كَمhow many فيin العِذارthe cheek-down إِلىto العُذّالِthe reproachers مِنof عُذُرٍexcuses
كَم في العِذار إِلى العُذّالِ مِن عُذُرٍ
وَكَمand how often يُحاوِرُهُمdebates with them عَنabout لَوميblaming me الحَوَرُthe eyes' dark-and-white contrast
وَكَم يُحاوِرُهُم عَن لَومي الحَوَرُ
How many excuses his cheek-down offers the reproachers!
How many excuses I offer my blamers,
And how often his dark-eyed beauty debates them over blaming me!
And how my defender argues on my behalf.
وَكَمand how many أَرىI see عِندهمwith them مِنof حُبّهlove for him خَبَراًa report
وَكَم أَرى عِندهم مِن حُبّه خَبَراً
يَرويهrelays it عَنfrom مُقلَتيَّmy two eyes الدَمعُtears وَالسَهَرُand sleeplessness
يَرويه عَن مُقلَتيَّ الدَمعُ وَالسَهَرُ
And how many reports of my love for him I find with them,
Yet still they claim knowledge of my love for him,
Which tears and sleeplessness relay from my eyes!
Told by my tears and sleepless nights.
يَبغونَthey seek بالعَذلthrough reproach بُرئيmy recovery مِنfrom عَلاقتِهِattachment to him
يَبغونَ بالعَذل بُرئي مِن عَلاقتِهِ
وَالقَولُand words يُصلِحُheal مَنthose whom لَمdid not يجرحِwound النَظَرُthe gaze
وَالقَولُ يُصلِحُ مَن لَم يجرحِ النَظَرُ
They seek through reproach to cure me of my attachment to him,
They seek to be absolved of caring for me,
Yet words can heal only those whom a glance has not wounded.
Though words cannot heal one whom eyes have pierced.
قالواthey said تَرَكتَyou left البَواديthe desert lands قلتI said جُبُّهُمtheir well
قالوا تَرَكتَ البَوادي قلت جُبُّهُم
مُحَرَّمٌforbidden حَظَّرَتهُbarred it التُركُthe Turks وَالحَضَرُand the townsfolk
مُحَرَّمٌ حَظَّرَتهُ التُركُ وَالحَضَرُ
They said, “You have left the desert lands.” I said, “Their well
They said, "You've left the deserts." I said, "Their love
Is forbidden; the Turks and townsfolk have barred it.”
Is forbidden; both nomad and city have denied it."
ماnot يَنزِلُsettles الحَيُّthe tribe مِنwithin قَلبيmy heart بِمَنزِلَةin a dwelling-place
ما يَنزِلُ الحَيُّ مِن قَلبي بِمَنزِلَة
وَلاnor لآثارfor the traces of ظَعنٍdeparture عندهwithin it أَثَرُa trace
وَلا لآثار ظَعنٍ عنده أَثَرُ
The tribe occupies no place within my heart,
No living soul can replace him in my heart,
Nor do the traces of departure leave any mark there.
Nor do memories of our union leave a trace.
وَلاnor أُعلّقُI become enamored of مَحبوباًa beloved يُساعِدُهُaids him
وَلا أُعلّقُ مَحبوباً يُساعِدُهُ
عَلىin الصُدودturning away سُتورcurtains الخِدرِthe secluded chamber وَالخُمرُand head-veils
عَلى الصُدود سُتور الخِدرِ وَالخُمرُ
Nor do I fall in love with a beloved who is aided
I do not pine for one who aids my love
In shunning me by chamber curtains and veils.
With wine and music to ward off sleep.
أَميلُI turn عَنaway from حُسنِthe beauty of وَجهِthe face of الشَمسthe sun مُستَتِراًconcealed
أَميلُ عَن حُسنِ وَجهِ الشَمس مُستَتِراً
إِلىtoward مَحاسنَcharms يَجلوهاreveals them ليَfor me القَمَرُthe moon
إِلى مَحاسنَ يَجلوها ليَ القَمَرُ
I turn from the beauty of the sun's concealed face
I turn my eyes from the sun's beautiful face,
Toward charms the moon reveals to me.
Finding solace in the radiance of the moon.
قَضيبُa slender bough بانٍa bān tree عَلىon أَعلاهits top بَدرُa full moon دُجىًnight's darkness
قَضيبُ بانٍ عَلى أَعلاه بَدرُ دُجىً
مِنfrom أَينَwhere لِلبانِfor the bān tree هَذاthis الزَهرُthe blossoms وَالثَمَرُand the fruit
مِن أَينَ لِلبانِ هَذا الزَهرُ وَالثَمَرُ
A bān-tree bough, with a full moon of night atop it—
A staff with a full moon adorns its top,
Where did the bān tree get these blossoms and fruit?
Whence came this flowering and fruit?
Sol 6.1