ماhow أبعدَfar السَعيَstriving عَنِfrom النُجحِsuccess
ما أبعدَ السَعيَ عَنِ النُجحِ
إِلىuntil مَتىwhen فيin عَذَليreproaching me تُنحيyou persist
إِلى مَتى في عَذَلي تُنحي
How far striving is from success!
How far from success is my striving
How long will you persist in reproaching me?
How long will you spurn me in disdain?
وَهوَand he فَلاso not يَنفَعُنيbenefits me نُصحُهُhis advice
وَهوَ فَلا يَنفَعُني نُصحُهُ
كَذاكَlikewise لاnot يَنفَعُهُbenefits him نُصحيmy advice
كَذاكَ لا يَنفَعُهُ نُصحي
And as for him, his advice does me no good;
His advice benefits me not,
likewise, my advice does him no good.
Just as my advice benefits him not.
أَغلِقclose بِناfor us ذاthis البابَthe door ماno خَلفَهُbehind it
أَغلِق بِنا ذا البابَ ما خَلفَهُ
فَتحٌsuccess فَلاso do not تَتعَبُyou weary yourself فيin الفَتحِopening
فَتحٌ فَلا تَتعَبُ في الفَتحِ
Close this door for us; behind it lies no
Close for us this door of the past,
success, so do not weary yourself trying to open it.
No use in struggling with locks again.
وَأَخلِنيand leave me alone وَالسَبحَand swimming فيin لَيلَةٍa night
وَأَخلِني وَالسَبحَ في لَيلَةٍ
يَبعُدُlies far away مِنهاfrom it ساحِلُthe shore الصُبحِdawn
يَبعُدُ مِنها ساحِلُ الصُبحِ
And leave me alone to swim through a night
Leave me be, adrift in a night
from which the shore of dawn lies far away.
Where the shores of dawn are far and hidden.
بِحارَseas هَمٍّsorrow ماnot عَنىconcerned صاحِبيmy companion
بِحارَ هَمٍّ ما عَنى صاحِبي
لاneither غَرَقيmy drowning فيهاin them وَلاnor سَبحيmy swimming
لا غَرَقي فيها وَلا سَبحي
Seas of sorrow—my companion cared nothing for
In a sea of cares not meant for me,
either my drowning in them or my swimming.
Neither to drown nor swim was my fate.
ماnot بَينَناbetween us مُذsince قَطُّever حَربٌwar فَماso what
ما بَينَنا مُذ قَطُّ حَربٌ فَما
أَفادَhas benefited أَنto تَسأَلَyou ask فيconcerning الصُلحِpeace
أَفادَ أَن تَسأَلَ في الصُلحِ
There has never been war between us; so what
Since between us bitterness grew,
good has it done for you to ask for peace?
What use is it now to talk of peace?
وَقَدand indeed أَرىI consider خُسرانَloss قَلبيmy heart عَلىin
وَقَد أَرى خُسرانَ قَلبي عَلى
ذاthis الوَجهِway أَولىbetter ليfor me مِنَthan الرِبحِgain
ذا الوَجهِ أَولى لي مِنَ الرِبحِ
And I do find losing my heart in
I see my heart’s loss clearly
this way better for me than gain.
Better than any bargain or profit.
لاdo not تَسرَحِlet roam الحُسنَbeauty فَإِنّيfor I اِمرُؤٌa man
لا تَسرَحِ الحُسنَ فَإِنّي اِمرُؤٌ
أَخافُI fear أَنthat تَهويyou swoop down عَلىupon السَرحِthe grazing herd
أَخافُ أَن تَهوي عَلى السَرحِ
Do not let beauty roam, for I am a man
Don’t unleash your beauty, for I’m a man
who fears that you will swoop down upon the herd.
Who fears your beauty will make me fall.
Sol 6.1