طَرِبتَyou yearned إِلىfor حَوضىHawda وَأَنتَwhile you are طَروبُprone to yearning
طَرِبتَ إِلى حَوضى وَأَنتَ طَروبُ
وَشاقَكَand stirred your longing بَينَbetween الأَبرَقَينِthe two Abraqs كَثيبُa sand dune
وَشاقَكَ بَينَ الأَبرَقَينِ كَثيبُ
You yearned for Hawda, ever prone to yearning,
And a dune between the two Abraqs stirred your longing,
وَنُؤيٌand a protective ditch كَخِلخالِlike an anklet الفَتاةِof a maiden وَصائِمٌand a standing stone
وَنُؤيٌ كَخِلخالِ الفَتاةِ وَصائِمٌ
أَشَجُّscarred عَلىthrough رَيبِthe vicissitudes الزَمانِof time رَقوبُkeeping watch
أَشَجُّ عَلى رَيبِ الزَمانِ رَقوبُ
And a ditch like a maiden's anklet, and a standing stone,
Scarred, keeping watch through time's vicissitudes,
وَمَسجِدُand a prayer-place شَيخٍof an old man كُنتَyou used to فيin سَنَنِthe ways الصِبىof youth
وَمَسجِدُ شَيخٍ كُنتَ في سَنَنِ الصِبى
تُحيِّيهِyou greet him أَحياناًsometimes وَفيهِthough in him نُكوبُis aloofness
تُحيِّيهِ أَحياناً وَفيهِ نُكوبُ
And an old man's prayer-place, where, in your youthful ways,
You sometimes greeted him, though he held aloof.
غَداhe went away بِثَلاثٍwith three ماnot يَنامُsleeps رَقيبُهاtheir guardian
غَدا بِثَلاثٍ ما يَنامُ رَقيبُها
وَأَبقىand left behind ثَلاثاًthree ماnot لَهُنَّfor them رَقيبُa guardian
وَأَبقى ثَلاثاً ما لَهُنَّ رَقيبُ
He went away with three whose guardian never sleeps,
And left three behind with no guardian:
أَواجِيَّhearthstones حُزنٍof sorrow لِلمُحِبِّfor the lover يَهِجنَهُthey stir him
أَواجِيَّ حُزنٍ لِلمُحِبِّ يَهِجنَهُ
إِذاwhenever اِجتازَhe passes فيماas يَغتَديhe goes out in the morning وَيَؤوبُand returns
إِذا اِجتازَ فيما يَغتَدي وَيَؤوبُ
Hearthstones of sorrow that stir the lover
Whenever he passes, going out or coming home.
فَلاso no بُدَّescape أَنthat تَغشاكَthey visit you حينَwhen غَشيتَهاyou visit them
فَلا بُدَّ أَن تَغشاكَ حينَ غَشيتَها
هَواجِدُsleepless sorrows أَبكارٍvirgin عَلَيكَupon you وَثيبُleaping
هَواجِدُ أَبكارٍ عَلَيكَ وَثيبُ
So, when you visit them, you must be visited
By sleepless, virgin sorrows that leap upon you.
ظَلَلتَyou kept تُعَنّيtormenting العَينَthe eye عَينَكَyour eye بَعدَماafter
ظَلَلتَ تُعَنّي العَينَ عَينَكَ بَعدَما
جَرَتflowed عَبرَةٌa tear مِنهاfrom it وَعَزَّand grew intense نَحيبُsobbing
جَرَت عَبرَةٌ مِنها وَعَزَّ نَحيبُ
You kept tormenting your eye—your own eye—after
A tear had flowed from it and sobbing grew fierce.
وَيَومَand on the day اِلتَقىof meeting شَرقِيَّeast of جِزعِthe valley bend مُتالِعٍof Mutaliʿ
وَيَومَ اِلتَقى شَرقِيَّ جِزعِ مُتالِعٍ
تَقَنَّعتَyou veiled yourself مِنfrom أُخرىanother وَأَنتَwhile you were مُريبُarousing suspicion
تَقَنَّعتَ مِن أُخرى وَأَنتَ مُريبُ
And on the day of meeting, east of Mutaliʿ's valley bend,
You veiled yourself from another, arousing suspicion,
تُسارِقُsecretly evading عَمراًʿAmr فيin الرِداءِthe cloak صَبابَةًout of yearning
تُسارِقُ عَمراً في الرِداءِ صَبابَةً
بِعَينَيكَin your two eyes مِنهاfrom it حاشِكٌbrimming وَحَليبُand milked forth
بِعَينَيكَ مِنها حاشِكٌ وَحَليبُ
Concealing your yearning from ʿAmr beneath your cloak,
In your eyes, some of it brimming, some milked forth.
إِذاwhen زُرتَyou visit أَطلالاًruins بَقينَremaining عَلىat اللِوىal-Liwa
إِذا زُرتَ أَطلالاً بَقينَ عَلى اللِوى
مَلَأنَكَthey fill you مِنwith شَوقٍlonging وَهُنَّthough they are عُذوبُparched
مَلَأنَكَ مِن شَوقٍ وَهُنَّ عُذوبُ
When you visit ruins still standing at al-Liwa,
They fill you with longing, though they are parched.
وَنَمَّتand betrayed عَلَيكَagainst you العَينُthe eye فيin عَرَصاتِهاtheir courtyards
وَنَمَّت عَلَيكَ العَينُ في عَرَصاتِها
سَرائِرَsecrets لَمnot يَنطِقhas spoken بِهِنَّof them عَريبُany soul
سَرائِرَ لَم يَنطِق بِهِنَّ عَريبُ
And in their courtyards your eye betrays
Secrets that no soul has spoken.
مَتىwhenever تَعرِفُyou recognize الدارَthe dwelling الَّتيwhose بانَdeparted أَهلُهاits people
مَتى تَعرِفُ الدارَ الَّتي بانَ أَهلُها
بِسُعدىwith Suʿda فَإِنَّthen indeed الدَمعَtears مِنكَfrom you قَريبُare near
بِسُعدى فَإِنَّ الدَمعَ مِنكَ قَريبُ
Whenever you recognize the dwelling whose people departed
With Suʿda, your tears are close at hand.
تَذَكَّرُyou recall مَنthe one whom أَحبَبتَyou loved إِذwhen أَنتَyou were يافِعٌa growing youth
تَذَكَّرُ مَن أَحبَبتَ إِذ أَنتَ يافِعٌ
غُلامٌa boy فَمَغناهُso that one's dwelling إِلَيكَto you حَبيبُis dear
غُلامٌ فَمَغناهُ إِلَيكَ حَبيبُ
You recall the one you loved when you were a growing youth,
A boy; that beloved's dwelling is dear to you.
لَيالِيَnights when تَشتاقُshe yearned for الجِوارَneighborly closeness غَريبَةًas a stranger
لَيالِيَ تَشتاقُ الجِوارَ غَريبَةً
إِلىfor قَودِleading forth أَسرارٍsecrets وَهُنَّwhile they were غُيوبُunseen
إِلى قَودِ أَسرارٍ وَهُنَّ غُيوبُ
Nights when, a stranger, she yearned for neighborly closeness,
For secrets to be led forth while still unseen;
وَإِذand when يُصبِحُhe awoke الغَيرانُthe jealous man تَغليboiled قُدورُهُhis cauldrons
وَإِذ يُصبِحُ الغَيرانُ تَغلي قُدورُهُ
عَلَيناagainst us وَإِذand when غُصنُthe bough الشَبابِof youth رَطيبُwas fresh
عَلَينا وَإِذ غُصنُ الشَبابِ رَطيبُ
And when the jealous man awoke, his cauldrons boiling
Against us, and when youth's bough was fresh;
وَإِذand when نَحنُwe were بِالأَدعاصِamong the dunes أَمّاas for نَهارُناour daytime
وَإِذ نَحنُ بِالأَدعاصِ أَمّا نَهارُنا
فَصَعبٌit was a stubborn mount وَأَمّاbut as for لَيلُناour night فَرَكوبُit was tame to ride
فَصَعبٌ وَأَمّا لَيلُنا فَرَكوبُ
And when we were among the dunes—as for our day,
It was a stubborn mount, but our night was tame to ride;
وَإِذand when نَلتَقيwe met خَلفَbeyond العُيونwatching eyes كَأَنَّناas though we were
وَإِذ نَلتَقي خَلفَ العُيون كَأَنَّنا
سُلافُthe choicest first-drawn عُقارٍwine بِالنُقاخِwith pure water مَشوبُmingled
سُلافُ عُقارٍ بِالنُقاخِ مَشوبُ
And when we met beyond watching eyes, as though we were
The choicest wine mingled with pure water.
وَإِنand if شَهِدَتwas present عَينٌan eye صَفَحتَyou turned aside وَأَعرَضَتand glanced sideways
وَإِن شَهِدَت عَينٌ صَفَحتَ وَأَعرَضَت
إِلىtoward عَينِهِhis eye العَينُthe eye الَّتيthat سَتَغيبُwould disappear
إِلى عَينِهِ العَينُ الَّتي سَتَغيبُ
And if an eye was watching, you turned aside, while there glanced
Toward his eye the eye soon to be hidden.
يَرىthink الناسُpeople أَنّاthat we فيare in الصُدودِmutual avoidance وَتَحتَهُyet beneath it
يَرى الناسُ أَنّا في الصُدودِ وَتَحتَهُ
مَداخِلُsecret approaches تَحلَوليgrow sweet لَناfor us وَتَطيبُand are pleasant
مَداخِلُ تَحلَولي لَنا وَتَطيبُ
People think we shun each other, yet beneath that
Are secret approaches that grow sweet and pleasant to us.
فَكَدَّرَthen muddied ذاكَthat العَيشَlife بَعدَafter صَفائِهِits clarity
فَكَدَّرَ ذاكَ العَيشَ بَعدَ صَفائِهِ
أَحاديثُstories قَتّاتٍof a tale-bearer لَهُنَّthey have دَبيبُa stealthy creep
أَحاديثُ قَتّاتٍ لَهُنَّ دَبيبُ
Then that life, after its clarity, was muddied
By a tale-bearer's stories, creeping stealthily,
وَسَعيُand the scheming وُشاةِof slanderers الناسِamong people بَينيbetween me وَبَينَهاand her
وَسَعيُ وُشاةِ الناسِ بَيني وَبَينَها
بِماover what لَيسَthere is not فيهِin it لِلوُشاةِfor the slanderers نَصيبُa share
بِما لَيسَ فيهِ لِلوُشاةِ نَصيبُ
And the scheming of people's slanderers between me and her
Over matters in which those slanderers had no share.
وَنَظرَةُand a glance عَينٍof an eye لَمdid not تُخالِطmingle with عَباءَةًa cloak
وَنَظرَةُ عَينٍ لَم تُخالِط عَباءَةً
رَأَتshe saw مَجلِسيmy sitting-place فَرداًalone وَفِيَّand within me عُزوبُabsent-mindedness
رَأَت مَجلِسي فَرداً وَفِيَّ عُزوبُ
And a glance from an eye untouched by a cloak
Saw me sitting alone, my thoughts far away.
فَقالَتso she said خَلاhe withdrew alone بِالنَفسِwith his soul إِذwhen عيلَwas exhausted صَبرُهُhis patience
فَقالَت خَلا بِالنَفسِ إِذ عيلَ صَبرُهُ
يُشاوِرُهاhe consults it أَيَّwhich الأُمورِcourses of action تَجوبُit should traverse
يُشاوِرُها أَيَّ الأُمورِ تَجوبُ
She said, ‘He is alone with his soul, his patience spent,
Consulting it on which course to traverse.’
أَصابَتshe hit upon بِظَنّwith a guess سِرَّthe secret ماof what فيis in جَوانِحيmy breast
أَصابَت بِظَنّ سِرَّ ما في جَوانِحي
وَماand not كُلُّevery ظَنِّguess القائِلينَof those who speak يُصيبُhits true
وَما كُلُّ ظَنِّ القائِلينَ يُصيبُ
Her guess hit the secret within my breast,
Though not every speaker's guess hits true.
فَأَصبَحتُso I became مِنfrom سُعدىSuʿda قَصِيّاًfar removed بِحاجَةٍwith a need
فَأَصبَحتُ مِن سُعدى قَصِيّاً بِحاجَةٍ
عَلَيهاof her فَقالَتthen she said دونَbefore ذاكَthat شَعوبُDeath
عَلَيها فَقالَت دونَ ذاكَ شَعوبُ
So I found myself far from Suʿda, with a need
Of her; she said, ‘Death stands before that.
تَعَذَّرَbecame difficult مَأَتاهُaccess to it فَماso not نَستَطيعُهُcan we attain it
تَعَذَّرَ مَأَتاهُ فَما نَستَطيعُهُ
عَلىgiven قَولِthe talk مَنof those who يَغتابُناbackbite us وَيَعيبُand find fault
عَلى قَولِ مَن يَغتابُنا وَيَعيبُ
Access to it is difficult; we cannot attain it,
With the talk of those who backbite and reproach us.’
سَقىmay ... water اللَهُGod سُعدىSuʿda مِنas a خَليطٍcompanion مُباعِدٍkeeping apart
سَقى اللَهُ سُعدى مِن خَليطٍ مُباعِدٍ
عَلىdespite أَنَّنيthat I فيماin whatever تُحِبُّshe loves وَهوبُam lavishly giving
عَلى أَنَّني فيما تُحِبُّ وَهوبُ
May God send rain to Suʿda, a companion keeping her distance,
Though I am generous with whatever she loves.
عَذيريmy defender مِنَagainst العُذّالِthe reproachers لاnot يَترُكونَنيthey leave me
عَذيري مِنَ العُذّالِ لا يَترُكونَني
بِغَمّيto my grief أَماis there not فيamong العاذِلينَthe reproachers لَبيبُa sensible person
بِغَمّي أَما في العاذِلينَ لَبيبُ
Who will defend me from the reproachers? They will not leave me
To my grief—is there no sensible one among them?
يَقولونَthey say لَوif عَزَّيتَyou consoled قَلبَكَyour heart لَاِرعَوىit would surely desist
يَقولونَ لَو عَزَّيتَ قَلبَكَ لَاِرعَوى
فَقُلتُso I said وَهَلbut are there لِلعاشِقينَfor lovers قُلوبُhearts
فَقُلتُ وَهَل لِلعاشِقينَ قُلوبُ
They say, ‘If you consoled your heart, it would desist.’
I said, ‘But do lovers have hearts?’
يَعِدّونَthey reckon ليfor me قَلباًa heart وَلَستُthough I am not بِمُنكِرِone who rejects
يَعِدّونَ لي قَلباً وَلَستُ بِمُنكِرِ
هَواناًhumiliation وَلاand not يَرضىaccepts الهَوانَhumiliation أَريبُa discerning person
هَواناً وَلا يَرضى الهَوانَ أَريبُ
They credit me with a heart, though I do not reject
Humiliation—and no discerning man accepts humiliation.
وَماand not القَلبُthe heart إِلّاexcept لِلَّذيfor the one who إِنif أَهَنتَهُyou humiliate him
وَما القَلبُ إِلّا لِلَّذي إِن أَهَنتَهُ
بَغىhe seeks مَشرَباًa drinking-place يَصفوthat is clear لَهُfor him وَيَطيبُand sweet
بَغى مَشرَباً يَصفو لَهُ وَيَطيبُ
A heart belongs only to one who, if you abase him,
Seeks a drinking-place clear and sweet to him.
أَقولُI say لِقَلبٍto a heart لَيسَthat is not ليmine غَيرَexcept أَنَّهُthat it
أَقولُ لِقَلبٍ لَيسَ لي غَيرَ أَنَّهُ
لِماwhatever شِئتُI wish مِنof شَوقٍlonging إِلَيَّto me جَلوبُever bringing
لِما شِئتُ مِن شَوقٍ إِلَيَّ جَلوبُ
I say to a heart that is not mine, except that
It brings me all the longing I could wish:
أَلاah أَيُّهاO القَلبُheart الَّذيthat أَدبَرَتshe departed بِهِwith it
أَلا أَيُّها القَلبُ الَّذي أَدبَرَت بِهِ
سُعادُSuʿad بَنيof the sons of بَكرٍBakr أَلَستَwill you not تُنيبُturn back
سُعادُ بَني بَكرٍ أَلَستَ تُنيبُ
‘O heart that has been carried away
By Suʿad of Banu Bakr, will you not turn back?
تُؤَمِّلُyou hope for سُعدىSuʿda بَعدَafter ماthat شَعُبتُwas sundered بِهاwith her
تُؤَمِّلُ سُعدى بَعدَ ما شَعُبتُ بِها
نَوىa separation بَينَamong أَقرانِclose companions الخَليطِof the encampment شَعوبُsundering
نَوى بَينَ أَقرانِ الخَليطِ شَعوبُ
You hope for Suʿda after she was borne away
By a distance that sunders the camp's close companions.
تُمَنّيكَshe feeds you hopes سُعدىSuʿda كُلَّevery يَومٍday بِكِذبَةٍwith a lie
تُمَنّيكَ سُعدى كُلَّ يَومٍ بِكِذبَةٍ
جَديدٍfresh وَلاand not تُجديdoes any good عَلَيكَfor you كَذوبُa lying woman
جَديدٍ وَلا تُجدي عَلَيكَ كَذوبُ
Suʿda feeds you hopes each day with a lie,
Ever fresh; a liar brings you no benefit.
إِذاwhen الناصِحُthe adviser الأَدنىthe nearest دَعاكَcalls you بِصَوتِهِwith his voice
إِذا الناصِحُ الأَدنى دَعاكَ بِصَوتِهِ
دَعِforsake الجَهلَfolly لَمnot تَسمَعyou listen وَأَنتَwhile you are كَئيبُsorrowful
دَعِ الجَهلَ لَم تَسمَع وَأَنتَ كَئيبُ
When your nearest adviser calls out to you,
“Forsake folly!” you do not hear, steeped in sorrow.
تَمَنّىyou yearn for هَوىthe love of سُعدىSuʿda مُشيداًproclaiming لِحُبِّهاlove for her
تَمَنّى هَوى سُعدى مُشيداً لِحُبِّها
كَأَنas though لاnot تَرىyou see أَنَّthat المَفارِقَthe hair-partings شيبُare gray
كَأَن لا تَرى أَنَّ المَفارِقَ شيبُ
You yearn for Suʿda's love, proclaiming love for her,
As though you did not see your hair's partings gray.’
Sol 6.1