ذكرتُكَI remembered you حينwhen ألقتْlaid down بيwith me عصاهاher staff الـthe (continued next line)
ذكرتُكَ حين ألقتْ بي عصاها الـ
ـنَوىseparation بالنهرِby the river نهرِthe river of أبيAbu (father of) الخصيبِal-Khasib
ـنَوى بالنهرِ نهرِ أبي الخصيبِ
I remembered you when she laid down her staff with me—
I remembered you when adversity cast its spear at me,
separation—by the river, the river of Abu al-Khasib.
By the river, the river of my father Al-Khaseeb.
وقدand already أرستْhad moored بناwith us فيalong ضَفَّتَيهِits two banks الـthe (continued next line)
وقد أرستْ بنا في ضَفَّتَيهِ الـ
ـجواريships المنشآتlofty-built معat المغيبِsunset
ـجواري المنشآت مع المغيبِ
And along its two banks had moored, with us aboard,
And it anchored us on its two banks -
the lofty-built ships at sunset.
The beautiful slave girls as the sun was setting.
غدونَthey traveled in the morning بناwith us ورُحْنَand they traveled in the evening محمَّلاتٍladen
غدونَ بنا ورُحْنَ محمَّلاتٍ
قلوباًhearts مُوقَرَاتٍheavily burdened بالكُروبِwith woes
قلوباً مُوقَرَاتٍ بالكُروبِ
They bore us morning and evening, laden
We set out in the morning, carrying
with hearts weighed down by woes.
Hearts burdened with sorrows and troubles.
تجوزcross بناwith us البحارthe seas إذاwhen استقلَّتْset forth
تجوز بنا البحار إذا استقلَّتْ
وتُسلمُهاand hands them over الشَّمالُthe north wind إلىto الجنوبِthe south wind
وتُسلمُها الشَّمالُ إلى الجنوبِ
They cross the seas with us when they set forth,
It takes us across the seas whenever they calm down,
and the north wind hands them over to the south wind.
And the north wind delivers them to the south.
وبينand between ضلوعهاtheir ribs أبناءُsons of شوقٍlonging
وبين ضلوعها أبناءُ شوقٍ
نأتْwent far away بهمُwith them عنfrom البلدthe land الرحيبِspacious
نأتْ بهمُ عن البلد الرحيبِ
And within their ribs are sons of longing,
Between its ribs are children of longing,
whom they bore far from the spacious land.
Whom we brought from the spacious town.
نأتْwent far away بهمُwith them عنfrom اللذّاتpleasures قَسْراًforcibly
نأتْ بهمُ عن اللذّات قَسْراً
ووصلand union with الغانياتbeautiful women إلىtoward الحُروبِwars
ووصل الغانيات إلى الحُروبِ
They bore them forcibly away from pleasures
We brought them away from pleasures by force,
and union with fair women, toward wars;
And joined the singing girls to the wars.
إلىtoward دارٍan abode أبتْrefused فيهاin it المناياthe fates of death
إلى دارٍ أبتْ فيها المنايا
رجوعاًa return للمحبfor the lover إلىto الحبيبِthe beloved
رجوعاً للمحب إلى الحبيبِ
toward an abode where the fates of death refused
To a house where death refused
the lover's return to his beloved.
To return the lover to the beloved.
فقلتso I said ومقلتايand my two eyes حياءَout of shame before صحبيmy companions
فقلت ومقلتاي حياءَ صحبي
تذودانthe two held back الجفونَthe eyelids عنfrom الغروبِflowing tears
تذودان الجفونَ عن الغروبِ
So I said, while my two eyes, ashamed before my companions,
So I said, and my two tear ducts were shy before my companions,
kept my eyelids from shedding tears:
Blocking off the eyes from sunset.
لعلperhaps الفردَthe One ذاpossessor of الملكوتall dominion يوماًone day
لعل الفردَ ذا الملكوت يوماً
سيَقضيwill decree أوبةَthe return of الفردthe solitary one الغريبِthe stranger
سيَقضي أوبةَ الفرد الغريبِ
Perhaps the One, Lord of all dominion, one day
Perhaps the solitary with the kingdom will one day
will decree the return of this lonely stranger.
Put an end to the loneliness of the lonely stranger.
فماso not برحتْdeparted عين'Ayn (spring) العِبْرَيْنal-'Ibrayn (the two riverbanks) حتَّىuntil
فما برحتْ عين العِبْرَيْن حتَّى
رُددْنَthey were sent back إلىto الأُبُلَّةal-Ubulla منfrom قريبِnearby
رُددْنَ إلى الأُبُلَّة من قريبِ
So they did not pass beyond 'Ayn al-'Ibrayn before
The two teary eyes did not stop
they were turned back to al-Ubulla from close by.
Until they took me back to Ubulla shortly.
وراحتand she set off وهيwhile she was مثقَلةٌheavily laden تهادىswaying gently
وراحت وهي مثقَلةٌ تهادى
إلىtoward مغنىthe dwelling of أبيAbu (father of) الحسنal-Hasan الجديبِbarren
إلى مغنى أبي الحسن الجديبِ
And she set off, heavily laden, swaying gently,
And it sailed heavily swaying
toward Abu al-Hasan's barren dwelling.
To the melody of my father Al-Hasan Al-Jadeeb.
محلٌّa place ماnot ترىyou see إلاexcept صريعاًa stricken man
محلٌّ ما ترى إلا صريعاً
بهin it ملقىًcast down وذاand one with خدٍّa cheek تَريبِdust-stained
به ملقىً وذا خدٍّ تَريبِ
A place where you saw only men struck down,
A place where you see only a slain man,
lying cast aside there, and men with dust-stained cheeks.
Lying with a cheek on the ground.
وطالand grew long مقامناour stay فيهin it وكادتْand nearly
وطال مقامنا فيه وكادتْ
تنالreach نُفُوسَناour souls أيديthe hands of شَعُوبِSha'ub (Death)
تنال نُفُوسَنا أيدي شَعُوبِ
Our stay there grew long, and nearly
And we stayed there long, and the hands of nations
did the hands of Sha'ub—Death—seize our souls.
Nearly took our souls.
فلمso not تكthere was حيلةٌa stratagem نرجوwe hoped for خلاصاًdeliverance
فلم تك حيلةٌ نرجو خلاصاً
بهاthrough it إلاexcept التضرُّعَsupplication للمجيبِto the Answerer
بها إلا التضرُّعَ للمجيبِ
There was no means by which we hoped for deliverance,
We had no trick to hope for salvation
except supplication to the Answerer.
Except to plead to the Responder.
ولماand when حُمَّwas decreed مرجِعُنَاour return وصحّتْand became firm
ولما حُمَّ مرجِعُنَا وصحّتْ
علىfor الإيجافhastening عَزْماتthe resolves of القلوبِthe hearts
على الإيجاف عَزْمات القلوبِ
And when our return was decreed, and firm became
And when our return was settled and the hearts’
our hearts' resolves to hasten,
Resolves firmed up against staying,
دَخَلْنَاwe boarded منamong بناتthe daughters of البحرthe sea جوناًa dark-hulled one
دَخَلْنَا من بنات البحر جوناً
تهادىswaying gently بينamong شبَّانٍyoung ones وشيبِand gray-haired ones
تهادى بين شبَّانٍ وشيبِ
we boarded a dark one among the daughters of the sea,
We entered a ship of the daughters of the sea, swaying
swaying among the young and the gray-haired:
Between youth and old age.
نواجٍswift vessels فيin البطائحthe marshes ملقِيَاتٌthrusting
نواجٍ في البطائح ملقِيَاتٌ
حيازمَهاtheir breasts علىupon الهولthe terror المهيبِawe-inspiring
حيازمَها على الهول المهيبِ
swift vessels in the marshes, thrusting
Throwing down in the resting places,
their breasts upon the awe-inspiring terror.
Their cargo upon tremendous horror.
مُزمَّمَةُbridled الأواخرِthe sterns سائراتtraveling
مُزمَّمَةُ الأواخرِ سائرات
علىupon أصلابهاtheir backbones شَبَهَin the manner of الدبيبِcreeping
على أصلابها شَبَهَ الدبيبِ
Bridled at their sterns, they travel
Tails braced, traveling,
upon their backbones, in a kind of creeping gait.
Their poles like creeping insects.
تكادُthey almost إذاwhen الرياحُthe winds تعاورتْهاassailed them by turns
تكادُ إذا الرياحُ تعاورتْها
تفوتُoutstrip وفودَهاtheir arriving hosts عندat الهبوبِthe onset of blowing
تفوتُ وفودَها عند الهبوبِ
When the winds assail them in turns, they almost
When the winds blow against them, they almost
outstrip their arriving hosts as they blow.
Miss their delegations with the gales.
مسخّرةًmade obedient تجوبtraverse دجىthe darkness of اللياليthe nights
مسخّرةً تجوب دجى الليالي
بمثلwith something like الليلthe night كالفرسlike a horse الذَّنوبِlong-tailed
بمثل الليل كالفرس الذَّنوبِ
Tamed, they traverse the darkness of the nights
Subdued, roaming the darkness of nights
with something dark as night, like a long-tailed horse.
Like the night, like the spotted horse.
أبتrefused أعجازُهاtheir sterns بمقدَّماتٍfor foreparts
أبت أعجازُها بمقدَّماتٍ
لهاof theirs إلاexcept مطاوعةَobedience to الجنُوبِthe south wind
لها إلا مطاوعةَ الجنُوبِ
Their sterns would have their prows
Their sterns refused anything but obedience
do nothing but obey the south wind.
To the south wind.
غَنِينَthey had no need عنof القوادمforelegs والهواديand necks
غَنِينَ عن القوادم والهوادي
وعنand of إسْرَاجِهِنَّsaddling them لدىat the time of الركوبِriding
وعن إسْرَاجِهِنَّ لدى الركوبِ
They had no need of forelegs or necks,
Independent of leaders and guides,
nor of being saddled when ridden.
And of saddling them at riding.
حططنَthey put in بواسطٍat Wasit منfrom بعدafter سبعٍseven (nights)
حططنَ بواسطٍ من بعد سبعٍ
وقدand already مالinclined الشروقُsunrise إلىtoward الغروبِsunset
وقد مال الشروقُ إلى الغروبِ
They put in at Wasit after seven nights,
They landed at Wasit after seven days
when sunrise had inclined toward sunset.
As the dawn inclined toward sunset.
ووافتناand reached us رياحٌwinds حاملاتٌcarrying
ووافتنا رياحٌ حاملاتٌ
إليناto us نشرَthe fragrance of لابسةِthe woman wearing الشُّرُوبِfine linen garments
إلينا نشرَ لابسةِ الشُّرُوبِ
And winds reached us, bearing
Breezes came to us carrying
to us the fragrance of the woman in fine linen.
The scent of the wearer of perfume.
أتتthey came to نِضْواًa worn-out, emaciated man بَرتْهُwore him down يدُthe hand of اللياليthe nights
أتت نِضْواً بَرتْهُ يدُ الليالي
وأنحلand emaciated جسمَهhis body طولُthe length of اللغوبِexhaustion
وأنحل جسمَه طولُ اللغوبِ
They reached a worn-out man, wasted by the hand of nights,
Brought freshly by the nights' hands,
whose body long exhaustion had made lean.
Its body worn by long journeys.
وألبستِand clothed الهواجرُthe midday heats فيin الفيافيthe deserts
وألبستِ الهواجرُ في الفيافي
نضارةَthe freshness of وجههِhis face ثوبَa robe of الشحوبِpallor
نضارةَ وجههِ ثوبَ الشحوبِ
And the midday heats in the deserts had clothed
The winds dressed it in the wilds
the freshness of his face in a robe of pallor.
In the garb of pallor.
فلمso not نملكwe could rein in سوابقswift coursers مُقْرَحَاتٍfull-grown
فلم نملك سوابق مُقْرَحَاتٍ
منfrom الأجفانthe eyelids بالدمعwith tears السكوبِpouring forth
من الأجفان بالدمع السكوبِ
We could not rein in those swift, full-grown coursers,
We could only manage ragged sighs
issuing from our eyelids as streaming tears.
From the eyelids, pouring with tears.
ولماand when شارفتshe approached بغداذBaghdad تسريtraveling by night
ولما شارفت بغداذ تسري
بناwith us والليلand the night مَزْرُورُbuttoned shut الجيوبِthe garment openings
بنا والليل مَزْرُورُ الجيوبِ
And when she approached Baghdad, traveling by night
And when Baghdad appeared, flowing
with us, while night's collars were buttoned shut,
With us, and the night knitting its pockets,
وقدand already نُصبتْwere raised لهاfor her شُرُعٌsails أُقيمتْwere held straight
وقد نُصبتْ لها شُرُعٌ أُقيمتْ
بهنّby them صدورُهُنَّtheir breasts عنfrom النكوبِveering aside
بهنّ صدورُهُنَّ عن النكوبِ
and sails had been raised for her, to hold
And sails were erected for it, stayed
their breasts straight and keep them from veering,
By them, their chests from overturning.
تضايقgrew constricted بيfor me التصبّرُpatient endurance عنكapart from you شوقاًwith longing
تضايق بي التصبّرُ عنك شوقاً
وأسلمنيand surrendered me الزفيرُdeep sighing إلىto النحيبِsobbing
وأسلمني الزفيرُ إلى النحيبِ
longing made patience apart from you too narrow for me,
Patience over you was straitened in longing,
and deep sighing surrendered me to sobbing.
And sighing delivered me to sobbing.
وبِتُّand I spent the night مراقباًwatching نجمَthe star of الثريّاthe Pleiades
وبِتُّ مراقباً نجمَ الثريّا
مراقبةَwith the watchfulness of المُخالِسِthe furtive one للرقيبِof the watchman
مراقبةَ المُخالِسِ للرقيبِ
And I spent the night watching the star of the Pleiades,
I stayed awake watching the star of Thurayya,
as one acting furtively watches the watchman.
Watching like the spy watching the guard.
وماand not طَعِمتْtasted جفونيmy eyelids الغمضَsleep حتىuntil
وما طَعِمتْ جفوني الغمضَ حتى
حللتُI alighted in عِراصَthe courtyards of دورthe houses of بنيBanu (sons of) حبيبِHabib
حللتُ عِراصَ دور بني حبيبِ
And my eyelids tasted no sleep until
My eyelids did not taste sleep until
I alighted in the courtyards of Banu Habib's houses.
I toured the abodes of the family of Habeeb.
وفيand in قُطربُّلٍQutrabbul أطلالُruins of مغنىًa dwelling
وفي قُطربُّلٍ أطلالُ مغنىً
بهنin them ملاعبُplay-places of الظبيthe gazelle الرَّبيبِhand-reared
بهن ملاعبُ الظبي الرَّبيبِ
And in Qutrabbul stand the ruins of a dwelling,
And in Qutrubbul are ruins of a melody,
within them the play-places of the hand-reared gazelle.
Where the gazelle’s darling played.
فكمso how many ليof mine نحوهنّtoward them منof الْتفاتٍa turning glance
فكم لي نحوهنّ من الْتفاتٍ
وأنفاسٍand breaths تصعَّدُrise upward كاللهيبِlike flame
وأنفاسٍ تصعَّدُ كاللهيبِ
How many a turning glance I cast toward them,
How many glances I gave them
and breaths rising like flame,
And breaths rising like flames.
ومنand of لحظاتglances طرفٍan eye طاوياتfolding
ومن لحظات طرفٍ طاويات
حشايَmy inmost heart برجعهنَّwith their return علىover نُدوبِscars
حشايَ برجعهنَّ على نُدوبِ
and glances of the eye, folding
And moments of a glancing eye devastating
my inmost heart around scars as they returned.
My insides, returning to their wounds.
ورحناand we set off مسرعينhastening إليكtoward you شوقاًin longing
ورحنا مسرعين إليك شوقاً
مسارعةَwith the haste of العليلِthe sick man إلىtoward الطبيبِthe physician
مسارعةَ العليلِ إلى الطبيبِ
And we sped toward you in longing,
We hurried eagerly toward you in longing,
as the sick man hastens to the physician,
Like the sick man hurrying to the doctor.
لكيso that نُرْويwe might quench نفوساًsouls صادياتٍthirsting
لكي نُرْوي نفوساً صادياتٍ
بقربٍwith nearness منكto you للصاديfor the thirsty one مُصيبِreaching its mark
بقربٍ منك للصادي مُصيبِ
to quench thirsting souls
To water thirsty souls
with nearness to you that answers the thirsty one's need.
With nearness to you, hitting the thirsty.
وجاوزناand we passed beyond قرىthe villages of بغدادBaghdad حَتَّىuntil
وجاوزنا قرى بغداد حَتَّى
دَلَلْنَthey guided عليكto you أصواتُthe sounds of الغروبِlarge well-buckets
دَلَلْنَ عليك أصواتُ الغروبِ
And we passed beyond Baghdad's villages, until
We passed the villages of Baghdad until
the sounds of the well-buckets guided us to you.
Voices of sunset guided us to you.
وهَيَّجَتِand stirred الصَّبَاthe east wind لمَّاwhen تبدَّتْit appeared
وهَيَّجَتِ الصَّبَا لمَّا تبدَّتْ
بريّاًwith a fragrance منكfrom you فيin القلبthe heart الكئيبِsorrowful
بريّاً منك في القلب الكئيبِ
And the east wind, when it arose, roused longing
The morning breeze stirred when you appeared
with your fragrance in the sorrowing heart.
Like a mirage in the anxious heart.
وواجهناand we met بغرةat the bright brow of سُرَّمَنْSurra-man راra (place-name ending)
وواجهنا بغرة سُرَّمَنْ را
وجوهاًfaces أكذبتْproved false ظنَّthe supposition of الكذوبِthe habitual liar
وجوهاً أكذبتْ ظنَّ الكذوبِ
And at the bright brow of Surra-man-ra we met
It met us with the sudden joy of faces
faces that proved the liar's supposition false,
That belied the expectation of lies.
وردَّتْand restored ماءَthe moisture of وجهيmy face بعدafter ظِمْءٍthirst
وردَّتْ ماءَ وجهي بعد ظِمْءٍ
وسودَand the black strands of غدائريmy locks بعدafter المشيبِgraying
وسودَ غدائري بعد المشيبِ
and gave my face back its moisture after thirst,
It returned the water of my face after thirst
and my locks their blackness after graying.
And darkened my temples after white hair.
فسبحانso glory be to المؤلِّفthe One who unites عنafter شتاتٍdispersion
فسبحان المؤلِّف عن شتاتٍ
ومنand the One who أدنىbrought nearer البعيدَthe distant one مِنَto القريبِthe near one
ومن أدنى البعيدَ مِنَ القريبِ
Glory, then, to the One who unites after dispersion,
Glory to the Composer of scattered things,
and who brought the distant close to the near,
And Who brought the distant near to the close.
ولمand did not يُشْمِتْlet gloat بناover us داوودَDawud فيماin what
ولم يُشْمِتْ بنا داوودَ فيما
رجاhe hoped for سَفَهاًfoolishly وأمَّلَand wished for فيduring مغيبيmy absence
رجا سَفَهاً وأمَّلَ في مغيبي
and did not let Dawud gloat over us, as
David did not gloat over us for what
he foolishly hoped and wished while I was away.
He ignorantly hoped for and expected to be absent.
Sol 6.1