عِنديI have إليكtoward you أَباO father of بكرٍBakr وإنand even if ذهَبتwent
عِندي إليك أَبا بكرٍ وإن ذهَبت
بكَwith you الظُّنونُsuspicions صَباباتٌardent affections وأَشواقُand longings
بكَ الظُّنونُ صَباباتٌ وأَشواقُ
I hold for you, Abu Bakr—even if you are carried away
Even if doubts take you away, Abā Bakr
by suspicions—ardent affection and longing.
I have for you yearnings, passions, and tears
وعَبرةٌand a tear كلّماwhenever هَبّتblew يمانِيَةٌa Yemeni breeze
وعَبرةٌ كلّما هَبّت يمانِيَةٌ
مُدَّتwere extended إليكَtoward you بهاwith it أَيدٍhands وأَحداقُand eyes
مُدَّت إليكَ بها أَيدٍ وأَحداقُ
And a tear: whenever a Yemeni breeze blows,
Whenever a southern wind blows
hands and eyes reach toward you with it.
Extending hands and eyelids towards you
سَلask النَّسيمَthe breeze إذاwhen حَيّاكgreets you وافِدُهُits envoy
سَل النَّسيمَ إذا حَيّاك وافِدُهُ
عنabout الضّميرthe innermost thoughts وفيand in الأَشياءthings مِصداقُproof
عن الضّمير وفي الأَشياء مِصداقُ
Ask the breeze, when its envoy greets you,
Ask the breeze when it greets you
about what lies in my heart; in things there is proof.
About my heart - truth lies in things
يُخبركَit tells you عَنّيabout me وعذراًand pardon فيregarding تلَهُّبهits burning
يُخبركَ عَنّي وعذراً في تلَهُّبه
ففيهِfor within it منfrom نفَسٍbreath المُشتاقِthe yearning one إِحراقُscorching heat
ففيهِ من نفَسٍ المُشتاقِ إِحراقُ
It will tell you of me—pardon its burning heat,
To tell you about me, though its passion excuses it
for it carries scorching heat from the breath of one who longs.
For within it burns the longing soul's fire
Sol 6.1