طالَlasted long عهدُthe spell السُّهادِsleeplessness بالسَّحَرِin the hour before dawn
طالَ عهدُ السُّهادِ بالسَّحَرِ
وسؤالُand the questioning النُّجومِthe stars والقمرِand the moon
وسؤالُ النُّجومِ والقمرِ
Long has my sleepless vigil lasted into the pre-dawn,
Long has the spell of sleeplessness lasted in the hour before dawn,
and long have I questioned the stars and the moon
And the questioning of the stars and the moon
عنabout مهاةٍa female oryx كالشمسlike the sun أبرَقَflashed منهاfrom her
عن مهاةٍ كالشمس أبرَقَ منها
طارقُthe night visitor الوجدِardent longing فيin دجىdarkness السَّهَرِsleeplessness
طارقُ الوجدِ في دجى السَّهَرِ
about a sunlike oryx-doe, from whom there flashed
About a sunlike oryx, from whom flashed
longing’s night-visitor in the darkness of wakefulness.
The night visitor of longing in the darkness of sleeplessness.
كلماwhenever قلتُI said قدalready دناdrew near الوصلُunion منهاfrom her
كلما قلتُ قد دنا الوصلُ منها
بادرتْshe forestalled ظنِّيmy expectation بالمنَىwith hopes الأُخَرِthe other ones
بادرتْ ظنِّي بالمنَى الأُخَرِ
Whenever I said, “Union with her has drawn near,”
Whenever I said, “Union with her has already drawn near,”
she forestalled my expectation with still other hopes.
She forestalled my expectation with other hopes.
تتراءىshe appears مِنfrom خلفِbehind سِترthe veil التَّنائيseparation
تتراءى مِن خلفِ سِتر التَّنائي
بشجونٍwith sorrows سُطِرنwere inscribed فيin القَدَرِfate
بشجونٍ سُطِرن في القَدَرِ
She comes into view from behind separation’s veil,
She appears from behind the veil of separation,
bearing sorrows inscribed in fate.
With sorrows inscribed in fate.
Sol 6.1