يذكّرنيreminds me سناradiance برقlightning الغويرal-Ghuwayr
يذكّرني سنا برق الغوير
معاصمهاher wrists وبسّامand ever-smiling الثغيرthe little mouth
معاصمها وبسّام الثغير
The gleam of lightning over al-Ghuwayr reminds me
Her lightning flash reminds me of al-Ghuwair's
of her wrists and her ever-smiling little mouth.
Tent pegs and the smiling face of al-Thagheer
ويحيينيand revives me تنشقّinhaling the scent of كلevery روضgarden
ويحييني تنشقّ كل روض
لماbecause of what بالخدon the cheek منهاof hers منof زهيرlittle blossoms
لما بالخد منها من زهير
And breathing the scent of every garden revives me
And it revives me when every meadow opens up
for the little blossoms upon her cheek.
With the scent of Zuhayr on her cheek
واعتنقand I embrace الغصونthe branches لقدّهاfor her figure انif
واعتنق الغصون لقدّها ان
بدتshe appears وأصبحand I become شوقاlonging فيat الفجيرearly dawn
بدت وأصبح شوقا في الفجير
And I embrace the branches for her figure when
And I embraced the branches for her smoothness
she appears, and I am all longing at early dawn.
When she appeared, awakening desire at dawn
أياO غصناa branch لهاof hers زدincrease فيin التثنيswaying
أيا غصنا لها زد في التثني
وياand O ردفاhips ترفقbe gentle بالخصيرwith the little waist
ويا ردفا ترفق بالخصير
O branch of hers, sway still more;
Oh branches for her, keep bending
and O hips, be gentle with her little waist.
And O saddle, be gentle with the short-haired camel
بروحيwith my soul منamong بناتthe girls of البدوthe Bedouin عذراa virgin
بروحي من بنات البدو عذرا
أبتshe refused مناfrom us الهوىlove الاexcept العذيرthe little excuse
أبت منا الهوى الا العذير
My soul would ransom a virgin among the Bedouin girls,
By my soul among the Bedouin girls is virtue
who refused our love, offering only a little excuse.
Love has refused me anything but chastity
أسائلهاI ask her for اللقاa meeting فتقولand then she says منwho ذاthat one
أسائلها اللقا فتقول من ذا
رأىhas seen ريمa gazelle الفلاةthe wilderness معwith الحضيرthe townsfolk
رأى ريم الفلاة مع الحضير
I ask her for a meeting, and she says, 'Who is it that
I asked to meet her, and she said "Who is it
has seen a gazelle of the wilderness with the townsfolk?'
Who saw Raim al-Falah with al-Hadheer?"
فصبراso be patient فيin الفلاthe wilderness قدindeed ضاعhas been lost شعرىmy poetry
فصبرا في الفلا قد ضاع شعرى
ولبيand my reason فيin هوىlove for بيتa tent الشعيرthe hair (diminutive)
ولبي في هوى بيت الشعير
So patience! In the wilderness my poetry is lost,
So patience in the desert has made my poetry fade
and my reason, in love with a hair-woven tent.
And my heart lost in love for Bayt al-Sha'eer
وقائلةand a woman saying علىon منwhom باتspent the night قلبa heart
وقائلة على من بات قلب
أراهI see it منكof yours خفّاقاfluttering كطيرlike a bird
أراه منك خفّاقا كطير
And a woman asks, 'On whom has that heart dwelt all night—
And saying about whom my heart spent the night
the one I see in you, fluttering like a bird?'
I see it fluttering from you like a bird
ألذّthe sweetest الحبّlove فيamong سكانthe dwellers of ربعa campsite
ألذّ الحبّ في سكان ربع
الذّthe sweetest العشقpassion فيfor خودa tender maiden الخديرthe little secluded chamber
الذّ العشق في خود الخدير
The sweetest love is among the dwellers of a camp;
The sweetest love is in the people of the land
the sweetest passion is for the maiden of the little secluded chamber.
The most passionate love in the cheek's apples
ألذthe sweetest العيشlife حينwhen تجسshe plucks عوداa lute
ألذ العيش حين تجس عودا
وتشدوand she sings بالثناءwith praise علىof الطويرthe little bird
وتشدو بالثناء على الطوير
Life is sweetest when she plucks a lute
The sweetest living is when you feel a tent pole
and sings the praises of the little bird.
And you sing the praises of the cook
Sol 6.1