خَليلَيَّmy two friends إِنif قالَتshe said بُثَينَةُButhayna ماwhat لَهُwith him
خَليلَيَّ إِن قالَت بُثَينَةُ ما لَهُ
أَتاناhe came to us بِلاwithout وَعدٍan appointment فَقولاthen say, you two لَهاto her لَهاhe was distracted
أَتانا بِلا وَعدٍ فَقولا لَها لَها
My two friends, if Buthayna says, “What is wrong with him?
My friend, if Buthainah says "Why has he not come?"
He came to us without an appointment”—then tell her, “He was distracted.”
Tell her "He came though not promised, so blame him not."
أَتىhe came وَهوَwhile he is مَشغولٌpreoccupied لِعُظمِbecause of the gravity of الَّذيthat which بِهِafflicts him
أَتى وَهوَ مَشغولٌ لِعُظمِ الَّذي بِهِ
وَمَنand whoever باتَspent the night طولَthroughout اللَيلِthe night يَرعىwatching السُهىSuha, a faint star سَهاgrew heedless
وَمَن باتَ طولَ اللَيلِ يَرعى السُهى سَها
He came preoccupied by the gravity of what afflicts him;
He came, preoccupied with important affairs,
And whoever spends all night watching Suha grows heedless.
And he who spends the night tending his flocks, mistakes.
بُثَينَةُButhayna تُزريshe puts to shame بِالغَزالَةِthe sun فيin الضُحىthe forenoon
بُثَينَةُ تُزري بِالغَزالَةِ في الضُحى
إِذاwhenever بَرَزَتshe appears لَمnot تُبقِshe leaves يَوماًever بِهاin it بَهاradiance
إِذا بَرَزَت لَم تُبقِ يَوماً بِها بَها
Buthayna puts the sun to shame at midmorning;
Buthainah adorns herself with the gazelle at dawn,
Whenever she appears, she never leaves it any radiance.
When she appears no day remains without beauty.
لَهاshe has مُقلَةٌan eye كَحلاءُdark-rimmed نَجلاءُwide خِلقَةًby nature
لَها مُقلَةٌ كَحلاءُ نَجلاءُ خِلقَةً
كَأَنَّas though أَباهاher father الظَبيُthe gazelle أَوor أُمَّهاher mother مَهاan oryx
كَأَنَّ أَباها الظَبيُ أَو أُمَّها مَها
Her eye is naturally dark-rimmed and wide,
She has dark eyes, pure and perfect in nature,
As though her father were a gazelle, or her mother an oryx.
As if her father were the deer or her mother the doe.
دَهَتنيshe afflicted me بِوِدٍّwith love قاتِلٍdeadly وَهوَand it is مُتلِفيdestroying me
دَهَتني بِوِدٍّ قاتِلٍ وَهوَ مُتلِفي
وَكَمand how many قَتَلَتshe killed بِالوُدِّwith love مَنthose who وَدَّهاloved her دَهاoverwhelmed them
وَكَم قَتَلَت بِالوُدِّ مَن وَدَّها دَها
She has afflicted me with deadly love, and it is destroying me;
She has slain me with a killing affection,
And how many who loved her has she slain with love that overwhelmed them!
And how many has she slain with the love they bear her!