هَجَرَforsook الوِسادَthe pillow فَباتَso he spent the night غَيرَnot مُوَسَّدِpillowed
هَجَرَ الوِسادَ فَباتَ غَيرَ مُوَسَّدِ
وَأَذابَهُand melted him وِردُthe draught الحِمامِof death المورَدِto which one is led
وَأَذابَهُ وِردُ الحِمامِ المورَدِ
He forsook the pillow and spent the night unpillowed.
He abandoned his pillow, so he slept without one
And the draught of death he was led to melted him away.
And the rose's dew melted him
شَرَعَentered upon المَكارِهَhardships مَنwhoever تَوَجَّهَset out غادِياًin the morning
شَرَعَ المَكارِهَ مَن تَوَجَّهَ غادِياً
ياO لَلرِجالِmen, to the rescue لِماagainst what يَروحُcomes at evening وَيَغتَديand comes at dawn
يا لَلرِجالِ لِما يَروحُ وَيَغتَدي
Whoever sets out in the morning plunges into hardships.
Whoever sets out seeking glory
O men, help against what comes at dusk and dawn!
Will encounter hardships, oh what men must endure!
وَبَياضِand many a brightness يَومٍof a day قَدindeed سَحَبتُI dragged through وَلَيلَةٍand a night
وَبَياضِ يَومٍ قَد سَحَبتُ وَلَيلَةٍ
قَدindeed بِتُّهاI spent it (the night) غَرَضَa target الهُمومِof cares العُوَّدِever-returning
قَد بِتُّها غَرَضَ الهُمومِ العُوَّدِ
Many a bright day have I dragged through, and many a night
I have pulled along a white day and a night
Have I spent as a target for ever-returning cares.
I stayed up with worries that kept returning
وَكَأَنَّand as though هَمّيmy grief وَالظَلامَand the darkness تَواعَداhad agreed to meet
وَكَأَنَّ هَمّي وَالظَلامَ تَواعَدا
عِنديat my dwelling فَكُلٌّso each قَدindeed وَفاkept faith بِالمَوعِدِwith the appointment
عِندي فَكُلٌّ قَد وَفا بِالمَوعِدِ
It was as though my grief and darkness had agreed to meet
It's as though my worries and the darkness made a tryst
At my dwelling; each duly kept the appointment.
To meet me, and each kept the appointment
جاشَتsurged جُنودُهُماthe armies of them both عَلَيَّagainst me فَلَمso not أَنَمI slept
جاشَت جُنودُهُما عَلَيَّ فَلَم أَنَم
وَبَداand appeared وَقَدand already بَلَغَتthey had arrived بِغَيرِwithout تَبَدُّدِdispersing
وَبَدا وَقَد بَلَغَت بِغَيرِ تَبَدُّدِ
Their armies surged against me, so I did not sleep.
Their armies attacked me, so I did not sleep
And it appeared, while they had arrived without dispersing.
And morning came with worries that did not diminish
إِنَّindeed الَّتيshe who سَبَعَتsavaged عَدُوَّهُhis enemy أَصبَحَتhas become
إِنَّ الَّتي سَبَعَت عَدُوَّهُ أَصبَحَت
عَمّاfrom what لَقيتَyou suffered كَغائِبٍlike one absent لَمnot يَشهَدِhe witnessed
عَمّا لَقيتَ كَغائِبٍ لَم يَشهَدِ
Indeed, she who savaged his enemy has become
She who was his beloved has become
Like one absent from what you suffered, who never witnessed it.
To him like one absent who did not attend
مَلَأَتshe filled حَشاكَyour heart وَرُبَّماand often مَلَأَfilled الحَشاthe heart
مَلَأَت حَشاكَ وَرُبَّما مَلَأَ الحَشا
وَجدٌlonging بِحَمدَةَfor Hamda مِثلُهُits like لَمnot يوجَدِwas found
وَجدٌ بِحَمدَةَ مِثلُهُ لَم يوجَدِ
She filled your heart; often the heart has been filled
She filled your yearning, and maybe filled yearning itself
With longing for Hamda, the like of which was never found.
None like Hamda has been found to fill it
إِذwhen أَنتَyou مُشتَغِلُpreoccupied الفُؤادِthe heart بِذِكرِهاwith remembering her
إِذ أَنتَ مُشتَغِلُ الفُؤادِ بِذِكرِها
صَبٌّlovesick وَإِذand when هِيَshe مِنamong بَناتِthe daughters المَسجِدِof the mosque
صَبٌّ وَإِذ هِيَ مِن بَناتِ المَسجِدِ
When you were absorbed at heart in remembering her,
While you were preoccupied remembering her
Lovesick, while she was among the daughters of the mosque.
My passion flowed constantly like aStream from the mosques
لَوif أَنَّthat أَرمَدَa sore-eyed man لاnot يُجَلّىhas his sight cleared نَظرَةًa glimpse
لَو أَنَّ أَرمَدَ لا يُجَلّى نَظرَةً
تَبدوshe appears لَهُto him كانَتshe would be شِفاءَa cure الأَرمَدِfor the sore-eyed
تَبدو لَهُ كانَت شِفاءَ الأَرمَدِ
If a sore-eyed man, unable to see clearly, caught one glimpse—
If one with poor eyesight could gain
Her appearing before him would be a cure for his sore eyes.
A glimpse of her, she would cure blindness
أَيّامَin the days when يَحسُدُهاenvied her الثَناthe praise جاراتُهاher female neighbors
أَيّامَ يَحسُدُها الثَنا جاراتُها
وَسطَamong النِساءِwomen وَمِثلُهاand one like her فَليُحسَدِso let be envied
وَسطَ النِساءِ وَمِثلُها فَليُحسَدِ
In days when her neighbors envied her the praise
She has days that her neighbors envy
Among women—and let one like her be envied.
Among women, and the like of her is to be envied
خاهُ…his/him [unclear fragment] لاnot فيin الَّتيher who
خاهُ لا في الَّتي
تَصِلُshe joins النِساءَthe women لَهُto him هَوىthe passion المُتَأَوِّدِof the swaying one
تَصِلُ النِساءَ لَهُ هَوى المُتَأَوِّدِ
[Unclear fragment]—not in her who
I feared loving you and did not hide it,
Joins women to him—the swaying one's passion.
And death hurried in fate’s observatory
شَفَقfear مِنof هَواكِlove for you وَلَمand not أَخَفI feared
شَفَق مِن هَواكِ وَلَم أَخَف
عَجلَthe haste المَناياof deaths وَالرَدىand doom فيin المَرصَدِthe ambush
عَجلَ المَنايا وَالرَدى في المَرصَدِ
Dread of loving you—yet I did not fear
The earth will treasure you gently
Death's haste, with doom lying in ambush.
Like an affectionate branch of wild plum
يَخزُنُكِstores you away الثَرىthe earth
يَخزُنُكِ الثَرى
رَيّاlush and full كَغُصنِlike a bough البانَةِof the ban tree المُتَأَوِّدِswaying
رَيّا كَغُصنِ البانَةِ المُتَأَوِّدِ
The earth stores you away,
Do not go far, and where is one I parted from?
Lush as the swaying bough of a ban tree.
Who spent his night like hers, not having gone far
لاmay … not تَبعَدَنَّever go far away وَأَينَand where مَنone whom فارَقتُهُI parted from
لا تَبعَدَنَّ وَأَينَ مَن فارَقتُهُ
أَمسىcame to be بِمِثلِon the like of سَبيلِهاher path لَمnot يَبعَدِwent far away
أَمسى بِمِثلِ سَبيلِها لَم يَبعَدِ
May you not be far away! Yet where is one I have parted from
She who was your love has now become
Who took a path like hers and did not go far away?
Beneath the ground, wrapped in dust
إِنَّindeed الَّتيshe who كانَتwas هَواكَyour love فَأَصبَحَتand then became
إِنَّ الَّتي كانَت هَواكَ فَأَصبَحَت
تَحتَbeneath السَفائِفِthe woven palm-leaf mats فيin الثَرىthe earth المُتَلَبِّدِcompacted
تَحتَ السَفائِفِ في الثَرى المُتَلَبِّدِ
Indeed, she who was your love, and now lies
She cannot hear you if you greet her
Beneath the palm-leaf mats in the packed earth,
With peace - such is the state of the dead
لَيسَتshe is not بِسامِعَةٍone who hears وَإِنand even if نادَيتَهاyou call her
لَيسَت بِسامِعَةٍ وَإِن نادَيتَها
مِنكَfrom you السَلامَthe greeting of peace كَذَلِكَso it is with المَيتُthe dead الرَديthe fallen
مِنكَ السَلامَ كَذَلِكَ المَيتُ الرَدي
Does not hear, even if you call to her,
Oh Humayda, if you would cure affliction, we
Your greeting; so it is with the fallen dead.
Would ransom ourselves with anything like your stream
أَحُمَيدَO Humayd إِنif تَرِدِyou come to المُصابَcalamity فَإِنَّناthen indeed we
أَحُمَيدَ إِن تَرِدِ المُصابَ فَإِنَّنا
رَهنُheld in pledge النُفوسِthe souls بِمِثلِto the like of ذاكَthat المَورِدِwatering place
رَهنُ النُفوسِ بِمِثلِ ذاكَ المَورِدِ
O Humayd, if you come to grief, we too
And all people, though distant,
Are pledged in soul to a watering place like that.
Are led about by one bridle
وَالناسُand people كُلُّهُمُall of them وَإِنand even if بَعُدَis great المَدىthe distance
وَالناسُ كُلُّهُمُ وَإِن بَعُدَ المَدى
عَنَقٌa throng تَتابَعَfollowing in succession كُلُّهُمall of them فيon مِقوَدِa leading rope
عَنَقٌ تَتابَعَ كُلُّهُم في مِقوَدِ
And all people, though the distance be great,
After you, I have become like a bird with a broken wing
Are a throng following in succession, all on one leading rope.
Crying because it had no luck
أَصبَحتُI became بَعدَكَafter you كَالمُصابِlike one stricken جَناحُهُhis wing
أَصبَحتُ بَعدَكَ كَالمُصابِ جَناحُهُ
يَبكيhe weeps لِجانِبِهِfor his side إِذاwhen لَمnot يَسعَدِhe finds happiness
يَبكي لِجانِبِهِ إِذا لَم يَسعَدِ
After you, I became like one wounded in the wing,
Harran left his friend and time
Weeping for his side when he finds no comfort,
Took him back to the darkness of his birthplace
حَرّانَburning with grief فارَقَhe parted from إِلفَهُhis companion وَنَأىand went far away بِهِwith him
حَرّانَ فارَقَ إِلفَهُ وَنَأى بِهِ
دَهرٌtime يَعودُreturns عَلىupon سَوادِthe blackness المَوجِدِof grief
دَهرٌ يَعودُ عَلى سَوادِ المَوجِدِ
Burning with grief, parted from his mate, borne far away by
What consoles my heart after you is that
Time, which returns to the blackness of grief.
Today or tomorrow, Humayda, I will be your neighbor
مِمّاamong what يُعَزّيconsoles القَلبَthe heart بَعدَكِafter you أَنَّنيis that I
مِمّا يُعَزّي القَلبَ بَعدَكِ أَنَّني
فيon اليَومِthis day جارُكِyour neighbor ياO حُمَيدَةُHumayda أَوor غَدِtomorrow
في اليَومِ جارُكِ يا حُمَيدَةُ أَو غَدِ
One thing that consoles my heart after you is that I
Time has run out, but from Humayda came
Will be your neighbor today, Humayda, or tomorrow.
Sorrows within my breast that did not run out
نَفِدَhas run out الزَمانُtime وَمِنand from حُمَيدَةَHumayda لَوعَةٌa burning ache
نَفِدَ الزَمانُ وَمِن حُمَيدَةَ لَوعَةٌ
بَينَbetween الجَوانِحِthe ribs حَرُّهاits heat لَمnot يَنفَدِhas run out
بَينَ الجَوانِحِ حَرُّها لَم يَنفَدِ
Time has run out, yet anguish for Humayda
The conscience shows through it
Lies between my ribs, its heat unspent.
With a color like the hidden depths of black ravens
يُبديit reveals الضَميرَthe inner heart إِذاwhen عَرَفتَyou recognize لَهُbelonging to it بِهِwithin it
يُبدي الضَميرَ إِذا عَرَفتَ لَهُ بِهِ
لَوناًa color كَخافِيَةِlike an inner wing-feather الغُرابِof the crow الأَسوَدِblack
لَوناً كَخافِيَةِ الغُرابِ الأَسوَدِ
It reveals the heart when you recognize, within it and as its own,
A white woman modesty clothed in chastity
A color like the inner wing-feather of a black crow.
She preferred concealment; when alone she did not veil
بَيضاءُfair-skinned لَبَّسَهاclothed her الحَياءُmodesty عَفافَهُits chastity
بَيضاءُ لَبَّسَها الحَياءُ عَفافَهُ
فَضلَbeyond القِناعِthe veil إِذاwhen خَلَتshe was alone لَمnot توصَدِwas shut
فَضلَ القِناعِ إِذا خَلَت لَم توصَدِ
Fair-skinned, modesty clothed her in its chastity,
So she came to you in the narrowness of the tomb, O compressed one
Beyond the veil; when she was alone, [her door] was not shut.
In that narrow tomb!
فَأَتَتكَso she came to you فيin جَدَثِthe grave الضَريحَةِof the tomb خُلَّةٌa dear companion
فَأَتَتكَ في جَدَثِ الضَريحَةِ خُلَّةٌ
ياO خُلَّةًa dear companion لَكِyours فيin الضَريحِthe tomb المُلحَدِcut with a burial niche
يا خُلَّةً لَكِ في الضَريحِ المُلحَدِ
So a dear companion came to you in the sepulchral grave.
Now every morning I must endure what cannot be
O, what a dear companion you have in the niche-cut tomb!
Borne, having been overcome by long unweddedness and age
فَالآنَso now أَغدوI go forth at dawn ماwhat يَكونُcan be بِغَيرِهِwithout it
فَالآنَ أَغدو ما يَكونُ بِغَيرِهِ
غَلَبَتit prevailed وَطولُand the length صَبابَةٍof yearning وَتَبَلُّدِand numbness
غَلَبَت وَطولُ صَبابَةٍ وَتَبَلُّدِ
So now I go forth at dawn—what can be without it?
I used to mention Ubayda Basah
It prevailed—and long yearning and numbness.
And refrain from loose talk or action
قَدindeed كُنتُI used to أَذكُرُrecall مِنfrom عُبَيدَةَUbayda بَصَّةًa radiance
قَد كُنتُ أَذكُرُ مِن عُبَيدَةَ بَصَّةً
وَأَعِفُّand I refrain عَنfrom شَغَبِthe strife اللِسانِof the tongue وَفيand in اليَدِthe hand
وَأَعِفُّ عَن شَغَبِ اللِسانِ وَفي اليَدِ
I used to recall Ubayda's radiance,
And I saw it as unlawful that anyone
And abstain from strife of tongue and hand.
Could take her place with me in affection and love
وَأَرىand I deem حَراماًforbidden أَنthat يَحِلَّshould occupy مَحَلَّهاher place
وَأَرى حَراماً أَن يَحِلَّ مَحَلَّها
مِنّيwith me اِمرُؤٌa person بِصَداقَةٍthrough friendship وَتَوَدُّدِand affection
مِنّي اِمرُؤٌ بِصَداقَةٍ وَتَوَدُّدِ
And I deem it forbidden that her place be taken
And I say the day after they carried away her bier
With me by anyone through friendship and affection.
God pray over you, mother of Muhammad
وَلَقَدand indeed أَقولُI say غَداةَon the morning يَنأىrecedes نَعشُهاher bier
وَلَقَد أَقولُ غَداةَ يَنأى نَعشُها
صَلّىmay … bless الإِلَهُGod عَلَيكِupon you أُمَّmother of مُحَمَّدِMuhammad
صَلّى الإِلَهُ عَلَيكِ أُمَّ مُحَمَّدِ
And I say, as her bier is borne away that morning:
For you left behind a great grieving woman
May God bless you, Umm Muhammad.
And a brother whose eyes did not freeze over
فَلَقَدfor indeed تَرَكتِyou have left كَبيرَةًan elderly woman مَحزونَةًgrieving
فَلَقَد تَرَكتِ كَبيرَةً مَحزونَةً
وَأَخاand a brother إِخاءٍin affection عَينُهُwhose eye لَمnot تَجمُدِhas run dry
وَأَخا إِخاءٍ عَينُهُ لَم تَجمُدِ
For you have left an elderly woman grieving,
It cooled the liver of the bereft, and became
And a brother in affection whose eye has not run dry.
Windows from me through which her heat did not cool
بَرَدَتit grew cold عَلىupon كَبِدِthe liver المُصابِof the bereaved وَأَصبَحَتand has become
بَرَدَت عَلى كَبِدِ المُصابِ وَأَصبَحَت
مِنّيwithin me نَوافِذُthe piercing effects حَرِّهاof its heat لَمnot تَبرُدِhave cooled
مِنّي نَوافِذُ حَرِّها لَم تَبرُدِ
It grew cold upon the bereaved one's liver, while now
Within me its piercing heat has not cooled.
Partial English translation: 60 of 62 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1