حالَفتُI made a pact فيكَfor you البُكاweeping كَأَنّيas though I
حالَفتُ فيكَ البُكا كَأَنّي
وَرقاءُa gray dove تَبكيweeps عَلىover فِراخِchicks
وَرقاءُ تَبكي عَلى فِراخِ
I made a pact with weeping for you, as though I were
I have allied myself with weeping for your sake, as if I were
a gray dove mourning her chicks.
A ring-necked dove lamenting over her chicks.
خَدّيmy cheek شَهيدٌa witness بِأَنَّthat عَينيmy eye
خَدّي شَهيدٌ بِأَنَّ عَيني
عادَتhas turned مِنَfrom البُخلِstinginess بِالتَساخيwith generosity
عادَت مِنَ البُخلِ بِالتَساخي
My cheek bears witness that my eye
My cheek bears witness that my eye
has turned from stinginess to generosity.
Has turned from miserliness to lavish generosity.
خَلَتhave passed شُهورٌmonths وَلَمand did not أَسَلI ask عَنabout
خَلَت شُهورٌ وَلَم أَسَل عَن
إِهلالِnew-moon appearance شَهرٍa month وَلاnor اِنسِلاخِending
إِهلالِ شَهرٍ وَلا اِنسِلاخِ
Months have passed, and I have not asked about
Months have passed, and I have not asked about
a month's new moon or its passing.
The rising of a new moon, nor the waning of the old.
خَيالكَyour phantom اِعتادَنيhas visited me repeatedly فَسَلهُso ask it
خَيالكَ اِعتادَني فَسَلهُ
عَنabout زَفرَتيmy sigh فيكَfor you وَاِصطِراخيand my wailing
عَن زَفرَتي فيكَ وَاِصطِراخي
Your phantom visits me often; ask it
Your phantom visits me habitually, so ask it
about my sigh for you and my wailing.
About my deep groans for you and my cries of anguish.
خُنتُكَI betrayed you إِنif عُدتَyou returned لِاِدِّكاريfor my recollection
خُنتُكَ إِن عُدتَ لِاِدِّكاري
لَياليnights الكَرخِal-Karkh أَوor أضاخِUḍākh
لَيالي الكَرخِ أَو أضاخِ
I would betray you, should you return to remind me
I would be betraying you were I to return to recalling
of the nights of al-Karkh or Uḍākh.
The nights of al-Karkh or those of Aḍākh.
خُيِّلَit seemed ليto me مُذsince قُبِرتَyou were buried أَنّيthat I
خُيِّلَ لي مُذ قُبِرتَ أَنّي
ظَمآنُthirsty فيin القَيظِsummer heat وَالسِباخِand the salt flats
ظَمآنُ في القَيظِ وَالسِباخِ
Since you were buried, it has seemed to me that I am
It has seemed to me, ever since you were buried, that I am
thirsting amid summer's heat and salt flats.
Parched with thirst amidst midsummer heat and salt flats.
خَلّيتَنيyou left me فيin وِثاقِbonds دُنياa world
خَلّيتَني في وِثاقِ دُنيا
تَشتَدُّtightens إِنif سمتُهاI asked it for التَراخيslackening
تَشتَدُّ إِن سمتُها التَراخي
You left me in the bonds of a world
You have left me behind in the shackles of a world
that tightens them if I ask it to slacken.
That tightens its grip whenever I seek from it a moment of ease.
خَدّاعَةٍdeceptive بالمُنىwith hopes خَؤونٍever treacherous
خَدّاعَةٍ بالمُنى خَؤونٍ
لِمَنto those whom تُعاديit opposes وَمَنand those whom تُؤاخيit befriends
لِمَن تُعادي وَمَن تُؤاخي
Deceptive with hopes, ever treacherous
A world deceiving with false hopes, a treacherous traitor
to those it opposes and those it befriends.
To those it opposes and those it befriends alike.
خَلَّيتَهاyou left it وَاِرتَحَلتَand you departed لَمّاwhen
خَلَّيتَها وَاِرتَحَلتَ لَمّا
لَمnot تَرضَyou were content فيهاin it عَنِwith المُناخِthe resting place
لَم تَرضَ فيها عَنِ المُناخِ
You left it behind and departed when
You abandoned it and departed when
you were not content with your resting place there.
You found no satisfaction in its resting places.
خَلصتyou escaped مِنهاfrom it وَنَحنُwhile we فيهاin it
خَلصت مِنها وَنَحنُ فيها
مِثلlike العَصافيرِsparrows فيin الفِخاخِsnares
مِثل العَصافيرِ في الفِخاخِ
You escaped it, while we remain within it,
You have escaped from it, while we remain within,
like sparrows in snares.
Like small birds caught in snares.
خاطَبتنيyou addressed me فَاِتَّرَكتand you left مِنّيof me
خاطَبتني فَاِتَّرَكت مِنّي
صَرصَرَةَshrill cry البازِthe hawk كَالصُراخِlike screaming
صَرصَرَةَ البازِ كَالصُراخِ
You spoke to me, leaving of me
You spoke to me, and left me uttering
a hawk's shrill cry, like a scream.
The shrill cry of a hawk, like a piercing scream.
خوَّفتyou frightened زَأراًwith a roar وَكُنتand you were شِبلاًa lion cub
خوَّفت زَأراً وَكُنت شِبلاً
عَفّاًabstaining عَنِfrom الشَاءِsheep وَالإِراخِand young wild cattle
عَفّاً عَنِ الشَاءِ وَالإِراخِ
You struck fear with a roar, though you were a cub
You inspired fear with a roar, though you were but a lion cub,
that refrained from sheep and young wild cattle.
That abstained from hunting the sheep or the wild cattle.
خَلائِقُcreatures العالَمينَof the worlds شَتّىdiverse
خَلائِقُ العالَمينَ شَتّى
فَمِنso some are مِلاحٍbeautiful ones وَمِنand some are فتاخِbroad-winged eagles
فَمِن مِلاحٍ وَمِن فتاخِ
The creatures of the worlds are diverse:
The natures of all creation are diverse;
some are beautiful, others broad-winged eagles.
Some are fair and beautiful, others weak and base.
خالَفَنيthwarted me فيكَconcerning you رَيبُvicissitudes دَهرٍtime
خالَفَني فيكَ رَيبُ دَهرٍ
أَبقىleft عِظاميmy bones بِلاwithout مخاخِmarrow
أَبقى عِظامي بِلا مخاخِ
Time's vicissitudes thwarted me concerning you,
The vicissitudes of time have thwarted my hopes for you,
leaving my bones without marrow.
Leaving my bones hollow, stripped of their marrow.
خِلتُكَI thought you تَبقىwould remain وَحُكمbut the decree رَبّيof my Lord
خِلتُكَ تَبقى وَحُكم رَبّي
ماnot ليI have يَدٌpower فيهِover it بِاِنفِساخِthrough annulment
ما لي يَدٌ فيهِ بِاِنفِساخِ
I thought you would remain, but my Lord's decree
I imagined you would remain, but against my Lord’s decree,
is beyond my power to undo.
I possess no power to annul or revoke it.
Sol 6.1