إذاwhen سئلتI was asked عنabout ساعةthe hour البينparting خبّرتI answered
إذا سئلت عن ساعة البين خبّرت
عنabout اليومtoday فيat وقتthe time of الرواحlate afternoon أوor الغدtomorrow
عن اليوم في وقت الرواح أو الغد
When I was asked about the hour of parting, I answered:
When asked about the hour of separation I would tell
“Today, in the late afternoon, or tomorrow.”
Of the day at the time of departure or tomorrow
وفرّقand separated صرفthe vicissitudes الدهرof time بينيbetween me وبينهاand between her
وفرّق صرف الدهر بيني وبينها
وكنّاand we were كماlike الوسطىthe middle finger وسبّابةand the index finger اليدof the hand
وكنّا كما الوسطى وسبّابة اليد
And time’s vicissitudes parted me from her,
And the vicissitudes of fate have separated me and her
And we had been like the middle and index fingers of a hand.
And we were as the middle and index fingers
تجلدتI steeled myself عنagainst سفحshedding الدموعtears فلمbut did not أجدI find
تجلدت عن سفح الدموع فلم أجد
مساغاa way ففاضتso they overflowed فيwithin حشاthe breast of المتجلّدthe steadfast one
مساغا ففاضت في حشا المتجلّد
I steeled myself against shedding tears, but found no
I held back the flow of tears but could not
Way; so they overflowed within the steadfast one’s breast.
Find respite so they overflowed despite my resolve
وكانتand they were دموعاtears فاستحالتthen they became بحرّهاthrough their heat
وكانت دموعا فاستحالت بحرّها
لظىthe blaze of جذوةan ember فيin يابسdry matter متوقّدburning
لظى جذوة في يابس متوقّد
And they had been tears; then, through their heat, they became
And they were tears but their abundance turned them
An ember’s blaze in dry, burning matter.
Into a blazing fire in the midst of dry kindling
Sol 6.1