قَيدٌa fetter يُكابِدُهُhe struggles against it وَسِجنٌand a prison ضَيِّقُcramped
قَيدٌ يُكابِدُهُ وَسِجنٌ ضَيِّقُ
ياO رَبِّmy Lord شابَturned gray مِنَfrom الهُمومِcares المَفرَقُthe parting of the hair
يا رَبِّ شابَ مِنَ الهُمومِ المَفرَقُ
A fetter he struggles against, and a cramped prison.
Shackles he bears and a prison so confined
O Lord, cares have grayed the hair at my parting.
O Lord, with worries his youth has declined
إِنif لَمnot يَكُنthere is فَرَجٌrelief فَمَوتٌthen death عاجِلٌswift
إِن لَم يَكُن فَرَجٌ فَمَوتٌ عاجِلٌ
إِنَّindeed الحِمامَdeath مِنَthan الرَزاياcalamities أَوفَقُpreferable
إِنَّ الحِمامَ مِنَ الرَزايا أَوفَقُ
If there is no relief, then let death come swiftly.
Unless relief comes, death shall be swift
Surely death is preferable to calamities.
To sorrows, resignation is most apt
قَلَّbecame scarce الصَديقُthe friend أَخوpossessor of الوَفاءِloyalty وَأعوَزِand was lacking الthe
قَلَّ الصَديقُ أَخو الوَفاءِ وَأعوَزِ ال
خِلُّcompanion الشَقوقِthe compassionate (probable intended reading) وَأَينَand where خِلّقa friend (probable intended reading) مُشفِقُcaring
خِلُّ الشَقوقِ وَأَينَ خِلّق مُشفِقُ
The faithful friend is rare, and scarce is the
Few are loyal friends and comforters sincere
compassionate companion; where is a caring friend?
Where is a bosom friend with sympathy and care?
ياO بَرقُlightning إِنif جُزتَyou pass الدِيارَthe dwellings بِإربلٍin Erbil
يا بَرقُ إِن جُزتَ الدِيارَ بِإربلٍ
وَعلاand rises عَلَيكَupon you مِنَfrom التَدانيdrawing near رَونَقُa luster
وَعلا عَلَيكَ مِنَ التَداني رَونَقُ
O lightning, if you pass the dwellings in Erbil,
O lightning, if you happen to pass by the abode
and a luster comes over you as you draw near,
With your beauty and charm on full display
بَلِّغconvey تَحِيَّةَthe greeting of نازِحٍone far away حَسَراتُهُhis sorrows
بَلِّغ تَحِيَّةَ نازِحٍ حَسَراتُهُ
أَبَداًforever بِأَذيالِto the skirts of الصَباthe east wind تَتَعَلَّقُcling
أَبَداً بِأَذيالِ الصَبا تَتَعَلَّقُ
convey the greeting of one far away, whose sorrows
Convey the greetings of one longing and aggrieved
cling forever to the skirts of the east wind.
Whose hopes forever to youth are bound and cleaved
قُلsay ياO جُعِلتُmay I be made لَكَfor you الفِداءَthe ransom أَسيرُكُمyour captive
قُل يا جُعِلتُ لَكَ الفِداءَ أَسيرُكُم
مِنthan كُلِّevery مُشتاقٍone who longs إِلَيكُمfor you أَشوقُmore full of longing
مِن كُلِّ مُشتاقٍ إِلَيكُم أَشوقُ
Say: “O you, may I be your ransom! Your captive
Say, I am your prisoner ready for sacrifice
longs more than anyone else who longs for you.”
Most eager among the eager for you, my soul cries
وَاللَهِby God ماnot سَرَتِblew by night الصَباthe east wind نَجدِيَّةًfrom Najd
وَاللَهِ ما سَرَتِ الصَبا نَجدِيَّةً
إِلّاexcept وَكِدتُand I nearly مِنَfrom المَدامِعِtears أُشرَقُI am choked
إِلّا وَكِدتُ مِنَ المَدامِعِ أُشرَقُ
By God, never has the east wind come by night from Najd
By God, the morning breeze blew not in Nejd
without my nearly choking on tears.
Except my tears flowed copious from distress
كَيفَhow السَبيلُthe way إِلىto اللِقاءmeeting وَدونَكُمand on the way to you
كَيفَ السَبيلُ إِلى اللِقاء وَدونَكُم
صَمّاءُimpenetrable شاهِقَةٌtowering وَبابٌand a door مُغلَقُlocked
صَمّاءُ شاهِقَةٌ وَبابٌ مُغلَقُ
How can there be a way to meet, when between us stand
How can we meet when tall deaf walls stand?
a towering, impenetrable barrier and a locked door?
With a door bolted, escape is banned
مَنwho ليfor me بِحَملِwith carrying تَحِيَّةٍa greeting مَودوعَةٍentrusted with
مَن لي بِحَملِ تَحِيَّةٍ مَودوعَةٍ
شَكوىa lament يَرِقُّis moved to pity لَهاfor it العَدُوُّthe enemy وَالمَحنَقُand the enraged
شَكوى يَرِقُّ لَها العَدُوُّ وَالمَحنَقُ
Who will carry for me a greeting entrusted with
Who will carry my farewell so steeped in woe?
a lament that moves even the enemy and the enraged to pity?
Even enemies' hearts will melt from the blow
Sol 6.1