← Back to Taj al-Arus

شخلب

Root entry · 2 derived lemmas

This root entry discusses a term, likely of non-Arabic origin, used in Iraqi dialect and by classical poets. It refers to a type of bead or pearl-like stone found in the sea, less valuable than true pearls. The term also extends to jewelry made from such beads or even from palm fiber, and metaphorically to a young girl adorned with such jewelry.

Derived headwords

المِشْخَلْبَةnoun
  1. 1.
    Iraqi termclassical

    A term used by Iraqis in their language, considered by some to be non-Arabic.

  2. 2.
    sea beadsclassical

    White beads resembling pearls, found in the sea, but of lesser value.

  3. 3.
    jewelryclassical

    Jewelry made from palm fiber and beads.

  4. 4.
    adorned girlclassical

    A young girl referred to metaphorically by the name of the jewelry she wears.

مِشْخَلَبًاnoun
  1. 1.
    sea beads (variant)classical

    A variant pronunciation or form of the word for sea beads, used by the Nabataeans.

Parallel reading

هي (كلمة عراقية) أي استعملها العراقيون في لسانهم.
It is an (Iraqi word), meaning the Iraqis used it in their language.
بياض وجه يريك الشمس حالكة ودر لفظ يريك الدر مخشلبا
The whiteness of a face shows you the sun as if it were dark, and the pearls of speech show you pearls made 'mishkhalaba'.
وهي (خرز بيض يشاكل اللؤلؤ) يخرج من البحر، وهو أقل قيمة.
And it is (white beads resembling pearls) that come out of the sea, and are of lesser value.
هو خرز وليست بعربية ولكنه استعملها على ما جرت به
It is beads, and not Arabic, but he (the poet) used it as it was commonly used.
ويروى،: مشخلبا، وهما لغتان للنبط فيما يشبه الدر من حجارة البحر وليس بدر
And it is narrated as: 'mishkhalaba', and these are two dialects of the Nabataeans for something resembling pearls from the stones of the sea, and it is not pearl.
والعرب تقول: الخضض.
And the Arabs say: 'al-khadhadh'.
أو الحلي يتخذ من الليف والخرز.
Or jewelry made from palm fiber and beads.
قد تسمى الجارية مشخلبة بما عليها من الخرز كالحلي.
A young girl may be called 'mishkhalaba' because of the beads on her, like jewelry.
يا مشخلبه، ماذا الجلبه، تزوج حرمله، بعجوز أرمله
O Mishkhalaba, what is the commotion? Marry Harmala, an old widow.
وليس على بنائها شيء من العربية.
And there is nothing in Arabic built upon its pattern.