سَقياًmay rain bless it لِدارٍfor a dwelling بِنَهرِby the river of الكَرخِal-Karkh مِنwhat a دارِdwelling
سَقياً لِدارٍ بِنَهرِ الكَرخِ مِن دارِ
تَرَكتُI left فيهاin it لُبانَتيmy heart's desire وَأَوطاريand my wishes
تَرَكتُ فيها لُبانَتي وَأَوطاري
May rain bless a dwelling by the river of al-Karkh—what a dwelling!
I left there my heart's desire and my wishes.
مِنsince عَهدِthe time of عامَينِtwo years لَمnot أُلمِمI visit بِساحَتِهاat its courtyard
مِن عَهدِ عامَينِ لَم أُلمِم بِساحَتِها
دارَتhas turned عَلَيهاupon it رَحىthe millstone of الدُنياthe world بِأَطوارِthrough changing phases
دارَت عَلَيها رَحى الدُنيا بِأَطوارِ
For two years I have not visited its courtyard;
the world's millstone has turned upon it through changing phases.
كَمhow many فيكِwithin you ياO دارُdwelling مِنof عَصرٍan afternoon لَهَوتُI took pleasure بِهِin it
كَم فيكِ يا دارُ مِن عَصرٍ لَهَوتُ بِهِ
ياoh لَيتَهُif only it were لِيَmine مِنfrom عُمريmy life بِأَعصارِin exchange for ages
يا لَيتَهُ لِيَ مِن عُمري بِأَعصارِ
How many an afternoon of pleasure I spent in you, O dwelling!
Would it were mine again, in exchange for ages of my life!
يَرونَthey see فيهاin it الظَباءَthe gazelles الأُدمَpale, dust-tinged سانِحَةًpassing by
يَرونَ فيها الظَباءَ الأُدمَ سانِحَةً
يُشبِهنَthey resemble شُرّاًShurr بِأَعناقٍin necks وَأَبصارِand eyes
يُشبِهنَ شُرّاً بِأَعناقٍ وَأَبصارِ
They see pale gazelles passing there,
resembling Shurr in their necks and eyes.
ثُمَّthen اِلتَفَتُّI turned إِلىto شَيبيmy gray hair فَذَكَّرَنيand it reminded me
ثُمَّ اِلتَفَتُّ إِلى شَيبي فَذَكَّرَني
حِلميmy good sense فَأَبتُso I returned إِلىto يَأسٍdespair وَأَبصارِand insight
حِلمي فَأَبتُ إِلى يَأسٍ وَأَبصارِ
Then I turned to my gray hair, and it reminded me
of my good sense; so I returned to despair and insight.
كَأَنَّنيas though I وَقُتوديand my saddle-frame فَوقَupon ذيone with جُدَدٍstripes
كَأَنَّني وَقُتودي فَوقَ ذي جُدَدٍ
مُبَكِرٌsetting out early بَينَbetween إِظلامٍdarkness وَإِسفارِand daybreak
مُبَكِرٌ بَينَ إِظلامٍ وَإِسفارِ
As though I, with my saddle-frame, were on a striped wild ass,
setting out early between darkness and daybreak.
فَراعَنيthen startled me صائِحٌa shouting man يَعدوhe runs بِأَكلُبَةٍwith hounds
فَراعَني صائِحٌ يَعدو بِأَكلُبَةٍ
مُطَوَّقاتٍcollared بِأَسيارٍwith leather straps وَأَوتارِand cords
مُطَوَّقاتٍ بِأَسيارٍ وَأَوتارِ
Then a shouting man startled me, running with hounds,
collared with leather straps and cords,
مِنof كُلِّevery أَغضَفَdroop-eared one خاليdevoid of النَحضِflesh مُحتَبِلٍa snarer
مِن كُلِّ أَغضَفَ خالي النَحضِ مُحتَبِلٍ
يُطالِبُit seeks الشَرَّharm فيin أَطواقِهِits collars ضاريferocious
يُطالِبُ الشَرَّ في أَطواقِهِ ضاري
each a droop-eared, lean-fleshed catcher of prey,
ferocious, seeking harm within its collars.
كَمhow many سَخطَةٍa fit of anger بِتُّI spent the night أُخفيهاI conceal it عَلَيهِagainst him كَماjust as
كَم سَخطَةٍ بِتُّ أُخفيها عَلَيهِ كَما
تُخفيconceal الحِجارَةُthe stones فيهاwithin them مَسكِنَthe dwelling-place of النارِfire
تُخفي الحِجارَةُ فيها مَسكِنَ النارِ
Many a fit of anger at him I spent the night concealing, as
stones conceal within them the dwelling-place of fire.
أَلاis there no سَبيلٌway إِلىto وافٍsomeone faithful أُواصِلُهُI may keep ties with him
أَلا سَبيلٌ إِلى وافٍ أُواصِلُهُ
فَقَدfor indeed تَجَنَّبَhas shunned وَدّيmy affection كُلَّevery غَدّارِtraitor
فَقَد تَجَنَّبَ وَدّي كُلَّ غَدّارِ
Is there no way to someone faithful, with whom I may keep company?
For my affection has shunned every traitor.
Sol 6.1