وُعِدتُI was promised عَصيدَةًporridge شَقراءَgolden تَحكيit resembles
وُعِدتُ عَصيدَةً شَقراءَ تَحكي
طِرارَthe fringes الصُبحِof dawn فيin ثَوبِthe robe الظَلامِof darkness
طِرارَ الصُبحِ في ثَوبِ الظَلامِ
I was promised a golden porridge that resembled
I was promised a golden porridge resembling
the streak of dawn upon the robe of darkness.
the fringes of dawn in the robe of darkness.
تَراهاyou see it حينَwhen تَبرُزُit emerges فيin ظَلامٍdarkness
تَراها حينَ تَبرُزُ في ظَلامٍ
كَعُرفِlike the mane الطَرفِof the steed فيin زَمَنٍa time قِتامِof dusty gloom
كَعُرفِ الطَرفِ في زَمَنٍ قِتامِ
You would see it, emerging amid the dark,
You see it, when it emerges in darkness,
like a steed’s mane in a time thick with dust—
like a steed's mane in a time of dusty gloom.
كَذيlike one with دَلٍّcoquettish charm عَلَيهِupon him مُعَصفَراتٌsafflower-dyed garments
كَذي دَلٍّ عَلَيهِ مُعَصفَراتٌ
يُدِلُّhe flaunts his charms عَلىbefore المَشوقِthe yearning lover المُستَهامِthe love-crazed
يُدِلُّ عَلى المَشوقِ المُستَهامِ
like a coy beauty in safflower-dyed robes,
Like a coy beloved clad in safflower-dyed garments,
displaying her charms to her love-struck, ardent lover.
who flaunts his charms before the yearning, love-crazed lover.
فَلَمّاthen, when أَنthat صَباyearned قَلبيmy heart إِلَيهاtoward it
فَلَمّا أَن صَبا قَلبي إِلَيها
وَمُدَّتand was extended نَحوَهاtoward it عَينُthe eye اِهتِماميof my attention
وَمُدَّت نَحوَها عَينُ اِهتِمامي
But when my heart inclined toward it
Then, when my heart yearned toward it,
and my eager gaze reached out to it,
and my attentive eye was turned toward it,
تَقاصَرَfell short دونَهاof reaching it كَفّايَmy two hands حَتّىuntil
تَقاصَرَ دونَها كَفّايَ حَتّى
كَأَنَّas though الدِبسَthe molasses عُلِّقَwas hung بِالغَمامِamong the clouds
كَأَنَّ الدِبسَ عُلِّقَ بِالغَمامِ
my hands fell short of reaching it, until
my two hands fell short of it, until
it seemed the molasses had been hung from the clouds.
it seemed the molasses had been hung among the clouds.
فَدونَfor, barring access to السَمنِthe clarified butter أَطرافُthe tips العَواليof tall spears
فَدونَ السَمنِ أَطرافُ العَوالي
وَدونَand, barring access to النارِthe fire بادِرَةُthe sharp edge الحُسامِof the sword
وَدونَ النارِ بادِرَةُ الحُسامِ
For spearpoints bar the way to the ghee,
For between me and the clarified butter stand the tips of tall spears,
and a swift sword-stroke bars the way to the fire.
and between me and the fire, the sword's sharp edge.
أَتِلكَis that عَصيدَةٌporridge أَمor طَيفُthe phantom سَلمىof Salma
أَتِلكَ عَصيدَةٌ أَم طَيفُ سَلمى
فَلَيسَfor it does not يَزورُvisit إِلّاexcept فيin المَنامِdreams
فَلَيسَ يَزورُ إِلّا في المَنامِ
Is that porridge—or Salma’s phantom?
Is that porridge, or Salma's phantom?
It comes visiting only in dreams.
For it visits only in dreams.
