ياO حادِيَcamel-driver العيسِthe white camels لاdo not تَعجَلhurry بِهاwith them وَقِفاand halt
يا حادِيَ العيسِ لا تَعجَل بِها وَقِفا
فَإِنَّنيfor indeed I زَمِنٌlame فيin إِثرِهاtheir wake غاديjourneying in the morning
فَإِنَّني زَمِنٌ في إِثرِها غادي
O camel-driver, do not hurry them on; stop awhile.
O driver of the white camels, do not hurry them, and halt!
For I am lame, yet I set out in their wake.
For I am lame, journeying in their wake in the morning.
قِفhalt بِالمَطاياwith the mounts وَشَمِّرand gather up مِنsome of أَزِمَّتِهاtheir reins
قِف بِالمَطايا وَشَمِّر مِن أَزِمَّتِها
بِاللَهِby God بِالوَجدِby longing وَالتَبريحِand torment ياO حاديcamel-driver
بِاللَهِ بِالوَجدِ وَالتَبريحِ يا حادي
Halt the mounts, and let me breathe the scent of their reins—
Halt the mounts and gather up their reins,
by God, by longing and its searing torment, O camel-driver!
By God, by longing and torment, O camel-driver!
نَفسيmy soul تُريدُdesires وَلكِنand yet لاnot تُساعِدُنيhelps me
نَفسي تُريدُ وَلكِن لا تُساعِدُني
رِجليmy foot فَمَنso who ليfor me بِإِشفاقٍwith compassion وَإِسعادِand aid
رِجلي فَمَن لي بِإِشفاقٍ وَإِسعادِ
My soul desires it, but my leg will not aid me;
My soul is willing, but no help comes to me
so who will show me compassion and lend me help?
From my foot; who, then, will offer me compassion and aid?
ماwhat يَفعَلُdoes الصَنَعُthe skilled craftsman النَحريرُthe consummate expert فيin شُغُلٍa task
ما يَفعَلُ الصَنَعُ النَحريرُ في شُغُلٍ
آلاتُهُhis tools أَذِنَتhave consented فيهِin it بِإِفسادِto ruin
آلاتُهُ أَذِنَت فيهِ بِإِفسادِ
What can the consummate craftsman do with a task
What can the skilled master craftsman do at a task
when his tools already foretell its ruin?
When his tools have consented to its ruin?
عَرَّجturn aside فَفيfor in أَيمَنِthe right-hand side of الواديthe valley خِيامُهُمُtheir tents
عَرَّج فَفي أَيمَنِ الوادي خِيامُهُمُ
لِلَّهِto God دَرُّكَyour bounty ماwhat تَحويهِyou contain it ياO واديvalley
لِلَّهِ دَرُّكَ ما تَحويهِ يا وادي
Turn aside: on the valley’s right-hand side stand their tents.
Turn aside, for their tents are on the valley's right-hand side.
How splendid, O valley, is all that you contain!
God bless you for what you hold, O valley!
جَمَعتَyou have gathered قَوماًpeople هُمُthey are نَفسيmy soul وَهُمand they are نَفَسيmy breath
جَمَعتَ قَوماً هُمُ نَفسي وَهُم نَفَسي
وَهُمand they are سَوادُblackness سُوَيداlittle black core خِلبِmembrane أَكباديmy livers
وَهُم سَوادُ سُوَيدا خِلبِ أَكبادي
You have gathered a people who are my soul—my very soul—
You have gathered people who are my soul and my breath,
and they are the dark heart of the inmost folds of my livers.
And they are the blackness of the little black core of my livers' membrane.
لاmay not دَرَّflow دَرُّthe bounty of الهَوىlove إِنif لَمnot أَمُتI die كَمَداًof grief
لا دَرَّ دَرُّ الهَوى إِن لَم أَمُت كَمَداً
بِحاجِرٍat Ḥājir أَوor بِسَلعٍat Salʿ أَوor بِأَجيادِat Ajyād
بِحاجِرٍ أَو بِسَلعٍ أَو بِأَجيادِ
May love yield no good if I do not die of grief
May love's bounty never flow if I do not die of grief
at Ḥājir, or Salʿ, or Ajyād.
At Ḥājir, or at Salʿ, or at Ajyād.
Sol 6.1