شجاها من عهودك ما شجاها

شجاها من عهودك ما شجاها

وجنّ الليل فأدركت أساها

وجنّ الليل فأدركت أساها

She suffered what she suffered from your bygone days,

What grieved her from your past vows is what broke her heart,

and night fell, and I understood her sorrow.

And as night fell, she fully realized her sorrow.

هفت لشبابها و صبت إليه

هفت لشبابها و صبت إليه

ورقّ لها النصيح فما لحاها

ورقّ لها النصيح فما لحاها

She yearned for her youth and longed for it,

She yearned for her youth and longed deeply for it,

and her counselor felt tenderness for her and did not reproach her.

And the counselor took pity on her, offering no blame.

و هيهات الشباب و أين منه

و هيهات الشباب و أين منه

منى للنّفس تعثر في وجاها

منى للنّفس تعثر في وجاها

And youth is far away; how far from it

But alas for youth, and how far out of reach

are the soul’s hopes, stumbling on their sore feet!

Are the soul's desires, stumbling in their pain?

كبا و ركائب الأعوام فيه

كبا و ركائب الأعوام فيه

من العشرين لم تنقل خطاها

من العشرين لم تنقل خطاها

It stumbled, though the mounts of its years

It stumbled, while the riding beasts of the years therein

had not yet stepped beyond twenty.

Had not yet moved their steps beyond twenty.

أيخذلني الشباب ضنى و سقما

أيخذلني الشباب ضنى و سقما

أفول الشمس تغرب في ضحاها

أفول الشمس تغرب في ضحاها

Does youth betray me with wasting and sickness?

Does youth abandon me to wasting and illness,

The sun’s setting, while still in its morning light!

Like a fading sun setting in its morning light?

و ما عذر الشباب كبرت فيه

و ما عذر الشباب كبرت فيه

و لي نفس فتيّات مناها

و لي نفس فتيّات مناها

And what excuse has youth? I have grown old within it,

What excuse has youth? I grew old within it,

though I have a soul whose hopes are young.

While I still possess a soul whose desires remain young.

سقاها من سلافته كؤوسا

سقاها من سلافته كؤوسا

و حنّت للمزيد فما سقاها

و حنّت للمزيد فما سقاها

It gave her cups of its choicest wine,

It poured for her cups of its finest wine,

and she yearned for more, but it gave her none.

And she yearned for more, but it poured no more.

يراخي بالعنان لها وريدا

يراخي بالعنان لها وريدا

فإن وثبت لغايتها ثناها

فإن وثبت لغايتها ثناها

It gently slackens the reins for her,

It gently loosens the reins for her,

but if she leaps toward her goal, it turns her back.

Yet if she leaps toward her goal, it pulls her back.

و تدعوها الفتون و هنّ سحر

و تدعوها الفتون و هنّ سحر

فتطرق لا تلبّي من دعاها

فتطرق لا تلبّي من دعاها

Allurements summon her, and they are magic,

Enchantments call out to her, acting as pure magic,

yet she lowers her gaze, not answering whoever called her.

But she bows her head, ignoring the caller.

تريد و لا يرد و كلّ نفس

تريد و لا يرد و كلّ نفس

يجاريها الشباب على هواها

يجاريها الشباب على هواها

She desires, but it gives no answer; yet every soul

She desires, but it does not, though every soul

has youth indulge her wishes.

Is usually accompanied by youth according to its whims.

يريها للمنى صورا ملاحا

يريها للمنى صورا ملاحا

فما همّت بها إلاّ أباها

فما همّت بها إلاّ أباها

It shows her lovely images of hopes,

It shows her beautiful images of her hopes,

but whenever she sets her heart on them, it refuses them.

But whenever she reaches for them, it refuses her.

فبا ظلّ الشباب أتتك غرثى

فبا ظلّ الشباب أتتك غرثى

فكان أذى القطيعة من قراها

فكان أذى القطيعة من قراها

O shade of youth, she came to you hungry,

O shadow of youth, she came to you starving,

and the hurt of estrangement was part of her welcome feast.

Yet the pain of abandonment was the only feast you offered.

أطلّت هوانها فاذهب حبيبا

أطلّت هوانها فاذهب حبيبا

رعته على المغيب و ما رعاها

رعته على المغيب و ما رعاها

You prolonged her humiliation; go, then, as a beloved

Her humiliation has loomed, so depart as a beloved

whom she cherished in absence, though he never cherished her.

Whom she cherished in absence, but who did not cherish her.

و ضمّ إليك عقدك و هو درّ

و ضمّ إليك عقدك و هو درّ

لأزين من سوارك معصماها

لأزين من سوارك معصماها

And take your necklace back, though it is made of pearls;

And take back your necklace, though it be made of pearls,

her two wrists are surely lovelier than your bracelet.

For her wrists are far fairer without your bracelet.

معذّبة إذا لمحت جمالا

معذّبة إذا لمحت جمالا

هفت و جدا و عاودها ضناها

هفت و جدا و عاودها ضناها

Tormented, whenever she glimpses beauty,

She is tormented whenever she catches sight of beauty,

she yearns deeply, and her wasting sickness returns.

Fluttering with passion as her wasting sickness returns.

و تنشد حبّها الأسمى و تأوي

و تنشد حبّها الأسمى و تأوي

إذا عيي السهاد إلى كراها

إذا عيي السهاد إلى كراها

She seeks her loftiest love, and takes refuge,

She seeks her highest love, finding refuge,

when sleeplessness grows weary, in her slumber.

When insomnia grows weary, in her slumber.

فتلمح في الرؤى حسنا طريفا

فتلمح في الرؤى حسنا طريفا

و جلّ الحسن تخلقه روءاها

و جلّ الحسن تخلقه روءاها

Then she glimpses in dreams a fresh, unfamiliar beauty,

Then she glimpses a fresh beauty in her visions,

and most beauty is created by her visions.

And the greatest beauty is what her own visions create.

تبّنته فجاء يهزّ عطفا

تبّنته فجاء يهزّ عطفا

ببردتها و يخطر في حلاها

ببردتها و يخطر في حلاها

She adopted it, and it came swaying its body,

She embraced it, and it came swaying gracefully

in her mantle, strutting in her ornaments.

Within her mantle, strutting proudly in her sweetness.

و كدت و سحره سحر خفيّ

و كدت و سحره سحر خفيّ

أرى فيه المحبّب من صباها

أرى فيه المحبّب من صباها

And I almost—its magic was a hidden magic—

And I almost felt—for its magic is a hidden magic—

saw in it the beloved charm of her youth.

That I could see in it the beloved essence of her youth.

هداها الله من حيرى أضاعت

هداها الله من حيرى أضاعت

لبانتها و بارك من هداها

لبانتها و بارك من هداها

May God guide her, bewildered as she is, having lost

May God guide her, a bewildered soul who lost

her heart’s desire, and bless whoever guides her.

Her heart's desire, and blessed be the one who guides her.

نسائل عن أخيها من تلاقي

نسائل عن أخيها من تلاقي

و كلّ أخيّة وجدت أخاها

و كلّ أخيّة وجدت أخاها

We ask whomever she meets about her brother,

We ask whomever we meet about her brother,

while every little sister has found her brother.

While every other sister has already found hers.

و أحسب أنّه أغفى كلالا

و أحسب أنّه أغفى كلالا

و مرّت في الظلام فما رآها

و مرّت في الظلام فما رآها

And I think he dozed off from weariness,

And I reckon that he dozed off from sheer exhaustion,

and she passed in the darkness, so he did not see her.

And she passed by in the darkness, so he did not see her.

أأخت الدّوح حسبك لا تغنّي

أأخت الدّوح حسبك لا تغنّي

فأخت السّرب قد فقدت طلاها

فأخت السّرب قد فقدت طلاها

O sister of the grove, enough! Do not sing,

O sister of the orchard, enough, do not sing,

for the sister of the herd has lost her fawn.

For the sister of the flock has lost her young fawn.

و يا نفسي عبدتك عن يقين

و يا نفسي عبدتك عن يقين

و حسبي قد عبدت بك الإلها

و حسبي قد عبدت بك الإلها

And O my soul, I worshiped you with certainty,

O my soul, I have worshipped you with absolute certainty,

and enough for me that through you I worshiped God.

And it is enough that through you I have worshipped God.

أحبّ الحسن في الحدق الرّواني

أحبّ الحسن في الحدق الرّواني

و في ثغر الفتاة و في لماها

و في ثغر الفتاة و في لماها

I love beauty in raptly gazing eyes,

I love the beauty in deep, gazing eyes,

and in a maiden’s mouth and the dusk of her lips,

And in a young woman's mouth, and in her dark lips.

و في عطف يثير هوى ملحّا

و في عطف يثير هوى ملحّا

إذا رفّت عليه ذوءابتاها

إذا رفّت عليه ذوءابتاها

and in a flank that stirs insistent desire,

And in a graceful curve that stirs persistent passion,

when her two tresses flutter over it,

Whenever her two locks of hair flutter over it.

و في نهدي منعّمة لعوب

و في نهدي منعّمة لعوب

و في ماء الخدود و في لظاها

و في ماء الخدود و في لظاها

and in the breasts of a pampered, playful woman,

And in the breasts of a pampered, playful girl,

and in the dew of cheeks and their flame,

And in the moisture of her cheeks, and in their blazing flush.

و في ضحك الطفولة و هو سحر

و في ضحك الطفولة و هو سحر

و في مرح الصّغار و في دماها

و في مرح الصّغار و في دماها

and in childhood’s laughter—it is magic—

And in the laughter of childhood, which is pure magic,

and in children’s merriment and childhood’s dolls.

And in the joy of the young ones, and in their vital blood.

أعانق قامة فيه و غصنا

أعانق قامة فيه و غصنا

و ألثم فيه سالفة وفاها

و ألثم فيه سالفة وفاها

In it I embrace a figure and a bough,

Through it, I embrace a figure and a supple branch,

and in it I kiss a neck and her mouth.

And through it, I kiss a graceful neck and a mouth.

برئت إلى الحقيقة من غواة

برئت إلى الحقيقة من غواة

تفرّ من الصباح إلى دجاها

تفرّ من الصباح إلى دجاها

I turn to Truth, disowning the misguided,

I sought refuge in the truth from those who stray,

who flee from morning into their own darkness,

Who flee from the morning light into their darkness.

تريد رضاك تقييدا و أسرا

تريد رضاك تقييدا و أسرا

و أين رضاك ربّي من رضاها

و أين رضاك ربّي من رضاها

seeking Your pleasure in shackles and captivity.

They seek your pleasure through restriction and captivity,

And how far, my Lord, is Your pleasure from theirs!

But where is Your pleasure, my Lord, compared to theirs?

و أنكر قدرة الخلاّق روح

و أنكر قدرة الخلاّق روح

رأى صور الجمال و ما اشتهاها

رأى صور الجمال و ما اشتهاها

And a soul denies the Creator’s power

A soul has surely denied the Creator's power

if it sees beauty’s forms and does not desire them.

If it sees the forms of beauty and does not desire them.

لمن جليت بزينتها عروسا

لمن جليت بزينتها عروسا

و فيم أحبّها و لمن براها

و فيم أحبّها و لمن براها

For whom was she unveiled, a bride in her finery?

For whom was she revealed in her adornment like a bride?

And why do I love her, and for whom did He create her?

And why do I love her, and for whom did He fashion her?

عبدتك في الجمال و لا أبالي

عبدتك في الجمال و لا أبالي

ضلال النفس ذلك أم هداها

ضلال النفس ذلك أم هداها

I worshiped You in beauty, and I do not care

I worshipped You in beauty, and I do not care

whether that is the soul’s straying or its guidance.

Whether that is the soul's delusion or its true guidance.

ففي نفسي جحيمك من سيصلى

ففي نفسي جحيمك من سيصلى

بها لشقائه و من اصطلاها

بها لشقائه و من اصطلاها

For in my soul is Your hell, with whoever shall burn

For within my soul is Your hell—who shall burn

in it through his wretchedness, and whoever has felt its heat.

In it to their misery, and who has already felt its blaze?

و في نفسي السماء و فرقداها

و في نفسي السماء و فرقداها

و من سمك السماء و من رقاها

و من سمك السماء و من رقاها

And in my soul are heaven and its twin Farqad stars,

And within my soul is heaven and its two bright stars,

and He who raised heaven, and whoever ascended it.

And the One who raised the heavens, and the one who ascended.

و هل من أنّة خفيت و دقّت

و هل من أنّة خفيت و دقّت

أسى إلاّ و في نفسي صداها

أسى إلاّ و في نفسي صداها

And is there any moan, however hidden and faint

And is there any moan of sorrow, hidden and subtle,

with grief, that does not echo in my soul?

That does not find its resonant echo within my soul?

فيا لك من عمى و سلمت عينا

فيا لك من عمى و سلمت عينا

لو اختارت لما تركت عماها

لو اختارت لما تركت عماها

What blindness is yours! May you be safe, O eye,

Oh, what blindness! Yet safe is the eye

that, could it choose, would never abandon its blindness.

That, had it been given the choice, would not have left its blindness.

و يا لك حيرة عرضت لموسى

و يا لك حيرة عرضت لموسى

فضلّ سبيل غايتها و تاها

فضلّ سبيل غايتها و تاها

And what bewilderment you are, that confronted Moses;

And oh, the bewilderment that appeared to Moses,

he lost the path to its goal and wandered astray.

Causing him to lose the path to his goal and wander astray.

أراد جلاءها نفر كريم

أراد جلاءها نفر كريم

فجلّلها الغموض و ما جلاها

فجلّلها الغموض و ما جلاها

A noble company sought to lay it bare,

A noble group sought to bring it to clarity,

but mystery shrouded it, and they did not make it clear.

But ambiguity veiled it, and they clarified it not.

فتحت سريرتي صفحات نور

فتحت سريرتي صفحات نور

و قد خبر الصحيفة من تلاها

و قد خبر الصحيفة من تلاها

I opened my inmost self as pages of light,

I opened my innermost being as pages of light,

and whoever read the page has known it well.

And whoever reads the page truly understands it.

و زحزحت الحجاب عن الخفايا

و زحزحت الحجاب عن الخفايا

و قلنا شقوة بلغت مداها

و قلنا شقوة بلغت مداها

And I drew back the veil from hidden things,

And I pushed back the veil from the hidden mysteries,

and we said: misery has reached its limit.

And we said: it is a misery that has reached its utter limit.