تَظُنُّyou think شُجونِيَmy sorrows لَمhave not تَعتَلِجsurged
تَظُنُّ شُجونِيَ لَم تَعتَلِج
وَقَدand already خَلَجَwrenched away البَينُparting مَنthe one whom قَدalready خَلَجit wrenched away
وَقَد خَلَجَ البَينُ مَن قَد خَلَج
You think my sorrows have not surged,
You think my sorrows have not festered,
though parting has wrenched away the one it wrenched away.
Yet separation has festered in one who has festered.
أَشارَتshe gestured بِعَينَينِwith two eyes مَكحولَتَيboth kohl-lined (continued)
أَشارَت بِعَينَينِ مَكحولَتَي
نِcompletes the dual ending مِنَwith السِحرِenchantment إِذwhen وَدَّعَتshe bade farewell وَالدَعَجand wide-eyed blackness
نِ مِنَ السِحرِ إِذ وَدَّعَت وَالدَعَج
She gestured with two eyes lined
With kohl-rimmed eyes she gestured,
with kohl of enchantment and deep blackness as she bade farewell.
Bewitching, when she bade farewell and took leave.
عِناقُan embrace of وَداعٍfarewell أَجالَset swirling اِعتِراcross-flow (continued)
عِناقُ وَداعٍ أَجالَ اِعتِرا
ضَcompletes 'cross-flow' دَمعِيَmy tears فيamid دَمعِهاher tears فَاِمتَزَجso they mingled
ضَ دَمعِيَ في دَمعِها فَاِمتَزَج
A farewell embrace sent swirling
A farewell embrace prolonged the good-byes,
my tears across hers, and they mingled.
My tears mingled with hers as they intermixed.
فَهَلthen will? وَصلُreunion ساعَتِناour hour مُنشِئٌbringing forth
فَهَل وَصلُ ساعَتِنا مُنشِئٌ
صُدودَestrangement شُهورٍmonths خَلَتgone by أَوor حِجَجyears
صُدودَ شُهورٍ خَلَت أَو حِجَج
Is our hour of reunion to awaken
Will a reunion time come to pass
the estrangement of months—or years—gone by?
After months gone by and pilgrimages made?
وَماand not كانَwas صَدُّكَyour turning away إِلّاanything but الدَلاcoquetry (continued)
وَما كانَ صَدُّكَ إِلّا الدَلا
لَcompletes 'coquetry' وَإِلّاand nothing but المَلالَboredom وَإِلّاand nothing but الغُنُجcoy allure
لَ وَإِلّا المَلالَ وَإِلّا الغُنُج
Your turning away was nothing but coquetry,
You kept your distance only because of boredom,
nothing but boredom, nothing but coy allure.
Weariness, nothing else, and jesting.
وَإِنand if تَكُthere be قَدalready دَخَلَتhave entered بَينَناbetween us
وَإِن تَكُ قَد دَخَلَت بَينَنا
مَهامِهُtrackless wildernesses لِلآلِfor the mirage فيهاwithin them لُجَجocean depths
مَهامِهُ لِلآلِ فيها لُجَج
Even if there have come between us
And if difficulties came between us,
wildernesses where mirages have ocean depths,
In them are complexities for the family.
فَكَمthen how many a رَوضَةٍgarden بِفِناءِin the courtyard of الرَبيspring (continued)
فَكَم رَوضَةٍ بِفِناءِ الرَبي
عِcompletes 'spring' يُضاحِكُهاlaughs with it البَرقُlightning مِنfrom كُلِّevery فَجravine
عِ يُضاحِكُها البَرقُ مِن كُلِّ فَج
how many a garden in spring's courtyard
So many gardens in the courtyard of the Lord
has lightning laughing with it from every ravine!
That lightning flashes through every nook.
تَأَيّاset about قُوَيقُQuwayq لِتَدويرِهاencircling it
تَأَيّا قُوَيقُ لِتَدويرِها
فَنَكَّبَso it turned aside عَنfrom قَصدِهاa straight approach to it وَاِنعَرَجand curved around
فَنَكَّبَ عَن قَصدِها وَاِنعَرَج
The Quwayq set out to encircle it,
How a sandgrouse circles about to reach them,
then veered from a direct approach and curved around.
Then, missing its mark, swerves askance!
إِذاwhen هَزَّتِshakes الريحُthe wind أَغصانَهاits branches
إِذا هَزَّتِ الريحُ أَغصانَها
تَعانَقَembraced one another نُوّارُهاits blossoms وَاِزدَوَجand paired off
تَعانَقَ نُوّارُها وَاِزدَوَج
When the wind shakes its branches,
When the wind shakes their boughs,
its blossoms embrace and pair off.
Their lamps entwine and double over.
لَقيناكَwe met you فيهاin it فَخايَلتَهاthen you rivaled it
لَقيناكَ فيها فَخايَلتَها
بِلينِwith suppleness of التَكَفّيswaying وَطيبِand sweetness of الأَرَجfragrance
بِلينِ التَكَفّي وَطيبِ الأَرَج
We met you there, and you vied with it
We met there, and you pretended with their
in supple swaying and sweet fragrance.
Soft twittering and goodly scent.
سَقىmay it water حَلَباًAleppo حَلَبٌan outpouring مُسبِلٌpouring down
سَقى حَلَباً حَلَبٌ مُسبِلٌ
مِنَof الغَيثِrain يَهميstreams down بِهاover it أَوor يَثِجpours in torrents
مِنَ الغَيثِ يَهمي بِها أَو يَثِج
May Aleppo be watered by a copious outpouring
A pasture has sent forth a copious stream
of rain, streaming over it or falling in torrents,
From the rain, gushing or rippling.
وَإِنand although حالَstood in the way مِنfrom دونِbefore حَقّيmy due فَلَمand did not
وَإِن حالَ مِن دونِ حَقّي فَلَم
يُسَلِّمهُhand it over يَعقوبُهاits Yaqub اِبنُson of الفَرَجal-Faraj
يُسَلِّمهُ يَعقوبُها اِبنُ الفَرَج
though he barred me from my due and did not
If my rightful due comes between us, Jacob
hand it over—its Yaqub ibn al-Faraj.
Will not relinquish it, Ibn al-Faraj.
أَيُتلِفُdoes he squander? يَعقوبُYaqub ماليmy money لَدَيwith (continued)
أَيُتلِفُ يَعقوبُ مالي لَدَي
هِhim وَيَعقوبُand Yaqub مُتَّئِدٌunhurried لَمnot يُهَجprovoked
هِ وَيَعقوبُ مُتَّئِدٌ لَم يُهَج
Does Yaqub squander my money in his hands,
Will Jacob appropriate what is mine with him
while Yaqub stays unhurried, unprovoked?
While Jacob is a man well-provisioned, unneedy?
وَإِنّيand I مَلِيٌّwell able بِأَلّاto ensure he does not يُسَرَّrejoice
وَإِنّي مَلِيٌّ بِأَلّا يُسَرَّ
بِماin what نالَhe gained مِنّيfrom me وَلاand not يَبتَهِجtake delight
بِما نالَ مِنّي وَلا يَبتَهِج
And I am well able to keep him from rejoicing
I am bent on his gaining no joy from me
in what he gained from me, or taking delight.
And delighting not in what he has attained.
إِذاwhen شَدَّhe tightened عُروَةَthe loop of زُنّارِهِhis zunnar belt
إِذا شَدَّ عُروَةَ زُنّارِهِ
عَلىaround سَلحَةٍa turd ضَخمَةٍhuge وَاِنتَفَجand puffed himself up
عَلى سَلحَةٍ ضَخمَةٍ وَاِنتَفَج
When he tightened the loop of his zunnar belt
When he tightens the band of his belt
around a huge turd and puffed himself up,
Over a mighty scabbard, becoming enraged,
تَوَهَّمَhe imagined أَنِّيَthat I لاnot أَستَطيI can (continued)
تَوَهَّمَ أَنِّيَ لا أَستَطي
عُcompletes 'I can' مَساءَةَharming أَغثَرَan ignorant fool باديdisplaying الهَوَجrecklessness
عُ مَساءَةَ أَغثَرَ بادي الهَوَج
he imagined I could not
He fancies that I cannot contend with
hurt an ignorant fool whose recklessness was plain.
An uncouth lout in the open desert.
وَمِنand from أَينَwhere يَكثُرُgrow numerous أَنصارُهُhis supporters
وَمِن أَينَ يَكثُرُ أَنصارُهُ
فَيَأتيso comes الأَحَجُّthe bowlegged man لَهُto him فَالأَحَجthen another bowlegged man
فَيَأتي الأَحَجُّ لَهُ فَالأَحَج
And where do his many supporters come from,
Whence throng to him numerous partisans?
one bowlegged man after another coming to him?
Do crowds upon crowds come to him?
وَزَوجَتُهُand his wife قَدalready عَشاhas grown night-blind بَظرُهاher clitoris
وَزَوجَتُهُ قَد عَشا بَظرُها
عَلىwith كَبرَةٍold age وَاِبنُهُand his son قَدalready عَلُجhas grown burly
عَلى كَبرَةٍ وَاِبنُهُ قَد عَلُج
His wife's clitoris has grown night-blind
His wife, her womb is barren.
with old age, and his son has grown burly.
His son is crippled and lame.
فَأَلّاthen why not? تَوَرَّعَshowed scruples عَمّاat what جَنىhe committed
فَأَلّا تَوَرَّعَ عَمّا جَنى
عَلَيَّagainst me الخَبيثُthe scoundrel وَأَلّاand why not? حَرِجfelt guilt
عَلَيَّ الخَبيثُ وَأَلّا حَرِج
Why did he not scruple at what he committed
Would that he had not transgressed
against me, that scoundrel? Why did he feel no guilt?
Against me, the deceitful wretch, and quailed!
أَباO father of يوسُفٍYusuf سَمِجٌvile ماwhat أَتَيdid (continued)
أَبا يوسُفٍ سَمِجٌ ما أَتَي
تَyou وَلَمand not يَكُwas مِثلُكَone like you يَأتيdoing السَمِجvile deeds
تَ وَلَم يَكُ مِثلُكَ يَأتي السَمِج
O Abu Yusuf, what you did is vile,
Father Joseph, stubborn man that you are,
and one like you was not wont to do vile things.
None has acted as you have acted, stubborn man!
وَشَرُّand the worst of المُسيئينَwrongdoers ذوone with نَبوَةٍa lapse
وَشَرُّ المُسيئينَ ذو نَبوَةٍ
إِذاwhen ليمَreproached فيهاfor it تَمادىpersists وَلَجand grows obstinate
إِذا ليمَ فيها تَمادى وَلَج
The worst wrongdoer is one who stumbles,
The evildoers' worst is the hypocrite
then, when reproached for it, persists and grows obstinate.
Who persists if he finds scope for persistence.
هَلُمَّcome إِلىto الصِدقِtruthfulness نَسريwe travel by night إِلَيtoward (continued)
هَلُمَّ إِلى الصِدقِ نَسري إِلَي
هِit بِحُجَّتِناwith our proof فيهِconcerning it أَوor نَدَّلِجwe travel before dawn
هِ بِحُجَّتِنا فيهِ أَو نَدَّلِج
Come to truth: let us journey toward it by night,
Come, to truth let us hasten!
with our proof concerning it, or set out before dawn.
With our argument let us hasten or grope blindly!
وَنَعتَمِدُand we rely on الحَقَّthe truth حَتّىuntil يُضيءَshines
وَنَعتَمِدُ الحَقَّ حَتّى يُضيءَ
لَناfor us مُظلِمُthe darkness of الأَمرِthe matter أَوor يَنبَلِجbreaks into light
لَنا مُظلِمُ الأَمرِ أَو يَنبَلِج
And hold to the truth until there shines
We will rely on the truth until it illuminates
for us the darkness of this matter, or it breaks into light.
The confusing situation or becomes clear.
وَفيand at مَوقِفٍa hearing ماnot لَناfor us بَعدَهُafter it
وَفي مَوقِفٍ ما لَنا بَعدَهُ
تَنازُعُwrangling نَجوىwhispered counsel وَلاnor مُعتَلَجstrife
تَنازُعُ نَجوى وَلا مُعتَلَج
At a hearing after which there will be for us
In a stance beyond which we have
no whispered wrangling, no place for strife.
No more disputes, whispers, or turmoil.
فَمَنso whoever أَبرَأَacquits الحُكمُthe judgment فيهِthere نَجاis saved
فَمَن أَبرَأَ الحُكمُ فيهِ نَجا
وَمَنand whoever أَلحَجَensnares الحُكمُthe judgment فيهِthere لَحِجis caught
وَمَن أَلحَجَ الحُكمُ فيهِ لَحِج
Whoever the judgment acquits there is saved,
He whom the Judge acquits is delivered;
and whoever it ensnares there is caught.
He whom the Judge indicts is condemned.
وَإِذand since لَمnot يَكُنthere was شاهِدٌa witness يُرتَضىdeemed acceptable
وَإِذ لَم يَكُن شاهِدٌ يُرتَضى
وَراءَكَagainst you فيin الجَحدِdenial مودٍruinous مُضِجraising an outcry
وَراءَكَ في الجَحدِ مودٍ مُضِج
And since there is no acceptable witness
Since no acceptable witness backs you
against you in your denial, ruinous and clamorous,
In your denial, a friend conniving,
وَأَنتَand you فَلاthen not حالِفٌone swearing بِالعِتاby emancipation (continued)
وَأَنتَ فَلا حالِفٌ بِالعِتا
قِcompletes 'emancipation' وَلاnor حانِثٌan oath-breaker فيin طَلاقِdivorce الحَرَجbinding constraint
قِ وَلا حانِثٌ في طَلاقِ الحَرَج
and you swear no oath of emancipation,
While you are neither an oath-keeper
nor break a binding oath of divorce,
Nor one who breaks his oath and recoils,
فَهَلthen will you? تَتَقَبَّلَtake upon yourself جُرمُguilt القُسوthe priests (continued)
فَهَل تَتَقَبَّلَ جُرمُ القُسو
سِcompletes 'the priests' وَتَقطَعُand sever مِنfrom إِلِّهِمtheir covenant ماwhat وَشَجhas become entwined
سِ وَتَقطَعُ مِن إِلِّهِم ما وَشَج
will you take upon yourself the priests' guilt
Will you accept the enormity of priests
and sever what is entwined in their covenant,
And sever what they have patched together?
وَتَضرِطُand fart فيinto لِحيَةِthe beard of الجاثِليthe Catholicos (continued)
وَتَضرِطُ في لِحيَةِ الجاثِلي
قِcompletes 'the Catholicos' إِذاwhen خارَhe bellows فيover سِفرِthe Book of شَعياIsaiah وَعَجand cries out
قِ إِذا خارَ في سِفرِ شَعيا وَعَج
and fart into the Catholicos's beard
Will you wail in the beard of a prostrate old man
when he bellows over the Book of Isaiah and roars,
When he wanders in the lands of Sheba and sobs?
وَتَزعُمُand assert أَنَّthat الَّذينَthose who اِبتَدَواoriginated
وَتَزعُمُ أَنَّ الَّذينَ اِبتَدَوا
عُلومَthe learning of النَصارىChristians رَعاعٌrabble هَمَجriffraff
عُلومَ النَصارى رَعاعٌ هَمَج
and declare that those who first devised
Claiming that those who pursued
the Christians' learning are rabble and riffraff,
Christian sciences are an unruly rabble?
بِأَنَّكَon the claim that you لَمdid not تُتوِruin ماليmy money وَلَمand did not
بِأَنَّكَ لَم تُتوِ مالي وَلَم
تَطَلَّبseek out عَلَيَّagainst me عَويصَthorny الحُجَجarguments
تَطَلَّب عَلَيَّ عَويصَ الحُجَج
as pledge that you did not ruin my money, nor
That you did not appropriate my money
seek out tangled arguments against me?
And did not persistently demand proofs?
فَإِنthen if كُنتَyou have أَدهَنتَdissembled أَوor خُنتَbetrayed أَوor
فَإِن كُنتَ أَدهَنتَ أَو خُنتَ أَو
لَهِجتَpersisted بِظُلمِيَin wronging me فيمَنamong those who لَهِجpersisted
لَهِجتَ بِظُلمِيَ فيمَن لَهِج
Then, if you have dissembled, betrayed, or
If you have conspired, betrayed,
persisted in wronging me among those who persisted,
Or maligned me unjustly to any who maligned,
فَخالَفتَthen you defied مَريَمَMary فيin دينِهاher faith
فَخالَفتَ مَريَمَ في دينِها
وَفارَقتَand forsook ناموسَهاher law المُنتَهَجcustomarily followed
وَفارَقتَ ناموسَها المُنتَهَج
may you defy Mary in her faith
Violating Mary in her faith,
and forsake her established law,
Abandoning her established way,
وَخَرَّقتَand tore غُفّورَهاher veil كافِراًdisbelieving
وَخَرَّقتَ غُفّورَها كافِراً
بِمَنin whoever غَزَلَspun الثَوبَthe cloth أَوor مَنwhoever نَسَجwove
بِمَن غَزَلَ الثَوبَ أَو مَن نَسَج
and tear her veil, disbelieving
Tearing her compassion to shreds, unbeliever
in whoever spun the cloth or wove it,
In Him who spun the thread or wove—
وَأَعظَمتَand revered ماwhat أَعظَمَتهُrevered it اليَهوthe Jews (continued)
وَأَعظَمتَ ما أَعظَمَتهُ اليَهو
دُcompletes 'the Jews' تُصَلّيyou pray لِقِبلَتِهِمtoward their prayer-direction أَوor تَحُجmake pilgrimage
دُ تُصَلّي لِقِبلَتِهِم أَو تَحُج
and revere what the Jews revere,
If you have magnified what the Jews magnified,
praying toward their qibla or making pilgrimage,
Praying to their direction or making pilgrimage—
وَنِكتَand fucked عَجوزَكَyour old woman حَتّىuntil تَرُدَّyou return
وَنِكتَ عَجوزَكَ حَتّى تَرُدَّ
فيinto رَحمِهاher womb داخِلاًentering ماwhat خَرَجcame out
في رَحمِها داخِلاً ما خَرَج
and fuck your old woman until you thrust back
If you have mocked your old woman until you penetrated
inside her womb what came out,
Her womb, entering what had come out—
وَهَدَّمتَand demolished بَيعَةَthe church of ماسَرجِسٍMar Sergius
وَهَدَّمتَ بَيعَةَ ماسَرجِسٍ
وَأَطفَأتَand extinguished نيرانَهاits fires وَالسُرُجand the lamps
وَأَطفَأتَ نيرانَها وَالسُرُج
and demolish Mar Sergius's church,
If you have demolished the Church of Saint Sergius,
and extinguish its fires and lamps,
Extinguished its lamps and candlesticks—
وَأَوقَدتَand set alight ناقوسَهاits bell وَالصَليand the cross (continued)
وَأَوقَدتَ ناقوسَها وَالصَلي
بَcompletes 'the cross' تَحتَbeneath عَشائِكَyour supper حَتّىuntil يَضِجit cries out
بَ تَحتَ عَشائِكَ حَتّى يَضِج
and set alight its bell and the cross
If you have kindled its bells and cross
beneath your supper until it cries out,
Beneath your supper until the sparks flew—
وَبَكَرتَand went early تَخرَأُto shit فيat المَذبَحِthe altar الthe (continued)
وَبَكَرتَ تَخرَأُ في المَذبَحِ ال
كَبيرِgreat وَتَلطَخُand smear تِلكَthose الدَرَجthe steps
كَبيرِ وَتَلطَخُ تِلكَ الدَرَج
and rise early to shit at the
If you have risen early to belch at the great altar
great altar, and smear those steps,
And befoul those stairs—
وَزِلتَand remained مِنَfrom اللَهِGod فيunder لَعنَةٍa curse
وَزِلتَ مِنَ اللَهِ في لَعنَةٍ
تُقيمُabides عَلَيكَupon you وَلاand does not تَنزَعِجbudge
تُقيمُ عَلَيكَ وَلا تَنزَعِج
and remain under a curse from God,
If you have slipped into a curse from God
abiding upon you, never moving away—
That will settle upon you without troubling you—
وَأَيand any طِماسٍThomas إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle أَشَظَّthrusts in
وَأَي طِماسٍ إِذا ما أَشَظَّ
فيinto صَدعِthe cleft of إِمراتِكَyour wife المُنفَرِجgaping
في صَدعِ إِمراتِكَ المُنفَرِج
and any Thomas, whenever he thrusts
What plaster when the cracks start
into your wife's gaping cleft.
To crumble in your broken emirates?
يَمينٌan oath مَتىwhenever ماemphatic particle اِستَحَلَّdeems lawful اِمرُؤٌa man
يَمينٌ مَتى ما اِستَحَلَّ اِمرُؤٌ
تَجَشُّمَهاto shoulder it عِندَbefore قاضٍa judge فَلَجprevails
تَجَشُّمَها عِندَ قاضٍ فَلَج
An oath: whenever a man permits himself
What oath if a man undertakes it
to shoulder it before a judge, he wins.
Under a judge, yet it proves difficult?
Sol 6.1