بَسَطَت إِلَيَّ بَنانَةً أُسروعا

بَسَطَت إِلَيَّ بَنانَةً أُسروعا

تَصِفُ الفِراقَ وَمُقلَةً يُنبوعا

تَصِفُ الفِراقَ وَمُقلَةً يُنبوعا

She held out to me a finger like a sandworm,

She extended to me a soft branch describing separation and an overflowing spring of sorrow.

describing parting, and an eye like a spring.

Its words almost became tears from the gentleness of lament.

كادَت لِعِرفانِ النَوى أَلفاظُها

كادَت لِعِرفانِ النَوى أَلفاظُها

مِن رِقَّةِ الشَكوى تَكونُ دُموعا

مِن رِقَّةِ الشَكوى تَكونُ دُموعا

From her awareness of separation, her words almost

But the voice of a blamer blaming me unjustly,

became tears through the tenderness of her lament.

would be justice, by your life, if you blamed a listener.

بَل صَوتُ عاذِلَةٍ عَراني مَوهِناً

بَل صَوتُ عاذِلَةٍ عَراني مَوهِناً

عَدلٌ لَعَمرُكَ لَو عَذَلتَ سَميعا

عَدلٌ لَعَمرُكَ لَو عَذَلتَ سَميعا

But a reproaching woman's voice came upon me late at night—

Should I blame one whose hands were stingy and overbearing

fair, by your life—had you rebuked a willing listener!

when stinginess is a disgrace? That was an ugly deed.

أَأَلومُ مَن بَخِلَت يَداهُ وَأَغتَدي

أَأَلومُ مَن بَخِلَت يَداهُ وَأَغتَدي

لِلبُخلِ تِرباً ساءَ ذاكَ صَنيعا

لِلبُخلِ تِرباً ساءَ ذاكَ صَنيعا

Shall I blame one whose hands were miserly, yet become

I refused and disobeyed the blamers and was overbearing

a peer of miserliness? What a wretched deed!

while being obedient to the beggars since I was a child.

آبى فَأَعصي العاذِلينَ وَأَغتَدي

آبى فَأَعصي العاذِلينَ وَأَغتَدي

في تالِدي لِلسائِلينَ مُطيعا

في تالِدي لِلسائِلينَ مُطيعا

I refuse, so I defy the reproachers and become

Wearing the manners of generosity—they are indeed

obedient to petitioners in matters of my inherited wealth,

armor for the honors of the generous.

مُتَسَربِلاً خُلُقَ المَكارِمِ إِنَّها

مُتَسَربِلاً خُلُقَ المَكارِمِ إِنَّها

جُعِلَت لِأَعراضِ الكِرامِ دُروعا

جُعِلَت لِأَعراضِ الكِرامِ دُروعا

clad in noble character, for such virtues

And trying his veils, I found him

were made shields for the honor of the noble.

a star rising above the barefoot caravan.

وَمُحَجَّبٍ حاوَلتُهُ فَوَجَدتُهُ

وَمُحَجَّبٍ حاوَلتُهُ فَوَجَدتُهُ

نَجماً عَلى الرَكبِ العُفاةِ شَسوعا

نَجماً عَلى الرَكبِ العُفاةِ شَسوعا

And a man behind screens I sought, and found him

When I missed his gift, I missed him—

a star far above the caravan of supplicants.

my gratitude and joy missed each other.

لَمّا عَدِمتُ نَوالَهُ أَعدَمتُهُ

لَمّا عَدِمتُ نَوالَهُ أَعدَمتُهُ

شُكري فَرُحنا مُعدَمَينِ جَميعا

شُكري فَرُحنا مُعدَمَينِ جَميعا

When I lacked his bounty, I deprived him

of my gratitude; so we both departed bereft.