كأنّas though جيوشَarmies الفحمِthe charcoal منfrom فوقِabove جَمْرِهits embers
كأنّ جيوشَ الفحمِ من فوقِ جَمْرِه
وقدand already جُمعاthe two were brought together فاسْتُحْسِنso was deemed beautiful الضِّدُّthe opposite بالضِّدِّby the opposite
وقد جُمعا فاسْتُحْسِن الضِّدُّ بالضِّدِّ
As though the armies of charcoal above its embers—
As if armies of coal above their embers,
the two brought together, one opposite made lovely by the other—
Brought together, opposing is made fair with opposing.
غَدائرُtresses خَوْدٍa fair maiden فَرَّقَتْهاshe parted them وقدand already بَدتْappeared
غَدائرُ خَوْدٍ فَرَّقَتْها وقد بَدتْ
علىwith خَفَرٍbashfulness منfrom تحتهاbeneath them حمرةُthe redness الخَدِّthe cheek
على خَفَرٍ من تحتها حمرةُ الخَدِّ
were a fair maiden’s tresses, which she had parted, while there appeared
Rolled up carpets it scattered, though it appeared
bashfully beneath them the redness of her cheek.
Above a cheek's blush the redness of roses.
فلماthen when تناهَىreached its height صبغهُits color خِلتُI thought أنهthat it was
فلما تناهَى صبغهُ خِلتُ أنه
فصوصُgems عَقيقٍagate أوor جَنَىthe pickings of زَهَرblossoms الوردroses
فصوصُ عَقيقٍ أو جَنَى زَهَر الورد
Then, when its color reached its height, I thought it
When its dye reached an end I thought it
was agate gems or freshly gathered rose blossoms,
Rubies made powder, or rose petals gathered.
إلىup to أنْthat حَكَىresembled بعدَafter الخمودِthe dying down رمادُهاits ashes
إلى أنْ حَكَى بعدَ الخمودِ رمادُها
غباراdust منof الكافورcamphor فيamong قِطَعpieces النَّدِّthe fragrant incense
غبارا من الكافور في قِطَع النَّدِّ
until, after it died down, its ashes resembled
Until after death its ashes told
camphor dust among pieces of fragrant incense.
Of camphor remains in pieces of dew.