عجبتُI marveled وهلand is ...? ذاthis الدّهرُthe age إلاّanything but عجائِبُwonders
عجبتُ وهل ذا الدّهرُ إلاّ عجائِبُ
لمنat the one who قالsaid ذاthis عتبٌa reproach بِحُسْنِwith the beauty of بَيانِexpression
لمن قال ذا عتبٌ بِحُسْنِ بَيانِ
I marveled—and is this age anything but wonders?—
I wonder, is this life anything but wonders
At one who voiced this reproach with fine eloquence:
For one who said, this is a blame with eloquence
أتيناكُمُwe came to you منfrom بُعْدِthe remoteness of أرضٍa land نزوركمto visit you
أتيناكُمُ من بُعْدِ أرضٍ نزوركم
وكمand many a منزلٍlodging بِكْرٍvirgin (previously unvisited) لناours وعَوَانِand seasoned (previously visited)
وكم منزلٍ بِكْرٍ لنا وعَوَانِ
We came from a far-off land to visit you,
We came to you from a far land to visit you
And many a lodging was ours, virgin and seasoned.
And how many untouched places for us and meadows
نُسَائِلُكمwe ask you هلis there? منany قِرًىhospitality لنزيلِكُمfor your guest
نُسَائِلُكم هل من قِرًى لنزيلِكُم
بِمَلْءِby filling جُفُونٍeyelids لاَnot بِمَلْءِby filling جِفَانِlarge serving bowls
بِمَلْءِ جُفُونٍ لاَ بِمَلْءِ جِفَانِ
We ask you: is there any hospitality for your guest,
We ask you, is there a home for us to lodge in
By filling the eyes, not by filling bowls?
With eyes brimming, not with brimming cups
أتأتونناdo you come to us? قصدwith the intention of الزيارةvisiting ثمّthen لاnot
أتأتوننا قصد الزيارة ثمّ لا
توافونناyou come to meet us منfrom بعدafter نَيْلِattaining تدانِcloseness
توافوننا من بعد نَيْلِ تدانِ
Do you come to us intending a visit, then not
You come to visit us, then after getting
Return to us after attaining closeness?
Familiar, you do not visit us after that
وتَغْنَوْنَand you make do بالإِرْسالwith sending عنinstead of وصلmeeting حِبِّكُمْyour beloved
وتَغْنَوْنَ بالإِرْسال عن وصل حِبِّكُمْ
وقدand indeed صارhas become منكfrom you الوصلُunion طَوْعَat the command of بَنَانِfingertips
وقد صار منك الوصلُ طَوْعَ بَنَانِ
And make do with sending messages instead of meeting your beloved,
And you sing, instead of connecting your love
Though union now lies at the command of your fingertips?
And connection has become pliant for you
لقدindeed جلّhas grown great هذاthis الحبّlove حتّىso that كأنّهas though it were
لقد جلّ هذا الحبّ حتّى كأنّه
سرابٌa mirage تراءَىappeared لامِعاًgleaming لِعِيَانِto the eye
سرابٌ تراءَى لامِعاً لِعِيَانِ
Truly, this love has grown so exalted that it seems
Truly this love has become so great as if it is
A mirage appearing, gleaming, before the eye.
A mirage seen shining clearly to the eyes
وساءلتُمُand you asked مِلْءَa filling of الجفونthe eyelids قراكمُyour guest-fare
وساءلتُمُ مِلْءَ الجفون قراكمُ
أشرتمyou hinted إلىat بُخْلٍstinginess بملءin filling أوانِvessels
أشرتم إلى بُخْلٍ بملء أوانِ
And you asked for filled eyes as your welcome;
And you asked with brimming eyes for your towns
You hinted at stinginess in filling vessels.
Hinting at stinginess with brimming cups
بعيشكby your life ماnot صدّkept away الجفونَthe eyelids عنfrom القرىhospitality
بعيشك ما صدّ الجفونَ عن القرى
وماand not احتجتَyou needed فيin لقياهmeeting it للوخدانfor swift walking
وما احتجتَ في لقياه للوخدان
By your life, the eyes were not kept from hospitality,
It is not your living that barred eyes from towns
Nor did you need to hurry to meet it.
Nor did you need pillows to meet them
وقدand indeed لاحbecame apparent ليto me فيin شرحexplaining ذاكthat ضمائرhidden meanings
وقد لاح لي في شرح ذاك ضمائر
أنَزِّهI keep unsullied عنfrom عرابهنّexpressing them لِسَانِيmy tongue
أنَزِّه عن عرابهنّ لِسَانِي
And in explaining that, hidden meanings dawned on me:
And it has appeared to me in explaining that
I keep my tongue too pure to voice them.
Hearts, my tongue is too pure for their intricacies
Sol 6.1