Sol 6.1

  1. شمْ لأثيلات الحمى وضاله

    غاديةً ترفل في أذياله

    For the preserve's little tamarisks and lote trees, watch

    a morning raincloud sweeping through its skirts.

  2. يحيي الثرى من ودقها ما قطعتْ

    صوارمُ البارقِ من أوصاله

    Its rain revives the soil—rain cut loose

    from its limbs by the lightning's keen swords.

  3. يشبه دمعي قطرهُ وثغرَ لم

    ياء ابتسامُ البرق من خلاله

    Its drops resemble my tears; the mouth of a dark-

    lipped maiden is mirrored by the lightning's smile within it.

  4. يحسن ما طرَّز من أكمامه

    رقماً وما دبَّج من أسماله

    Lovely is what it has embroidered on its sleeves,

    in figured patterns, and brocaded on its tattered robes.

  5. لو ظفرتْ كفٌّ ببترٍ زهره

    أثرتْ بما تجنيه من إطلاله

    If a hand could manage to cut its blossoms,

    it would grow rich from what it gathered of its gentle rain.

  6. فكم به من ساهر بنائم

    يشغله الهجران عن وصاله

    How many there lie sleepless for one asleep,

    kept by separation from union with him!

  7. لا تعجبنْ فهكذا حزبِ الهوى

    آجاله تحكم ف آجاله

    Do not wonder; such is love's company:

    its gazelles rule over its allotted lifespans.

  8. يا راكباً تحمله عيرانةٌ

    والقلبُ لو يعلمُ في رحاله

    O rider borne by a sturdy she-camel,

    my heart, if he but knew, is among his baggage.

  9. جز باللوى وحيّ ساكن اللوى

    لا أجدبوا عن المشوق الواله

    Pass through al-Liwā and greet al-Liwā's dwellers—

    may drought spare them—on behalf of one yearning and distraught.

  10. وقل لهم معاتباً ما بال ذي اللو

    عة لو سألتم عن حاله

    And tell them reproachfully: 'What of the man in burning

    anguish? If only you would ask how he fares!'

  11. يكفيكمُ لو أنه يكفيكمُ

    ما بلبلت رحلتكم من باله

    Enough for you—if only it were enough—

    is the turmoil your departure has made of his mind.

  12. لولا الهوى لما غدا مسائلاً

    عن بانة السَّفح ولا غزاله

    But for love, he would not go asking

    after the hillside's bān-tree or its gazelle.

  13. ما ضرَّه طيفُ خيالٍ طارقٍ

    من نحوه يسأل عن خياله

    What harm would it do him if a phantom came by night

    from his side to ask after his shadow,

  14. أو بلَّ من غليله أو جاد إذ

    ظنَّ بما يرجوه من إبلاله

    or if he quenched some of his burning thirst, or gave freely when

    he anticipated the recovery he hoped for?

  15. لا شيء أحلى من مريرٍ هجره

    عندي ولا أحسن من دلاله

    Nothing is sweeter than the bitterness of his estrangement

    to me, nor more beautiful than his coyness.

  16. وبأبي أحورُ سيفُ لحظه

    افتكُ يومَ الرَّوع من نصاله

    And may my father ransom a dark-eyed one! His glance's sword

    is deadlier on the day of terror than his blades.

  17. كالدهر يوماً نحن منه في هدىٍ

    وتارةً في التيه من ضلاله

    Like Time: one day we find guidance in him,

    and another, his misguidance leaves us wandering lost.

  18. فالموتُ كلُّ الموت من إعراضه

    والموت كل الموت في إقباله

    For death, utter death, comes from his turning away,

    and death, utter death, lies in his drawing near.

  19. مورّد الوجنة لا أنفكُّ من

    وشاته إلاَّ إلى عذّاله

    Rose-cheeked—never do I escape from

    his talebearers except to his reproachers.

  20. كالشَّمس في ضيائها والظَّبي في

    نفاره والغصن في اعتداله

    Like the sun in its radiance, and the gazelle in

    its shying away, and the bough in its graceful poise.

  21. يا صاحبي وأين منّي صاحبٌ

    يعين ذا العزم على ترحاله

    O my companion—yet where can I find a companion

    to help a man of resolve upon his journey?