خَليلَيَّmy two friends عوجاturn aside, both of you بيwith me عَلىtoward طَرَباتيmy delights
خَليلَيَّ عوجا بي عَلى طَرَباتي
فَوَاللَهِfor, by God لاnot أَنسىI forget الحَبيبَthe beloved حَياتيthroughout my life
فَوَاللَهِ لا أَنسى الحَبيبَ حَياتي
My two friends, turn aside with me toward my raptures;
My two friends, turn aside with me toward my delights.
by God, I shall never forget my beloved as long as I live.
For, by God, I shall not forget the beloved as long as I live.
وَماand not ذُقتُI tasted طَعمَthe savor of النَومِsleep مُذsince مَسَّنيtouched me الهَوىpassion
وَما ذُقتُ طَعمَ النَومِ مُذ مَسَّني الهَوى
وَلاnor الكَأسَthe cup إِلّاexcept ماؤُهاits water عَبَراتيmy tears
وَلا الكَأسَ إِلّا ماؤُها عَبَراتي
Since love touched me, I have not tasted the savor of sleep,
And I have not tasted the savor of sleep since passion touched me,
nor the wine-cup, save when my tears were the drink within it.
Nor a cup unless its water was my tears.
وَدارَتand whirled صَباباتُardent longings الهَوىpassion بِمَسامِعيabout my ears
وَدارَت صَباباتُ الهَوى بِمَسامِعي
كَماjust as دارَreeled مَخمورٌa drunken man مِنَfrom النَشَواتِintoxicating raptures
كَما دارَ مَخمورٌ مِنَ النَشَواتِ
Love’s ardent longings have gone whirling through my ears,
And passion's ardent longings whirled about my ears,
as a drunkard reels beneath his bouts of intoxication.
As a drunken man reels from intoxicating raptures.
لَقَدindeed تَرَكَتنيshe has left me مِنthrough هَواهاlove for her كَأَنَّنيas though I were
لَقَد تَرَكَتني مِن هَواها كَأَنَّني
هَبَنَّقَةُHabannaqah القَيسِيُّal-Qaysi ذوpossessor of الوَدَعاتِcowrie shells
هَبَنَّقَةُ القَيسِيُّ ذو الوَدَعاتِ
Indeed, through love of her she has left me as though I were
Indeed, through love of her, she has left me as though I were
Habanqa the Qaysite, wearer of the cowrie shells.
Habannaqah al-Qaysi, the man with the cowrie shells.
دَعاهاcalled her الهَوىpassion وَالحُبُّand love نَحويtoward me فَأَرسَلَتso she sent
دَعاها الهَوى وَالحُبُّ نَحوي فَأَرسَلَت
عَلَيكَupon you سَلامُpeace اللَهِGod فيin البَرَكاتِblessings
عَلَيكَ سَلامُ اللَهِ في البَرَكاتِ
Passion and love called her toward me, and so she sent:
Passion and love called her toward me, so she sent word:
“God’s peace be upon you, attended by blessings.”
May God's peace be upon you, with blessings.
تُلاعِبُshe plays with أَتراباًgirls her age كَأَنَّas though عُيونَهاher eyes
تُلاعِبُ أَتراباً كَأَنَّ عُيونَها
غَداةَon the morning اِلتَقَيناwe met أَعيُنُthe eyes البَقَراتِcows
غَداةَ اِلتَقَينا أَعيُنُ البَقَراتِ
She plays with companions of her own age; it was as though her eyes,
She plays with girls her age; it was as if her eyes,
on the morning we met, were the eyes of wild cows.
On the morning we met, were the eyes of cows.
حَلَفتُI swore بِمَنby the One who حَجَّmade pilgrimage to المُلَبّونَpilgrims chanting the call بَيتَهُHis House
حَلَفتُ بِمَن حَجَّ المُلَبّونَ بَيتَهُ
وَبِالخَيفِand by al-Khayf وَالرامينَand those casting stones لِلجَمَراتِat the Jamarat
وَبِالخَيفِ وَالرامينَ لِلجَمَراتِ
I swear by Him whose House the pilgrims crying “Labbayk” have sought,
I swore by Him to whose House the chanting pilgrims made pilgrimage,
and by al-Khayf, and by those who stone the Jamarat,
And by al-Khayf and those casting stones at the Jamarat:
لَتَقبيلُsurely kissing خَدَّيهاher two cheeks وَمَصُّand sucking لِسانِهاher tongue
لَتَقبيلُ خَدَّيها وَمَصُّ لِسانِها
أَلَذُّmore delightful مِنَthan الباكينَthose weeping فيat عَرَفاتِArafat
أَلَذُّ مِنَ الباكينَ في عَرَفاتِ
that kissing her two cheeks and sucking her tongue
Surely kissing her cheeks and sucking her tongue
is sweeter than the weeping pilgrims at Arafat.
Is sweeter than the weepers at Arafat.
Sol 6.1