مِسْكٌmusk وخَمْرٌand wine وبَرَدْand hail
مِسْكٌ وخَمْرٌ وبَرَدْ
رِضابهُhis saliva لِذَاtherefore رفَدْhe gave generously
رِضابهُ لِذَا رفَدْ
Musk, wine, and hailstones—
Musk and wine and hail—
his lips’ nectar supplies them all.
Such is his saliva; thus he gave generously.
فَلوْso, if رأَىsaw بَدْرُthe full moon الدُّجىof the night’s darkness
فَلوْ رأَى بَدْرُ الدُّجى
ضِياءَthe radiance خَدَّيْهِof his cheeks سَجَدْit bowed down
ضِياءَ خَدَّيْهِ سَجَدْ
Were the full moon of night to see
So, if the full moon of night saw
the radiance of his two cheeks, it would fall prostrate.
The radiance of his cheeks, it would bow down.
وَالحُسْنُand beauty لَوif أَبْصَرَهُbeheld him
وَالحُسْنُ لَو أَبْصَرَهُ
لَماتَwould surely die مِنْfrom فَرْطِexcessive الحَسَدْenvy
لَماتَ مِنْ فَرْطِ الحَسَدْ
And were Beauty itself to behold him,
And if Beauty beheld him,
it would die from sheer excess of envy.
It would die of overwhelming envy.
يَقْتُلُhe kills باللَّحْظِwith a glance وَمَاand no
يَقْتُلُ باللَّحْظِ وَمَا
عَليْهupon him فيin ذَاكthat قَوَدْretaliatory execution
عَليْه في ذَاك قَوَدْ
He kills with a glance, and yet
He kills with a glance, yet no
no blood-requital is due from him.
Retribution falls upon him for that.
أُعِيذُهُI seek protection for him مِنْfrom نَاظِرِيmy gaze
أُعِيذُهُ مِنْ نَاظِرِي
بِقُلْwith “Say” هُوَHe اللَّهُGod أَحَدْOne
بِقُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدْ
I shield him from my own gaze
I seek protection for him from my gaze
with “Say: He is God, the One.”
With “Say: He is God, One.”
