بَرَعَتexcelled مَحاسِنُهُhis charms فَجَلَّand so he rose above بِهاthrough them
بَرَعَت مَحاسِنُهُ فَجَلَّ بِها
مِنbeyond أَنthat يَقومَdo justice بِوَصفِهِto his description لَفظُa word
مِن أَن يَقومَ بِوَصفِهِ لَفظُ
His graces excelled, exalting him far beyond
His charms excelled, and through them he rose beyond
the reach of any utterance that would describe him.
the power of any word to describe him.
نَطَقَspoke الجَمالُbeauty بِعُذرِin defense of عاشِقِهِhis lover
نَطَقَ الجَمالُ بِعُذرِ عاشِقِهِ
لِلعاذِلاتِto the reproaching women فَأُخرِسَand so was silenced الوَعظُadmonition
لِلعاذِلاتِ فَأُخرِسَ الوَعظُ
Beauty spoke in defense of its lover
Beauty spoke in his lover’s defense
before the women who reproached him, and admonition was struck dumb.
to the reproaching women, and admonition was silenced.
لَمdid not تَبتَذِلenjoy freely مِنهُof him النُفوسُsouls سِوىexcept
لَم تَبتَذِل مِنهُ النُفوسُ سِوى
ماwhat نالَgained مِنfrom وَجَناتِهِhis cheeks اللَحظُthe gaze
ما نالَ مِن وَجَناتِهِ اللَحظُ
Souls could freely enjoy nothing of him but
Souls enjoyed nothing of him save
what the gaze attained from his cheeks.
what the gaze gained from his cheeks.
ماwhat ضَرَّwould harm مَنone who تَمَّتwere perfect مَحاسِنُهُhis charms
ما ضَرَّ مَن تَمَّت مَحاسِنُهُ
لَوif كانَhad رَقَّsoftened فُؤادُهُhis heart الفَظُّharsh
لَو كانَ رَقَّ فُؤادُهُ الفَظُّ
What would it have harmed one whose graces were complete,
What harm would it have done one whose charms were perfect
had his cruel heart only softened?
if his harsh heart had softened?
