وَهَيفاءَand a slender-waisted woman إِنif قامَتshe rises فَعاذَتthen she seeks refuge بِخَصرِهاin her waist
وَهَيفاءَ إِن قامَت فَعاذَت بِخَصرِها
مِنَfrom الرِّدفِthe haunches قالَsays المِرطُthe cloak لَيسَdoes not يُعيذُoffer refuge
مِنَ الرِّدفِ قالَ المِرطُ لَيسَ يُعيذُ
And a slender-waisted beauty—when she rose and sought refuge in her waist
And a slender-waisted beauty—if she rises and seeks her waist’s protection
from her haunches—her mantle said, “It offers no refuge.”
from her haunches, her cloak says, “It offers no refuge.”
رَمَتْshe shot at صاحِبيmy companion يَومَon the day النَّقاal-Naqā (the sand dune) بِكُلَيمَةٍwith a little word
رَمَتْ صاحِبي يَومَ النَّقا بِكُلَيمَةٍ
فَمادَand he swayed كَماas هَزَّshakes الخَليعُthe libertine نَبيذُwine
فَمادَ كَما هَزَّ الخَليعُ نَبيذُ
At al-Naqā she struck my companion with one little word;
She shot a little word at my companion on the day at al-Naqā,
he reeled as wine sets a rake swaying.
and he swayed as wine shakes a libertine.
وَحدَّثَنيand told me أَترابُهاher peers أَنَّthat ريقَهاher saliva
وَحدَّثَني أَترابُها أَنَّ ريقَها
عَلىaccording to ماwhat حَكىreported عودُthe twig الأراكِthe arāk tree لَذيذُsweet
عَلى ما حَكى عودُ الأراكِ لَذيذُ
Her peers told me that the moisture of her mouth
And her peers told me that her saliva
—as the arak twig testifies—is delicious.
is sweet, as the arāk twig reported.
فأَودَعَso lodged قَلبيmy heart وَصفُهُنَّtheir description عَلاقَةًa passion
فأَودَعَ قَلبي وَصفُهُنَّ عَلاقَةً
فَهاand here أَناI مِنfrom ذاكَthat الحَديثِthe tale وَقيذُstricken
فَها أَنا مِن ذاكَ الحَديثِ وَقيذُ
Their description thus lodged an attachment in my heart;
So their description lodged a passion in my heart,
and here I am, laid low by that account.
and here I am, laid low by that tale.
