ياO ساكنيdwellers of مصرEgypt تبَّتmay it perish للفراقof separation يدٌa hand
يا ساكني مصر تبَّت للفراق يدٌ
قدindeed صيرَّتhas made حزنيmy sorrow أباfather of لهبflame
قد صيرَّت حزني أبا لهب
O dwellers of Egypt, may separation's hand perish:
O dwellers of Egypt, my hand has become accustomed to separation,
it has made my sorrow Abu Lahab,
My sorrow has become like Abu Lahab.
ومهجتيand my heart فيwithin ضلوعيmy ribs منfrom جوىburning anguish وضناand wasting sickness
ومهجتي في ضلوعي من جوى وضنا
حمَّالةa bearer of الهمِّsorrow أوor حمَّالةa bearer of الحطبfirewood
حمَّالة الهمِّ أو حمَّالة الحطب
and my heart within my ribs, through burning anguish and wasting sickness,
And my innermost being, from the intensity of love and affection,
a bearer of sorrow—or a bearer of firewood.
Is laden with concerns, or laden like one who carries wood.
عنof مدمعِيmy weeping eye وندىand the bounty of كفّthe palm of الأميرthe emir ألاcome now
عن مدمعِي وندى كفّ الأمير ألا
حدثspeak عنof البحرِthe sea ياO رائيهyou who behold it بالعجبwith wonder
حدث عن البحرِ يا رائيه بالعجب
Of my weeping eye and the bounty of the emir's palm—come,
Do not speak, O seer, of the sea and its wonders,
speak of the sea with wonder, O you who behold it.
About my weeping and the dew on the hand of the prince.
أميرan emir حاجبchamberlain to ملكٍa king غيرexcept أنَّthat لهhe has
أمير حاجب ملكٍ غير أنَّ له
نورradiance المهابةmajesty يغنيهmakes him independent عنof الحجبveils
نور المهابة يغنيه عن الحجب
An emir, a king's chamberlain, yet he has
The prince, keeper of the kingdom, though he needs no veil,
a radiance of majesty that spares him the need for veils.
The light of awe is enough to veil him.
ياO منعشيyou who revive me حيثwhile شخصيmy person فيin دمشقDamascus وفيand in
يا منعشي حيث شخصي في دمشق وفي
تفليسTiflis (a pun on bankruptcy) ماليmy wealth ودمعand the tears of العينِthe eye فيin حلبAleppo (a pun on milking)
تفليس مالي ودمع العينِ في حلب
O you who revive me, while my body is in Damascus, and in
O you who revived me when I stayed in Damascus and in
Tiflis lies my wealth, and my eye's tears are in Aleppo.
Teflis I lost my money and tears flowed in Aleppo.
كتبbooks of التواريخhistory تمليناdictate to us وتخبرناand tell us
كتب التواريخ تملينا وتخبرنا
عنof سادةٍlords منamong ذويthose possessing العلياءِeminence والرتبand ranks
عن سادةٍ من ذوي العلياءِ والرتب
Books of history dictate to us and tell us
Histories dictate to us and inform us
of lords endowed with eminence and rank;
Of masters of highest rank and position.
وأنتand you بالفضلِthrough excellence تمليناdictate to us معاينةfirsthand
وأنت بالفضلِ تملينا معاينة
والسيفand the sword أصدقtruer أنباءin tidings منthan الكتبbooks
والسيف أصدق أنباء من الكتب
and you, through your excellence, dictate to us firsthand—
But you, with your nobility, show us in reality,
and the sword is truer in its tidings than books.
And the sword is more truthful than books in its tidings.
Sol 6.1