لولاwere it not for فواكهُfruits أَيلولٍSeptember إذاwhen اجتمعتْcome together
لولا فواكهُ أَيلولٍ إذا اجتمعتْ
منof كلevery نوعٍkind ورَقَّand grew mild الجوُّthe air والماءُand the water
من كل نوعٍ ورَقَّ الجوُّ والماءُ
Were it not for September’s fruits, when they come together
If not for September’s fruits, when gathered
in every variety, and for the mildness of air and water,
Of every kind, as the air and rain freshened
إذاَthen لَمَاwould certainly not حَفَلتْcare نفسيmy soul متىwhen اشتملتْenfolded
إذاَ لَمَا حَفَلتْ نفسي متى اشتملتْ
عليَّover me هائلةُfearsome الجالَيْنon both sides غبراءُdust-gray
عليَّ هائلةُ الجالَيْن غبراءُ
then my soul would not care when I was enfolded
My soul would not have filled, had it embraced
by a dust-gray grave, dreadful on either side.
The two momentous months’ heavy dusty rains
ياoh حَبَّذَاhow lovely ليلُthe night أيلولٍSeptember إذاwhen بردتْgrew cool
يا حَبَّذَا ليلُ أيلولٍ إذا بردتْ
فيهin it مَضاجِعُناour beds والريحُand the wind سَجْواءُstill
فيه مَضاجِعُنا والريحُ سَجْواءُ
How lovely September’s night, when coolness comes
Oh how fine September nights, when cooled
to our beds within it, and the wind is still.
Our beds there, the north wind a solace,
وجَمَّشand playfully pinched القُرُّthe chill فيهin it الجلدَthe skin فائتلفتْso drew together
وجَمَّش القُرُّ فيه الجلدَ فائتلفتْ
منof الضَّجيعينِthe two bedfellows أحشاءٌbosoms وأحشاءُand bosoms
من الضَّجيعينِ أحشاءٌ وأحشاءُ
And the chill playfully nips the skin in it, bringing together
And the quilt’s wool gathered close, conjoined
one bedfellow’s bosom and the other’s.
The sleepers’ innards to each other’s innards,
وأَسفرand shone forth القمرُthe moon الساريtraveling by night فصفحتُهand its face
وأَسفر القمرُ الساري فصفحتُه
ريَّاfull and fresh لهاit has منfrom صفاءِclarity الجوِّthe air لألاءُradiance
ريَّا لها من صفاءِ الجوِّ لألاءُ
And the night-roaming moon shines forth; its face
The bright passing moon revealed, so I looked on it
is full and fresh, with radiance from the air’s clarity.
Faced with the sky’s clarity and radiance,
ياoh حبذاhow lovely نفحةa breath منof ريحهِits breeze سَحَراًbefore dawn
يا حبذا نفحة من ريحهِ سَحَراً
تأتيكcome to you فيهاin it منfrom الريحانbasil أنباءُtidings
تأتيك فيها من الريحان أنباءُ
How lovely a breath of its breeze before dawn,
Oh how fine a whiff of its dawn air
bearing you tidings of basil.
Bringing the scent of sweet basil tidings,
قلْsay فيهof it ماwhatever شئتَyou wish منof شهرٍa month تعهَّدُهُtends it
قلْ فيه ما شئتَ من شهرٍ تعهَّدُهُ
فيin كلّevery يومٍday يدٌa hand للَّهِof God بيضاءُwhite; bountiful
في كلّ يومٍ يدٌ للَّهِ بيضاءُ
Say what you will of it—a month tended
Say in it what you will of a month, pledged
each day by God’s white hand of bounty.
Each day, a hand extended to God all shining white
Sol 6.1