إذاwhen اضطرمblazed البرقُthe lightning اليمانيُّYemeni فيin الدجىthe darkness
إذا اضطرم البرقُ اليمانيُّ في الدجى
تَضَرَّمَburned مرتاعُfrightened الفُؤادthe heart حَزينُهُsorrowful in it
تَضَرَّمَ مرتاعُ الفُؤاد حَزينُهُ
When the Yemeni lightning blazed in the darkness,
When lightning flickers through the dark of night,
The frightened, sorrowful-hearted one burned.
My anxious heart is filled with sorrow's blight.
وجَرَّدand unsheathed منfrom غمدthe scabbard الدّجنّةthe darkness ومضُهits flash
وجَرَّد من غمد الدّجنّة ومضُه
شباًa cutting edge منfrom حُسامa sword أرْهَفَتّهsharpened it قيونهits smiths
شباً من حُسام أرْهَفَتّه قيونه
And its flash drew from the scabbard of night
It draws its blade from scabbard's constant shade
A cutting edge from a sword its smiths had honed.
A shining sword whose maker honed its might.
وأضمَرand concealed فيin طيّthe folds الجوانحthe ribs لوعةًburning anguish
وأضمَر في طيّ الجوانح لوعةً
وسِرّand a secret هوىًof love لكنّهbut he لاdoes not يصونهguard it
وسِرّ هوىً لكنّه لا يصونه
And he concealed a burning anguish in the folds of his breast,
And in my breast it hides an aching grief
And a secret love—yet he does not guard it.
A secret love, though it cannot requite.
يعذّبtorments هذاthis الوجدyearning منهwithin him فؤادهhis heart
يعذّب هذا الوجد منه فؤاده
وماand not ذاكthat إلاَّexcept ماwhat جَنَتْهwrought it عيونهhis eyes
وما ذاك إلاَّ ما جَنَتْه عيونه
This yearning torments his heart within him,
This passion tortures me, consumes my soul,
And that is nothing but what his eyes have wrought.
For eyes that sparked emotions love incite.
تذكَّرهاhe remembered them يومَon the day of الغميمal-Ghamim منازلاًdwellings
تذكَّرها يومَ الغميم منازلاً
فزادَso increased علىat ذكرthe memory of الغُوَيرal-Ghuwayr جنونهhis madness
فزادَ على ذكر الغُوَير جنونه
He remembered those dwellings on the day at al-Ghamim,
Remembering days of clouds and dwelling-place,
So at the memory of al-Ghuwayr his madness grew.
Its madness swelled recalling loves long slight.
وهلand do تنكرdeny الأطلالthe ruins وقفةthe halt of عارفٍone who knows
وهل تنكر الأطلال وقفة عارفٍ
تَوقَّفَhalted فيهاthere شكُّهhis doubt ويقينهand his certainty
تَوقَّفَ فيها شكُّه ويقينه
And do the ruins deny the halt of one who knows them,
Can ruins fail to recognizе a knowing glance?
Where his doubt and his certainty both stood still?
Where doubts are purged and truths seen clear in sight.
وهلand did ظنَّthink أنَّthat الدّمعَthe tears يعقبbring afterward راحةrelief
وهل ظنَّ أنَّ الدّمعَ يعقب راحة
منfrom الوَجدyearning حتَّىuntil خيَّبتهdisappointed him ظنونهhis expectations
من الوَجد حتَّى خيَّبته ظنونه
And did he think that tears would bring relief
Did tears bring comfort after anguish ceased?
From yearning, only for his expectations to fail him?
No, fancied hopes were shattered in their flight.
وفيand in الحيّthe clan فيin الجرعاءal-Jarʿāʾ جرعاءِJarʿāʾ of مالكMalik
وفي الحيّ في الجرعاء جرعاءِ مالك
لوانيput off paying me غريمٌa debtor ليسnot تقضىare paid ديونهhis debts
لواني غريمٌ ليس تقضى ديونه
And among the clan at al-Jarʿāʾ—Malik's Jarʿāʾ—
Among the living, living woefully,
A debtor whose debts go unpaid has put me off.
A debtor I, with debts I can’t acquit.
أعيناhelp, you two عليلاًone ailing صاحبيَّmy two companions منfrom الهوىlove
أعينا عليلاً صاحبيَّ من الهوى
إذاwhen لمnot يجدfinds فيamong صحبهhis companions منsomeone who يعينهhelps him
إذا لم يجد في صحبه من يعينه
Help one sick with love, my two companions,
My friend, love-wasted, eyes in sickness failing,
When he finds none among his companions to help him.
No comfort finds except what I transmit.
إذاif أنْتُماyou two لمnot تُسْعِدانيhelp me, you two علىagainst الجفاcoldness
إذا أنْتُما لم تُسْعِداني على الجفا
فماthen not يُسعِدُhelps المشتاقَthe yearning one إلاَّexcept أنينهhis groaning
فما يُسعِدُ المشتاقَ إلاَّ أنينه
If you two do not help me endure coldness,
If you bring no joy after cruelty,
Then nothing helps the yearning one but his groaning.
What gladdens those who pine but their own blight?
أُعلّلُI take solace فيماin what لاdoes not يزاولtreat علّةًan ailment
أُعلّلُ فيما لا يزاول علّةً
وفيand in القلبthe heart داءٌa disease لاnot يداوىis cured كمينهits hidden part
وفي القلب داءٌ لا يداوى كمينه
I take solace in what treats no ailment,
I feign good health but sickness dwells within,
And in the heart a disease lies hidden, beyond healing.
A latent ill no remedy can right.
Sol 6.1