لمّاwhen دَعاcalled دَاعِيthe herald of الهَوَىlove لَبّيتُهُI answered him
لمّا دَعا دَاعِي الهَوَى لَبّيتُهُ
وحَثَثْتُand I urged onward رَحْليَmy mount مُسْرِعاًhastening وأتَيْتُهُand I came to him
وحَثَثْتُ رَحْليَ مُسْرِعاً وأتَيْتُهُ
When love's herald called, I answered him,
When the caller of passion called me, I responded,
And urged my mount in haste and came to him.
And I hurried my camel and came to him.
وحَجَجْتُand I made pilgrimage كَعْبَتَهُto his Kaaba فَماso there was not مِنْany مَنْسَكٍrite
وحَجَجْتُ كَعْبَتَهُ فَما مِنْ مَنْسَكٍ
إلاّexcept that أقَمْتُI established شِعارَهُits observance وقَضَيْتُهُand I fulfilled it
إلاّ أقَمْتُ شِعارَهُ وقَضَيْتُهُ
And I made pilgrimage to his Kaaba; there was no rite
And I performed pilgrimage to his Kaaba, so there was no ritual
Whose observance I did not uphold and fulfill.
That I did not establish its waymarks and fulfill it.
ولَوand had انّنيthat I أنْصَفْتُI acted fairly حَجّmade pilgrimage بِيَto me الهَوىlove
ولَو انّني أنْصَفْتُ حَجّ بِيَ الهَوى
عَيْنايَmy two eyes زَمْزَمُهُits Zamzam وقَلبيand my heart بيتُهُits House
عَيْنايَ زَمْزَمُهُ وقَلبي بيتُهُ
Yet had I been fair, love would have made pilgrimage to me:
If I were fair with my passion's pilgrimage,
My eyes are its Zamzam, and my heart its House.
My eyes would be its Zamzam and my heart its home.
مَنْwho مُنْصِفيone who gives me justice منْagainst جِيرَةٍneighbors لمْnot يَرْحَمواthey showed mercy
مَنْ مُنْصِفي منْ جِيرَةٍ لمْ يَرْحَموا
دَمْعاًtears علىupon عَرَصاتِهِمْtheir courtyards أجْرَيْتُهُI made them flow
دَمْعاً على عَرَصاتِهِمْ أجْرَيْتُهُ
Who will grant me justice against neighbors who had no pity
Who is fair to me from neighbors who had no mercy,
On the tears I shed across their courtyards?
And shed tears on their thresholds which I poured?
راعُواthey terrified فُؤاديmy heart بالصُّدودِby turning away وماand not رَعَوْاthey honored
راعُوا فُؤادي بالصُّدودِ وما رَعَوْا
عَهْداًa covenant لهُمْwith them حافَظْتُهُI preserved it ورَعَيْتُهُand I honored it
عَهْداً لهُمْ حافَظْتُهُ ورَعَيْتُهُ
They terrified my heart by turning away, and did not honor
They guarded my heart with repulsions and did not guard
A pledge to them that I had guarded and upheld.
A pact with them which I kept and pastured.
طاوَعْتُI obeyed قَلْبيmy heart حينَwhen لجَّpersisted لَجاجُهُits obstinacy
طاوَعْتُ قَلْبي حينَ لجَّ لَجاجُهُ
فيin حُبِّهِمْlove for them ولَوِand had انْتَهىit desisted لنَهَيْتُهُI would have forbidden it
في حُبِّهِمْ ولَوِ انْتَهى لنَهَيْتُهُ
I obeyed my heart when its obstinacy persisted
I made my heart comply when its obstinacy plunged
In loving them; had it ceased, I would have forbidden it to cease.
In loving them, and if it went too far I would restrain it.
مَنْwho ذاthis one يُواسيoffers comfort فيin أسىًgrief حالَفْتُهُI allied myself with it
مَنْ ذا يُواسي في أسىً حالَفْتُهُ
أمْor مَنْwho يُعانيsuffers منْfrom جَوَىburning heartache عانَيْتُهI suffered it
أمْ مَنْ يُعاني منْ جَوَى عانَيْتُه
Who will comfort me in the grief I have made my ally,
Who consoles me in a grief that I swore?
Or endure the burning heartache I have endured?
Or who helps me with an affection that I suffered?
مهْماhowever much زَجَرْتُI rebuked صَبابَتيmy ardent longing حرّضْتُهاI spurred it on
مهْما زَجَرْتُ صَبابَتي حرّضْتُها
وإذاand whenever كَفَفْتُI restrained تَشَوُّقيmy yearning أغْرَيْتُهُI incited it
وإذا كَفَفْتُ تَشَوُّقي أغْرَيْتُهُ
However much I rebuked my passion, I spurred it on;
However much I deterred my youthfulness, I provoked it,
And whenever I restrained my yearning, I incited it.
And if I limited my longing, I enticed it.
ياO مَنْyou who سُكوتيmy silence فيin هَواهُlove for him تَفَكُّرٌcontemplation
يا مَنْ سُكوتي في هَواهُ تَفَكُّرٌ
فِيabout شأنِهِhis affairs وإذاand whenever نَطَقْتُI spoke عَنَيْتُهُI meant him
فِي شأنِهِ وإذا نَطَقْتُ عَنَيْتُهُ
O you, my silence in loving you is contemplation
O you whose silence in his love is contemplation
Of you; and whenever I speak, it is you I mean.
About his affair, and if I spoke I protected him.
ياO مَنْyou who أُمَوِّهُI disguise بالصِّفاتِwith descriptions وبالحُلَىand with adornments
يا مَنْ أُمَوِّهُ بالصِّفاتِ وبالحُلَى
منْfor أجلِهِhis sake وأَغارُهُand I guard him jealously إنْif سَمّيْتُهُI name him
منْ أجلِهِ وأَغارُهُ إنْ سَمّيْتُهُ
O you whom I veil with descriptions and adornments,
O you whom I evade with traits and charms
For your sake; and if I name you, I guard you jealously.
For his sake, and I am jealous if I named him.
ياO رَوْضَةًgarden غَرَسَتْplanted لِحاظيmy glances وَرْدَهاits roses
يا رَوْضَةً غَرَسَتْ لِحاظي وَرْدَها
وسَكبْتُand I poured دَمْعيَmy tears دِيمَةًa steady rain وسَقَيْتُهُand I watered it
وسَكبْتُ دَمْعيَ دِيمَةً وسَقَيْتُهُ
O garden whose roses my glances planted,
O a garden that my eyelids planted its roses
And I poured my tears as steady rain and watered them.
And I poured my tears constantly and watered it.
فإذاthen whenever جَنَيْتُI plucked بناظِريwith my gaze منْfrom زَهْرِهاits blossoms
فإذا جَنَيْتُ بناظِري منْ زَهْرِها
كَتَبَrecorded الهَوىlove ذَنْباًa sin علَيّagainst me جَنَيْتُهُI committed it
كَتَبَ الهَوى ذَنْباً علَيّ جَنَيْتُهُ
And whenever I plucked any of its blossoms with my gaze,
So when I reaped with my glances from its flowers
Love recorded against me a sin I had committed.
Passion wrote a sin upon me that I reaped.
أدّىdelivered إليَّto me الطّيْفُthe dream-phantom عنْكِfrom you رسالةًa message
أدّى إليَّ الطّيْفُ عنْكِ رسالةً
فقرَأْتُهاso I read it ولَوِand had استَطَعْتُI been able قَرَيْتُهُI would have hosted it
فقرَأْتُها ولَوِ استَطَعْتُ قَرَيْتُهُ
The dream-phantom delivered a message from you to me;
The specter conveyed to me a message from you
So I read it; had I been able, I would have hosted the phantom.
So I read it and if I was able I would have recited it.
ماwhat كانَwould have ضرّكِharmed you لوْif أبَحْتِyou permitted مُقامَهits stay
ما كانَ ضرّكِ لوْ أبَحْتِ مُقامَه
فبَثَثْتَهُso I confided to it شَكْوايَmy complaint أوor ناجَيْتُهُI spoke privately to it
فبَثَثْتَهُ شَكْوايَ أو ناجَيْتُهُ
What harm would it have done you had you let it stay,
It would not have harmed you if you disclosed his abode
So I might confide my complaint to it or speak with it in secret?
So you poured out my complaint or confided in him.
قالَتْshe said فِداكَyour ransom أبِيmy father فُؤادُكَyour heart فيin يَديmy hand
قالَتْ فِداكَ أبِي فُؤادُكَ في يَدي
عانٍa captive ولَوْand if أنّيthat I أشاءُI wish فَدَيْتُهُI would ransom it
عانٍ ولَوْ أنّي أشاءُ فَدَيْتُهُ
She said: May my father be your ransom! Your heart in my hand
She said, may your heart be ransomed by my father, in my hand
Is captive; if I wished, I would ransom it.
Is helplessness, and if I wished I would ransom it.
طِبُّhealing art المَسيحِChrist لدَيّwith me منْهُof it مَسْحَةٌa touch
طِبُّ المَسيحِ لدَيّ منْهُ مَسْحَةٌ
أيُقِيمُcan it persist? دَاءٌan illness كلّماwhenever داوَيْتُهُI treat it
أيُقِيمُ دَاءٌ كلّما داوَيْتُهُ
A touch of Christ's healing art is mine;
The healing of the Messiah is ineffectual to me,
Can any illness linger whenever I treat it?
A malady, however much I medicated it.
أهْدِيI bestow لمَنْon whomever أبْغيI wish الشِّفاءَhealing منَfrom الجَوىlove's anguish
أهْدِي لمَنْ أبْغي الشِّفاءَ منَ الجَوى
فَيُفيقُso recovers مُضْناهُits wasted sufferer ويَحْيَىand comes to life مَيْتُهُits dead one
فَيُفيقُ مُضْناهُ ويَحْيَى مَيْتُهُ
I grant healing from love's anguish to whomever I wish,
I bestow recovery from passion upon whom I love
So the one it has wasted recovers, and the one it has killed revives.
So he awakes from his affliction and his dead lives.
بيَديin my hand حَياةُthe life of مُتَيَّميmy captive lover وحِمامُهُand his death
بيَدي حَياةُ مُتَيَّمي وحِمامُهُ
فلَكمْand how often تَلافَيْتُI rescued الذيthe one whom أفْنَيْتُهُI destroyed him
فلَكمْ تَلافَيْتُ الذي أفْنَيْتُهُ
In my hand are my captive lover's life and death;
In my hand is the life of my despairing beloved and his pigeon,
How often have I rescued the one I destroyed!
So how many times have I brought back to life him whom I destroyed!
أسَألْتَhave you asked? يوْماًever يُوسُفاًYusuf مَوْلَىlord of الوَرىhumankind
أسَألْتَ يوْماً يُوسُفاً مَوْلَى الوَرى
شِيَمَthe virtues of النّدىgenerosity والبأسand valor واستَجْدَيْتهُand you sought his bounty
شِيَمَ النّدى والبأس واستَجْدَيْتهُ
Have you ever asked Yusuf, lord of humankind,
You asked Joseph one day, the master of people,
For the virtues of generosity and valor, and sought his bounty?
The traits of dew, power, and sought them.
مَلكٌa king إذاwhen بَذَلَhe bestows الحُباgifts قالَsays الحَياthe rain
مَلكٌ إذا بَذَلَ الحُبا قالَ الحَيا
أخْشىI fear الفَضيحَةَdisgrace إنْif أناI جارَيْتُهُI rival him
أخْشى الفَضيحَةَ إنْ أنا جارَيْتُهُ
A king: when he bestows gifts, the rain says:
A king, when he bestows love, says: "I fear disgrace
“I fear disgrace if I rival him.”
If I indulge him."
أمَرَhe commanded العُلىglory ونَهَيand he forbade فقالَتْso it said طاعَةًin obedience
أمَرَ العُلى ونَهَي فقالَتْ طاعَةً
ماwhatever شاءَhe wished شِئْتُI wished وماand whatever أباهُhe refused it أبَيْتُهُI refused it
ما شاءَ شِئْتُ وما أباهُ أبَيْتُهُ
He gave commands and prohibitions to Glory; it said: “I obey:
He commanded and forbade so she said obediently:
Whatever he wished, I wished; whatever he refused, I refused.”
"I do what he desires and I refuse what he dislikes."
وسَماand he rose انْتِماءًin lineage فيin ذُؤابَةِthe crest of خَزْرَجٍKhazraj
وسَما انْتِماءً في ذُؤابَةِ خَزْرَجٍ
فزَكَتْso it grew pure أرُومَتُهُhis ancestral stock وقُدِّسَand was sanctified بَيْتُهُhis house
فزَكَتْ أرُومَتُهُ وقُدِّسَ بَيْتُهُ
And by lineage he rose to the crest of Khazraj;
And it was affiliated in the clan of Khazraj
Thus his stock was pure, and his house was hallowed.
So its pillars were sanctified and its home purified.
بَيْتٌa house عِمادُthe pillar of عُلاهُits glory سَعْدُSaʿd عُبادَةٍʿUbādah
بَيْتٌ عِمادُ عُلاهُ سَعْدُ عُبادَةٍ
وطِنابُهُand its tent-ropes الأنْصارُthe Ansar نِعْمَhow excellent البَيْتُthe house بَيْتُهُhis house
وطِنابُهُ الأنْصارُ نِعْمَ البَيْتُ بَيْتُهُ
A house whose pillar of glory is Saʿd ibn ʿUbādah,
A home whose pillars of elevation are Sa'd of worship
And whose tent-ropes are the Ansar—how fine a house is his!
And its walls are the Helpers - what an excellent home his home!
موْلايَmy lord قابِلْreceive بالقَبولِwith acceptance وبالرِّضىand with favor
موْلايَ قابِلْ بالقَبولِ وبالرِّضى
نَظْماًa poem بدُرِّwith pearls of ثَناكَpraise of you قدْalready حَلّيْتُهُI adorned it
نَظْماً بدُرِّ ثَناكَ قدْ حَلّيْتُهُ
My lord, receive with acceptance and favor
My master, meet with acceptance and pleasure
A poem I have adorned with pearls of praise for you.
A poem with your full moon that I have adorned.
رَقّتْgrew delicate مَعانِيهِits meanings لدَيّto me فلَوْso if جَرَىblew
رَقّتْ مَعانِيهِ لدَيّ فلَوْ جَرَى
سَحَراًbefore dawn نَسيمُthe breeze of الرّوضِthe garden لاسْتَجْفَيْتُهُI would deem it coarse
سَحَراً نَسيمُ الرّوضِ لاسْتَجْفَيْتُهُ
Its meanings grew so delicate to me that, if there blew
Its meanings were gentle to me so if the morning breeze of the garden
Before dawn the garden's breeze, I would deem it coarse.
Flowed as sorcery I would absorb it.
وعَلىand despite احتِكاميmy mastery فيin القَريضِpoetry وإنّيand indeed I
وعَلى احتِكامي في القَريضِ وإنّي
يَرْويهِtransmits it عنّيfrom me الدّهْرُTime إنْif رَوّيْتُهُI teach it to recite
يَرْويهِ عنّي الدّهْرُ إنْ رَوّيْتُهُ
And for all my mastery of verse, and despite the fact
And about my compositions in poetry, I am one whose poetry
That Time transmits it from me if I teach it to recite,
Time narrates from me if I narrated it.
فلَقَدْso indeed هَمَمْتُI intended بأنto أقومَI fulfill بواجِبيmy duty
فلَقَدْ هَمَمْتُ بأن أقومَ بواجِبي
منْof حَقِّthe rightful claim of مَدْحِكَpraising you ثمّyet ماnot وَفّيتُهُI fulfilled it
منْ حَقِّ مَدْحِكَ ثمّ ما وَفّيتُهُ
I did intend to fulfill my duty
For I have resolved to do my duty
In giving you your due in praise; yet I have not fulfilled it.
Of praising you then did not complete it.
Sol 6.1