أَلاAh! ياO صَباeast wind نجدٍNajd مَتىwhen هجتَyou blew منfrom نجدِNajd
أَلا يا صَبا نجدٍ مَتى هجتَ من نجدِ
أَذبتَyou have melted الحَشاthe heart والجفنَand the eyelid بالفيضwith overflowing tears والوقدِand fire
أَذبتَ الحَشا والجفنَ بالفيض والوقدِ
Ah, east wind of Najd, when did you blow from Najd?
You have melted my heart and eyelid with overflowing tears and fire.
حَنانيكَyour mercy, I beg! طارِحنيshare with me حَديثكَyour tale وَاِتّئدand take your time
حَنانيكَ طارِحني حَديثكَ وَاِتّئد
فَقَدfor indeed زادَنيgave me more مَسراكَyour night journey وجداًlonging علىupon وجدِlonging
فَقَد زادَني مَسراكَ وجداً على وجدِ
Have mercy! Share your tale with me, and take your time.
For your night journey has added longing to my longing.
وَقَدand indeed زَعَمواthey claimed أَنّthat المحبّthe lover إِذاwhen دَناdraws near
وَقَد زَعَموا أَنّ المحبّ إِذا دَنا
تَبدّلhe takes in exchange مِنin place of غيّthe folly of الهَوىlove سلوةَthe solace of الرشدِsound judgment
تَبدّل مِن غيّ الهَوى سلوةَ الرشدِ
And they have claimed that when a lover draws near,
he exchanges love's folly for the solace of sound judgment;
وَأنّand that اِقترابَapproaching الدارِthe dwelling إِنif كانَis ممكناًpossible
وَأنّ اِقترابَ الدارِ إِن كانَ ممكناً
يَملُّwearies وأنَّand that النأيَdistance يُشفيcures منof الودِّaffection
يَملُّ وأنَّ النأيَ يُشفي من الودِّ
and that approaching the dwelling, if possible,
grows tiresome, and that distance cures one of affection.
بِكلٍّwith each تَداويناwe sought healing فَلمyet did not يشفَheal ماwhat بناis in us
بِكلٍّ تَداوينا فَلم يشفَ ما بنا
وَداءُand the sickness of الهَوىlove كالنارِlike fire تكمدُsmolders فيin الصلدِhard stone
وَداءُ الهَوى كالنارِ تكمدُ في الصلدِ
We tried each as a remedy, yet our affliction remained uncured;
and love's sickness is like fire smoldering in hard stone.
خَليليّmy two friends هَذاthis ماwhat جَنىhas wrought قربُnearness to دارِهمtheir dwelling
خَليليّ هَذا ما جَنى قربُ دارِهم
عَلىdespite أنّthe fact that قربَnearness to الدارِthe dwelling خيرbetter منthan البعدِdistance
عَلى أنّ قربَ الدارِ خير من البعدِ
My two friends, this is what nearness to their dwelling has wrought,
though nearness to the dwelling is better than distance;
عَلىdespite أنّthe fact that قربَnearness to الدارِthe dwelling ليسis not بنافعٍof any use
عَلى أنّ قربَ الدارِ ليس بنافعٍ
لِذيto one with كَبدٍa liver حرّاءburning with thirst ذيدَwas driven away عنfrom الوردِthe watering place
لِذي كَبدٍ حرّاء ذيدَ عن الوردِ
yet nearness to the dwelling is of no avail
to one with a burning liver, driven from the watering place.
مَباديthe beginnings of الهَوىlove ودٌّaffection وَغايتهُand its end الردىdeath
مَبادي الهَوى ودٌّ وَغايتهُ الردى
إِذاif كانَis مَنthe one whom تَهواهyou love him ليسis not بذيpossessed of ودِّaffection
إِذا كانَ مَن تَهواه ليس بذي ودِّ
Love begins with affection, and its end is death,
if the one you love feels no affection.
Sol 6.1