مِنfrom أَينَwhere أَنتَyou وَمَنand who يُدريكِtells you أَينَwhere أَناI
مِن أَينَ أَنتَ وَمَن يُدريكِ أَينَ أَنا
الجِدُّearnestness خُلقيmy nature وَمِنand among أَخلاقِكِyour traits العَبَثُfrivolity
الجِدُّ خُلقي وَمِن أَخلاقِكِ العَبَثُ
Where are you from, and who tells you where I am?
From where are you, and who can tell you where I am from?
Earnestness is my nature, and frivolity is among your traits.
My nature is serious, while yours is frivolous.
ماnot جِئتِyou came مَبعوثَةًone sent بَلrather جِئتِyou came باعِثَةًstirring up
ما جِئتِ مَبعوثَةً بَل جِئتِ باعِثَةً
هَمّيmy sorrow وَلاand no خاطِرٌthought فيin الهَمِّsorrow مُنبَعِثُarising
هَمّي وَلا خاطِرٌ في الهَمِّ مُنبَعِثُ
You came not as one sent, but as one stirring up
You did not come sent, but rather you came stirring up trouble.
My sorrow, while no thought arises amid sorrow.
My worries and thoughts are not awakened by worry.
لَبِثتُI lingered فيin الحُبِّlove عُمراًa lifetime لاnot أُحَصِّلُهُI reckon it
لَبِثتُ في الحُبِّ عُمراً لا أُحَصِّلُهُ
كَفِتيَةِlike the youths of الكَهفِthe Cave لاnot يَدرونَthey know ماhow long لَبِثواthey stayed
كَفِتيَةِ الكَهفِ لا يَدرونَ ما لَبِثوا
I have lingered in love a lifetime I cannot reckon,
I remained in love for a lifetime I cannot calculate,
Like the youths of the Cave, who do not know how long they stayed.
Like the companions of the cave, not knowing how long they remained.
كَرّواthey turned repeatedly اللَواحِظَthe glances بَحثاًsearching عَنfor مَحاسِنِهِhis charms
كَرّوا اللَواحِظَ بَحثاً عَن مَحاسِنِهِ
وَماand not دَرَواthey knew أَنَّهُمthat they عَنfor حَتفِهِمtheir death بَحَثواthey searched
وَما دَرَوا أَنَّهُم عَن حَتفِهِم بَحَثوا
They cast their glances again and again, seeking his charms,
They denigrated al-Lawzi searching for his faults,
And did not know that they were searching for their own death.
And they did not know they were searching for their own demise.
Sol 6.1