لستI am not منof هميmy sorrow وَلاnor منof كمديmy anguish
لست من همي وَلا من كمدي
بعدafter ماthat أسلمتI surrendered جفناًan eyelid للكرىto sleep
بعد ما أسلمت جفناً للكرى
I am not true to my sorrow or my anguish,
I am not of those who forget their sorrows,
after surrendering an eyelid to sleep.
Nor of those who forget their vows,
أُخِذَwas taken العهدُthe pledge عَلىupon أعينِناour eyes
أُخِذَ العهدُ عَلى أعينِنا
أَنْto تعانيendure دمعَهاtheir tears والسهراand sleeplessness
أَنْ تعاني دمعَها والسهرا
A pledge was laid upon our eyes
After I surrendered my eyelids to anguish -
to endure their tears and sleeplessness.
We pledged our eyes to enduring its tears and wakefulness.
أَناI ممنamong those who بايعواpledged allegiance الحزنَto sorrow عَلَىon condition
أَنا ممن بايعوا الحزنَ عَلَى
أَنْthat يريقshould shed الجفنُthe eyelid دمعاًtears أَحمراred
أَنْ يريق الجفنُ دمعاً أَحمرا
I am among those who pledged allegiance to sorrow on condition
I am of those who pledged grief
that the eyelid should shed red tears.
That the eyelids would shed red tears.
إِنَّماonly النّارُthe fire التيthat فيwithin أضلعيmy ribs
إِنَّما النّارُ التي في أضلعي
تتلظّىblazes للأَسىfor sorrow نارa fire قرىhospitality
تتلظّى للأَسى نار قرى
The fire within my ribs is only
The fire blazing in my ribs
a fire of hospitality, blazing for sorrow.
Is stoked by the flames of sorrow from past vows.
تَرِبَتْmay it be dust-covered كفُّthe hand امرئٍof a man ينفضهاshakes it free
تَرِبَتْ كفُّ امرئٍ ينفضها
منof عهودٍcovenants أحكمتْwere firmly fastened منهاof them العرىthe bonds
من عهودٍ أحكمتْ منها العرى
May dust cover the hand of anyone who shakes it free
The palm withers of one who shakes it off -
of covenants whose bonds were firmly fastened.
Of covenants whose bonds had been tightened.
لستI am not بالنّاقضa breaker ميثاقَthe covenant of الأَسىsorrow
لست بالنّاقض ميثاقَ الأَسى
بفمِin the mouth of الناقضِthe oath-breaker ياO سعدSa'd البرىdust
بفمِ الناقضِ يا سعد البرى
I am not one to break sorrow's covenant;
I am not one to break the pact of sorrow -
may dust fill the oath-breaker's mouth, O Sa'd!
With the mouth of one violating pacts, O Saad of the open country!
لاdo not تلمْblame عينيmy eye إذاwhen جدَّintensifies البكاthe weeping
لا تلمْ عيني إذا جدَّ البكا
فلقدْfor indeed جدَّhas hastened بلمياءَwith Lamya السُرىthe night journey
فلقدْ جدَّ بلمياءَ السُرى
Do not blame my eye when the weeping grows intense;
Do not blame my eye if it weeps profusely -
for the night journey has indeed sped away with Lamya.
For great was the flowing of tears from ardent passion.
مدَّةُthe span of العيشِlife عناءٌsuffering بعدهاafter her
مدَّةُ العيشِ عناءٌ بعدها
كيفhow أُقضيهاshall I spend it وأَنىّand how ياoh ترىdo you suppose?
كيف أُقضيها وأَنىّ يا ترى
Life's span is suffering after her;
The duration of life is hardship, after which -
how shall I spend it—and how can I, I wonder?
How can I spend it, and where, I wonder?
أَناI لولاwere it not for غايةٌa goal أَسعىI strive لهاtoward it
أَنا لولا غايةٌ أَسعى لها
ضمنَّنيwould have enclosed me منfrom بعدafter لمياءَLamya الثرىthe earth
ضمنَّني من بعد لمياءَ الثرى
As for me, were it not for a goal I strive toward,
If not for a purpose I strive toward -
the earth would have enfolded me after Lamya.
The earth would have buried me after the copious flowing tears.
Sol 6.1