خَلِيلىَّmy two friends هَلis there مِنany حِيلَةٍa stratagem تَعلَمانِهاyou both know it
خَلِيلىَّ هَل مِن حِيلَةٍ تَعلَمانِها
تُسَكِّنُsoothes وَجدِىmy anguish أَوor تُكَفكِفُwipes dry مَدمَعَاa tearful eye
تُسَكِّنُ وَجدِى أَو تُكَفكِفُ مَدمَعَا
My two friends, is there any stratagem you both know
that soothes my anguish or dries a weeping eye?
وَهَلand is there سَلوَةٌsolace تَسلِىmakes forget المُحِبَّthe lover مِنfrom الهَوَىpassion
وَهَل سَلوَةٌ تَسلِى المُحِبَّ مِن الهَوَى
وَتَترُكُand leaves مِنهُfree of it ساحَةَthe courtyard of القَلبِthe heart بَلقَعَاa barren waste
وَتَترُكُ مِنهُ ساحَةَ القَلبِ بَلقَعَا
And is there solace that makes the lover forget passion
and leaves the heart's courtyard a barren waste, free of it?
فَقالاَso they both said نَعَمyes طَىُّfolding الفَيافِىthe desert wastes وَنَشرُهاand unfolding them
فَقالاَ نَعَم طَىُّ الفَيافِى وَنَشرُها
إِذاwhen اجتَذَباthey both tug حَبلَthe cord of الغَرامِpassion تَقَطَّعَاit snaps
إِذا اجتَذَبا حَبلَ الغَرامِ تَقَطَّعَا
They said, “Yes: folding and unfolding the desert wastes—
when both tug at passion's cord, it snaps.
وَلَيسَand there is nothing كَمِثلِlike اليَأسِdespair يَدفَعُdrives away صَبوةًamorous yearning
وَلَيسَ كَمِثلِ اليَأسِ يَدفَعُ صَبوةً
وَلاَnor كَفُؤَادِlike the heart of الصَّبِّthe lovesick lover صادَفَfinds مَطمَعَاa cause for hope
وَلاَ كَفُؤَادِ الصَّبِّ صادَفَ مَطمَعَا
And nothing dispels yearning like despair,
nor is there anything like a lover's heart that finds a cause for hope.
إِذاwhen القلبُthe heart لَمdoes not يَطمَعhope سَلاَforgets عَنabout حَبِيبِهِits beloved
إِذا القلبُ لَم يَطمَع سَلاَ عَن حَبِيبِهِ
وَلَوand even if كانَit were مِنwith ماءِthe water of الصَّبابةِardent longing مُترَعَاbrimming
وَلَو كانَ مِن ماءِ الصَّبابةِ مُترَعَا
When the heart has no hope, it forgets its beloved,
even if it were brimming with the water of ardent longing.”
فَجَرَّبتُso I tried ماwhat قَالُواthey said فَلَمbut did not أَلقَI find راَحضةًa cleansing remedy
فَجَرَّبتُ ما قَالُوا فَلَم أَلقَ راَحضةً
فَأَيقَنتُso I became certain أَنَّthat القُربَnearness ماnot زَالَceased أنفَعَاmore beneficial
فَأَيقَنتُ أَنَّ القُربَ ما زَالَ أنفَعَا
So I tried what they said, but found nothing to wash it away;
so I became certain that nearness remained more helpful.
وَقَدand indeed زَعَماthey both claimed أَنَّthat الهَوَىlove يُذهِبُdrives away الهَوَىlove
وَقَد زَعَما أَنَّ الهَوَى يُذهِبُ الهَوَى
وَماbut not صَدَقَاthey both spoke truth فِىin القَولِthe speech حِينَwhen تَنَوَّعَاthey both varied their counsel
وَما صَدَقَا فِى القَولِ حِينَ تَنَوَّعَا
And they had claimed that love drives love away,
but they spoke untruly when they varied their counsel.
وَلَيسَand is not شِفاءُthe cure of الصَّبِّthe lovesick lover إِلاّexcept حَبِيبَهُhis beloved
وَلَيسَ شِفاءُ الصَّبِّ إِلاّ حَبِيبَهُ
وَإِنand even if لَمdoes not يَصِلgrant union كانَwould be التَّجاوُرُliving nearby اًنفَعَاmore beneficial
وَإِن لَم يَصِل كانَ التَّجاوُرُ اًنفَعَا
And the lovesick lover has no cure but his beloved;
and even if union is not granted, living nearby is more helpful.
تَجارِيبُexperiences مَنone who قَاسَىendured الهَوَىpassion فِىin شَبابهِhis youth
تَجارِيبُ مَن قَاسَى الهَوَى فِى شَبابهِ
وَلَمand has not يَسلُforgotten عَنهُabout it أَشيَبَgray-haired الرَّأسِof the head أَنزَعَاbald at the temples
وَلَم يَسلُ عَنهُ أَشيَبَ الرَّأسِ أَنزَعَا
These are the experiences of one who endured passion in his youth
and has not forgotten it, though gray-haired and bald at the temples.
Sol 6.1