وَأَصفَرَand a yellow one يَهويfalls مِنfrom ذُؤابَةِthe crest of أَخضَرَa green one
وَأَصفَرَ يَهوي مِن ذُؤابَةِ أَخضَرَ
كَماas اِنقَضَّplunged نَجمٌa star فيin الدُجَنَّةِthe darkness ثاقِبُpiercing
كَما اِنقَضَّ نَجمٌ في الدُجَنَّةِ ثاقِبُ
And a yellow blossom droops from a green topknot,
And a yellow one falls from the crest of a green one,
like a piercing star plunging through the darkness.
Like a piercing star plunging through the darkness.
لَهُit has شُعَبٌbranches تَهويdroop عَلىover سَرَواتِهِits upper parts
لَهُ شُعَبٌ تَهوي عَلى سَرَواتِهِ
كَمِثلِjust like بَنانِthe fingers of الكَفِّthe hand يَلويهِbends it حاسِبُone who counts
كَمِثلِ بَنانِ الكَفِّ يَلويهِ حاسِبُ
Its petals cascade over its crown,
It has branches drooping over its upper parts,
like the fingers of a hand curled by one counting.
Like the fingers of a hand bent by one who counts.
فَناوَلَنيهِthen he handed it to me ذوone possessing دَلالٍcoquettish charm كَأَنَّماas though
فَناوَلَنيهِ ذو دَلالٍ كَأَنَّما
لَهُfor him الشَمسُthe sun أُمٌّa mother وَالبُدورُand the full moons أَقارِبُkinsfolk
لَهُ الشَمسُ أُمٌّ وَالبُدورُ أَقارِبُ
Then a coy beauty handed it to me, as though
Then one with coquettish charm handed it to me, as though
the sun were his mother and the full moons his kin.
The sun were his mother and the full moons his kin.
فَأَصبَحَso he became مَشهورَfamed for الجَمالِbeauty مُشَهَّراًwidely celebrated
فَأَصبَحَ مَشهورَ الجَمالِ مُشَهَّراً
لَهُfor him الحُسنُbeauty خِدنٌa close friend وَالمَلاحَةُand loveliness صاحِبُa companion
لَهُ الحُسنُ خِدنٌ وَالمَلاحَةُ صاحِبُ
Thus he became renowned for beauty, his fame proclaimed—
So he became famed for beauty, widely celebrated;
beauty his intimate, and loveliness his companion.
Beauty is his close friend, and loveliness his companion.
