هلis there بعدَafter بينكِyour parting مِنany جوىًburning anguish لمودَّعِfor one bid farewell
هل بعدَ بينكِ مِن جوىً لمودَّعِ
ذهبَhas gone اللقاءُmeeting فهلso is there لهfor it مِنany مَرجِعِreturn
ذهبَ اللقاءُ فهل له مِن مَرجِعِ
After your parting, is there any further anguish for one left behind?
Is there still affinity between us after parting,
Meeting is gone; can it ever return?
The meeting has gone, does it have a return?
رثَّتْhave frayed حبالُthe cords الوصلِof union حتىso much that اِنَّهindeed it
رثَّتْ حبالُ الوصلِ حتى اِنَّه
لمnot يبقَremains غيرُexcept رميمِهاtheir decayed remnants المتقطَّعِtorn apart
لم يبقَ غيرُ رميمِها المتقطَّعِ
The cords of union have frayed so much that
The ropes of connection have worn out until
only their tattered, decaying remnants remain.
Nothing remains but their scattered tatters.
أسعادُO Su‘ad هلاّwhy not يومَon the day of نأيكِyour departure زوَّدتْprovide
أسعادُ هلاّ يومَ نأيكِ زوَّدتْ
عيناكِyour two eyes عينيmy eye نظرةَa gaze المستمتِعِof one savoring
عيناكِ عيني نظرةَ المستمتِعِ
O Su‘ad, why, on the day you departed, did
The days of your absence have given happiness,
your eyes not grant mine a gaze to savor?
Your eyes gave mine a look of pleasure.
أرجعتِhave you turned away عنfrom سُنَنِthe ways الغرامِof love وشرعِهand its law
أرجعتِ عن سُنَنِ الغرامِ وشرعِه
ومِنَand among العجائبِthe wonders رجعهُhis turning back المتشرَّعthe law-observant one
ومِنَ العجائبِ رجعهُ المتشرَّع
Have you turned away from love's ways and law?
You turned away from the ways of love and its law,
Strange indeed is the retreat of one who follows that law.
And it's of wonders that the robed one turned away.
ماwhat كانَwould have ضَّركِharmed you والركائبُwhile the riding-camels قدalready سرتْhad set out
ما كانَ ضَّركِ والركائبُ قد سرتْ
بكِwith you لوif أَشَرْتِyou had signaled بحاجبٍwith an eyebrow واِصبَعِand a finger
بكِ لو أَشَرْتِ بحاجبٍ واِصبَعِ
What harm would it have done you, when the riding-camels had set out
It would not have harmed you, as the mounts traveled
with you, had you signaled with an eyebrow and a finger—
With you, had you gestured with an eyebrow and finger.
توديعةًa farewell تُهدىis offered الجوىanguish فيin طَيَّهاits folds
توديعةً تُهدى الجوى في طَيَّها
لشجٍto a grieving man حليفِa companion of تلهُّفٍlonging وتوجُّعِand pain
لشجٍ حليفِ تلهُّفٍ وتوجُّعِ
a farewell, with anguish offered within its folds,
A farewell gift given to affinity in its folds,
to a sorrowing man, companion of longing and pain?
To a yearning, burning heart and an aching soul.
يستافُhe sniffs أعرافَthe leading gusts الرَّياحِof the winds كأنَّهاas though they
يستافُ أعرافَ الرَّياحِ كأنَّها
هبَّتْhad blown بنشرِwith the fragrance عبيركِof your perfume المتضَّوعِwafting
هبَّتْ بنشرِ عبيركِ المتضَّوعِ
He sniffs the gusts of wind, as though they
It inhales the meadows of winds as if
had blown with the spreading fragrance of your perfume.
They blew spreading your perfumed scent.
شامَhe watched البروقَthe lightning flashes علىalong جوانبَthe flanks غُرَّبٍof Ghurrab
شامَ البروقَ على جوانبَ غُرَّبٍ
فِلوىthen the curving dunes of زرودَZarud فعالجٍthen ‘Alij فالأجرَعِthen al-Ajra‘
فِلوى زرودَ فعالجٍ فالأجرَعِ
He watched the lightning along the flanks of Ghurrab,
Lightning flashed on the sides of a dusty sunset,
then Zarud's curving dunes, then ‘Alij, then al-Ajra‘.
Twisting branches, cliffs and bald mountainsides.
فابتزَّهُso it robbed him ومضُthe flicker البروقِof the lightning هجودَهhis sleep
فابتزَّهُ ومضُ البروقِ هجودَه
ونأىand went away بطيبِwith the sweetness كرىof slumber العيونِof the eyes الهُجَّعِsleeping
ونأى بطيبِ كرى العيونِ الهُجَّعِ
The lightning's flicker robbed him of his sleep
It dazzled him and the flash of lightning hid
and bore away the sweet slumber of sleeping eyes.
The scent of meadows from the sleepy eyes.
ونضاand stripped off قميصَthe shirt الصبرِof patience عنهfrom him حنينُهhis yearning
ونضا قميصَ الصبرِ عنه حنينُه
وولوعُهand his infatuation بسناwith the radiance البروقِof lightning اللمّعِflashing
وولوعُه بسنا البروقِ اللمّعِ
His yearning stripped from him the shirt of patience,
It uncovered the shirt of patience from him, his yearning
and so did his infatuation with the gleam of flashing lightning.
And burning for the glistening lightning.
لمعتْit flashed فجددتِand renewed الشجونَgriefs وأجَّجَتْand kindled
لمعتْ فجددتِ الشجونَ وأجَّجَتْ
نارَthe fire الهوىof love العذريَّchaste بينَbetween الأضلُعِthe ribs
نارَ الهوى العذريَّ بينَ الأضلُعِ
It flashed, renewing grief and kindling
You shone so you renewed the sorrows and provoked
the fire of chaste love between the ribs.
The innocent fire of love between the ribs.
فذكرتُthen I remembered اِيماضَthe flashing الثغورِof teeth يلوحُit gleams ليbefore me
فذكرتُ اِيماضَ الثغورِ يلوحُ لي
تحتَbeneath الدُّجىthe darkness مِنfrom باردٍa cool one مُسْتَنْقِعِbrimming with moisture
تحتَ الدُّجى مِن باردٍ مُسْتَنْقِعِ
Then I recalled the flash of teeth, gleaming before me
I remembered the valleys appearing to me
beneath the darkness, from a cool mouth brimming with moisture,
Under the darkness, from a cold swamp.
يُذكيkindles برودُthe coolness رحيقِهِof its nectar حَرَّthe heat الجوىof burning anguish
يُذكي برودُ رحيقِهِ حَرَّ الجوى
لِحُشاشةٍfor a remnant of life حَرَّىburning وقلبٍand a heart موجَعِaching
لِحُشاشةٍ حَرَّى وقلبٍ موجَعِ
whose nectar's coolness fans the heat of love's anguish
Its cold nectar kindles the burning of love,
in a burning soul and an aching heart;
To a fervently burning heart and aching soul.
وغزالةٍand a gazelle سنحتْappeared علىin غِرَرٍan unguarded moment لناto us
وغزالةٍ سنحتْ على غِرَرٍ لنا
بينَbetween الجنابِal-Janab وبينَand between ملعبِthe playing-ground of لَعْلَعِLa‘la‘
بينَ الجنابِ وبينَ ملعبِ لَعْلَعِ
and a gazelle that appeared to us unawares
A gazelle trotted playfully before us
between al-Janab and the playing-ground of La‘la‘.
Between the sides and a place for playing.
مرَّتْshe passed بناby us حوراءُa dark-eyed beauty يرشقُpierces لحظُهاher glance
مرَّتْ بنا حوراءُ يرشقُ لحظُها
قلبُthe heart المدلَّهِof the love-bewildered man مِنfrom وراءِbehind البرقُعِthe veil
قلبُ المدلَّهِ مِن وراءِ البرقُعِ
A dark-eyed beauty passed us, her glance piercing
A beautiful maiden passed by, her glance
the bewildered lover's heart from behind her veil.
Piercing the hearts of the infatuated from behind the veil.
تشكوshe complains of الحُليَّthe jewelry وثقلَهand its weight لمّاwhen سرتْshe moved
تشكو الحُليَّ وثقلَه لمّا سرتْ
فيin سربِهاher herd تعطوreaching up بأجيدَwith a long neck أتلَعِheld high
في سربِها تعطو بأجيدَ أتلَعِ
She complained of her ornaments and their weight as she moved
She complains of the jewels being heavy when she walked
within her herd, reaching up with a long, lofty neck.
In her flock, clad in fine garments.
فَتَنَتْهُso she bewitched him ثمthen رَنَتْshe gazed اليَّat me بلحظِهاwith her glance
فَتَنَتْهُ ثم رَنَتْ اليَّ بلحظِها
فَفُتِنْتُso I was bewitched فتنةَwith the bewitchment of مستهامٍa love-crazed man لاnot يَعيaware
فَفُتِنْتُ فتنةَ مستهامٍ لا يَعي
She bewitched him, then gazed at me,
She seduced him, then glanced at me
so I was bewitched like a love-crazed man bereft of sense.
So I was seduced, an overwhelming infatuation.
ورجعتُand I returned بعدَafter فراقِparting from أيامِthe days الهوىof love
ورجعتُ بعدَ فراقِ أيامِ الهوى
أصِفُI describe الغَوايةَwaywardness للمحبَّto the lover المولَعِinfatuated
أصِفُ الغَوايةَ للمحبَّ المولَعِ
After parting from the days of love, I returned
And I returned after the days of love had passed
to describing love's waywardness to the infatuated lover.
To describe temptation to the passionate lover.
داميbleeding الجفونِeyelids إذاwhen الحمامةُthe dove غرَّدتْsings
دامي الجفونِ إذا الحمامةُ غرَّدتْ
مِنfrom فوقِabove خُوْطِthe slender branch البانةِof the ban-tree المتزعزِعِswaying
مِن فوقِ خُوْطِ البانةِ المتزعزِعِ
My eyelids bleed whenever the dove sings
My eyelids pour when the dove coos
from above the swaying branch of the ban-tree.
Above the shaking branches of the acacia.
أسقيI water الديارَthe dwellings وقدwhile already تباعدَhave gone far أهلُهاtheir people
أسقي الديارَ وقد تباعدَ أهلُها
عنهاfrom them عزاspouts (word fragment) ليَّspouts (word completion) الدموعِof tears الهُمَّعِpouring
عنها عزا ليَّ الدموعِ الهُمَّعِ
I water the dwellings, though their people have gone far
I water the abodes after their people have parted
from them, with the streaming spouts of my tears.
Leaving me to shed copious tears of grief.
وأخاطبُand I address الأطلالَthe ruins ليسnot يُجيبُنيanswers me
وأخاطبُ الأطلالَ ليس يُجيبُني
ماwhat is بينهنَّamong them سِوىexcept الغُرابِthe crow الأبقَعِpied
ما بينهنَّ سِوى الغُرابِ الأبقَعِ
I address the ruins; nothing answers me
And I address the ruins but none answer me
among them except the pied crow,
Among them except the iridescent raven.
وهواتفٍand calling birds فوقَabove الغصونِthe branches يهيجُنيstirs me
وهواتفٍ فوقَ الغصونِ يهيجُني
منهنَّfrom among them تغريدُthe song الحمامِof the doves السُّجَّعِcooing
منهنَّ تغريدُ الحمامِ السُّجَّعِ
and calling birds above the branches; I am stirred
And voices above the branches provoke me
by the song of the cooing doves among them.
Among them the cooing of the dozing dove.
ناحتْshe mourned علىupon عَذَبِthe tips الفروعِof the branches واِلفُهاwhile her mate
ناحتْ على عَذَبِ الفروعِ واِلفُها
منهاfrom her بمرأىwithin sight فوقَهنَّabove them ومسمَعِand hearing
منها بمرأى فوقَهنَّ ومسمَعِ
She mourned upon the branch-tips, while her mate
She moaned for the soft branches and was intimate with them
was above them, within her sight and hearing.
Visible above them and audible.
ماnot فارقتْdid she part from اِلفاًa mate كماas فارقتُهُI parted from him
ما فارقتْ اِلفاً كما فارقتُهُ
كلاّno indeed ولاnor أجرتْdid she let flow سواكبَthe pouring streams أدمعيof my tears
كلاّ ولا أجرتْ سواكبَ أدمعي
She has not parted from a mate as I parted from mine,
She never parted with an intimate like she parted with me
no, nor shed the pouring streams of my tears.
No, nor have my tears flowed like planets.
قسماًI swear ولاnor وجدَfelt المحبونَthe lovers الأولىthe earlier ones
قسماً ولا وجدَ المحبونَ الأولى
وجديmy passion بأشباهِfor the likenesses الظباءِof the gazelles الرتَّعِgrazing
وجدي بأشباهِ الظباءِ الرتَّعِ
I swear: no earlier lovers ever felt
By God, the lovers of old never found
my longing for the likenesses of grazing gazelles.
My love for the gazelles’ young equaled.
ياO مربعَdwelling of الأحبابِthe loved ones كمhow many مِنof وقفةٍa halt
يا مربعَ الأحبابِ كم مِن وقفةٍ
ليof mine فيin عراصِكَyour open grounds بينَamong تلكَthose الأربعِthe dwellings
لي في عراصِكَ بينَ تلكَ الأربعِ
O camp of my loved ones, how many a halt
O square of loved ones, how many times
have I made in your open grounds, among those dwellings!
Have I stopped at your burial ground among those four.
تهميpour down عليكَupon you مدامعيmy tears عِوضَinstead of الحياrain
تهمي عليكَ مدامعي عِوضَ الحيا
سَحّاًin torrents فتحسبُso you would think انَّهاthat they مِنfrom مَنْبَعِa spring
سَحّاً فتحسبُ انَّها مِن مَنْبَعِ
My tears rain down upon you in place of rain,
My tears pour over you instead of life
pouring so freely you would think them from a spring.
Flowing, so they're thought to be from a spring.
أرعىI honor حقوقَthe rights أحبَّتيof my loved ones باذالةِby freely shedding المدtears (word fragment)
أرعى حقوقَ أحبَّتي باذالةِ المد
معِtears (word completion) المَصُونِguarded علىupon تُرابِthe dust المربعٍof the dwelling
معِ المَصُونِ على تُرابِ المربعٍ
I honor my loved ones' rights by pouring out the
I observe the rights of my loved ones by shedding tears
once-guarded tears upon the dust of their camp.
For the buried, on the dust of the square.
ومنand among العجائبِthe wonders أننَّيthat I ارعىpreserve لهمfor them
ومن العجائبِ أننَّي ارعى لهم
عهدَthe pledge الوِدادِof affection وعهدُwhile the pledge مثليَof one like me ماnot رُعيwas honored
عهدَ الوِدادِ وعهدُ مثليَ ما رُعي
And strange it is that I keep for them
And of wonders is that I uphold for them
the pledge of affection, while the pledge to one like me was not kept.
The covenant of affection though mine is not kept.
بانواthey departed فماso not رقَّتْgrew gentle جوانبُthe edges عيشتيof my life
بانوا فما رقَّتْ جوانبُ عيشتي
بعدَafter البعادِseparation ولاnor صفاgrew clear ليَfor me مشرَعيmy watering-place
بعدَ البعادِ ولا صفا ليَ مشرَعي
They departed, and the edges of my life did not soften
They showed themselves so the sides of my life
after parting, nor did my watering-place become clear.
Did not tremble after their absence, nor did my happiness subside.
وعرامسٍand sturdy she-camels ذَرَعَتْtraversed مُلاءَthe full expanse مفازةٍof a desert
وعرامسٍ ذَرَعَتْ مُلاءَ مفازةٍ
بعدafter الأحبَّةِthe loved ones فيin اليبابِthe desolate waste البلقَعِbarren
بعد الأحبَّةِ في اليبابِ البلقَعِ
And sturdy she-camels traversed a desert's full expanse,
And bustards wandered the expanse of a barren land
after the loved ones, through the desolate, barren waste.
After the loved ones, in the motley desert.
بُدْنٍstout يطيرُflies مِنَfrom الوحيفthe swift pace لُغامُهاtheir foam
بُدْنٍ يطيرُ مِنَ الوحيف لُغامُها
كالعُطْبِlike cotton مِنfrom فوقِabove الحصىthe gravel واليَرمَعِand white pebbles
كالعُطْبِ مِن فوقِ الحصى واليَرمَعِ
Stout beasts, their foam flies from their swift running
hyenas flying from thepacks, their ululations
like cotton above the gravel and white pebbles.
Like bamboo above pebbles and lava fields.
زَفَّتْthey sped كماas زفَّsped النعامُthe ostriches إلىtoward النقاthe sand-dune
زَفَّتْ كما زفَّ النعامُ إلى النقا
فيacross المَرْتِthe barren ground تهزأُmocks بالرَّياحِat the winds الأربَعِfour
في المَرْتِ تهزأُ بالرَّياحِ الأربَعِ
They sped as ostriches speed toward the sand-dune,
They trotted as ostriches trot to the watering place
across barren ground, mocking the four winds.
Mocking the four winds in the meadow.
عافتْthey spurned جميمَfresh shoots النبتِof plants مِنout of شوقٍlonging الىfor
عافتْ جميمَ النبتِ مِن شوقٍ الى
أعطانِهنَّtheir waterside resting-places بهin it وطيبَand the pleasantness المكرَعِof the drinking-place
أعطانِهنَّ به وطيبَ المكرَعِ
They spurned the fresh shoots, longing for
They avoided the vegetation from yearning for
their waterside resting-places there—and spurned a pleasant drinking-place.
Its lush plants and good grazing lands.
وتبدلتْand they exchanged مِنfrom بعدِafter طيبِthe comfort مُناخِهاof their resting-ground
وتبدلتْ مِن بعدِ طيبِ مُناخِها
فيin البيدِthe deserts كُرْهاًunwillingly بالمُناخِfor a resting-place الجَعْجَعِrough and cramped
في البيدِ كُرْهاً بالمُناخِ الجَعْجَعِ
And after the comfort of their resting-ground, they exchanged it
And after its good climate they changed
unwillingly in the deserts for a rough, cramped camp.
To hating the raging climate in the wasteland.
تهوىthey hurtle onward وفوقَand atop ذُرىthe summits الغواربِof the withers عصبةٌa band
تهوى وفوقَ ذُرى الغواربِ عصبةٌ
مُتَمَلْمِلُونَrestlessly shifting علىupon المطيَّthe riding-camels الظُّلَّعِlimping
مُتَمَلْمِلُونَ على المطيَّ الظُّلَّعِ
They hurtle on, with a band atop the crests of their withers,
A group sways above the dust of the hyenas
restlessly shifting upon the limping riding-camels,
Swaying on the tall-necked camel.
متمايلونswaying مِنَfrom الكَلالِweariness كأنَّماas though
متمايلون مِنَ الكَلالِ كأنَّما
صُبِحواwere given a morning drink بمشمولِwith north-wind-cooled المُدامِwine مشعشَعِdiluted
صُبِحوا بمشمولِ المُدامِ مشعشَعِ
swaying with weariness, as though
Swaying from fatigue as if they had
they had been given morning wine, north-wind-cooled and diluted.
Become intoxicated by the flowing wine.
دَعَمواthey propped up رقابَهمُtheir necks علىupon كيرانِهاtheir saddles
دَعَموا رقابَهمُ على كيرانِها
قبلَbefore الصباحِdawn مِنَfrom الكرىdrowsiness بالأذْرُعِwith arms
قبلَ الصباحِ مِنَ الكرى بالأذْرُعِ
They propped their necks upon the camels' saddles
They propped their necks on its litters
before dawn, using their arms in their drowsiness,
Before dawn, returning to their loved ones.
حتىuntil أتواthey reached دارَthe dwelling الأحبَّةِof the loved ones والهوىwhile love
حتى أتوا دارَ الأحبَّةِ والهوى
يَهدِيguides الرَّكابَthe riding-camels إلىto الطريقِthe road المَهْيَعِbroad and clear
يَهدِي الرَّكابَ إلى الطريقِ المَهْيَعِ
until they reached the loved ones' dwelling, while love
Until they reached the abode of loved ones and passion
guided the camels onto the broad, open road.
Guiding the riders to the twisting path.
وصَلُواthey arrived وكمand how many أبقىleft behind السُّرىnight travel منِof نحبِهمْtheir lives
وصَلُوا وكم أبقى السُّرى منِ نحبِهمْ
فيin الهَجْلِthe broad hollow نَهْباًas prey للذَّئابِfor the wolves الجُوَّعِhungry
في الهَجْلِ نَهْباً للذَّئابِ الجُوَّعِ
They arrived—yet how many of them had night travel left behind
They arrived while the packs had left much of their flesh
in the broad hollow, as prey for hungry wolves!
As prey for the famished wolves.
Sol 6.1