حجبتshe veiled جسمهاher body بديباجةin a brocade سوblack (beginning of سوداء)
حجبت جسمها بديباجة سو
داءblack (completion of سوداء) كانتit was لنورهاfor her light قنديلاa lamp
داء كانت لنورها قنديلا
She veiled her body in black brocade,
Her body was veiled in a silk robe
which was a lamp for her light.
As if it were a lantern for her light
مثلتshe portrayed ليto me حقيقةthe true nature of العينthe eye نوراًlight
مثلت لي حقيقة العين نوراً
وسواداًand blackness ورقةand delicacy تمثيلاa portrayal
وسواداً ورقة تمثيلا
She portrayed for me the eye's true nature: light,
She made me see the essence of the eye as light
and blackness and delicacy—a vivid portrayal.
And darkness, a dramatic act
وهمتshe erred فيin جعلmaking السوادblackness حجاباًa veil
وهمت في جعل السواد حجاباً
ياO حجاباًveil علىof الجمالbeauty دليلاa sign
يا حجاباً على الجمال دليلا
She erred in making blackness a veil;
And I imagined making the darkness a veil
O veil that points to beauty!
O veil, evidence of beauty
ماnot اختفتshe was concealed فيamid غدائرtresses مرسلاتlet loose
ما اختفت في غدائر مرسلات
كاللياليlike nights صيرننيthey made me ضليلاutterly astray
كالليالي صيرنني ضليلا
She was not concealed amid tresses let loose,
She did not hide behind loose tresses
like nights, which left me utterly astray.
That made me wander nights, lost
كيفhow تخفىcan she be hidden ونورهاwhile her light كالهدىlike guidance فيin
كيف تخفى ونورها كالهدى في
ملبسa garment صارbecame لابتداعto innovation مثيلاa likeness
ملبس صار لابتداع مثيلا
How can she be hidden, her light like guidance, in
How could she hide when her light is like guidance in
a garment that has come to resemble innovation?
A garment that was uniquely made
أناI فيin عالمthe realm of السوادblackness وعقليwhile my mind
أنا في عالم السواد وعقلي
فيin رياضgardens of التفاحapples ظلremained عقيلاcaptive
في رياض التفاح ظل عقيلا
I am in the realm of blackness, while my mind
I am in a world of darkness and my mind
in gardens of apples has remained captive.
Is in orchards of apples, a shaded place to rest
ماnot الهوىpassion فيin اسوادblackness إلاbut جنونmadness
ما الهوى في اسواد إلا جنون
والهوىand passion فيin البياضwhiteness أقومsounder قيلاin speech
والهوى في البياض أقوم قيلا
Passion in blackness is nothing but madness,
Passion in darkness is nothing but madness
and passion in whiteness is sounder in speech.
While passion in whiteness is truer in saying
ليسis not منone who ضلwent astray بالنهارby day كمنlike one who ضلwent astray
ليس من ضل بالنهار كمن ضل
بليلby night فذاكfor that one أهدىbetter guided سبيلاin one's path
بليل فذاك أهدى سبيلا
One who strays by day is not like one who strays
None who stray in daylight are like those who stray
by night; the former is better guided on his way.
In night, for those are guided on their way
منwho عذيريmy defender مماagainst what جنتهthey wrought it العذارىthe maidens
من عذيري مما جنته العذارى
أخذتنيthey seized me فيin الحبlove أخذاًa seizing وبيلاgrievous
أخذتني في الحب أخذاً وبيلا
Who will defend me against what the maidens have wrought?
My excuse for what the maidens have done
They seized me in love with a grievous grip.
Is that they have firmly taken me in love