هاah أينَwhere ياO ريحَwind الصَّباthe east wind
ها أينَ يا ريحَ الصَّبا
نشرُكِyour fragrance أيَّامَduring the days of الصِّبَاyouth
نشرُكِ أيَّامَ الصِّبَا
Ah, where, O east wind,
Where are you, oh breeze of the morning,
is your fragrance of the days of youth?
Your spreading in the days of youth,
فكلَّماfor whenever سِرْتِyou traveled بناwith us
فكلَّما سِرْتِ بنا
فللهَوَىthen toward love القلبُthe heart صَبَاyearned
فللهَوَى القلبُ صَبَا
For whenever you traveled with us,
Whenever you passed by us,
the heart would yearn for love.
The heart inclined to passion?
ياoh عجباًhow strange! منكِof you فقدْfor indeed
يا عجباً منكِ فقدْ
طوَيْتِyou folded away نشراًa fragrance عَجَبَاwondrous
طوَيْتِ نشراً عَجَبَا
Oh, how strange of you! For you have
How strange you are, for you have
folded away a wondrous fragrance.
Folded a wondrous spreading.
فروِّحيناso refresh us سَحَراًbefore dawn
فروِّحينا سَحَراً
وذكِّريناand remind us of زَيْنَبَاZaynab
وذكِّرينا زَيْنَبَا
So refresh us before dawn,
So refresh us at dawn
and remind us of Zaynab.
And remind us of Zainab.
هذاthis الرَّبيعُspring أَنِقاًresplendent
هذا الرَّبيعُ أَنِقاً
طمَّflooded النَّواحِيthe regions ذَهَبَاwith gold
طمَّ النَّواحِي ذَهَبَا
This spring, resplendent,
This spring is delicate,
has flooded the regions with gold.
Gilding the horizons with gold.
واللَّيلُand the night فيهin it مُقْمِرٌmoonlit
واللَّيلُ فيه مُقْمِرٌ
جَلاdispelled الضِّياءَthe light الغَيْهَبَاthe deep darkness
جَلا الضِّياءَ الغَيْهَبَا
And its night is moonlit;
And the night in it is moonlit
the light has dispelled the deep darkness.
Spreading radiance on the dark.
فريِّضيso soothe قلبَthe heart of فتًىa youth
فريِّضي قلبَ فتًى
علىupon اللَّظىthe blaze تقلَّبَاhe writhed
على اللَّظى تقلَّبَا
So soothe the heart of a youth
So rouse the heart of a young man
who has writhed upon the blaze:
Who tossed and turned with passion.
خطيبُan orator of وجدٍpassion لَسِنٌeloquent
خطيبُ وجدٍ لَسِنٌ
أَظهرَhe exposed عِيَّthe inarticulacy of الخُطَبَاthe orators
أَظهرَ عِيَّ الخُطَبَا
an eloquent orator of passion,
A lovesick suitor whose tongue is eloquent
who exposed the orators' inarticulacy.
Uttered the most amazing poems.
يتَّخِذُhe takes النَّوْحَlamentation إلىto
يتَّخِذُ النَّوْحَ إلى
تلكَthose النَّواحيquarters سَبَبَاa means
تلكَ النَّواحي سَبَبَا
He takes lamentation as
He takes elegy to
a means to reach those quarters.
Those lands as a means.
بسادَةِthrough the masters of الشَّعبِthe mountain pass غَداhe became
بسادَةِ الشَّعبِ غَدا
والهَفاalas for yearning! مُنْشَعِباtorn apart
والهَفا مُنْشَعِبا
Through the masters of the mountain pass, he has become
In the morning he went out
—alas for yearning!—torn apart.
With disheveled hair.
سطْرَthe line of الغرامِpassion قبلَbefore أَنْthat
سطْرَ الغرامِ قبلَ أَنْ
رعْرَعَhe grew up فيهwithin it كتَبَاhe had written
رعْرَعَ فيه كتَبَا
The line of passion, before
He inscribed the line of love before
he grew up within it, he had written.
He matured in it as a scribe.
بكَىhe wept دِماءًblood أَحمراًcrimson
بكَى دِماءً أَحمراً
بياضَهُhis whiteness قدalready خضَّبَاhad dyed
بياضَهُ قد خضَّبَا
He wept crimson blood,
He shed red tears
which had stained his whiteness.
His whiteness was stained with blood.
عنْaway from غيرِall but غِزْلانِthe gazelles of النَّقاthe sand dunes
عنْ غيرِ غِزْلانِ النَّقا
أمضَىhe spent المدَىthe span of time مُنْسَلِبَاwithdrawn
أمضَى المدَى مُنْسَلِبَا
From all but the gazelles of the sand dunes,
He spent his life
he spent his days withdrawn.
Dragging the train of the beloved.
وافَىhe came إلىto أَعْتابِهِمْtheir thresholds
وافَى إلى أَعْتابِهِمْ
لكنْbut عليهمagainst them عَتَبَاhe reproached
لكنْ عليهم عَتَبَا
He came to their thresholds,
And he came to their dwellings
but reproached them.
But he blamed them.
أَمَّلَhe hoped أنto يعودَreturn عنfrom
أَمَّلَ أن يعودَ عن
حُزنٍsorrow أُعيدَhe was restored طَرَبَاto joy
حُزنٍ أُعيدَ طَرَبَا
He hoped to return from
He hoped to return from
sorrow, restored to joy,
Sadness to joy again.
ليَرْجِعَنْso he might surely return لأَهلِهِto his people
ليَرْجِعَنْ لأَهلِهِ
بقصدِهِwith his aim مُنْقَلِبَاreturning
بقصدِهِ مُنْقَلِبَا
so that he might surely return to his people,
That he may go back to his people
turning homeward with his aim fulfilled.
With his purpose turning back.
فأشبعوهُso they sated him with لوعَةًanguish
فأشبعوهُ لوعَةً
وأَجَّجوهُand they set him ablaze لَهَبَاas flame
وأَجَّجوهُ لَهَبَا
Instead, they sated him with anguish
But they made him suffer
and kindled him into flame.
And ignited his flame.
واحَرَبَاalas, my ruin! مِنْfrom هجرِهِمْtheir abandonment
واحَرَبَا مِنْ هجرِهِمْ
واحَرَبَاalas, my ruin! واحَرَبَاalas, my ruin!
واحَرَبَا واحَرَبَا
Alas, my ruin at their abandonment!
And they fought with his estrangement
Alas, my ruin! Alas, my ruin!
Fought and fought and fought.
هذاthis عَذيبُsweetness of ثغرِهِمْtheir lips
هذا عَذيبُ ثغرِهِمْ
قُلَيْبَهُhis little heart قدalready عذَّبَاtormented
قُلَيْبَهُ قد عذَّبَا
This sweetness of their lips
This is the tormentor of their lips
has tormented his little heart.
Whose heart they tortured.
وذاand this نبيُّprophet of حسنِهِمْtheir beauty
وذا نبيُّ حسنِهِمْ
ببعدِهِمْthrough their remoteness يَرْويhe recounts النَّبَاthe tidings
ببعدِهِمْ يَرْوي النَّبَا
And this prophet of their beauty
And this is the prophet of their beauty
tells the tidings of their remoteness.
Narrating the news in their absence.
قدindeed رقَّgrew pitiable حالُthe condition of عبدِهِمْtheir servant
قد رقَّ حالُ عبدِهِمْ
وجسمُهُand his body صارَbecame هَبَاdust
وجسمُهُ صارَ هَبَا
Their servant's plight has grown pitiable,
The state of their servant has softened
and his body has become dust.
And his body turned to dust.
ولمand has not يزلْceased فُؤادُهُhis heart
ولم يزلْ فُؤادُهُ
بنارِهِin its fire مُضْطَّرِبَاtrembling
بنارِهِ مُضْطَّرِبَا
And his heart has never ceased
And his heart never stopped
to tremble in its fire.
Burning and trembling for them.
يَرعىhe watches الدَّياجيthe dark nights كوكَباًa star
يَرعى الدَّياجي كوكَباً
بلهفَةٍwith yearning وكوكَبَاand another star
بلهفَةٍ وكوكَبَا
He watches through the dark nights, a star
He herds the stars at night
and another star, with yearning.
Yearning and star to star.
قوليsay لَهُمْto them لاnot يَجْعَلواthey make
قولي لَهُمْ لا يَجْعَلوا
برقَthe lightning of وُعوديmy promises خُلَّبَاrainless; deceptive
برقَ وُعودي خُلَّبَا
Tell them not to make
Tell them not to make
the lightning of my promises rainless.
My torch and firewood rotten.
أَعظَمْتُهُمْI exalted them أَجلَلْتُهُمْI revered them
أَعظَمْتُهُمْ أَجلَلْتُهُمْ
كاتَمْتُI kept secret فيamong الرُّقَبَاthe watchers
كاتَمْتُ في الرُّقَبَا
I exalted them; I revered them;
I honored them, glorified them
I kept my secret among the watchers.
And concealed it in my neck.
وماand not رأَيتُI saw غيرَهُمْanyone but them
وما رأَيتُ غيرَهُمْ
ولاand not طلبْتُI sought مَطْلَبَاan object of desire
ولا طلبْتُ مَطْلَبَا
I saw none but them,
And I have seen no one but them
and sought no other object of desire.
And sought no other desire.
ولاnor شهِدْتُI beheld دونَهُمْapart from them
ولا شهِدْتُ دونَهُمْ
أُمًّاa mother لعَمْريby my life وأَبَاand a father
أُمًّا لعَمْري وأَبَا
Nor, apart from them, did I behold
And I have witnessed no one but them
a mother—by my life—or a father.
A mother or father, by my life.
وإنَّنيand indeed I بحُبِّهِمْin loving them
وإنَّني بحُبِّهِمْ
لأَستلِذُّsurely find sweet التَّعَبَاweariness
لأَستلِذُّ التَّعَبَا
And indeed, in loving them,
And I, in loving them,
I find weariness sweet,
Relish fatigue.
ولوْeven if نَصيبيmy portion جَعَلوthey made
ولوْ نَصيبي جَعَلو
هُit بعدَafter لَهْفيmy yearning نَصَبَاhardship
هُ بعدَ لَهْفي نَصَبَا
even if they made my portion
And if they made my share
hardship after my yearning.
After my fervor, anguish.
خاضَplunged into talk عَذوليmy reproacher وافْتَرىand fabricated lies
خاضَ عَذولي وافْتَرى
وقالَand said قولاًa statement كَذِبَاfalse
وقالَ قولاً كَذِبَا
My reproacher plunged into talk and fabricated lies,
He attacked my chastity and lied
and spoke a false statement.
And said an untrue word.
وراحَand went about يحْكيsaying أَنَّنيthat I
وراحَ يحْكي أَنَّني
خِلْتُhad deemed سِواهُمْsomeone other than them مُجْتَبىchosen
خِلْتُ سِواهُمْ مُجْتَبى
And he went about saying that I
And claimed that I
had deemed someone other than them chosen.
Abandoned them for another.
قدindeed قمتُI stood فيin غَيْبيmy unseen state بهِمْthrough them
قد قمتُ في غَيْبي بهِمْ
عنfrom غيرهِمْall but them مغيَّبَاwithdrawn
عن غيرهِمْ مغيَّبَا
I have stood through them in my unseen state,
Even in their absence from me
withdrawn from all but them.
I was absent from others.
وماand not رفعتُI raised للسِّوىtoward any other
وما رفعتُ للسِّوى
منfrom الفُؤادِthe heart أَرَباa desire
من الفُؤادِ أَرَبا
And I have raised toward none beside them
And I never raised
a desire from the heart.
My heart to others.
أَنعِمْhow excellent! بقلبيis my heart إنَّهindeed it
أَنعِمْ بقلبي إنَّه
لَعَنْsurely, from سِواهُمْanyone other than them رَغِبَاit turned away
لَعَنْ سِواهُمْ رَغِبَا
How excellent is my heart! It
Examine my heart, it has
has surely turned away from all but them,
Spurned others, desiring them.
وإِنeven if يكنْit be قدalready لعِبَتْhave toyed
وإِن يكنْ قد لعِبَتْ
بكلِّهِwith all of it أَيديthe hands of سَبَاSaba
بكلِّهِ أَيدي سَبَا
even if it has been toyed with,
And if my hands were played with
in its entirety, by the hands of Saba.
By the hands of morning drinkers,
كيفَhow يَقَرُّcan remain still سرُّهُits secret
كيفَ يَقَرُّ سرُّهُ
والحُبُّwhile love عنهfrom it فيin خِبَاconcealment
والحُبُّ عنه في خِبَا
How can its secret remain still,
How can its secret settle
while love lies concealed from it?
While love hides it?
وإِنْand if يرُمْit seeks كشفَto lift الغِطاthe veil
وإِنْ يرُمْ كشفَ الغِطا
قالواthey said تمكَّنَstand firm أَدَبَاin courtesy
قالوا تمكَّنَ أَدَبَا
And if it seeks to lift the veil,
And if they try to uncover the cover
they say, "Stand firm in courtesy."
They would say, it has been disciplined.
قدnow صارَhas become حِسًّاpalpably ذيلُهُمْtheir hem
قد صارَ حِسًّا ذيلُهُمْ
بمُهْجَتيacross my very soul مُنْسَحِبَاtrailing
بمُهْجَتي مُنْسَحِبَا
Their hem has now, palpably,
Their tail has dragged
trailed across my very soul;
Behind my skirt.
وبعدَand after هذاthis شخصُهُمْtheir person
وبعدَ هذا شخصُهُمْ
كأنَّهas though it ماnever قَرُبَاdrew near
كأنَّه ما قَرُبَا
yet, after this, their person
And after that, their figure
seems never to have drawn near.
Is as if it never came near.
أَمحَقُI efface كلِّيall of myself فيهِمْin them
أَمحَقُ كلِّي فيهِمْ
ولمand not يكنْhas been ماwhat وَجَبَاwas owed
ولم يكنْ ما وَجَبَا
I efface all of myself in them,
My being is lost in them
yet what is owed remains undone.
And it was not deserved.
ولستُand I do not أَقضيfulfill واجِباًa duty
ولستُ أَقضي واجِباً
لوeven if كلُّall of كلِّيmy entire being ذَهَبَاvanished
لو كلُّ كلِّي ذَهَبَا
Nor would I fulfill what is owed,
And I have no obligation
even if all of my entire being vanished.
If all of me is gone.
إِنْif لمnot أرانيI see myself عينُهُمْtheir very essence
إِنْ لم أراني عينُهُمْ
فلاthen may I not عَذُبتُhave sweetness مَشْرَبَاin drinking
فلا عَذُبتُ مَشْرَبَا
If I do not see myself as their very essence,
If their eyes do not see me
may I never have a sweet draught.
I will not enjoy a drink.
بِهِمْthrough them فَنائيmy passing-away والبَقاand abiding
بِهِمْ فَنائي والبَقا
بالامتِزاجِthrough mingling انْقَلَبَاthey were transformed
بالامتِزاجِ انْقَلَبَا
Through them, my passing-away and abiding
With them is my annihilation and survival
were transformed by mingling:
As they mixed and stirred.
تلجْلَجاthey wavered تَخالَجاthey tugged at each other
تلجْلَجا تَخالَجا
تَوالَجاthey entered one another فاضْطَّرَبَاthen they trembled
تَوالَجا فاضْطَّرَبَا
they wavered and tugged at one another,
Agitating, disturbing
entered each other, then trembled;
Entwining, confused.
تقارَقاthey parted فالْتَقَياthen they met
تقارَقا فالْتَقَيا
تناءَياthey grew distant فاصْطَحَبَاthen they became companions
تناءَيا فاصْطَحَبَا
they parted, then met;
Separate, then joined
grew distant, then became companions.
Apart, then together.
منَّbestowed الحبيبُthe beloved رأْفَةًcompassion
منَّ الحبيبُ رأْفَةً
وبالمُرَجَّىand with what was hoped for وهَبَاhe bestowed
وبالمُرَجَّى وهَبَا
The beloved bestowed compassion,
The beloved showed kindness
and granted what was hoped for.
And consented.
وقالَand said ليto me تكرُّماًgenerously
وقالَ لي تكرُّماً
قمْrise ياO غَريبَstranger of الغُرَبَاthe strangers
قمْ يا غَريبَ الغُرَبَا
And he said to me, in generosity,
And said to me generously
"Rise, O stranger of strangers!"
Arise, stranger of strangers.
فقمتُso I rose تِيهاًin proud exultation أَنجَليrevealing myself
فقمتُ تِيهاً أَنجَلي
مُرَفْرَفاًfluttering مُحَجَّبَاveiled
مُرَفْرَفاً مُحَجَّبَا
So I rose in proud exultation, revealing myself,
So I arose, lost, my apparition
fluttering, yet veiled.
Fluttering, veiled.
أَطيرُI fly مِنْfrom قلبيmy heart لهُtoward him
أَطيرُ مِنْ قلبي لهُ
فيin الشَّوقِlonging بازاًa hawk أَشهَبَاash-gray
في الشَّوقِ بازاً أَشهَبَا
I fly from my heart toward him,
I fly from my heart to him
in longing, an ash-gray hawk,
A brown hawk in passion.
مُباعِداًdrawing away وقرِّباًand drawing near
مُباعِداً وقرِّباً
وُشَرِّقاًand turning east وُغَرِّبَاand turning west
وُشَرِّقاً وُغَرِّبَا
drawing away and drawing near,
Distancing and nearing
and turning east and turning west,
East and west.
مُحَقَّقاًestablished in truth مُؤنِّقاًbringing delight
مُحَقَّقاً مُؤنِّقاً
مُثَوِّباًcalling repeatedly مُئوِّبَاreturning repeatedly
مُثَوِّباً مُئوِّبَا
established in truth, bringing delight,
Affirming, moaning
calling again and returning again.
Rewarding, lamenting.
أُطلِعُI bring forth صُبْحاًa dawn أَبلَجَاradiant
أُطلِعُ صُبْحاً أَبلَجَا
منَfrom الهُدىguidance مُكَوْكَباstar-studded
منَ الهُدى مُكَوْكَبا
I bring forth a radiant dawn,
I rise in the morning shining
from guidance, studded with stars.
A starry guidance.
أُبرِزُI bring forth منِّيfrom myself فارِساًa horseman
أُبرِزُ منِّي فارِساً
ينظِمُhe marshals فيهwithin it موْكِبَاa procession
ينظِمُ فيه موْكِبَا
I bring forth from myself a horseman
I send from me a knight
who marshals a procession within it,
Who composes a procession in him.
يُبْرِزُhe reveals فيon طريقِهِhis path
يُبْرِزُ في طريقِهِ
للعارِفينَto the knowers عَجَبَاa wonder
للعارِفينَ عَجَبَا
who reveals upon his path
He brings forth in his path
a wonder to those who know.
A wonder to the knowledgeable.
لمnot يبْغِhe sought فيupon نهجِthe path of الهوَىlove
لم يبْغِ في نهجِ الهوَى
منfrom الشُؤُنِthe affairs نَشَبَاworldly wealth
من الشُؤُنِ نَشَبَا
He sought not, upon love's path,
He did not seek in the course of love
any worldly wealth amid its affairs.
Any prestige.
Sol 6.1