مَاnot هَبblew مِنْfrom نخوكُمْyour direction نَسِيمُa breeze صَبَاthe east wind
مَا هَب مِنْ نخوكُمْ نَسِيمُ صَبَا
إِلاَّexcept that وَأَذْكَىand kindled بمُهْجَتِيin my heart لَهَباa flame
إِلاَّ وَأَذْكَى بمُهْجَتِي لَهَبا
No east wind ever blew from your direction
Never did an east-wind breeze blow from your direction
but it kindled a flame within my heart.
but it kindled a flame in my heart.
وَلاَand never شَدَاsang مُطْربٌa singer بذِكْرِكُمْwith mention of you
وَلاَ شَدَا مُطْربٌ بذِكْرِكُمْ
إلاَّexcept that وَنَادَىand cried out المَشُوُقُthe yearning lover واطرَباO rapture!
إلاَّ وَنَادَى المَشُوُقُ واطرَبا
No minstrel ever sang in remembrance of you
Nor did a singer ever sing of you
but the yearning lover cried, “Oh, what rapture!”
but the yearning lover cried, 'O rapture!'
وَلاَand never تَذكُرْتُI recalled عِيشَةَa life سَلفَتْthat had passed
وَلاَ تَذكُرْتُ عِيشَةَ سَلفَتْ
بالخِيفِat al-Khayf إلاَّexcept that وَقلْتُand I said وَاO! حَرَباwoe!
بالخِيفِ إلاَّ وَقلْتُ وَا حَرَبا
Whenever I remembered the life that had passed
Nor did I recall a bygone life
at al-Khayf, I cried, “Alas, my grief!”
at al-Khayf but I cried, 'O woe!'
لاmay not نَالَattain مِنْكَfrom you المَشُوُقُthe yearning lover بُغْيَتَهُhis desire
لا نَالَ مِنْكَ المَشُوُقُ بُغْيَتَهُ
إِنْif كانhe had يَوْماًone day إلىtoward سِوَاكَanyone but you صَبَاyearned
إِنْ كان يَوْماً إلى سِوَاكَ صَبَا
May the yearning lover never attain his desire from you
May the yearning lover never gain his desire from you
if ever, for a day, he yearns for anyone but you.
if he has ever yearned toward anyone but you.
يَاO حَبْذاhow lovely لَوْعَتيmy burning anguish عَليْكَfor you وَيَاand O
يَا حَبْذا لَوْعَتي عَليْكَ وَيَا
بُشْرَاىَmy joy إنْif مُتُّI die فِيكَfor love of you مُكْتَئِباgrief-stricken
بُشْرَاىَ إنْ مُتُّ فِيكَ مُكْتَئِبا
How dear is my burning anguish for you—and oh,
Oh, how sweet is my burning anguish for you! And oh,
what glad tidings if I die for love of you, grief-stricken!
what joy is mine if I die grief-stricken for you!
أحْبَابَناour beloved ones هَلْis there? بقُرْبِكُمْof nearness to you أَمَلُhope
أحْبَابَنا هَلْ بقُرْبِكُمْ أَمَلُ
أَمْor هَلْdo? بوَصْلِكُمُto union with you أَرَىI see سَبَباa way
أَمْ هَلْ بوَصْلِكُمُ أَرَى سَبَبا
Our beloved, is there hope of drawing near to you,
Our beloved ones, is there hope of nearness to you,
or can I see some means to union with you?
or do I see a way to union with you?
آهاًAh! لأَيَّامِنَاfor our days بقُرْبكُمُin nearness to you
آهاً لأَيَّامِنَا بقُرْبكُمُ
وطِيبِand the sweetness of عَيْشٍlife بِوَصْلِكُمْin union with you ذهَباboth have passed
وطِيبِ عَيْشٍ بِوَصْلِكُمْ ذهَبا
Alas for our days spent near you,
Ah, for our days spent near you
and the sweetness of life in union with you—both gone!
and the sweetness of life in union with you—both gone!
يَاO سَائقَdriver of العِيسِthe pale camels نَحْوَtoward كاظِمَةٍKazima
يَا سَائقَ العِيسِ نَحْوَ كاظِمَةٍ
أَبْلغْconvey سَلامِيmy greetings لِنَازِليِنَto those dwelling in قَباQuba
أَبْلغْ سَلامِي لِنَازِليِنَ قَبا
O driver of the white camels toward Kāẓima,
O driver of the pale camels toward Kazima,
bear my greetings to those encamped at Qubā.
convey my greetings to those dwelling in Quba,
وقلْand say قضَىdied ذلِكَthat المَشُوُقُyearning lover بِكُمْfor love of you
وقلْ قضَى ذلِكَ المَشُوُقُ بِكُمْ
وَمَاand did not قضَىfulfill مِنْfrom وصَالِكُمْunion with you أَرَباa desire
وَمَا قضَى مِنْ وصَالِكُمْ أَرَبا
And say: “That yearning lover has perished for you,
and say: 'That yearning lover died for love of you,
without ever fulfilling his desire for union with you.”
yet never fulfilled his desire for union with you.'
Sol 6.1