أبيّةunyielding ماanything that فوقbeyond الحديثconversation لوامقto a lover
أبيّة ما فوق الحديث لوامق
ونعمand excellent is أليفa companion الصالحthe righteous man المتناسكthe devout one
ونعم أليف الصالح المتناسك
Unyielding, she grants a lover nothing beyond conversation,
Noble verses beyond speech, flashes of light;
And is a fine companion to the righteous, devout man.
Blessed is the pious and devout companion.
فتاةa maiden كمثلlike البدرthe full moon لذwas delightful حديثهاher conversation
فتاة كمثل البدر لذ حديثها
لهاfor her نظرa gaze عنaway from ناظرan onlooker متهالكinfatuated
لها نظر عن ناظر متهالك
A maiden like the full moon, her conversation is delightful.
A girl like the full moon, her talk is delightful;
Her gaze turns away from an infatuated onlooker.
She casts her eyes down, not wanton in her glance.
ألوفsociable عطوفtenderhearted حرّةfreeborn عربيّةArab
ألوف عطوف حرّة عربيّة
لهاfor her منfrom تقاهاher piety جنّةa shield خوفfear of مالكMalik
لها من تقاها جنّة خوف مالك
Sociable and tenderhearted, a freeborn Arab woman.
Thousands of gentle, free Arabic women
Her piety is her shield against the dread of Malik.
For those who fear God, she is a paradise of awe and angels.
وماand not كاتباهاher two scribes يكتبانthey both write سوىexcept التقىpiety
وما كاتباها يكتبان سوى التقى
إذاwhenever ماemphatic particle خلتshe was alone معwith صاحبa companion متناسكdevout
إذا ما خلت مع صاحب متناسك
And her two scribes record nothing but piety
When she is alone with a devout companion, they write of nothing but piety;
Whenever she is alone with a devout companion.
If she is with a pious man keeping to himself.