مَنَعَ النَومَ طارِقٌ مِن حُبابَه

مَنَعَ النَومَ طارِقٌ مِن حُبابَه

وَهُمومٌ تَجولُ تَحتَ الرَهابَه

وَهُمومٌ تَجولُ تَحتَ الرَهابَه

Sleep was denied me by a night-vision from Ḥubābah

Sleeplessness kept Tariq from his beloved,

and by cares roaming beneath the breastbone's lower tip.

And worries wandered under the dust clouds.

جَلَسَت في الحَشا إِلى ثُغرَةِ

جَلَسَت في الحَشا إِلى ثُغرَةِ

النِحرِ بِشَوقٍ كَأَنَّهُ نُشّابَه

النِحرِ بِشَوقٍ كَأَنَّهُ نُشّابَه

They lodged in my breast, up to the hollow

She sat in the enclosure next to the slit

of the throat, with longing like an arrow.

Of the throat, yearning as if she were a leopard.

وَلَقَد قُلتُ إِذ تَلَوّى بِيَ الحُب

وَلَقَد قُلتُ إِذ تَلَوّى بِيَ الحُب

بُ وَفَوقي مِنَ الهَوى كَالضَبابَه

بُ وَفَوقي مِنَ الهَوى كَالضَبابَه

And indeed I said, when love writhed within me,

And I said, as love twisted around me

and passion hung above me like a mist:

With passion foggy above me,

إِنَّ قَلبي يَشُكُّ فيما تُمَنيّ

إِنَّ قَلبي يَشُكُّ فيما تُمَنيّ

ني وَنَفسي حَزينَةٌ مُرتابَه

ني وَنَفسي حَزينَةٌ مُرتابَه

Indeed, my heart doubts what you promise

"My heart doubts what you wish for me

me, and my soul is sorrowful and doubtful.

And my soul is sad and doubtful."

فَاِذَني لي أَزُركِ أَو سَكِّنيني

فَاِذَني لي أَزُركِ أَو سَكِّنيني

بِاِنتِيابٍ لا شَيءَ بَعدَ اِنتِيابَه

بِاِنتِيابٍ لا شَيءَ بَعدَ اِنتِيابَه

So let me visit you, or soothe me

So allow me to visit you or comfort me

with a visit—nothing more is needed after one visit.

With weeping - nothing after weeping.

لا تَكوني كَمَن يَقولُ وَلا يو

لا تَكوني كَمَن يَقولُ وَلا يو

في كَذاكَ المَلّاقَةُ الخَلّابَه

في كَذاكَ المَلّاقَةُ الخَلّابَه

Do not be like one who speaks but does not

Do not be like one who speaks but does not

keep her word—such is the flattering deceiver.

Fulfill - that is cunning hypocrisy.

كَيفَ صَبري عوفيتِ مِمّا أُلاقي

كَيفَ صَبري عوفيتِ مِمّا أُلاقي

بَينَ نارِ الهَوى وَغَمِّ الصَبابَه

بَينَ نارِ الهَوى وَغَمِّ الصَبابَه

How can I endure—may you be spared what I suffer—

How can I endure what I suffer

between passion's fire and the anguish of yearning?

Between the fire of passion and the coals of separation?

لَيتَ شِعري تَبكينَ إِن مُتُّ مِن حُب

لَيتَ شِعري تَبكينَ إِن مُتُّ مِن حُب

بِكِ أَو تَضحَكينَ يا خَشّابَه

بِكِ أَو تَضحَكينَ يا خَشّابَه

Would that I knew: will you weep if I die of love

I wish I knew if you would cry if I died

for you, or laugh, O Khashshābah?

Of love for you, or laugh, O fawn.

إِنَّني وَالمَقامِ وَالحَجَرِ الأَس

إِنَّني وَالمَقامِ وَالحَجَرِ الأَس

وَدِ وَالبَيتِ مُشرِفاً كَالسَحابَه

وَدِ وَالبَيتِ مُشرِفاً كَالسَحابَه

Indeed I—by the Station and the Black Stone,

I swear by the abode, and the honored black stone,

and the House towering like a cloud—

And the house overlooking like clouds,

أَشتَهي أَن أُدَسَّ قَبلَكِ في التُر

أَشتَهي أَن أُدَسَّ قَبلَكِ في التُر

بِ لِكَي تُصبِحي بِنا كَالمُصابَه

بِ لِكَي تُصبِحي بِنا كَالمُصابَه

long to be buried before you in the earth,

I desire to push into the soil before you

so that you might be like one bereaved of us.

So that you and I become covered in dust.

وَعَسى ذاكَ أَن يَحينَ فَتَبكي

وَعَسى ذاكَ أَن يَحينَ فَتَبكي

لا تَقولي بُعداً لِمَن في الغِيابَه

لا تَقولي بُعداً لِمَن في الغِيابَه

And perhaps that time will come, and then you will weep;

Perhaps that time will come and you will weep -

do not say, 'Good riddance,' to one in the hidden depths.

Do not say afterwards "he is gone."