لِلَّهِto God (in admiration) سَلمىSalma حُبُّهاlove for her ناصِبُwearisome
لِلَّهِ سَلمى حُبُّها ناصِبُ
وَأَناand I لاnot زَوجٌa husband وَلاnor خاطِبُa suitor
وَأَنا لا زَوجٌ وَلا خاطِبُ
How wondrous is Salma! Love for her is torment;
To God I offer my greeting, her love afflicts me,
and I am neither husband nor suitor.
And I am neither married nor engaged,
لَوif كُنتُI were ذاthis أَوor ذاكَthat يَومَon the day of اللِوىal-Liwa
لَو كُنتُ ذا أَو ذاكَ يَومَ اللِوى
أَدّىwould deliver إِلَيَّto me الحَلَبَthe milk yielded الحالِبُthe milker
أَدّى إِلَيَّ الحَلَبَ الحالِبُ
Had I been this or that on the day at al-Liwa,
Had I been one or the other on the day we met,
the milker would have delivered the milk to me.
She who yearned would have come to me,
أَقولُI say وَالعَينُand the eye بِهاin it عَبرَةٌa tear
أَقولُ وَالعَينُ بِها عَبرَةٌ
وَبِاللِسانِand on the tongue العَجَبُwonder العاجِبُastonishing
وَبِاللِسانِ العَجَبُ العاجِبُ
I say, with a tear in my eye,
I say, while my eyes overflow with tears,
and astounding wonder on my tongue:
And my tongue utters wondrous amazement:
ياO وَيلَتىalas for me أَحرَزَهاsecured her واهِبٌWahib
يا وَيلَتى أَحرَزَها واهِبٌ
لاmay not نالَobtain خَيراًgood fortune بَعدَهاafter her واهِبُWahib
لا نالَ خَيراً بَعدَها واهِبُ
Alas for me! Wahib has secured her;
Oh, woe is me! A Giver has given her away.
may Wahib find no good fortune after her!
No one after Him will give such a gift.
سيقَتshe was driven إِلىto الشامِal-Sham وَماand nothing ساقَهاdrove her
سيقَت إِلى الشامِ وَما ساقَها
إِلاَّexcept الشَقاmisfortune وَالقَدَرُand fate الجالِبُthat brings things about
إِلاَّ الشَقا وَالقَدَرُ الجالِبُ
She was driven to al-Sham, and nothing drove her
She traveled to Syria, though nothing drove her there
but misfortune and fate that carried her away.
Except misfortune and ineluctable destiny.
أَصبَحتُI awoke قَدalready راحَwent العِدىthe enemies دونَهاbetween me and her
أَصبَحتُ قَد راحَ العِدى دونَها
وَرُحتُand I passed the evening فَرداًalone لَيسَthere is not ليfor me صاحِبُa companion
وَرُحتُ فَرداً لَيسَ لي صاحِبُ
I awoke; the enemies had come between me and her,
By dawn those I hate had taken her from me,
and evening found me alone, with no companion.
While I remained, forsaken, without a friend.
لاnot أَرفَعُI raise الطَرفَthe gaze إِلىtoward زائِرٍa visitor
لا أَرفَعُ الطَرفَ إِلى زائِرٍ
كَأَنَّنيas though I were غَضبانُangry أَوor عاتِبُreproachful
كَأَنَّني غَضبانُ أَو عاتِبُ
I do not raise my gaze toward a visitor,
I don’t lift my eyes to visitors,
as though I were angry or reproachful.
As if I were angry at them or nursing a grudge.
ياO كاهِنَsoothsayer of المِصرِthe town لَناfor us حاجَةٌa need
يا كاهِنَ المِصرِ لَنا حاجَةٌ
فَاِنظُرso look لَناfor us هَلwhether سَكَنيmy beloved, my solace آيِبُreturning
فَاِنظُر لَنا هَل سَكَني آيِبُ
O soothsayer of the town, we have a need:
Oh, priest of Egypt, I have a need!
so look for us—is my beloved returning?
See if she who is coming is drawing near.
قَدindeed شَفَّنيhas wasted me الشَوقُlonging إِلىfor وَجهِهاher face
قَد شَفَّني الشَوقُ إِلى وَجهِها
وَشاقَنيand stirred my longing المَزهَرُthe lute وَالقاصِبُand the reed-flute player
وَشاقَني المَزهَرُ وَالقاصِبُ
Longing for her face has wasted me away,
Yearning for her face has cured me,
and the lute and reed-flute player have stirred my yearning.
Yet the blossoms and the plucking hurt me.
بَلrather ذَكَّرَتنيreminded me ريحُthe scent of رَيحانَةٍa sprig of basil
بَل ذَكَّرَتني ريحُ رَيحانَةٍ
وَمُدهُنٌand an ointment jar جاءَcame بِهِwith it عاقِبُa later arrival
وَمُدهُنٌ جاءَ بِهِ عاقِبُ
Rather, the scent of a sprig of basil reminded me,
The scent of sweet basil reminds me of her,
and an ointment jar brought by a later visitor.
With perfume brought by the messenger.
مَجلِسُa gathering لَهوٍof pleasure غابَwere absent حُسّادُهُits enviers
مَجلِسُ لَهوٍ غابَ حُسّادُهُ
تَرنوgazes إِلَيهِtoward it الغادَةُthe graceful woman الكاعِبُwith budding breasts
تَرنو إِلَيهِ الغادَةُ الكاعِبُ
A gathering of pleasure, its enviers absent,
A pleasant gathering from which her enviers vanished,
the graceful, budding-breasted maiden gazes toward it;
To which the slender sand grouse flock.
إِذwhen نَحنُwe بِالرَوحاءِat al-Rawha نُسقيgive drink to الهَوىlove
إِذ نَحنُ بِالرَوحاءِ نُسقي الهَوى
صِرفاًunmixed wine وَإِذand when يَغبِطُناenvies us اللاعِبُthe reveler
صِرفاً وَإِذ يَغبِطُنا اللاعِبُ
when, at al-Rawha, we watered love
When we at al-Rawhā’ quenched our love’s thirst,
with unmixed wine, while the reveler envied us.
Even the jester envied us.
وَقَدand once أَرىI would see سَلمىSalma لَناfor us غايَةًa highest aim
وَقَد أَرى سَلمى لَنا غايَةً
أَيّامَin the days when يَجريran بَينَناamong us الآدِبُthe inviter to a feast
أَيّامَ يَجري بَينَنا الآدِبُ
And once I saw Salma as our highest aim,
I saw Salmā as our heart’s desire
in the days when the banquet host ran among us.
In days when we were bound by proper behavior.
ياO أَيُّهاyou اللائِمُthe reproacher فيfor حُبِّهاloving her
يا أَيُّها اللائِمُ في حُبِّها
أَماdo you not تَرىsee أَنّيthat I بِهاbecause of her ناصِبُam weary
أَما تَرى أَنّي بِها ناصِبُ
O you who reproach me for loving her,
You who blame me for loving her,
do you not see that I am weary because of her?
Can’t you see it’s against her that I rebel?
سَلمىSalma ثَقالُfull الرِدفِin the haunches مَهضومَةٌslender-waisted
سَلمى ثَقالُ الرِدفِ مَهضومَةٌ
يَأبىrejects سِواهاanyone but her قَلبيmy heart الخالِبُbeguiling
يَأبى سِواها قَلبي الخالِبُ
Salma is full-hipped and slender-waisted;
Salmā of the well-rounded hips, my heart, that madman, wants no other,
my beguiling heart rejects anyone but her.
It refuses all but her.
غَنّىsang بِهاof her الراكِبُthe rider فيfor حُسنِهاher beauty
غَنّى بِها الراكِبُ في حُسنِها
وَمِثلُهاand one like her غَنّىsang بِهِof that one الراكِبُthe rider
وَمِثلُها غَنّى بِهِ الراكِبُ
The rider sang of her for her beauty,
The rider sang her praises for her beauty,
and the rider sang of one like her.
And for the likes of her riders sing.
لَيسَتshe is not مِنَof الإِنسِhumankind وَإِنand if قُلتَهاyou call her
لَيسَت مِنَ الإِنسِ وَإِن قُلتَها
جِنِّيَّةًa female jinn قيلَit is said الفَتىthe young man كاذِبُis lying
جِنِّيَّةً قيلَ الفَتى كاذِبُ
She is not of humankind; yet if you call her
She is no mortal woman, though you insist
a jinn-maiden, they say, 'The young man lies.'
She is a jinniyyah—the youth told a lie!
لاno بَلrather هِيَshe الشَمسُthe sun أُتيحَتwas granted لَناto us
لا بَل هِيَ الشَمسُ أُتيحَت لَنا
وَسواسُa whispering thought هَمٍّof sorrow زَعَمَclaimed الناسِبُthe love-poet
وَسواسُ هَمٍّ زَعَمَ الناسِبُ
No—rather, she is the sun, granted to us;
No, she is the sun made available to us
a whisper of sorrow, the love-poet claimed.
Despite the harping of the talebearer.
لَوif خَرَجَتshe came out لِلناسِbefore the people فيat عيدِهِمtheir festival
لَو خَرَجَت لِلناسِ في عيدِهِم
صَلّىwould pray لَهاto her الأَمرَدُthe beardless youth وَالشائِبُand the gray-haired man
صَلّى لَها الأَمرَدُ وَالشائِبُ
Were she to appear before the people at their festival,
Had she gone out to the people at their festival,
the beardless youth and the gray-haired man would pray to her.
Young and old would have prayed to her.
تِلكَthose المُنىthe wishes لَوif only ساعَفَتfavored دارُهاher dwelling
تِلكَ المُنى لَو ساعَفَت دارُها
كانَتwould have been لِعَمروٍfor Amr هَمَّهُhis worry عازِبُfar away
كانَت لِعَمروٍ هَمَّهُ عازِبُ
Such are my wishes—if only her dwelling favored us,
She is the wish—if her house were enlarged
Amr would have them, his worry gone.
It would befit ‘Amr, who long was a bachelor.
أَراجِعٌwill there return ليto me بَعضُsome ماof what قَدalready مَضىhas passed
أَراجِعٌ لي بَعضُ ما قَد مَضى
بِالمَيثِat al-Mayth أَمor هِجرانُهاseparation from her واجِبُinevitable
بِالمَيثِ أَم هِجرانُها واجِبُ
Will some of what has passed return to me
Can I make up for some of what is past
at al-Mayth, or is separation from her inevitable?
With an oath? Or is her estrangement obligatory?
قَدonce كُنتُI was لاnot أَلويpay heed عَلىto خُلَّةٍa sweetheart
قَد كُنتُ لا أَلوي عَلى خُلَّةٍ
ضَنَّتwithheld herself وَلاnor يُحزِنُنيgrieves me الذاهِبُone who leaves
ضَنَّت وَلا يُحزِنُني الذاهِبُ
Once I would pay no heed to a sweetheart
Once I would not grieve over a shiftless woman,
who withheld herself, nor would one departing grieve me.
Nor did the departing sadden me.
ثُمَّthen تَبَدَّلتُI changed عَلىthrough حُبِّهاlove for her
ثُمَّ تَبَدَّلتُ عَلى حُبِّها
ياO عَجَباًwhat a wonder يَنقَلِبُturns back الذاهِبُone who departs
يا عَجَباً يَنقَلِبُ الذاهِبُ
Then I changed through love for her;
But for love of her I changed;
what a wonder—the one who departs turns back!
How strange that one who goes can change!
وَصاحِبٍand a companion لَيسَdoes not يُصافيbefriend sincerely النَدىgenerosity
وَصاحِبٍ لَيسَ يُصافي النَدى
يَسوسُgoverns مُلكاًa realm وَلَهُand he has حاجِبُa chamberlain
يَسوسُ مُلكاً وَلَهُ حاجِبُ
And a companion, no friend to generosity,
A comrade who does not greet the dew,
who governs a realm and has a chamberlain,
Claims kingship though he has a doorkeeper.
كَالمَأجَنِlike a stagnant pool المَستورِcovered إِذwhen زُرتُهُI visited him
كَالمَأجَنِ المَستورِ إِذ زُرتُهُ
فيin دارِa house مُلكٍof kingship لَبطُهاits commotion راعِبُterrifying
في دارِ مُلكٍ لَبطُها راعِبُ
like a covered stagnant pool when I visited him
Like a covered pot when I visited him
in a royal house whose commotion was terrifying.
In the abode of a king whose watchdog was a lion.
ظَلَّkept يُناصيgrappling with بُخلُهُhis stinginess جودَهُhis generosity
ظَلَّ يُناصي بُخلُهُ جودَهُ
فيover حاجَتيmy need أَيُّهُماwhich of the two الغالِبُwould prevail
في حاجَتي أَيُّهُما الغالِبُ
His stinginess kept grappling with his generosity
Stinginess and munificence struggled within him
over my need—which of them would prevail?
When I had a request—which of them would prevail?
حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen طالَgrew long تَناصيهِماtheir struggle
حَتّى إِذا طالَ تَناصيهِما
وَاِنهَزَمَand was routed الجودُgenerosity لَهُto him ثائِبُreturning
وَاِنهَزَمَ الجودُ لَهُ ثائِبُ
Until, when their struggle had grown prolonged
When their struggle had gone on too long
and generosity was routed, though returning to him,
And munificence retreated, routed,
أَصبَحَhe became عَبّاساًdeeply scowling لِزُوّارِهِtoward his visitors
أَصبَحَ عَبّاساً لِزُوّارِهِ
يَبكيweeps بِوَجهٍwith a face حُزنُهُits sorrow دائِبُunceasing
يَبكي بِوَجهٍ حُزنُهُ دائِبُ
he became deeply scowling toward his visitors,
‘Abbās met his visitors at daybreak
weeping with a face of unceasing sorrow.
Weeping, while perpetual grief clouded his face.
لَمّاwhen رَأَيتُI saw البُخلَstinginess رَيحانَهُhis sweet basil
لَمّا رَأَيتُ البُخلَ رَيحانَهُ
وَالجودُand generosity مِنfrom مَجلِسِهِhis gathering غائِبُabsent
وَالجودُ مِن مَجلِسِهِ غائِبُ
When I saw that stinginess was his sweet basil,
When I saw stinginess was his basil plant,
and generosity was absent from his company,
While munificence was absent from his gathering,
وَدَّعتُهُI bade him farewell إِنّيindeed I اِمرُؤٌa man حازِمٌresolute
وَدَّعتُهُ إِنّي اِمرُؤٌ حازِمٌ
عَنهُfrom him وَعَنand from أَمثالِهِthose like him ناكِبُturning aside
عَنهُ وَعَن أَمثالِهِ ناكِبُ
I bade him farewell; I am a resolute man,
I bid him farewell saying, “I am a resolute man,
turning aside from him and those like him.
Turning away from him and the likes of him.”
أُصفيI give sincere affection to خَليليmy friend ماas long as دَحاhe spreads ظِلَّهُhis shade
أُصفي خَليلي ما دَحا ظِلَّهُ
وَدامَand endures ليfor me مِنof وُدِّهِhis affection جانِبُa share
وَدامَ لي مِن وُدِّهِ جانِبُ
I give my friend sincere affection while he casts his shade,
I single out as my friend him whose shadow stretches wide,
and a share of his affection endures for me.
And whose friendship remains faithful to me.
لاnot أَعبُدُI worship المالَwealth إِذاwhen جاءَنيcomes to me
لا أَعبُدُ المالَ إِذا جاءَني
حَقُّthe rightful claim of أَخٍa brother أَوor جاءَنيcomes to me راغِبُa seeker
حَقُّ أَخٍ أَو جاءَني راغِبُ
I do not worship wealth when there comes to me
I do not worship money when a brother’s due
a brother's rightful claim, or a seeker comes to me.
Comes to me or a beggar comes.
وَلَستُand I am not بِالحاسِبِone who counts بَذلَthe giving of النَدىgenerosity
وَلَستُ بِالحاسِبِ بَذلَ النَدى
إِنَّindeed البَخيلَthe miser الكاتِبُthe bookkeeper الحاسِبُthe reckoner
إِنَّ البَخيلَ الكاتِبُ الحاسِبُ
Nor do I count the gifts of generosity;
Nor when bestowing bounty do I calculate—
the miser is the bookkeeper, the reckoner.
For the miserly calculator is the scribe.
كَذاكَthus يَلقانيhe finds me وَرُبَّand many a اِمرِئٍman
كَذاكَ يَلقاني وَرُبَّ اِمرِئٍ
لَيسَthere is not لَهُfor him فَضلٌbounty وَلاnor طالِبُa seeker
لَيسَ لَهُ فَضلٌ وَلا طالِبُ
That is how he finds me; and many a man
And so it is, by the Lord of a man
has neither bounty nor anyone seeking it.
Who has no merit and seeks none!
Sol 6.1