تَعودُreturn عَوائِدُthe accustomed bouts of الدَمعِthe tears المُراقِshed
تَعودُ عَوائِدُ الدَمعِ المُراقِ
عَلىupon ماwhat فيin الضُلوعِthe ribs مِنِof اِحتِراقِburning
عَلى ما في الضُلوعِ مِنِ اِحتِراقِ
The familiar bouts of shed tears return
The tears recur over my burning heartache,
upon the burning within my ribs.
Sights saw on my day of bliss,
لَقَدindeed رَأَتِsaw النَواظِرُthe eyes يَومَon the day of سُعدىSu'da
لَقَد رَأَتِ النَواظِرُ يَومَ سُعدى
زِيالاًa parting تُستَهَلُّare made to stream لَهُfor it المَآقيthe eye-corners
زِيالاً تُستَهَلُّ لَهُ المَآقي
Indeed, on Su'da's day my eyes beheld
A companion for whom bitter fates yield,
a parting that set the eye-corners streaming,
With whispers transcending the voice of tenderness, so they cling to rapture.
بِأَنفاسٍwith sighs تَرَقّىrose عَنfrom دَخيلِthe inner depths of الthe
بِأَنفاسٍ تَرَقّى عَن دَخيلِ ال
جَوىheartache حَتّىuntil تَعَلَّقَcaught فيin التَراقيthe collarbones
جَوى حَتّى تَعَلَّقَ في التَراقي
With sighs rising from the hidden depths of
And intestines more tender than her delicate frames,
heartache, till they caught among the collarbones,
And redder than her bloodstained towns.
وَأَحشاءٍand inward parts أَرَقَّmore tender عَلىtoward التَصابيyouthful dalliance
وَأَحشاءٍ أَرَقَّ عَلى التَصابي
وَأَدمىand bloodier مِنthan مَجاسِدِهاtheir garments الرِقاقِdelicate
وَأَدمى مِن مَجاسِدِها الرِقاقِ
And inward parts more tender toward youthful dalliance,
She left and freed no captive,
and redder with blood than their delicate garments.
Whose heart could slip from the bond of shackles,
وَقَدand indeed رَحَلَتshe departed وَماand did not اِفتَكَّتfree أَسيراًa captive
وَقَد رَحَلَت وَما اِفتَكَّت أَسيراً
يُفالِتُwrests away لُبَّهُhis reason عَنَتُthe torment of الوَثاقِthe bonds
يُفالِتُ لُبَّهُ عَنَتُ الوَثاقِ
She departed without freeing a captive
With the lightning of slumber and oft yearning,
whose reason the torment of his bonds wrests away,
Which make me hope for the righteous folk.
بِبُرقَةِat the stony tract of ثَهمَدٍThahmad وَلَرُبَّand many a شَوقٍlonging
بِبُرقَةِ ثَهمَدٍ وَلَرُبَّ شَوقٍ
تَصَبّانيmade me lovesick إِلىtoward أَهلِthe people of البِراقِthe stony tracts
تَصَبّاني إِلى أَهلِ البِراقِ
At Burqat Thahmad; and many a longing
I painfully blame the censurers, and my false excuses deceive me,
drew me, lovesick, toward the people of the stony tracts.
And my inventions and fabrications.
أُليمُI incur blame إِلىbefore العَذولِthe reproacher وَتَغتَليand seethe بيwithin me
أُليمُ إِلى العَذولِ وَتَغتَلي بي
مَعاذيريmy excuses الكَواذِبُlying وَاِختِلاقيand my fabrication
مَعاذيري الكَواذِبُ وَاِختِلاقي
I incur the reproacher's blame, while within me seethe
How often the critic overlooked in my presence,
my lying excuses and inventions.
Recommencing pouring out and longing.
وَكَمand how often قَدindeed أَغفَلَoverlooked العُذّالُthe reproachers عِنديin me
وَكَم قَد أَغفَلَ العُذّالُ عِندي
مِنَof اِستِئنافِa renewal of بَثٍّoutpoured grief وَاِشتِياقِand yearning
مِنَ اِستِئنافِ بَثٍّ وَاِشتِياقِ
And how often the reproachers have overlooked in me
And magic nights in which I plunged,
a fresh outpouring of grief and yearning,
A melody murmurs and a leg strides gently.
وَمِنand of سَحَرِيَّةٍa predawn hour دالَجتُI kept company by night فيهاin it
وَمِن سَحَرِيَّةٍ دالَجتُ فيها
تَرَنُّمَthe singing of قَينَةٍa singing girl وَهُبوبَand the stirring of ساقِa cupbearer
تَرَنُّمَ قَينَةٍ وَهُبوبَ ساقِ
And many a predawn hour in which I kept company with
So it left no distinction in me at dawn,
a singing girl's song and a cupbearer's stirring.
Taking me to the extent of my rapture.
فَلَمso did not يَدَعِleave اِصطِباحيmy morning drinking فِيَّin me فَضلاًstrength to spare
فَلَم يَدَعِ اِصطِباحي فِيَّ فَضلاً
يُؤَدّينيwould carry me إِلىto أَمَدِthe time of اِغتِباقيmy evening drinking
يُؤَدّيني إِلى أَمَدِ اِغتِباقي
So my morning drinking left in me no strength
I say to a friend I let go when he tired or grew bored of embracing me,
to carry me to the hour of my evening drinking.
“Is our separation from your coldness, or a separation from parting?”
أَقولُI say لِصاحِبٍto a friend خَلَّيتُI withdrew عَنهُfrom him
أَقولُ لِصاحِبٍ خَلَّيتُ عَنهُ
يَديmy hand إِذwhen مَلَّhe grew weary أَوor سَئِمَgrew tired of اِعتِلاقيmy clinging
يَدي إِذ مَلَّ أَو سَئِمَ اِعتِلاقي
I say to a friend from whom I withdrew
And occlusion of visits a lingering fidelity,
my hand, when he wearied or tired of my clinging:
And comfort for my weary legs.
فِراقٌa parting مِنfrom جَفاءٍcoldness حالَcame between بَينيme
فِراقٌ مِن جَفاءٍ حالَ بَيني
وَبَينَكَand you أَمor فِراقٌa parting مِنfrom فِراقِseparation
وَبَينَكَ أَم فِراقٌ مِن فِراقِ
Is it a parting born of coldness that stands between me
We were in Damascus, caring for,
and you, or a parting born of distance?
Loyalty to the covenant from us in Iraq.
وَإِغبابُand spacing out الزِيارَةِvisits فيهِin it بُقياpreservation of
وَإِغبابُ الزِيارَةِ فيهِ بُقيا
وِدادِكَyour affection وَاِستِراحَةُand rest for عَظمِthe bone of ساقيmy leg
وِدادِكَ وَاِستِراحَةُ عَظمِ ساقي
And spacing out visits preserves
Does your land's loyalty falter or do natures differ,
your affection and gives my shinbone rest.
Unlike those of unfaithful dispositions?
وَكُنّاand we were بِالشَآمِin al-Sham إِخالُI think خَيراًbetter
وَكُنّا بِالشَآمِ إِخالُ خَيراً
لِرَعيِat keeping العَهدِthe pledge مِنّاthan we are بِالعِراقِin Iraq
لِرَعيِ العَهدِ مِنّا بِالعِراقِ
And in al-Sham, I think, we were better
So do not feign connection with me,
at keeping our pledge than we are in Iraq.
Confronting from its harm what you confront.
أَقَلَّhas diminished وَفاءُthe fidelity of أَرضِكَyour land أَمor تَجازَتhave repaid one another
أَقَلَّ وَفاءُ أَرضِكَ أَم تَجازَت
خَلائِقُnatures غَيرُnot وافِيَةِfull in الخِلاقِvirtue
خَلائِقُ غَيرُ وافِيَةِ الخِلاقِ
Has your land's fidelity dwindled, or have they repaid one another—
When you want the shortcut, you know me
natures lacking a full share of virtue?
Short-tailed, tight-belted.
فَلاso do not تَتَكَلَّفَنَّstrain yourself إِلَيَّtoward me وَصلاًa bond
فَلا تَتَكَلَّفَنَّ إِلَيَّ وَصلاً
تُلاقيyou suffer مِنfrom أَذاهُits hurt ماwhat تُلاقيyou suffer
تُلاقي مِن أَذاهُ ما تُلاقي
Then do not force yourself to keep a bond with me,
And lo, when you permit me to visit,
suffering from its hurt all that you suffer.
Tied are the saddle-bags, wide the saddle-cloth’s strap.
مَتىwhenever تُرِدِyou wish التَزَيُّلَto separate تَعتَرِفنيyou will find me
مَتى تُرِدِ التَزَيُّلَ تَعتَرِفني
قَصيرَshort الذَيلِthe hem مَشدودَtightened النِطاقِthe girdle
قَصيرَ الذَيلِ مَشدودَ النِطاقِ
Whenever you want to part, you will find me
I see in Abdul Sadiq, so if he adorns himself
with hem shortened and girdle tightly fastened.
With injustice, I ransom my neck or rebellion.
وَإِنّيand indeed I حينَwhen تُؤذِنُنيyou inform me بِصَرمِof severance
وَإِنّي حينَ تُؤذِنُني بِصَرمِ
رَبيطُsteadfast الجَأشِof heart مُتَّسِعُloose الخِناقِat the collar
رَبيطُ الجَأشِ مُتَّسِعُ الخِناقِ
And when you tell me you would sever ties,
And you will not grow used to hearing me complain of staying,
my heart is steadfast and my collar loose.
Amidst discomfort with freedom in my hands.
أُرىI am seen as عَبدَa slave to الصَديقِthe friend فَإِنbut if تَحَلّىhe adorns himself
أُرى عَبدَ الصَديقِ فَإِن تَحَلّى
بِظُلمٍwith injustice فَاِرجُthen expect عِتقيmy emancipation أَوor إِباقيmy escape
بِظُلمٍ فَاِرجُ عِتقي أَو إِباقي
I am seen as a slave to my friend; but if he adorns himself
Wedlock is no sweeter to me
with injustice, expect my release or my escape.
With separation through divorce from the wedlock.
وَلَنand never تَعتادَنيbe accustomed to me أَشكوI complain of مُقاماًa stay
وَلَن تَعتادَني أَشكو مُقاماً
عَلىin مَضَضٍbitterness وَفيand in يَدِيَmy hand اِنطِلاقيmy freedom to leave
عَلى مَضَضٍ وَفي يَدِيَ اِنطِلاقي
And you will never know me to complain of staying
How many steps of this stored-up bondage,
in bitterness, while the freedom to leave lies in my hand.
Has the pace of these noble sandals escaped!
وَلَيسَand is not العُرسُmarriage فيin نَفسيmy soul بِأَحلىsweeter
وَلَيسَ العُرسُ في نَفسي بِأَحلى
مَعَwith العِرسِthe wife الفَروكِwho hates her husband مِنَthan الطَلاقِdivorce
مَعَ العِرسِ الفَروكِ مِنَ الطَلاقِ
Nor is marriage sweeter to my soul,
A farewell which in it, from leaning forward,
with a wife who hates her husband, than divorce.
Foregoes resignation and embrace.
وَكَمand how often قَدindeed أَعنَقَتsped مِنfrom رِقِّthe bondage of مُكثٍstaying
وَكَم قَد أَعنَقَت مِن رِقِّ مُكثٍ
خُطىthe strides of هَذيthese المُخَزَّمَةِnose-ringed camels العِتاقِnoble-bred
خُطى هَذي المُخَزَّمَةِ العِتاقِ
And how often have they sped from the bondage of staying—
Perhaps our discord shall return to us,
the strides of these noble, nose-ringed camels!
With nearness and harmony.
فِراقٌa parting يُعجِلُleaves no time الإيشاكُthe haste مِنهُof it
فِراقٌ يُعجِلُ الإيشاكُ مِنهُ
عَنِfor التَسليمِfarewell salutations فيهِin it وَالعِناقِand embracing
عَنِ التَسليمِ فيهِ وَالعِناقِ
A parting whose haste gives no time
Were it not for remoteness, proximity would not be sought,
for farewells and embraces then.
Were it not for severance, reunion would not be loved,
لَعَلَّperhaps تَخالُفَthe divergence of الطَيّاتِdestinations مِنّاamong us
لَعَلَّ تَخالُفَ الطَيّاتِ مِنّا
يَعودُwill return لَناto us بِقُربٍwith closeness وَاِتِّفاقِand accord
يَعودُ لَنا بِقُربٍ وَاِتِّفاقِ
Perhaps the divergence of our courses
And losing affection is like losing,
will bring us closeness and accord.
Trade contracts in a ledger.
فَلَولاfor, without البُعدُdistance ماnot طُلِبَwould be sought التَدانيnearness
فَلَولا البُعدُ ما طُلِبَ التَداني
وَلَولاand without البَينُseparation ماnot عُشِقَwould be loved التَلاقيreunion
وَلَولا البَينُ ما عُشِقَ التَلاقي
For without distance, nearness would not be sought;
True, we never glimpsed a new moon,
and without separation, reunion would not be loved.
On the far horizon except from a place of pilgrimage
وَخُسرانُand the loss of المَوَدَّةِaffection فيin السَجاياcharacter
وَخُسرانُ المَوَدَّةِ في السَجايا
كَخُسرانِlike the loss of التِجارَةِtrade فيin الوِراقِsilver coin
كَخُسرانِ التِجارَةِ في الوِراقِ
And loss of affection in matters of character
You shall see the enduring sanctuaries owed us
is like a trading loss in silver coin.
The affection of these remaining sanctuaries.
وَحَقٌّand truly ماnot تَأَمَّلناwe gazed at هِلالاًa crescent
وَحَقٌّ ما تَأَمَّلنا هِلالاً
بِأَقصىat the far edge of الأُفقِthe horizon إِلّاexcept عَنfollowing مُحاقِthe moon's dark phase
بِأَقصى الأُفقِ إِلّا عَن مُحاقِ
And truly, we never gazed at a crescent
Unless we receive a long agreement,
at the horizon's far edge save after the moon's dark phase.
Distant from upheaval and rupture,
تُرىI wonder الحُجَجَthe years المَواضيbygone أَسلَفَتناlent us in advance
تُرى الحُجَجَ المَواضي أَسلَفَتنا
مَوَدَّةَthe affection of هَذِهِthese الحِجَجِyears البَواقيremaining
مَوَدَّةَ هَذِهِ الحِجَجِ البَواقي
I wonder: did the bygone years lend us in advance
For some people may socialize temporarily,
the affection of these years still remaining?
With the manufacture of pretense and hypocrisy.
فَإِلّاso if not نَقتَبِلwe take up anew عَهداًa bond رَضِيّاًpleasing
فَإِلّا نَقتَبِل عَهداً رَضِيّاً
بَعيداًfar مِنfrom نُبُوٍّestrangement وَاِنفِتاقِand rupture
بَعيداً مِن نُبُوٍّ وَاِنفِتاقِ
So if we do not take up a pleasing bond anew,
And the bucket comes full after a depletion,
far from estrangement and rupture,
Of griefs in it, and sediments.
فَقَدthen perhaps يَتَعاشَرُkeep company with one another الأَقوامُpeople حيناًfor a while
فَقَد يَتَعاشَرُ الأَقوامُ حيناً
بِتَلفيقِthrough a patchwork of التَصَنُّعِpretence وَالنِفاقِand hypocrisy
بِتَلفيقِ التَصَنُّعِ وَالنِفاقِ
people may still keep company for a while
So do not deprive our nights of their prime,
through a patchwork of pretence and hypocrisy.
And our sweet life of its exquisite taste!
وَتَأتيand comes up الدَلوُthe bucket مَلأىfull بَعدَafter وَهيٍweakening
وَتَأتي الدَلوُ مَلأى بَعدَ وَهيٍ
مِنَof الأَوذامِthe leather straps فيهاin it وَالعِراقيand the wooden crossbars
مِنَ الأَوذامِ فيها وَالعِراقي
And the bucket comes up full even after the weakening
of its leather straps and wooden crosspieces.
فَلاso may not تَبعَدperish لَياليناour nights الخَواليbygone
فَلا تَبعَد لَيالينا الخَوالي
وَفائِتُand the vanished part of عَيشِناour life العَذبِsweet المَذاقِin taste
وَفائِتُ عَيشِنا العَذبِ المَذاقِ
So may our bygone nights not perish,
nor our vanished life, sweet to the taste.
Partial English translation: 60 of 64 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1