أَفاطِمَO Fatim مَهلاًgently بَعضَsome of هَذاthis التَعَبُّسِfrowning
أَفاطِمَ مَهلاً بَعضَ هَذا التَعَبُّسِ
وَإِنand if كانَthere is مِنكَon your part الجِدُّearnest intent بِالصَرمِto sever ties فايأسيthen despair
وَإِن كانَ مِنكَ الجِدُّ بِالصَرمِ فايأسي
O Fatim, gently now—less of this frowning.
Afatim, be gentle, let go of this frowning,
And if you truly mean to sever ties, then give up hope.
Though determination becomes you like a necklace, do not despair,
تَشَتَّمُshe scowls ليat me لَمّاwhen رَأَتنيshe saw me أُحِبُّهاI love her
تَشَتَّمُ لي لَمّا رَأَتني أُحِبُّها
كَذيlike one possessing نِعمَةٍa blessing لَمdid not يُبدِهاshow it غَيرَanything but أَبؤُسِmiseries
كَذي نِعمَةٍ لَم يُبدِها غَيرَ أَبؤُسِ
She scowls at me when she sees that I love her,
She scolded me when she saw that I loved her,
Like one blessed with bounty who displays nothing but misery.
Like an unexpected blessing that none can take away,
وَإِنand if تَنقُضيyou break العَهدَthe pledge الَّذيwhich كانَwas بَينَناbetween us
وَإِن تَنقُضي العَهدَ الَّذي كانَ بَينَنا
وَتُبديand you reveal بِباقيwith the remainder of وُدِّكِyour affection المُتَخَلَّسِfurtively stolen
وَتُبدي بِباقي وُدِّكِ المُتَخَلَّسِ
And if you break the pledge that stood between us,
If you break the pact between us,
And reveal what remains of your furtively stolen affection,
And hide what remains of your affection,
فَإِنّيthen indeed I فَلاso do not يَغرُركِdeceive you مِنّيfrom me تَجَمُّليmy composure
فَإِنّي فَلا يَغرُركِ مِنّي تَجَمُّلي
لَأَسلىI shall indeed forget الحُبابَlove بِالجِنابِthrough withdrawal المُكَيَّسِjudicious
لَأَسلى الحُبابَ بِالجِنابِ المُكَيَّسِ
Then I—let not my composure deceive you—
Then do not be fooled by my composure,
Shall indeed forget love through judicious withdrawal.
I will console the lovers with poised patience,
وَأَعلَمُand I know أَنَّthat الأَرضَthe earth فيهاin it مَنادِحٌample spaces
وَأَعلَمُ أَنَّ الأَرضَ فيها مَنادِحٌ
لِمَنfor whoever كانَis لَمnot تُسدَدbe shut عَليهِupon him بِمَحبِسِin a prison
لِمَن كانَ لَم تُسدَد عَليهِ بِمَحبِسِ
And I know that the earth has ample open spaces
I know this land has open spaces,
For anyone not shut away in a prison.
For those not confined behind bars,
إِذاwhen النَأنَأُthe weakling الدانيstaying nearby الَّذيwho مَلَّgrew weary of أَهلَهُhis folk
إِذا النَأنَأُ الداني الَّذي مَلَّ أَهلَهُ
تَقَتهُconfronted him (uncertain reading) الأُمورُevents بِالرَعيشِwith trembling المُلَبَّسِbewildered
تَقَتهُ الأُمورُ بِالرَعيشِ المُلَبَّسِ
When the weakling lingering nearby, weary of his folk,
When the soft-spoken becomes hated by his people,
Is confronted by events, trembling and bewildered,
Affairs handle him roughly in tangled times,
وَكُنتُand I have been امرءًa man لاnot صُحبَةَcompanionship الصِدقِof sincerity أَجتَويI loathe
وَكُنتُ امرءً لا صُحبَةَ الصِدقِ أَجتَوي
وَلاand not أَناI نَوّامٌone much given to sleep بِغَيرِoutside مُعَرَّسِa night resting-place
وَلا أَنا نَوّامٌ بِغَيرِ مُعَرَّسِ
And I am a man who does not loathe true companionship,
Yet I was a man who savored loyal companionship,
Nor am I one to sleep long outside a proper resting place.
Not one accustomed to being unprepared.
Sol 6.1