هلاwhy did you not سألتyou asked منازلاًdwellings بالأبرقat al-Abraq
هلا سألت منازلاً بالأبرق
درستhave been effaced وكيفand how سؤالquestioning منone who لمhas not ينطقِspoken
درست وكيف سؤال من لم ينطقِ
Why did you not question the dwellings at al-Abraq?
I asked the houses about places now lost,
They lie effaced—and how can one question what does not speak?
Though they could not speak, I studied their cost,
لعبتhave played بهاupon them ريحانtwo winds ريحa wind عجاجةdust-raising
لعبت بها ريحان ريح عجاجة
بالسافياتwith windblown particles منof الترابearth المعتقِage-old
بالسافيات من التراب المعتقِ
Two winds have played upon them: a dust-laden wind,
The wind played in them with bitter sighs,
With windblown particles of age-old earth,
With grey dust covering floors once embossed,
والهيفُand the hot south wind رائحةcoming in the evening لهاtoward them ينتاحهاcomes upon them
والهيفُ رائحة لها ينتاحها
طَفَلat twilight العشيَّof the evening بذيwith a bearer of حناتمearthenware jars شُرَّقِbrimming
طَفَل العشيَّ بذي حناتم شُرَّقِ
And the hot south wind coming toward them at evening; upon them descends
The scent of ruins is their perfume now,
At twilight, bearing brimming jars,
Where children played in days long since past,
تصِلjoins اللقاحَconception إلىto النتاجِbirth مربَّةٌa lingering raincloud
تصِل اللقاحَ إلى النتاجِ مربَّةٌ
لخفوقat the setting of كوكبهاits star وإِنeven if لمdoes not يخفقset
لخفوق كوكبها وإِن لم يخفق
A lingering raincloud, joining conception to birth,
Pollination happens though the flower lies still,
At its star’s setting—even if it does not set.
Planets move even if hearts no longer beat fast,
غيرنthey have changed عهدكyour former knowledge بالديارof the dwellings وماand whatever يكنis
غيرن عهدك بالديار وما يكن
رهنhostage to الحوادثfortune’s vicissitudes منof جديدanything new يخلُقgrows worn
رهن الحوادث من جديد يخلُق
They have changed the dwellings you knew; whatever is
Your pact with homes is not fate’s to ordain,
Hostage to fortune’s turns, however new, grows worn—
Despite hardships, new life again will sprout,
إلاexcept خوالدenduring hearthstones فيin المحلةthe campsite بيتهاtheir enclosure
إلا خوالد في المحلة بيتها
كالطيلسانlike a shawl منof الرمادash الأورقgray
كالطيلسان من الرماد الأورق
Except enduring hearthstones in the camp, their enclosure
Like ashes, Khawalid’s old home remains,
Like a shawl of gray ash,
The tilework and carvings wrenched inside out,
ومشجَّجاًand a battered tent peg تركleft الولائدthe maidservants رأسهits head
ومشجَّجاً ترك الولائد رأسه
مثلlike السواكa tooth-cleaning stick ودمنةًand a darkened campsite trace كالمُهرقlike a writing sheet
مثل السواك ودمنةً كالمُهرق
And a battered tent peg, whose head the maidservants left
His head left bare of family, kohl stained,
Like a tooth-cleaning stick, and a campsite trace like a written sheet.
Like a chewed stick, his soul is bloodied and pained,
دارthe dwelling التيher who تركتكleft you غيرnot ملومةblamed
دار التي تركتك غير ملومة
دنِفاًlovesick فإنthen if لمnot رعtend (reading uncertain) قلبكyour heart فاشفقthen have pity
دنِفاً فإن لم رع قلبك فاشفق
The dwelling of her who left you, free of blame,
The home you left bears no bitterness nor blame,
Lovesick; if you do not tend your heart [reading uncertain], then have pity.
Only grief, if it could, your heart would have maimed,
قدindeed كنتyou used to be قبلُformerly تشوقyearning منbecause of هجرانهاher abandonment
قد كنت قبلُ تشوق من هجرانها
فاليومso today إذnow that شحطhas grown distant المزارthe place of visitation بهاwith her تقِbeware
فاليوم إذ شحط المزار بها تقِ
You once yearned because she had abandoned you;
You once longed for it when away and now shun,
So today, now that her dwelling lies far away, beware.
Though its tomb is still blessed while you are not done,
والحبand love فيهwithin it حرارةheat ومرارةand bitterness
والحب فيه حرارة ومرارة
سائلask بذاكabout that منwhoever تطعمَّhas tasted أوor زقيwas made to swallow
سائل بذاك من تطعمَّ أو زقي
And love holds heat within it, and bitterness;
Love is sweet yet also bitter pain,
Ask about that whoever has tasted it or been made to swallow it.
Ask the one who savored it before disdain,
ماnot ذاقhas tasted بؤسthe hardship of معيشةlife ونعيمهاand its bliss
ما ذاق بؤس معيشة ونعيمها
فيماduring what مضىhas passed أحدanyone إذاif لمhas not يعشقِloved
فيما مضى أحد إذا لم يعشقِ
Life’s hardship and its bliss have never been tasted
None knows life’s joy and misery before
By anyone in times past who has not loved.
They have fallen in love and then no more.
Sol 6.1