يا صاحِبَيَّ أَعيناني عَلى طَرَبِ

يا صاحِبَيَّ أَعيناني عَلى طَرَبِ

قَد آبَ لَيلي وَلَيتَ اللَيلَ لَم يَؤُبِ

قَد آبَ لَيلي وَلَيتَ اللَيلَ لَم يَؤُبِ

O my two companions, help me bear my lovesick unrest.

O my friend, help me with my turmoil,

My night has returned; would that the night had not returned.

My night has come and would that night had not returned.

نَصِبتُ وَالشَوقُ عَنّاني وَنَصَّبَني

نَصِبتُ وَالشَوقُ عَنّاني وَنَصَّبَني

إِلى سُلَيمى وَراعيهِنَّ في نَصَبِ

إِلى سُلَيمى وَراعيهِنَّ في نَصَبِ

I have grown weary; longing has tormented me and worn me down

Yearning holds my reins and has harnessed me,

in yearning for Sulayma; their watcher, too, is weary.

To Sulayma and her fair companions in harnessing.

في القَصرِ ذي الشُرُفاتِ البيضِ جارِيَةٌ

في القَصرِ ذي الشُرُفاتِ البيضِ جارِيَةٌ

رَيّا التَرائِبِ وَالأَردافِ وَالقَضَبِ

رَيّا التَرائِبِ وَالأَردافِ وَالقَضَبِ

In the palace with its white balconies is a maiden,

In the palace of proud porches a maid,

full in breast, hips, and bough-like limbs.

Slender of waist and hips and thighs.

اللَهُ أَصفى لَها وُدّي وَصَوَّرَها

اللَهُ أَصفى لَها وُدّي وَصَوَّرَها

فَضلاً عَلى الشَمسِ إِذ لاحَت مِنَ الحُجُبِ

فَضلاً عَلى الشَمسِ إِذ لاحَت مِنَ الحُجُبِ

God made my love pure for her and fashioned her

God made my love for her most pure and formed her,

to surpass the sun when she shone forth from behind the veils.

Excelling the sun when it shone from behind the veils.

أُحِبُّ فاها وَعَينَيها وَما عَهِدَت

أُحِبُّ فاها وَعَينَيها وَما عَهِدَت

إِلَيَّ مِن عَجَبٍ وَيلي مِنَ العَجَبِ

إِلَيَّ مِن عَجَبٍ وَيلي مِنَ العَجَبِ

I love her mouth and her eyes, and what she has confided

I love her mouth and her eyes and what

to me of wonders—woe to me for such wonders!

Wonders she confided in me - and woe to me from wonders!

داءُ المُحِبِّ وَلَو يُشفى بِريقَتِها

داءُ المُحِبِّ وَلَو يُشفى بِريقَتِها

كانَت لِأَدوائِهِ كَالنارِ لِلحَطَبِ

كانَت لِأَدوائِهِ كَالنارِ لِلحَطَبِ

The lover's sickness—even were it healed by her saliva—

The lover's sickness, though her spittle would cure it,

her saliva would be to his ailments as fire to firewood.

Is like fire to kindling for his remedies.

وَناكِثٍ بَعدَ عَهدٍ كانَ قَدَّمَهُ

وَناكِثٍ بَعدَ عَهدٍ كانَ قَدَّمَهُ

وَكَيفَ يَنكُثُ بَينَ الدينِ وَالحَسَبِ

وَكَيفَ يَنكُثُ بَينَ الدينِ وَالحَسَبِ

And a pledge-breaker, after a promise he had given—

One who breaks a pact he made earlier -

and how can he break it, bound by faith and noble standing?

How can he break between faith and dignity?

وَاللَهِ أَنفَكُّ أَدعوها وَأَطلُبُها

وَاللَهِ أَنفَكُّ أَدعوها وَأَطلُبُها

حَتىّ أَموتَ وَقَد أَعذَرتُ في الطَلَبِ

حَتىّ أَموتَ وَقَد أَعذَرتُ في الطَلَبِ

By God, I will not cease to call her and seek her

By God, I will call her and seek her

until I die, having spared no effort in pursuit.

Until I die, having excused myself in seeking.

قَد قُلتُ لَمّا ثَنَت عَنّي بِبَهجَتِها

قَد قُلتُ لَمّا ثَنَت عَنّي بِبَهجَتِها

وَاِعتادَني الشَوقُ بِالوَسواسِ وَالوَصَبِ

وَاِعتادَني الشَوقُ بِالوَسواسِ وَالوَصَبِ

I said, when she turned away from me with her beauty,

I said, when she turned from me with her joy,

and longing revisited me with troubled thoughts and pain:

And longing accustomed me to whispering and night vigils:

يا أَطيَبَ الناسِ أَرداناً وَمُلتَزَماً

يا أَطيَبَ الناسِ أَرداناً وَمُلتَزَماً

مُنّي عَلَيَّ بِيَومٍ مِنكِ وَاِحتَسِبي

مُنّي عَلَيَّ بِيَومٍ مِنكِ وَاِحتَسِبي

“O sweetest-scented of people, in sleeves and embrace,

"O sweetest of people to embrace and visit,

grant me a day with you, and count it as a good deed.

Grant me a day with you and count me virtuous."

إِنَّ المُحِبّينَ لا يَشفي سَقامَهُما

إِنَّ المُحِبّينَ لا يَشفي سَقامَهُما

إِلّا التَلاقي فَداوي القَلبَ وَاِقتَرِبي

إِلّا التَلاقي فَداوي القَلبَ وَاِقتَرِبي

For nothing heals the sickness of two lovers

Lovers, their sickness is not cured

except meeting; so heal the heart and draw near.

Save by meeting - so cure my heart and draw near.

كَم قُلتِ لي عَجَباً ثُمَّ اِلتَوَيتِ بِهِ

كَم قُلتِ لي عَجَباً ثُمَّ اِلتَوَيتِ بِهِ

وَلا لِما قُلتِ مِن راسٍ وَلا ذَنَبِ

وَلا لِما قُلتِ مِن راسٍ وَلا ذَنَبِ

How often you told me something wondrous, then equivocated about it,

How often you said "wondrous!" to me then blamed me,

and what you said had neither head nor tail.

Though I had no fault or sin in what you said.

لا تُتعِبيني فَإِنّي مِن حَديثِكُمُ

لا تُتعِبيني فَإِنّي مِن حَديثِكُمُ

بَعدَ الصُدودِ الَّذي حُدِّثتُ في تَعَبِ

بَعدَ الصُدودِ الَّذي حُدِّثتُ في تَعَبِ

Do not weary me, for, from your words,

Don't weary me, for I am weary

after the rejection I was told of, I am weary.

After the estrangement - the tale I was told wearies me.

يَدعو إِلى المَوتِ طَيفٌ لا يُؤَرِّقُني

يَدعو إِلى المَوتِ طَيفٌ لا يُؤَرِّقُني

وَعارِضٌ مِنكِ في جَدّي وَفي لَعِبي

وَعارِضٌ مِنكِ في جَدّي وَفي لَعِبي

A phantom that does not keep me awake calls me toward death,

A specter that does not disturb me calls me to die,

and a passing vision of you, in my earnestness and my play.

While a caprice of yours in earnest and in play.

فَاِلقَي مُحِبّاً حَماهُ النَومَ ذِكرُكُمُ

فَاِلقَي مُحِبّاً حَماهُ النَومَ ذِكرُكُمُ

كَأَنَّهُ يَومَ لا يَلقاكِ في لَهَبِ

كَأَنَّهُ يَومَ لا يَلقاكِ في لَهَبِ

So meet a lover whom remembering you has kept from sleep,

Meet a lover protected by your memory's sleep,

as though he were in flames on any day he does not meet you.”

As though, when he does not meet you, in flames.

قالَت أَكُلُّ فَتاةٍ أَنتَ خادِعُها

قالَت أَكُلُّ فَتاةٍ أَنتَ خادِعُها

بِشِعرِكَ الساحِرِ الخَلّابِ لِلعُرُبِ

بِشِعرِكَ الساحِرِ الخَلّابِ لِلعُرُبِ

She said, “Is every maiden one you deceive

She said: "Are you beguiling every young girl

with your bewitching verse, so beguiling to the Arabs?

With your sorcerous poetry, refined for nomads?"

كَم قَد نَشِبتَ بِغَيري ثُمَّ زِغتَ بِها

كَم قَد نَشِبتَ بِغَيري ثُمَّ زِغتَ بِها

فَاِستَحيِ مِن كَذِبٍ لا خَيرَ في الكَذِبِ

فَاِستَحيِ مِن كَذِبٍ لا خَيرَ في الكَذِبِ

How often you became entangled with someone else, then strayed with her!

"How often have you become entangled with others, then wavered!

So be ashamed of lying; there is no good in lies.

So be ashamed of lying - no good is in lying."

هَبني لَقيتُ كَما تَلقى وَخامَرَني

هَبني لَقيتُ كَما تَلقى وَخامَرَني

داءٌ كَدائِكَ مِن جِنٍّ وَمِن كَلَبِ

داءٌ كَدائِكَ مِن جِنٍّ وَمِن كَلَبِ

Suppose I suffered as you suffer, and there took hold of me

"I met you and was seized by an illness like yours

a sickness like yours, from jinn and from rabid frenzy.

Of jinn or dog."

أَنّى لَنا بِكَ أَو أَنّى بِنا لَكُمُ

أَنّى لَنا بِكَ أَو أَنّى بِنا لَكُمُ

وَنَحنُ في قَيِّمٍ غَيرانَ في نَشَبِ

وَنَحنُ في قَيِّمٍ غَيرانَ في نَشَبِ

How could we have you, or how could you have us,

"Where do we have you or you us

while we are under a jealous guardian, amid wealth?

When we are in different paths, diverse in manners?"

لا نَستَطيعُ وَلا نُسطاعُ مِن سَرَفٍ

لا نَستَطيعُ وَلا نُسطاعُ مِن سَرَفٍ

فَالصَفحُ أَمثَلُ مِن وَصلٍ عَلى رُقَبِ

فَالصَفحُ أَمثَلُ مِن وَصلٍ عَلى رُقَبِ

We cannot reach you, nor can we be reached through recklessness;

"We cannot, nor can we be made to, due to excess -

so turning away is better than union under watch.

So forgiveness is best over bonding anew."

أَنتَ المُشَهَّرُ في أَهلي وَفي نَفَري

أَنتَ المُشَهَّرُ في أَهلي وَفي نَفَري

وَدونَكَ العَينُ مِن جارٍ وَمُغتَرِبِ

وَدونَكَ العَينُ مِن جارٍ وَمُغتَرِبِ

You are notorious among my family and my clan,

"You are notorious among my people and companions.

and watchful eyes bar your way—neighbors and strangers.

My eye is too good for a neighbor or stranger from afar."

وَلَو أُطيعُكَ في نَفسي مُعالَجَةً

وَلَو أُطيعُكَ في نَفسي مُعالَجَةً

أَنهَبتُ عِرضي وَما عِرضي بِمُنتَهَبِ

أَنهَبتُ عِرضي وَما عِرضي بِمُنتَهَبِ

And if, with effort, I yielded myself to you,

"If I obeyed you, humoring myself,

I would lay my honor open to plunder, and my honor is not to be plundered.

I would forfeit my honor - and my honor is not for forfeiting."

فَاِحلُب لَبونَكَ إِبساساً وَتَمرِيَةً

فَاِحلُب لَبونَكَ إِبساساً وَتَمرِيَةً

لا يَقطَعُ الدَرَّ إِلّا عِيُّ مُحتَلِبِ

لا يَقطَعُ الدَرَّ إِلّا عِيُّ مُحتَلِبِ

So milk your milch-camel with soothing calls and udder-stroking;

"So milk your udder dry and lick your fingers,

only the milker's ineptitude cuts off the milk-flow.

None can milk the teat but a bleary-eyed camel herder."

إِنّا وَإِن لَم تَكُن مِنّا مُساعَفَةٌ

إِنّا وَإِن لَم تَكُن مِنّا مُساعَفَةٌ

بِما هَويتَ وَكُنّا عَنكَ في أَشَبِ

بِما هَويتَ وَكُنّا عَنكَ في أَشَبِ

We, though we have not indulged you

"Though we have shown no favor to you

in what you desired, and have been kept from you in a thicket,

In what you love, and we avoided you in discomfort,"

نَهوى الحَديثَ وَنَستَبقي مَناصِبَنا

نَهوى الحَديثَ وَنَستَبقي مَناصِبَنا

إِنَّ الصَحيحَةَ لا تَبقى مَعَ الجَرِبِ

إِنَّ الصَحيحَةَ لا تَبقى مَعَ الجَرِبِ

love conversation and safeguard our standing.

"We desire speech and preserve our ranks -

For the healthy one does not remain with the mangy.”

The healthy avoids the mangy."

خافَت عُيوناً فَخَفَّت قَبلَ حاجَتِنا

خافَت عُيوناً فَخَفَّت قَبلَ حاجَتِنا

وَرَوَّعَتنا بِإِعراضٍ وَلَم تُصِبِ

وَرَوَّعَتنا بِإِعراضٍ وَلَم تُصِبِ

She feared watching eyes and hurried away before our need was met,

"Eyes feared before our need

and frightened us by turning away, and did not act rightly.

And startled us by turning away, and did not look."

فَلَيسَ لي عِندَها حَبلٌ أَمُتُّ بِهِ

فَلَيسَ لي عِندَها حَبلٌ أَمُتُّ بِهِ

إِلّا المَوَدَّةَ مِن نُعمى وَلا نَشَبِ

إِلّا المَوَدَّةَ مِن نُعمى وَلا نَشَبِ

So I have no tie to her on which to base a claim,

"I have no rope with her I can cling to

except affection—neither favors nor wealth.

Save kindness from bliss - and no knot."

فَقَد نَسيتُ وَقَلبي في صَبابَتِهِ

فَقَد نَسيتُ وَقَلبي في صَبابَتِهِ

كَأَنَّهُ عِندَها حَيرانُ في سَبَبِ

كَأَنَّهُ عِندَها حَيرانُ في سَبَبِ

For I have forgotten, while my heart, in its ardor,

"I have forgotten while my heart wanders,

seems with her, bewildered and bound by a cord.

As though lost to causes with her."

قَد غِبتُ عَنها فَما رَقَّت لِغَيبَتِنا

قَد غِبتُ عَنها فَما رَقَّت لِغَيبَتِنا

وَقَد شَهِدتُ فَلَم تَشهَد وَلَم تَغِبِ

وَقَد شَهِدتُ فَلَم تَشهَد وَلَم تَغِبِ

I have been absent from her, yet she felt no tenderness at our absence;

"I was absent from her but she felt no longing for my absence,

and I have been present, yet she was neither present nor absent.

While I was present but she did not witness or be absent."

أُمسي حَزيناً وَتُمسي في مَجاسِدِها

أُمسي حَزيناً وَتُمسي في مَجاسِدِها

لا تَشتَكي الحُبَّ في عَظمٍ وَلا عَصَبِ

لا تَشتَكي الحُبَّ في عَظمٍ وَلا عَصَبِ

I pass the evening grieving, while she passes it in her saffron-dyed robes,

"I go to bed depressed while she goes to bed

feeling no ache of love in bone or sinew.

Not complaining of love in bone or nerve."

كَأَنَّها حَجَرٌ مِن بُعدِ نائِلِها

كَأَنَّها حَجَرٌ مِن بُعدِ نائِلِها

شَطَّت عَلَيَّ وَإِن نادَيتُ لَم تُجِبِ

شَطَّت عَلَيَّ وَإِن نادَيتُ لَم تُجِبِ

She is like a stone, her favors so far beyond reach.

"As if she were a stone, distant from her would-be lover -

She has withdrawn far from me; even when I call, she does not answer.

She was harsh to me, and if I called, she did not answer."