بَهاBaha لَمdid not تَقَعfall العَينُthe eye
بَها لَم تَقَع العَينُ
عَلىupon أَبهىlovelier وَلاnor أَلطَفmore delicate
عَلى أَبهى وَلا أَلطَف
Baha—never has the eye beheld
anyone lovelier or more delicate,
وَلاnor أَدنىcloser إِلىto القَلبthe heart
وَلا أَدنى إِلى القَلب
ولاnor أَشهىmore desirable وَلاnor أَظرفmore charming
ولا أَشهى وَلا أَظرف
or closer to the heart,
or more desirable or more charming.
شَغفتI became enthralled بِهاby her وَمَنand whoever يبلُexperiences
شَغفت بِها وَمَن يبلُ
غَرائبَthe marvels دلّهاof her coquetry يَشغفbecomes enthralled
غَرائبَ دلّها يَشغف
I am enthralled by her; whoever experiences
the marvels of her coquetry becomes enthralled.
وَقَدand indeed صنفhe wrote فيabout الحُبِّlove
وَقَد صنف في الحُبِّ
عَنfrom العلمِthe learning الَّذيthat صنفhe compiled
عَن العلمِ الَّذي صنف
And he has written about love,
drawing on the learning he compiled,
وَقالَand he said الشَمسthe sun وَالبَدرand the full moon
وَقالَ الشَمس وَالبَدر
وَلاand no وَاللَهby God ماnot أَنصفhe did justice
وَلا وَاللَه ما أَنصف
and said, “The sun and the full moon”—
no, by God, he has not done her justice.
دَعِleave aside الشَمسthe sun الَّتيwhich تُكسفْis eclipsed
دَعِ الشَمس الَّتي تُكسفْ
كذاlikewise البَدرthe full moon الَّذيwhich يخسفis eclipsed
كذا البَدر الَّذي يخسف
Leave aside the sun, which is eclipsed,
and likewise the full moon, which is eclipsed.
بهَاBaha فَتنةa temptation رامَintended اللَstart of “God”
بهَا فَتنة رامَ اللَ
هend of “God” منwhoever شَتّىwintered وَمِنand whoever صيّفsummered
ه من شَتّى وَمِن صيّف
Baha is a temptation God intended
for all who winter and all who summer.
شفتhealed نَظرتهاher glance المدنفthe gravely ill man
شفت نَظرتها المدنف
لَمّاwhen أَوشَكwas on the verge المدنفthe gravely ill man
لَمّا أَوشَك المدنف
Her glance healed the ailing man
when the ailing man was close to death.
وَكَمand many a خالٍfree مِنof الاسقاstart of “illnesses”
وَكَم خالٍ مِن الاسقا
مend of “illnesses” ردّوهthey sent him back وَقَدand already أَشرَفhe neared death
م ردّوه وَقَد أَشرَف
And many a man free of illness
they sent back already at death’s door.
بَهاBaha تَطلعshe rises وَالشَمسand the sun
بَها تَطلع وَالشَمس
فَبادَرتso I hastened إِلىto المشرفthe lookout
فَبادَرت إِلى المشرف
Baha rises with the sun,
so I hurried to the lookout.
غَدَتshe came forth معطفهاher mantle اِزدانbecame adorned
غَدَت معطفها اِزدان
بغصنwith a bough البانةof the ban-tree الأَهيفslender
بغصن البانة الأَهيف
She came forth, her mantle adorned
with the slender bough of the ban-tree.
صَباحَa morning of النورlight وَالنواand the blossoms (first part)
صَباحَ النور وَالنوا
رend of “blossoms” وَالوَردand the roses وَماand whatever فَوّفis streaked with color
ر وَالوَرد وَما فَوّف
A morning of light and blossoms,
and roses and all that is streaked with color!
تَردّshe returns تَحيةthe greeting الكفّof the hand
تَردّ تَحية الكفّ
بغمزةwith a wink جفنهاof her eyelid الأَوطفlong-lashed
بغمزة جفنها الأَوطف
She answers a wave of greeting
with a wink of her long-lashed eyelid.
لَئِنeven if أَشغلهاhas distracted her عَنيfrom me
لَئِن أَشغلها عَني
طُيورٌbirds حَولَهاaround her تُعلفare fed
طُيورٌ حَولَها تُعلف
Even if she is distracted from me
by birds being fed around her,
وَماand not تَطعمهاshe feeds them الحَبَّgrain بَلbut rather
وَما تَطعمها الحَبَّ بَل
الكَرَمَgenerosity الَّذيwhich يَقطفone gathers
الكَرَمَ الَّذي يَقطف
she feeds them not grain, but
the generosity one gathers.
فَبينfor between جَوانِحيmy ribs طَيرٌa bird
فَبين جَوانِحي طَيرٌ
عَلىabove أَيكتهاher grove رفرفfluttered
عَلى أَيكتها رفرف
For between my ribs is a bird
that fluttered above her grove.
Translation model: Sol 6.1