وَفاتِنَةٍand a captivating woman مِنamong الغيدthe slender, graceful women الغَوانيthe beautiful women
وَفاتِنَةٍ مِن الغيد الغَواني
كَساهاclothed her حُسنهاher beauty حللrobes النَعيمِbliss
كَساها حُسنها حلل النَعيمِ
And a captivating woman among the slender beauties—
A beauty, from the slender, flexible branches,
Her beauty clothed her in robes of bliss.
Her beauty adorns her with garments of bliss.
شُغفتI was enamored بِهاof her كَماjust as شَغفتcaptivated فؤاديmy heart
شُغفت بِها كَما شَغفت فؤادي
مَحاسِنُthe charms أَهيفِa slender-waisted one القدِّthe stature القَويمِupright; well-proportioned
مَحاسِنُ أَهيفِ القدِّ القَويمِ
I was enamored of her, just as my heart was captivated
I was passionately in love with her, as was my heart,
By the charms of one slender and straight of stature.
With the charms of the slender, tall, upright one.
فَلمّاthen when أَنthat (here reinforcing “when”) دَرتshe learned كلفيmy infatuation وَوَجديand my passionate longing
فَلمّا أَن دَرت كلفي وَوَجدي
بِهِfor him وَالحُبُّand love يَعبَثtoys بِالحليمِwith the forbearing
بِهِ وَالحُبُّ يَعبَث بِالحليمِ
Then, when she learned of my infatuation and my longing
When my affliction and love for her grew,
For him—and love toys with the forbearing—
And love toyed with the forebearing one.
سَعَتshe hastened نَحويtoward me دَلالاًcoquettishly وَهيَwhile she was غَضبىangry
سَعَت نَحوي دَلالاً وَهيَ غَضبى
تُسائِلُنيshe questions me عَنabout النَبأthe news العَظيمِmomentous
تُسائِلُني عَن النَبأ العَظيمِ
She hastened toward me coquettishly, though she was angry,
She came towards me coquettishly while angry,
Questioning me about the momentous news.
And asked me about the great news.
وَقالَتand she said ماwhat اِسمهُhis name فَخَشيتso I feared لَوماreproach
وَقالَت ما اِسمهُ فَخَشيت لَوما
فَقُلتُso I said لَهاto her فَدَيتكmay I be your ransom لاdo not تَلوميreproach
فَقُلتُ لَها فَدَيتك لا تَلومي
And she said, “What is his name?” So I feared reproach.
And said what is his name, so I feared blame,
So I told her, “May I be your ransom—do not reproach me:
And said, your ransom, do not blame me.
فَقَلبيfor my heart وَاِسمهُand his name وَهَواكand love for you عِنديto me
فَقَلبي وَاِسمهُ وَهَواك عِندي
سَليمٌstricken; literally snakebitten, also sound فيin سَليمٍSalim (his name) فيin سَليمِsound; unharmed
سَليمٌ في سَليمٍ في سَليمِ
For my heart, his name, and my love for you are, to me,
For my heart, his name, and my love for you,
Stricken, in Salim, in soundness.”
Are safe, in safe, in safe.