أَرَقتُ أَكُفَّ الدَمعِ طَوراً وَأَسفَحُ

أَرَقتُ أَكُفَّ الدَمعِ طَوراً وَأَسفَحُ

وَأَنضَحُ خَدّي تارَةً ثُمَّ أَمسَحُ

وَأَنضَحُ خَدّي تارَةً ثُمَّ أَمسَحُ

I lay sleepless, at times holding back my tears, at times pouring them out,

I shed tears profusely for a while, then let them flow

and sprinkle my cheek at times, then wipe it.

And at times wet my cheeks, then wipe them dry

وَدونَكَ طَمّاحٌ مِنَ الماءِ مائِجٌ

وَدونَكَ طَمّاحٌ مِنَ الماءِ مائِجٌ

يُعَبُّ وَمُغبَرٌّ مِنَ التُربِ أَفيَحُ

يُعَبُّ وَمُغبَرٌّ مِنَ التُربِ أَفيَحُ

And between us lies high-surging, turbulent water,

Below you is a weeping cloud, pouring down rain

roaring, and a vast, dust-covered stretch of earth.

Dusting the ground and stirring up dust

وَإِنّي إِذا ما اللَيلُ جاءَ بِفَحمَةٍ

وَإِنّي إِذا ما اللَيلُ جاءَ بِفَحمَةٍ

لَأوري زِنادَ الهَمِّ فيها فَأَقدَحُ

لَأوري زِنادَ الهَمِّ فيها فَأَقدَحُ

And when night comes with its coal-black darkness,

When night comes with its darkness

I kindle within it grief's fire-sticks and strike sparks.

I light the flint of worries and strike a flame

وَأُتبِعُ طيبَ الذِكرِ أَنَّةُ موجَعٍ

وَأُتبِعُ طيبَ الذِكرِ أَنَّةُ موجَعٍ

فَيَنفَحُ هَذا حَيثُ هاتيكَ تَلفَحُ

فَيَنفَحُ هَذا حَيثُ هاتيكَ تَلفَحُ

And I follow remembrance's fragrance with a sufferer's groan,

And follow the sweet memory of one in pain

so this wafts fragrance where that scorches.

So it wafts here as longing flows there

وَأَلقى بَياضَ الصُبحِ يَسوَدُّ وَحشَةً

وَأَلقى بَياضَ الصُبحِ يَسوَدُّ وَحشَةً

فَأَحسِبُني أُمسي عَلى حينَ أُصبِحُ

فَأَحسِبُني أُمسي عَلى حينَ أُصبِحُ

And I see dawn's whiteness blacken with desolation,

I face the dawn growing dark and gloomy

so I think I enter evening just as I enter morning.

Thinking it is night when morning should break

وَيوحِشُني ناعٍ مِنَ اللَيلِ ناعِبٌ

وَيوحِشُني ناعٍ مِنَ اللَيلِ ناعِبٌ

فَأَزجُرُ مِنهُ بارِحاً لَيسَ يَبرَحُ

فَأَزجُرُ مِنهُ بارِحاً لَيسَ يَبرَحُ

And a croaking herald of death from the night fills me with dread,

A companion of night startles me with his wailing

so I read from it an ill omen that never departs.

I deter him at night but he won't budge

وَأَستَقبِلُ الدُنيا بِذِكرى مُحَمَّدٍ

وَأَستَقبِلُ الدُنيا بِذِكرى مُحَمَّدٍ

فَيَقبُحُ في عَينَيَّ ماكانَ يَلمُحُ

فَيَقبُحُ في عَينَيَّ ماكانَ يَلمُحُ

And I face the world with the memory of Muhammad,

I start my day remembering Muhammad

so what once gleamed turns ugly in my eyes.

And all that once pleased me now seems ugly

وَأُشفِقُ مِن مَوتِ الصِبا ثُمَّ إِنَّني

وَأُشفِقُ مِن مَوتِ الصِبا ثُمَّ إِنَّني

لَآمُلُ أَنَّ اللَهَ يَعفو وَيَصفَحُ

لَآمُلُ أَنَّ اللَهَ يَعفو وَيَصفَحُ

And I fear the death of youth; yet I

I fear the death of youth but then I hope

surely hope that God will pardon and forgive.

God will forgive and pardon my sins

غُلامٌ كَما اِستَخشَنتَ جانِبَ هَضبَةٍ

غُلامٌ كَما اِستَخشَنتَ جانِبَ هَضبَةٍ

وَلانَ عَلى طَشٍّ مِنَ المُزنِ أَبطَحُ

وَلانَ عَلى طَشٍّ مِنَ المُزنِ أَبطَحُ

A youth—like a hill's flank that you find rugged,

A boy seized the side of a hill

and a pebbled riverbed grown soft under a sprinkle from rainclouds.

Galloping freely though stumbling on pebbles

أَقولُ وَقَد وافى كِتابُ نَعيِهِ

أَقولُ وَقَد وافى كِتابُ نَعيِهِ

يُجَمجِمُ في أَلفاظِهِ فَيُصَرِّحُ

يُجَمجِمُ في أَلفاظِهِ فَيُصَرِّحُ

I say, now that the letter announcing his death has arrived,

I say as the letter announcing his death arrived

mumbling in its words, then speaking plainly:

Its words explicit though causing distress

أَرامٍ بِأَغماتٍ يُسَدِّدُ سَهمَهُ

أَرامٍ بِأَغماتٍ يُسَدِّدُ سَهمَهُ

فَيَرمي وَقَلبٌ بِالجَزيرَةِ يُجرَحُ

فَيَرمي وَقَلبٌ بِالجَزيرَةِ يُجرَحُ

Does an archer in Aghmat take aim with his arrow,

A Syrian with suppressed sorrows aims his arrow

then shoot, while a heart in al-Jazira is wounded?

And shoots, wounding a heart in the Levant

فَيا لَغَريبٍ فاجأَتهُ مَنِيَّةٌ

فَيا لَغَريبٍ فاجأَتهُ مَنِيَّةٌ

أَتَتهُ عَلى عَهدِ الشَبابِ تُلَحلِحُ

أَتَتهُ عَلى عَهدِ الشَبابِ تُلَحلِحُ

Alas for a stranger whom death took by surprise,

Oh stranger whom death unexpectedly took

coming to him in the days of youth and settling there.

In the prime of youth, persisting and forceful

كَأَنَّ لَهيباً بَينَ جَنبَيَّ واقِداً

كَأَنَّ لَهيباً بَينَ جَنبَيَّ واقِداً

بِهِ وَرَكايا بَينَ جَفنَيَّ تُمتَحُ

بِهِ وَرَكايا بَينَ جَفنَيَّ تُمتَحُ

As though a flame were blazing between my ribs

As if a flaming fire burned between my ribs

because of him, and wells between my eyelids were being drawn from.

With embers between my eyelids glowing

جَلَستُ أَسومُ الدَهرَ فيهِ مَلامَةً

جَلَستُ أَسومُ الدَهرَ فيهِ مَلامَةً

وَكُنتُ كَما قَد كُنتُ أُثني وَأَمدَحُ

وَكُنتُ كَما قَد كُنتُ أُثني وَأَمدَحُ

I sat heaping blame upon Time on his account,

I blamed fate though I used to praise and flatter

though I had formerly extolled and praised it.

You'd see me moan like a heart-broken dove

تَراني إِذا أَعوَلتُ حُزناً حَمامَةً

تَراني إِذا أَعوَلتُ حُزناً حَمامَةً

تُرِنُّ وَطَوراً أَيكَةً تَتَرَنَّحُ

تُرِنُّ وَطَوراً أَيكَةً تَتَرَنَّحُ

When I wail in sorrow, you see me as a dove

Drowning in a sea of tears, worries and darkness

cooing, and at times as a swaying thicket,

I would swim even if it were just one sea

غَريقاً بِبَحرِ الدَمعِ وَالهَمُّ وَالدُجى

غَريقاً بِبَحرِ الدَمعِ وَالهَمُّ وَالدُجى

وَلَو كانَ بَحراً واحِداً كُنتُ أَسبَحُ

وَلَو كانَ بَحراً واحِداً كُنتُ أَسبَحُ

drowning in a sea of tears, and grief, and darkness—

I send the northern winds greetings

if it were just one sea, I could swim.

Sighing under the water of my eyes until it trembles

أُحَمِّلُ أَنفاسَ الشَمالِ تَحِيَّةً

أُحَمِّلُ أَنفاسَ الشَمالِ تَحِيَّةً

يَنوءُ بِها مِن ماءِ جَفني فَيَرزَحُ

يَنوءُ بِها مِن ماءِ جَفني فَيَرزَحُ

I load the breaths of the north wind with a greeting;

I glance up at the sky and ache

it strains beneath its load of water from my eyelid, then sinks.

Swaying southward though I resist and abstain

فَلي نَظرَةٌ نَحوَ السَماءِ وَلَوعَةٌ

فَلي نَظرَةٌ نَحوَ السَماءِ وَلَوعَةٌ

تَلَدَّدُ بي نَحوَ الجَنوبِ فَأَجنَحُ

تَلَدَّدُ بي نَحوَ الجَنوبِ فَأَجنَحُ

So I have a gaze toward the sky, and a burning longing

I held back my soul though it insisted

that turns me restlessly southward, so I incline that way.

And resisted despair though patience is best

فَرادَعتُ عَنها النَفسَ وَالنَفسُ صَبَّةٌ

فَرادَعتُ عَنها النَفسَ وَالنَفسُ صَبَّةٌ

وَراوَغتُ حُسنَ الصَبرِ وَالصَبرُ أَرجَحُ

وَراوَغتُ حُسنَ الصَبرِ وَالصَبرُ أَرجَحُ

So I held my soul back from it, though my soul was yearning,

Sleep my tearful eyes

and evaded fair patience, though patience was weightier.

For each vessel exudes what fills it

فَنَمِّ بِأَسرارِ الصَبابَةِ مَدمَعي

فَنَمِّ بِأَسرارِ الصَبابَةِ مَدمَعي

وَكُلُّ إِناءٍ بِالَّذي فيهِ يَرشَحُ

وَكُلُّ إِناءٍ بِالَّذي فيهِ يَرشَحُ

So my tears betrayed the secrets of longing,

I despaired a heart that used to flutter with hope

and every vessel seeps what lies within it.

And ambitions would surge in it and aspire

وَأَيأَستُ قَلباً كانَ يَخفِقُ تارَةً

وَأَيأَستُ قَلباً كانَ يَخفِقُ تارَةً

وَتَنزو بِهِ الآمالُ طَوراً فَيَطمَحُ

وَتَنزو بِهِ الآمالُ طَوراً فَيَطمَحُ

And I drove to despair a heart that sometimes fluttered,

I no longer expect travelers to bring tidings

and at times hopes made it leap, so it reached high.

Or a message to read and contemplate

فَما أَتَلَقّى الرَكبَ أَرجو تَحِيَّةً

فَما أَتَلَقّى الرَكبَ أَرجو تَحِيَّةً

تُوافي لَهُ أَو رُقعَةً تَتَصَفَّحُ

تُوافي لَهُ أَو رُقعَةً تَتَصَفَّحُ

So I no longer meet the caravan hoping for a greeting

My eyes are tied to the night by a dark blue rope

arriving on his behalf, or a letter to peruse.

And grey tears flow freely down my cheek

فَفي ناظِري لِلَّيلِ مَربَطُ أَدهَمٍ

فَفي ناظِري لِلَّيلِ مَربَطُ أَدهَمٍ

وَفي وَجنَتي لِلدَمعِ أَشهَبُ يَجمَحُ

وَفي وَجنَتي لِلدَمعِ أَشهَبُ يَجمَحُ

For in my eye, night has a black steed's tethering-place,

When the palace of company breeds loneliness

and on my cheek, tears have a gray steed running wild.

I do not wish to be happy and rejoice

إِذا كانَ قَصرُ الأُنسِ بِالإِلفِ وَحشَةً

إِذا كانَ قَصرُ الأُنسِ بِالإِلفِ وَحشَةً

فَما أَشتَهي أَنّي أُسَرُّ فَأَفرَحُ

فَما أَشتَهي أَنّي أُسَرُّ فَأَفرَحُ

If the palace of companionship with a loved one is desolate,

O you who faces night vigilant and wakeful

I have no desire to be gladdened and rejoice.

Walking far and wide wiping out miles

فَيا عارِضاً يَستَقبِلُ اللَيلَ واكِفاً

فَيا عارِضاً يَستَقبِلُ اللَيلَ واكِفاً

وَيَسري فَيَطوي الأَطوَلَينِ وَيَمسَحُ

وَيَسري فَيَطوي الأَطوَلَينِ وَيَمسَحُ

O raincloud, meeting the night as you pour down,

Take to the stranger's grave tears falling

and traveling by night, folding up the two longest spans and sweeping across them,

Where you walked may they flow and drench

تَحَمَّل إِلى قَبرِ الغَريبِ مَزادَةً

تَحَمَّل إِلى قَبرِ الغَريبِ مَزادَةً

مِنَ الدَمعِ تَندى حَيثُ سِرتَ وَتَنضَحُ

مِنَ الدَمعِ تَندى حَيثُ سِرتَ وَتَنضَحُ

carry to the stranger's grave a waterskin

And send greetings across the sea to reach him

of tears, damp and dripping wherever you travel;

May the flowers of the valley emit their fragrance

وَأَحفى سَلامٍ يَعبُرُ البَحرَ دونَهُ

وَأَحفى سَلامٍ يَعبُرُ البَحرَ دونَهُ

فَيَندى وَأَزهارَ البِطاحِ فَتَنفَحُ

فَيَندى وَأَزهارَ البِطاحِ فَتَنفَحُ

and the warmest greeting, crossing the sea on the way to him,

Stop by the beloved's tomb with a glance

growing dewy; and flowers of the plains, wafting fragrance.

That makes my eyes see him there and discern

وَعَرِّج عَلى مَثوى الحَبيبِ بِنَظرَةٍ

وَعَرِّج عَلى مَثوى الحَبيبِ بِنَظرَةٍ

تَراهُ بِها عَيني هُناكَ وَتَلمَحُ

تَراهُ بِها عَيني هُناكَ وَتَلمَحُ

And turn aside to the beloved's resting place with a glance

through which my eye may see him there and glimpse him.