طوبىblessedness لمنfor whoever رفضspurned الفتاةthe girl وقدand indeed غداhas become
طوبى لمن رفض الفتاة وقد غدا
حبlove of الفتىthe youth أبداًforever لمهجتهfor his soul غذاnourishment
حب الفتى أبداً لمهجته غذا
Blessed is he who has spurned the maiden, while
Blessed is he who spurns the girl, now that
love of the youth has become everlasting nourishment for his soul.
love of the youth has become his soul’s everlasting nourishment.
ماnot قالتsaid العربthe Arabs الفصاحthe eloquent إذاwhen ارتضتthey approved
ما قالت العرب الفصاح إذا ارتضت
فيin الدهرthe world شيئاًanything حبذاhow delightful! بلbut rather حبذاlove of this male (wordplay)
في الدهر شيئاً حبذا بل حبذا
The eloquent Arabs never said, whenever they approved
The eloquent Arabs never said, when pleased
of anything through all time, “ḥabbadhā—how fine!” but “ḥubbu dhā—love of this lad.”
with anything in this world, ‘How delightful!’—but rather, ‘Love of this lad!’
