ذرِleave العينَthe eye تقضِlet it repay اليومtoday بعضضsome (apparent typo) ديونِهاits debts
ذرِ العينَ تقضِ اليوم بعضض ديونِها
فقدfor indeed ناءَweighed heavily بالأجفانupon the eyelids دمعُthe tears of شؤونِهاits tear ducts
فقد ناءَ بالأجفان دمعُ شؤونِها
Let the eye repay some of its debts today,
Let the eye shed today some of its debts,
for the tears of its ducts have weighed upon the eyelids.
For the tears of sorrow have slept with the eyelids.
تراختْslackened حبالُthe cords of الوصلِunion بينيbetween me وَبينand between منher who
تراختْ حبالُ الوصلِ بيني وَبين من
أذابَتْshe melted صليبَthe hardness of القلبthe heart منّيwithin me بلينهاwith her tenderness
أذابَتْ صليبَ القلب منّي بلينها
The cords of union have slackened between me and her who
The ropes of connection between me and the one who
melted my heart's hardness with her tenderness.
Melted the cross of my heart with her softness.
فلاso no صبرendurance أوunless ينسىforgets الفؤادُthe heart غرامَهاlove for her
فلا صبر أو ينسى الفؤادُ غرامَها
وهيهاتَand far from it! لاnot يرضىis content الفؤادُthe heart بدونهاwithout her
وهيهاتَ لا يرضى الفؤادُ بدونها
There is no endurance unless the heart forgets its love for her;
So there is no patience, nor can the heart forget its passion,
but far from it—the heart will not be content without her.
And alas, the heart is not content without it.
شربناwe drank دهاقاًbrimming أكؤسَcups of الحبِlove والهوىand passion
شربنا دهاقاً أكؤسَ الحبِ والهوى
فقلبُso the heart of كليناboth of us مترعٌis brimful منfrom معينهاtheir flowing spring
فقلبُ كلينا مترعٌ من معينها
We drank brimming cups of love and passion,
We drank the cups of love and desire until they were empty,
and each of our hearts is filled from their flowing spring.
So our softened hearts are watered from its spring.
إذاwhen ماemphatic particle رأتنيshe sees me أعرضتْshe turns away خوفَfor fear of كاشحٍa spiteful foe
إذا ما رأتني أعرضتْ خوفَ كاشحٍ
وآيةُand the sign of ماwhat تخفيهshe hides it ملءُfilling عيونهhis eyes
وآيةُ ما تخفيه ملءُ عيونه
Whenever she sees me, she turns away for fear of a spiteful foe,
When she saw me, she turned away in shy fear,
yet the sign of what she hides fills his eyes.
And the sign of what she hides is the fullness of her eyes.
فواoh, then لهفاgrief! للشملِfor our union تنقضُundo رصفَهits joined structure
فوا لهفا للشملِ تنقضُ رصفَه
عواذلُreproachful women قدindeed كنّاwe were قذىًa speck in the eye بجفونهاin their eyelids
عواذلُ قد كنّا قذىً بجفونها
Oh, my grief for our union, whose joined structure is undone
Oh, what longing to reunite though it demolishes order,
by reproachful women, in whose eyes we were an irritant.
The beauties have made us fuel for their eyelids.
أرىI see أنَّthat قلبيmy heart بينbetween شِقّينtwo halves منof عصاa stick
أرى أنَّ قلبي بين شِقّين من عصا
وقدand indeed حالhas barred دونaccess to القربِcloseness رجمُthe pelting of ظنونهاtheir suspicions
وقد حال دون القربِ رجمُ ظنونها
I see my heart caught between two halves of a stick,
I see my heart torn between two parts of a stick,
while a hail of their suspicions has barred our closeness.
And suspicions have prevented closeness.
فهلso, have? علمlearned الواشونthe tale-bearers أنَّthat أُوليthose possessed of الهوىlove
فهل علم الواشون أنَّ أُولي الهوى
ترىregard دونas less grievous than قطعsevering الوصلunion قطعsevering وتينهاtheir aorta
ترى دون قطع الوصل قطع وتينها
Have the tale-bearers learned that lovers
Do those who blame know that the passionate ones
would sooner sever their aorta than sever their union?
See nothing but cutting the connection as cutting its vines?
فياoh, then غلةًa burning thirst لمdid not يطفهاquench it فيضُthe flood of أدمعيmy tears
فيا غلةً لم يطفها فيضُ أدمعي
وكيفand how? وماand not يرفضُّpours forth غيرُother than سخينهاtheir hot drops
وكيف وما يرفضُّ غيرُ سخينها
Oh, a burning thirst not quenched by the flood of my tears!
Oh, the injustice that my overflowing tears have not extinguished,
How could it be, when only their hot drops pour forth?
And how can anything be rejected except her sword?
وياand oh حسرةًa sorrow بينwithin الحشاthe inward parts قدindeed تغلغلتْhas sunk deep
ويا حسرةً بين الحشا قد تغلغلتْ
بلوغreaching نجومِthe stars of الأُفقthe horizon دونis easier than دفينهاits buried depths
بلوغ نجومِ الأُفق دون دفينها
And oh, a sorrow that has sunk deep into my inward parts:
Oh, what sorrow that has permeated the deserted places,
the horizon's stars are easier to reach than its buried depths.
Without reaching the stars of the horizon or her burial.
كذاكsuch is الهوىlove كالكهرباءةlike electricity نورهاits light
كذاك الهوى كالكهرباءة نورها
جليّis plain ولمَّاand not yet يدركنهthey fathom it كمينهاits hidden workings
جليّ ولمَّا يدركنه كمينها
Such is love, like electricity: its light
Such is love, its light obvious, yet when it hides
is plain, though its hidden workings have not yet been fathomed.
None can discover its ambush.
بنفسيwith my life وأهليand my family منher who إذاwhen نوَّهواthey mention لهاto her
بنفسي وأهلي من إذا نوَّهوا لها
بذكريby mentioning me أثارواthey awaken كامناتdormant شجونهاher sorrows
بذكري أثاروا كامنات شجونها
I would give my life and family for her: when they speak to her
By myself and my family, if they mention her,
of me, they awaken her dormant sorrows.
They arouse her dormant sorrows.
فماso not هيit إلاّexcept وجمةٌa troubled silence ثمthen عبرةٌa tear
فما هي إلاّ وجمةٌ ثم عبرةٌ
حدتْdrove بعزاليهاthrough its spouts رياحُthe winds of حنينهاher longing
حدتْ بعزاليها رياحُ حنينها
It is but a troubled silence, then a tear,
She is nothing but a frown, then a tear,
driven through its spouts by the winds of her longing.
Her isolation has sharpened the winds of longing.
فأيّthen what كتابٍscripture بعدafter هذاthis وسنةand religious tradition
فأيّ كتابٍ بعد هذا وسنة
تباعدنيkeeps me apart أنْbecause لاnot أدينI adhere بدينهاto her faith
تباعدني أنْ لا أدين بدينها
What scripture or sacred tradition, after all this,
After this, what scripture and tradition
can keep me from her because I do not profess her faith?
Can distance me from being indebted to her religion?
لئنeven if فرَّقتْhave divided كتبُthe scriptures of الدياناتreligions بينناbetween us
لئن فرَّقتْ كتبُ الديانات بيننا
لتجمعناwill surely unite us صحفُthe pages of الهوىlove بغضونهاin their folds
لتجمعنا صحفُ الهوى بغضونها
Even if the scriptures of religions have divided us,
If the books of religions have separated us,
the pages of love will surely unite us in their folds.
The pages of passion will unite us in its branches.
وإنand if حَرَّجَimposes restrictions الإنجيلُthe Gospel وهوand it is محرفُaltered
وإن حَرَّجَ الإنجيلُ وهو محرفُ
ففيthen in صحةthe soundness of القرآنthe Qur'an حلّthe loosening of وضينهاher woven girth
ففي صحة القرآن حلّ وضينها
And if the Gospel imposes restrictions, altered as it is,
Even if the Bible forbids, corrupted as it is,
then in the Qur'an's soundness lies the loosening of her girth.
In the purity of the Qur'an is its solution and protection.
أُعيذكI seek protection for you ياO (لمياءLamya) منfrom شرِّthe evil of كاشحa spiteful foe
أُعيذك يا (لمياء) من شرِّ كاشح
يُبدِّلُwho replaces مبيضَّthe whiteness of اللياليthe nights بجوْنهاwith their blackness
يُبدِّلُ مبيضَّ الليالي بجوْنها
I seek protection for you, Lamya, from a spiteful foe
I seek refuge for you, O Lamiya, from the evil of a shy one
who trades the whiteness of nights for their blackness.
Who changes the whiteness of nights into their darkness.
خذينيtake me عَلىdespite العلاتِthe faults خِدْناًas a lover فإننيfor indeed I
خذيني عَلى العلاتِ خِدْناً فإنني
إذاwhen نابتِstrike الأحداثُcalamities ليثthe lion of عرينهاtheir lair
إذا نابتِ الأحداثُ ليث عرينها
Take me, faults and all, as your lover; for I,
Take me in spite of my defects as an ally, for if
when calamities strike, am the lion of their lair.
The events recur, I will be a lion in its den.
تمخَّضتِlabored in childbirth الأيامُthe days حتىuntil أتينthey brought forth بيme
تمخَّضتِ الأيامُ حتى أتين بي
عصوراًages طوالاًlong غرةa white blaze فيupon جبينهاtheir forehead
عصوراً طوالاً غرة في جبينها
The days labored until they brought me forth,
The days have given birth until they brought me
after long ages, a white blaze upon their brow.
Long ages, mature in their foreheads.
أمتُّI am linked by kinship بأنسابٍthrough lineages ذرىthe summits of الشمِlofty mountains دونهاbelow them
أمتُّ بأنسابٍ ذرى الشمِ دونها
أضاءتhave illumined منof الأيامthe days غُبْرdust-gray دجونهاtheir gloom
أضاءت من الأيام غُبْر دجونها
My kinship runs through lineages higher than lofty mountains' summits,
I boast of ancestry which the scent of wind passes by,
which have illumined the days' dust-gray gloom,
Their dust shone from the days of their burial.
إلىto السبْطِthe grandson منof آلthe house of النبيthe Prophet محمدMuhammad
إلى السبْطِ من آل النبي محمد
ومنand from آلthe house of عباسAbbas لجدِّto the forefather of أمينهاits Amin
ومن آل عباس لجدِّ أمينها
to the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad's house,
To the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad
and, from Abbas's house, to the forefather of its Amin;
And the family of Abbas, the trustee's ancestor.
ومنand from (عبدAbd (servant of) شمسShams (sun)) للأشجto al-Ashajj وعمهand his uncle
ومن (عبد شمس) للأشج وعمه
نمتنيlinked my descent إليهمto them عالياتthe lofty غصونهاtheir branches
نمتني إليهم عاليات غصونها
and, from Abd Shams, to al-Ashajj and his uncle;
And from Abd Shams to the courageous and his uncle
their lofty branches link my descent to them.
Their towering branches have raised me to them.
وليand I have مقولٌa tongue (هاروتHarut) بعضُone of جنودهits soldiers
ولي مقولٌ (هاروت) بعضُ جنوده
يحلُّhe loosens بهwith it عصمَthe bonds of الظباthe gazelles منfrom حزونهاtheir rugged heights
يحلُّ به عصمَ الظبا من حزونها
I have a tongue whose soldiers include Harut,
And I have hosts like Harut, some of his soldiers
with which he frees the fettered gazelles from their rugged heights.
With whom the deer of the forest are protected from grief.
إذاwhen ماemphatic particle تلتْrecite رسلُthe messengers of البلاغةِeloquence آيةًa verse
إذا ما تلتْ رسلُ البلاغةِ آيةً
تخرُّthey fall down إليهاbefore it سجداًprostrate لذقونهاupon their chins
تخرُّ إليها سجداً لذقونها
When the messengers of eloquence recite a verse,
If the messengers of eloquence recite a verse,
they fall before it prostrate upon their chins.
They bow down prostrating to its taste.
لئنeven if غزunclear verb fragment زمتْunclear verb fragment نظمَverse الروائعِmarvels صبيةٌa young girl
لئن غز زمتْ نظمَ الروائعِ صبيةٌ
فماso not البازلthe mature camel الهدّارthe loudly roaring one كابنlike the calf of لبونهاher milk-giving camel
فما البازل الهدّار كابن لبونها
Even if a young girl [murmurs] wondrous verse,
If the composers of masterpieces were young girls,
the full-grown, roaring camel is not like the calf of her milk-giving camel.
The excellent archer is not like the son of Labunah.
وَعاذلةٍand many a reproachful woman باتتspent the night تصوِّبُaiming لومَهاher blame
وَعاذلةٍ باتت تصوِّبُ لومَها
عَلىat مقتهhis affection ماnot ساءَturned evil ظنُthe thoughts of ظنينهاher suspect
عَلى مقته ما ساءَ ظنُ ظنينها
Many a reproachful woman spent the night aiming her blame
And a beauty who used to direct her blame
at his affection, though her suspect's thoughts held no evil.
At the one she distrusted, suspecting his suspicions.
وَهلْand is there? ريبةٌsuspicion والسرand the secret كالجهرlike what is public طاهرis pure
وَهلْ ريبةٌ والسر كالجهر طاهر
إذاif ماemphatic particle صبتْyearns نفسٌa soul زكتis pure لقرينهاfor its companion
إذا ما صبتْ نفسٌ زكت لقرينها
Is there any cause for doubt, when secret and openness alike are pure,
Can there be doubt when the secret is as pure
if a pure soul is drawn to its companion?
As the public, if a soul purifies itself for its partner?
وَماand not تامenslaved ليfor me قلباًa heart وَلاnor شفَّwore away مسكةself-command
وَما تام لي قلباً وَلا شفَّ مسكة
محاسنthe charms منamong حورِbright-eyed ones of النساءِwomen وَعينهاand their wide-eyed ones
محاسن من حورِ النساءِ وَعينها
My heart was never enslaved, nor my self-command weakened,
My heart is not perfect, nor is the perfume of musk –
by the charms of bright-eyed and wide-eyed women.
The beauties of the houris and their eyes are superior.
صبوتُI was drawn إلىto أخلاقِthe character of (لمياءLamya) إنَّهاindeed she
صبوتُ إلى أخلاقِ (لمياء) إنَّها
لقدindeed أخذتْhas taken hold منfrom حرِّهاtheir noble qualities بمتينهاof their firmest
لقد أخذتْ من حرِّها بمتينها
I was drawn to Lamya's character: she
I aspire to the character of Lamiya, it has
has indeed taken hold of the firmest of its noble qualities:
Taken from its heat with its resilience.
حياءٌa modesty يزيلremoves الريْبَdoubt عنfrom مستقرِّهits resting place
حياءٌ يزيل الريْبَ عن مستقرِّه
إذاwhen قرئتare read آياتهits signs فيupon جبينهاher forehead
إذا قرئت آياته في جبينها
a modesty that dispels doubt from its very seat,
A shyness that removes doubt from its dwelling
when its signs are read upon her brow;
When its verses are recited on the forehead.
وَحسنand a grace of حديثٍconversation لاnot يُملّis found tiresome استماعُهlistening to it
وَحسن حديثٍ لا يُملّ استماعُه
كترديدكِlike your repeating الأنفاسَbreaths بعدafter كمونهاtheir stillness
كترديدكِ الأنفاسَ بعد كمونها
and a grace of speech one never tires of hearing,
A beauty of speech which does not bore to listen to
like your repeated breaths after their stillness.
Like your repetition of breaths after their suppression.
ينسيكmakes you forget أخبارَthe accounts of الرواةِnarrators وَماand what وَعتْhave stored
ينسيك أخبارَ الرواةِ وَما وَعتْ
صدورُهمُtheir breasts منof غثِّهاtheir lean, poor parts وَسمينهاand their fat, valuable parts
صدورُهمُ من غثِّها وَسمينها
It makes you forget the narrators' accounts, and what
It makes you forget the stories of narrators and what
their breasts have stored, the lean and the fat alike;
Their breasts have held from its useless and fertile parts.
وَعلمand an understanding بإرجاعof restoring الفتاةthe young woman تقدّماًas progress
وَعلم بإرجاع الفتاة تقدّماً
إلىto حيثwhere كانتshe stood فيin خواليthe bygone قرونهاher centuries
إلى حيث كانت في خوالي قرونها
and an understanding that progress for the young woman is a return
And knowledge of the propriety for a girl to step back
to where she stood in her centuries long past.
To where she was in her early centuries.
فأيّso any فتاةٍyoung woman شابهتهاresembles her فإنهاthen indeed she
فأيّ فتاةٍ شابهتها فإنها
لدىfor خالدKhalid فيin الحبlove ليستis not بدونهاbelow her
لدى خالد في الحب ليست بدونها
So any young woman who resembles her
What girl resembles her? For with Khaled in love
holds no lesser place than she in Khalid's love.
There is none but her in it.
Sol 6.1