أَتَنْسَىdo you forget لَيَالِينَاour nights بِزحلَةَin Zahle، وَالوَلَاand affection
أَتَنْسَى لَيَالِينَا بِزحلَةَ، وَالوَلَا
يُقَيِّدُنَاbinds us فِيهَاin them فُؤَادًاheart وَمَذْهَبَاand outlook
يُقَيِّدُنَا فِيهَا فُؤَادًا وَمَذْهَبَا
Have you forgotten our nights in Zahle, when affection
Do you forget our nights in Zahle, and that closeness
bound us there in heart and outlook?
That bound our hearts and beliefs there?
أَتَنْسَىdo you forget تَمَشِّينَاour strolls عَلَىalong ضِفَّةِthe bank of الصَّفَاserenity
أَتَنْسَى تَمَشِّينَا عَلَى ضِفَّةِ الصَّفَا
نُرَاقِبُwe watch فِيin النهرِthe river اللُّجَيْنَsilver المُذَوَّبَاmolten
نُرَاقِبُ فِي النهرِ اللُّجَيْنَ المُذَوَّبَا
Have you forgotten our strolls along serenity’s bank,
Do you forget our strolling on the banks of Saffa
watching the molten silver in the river?
As we watched the currents dissolving in the river?
تَمُرُّpass بِنَاby us الغادَاتُthe maidens شَارِدَةَwandering الخُطَىthe steps
تَمُرُّ بِنَا الغادَاتُ شَارِدَةَ الخُطَى
وَقَدْand already سَدَلَتْthey let fall فِيin غَيْهَبِthe gloom of اللَّيْلِthe night غَيْهَبَاa darkness
وَقَدْ سَدَلَتْ فِي غَيْهَبِ اللَّيْلِ غَيْهَبَا
The maidens pass us with wandering steps,
The beauties passed by us with wandering steps
having let fall a darkness into the gloom of night.
And disappeared into the abyss of night’s abyss.
وَنَقْفُوand we follow خُطَاهَاtheir footsteps خَافِقِينَthrobbing صَبَابَةًwith longing
وَنَقْفُو خُطَاهَا خَافِقِينَ صَبَابَةً
مُجدِّينَpressing on earnestly وجدًاin passion، مُنْشِدِينَreciting تَشَبُّبَاlove verses
مُجدِّينَ وجدًا، مُنْشِدِينَ تَشَبُّبَا
And we follow their footsteps, our hearts throbbing with longing,
We followed their steps with pounding hearts
pressing on in passion, reciting verses of love.
Exalting passion, composing melodies.
وَنَلْتَحِفُand we cloak ourselves in الظلماءَdarkness خشْيَةَfor fear أَنْthat تَرَىthey see
وَنَلْتَحِفُ الظلماءَ خشْيَةَ أَنْ تَرَى
تَتَبُّعَنَاour pursuit تلكthose الظِّبَاءُgazelles فَتَهْرُبَاand then flee
تَتَبُّعَنَا تلك الظِّبَاءُ فَتَهْرُبَا
And we cloak ourselves in darkness, for fear they might see
We took cover in the darkness, fearing that
us following them—those gazelles—and flee.
Those gazelles might see us and bolt away.
فَيَاso, oh لَكَfor you (exclamatory) بُعدًاseparation صَارَhas become يَقْظَةَan awakening حَسْرَةٍbitter regret!
فَيَا لَكَ بُعدًا صَارَ يَقْظَةَ حَسْرَةٍ!
وَيَاand oh لَكَfor you (exclamatory) عَهْدًاa time كَانَwas كَالحُلْمِlike a dream طَيِّبَاsweet!
وَيَا لَكَ عَهْدًا كَانَ كَالحُلْمِ طَيِّبَا!
Ah, what a separation—now an awakening to bitter regret!
So long has it been since your absence became wakeful grief!
And oh, what a time it was, sweet as a dream!
So beautiful once was that time, like a sweet dream!
Sol 6.1