طَرْفٌan eye تَعَرَّضَventured بَعْدَكُمْafter you لِهُجُوعِto slumber
طَرْفٌ تَعَرَّضَ بَعْدَكُمْ لِهُجُوعِ
لَاmay not زَالَcease ذَاpossessed of شَرَقٍchoking بِفَيْضِwith a flood of دُمُوعِtears
لَا زَالَ ذَا شَرَقٍ بِفَيْضِ دُمُوعِ
An eye that has ventured to slumber after your departure—
may it never cease choking on a flood of tears!
وَجَوانِحٌand bosoms جَنَحَتْinclined لِغَيْرِtoward other than جَمالِكُمْyour beauty
وَجَوانِحٌ جَنَحَتْ لِغَيْرِ جَمالِكُمْ
لاmay not بُشِّرَتْbe given glad tidings مِنْof عَوْدِكُمْyour return بِرُجُوعِwith a return
لا بُشِّرَتْ مِنْ عَوْدِكُمْ بِرُجُوعِ
And bosoms that incline toward beauty other than yours—
may they never hear glad tidings of your return!
يَاO غَائِبونَabsent ones وهُمْand they are بُدُورٌfull moons هَلْwould لَكُمْfor you
يَا غَائِبونَ وهُمْ بُدُورٌ هَلْ لَكُمْ
أَنْto تَسْمَحُواyou allow لِطُوَيْلعٍto a little rising star بِطُلُوعِwith a rising
أَنْ تَسْمَحُوا لِطُوَيْلعٍ بِطُلُوعِ
O absent ones—full moons that they are—will you
grant a little rising star leave to rise?
أَوْطَانُهُhis homelands لَيْسَتْare not بِأَوْطَانٍhomelands at all إِذَاwhen
أَوْطَانُهُ لَيْسَتْ بِأَوْطَانٍ إِذَا
غِبْتُمْyou are absent وَلَيْسَand are not رُبُوعُهُhis dwellings بِرُبُوعِdwellings at all
غِبْتُمْ وَلَيْسَ رُبُوعُهُ بِرُبُوعِ
His homelands are no homelands when
you are absent, nor are his dwellings truly dwellings.
وَإذَاand when حَلَلْتُمْyou settle فِيin مَحَلٍّa place مُمْحِلٍbarren
وَإذَا حَلَلْتُمْ فِي مَحَلٍّ مُمْحِلٍ
كُسِيَتْare clothed مَحَاسِنُهُits beauties بِكُلَّwith every رَبِيعِspring
كُسِيَتْ مَحَاسِنُهُ بِكُلَّ رَبِيعِ
And when you settle in a barren place,
its beauties are clothed in all of spring.
مَنْwho لِيfor me بِهَاwith her قُمْرِيَّةٌa turtledove قَمَرِيَّةٌmoonlike
مَنْ لِي بِهَا قُمْرِيَّةٌ قَمَرِيَّةٌ
تَسْبِيكَshe captivates you بالمَنْظُورِthrough what is seen وَالمَسْمُوعِand what is heard
تَسْبِيكَ بالمَنْظُورِ وَالمَسْمُوعِ
Who can win her for me—a moonlike turtledove,
who captivates you through sight and sound?
زَادَتْshe added بُطُرَّةِwith the fringe of شَعْرِهَاher hair المَفْرُوقِthe parted فَوْabove (first fragment)
زَادَتْ بُطُرَّةِ شَعْرِهَا المَفْرُوقِ فَوْ
قَcompletion of 'above' جَبِينهاher brow فيin حُسْنِهَاher beauty المَجْمُوعِthe gathered whole
قَ جَبِينها في حُسْنِهَا المَجْمُوعِ
She added, with the fringe of her hair parted above
her brow, to her beauty as a whole.
فَعَجِبْتُso I marveled مِنْat تِلْكَthose الذَّوَائِبِthe tresses بَعْضُهَاa portion of them الthe (split article)
فَعَجِبْتُ مِنْ تِلْكَ الذَّوَائِبِ بَعْضُهَا ال
مَحْمُولُlifted up جَاذَبَvied with بَعْضَهَاa portion of them المَوْضُوعِlet down
مَحْمُولُ جَاذَبَ بَعْضَهَا المَوْضُوعِ
So I marveled at those tresses: the portion
lifted up vied with the portion let fall.
قَدْindeed نُزِّهَwas kept free البَدْرُthe full moon المُنيرُthe radiant وَوَجْهُهَاand her face
قَدْ نُزِّهَ البَدْرُ المُنيرُ وَوَجْهُهَا
وَالشَّمْسُand the sun بِالتَّثْلِيثِby forming a triad عَنْfrom تَرْبِيعِforming a quartet
وَالشَّمْسُ بِالتَّثْلِيثِ عَنْ تَرْبِيعِ
The radiant full moon and her face are kept—
with the sun, as a triad—free of any fourth.
بَخِلَwithheld الخيالُthe dream-vision بِهَاwith her وَزارَتْand she visited يَقْظةًin wakefulness
بَخِلَ الخيالُ بِهَا وَزارَتْ يَقْظةً
فَحَظِىso was favored بِهَاwith her سَهَرِيmy wakefulness وَخَابَand was disappointed هُجُوعِيmy slumber
فَحَظِى بِهَا سَهَرِي وَخَابَ هُجُوعِي
The dream-vision withheld her, but she came while I was awake;
so my wakefulness won her, and my slumber was disappointed.
وَأَلذُّand sweetest مَاwhat كَانَwas الوِصَالُunion إذَاwhen أَتَىit comes
وَأَلذُّ مَا كَانَ الوِصَالُ إذَا أَتَى
شَفْعاًin a pair كَمَاas تَهْوَىyou desire بِغَيْرِwithout شَفِيعِan intercessor
شَفْعاً كَمَا تَهْوَى بِغَيْرِ شَفِيعِ
Union is sweetest when it comes
in a pair, just as you wish, without an intercessor.
فَرَفَعْتُso I lifted عَنْaway from تِلْكَthose العُقُودِthe necklaces قِنَاعَهَاher veil
فَرَفَعْتُ عَنْ تِلْكَ العُقُودِ قِنَاعَهَا
شَرَهاgreedily وَلَمْand not أَكُI was دُونَهُshort of it بِقَنُوعِcontent at all
شَرَها وَلَمْ أَكُ دُونَهُ بِقَنُوعِ
So I lifted her veil away from those necklaces,
greedily, unwilling to be content with less.
فَتبسَّمَتْso she smiled عَنْrevealing مِثْلِthe like of مَاwhat فِيat جِيدِهَاher neck
فَتبسَّمَتْ عَنْ مِثْلِ مَا فِي جِيدِهَا
لُطْفاًkindly فَفَاضَتْso overflowed لِلسُّرورِfor joy دُمُوعيmy tears
لُطْفاً فَفَاضَتْ لِلسُّرورِ دُمُوعي
Then she smiled, revealing the like of what was at her neck,
kindly, and my tears overflowed for joy.
فَتوَهَّمَتْso she imagined أَنِّيthat I بَكَيْتُI wept تَخَضُّعاًin humble entreaty
فَتوَهَّمَتْ أَنِّي بَكَيْتُ تَخَضُّعاً
فَتَواضَعَتْso she humbled herself جَبْراًto console لِفَرْطِfor the excess of خُضُوعِيmy submission
فَتَواضَعَتْ جَبْراً لِفَرْطِ خُضُوعِي
She thought that I had wept in humble entreaty,
so she humbled herself to soothe my utter submission.
فَضَمَمْتُهَاso I embraced her ضَمَّas the clasping of الكِمَامِthe calyces لِوَرْدِهَاaround their roses
فَضَمَمْتُهَا ضَمَّ الكِمَامِ لِوَرْدِهَا
أَحْنُواI bend tenderly علىover مَجْمُوعِهاall of her بِجَمِيعيwith all of myself
أَحْنُوا على مَجْمُوعِها بِجَمِيعي
So I embraced her as the calyx embraces its rose,
bending all of myself tenderly over all of her.
لَوْلَاwere it not for الضُّلوعُthe ribs عَدِمْتُهنَّmay I lose them مَنَعْنَنِيthey barred me
لَوْلَا الضُّلوعُ عَدِمْتُهنَّ مَنَعْنَنِي
لَجَعَلْتُهَاI would have placed her بِالضَّمِby embracing تَحْتَbeneath ضُلُوعِيmy ribs
لَجَعَلْتُهَا بِالضَّمِ تَحْتَ ضُلُوعِي
Had my ribs—may I lose them!—not barred me,
I would have clasped her beneath my ribs.
مَاhow كَانَwould have been أَحْلىsweet فيduring المزَارِthe visit دُنوُّهَاher nearness
مَا كَانَ أَحْلى في المزَارِ دُنوُّهَا
لَوْif لَمْnot تَشُبْهُtainted it مَرارَةُthe bitterness of التَّوْدِيعِfarewell
لَوْ لَمْ تَشُبْهُ مَرارَةُ التَّوْدِيعِ
How sweet her nearness would have been during the visit,
had the bitterness of farewell not tainted it.
كالرُّوحِlike the spirit فِيهَاin her لِلنفُوسِfor souls حَياتُهَاtheir life
كالرُّوحِ فِيهَا لِلنفُوسِ حَياتُهَا
وَنِزاعُهَاand their death-agony إِنْif آذنتْshe announces بِنُزوعِof departure
وَنِزاعُهَا إِنْ آذنتْ بِنُزوعِ
Like the spirit, in her souls find their life,
and their death-agony if she announces her departure.
كَمْhow many مَيِّتٍa dead one بَعْدَafter الفِرَاقِseparation حَياتُهُhis life
كَمْ مَيِّتٍ بَعْدَ الفِرَاقِ حَياتُهُ
فيin قُرْبِnearness to حَيٍّa tribe بِالعَقيقِat al-‘Aqiq جَميعِgathered together
في قُرْبِ حَيٍّ بِالعَقيقِ جَميعِ
How many a man dead after separation finds his life
near a tribe gathered at al-‘Aqiq.
فيin مَنْزِلٍa dwelling كَهْلِmiddle-aged in الثمارِthe fruit مُرَاهِقِadolescent in الthe (split article)
في مَنْزِلٍ كَهْلِ الثمارِ مُرَاهِقِ ال
أَزْهَارِflowers مِنْfrom ثَدْيِthe breast of الغَمَامِthe clouds رَضيعِsuckling
أَزْهَارِ مِنْ ثَدْيِ الغَمَامِ رَضيعِ
In a dwelling, middle-aged in fruit, adolescent in
flowers, suckling at the breast of the clouds.
عاقَتْheld back سَرِيعَthe swift نَسيمِهِits breeze عَذْباتُهُits slender boughs
عاقَتْ سَرِيعَ نَسيمِهِ عَذْباتُهُ
بالمَيلِby swaying فَهْوَso it is بِهِنَّbecause of them غَيْرُnot سَريعِswift
بالمَيلِ فَهْوَ بِهِنَّ غَيْرُ سَريعِ
Its slender boughs held back its swift breeze,
by swaying; because of them, it is swift no more.
عُرْبٌArabs أَعاجِمُforeign-speaking وُرْقُهُمْtheir gray doves تَشْدُواsing علىto
عُرْبٌ أَعاجِمُ وُرْقُهُمْ تَشْدُوا على
أَسْماعِهِمْtheir ears بِالمَنْطِقِin speech المَسْجُوعِrhymed
أَسْماعِهِمْ بِالمَنْطِقِ المَسْجُوعِ
Arabs, whose foreign-speaking gray doves sing
in their ears with rhymed speech.
يَحْمُونَthey guard سُمْرَهُمُtheir dark-skinned women بِسُمْرٍwith tawny spears مِثْلَهَاlike them
يَحْمُونَ سُمْرَهُمُ بِسُمْرٍ مِثْلَهَا
فِيin كُلِّevery ضَنْكٍstrait لِلْكُماةِfor armored champions وَسِيعِspacious
فِي كُلِّ ضَنْكٍ لِلْكُماةِ وَسِيعِ
They guard their dark-skinned women with tawny spears like them,
in every strait that is spacious to armored champions.
مُزِجَتْwere mingled دُمُوعُthe tears of العَاشِقينَlovers بِأَرْضِهِمْin their land
مُزِجَتْ دُمُوعُ العَاشِقينَ بِأَرْضِهِمْ
وَدَمand the blood of العِداenemies فَسُقِيso was watered الحِمَىthe protected land بِنَجيعِwith fresh blood
وَدَم العِدا فَسُقِي الحِمَى بِنَجيعِ
Lovers' tears were mingled in their land
with enemies' blood; thus the protected land was watered with fresh blood.
بأبيmy father be ransom for بَديعٍa wondrous beauty رَاقَنَيhe delighted me مِنْthrough قَدِّهِhis figure
بأبي بَديعٍ رَاقَنَي مِنْ قَدِّهِ
والثَّغْرand the mouth بالتَوْشِيحِwith ornamentation وَالتَّوْشِيعِand embellishment
والثَّغْر بالتَوْشِيحِ وَالتَّوْشِيعِ
My father be ransom for a marvel who charms me with his figure
and his mouth, with their ornamentation and embellishment.
نَادَىcalled to العواذلُthe reproachers فِيكَabout you غَيْرَone not مُجَاوِبٍresponding
نَادَى العواذلُ فِيكَ غَيْرَ مُجَاوِبٍ
وَدَعوْاand they called إلىto السّلوانِforgetfulness غَيْرَone not سَميعِlistening
وَدَعوْا إلى السّلوانِ غَيْرَ سَميعِ
The reproachers called to me about you; I gave no answer,
and urged me toward forgetfulness; I would not listen.
كَمْhow many مِنْof مَعينٍa flowing spring لِلدُّموعِof tears بَذَلْتُهُI poured it out
كَمْ مِنْ مَعينٍ لِلدُّموعِ بَذَلْتُهُ
بِمَصُونِat a guarded رَبْعٍdwelling مِنْwithin حِمَاكَyour protected land مَنيعِimpregnable
بِمَصُونِ رَبْعٍ مِنْ حِمَاكَ مَنيعِ
How many a flowing spring of tears have I poured out
at a guarded, impregnable dwelling within your protected land.
لَمْdid not أَدْرِI know كَيْفَhow كَسَرْتَyou broke قَلْبِيmy heart وَهُوthough it is بَيْhouse/verse (first fragment)
لَمْ أَدْرِ كَيْفَ كَسَرْتَ قَلْبِي وَهُو بَيْ
تُcompletion of 'house/verse' هَواكَyour love حَتَّىuntil باتَit came to be فيin التَّقْطِيعِbeing cut apart; poetic scansion
تُ هَواكَ حَتَّى باتَ في التَّقْطِيعِ
I do not know how you broke my heart, though it is the house
of your love, until it lay cut to pieces.
Sol 6.1