رَدَّتshe returned عَلَيَّto me هَدِيَّةًa gift لَوhad أَنَّهاshe
رَدَّت عَلَيَّ هَدِيَّةً لَو أَنَّها
بَعَثَتshe sent إِلَيَّto me بِمِثلِهاone like it لَمnot أَردُدِI return
بَعَثَت إِلَيَّ بِمِثلِها لَم أَردُدِ
She returned a gift to me; had she
She returned a gift I had sent her; if only
sent me one like it, I would not have returned it.
She had sent me the like, I'd not have sent it back.
وَتَقولُand she says إِنّيindeed I قَدalready تَرَكتُI abandoned غَوايَتيmy waywardness
وَتَقولُ إِنّي قَد تَرَكتُ غَوايَتي
فَاِذهَبso go لِشَأنِكَabout your business راشِداًrightly guided لَمnot تُطرَدِyou were driven out
فَاِذهَب لِشَأنِكَ راشِداً لَم تُطرَدِ
And she says, "I have abandoned my waywardness;
She says, "I've given up my wanton ways -
so go your way, rightly guided—you have not been driven out."
So go your own good path, don't be misled."
قَدonce كُنتُI used to أَلقىsuffer مِنfrom أَخيmy brother وَعُمومَتيand my paternal uncles
قَد كُنتُ أَلقى مِن أَخي وَعُمومَتي
فيكِon your account الأَذىabuse بِشَتيمَةٍthrough insults وَتَهَدُّدِand threats
فيكِ الأَذى بِشَتيمَةٍ وَتَهَدُّدِ
I used to endure from my brother and paternal uncles
Harsh words and threats against you I have heard
abuse on your account, through insults and threats.
Uttered by brother and cousin of mine.
فَاليَومَso today أَقصَرَceased باطِليmy folly وَتَراجَعَتand turned back
فَاليَومَ أَقصَرَ باطِلي وَتَراجَعَت
نَفسيmy soul لِّحُسنِthrough the excellence of تَصَبُّريmy patient endurance وَتَجَلُّديand my fortitude
نَفسي لِّحُسنِ تَصَبُّري وَتَجَلُّدي
So today my folly has ceased, and back has turned
But this day my falseness is proved short,
my soul, through my steadfast patience and fortitude.
My soul mastered by your grace and patience.
نَبَذَتshe spurned مُكاتَبَتيmy correspondence وَرَجعَand replying to رِسالَتيmy letter
نَبَذَت مُكاتَبَتي وَرَجعَ رِسالَتي
وَتَنَوَّرَتand sought light from مِصباحَهاher lamp فيin المَسجِدِthe mosque
وَتَنَوَّرَت مِصباحَها في المَسجِدِ
She spurned my correspondence and replying to my letter,
She cast my letters out, sent mine back,
and sought light from her lamp in the mosque.
And turned her lamp to the mosque for light.
فَكَأَنَّماso it was as though شُقَّwas split الفُؤادُthe heart بِمِديَةٍwith a knife
فَكَأَنَّما شُقَّ الفُؤادُ بِمِديَةٍ
قِسمَينٍtwo parts مِنهُof it لِغائِرٍfor one bound for the lowlands وَلِمُنجَدِand for one bound for the uplands
قِسمَينٍ مِنهُ لِغائِرٍ وَلِمُنجَدِ
It was as though the heart were split with a knife
So my heart's cloven, as if by a spear,
in two—one part for a traveler to the lowlands, one to the uplands.
In twain - one to hell, one heaven bent.
إِنif كانَis سَفكُshedding دَميmy blood بِغَيرِwithout جِنايةٍan offense
إِن كانَ سَفكُ دَمي بِغَيرِ جِنايةٍ
ياO فَوزُFawz مِنكِon your part عِبادَةًworship فَتَعَبّديthen worship
يا فَوزُ مِنكِ عِبادَةً فَتَعَبّدي
If shedding my blood for no offense,
If my blood's shed, and I've done no wrong,
O Fawz, is worship for you, then worship on.
Then thrive, serving God - be devout.
فَلَأَنتِfor you surely أَفتَنُmore bewitching لِلقُلوبِto hearts مِنَthan الَّتيshe who
فَلَأَنتِ أَفتَنُ لِلقُلوبِ مِنَ الَّتي
عَرَضَتappeared لِداوُدَbefore Dawud النَبِيِّthe prophet المُهتَدِrightly guided
عَرَضَت لِداوُدَ النَبِيِّ المُهتَدِ
For you are surely more bewitching to hearts than she who
For you try hearts more than she who tempted
appeared before Dawud, the rightly guided prophet.
David the prophet in days gone by.
فَإِذاthen whenever هَبَطتِyou alight إِلىin بِلادٍa land لَمnot تَزَلcease
فَإِذا هَبَطتِ إِلى بِلادٍ لَم تَزَل
تَجريmove كَواكَبُthe stars of أَهلِهاits people بِالأَسعُدِwith the best fortune
تَجري كَواكَبُ أَهلِها بِالأَسعُدِ
Whenever you alight in a land, unceasingly
When you live where planets auspicious
its people's stars move with the best of fortune.
Have ruled the folk since time's dawn began,
وَلَقَدand indeed كَتَبتُI wrote مَعَwith الرَسولِthe messenger وَإِنَّنيand indeed I
وَلَقَد كَتَبتُ مَعَ الرَسولِ وَإِنَّني
لَأَراهُI surely deem it أَنجَحَmore successful مِنthan كِتابِthe letter of الهُدهُدِthe hoopoe
لَأَراهُ أَنجَحَ مِن كِتابِ الهُدهُدِ
I sent a letter with the messenger, and indeed I
With the messenger I sent a letter;
believe it more likely to succeed than the hoopoe's letter.
I know it sounder than Hudhud's script.
ذَهَبَwent forth الكِتابُthe letter وَكانَand was فيin عُنوانِهِits heading
ذَهَبَ الكِتابُ وَكانَ في عُنوانِهِ
هَذاthis مِنfrom اِبنِthe son of الأَحنَفِal-Ahnaf بنِson of الأَسوَدِal-Aswad
هَذا مِن اِبنِ الأَحنَفِ بنِ الأَسوَدِ
The letter went forth, and its heading read:
The letter went, and upon it stood:
"This is from Ibn al-Ahnaf ibn al-Aswad."
"From Mutammim, son of Nu'man's son."
بَخِلَتshe begrudged بِإِرسالِsending السَلامِgreetings وَطِبُّهاand her wont
بَخِلَت بِإِرسالِ السَلامِ وَطِبُّها
لَوhad سَلَّمَتshe greeted بِيَمينِهاwith her right hand لَمnot تَجمُدِgrow cold
لَو سَلَّمَت بِيَمينِها لَم تَجمُدِ
She begrudged sending greetings, though her wont was such
She was grudging of even a greeting;
that, had she greeted with her right hand, it would not have grown cold.
Her right hand would have withered, greeting me!
أَيّامَin the days when تَقتُلُshe quenched شَوقَهاher longing بِزِيارَتيby visiting me
أَيّامَ تَقتُلُ شَوقَها بِزِيارَتي
كَالماءِlike water يَقتُلُquenches بَردَهُits coolness عَطَشَthe thirst of الصَديthe parched one
كَالماءِ يَقتُلُ بَردَهُ عَطَشَ الصَدي
In the days when she quenched her longing by visiting me,
Days that would kill her, not seeing me,
as water's coolness quenches the thirst of the parched.
Like cool water slaying hot thirst.
وَلَطالَماand how often مَزَجَتshe mixed بِريقيwith my saliva رِيقَهاher saliva
وَلَطالَما مَزَجَت بِريقي رِيقَها
كَالماءِlike water صُفِّقَwas blended بِالسُلافِwith choice wine المُزبَدِfrothing
كَالماءِ صُفِّقَ بِالسُلافِ المُزبَدِ
And how often she mingled her saliva with mine,
How often she mixed her spittle with mine,
like water blended with frothing, choice wine.
Like turbid water stirred into clearness!
فَيكونُso would be مَورِدَهاher drinking-place مَواردُthe sources of رِيقَتيmy saliva
فَيكونُ مَورِدَها مَواردُ رِيقَتي
وَيَكونُand would be حَوضُthe basin of ثَنِيَّتَيهاher two front teeth مَورِديmy drinking-place
وَيَكونُ حَوضُ ثَنِيَّتَيها مَورِدي
So her drinking-place would be the sources of my saliva,
Her lips' flood would be my lips' flood,
and the basin of her two front teeth would be my drinking-place.
The basin of her mouth mine to fill.
إِنّيindeed I لَأَجحَدُI surely deny حُبَّكُمlove for you all وَأُسِرُّهُand conceal it
إِنّي لَأَجحَدُ حُبَّكُم وَأُسِرُّهُ
وَالدَمعُand the tears مُعتَرِفٌconfessing بِهto it لَمnot يَجحَدِdeny it
وَالدَمعُ مُعتَرِفٌ بِه لَم يَجحَدِ
I do indeed deny my love for you and conceal it,
I disown my love for you, yet my tears
yet my tears confess it and have not denied it.
Betray it, though I never confessed.
الدَمعُthe tears يَشهَدُtestify أنّنيthat I لَكِfor you عاشِقٌin love
الدَمعُ يَشهَدُ أنّني لَكِ عاشِقٌ
وَالناسُand people قَدalready عَلِمواthey know وَإِنand even if لَمnot يَشهدِit testifies
وَالناسُ قَد عَلِموا وَإِن لَم يَشهدِ
My tears testify that I am in love with you,
My tears admit I'm your lover, though
and people already know, even if my tears bore no witness.
None knows, however loud my words.
فَلَئِنso even if رَدَدتِyou returned رِسالَتيmy letter وَشَتَمتِنيand insulted me
فَلَئِن رَدَدتِ رِسالَتي وَشَتَمتِني
فَلَطالَماthen indeed how often نادَيتِنيyou called me ياO سَيِّديmy lord
فَلَطالَما نادَيتِني يا سَيِّدي
For even if you have returned my letter and insulted me,
If you spurned my messages and cursed me,
you have so often called me, "O my lord!"
Still you were calling me "master dear"!
أَيّامَin the days when يَرصُدُنيhe lies in wait for me أَخوكِyour brother بِسَيفِهِwith his sword
أَيّامَ يَرصُدُني أَخوكِ بِسَيفِهِ
وَالسَيفُand the sword يَمنَعُنيholds me back وَتَمنعُهُand holds it back يَديmy hand
وَالسَيفُ يَمنَعُني وَتَمنعُهُ يَدي
In the days when your brother lay in wait for me with his sword,
Days when your brother would waylay me, sword drawn,
and the sword held me back, while my hand held it back.
His sword held me back, my hand held back his.
فَسَليso ask فُؤادَكِyour heart كَيفَhow عاصَىit rebelled بَعدَafter ماthat
فَسَلي فُؤادَكِ كَيفَ عاصَى بَعدَ ما
قَدonce كانَit was يَتبَعُنيfollowing me ذَليلَdocile to المِقوَدِthe rein
قَد كانَ يَتبَعُني ذَليلَ المِقوَدِ
So ask your heart how it rebelled, after
So ask your heart - how could it turn away
it had followed me, docile to the rein.
After following me, trained to my rein?
قَدalready شِبتُI turned gray مِنfrom كَمَدٍgrief عَلَيكِover you وَإِنَّنيthough indeed I
قَد شِبتُ مِن كَمَدٍ عَلَيكِ وَإِنَّني
لمُوَرِّقٌsurely putting forth leaves غُصنيmy bough حَديثٌrecent مَولِديmy birth
لمُوَرِّقٌ غُصني حَديثٌ مَولِدي
I have turned gray with grief over you, although I
Grey hairs I've gained, so long craving you;
still have a bough in leaf and am young in years.
I'm a fresh branch, sprouting late in life.
وَكَأَنَّand as though قَلبيmy heart مِنfrom حَرارَةِthe heat of ماwhat بِهِis in it
وَكَأَنَّ قَلبي مِن حَرارَةِ ما بِهِ
أَمسىhad become يُقَلَّبُbeing turned over فَوقَupon صَخرَةِthe stone of مَوقِدِa hearth
أَمسى يُقَلَّبُ فَوقَ صَخرَةِ مَوقِدِ
And it is as though my heart, from the heat within it,
My heart is tossed above the burning coal;
had come to be turned over upon a hearthstone.
So hot it's flipped upon the kindling pile.
وَأَرىand I see الكَواعِبَround-breasted maidens يَغتَنِمنَthey seize upon وَسائِليmy overtures
وَأَرى الكَواعِبَ يَغتَنِمنَ وَسائِلي
لَولاكِbut for you كانَwould be لِبَعضِهِنَّfor some of them تَوَدُّديmy affection
لَولاكِ كانَ لِبَعضِهِنَّ تَوَدُّدي
And I see round-breasted maidens seize upon my overtures;
The girls are eager to take my hand;
were it not for you, some of them would have my affection.
Without you, some might have won me over.
وَأَناand I اِمرُؤٌa man حُلوُsweet in الشَمائِلِmanners هِمَّتيmy aim
وَأَنا اِمرُؤٌ حُلوُ الشَمائِلِ هِمَّتي
فيin قَطفِplucking رُمّانِthe pomegranates of الثُدِيِّbreasts النُهَّدِswelling
في قَطفِ رُمّانِ الثُدِيِّ النُهَّدِ
And I am a man of sweet manners; my aim lies
I'm a man of gentle temper, my spirit
in plucking the pomegranates of swelling breasts.
Set on plucking the virgin's soft breast.
فيamong الناسِpeople مِثلُكِsomeone like you لوif أَرَدتُI wished وَجَدتُهُI would find it
في الناسِ مِثلُكِ لو أَرَدتُ وَجَدتُهُ
لَوif يُبتَغىwere sought مِثليsomeone like me لَكُمfor you all لَمnot يُوجَدِbe found
لَو يُبتَغى مِثلي لَكُم لَم يُوجَدِ
Among people, if I wished, I could find someone like you;
The like of you is found if sought; but mine,
if someone like me were sought for you, none would be found.
If you sought the like, would not be found.
إِنّيindeed I لَأُصبِحُI surely wake فيin جِهادٍa struggle مِنكُمُbecause of you all
إِنّي لَأُصبِحُ في جِهادٍ مِنكُمُ
كَمُوَحِّدٍlike a monotheist يُؤذيهِtorments him دينُthe creed of المُلحِدِthe heretic
كَمُوَحِّدٍ يُؤذيهِ دينُ المُلحِدِ
Truly, I wake to a struggle because of you,
Each dawn I'm torn by love for you,
like a monotheist tormented by a heretic's creed.
Like a monotheist hurt by atheists' hands.
فَلَئِنso if هَلَكتُI perish لَتُصبِحِنَّyou will surely become أَثِيمَةًsinful
فَلَئِن هَلَكتُ لَتُصبِحِنَّ أَثِيمَةً
وَلَأُرزَقَنَّand I shall surely be granted شَهادَةَthe martyrdom of المُتَشَهِّدِone declaring the faith
وَلَأُرزَقَنَّ شَهادَةَ المُتَشَهِّدِ
So if I perish, you will surely be guilty of sin,
If I die, you'll wake to find yourself
and I shall surely be granted the martyrdom of one who professes the faith.
A sinner - while I gain a martyr's place!
Sol 6.1