أَلاah! مَنwho عَذيرُa defender النَّفسِthe soul مِمَّنfrom those who يَلومُهاblames it
أَلا مَن عَذيرُ النَّفسِ مِمَّن يَلومُها
عَلىfor حُبِّهاits love جَهلاًignorantly أَلاah! مَنwho عَذيرُهاits defender
عَلى حُبِّها جَهلاً أَلا مَن عَذيرُها
Ah, who will defend the soul against those who blame it
Alas! Who excuses the soul for blaming her
for its love, in their ignorance? Ah, who will defend it?
For loving in ignorance? Alas! Who excuses her?
تَذَكَّرتُI remembered أَيّاماًdays تَوَلّىdeparted سُرورُهاtheir joy
تَذَكَّرتُ أَيّاماً تَوَلّى سُرورُها
فَدرthen flowed لعَينيfor my eye عِندَat ذاكَthat دَرُورُهاits streaming tears
فَدر لعَيني عِندَ ذاكَ دَرُورُها
I remembered days whose joy had departed;
I remembered days when her joy turned away
then my eye's tears flowed freely.
So tears flowed from my eyes at that moment.
فَبِتُّso I spent the night كَأَنّيas though I بِالنُّجومِover the stars مُوَكَّلٌcharged with watching
فَبِتُّ كَأَنّي بِالنُّجومِ مُوَكَّلٌ
أُقَلِّبُI turn فيهاamong them مُقلَتيmy eye وَأُديرُهاand move it around
أُقَلِّبُ فيها مُقلَتي وَأُديرُها
So I spent the night as though appointed to watch the stars,
I spend the night as if I were appointed over the stars
turning my eye among them and moving it about.
Turning my eyelids over them and directing them.
كَأَنَّas though بَناتَdaughters النَّعشِthe Bier باسِطٌone extending كَفَّهُhis palm
كَأَنَّ بَناتَ النَّعشِ باسِطٌ كَفَّهُ
وَقَدand already مَدَّextended كَفاًa palm لِلسُّؤالِto beg فَقيرُهاtheir pauper
وَقَد مَدَّ كَفاً لِلسُّؤالِ فَقيرُها
As though the Daughters of the Bier were a man holding out his hand,
As if the daughters of the bier had stretched out their palms
and their pauper had stretched out a palm to beg.
And a beggar had extended his palm to beg from them.
كَأَنَّas though الثُّرياthe Pleiades فيin الدُّجىthe darkness وَاِجتِماعِهاand their clustering
كَأَنَّ الثُّريا في الدُّجى وَاِجتِماعِها
عِصابَةُa flock طَيرٍbirds فَزَّعَتهاstartled them صُقورُهاtheir falcons
عِصابَةُ طَيرٍ فَزَّعَتها صُقورُها
As though the Pleiades, in the darkness and their clustering,
As if the Pleiades in the darkness and their gathering
were a flock of birds startled by their falcons.
Were a flock of birds startled by their eagles
يخالُis imagined بِهاamong them النَّسرُthe Eagle الَّذيthat هُوَit واقِعٌperched
يخالُ بِها النَّسرُ الَّذي هُوَ واقِعٌ
أَثافِيَّhearthstones لَمnot يُنصَبbe set عَلَيهاupon them قُدورُهاtheir pots
أَثافِيَّ لَم يُنصَب عَلَيها قُدورُها
Among them, the Eagle that is perched seems to be
Hunting them. The vulture that was aiming for them
hearthstones upon which no pots have been set.
Had no pots set against them.
أَلاah! ياoh! لَهاfor it! مِنof لَيلَةٍa night حارَwas bewildered نَجمُهاits star
أَلا يا لَها مِن لَيلَةٍ حارَ نَجمُها
وَغابَand vanished الكَرىsleep فيهاin it وَطالَand grew long قَصيرُهاits short span
وَغابَ الكَرى فيها وَطالَ قَصيرُها
Ah, what a night—its star stood bewildered,
Oh, what a night whose star disappeared
and sleep vanished from it, and its brief span grew long.
When fate vanished in it and its shortness lengthened!
تَذَكَّرتُI remembered أَيّاماًdays تَوَلَّتpassed away حَميدَةًpleasant; praiseworthy
تَذَكَّرتُ أَيّاماً تَوَلَّت حَميدَةً
فَعادَso returned لِنَفسيto my soul بَثُّهاits sorrow وَزَفيرُهاand its sighing
فَعادَ لِنَفسي بَثُّها وَزَفيرُها
I remembered happy days that had passed,
I remembered days that passed by auspiciously
and my soul's sorrow and sighing returned.
So their conversation returned to trouble my soul,
لَيالِيَnights كانَتwas مَنthe one whom تُحِبُّyou love أَميرَةًa princess
لَيالِيَ كانَت مَن تُحِبُّ أَميرَةً
عَلَيكَover you وَمَولاةًand a mistress وَأَنتَwhile you أَميرُهاher prince
عَلَيكَ وَمَولاةً وَأَنتَ أَميرُها
Nights when she whom you loved was a princess
Nights when she who loved a prince was your beloved
over you and a mistress, while you were her prince.
And slave girl while you were her prince.
وَكانَتand she was أَسيراًa captive فيin وِثاقِكَyour bonds يَنتَهيreaches
وَكانَت أَسيراً في وِثاقِكَ يَنتَهي
إِلىto كُلِّevery مَنone whom تَهوىyou love وَأَنتَwhile you أَسيرُهاher captive
إِلى كُلِّ مَن تَهوى وَأَنتَ أَسيرُها
And she was a captive in your bonds, which reached
She was a captive in your bond whom you directed
to everyone you loved, while you were her captive.
To everyone you loved while you were her captive.
فَأَعقَبتُthen I followed with أَيّاماًdays جَرَتran بِمُساءَتيto my distress
فَأَعقَبتُ أَيّاماً جَرَت بِمُساءَتي
قَريبَةُclose to بُؤسٍmisery وَاستشاطand raged غيورُهاher jealous one
قَريبَةُ بُؤسٍ وَاستشاط غيورُها
Then I followed them with days that brought me distress,
So days followed when she treated me spitefully,
close to misery, and her jealous one flared with rage.
Days of distress which enraged her jealous husband.
وَفيand in الصَّدرِthe breast مِنّيof mine غُصَّةٌa choking grief لاnot أُحيرُهاI release it
وَفي الصَّدرِ مِنّي غُصَّةٌ لا أُحيرُها
وَفيand in الصَّدرِthe breast مِنهاof hers غُصَّةa choking grief لاnot تُحيرُهاshe releases it
وَفي الصَّدرِ مِنها غُصَّة لا تُحيرُها
And in my breast is a choking grief I cannot release;
In my chest is an anguish I do not express,
and in her breast is a choking grief she cannot release.
Just as in her chest is an anguish she does not express.
دَهانيafflicted me وَإِيّاهاand her العُداةُthe enemies فَأَصبَحَتso she became
دَهاني وَإِيّاها العُداةُ فَأَصبَحَت
وَقَدand already أُسبِلَتwere lowered دونيshutting me out عَلَيهاover her سُتورُهاher curtains
وَقَد أُسبِلَت دوني عَلَيها سُتورُها
The enemies afflicted me and her, and she was left
The enemies caused us problems until she was separated from me
with her curtains lowered over her, shutting me out.
With her curtains lowered between us.
وَكانَتand she was وَأَبوابٌand doors لَهاbelonging to her خَمسُfive عَشرَةten
وَكانَت وَأَبوابٌ لَها خَمسُ عَشرَة
تَطولُgrew long عَلَيهاfor her لَيلَةًa night لاnot أَزورُهاI visit her
تَطولُ عَلَيها لَيلَةً لا أَزورُها
And, though she had fifteen doors,
She had fifteen doors
a night without my visit would seem long to her.
That I would not visit all night long.
وَكُنتُand I was أَثيراًcherished عِندَهُنَّamong them يَرَينَنيthey see me
وَكُنتُ أَثيراً عِندَهُنَّ يَرَينَني
كَتُفّاحَةٍlike an apple قَدalready فُضَّwas scattered فيهاwithin it عَبيرُهاits perfume
كَتُفّاحَةٍ قَد فُضَّ فيها عَبيرُها
And I was cherished among them; they saw me
I was a topic of conversation among them when they saw me
like an apple whose perfume had been scattered within it.
Like an apple whose fragrance had been emitted.
وَكانَتand were عَلاماتيmy signals إِلَيهاto her تَنَحنُحيmy throat-clearing
وَكانَت عَلاماتي إِلَيها تَنَحنُحي
وَيُنذِرُهاand alerts her مِنfrom حِسِّthe sound نَعليmy sandal صَريرُهاits creaking
وَيُنذِرُها مِن حِسِّ نَعلي صَريرُها
And my signals to her were my throat-clearing,
My signals to her were my sandals’ squeaking
and my sandal's creaking sound would alert her.
And the jingling of my horse’s harness warning her.
وَكانَتand she was إِذاwhen ماever جاءَcame غَيريsomeone other than me تَسَتَّرَتshe veiled herself
وَكانَت إِذا ما جاءَ غَيري تَسَتَّرَت
وَكانَand was لَدَيَّat my disposal بَذلُهاher giving وَسُتورُهاand her veils
وَكانَ لَدَيَّ بَذلُها وَسُتورُها
And whenever anyone else came, she would veil herself,
Whenever someone other than me came, she was veiled,
while her favors and her veils were at my disposal.
Yet she was generous and unveiled with me.
فَأَصبَحتُso I became أَرضىI am content بِالقَليلِwith little وَرُبَّماand often
فَأَصبَحتُ أَرضى بِالقَليلِ وَرُبَّما
طَلَبتُI asked فَلَمand not يَعسُرwas difficult عَلَيَّfor me كَثيرُهاmuch from her
طَلَبتُ فَلَم يَعسُر عَلَيَّ كَثيرُها
So I have come to be content with little, though many a time
So I became content with little, and sometimes
I asked, and much from her was easy for me to obtain.
I sought but the great part of it was not difficult for me.
وَأَعزِزand how grievous! عَلَيهاfor her أَنthat تَكونَshould be إِشارَتيmy signal
وَأَعزِز عَلَيها أَن تَكونَ إِشارَتي
إِلَيهاto her بِطُهرin chastity لاnot يُجابُis answered مُشيرُهاits sender
إِلَيها بِطُهر لا يُجابُ مُشيرُها
And how grievous for her that my signal
It was dearer to me that my gesture to her
to her should be chaste, its sender receiving no reply.
Be with pure intention, not to be rewarded by its performer.
تَطاوَلَتِgrew long الأَيَّامُthe days مُنذُsince رَأَيتُهاI saw her
تَطاوَلَتِ الأَيَّامُ مُنذُ رَأَيتُها
فَكانَتso were عَلَيَّfor me كَالسِّنينِlike years شهورُهاtheir months
فَكانَت عَلَيَّ كَالسِّنينِ شهورُها
The days have lengthened since I saw her;
Many days have passed since I last saw her,
so their months have been like years to me.
Yet to me her months were like years.
وَلَوand if أَنَّthat ماwhat أَلقىI endure مِنَof الوجدِardent longing ساعَةًfor an hour
وَلَو أَنَّ ما أَلقى مِنَ الوجدِ ساعَةً
بِأَجبالِupon the mountains of رَضوىRadwa هُدَّwould be shattered منَهاof them صُخورُهاtheir rocks
بِأَجبالِ رَضوى هُدَّ منَها صُخورُها
And if the longing I endure for an hour
If what I suffered for an hour from passion
were laid upon the mountains of Radwa, their rocks would be shattered;
Were thrown on the mountains of Radwa, it would crumble its rocks.
وَلَوand if أَنَّthat ماwhat أَلقىI endure مِنَof الوجدِardent longing ساعَةًfor an hour
وَلَو أَنَّ ما أَلقى مِنَ الوجدِ ساعَةً
بِرُكنَيupon the two flanks of ثَبيرٍThabir ماnot أَقامَremained standing ثَبيرُهاits Thabir
بِرُكنَي ثَبيرٍ ما أَقامَ ثَبيرُها
And if the longing I endure for an hour
If what I suffered from passion for an hour
were laid upon Thabir's two flanks, Thabir would not remain standing.
Were thrown at the two sides of Thabeer, it would not stand firm.
وَلَوand if أَنَّنيthat I أدعىwere summoned لَدىat المَوتِdeath باسمِهاwith her name
وَلَو أَنَّني أدعى لَدى المَوتِ باسمِها
لَعادَthen would return لِنَفسيto my soul باذنby the permission of رَبّيmy Lord نُشورُهاits resurrection
لَعادَ لِنَفسي باذن رَبّي نُشورُها
And if I were summoned at death with her name,
If when death came, I called upon her name,
my soul would rise again, by my Lord's leave.
My soul by my Lord’s permission would be restored by her.
أُعَلِّلُI soothe نَفسيmy soul بِالأَمانيwith hopes مَخافَةًout of fear
أُعَلِّلُ نَفسي بِالأَماني مَخافَةً
عَلَيهاfor it إِذاwhen ماever الشَّوقُlonging كادَalmost يُطيرُهاsends it flying
عَلَيها إِذا ما الشَّوقُ كادَ يُطيرُها
I soothe my soul with hopes, out of fear
I make excuses to myself out of fear for her
for it, whenever longing nearly sends it flying.
When longing is about to make her fly away.
وَأَدعوand I call upon إِذاwhen ماever خِفتُI feared أَنthat يَغلبَmay prevail الهَوىpassion
وَأَدعو إِذا ما خِفتُ أَن يَغلبَ الهَوى
عَلَيهاover it غَراميmy ardent love بِاِسمِهاby her name أَستَجيرُهاI seek her protection
عَلَيها غَرامي بِاِسمِها أَستَجيرُها
And I call, whenever I fear that passion may prevail
And when I fear passion overcoming her,
over it, upon my love by her name, seeking her protection.
I seek refuge for her by calling her name.
فَإِنso if تَكُنِbe الأَيَّامُthe days أَغشتكَhave shrouded you نقمَةًaffliction
فَإِن تَكُنِ الأَيَّامُ أَغشتكَ نقمَةً
فَقَدthen already أَدبَرتhave turned away أَعجازهاtheir backs وَصُدورُهاand their fronts
فَقَد أَدبَرت أَعجازها وَصُدورُها
So if the days have shrouded you in affliction,
If days have covered you with vengeance,
then their backs and fronts have already turned away.
Their consequence and result have passed.
وَإِنِّيand indeed I لَآتيcertainly do الشَّيءَa thing مِنin غَيرِthe absence of عِلمِهاher knowledge
وَإِنِّي لَآتي الشَّيءَ مِن غَيرِ عِلمِها
فَيُخبِرُهاso informs her عَنّيabout me بِذاكَof that ضَميرُهاher intuition
فَيُخبِرُها عَنّي بِذاكَ ضَميرُها
And indeed, I do something without her knowledge,
I do something without her knowing,
and her intuition tells her what I have done.
Then her conscience informs her of that about me.
وَقَدand indeed زَعِمتُI claimed أَنِّيthat I سَمَحتُI granted لِغَيرِهاto someone besides her
وَقَد زَعِمتُ أَنِّي سَمَحتُ لِغَيرِها
بِوَصلٍwith intimacy وَلاbut no! وَالبُدنِby the sacrificial camels تَدميbleed نحورُهاtheir throats
بِوَصلٍ وَلا وَالبُدنِ تَدمي نحورُها
And I have claimed that I granted another woman
And I claimed I allowed someone other than her
intimacy—but no, by the sacrificial camels whose throats bleed!
An intimate union—by my life, she bloodies their necks!
وَرَبِّand by the Lord of المَناياdeaths لاnot أُميلُI turn زِيارَتيmy visits
وَرَبِّ المَنايا لا أُميلُ زِيارَتي
إِلىtoward غَيرِهاother than her أُنثىa woman وَلاnor أَستَزيرُهاI invite her to visit me
إِلى غَيرِها أُنثى وَلا أَستَزيرُها
And by the Lord of death, I do not turn my visits
By the Lord of death, I do not incline my visits
to any other woman, nor invite her to visit me.
To other than her, neither female nor male.
وَلكِنَّنيbut I كَنَّيتُI alluded indirectly عَنهاabout her بِغَيرِهاthrough someone other than her
وَلكِنَّني كَنَّيتُ عَنها بِغَيرِها
مَخافَةَfor fear of عَينٍan eye لاnot يَنامُsleeps بَصيرُهاits watcher
مَخافَةَ عَينٍ لا يَنامُ بَصيرُها
But I referred to her indirectly through another,
Rather, I pretended with someone other than her
for fear of an eye whose watcher never sleeps.
Fearing the eye that does not sleep seeing her.
عَلَيَّbinding on me نُذورٌvows جَمَّةٌmany فيfor لِقائِهاmeeting her
عَلَيَّ نُذورٌ جَمَّةٌ في لِقائِها
فَلَيتَso, if only نذوريmy vows أَوجَبَتbecame binding وَنُذورُهاand her vows
فَلَيتَ نذوري أَوجَبَت وَنُذورُها
I am bound by many vows for a meeting with her;
I have many vows to meet her,
so, if only my vows and hers had become binding!
If only my vows made her vows obligatory!
أَماis there not مِنany مُشيرadviser سَدَّدَmay guide اللَّهُGod رَأيَهُhis judgment
أَما مِن مُشير سَدَّدَ اللَّهُ رَأيَهُ
يَرىsees أَنَّthat فيهاconcerning her حيلَةًa way لاnot يُضيرُهاharms her
يَرى أَنَّ فيها حيلَةً لا يُضيرُها
Is there no adviser—may God guide his judgment—
Is there no wise advisor whom Allah guided
who thinks there is a way to her that will not harm her?
Who sees a scheme in this that would not harm her?
Sol 6.1