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O you whose heart is pure of any turbidity,

يا من قليب إخائه

1. O you whose heart is pure of any turbidity,
It would be best for me this evening,

١. يا مَن قَليبُ إِخائِهِ
صافٍ بِلا كَدَرِ اِنقِلابِ

2. To bring some chickens from Syria,
Which only students have tasted,

٢. لِيَ فَضلَةٌ أَمسِيَّةً
إِحضارُها عَينُ الصَوابِ

3. The young man went early with them,
To an oven of blazing inflammation,

٣. مِن أَفرُخٍ شامِيَّةٍ
ما شامَها إِلّا طِلابي

4. And brought them back with their clothes,
Having turned saffron yellow,

٤. بَكَرَ الغُلامُ بِها إِلى
ضَريمٍ لَموعِ الإِلتِهابِ

5. And soft ducks whose feathers had just emerged,
And mustard greens pure and lush,

٥. وَأَعادَها مِنهُ وَقَد
صارَت مُزَعفَرَ الثِيابِ

6. And eggs that were loaded,
With patterns of embroidery,

٦. وَنَقانِقٌ حُشفُ الشَطا
طِ وَخَردَلٌ صافي الرُضابِ

7. Some stuffed and some with holes,
And some pickled, diffusing under every lid,

٧. وَبَوارِدٌ قَد حُمِّلَت
جَرّاتُها طُرُزُ السَذابِ

8. There is hummus that makes the spoon ring,
And baba ghanoush free of any fault,

٨. مِنها المُمَسَّكَةَ الغِلا
لَةَ وَالمُخَلَّقَةَ الإِهابِ

9. And zucchinis stewed,
Like musk melted into perfume,

٩. وَمُخَلَّلاتٍ تَنتَشي
في كُلِّ شافِ الحِجابِ

10. So if you are satisfied, you would please us,
By smelling the smoke of kebab,

١٠. تَدوي الخُمارَ وَمَن بِهِ
مِن عِلَّةِ الصَفراءِ ما بي

11. And we have an old lady, whose era,
Is of a distant time of youth,

١١. وَكَوامِخٌ بَيتِيَّةٌ
كَمُخَمِّرِ المِسكِ المُذابِ

12. Her deeds are aloof,
From any blame or flaw,

١٢. فَإِنِ اِنقتَنَعتَ أَرَحتَنا
مِن شَمِّ دُخّانِ الكَبابِ

13. She always endeared herself,
By wearing crowns of seeds,

١٣. وَلَنا عَجوزٌ عَهدُها
عَهدٌ بَعيدٌ بِالشَبابِ

14. A maiden like the excuse,
That is led by the blamer of reproach,

١٤. عِنَبِيَّةٌ أَفعالُها
في مَعزِلٍ عَن كُلِّ عابِ

15. And we have a skilled singer,
Whose strings are full of turmoil,

١٥. أَبَداً تَحَبَّبَ نَفسَها
بِلِباسِ تيجانِ الحِبابِ

16. His focus is his habit,
And embracing him is my pursuit,

١٦. عَذراءُ كَالعُذرِ الَّذي
يَقتادُهُ حادي العِتابِ

17. If a freeman comes, his singing,
I make him soften to choose me,

١٧. وَلَنا مُغَنٍّ حاذِقٌ
أَوتارُهُ ذاتَ اِصطِخابِ

18. And for our grace and elegance,
Is the taste of avoiding avoidance,

١٨. إِلمامُهُ بِيَ دَأَبُهُ
وَالإِشتِمالُ عَلَيهِ دابي

19. And we have three, we never hunted,
For pleasure with coercion,

١٩. إِن جاءَ حُرٌّ غِنائُهُ
مَلَّكتُهُ رَقَّ اِنتِخابي

20. So with the camphor of dew in it,
Above the musk of mist,

٢٠. وَلِلَوزِنا وَلِنَبقِنا
طَعمُ اِجتِنابِ الإِجتِنابِ

21. Unless you come in the morning,
To apologize for the discord,

٢١. وَلَنا ثَلاثٌ لَم نَصِد
فيها سُروراً بِاِستِلابِ

22. So I have explained the situation,
And clarified it for you in my letter,

٢٢. فَبِتيهِ كافورِ النَدى
فيهِ عَلى مِسكِ الضَبابِ

23. If it comes and you read it,
Then be the answer without answer.

٢٣. إِلّا أَتَيتِ عَلى الصِبا
لِلإِعتِذارِ عَلى التَصابي

٢٤. فَالحالُ قَد فَصَّلتُها
وَشَرَحتُها لَكَ في كِتابي

٢٥. فَإِذا أَتى وَقَرَأتَهُ
فَكُنِ الجَوابَ بِلا جَوابِ