المُدْنَفَانِthe two languishing ones منَamong البرِيّةِcreation كلِّهَاall of it
المُدْنَفَانِ منَ البرِيّةِ كلِّهَا
جسميmy body وطَرْفٌand an eye بابليٌّBabylonian أحوَرُdark-irised, with bright whites
جسمي وطَرْفٌ بابليٌّ أحوَرُ
The two languishing ones in all creation
The hyacinths of all the wilderness,
are my body and a Babylonian eye, deep-black against bright white.
My body and a Babylonian glance, oblique.
والمُشرِقاتُand the radiant ones النّيّراتُthe luminous ones ثلاثةٌthree
والمُشرِقاتُ النّيّراتُ ثلاثةٌ
الشمسُthe sun والقمرُand the moon المنيرُthe shining وجعفرُand Jaʿfar
الشمسُ والقمرُ المنيرُ وجعفرُ
And the radiant, luminous ones are three:
The three luminous dawns,
the sun, the shining moon, and Jaʿfar.
The sun, the bright moon, and Jaafar.