ياO لَيلَتيmy night تَزدادُgrows نُكراdreadfulness
يا لَيلَتي تَزدادُ نُكرا
مِنfrom حُبِّlove of مَنthe one whom أَحبَبتُI loved بِكراa virgin maiden
مِن حُبِّ مَن أَحبَبتُ بِكرا
O my night, growing ever more dreadful,
O my night that grows stranger
from love of the maiden I loved.
With love of her whom I loved as a maiden
حَوراءُa dark-eyed woman إنif نَظَرَتshe looks إلَيكَat you سَقَتshe gives drink
حَوراءُ إن نَظَرَت إلَيكَ سَقَت
كَyou سَقَتكَshe gives you drink بِالعَينَينِwith the two eyes خَمراwine
كَ سَقَتكَ بِالعَينَينِ خَمرا
A dark-eyed beauty—if she looks at you, she gives
If a houri looked at you, she would give you to drink
you drink—she gives you wine through her two eyes.
As she gave you to drink wine with her eyes
وَكَأَنَّand as though رَجعَthe echo of حَديثِهاher speech
وَكَأَنَّ رَجعَ حَديثِها
قِطَعُpatches الرِياضِthe gardens كُسينَwere clothed زَهراflowers
قِطَعُ الرِياضِ كُسينَ زَهرا
And the echo of her speech is like
And as if the return of her talk
patches of gardens clothed in blossoms.
Were clusters of blossoms plucked from gardens
وَكَأَنَّand as though تَحتَbeneath لِسانِهاher tongue
وَكَأَنَّ تَحتَ لِسانِها
هاروتَHarut يَنفُثُbreathes فيهِinto it سِحراmagic
هاروتَ يَنفُثُ فيهِ سِحرا
And it is as though beneath her tongue
And as if beneath her tongue
Harut were breathing magic into it.
Harut were breathing magic into it
وَتَخالُand you would think ماwhat جَمَعَتshe gathered عَلَيaround
وَتَخالُ ما جَمَعَت عَلَي
هِit ثِيابَهاher clothes ذَهَباًgold وَعِطراand perfume
هِ ثِيابَها ذَهَباً وَعِطرا
And you would think what she has wrapped
And you’d think what she had gathered on her
her clothes around is gold and perfume.
Of gold and perfume were only her raiment
وَكَأَنَّهاand she is like بَردُthe coolness of الشَراthe drink (word continues)
وَكَأَنَّها بَردُ الشَرا
بِcompletion of 'the drink' صَفاbecame clear وَوافَقَand coincided with مِنكَon your part فِطراbreaking the fast
بِ صَفا وَوافَقَ مِنكَ فِطرا
And she is like the coolness of a drink,
And as if she were spring rain
clear, coming just as you break your fast.
With serenity, created just for you
جِنِّيَّةٌa female jinn إِنسِيَّةٌa human woman
جِنِّيَّةٌ إِنسِيَّةٌ
أَوor بَينَbetween ذاكَthat أَجَلُّmore exalted أَمراin nature
أَو بَينَ ذاكَ أَجَلُّ أَمرا
A jinn-woman, a human woman,
A Jinniyah or human
or something between the two, more sublime in nature.
Or something between, more wondrous still
وَكَفاكَand it suffices you أَنّيthat I لَمdid not أُحِطfully comprehend
وَكَفاكَ أَنّي لَم أُحِط
بِشَكاةِof the illness of مَنthe one whom أَحبَبتُI loved خُبراin knowledge
بِشَكاةِ مَن أَحبَبتُ خُبرا
And let it suffice you that I knew nothing
And it’s enough that I know nothing
of the illness of the one I loved,
Of the plaint of her whom I loved
إِلّاexcept مَقالَةَthe words of زائِرٍa visitor
إِلّا مَقالَةَ زائِرٍ
نَثَرَتit scattered لِيَfor me الأَحزانَthe sorrows نَثراa scattering
نَثَرَت لِيَ الأَحزانَ نَثرا
except the words of a visitor,
Except the words of a visitor
which scattered sorrows all about me.
Who scattered sorrows broadcast for me
مُتَخَشِّعاًhumbled تَحتَbeneath الهَوىlove
مُتَخَشِّعاً تَحتَ الهَوى
عَشراًten وَتَحتَand beneath المَوتِdeath عَشراten
عَشراً وَتَحتَ المَوتِ عَشرا
Humbled beneath love,
Humbly enslaved by passion
for ten, and beneath death for ten.
For ten years, and by death for ten
تُنسيshe makes forget الغَوِيَّthe wayward man مَعادَهُhis hereafter
تُنسي الغَوِيَّ مَعادَهُ
وَتَكونُand she is لِلحُكَماءِfor the wise ذِكراa reminder
وَتَكونُ لِلحُكَماءِ ذِكرا
She makes the wayward man forget his hereafter,
It makes the heedless forget their return
and is a reminder to the wise.
And gives the wise something to remember
Sol 6.1