ماwhat بالُis the matter with أصدقَthe truest وعدهاher promise كسرابِlike a mirage
ما بالُ أصدقَ وعدها كسرابِ
يُذكىkindles الأُوامَthirst ولاand not يفيprovides بشرابِa drink
يُذكى الأُوامَ ولا يفي بشرابِ
Why is her truest promise like a mirage,
Why did I believe her promises were mirages
kindling thirst yet yielding no drink?
That ignite hopes but cannot quench thirst?
حلفتُI swore تواصلنيshe keeps contact with me وماand not صدقتshe kept her word كماas
حلفتُ تواصلني وما صدقت كما
زعمواthey claimed ولاand no قسَمٌoath لذاتِfor a woman with خضابِhenna
زعموا ولا قسَمٌ لذاتِ خضابِ
I swore she would keep close to me; she proved untrue, as
She swore she'd keep in touch but wasn't true
they claimed—and no oath holds for a woman with henna.
As they claimed, nor did that rouged one uphold oaths.
ماwhy ليfor me أعللI soothe صادقَa truthful keeper of الوعدِthe promise الوفيّthe faithful one
ما لي أعلل صادقَ الوعدِ الوفيّ
بغادرٍwith a treacherous one منfrom وعدهاher promises كذابِlying
بغادرٍ من وعدها كذابِ
Why do I soothe a true and faithful keeper of promises
Why should I excuse one true of promise, faithful,
with a treacherous, lying promise of hers?
Betrayed by her promises, a liar?
أهوىI love الصبابةardent longing والجوىand heartache وأرىand I see الكآsorrow (word begins)
أهوى الصبابة والجوى وأرى الكآ
بة(completes 'sorrow') فيin الهوىlove سبباًa cause منamong الأسبابِthe causes
بة في الهوى سبباً من الأسبابِ
I love yearning and heartache, and regard sorrow
I love youth and passion, yet I see old age
in love as one cause among others.
Is reason behind passions, one reason of all.
فإلىso until متىwhen هجرshunning الأحبةِloved ones دأبهاher habit
فإلى متى هجر الأحبةِ دأبها
وتمسُّكيand my clinging بعُرىto the bonds of المحبةِlove دابيmy habit
وتمسُّكي بعُرى المحبةِ دابي
How long, then, will shunning loved ones remain her habit,
How long will my loved ones persist abandoning me
and my clinging to love's bonds remain mine?
While I cling to cord of love so feebly?
وفؤادهاand her heart طوعobedient to الوشاةِthe slanderers ومسمعيand my hearing
وفؤادها طوع الوشاةِ ومسمعي
أعصىthe most defiant of العصاةthe rebels عنagainst الملامةreproach آبيrefusing
أعصى العصاة عن الملامة آبي
Her heart obeys the slanderers, while my ear
Her heart obeys the slanderers and lends an ear
is the most defiant of rebels, refusing reproach.
To rebels, refusing all blame or accountability.
لمwhy لاnot أرىI see العشاقَthe lovers مثليlike me فيin الهوىlove
لم لا أرى العشاقَ مثلي في الهوى
صرعىstruck down وليسand is not الصبُthe ardent lover كالمتصابيlike one playing at love
صرعى وليس الصبُ كالمتصابي
Why do I not see lovers, like me in love,
Why see I no lovers like myself brought down by love,
struck down? The ardent lover is not like one playing at love.
Although passion's sword spared not even the self-styled stoic?
لمnot أدْرِI knew أنthat العشقَpassionate love منamong أسمائهِits names
لم أدْرِ أن العشقَ من أسمائهِ
قبلbefore الغرامَardent love مفككthe unraveller of الأعصابِthe nerves
قبل الغرامَ مفكك الأعصابِ
I did not know that passion was also called—
I did not know that among the name of Love,
before I fell in love—'the unraveller of nerves.'
Before passion, dwells addled wits and shredded nerves.
ياO قلبُheart ويحكَwoe to you إنindeed ليثاًa lion طرفُهاher gaze
يا قلبُ ويحكَ إن ليثاً طرفُها
أوand do ...? ماnot تراهُyou see it ساكناًdwelling فيin غابِa forest
أو ما تراهُ ساكناً في غابِ
O heart, woe to you! Her gaze is a lion—
Oh heart, enough! Her glance is a lioness
do you not see it dwelling in a forest?
Or did you not see it still lurking in the thicket?
كادتnearly تحرقنيburn me صبابتيَmy longing التيwhich
كادت تحرقني صبابتيَ التي
شبّتblazed up فلولاand were it not for طرفيَmy eye المسكابِever pouring tears
شبّت فلولا طرفيَ المسكابِ
My longing nearly burned me—that longing which
My youthful passion which flared nearly burned me
blazed up—but for my tear-pouring eye.
Had not my tears doused the flames.
تصميkill outright سيوفُthe swords of لحاظهاher glances مغمودةًsheathed
تصمي سيوفُ لحاظها مغمودةً
أرأيتُhave I seen? سيفاًa sword صابstruck جوفَthe interior of قرابِa sheath
أرأيتُ سيفاً صاب جوفَ قرابِ
The swords of her glances kill outright, though sheathed;
The swords of her eyelids sheathe a tempered blade;
have I seen a sword strike inside a sheath?
Have you seen a sword pierce to the core so able?
قتلتshe killed متيمَهاher love-stricken admirer وماand not اكترثتshe cared بهِabout him
قتلت متيمَها وما اكترثت بهِ
منfrom غيرabsence of ما(emphatic) ذنبِsin كقِتلةِlike the killing of هابيHabi
من غير ما ذنبِ كقِتلةِ هابي
She killed her love-stricken admirer and cared nothing for him,
I died for her glances but she cared not a whit,
without any fault, like the slaying of Habi.
With no fault, like a slain stranger in the night.
ماnot استرجعتshe recited the prayer for loss سألتshe asked ولاnor ورداًroses سقتshe watered
ما استرجعت سألت ولا ورداً سقت
أبداًever ولاnor عضّتshe bit علىon العنابِthe jujubes (fingertips)
أبداً ولا عضّت على العنابِ
She offered no prayer for loss, asked no question, nor watered roses,
She neither asked after nor sent a bouquet,
ever, nor bit her jujube-red fingertips.
Never so much as bit her lip.
أختsister of الهلالِthe crescent أماis there no بقلبكَin your heart رحمةmercy
أخت الهلالِ أما بقلبكَ رحمة
لمتيمfor a love-stricken one بهوىwith yearning for هواكِyour love مصابِafflicted
لمتيم بهوى هواكِ مصابِ
Sister of the crescent, is there no mercy in your heart
Sister of the new moon, is there no mercy in your heart
for one enthralled, afflicted with yearning for your love?
For your love-struck admirer so afflicted?
زكّيgive the alms of الجمالِbeauty لغارمٍto a debtor إحساسهُhis feelings
زكّي الجمالِ لغارمٍ إحساسهُ
أولand are you not (begins) ست(completes 'are you not') مالكةًpossessing لخيرِthe finest نصابِalms-taxable wealth
أول ست مالكةً لخيرِ نصابِ
Give beauty's alms to one indebted through his feelings;
My beauty, grace one passion-maddened, his senses
and do you not possess the finest wealth on which alms are due?
Reeling, else you would own the finest portion.
وبمهجتيand with my lifeblood هيفاءُa slender-waisted beauty تختلسُsteals النهىreason
وبمهجتي هيفاءُ تختلسُ النهى
ليI have عندهاwith her زلفىcloseness وحسنand a fine مآبِplace of return
لي عندها زلفى وحسن مآبِ
My lifeblood for a slender beauty who steals reason!
With her coquetry, she steals my heart and soul
With her I have closeness and a happy place of return.
To her I am humbled, by her beauty led.
فيwithin طيّthe fold of مبسمهاher smiling mouth ثلاثthree محاسنٍbeauties
في طيّ مبسمها ثلاث محاسنٍ
دررpearls وصهباءُand red wine ونشرand the fragrance of ملابِmalab perfume
درر وصهباءُ ونشر ملابِ
Within the folds of her smiling mouth are three beauties:
In her blossoming smile three beauties shine:
pearls, red wine, and the fragrance of malab perfume.
Pearls, and the moon, and parting veils.
ومنand among العجائبِthe wonders أنهاthat she معdespite فترةlanguor
ومن العجائبِ أنها مع فترة
فيin الجفنِthe eyelid تبعثshe sends forth مرَسلan envoy of الأهدابِthe eyelashes
في الجفنِ تبعث مرَسل الأهدابِ
And one wonder is that she, despite a languor
Yet the wonder is, though for a time
in her eyelid, sends forth an envoy of lashes.
Her lids seem closed, she sends forth glancing arrows.
وإذاand when بداappears ليلُthe night of الشعورُthe hair رأيتَyou see فيat
وإذا بدا ليلُ الشعورُ رأيتَ في
غاياتهits extremities شفقاa twilight glow منfrom الأعقابِthe heels
غاياته شفقا من الأعقابِ
And when the night of her hair appears, you see at
And when her hair's dark night flows free, you see
its furthest reaches a twilight glow from her heels.
In its waves a sunset glow.
والخصرand the waist يحملbears غيرbeyond طاقتهits capacity وإنand if
والخصر يحمل غير طاقته وإن
نطقتْshe speaks سمعتَyou hear اللحنmelody; grammatical error فيin الإعرابِenunciation; grammatical inflection
نطقتْ سمعتَ اللحن في الإعرابِ
Her waist bears more than it can carry, and if
Her waist bears more than it can support, and if
she speaks, you hear melody in her enunciation.
She speaks, you hear melody flow in her grammar.
ياO خصرهاher waist المعتزّthe proud مالكwhy are you ناقصاًdiminished
يا خصرها المعتزّ مالك ناقصاً
ياO ردفهاher rump المهتزthe swaying مالكwhy are you رابيswelling
يا ردفها المهتز مالك رابي
O her proud waist, why are you so slight?
That slender waist, so proud, adds but to her grace;
O her swaying rump, why are you so full?
Those shaking hips, ah, the promise they hold!
ماnever ذاقَtasted ذوone with هِرمٍold age سلافةَthe choicest wine of ريقهاher saliva
ما ذاقَ ذو هِرمٍ سلافةَ ريقها
إلاّexcept وعادand he returned إلىto زمانِthe time of شبابِyouth
إلاّ وعاد إلى زمانِ شبابِ
No aged man tasted the choice wine of her saliva
No doddering elder knew the sweetness of her spittle
without returning to the days of his youth.
Without returning to the days of his prime.
قسماًI swear بماضيby the irresistible force of أمرهاher command لَلسُّكرِsurely, intoxication بابthrough the daughter (begins)
قسماً بماضي أمرها لَلسُّكرِ باب
نةِ(completes 'daughter') ثغرهاher mouth لاnot بابنةِthrough the daughter of الأعنابِgrapes
نةِ ثغرها لا بابنةِ الأعنابِ
I swear by her irresistible command: intoxication comes from the daughter
I swear by her excellent past, the key to the door
of her mouth, not the daughter of grapes.
Of her mouth’s garden, not daughter of the vine.
سمعتْshe heard بأنthat لواحظيmy glances نظرتlooked لغيat other (word begins)
سمعتْ بأن لواحظي نظرت لغي
رِ(completes 'other') جمالهاher beauty فأتتso she came لتبلوَto probe ماwhat بيis in me
رِ جمالها فأتت لتبلوَ ما بي
She heard that my glances had looked at something other
I heard her glances burned whoever dared admire
than her beauty, so she came to discover what was in me.
Another’s beauty, so she came to test me.
وسقتنيَand she made me drink التهديدُthreats منfrom كاساتهاher cups
وسقتنيَ التهديدُ من كاساتها
عللاdraught after draught وتزعمهand she claims it is كؤوسَcups of عتابِreproach
عللا وتزعمه كؤوسَ عتابِ
And she made me drink threats from her cups,
Her threats poured from her cup in censure and blame
draught after draught, claiming they were cups of reproach.
Though she claimed it was the wine’s bitter dregs.
ياO هندُHind كفيّcease عنfrom عتابيreproaching me وأرحميand have mercy on
يا هندُ كفيّ عن عتابي وأرحمي
آثارthe remnants of روحٍa soul آذنتannounced بذهابِits departure
آثار روحٍ آذنت بذهابِ
O Hind, stop reproaching me, and have mercy
O Hind, enough reproaching me, show mercy
on the remnants of a soul announcing its departure.
On a soul heralding its own demise.
إنif كنتُI have ملتinclined إلىtoward القلاaversion وسليand ask الملاthe assembly
إن كنتُ ملت إلى القلا وسلي الملا
حقّis warranted الجوابُthe answer بلاwith 'no' وحقّand is warranted عقابيmy punishment
حقّ الجوابُ بلا وحقّ عقابي
If I have turned toward aversion—ask the assembly—
If I have turned to others, let my apology
the answer 'no' is warranted, and my punishment is warranted.
Suffice; I await whatever punishment is my due.
قالتshe said ولكنbut قدindeed نظرتَyou looked لغيرناat someone other than us
قالت ولكن قد نظرتَ لغيرنا
ودخلتَand you entered بيتthe house of الشرْكِidolatry منthrough أبوابِdoors
ودخلتَ بيت الشرْكِ من أبوابِ
She said: “But you have looked at someone other than us,
She said, “But you have looked to others, entering
and entered the house of idolatry through its doors.
The house of idols by so many doors.”
لأعاملنّكI will surely treat you بالجفاwith harshness وبقطْعِand by severing أسبbonds (word begins)
لأعاملنّك بالجفا وبقطْعِ أسب
بابِ(completes 'bonds') الوفاfidelity ولأمنعنْكَand I will surely deny you رضابيmy saliva
بابِ الوفا ولأمنعنْكَ رضابي
I will surely treat you harshly and sever the bonds
“I will treat you harshly, sever ties
of fidelity, and surely withhold my saliva from you.
Of loyalty, deny you all I promised before.
ولأصلِينّكَand I will surely scorch you بالصدودِwith rejection وأحرقand I will burn
ولأصلِينّكَ بالصدودِ وأحرق
نَّكَyou (emphatic suffix) بالجحودِwith denial وأحرمَنْكَand I will surely deprive you of خطابيmy speech
نَّكَ بالجحودِ وأحرمَنْكَ خطابي
And I will surely scorch you with rejection, and burn
With rejection I will burn you, with disdain consume you
you with denial, and surely deprive you of my speech.”
And deprive you of all discourse.”
قسماًI swear بمنby Him who جعلplaced المحاسنَthe beauties كلهاall of them
قسماً بمن جعل المحاسنَ كلها
فيكمin you (plural) وأنزلهاand lodged them أجلّthe noblest رحابِprecincts
فيكم وأنزلها أجلّ رحابِ
I swear by Him who placed all charms
I swear by Him who placed all beauty
in you and housed them in the noblest precincts:
In you and made it dwell in greatest honor,
لولاwere it not for أمورٌaffairs ليI have بمصرٍin Egypt مهمةٌimportant
لولا أمورٌ لي بمصرٍ مهمةٌ
ماnot كنتI would أرحلdepart عنfrom أعزّthe dearest جنابِabode; presence
ما كنت أرحل عن أعزّ جنابِ
were it not for important affairs I have in Egypt,
had I not urgent affairs in Egypt
I would not depart from the dearest abode.
I'd not have left your noble side.
Sol 6.1