ياO ليلةnight الجسرthe bridge هلwill ...? ليto me أنتyou عائدةreturning
يا ليلة الجسر هل لي أنت عائدة
ولوand even if مناماًin a dream فقلبيfor my heart منكaway from you موحوشforlorn
ولو مناماً فقلبي منك موحوش
O night of the bridge, will you return to me,
O night of the bridge, will you return to me
even if only in a dream? My heart is forlorn without you.
Even if just in a dream, for my heart longs for you
ماnot زالceased فيكin you سوادblackness العينthe eye مُبتهجاًrejoicing
ما زال فيك سواد العين مُبتهجاً
لمّاwhen أتىcame بياضwhiteness الوجهthe face منفوشpuffed up
لمّا أتى بياض الوجه منفوش
The black of the eye kept rejoicing in you
The blackness of your eyes still brings me joy
when the white of the face arrived, all puffed up.
When the paleness of your face appears smoothed
لمdid not أنسI forget إذwhen وُضعwas placed الموزthe bananas المقشّرpeeled فيin
لم أنس إذ وُضع الموز المقشّر في
قطرsyrup النباتrock sugar وماءand water الوردroses مرشوشsprinkled
قطر النبات وماء الورد مرشوش
I have not forgotten when the peeled bananas were placed in
I haven't forgotten when peeled banana was placed
rock-sugar syrup, with rosewater sprinkled over them.
In rosewater and sprinkled plant juice
وقدand indeed رأيتI saw بعينيwith my own eyes الصحنthe platter ممتلئاًfull
وقد رأيت بعيني الصحن ممتلئاً
مخشخشpoppy-sprinkled الجبنthe cheese أخيهits brother وهوand it is مهشوشcrumbled
مخشخش الجبن أخيه وهو مهشوش
And I saw with my own eyes the platter filled
And I saw with my eyes the plate filled
with poppy-sprinkled cheese—its brother—all crumbled.
With crumbled cheese and its broken brother
علىupon بساطa carpet حماهmay He protect it اللَهGod منfrom شقفpotsherds
على بساط حماه اللَه من شقف
فيin القلبthe heart منfrom جبنهاits cheese الحالومhalloumi تشويشturmoil
في القلب من جبنها الحالوم تشويش
Upon a carpet—may God protect it from potsherds!
On the carpet protected by God from moths
Its halloumi cheese stirs turmoil in the heart.
In the heart confused by her creamy cheese
فيin قاعةa hall إنif بكىwept فوّارهاits fountain ضحكتlaughed
في قاعة إن بكى فوّارها ضحكت
أطيارهاits birds وبهاand within it ذوpossessor of العقلreason مدهوشbewildered
أطيارها وبها ذو العقل مدهوش
In a hall where, if its fountain weeps, laughter comes from
In the hall, if her fountain cries, her birds laugh
its birds; within it, the wise man is bewildered.
And the wise one there is amazed
أنّيwherever بهاwithin it اتجهتturned نظارهاits beholders ابتهجتrejoiced
أنّي بها اتجهت نظارها ابتهجت
بالبسطwith carpets إيوانهاits iwan للبسطfor pleasure مفروشcarpeted
بالبسط إيوانها للبسط مفروش
Wherever its beholders turned within it, they rejoiced.
I was drawn to it, its onlookers rejoiced
Its iwan is spread with carpets for pleasure.
With the carpet, its courtyard spread with carpets
معwith بدرa full moon تمٍّfullness نحيلslender الخصرthe waist مُرتدفfull-hipped
مع بدر تمٍّ نحيل الخصر مُرتدف
ماnot عابmarred وجنتهhis cheek بالشعرwith hair تنميشspeckling
ما عاب وجنته بالشعر تنميش
With a moon at its full, slender-waisted and full-hipped,
With the full moon, slender waisted and spoiled
the speckling of hair did not mar his cheek.
Her cheek flawless with hair unkempt
يظلhe keeps يعبثhe toys بيwith me قرصاًpinching وزقزقةand chirping
يظل يعبث بي قرصاً وزقزقة
وكلand all ذاكthat لأجلfor the sake of النيكfucking تحريشincitement
وكل ذاك لأجل النيك تحريش
He keeps toying with me, pinching and chirping,
She continues to tease me, nibbling and chirping
and all that is an incitement to fucking.
All for the sake of pleasing and enticing
إنif لمdoes not تعُدreturn ليلتيmy night هاتيكthat one تنعشنيrevives me
إن لم تعُد ليلتي هاتيك تنعشني
لهاfor it البقاءlasting life فإنيfor I am بَعدُthereafter منعوشborne on a bier
لها البقاء فإني بَعدُ منعوش
If that night of mine does not return to revive me,
If you, my night, do not return to revive me
may it live on, for then I shall be carried on a bier.
Then I will remain deprived after you
Sol 6.1