قالتShe said تعَلَّمْتُI have learned أنَّthat الحبَّlove مَسْبَعَةٌa haunt of wild beasts
قالت تعَلَّمْتُ أنَّ الحبَّ مَسْبَعَةٌ
يفِرُّflees منْfrom ذكْرِهاmention of it قلبيmy heart ويرتاعُand is terrified
يفِرُّ منْ ذكْرِها قلبي ويرتاعُ
She said: I have learned that love is a wilderness prowled by beasts;
She said: I have learned that love is a haunt of wild beasts.
My heart flees at its mention and trembles in fear.
My heart flees from its mention and is terrified.
لهاit has قناديلُlanterns فيin الظلماءِthe darkness مُطْفَأةٌextinguished
لها قناديلُ في الظلماءِ مُطْفَأةٌ
لهاit has سماسرةٌbrokers فيin البيدthe deserts قُطَّاعhighwaymen
لها سماسرةٌ في البيد قُطَّاع
It has lamps in the darkness, all extinguished;
Its lanterns in the darkness are extinguished.
It has brokers in the wastes—highwaymen.
It has brokers in the deserts—highwaymen.
حَتَّىeven قصيدتهاits poem الشمطاءُgray-haired مُنْتِنَةٌfoul-smelling
حَتَّى قصيدتها الشمطاءُ مُنْتِنَةٌ
تعافُهاloathe it أعينٌeyes مِنَّاof ours وأسْماعُand ears
تعافُها أعينٌ مِنَّا وأسْماعُ
Even its hoary poem reeks;
Even its gray-haired poem reeks.
Our eyes and ears recoil from it.
Our eyes and ears loathe it.
ماتتْdied تفاعيلهاits metrical feet واعتلَّand fell ill مَطْلَعُهاits opening
ماتتْ تفاعيلها واعتلَّ مَطْلَعُها
لمْdid not يَبْقَremain بيتٌa verse بهاin it حياًalive ومِصْراعُand a hemistich
لمْ يَبْقَ بيتٌ بها حياً ومِصْراعُ
Its metrical feet have died, and its opening has grown infirm;
Its metrical feet have died, and its opening has fallen ill.
Not one verse remains alive in it, nor a single hemistich.
No verse remained alive in it, nor a hemistich.
