ليتif only النسيمthe breeze إذاwhen حملتI burdened عاتقهits shoulder
ليت النسيم إذا حملت عاتقه
شوقاًlonging تقصرfall short عنهof it الكتبthe letters والرسلand the messengers
شوقاً تقصر عنه الكتب والرسل
If only the breeze, when I burden its shoulder
If only the breeze, when bearing upon its shoulder
With longing that letters and messengers cannot fully convey,
A yearning that books and messages fall short of,
يهديcarries تحيةa greeting أشواقيmy yearnings إلىto ملكa king
يهدي تحية أشواقي إلى ملك
يفيضflows abundantly منfrom راحتيهhis two palms الرزقsustenance والأجلand the appointed end of life
يفيض من راحتيه الرزق والأجل
Would carry my yearnings’ greeting to a king
Would convey my affectionate greetings to the king
From whose two palms flow sustenance and death.
From whose palms flow sustenance and fate.
كأنas though صدريmy breast منfrom ضيقconstriction ومنand from حرجdistress
كأن صدري من ضيق ومن حرج
للوافدينfor those arriving إلىat أبوابهhis gates سبلpaths
للوافدين إلى أبوابه سبل
As though my breast, from constriction and distress,
My chest is constricted and burdened
Were paths for those arriving at his gates.
For those arriving at his gates in droves.
وجدتI found عنin place of كلevery شيءthing غائبabsent بدلاًa substitute
وجدت عن كل شيء غائب بدلاً
وليسand there is no ليfor me عوضcompensation منهمfor them ولاnor بدلsubstitute
وليس لي عوض منهم ولا بدل
I found a substitute for every absent thing,
I have found substitutes for all things absent
But for them I have neither compensation nor substitute.
Yet have no substitute or replacement for them.
كمhow many a ليلةnight باتspent the night وجديmy yearning وهوwhile it was مشتعلablaze
كم ليلة بات وجدي وهو مشتعل
وخاطريand my mind بسواهwith anything other than him ليسis not يشتغلoccupied
وخاطري بسواه ليس يشتغل
How many a night my yearning remained ablaze,
How many a night my love for him burned
While my mind was occupied with none but him.
While my thoughts were occupied with none but him.
إذاwhen تذكرتI recalled أياميmy days بحضرتهin his presence
إذا تذكرت أيامي بحضرته
ضاقتgrew constricted عليaround me فلاso neither سهلa plain ولاnor جبلa mountain
ضاقت علي فلا سهل ولا جبل
When I recall my days in his presence,
When I recall my days in his presence,
All closes in on me—neither plain nor mountain offers room.
The easy and the arduous narrow for me.
جزناwe passed بساحةthrough the courtyard of عزʿIzz (glory) الدينal-Din (the faith) بابتدرتrushed forth (irregular spelling)
جزنا بساحة عز الدين بابتدرت
منfrom المباسمthe smiling mouths فيin أرجائهاits precincts القبلthe kisses
من المباسم في أرجائها القبل
We passed through ʿIzz al-Din’s courtyard; there rushed forth
We dwelled in the courtyard of al-Malik al-‘Adil
Kisses from smiling mouths throughout its precincts.
And stole kisses amid its far reaches.
وأوهمتناand made us imagine عطاياهhis gifts وهيبتهand the awe he inspires
وأوهمتنا عطاياه وهيبته
حضورهhis presence فاستجدso arose anew الرعبterror والأملand hope
حضوره فاستجد الرعب والأمل
And his gifts and the awe he inspired made us imagine
His gifts and awe made us imagine
His presence; then terror and hope arose anew.
His presence, so dread and hope were renewed.
وطالand long lasted ماthat (clause nominalizer) غابwas absent ليثthe lion of الغابthe forest منتقلاًmoving from place to place
وطال ما غاب ليث الغاب منتقلاً
والرعبand terror فيin الغابthe forest باقremaining ليسdoes not ينتقلdepart
والرعب في الغاب باق ليس ينتقل
And long has the forest’s lion been absent, roaming,
Long has the lion of the thicket departed
Yet terror remains in the forest and does not depart.
And though dread remains in the thicket, it too shall pass.
Sol 6.1