ماnot حلsettled in قلبيmy heart ولاnor سكنdwelt
ما حل قلبي ولا سكن
إلاexcept هوىlove for ظبيةthe gazelle of النجودthe uplands
إلا هوى ظبية النجود
Nothing has settled in my heart or dwelt there
My heart found no peace or rest
but love for the gazelle of the uplands.
Except in love of the doe-eyed maiden
ورديةrose-hued الخدthe cheek والوجنand the cheekbones
وردية الخد والوجن
دريةpearly الثغرthe mouth والعقودand the necklaces
درية الثغر والعقود
Rose-hued in cheek and cheekbones,
Of rosy cheek and graceful neck
pearly in mouth and necklaces,
Of lips like rosebuds, perfect and refined
معشوقةbeloved of النفسthe soul فيin الوطنthe homeland
معشوقة النفس في الوطن
لكنهاbut she ماnot لهاshe has عهودpledges
لكنها ما لها عهود
beloved of the soul in the homeland,
The soul's beloved in the homeland
yet she keeps no pledges.
Yet she made no promises binding
إنif أقبلتshe approached طابbecame pleasant ليfor me الزمنtime
إن أقبلت طاب لي الزمن
وإنand if جفتshe shunned ضاقgrew narrow بيaround me الوجودexistence
وإن جفت ضاق بي الوجود
If she draws near, time grows sweet for me;
If she turned to me, time was joyful
and if she shuns me, existence closes in on me.
If she turned away, existence confined
فمنthen who رسوليmy messenger إلىto سعادSuʿad
فمن رسولي إلى سعاد
تعطينيshe gives me الأمنsafety والخفرand protection
تعطيني الأمن والخفر
Who, then, will be my messenger to Suʿad,
Send her my message in Saada
so she may give me safety and protection
To give me assurance and respite
منfrom هجرهاher desertion لليومup to today والبعادand separation
من هجرها لليوم والبعاد
لعلperhaps يحصلmay be attained ليfor me المقرa resting place
لعل يحصل لي المقر
from her desertion to this day and from separation?
He who leaves her even for a day
Perhaps I may find a resting place.
May find acceptance and repose
فالشوقfor longing عنديwithin me طماoverflowed وزادand grew
فالشوق عندي طما وزاد
وشاعand became known فيamong البدوthe nomads والحضرand townsfolk
وشاع في البدو والحضر
For longing within me has overflowed and grown,
For yearning in me swells and grows
and become known among nomads and townsfolk.
Among nomads and townsmen alike
وشوشand disturbed العينthe eye والوسنand drowsiness
وشوش العين والوسن
وكدرand spoiled الشربdrinking والورودand coming to water
وكدر الشرب والورود
And it has disturbed the eye and slumber,
Troubling my eyes and my white hairs
and spoiled drinking and coming to water.
Souring my drink and my flowers alike
ظلمتنيyou wronged me أيهاO الغزالgazelle
ظلمتني أيها الغزال
ولستand I am not بالجائرunjust الظلومoppressive
ولست بالجائر الظلوم
You have wronged me, O gazelle,
You have wronged me, O graceful gazelle
and I am no unjust oppressor
Though I am no unjust tyrant
عليكtoward you فيin حالةa state of الوصلunion
عليك في حالة الوصل
ولاnor الجفاestrangement أيهاO الغشومruthless one
ولا الجفا أيها الغشوم
toward you in times of union,
In union or separation from you
nor in estrangement, O ruthless one.
O beauty of capricious temperament
أكوI complain (probable reading) إلىto اللَهGod ذيPossessor of الجلالMajesty
أكو إلى اللَه ذي الجلال
وعندهand before Him تجمعare gathered الخصومthe adversaries
وعنده تجمع الخصوم
I complain to God, Possessor of Majesty,
I complain to God of Majesty
and before Him the adversaries are gathered.
For with Him all disputes find judgment
نرجوهwe hope in Him فيin السرsecrecy والعلنand openness
نرجوه في السر والعلن
سبانهglory be to Him (probable reading) غرunclear as written منfrom ودودa loving one
سبانه غر من ودود
We place our hope in Him in secret and openly.
In public and private we implore Him
Glory be to Him—[unclear word] from a Loving One.
His boundless generosity to present
والآنand now ماnot عادremains شيءany كلامtalk
والآن ما عاد شيء كلام
قدalready كانhappened ماwhat كانhappened باللئيمwith the ignoble one
قد كان ما كان باللئيم
And now there is nothing more to say;
And now my words draw to an end
what happened with the ignoble one has happened.
Said by the worthless weak complainer
علىupon الربىthe hills وأهلهاand their people السلامpeace
على الربى وأهلها السلام
تمضيyou go onward إلىto السيدthe master الكريمthe noble
تمضي إلى السيد الكريم
Peace be upon the hills and their people.
Peace upon the hill and its people
You go onward to the noble master,
Going to the generous lord
بتربةat the burial ground of السادةthe masters الكرامthe noble
بتربة السادة الكرام
بوادin the valley of عيديدʿAydid منof تريمTarim
بواد عيديد من تريم
at the burial ground of the noble masters,
With the soil of the honored nobles
in ʿAydid Valley of Tarim.
In the valley of Edeid in Tareem
لمdid not نلقwe encounter فيin هذهthese الدمنremnants of dwellings
لم نلق في هذه الدمن
إلاexcept التباريحtorments والصدودand rejection
إلا التباريح والصدود
We found nothing in these remnants of dwellings
We found in this abode
but torment and rejection.
Only joys and welcomes abound
وليdeparted الصباchildhood وانقضىand passed الشبابyouth
ولي الصبا وانقضى الشباب
وخيمand pitched camp الشيبgray hair فيin الرءوسthe heads
وخيم الشيب في الرءوس
Childhood has gone, and youth has passed,
My youth is gone and old age has come
and gray hair has pitched camp upon our heads.
Gray hair appearing on every head
وآذنand announced العمرlife بالذهابof departure
وآذن العمر بالذهاب
وبالمسيرand of the journey إلىto الرموسthe graves
وبالمسير إلى الرموس
And life has announced its departure
Signaling the time is nigh to depart
and the journey to the graves.
And journey to the final mounds
عسىperhaps عسىperhaps يحصلbe attained الملتابrepentance (probable reading)
عسى عسى يحصل الملتاب
والعفوand pardon منfrom بارئthe Creator of النفوسsouls
والعفو من بارئ النفوس
Perhaps, perhaps, repentance will be attained,
Perhaps, just maybe, solace can be found
and pardon from the Creator of souls,
Forgiveness from the Maker of souls
ونحتظيand we enjoy بالأمنwith safety والمننand blessings
ونحتظي بالأمن والمنن
والفوزand triumph فيin جنةthe Garden of الخلودeternity
والفوز في جنة الخلود
and we may enjoy safety and blessings,
Safety and blessings we may yet surround
and triumph in the Garden of Eternity.
And triumph in paradise for all days
Sol 6.1