ياO مَنyou whom كَلِفتُI became infatuated بِحُبِّهِwith love for him
يا مَن كَلِفتُ بِحُبِّهِ
كَلَفيmy infatuation بِكاساتِwith cups of العُقارthe wine
كَلَفي بِكاساتِ العُقار
O you, for love of whom I am besotted,
O you whom I am burdened with loving,
as I am besotted with cups of wine:
Burden me with cups of wine
وَحَياةand by the life of ماwhat فيin وَجنَتَيtwo cheeks (continued)
وَحَياة ما في وَجنَتَي
كِyour (completes preceding word) مِنَof الشَقائِقِthe anemones وَالبَهارand the daisies
كِ مِنَ الشَقائِقِ وَالبَهار
And by the life of what lies in your cheeks—
And a life that has in its cheeks
the anemones and the daisies—
Roses and blossoms,
وَولوعand the fondness of رِدفكyour buttocks بِالتَرَجfor swaying (continued)
وَولوع رِدفك بِالتَرَج
رُجِcompletion of 'swaying' تَحتَbeneath خَصرِكَyour waist فيin الإِزارthe waist-wrap
رُجِ تَحتَ خَصرِكَ في الإِزار
and by your buttocks' delight in swaying
And a burning desire buckled around your waist
beneath your waist, within your waist-wrap,
In the sash,
ماnot إِنemphasizes negation رَأَيتُI have seen لِحُسنِfor the beauty of وَجface (continued)
ما إِن رَأَيتُ لِحُسنِ وَج
هِكَcompletion of 'your face' فيamong البَرِيَّةِhumankind مِنany (after negation) نِجارancestral stock
هِكَ في البَرِيَّةِ مِن نِجار
never have I seen beauty like your face's
Never did I see in the wilderness
in any lineage among humankind.
A face as beautiful as yours,
لَمّاwhen رَأَيتُI saw الشَيبَthe gray hair مِنfrom
لَمّا رَأَيتُ الشَيبَ مِن
وَجهيmy face بِماwith what يَحكيresembles الخِمارthe veil
وَجهي بِما يَحكي الخِمار
When I saw the gray hair on
When I saw the gray hairs on
my face, resembling a veil,
My face telling of old age,
قالَتshe said غُبارٌdust قَدhas عَلاcovered (continued)
قالَت غُبارٌ قَد عَلا
كَyou (suffix) فَقُلتُso I said ذاthis غَيرِother than الغُبارthe dust
كَ فَقُلتُ ذا غَيرِ الغُبار
she said, "Dust has settled
She said it was just dust that had settled
on you." I said, "This is not dust.
On me, so I said this was not mere dust
هَذاthis الَّذيthat which نَقَلَcarried المُلوthe kings (continued)
هَذا الَّذي نَقَلَ المُلو
كَcompletion of 'kings' إِلىto القُبورِthe graves مِنَfrom الدِيارthe dwellings
كَ إِلى القُبورِ مِنَ الدِيار
This is what carried kings
This is what transferred kings
from their dwellings to their graves."
From palaces to tombs,
قاَلَتshe said ذَهَبتَyou went away بِحُجَّتيwith my argument
قاَلَت ذَهَبتَ بِحُجَّتي
عَنّيfrom me بِحُسنِthrough the elegance of الإِعتِذارthe excuse
عَنّي بِحُسنِ الإِعتِذار
She said, "You have taken my argument
She said you have refuted my claim
from me with your graceful excuse."
With excellent counterarguments,
ياO هَذِهِthis one (feminine) أَرَأَيتِhave you seen? لَيa night (continued)
يا هَذِهِ أَرَأَيتِ لَي
لاًcompletion of 'a night' مُذsince خُلِقتِyou were created بِلاwithout نَهارa day
لاً مُذ خُلِقتِ بِلا نَهار
O woman, have you seen a night
O you, did you not see me
since you were born, without a day?
A night ever since I was created without day?