تَزَوَّجَتها وَهِيَ فيما تَظُنُّ

تَزَوَّجَتها وَهِيَ فيما تَظُنُّ

شَمسُ الضُحى بِأَواقٍ وَنَشّ

شَمسُ الضُحى بِأَواقٍ وَنَشّ

You married her, and in your eyes she was

I married her while she was, as you think,

the sun at midmorning—for ounces and a half-ounce.

The morning sun with curves and dimples.

يَنوشُ بِها القَلبُ أَوطارَهُ

يَنوشُ بِها القَلبُ أَوطارَهُ

فَلَيتَ مَآرِبَهُ لَم تُنَشّ

فَلَيتَ مَآرِبَهُ لَم تُنَشّ

Through her the heart attains its desires;

The heart sips her charms,

if only its wishes had not been attained!

If only her misfortunes were not shaped!

عَروسُكَ أَفعى فَهَب قُربَها

عَروسُكَ أَفعى فَهَب قُربَها

وَخَف مِن سَليلِكَ فَهُوَ الحَنَش

وَخَف مِن سَليلِكَ فَهُوَ الحَنَش

Your bride is a viper, so dread her nearness;

Your bride is a viper, so avoid her closeness

and fear your offspring, for he is the serpent.

And fear her offspring, for he is tricky.

تَنَشّى الفَتى بِلَذيذِ المُدامِ

تَنَشّى الفَتى بِلَذيذِ المُدامِ

فَكانَ الخُمارُ عَقيبَ التَنَش

فَكانَ الخُمارُ عَقيبَ التَنَش

The young man grew tipsy on delicious wine,

The youth indulges in sweet wine

and a hangover followed his intoxication.

But the veil comes after the revelry.

إِذا لَم يُطَيِّبكَ حُسنُ الثَناءِ

إِذا لَم يُطَيِّبكَ حُسنُ الثَناءِ

فَلا خَيرَ في مِسكِ قَومٍ يُنَشّ

فَلا خَيرَ في مِسكِ قَومٍ يُنَشّ

If fine praise does not make you fragrant,

If you don’t like hearing good praise

then no good lies in the musk that people sniff.

Then no good comes from a people who sculpt.

لَعَمري لَقَد أَمِنَ العائِذونَ

لَعَمري لَقَد أَمِنَ العائِذونَ

وَعونِشَ ذو بِغضَةٍ فَاِعتَنَش

وَعونِشَ ذو بِغضَةٍ فَاِعتَنَش

By my life, those seeking refuge were indeed safe;

By my life, those who sought refuge are safe

and one bearing hatred was grappled with, and grappled back.

And a hater obtained help, so he sculpted.

فَيا قَسُّ وَقِّع بِرِزقِ الخَطي

فَيا قَسُّ وَقِّع بِرِزقِ الخَطي

بِ وَاُنظُر بِمَسجِدِنا يا مُنَش

بِ وَاُنظُر بِمَسجِدِنا يا مُنَش

So, priest, authorize the preacher’s stipend,

Oh stubborn one, provide the livelihood of the villager

and see to our mosque, O Munash.

And look after our mosque, O sculptor!