سَباكِmay He take you captive اللَهُGod ياO دُنياworld عَروساًas a bride
سَباكِ اللَهُ يا دُنيا عَروساً
فَكَمfor how often أَوفَدتِyou sent ليto me شَمعاًmerriment بِشَمعِwith candles
فَكَم أَوفَدتِ لي شَمعاً بِشَمعِ
May God take you captive, O world, as a bride!
God keep you, O world, my bride
For how often you have sent me merriment with candles!
How many candles have you lit for me, candle after candle
وَماand not يَنفَكُّceases فيin يَمَنٍYemen وَشامِand Sham
وَما يَنفَكُّ في يَمَنٍ وَشامِ
غُرورُكِyour deceit شائِماًwatching for lightning بِخِفَّيby a faint لَمعِgleam
غُرورُكِ شائِماً بِخِفَّي لَمعِ
And never does it cease, in Yemen and Sham—
Your deceit does not cease in Yemen or Syria
Your deceit, watching for lightning’s faint gleam.
Dazzling with your hidden gleam
وَماand not أَبهَجتِنيyou gladdened me مُنذُsince اِلتَقَيناwe met
وَما أَبهَجتِني مُنذُ اِلتَقَينا
وَإِنeven though نَوَّهتِyou spoke highly بيof me وَرَفَعتِand raised سِمعيmy renown
وَإِن نَوَّهتِ بي وَرَفَعتِ سِمعي
You have never gladdened me since we met,
You have not delighted me since we met
Though you praised me and raised my renown.
Though you lauded me and raised my name
إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle أَعظُميmy bones كانَتhave become هَباءًscattered dust
إِذا ما أَعظُمي كانَت هَباءً
فَإِنَّthen indeed اللَهَGod لاnot يُعيِيهِweary Him جَمعيreassembling me
فَإِنَّ اللَهَ لا يُعيِيهِ جَمعي
When my bones have become scattered dust,
When my greatness was but vanity
Then surely gathering me together will not weary God.
For God is not wearied by my striving
وَلَمand I did not أَستَغلِdeem too costly مِنكَfrom you فِداءَthe ransom of نَفسيmyself
وَلَم أَستَغلِ مِنكَ فِداءَ نَفسي
بِشَيءٍat any price فَاِعجِبيso marvel لِرَقوءِat the ceasing of دَمَعيmy tears
بِشَيءٍ فَاِعجِبي لِرَقوءِ دَمَعي
Nor have I deemed ransoming myself from you too costly
And I did not ransom my soul with anything
At any price; so marvel that my tears have ceased
So wonder at my flowing tears
بِفَقدِat the loss of غَرائِزيmy innate faculties شَمّيmy sense of smell وَذَوقيand my taste
بِفَقدِ غَرائِزي شَمّي وَذَوقي
وَلَمسيand my touch تابِعاًfollowing بَصَريmy sight وَسَمَعيand my hearing
وَلَمسي تابِعاً بَصَري وَسَمَعي
At losing my innate faculties—my smell and taste,
At the loss of my senses—smell, taste,
And my touch, following my sight and hearing.
Touch following my sight and hearing
أَرىI see الدَولاتِthe reigns of power فيكِin you وَإِنeven if تَمادَتthey endure
أَرى الدَولاتِ فيكِ وَإِن تَمادَت
غَمائِمَclouds أَثجَمَتmassed, ready for rain بِوَشيكِwith imminent هَمعِrainfall
غَمائِمَ أَثجَمَت بِوَشيكِ هَمعِ
I see the reigns of power in you, however long they last,
I see realms in you though you persist
As clouds massed for an imminent downpour.
Clouds loomed, soon to pour down destruction
Sol 6.1