قالواthey said التحىhe grew a beard وستسلوand you will forget عنهabout him قلتُI said لهمto them
قالوا التحى وستسلو عنه قلتُ لهم
هلquestion particle يحسنis beautiful الروضthe garden ماas long as لمnot يطلعblooms الزهرthe flowers
هل يحسن الروض ما لم يطلع الزهر
They said, “He has grown a beard, and you will forget about him.” I said to them:
“Is the garden beautiful before the flowers bloom?
هلquestion particle التحىgrew a beard طرفهhis gaze الساجيthe languid فأهجرهso I should forsake him
هل التحى طرفه الساجي فأهجره
أمor هلquestion particle تزحزحshifted علىupon ألحاظهhis eyes الحورُthe eyes’ black-and-white contrast
أم هل تزحزح على ألحاظه الحورُ
Has his languid gaze grown a beard, that I should forsake him?
Or has the contrast of black and white in his eyes shifted?”