تَصَدَّتshowed herself لَناto us دَعدٌDa‘d وَصَضَّتand turned away (likely وَصَدَّت) عَلىwith عَمدِdeliberate intent
تَصَدَّت لَنا دَعدٌ وَصَضَّت عَلى عَمدِ
وَأَقبِلand bring near بِهاher عِندَwhen التَصَدّيcoming forward وَفيand in الصَدِّturning away
وَأَقبِل بِها عِندَ التَصَدّي وَفي الصَدِّ
Da‘d showed herself to us and deliberately turned away.
And bring her near, when she comes forward and when she turns away.
شَكَوتُI complained إِلَيهاto her الوَجدَlove’s anguish يَومَthe day تَعَرَّضَتshe appeared
شَكَوتُ إِلَيها الوَجدَ يَومَ تَعَرَّضَت
فَأُبتُso I returned وَقَدand already حُمِّلتُI was burdened وَجداًanguish عَلىupon وَجدِanguish
فَأُبتُ وَقَد حُمِّلتُ وَجداً عَلى وَجدِ
I complained to her of love’s anguish the day she appeared,
and returned burdened with anguish upon anguish.
سَلاهاyou two, ask her بِمَby what right اِستَحلَلتِyou deemed lawful قَتلَkilling أَخيa man of هَوىًlove
سَلاها بِمَ اِستَحلَلتِ قَتلَ أَخي هَوىً
صَفاwas pure لَكِtoward you مِنهُfrom him ماwhat يُجِنُّhe conceals وَماand what يُبديhe reveals
صَفا لَكِ مِنهُ ما يُجِنُّ وَما يُبدي
Ask her, you two: "By what right did you deem it lawful to kill a lover
whose hidden and open feelings for you are pure?"
أَلاtake heed إِنَّماonly دَعدٌDa‘d لِقَلبِكَfor your heart فِتنَةٌa temptation
أَلا إِنَّما دَعدٌ لِقَلبِكَ فِتنَةٌ
فَإِلّاso if you do not تَدَعهاleave her تَلقَyou will meet حَتفَكَyour death فيin دَعدِDa‘d
فَإِلّا تَدَعها تَلقَ حَتفَكَ في دَعدِ
Take heed: Da‘d is but a temptation to your heart;
unless you leave her, you will meet your death in Da‘d.
وَقِدماًand long ago زَجَرتُI warned النَفسَmy soul عَنهاaway from her فَخالَفَتbut it disobeyed
وَقِدماً زَجَرتُ النَفسَ عَنها فَخالَفَت
إِلَيهاtoward her عَلىregardless of قُربٍnearness مِنَof الدارِthe dwelling أَوor بُعدِdistance
إِلَيها عَلى قُربٍ مِنَ الدارِ أَو بُعدِ
Long ago I warned my soul away from her, but it disobeyed,
turning toward her, whether her dwelling was near or far.
وَماand not زادَنيincreased in me إِلّاexcept اِشتِياقاًlonging صُدودُهاher turning away
وَما زادَني إِلّا اِشتِياقاً صُدودُها
وَإِلّاand only وَفاءًloyalty وَاِصطِباراًand patient endurance عَلىto العَهدِthe pledge
وَإِلّا وَفاءً وَاِصطِباراً عَلى العَهدِ
Her turning away increased in me nothing but longing,
and loyalty and patient steadfastness to the pledge.
يُذَكِّرُنيهاreminds me of her الرِئمُthe white gazelle وَالغُصنُand the bough وَالمَهاand the oryxes
يُذَكِّرُنيها الرِئمُ وَالغُصنُ وَالمَها
وَيُذكِرُنيهاand reminds me of her البَدرُthe full moon فيat المَطلَعِthe rising السَعدِauspicious
وَيُذكِرُنيها البَدرُ في المَطلَعِ السَعدِ
The white gazelle, the bough, and the oryxes remind me of her,
and so does the full moon at its auspicious rising.
فَلِلرِئمِso the gazelle has عَيناهاher two eyes وَلِلبَدرِand the full moon has وَجهُهاher face
فَلِلرِئمِ عَيناها وَلِلبَدرِ وَجهُها
وَلِلغُصنِand the bough has مِنهاfrom her ماwhat حَكاهُresembled it مِنَof القَدِّthe figure
وَلِلغُصنِ مِنها ما حَكاهُ مِنَ القَدِّ
For the gazelle has her eyes, and the full moon her face,
and the bough has its likeness in her figure.
وَماand never اِبتَسَمَتshe smiled إِلّاexcept that خَفاflashed البَرقُthe lightning لامِعاًgleaming
وَما اِبتَسَمَت إِلّا خَفا البَرقُ لامِعاً
ذَطوفاًsnatching (likely خَطوفاً) لَأَبصارِat the eyes of الرُناةِthe gazers عَلىwith قَصدِdeliberate intent
ذَطوفاً لَأَبصارِ الرُناةِ عَلى قَصدِ
Whenever she smiled, lightning flashed, gleaming,
snatching the gazers’ sight by design.
سَلامٌpeace عَلَيهاupon her قَدindeed شَجيتُI grieved بِبُعدِهاat her distance
سَلامٌ عَلَيها قَد شَجيتُ بِبُعدِها
فَلاso not هِيَshe تُدنينيbrings me near وَلاnor أَناI بِالجَلدِable to endure
فَلا هِيَ تُدنيني وَلا أَنا بِالجَلدِ
Peace be upon her; I have grieved at her distance.
She will not bring me near, nor have I the strength to endure.
وَغَرَّand deceived أُناساًsome people مِنِّيَon my part الحِلمُforbearance بُرهَةًfor a while
وَغَرَّ أُناساً مِنِّيَ الحِلمُ بُرهَةً
وَفيand in الحِلمِforbearance ماwhat يُعليraises high وَفيand in الهِلمِforbearance (likely الحِلم) ماwhat يُرديbrings to ruin
وَفي الحِلمِ ما يُعلي وَفي الهِلمِ ما يُردي
My forbearance deceived some people for a while,
and forbearance can exalt, and forbearance can bring one to ruin.
فَإِنso if أُبدِI show حِلماًforbearance لاnot أَكُنI am مُتَضائِلاًself-abasing
فَإِن أُبدِ حِلماً لا أَكُن مُتَضائِلاً
وَإِنand if أَنتَقِمI take vengeance أُقدِمI advance عَلىagainst الأَسَدِthe lion الوَردِtawny
وَإِن أَنتَقِم أُقدِم عَلى الأَسَدِ الوَردِ
If I show forbearance, I am not abasing myself;
and if I take vengeance, I charge the tawny lion.
وَكَيفَand how أُخَشّىam I intimidated بِالهِجاءِwith satire مِنَby العِدىthe foes
وَكَيفَ أُخَشّى بِالهِجاءِ مِنَ العِدى
وَليand I have مِقوَلٌa tongue أَمضىkeener مِنَthan الصارِمِthe sharp sword الفَردِpeerless
وَلي مِقوَلٌ أَمضى مِنَ الصارِمِ الفَردِ
How could my foes frighten me with satire,
when I have a tongue keener than a peerless sword?
وَقَدand already عاجَمَتنيtested me الحادِثاتُadversities فَصادَفَتand found
وَقَد عاجَمَتني الحادِثاتُ فَصادَفَت
صَبوراًpatient عَلىamid اللَأواءِhardship مُنشَحِذِsharpened الحَدِّthe edge
صَبوراً عَلى اللَأواءِ مُنشَحِذِ الحَدِّ
Adversities have tested me and found me
patient in hardship, with my edge honed sharp.
يُلاقونَنيthey meet me بِالبِشرِwith smiles وَالرَحبِand welcome خُدعَةًas a ruse
يُلاقونَني بِالبِشرِ وَالرَحبِ خُدعَةً
وَكُلُّand each طَوىfolded كَشحَيهِhis two flanks مِنّيagainst me عَلىaround حِقدِa grudge
وَكُلُّ طَوى كَشحَيهِ مِنّي عَلى حِقدِ
They greet me with smiles and welcome, as a ruse,
while each conceals within his flanks a grudge against me.
وَكَيفَand how اِنخِداعُbeing deceived الذِئبِthe wolf وَالذِئبُwhile the wolf خادِعٌa deceiver
وَكَيفَ اِنخِداعُ الذِئبِ وَالذِئبُ خادِعٌ
خَتولٌwily عَلىin الحالاتِthe circumstances لِلبَطَلِtoward the champion النَجدِvaliant
خَتولٌ عَلى الحالاتِ لِلبَطَلِ النَجدِ
How can the wolf be deceived, when the wolf is a deceiver,
wily toward the valiant champion in every circumstance?
يُعِدّونَthey prepare ليfor me الإِرجافَmalicious rumors ماwhenever غِبتُI am absent عَنهُمُfrom them
يُعِدّونَ لي الإِرجافَ ما غِبتُ عَنهُمُ
تَشَفِّيَto gratify غِمرٍrancor لاnot يَريمُceases وَلاand not يُجديavails
تَشَفِّيَ غِمرٍ لا يَريمُ وَلا يُجدي
They prepare malicious rumors for me whenever I am away from them,
to gratify a rancor that never abates and avails nothing.
وَماand never رُمتُI sought مِنهُمamong them جانِباًa flank فَوَجَدتُهُand found it
وَما رُمتُ مِنهُم جانِباً فَوَجَدتُهُ
مَنيعاًimpregnable وَلاnor أَعمَلتُI employed فيagainst صَعبِهِمtheir resistance جُهديmy utmost effort
مَنيعاً وَلا أَعمَلتُ في صَعبِهِم جُهدي
Never have I sought a flank among them and found it
impregnable, nor exerted my utmost effort against their resistance.
وَلَكِنَّنيbut I أُغضيturn a blind eye إِلىuntil وَقتِa moment of غِرَّةٍheedlessness
وَلَكِنَّني أُغضي إِلى وَقتِ غِرَّةٍ
فَأَهتَبِلُthen I seize المَغرورَthe unwary one مُقتَنِصاًhunting وَحديalone
فَأَهتَبِلُ المَغرورَ مُقتَنِصاً وَحدي
But I turn a blind eye until a moment of heedlessness,
then seize the unwary one, hunting alone.
وَمَنand whoever يُعجِلِrushes against الأَعداءَthe foes قَبلَbefore تَمَكُّنِgaining mastery
وَمَن يُعجِلِ الأَعداءَ قَبلَ تَمَكُّنِ
فَذاكَthen that is الَّذيthe one who لَمnot يَبنِbuilt أَمراًan undertaking عَلىon وَكدِfirm certainty
فَذاكَ الَّذي لَم يَبنِ أَمراً عَلى وَكدِ
Whoever rushes at his foes before securing his advantage,
has not built his undertaking on a firm foundation.
وَقَدand already فاتَهُمeluded them شَأويmy reach بِتَقصيرِbecause of the shortness of شَأوِهِمtheir reach
وَقَد فاتَهُم شَأوي بِتَقصيرِ شَأوِهِم
فَلَمso not يَملِكواthey could سَبقيoutstripping me وَلَمand not يَملِكواthey could رَدّيturning me back
فَلَم يَملِكوا سَبقي وَلَم يَملِكوا رَدّي
My reach has eluded them because their own reach falls short;
they could neither outstrip me nor turn me back.
لِيَهنَأmay gladden أَخِلّايَmy dear friends الَّذينَwhom أَوَدُّهُمI love them
لِيَهنَأ أَخِلّايَ الَّذينَ أَوَدُّهُم
ذَخائِرُtreasures ماwhat فيin الصَدرِthe breast مِنof صادِقِsincere الوِدِّaffection
ذَخائِرُ ما في الصَدرِ مِن صادِقِ الوِدِّ
May my dear friends, whom I love, be gladdened
by the treasures of sincere affection within my breast.
فَماfor not أَناI بِالقاليone who hates وَلاnor الطَرِفِthe fickle one الَّذيwho
فَما أَنا بِالقالي وَلا الطَرِفِ الَّذي
إِذاwhen وَدَّhe loves أَلهاهُdistracts him الطَريفُthe newly acquired عَنِfrom التَلدِthe long-held
إِذا وَدَّ أَلهاهُ الطَريفُ عَنِ التَلدِ
For I am neither one who hates nor the fickle man who,
when he loves, is distracted from the old by the new.
Sol 6.1