مَرَّpassed بِناby us فيin قَباءِa robe ديباجِbrocade
مَرَّ بِنا في قَباءِ ديباجِ
ذوwith طُرَّةٍa forelock جُنحُdarkness لَيلِهاof its night داجِdark
ذو طُرَّةٍ جُنحُ لَيلِها داجِ
He passed us by in a robe of brocade,
He passed by us in a brocade robe,
with a forelock—the wing of its night pitch-dark.
With a forelock whose night's gloom is dark.
يُغنيهِsuffices him ماwhat صاغَهُfashioned it الشَبابُyouth لَهُfor him
يُغنيهِ ما صاغَهُ الشَبابُ لَهُ
مَنof حليornaments لَألائِهِof its radiance عَنِin place of التاجِthe crown
مَن حلي لَألائِهِ عَنِ التاجِ
What youth had fashioned for him
What youth has fashioned for him suffices him—
from the adornment of its pearls left him no need of a crown.
Ornaments of its radiance—in place of a crown.
قَدindeed نَقَشَetched الصُدغُthe temple-lock خَدَّهُhis cheek فَغَداand so it became
قَد نَقَشَ الصُدغُ خَدَّهُ فَغَدا
كَأَنَّهُas though it were الآبَنوسُebony فيin العاجِivory
كَأَنَّهُ الآبَنوسُ في العاجِ
The temple-lock had etched his cheeks and came to seem
The temple-lock has etched his cheek, so it has become
as though it were ebony set in ivory.
Like ebony in ivory.
