أمّاas for هواكَlove for you واِنْand even if تقادمَhas grown old عهدُهits bond
أمّا هواكَ واِنْ تقادمَ عهدُه
فشفيعُso the intercessor وجهِكَyour face ماnot يزالُceases يُجِدُّهُrenews it
فشفيعُ وجهِكَ ما يزالُ يُجِدُّهُ
As for my love for you, though its bond has grown old,
Though your love has faded as time passed by
your face's intercession still renews it.
The sight of your face still rekindles it inside
لاdo not تحسبنَّever suppose علىdespite التقاطعِestrangement والنوىand separation
لا تحسبنَّ على التقاطعِ والنوى
ينساكَforgets you مشتاقٌa yearning lover تفاقَمَhas intensified وجدُهُhis passion
ينساكَ مشتاقٌ تفاقَمَ وجدُهُ
Never suppose, despite estrangement and separation,
Do not think that with distance and time
that a yearning lover whose passion has intensified forgets you.
A longing lover will forget the pain you caused
يهواكَloves you ماas long as هبَّblows النسيمُthe breeze وحبّذاand how lovely
يهواكَ ما هبَّ النسيمُ وحبّذا
نفحُthe waft of النسيمِthe breeze الحاجريَّfrom al-Hajir وبَرْدُهand its coolness
نفحُ النسيمِ الحاجريَّ وبَرْدُه
He loves you as long as the breeze blows; how lovely
As long as the breeze blows, he desires you
the waft of the breeze from al-Hajir and its coolness!
The cool morning breeze and its chill
ماnot كانَwas يكلَفُenamored بالرياحِof the winds صبابةًout of longing
ما كانَ يكلَفُ بالرياحِ صبابةً
لولاwere it not for تجنُّبُهhis avoidance ولولاand were it not for بُعدُهhis remoteness
لولا تجنُّبُه ولولا بُعدُه
He would not be enamored of the winds with such longing,
He was not bothered by the winds of dawn
but for his beloved's avoidance and remoteness.
Had he not been avoiding you and your distance
تسريtravels by night اليهto him بضوعةٍwith fragrance مِنfrom عِقْدِهhis necklace
تسري اليه بضوعةٍ مِن عِقْدِه
اِنَّindeed المُنىwishes فيماin what تضمَّنَenfolded عِقْدُهhis necklace
اِنَّ المُنى فيما تضمَّنَ عِقْدُه
It travels to him by night with fragrance from his necklace;
A sadness from his necklace creeps to you
all wishes lie in what his necklace enfolds.
Indeed, what he wished for is in his necklace
ماذاwhat use is الملامُreproach معwith الغرامِpassion وفيand in الحشاthe breast
ماذا الملامُ مع الغرامِ وفي الحشا
منهfrom it لهيبُa flame of هوىًlove تضرَّمَblazed وقْدُهits burning
منه لهيبُ هوىً تضرَّمَ وقْدُه
What use is reproach beside passion, when within the breast
Why blame love and passion? In desire
a flame of love born of it blazes fiercely?
Is a burning flame of love that blazed
عنهaway from it إليكَtake to yourself بهِwith it فانfor indeed ضلالَهhis straying
عنه إليكَ بهِ فان ضلالَه
فيin الوجدِpassion لوif حاقَقْتَjudged fairly نفسَكَyourself رُشْدُهhis right guidance
في الوجدِ لو حاقَقْتَ نفسَكَ رُشْدُه
Leave off reproach; embrace love, for his straying
In finding you, though lost, his guidance
in passion, if you judged yourself fairly, is his right guidance.
Would he but look inside and question himself
أيرومُdoes he seek عاذِلُهhis censurer المضلَّلُthe misguided one رَدَّهُto turn him back
أيرومُ عاذِلُه المضلَّلُ رَدَّهُ
عنfrom رأيهِhis resolve هيهاتَfar from it خُيَّبَmay it be thwarted قصدُهhis aim
عن رأيهِ هيهاتَ خُيَّبَ قصدُه
Does his misguided censurer seek to turn him
Would the critic make him change his mind?
from his resolve? Impossible—may his purpose fail!
Impossible! His determination is firm
ماذاwhat is it عليهto him إذاif تضاعفَdoubled ماwhat بهِis in him
ماذا عليه إذا تضاعفَ ما بهِ
حتّىuntil يعودَit returns وقدand already تناهىَhas reached its utmost حَدُّهits limit
حتّى يعودَ وقد تناهىَ حَدُّه
What is it to him if his affliction doubles,
What of him, if what ails him grows?
until it returns, having reached its utmost limit?
Until he returns, though exceeded his limit
اِنَّindeed الهوىlove طمعٌa longing يولَّدُis engendered داءَهُits sickness
اِنَّ الهوى طمعٌ يولَّدُ داءَهُ
أملٌhope يقوَّيهِstrengthens it الجوىheartache ويُمِدُّهand sustains it
أملٌ يقوَّيهِ الجوى ويُمِدُّه
Love is a longing whose sickness is engendered
Love is a hope that breed its own disease
by hope, which heartache strengthens and sustains.
A hope that passion empowers and extends
فلكَمْhow often, then تملَّكَhas possessed رِقَّthe bondage of حُرًّa free man عَنْوَةًby force
فلكَمْ تملَّكَ رِقَّ حُرًّ عَنْوَةً
أمسىhe passed the evening وأصبحَand entered the morning وهوwhile he فيهin it عَبْدُهُits slave
أمسى وأصبحَ وهو فيه عَبْدُهُ
How often it has forcibly enslaved a free man,
How many reluctant souls succumbed by force!
who, evening and morning, lives within it as its slave!
Morn and eve, enslaved by desire they became
وبأيمَنِand on the right side of الواديthe valley غزالُa gazelle of أراكةٍan arak tree
وبأيمَنِ الوادي غزالُ أراكةٍ
أصبوI yearn اليهfor him واِنْand even if تزايدَincreases صَدُّهhis rejection
أصبو اليه واِنْ تزايدَ صَدُّه
On the valley's right side is a gazelle by an arak tree;
By the valley's right, a handsome gazelle
I yearn for him, though his rejection increases.
Though opposed, yearns for it all the same
يختالُstruts والأغصانُand the branches يعطِفُهاbends them الصَّباthe east wind
يختالُ والأغصانُ يعطِفُها الصَّبا
فَتَغارُso they grow jealous منهof him إذاwhen تمايلَsways قَدُّهhis figure
فَتَغارُ منه إذا تمايلَ قَدُّه
He struts; the east wind bends the branches,
Strutting as the branches bend for the breeze
and they envy him when his figure sways.
Swaying with pride as it walks tall
والأقحُوانُand the chamomile إذاwhen تبسَّمَsmiles ثغرُهhis mouth
والأقحُوانُ إذا تبسَّمَ ثغرُه
والوردُand the rose مطلولُdew-moistened الجوانبِat the edges خَدُّهhis cheek
والوردُ مطلولُ الجوانبِ خَدُّه
His mouth, when he smiles, is chamomile;
The wildflowers smile as it reveals its mouth
his cheek, a rose with dew-moistened edges.
Cheeks blushing like unfurled rose petals
قدindeed كانَhad سوَّفنيput me off الوصالَunion وليتَهand would that he
قد كانَ سوَّفني الوصالَ وليتَه
مِنfrom بعدِafter مَطْلٍprocrastination أنthat يُنجَّزَbe fulfilled وعدُهhis promise
مِن بعدِ مَطْلٍ أن يُنجَّزَ وعدُه
He kept putting off our union; would that
It promised my union, would that it
after procrastination his promise might be fulfilled!
Fulfill its word after prolonged denial
بَعُدَgrew long المدىthe distance فأحالَso it altered سالفَthe former عهدِهhis pledge
بَعُدَ المدى فأحالَ سالفَ عهدِه
عنfrom حالهِits state فعسىso perhaps الزمانُtime يردُّهwill restore it
عن حالهِ فعسى الزمانُ يردُّه
The distance lengthened, altering his former pledge
The great distance made it break its old vow
from what it was; perhaps time will restore it.
May time return it to its former state!
نزحتْcarried far away بهِwith him هوجُthe headlong ones of المطيَّthe riding-camels كأنَّهاas though they were
نزحتْ بهِ هوجُ المطيَّ كأنَّها
فيin الخَرْقِthe open waste تنتهبُplunder الأجارعَthe sandy flats رُبْدُهits dun ostriches
في الخَرْقِ تنتهبُ الأجارعَ رُبْدُه
Headlong riding-camels carried him far away, as though
As if plundering the barren land
they were the waste's dun ostriches, plundering its sandy flats.
The zebras roam, their manes flowing
مَرْتٌa barren waste تَهيَّبُهfear it الرياحُthe winds فَحَزْنُهso its rugged ground
مَرْتٌ تَهيَّبُه الرياحُ فَحَزْنُه
كاليمَّlike the sea يلعبُplays بالنياقِwith the she-camels ووَهْدُهand its hollows
كاليمَّ يلعبُ بالنياقِ ووَهْدُه
A barren waste, dreaded by the winds; its rugged ground
Feared by winds, so his sadness
is like the sea playing with the she-camels, as are its hollows.
Like a vast sea engulfing its shores
لاnot ترهبُthey fear المرمىthe goal البعيدَdistant وغَوْرُهand its lowlands
لا ترهبُ المرمى البعيدَ وغَوْرُه
متباعدُwidely separated الأقصىthe farthest reaches يَهُولُappalls ونَجْدُهand its highlands
متباعدُ الأقصى يَهُولُ ونَجْدُه
They fear no distant goal; its lowlands
Fear not the distant, obscure goal
stretch to remote bounds and appall, as do its highlands.
Though remote, dreadful in its depth
منعَprevented التزاورَmutual visits والدنوَّand drawing near بعادُهhis remoteness
منعَ التزاورَ والدنوَّ بعادُه
والموتُand death اِمّاeither بُعْدُهhis distance أوor فَقْدُهhis loss
والموتُ اِمّا بُعْدُه أو فَقْدُه
His remoteness has prevented mutual visits and drawing near;
Its distance prevented our visitation
and death is either his distance or his loss.
Death is either its absence or loss
ومِنَand among البليةِafflictions أنthat أعيشَI live وقدwhile already نأىhe has gone far
ومِنَ البليةِ أن أعيشَ وقد نأى
عنيfrom me وأصبحَand has become مضمحلاًfaded ودُّهhis affection
عني وأصبحَ مضمحلاً ودُّه
It is an affliction that I live while he has gone far
Misery that I live now departed
from me, and his affection has faded away.
Gone, faded is his love for me
ومِنَand among الشقاوةِmiseries أنthat دمعَthe tears of محبَّهِhis lover
ومِنَ الشقاوةِ أن دمعَ محبَّهِ
منfrom بعدِafter رشفِsipping مجاجٍsaliva فيهhis mouth وِردُهhis drink
من بعدِ رشفِ مجاجٍ فيه وِردُه
And it is misery that his lover's tears
More misery that tears of his love
are his drink after sipping the saliva of his mouth.
Once generously flowing are scarce
هلis it نافعيhelpful to me طولُthe length of البكاءِweeping وقدwhile already مَضَىhas passed
هل نافعي طولُ البكاءِ وقد مَضَى
زمنُthe time of الوصالِunion ولوand even if تدافعَgushes عِدُّهits unfailing spring
زمنُ الوصالِ ولو تدافعَ عِدُّه
Can prolonged weeping help me, now that there has passed
Of what use is long crying when passed
the time of union—even if weeping's unfailing spring gushes?
Is the era of union, though great its count
أشتاقُهI yearn for him ماas long as غرَّدتْsings أبكيَّةٌa plaintive dove
أشتاقُه ما غرَّدتْ أبكيَّةٌ
يشتاقُهاyearn for her بانُthe ben trees of العقيقِal-Aqiq ورَنْدُهُand its laurels
يشتاقُها بانُ العقيقِ ورَنْدُهُ
I yearn for him as long as a plaintive dove sings,
I miss him when songbirds melodiously trill
longed for by al-Aqiq's ben trees and its laurels.
Yearning their harmonious singing in the valleys
سجعتْshe cooed فأججتِso she kindled الغرامَpassion وأنفدَتْand exhausted
سجعتْ فأججتِ الغرامَ وأنفدَتْ
دمعيmy tears ولمّاand not يبقَremains إلاexcept ثَمْدُهtheir scant pool
دمعي ولمّا يبقَ إلا ثَمْدُه
She cooed, kindling passion, and exhausted
Their warbling sparked love and drained my tears
my tears; only their scant pool remains.
Naught remains but their echo
فَسَقَتْهُso they watered him عنّيon my behalf مِلْعِهادِunclear; perhaps repeated rains سحائبٌclouds
فَسَقَتْهُ عنّي مِلْعِهادِ سحائبٌ
تَترىone after another فأمواهso the waters of السحائبِthe clouds نِدُّهtheir equal
تَترى فأمواه السحائبِ نِدُّه
So clouds watered him on my behalf [with repeated rains?],
Clouds drew him away, disappearing in their midst
coming in succession; cloud-water is my tears' equal.
Only the trace of his affection in the clouds stayed
متدpouring forth (first fragment) فِّقpouring forth (final fragment) الشوْبوبِthe downpour يبسِمُsmiles برlightning (first fragment) قُهits lightning (final fragment)
متد فِّق الشوْبوبِ يبسِمُ بر قُه
فيin المزنِthe rainclouds عُجْهاًunclear; perhaps in wonder حينَwhen يبكيweeps رَعْدُهits thunder
في المزنِ عُجْهاً حينَ يبكي رَعْدُه
Pouring down in showers, its lightning smiles
Smiling, his lightning flashes amidst darkness
in the rainclouds [in wonder?], when its thunder weeps.
Weeping thunder in the gloom
كمدامعيlike my tears والعينُand the eye تُحْدَجُis saddled للنوىfor separation
كمدامعي والعينُ تُحْدَجُ للنوى
والبعدُand distance أزمعَhas resolved بالأحبَّةِwith the loved ones جِدُّهits earnest resolve
والبعدُ أزمعَ بالأحبَّةِ جِدُّه
Like my tears, with the eye saddled for separation,
Like my tears, eyes squinting in pain
and distance firmly resolved to carry the loved ones away.
While distance and loved ones are intertwined
لمّاwhen انتوىresolved to travel ذاكَthat الفريقُcompany وأصبحتْand at morning became
لمّا انتوى ذاكَ الفريقُ وأصبحتْ
للبينِfor departure زينبُهits Zaynab تَشُدُّsaddles up وهِندُهand its Hind
للبينِ زينبُه تَشُدُّ وهِندُه
When that company resolved to leave, and morning found
When his caravan departed at dawn
its Zaynab and its Hind saddling up for departure,
Zainab, so delicate, still pulled its rope
سرتِtraveled by night الفِلاصُthe young she-camels ودونهنَّand before them فوارسٌhorsemen
سرتِ الفِلاصُ ودونهنَّ فوارسٌ
أبرادُهاtheir cloaks الَّزرَدُchain mail المضاعَفُdoubled سَرْدُweaving
أبرادُها الَّزرَدُ المضاعَفُ سَرْدُ
the young she-camels traveled by night, with horsemen before them,
The cavaliers marched, their coats of mail
their cloaks chain mail, double-woven.
Layered, glimmering, densely arranged
شوسٌglowering warriors إذاwhen اعتقلواcouched الوشيجَthe lances لغارةٍfor a raid
شوسٌ إذا اعتقلوا الوشيجَ لغارةٍ
هتكتْtore apart نضيدَthe closely arranged السابريَّةِSabiri mail سَرْدُهits interlinked weave
هتكتْ نضيدَ السابريَّةِ سَرْدُه
Glowering warriors: when they couch their lances for a raid,
When they attacked with cries at dawn
the closely woven links of Sabiri mail are torn apart.
Their swords shed the blood of their foes
يحمونَهاthey guard them وهمand they إذاwhen اشتدَّgrew fierce الوغىbattle
يحمونَها وهم إذا اشتدَّ الوغى
فيin كلَّevery غِيلِthicket of قناًspears تأشبَّgrew tangled أُسْدُهits lions
في كلَّ غِيلِ قناً تأشبَّ أُسْدُه
They guard them; and when battle grows fierce,
Protecting it, as war grew intense
they are in every spear-thicket, its lions crowded together.
Lions in battle, their claws unsheathed
Sol 6.1