تَقَطَّعَwas severed مِنfrom ظَلّامَةَẒallāmah الوَصلُthe bond أَجمَعُaltogether
تَقَطَّعَ مِن ظَلّامَةَ الوَصلُ أَجمَعُ
أَخيراًat last عَلىdespite أَنthat لَمnot يَكُنit was يَتَقَطَّعُbreaking
أَخيراً عَلى أَن لَم يَكُن يَتَقَطَّعُ
The bond with Ẓallāmah has been severed altogether,
at last, though it had never broken before.
وَأَصبَحتُand I have become قَدalready وَدَّعتُI bade farewell ظَلّامَةَẒallāmah الَّتيwho
وَأَصبَحتُ قَد وَدَّعتُ ظَلّامَةَ الَّتي
تَضُرُّshe harms وَماand not كانَتshe was مَعَalong with الضُرِّthe harm تَنفَعُshe benefits
تَضُرُّ وَما كانَت مَعَ الضُرِّ تَنفَعُ
And I have now bid farewell to Ẓallāmah, who
does harm, and with her harm brought no benefit.
وَقَدand already شَبَّgrew to maturity مِنamong أَترابِpeers of ظَلّامَةَẒallāmah الدُمىstatue-like beauties
وَقَد شَبَّ مِن أَترابِ ظَلّامَةَ الدُمى
غَرائِرُinnocent maidens اِبكارٌvirgins لِعَينَيكَfor your eyes مَقنَعُsatisfaction
غَرائِرُ اِبكارٌ لِعَينَيكَ مَقنَعُ
Among Ẓallāmah’s peers, statue-like beauties have matured:
innocent virgins, enough to satisfy your eyes.
كَأَنَّas though أُناساًpeople لَمnot يَحُلّواhad settled بِتَلعَةٍin a valley
كَأَنَّ أُناساً لَم يَحُلّوا بِتَلعَةٍ
فَيَمسواthen reach evening وَمَغناهُمand their dwelling مِنَof الدارِthe abode بَلقَعُan empty waste
فَيَمسوا وَمَغناهُم مِنَ الدارِ بَلقَعُ
As though people had never settled in a valley,
only to reach evening with their dwelling an empty waste.
وَيَمرُرand passes عَلَيهاover it فَرطُa span of عامَينِtwo years قَدalready خَلَتit became deserted
وَيَمرُر عَلَيها فَرطُ عامَينِ قَد خَلَت
وَلِلَوَحشِand for wild beasts فيهاin it مُستَرادٌa roaming-ground وَمَرتَعُand a pasture
وَلِلَوَحشِ فيها مُستَرادٌ وَمَرتَعُ
A span of two years passes over it, now deserted,
with wild beasts finding there a roaming-ground and pasture.
إِذاwhen ماan emphatic particle عَلَتهاrose over it الشَمسُthe sun ظَلَّkept حَمامُهاits doves
إِذا ما عَلَتها الشَمسُ ظَلَّ حَمامُها
عَلىupon مُستَقِلّاتِthe tall growths of الغَضاghada trees يَتَفَجَّعُlamenting
عَلى مُستَقِلّاتِ الغَضا يَتَفَجَّعُ
When the sun rises over it, its doves keep
lamenting upon the tall ghada trees.
وَمِنهاand among them بِأَجزاعِat valley-bends of المَقاريبِal-Maqārīb دِمنَةٌa ruined campsite
وَمِنها بِأَجزاعِ المَقاريبِ دِمنَةٌ
وَبِالسَفحِand on the slope مِنof فُرعانَFur‘ān آلٌtent-poles مُصَرَّعُtoppled
وَبِالسَفحِ مِن فُرعانَ آلٌ مُصَرَّعُ
Among those dwellings, at al-Maqārīb’s valley-bends, is a ruined campsite,
and on Fur‘ān’s slope lie toppled tent-poles.
مَغانيsites of دِيارٍdwellings لاnot تَزالُcease كَأَنَّهاas though they were
مَغاني دِيارٍ لا تَزالُ كَأَنَّها
بِأَفنِيَةِin the open grounds of الشُطّانِal-Shuṭṭān رَيطٌsheets of cloth مُضَلَّعُstriped
بِأَفنِيَةِ الشُطّانِ رَيطٌ مُضَلَّعُ
The sites of dwellings still seem
in al-Shuṭṭān’s open grounds like striped sheets of cloth.
وَفيand in رَسمِtraces of دارٍa dwelling بَينَamid شَوطانَShawṭān قَدalready خَلَتbecame deserted
وَفي رَسمِ دارٍ بَينَ شَوطانَ قَد خَلَت
وَمَرَّand have passed بِهاover it عامانِtwo years عَينُكَyour eye تَدمَعُsheds tears
وَمَرَّ بِها عامانِ عَينُكَ تَدمَعُ
At the traces of a dwelling amid Shawṭān, now deserted,
with two years passed over it, your eye sheds tears.
إِذاwhen قيلَit is said مَهلاًgently بَعضَsome of وَجدِكَyour longing لاdo not تَشُدraise your voice
إِذا قيلَ مَهلاً بَعضَ وَجدِكَ لا تَشُد
بِسِرِّكَabout your secret لاlest يُسمَعbe heard حَديثٌa word فَيُرفَعُand then be reported
بِسِرِّكَ لا يُسمَع حَديثٌ فَيُرفَعُ
When told, ‘Gently—less of your longing! Do not cry out
your secret, lest a word be heard and reported,’
أَتَتcame عَبَراتٌtears مِنfrom سَجومٍa streaming eye كَأَنَّهُas though it were
أَتَت عَبَراتٌ مِن سَجومٍ كَأَنَّهُ
غَمامَةُa cloud of دَجنٍdark overcast إِستَهَلَّbegan pouring فَيُقلِعُthen lets up
غَمامَةُ دَجنٍ إِستَهَلَّ فَيُقلِعُ
tears come from a streaming eye, as though it were
a dark cloud that bursts into rain, then lets up.
وأُخرىand another حَبَستَyou halted الرَكبَthe riders يَومَon the day of سُوَيقَةٍSuwayqah
وأُخرى حَبَستَ الرَكبَ يَومَ سُوَيقَةٍ
بِهاthere واقِفاًstanding أَنbecause هاجَكَit stirred you المُتَرَبَّعُthe spring encampment
بِها واقِفاً أَن هاجَكَ المُتَرَبَّعُ
And another: you halted the riders on the day at Suwayqah,
standing there, because the spring encampment stirred you.
لِعَينِكَbefore your eye تِلكَthat العيرُthe caravan حَتّىuntil تَغَيَّبَتit disappeared
لِعَينِكَ تِلكَ العيرُ حَتّى تَغَيَّبَت
وَحَتّىand until أَتىcame مِنon دونِهاthis side of it الخُبُّal-Khubb أَجمَعُall of it
وَحَتّى أَتى مِن دونِها الخُبُّ أَجمَعُ
That caravan remained before your eye until it vanished,
and until all of al-Khubb lay between you and it,
وَحَتّىand until أَجازَتit crossed بَطنَthe valley-bed of ضاسٍḌās وَدونَهاand before it
وَحَتّى أَجازَت بَطنَ ضاسٍ وَدونَها
رِعانٌjutting ridges فَهَضباthen the two hills of ذيDhū, meaning possessor of النُجَيلِal-Nujayl فَيَنبُعُthen Yanbu‘
رِعانٌ فَهَضبا ذي النُجَيلِ فَيَنبُعُ
and until it crossed the valley-bed of Ḍās, with before it
jutting ridges, then Dhū al-Nujayl’s twin hills, then Yanbu‘.
وَأَعرَضَand loomed across مِنfrom رَضوىRaḍwā مِنَin اللَيلِthe night دونَهاbefore it
وَأَعرَضَ مِن رَضوى مِنَ اللَيلِ دونَها
هِضابٌhills تَرُدُّturn back العَينَthe eye مِمَّنof whoever يُشَيِّعُsees off
هِضابٌ تَرُدُّ العَينَ مِمَّن يُشَيِّعُ
From Raḍwā, by night, there loomed between you and it
hills that turn back the gaze of whoever sees it off.
إِذاwhenever تَبَّعتهُمyou sent after them طَرفَهاits gaze حالَintervened دونَهاbefore it
إِذا تَبَّعتهُم طَرفَها حالَ دونَها
رَذاذٌfine spray عَلىupon إِنسانِهاits pupil يَتَرَيَّعُwells up
رَذاذٌ عَلى إِنسانِها يَتَرَيَّعُ
Whenever you sent your eye’s gaze after them, its sight was blocked
by fine spray welling up upon its pupil.
فَإِنso if يَكُis جُثمانيmy body بِأَرضٍin a land سِواكُمُapart from you all
فَإِن يَكُ جُثماني بِأَرضٍ سِواكُمُ
فَإِنَّthen indeed فُؤاديmy heart عِندَكِwith you الدَهرَfor all time أَجمَعُentirely
فَإِنَّ فُؤادي عِندَكِ الدَهرَ أَجمَعُ
If my body lies in a land away from you all,
my heart is with you through all time.
إِذاwhenever قُلتُI said هَذاthis حينَthe time أَسلوI forget ذَكَرتُهاI remembered her
إِذا قُلتُ هَذا حينَ أَسلو ذَكَرتُها
فَظَلَّتso it kept لَهاfor her نَفسيmy soul تَتوقُlonging وَتَنزَعُand yearning
فَظَلَّت لَها نَفسي تَتوقُ وَتَنزَعُ
Whenever I say, ‘This is the time to forget,’ I remember her,
and my soul keeps longing and yearning for her.
وَقَدand already قَرَعَstruck الواشونَthe slanderers فيهاconcerning her لَكَfor you العَصاthe staff
وَقَد قَرَعَ الواشونَ فيها لَكَ العَصا
وَإِنَّand indeed العَصاthe staff كانَتwas لِذيfor one endowed with الحِلمِdiscernment تُقرَعُstruck
وَإِنَّ العَصا كانَت لِذي الحِلمِ تُقرَعُ
The slanderers have struck the staff for you concerning her,
and the staff is struck for the man of discernment.
وَكُنتُand I used to أَلومُblame الجازِعينَthe grief-stricken عَلىfor البُكاweeping
وَكُنتُ أَلومُ الجازِعينَ عَلى البُكا
فَكَيفَso how أَلومُdo I blame الجازِعينَthe grief-stricken وَأَجزَعُwhile I am distraught
فَكَيفَ أَلومُ الجازِعينَ وَأَجزَعُ
I used to blame the grief-stricken for weeping;
how can I blame the grief-stricken while I am distraught?
وَليand I have كَبِدٌa liver قَدalready بَرَّحَتtormented بيme مَريضَةٌsick
وَلي كَبِدٌ قَد بَرَّحَت بي مَريضَةٌ
إِذاwhenever سُمتُهاI subjected it to الهَجرانَseparation ظَلَّتit kept تَصَدَّعُsplitting apart
إِذا سُمتُها الهَجرانَ ظَلَّت تَصَدَّعُ
I have a sick liver that has grievously tormented me;
whenever I subject it to separation, it keeps splitting apart.
فَأَصبَحتُso I have become مِمّاbecause of what أَحدَثَbrought about الدَهرُtime خاشِعاًhumbled
فَأَصبَحتُ مِمّا أَحدَثَ الدَهرُ خاشِعاً
وَكُنتُand I was لِرَيبِbefore the calamities of الدَهرِtime لاnot أَتَخَشَّعُbowing
وَكُنتُ لِرَيبِ الدَهرِ لا أَتَخَشَّعُ
I have become humbled by what time has brought,
though I once would not bow to time’s calamities.
وَعُروَةُand ‘Urwah لَمnot يَلقَexperienced الَّذيwhat قَدalready لَقيتُهُI experienced it
وَعُروَةُ لَم يَلقَ الَّذي قَد لَقيتُهُ
بِعَفراءَthrough ‘Afrā’ وَالنَهدِيُّand al-Nahdī ماwhat أَتَفَجَّعُI lament
بِعَفراءَ وَالنَهدِيُّ ما أَتَفَجَّعُ
‘Urwah did not experience what I have experienced
through ‘Afrā’, nor al-Nahdī the anguish I feel.
وَقائِلَةٍand a woman saying دَعleave وَصلَthe bond with عَزَّةَ‘Azza وَاِتَّبِعand seek
وَقائِلَةٍ دَع وَصلَ عَزَّةَ وَاِتَّبِع
مَوَدَّةَthe affection of أُخرىanother woman وَاِبلُهاand test her كَيفَhow تَصنَعُshe acts
مَوَدَّةَ أُخرى وَاِبلُها كَيفَ تَصنَعُ
A woman said, ‘Leave your bond with ‘Azza and seek
another woman’s affection; test her and see how she acts.
أَراكَI see you عَلَيهاagainst her فيin المَوَدَّةِlove زارِياًfinding fault
أَراكَ عَلَيها في المَوَدَّةِ زارِياً
وَماand not نِلتَyou attained مِنهاfrom her طائِلاًanything worthwhile حَيثُas تَسمَعُyou hear
وَما نِلتَ مِنها طائِلاً حَيثُ تَسمَعُ
I see you finding fault with her in love,
yet you have gained nothing worthwhile from her, as you hear.’
فَقُلتُso I said ذَرينيleave me بِئسَbad ماwhat قُلتِyou said إِنَّنيindeed I
فَقُلتُ ذَريني بِئسَ ما قُلتِ إِنَّني
عَلىdespite البُخلِwithholding مِنهاfrom her لاnot عَلىfor الجودِgenerosity أَتبَعُI follow
عَلى البُخلِ مِنها لا عَلى الجودِ أَتبَعُ
I said, ‘Leave me alone—ill have you spoken! I
follow her despite her withholding, not for her generosity.’
وَأَعجَبَنيand pleased me ياO عَزَّ‘Azz مِنكِfrom you خَلائِقُqualities
وَأَعجَبَني يا عَزَّ مِنكِ خَلائِقُ
كِرامٌnoble إِذاwhen عُدَّare counted الخَلائِقُthe qualities أَربَعُfour
كِرامٌ إِذا عُدَّ الخَلائِقُ أَربَعُ
I admired in you, O ‘Azz, qualities—
four noble ones, when qualities are counted:
دُنُوَّكِyour drawing near حَتّىuntil يَذكُرَrecalls الجاهِلُthe foolish man الصِباyouthful love
دُنُوَّكِ حَتّى يَذكُرَ الجاهِلُ الصِبا
وَدَفعُكِand your blocking أَسبابَthe means of المُنىwishes حينَwhen يَطمَعُhe grows hopeful
وَدَفعُكِ أَسبابَ المُنى حينَ يَطمَعُ
your drawing near until the foolish man remembers youthful love,
and your blocking the paths to desire when he grows hopeful.
فَوَاللَهِso by God ماnot يَدريknows كَريمٌa noble man مَطَلتِهِyou kept him waiting
فَوَاللَهِ ما يَدري كَريمٌ مَطَلتِهِ
أَيَشتَدُّwhether he becomes stern أَنwhen لاقاكِhe meets you أَمor يَتَضَرَّعُhe pleads
أَيَشتَدُّ أَن لاقاكِ أَم يَتَضَرَّعُ
By God, a noble man whom you have kept waiting does not know
whether, on meeting you, to be stern or to plead.
وَمِنهُنَّand among them إِكرامُhonoring الكَريمِthe noble وَهَفوَةُand the lapse of الthe
وَمِنهُنَّ إِكرامُ الكَريمِ وَهَفوَةُ ال
اليَتيمِthe orphan وَخَلّاتُand traits of المَكارِمِnoble conduct تَنفَعُbring benefit
اليَتيمِ وَخَلّاتُ المَكارِمِ تَنفَعُ
Among them are honoring the noble and the lapse of the
orphan; and traits of noble conduct bring benefit.
بَخَلتِyou withheld فَكانَso became البُخلُwithholding مِنكِfrom you سَجيةًa natural trait
بَخَلتِ فَكانَ البُخلُ مِنكِ سَجيةً
فَلَيتَكِso if only you ذوpossessing لونَينِtwo colors يُعطيgives وَيَمنَعُand withholds
فَلَيتَكِ ذو لونَينِ يُعطي وَيَمنَعُ
You withheld, and withholding became your nature;
if only you were of two colors, giving and withholding.
وَإِنَّكِand indeed you إِنif واصَلتِyou maintained the bond أَعلَمتِyou made known بِالَّذيabout what
وَإِنَّكِ إِن واصَلتِ أَعلَمتِ بِالَّذي
لَدَيكِin your possession فَلَمso not يوجَدwas found لَكِin you الدَهرَever مَطمَعُgrounds for hope
لَدَيكِ فَلَم يوجَد لَكِ الدَهرَ مَطمَعُ
And you, if you maintain the bond, make clear what
you have to offer, so no hope in you is ever found.
فَياso O قَلبُheart كُنbe عَنهاapart from her صَبوراًpatient فَإِنَّهاfor she
فَيا قَلبُ كُن عَنها صَبوراً فَإِنَّها
يُشَيِّعُهاsees her off بِالصَبرِwith patience قَلبٌa heart مُشَيَّعُstout-hearted
يُشَيِّعُها بِالصَبرِ قَلبٌ مُشَيَّعُ
So, heart, be patient apart from her, for she
is seen off with patience by a stout-hearted heart.
وَإِنّيand indeed I عَلىdespite ذاكَthat التَجَلُّدِendurance إِنَّنيindeed I
وَإِنّي عَلى ذاكَ التَجَلُّدِ إِنَّني
مُسِرُّone concealing هُيامٍlove-madness يَستَبِلُّrecovers وَيُردَعُand is checked
مُسِرُّ هُيامٍ يَستَبِلُّ وَيُردَعُ
And despite that endurance, I am indeed
one concealing love-madness, recovering and held in check.
أَتىhas come دونَbetween ماwhat تَخشَونَyou all fear مِنof بَثِّrevealing سِرِّكُمyour secret
أَتى دونَ ما تَخشَونَ مِن بَثِّ سِرِّكُم
أَخوa man of ثِقَةٍtrust سَهلُgentle in الخَلائِقِcharacter أَروَعُadmirable
أَخو ثِقَةٍ سَهلُ الخَلائِقِ أَروَعُ
Between you and what you fear—the revealing of your secret—has come
a man of trust, gentle in character, admirable:
ضَنينٌsparing بِبَذلِin divulging السِرِّthe secret سَمحٌgenerous بِغَيرِهِwith anything but it
ضَنينٌ بِبَذلِ السِرِّ سَمحٌ بِغَيرِهِ
أَخوa man of ثِقَةٍtrust عَفُّchaste in الوِصالِintimacy سَمَيدَعُmagnanimous
أَخو ثِقَةٍ عَفُّ الوِصالِ سَمَيدَعُ
sparing in revealing secrets, generous with all else,
a man of trust, chaste in intimacy, magnanimous.
أَبىrefused أَنthat يُبَثَّbe divulged الدَهرَever ماas long as عاشَhe lives سِرَّكُمyour secret
أَبى أَن يُبَثَّ الدَهرَ ما عاشَ سِرَّكُم
سَليماًunharmed وَماand as long as دامَتcontinues لَهُfor him الشَمسُthe sun تَطلَعُrising
سَليماً وَما دامَت لَهُ الشَمسُ تَطلَعُ
He refuses ever to let your secret be divulged while he lives,
unharmed, and while the sun keeps rising for him.
وَإِنّيand indeed I لَأَستَهديsurely I entreat السَحائِبَthe clouds نَحوَهاtoward her
وَإِنّي لَأَستَهدي السَحائِبَ نَحوَها
مِنَfrom المَنزِلِthe abode الأَدنىthe nearer فَتَسريso they travel by night وَتُسرِعُand hasten
مِنَ المَنزِلِ الأَدنى فَتَسري وَتُسرِعُ
And I beseech the clouds to make their way toward her
from the nearer abode; they journey by night and hasten.
Sol 6.1