هَلُمَّCome! فَجَفْنُfor the eyelid الدَّهْرِof Time قَدْalready لاَذَsought refuge بِالْغَمْضِin closing the eyes
هَلُمَّ فَجَفْنُ الدَّهْرِ قَدْ لاَذَ بِالْغَمْضِ
وَأَمْكَنَand made possible مَيْدَانُthe arena التَّصَابِيof youthful frolic مِنَfor الرَّكْضِgalloping
وَأَمْكَنَ مَيْدَانُ التَّصَابِي مِنَ الرَّكْضِ
Come, for Time's eyelid has sought refuge in sleep,
Come now as the eyelid of time has grown weary with blinking
and the field of youthful frolic has opened for galloping,
And the field of contention is open for racing
إِلَىto مَجْلِسِa gathering place حَيَّىgreeted مَقَاصِيرَهُits secluded chambers الْحَيَاthe rain
إِلَى مَجْلِسِ حَيَّى مَقَاصِيرَهُ الْحَيَا
وَرَاحَand wafted بِهِthrough it الرَّيْحَانُsweet basil فِيin الطُّولِlength وَالْعَرْضِand breadth
وَرَاحَ بِهِ الرَّيْحَانُ فِي الطُّولِ وَالْعَرْضِ
to a gathering place whose chambers the rain has greeted,
To the gathering of Hayya, its expanse perfumed
and sweet basil wafts through its length and breadth.
With sweet basil spreading far and wide
وَيَوْمٍand a day كَأَخْلاَقِlike the moods الصَّبِيّof a child إِذَاwhen بَكَىit wept
وَيَوْمٍ كَأَخْلاَقِ الصَّبِيّ إِذَا بَكَى
حَبتْهُbestowed on it مِنَof الصَّحْوِclear weather السَّمَاءُthe sky بِمَاwith what يُرْضِيpleases
حَبتْهُ مِنَ الصَّحْوِ السَّمَاءُ بِمَا يُرْضِي
And a day like a child's moods: whenever it weeps,
On a day like the temper of a child, when he weeps
the sky grants it such clear weather as will please it.
The heavens soothe him with whatever would please
فَيَضْحَكُso it laughs أَحْيَاناًat times وَيَعْبِسُand it frowns تَارَةًat another time
فَيَضْحَكُ أَحْيَاناً وَيَعْبِسُ تَارَةً
فَمِنْso from ضَحِكٍlaughter يَأَتِيcomes وَمِنْand from عَبْرَةٍa tear تَمْضِيpasses
فَمِنْ ضَحِكٍ يَأَتِي وَمِنْ عَبْرَةٍ تَمْضِي
So it laughs at times and frowns at others,
So he laughs at times and frowns at others
now laughter coming, now a tear passing.
With a laugh he comes and with a tear he leaves
وَرَوْصٍand a garden (probable reading) دَنَتْdrew near لِلْهَاصِرِينَto those bending branches قِطَافُهَاits ripe fruit
وَرَوْصٍ دَنَتْ لِلْهَاصِرِينَ قِطَافُهَا
فَكَانَso was كَلاَمُthe speech الْقَوْمِof the company بَعْضاًsome إِلَىto بَعْضِothers
فَكَانَ كَلاَمُ الْقَوْمِ بَعْضاً إِلَى بَعْضِ
And a garden [uncertain reading], whose fruit drew near to those bending its branches,
With a trot whose harvest drew near for the reapers
so the company said to one another:
And the people's words were shared between them
أَهَذِيis this? الَّتِيthe one that كُنَّاwe were لِلْهَاصِرِينَfor those bending branches قِطَافُهَاits ripe fruit
أَهَذِي الَّتِي كُنَّا لِلْهَاصِرِينَ قِطَافُهَا
فَكَانَso was كَلاَمُthe speech الْقَوْمِof the company بَعْضاًsome إِلَىto بَعْضِothers
فَكَانَ كَلاَمُ الْقَوْمِ بَعْضاً إِلَى بَعْضِ
Is this the one that we were ... its fruit for those bending the branches?
"Are these the same we were promised to harvest
So the company said to one another:
And the people's words were shared between them?"
أَهَذِيis this? الَّتِيthe one that كُنَّاwe were وُعِدْنَاwe were promised بِنَيْلِهَاto attain it
أَهَذِي الَّتِي كُنَّا وُعِدْنَا بِنَيْلِهَا
وَجَنَّةُand the Garden عَدْنٍof Eden فِيin السَّمَاheaven أَمْor مِنَof الأَرْضِthe earth
وَجَنَّةُ عَدْنٍ فِي السَّمَا أَمْ مِنَ الأَرْضِ
Is this the one we had been promised to attain?
"Is this the garden of Eden we were promised
And is the Garden of Eden in heaven, or of the earth?
In the heavens or from the earth?"
كَأَنَّas though الصَّبَاthe east wind جَاءَتْcame تُخَبِّرُtelling قُضْبهَاits shoots
كَأَنَّ الصَّبَا جَاءَتْ تُخَبِّرُ قُضْبهَا
سُحَيْراًshortly before dawn بِأَنَّof the fact that الْوَقْتَthe time ضَاقَgrew short عَنِfor الْفَرْضِthe obligatory prayer
سُحَيْراً بِأَنَّ الْوَقْتَ ضَاقَ عَنِ الْفَرْضِ
As though the east wind came to tell its shoots,
As if the morning breeze came to tell its twigs
just before dawn, that time was running short for the obligatory prayer,
Hurriedly that the time for duty had grown tight
فَأسْرَعَتِso hastened الأَغْصَانُthe branches تَبْتَدِرُracing toward الثَّرىthe moist earth
فَأسْرَعَتِ الأَغْصَانُ تَبْتَدِرُ الثَّرى
وَتَعمُرُand fill بَاقِيthe remainder of الْوَقْتِthe time مِنْهَاfrom them بِمَاwith what تَقْضِيthey fulfill
وَتَعمُرُ بَاقِي الْوَقْتِ مِنْهَا بِمَا تَقْضِي
so the branches hastened, racing toward the moist earth,
So the branches raced to grasp the soil
and filled their remaining time with the prayers they offered.
And fill the rest of time with all they could fulfill
وَسَالَتْand flowed دُمُوعُthe tears الطَّلِّof dew عِنْدَat سُجُودِهَاtheir prostration
وَسَالَتْ دُمُوعُ الطَّلِّ عِنْدَ سُجُودِهَا
كَمَاas بَكَتِwept الْعُبَّادُthe worshippers مِنْout of خَشْيَةِfear الْعَرْضِbeing presented for judgment
كَمَا بَكَتِ الْعُبَّادُ مِنْ خَشْيَةِ الْعَرْضِ
And tears of dew flowed as they prostrated themselves,
And the raindrops flowed when kneeling in prayer
as worshippers wept in fear of being brought to judgment.
As the worshippers wept in awe and dread
وَنَامَتْand slept جُفُونُthe eyelids النَّرْجِسِof narcissi الغَضِّtender بَيْنَهَاamong them
وَنَامَتْ جُفُونُ النَّرْجِسِ الغَضِّ بَيْنَهَا
كَأَنَّas though خَطِيبَthe preacher الطَّيْرِof the birds قَالَsaid لَهَاto them غُضِّيlower your gaze!
كَأَنَّ خَطِيبَ الطَّيْرِ قَالَ لَهَا غُضِّي
And the eyelids of tender narcissi slept among them,
And the narcissus petals slept among themselves
as though the birds' preacher had told them, 'Lower your gaze.'
As if the orator of birds told them: close now
فَمنْso among them أَبْيَضٍa white one كَالدُّرِّlike pearls حُفَّwas surrounded بِأَصْفَرby a yellow one
فَمنْ أَبْيَضٍ كَالدُّرِّ حُفَّ بِأَصْفَر
هُنَاكَthere ومُصْفرٍّand a yellow one يَحُفُّencircles بِمُبْيَضِّaround a white one
هُنَاكَ ومُصْفرٍّ يَحُفُّ بِمُبْيَضِّ
Some were white as pearls, surrounded by yellow,
So rings of white nestled with rings of yellow
there, and some yellow, encircling white.
While over them the bees swarmed like money changers counting dirhams
تَرَىyou see النَّحْلَthe bees فِيin أَثْنَائِهِنَّtheir midst كَأَنَّهَاas though they were
تَرَى النَّحْلَ فِي أَثْنَائِهِنَّ كَأَنَّهَا
صَيَارفُmoney-changers عَاثَتْwrought havoc فِيon الدَّرَاهِمِthe dirhams بِالْقَرْضِby clipping
صَيَارفُ عَاثَتْ فِي الدَّرَاهِمِ بِالْقَرْضِ
You see the bees among them, as though they were
And a wetnurse suckling a child of fragrant wood
money-changers wreaking havoc on dirhams by clipping them.
Who learns nothing but good manners
وَمُرْضِعَةٍand a nursing woman طِفْلاًa child مِنَof الْعُودِwood; the oud ثَدْيُهَاher breast
وَمُرْضِعَةٍ طِفْلاً مِنَ الْعُودِ ثَدْيُهَا
وَلاَand not دَرَّyielded milk إِلاَّexcept مِنْfrom أَدَبٍrefinement مَحْضِpure
وَلاَ دَرَّ إِلاَّ مِنْ أَدَبٍ مَحْضِ
And a woman nursing a child of wood at her breast,
As if his father Douha turned his cheek
and no milk flows except from pure refinement.
With the roses of April in first bloom
كَأَنَّas though أَبَاهُits father الدَّوْحَthe spreading tree وَرَّدَmade rosy خَدَّهَاher cheek
كَأَنَّ أَبَاهُ الدَّوْحَ وَرَّدَ خَدَّهَا
بِمَاwith what جَادَهُlavished upon it النِّيسَانُNisan (April) مِنْof وَرْدِهِits roses الْغَضِّfresh
بِمَا جَادَهُ النِّيسَانُ مِنْ وَرْدِهِ الْغَضِّ
As though its father, the spreading tree, had made her cheek rosy
And sometimes seeks by right of nursing
with the fresh roses Nisan had lavished upon it.
To pinch those coins in legal tender
وَتَطْلُبُand she asks أَحْيَاناًat times بِفَرْضِfor the allotted fee رِضَاعِهِnursing it
وَتَطْلُبُ أَحْيَاناً بِفَرْضِ رِضَاعِهِ
فَيبتَزُّso it is exacted مِنْfrom تِلْكَthose الدَّرَاهمِdirhams بِالْفَرْضِas the allotted payment
فَيبتَزُّ مِنْ تِلْكَ الدَّرَاهمِ بِالْفَرْضِ
And at times she asks for the allotted fee for nursing it,
When she touches him with her fingertips, like a doctor
so it is exacted from those dirhams as her due.
Feeling the pulse of the expert in healing
إِذَاwhen لَمَستْهُshe touched it بِالْبَنَانِwith the fingertips تَخَالُهَاyou imagine her
إِذَا لَمَستْهُ بِالْبَنَانِ تَخَالُهَا
طَبِيباًa physician مِنَamong الْحُذَّاقِthe experts جَسَّfelt عَلَىfor نَبْضِa pulse
طَبِيباً مِنَ الْحُذَّاقِ جَسَّ عَلَى نَبْضِ
When she touches it with her fingertips, you imagine her
And brings her ear close, listening as if
an expert physician feeling for a pulse;
To determine the force of contraction and expansion
وتُدْنِيand she brings close إِلَيْهِto it السَّمْعَthe hearing تُصْغِيshe listens intently كَأَنَّهُas though he were
وتُدْنِي إِلَيْهِ السَّمْعَ تُصْغِي كَأَنَّهُ
يُحَقِّقُascertains قَدْرَthe measure الْبَسْطِof expansion فِيهِin it مِنَrelative to القَبْضِcontraction
يُحَقِّقُ قَدْرَ الْبَسْطِ فِيهِ مِنَ القَبْضِ
and she brings her ear close to it, listening, as though
And the soul of wine, when whispering in the cup
she were gauging its expansion against its contraction.
You see the spirit's connection to the earthly realm
وَرَاحٍand wine إِذَاwhen نَاجَيْتَyou commune with فِيin الْكَأَسِthe cup رُوحَهَاits spirit
وَرَاحٍ إِذَا نَاجَيْتَ فِي الْكَأَسِ رُوحَهَا
رَأَيْتَyou saw اتِّصَالَthe union الرُّوحof the spirit بِالْعَالَمِwith the world الأَرضِيearthly
رَأَيْتَ اتِّصَالَ الرُّوح بِالْعَالَمِ الأَرضِي
And wine—when you commune with its spirit in the cup,
When it rises cheerful in its clarity
you see the spirit's union with the earthly world.
The laws of happiness foretell what's to come
إِذَاwhen طَلعَتْit rose مُفْتَرَّةًsmiling فِيin سُعُودِهَاits auspicious signs
إِذَا طَلعَتْ مُفْتَرَّةً فِي سُعُودِهَا
تُبشِّرُgive glad tidings أَحْكَامُthe predictions السُّرورِof joy بِمَاof what تَقْضِيit decrees
تُبشِّرُ أَحْكَامُ السُّرورِ بِمَا تَقْضِي
When it rises smiling in its auspicious signs,
If time's miser relents with an hour
joy's predictions give glad tidings of what it decrees.
Seize it vigorously, bite down hard as you can
إِذَاif سَمحَwas generous الدَّهْرُTime الضَّنِينُmiserly بِسَاعَةٍwith an hour
إِذَا سَمحَ الدَّهْرُ الضَّنِينُ بِسَاعَةٍ
فَعَضَّthen bite! عَلَيْهَاon it جَاهِداًstriving hard أَيَّمَاthe utmost عَضٍّbiting
فَعَضَّ عَلَيْهَا جَاهِداً أَيَّمَا عَضٍّ
If miserly Time grants you an hour,
But if fortune does not favor you
then bite down on it with all your might.
Your being in the days is like pure nothingness
فَإِنْfor if لَمْdoes not يُسَاعِدْكَfavor you الزَّمَانُTime فَإِنَّمَاthen it is only
فَإِنْ لَمْ يُسَاعِدْكَ الزَّمَانُ فَإِنَّمَا
وُجُودُكَyour existence فِيin الأَيَّامِthe days كَالْعَدَمِlike nonexistence المَحْضِsheer
وُجُودُكَ فِي الأَيَّامِ كَالْعَدَمِ المَحْضِ
For if Time does not favor you, then
your existence amid the days is merely like sheer nonexistence.
Partial English translation: 42 of 44 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1