كمhow often أَعْدَمَتْنيshe deprived me of مُشْبِهاًsomeone similar أَوor نَظِيرْa peer
كم أَعْدَمَتْني مُشْبِهاً أَو نَظِيرْ
وأَتعبتْand she wearied ليfor me ضَامراًa lean mount مَعalong with ضَمِيرmind
وأَتعبتْ لي ضَامراً مَع ضَمِير
How often she has deprived me of an equal or a peer,
and wearied my lean mount along with my mind.
يَاO ليْتwould that شِعْرِيmy knowing والمُنىand wishes ضَلَّةٌfolly
يَا ليْت شِعْرِي والمُنى ضَلَّةٌ
هلْwhether أَرضُthe land of مَصْرEgypt ليfor me إِليهاto it مَصِيرa destination
هلْ أَرضُ مَصْر لي إِليها مَصِير
Would that I knew—though wishes are folly—
shall I ever reach the land of Egypt?
كمhow many ليfor me بهاin it منof ظبيةٍa female gazelle غرَّةٍguileless
كم لي بها من ظبيةٍ غرَّةٍ
أَستغفِرُI ask forgiveness of اللهGod وَظبْيٍand a male gazelle غَريرguileless
أَستغفِرُ الله وَظبْيٍ غَرير
How many a guileless female gazelle I have there—
God forgive me!—and a guileless male gazelle.
يَغْنيsuffices بِشكْلwith the shape of الصُّدْغِthe temple-lock عَنْin place of عَارِضٍa cheek-beard
يَغْني بِشكْل الصُّدْغِ عَنْ عَارِضٍ
وطرَّةand a forelock فَاحِمَةcoal-black عَنin place of طَريرْa budding moustache
وطرَّة فَاحِمَة عَن طَريرْ
His temple-lock's curve suffices in place of a beard,
and a coal-black forelock in place of a budding moustache.
ووجْهُهُand his face الأَخْضرُgreen ليfor me جَنَّةٌa paradise
ووجْهُهُ الأَخْضرُ لي جَنَّةٌ
وشعرُهand his hair النَّاعِمsoft فِيهَاwithin it حَرِيرsilk
وشعرُه النَّاعِم فِيهَا حَرِير
And his verdant face is a paradise to me,
and his soft hair is silk within it.
فياso, O نظيمstrung like pearls الثَّغْرthe front teeth ماnot أَنْصَفَتْhas treated fairly
فيا نظيم الثَّغْر ما أَنْصَفَتْ
كyou العَيْنُthe eye إِذwhen تبكيit weeps بِدَمْعwith tears نَثِيرْscattered
ك العَيْنُ إِذ تبكي بِدَمْع نَثِيرْ
O you of pearl-strung teeth, how unfair
the eye has been to you, weeping scattered tears!
يأَيهاO you المقرورُthe cold-stricken one فيin لَيْلَةٍa night
يأَيها المقرورُ في لَيْلَةٍ
أَعدمَهُdeprived him of الصَّبْرَpatience وُجُودُthe presence of الصَّبِيرِthe white clouds
أَعدمَهُ الصَّبْرَ وُجُودُ الصَّبِيرِ
O shivering one, on a night
when white clouds have robbed you of patience,
دونَكَhere, take قَلْبيmy heart فاقْتَبِسْso draw a flame from نارَهits fire
دونَكَ قَلْبي فاقْتَبِسْ نارَه
ولاand do not تَسَلْهask it كيفwhat is سِعْرthe price of السَّعيرthe blaze
ولا تَسَلْه كيف سِعْر السَّعير
here is my heart: take a flame from its fire,
and do not ask it what the blaze costs.
دِمَشْقDamascus قبرُthe grave of الدينreligion كمhow much منكَرevil
دِمَشْق قبرُ الدين كم منكَر
فيهاin it ولكنْbut مَاthere is no عَلَيْهagainst it نَكيرrebuke
فيها ولكنْ مَا عَلَيْه نَكير
Damascus is religion's grave: how much evil
is there, yet no rebuke is raised against it!
Sol 6.1