حَلَّundid عِقدَthe knot of اللِثامِthe veil عَنfrom بُستانِa garden
حَلَّ عِقدَ اللِثامِ عَن بُستانِ
وَاِنثَنىand swayed كَاِنثِناءَlike the swaying of خوطِa slender shoot of البانِthe bān tree
وَاِنثَنى كَاِنثِناءَ خوطِ البانِ
He undid the veil’s knot, unveiling a garden,
The veil uncovers the garden
and swayed as a bān-tree shoot sways—
Bending like bent vines.
رَشَأٌa gazelle fawn تَنعَمُtake delight العُيونَthe eyes بِماin what فيin
رَشَأٌ تَنعَمُ العُيونَ بِما في
خَدِّهِhis cheek مِنof شَقائِقِanemones النُعمانِal-Nuʿmān (part of the flower name)
خَدِّهِ مِن شَقائِقِ النُعمانِ
a gazelle fawn; the eyes delight in what lies
A fawn whose radiant cheeks
upon his cheek—anemones.
Dot the anemones' splendor.
ماnot التَقىmet حُسنُهُhis beauty بِناwith us قَطُّever إِلّاexcept
ما التَقى حُسنُهُ بِنا قَطُّ إِلّا
رَدَّناturned us back عَنfrom مَحَجَّةِthe clear path of السَلوانِsolace
رَدَّنا عَن مَحَجَّةِ السَلوانِ
Never did his beauty meet us without
His beauty every time we meet
turning us away from the path of solace.
Deflects the argument of the censurers.