هيفاءُa slender-waisted beauty تأمرُcommands بالحسنِthrough beauty
هيفاءُ تأمرُ بالحسنِ
منْwhomever تشاءُshe wishes وتنهىand forbids
منْ تشاءُ وتنهى
A slender beauty commands by her beauty
A slender-waisted beauty commands through her loveliness
whomever she wishes—and forbids.
whomever she wishes, and forbids.
تغنيshe suffices عنin place of البدرِthe full moon والبدand the full moon (word continues)
تغني عن البدرِ والبد
رُcompletion of 'full moon' ليسَdoes not يغنيكَsuffice for you عنهاin place of her
رُ ليسَ يغنيكَ عنها
She can take the full moon’s place, but the moo—
She suffices in place of the full moon, yet the full
—n cannot take hers for you.
moon does not suffice for you in place of her.
أعطيتهاI gave her بيديwith my hand روbeginning of 'my soul'
أعطيتها بيدي رو
حيcompletion of 'my soul' ولماand not yet تصنهاprotect it
حي ولما تصنها
With my own hand, I gave her my sou—
With my hand I gave her my
—l, and she did not guard it.
soul, and it had not yet been protected by
يديmy hand التيwhich قتلتنيkilled me
يدي التي قتلتني
فكيفَso how أقتصُّI exact retribution منهاfrom it
فكيفَ أقتصُّ منها
It was my own hand that killed me;
my hand, which killed me;
so how, then, can I exact retribution from her?
so how can I exact retribution from it?
