وَضاجَعَand lay with العَذراءَthe virgin
نَفسَ الحَكيمِ وَضاجَعَ العَذراءَ
It was fashioned in wisdom's form, kindling longing for it
It was fashioned with consummate wisdom,
in the sage's soul, and it lay with the virgin.
That pleased the soul of the wise and wooed the maiden,
ماnot إِنat all (emphatic) تَرِفُّquivers لَهاfor it بَنَفسَجَةٌa violet بِهِin it
ما إِن تَرِفُّ لَها بَنَفسَجَةٌ بِهِ
حَتّىuntil تَرِقَّgrows tender لَهاtoward it فَتَجريand so flows ماءَas water
حَتّى تَرِقَّ لَها فَتَجري ماءَ
No sooner does a violet quiver for it within it
No sooner does a sweet basil rustle beside it,
than it grows tender toward it and flows as water.
Than it stirs for it and flows like water,
وَكَأَنَّماand as though نَظَرَتit gazed بِهِthrough it يَومَon the day of النَوىparting
وَكَأَنَّما نَظَرَت بِهِ يَومَ النَوى
عَنfrom مُقلَةٍan eye بَهِتَتwas dumbstruck لَهاat it كَحلاءَkohl-dark
عَن مُقلَةٍ بَهِتَت لَها كَحلاءَ
And it was as though it gazed through it on the day of parting,
As if with it she looked on the day of intention,
from a kohl-dark eye, dumbstruck at it.
From languid eyes that were darkened for it with kohl.