ياO غَادِياتِmorning travelers السُّحْبِthe clouds لاdo not تتَجاوزِيpass beyond
يا غَادِياتِ السُّحْبِ لا تتَجاوزِي
بالسَّقْيِin watering دُولابَthe waterwheel القُمَيْعيّاتِal-Qumayʿiyyāt
بالسَّقْيِ دُولابَ القُمَيْعيّاتِ
O morning clouds, do not pass over
O passing clouds, do not go beyond
the waterwheel of al-Qumayʿiyyāt in your watering.
Watering the meadows of al-Qumay`iyya
سَقياًa watering يَفِيfulfills بحقُوقِthe dues of مَاضِيthe past of عَيْشِنَاour life
سَقياً يَفِي بحقُوقِ مَاضِي عَيْشِنَا
فِيهِtherein ويُسْلفُنَاand advances us حُقُوقَthe dues of الآتِيwhat is to come
فِيهِ ويُسْلفُنَا حُقُوقَ الآتِي
A watering that pays the dues of our bygone life
Watering that fulfills the rights of our past life
there, and advances us the dues of what is to come.
And loans us the rights of the future
لمْnot أنْسَI forget أيَّاماًdays جَنيتُI gathered مُبكِّراًearly
لمْ أنْسَ أيَّاماً جَنيتُ مُبكِّراً
ثَمَرَthe fruit of المُنَىwishes فِيهاin them ولاnor لَيلاتِnights
ثَمَرَ المُنَى فِيها ولا لَيلاتِ
I have not forgotten days—I gathered early
I have not forgotten days in which I reaped fruits early
the fruit of wishes in them—nor the nights.
The fruits of delight in them or nights
رَوْضٌa garden كَمَاas فُرِشَتْwere spread مَطَارفُbordered mantles سُنْدُسٍfine silk
رَوْضٌ كَمَا فُرِشَتْ مَطَارفُ سُنْدُسٍ
تذكُوglow عَليهِupon it نَواجِمُemerging الزَّهْراتِthe blossoms
تذكُو عَليهِ نَواجِمُ الزَّهْراتِ
A garden, as though bordered mantles of fine silk lay spread,
A meadow spread out as the edges of lilies are furnished
with emerging blossoms glowing upon it.
On which the stars of flowers awake
يَسَتوقِفُholds الأَبْصَارَthe gazes بينَbetween شقيقةٍan anemone
يَسَتوقِفُ الأَبْصَارَ بينَ شقيقةٍ
حَمْراءَred ياقُوتيةِruby-like الوَرَقاتِthe petals
حَمْراءَ ياقُوتيةِ الوَرَقاتِ
It holds the gaze between an anemone
It stops the sights between anemone
red, with ruby petals,
Red, ruby-leaved
وَعَرَارةٍand an oxeye flower صَفْراءَyellow أنْهَتْperfected صَقْلَهَاits polishing
وَعَرَارةٍ صَفْراءَ أنْهَتْ صَقْلَهَا
شَمْسُthe sun of الضُّحَىthe forenoon ذَهَبِيَةِgolden الصَّفَحَاتِthe surfaces
شَمْسُ الضُّحَى ذَهَبِيَةِ الصَّفَحَاتِ
and a yellow oxeye whose polish was perfected
And mustard yellow which the noonday sun polished
by the morning sun, its surfaces golden.
Golden, gilt-paged
لاnot شَيءَanything أَبهَجُmore delightful منْظَراًin appearance مِنthan صَحْوِهِits clear weather
لا شَيءَ أَبهَجُ منْظَراً مِن صَحْوِهِ
والشَّمسُand the sun فيهِtherein صقيلةُpolished المرآةِthe mirror
والشَّمسُ فيهِ صقيلةُ المرآةِ
Nothing is lovelier to behold than its clear weather,
Nothing is more beautiful to look at than its morning
with the sun there a mirror polished bright.
With the sun in it, burnished mirror
ومتَىand whenever أَغَامَit clouds over أَراكَit shows you بُرْداًa cloak أدْكَناًdusky
ومتَى أَغَامَ أَراكَ بُرْداً أدْكَناً
بِسَنَاwith the radiance of البُرُوقِlightning flashes مُطَرَّزَembroidered الصَّنَفَاتِthe borders
بِسَنَا البُرُوقِ مُطَرَّزَ الصَّنَفَاتِ
And whenever it clouds over, it shows you a dusky cloak,
And when it clouds over, you see it darkly overcast
its borders embroidered with the gleam of lightning.
With the embroidery of lightning, patterned clouds
تُعدِيlend aid علىagainst حَرِّthe heat of القُلُوبِthe hearts بِبَردِهاwith their coolness
تُعدِي على حَرِّ القُلُوبِ بِبَردِها
نَسَمَاتُهُits breezes مِسْكيَّةُmusk-scented النَّفحَاتِthe wafts
نَسَمَاتُهُ مِسْكيَّةُ النَّفحَاتِ
They counter the heat of hearts with their coolness—
Passing over hot hearts with their coolness
its breezes, with musk-scented wafts.
Its breezes musky-scented breaths
أَلِفَتْgrew accustomed to بَلابِلُهُits nightingales الصَّفيرَwhistling فَرَدَّso answered ذاthis one
أَلِفَتْ بَلابِلُهُ الصَّفيرَ فَرَدَّ ذا
ماwhat قَالَsaid ذَاكَthat one تَسَابُبَtrading insults الجَاراتِthe female neighbors
ما قَالَ ذَاكَ تَسَابُبَ الجَاراتِ
Its nightingales grew used to whistling, so this one answered
Its nightingales grew used to whistling so one responded to another
what that one said, like women neighbors trading insults.
In the babbling talk of neighbors
وتَنَاوحَتْand lamented to one another فِيهِtherein الحَمامُthe doves كماas تَدَاtook turns (first part)
وتَنَاوحَتْ فِيهِ الحَمامُ كما تَدَا
وَلَتِcompletion of 'took turns' اليهُودُthe Jews قراءَةَreading التَّوراةِthe Torah
وَلَتِ اليهُودُ قراءَةَ التَّوراةِ
And the doves lamented there, as
And the doves cooed in it as the Jews recited
the Jews took turns reading the Torah.
The readings of the Torah
لاnot تَفْقدُmiss الآذَانُthe ears فيin مَنْجُورِهِits water-lifting pulley
لا تَفْقدُ الآذَانُ في مَنْجُورِهِ
نَغَمَthe melody of الرَّبَابِthe rebab وضَجَّةَand the clamor of النَّايَاتِthe reed flutes
نَغَمَ الرَّبَابِ وضَجَّةَ النَّايَاتِ
At its water-lifting pulley, ears never lack
The ears do not lack in its minaret
the melody of the rebab and the clamor of reed flutes.
The tunes of the rebec and the hubbub of the flutes
والمَاءُand the water تُرْسِلُهُsend it forth جَدَاولُهُits channels كَمَاas
والمَاءُ تُرْسِلُهُ جَدَاولُهُ كَمَا
جَارَيْتَyou set racing بينَbetween الخَيْلِthe horses فيin الحَلَبَاتِthe racecourses
جَارَيْتَ بينَ الخَيْلِ في الحَلَبَاتِ
And its channels send the water flowing, as
And the water, its streams send it as
you set horses racing against each other on the courses.
It flowed among the horses in the hippodrome
والنخْلُand the palms مِثلُlike عَرائِسٍbrides ذَهبيَّةِgolden الْthe (prefix)
والنخْلُ مِثلُ عَرائِسٍ ذَهبيَّةِ الْ
أنْدَاءِdew فَيْرُوزيّةِturquoise الوَفَرَاتِthe tresses
أنْدَاءِ فَيْرُوزيّةِ الوَفَرَاتِ
And the palms are like brides with golden
And the palm trees are like gilded brides
dew and turquoise tresses.
Azure-hued, turquoise-wreathed
وزَهَتْand grew resplendent عَنَاقِدُthe clusters of كَرْمِهِits grapevines لَمَّاwhen غَدَتْthey became
وزَهَتْ عَنَاقِدُ كَرْمِهِ لَمَّا غَدَتْ
بِنَواظِرِin the eyes of الأورَاقِthe leaves ملتحِفَاتِcloaked
بِنَواظِرِ الأورَاقِ ملتحِفَاتِ
And its vineyard's clusters grew resplendent when they became
And the bunches of its grapes when they ripened
cloaked in the leaves' eyes.
Became wrapped in grape leaf coverings
تبْدوthey appear فتستُرِهاthen they conceal them كماas وَاريتَyou veiled فيin
تبْدو فتستُرِها كما وَاريتَ في
خُضْرِgreen البَرَاقِعِthe face-veils أوْجُهَthe faces of الفَتَيَاتِthe young women
خُضْرِ البَرَاقِعِ أوْجُهَ الفَتَيَاتِ
They appear, then the leaves conceal them, as you veiled in
Appearing then hiding as you hid in
green face-veils the faces of young women.
The green of veils the faces of maidens
وخَريدَةٍand a secluded maiden ألْحَاظُهَاher glances يُسْرِعْنَhasten فيin
وخَريدَةٍ ألْحَاظُهَا يُسْرِعْنَ في
قتلِkilling النُّفُوسِsouls بَطِيئَةِslow الحَرَكَاتِthe movements
قتلِ النُّفُوسِ بَطِيئَةِ الحَرَكَاتِ
And a secluded maiden, whose glances hasten to
With sparkling glances that hasten to
slay souls, though her movements are slow.
Kill souls slow of movement
بَانيَّةِbān-tree-like الأعطَافِthe limbs كثبانيّةِsand-dune-like الْthe (prefix)
بَانيَّةِ الأعطَافِ كثبانيّةِ الْ
أَرْدَافِhips هارُوتِيَّةِHārūt-like النَّظَراتِthe glances
أَرْدَافِ هارُوتِيَّةِ النَّظَراتِ
Bān-tree-like in her limbs, dune-like in her
Swaying of figure, dune-like of hips
hips, Hārūt-like in her glances.
Gazelle-eyed of glance
قَبَّلتُهاI kissed her فَنَقَعْتُso I quenched حَرَّthe heat of جَوَانِحِيmy ribs
قَبَّلتُها فَنَقَعْتُ حَرَّ جَوَانِحِي
بألَذَّwith something sweeter منthan شَهْدٍhoney in the comb بِماءِwith water فُرَاتِsweet
بألَذَّ من شَهْدٍ بِماءِ فُرَاتِ
I kissed her and quenched the heat within my ribs
I kissed her and the heat of my fervor fell
with something sweeter than honey mingled with sweet water.
Sweeter than honey with Euphrates water
قالَتْshe said وقدand already أنْكرتُI objected to ماwhat فَعَلَتْهُthey did it بِيto me
قالَتْ وقد أنْكرتُ ما فَعَلَتْهُ بِي
ألْحَاظُهاher glances وأنَاand I الأَبيُّthe proud one العَاتِيthe defiant one
ألْحَاظُها وأنَا الأَبيُّ العَاتِي
She said, when I objected to what had been done to me
She said, and I denied what her glances did to me
by her glances, though I am proud and defiant,
While I am the disobedient, recklessly wanton one
هَزَلاًin jest تُدَاعِبُنيshe teases me بِهِwith it ومَنِيَّتيand my death
هَزَلاً تُدَاعِبُني بِهِ ومَنِيَّتي
فيin الهَزْلِthe jest مِنْfrom هَاتِيكُمُthose (addressing you all) الكَلِمَاتِthe words
في الهَزْلِ مِنْ هَاتِيكُمُ الكَلِمَاتِ
in jest, teasing me with it—yet my death
Jesting, she toys with me and my craving
lay in the jest of those words:
Is for jesting from the likes of these words
كَمْhow many منof جَليدٍa hardy man أضْجَعَتْهُthey laid him low لحِينِهِto his doom
كَمْ من جَليدٍ أضْجَعَتْهُ لحِينِهِ
شَرْوَاكَlike you ألْحَاظُthe glances of الجَُنَيْبيّاتِthe Junaybiyyāt
شَرْوَاكَ ألْحَاظُ الجَُنَيْبيّاتِ
“How many a hardy man has been laid low to his doom,
How many frozen hearts has the wink of the doe-eyed one's
like you, by the glances of the Junaybiyyāt!”
Glances laid down for a time
أوْقاتُtimes of لَذَّاتٍpleasures مَضَتْhave passed فَسَقَىso may it water الحَياthe rain
أوْقاتُ لَذَّاتٍ مَضَتْ فَسَقَى الحَيا
ماwhat فَاتَhas passed منof هاتِيكُمُthose (addressing you all) الأوقَاتِthe times
ما فَاتَ من هاتِيكُمُ الأوقَاتِ
Times of delight have passed; so may the rain water
Moments of delights passed, and life watered
what has gone of those times.
What is gone of those moments
لاnot شَيءَanything أوجَعُmore painful للحَشَاto the heart وأمَضُّand more piercing مِنْthan
لا شَيءَ أوجَعُ للحَشَا وأمَضُّ مِنْ
عَيشٍa life مَضَتْhave passed لمُضيِّهِbecause of its passing لَذَّاتِيmy pleasures
عَيشٍ مَضَتْ لمُضيِّهِ لَذَّاتِي
Nothing is more painful to the heart, or more piercing, than
Nothing is more painful to the throat or more biting than
a life with whose passing my pleasures passed.
A life whose pleasures have passed
ذَهبَتْhas gone بَشَاشَتُهُits gladness وبَاتَand remained شَجاهُits choking sorrow لِيfor me
ذَهبَتْ بَشَاشَتُهُ وبَاتَ شَجاهُ لِي
فيin الحَلقِthe throat بينَbetween تَرائِبِيmy upper chest bones ولَهَاتِيand my uvula
في الحَلقِ بينَ تَرائِبِي ولَهَاتِي
Its gladness has gone, and its choking sorrow remains for me
Its cheerfulness went and its ardour remained in my
in my throat, between my upper chest bones and my uvula.
Throat amidst my complaints and cravings
أَتُرَىdo you think اللَّيالِيthe nights المُقبِلاتِto come تُعيدُهُwill bring it back
أَتُرَى اللَّيالِي المُقبِلاتِ تُعيدُهُ
هَيهَاتَfar beyond reach! مِنْfrom هَذاكُمُthat (addressing you all) هَيْهَاتِfar beyond reach!
هَيهَاتَ مِنْ هَذاكُمُ هَيْهَاتِ
Do you think the nights to come will bring it back?
Will the coming nights restore it?
Far beyond reach is that—far beyond reach!
Far from it! Far from it!
Sol 6.1