كَيفَhow أَضاءَilluminated البَرقُthe lightning إِذwhen أَومَضاflashed
كَيفَ أَضاءَ البَرقُ إِذ أَومَضا
مَنابِتَgrowing places of الرِمثِramth shrubs بِواديin the valley of الغَضاal-Ghada
مَنابِتَ الرِمثِ بِوادي الغَضا
How the lightning, when it flashed, illuminated
How the lightning blazed when it flashed,
the places where ramth grows in Wadi al-Ghada!
Illuminating the sand dunes in the valley of Ghada.
عَهدُthe days of الحِمىthe protected pasture لاno أَينَwhere عَهدُthe days of الحِمىthe protected pasture
عَهدُ الحِمى لا أَينَ عَهدُ الحِمى
قَضىdoomed عَلىupon الصَبِّthe lovelorn جَوىًburning anguish وَاِنقَضىand passed away
قَضى عَلى الصَبِّ جَوىً وَاِنقَضى
The days of the protected pasture—no, where are those days?
The abode of love - where is the abode of love?
They doomed the lovelorn to anguish, then passed away.
It scorched my patience and vanished.
وَنازِلٍand a dweller بِالقَلبِin the heart أَوطانُهُhis homes
وَنازِلٍ بِالقَلبِ أَوطانُهُ
بَينَbetween حِمىthe protected pasture of الرَملِthe sands وَبَينَand between الأَضاthe pools
بَينَ حِمى الرَملِ وَبَينَ الأَضا
And a dweller in my heart has his homes
With an abode in my heart are its dwellings,
between the sands' protected pasture and the pools.
Between the sanctuary of the sands and Al-Ada.
لاmay not نالَهُbefall him الداءُthe sickness الَّذيthat نالَنيbefell me
لا نالَهُ الداءُ الَّذي نالَني
مِنهُfrom him وَإِنand even though شَفَّwasted me وَإِنand even though أَمرَضاsickened me
مِنهُ وَإِن شَفَّ وَإِن أَمرَضا
May he not suffer the sickness that struck me
The malady that afflicted me did not touch him,
through him, though it wasted and sickened me.
Though he was cured while I still ailed.
وَلاand may not يُكابِدendure لَيلَthe night of ذيone with غُلَّةٍburning thirst
وَلا يُكابِد لَيلَ ذي غُلَّةٍ
لَوif طَلَعَrose البَدرُthe full moon بِهِin it ماnot أَضاshone
لَو طَلَعَ البَدرُ بِهِ ما أَضا
Nor may he endure the night of one burning with thirst,
Nor does he endure a pitch-black night,
in which, if the full moon rose, it would give no light.
Even if the full moon rose within it, it would illuminate.
هانَbecame of little account عَلىto الواجِدِthe lovelorn طَعمُthe savor of الكَرىsleep
هانَ عَلى الواجِدِ طَعمُ الكَرى
إِنَّindeed الفَتىthe young man الساهِرَthe wakeful ماnot غَمَّضاclosed his eyes
إِنَّ الفَتى الساهِرَ ما غَمَّضا
The lovelorn holds the savor of sleep cheap;
To the contented one, the taste of sorrow seems trivial.
indeed, the wakeful youth has not closed his eyes.
Indeed, the watchful youth's eyes have not closed in sleep.
ماnot آنَthe time has come لِلمَمطولِfor the creditor kept waiting أَنto يَقتَضيclaim his due
ما آنَ لِلمَمطولِ أَن يَقتَضي
وَلاnor لِذاfor this الماطِلِthe delaying debtor أَنto يُقتَضىbe pressed for payment
وَلا لِذا الماطِلِ أَن يُقتَضى
The time has not yet come for the creditor kept waiting to claim his due,
It is not for the dilatory one to seek payment,
nor for this delaying debtor to be pressed for payment.
Nor for the procrastinator to pay his debts.
إِنَّindeed غَريميmy debtor بِدُيونِin the debts of الهَوىlove
إِنَّ غَريمي بِدُيونِ الهَوى
أَدانَborrowed from قَلبيmy heart وَأَساءَand botched القَضاthe repayment
أَدانَ قَلبي وَأَساءَ القَضا
Indeed, my debtor in the debts of love
Indeed, my creditor in the debts of passion,
borrowed from my heart and repaid it badly.
Has burdened my heart and made the payment evil.
ياO راكِباًrider تَحمِلُهُcarries him جَسرَةٌa sturdy she-camel
يا راكِباً تَحمِلُهُ جَسرَةٌ
كَالهِقلِlike a male ostrich ناشcrossed البَلَدَthe land الأَعرَضاthe broadest
كَالهِقلِ ناش البَلَدَ الأَعرَضا
O rider borne by a sturdy she-camel,
O rider whom boldness carries
like a male ostrich that has crossed the vast land,
Like the slender ostrich traversing the flatlands.
أَنحَلَهُwasted him الخَوفُfear وَخَوفُand the fear of الفَتىthe young man
أَنحَلَهُ الخَوفُ وَخَوفُ الفَتى
سَيفٌa sword عَلىover مَفرِقِهِthe crown of his head مُنتَضىdrawn
سَيفٌ عَلى مَفرِقِهِ مُنتَضى
fear has wasted him; a young man's fear
Fear loosened its knot, and the fear of the young man
is a sword drawn over the crown of his head.
Is a sword at the nape, bared and ready to slay.
قُلsay لِبَهاءِto Baha المُلكِal-Mulk إِنif جِئتَهُyou come to him
قُل لِبَهاءِ المُلكِ إِن جِئتَهُ
سَوَّدَblackened دَهريmy fate بِكَthrough you ماwhat بَيَّضاmade white
سَوَّدَ دَهري بِكَ ما بَيَّضا
Say to Baha al-Mulk, if you reach him:
Say to the beauty of the kingdom, if you come to him,
My fate has, through you, blackened what it once made white.
"You have darkened my life while it was still bright."
سُخطٌwrath لَوَif أَنَّthat الطودَthe mountain يُرمىwere struck بِهِwith it
سُخطٌ لَوَ أَنَّ الطودَ يُرمى بِهِ
ساخَsank عَنِaway from الأَطوادِthe mountains أَوor خَفَّضاbowed low
ساخَ عَنِ الأَطوادِ أَو خَفَّضا
Wrath—if a mountain were struck with it,
Wrath, that if a mountain were pelted with it,
it would sink below its fellow peaks or bow low;
Would slide from the mountains or diminish them.
وَمُرُّand bitter قَولٍspeech ذَلَّwas humbled عِزّيmy pride لَهُbefore it
وَمُرُّ قَولٍ ذَلَّ عِزّي لَهُ
لَوif مُزِجَwere mixed الماءُthe water بِهِwith it عَرمَضاgrew algae
لَو مُزِجَ الماءُ بِهِ عَرمَضا
and bitter speech before which my pride was humbled—
And speech so bitter it degraded my honor,
if water were mixed with it, it would grow algae.
If it were mixed with water it would become bitter.
أَعوذُI seek refuge بِالعَفوِin pardon وَهَلand is there آمِنٌanyone safe
أَعوذُ بِالعَفوِ وَهَل آمِنٌ
نَذيرَةَthe warning of الصِلِّthe viper إِذاwhen نَضنَضاflicked its tongue
نَذيرَةَ الصِلِّ إِذا نَضنَضا
I seek refuge in pardon—but is anyone safe
I seek refuge in pardoning - but does one feel safe
from the viper's warning when it flicks its tongue?
From the hissing of the serpent when it hisses?
أَياO غِياثَsuccor of الخَلقِmankind إِنif أَجدَبواthey suffer drought
أَيا غِياثَ الخَلقِ إِن أَجدَبوا
وَياand O قِوامَpillar of الدينِthe faith إِنif قُوِّضاit is torn down
وَيا قِوامَ الدينِ إِن قُوِّضا
O succor of mankind when they suffer drought,
O savior of mankind, if they are stricken with drought,
and O pillar of the faith when it is torn down,
And O pillar of the faith, if it shakes and totters.
وَياand O ضِياءًradiance إِنif نَأىgrew distant نورُهُits light
وَيا ضِياءً إِن نَأى نورُهُ
لَمnot نَرَwe see يَوماًa day بَعدَهُafter it أَبيَضاwhite
لَم نَرَ يَوماً بَعدَهُ أَبيَضا
and O radiance, if its light should recede,
O light, that if its brightness grows distant
we would see no bright day thereafter.
We will never see a day brighter afterward.
ماwhat لِيَfor me مَطوِيّاًfolded up عَلىwith غُلَّةٍburning thirst
ما لِيَ مَطوِيّاً عَلى غُلَّةٍ
أَرمَضَنيscorched me وَجدُكَyour wrath ماhow أَرمَضاscorching it was
أَرمَضَني وَجدُكَ ما أَرمَضا
Why am I bent double with burning thirst?
Why am I twisted in anguish? It has made me sick.
Your wrath has scorched me—how fiercely it has scorched!
While your favor has not made me sick.
قَدindeed قَلِقَgrew restless الجَنبُthe side وَطالَand grew long الكَرىsleep
قَد قَلِقَ الجَنبُ وَطالَ الكَرى
وَأَظلَمَand darkened الجَوُّthe sky وَضاقَand narrowed الفَضاthe open space
وَأَظلَمَ الجَوُّ وَضاقَ الفَضا
My side has grown restless, and sleep has grown long;
Restlessness has worried my soul, and sorrow stretched long.
and the sky has darkened, and open space has narrowed.
The sky darkened, and the horizon narrowed.
لاdo not تُعطِشِleave thirsty الزَهرَthe flowers الَّذيthat نَبتُهُits growth
لا تُعطِشِ الزَهرَ الَّذي نَبتُهُ
بِصَوبِwith the rainfall of إِنعامِكَyour bounty قَدalready رَوَّضاbecame a garden
بِصَوبِ إِنعامِكَ قَد رَوَّضا
Do not leave thirsty the flowers whose growth
Do not let the blossoms whose growth
has become a garden under your bounty's rainfall.
Was in the direction of your grace become thirsty.
إِنif كانَthere is ليfor me ذَنبٌa fault وَلاand no ذَنبَfault ليfor me
إِن كانَ لي ذَنبٌ وَلا ذَنبَ لي
فَاِستَأنِفِthen renew العَفوَpardon وَهَبand forgive ماwhat مَضىhas passed
فَاِستَأنِفِ العَفوَ وَهَب ما مَضى
If I have a fault—and I have none—
If I have sinned - and I have no sin -
then renew your pardon, and forgive what has passed.
Resume your pardon, and forgive what has passed.
لاdo not تَبرِpare down عوداًa shaft أَنتَyou رَيشَتَهُfeathered it
لا تَبرِ عوداً أَنتَ رَيشَتَهُ
حاشاfar be it لِبانيfrom the builder of المَجدِglory أَنto يَنقُضاdemolish
حاشا لِباني المَجدِ أَن يَنقُضا
Do not whittle away a shaft you yourself have feathered;
Do not destroy a branch that you have feathered.
far be it from the builder of glory to tear it down.
Never would the builder of glory undo what he constructed.
وَاِرعَand tend لِغَرسٍfor a planting أَنتَyou أَنهَضتَهُraised it
وَاِرعَ لِغَرسٍ أَنتَ أَنهَضتَهُ
لَولاكَwere it not for you ماnot قارَبَcame close أَنto يَنهَضاrise
لَولاكَ ما قارَبَ أَن يَنهَضا
And tend a planting you yourself have raised;
And protect a sapling that you made grow.
without you, it would not have come close to rising.
Had it not been for you, it would not have reached up to grow.
لَوif عَوِّضَwere given in exchange الدُنياthe world عَلىdespite عِزِّهاits glory
لَو عَوِّضَ الدُنيا عَلى عِزِّها
مِنكَin place of you لَماthen not سُرَّbe pleased بِماwith what عُوِّضاit was given in exchange
مِنكَ لَما سُرَّ بِما عُوِّضا
Were it offered the world, for all its glory,
If the world were recompensed for its honor
in place of you, it would not rejoice in what it received.
With you, it would not rejoice in what it gained in exchange.
وَلاand let not يَكُنbe عَهدُكَyour pledge بَعدَafter الهَوىlove
وَلا يَكُن عَهدُكَ بَعدَ الهَوى
غَيماًa cloud تَجَلّىdispersed وَخِضاباًand a dye نَضاwore away
غَيماً تَجَلّى وَخِضاباً نَضا
And let not your pledge, after love,
Nor after passion, let your covenant
be a cloud that disperses and a dye that wears away.
Be clouds that gathered and color that faded.
يارامِياًO archer لادِرعَno armor مِنagainst سَهمِهِhis arrow
يارامِياً لادِرعَ مِن سَهمِهِ
أَقصَدَنيstruck me down مِنfrom قَبلِbefore أَنto يُنتَضىbe drawn
أَقصَدَني مِن قَبلِ أَن يُنتَضى
O archer, against whose arrow no armor avails,
O archer whose arrows, when released from his bow,
it struck me down before it was drawn.
Targeted me before they were even unleashed.
قَضىcondemned عَلىupon قَلبيmy heart بِإِقلاقِهِto its unrest
قَضى عَلى قَلبي بِإِقلاقِهِ
ماnot أَناI بِالجَلدِwith fortitude عَلىagainst ماwhat قَضىdecreed
ما أَنا بِالجَلدِ عَلى ما قَضى
It condemned my heart to unrest;
It decreed destruction upon my heart with its turmoil,
I have no fortitude to bear what it decreed.
And I cannot bear what was decreed with fortitude.
وَكَيفَand how لاnot أَبكيI weep لِأَعرادِat the withdrawal of مَنone who
وَكَيفَ لا أَبكي لِأَعرادِ مَن
يُعرِضُturns away عَنّيfrom me الدَهرُTime إِنif أَعرَضاhe turns away
يُعرِضُ عَنّي الدَهرُ إِن أَعرَضا
And how could I not weep at the withdrawal of one
How can I not weep for the intimacy of one
who, if he turns away, makes Time turn away from me?
Whom fate turns away from me if it turns?
قَدindeed كُنتُI used to أَرجوهُhope in him لِنَيلِfor attaining المُنىwishes
قَد كُنتُ أَرجوهُ لِنَيلِ المُنى
فَاليَومَso today لاnot أَطلُبُI seek غَيرَother than الرِضاapproval
فَاليَومَ لا أَطلُبُ غَيرَ الرِضا
I once hoped in him to attain my wishes;
I used to hope to attain the wished-for end through him.
but today I seek nothing but his approval.
But today I seek nothing but contentment.
Sol 6.1