خليليَّmy two friends ماwhat صبريmy patience علىin the face of الزَّفَراتِthe sighs
خليليَّ ما صبري على الزَّفَراتِ
ماwhat طاقتيmy strength بالشَّوقِfor longing والعَبَراتِand tears
ما طاقتي بالشَّوقِ والعَبَراتِ
My two friends, how can I bear these sighs?
My beloved, I have no patience for sighs,
What strength have I for longing and tears?
My strength fails before yearning and tears.
سَقَىmay He water ورَعَىand guard اللهGod الأَوانسَthe maidens كالدُّمىlike figurines
سَقَى ورَعَى الله الأَوانسَ كالدُّمى
إِذاwhen قُمنَthey rise جُنحَthe darkness of الليلِthe night مُبتَهِراتِpraying fervently
إِذا قُمنَ جُنحَ الليلِ مُبتَهِراتِ
May God water and guard the maidens, like figurines,
God nurtured the gazelles like tender dolls,
When they rise in the darkness of night, praying fervently;
When the wings of night spread fluttering.
إذاwhen مِسنَthey walk swaying قُدَّامَin front of البيوتِthe houses عَشِيَّةًat evening
إذا مِسنَ قُدَّامَ البيوتِ عَشِيَّةً
قِصارَshort الخُطَىthe steps يَرفُلنَthey walk with robes trailing فيin الحَبَراتِstriped robes
قِصارَ الخُطَى يَرفُلنَ في الحَبَراتِ
When they walk swaying before the houses at evening,
When they graze by the homes at dusk,
With short steps, they walk in trailing striped robes.
Taking short steps, strolling through the sand,
دَعَونَthey called بحبَّاتِfor the inmost cores of القلوبِthe hearts فأَقبَلَتso they came
دَعَونَ بحبَّاتِ القلوبِ فأَقبَلَت
إليهنّtoward them بالأهواءِwith desires مُبتَدِراتِrushing
إليهنّ بالأهواءِ مُبتَدِراتِ
They summoned the hearts’ inmost cores, and these came,
They called to them with fragments of hearts, so they came
Rushing toward them with longing.
Rushing on passions’ gusts toward them.
تَقَطَّعُis torn apart نفسيmy soul كُلَّevery يومٍday ولَيلَةٍand night
تَقَطَّعُ نفسي كُلَّ يومٍ ولَيلَةٍ
إليهِنّtoward them بالأَهواءِwith desires مُبتَدِراتِrushing
إليهِنّ بالأَهواءِ مُبتَدِراتِ
My soul is torn apart every day and night,
My soul is torn each day and night
Rushing toward them with longing.
Rushing on passions’ gusts toward them.
Sol 6.1