طَرِبَgrew rapturous الحَمامُthe doves فَهاجَso stirred ليin me طَرَباrapture
طَرِبَ الحَمامُ فَهاجَ لي طَرَبا
وَبِماand sometimes يَكونُbecomes تَذَكُّريmy remembering نَصَباweariness
وَبِما يَكونُ تَذَكُّري نَصَبا
The doves grew rapturous, stirring rapture in me;
The doves cooed, arousing in me turmoil,
and sometimes remembering brings me weariness.
And with what would happen, remembering became a duty,
إِذwhen لامَنيblamed me عَمروٌAmr فَقُلتُso I said لَهُto him
إِذ لامَني عَمروٌ فَقُلتُ لَهُ
غُلِبَwas overcome العَزاءُfortitude وَرُبَّماand sometimes غَلَباit prevailed
غُلِبَ العَزاءُ وَرُبَّما غَلَبا
When Amr blamed me, I said to him:
When 'Amr blamed me, and I said to him:
Fortitude was overcome, though at times it has prevailed.
Grief has overcome me, and at times it prevails.
إِنَّindeed الحَبيبَthe beloved فَلاso not أُكافِئُهُI repay him in kind
إِنَّ الحَبيبَ فَلا أُكافِئُهُ
بَعَثَsent الخَيالَthe dream-phantom عَلَيَّupon me وَاِحتَجَباand stayed concealed
بَعَثَ الخَيالَ عَلَيَّ وَاِحتَجَبا
The beloved—whom I do not repay in kind—
I cannot requite my beloved,
sent me a dream-phantom, but remained concealed.
Who conjured up his image to me, and withdrew.
فَاِعذِرso excuse أَخاكَyour brother وَدَعand leave off مَلامَتَهُblaming him
فَاِعذِر أَخاكَ وَدَع مَلامَتَهُ
إِنَّindeed المَلامَblame يَزيدُهُincreases for him تَعَباweariness
إِنَّ المَلامَ يَزيدُهُ تَعَبا
So excuse your brother and cease blaming him;
Excuse your brother, and stop blaming him,
for blame increases his weariness.
For blame increases his weariness.
لاdo not تَنهَبَنever plunder عِرضيmy honor لِتَقسِمَهُto divide it
لا تَنهَبَن عِرضي لِتَقسِمَهُ
ماnever كانَwas عِرضُthe honor أَخيكَof your brother مُنتَهَباopen to plunder
ما كانَ عِرضُ أَخيكَ مُنتَهَبا
Do not plunder my honor to divide it up;
Do not steal my honor to divide it,
your brother's honor was never open to plunder.
Never was your brother's honor stolen.
وَاِنحُand turn الغَداةَin the morning عَلىtoward مُقابِلِهِمthe one facing them
وَاِنحُ الغَداةَ عَلى مُقابِلِهِم
لِخَليلَكَfor your dear friend المَشغوفِthe lovesick one إِنif طَلَباhe asked
لِخَليلَكَ المَشغوفِ إِن طَلَبا
And in the morning turn toward the one facing them,
And visit him early at his abode,
for your lovesick friend, if he asks.
For your enamored friend, if he asked.
الطُرقُthe roads مُقبِلَةٌleading onward وَمُدبِرَةٌand leading back
الطُرقُ مُقبِلَةٌ وَمُدبِرَةٌ
هَوِّنtake it lightly عَلَيكَfor yourself لِأَيِّهاalong whichever of them رَكَباhe rode
هَوِّن عَلَيكَ لِأَيِّها رَكَبا
The roads lead onward and back;
The roads converge and diverge,
do not fret over which of them he has taken.
Make it easy on yourself, whichever you take.
لَولاwere it not for الحَمامُthe doves وَطَيفُand the phantom of جارِيَةٍa maiden
لَولا الحَمامُ وَطَيفُ جارِيَةٍ
ماnot شَفَّنيwasted me حُبٌّlove وَلاnor كَرَباtormented me
ما شَفَّني حُبٌّ وَلا كَرَبا
Were it not for the doves and a maiden's phantom,
If not for the doves and the phantom of a maid,
love would not have wasted me or tormented me.
Love would not have healed me, nor sorrow seized me.
إِنَّindeed الَّتيshe who راحَتdeparted مَوَدَّتُهاher affection
إِنَّ الَّتي راحَت مَوَدَّتُها
رَغماًby compulsion عَلَيَّupon me فَبِتُّso I spent the night مُكتَئِباdejected
رَغماً عَلَيَّ فَبِتُّ مُكتَئِبا
Indeed, she whose affection has departed
She whose affection has departed,
against my will—so I spent the night dejected—
I pass my night depressed against my will.
حَوراءُdark-eyed لَوif وَهَبَbestowed الإِلَهُGod لَناon us
حَوراءُ لَو وَهَبَ الإِلَهُ لَنا
مِنهاfrom her الصَفاءَunclouded affection لَحَلَّwould be lawful ماwhat وَهَباHe bestowed
مِنها الصَفاءَ لَحَلَّ ما وَهَبا
is dark-eyed; if God bestowed on us
If God granted that we have
pure affection from her, what He gave would be lawful.
Purity from her, it would solve what was granted.
خُلِقَتshe was created مُباعِدَةًkeeping distant مُقارِبَةًdrawing close
خُلِقَت مُباعِدَةً مُقارِبَةً
حَرباًa foe وَتَمَّتand was perfected صورَةًin form عَجَباa marvel
حَرباً وَتَمَّت صورَةً عَجَبا
She was made to draw away and draw close,
Created congenial yet aloof,
a foe, yet wondrously perfect in form.
War yet fully formed wondrously.
فيin السّابِرِيِّfine Sabiri cloth وَفيand in قَلائِدِهاher necklaces
في السّابِرِيِّ وَفي قَلائِدِها
مُنقادُهاher yielding عَسِرٌdifficult وَإِنand even if قَرُباit came near
مُنقادُها عَسِرٌ وَإِن قَرُبا
In fine Sabiri cloth and in her necklaces,
In her bracelets and in her anklets,
her yielding is hard to win, even when near.
Leading her is hard, even if close.
كَالشَمسِlike the sun إِنif بَرَقَتgleamed مَجاسِدُهاher dyed garments
كَالشَمسِ إِن بَرَقَت مَجاسِدُها
تَحكيshe mirrors لَناfor us الياقوتَrubies وَالذَهَباand gold
تَحكي لَنا الياقوتَ وَالذَهَبا
Like the sun, when her dyed garments gleam,
Like the sun, when her wrists gleamed,
she evokes for us rubies and gold.
She tells us of ruby and gold.
أَطويI conceal الشَكاةَthe complaint وَلاand not تُصَدِّقُنيshe believes me
أَطوي الشَكاةَ وَلا تُصَدِّقُني
وَإِذاand when اِشتَكَيتُI complained تَقولُshe says ليto me كَذَباa lie
وَإِذا اِشتَكَيتُ تَقولُ لي كَذَبا
I conceal my complaint, but she does not believe me;
I complain yet you do not believe me,
and when I complain, she tells me: A lie!
And if I complain, you say to me 'lies'.
عَسُرَتgrew difficult خَلائِقُهاher dispositions عَلىfor رَجُلٍa man
عَسُرَت خَلائِقُها عَلى رَجُلٍ
لَعِبَplayed الهَوىpassion بِفُؤادِهِwith his heart لَعِباa game
لَعِبَ الهَوى بِفُؤادِهِ لَعِبا
Her ways have proved harsh toward a man
Her nature is hard on a man
with whose heart passion has played its games.
Whose heart playful love toyed with.
وَلَقَدand indeed لَطَفتُI acted tactfully لَهاtoward her بِجارِيَةٍthrough a maid
وَلَقَد لَطَفتُ لَها بِجارِيَةٍ
رَوَتِrecited القَريضَpoetry وَخالَطَتand mingled with أَدَباliterary culture
رَوَتِ القَريضَ وَخالَطَت أَدَبا
And I approached her discreetly through a maid
I was gentle to her with a maid
who recited poetry and was steeped in letters.
Of elegant diction and refined manners.
قالَتshe said لَهاto her أَصبَحتِyou have become لاهِيَةًheedless
قالَت لَها أَصبَحتِ لاهِيَةً
عَمَّنof one who يَراكِsees you لِحَتفِهِof his death سَبَباa cause
عَمَّن يَراكِ لِحَتفِهِ سَبَبا
She said to her: You have grown heedless
She said to her, “You have become neglectful
of one who sees you as the cause of his death.
Of who sees you as a reason for his joy.”
لَوif مُتِّyou died ماتَhe died وَلَوand if لَطُفتِyou were kind لَهُto him
لَو مُتِّ ماتَ وَلَو لَطُفتِ لَهُ
لَرَأىhe would see هَواكِyour love لِقَلبِهِfor his heart طَرَباdelight
لَرَأى هَواكِ لِقَلبِهِ طَرَبا
If you died, he would die; if you were kind to him,
“If he were to die, even if you were gentle to him,
he would find your love a joy to his heart.
He would see in his heart that you are troubled.”
تَأتيكِcome to you نازِحَةًfrom afar مَناسِبُهُhis love verses
تَأتيكِ نازِحَةً مَناسِبُهُ
وَيَحوطُand safeguards غَيبَكُمُyour honor in your absence وَإِنand even if غَضِباhe grew angry
وَيَحوطُ غَيبَكُمُ وَإِن غَضِبا
His love verses reach you from afar,
“He will come to you departing,
and he guards your honor in your absence, even when angry.
And encompass your absence, even if angry.”
وَإِذاand when رُفِعتِyou are raised إِلىtoward مَخيلَتِهِhis rain-cloud
وَإِذا رُفِعتِ إِلى مَخيلَتِهِ
مَطَرَتrained عَلَيكِupon you سَماؤُهُhis sky ذَهَباgold
مَطَرَت عَلَيكِ سَماؤُهُ ذَهَبا
And when you are lifted toward his rain-cloud,
“And if you are conjured in his imagination,
his sky rains gold upon you.
His sky would rain gold upon you.”
ذَهَبَwent away الهَوىpassion بِفُؤادِهِwith his heart عَبَثاًfor sport
ذَهَبَ الهَوى بِفُؤادِهِ عَبَثاً
وَأَفادَهُand brought him مِنfrom قَلبِهِhis heart جَرَباscabies
وَأَفادَهُ مِن قَلبِهِ جَرَبا
Passion has carried off his heart for sport,
“Love has vainly taken his heart,
and brought him, from his heart, a scabby sickness.
And gained from his heart experience.”
فَاِرثيso pity لَهُhim مِمّاfor what تَضَمَّنَهُhe harbors
فَاِرثي لَهُ مِمّا تَضَمَّنَهُ
مِنof حَرِّthe heat حُبِّكُمُyour love فَقَدfor indeed نَشِباhe is ensnared
مِن حَرِّ حُبِّكُمُ فَقَد نَشِبا
So pity him for what he bears within
“So cure for him what it comprised
of the heat of your love, for he is caught fast.
Of the heat of loving you, for it is acute.”
قالَتshe said عُبَيدَةُUbayda قَدindeed وَفَيتُI kept faith لَهُwith him
قالَت عُبَيدَةُ قَد وَفَيتُ لَهُ
بِالوِدِّin love حَتّىuntil مَلَّhe grew weary فَاِنقَلَباso he turned away
بِالوِدِّ حَتّى مَلَّ فَاِنقَلَبا
Ubayda said: I kept faith with him
Ubaydah said, “I have fulfilled for him,
in love, until he grew weary and turned away.
Affection until he wearied, so he turned away.”
وَصَغاand inclined إِلىtoward أُخرىanother woman يُراقِبُهاhe watches her
وَصَغا إِلى أُخرى يُراقِبُها
فيناamong us وَكُنتُand I was أَحَقَّthe most deserving مَنof those whom رَقَباhe watched
فينا وَكُنتُ أَحَقَّ مَن رَقَبا
He inclined toward another, watching her
“And inclined toward another, watching her
among us, though I most deserved his attention.
Among us, and I was more deserving of necks.”
قوليtell لَهُto him ذَرleave aside مِنsome of زِيارَتِهاvisiting her
قولي لَهُ ذَر مِن زِيارَتِها
لِلِقائِناfor meeting us إِنif جِئتَyou came مُرتَقِباexpectant
لِلِقائِنا إِن جِئتَ مُرتَقِبا
Tell him: Leave off your visits to her
“Tell him to refrain from visiting her,
to meet us, if you come in expectation.
If he comes expecting to meet with me.”
وَاِجهَدand make solemn يَمينَكَyour oath لاdo not تُخالِفنيgo against me
وَاِجهَد يَمينَكَ لا تُخالِفني
فيماin what هَويتُI desired وَكانَand was ليfor me أَرَباa wish
فيما هَويتُ وَكانَ لي أَرَبا
And swear your most solemn oath not to oppose me
“And exert your right hand, do not oppose me
in what I desire and what has been my wish,
In what I love, and was reason for me.”
وَإِذاand if بَكَيتَyou wept فَلاso not عَدِمتَyou lacked شِفاًa cure
وَإِذا بَكَيتَ فَلا عَدِمتَ شِفاً
وَأَكَلتَand you ate لَحمَكَyour flesh جِنَّةًin madness كَلَباin rabid fury
وَأَكَلتَ لَحمَكَ جِنَّةً كَلَبا
even if you weep—may you never lack a cure—
“And when you cry, may you not lack healing,
and eat your own flesh in rabid madness.
And gnaw your flesh spitefully like a dog.”
سَأَلَتshe asked لِأَعتُبَهاthat I appease her وَأَطلُبَهاand grant her request
سَأَلَت لِأَعتُبَها وَأَطلُبَها
مِمّاregarding what تَخافُshe fears فَقُلتُso I said قَدindeed وَجَباit became binding
مِمّا تَخافُ فَقُلتُ قَد وَجَبا
She asked me to appease her and grant her request
She asked, to chide her and seek her,
regarding what she feared; I said: It is my duty.
About what she feared. I said: “It is ordained.”
وَلَقيتُهاand I met her كَالخَمرِlike wine صافِيَةًclear
وَلَقيتُها كَالخَمرِ صافِيَةً
حَلَّتbecame lawful لِشارِبِهاto its drinker وَماand not شَرِباhe drank
حَلَّت لِشارِبِها وَما شَرِبا
And I met her, clear as wine,
I met her pure like wine,
lawful to its drinker, though he had not drunk.
Settling for her drinker without drinking.
Sol 6.1