ياO دارُabode ياO دارَabode of أَطرابيmy joys وَأَشجانيand my sorrows
يا دارُ يا دارَ أَطرابي وَأَشجاني
أَبلىwore out جَديدَthe freshness of مَغانيكِyour dwellings الجَديدانِthe two ever-new ones (night and day)
أَبلى جَديدَ مَغانيكِ الجَديدانِ
O abode, O abode of my joys and sorrows!
O home, O home of my troubles and griefs
The two ever-new ones, night and day, have worn your fresh dwellings old.
I have worn out the newness of your new songs
لَئِنthough indeed تَخَلَّيتُI parted مِنwith لَهويmy pleasures وَمِنand with سَكَنيmy solace
لَئِن تَخَلَّيتُ مِن لَهوي وَمِن سَكَني
لَقَدindeed تَأَهَّلتُI found companionship مِنin هَمّيmy cares وَأَحزانيand my sorrows
لَقَد تَأَهَّلتُ مِن هَمّي وَأَحزاني
Though I have parted with my pleasures and my solace,
If I left behind my playfulness and dwelling
I have indeed taken my cares and sorrows as companions.
I was wedded to my anxiety and sorrows
جاءَتكَcame to you رائِحَةٌan evening shower فيin إِثرِthe wake of باكِرَةٍa morning shower
جاءَتكَ رائِحَةٌ في إِثرِ باكِرَةٍ
تَرويwaters ثَرىًsoil مِنكَof yours أَمسىhas become غَيرَnot رَيّانِwell-watered
تَروي ثَرىً مِنكَ أَمسى غَيرَ رَيّانِ
May an evening shower reach you in the wake of a morning shower,
A breeze came to you in the wake of dawn
watering soil of yours that has grown parched,
Watering earth in you, no longer moistened
حَتّىuntil أَرىI see النورَthe blossoms فيin مَغناكَyour abode مُبتَسِماًsmiling
حَتّى أَرى النورَ في مَغناكَ مُبتَسِماً
كَأَنَّهُas though it were حَدَقٌeyes فيin غَيرِthe absence of أَجفانِeyelids
كَأَنَّهُ حَدَقٌ في غَيرِ أَجفانِ
until I see the blossoms smiling in your abode,
Until I see the light in your valley smiling
as though they were eyes without eyelids.
As if it were an eyelid without eyelashes
لَمّاwhen وَقَفتُI stood عَلىamong الأَطلالِthe ruins أَبكانيmade me weep
لَمّا وَقَفتُ عَلى الأَطلالِ أَبكاني
ماwhat كانَhad أَضحَكَنيmade me laugh مِنهاfrom them وَأَلهانيand amused me
ما كانَ أَضحَكَني مِنها وَأَلهاني
When I stood among the ruins, I was made to weep
When I stood at the ruins, they made me weep
by what had once made me laugh there and amused me.
What had made me laugh and play of them
فَماso what أَقولُcan I say لِدَهرٍto Time شَتَّتَتscattered يَدُهُits hand
فَما أَقولُ لِدَهرٍ شَتَّتَت يَدُهُ
شَمليmy gathered company وَأَخلىand emptied مِنَof الأَحبابِthe loved ones أَوطانيmy homelands
شَملي وَأَخلى مِنَ الأَحبابِ أَوطاني
So what can I say to Time, whose hand has scattered
So what do I say to a time whose hand scattered
my company and emptied my homelands of loved ones?
My family, and emptied homes of loved ones
وَماand never أَتانيcame to me بِنُعمىwith a blessing ظَلتُI continued لابِسَهاwearing it
وَما أَتاني بِنُعمى ظَلتُ لابِسَها
إِلّاexcept that اِنثَنىit turned back مُسرِعاًswiftly فيهاconcerning it فَعَرّانيthen stripped me
إِلّا اِنثَنى مُسرِعاً فيها فَعَرّاني
And never did it bring me a blessing I kept wearing
Whatever blessings came my way, wearing them
without swiftly turning back to it and stripping me bare.
Except they hastily bared me of them
كَمhow many a نِعمَةٍblessing عَرِفَrecognized الإِخوانُthe friends صاحِبَهاits possessor
كَم نِعمَةٍ عَرِفَ الإِخوانُ صاحِبَها
لَمّاwhen مَضَتit vanished أَنكَروهُthey disowned him بَعدَafter عِرفانِrecognition
لَمّا مَضَت أَنكَروهُ بَعدَ عِرفانِ
Many a blessing won its possessor recognition from friends;
How many favors did friends know their companion
when it vanished, they disowned him after knowing him.
When gone, denying after recognition
وَمَهمَهٍand many a trackless desert كَرِداءِlike a mantle of العَصبِstriped cloth مُشتَبِهٍindistinct
وَمَهمَهٍ كَرِداءِ العَصبِ مُشتَبِهٍ
قَطَّعتُهُI traversed it وَالدُجىwhile darkness وَالصُبحُand dawn خَيطانِwere two threads
قَطَّعتُهُ وَالدُجى وَالصُبحُ خَيطانِ
And many a wilderness, indistinct as a striped mantle,
And a worry, a cloak of muscle resembling
I crossed while darkness and dawn were two threads.
I tore it, while night and dawn were its stitches
وَالريحُand the wind تَجذِبُtugs أَطرافَthe edges of الرِداءِthe cloak كَماjust as
وَالريحُ تَجذِبُ أَطرافَ الرِداءِ كَما
أَفضىreached out الشَقيقُthe brother إِلىto تَنبيهِrouse وَسنانِa drowsy man
أَفضى الشَقيقُ إِلى تَنبيهِ وَسنانِ
The wind tugged at the edges of my cloak, just as
The wind pulls the edges of the cloak as
a brother reaches out to rouse a drowsy man.
The brother cried out to awaken and sharpen
حَتّىuntil طَوَيتُI folded up عَلىupon أَحشاءِthe belly of ناجِيَةٍa swift she-camel
حَتّى طَوَيتُ عَلى أَحشاءِ ناجِيَةٍ
كَأَنَّماas though خَلقُهاher build تَشيِيدُthe raising of بُنيانِa building
كَأَنَّما خَلقُها تَشيِيدُ بُنيانِ
until I folded the distance upon the body of a swift she-camel,
Until I folded over the belly of she-camel
as though her frame were a towering edifice.
As if her creation built structures
كَأَنَّas though أَخفافَهاher padded feet وَالسَيرُwhile the march يَنقُلُهاcarries her onward
كَأَنَّ أَخفافَها وَالسَيرُ يَنقُلُها
دَلاءُbuckets of بِئرٍa well تَدَلَّتhung down بَينَbetween أَشطانِropes
دَلاءُ بِئرٍ تَدَلَّت بَينَ أَشطانِ
As though her padded feet, while the march carried her onward,
As if her soft feet in travel carried her
were well-buckets dangling between ropes.
The buckets of a well dangling between cliffs
لَهاshe has زِمامٌa rein إِذاwhen أَبصَرتُI saw جَولَتَهُits swaying
لَها زِمامٌ إِذا أَبصَرتُ جَولَتَهُ
حَسِبتُI imagined فيin قَبضَتيmy grasp أَثناءَthe coils of ثُعبانِa serpent
حَسِبتُ في قَبضَتي أَثناءَ ثُعبانِ
She has a rein: whenever I see it sway,
She has a bridle, and when I saw its revolution
I imagine a serpent's coils within my grasp.
I thought in my hands the coils of a snake
إِلىtoward هِلالٍa crescent تَجَلَّتcleared away عَنهُfrom it لَيلَتُهُits night
إِلى هِلالٍ تَجَلَّت عَنهُ لَيلَتُهُ
باريهِits Maker صَوَّرَهُfashioned it فيin خَلقِthe form of إِنسانٍa human being
باريهِ صَوَّرَهُ في خَلقِ إِنسانٍ
Toward a crescent from which its night had lifted,
To a crescent whose night was stripped from it
its Maker had fashioned it in human form.
In creation, its Maker formed it into a human
لَجَّتpersisted relentlessly بِناwith us هُجرَةٌestrangement وَالقَلبُwhile the heart عِندَكُمُis with you
لَجَّت بِنا هُجرَةٌ وَالقَلبُ عِندَكُمُ
فَإِطلِقيso release القَلبَthe heart أَوor قوديgrant blood-requital لِجُثمانيfor my body
فَإِطلِقي القَلبَ أَو قودي لِجُثماني
Estrangement has pressed us relentlessly, while my heart is with you;
Exile parted us, with hearts still with you
so release my heart, or grant blood-requital for my body.
So free my heart, or return my body to me
أَناI الَّذيthe one who لَمdid not تَدَعleave فيهِin him مَحَبَّتُكُمyour love
أَنا الَّذي لَم تَدَع فيهِ مَحَبَّتُكُم
فَضلاًanything to spare لِغَيرِكِfor anyone but you مِنamong إِنسٍhumankind وَلاnor جانِjinn
فَضلاً لِغَيرِكِ مِن إِنسٍ وَلا جانِ
I am the one in whom your love has left
I whom your love left no favor
no room for anyone but you, human or jinn.
To another human or jinn
فَإِنso if أَرَدتِyou desire وِصالاًunion فَاِقبَليthen accept صِلَتيmy bond
فَإِن أَرَدتِ وِصالاً فَاِقبَلي صِلَتي
مِنّيfrom me وَإِلّاand otherwise فَهِجرانٌthen estrangement بِهِجرانِfor estrangement
مِنّي وَإِلّا فَهِجرانٌ بِهِجرانِ
If you desire union, then accept my offered bond
So if you want union, accept my prayer
from me; otherwise, estrangement for estrangement.
From me, or else estrangement with estrangement
ماnot الوُدُّthe affection مِنّيfrom me بِمَنقولٍat all transferable إِلىto مَذِقٍone of diluted affection
ما الوُدُّ مِنّي بِمَنقولٍ إِلى مَذِقٍ
وَلَستُand I am not أَطرَحُcasting away نَفسيmyself حَيثُwhere تَلحانيyou reproach me
وَلَستُ أَطرَحُ نَفسي حَيثُ تَلحاني
My affection will not be passed to one whose love is diluted,
Affection in me is not conveyed to other tastes
nor do I cast myself where you would reproach me.
Nor do I cast myself where you urge me
وَلاnor أُريدُI want الهَوىlove إِنif لَمnot يَكُنit is لِهَوىfor the desire of
وَلا أُريدُ الهَوى إِن لَم يَكُن لِهَوى
نَفسيmy soul وَبَعضُand some الهَوىlove وَالمَوتُand death سِيّانِare alike
نَفسي وَبَعضُ الهَوى وَالمَوتُ سِيّانِ
Nor do I want love unless it serves the desire
I want no love if love be not
of my soul; some love and death are alike.
For my soul, and love and death be equal
وَرَبُّand many a سِرٍّsecret كَنارِlike the fire of الصَخرِstone كامِنَةٍlying hidden
وَرَبُّ سِرٍّ كَنارِ الصَخرِ كامِنَةٍ
أَمَتُّI killed إِظهارَهُits disclosure مِنّيby me فَأَحيانيso it gave me life
أَمَتُّ إِظهارَهُ مِنّي فَأَحياني
And many a secret, hidden like fire in stone,
Lord of a secret, as latent as flint-stone fire
I killed my disclosure of it, and it gave me life.
I prefer to conceal it within me, so revive me
لَمdid not يَتَّسِعmake room مَنطِقيmy speech فيهِconcerning it بِبائِحَةٍfor a revealing word
لَم يَتَّسِع مَنطِقي فيهِ بِبائِحَةٍ
حَزماًout of prudence وَلاnor ضاقَwas too cramped عَنfor مَثواهُits lodging كِتمانيmy secrecy
حَزماً وَلا ضاقَ عَن مَثواهُ كِتماني
My speech made no room for any word betraying it,
My speech did not expand with a revealing sin
out of prudence; nor was my secrecy too cramped to house it.
Nor, confined, was it too narrow for my hiding
وَرَبُّand many a نارٍfire أَبيتُI spend the night اللَيلَthe night أَوقِدُهاkindling it
وَرَبُّ نارٍ أَبيتُ اللَيلَ أَوقِدُها
فيin لَيلَةٍa night مِنof جُمادىJumada ذاتِmarked by تَهتانِpouring rain
في لَيلَةٍ مِن جُمادى ذاتِ تَهتانِ
And many a fire I spend the night kindling
Lord of a fire I kept burning all night
on a night of Jumada, heavy with pouring rain,
On a February night of confusion
يُقَيِّدُrestrains اللَحظَthe gaze فيهاin it عَنfrom مَسالِكِهاits paths
يُقَيِّدُ اللَحظَ فيها عَن مَسالِكِها
كَأَنَّهاas though it لَبِسَتput on أَثوابَthe robes of رُهبانِmonks
كَأَنَّها لَبِسَت أَثوابَ رُهبانِ
where the gaze is barred from finding its paths,
Restraining glances on their paths
as though the night had donned the robes of monks.
As if they wore the clothes of monks
ماnot زِلتُI ceased أَدعوI summon بِضَوءِby the light of النارِthe fire مُقتَرِباًsomeone approaching
ما زِلتُ أَدعو بِضَوءِ النارِ مُقتَرِباً
يُغريentices دُجىthe darkness of اللَيلِnight مِنهُof him شَخصُthe figure of حَرّانِa parched man
يُغري دُجى اللَيلِ مِنهُ شَخصُ حَرّانِ
I kept summoning, by the fire's light, someone approaching,
I kept calling by the fire’s light drawing near
whose parched figure tempts the darkness of night.
Its glow tempting the darkness of excited man
وَقَدand often تَشُقُّcleaves غُبارَthe dust of الحَربِwar ليfor me فَرَسٌa horse
وَقَد تَشُقُّ غُبارَ الحَربِ لي فَرَسٌ
مُقَدَّمٌforemost غَيرَnot هَيّابٍfearful وَلاnor وانِflagging
مُقَدَّمٌ غَيرَ هَيّابٍ وَلا وانِ
And often a horse cleaves the dust of battle for me,
I have a horse that splits the dust of war for me
foremost, neither fearful nor flagging,
Foremost, fearless, and resolute
وَقَدُّand the form of قائِمَةٍa leg مِنهُof it مُرَكَّبَةٍfitted
وَقَدُّ قائِمَةٍ مِنهُ مُرَكَّبَةٍ
فيin مَفصَلٍa joint ضامِرِlean in الأَعصابِthe sinews ظَمآنِparched
في مَفصَلٍ ضامِرِ الأَعصابِ ظَمآنِ
and the form of one of its legs, fitted
With upright stance, mounted
in a joint lean of sinew and parched,
In joints thirsty, with shriveled nerves
بِحَيثُwhere لاno غَوثَhelp إِلّاexcept صارِمٌa keen sword ذَكَرٌhard-tempered
بِحَيثُ لا غَوثَ إِلّا صارِمٌ ذَكَرٌ
وَجَنَّةٌand armor كَحَبابِlike the bubbles of الماءِwater تَغشانيenvelops me
وَجَنَّةٌ كَحَبابِ الماءِ تَغشاني
where there is no help but a keen, hard-tempered sword
Where there is no rescue but a remembering sword
and armor, like bubbles on water, that envelops me,
And a coat of mail like drops of water protecting me
وَصَعدَةٍand a straight spear كَرِشاءِlike the rope of البِئرِthe well ناهِضَةٍupraised
وَصَعدَةٍ كَرِشاءِ البِئرِ ناهِضَةٍ
بِأَزرَقٍwith a blue spearhead كَاِتِّقادِlike the blazing of النَجمِthe star يَقظانِwakeful
بِأَزرَقٍ كَاِتِّقادِ النَجمِ يَقظانِ
and a straight spear, like a well-rope, upraised
With a mount like the pulley of a well rising
with a blue point, wakeful as a star's blaze.
In blueness kindling like an awakened star
سَليask فَدَيتُكِmay I be your ransom هَلdid...? عَرَّيتُI stripped مِنof مِنَنيmy favors
سَلي فَدَيتُكِ هَل عَرَّيتُ مِن مِنَني
خَلقاًany creature وَهَلand did...? رُحتُI went about فيin أَثوابِthe robes of مَنّانِone who flaunts his favors
خَلقاً وَهَل رُحتُ في أَثوابِ مَنّانِ
Ask—may I be your ransom—have I stripped my favors
Greetings I ransom you, have I stripped of my favors
from any creature, or gone about in a boastful giver's robes?
A being? And have I smelled with robes of conferral?
وَهَلand did...? مَزَجتُI diluted صَفائيmy sincerity لِلصَديقِtoward the friend وَهَلand did...?
وَهَل مَزَجتُ صَفائي لِلصَديقِ وَهَل
أَودَعتُI entrusted ياO هِندُHind غَيرَanything other than الحَمدِpraise خَزّانيmy treasurers
أَودَعتُ يا هِندُ غَيرَ الحَمدِ خَزّاني
And have I diluted my sincerity toward a friend, or have I
And have I mixed my clear drink for a friend? And have I, O Hind,
entrusted my treasurers, O Hind, with anything but praise?
Deposited in storage other than praise?
وَلاnor عَقَقتُI wronged بِجَسِّby testing الكَأسِthe cup ساقِيَتيmy cupbearing woman
وَلا عَقَقتُ بِجَسِّ الكَأسِ ساقِيَتي
وَلاnor عَفَفتُI abstained وَظَلَّand it continued الدَهرُTime يَنعانيannouncing my death
وَلا عَفَفتُ وَظَلَّ الدَهرُ يَنعاني
Nor did I offend my cupbearer by testing the cup,
I did not show irreverence with the cup-bearer’s goblet
nor did I abstain, while Time kept announcing my death.
Nor abstain while time kept tempting me
أَسرَرتُI concealed حُزناًgrief بِهاover her وَالقَلبُwhile the heart مُضطَرِبٌis agitated
أَسرَرتُ حُزناً بِها وَالقَلبُ مُضطَرِبٌ
وَراحَand went on يُنبيtelling بِغَيرِof other than الحَقِّthe truth إِعلانيmy outward display
وَراحَ يُنبي بِغَيرِ الحَقِّ إِعلاني
I concealed sorrow over her, my heart in turmoil,
I concealed sorrow with it, and the heart was restless
while my outward display went on telling what was untrue.
Gone announcing falsely my proclamation
وَقَدand indeed أَرِقتُI lay sleepless لِبَرقٍfor lightning طارَflew طائِرُهُits bird
وَقَد أَرِقتُ لِبَرقٍ طارَ طائِرُهُ
وَالنَومُwhile sleep قَدhad خاطَstitched أَجفاناًeyelids بِأَجفانِto eyelids
وَالنَومُ قَد خاطَ أَجفاناً بِأَجفانِ
And I have lain sleepless for lightning whose bird took wing,
Many a night I lay awake, for lightning that flew
while sleep had stitched eyelids to eyelids,
While sleep had sewn eyelid to eyelid
فيin مُكفَهَرٍّa scowling cloud كَرُكنِlike the flank of الطَودِthe mountain مُصطَخِبٍclamorous
في مُكفَهَرٍّ كَرُكنِ الطَودِ مُصطَخِبٍ
كَأَنَّas though إِرعادَهُits thundering تَحنانُthe lament of ثَكلانِa bereaved father
كَأَنَّ إِرعادَهُ تَحنانُ ثَكلانِ
in a dark, clamorous cloud like a mountain's flank,
In thunderous excitement like the trembling of a mountain
as though its thunder were a bereaved father's lament.
As if its rumbling the keening of bereaved women
Sol 6.1