ألاah! ليتَif only شِعريmy knowledge كيفhow أصبحَcame to be طائريmy bird of omen
ألا ليتَ شِعري كيف أصبحَ طائري
بغَيرwithout سَنيحِauspicious الفألِthe omen عندَكin your eyes مَزجوراinterpreted through bird-augury
بغَير سَنيحِ الفألِ عندَك مَزجورا
Ah, if only I knew how my omen-bird came to be
Alas, how I wish I knew how my bird
read by you as bearing no auspicious omen.
Became caged with you without happy omens.
ولِمْand why صارَbecame غيريsomeone other than me مُؤنِساًa companion فيin نَديِّكُمْyour gathering
ولِمْ صارَ غيري مُؤنِساً في نَديِّكُمْ
ونُحِّيتُand I was pushed aside عنكُمْaway from you مُكَمدَgrief-stricken القَلبِthe heart مَسجوراaflame
ونُحِّيتُ عنكُمْ مُكَمدَ القَلبِ مَسجورا
And why has another become a welcome companion in your gathering,
And why another took my place, enjoying your company,
while I was pushed away from you, grief-stricken at heart and aflame?
While I was dismissed, my heart suppressed and silent.
ومَنْand who ذاthis الّذيwho قدalready نابَstood in عَنيِّfor me عندَكُمْamong you
ومَنْ ذا الّذي قد نابَ عَنيِّ عندَكُمْ
فأبدعَand so he created marvelously مَنحوتاًa carved work وأغربَبَapparently: and produced something extraordinary مَنجوراa hewn work
فأبدعَ مَنحوتاً وأغربَبَ مَنجورا
And who is this who has taken my place among you,
Who was it that turned from me to you
and so produced a marvelous carving and an extraordinary hewn work?
And created an idol, a strange, forbidden form?
فهلْso, is it that كانَwas ذَنبيmy fault غيرَother than أنِّيthat I تاركٌforgoing
فهلْ كانَ ذَنبي غيرَ أنِّي تاركٌ
منfrom among الشُّربِdrinking حجْراًa forbidden thing فيin الشّريعَةِreligious law مَحجوراstrictly forbidden
من الشُّربِ حجْراً في الشّريعَةِ مَحجورا
Was my fault, then, anything but that I forgo
Was my crime no more than that I,
such drink as sacred law strictly forbids?
Abstaining from wine, avoided what is forbidden?
إلىto اللهِGod أشكوI complain أنَّيthat I لِتَقِيَّتيout of my piety
إلى اللهِ أشكو أنَّي لِتَقِيَّتي
تحاشيْتُI avoided مَحجوراsomething forbidden فأصبحتُand so I became مَهجوراforsaken
تحاشيْتُ مَحجورا فأصبحتُ مَهجورا
To God I complain that, out of my piety,
To God I complain that because of my piety
I avoided the forbidden, only to become forsaken.
I avoided the forbidden and became outcast.
سألزَمُI shall devote هَمِّيmy concern فيto النَّبيذِnabidh, a steeped-fruit drink وهِمَّتيand my resolve
سألزَمُ هَمِّي في النَّبيذِ وهِمَّتي
فقلْso say لِعَذولَيَّto my two reproachers اعذُلانِيَreproach me, you two أوor جوراbe unjust, you two
فقلْ لِعَذولَيَّ اعذُلانِيَ أو جورا
I shall devote my concern and resolve to nabidh;
I will give myself to wine and to my passion;
so tell my two reproachers: "Reproach me, or be unjust."
So say to the critic, "Be gentle or be unfair."
وأقنيand I acquire سُلُواًّsolace ثمَّthen أعلمُI know أنَّنيthat I
وأقني سُلُواًّ ثمَّ أعلمُ أنَّني
وإنand even if صِرتُI have become مَهجوراforsaken لقدindeed صِرتُI have become مأجوراrewarded
وإن صِرتُ مَهجورا لقد صِرتُ مأجورا
And I shall gain solace, then know that I,
I will drink long draughts, knowing that though
though I have become forsaken, have indeed been rewarded.
I am an outcast, I shall be recompensed.
Sol 6.1