لَناwe have بِالبَصرَةِin Basra البَيضاwhite (word begins)
لَنا بِالبَصرَةِ البَيضا
ءِcompletes 'white' أُلّافٌclose companions وَإِخوانُand brothers
ءِ أُلّافٌ وَإِخوانُ
In white Basra we have
In Basra we have thousands of brothers,
We have in Basra, the city White,
close companions and brothers:
Gentle Bahalil and good-natured Masamih.
Companions and brothers, a true delight,
بَهاليلُnoble men مَساميحُopenhanded
بَهاليلُ مَساميحُ
لَهُمthey have فَضلٌvirtue وَإِحسانُand kindness
لَهُم فَضلٌ وَإِحسانُ
noble, openhanded men,
They have merit and benevolence,
Noble masters, generous and free,
endowed with virtue and kindness.
As if the grand mosque were a blossoming garden at night
Possessed of grace and charity.
كَأَنَّas though المَسجِدَthe mosque الجامِcongregational (word begins)
كَأَنَّ المَسجِدَ الجامِ
عَcompletes 'congregational' عِندَat اللَيلِnight بُستانُa garden
عَ عِندَ اللَيلِ بُستانُ
It is as though the congregational mosque
With all sorts of delicate plants and colorful flowers.
As though the Mosque of Congregation,
at night were a garden.
On his cheek there is a mole
At night becomes a garden station,
وَفيهِand within it مِنَof طَريفِrare النَبplants (word begins)
وَفيهِ مِنَ طَريفِ النَب
تِcompletes 'plants' وَالأَزهارِand flowers أَلوانُvarieties
تِ وَالأَزهارِ أَلوانُ
And within it, rare plants
That captivates all hearts.
Containing plants of curious strain,
and flowers are of many kinds.
He made me drink a cup
And blossoms of every colored vein.
لَهُhe has فيon خَدِّهِhis cheek خالٌa mole
لَهُ في خَدِّهِ خالٌ
بِهِby it الأَلبابُminds فُتّانُbewitched
بِهِ الأَلبابُ فُتّانُ
He has a mole upon his cheek
That lit fires in my heart.
Upon his cheek a mole is set,
by which minds are bewitched.
The troops of Iblis aid him
Ensnaring minds in beauty's net.
وَقَدand indeed جَرَّعَنيhe made me drink كَأساًa cup
وَقَد جَرَّعَني كَأساً
لَهاit has فيin القَلبِthe heart نيرانُfires
لَها في القَلبِ نيرانُ
And he has made me drink a cup
In causing tribulations, they are his helpers.
He made me drain a cup of desire,
whose fires burn within the heart.
His dagger was sharpened
That set my inner heart on fire.
لَهُhe has مِنfrom جُندِthe host إِبليسَIblis
لَهُ مِن جُندِ إِبليسَ
عَلىin الفِتنَةِseduction أَعوانُhelpers
عَلى الفِتنَةِ أَعوانُ
From Iblis's host he has
On the whetstone of souls, it flows with blood.
He commands a troop of Iblis's own,
helpers in seduction.
And Imran ibn Amr
To aid the seduction he has sown.
شَباthe edge خَنجَرِهِhis dagger مِنwith عَclotted blood (word begins)
شَبا خَنجَرِهِ مِن عَ
لَقِcompletes 'clotted blood' الأَجوافِthe entrails رَيّانُsated
لَقِ الأَجوافِ رَيّانُ
His dagger's edge, with the clotted blood
In him lies glory and stature.
His dagger's point is quenched and red,
of entrails, is sated.
When he comes, people say
With the blood of hearts that freely bled.
وَعِمرانُand Imran اِبنُson of عَمروٍAmr
وَعِمرانُ اِبنُ عَمروٍ
فَفيهِso in him الأَمرُimportance وَالشانُand distinction
فَفيهِ الأَمرُ وَالشانُ
And Imran, son of Amr—
"A gazelle, grazing and with protruding teeth."
And 'Imran, son of 'Amr, is he,
in him lie importance and distinction.
So whoever asks about my heart,
Of high command and dignity.
إِذاwhen أَقبَلَhe approaches قالَsay الناpeople (word begins)
إِذا أَقبَلَ قالَ النا
سُcompletes 'people' ظَبيٌa gazelle ريعَstartled وَسنانُdrowsy
سُ ظَبيٌ ريعَ وَسنانُ
When he approaches, people say:
My heart is wherever they are.
When he draws near, the people gaze:
'A startled, drowsy gazelle!'
"A startled, sleepy fawn!" they praise.
فَمَنso whoever يَسأَلُasks عَنabout قَلبيmy heart
فَمَن يَسأَلُ عَن قَلبي
فَقَلبيthen my heart حَيثُماwherever كانواthey are
فَقَلبي حَيثُما كانوا
So whoever asks about my heart—
So whoever asks where my heart lies,
my heart is wherever they are.
My heart is wherever they reside.
Partial English translation: 19 of 22 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1