ياO بانbān (moringa) tree بشرٍof Bishr ياO سيديmy lord ياO ابنson of بشرBishr
يا بان بشرٍ يا سيدي يا ابن بشر
ياO معينيmy helper علىagainst ملماتcalamities دهريmy lifetime
يا معيني على ملمات دهري
O bān tree of Bishr, my lord, O son of Bishr,
O son of mankind, my master, o son of man
O my helper against the calamities of my days!
My helper through the adversities of my life
حلقmay shave اللهGod ذقنthe chin of منwhoever يتشناhates
حلق الله ذقن من يتشنا
كyou وألقاهand may He cast him فيinto غيابهdark recess (apparently intended) حجرa rock
ك وألقاه في غيابه حجر
May God shave the chin of whoever hates
May God sever the beard of whoever is covetous
you, and cast him into a rock's dark recess.
And cast him into oblivion like a stone
أيwhat شيءٍthing تريدyou want تعملto do بيwith me اليوtoday (first part)
أي شيءٍ تريد تعمل بي اليو
مcompletion of 'today' فهذاso here is أناI وأنتand you وشعريand my poetry
م فهذا أنا وأنت وشعري
What do you want to do with me to-
Whatever you wish to do with me today
day? Here I am—and you, and my poetry.
I wander between a tide of suspicions
أناI فيin واسطٍWasit أروحI go in the evening وأغدوand I go in the morning
أنا في واسطٍ أروح وأغدو
بينbetween مدa flood tide منof الظنونconjectures وجزرand an ebb
بين مد من الظنون وجزر
In Wasit I go out evening and morning,
And an ebb of certainty
Between the flood and ebb of conjecture.
At times, fortune smiles on me and I have hope
تارةًat times يسنحpresents itself الغنىwealth ليto me فأرجوso I hope for
تارةً يسنح الغنى لي فأرجو
هit وطوراًand at other times أرىI see دلائلsigns of فقريmy poverty
ه وطوراً أرى دلائل فقري
At times wealth presents itself to me, so I hope for
And at other times, I see signs of my poverty
it; at other times I see signs of my poverty.
A lonely, single man, my legs alternate
راجلاًon foot أعزباًunmarried فرجليso my foot وأيريand my cock
راجلاً أعزباً فرجلي وأيري
بينbetween بطنٍa belly قدindeed أعوزانيboth are unavailable to me وظهرand a back
بين بطنٍ قد أعوزاني وظهر
On foot, unmarried—so my foot and my cock
Between an empty belly that pains me and a back
Are between a belly and a back, both beyond my reach.
Yet I see a filled water skin walking on
غيرyet أنيthat I أرىI see عميرةʿUmayra (masturbation euphemism) باللat night (first part)
غير أني أرى عميرة بالل
يلcompletion of 'night' يمشيgoes forward بجلدهاby flogging her بعضsome of أمريmy affairs
يل يمشي بجلدها بعض أمري
Yet I see ʿUmayra at
Some of my affairs, would that I know
night; flogging her meets some of my needs.
You know, and for your servant that is enough
وكعابيand my heels التيwhich يرضضهاbruises them المشwalking (first part)
وكعابي التي يرضضها المش
يcompletion of 'walking' منto whom أحيلهاshall I refer them ليتif only شعريmy knowing
ي من أحيلها ليت شعري
And my heels, which are bruised by walk-
He hopes for your word, you know
ing—to whom can I refer them? If only I knew!
أنتyou تدريknow وحسبand enough for عبدكyour servant فمياin what (apparently intended)
أنت تدري وحسب عبدك فميا
يرتجيhe hopes for منكfrom you قولهُhis saying أنتyou تدريknow
يرتجي منك قولهُ أنت تدري
You know; it suffices for your servant, in what
he hopes from you, to say: 'You know.'
Partial English translation: 15 of 18 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1