ياO سَاكِنِيْdwellers الخَطِّof al-Khatt فيin قَلْبيmy heart لَكُمْfor you خِطَطٌplots
يا سَاكِنِيْ الخَطِّ في قَلْبي لَكُمْ خِطَطٌ
مَعْمورَةٌinhabited بمَعانِيكمby your images مَغَانِيهَاtheir dwellings
مَعْمورَةٌ بمَعانِيكم مَغَانِيهَا
O dwellers of al-Khatt, you have plots within my heart,
O dwellers of my heart's lines, within me you have
whose dwellings are inhabited by your images.
Domains filled with your meanings and its songs
ياO جَادَmay rain generously upon أرْضاًa land تبوَّأتُمْyou inhabited مَعَالِمَهَاits landmarks
يا جَادَ أرْضاً تبوَّأتُمْ مَعَالِمَهَا
وَطْفَاءَa dense rain-cloud ينْحَلُّpour forth مِنْfrom دَمْعيَmy tears عَزاليهاits waterspouts
وَطْفَاءَ ينْحَلُّ مِنْ دَمْعيَ عَزاليها
Ah, may the land whose landmarks you have inhabited be watered
O generous ones, you have inhabited a land
by a dense rain-cloud whose waterspouts pour forth from my tears.
And extinguished its isolation with my tears
يَاO هَلْdo تَرَوْنَyou see لمحنيّfor the enfolded one الضُّلُوعِthe ribs عَلَىat
يَا هَلْ تَرَوْنَ لمحنيّ الضُّلُوعِ عَلَى
ذِكرِthe mention of الدِّيَارِthe dwellings وُقُوفاًstillness فيwithin مَحَانِيهَاtheir curves
ذِكرِ الدِّيَارِ وُقُوفاً في مَحَانِيهَا
Ah, do you think the heart enfolded by the ribs, at
Do you see my plaintive ribs pausing
the mention of the dwellings, can stay still within their curves,
At the recollection of home standing at its pits?
تَبُلُّrefreshes نَفْساًa soul إذَاwhen اسْتسْقتْهُshe asks him for drink وصلَكُمُunion with you
تَبُلُّ نَفْساً إذَا اسْتسْقتْهُ وصلَكُمُ
وعِزَّand the comfort ظَِلٍّof shade بكأسِwith the cup اليأسِof despair يُسقِيهاhe gives her drink
وعِزَّ ظَِلٍّ بكأسِ اليأسِ يُسقِيها
to refresh a soul that, when she asks him for union with you
A soul that yearns when it asks for your union
and the comfort of shade, he waters with the cup of despair?
And the honor of a shadow that quenches it with despair’s cup
كَادَتْshe nearly تُقِيمُsettles علَىupon أَرجاءِthe borders of مَصْرَعِهَاher death-place
كَادَتْ تُقِيمُ علَى أَرجاءِ مَصْرَعِهَا
لَوْif لَمْnot تَجدْهُshe found him بلُقْياكُمْof meeting you يُرَجِّيهَاhe gives her hope
لَوْ لَمْ تَجدْهُ بلُقْياكُمْ يُرَجِّيهَا
She would almost have settled at the borders of her death,
It almost rose over the expanse of its deathbed
had she not found him holding out hope of meeting you.
Had it not found salvation in your encounter to give it hope
لَمْnot يُولِكُمْhe showed you مُذْsince تَوَلَّىhe turned away عَنكُمُfrom you مَلَلاًweariness
لَمْ يُولِكُمْ مُذْ تَوَلَّى عَنكُمُ مَلَلاً
لوِجْهَةٍtoward a destination هُوhe عنwith قَصْدٍdeliberate intent مُولِّيهَاturning toward it
لوِجْهَةٍ هُو عن قَصْدٍ مُولِّيهَا
He did not leave you out of weariness when he turned away,
Since he turned away from you out of boredom
toward a destination he deliberately faces.
To a direction he strayed from its purpose
إِنْif سَاقَhe drove عَنْaway from ربعِكُمُyour dwelling أنَضاءَهُhis exhausted mounts فكفَىthen it suffices
إِنْ سَاقَ عَنْ ربعِكُمُ أنَضاءَهُ فكفَى
لهُfor him بِأشْيَاءَwith things منof وجْدٍlonging يُقاسِيهَاhe endures them
لهُ بِأشْيَاءَ من وجْدٍ يُقاسِيهَا
If he drove his exhausted mounts away from your dwelling, enough
It is enough for him the things of hardship he endured
for him are the torments of longing he endures:
While living in the wilderness suffering its pains
حَشاًa bosom لَوَif انَّكَthat you تَسْتَملِيyou seek dictation of صَبَابتَهَاits yearning
حَشاً لَوَ انَّكَ تَسْتَملِي صَبَابتَهَا
أكدَىwould run dry ولاذَand seek refuge بِظِلِّin the shade العَجْزِof helplessness مُمْلِيهَاthe one dictating it
أكدَى ولاذَ بِظِلِّ العَجْزِ مُمْلِيهَا
A bosom—if you sought to take down its yearning,
Woe if you summon its youth while taking refuge
the one dictating it would run dry and seek helplessness's shade.
In the shadow of incapacity submitting to it
وزَفْرَةٍand a sigh لوif ثَوَىhe dwelt اليَوْمَtoday الخَلِيلُal-Khalil (Abraham) بِهاin it
وزَفْرَةٍ لو ثَوَى اليَوْمَ الخَلِيلُ بِها
أودَىhe would perish ولَمْand not يُغْنِavail عَنهُhim بَردُهُhis coolness فِيهَاin it
أودَى ولَمْ يُغْنِ عَنهُ بَردُهُ فِيهَا
And a sigh in which, if al-Khalil dwelt today,
And if the beloved sought its shelter today
he would perish, and his coolness there would not avail him.
It would perish and the coolness therein would not avail him
لوْif سِيمَwere charged with وَبْلُthe downpour الحَيَاof rain إِطْفَاءَextinguishing وقْدَتِهاits blaze
لوْ سِيمَ وَبْلُ الحَيَا إِطْفَاءَ وقْدَتِها
لَمnot تَلفْهُyou would find it ومِياهُand the waters الأَرْضِof the earth يُطفِيهَاquenching it
لَم تَلفْهُ ومِياهُ الأَرْضِ يُطفِيهَا
If the downpour of rain were charged with extinguishing its blaze,
If its torch were extinguished and the fires of life blown out
you would not find it, even with earth's waters, able to quench it.
It would not be relit and the waters of the earth extinguish it
وعَبْرَةٍand a tear لوif دُعِيwere summoned نوحٌNoah لِيَسْلكَهَاto sail through it
وعَبْرَةٍ لو دُعِي نوحٌ لِيَسْلكَهَا
بِفُلكِهِin his ark قَالhe would say بِسْمِin the name اللَّهِof God مُرسِيهَاwho anchors it
بِفُلكِهِ قَال بِسْمِ اللَّهِ مُرسِيهَا
And a tear which, if Noah were summoned to sail through it
And if Noah were called to embark it
in his ark, he would say, 'In the name of God, who anchors it.'
In his ship, he would say "In God's name I cast it off"
ومُقلةٍand an eye أَلِفَتْgrew accustomed to فَرْطَexcess السُّهَادِof sleeplessness فَلوْso if
ومُقلةٍ أَلِفَتْ فَرْطَ السُّهَادِ فَلوْ
رُدَّwere restored الرُّقَادُsleep عَلَيهاto it كَادَit nearly يُؤذِيهَاwould hurt it
رُدَّ الرُّقَادُ عَلَيها كَادَ يُؤذِيهَا
And an eye so accustomed to excessive sleeplessness that, if
And an eyelid that has grown accustomed to the excess of wakefulness -
sleep were restored to it, it would almost hurt it.
if slumber were to return to it, it would nearly hurt it
ماذَاwhat علَىupon الطَّيرِthe birds إذْwhen أبلَىwore away الضَّنىwasting sickness جَسَدِيmy body
ماذَا علَى الطَّيرِ إذْ أبلَى الضَّنى جَسَدِي
فَخَفَّso it grew light لوif حمَلتْنِيthey carried me فيin خَوافِيهاtheir inner wing-feathers
فَخَفَّ لو حمَلتْنِي في خَوافِيها
What harm would it do the birds, when wasting sickness has worn away my body
What is upon the birds when sorrow has worn down my body
and made it light, if they carried me among their inner wing-feathers?
So it became too light - if they carried me in their wings?
إِنْif يقعدِholds back الطَّيْرُthe birds عَنْfrom حَمْليcarrying me لَكُمْto you وسَرَتْand blew
إِنْ يقعدِ الطَّيْرُ عَنْ حَمْلي لَكُمْ وسَرَتْ
رِيحُthe wind الصَّبَاthe east wind فاطْلُبُونيthen seek me فيin مَسَارِيهَاits paths
رِيحُ الصَّبَا فاطْلُبُوني في مَسَارِيهَا
If the birds fail to carry me to you, and there blows
If the birds abstain from carrying me to you
the east wind, then seek me along its paths.
and the eastern wind blows, then seek me in its pathways
تُلْقيit casts لَكُمْto you جَسَديmy body لوif أنَّthat عِلَّتَهُits illness
تُلْقي لَكُمْ جَسَدي لو أنَّ عِلَّتَهُ
يُدعَىwere summoned المَسِيحُthe Messiah لَهاfor it ماnot كادَhe could nearly يُبرِيهَاcure it
يُدعَى المَسِيحُ لَها ما كادَ يُبرِيهَا
It will cast my body before you—if, for its illness,
It throws my body to you if its ailment
the Messiah were summoned, he could scarcely cure it.
were called on Christ - it nearly cured it
لَقدindeed تضاءَلَit dwindled حتّىuntil لوif قَذفتُI cast بِهِit
لَقد تضاءَلَ حتّى لو قَذفتُ بِهِ
فيinto مُقلَةٍan eye ماnot أحسَّتْهُfelt it مَآقِيهاits corners
في مُقلَةٍ ما أحسَّتْهُ مَآقِيها
Indeed, it has dwindled so far that, were I to cast it
It has waned until if I tossed it
into an eye, its corners would not feel it.
into an eyelid, it would not feel its pain
ومُسْتريحٍand one at ease إلىin تَرجيعِthe trilling of نَغمَتِهِhis melody
ومُسْتريحٍ إلى تَرجيعِ نَغمَتِهِ
أضْحَىhas come to يَبُثُّpour forth صَبَابَاتِيmy longings ويُبدِيهاand reveal them
أضْحَى يَبُثُّ صَبَابَاتِي ويُبدِيها
And one at ease in the trilling of his song
And rested to repeat its melody
has begun to pour forth my longings and reveal them.
it now scatters my youth and reveals it
فماso never تَثنَّتْswayed بِهِwith him أعطافُthe limbs بانَتِهِof his bān-tree
فما تَثنَّتْ بِهِ أعطافُ بانَتِهِ
إلاّexcept ثَنَىturned away وجْهَthe face سُلْوانِيof my solace تَثَنِّيهَاits swaying
إلاّ ثَنَى وجْهَ سُلْوانِي تَثَنِّيهَا
Never did the limbs of his bān-tree sway with him
So whatever its edges coiled,
without its swaying turning away the face of my solace.
it only bent the face of my nightfall bending it
ومُستطيرٍand a spreading flash كأَنَّas though الرِّيحَthe wind تُلْهبُهُkindles it
ومُستطيرٍ كأَنَّ الرِّيحَ تُلْهبُهُ
إذَاwhen اسْتَمرَّswept onward عَلَيهِover it خَفْقُthe beating سَارِيهَاof its night-roaming gust
إذَا اسْتَمرَّ عَلَيهِ خَفْقُ سَارِيهَا
And a spreading flash, as though the wind were kindling it,
And one who is about to take flight, as if the wind inflames him
when the beating of its night-roaming gusts sweeps over it.
when the fluttering of its feathers persists upon him
أَشِيمُهُI watch it خُلَّباًa rainless flash والعَينُand the eye تُبْصِرُهُsees it
أَشِيمُهُ خُلَّباً والعَينُ تُبْصِرُهُ
بِعَبْرةٍthrough a tear سَالَflowed حتّىuntil غَصَّwas choked وادِيهَاits valley
بِعَبْرةٍ سَالَ حتّى غَصَّ وادِيهَا
I watch it as rainless lightning, while my eye beholds it
I see it tottering while the eye observes it
through tears flowing until their valley is choked.
with a tear that flowed until the valley was flooded
ومُسْتميتِand one nearly lifeless السُّرَىin night-travel لوif مَرَّpassed نَاسِمُهُits gentle breath
ومُسْتميتِ السُّرَى لو مَرَّ نَاسِمُهُ
بِشَعْرةٍover a hair لمnot يَكَدْcould nearly مَسْراهُits passage يُثنِيهَاbend it
بِشَعْرةٍ لم يَكَدْ مَسْراهُ يُثنِيهَا
And a night-roamer so nearly lifeless that, if its breath passed
And one whose flame is about to die, if its breeze passed
over a hair, its passage would scarcely bend it.
by a hair, its illness would scarcely bend it
سَرَىit traveled by night فأسْرَىthen sent away الكرَىslumber عنِّيfrom me فأَنْزَلَthen brought بِيupon me
سَرَى فأسْرَى الكرَى عنِّي فأَنْزَلَ بِي
صَبابَةًa yearning بِتُّI spent the night تُخفِينِيit concealed me وأُخْفِيهاand I concealed it
صَبابَةً بِتُّ تُخفِينِي وأُخْفِيها
It traveled by night, sent sleep away from me, and brought upon me
It departed and so the destinies departed from me and sent down upon me
a yearning: all night it concealed me, and I concealed it.
a youth that hides me and I hide it
ياO ويحَwoe to نَفْسِيmy soul أمَاis there not شَيءٌanything يعنُّpresents itself لَهَاto her
يا ويحَ نَفْسِي أمَا شَيءٌ يعنُّ لَهَا
إلاّexcept وظَلَّand kept لبَلْواهَاfor her affliction يُعنِّيهاtormenting her
إلاّ وظَلَّ لبَلْواهَا يُعنِّيها
Alas for my soul! Does anything present itself to her
Oh my soul, is there anything that concerns it
without continuing to torment her in her affliction?
except a test that continued to trouble it?
إنْif أومَضَflashed البَرقُthe lightning أشْجَاهَاit saddened her وإنْand if هتَفَتْcried out
إنْ أومَضَ البَرقُ أشْجَاهَا وإنْ هتَفَتْ
وُرْقُthe gray doves الحِمَىof the sanctuary باتَremained all night حَرُّthe heat الشَّوقِof longing يُحميهَاheats her
وُرْقُ الحِمَى باتَ حَرُّ الشَّوقِ يُحميهَا
If lightning flashes, it saddens her; and if there call
If lightning flashed, it burned it, and if the leaves
the gray doves of the sanctuary, longing's heat burns her all night.
of fever whispered, the heat of longing kept it inflamed
وإنْand if تنَسَّمَbreathed gently عُلْويُّthe upland one الرِّيَاحِof the winds لَهاtoward her
وإنْ تنَسَّمَ عُلْويُّ الرِّيَاحِ لَها
ألفَيتُهُI found it لقَصِيّto the farthest reaches الوَجْدِof longing يُدْنِيهاit draws her near
ألفَيتُهُ لقَصِيّ الوَجْدِ يُدْنِيها
And if the upland wind breathes toward her,
And if the most sublime of winds sighed for it
I find it drawing her toward longing's farthest reaches.
I found it drawing near the shortness of breath
لقَدْindeed مُنيتُI was afflicted بماwith what اختَرتُI chose المَنونَdeath لَهُbecause of it
لقَدْ مُنيتُ بما اختَرتُ المَنونَ لَهُ
ياO قَومُpeople لوif أُعْطِيتْwere granted نَفْسٌa soul أَمانِيهَاits wishes
يا قَومُ لو أُعْطِيتْ نَفْسٌ أَمانِيهَا
Indeed, I am afflicted with what would make me choose death,
Indeed, I have been afflicted with that which I chose death for
O people, were a soul granted its wishes.
O people, if a soul were given its wishes
ياO قَطَّعَmay cut اللَّهُGod أسَبَابَthe cords النَّوَىof separation وَرَمَىand may strike
يا قَطَّعَ اللَّهُ أسَبَابَ النَّوَى وَرَمَى
حُجُبَthe veils البِعَادِof distance بِماwith what يُبلِيْwears away حَوَاشِيْهَاtheir edges
حُجُبَ البِعَادِ بِما يُبلِيْ حَوَاشِيْهَا
Oh, may God cut the cords of separation and strike
O He who has severed the cords of purpose and cast
the veils of distance with what frays their edges!
the veils of distance with what wears out its edges
Sol 6.1