ياO مَنْwho لأجْفَانٍfor eyelids قَرِيْحَهْsore
يا مَنْ لأجْفَانٍ قَرِيْحَهْ
سَهِرَتْstayed awake لأجفانٍfor eyelids مَلِيحَهْlovely
سَهِرَتْ لأجفانٍ مَلِيحَهْ
O who will aid sore eyelids,
O you whose eyelids were deprived of sleep
kept wakeful for lovely eyelids?
So fair eyelids could rest
لمdid not تَتْرُكِleave المُقَلُthe eyes المريstart of 'languid'
لم تَتْرُكِ المُقَلُ المري
ضَةُend of 'languid' فيin me جارِحَةًa limb صَحِيْحَهْhealthy
ضَةُ في جارِحَةً صَحِيْحَهْ
The languid eyes have left
The aching heart did not leave
no sound limb in me.
A healthy body at peace
ومُتَيّمٍand a lovesick man نَهِكَwore out الهَوَىpassion
ومُتَيّمٍ نَهِكَ الهَوَى
أجْفانَهُhis eyelids وأَعَلّand sickened رُوحَهْhis soul
أجْفانَهُ وأَعَلّ رُوحَهْ
And a lovesick man—passion has worn out
And an enamored soul worn out by love
his eyelids and sickened his soul.
Whose passion overwhelmed him
يُخْفِيhe conceals الهَوَىlove وَتُذِيعُهُand reveal it
يُخْفِي الهَوَى وَتُذِيعُهُ
عَنْهُabout him مَدَامِعُهُhis tears السَّفُوحَهْstreaming
عَنْهُ مَدَامِعُهُ السَّفُوحَهْ
He conceals his love, yet it is proclaimed
Love he hides and broadcasts
on his behalf by his streaming tears.
Through tears flowing generously down his cheeks
حَيٌّalive بحالَةِin the state of مَيِّتٍa dead man
حَيٌّ بحالَةِ مَيِّتٍ
وَهَواكِand love for you يودِعُهُplaces him ضَريْحَهْhis tomb
وَهَواكِ يودِعُهُ ضَريْحَهْ
Alive, but in a dead man's state,
Alive yet in the state of a dead man
and love for you lays him in his tomb.
Your love inters him in a grave
خيرٌbetter لهfor him مِماthan what يُكاstart of 'he endures'
خيرٌ له مِما يُكا
بِدُend of 'endures' مِيْتَةٌa death تَأْتيcomes مُرِيْحَهْbringing relief
بِدُ مِيْتَةٌ تَأْتي مُرِيْحَهْ
Better for him than what he endures
Better for him than what he endures
is a death that comes bringing rest.
Is a death where rest can be found
وَأَنَاand I الفِدَاءُthe ransom لمنfor the one عَصَيْdisobeyed (verb stem)
وَأَنَا الفِدَاءُ لمن عَصَيْ
تُI (verb ending) ولمand did not أُطِعْI obey فيهconcerning him النَّصِيحَهْadvice
تُ ولم أُطِعْ فيه النَّصِيحَهْ
And I would be ransom for the one for whose sake I disobeyed
And my life I sacrifice for one disobeyed
and refused to heed advice.
And I did not obey good advice
وَمِنَand of الفَضِيحَةِdisgrace كُلِّهاall of it
وَمِنَ الفَضِيحَةِ كُلِّها
لَوْif لَمْnot أكنI were فيهfor his sake فَضِيحَهْa scandal
لَوْ لَمْ أكن فيه فَضِيحَهْ
And it would be utter disgrace
Of all dishonor
were I not a scandal for his sake.
Even if I were the disgraced one
لوif يَسْتَطِيعُhe could لِخِلَّةٍbecause of a disposition
لو يَسْتَطِيعُ لِخِلَّةٍ
فِيهِin him بإسْعَافِيin helping me شَحِيحَهْstingy
فِيهِ بإسْعَافِي شَحِيحَهْ
If he could, because of a disposition
If only in his isolation I could
in him that grudges me any favor,
With my meager efforts bring relief
مَنَعَhe would prevent الصَّباthe east wind مِنْfrom أنْto تَسُوstart of 'it carries'
مَنَعَ الصَّبا مِنْ أنْ تَسُو
قَend of 'carries' إليّto me حِينَwhen تَهُبُّit blows رِيحَهْhis scent
قَ إليّ حِينَ تَهُبُّ رِيحَهْ
he would keep the east wind from carrying
The morning breeze is kept from
his scent to me when it blows.
Blowing my way when its fragrance stirs
كَمْhow often بِتُّI spent the night فِيهِfor his sake بِلَيْلَةٍin a night
كَمْ بِتُّ فِيهِ بِلَيْلَةٍ
لَيْلاءَpitch-dark لَيْسَthere is not لهاfor it صَبِيحَهْa morning
لَيْلاءَ لَيْسَ لها صَبِيحَهْ
How often, for his sake, have I spent a night
How many nights I spend
pitch-dark, with no dawn,
Sleepless nights with no morn
قَلِقاًrestless أُكابِدُI endure حُرْقَةًa burning ache
قَلِقاً أُكابِدُ حُرْقَةً
فيin طيِّthe folds of أحشاءٍentrails جَريْحَهْwounded
في طيِّ أحشاءٍ جَريْحَهْ
restless, enduring a burning ache
Restless, burning inside
in the folds of my wounded entrails.
My aching wounded heart
إنسانةٌa woman تَيّاهَةٌhaughty
إنسانةٌ تَيّاهَةٌ
لِحِمَىof the sanctuary فُؤَادِكَyour heart مُسْتَبِيحَهْinvading
لِحِمَى فُؤَادِكَ مُسْتَبِيحَهْ
A haughty woman,
A desperate woman
invading the sanctuary of your heart,
Crazed by the fever of your heart
كَغَزَالَةlike a gazelle القَفْرِthe wilderness السَّنِيstart of 'rightward-passing'
كَغَزَالَة القَفْرِ السَّنِي
حَةِend of 'rightward-passing' عَارَضَتْكِcrossed your path أوor البَريْحَهْthe leftward-passing one
حَةِ عَارَضَتْكِ أو البَريْحَهْ
like a desert gazelle passing rightward
Like a gazelle of the wilderness
across your path—or passing leftward.
Who came to you or the open plain
تَرْعَىshe grazes on القلوبَhearts وتَرْتَعيand graze الthe
تَرْعَى القلوبَ وتَرْتَعي ال
غِزْلاَنُgazelles بَرْوَقَهُits asphodel وَشِيْحَهْand its wormwood
غِزْلاَنُ بَرْوَقَهُ وَشِيْحَهْ
She grazes on hearts, while
She grazes on hearts and browses
gazelles graze on its asphodel and wormwood.
On the tenderness of the young
لَوْif للمَجُوسِto the Magians تعرَّضَتْshe presented herself
لَوْ للمَجُوسِ تعرَّضَتْ
بِسُيُوفِwith the swords of لحْظَتِهاher glance مُلِيحَهْa beautiful woman
بِسُيُوفِ لحْظَتِها مُلِيحَهْ
If there appeared before the Magians
Had she exposed herself
a beauty with the swords of her glance,
To the Magian’s shining swords
جَعَلُواthey would make لهاfor her منfrom دونother than بيstart of 'temple'
جَعَلُوا لها من دون بي
تِend of 'temple' النّارِfire قُرْبانَa sacrificial offering الذّبِيحَهْthe slaughtered victim
تِ النّارِ قُرْبانَ الذّبِيحَهْ
they would offer to her, rather than to the temple
They would have offered her instead of
of fire, the slaughtered victim in sacrifice.
Sacrifice in the Temple of Fire
أوْor للنّصَارىto the Christians قدسوthey sanctified
أوْ للنّصَارى قدسو
هاher ثُمّthen سَمَّوْهَاthey named her مَسيحَهْa female Messiah
ها ثُمّ سَمَّوْهَا مَسيحَهْ
Or, before the Christians, they would sanctify
Or if she had sanctified herself
her, then name her Messiah.
To the Christians, they would have called her Messiah
لكنّهاbut she شانَتْmarred محاstart of 'charms'
لكنّها شانَتْ محا
سِنَهَاend of 'her charms' بأخلاقٍwith manners قَبِيحَهْugly
سِنَهَا بأخلاقٍ قَبِيحَهْ
But she has marred her charms
But she was ill-mannered
with ugly manners.
With ugly morals
تأبىshe refuses النّوالِgiving إذاwhen اسْتُمِيْstart of 'asked for a favor'
تأبى النّوالِ إذا اسْتُمِيْ
حَتْend of 'she is asked for a favor' لوif تَكُونُshe were المسْتَمِيحَهْthe woman seeking a favor
حَتْ لو تَكُونُ المسْتَمِيحَهْ
She refuses to grant a favor when asked;
She refuses intimacy
were she the one asking a favor,
Even if she were to be the ardent one
لأَبَحْتُهاI would give her نَفْسيmyself وماand what
لأَبَحْتُها نَفْسي وما
ليbelongs to me إنَّindeed شَأْنِيmy way أَنْto أُبِيْحَهْI give it freely
لي إنَّ شَأْنِي أَنْ أُبِيْحَهْ
I would give her myself and what
I would have offered myself, but
is mine; it is my way to give it freely.
It is not for me to be so bold
شَهِدَتْattested نَدَاكَyour generosity مَنَاسِبٌlineages
شَهِدَتْ نَدَاكَ مَنَاسِبٌ
ليof mine فيin ذُرَىthe heights of كِسْريKisra صَريحَهْpure
لي في ذُرَى كِسْري صَريحَهْ
Your generosity is attested by lineages
Witnessed your attributes fitting mine
of mine, pure in the heights of Kisra,
In the relics of Ctesiphon laid bare
وَسَجِيحَةٌand an innate disposition ليof mine فيtoward المَكاstart of 'noble deeds'
وَسَجِيحَةٌ لي في المَكا
رِمِend of 'noble deeds' إنّindeed ليI have فِيهاin them سَجِيْحَهْan innate disposition
رِمِ إنّ لي فِيها سَجِيْحَهْ
and by my innate bent toward noble
And glory destined for me
deeds—indeed, they are in my nature.
To which truly I am entitled
مُتَغَيِّراًchanged منهاby them مُعَلْstart of 'exalted'
مُتَغَيِّراً منها مُعَلْ
لَىend of 'exalted' المَجْدِglory مُجْتَنِياًgathering مَنِيْحَهْa gift
لَى المَجْدِ مُجْتَنِياً مَنِيْحَهْ
Changed by them, exalted
Changing them for the glory
in glory, I gather a gift.
I seek elevated and comforting
وَلَقَدْand indeed سَنَنْتُI laid out منthrough الكِتاstart of 'writing'
وَلَقَدْ سَنَنْتُ من الكِتا
بَةِend of 'writing' للهَوَىfor love طُرُقاًpaths فَسِيْحَهْwide
بَةِ للهَوَى طُرُقاً فَسِيْحَهْ
And through writing I have indeed laid out
Long have I blazed trails in composing
wide pathways for love.
Of love poems ample and free
وَفَضَضْتُand I broke منsome of عُذْرِmaidenheads المَعَاstart of 'meanings'
وَفَضَضْتُ من عُذْرِ المَعَا
نيend of 'meanings' الغُرّbright فيin اللُّغَةِlanguage الفَصِيْحَهْeloquent
ني الغُرّ في اللُّغَةِ الفَصِيْحَهْ
And I have broken some of the maidenheads of meanings,
And in making excuses I was lavish
bright, in eloquent language.
In eloquent tongue of pure Arabic
وَشَفَعْتُand I paired مَأْثورَhanded-down الرِّواstart of 'narration'
وَشَفَعْتُ مَأْثورَ الرِّوا
يَةِend of 'narration' بالبَيعِwith selling مِنَfrom القَرِيْحَهْcreative talent
يَةِ بالبَيعِ مِنَ القَرِيْحَهْ
And I have paired handed-down lore
And I prefaced inherited narration
with the sale of what my creative gift produces.
With innate poetry from my soul
وَوَصَلْتُand I joined ذاكَthat بِهِمَّةٍwith ambition
وَوَصَلْتُ ذاكَ بِهِمَّةٍ
فيin المَجْدِglory سامِيَةٍlofty طَمُوحَهْaspiring
في المَجْدِ سامِيَةٍ طَمُوحَهْ
And I have joined that to an ambition
And joined them with an ambition
lofty and aspiring toward glory,
Lofty and aspiring
وعزِيمَةٍand a resolve لاnot بالكليstart of 'blunted'
وعزِيمَةٍ لا بالكلي
لةِend of 'blunted' فيin الخُطُوبِcalamities وَلاَnor الطّلِيْحَهْworn out
لةِ في الخُطُوبِ وَلاَ الطّلِيْحَهْ
and a resolve never blunted
And determination not one to
in calamities, nor worn out.
Succumb to hardships or ordeals
وَجَعَلْتُand I allotted منfrom كَفّيmy hand نصيstart of 'a share'
وَجَعَلْتُ من كَفّي نصي
باًend of 'share' لليرَاعَةِto the reed pen والصّفِيْحَهْand the sword-blade
باً لليرَاعَةِ والصّفِيْحَهْ
And I have allotted a share of my hand
I made my palm a companion
to the reed pen and the sword-blade.
To gentleness and swordplay
فكلاهُماfor both of them لِيto me صاحِبٌa companion
فكلاهُما لِي صاحِبٌ
فيin كُلِّevery دَاهِيَةٍa calamity جَمُوحَهْunbridled
في كُلِّ دَاهِيَةٍ جَمُوحَهْ
For each of them is my companion
Both were my friends in every
in every unbridled calamity.
Perilous and daring venture
وَلَئِنْand even if شَعَرْتُI composed verse لَمَاcertainly not تَعَمْstart of 'intended'
وَلَئِنْ شَعَرْتُ لَمَا تَعَمْ
مَدْتُend of 'I intended' الهِجَاءَsatire ولاnor المَدِيْحَهْpanegyric
مَدْتُ الهِجَاءَ ولا المَدِيْحَهْ
And though I have composed verse, I have not intended
And if I sensed poetry not used
satire or panegyric.
For satire or praise
لَكِنْbut وَجَدْتُI found الشِّعْرَpoetry لِلْfor the
لَكِنْ وَجَدْتُ الشِّعْرَ لِلْ
آدَابِliterary culture تَرْجَمَةًa rendering فَصِيْحَهْeloquent
آدَابِ تَرْجَمَةً فَصِيْحَهْ
But I found poetry to be
I found it still rendered virtues
an eloquent rendering of literary culture.
Eloquently into this graceful speech
Sol 6.1