لَوْلاَwere it not for التَّحَرُّجُscruples لمnot يُحْجَبُbe veiled مُحَيَّاكِyour face
لَوْلاَ التَّحَرُّجُ لم يُحْجَبُ مُحَيَّاكِ
Were it not for scruples, your face would not be veiled.
Had I no shame, your face I'd never veil
Would harsh words make your killer prevail?
وَحْشِيَّةَO savage one اللَّفْظِof speech هلwill ...? يودِيperish قتيلُكُمُyour victim
وَحْشِيَّةَ اللَّفْظِ هل يودِي قتيلُكُمُ
دميmy blood مُضاعٌwasted وجانيand the perpetrator of ذاكthat عيناكِyour two eyes
دمي مُضاعٌ وجاني ذاك عيناكِ
O you of savage speech, will your victim perish?
My blood spilt, though by your eyes I'm slain
My blood is wasted, and your eyes are the culprits.
I see you've mastered the art of slaying men
إنيindeed I أراكِI see you بقتلِat killing النفسِthe soul حاذِقَةًskilled
إني أراكِ بقتلِ النفسِ حاذِقَةً
قُوليsay فَدَيتُكِmay I be your ransom مَنْwho بالقَتْلِto kill أوصاكِinstructed you
قُولي فَدَيتُكِ مَنْ بالقَتْلِ أوصاكِ
Indeed, I see you are skilled at taking life.
Say for whose sake is this bloodlust vain?
Tell me—may I be your ransom—who instructed you to kill?
Why beg the lightning? It will not rain
ماليwhat have I وللبَرْقِand with lightning أَستسقيهِI ask it for water منout of ظَمَأٍthirst
مالي وللبَرْقِ أَستسقيهِ من ظَمَأٍ
هيهاتَfar from it! لاno رِيَّquenching of thirst إِلّاexcept مِنْfrom ثَناياكِyour front teeth
هيهاتَ لا رِيَّ إِلّا مِنْ ثَناياكِ
What have I to do with lightning, seeking water from it in my thirst?
No hope for rain but in your lips' domain
Far from it! Nothing quenches thirst except your front teeth.
Without my ribs, straight to your heart I’d sail
لولاwere it not for الضُلُوعُthe ribs لَظَلَّwould remain القلبُthe heart نَحوَكُمُtoward you
لولا الضُلُوعُ لَظَلَّ القلبُ نَحوَكُمُ
ضَعِيplace بِعَيْشِكِby your life فوقover القلبِthe heart يُمْناكِyour right hand
ضَعِي بِعَيْشِكِ فوق القلبِ يُمْناكِ
But for the ribs, the heart would remain turned toward you.
Place your sweet life gently on my frail
By your life, place your right hand over my heart.
You've left me to yearn in exile, unjust
أَصلَيْتِنيyou made me burn لوعةَanguish الهِجرانِof separation ظالِمَةًacting unjustly
أَصلَيْتِني لوعةَ الهِجرانِ ظالِمَةً
رُحماكِyour mercy! منfrom لوعةِthe anguish الهجرانِof separation رُحماكِyour mercy!
رُحماكِ من لوعةِ الهجرانِ رُحماكِ
Unjustly, you have made me burn in the anguish of separation.
Have mercy, spare me this yearning, I trust
Have mercy on me in separation's anguish—have mercy!
I thought I'd hide, but you discerned my must
أظَنَّdid ... suppose? عزْمُكِyour resolve أنthat أخفىI disappear لأسلوَكُمْso I may forget you
أظَنَّ عزْمُكِ أن أخفى لأسلوَكُمْ
حُلّيundo عَزِيميَmy resolve إنِّيindeed I لَسْتُI am not أَسْلاكِI forget you
حُلّي عَزِيميَ إنِّي لَسْتُ أَسْلاكِ
Did your resolve suppose I would disappear to forget you?
Free me, my will is not yours to adjust
Undo my resolve; I shall not forget you.
Never combine beauty and mean disgust
حاشاكِfar be it from you أَنto تَجْمَعِيyou join حُسْنَthe beauty الصِفاتِof qualities إلىto
حاشاكِ أَن تَجْمَعِي حُسْنَ الصِفاتِ إلى
قُبحِthe ugliness الصنيعِof conduct بمَنْtoward one who يهواكِloves you حاشاكِfar be it from you
قُبحِ الصنيعِ بمَنْ يهواكِ حاشاكِ
Far be it from you to join the beauty of your qualities to
If your land's forbidden, we'll meet up above
ugly conduct toward one who loves you—far be it from you!
In Diyar-e Gharb, and again speak of love
إنif كانَis واديكِyour valley ممنوعاًforbidden فَمَوْعِدُناthen our meeting place
إن كانَ واديكِ ممنوعاً فَمَوْعِدُنا
واديthe valley الكَرىof slumber فلَعَلِّيso perhaps I فيهِin it ألقاكِI meet you
وادي الكَرى فلَعَلِّي فيهِ ألقاكِ
If your valley is forbidden, then our meeting place is
A doe and a heart - who can I reprove?
the valley of slumber; so perhaps I shall meet you there.
I've lost my heart and the doe that I love
ظَبيٌa gazelle وقلبٌand a heart فَمَنْso who ليfor me أنto أصِيدَهُماI catch them both
ظَبيٌ وقلبٌ فَمَنْ لي أن أصِيدَهُما
ضاعَis lost الفؤادُthe heart وقُلْبُand the bracelet الظَّبيِof the gazelle أشْرَاكيmy snares
ضاعَ الفؤادُ وقُلْبُ الظَّبيِ أشْرَاكي
A gazelle and a heart—so who will help me catch them both?
The heart is lost, and my snares are the gazelle's bracelet.
Partial English translation: 17 of 19 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1