ترحَّلتI departed عنfrom بغدادBaghdad أطيبَthe most pleasant منزِلٍdwelling
ترحَّلت عن بغداد أطيبَ منزِلٍ
وأبهىand the fairest بلادlands اللهof God مرأىًin appearance ومنظراand aspect
وأبهى بلاد الله مرأىً ومنظرا
I journeyed away from Baghdad, the finest of abodes,
I departed from Baghdad, the most pleasant of dwellings,
The most splendid of God’s lands in prospect and vista;
and the fairest of God’s lands in appearance and aspect.
وفارقتُand I parted from أقواماًpeople إذاwhen ماemphatic particle ذكرتهمI remembered them
وفارقتُ أقواماً إذا ما ذكرتهم
ترقرقَwelled up ماءُwater العينof the eye ثمthen تَحَدَّراstreamed down
ترقرقَ ماءُ العين ثم تَحَدَّرا
And I parted from people who, whenever I remember them,
And I parted from people: whenever I remember them,
Make tears well in my eyes, then stream down.
tears well up in my eyes, then stream down.
فكمfor how many منof أديبٍa man of letters فيin معانيهhis ideas بارعmasterful
فكم من أديبٍ في معانيه بارع
وأبلجَand a brilliant scholar فيin عِلمِknowledge الشَّريعةof sacred law أَزهرَاradiant
وأبلجَ في عِلمِ الشَّريعة أَزهرَا
How many a man of letters there was, a master of his ideas,
For how many a man of letters, masterful in his ideas,
And many a radiant scholar, resplendent in sacred law.
and a brilliant scholar, radiant in knowledge of sacred law!
أروحُI go in the evening علىamid بَرحanguish الهمومِof cares وأغتديand I go in the morning
أروحُ على بَرح الهمومِ وأغتدي
أكابدُI endure أحزاناًsorrows يضيقُgrows narrow بهاbecause of them الثَّراthe earth
أكابدُ أحزاناً يضيقُ بها الثَّرا
Evening and morning, I endure the anguish of cares,
I go at evening amid the anguish of cares, and at dawn,
Struggling with sorrows for which the very earth has no room.
enduring sorrows for which the earth is too narrow.
ولمand did not أبكI weep مربعَspring dwelling العامِريَّةِof al-ʿĀmiriyya باللَّوىat al-Liwā
ولم أبك مربعَ العامِريَّةِ باللَّوى
ولاnor رَسمَremains دارٍof a house بالثَّنيَّةِat al-Thaniyya مُقفِراdeserted
ولا رَسمَ دارٍ بالثَّنيَّةِ مُقفِرا
I did not weep for the ʿĀmiriyya’s encampment at al-Liwā,
I have not wept for al-ʿĀmiriyya’s spring dwelling at al-Liwā,
Nor for the deserted trace of a dwelling at al-Thaniyya;
nor for the deserted remains of a house at al-Thaniyya.
ولكنَّنيbut I أبكيI weep مُقَاميmy stay ببلدةٍin a town
ولكنَّني أبكي مُقَامي ببلدةٍ
أُأَمَّلI hope أنto ألقىI meet صديقاًa friend ولاand not أرىI see
أُأَمَّل أن ألقى صديقاً ولا أرى
Rather, I weep for my sojourn in a town
But I weep over my stay in a town
Where I keep hoping to meet a friend, yet see none.
where I hope to meet a friend, yet see none.
Sol 6.1