أرسمَ الهوى العذريَّ دمعُكَ في الرسمِ

أرسمَ الهوى العذريَّ دمعُكَ في الرسمِ

دليلٌ على ما في الجوانحِ مِن نُعْمِ

دليلٌ على ما في الجوانحِ مِن نُعْمِ

Did your tears inscribe chaste love upon the ruins?

Your tear drew the picture of platonic love,

A sign of what your breast holds of Nu'm.

It's evidence of what's in the heart of bliss.

وقفتَ به قبلَ التفرُّقِ باكياً

وقفتَ به قبلَ التفرُّقِ باكياً

كانَّكَ بالتفريقِ قد كنتَ ذا عِلْمِ

كانَّكَ بالتفريقِ قد كنتَ ذا عِلْمِ

You stood there weeping before separation,

You stood crying before parting,

as though you had already known the parting would come.

As if you knew separation was coming.

وأصبحَ في الأطلالِ قِسمُكَ وافراً

وأصبحَ في الأطلالِ قِسمُكَ وافراً

مِنَ الدمعِ والتبريحِ والبينِ والسُّقْمِ

مِنَ الدمعِ والتبريحِ والبينِ والسُّقْمِ

Among the ruins, your share became ample

Your share in the ruins became abundant,

of tears, torment, separation, and sickness.

Of tears, farewells, separation, and sickness.

مرابعُ ما طولُ الوقوفِ بنافعٍ

مرابعُ ما طولُ الوقوفِ بنافعٍ

على ما شجاني مِن أثافيَّها السُّحْمِ

على ما شجاني مِن أثافيَّها السُّحْمِ

Dwelling places where long lingering brings no benefit,

The length of standing has no benefit,

for all the grief their blackened hearthstones cause me.

For what saddened me from its arduous sorrows.

وليس سؤالُ الربعُ إلا علالةً

وليس سؤالُ الربعُ إلا علالةً

متى رمتَ نطقاً مِن ملاعبِه العجْمِ

متى رمتَ نطقاً مِن ملاعبِه العجْمِ

Questioning the dwelling is only a solace

The dwelling of the past is not but worries,

whenever you seek speech from its mute haunts.

When will you utter a word from its incomprehensible playgrounds?

ملاعبُ خُلانٍ تعرَّفَها البِلى

ملاعبُ خُلانٍ تعرَّفَها البِلى

فا شكلتِ الآثارُ حتى على الوهمِ

فا شكلتِ الآثارُ حتى على الوهمِ

Haunts of friends that decay has come to know,

The playgrounds of those departed, recognized by time,

so their traces became obscure even to imagination.

That even their traces faded from imagination.

وقد دَرَستْ إلا بقيةُ معهدٍ

وقد دَرَستْ إلا بقيةُ معهدٍ

على وَجَناتِ التربِ أخفى مِنَ الوشمِ

على وَجَناتِ التربِ أخفى مِنَ الوشمِ

They have faded away, save a remnant of a familiar place

Except the remnants of a covenant,

on the cheeks of the dust, fainter than a tattoo.

More hidden in the folds of soil than a tattoo.

فأَغْنَى وليُّ الدمعِ فيه وطالما

فأَغْنَى وليُّ الدمعِ فيه وطالما

تحدَّرَ وسميّاً فأغنى عنِ الوسمي

تحدَّرَ وسميّاً فأغنى عنِ الوسمي

The later rain of tears sufficed there, and often

So the guardian of tears became rich in it,

it streamed like first autumn rain, making autumn rain needless.

Flowing copiously, making tattoos needless.

علامةُ أربابِ الغرامِ وقوفُهمْ

علامةُ أربابِ الغرامِ وقوفُهمْ

على الدارِ مِن بعدِ الخليطِ على رغمِ

على الدارِ مِن بعدِ الخليطِ على رغمِ

The mark of love's devotees is their standing

The stance of lovers is proof,

at the dwelling after the companions have gone, despite themselves.

Of standing at the abode beyond the crowds defiantly.

فمِنْ مشتكٍ بيناً اليها وناشدٍ

فمِنْ مشتكٍ بيناً اليها وناشدٍ

فؤاداً أضاعوه ومِنْ عَبْرَةٍ تهمي

فؤاداً أضاعوه ومِنْ عَبْرَةٍ تهمي

Some complain to it of separation, and others seek

So some, clearly longing for it, others

a heart they lost, while tears come streaming down.

With hearts lost, and some with streaming tears.

وليلٍ بطيءٍ الفجرِ خِلْتُ غدافَه

وليلٍ بطيءٍ الفجرِ خِلْتُ غدافَه

وقد باتَ مكتوفَ الجناحينِ مِن همَّي

وقد باتَ مكتوفَ الجناحينِ مِن همَّي

And many a night whose dawn was slow—I imagined its black raven

I spent a slow night, folding

had spent the night with both wings bound by my sorrow.

Its wings out of my worries.

تطلَّبتُ فيه شاردَ النوم ضَلَّةً

تطلَّبتُ فيه شاردَ النوم ضَلَّةً

وأين كرى جفنٍ تعلَّقَ بالنجمِ

وأين كرى جفنٍ تعلَّقَ بالنجمِ

In it I vainly sought fugitive sleep;

I sought in its wandering sleep some comfort,

and where is sleep for an eyelid fixed upon the star?

And where are eyes attached to a star?

وشاطرتُ فيه النيَّراتِ سهادَها

وشاطرتُ فيه النيَّراتِ سهادَها

فهل مِن مُعينٍ لي على السَّهَرِ الجَمَّ

فهل مِن مُعينٍ لي على السَّهَرِ الجَمَّ

I shared with the bright stars their sleeplessness that night;

I shared with wakefulness its pillow,

so is there anyone to help me bear this long wakefulness?

Is there a helper against prolonged vigil?

سألتكَ يا حزبَ الفراقِ وحربَه

سألتكَ يا حزبَ الفراقِ وحربَه

بيومِ النوى إلا جنحتَ إلى السلمِ

بيومِ النوى إلا جنحتَ إلى السلمِ

I implored you, O separation's partisan and its warfare,

I asked you, company of separation and its war,

by the day of parting, to incline toward peace.

By the day of parting, but you inclined towards peace.

أرادَ عسوفُ القصدِ تشتطُ كلَّما

أرادَ عسوفُ القصدِ تشتطُ كلَّما

بدتْ لكَ اسرارُ المحبينَ في الحُكْمِ

بدتْ لكَ اسرارُ المحبينَ في الحُكْمِ

The one ruthless in purpose willed it; you go too far whenever

The jealous wanted to be turbulent,

lovers' secrets are revealed to you in judgment.

Whenever the secrets of lovers appeared in rule.

وكيف أُرجَّي منكَ سلماً وهذه

وكيف أُرجَّي منكَ سلماً وهذه

سهامُ النوى والهجرِ داميةَ الكَلْمِ

سهامُ النوى والهجرِ داميةَ الكَلْمِ

How can I hope for peace from you, when these

How can I expect peace from you,

arrows of separation and estrangement leave bleeding wounds?

While the arrows of parting have a bloody point?

وقد كنتُ مِن قبلِ المحبّةِ حازماً

وقد كنتُ مِن قبلِ المحبّةِ حازماً

ولكنَّها الأهواءُ تَذْهَبُ بالحزمِ

ولكنَّها الأهواءُ تَذْهَبُ بالحزمِ

And I had been resolute before love,

I used to be resolute before love,

but passions carry resolve away.

But passions take away decisiveness.

ومبتسمٍ أضحتْ لآليءُ ثغرِهِ

ومبتسمٍ أضحتْ لآليءُ ثغرِهِ

تُخَجَّلُ منضودَ الفرائدِ بالنظمِ

تُخَجَّلُ منضودَ الفرائدِ بالنظمِ

And a smiling mouth whose pearly teeth have come

A smiling one, whose smile

to shame the strung choice pearls in their arrangement,

Shamed the lined pearls in decoration.

لبهنانةٍ نمَّ العواذلُ في الهوى

لبهنانةٍ نمَّ العواذلُ في الهوى

عليها فأضحى البينُ في حبَّها خصمي

عليها فأضحى البينُ في حبَّها خصمي

of a soft, delicate woman: the reproachers told tales in love

For a beautiful one, the slender grew in love,

against her, so separation became my adversary in loving her.

So separation from her became my adversary.

همُ حَلاَّوْا الظمآنَ عن رشفاتِه

همُ حَلاَّوْا الظمآنَ عن رشفاتِه

وذادوه لا ذادوه عن باردِ الظَّلْمِ

وذادوه لا ذادوه عن باردِ الظَّلْمِ

They drove the thirsty one away from his sips,

They quenched the thirsty away from sipping,

and drove him off—may they not drive him off!—from her teeth's cool moisture.

Not quenching him from the cold injustice.

ولما رأيتُ الركبَ صرعى صبابةٍ

ولما رأيتُ الركبَ صرعى صبابةٍ

على الربعِ يُفْتُنونَ المعالمَ باللثمِ

على الربعِ يُفْتُنونَ المعالمَ باللثمِ

And when I saw the riders felled by longing,

When I saw the caravan of youths fallen

at the dwelling, bewitching its landmarks with kisses,

Smitten at the dwelling, covering their beauty.

بكيتُ بدمعٍ في الطلولِ مورَّدٍ

بكيتُ بدمعٍ في الطلولِ مورَّدٍ

على موجعاتِ البينِ مذ لجَّ في ظُلمى

على موجعاتِ البينِ مذ لجَّ في ظُلمى

I wept rose-red tears among the ruins

I cried with copious, flowing tears

over the agonies of separation, since it persisted in wronging me.

Over the torments of separation once immersed in darkness.

فجسمي ورسمُ الدارِ لما تشابها

فجسمي ورسمُ الدارِ لما تشابها

عفاءً سألتُ الركبَأيُّهما جسمي

عفاءً سألتُ الركبَأيُّهما جسمي

So, when my body and the dwelling's traces became alike

So my body and the house's shape when alike

in their effacement, I asked the riders: which of the two is my body?

Worn out, I asked which was my body?

وخَرقٍ به البزلُ المراسيلُ جُنَّحٌ

وخَرقٍ به البزلُ المراسيلُ جُنَّحٌ

نواحلُ كالأرسانِ تنفخُ في الخُطمِ

نواحلُ كالأرسانِ تنفخُ في الخُطمِ

And many a vast waste where mature, swift camels lean forward,

With holes in it, the road’s joints

gaunt as reins, snorting into their halters.

Like boxwood, breathe into the nose.

برى نَيَّها طولُ الوجيفِ وأصبحتْ

برى نَيَّها طولُ الوجيفِ وأصبحتْ

طِلاحاً عجاناً فهي جلدٌ على عظمِ

طِلاحاً عجاناً فهي جلدٌ على عظمِ

Long, rapid travel wore away their fat, and they became

Its shelter became ragged after time,

exhausted, struggling to rise, mere skin over bone.

Becoming a rough and coarse skin over bones.

غدتْ كالحنايا فوقَ كلَّ نجيبةٍ

غدتْ كالحنايا فوقَ كلَّ نجيبةٍ

مِنَ القومِ ماضي العزمِ أنفذُ من سهمِ

مِنَ القومِ ماضي العزمِ أنفذُ من سهمِ

They became like bent bows; atop every noble she-camel

It became like enclosures over every dune

was a man of the company, resolute, more piercing than an arrow.

Of the departed people, firmer than an arrow.

فهنَّ سفينُ البرَّ يُقْذَفْنَ كلَّما

فهنَّ سفينُ البرَّ يُقْذَفْنَ كلَّما

بدا لامعاً بحرٌ مِنَ الآلِ كاليَمَّ

بدا لامعاً بحرٌ مِنَ الآلِ كاليَمَّ

Thus they are the ships of the land, hurled onward whenever

They are the ship of land, tossed

a glittering sea of mirage appears, like the ocean.

Whenever a sea of family sparkled like a wave.

على شُعَبِ الأكوارِ منهنَّ فتيةٌ

على شُعَبِ الأكوارِ منهنَّ فتيةٌ

قريبونَ مِن مدحٍ بعيدونَ مِن ذمَّ

قريبونَ مِن مدحٍ بعيدونَ مِن ذمَّ

Upon the forks of their saddles are young men

On its rugged roads some young men

near to praise and far from blame.

Close to praise, far from dispraise.

يصمُّونَ عن داعي الشنارِ نزاهةً

يصمُّونَ عن داعي الشنارِ نزاهةً

ويُسمِعُهمْ في الروعِ قرعُ القنا الصُّمَّ

ويُسمِعُهمْ في الروعِ قرعُ القنا الصُّمَّ

In their integrity they turn deaf to the summons of disgrace,

Turning away from the caller of the bottle nobly,

but amid terror the clash of solid spears makes them listen.

With the echo of the muted creak in their consciousness.

له نسبٌ في المكرماتِ مؤثَّلٌ

له نسبٌ في المكرماتِ مؤثَّلٌ

يذودُ الدنايا عن عرانِينها الشُّمَّ

يذودُ الدنايا عن عرانِينها الشُّمَّ

He has a firmly rooted lineage in noble deeds,

He has a lineage in generosity, protected,

warding off baseness from their proud, lofty noses.

Repelling worldly life from its maidens.

وحَلْبَةِ شعرٍ أقبلتْ فيه سُبَّقاً

وحَلْبَةِ شعرٍ أقبلتْ فيه سُبَّقاً

جيادُ قريضي وهي تَمزَعُ في اللُّجمِ

جيادُ قريضي وهي تَمزَعُ في اللُّجمِ

And on a poetry racecourse, there came out in the lead

An arena of poetry, in which raced

the steeds of my verse, galloping swiftly in their bridles.

The steeds of my couplets, tearing apart in pieces.

تُغيظُ بُناةَ الشَّعرِ منها قصائدٌ

تُغيظُ بُناةَ الشَّعرِ منها قصائدٌ

تَدِقُّ معانيهنَّ إلا على فهمي

تَدِقُّ معانيهنَّ إلا على فهمي

Among them are poems that enrage the builders of poetry,

Some poems provoke the builders of verse,

their meanings too subtle for any understanding but mine.

Their meanings surpass my understanding.

رياضُ قريضٍ قد رقمتُ بساطَها

رياضُ قريضٍ قد رقمتُ بساطَها

بفكرٍ عزيزِ المثلِ في صنعةِ الرَّقْمِ

بفكرٍ عزيزِ المثلِ في صنعةِ الرَّقْمِ

Gardens of verse whose carpet I have embroidered

Gardens of couplets I have dotted its carpets

with thought rarely equaled in the craft of embroidery.

With rare parallels in the art of dotting.

ينقَّحُها فكري فتأتي سليمةً

ينقَّحُها فكري فتأتي سليمةً

مبرأةَ الألفاظِ مِن خَجَلِ الخَرْمِ

مبرأةَ الألفاظِ مِن خَجَلِ الخَرْمِ

My thought refines them, so they emerge sound,

My mind refines them to come out sound,

their wording free from the shame of metrical truncation.

Cleansed of the shame of defects.

اذا أُنشدتْ هزَّ النديَّ سماعُها

اذا أُنشدتْ هزَّ النديَّ سماعُها

وفكَّتْ وثَاقَ القلبِ مِن رِبقةِ الهمَّ

وفكَّتْ وثَاقَ القلبِ مِن رِبقةِ الهمَّ

When recited, hearing them stirs the assembly,

If I recite them, hearing shakes the companion,

and they undo the heart's bonds, freeing it from sorrow's noose.

And releases the heart from the shackles of worries.