ياO لَلرِجالِmen, help! أَمِنis it because of شَخصٍsomeone بِأَجيادِat Ajyad
يا لَلرِجالِ أَمِن شَخصٍ بِأَجيادِ
يَعتادُreturns repeatedly شَوقيmy longing وَماand not نَوميmy sleep بِمُعتادِa regular visitor
يَعتادُ شَوقي وَما نَومي بِمُعتادِ
O men, help! Is it for someone at Ajyad
O men, whose lord with spears is wont to smite,
that my longing keeps returning, while sleep is no regular visitor?
My passion and my sleep, not as they wonted, are tonight,
كَأَنَّماas though أَقسَمَتswore عَينيmy eye تُسالِمُهُmakes peace with it
كَأَنَّما أَقسَمَت عَيني تُسالِمُهُ
حَتّىuntil تَرىit sees أَحوَرَwith dark irises and bright whites العَينَينِin both eyes فيin الجاديsaffron
حَتّى تَرى أَحوَرَ العَينَينِ في الجادي
As though my eye had sworn to make no peace with it
As though mine eyes, assured the loved one's sight to win,
until it sees the dark-eyed one clad in saffron.
Swore ne'er to close their lids, save on the pupils twain within.
مَنwhoever كانَwas يَزدادُgrows مِنfrom شَوقٍlonging إِلىinto شَجَنٍgrief
مَن كانَ يَزدادُ مِن شَوقٍ إِلى شَجَنٍ
عِندَamong النِساءِwomen فَإِنّيthen indeed I غَيرُnot مُزدادِincreasing
عِندَ النِساءِ فَإِنّي غَيرُ مُزدادِ
Whoever grows from longing into grief
If it be joy increases lovers' grief,
among women—I am not one who grows so.
Then I am not most wretched midst the tribe of lovers left.
ياO سَلمَSalm إِنif تُصبِحيyou become بَسلاًinaccessible مَحَرَّمَةًforbidden
يا سَلمَ إِن تُصبِحي بَسلاً مَحَرَّمَةً
وَتَنزِليand you dwell فيin مُنيفٍa lofty dwelling بَينَamong أَرصادِsentries
وَتَنزِلي في مُنيفٍ بَينَ أَرصادِ
O Salm, if you become inaccessible and forbidden,
Ye tribe, if aught today your camels keep
and dwell in a lofty dwelling among sentries,
Within the sacred limits or at Mina stop, be reft
فَقَدfor indeed رَأَيتُI have seen بَناتِthe daughters of الدَهرِTime غافِلَةًheedless
فَقَد رَأَيتُ بَناتِ الدَهرِ غافِلَةً
فيin الغُبَّرَينِpast and future time وَماand no حَيٌّliving being بِخَلّادِimmortal
في الغُبَّرَينِ وَما حَيٌّ بِخَلّادِ
for I have indeed seen Time's daughters heedless
Of them! For I have seen how changeful is the world,
in time past and time to come; no living being is immortal.
Nor liveth any in felicity eterne empearled.
إِذاif فَرِحتِyou rejoice فَخافيthen fear تَرحَةًsorrow عَجَلاswiftly
إِذا فَرِحتِ فَخافي تَرحَةً عَجَلا
وَإِنand if تَرِحتِyou grieve فَرَجّيthen hope أُمَّmother of عَبّادِAbbad
وَإِن تَرِحتِ فَرَجّي أُمَّ عَبّادِ
If you rejoice, fear sorrow coming swiftly;
If you rejoice, fear quickly changing chance!
and if you grieve, have hope, Umm Abbad.
And if you grieve, hope for the Umm Abad's deliverance.
مَنwhoever قَرَّgrew cool عَيناًin his eye رَماهُshot at him الدَهرُTime عَنfrom كَثَبٍclose by
مَن قَرَّ عَيناً رَماهُ الدَهرُ عَن كَثَبٍ
وَالدَهرُand Time رامٍan archer بِإِصلاحٍwith restoration وَإِفسادِand ruin
وَالدَهرُ رامٍ بِإِصلاحٍ وَإِفسادِ
Whoever's eye is soothed, Time shoots at him from close by;
Whose eye drew near his love, him sudden stroke
and Time is an archer, dealing restoration and ruin.
Of Fate cast down, though Fate create and joy and sorrow woke.
وَكَيفَand how يَبقىendures لِإِلفٍfor a lover إِلفُthe affection صاحِبِهِof his companion
وَكَيفَ يَبقى لِإِلفٍ إِلفُ صاحِبِهِ
وَلاand not أَرىI see والِداًa father يَبقىremains لِأَولادِfor children
وَلا أَرى والِداً يَبقى لِأَولادِ
And how can a lover retain his companion's affection,
How shall a friend of friend ability retain,
when I see no father live on for his children?
Whenas I see no father that his son doth entertain?
بَلbut لَيتَwould that شِعرِيَmy knowledge هَلwhether يَدنوdraws near بِكُمwith you سَبَبٌa bond
بَل لَيتَ شِعرِيَ هَل يَدنو بِكُم سَبَبٌ
وَهَلand will تُعَودَنَّsurely return أَيّاميmy days بِأَجيادِat Ajyad
وَهَل تُعَودَنَّ أَيّامي بِأَجيادِ
But would that I knew: will some bond bring you near?
But haply you will draw you nearer some fair chance
And will my days at Ajyad ever return?
And dawn the happy days when all my wishes shall advance-
أَيّامَdays when لاnot أُعتِبُI appease العُذّالَthe reproachers مِنfrom صَمَمٍdeafness
أَيّامَ لا أُعتِبُ العُذّالَ مِن صَمَمٍ
وَلاand not أُكَلِّفُI require of زَيداًZayd غَيرَother than إِسعادِassistance
وَلا أُكَلِّفُ زَيداً غَيرَ إِسعادِ
Days when, out of deafness, I would not appease the reproachers,
The days when I shall chide the spy malign
and asked Zayd for nothing but assistance.
Nor Zaid to other service than my love's assign.
ياO جارَةًneighbor يَومَthe day راحَdeparted الحَيُّthe clan جارَتَناour neighbor
يا جارَةً يَومَ راحَ الحَيُّ جارَتَنا
تَسبيshe captivates الحَليمَthe self-possessed man وَلاand not تَنساقُshe is led لِلحاديby the camel-driver
تَسبي الحَليمَ وَلا تَنساقُ لِلحادي
O neighbor—our neighbor on the day the clan departed—
O neighbour mine! what while our friend was here,
who captivates the self-possessed, yet will not follow the camel-driver!
Whenas the Pure was wroth, thou wouldst not tempt the Cavalier;
قامَتshe stood لِتَركَبَto mount فَاِرتَجَّتthen quivered رَوادِفُهاher buttocks
قامَت لِتَركَبَ فَاِرتَجَّت رَوادِفُها
فيwith لينِthe suppleness of غُصنٍa branch مِنَof الرَيحانِbasil مُنآدِswaying
في لينِ غُصنٍ مِنَ الرَيحانِ مُنآدِ
She stood to mount, and her buttocks quivered
She rose to ride when her leg showed from her skirt,
with the suppleness of a swaying branch of basil.
As it were pearl in shell of glass that none may counterfeit:
كَأَنَّماas though خُلِقَتshe was created فيin قِشرِthe shell of لُؤلُؤَةٍa pearl
كَأَنَّما خُلِقَت في قِشرِ لُؤلُؤَةٍ
فَكُلُّso every أَكنافِهاher sides وَجهٌa face بِمِرصادِlying in wait
فَكُلُّ أَكنافِها وَجهٌ بِمِرصادِ
She seems to have been created within a pearl's shell,
As though her stature were of ball of pearl
so every side of her is a face lying in wait.
Compact, where all is rounded grace that eye shall see or ear.
فَقُلتُso I said شَمسُthe sun of الضُحىmidmorning فيin مِرطِthe mantle of جارِيَةٍa maiden
فَقُلتُ شَمسُ الضُحى في مِرطِ جارِيَةٍ
ياO مَنyou who رَأىsaw الشَمسَthe sun فيin مِرطٍa mantle وَأَبرادِand striped cloaks
يا مَن رَأى الشَمسَ في مِرطٍ وَأَبرادِ
So I said, 'The midmorning sun in a maiden's mantle!'
I cried, “Dawn tirelessly in skirt of lovely fair!
O you who have seen the sun in a mantle and striped cloaks!
Who e'er saw sun that lit the morn shine from a cinctured air?”
تُلقىshe is greeted بِتَسبيحَةٍwith 'Glory to God!' مِنbecause of حُسنِthe beauty of ماhow خُلِقَتshe was created
تُلقى بِتَسبيحَةٍ مِن حُسنِ ما خُلِقَت
وَتَستَفِزُّand she stirs حَشىthe heart of الرائيthe beholder بِإِرعادِwith trembling
وَتَستَفِزُّ حَشى الرائي بِإِرعادِ
She is greeted with 'Glory to God!' for how beautifully she was made,
With specious praise her graces I reveal
and sets the beholder's heart trembling.
And wake desire that sleepy lay in passion's pastime leil:
كَأَنَّas though عَينيmy eye تَراهاsees her فيin مَجاسِدِهاher saffron-dyed robes
كَأَنَّ عَيني تَراها في مَجاسِدِها
إِذاwhen رَأَيتُI saw رُسومَthe traces of الدارِthe dwelling وَالناديand the gathering-place
إِذا رَأَيتُ رُسومَ الدارِ وَالنادي
As though my eye sees her in her saffron-dyed robes
As though her form were in her dwelling houst,
whenever I see the traces of the dwelling and the gathering-place.
Whenever I descry the walls and every lodging of the house.
بَيضاءُwhite كَالدُرَّةِlike the pearl الزَهراءِradiant غُرَّتُهاher brow
بَيضاءُ كَالدُرَّةِ الزَهراءِ غُرَّتُها
تَصطادُshe catches عَيناًan eye وَلاand not تُرجىshe is hoped for لِمُصطادِfor a hunter
تَصطادُ عَيناً وَلا تُرجى لِمُصطادِ
White as a radiant pearl is her brow;
White as the curling fleece her skin; her cares
she captures the eye, yet no hunter can hope to win her.
Ensnare us, so thou ne'er attainest what the fair ensnares:
كَأَنَّهاas though she لاnot تَرىsees جِسماًa body تَخَوَّنَهُhas worn it away
كَأَنَّها لا تَرى جِسماً تَخَوَّنَهُ
بَينُparting from الحَبيبِthe beloved وَلَمand has not تَشعُرfelt بِإِسهادِsleeplessness
بَينُ الحَبيبِ وَلَم تَشعُر بِإِسهادِ
As though she sees no body worn away
As though she never flesh of man enthralled
by parting from the beloved, and has never felt sleeplessness.
By love, and to her friend betrayal ne'er recalled
أَصومُI fast يَوماًa day فَأَرقاthen I grow sleepless مِنfrom تَذَكُّرِهاremembering her
أَصومُ يَوماً فَأَرقا مِن تَذَكُّرِها
وَلاand not أُصَلّيI pray الضُحىthe forenoon prayer إِلّاexcept بِعَدّادِat intervals
وَلا أُصَلّي الضُحى إِلّا بِعَدّادِ
I fast a day, then grow sleepless from remembering her;
At times I fast from thought of her then wake
and offer the forenoon prayer only now and then.
To pray when dawn-light chargeth and when night begins to break
وَقَدand indeed عَجِبتُI wondered وَإِغراميand my infatuation بِهاwith her عَجَبٌa wonder
وَقَد عَجِبتُ وَإِغرامي بِها عَجَبٌ
ماwhat ليwith me أَقودُI lead حَروناًa balking horse غَيرَnot مُنقادِcompliant
ما لي أَقودُ حَروناً غَيرَ مُنقادِ
I have wondered—and my passion for her is a wonder—
At her my wonder grows and grows desire;
why do I lead a balking horse that will not be led?
How drive I back an ass unlike anass that bears his hire?
أَحينَis it when كُنتُI was سِراجاًa lamp يُستَضاءُlight is sought بِهِfrom it
أَحينَ كُنتُ سِراجاً يُستَضاءُ بِهِ
يَكونُis فيin الغَيِّerror إِفراعيmy descent وَإِصعاديand my ascent
يَكونُ في الغَيِّ إِفراعي وَإِصعادي
Is it when I have become a lamp whose light is sought
While I can light my brethren on their way,
that my descent and ascent should be in error?
Shall this and that turn back my steps when I advance to prey?
كَلّاno! سَأَترُكُI shall abandon ذِكريmy remembrance of تِلكَthat woman إِذsince رَقَدَتshe slept
كَلّا سَأَترُكُ ذِكري تِلكَ إِذ رَقَدَت
عَنّيaway from me وَأَذكُرُand I shall remember يَوماًa day غَيرَnot رَقّادِa sleeper
عَنّي وَأَذكُرُ يَوماً غَيرَ رَقّادِ
No! I will stop remembering that woman, since she sleeps
Nay, leave thy mention of the Fair, since she
heedless of me, and remember a day that never sleeps.
Hath left the mention, and recall the days gone by to thee!
Sol 6.1