وَشَمَمتُand I smelled فيin طَفَلِdusk of العَشِيَةِthe evening نَفحَةًa fragrant breath
وَشَمَمتُ في طَفَلِ العَشِيَةِ نَفحَةً
حَبَسَتit halted بِرامَةَat Ramah صُحبَتيmy companions وَرِكابيand my riding camels
حَبَسَت بِرامَةَ صُحبَتي وَرِكابي
And in the dusk of evening I smelled a fragrant breath,
That halted my companions and my riding camels at Ramah,
مُتَمَلمِلينَrestless عَلىupon الرِحالِthe saddles كَأَنَّماas though
مُتَمَلمِلينَ عَلى الرِحالِ كَأَنَّما
مَرّواthey passed بِبَعضِby some of مَنازِلِthe dwellings of الأَحبابِthe loved ones
مَرّوا بِبَعضِ مَنازِلِ الأَحبابِ
Restless upon their saddles, as though
They had passed some dwellings of their loved ones.
ذَكَرَتit recalled لِيَto me الأَرَبَthe longing القَديمَold مِنَfrom الهَوىlove
ذَكَرَت لِيَ الأَرَبَ القَديمَ مِنَ الهَوى
عَهدَthe days of الصِباyouth وَلَيالِيَand the nights of الأَطرابِrapture
عَهدَ الصِبا وَلَيالِيَ الأَطرابِ
It recalled to me the old longing of love,
The days of youth and the nights of rapture.
فَبَعَثتُso I released دَمعيmy tears ثُمَّthen قُلتُI said لِصاحِبيto my companion
فَبَعَثتُ دَمعي ثُمَّ قُلتُ لِصاحِبي
إِيهٍmore! دُموعَكَyour tears ياO أَباAbu (father of) الغَلاّبِal-Ghallab
إِيهٍ دُموعَكَ يا أَبا الغَلاّبِ
So I set my tears flowing, then said to my companion:
"More tears, O Abu al-Ghallab!"
فيat ساعَةٍa moment لَمّاwhen التَفَتُّI turned إِلىtoward الصِباyouth
في ساعَةٍ لَمّا التَفَتُّ إِلى الصِبا
بَعُدَتgrew distant مَسافَتُهُthe distance to it عَلىfor الطُلّابِthe seekers
بَعُدَت مَسافَتُهُ عَلى الطُلّابِ
At a moment when I turned toward youth,
The distance to it was great for those who sought it.
وَتَأَرَّجَتand grew fragrant مِنهاfrom it زَلازِلُthe trailing edges of رَيطَتيmy light wrap
وَتَأَرَّجَت مِنها زَلازِلُ رَيطَتي
حَتّىuntil تَعارَفَrecognized طيبَهاits fragrance أَصحابيmy companions
حَتّى تَعارَفَ طيبَها أَصحابي
And from it the trailing edges of my light wrap grew fragrant,
Until my companions recognized its scent.
فَكَأَنَّماso it was as though اِستَعبَقتُI inhaled the scent of فارَةَa musk-pod of تاجِرٍa merchant
فَكَأَنَّما اِستَعبَقتُ فارَةَ تاجِرٍ
وَبَعَثتُand I sent فَضلَتَهاits remainder إِلىinto أَثوابيmy clothes
وَبَعَثتُ فَضلَتَها إِلى أَثوابي
So it was as though I had inhaled the scent of a merchant's musk-pod,
And sent its remaining fragrance into my clothes.
أَشكوI complain إِلَيكَto you وَمِنand from هَواكَlove for you شِكايَتيmy complaint
أَشكو إِلَيكَ وَمِن هَواكَ شِكايَتي
وَيَهونُand it matters little عِندَكَto you أَنthat أَبيتَI spend the night كَماas بيwith me
وَيَهونُ عِندَكَ أَن أَبيتَ كَما بي
I complain to you, yet my complaint springs from loving you,
And it matters little to you that I spend the night as I am.
ياO ماطِليyou who put me off بِالدَينِover the debt وَهوَthough it is مُحَبَّبٌcherished
يا ماطِلي بِالدَينِ وَهوَ مُحَبَّبٌ
مَنwho ليfor me بِدائِمِagainst the persistence of وَعدِكَyour promise الكَذّابِdeceitful
مَن لي بِدائِمِ وَعدِكَ الكَذّابِ
O you who put me off over the debt, though it is cherished,
Who will help me against your ceaseless, lying promise?
Sol 6.1