إِلامَ تطيلُ نوحَك يا حمامُ

إِلامَ تطيلُ نوحَك يا حمامُ

وَلا وَجدٌ عَراكَ ولا غَرامُ

وَلا وَجدٌ عَراكَ ولا غَرامُ

How long will you prolong your lament, O dove,

How long will you prolong your lament, O dove,

when neither ardent longing has afflicted you nor consuming love?

when neither yearning nor passion has assailed you?

تَبيت عَلى الغصون حليفَ شجوٍ

تَبيت عَلى الغصون حليفَ شجوٍ

تطارحُني كأَنَّك مُستهامُ

تطارحُني كأَنَّك مُستهامُ

You spend the night upon the branches, sorrow’s constant companion,

You spend the night upon the branches, a companion of sorrow,

trading laments with me as though you were distraught with love.

trading laments with me as though you were love-distraught.

وما صدَعَت لك البُرحاء قَلباً

وما صدَعَت لك البُرحاء قَلباً

وَلا أَودى بمهجتكَ الهُيامُ

وَلا أَودى بمهجتكَ الهُيامُ

Yet searing anguish has never split a heart of yours,

Yet no searing anguish has shattered your heart,

nor has love-madness destroyed your very soul.

nor has love-madness taken your life.

وَلَو صاليتَ نار الشوق أَمسى

وَلَو صاليتَ نار الشوق أَمسى

علَى خدَّيك للدَمع اِنسجامُ

علَى خدَّيك للدَمع اِنسجامُ

Had you braved the fire of longing, by evening

Had you endured the fire of longing, there would be

tears would have streamed down your cheeks.

a stream of tears upon your cheeks.

وَما بكَ بعضُ ما بي غير أَنّي

وَما بكَ بعضُ ما بي غير أَنّي

أُلامُ على البُكاءِ ولا تُلامُ

أُلامُ على البُكاءِ ولا تُلامُ

You bear not even a fraction of what I bear—except that I

You bear not even a fraction of what I bear, yet I

am blamed for weeping, while you are not.

am blamed for weeping, while you are not.

وَكابدتُ النَوى عشرين عاماً

وَكابدتُ النَوى عشرين عاماً

وَيَومٌ من نَوى الأَحباب عامُ

وَيَومٌ من نَوى الأَحباب عامُ

For twenty years I have endured separation,

I have endured separation for twenty years,

and one day apart from loved ones is a year.

and a day apart from loved ones is a year.

أَحنُّ إِلى الخيام وإنَّ قَلبي

أَحنُّ إِلى الخيام وإنَّ قَلبي

لمرتَهنٌ بمن حَوتِ الخيامُ

لمرتَهنٌ بمن حَوتِ الخيامُ

I yearn for the tents; indeed, my heart

I yearn for the tents, and indeed my heart

is held in pledge by those whom the tents once sheltered.

is surely held captive by those the tents sheltered.

وأذكرُ إذ يُظلِّلنا بَشامٌ

وأذكرُ إذ يُظلِّلنا بَشامٌ

بشرقيِّ الحِمى سُقيَ البَشامُ

بشرقيِّ الحِمى سُقيَ البَشامُ

I remember when a balsam tree shaded us,

And I remember when balsam trees shaded us,

east of the protected grounds—may that balsam tree be watered!

on the eastern side of the preserve—may the balsam trees be watered!

فَيا زَمني إِذِ الدُنيا فتاةٌ

فَيا زَمني إِذِ الدُنيا فتاةٌ

كَما أَهوى وإِذ دَهري غُلامُ

كَما أَهوى وإِذ دَهري غُلامُ

Ah, my days when the world was a maiden,

O my days, when the world was a maiden,

just as I desired, and my own age was a youth!

as I desired, and when my time was a boy!

أَعائِدَةٌ لياليَّ المواضي

أَعائِدَةٌ لياليَّ المواضي

على حُزوى سَقى حُزوى الغمامُ

على حُزوى سَقى حُزوى الغمامُ

Will my bygone nights ever return

Will my bygone nights return

at Huzwā? May the rainclouds water Huzwā.

at Huzwa? May the clouds water Huzwa!

لَياليَ لا أَرومُ سوى التَصابي

لَياليَ لا أَرومُ سوى التَصابي

وَما لي غير من أَهوى مَرامُ

وَما لي غير من أَهوى مَرامُ

Nights when I sought nothing but youthful dalliance,

Nights when I sought only youthful dalliance,

and had no object of desire but the one I loved;

and had no aim but the one I loved.

أُسامرُ في الدُجى شمسَ الحُميّا

أُسامرُ في الدُجى شمسَ الحُميّا

ومن ندمانيَ البَدرُ التَمامُ

ومن ندمانيَ البَدرُ التَمامُ

when in the dark I kept company with the sun of wine,

I conversed in the darkness with the sun of wine,

and the perfect full moon was one of my boon companions;

and among my drinking companions was the moon in its fullness.

وأَلهو والكؤوس لها ضياءٌ

وأَلهو والكؤوس لها ضياءٌ

بغانيةٍ غدائرُها ظَلامُ

بغانيةٍ غدائرُها ظَلامُ

when I made merry, the cups radiant,

And I made merry, the cups aglow,

with a beauty whose tresses were darkness,

with a beauty whose tresses were darkness.

رَداحٌ لو تمشَّت في رياضٍ

رَداحٌ لو تمشَّت في رياضٍ

لغرَّد فوقَ قامتها الحَمامُ

لغرَّد فوقَ قامتها الحَمامُ

full-figured—had she strolled through gardens,

Full-hipped—if she were to stroll in gardens,

the doves would have warbled above her stately form.

doves would warble above her form.

لنا من وصلها العَيشُ المهنّا

لنا من وصلها العَيشُ المهنّا

ولكن هجرُها المَوتُ الزؤامُ

ولكن هجرُها المَوتُ الزؤامُ

Through union with her, ours was a life of bliss,

Union with her brings us a life of bliss,

but her abandonment is swift death.

but separation from her is a swift and dreadful death.

فَيا عصر الصِبا والأنسُ بادٍ

فَيا عصر الصِبا والأنسُ بادٍ

سقاكَ الغَيثُ عارضُهُ رُكامُ

سقاكَ الغَيثُ عارضُهُ رُكامُ

O age of youth, when intimacy shone manifest,

O days of youth, when joy was plain to see,

may rain, its cloudbank massed high, water you.

may rain water you, its cloudbank piled high!

وَيا عصرَ الشباب عليك منّي

وَيا عصرَ الشباب عليك منّي

مَدى الدَهر التحيَّةُ وَالسَلامُ

مَدى الدَهر التحيَّةُ وَالسَلامُ

O age of young manhood, upon you from me

And O days of youth, to you from me,

for all time be greetings and peace.

for all time, greetings and peace.