لماwhen استكنsettled unseen الكرىslumber فيin كلevery ناظرةeye
لما استكن الكرى في كل ناظرة
وباتand spent the night جفنan eyelid منof الواشيthe talebearer بهwith it شرِقاchoked
وبات جفن من الواشي به شرِقا
When slumber nestled in every eye,
When slumber settled in every eye
And the talebearer’s eyelid lay all night choked with it,
And every eyelid harbored an east,
سرىtraveled by night إليَّto me علىin خوفٍfear يحاذرهhe was wary of it
سرى إليَّ على خوفٍ يحاذره
زورa visitor أتىcame تحتbeneath جنحwing الليلthe night منسرقاstealing in
زور أتى تحت جنح الليل منسرقا
He came to me by night, wary of a danger he feared—
Fearful yet hopeful, the phantom of night drew near -
A visitor stealing in beneath the wing of night.
Stolen under the wings of darkness.
أخفىmore hidden منthan الطيفthe dream-phantom إلاexcept أنthat بهجتهhis splendor
أخفى من الطيف إلا أن بهجته
حسناًin beauty جلتillumined بسناwith the radiance of أنوارهhis lights الأفقاthe horizon
حسناً جلت بسنا أنواره الأفقا
More elusive than a dream-phantom, yet his splendor
Save for its splendor no ghost could be seen
In its beauty lit the horizon with his radiant light.
Its beautiful light spread far on the horizon.
مضمَّخٌlavishly anointed بغوالwith rich perfumes علَّdrenched مفرقهhis hair-parting
مضمَّخٌ بغوال علَّ مفرقه
أيديthe hands of حواضنهhis nurses مسكابهاmusk, upon them عبقاclung fragrantly
أيدي حواضنه مسكابها عبقا
Anointed with rich perfumes, his hair-parting was drenched
Stained with the scent of musk, hands massaging
By his nurses’ hands in musk that clung fragrantly to them.
Its perfumed bosom, fragrant and pure.
تشكوlaments إلىto قلقone restless حيرانbewildered مكتئبdowncast
تشكو إلى قلق حيران مكتئب
صبٍّa passionate lover إلىfor قربهhis nearness الأحزانthe sorrows والقلقاand unease
صبٍّ إلى قربه الأحزان والقلقا
Lamenting to one restless, bewildered, downcast,
To my restless, sorrowful heart it confided
A lover yearning for his nearness, of sorrows and unease—
Its troubles and woes in mournful tones.
صوتاًa song ترانيyou see me مجنوناًmad أخاa man possessed of كلفٍpassionate love
صوتاً تراني مجنوناً أخا كلفٍ
إذاwhen سليمانSulayman يوماًone day قدhas بهto it نطقاgave voice
إذا سليمان يوماً قد به نطقا
A song—you see me mad, a man possessed by love,
Hearing it speak, I thought it a kindred spirit
If ever Sulayman gives it voice.
As wise as Solomon, though not by him invoked.
قدindeed سحَّبtrailed الناسpeople أذيالthe skirts of الظنونsuspicions بناabout us
قد سحَّب الناس أذيال الظنون بنا
وفرّقand divided القومthe folk فيناabout us ظنهمtheir conjecture فرقاinto factions
وفرّق القوم فينا ظنهم فرقا
People have trailed the skirts of suspicion around us,
Rumors about us the people spread
And the folk have split their guesses about us into factions.
Their idle gossip falsely put us apart.
Sol 6.1