لَيْتَ عَيْنَيْهِ سَوَاءٌ
Would that his two eyes were alike.
The wish that someone’s eyes were alike can be interpreted in opposite evaluative directions, depending on what is assumed about the eyes. A translation that fixes only one interpretation removes the double-edged effect.
Rather than merely listing two dictionary senses for a single word, criticism should describe the two plausible readings of the complete assertion. That is the relevant contrast with tawriyah.
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Supplementary Master Practicum: Rhetorical Criticism, Revision and Justified Interpretation
لَيْتَ عَيْنَيْهِ سَوَاءٌ
Would that his two eyes were alike.
The wish that someone’s eyes were alike can be interpreted in opposite evaluative directions, depending on what is assumed about the eyes. A translation that fixes only one interpretation removes the double-edged effect.
Rather than merely listing two dictionary senses for a single word, criticism should describe the two plausible readings of the complete assertion. That is the relevant contrast with tawriyah.