خُذُواexact قَودِيmy blood-vengeance مِنْfrom أَسيرِthe captive of الكِلَلْthe bed-curtains
خُذُوا قَودِي مِنْ أَسيرِ الكِلَلْ
فَواعَجباًso, what a wonder! لأَسيرٍat a captive قَتَلْwho killed
فَواعَجباً لأَسيرٍ قَتَلْ
Exact my blood-vengeance from the captive of the bed-curtains.
Take my firewood from the prisoner of shackles
Oh, what a wonder—a captive who has killed!
How strange is the prisoner who killed
وَقُولواand say عَليّover me إذاwhen نُحْتمُyou lament
وَقُولوا عَليّ إذا نُحْتمُ
قَتيلَslain by العيُونِthe eyes جَريحَwounded by المُقَلْthe eyeballs
قَتيلَ العيُونِ جَريحَ المُقَلْ
And say over me, when you mourn:
And say about me when you weep
“Slain by eyes, wounded by their orbs.”
The slain of eyes, the wounded of eyelids
وَليand I have جَلدٌfortitude عِنْدَbefore بِيضِgleaming الظُّبَىsword-edges
وَلي جَلدٌ عِنْدَ بِيضِ الظُّبَى
وَبِالأعْيُنِbut against the eyes النُّجْلِwide ماnot ليI have قِبلْpower to resist
وَبِالأعْيُنِ النُّجْلِ ما لي قِبلْ
I have fortitude before gleaming sword-edges,
I have a skin as white as the shining moon
But against wide eyes I have no power.
And with the black eyes, I have no kohl
وَليand I have قَمرٌa moon ماnever بَداhe appeared فيin الدُّجَىthe darkness
وَلي قَمرٌ ما بَدا في الدُّجَى
وَأَبصرَهُand saw him البَدْرُthe full moon إلّاexcept that أَفلْit set
وَأَبصرَهُ البَدْرُ إلّا أَفلْ
I have a moon: whenever he appears in the dark,
I have a moon that never rose in the darkness
And the full moon sees him, the full moon sets.
Except the full moon saw it set
فياso, oh خَجْلةَthe shame of الظَّبْيthe gazelle لَمّاwhen بَداit appeared
فيا خَجْلةَ الظَّبْي لَمّا بَدا
شَبيهاًsimilar لَهُto him فيin اللَّمَىdarkness of the lips وَالكَحَلْand dark eye-rims
شَبيهاً لَهُ في اللَّمَى وَالكَحَلْ
Oh, the gazelle's shame when it appeared,
So O shy gazelle when it appeared
Like him in dark lips and kohl-dark eyes!
Similar to it in marks and kohl
وَياand oh خَجْلةَthe shame of الشَّمْسِthe sun لمّاwhen بَدتْshe appeared
وَيا خَجْلةَ الشَّمْسِ لمّا بَدتْ
ألمdid you not ترَsee فيهاin her احْمِرارَthe redness of الخَجلْshame
ألم ترَ فيها احْمِرارَ الخَجلْ
And oh, the sun's shame when she appeared!
And O shyness of the sun when it rose
Did you not see in her the redness of shame?
Did you not see the blush of shyness in it
يُضِلّhe leads astray بِطُرَّتِهِwith his forelock مَنْwhomever يَشاhe wills
يُضِلّ بِطُرَّتِهِ مَنْ يَشا
وَيْهدِيand he guides بِغُرَّتِهِwith his radiant brow مَنْwhomever أضَلْhe led astray
وَيْهدِي بِغُرَّتِهِ مَنْ أضَلْ
He leads astray with his forelock whomever he wills,
He misleads with his turban whom he wills
And guides with his radiant brow whomever he led astray.
And guides with his love whom he led astray
وَقَدْand indeed عَدَلَdealt justly الحُسْنُbeauty فيin خَلْقهِhis formation
وَقَدْ عَدَلَ الحُسْنُ في خَلْقهِ
علىdespite أَنَّهُthe fact that it جَارَwas unjust لَمّاwhen عَدَلْit dealt justly
على أَنَّهُ جَارَ لَمّا عَدَلْ
Beauty dealt justly in shaping him,
Beauty was just in creating him
Yet it was unjust when it was just.
As if he was a neighbor when it was just
فَعُمَّتْso were filled مَعاطِفهُhis bodily curves بالنَّشاطِwith liveliness
فَعُمَّتْ مَعاطِفهُ بالنَّشاطِ
وَخُصَّتْand were singled out رَوادِفُهhis buttocks بِالكسَلْfor languor
وَخُصَّتْ رَوادِفُه بِالكسَلْ
So his body's curves were filled with liveliness,
So his qualities were adorned with vigor
And his buttocks were singled out for languor.
And his weaknesses were clad with laziness
وَقَدْand indeed عَلمَknew النّاسُthe people أَنّيthat I امْرُؤٌa man
وَقَدْ عَلمَ النّاسُ أَنّي امْرُؤٌ
أحِبُّI love الغَزالَthe gazelle وَأهْوَىand I adore الغَزلlove poetry
أحِبُّ الغَزالَ وَأهْوَى الغَزل
People know that I am a man
And people knew that I am a man
Who loves the gazelle and adores love poetry.
Who loves the gazelle and craves poetry
فَلاso do not تُنْكِرُdisapprove اليَوْمَtoday ياO عَاذِليmy reproacher
فَلا تُنْكِرُ اليَوْمَ يا عَاذِلي
فَلسْتُfor I am not أميلُinclining إلىtoward مَنْone who عَذَلْreproached
فَلسْتُ أميلُ إلى مَنْ عَذَلْ
So do not condemn me today, O my reproacher;
So do not deny today, O reproacher
For I do not incline toward anyone who reproaches.
I do not incline towards one who denied
فَألحَفْتُso I wrapped قامَتَهُhis figure بالعناقِin an embrace
فَألحَفْتُ قامَتَهُ بالعناقِ
وَأَذْبلتُand I wilted مَرْشفهُhis lips بِالقُبَلْwith kisses
وَأَذْبلتُ مَرْشفهُ بِالقُبَلْ
So I wrapped his figure in an embrace,
I clung to his stature in an embrace
And made his lips wilt with kisses.
And withered his cheek with kisses
وَكمْand how often تُهْتI lost my way فيin غَوْرِthe hollow of خَصْرٍa waist لهُof his
وَكمْ تُهْت في غَوْرِ خَصْرٍ لهُ
وَأَشْرَفْتُand I looked down مِنْfrom فَوْقِabove ذاكthat الكَفَلْrump
وَأَشْرَفْتُ مِنْ فَوْقِ ذاك الكَفَلْ
How often I lost my way in the hollow of his waist,
How often did I melt into the depths of his bosom
And looked down from above that rump!
And overlooked that neck from above
وَأذَّنْتُand I called to prayer حِينَwhen تَجَلَّىshone forth الصَّباحُthe morning
وَأذَّنْتُ حِينَ تَجَلَّى الصَّباحُ
بِحيّwith “come!” علىto خَيْرِthe best of هذاthis العَملْdeed
بِحيّ على خَيْرِ هذا العَملْ
And I gave the call to prayer when morning dawned:
And when dawn broke I announced
“Come to the best of this deed!”
Good morning to the best of these acts
وَهاand here is أثَرُthe trace of المِسْكِmusk فيon رَاحَتِيmy palm
وَها أثَرُ المِسْكِ في رَاحَتِي
هَداهguided it فَمِيmy mouth فيهِin it طَعْمُthe taste of العَسَلْhoney
هَداه فَمِي فيهِ طَعْمُ العَسَلْ
And here is the trace of musk upon my palm;
His mouth guided it and in it the taste of honey
My mouth guided it; in my mouth is the taste of honey.
Passion invited me to sip those kisses
دَعانيcalled me إلىto رَشْفِsipping تِلْكَthose القُبلْkisses
دَعاني إلى رَشْفِ تِلْكَ القُبلْ
غَرامٌpassion صحيحٌtrue وَماand not ليI have قِبَلْpower to resist
غَرامٌ صحيحٌ وَما لي قِبَلْ
I was called to sip those kisses
A true passion, though I had no reason
By true passion; I have no power to resist.
When his glances assailed me
إذاwhen فَتكتْstruck ruthlessly فِيَّagainst me ألحاظُهُhis glances
إذا فَتكتْ فِيَّ ألحاظُهُ
بِقَدٍّwith a figure يَقُدُّthat cleaves فكيفَso how العَملْthe action
بِقَدٍّ يَقُدُّ فكيفَ العَملْ
When his glances strike me down,
With a statute leading, so what to do
With a figure that cleaves—what can be done?
There you see my bent tears
هُناكَthere تَرىyou see أَدمعيmy tears المنُحْنيthe bowed one (unclear wording)
هُناكَ تَرى أَدمعي المنُحْني
وَقلْبيand my heart برمْيunder the pelting of الجِمارِembers اشْتعَلْblazed
وَقلْبي برمْي الجِمارِ اشْتعَلْ
There you see my tears, with me bowed down [wording unclear],
And my heart with embers of coal kindled
And my heart blazed under the pelting of embers.
And my tears of longing, O how much they flowed
وَدْمعِيand my tears مِنَfrom الشَّوْقِlonging ياoh ماhow much جَرىflowed
وَدْمعِي مِنَ الشَّوْقِ يا ما جَرى
عَقيقاًlike agate وَباللّهand by God عَقْليmy mind ذَهلْwas dazed
عَقيقاً وَباللّه عَقْلي ذَهلْ
And oh, how my tears flowed from longing,
Like liquid pearls, and by God my mind perplexed
Like agate—and, by God, my mind was dazed.
What harm if he allowed intimacy
فماso what ضَرَّهُharm would it do him لوif سَمحhe allowed بِالكَرىsleep
فما ضَرَّهُ لو سَمح بِالكَرى
وَلوْand even if ساعةًan hour بَعْدَafter ماwhat قَدْalready فَعلْhe did
وَلوْ ساعةً بَعْدَ ما قَدْ فَعلْ
What harm would it do him to grant me sleep,
Even for an hour after what he did
Even for an hour, after what he has done?
And settled him in the flames of my passion
وَسَكَّنْتَهُand I lodged him فيin لَظَىthe blaze of مُهْجَتيmy heart's core
وَسَكَّنْتَهُ في لَظَى مُهْجَتي
وَذاكَand that لَعَمْرِيby my life جَراrecompense (likely intended) مَنْof one who قَتلْkilled
وَذاكَ لَعَمْرِي جَرا مَنْ قَتلْ
And I lodged him in the blaze of my heart,
That is indeed the work of one who killed
And that, by my life, is a killer's recompense [reading uncertain].
And strangely he visited one night
وَمِنْand among عَجبٍwonders زارَhe visited فيon لَيْلةٍa night
وَمِنْ عَجبٍ زارَ في لَيْلةٍ
وَعمَّاand about what جَرىhappened بَيْننَاbetween us لاdo not تَسلْask
وَعمَّا جَرى بَيْننَا لا تَسلْ
And, wondrously, he came visiting one night;
So do not ask about what happened between us
Do not ask what passed between us.
I found myself viewing those gardens
فَصِرْتُso I began أشاهِدُto behold تِلْكَthose الرّياضِgardens
فَصِرْتُ أشاهِدُ تِلْكَ الرّياضِ
علىupon وَجْنَتَيْهِhis two cheeks أناI فيin خَجَلْshyness
على وَجْنَتَيْهِ أنا في خَجَلْ
So I began to behold those gardens
While on his cheeks I was in embarrassment
Upon his cheeks, while I was shy.
And plucking roses with its branches
وَأَقْطفُand I pluck وَرْداًroses بأغْصانِهwith their branches
وَأَقْطفُ وَرْداً بأغْصانِه
وَلمand not يَكُwas هذَاthis بغَيْرِwith other than المُقَلْthe eyes
وَلم يَكُ هذَا بغَيْرِ المُقَلْ
And pluck roses together with their branches,
This was not done without kissing
And all of this was done with my eyes alone.
By God, your night equals
فَلِلَّهso to God belongs دَرَّكyour excellence مِنْas a لَيْلَةٍnight
فَلِلَّه دَرَّك مِنْ لَيْلَةٍ
تُعادِلُit equals أَرْواحَناour souls بَلْnay أجلْgreater
تُعادِلُ أَرْواحَنا بَلْ أجلْ
God be praised—what a night!
Our very souls, nay even more
Worth our souls—indeed, worth more!
Showing you in the morning joy
تُريكَit shows you إذاwhen أَسْفَرتْit unveils itself بَهْجَةًdelight
تُريكَ إذا أَسْفَرتْ بَهْجَةً
وَرَوْضand a garden of السُّرورِjoy بهاwithin it قَدْindeed حَصَلْhas arisen
وَرَوْض السُّرورِ بها قَدْ حَصَلْ
It shows you delight when it unveils itself,
And the meadow of bliss in it already happened
And within it a garden of joy has arisen.
No fault in it except
وَلاand no عَيْبَfault فِيهاin it سِوَىexcept أَنَّهاthat it
وَلا عَيْبَ فِيها سِوَى أَنَّها
خَلتْwas free مِنْof رَقيبٍa watcher لنَاover us أَوor عَذلْreproach
خَلتْ مِنْ رَقيبٍ لنَا أَو عَذلْ
It has no fault, except that
It lacked a watcher over us or a rebuker
It was free of any watcher over us or reproach.
Oh how Allah drew the swords of eyelids
ألاah! فَلَّلَmay blunt اللّهGod سَيْفthe sword of المُقلْthe eyes
ألا فَلَّلَ اللّه سَيْف المُقلْ
فَكَمْfor how often ذَاthis one تَعدَّىhas transgressed وَكَمْand how often ذاthis one قَتلْhas killed
فَكَمْ ذَا تَعدَّى وَكَمْ ذا قَتلْ
Ah, may God blunt the sword of eyes!
So who transgressed and who did it kill
For how often it has transgressed, and how often it has killed!
And no lover killed by the people of passion
وَماand there is no مِنْany قتيلٍslain one لأَهْلِamong the people of الهَوىlove
وَما مِنْ قتيلٍ لأَهْلِ الهَوى
سِوىexcept أَلْفa thousand راضٍcontent بماwith what قَدْalready فَعلْit did
سِوى أَلْف راضٍ بما قَدْ فَعلْ
And no one among the people of love is slain,
Except a thousand willing with what was done
Except a thousand content with what it has done.
God has supported the army of glances
لقدindeed نَصرَhas granted victory to اللّهُGod جَيْشَthe army of الملاحِbeauties
لقد نَصرَ اللّهُ جَيْشَ الملاحِ
بِبدْرٍthrough a full moon لناfor us حُسْنُهhis beauty قَدْindeed كَملْbecame perfect
بِبدْرٍ لنا حُسْنُه قَدْ كَملْ
God has indeed given the army of beauties victory,
With a full moon, its beauty now complete
Through a full moon whose beauty is perfect for us.
And no brave horseman in the fray a knight
وماand no بَطلٌhero فيin الوَغىbattle فارسٌknight
وما بَطلٌ في الوَغى فارسٌ
إذاwhen قابلَhe faces الغِيدَlissome beauties إلّاexcept that بَطلْhe becomes powerless
إذا قابلَ الغِيدَ إلّا بَطلْ
No hero, no knight on the battlefield,
If he meets the arrows except a hero
Can face lissome beauties without being undone.
If the eyes of the gazelle fight me
إذاif قَاتلتْنيfight me عُيونُthe eyes of الظِّباgazelles
إذا قَاتلتْني عُيونُ الظِّبا
فَواthen oh فَرحِيmy joy لَوْif بَلغْتُI attained الأملْmy desire
فَوا فَرحِي لَوْ بَلغْتُ الأملْ
If the eyes of gazelles fight me,
Oh my joy if I attained hopes
Then oh, my joy, if I attain my desire!
God looked after the night the beloved visited
رَعىmay preserve اللّهُGod ليلةَthe night زَارَvisited الحبيبُthe beloved
رَعى اللّهُ ليلةَ زَارَ الحبيبُ
وَغَابَand vanished الرقيبُthe watcher إلىto حَيْثwhere أَلْhe went
وَغَابَ الرقيبُ إلى حَيْث أَلْ
May God preserve the night the beloved visited,
And the watcher was absent to where he went
And the watcher vanished to wherever he went.
I hid him in the blackness of my eyes
فَخَبأْتُهso I hid him فيin سَوادِthe blackness of العُيونِthe eyes
فَخَبأْتُه في سَوادِ العُيونِ
وَقْدand already غَسلَwashed الدَّمْعُthe tears ذَاكَthat المَحَلْplace
وَقْد غَسلَ الدَّمْعُ ذَاكَ المَحَلْ
So I hid him in the blackness of my eyes,
And tears washed that place
And tears had already washed that place.
And I stuck my cheek to his feet
وَأَلصَقْتُand I pressed خَدّيmy cheek بِأَقْدامِهagainst his feet
وَأَلصَقْتُ خَدّي بِأَقْدامِه
وَأَذْبلْتُand I wilted أخْمَصهُhis foot's arch بِالقُبَلْwith kisses
وَأَذْبلْتُ أخْمَصهُ بِالقُبَلْ
And I pressed my cheek against his feet,
And withered his toes with kisses
And made the arch of his foot wilt with kisses.
He leaned and inclined with his shoulder
فَرَقَّso he softened وَمالَand leaned بِأَعْطَافهِwith his bodily curves
فَرَقَّ وَمالَ بِأَعْطَافهِ
فَدبَّتْso it crept بِرُوحِيthrough my soul ذاكthat الميَلْsway
فَدبَّتْ بِرُوحِي ذاك الميَلْ
Then he softened and inclined his supple frame,
Instilling in my soul that bend
So that sway crept through my soul.
I embraced him and cast off chastity
وَعَانَقْتُهُand I embraced him وَخَلعْتُand I cast off العِذارَthe bridle
وَعَانَقْتُهُ وَخَلعْتُ العِذارَ
وَمزَّقْتُand I tore ثَوْبَthe robe of الحيَاmodesty وَالخَجلْand shame
وَمزَّقْتُ ثَوْبَ الحيَا وَالخَجلْ
And I embraced him and cast off the bridle,
And ripped the dress of modesty and shame
And tore the robe of modesty and shame.
I busied him with talk
وَماand not زلْتُI ceased أُشْغِلهُI occupy him بِالحديثِwith conversation
وَما زلْتُ أُشْغِلهُ بِالحديثِ
وَسِتْرُand the veil of الظلامِdarkness عَليْناover us انْسَدلْdescended
وَسِتْرُ الظلامِ عَليْنا انْسَدلْ
And I kept engaging him in conversation,
As the veil of darkness fell over us
And the veil of darkness descended over us,
Until sleep overcame his eyelids
إلىuntil أنْthat غَفاdozed جَفْنهُhis eyelid بالمنامِin sleep
إلى أنْ غَفا جَفْنهُ بالمنامِ
وَعنِّيand about me تَغافلhe feigned unawareness أوor قَدْindeed غَفَلْwas unaware
وَعنِّي تَغافل أو قَدْ غَفَلْ
Until his eyelid dozed in sleep,
Neglectful of me or forgetful
And he feigned unawareness of me—or truly was unaware.
I let go of his waist, his belt
وَخلَّيْتُand I loosened عَنْfrom خَصْرِهhis waist بَنْدَهُhis sash
وَخلَّيْتُ عَنْ خَصْرِه بَنْدَهُ
وَأَجْفَيْتُand I cast away عَنْfrom مِعْطَفيْهِboth his sides الحُلَلْthe robes
وَأَجْفَيْتُ عَنْ مِعْطَفيْهِ الحُلَلْ
And I loosened his sash from his waist,
And removed from his shoulders the garments
And cast the robes off both his sides.
And I am still watching God's work
وَبتُّand I spent the night أُشاهِدُbeholding صُنْعَthe handiwork of الإلهِGod
وَبتُّ أُشاهِدُ صُنْعَ الإلهِ
تَباركَblessed is رَبُّthe Lord of البَراياall creatures وَجَلْand exalted is He
تَباركَ رَبُّ البَرايا وَجَلْ
And I spent the night beholding God's handiwork.
Blessed is the Lord of creations, Majestic
Blessed and exalted is the Lord of all creatures!
So think good of us or do not suspect
فَظُنَّso assume بِنَاof us الخَيْرَthe best أَوْor لاdo not تَظُنَّassume
فَظُنَّ بِنَا الخَيْرَ أَوْ لا تَظُنَّ
فَلاso do not تَسْأَلِask اليَوْمَtoday عَمَّاabout what حَصَلْhappened
فَلا تَسْأَلِ اليَوْمَ عَمَّا حَصَلْ
So assume the best of us—or make no assumption;
Do not ask today about what happened
So do not ask today what happened.
Partial English translation: 83 of 84 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1