عَرَفتُ لِسَلمى رَسمَ دارٍ تَخالُها

عَرَفتُ لِسَلمى رَسمَ دارٍ تَخالُها

مَلاعِبَ جِنٍّ أَو كِتاباً مُنَمنَما

مَلاعِبَ جِنٍّ أَو كِتاباً مُنَمنَما

I recognized the trace of Salma’s dwelling, which you might take for

I knew the house of Salma, though it seemed

Playgrounds of jinn, or an ornamented book.

A haunt of jinn or book with gilded seam,

وَعَهدي بِسَلمى وَالشَبابُ كَأَنَّهُ

وَعَهدي بِسَلمى وَالشَبابُ كَأَنَّهُ

عَسيبٌ نَمى في رَيِّهِ فَتَقَوَّما

عَسيبٌ نَمى في رَيِّهِ فَتَقَوَّما

And I remember Salma, when youth was like

And I recall when youth and Salma were

A palm frond that grew with ample watering and stood upright.

As shoots that flourished, nurtured by a stream.

يَعَضُّ سِواراها خِدالاً لَوَ اَنَّها

يَعَضُّ سِواراها خِدالاً لَوَ اَنَّها

إِذا بَلَغا الكَفَّينِ أَن يَتَقَدَّما

إِذا بَلَغا الكَفَّينِ أَن يَتَقَدَّما

Her two bracelets bite into plump forearms—if she... [wording unclear]

Her bracelets she would bite, were they to gain

When they reach her hands, ... that they should advance.

Advance, once past her wrists, or so I deem.

نَزيعانِ مِن جَرمِ بنِ زَبّانَ إِنَّهُم

نَزيعانِ مِن جَرمِ بنِ زَبّانَ إِنَّهُم

أَبَوا أَن يَريقوا في الهَزاهِزِ مِحجَما

أَبَوا أَن يَريقوا في الهَزاهِزِ مِحجَما

Two outsiders from Jarm ibn Zabban—indeed, they

From Jarir and his ilk they kept their blades

Refused to spill a cupping-glassful of blood amid battle’s turmoil.

Though war's rough labor called them, it would seem.