كَمhow long ذاthis (emphatic) أُريدُI desire وَلاand not أُرادُI am desired
كَم ذا أُريدُ وَلا أُرادُ
ياO سوءَthe misery of ماwhat لَقِيَhas encountered الفُؤادُthe heart
يا سوءَ ما لَقِيَ الفُؤادُ
How long shall I desire, yet not be desired?
How much do I want yet not want,
Oh, how grievous is what the heart has suffered!
Oh, the sorrow my heart has met!
أُصفيI sincerely offer الوِدادَaffection مُدَلَّلاًa pampered one
أُصفي الوِدادَ مُدَلَّلاً
لَمhas not يَصفُbeen sincere ليfor me مِنهُfrom him الوِدادُaffection
لَم يَصفُ لي مِنهُ الوِدادُ
I offer pure affection to a pampered one,
I indulge in love pampered,
Yet his affection toward me has not been sincere.
Yet love has not indulged me.
يَقضيbrings death عَلَيَّupon me دَلالُهُhis coyness
يَقضي عَلَيَّ دَلالُهُ
فيat كُلِّevery حينٍmoment أَوor يَكادُalmost does
في كُلِّ حينٍ أَو يَكادُ
His coyness kills me
Its indulgence destroys me
At every moment—or almost does.
At every moment, or nearly does.
كَيفَhow السُلُوُّforgetting عَنِaway from الَّذيthe one who
كَيفَ السُلُوُّ عَنِ الَّذي
مَثواهُhis dwelling مِنof قَلبيmy heart السَوادُthe dark core
مَثواهُ مِن قَلبي السَوادُ
How can I forget the one
How can I forget the one
Whose dwelling is my heart's dark core?
Whose home in my heart is darkness?
مَلَكَhas mastered القُلوبَhearts بِحُسنِهِthrough his beauty
مَلَكَ القُلوبَ بِحُسنِهِ
فَلَهاso they have إِذاwhen أَمَرَhe commands انقِيادُsubmission
فَلَها إِذا أَمَرَ انقِيادُ
He has mastered hearts through his beauty,
With his beauty he's won hearts over,
So they submit whenever he commands.
So they obey when he commands.
ياO هاجِريyou who forsake me كَمhow often أَستَفيدُI seek to gain
يا هاجِري كَم أَستَفيدُ
الصَبرَpatience عَنكَwithout you فَلاyet not أُفادُI am granted it
الصَبرَ عَنكَ فَلا أُفادُ
O you who forsake me, how often I seek
O you who've emigrated, how do I benefit
Patience without you, yet am granted none!
From patience without you, no benefit found?
أَلّاwhy not رَثَيتَyou took pity لِمَنon one who يَبيتُspends the night
أَلّا رَثَيتَ لِمَن يَبيتُ
وَحَشوُand what fills مُقلَتِهِhis eye السُهادُsleeplessness
وَحَشوُ مُقلَتِهِ السُهادُ
Will you not pity one who spends the night
Why don't you eulogize one who spends the night
With sleeplessness filling his eye?
Lonely, and wakes still in gloom?
إِنif أَجنِI commit ذَنباًa fault فيin الهَوىlove
إِن أَجنِ ذَنباً في الهَوى
خَطَأًby mistake فَقَدfor sometimes يَكبوstumbles الجَوادُthe noble steed
خَطَأً فَقَد يَكبو الجَوادُ
If I commit a fault in love
If I've sinned in passion -
By mistake, even a noble steed may stumble.
A misstep even steeds can make.
كانَthere was الرِضىfavor وَأُعيذُهُand I seek protection for it
كانَ الرِضى وَأُعيذُهُ
أَنthat يَعقِبَshould follow الكَونَcoming into being الفَسادُdecay
أَن يَعقِبَ الكَونَ الفَسادُ
There was favor—and I pray it be protected,
Contentment was mine, I implore it
Lest decay follow its coming into being.
Not to follow unrest in the world.
Sol 6.1