مَاwhat بَالُهُhis condition وَاللهُand may God يُصْلِحُset right بَالَهُhis condition
مَا بَالُهُ وَاللهُ يُصْلِحُ بَالَهُ
وَيَقِيهِand protect him حَرَّthe heat of لَوَاعِجِthe burning pangs of الْبَلْبَالِanguish
وَيَقِيهِ حَرَّ لَوَاعِجِ الْبَلْبَالِ
What ails him—may God set his affairs aright
What ails him, by Allah may He mend his plight,
What is the matter with him? May God mend his state of mind,
and shield him from the heat of anguish’s burning pangs—
And protect him from the tumult of anxieties.
And protect him from the burning anguish of troubled thoughts.
لَمَّاwhen دَرَىhe learned أَنِّيthat I كَلِفْتُI became enamored بِحُبِّهِwith love for him
لَمَّا دَرَى أَنِّي كَلِفْتُ بِحُبِّهِ
رَكِبَhe took to الْجَفَاcoldness مُتَشَمِّراًgirding himself لِقِتَالِfor battle
رَكِبَ الْجَفَا مُتَشَمِّراً لِقِتَالِ
that, when he learned I was smitten with love for him,
When he knew I was burdened with love of him,
When he realized that I had become infatuated with his love,
he took to coldness, girding himself for battle
He donned his armor for battle.
He mounted estrangement, rolling up his sleeves for battle,
بِلِحَاظِwith the glances of نَرْجِسِهِhis narcissus (eyes) وَسَوْسَنِand the lily of ثَغْرِهِhis mouth
بِلِحَاظِ نَرْجِسِهِ وَسَوْسَنِ ثَغْرِهِ
وَشَقِيقِand the anemone of وَجْنَتِهِhis cheek الْمَنُوطِattached بِخَالِto a beauty mark
وَشَقِيقِ وَجْنَتِهِ الْمَنُوطِ بِخَالِ
with the glances of his narcissus-eyes and the lily of his mouth,
With his narcissus complexion, rose lips,
With the glances of his narcissus eyes and the lilies of his mouth,
and his cheek’s anemone, adorned with a beauty mark?
And his mole, tied with a beauty mark.
And the crimson anemone of his cheek, adorned with a mole.
وَغَدَاand he began يُخَرِّبُlays waste to أَضْلُعِيmy ribs إِذْwhen حَلَّهَاhe settled within them
وَغَدَا يُخَرِّبُ أَضْلُعِي إِذْ حَلَّهَا
هَلاَّwhy did he not شَفَىheal قَلْبِيmy heart بِيَوْمِwith a day of وِصَالِunion
هَلاَّ شَفَى قَلْبِي بِيَوْمِ وِصَالِ
And he began to ravage my ribs once he settled within them.
He went forth ruining my ribs when he glanced at them.
And he began to lay waste to my ribs once he settled within them;
Why did he not heal my heart with a day of union?
If only he would heal my heart with a day of union.
Why did he not heal my heart with a day of union?
نَفْسِيmy soul فَدَاهُa ransom for him وَإِنْand even if بَرَانِيwore me away لَحْظُهُhis glance
نَفْسِي فَدَاهُ وَإِنْ بَرَانِي لَحْظُهُ
يَاoh لَيْتَwould that شِعْرِيmy knowledge هَلْwhether يَرِقُّhe feels compassion لِحَالِيfor my plight
يَا لَيْتَ شِعْرِي هَلْ يَرِقُّ لِحَالِي
My soul be his ransom, even if his glance has worn me away.
I ransom him with my soul, though his glance pained me.
May my soul be his ransom, even if his piercing glance has worn me down.
Oh, would that I knew—will he take pity on my plight?
Oh, how I wish I knew if he would show tenderness toward my state!
Oh, I wish I knew: will he ever soften toward my condition?
Sol 6.1