رائداتُscouts الهوىof love سلبنَthey stole فؤاديmy heart
رائداتُ الهوى سلبنَ فؤادي
فتبدّلتso I took in exchange قَرْحةًa wound باغتباطin place of joy
فتبدّلت قَرْحةً باغتباط
Love's scouts stole my heart,
The guides of passion robbed my heart
So I took a wound in place of joy.
So my joy turned into anguish
ملكتْtook possession نظرتيmy glance فصارso became فؤاديmy heart
ملكتْ نظرتي فصار فؤادي
غُرضa target كفّa hand لشادنbelonging to a young gazelle قبَّاطgrasping
غُرض كفّ لشادن قبَّاط
My glance held sway, and my heart became
Their glance captivated me, so my heart
A target for a grasping young gazelle's hand.
Became prey in the palms of an ardent lover
فتنتْهit bewitched it طوعاًwillingly إليهtoward him ومدَّتand stretched out
فتنتْه طوعاً إليه ومدَّت
منهfrom it كفُّthe hand الهوىof love لشدّto tighten رباطِa bond
منه كفُّ الهوى لشدّ رباطِ
It lured my heart willingly to him, and there stretched
She seduced it willingly towards her and stretched out
From it the hand of love, to tighten a bond.
From it the palm of passion to tighten the bond
أهيفٌslender-waisted أوlong-lashed (first fragment of أوطف) طَفٌlong-lashed (second fragment of أوطف) أغرُّradiant غريرٌguileless
أهيفٌ أو طَفٌ أغرُّ غريرٌ
مازجٌmingling ليfor me سقامهhis languor باختلاطِwith confusion
مازجٌ لي سقامه باختلاطِ
Slender-waisted, long-lashed, radiant, guileless,
Is it clear or turbid, more bitter or sweet
Mingling his languor for me with confusion.
Mixing in me its sickness with confusion
لاno وصولٌunion ولاnor هجُورٌabandonment ولكنْbut
لا وصولٌ ولا هجُورٌ ولكنْ
ذوpossessing انقباضreserve وتارةand at times ذوpossessing انبساطِopenness
ذو انقباض وتارة ذو انبساطِ
Neither union nor abandonment, but
No union or separation but
He is reserved, and at times welcoming.
Sometimes contracting and sometimes expanding
ربماsometimes قلتI said وصلُهunion with him ليسis not عنهaway from it
ربما قلت وصلُه ليس عنه
مَدْفَعٌa barrier منfrom قِليّaversion فيحياso it revives نشاطيmy vigor
مَدْفَعٌ من قِليّ فيحيا نشاطي
Sometimes I say, “Union with him has no
I may say his union does not come from him
Barrier born of aversion,” and my spirits revive.
Repelled by my disdain, so my vigor comes alive
فأناso I am الدهرَforever فيin رجاءhope ويأسٍand despair
فأنا الدهرَ في رجاء ويأسٍ
منfrom حبيبيmy beloved وفيand in رضاًcontentment أوor سخاطِanger
من حبيبي وفي رضاً أو سخاطِ
So I am forever in hope and despair
So I spend my time hoping and despairing
Over my beloved, and in contentment or anger.
Of my beloved, and in contentment or displeasure
فإذاand when رمْتُهI seek him فلمسُthen touching الثّريَّاthe Pleiades
فإذا رمْتُه فلمسُ الثّريَّا
دونهeasier than reaching him أوor لقاؤهmeeting him فيon الصّراطthe Sirat bridge
دونه أو لقاؤه في الصّراط
And when I seek him, touching the Pleiades
And when I cast him aside, but touch the Pleiades
Is easier—or meeting him is upon the Sirat.
Below him, or meet him on the path
وكسانيand clothed me هواهlove for him منfrom خِلَعِrobes of honor
وكساني هواه من خِلَعِ
السُقمsickness رياطاًfine wraps فانحلتنيso they made me waste away رياطيmy wraps
السُقم رياطاً فانحلتني رياطي
And love for him clothed me in robes of honor
And he clothed me in the garb of his love
Bestowed by sickness—fine wraps; my wraps made me waste away.
From the sickness that loosened my bonds
Sol 6.1