لمnot يعلمwas known الشوقlonging الاexcept منfrom مطوقةٍa collared dove
لم يعلم الشوق الا من مطوقةٍ
فهمتI understood عنهاfrom her الذيwhat قالتshe said ولمand did not تبنspeak plainly
فهمت عنها الذي قالت ولم تبن
Longing was known only through a collared dove;
None knows longing but the enamored captive,
I understood what she said, though she did not speak plainly.
Who understood from her words though she did not explain.
لاnot مثلهاlike her وسقيطand falling droplets الطلthe dew يضريهاstirs her
لا مثلها وسقيط الطل يضريها
فيupon عاتقيmy shoulder حلةa robe منof سندسfine silk اليمنYemen
في عاتقي حلة من سندس اليمن
No match for her, as falling dew stirs her,
None compares to her, even the falling rain refreshes her.
Is a robe of Yemen’s fine silk upon my shoulder.
She wears a Yemeni silk robe around her neck.
تذكرتshe remembered ساقSāq (part of the male dove’s name) حّرٍḤurr (completing the dove’s name) وهيwhile she تندبهlaments him
تذكرت ساق حّرٍ وهي تندبه
فيin الأخضرينthe two greens منof الظلماءdarkness والفننand the bough
في الأخضرين من الظلماء والفنن
She remembered Sāq Ḥurr, lamenting him,
I recalled a free woman's leg as she mourned it
In the twin greens of darkness and bough.
Among the dark-skinned and the beauties.
كأنهنas though they بأعلىat the top of الدوحthe great trees اذwhen سجعتshe cooed
كأنهن بأعلى الدوح اذ سجعت
رومRoman women نواطقspeaking بالألفاظwith words منamong بدنplump women
روم نواطق بالألفاظ من بدن
As though they, atop the great trees when she cooed,
It was as if they were at the top of the sand dune when she chirped,
Were plump Roman women speaking in words.
Roman eloquent speakers with wonderful bodies.
والنجمand the stars منهزمrouted أولىthe first of كتائبهits battalions
والنجم منهزم أولى كتائبه
والصبحand dawn يغسلwashes ثوبthe robe الليلthe night منof درنgrime
والصبح يغسل ثوب الليل من درن
And the stars’ first battalions are routed,
The leading stars retreat as the dawn
And dawn washes night’s robe clean of grime.
Washes away the garment of night with dew.
والروضand the garden يرشفsips ريقsaliva الطلthe dew عنout of نزقٍimpetuousness
والروض يرشف ريق الطل عن نزقٍ
وليتand would that ليfor me مثلهits like ممنfrom the one who يعذبنيtorments me
وليت لي مثله ممن يعذبني
And the garden sips the dew’s saliva in heedless eagerness;
The meadow waters the plants with drops from the clouds,
And would that I had its like from the one who torments me.
I wish I had someone like her who tortures me.
دعleave المنىwishes ربماsometimes نيلتthey are attained بلاwithout طلبseeking
دع المنى ربما نيلت بلا طلب
وربماand sometimes وقعbefalls الحرمانdeprivation فيin المهنtoil
وربما وقع الحرمان في المهن
Let wishes be: sometimes they are attained without seeking,
Leave wishes; you may attain without seeking,
And sometimes deprivation comes amid toil.
And deprivation may befall you from the destined.
Sol 6.1