أَيْنَwhere لَيَالِينَاour nights بِوَاديin the valley of الْغَضَىal-Ghada
أَيْنَ لَيَالِينَا بِوَادي الْغَضَى
ذَلِكَthat عَهْدٌan age لَيْتَهُif only it مَاnot انْقَضَىended
ذَلِكَ عَهْدٌ لَيْتَهُ مَا انْقَضَى
Where are our nights in Wadi al-Ghada?
Where are our nights in the valley of passion?
That was an age I wish had never ended.
Those were times I wish had not passed.
كُنْتُI was بِهِin it مِنْwith عِيشَتِيmy life رَاضِياًcontent
كُنْتُ بِهِ مِنْ عِيشَتِي رَاضِياً
حَتَّىuntil إِذَاwhen وَلَّىdeparted عَدِمْتُI lost الرِّضَاcontentment
حَتَّى إِذَا وَلَّى عَدِمْتُ الرِّضَا
In it I was content with my life,
With them, I was content with my life,
until, when it passed, I lost contentment.
Until when they were gone, I lost all contentment.
أَيَّامُdays لَهْوٍplay وَصِباًand youth كُلَّمَاwhenever
أَيَّامُ لَهْوٍ وَصِباً كُلَّمَا
ذَكَرْتُهَاI recalled them ضَاقَgrew narrow عَلَيَّaround me الْفَضَاthe expanse
ذَكَرْتُهَا ضَاقَ عَلَيَّ الْفَضَا
Days of play and youth—whenever
Days of play and youth, whenever
I recall them, space closes in upon me.
I remember them, space feels too confining.
فَآهِso, alas مِنْat دَهْرٍTime بِأَحْكَامِهِby its decrees
فَآهِ مِنْ دَهْرٍ بِأَحْكَامِهِ
جَارَacted unjustly عَلَيْنَاtoward us وَقَضَىand decreed مَاwhat قَضَىit decreed
جَارَ عَلَيْنَا وَقَضَى مَا قَضَى
So, ah, for Time, which by its decrees
Oh, what a fate with its rulings!
wronged us and decreed what it decreed.
It wronged us and decreed what it decreed.
أَيَّwhat a قِنَاعٍveil مِنْof شَباَبٍyouth سَرَاstripped away
أَيَّ قِنَاعٍ مِنْ شَباَبٍ سَرَا
وَأَيَّand what a ثَوْبٍrobe مِنْof نَعِيمٍbliss نَضَاstripped off
وَأَيَّ ثَوْبٍ مِنْ نَعِيمٍ نَضَا
What a veil of youth it stripped away,
What pleasure of youth was temporary,
and what a robe of bliss it stripped off!
What garment of bliss was stripped away!
قَدْindeed بَيَّضَwhitened الأَسْوَدَthe black مِنْof لِمَّتِيmy locks
قَدْ بَيَّضَ الأَسْوَدَ مِنْ لِمَّتِي
يَاoh لَيْتَهُif only it سَوَّدَblackened ماwhat بَيَّضَاwhitened
يَا لَيْتَهُ سَوَّدَ ما بَيَّضَا
It has whitened the black of my locks;
It whitened the blackness of my hair -
oh, if only it would blacken what it made white!
If only it had blackened what it whitened!
عَهْدٌan age كَطَيْفٍlike a phantom زَارَvisited حَتَّىuntil إِذَاwhen
عَهْدٌ كَطَيْفٍ زَارَ حَتَّى إِذَا
أَشْرَقَshone صُبْحٌa dawn مِنْfrom مَشِيبيmy gray hair مَضَىdeparted
أَشْرَقَ صُبْحٌ مِنْ مَشِيبي مَضَى
An age like a phantom that visited—then, when
A time like a specter that visited, then when
the dawn of my gray hair broke, it departed.
Dawn shone from my graying, it departed.
ماnot كَانَwas إِلَّاexcept كَنَسِيمٍlike a breeze سَرَىdrifted by
ما كَانَ إِلَّا كَنَسِيمٍ سَرَى
وَعَارضٍand a cloud غَامَdarkened وَبَرْقٍand lightning أَضَاflashed
وَعَارضٍ غَامَ وَبَرْقٍ أَضَا
It was only like a breeze that drifted by,
It was but a breeze that blew past,
and a cloud that darkened, and lightning that flashed.
A cloud that gathered and lightning that flashed.
وَلَّىdeparted وَلَمْand did not يُعْقِبْleave behind سِوَىexcept حَسْرَةٍregret
وَلَّى وَلَمْ يُعْقِبْ سِوَى حَسْرَةٍ
بَيْنَwithin الْحَشَاthe inward parts كَالصَّارِمِlike a sharp sword الْمُنْتَضَىunsheathed
بَيْنَ الْحَشَا كَالصَّارِمِ الْمُنْتَضَى
It departed, leaving nothing but regret
It passed and left behind only sorrow,
within my breast, like a sharp, unsheathed sword.
Among the sands like a sharpened sword.
لَوْلاwere it not for الْغَضَىal-Ghada وَهْوَand it is مَطافُthe circling-place الْهَوَىof love
لَوْلا الْغَضَى وَهْوَ مَطافُ الْهَوَى
مَاnot شَبَّblazed فِيin قَلْبِيَmy heart جَمْرُembers الْغَضَىof ghada wood
مَا شَبَّ فِي قَلْبِيَ جَمْرُ الْغَضَى
Were it not for al-Ghada, where love makes its rounds,
Were it not for passion, the haunt of desire,
ghada-wood embers would not have blazed in my heart.
The embers of passion would not have kindled in my heart.
أَسْتَوْدِعُI entrust اللَّهَGod بِهِin it شَادِنَاًa young gazelle
أَسْتَوْدِعُ اللَّهَ بِهِ شَادِنَاً
عَذَّبَنِيtormented me بِالصَّدِّby shunning بَلْnay أَرْمَضَاscorched
عَذَّبَنِي بِالصَّدِّ بَلْ أَرْمَضَا
I entrust to God a young gazelle there,
I commend to God that slender, delicate one
who tormented me by shunning me—nay, scorched me.
Who tortured me with aloofness, even hostility.
مُعْتَدِلُwell-proportioned الْقَامَةِin stature ذُوpossessing لَحْظَةٍa glance
مُعْتَدِلُ الْقَامَةِ ذُو لَحْظَةٍ
تَعَلَّمَlearned الْخَطِّيُّthe Khatti spear مِنْهُfrom him الْمَضَاpiercing sharpness
تَعَلَّمَ الْخَطِّيُّ مِنْهُ الْمَضَا
Well-proportioned in stature, with a glance
Upright in stature with a glance
whose sharpness the Khatti spear learned from him.
That taught the glance of the gazelle.
ظَبْيُa gazelle حِمىًa sanctuary مُذْsince غَرَبَتْset شَمْسُهُhis sun
ظَبْيُ حِمىً مُذْ غَرَبَتْ شَمْسُهُ
عَنْfrom نَاظِرِيmy eye بِالْبَيْنِthrough parting مَاnot غَمَّضَاclosed
عَنْ نَاظِرِي بِالْبَيْنِ مَا غَمَّضَا
A gazelle of a sanctuary—since his sun set
A wild deer, since his sun set
beyond my sight through parting, my eye has not closed.
From my sight in the distance, he has not blinked.
قَدْindeed سَرَّنِيgladdened me حِينَwhen أَتَىcame مُقْبِلاapproaching
قَدْ سَرَّنِي حِينَ أَتَى مُقْبِلا
وَسَاءَنِيand grieved me حِينَwhen مَضَىdeparted مُعْرِضَاturning away
وَسَاءَنِي حِينَ مَضَى مُعْرِضَا
He gladdened me when he came toward me,
I was gladdened when he came nearer,
and grieved me when he left, turning away.
And saddened when he left, turning away.
حَمَّلَنِيburdened me مِنْfrom وَجْدِهِlonging for him لَوْعَةًanguish
حَمَّلَنِي مِنْ وَجْدِهِ لَوْعَةً
لَوْif نَهَضَrose الدَّهْرُTime بِهَاwith it خَفَّضَاwould bow down
لَوْ نَهَضَ الدَّهْرُ بِهَا خَفَّضَا
He burdened me, through longing for him, with anguish
He burdened me with a torment, that if
that would bow Time, were it to shoulder it.
Time itself took it on, it would buckle.
قَدْindeed أَخَذَtook away النَّوْمَsleep وَمَاand did not رَدَّهُreturn it
قَدْ أَخَذَ النَّوْمَ وَمَا رَدَّهُ
وَاسْتَلَبَand stole الْقَلْبَthe heart وَمَاand did not عَوَّضَاgive recompense
وَاسْتَلَبَ الْقَلْبَ وَمَا عَوَّضَا
He took away sleep and did not return it,
He has seized sleep and will not return it
and stole my heart without giving recompense.
And stolen my heart and will not compensate.
ماwhat بَالُهُhis state مَاطَلَdelayed فِيin وَعْدِهِhis promise
ما بَالُهُ مَاطَلَ فِي وَعْدِهِ
أَلَمْhas it not يَحِنْcome due لِلدَّيْنِfor the debt أَنْto يُقْتَضَىbe collected
أَلَمْ يَحِنْ لِلدَّيْنِ أَنْ يُقْتَضَى
Why has he delayed fulfilling his promise?
Why did he delay in keeping his promise?
Is it not time for the debt to be collected?
Should not a debt be repaid when due?
قَاضَيْتُهُI sued him عِنْدَbefore مَلِيكِthe king الْهَوَىof love
قَاضَيْتُهُ عِنْدَ مَلِيكِ الْهَوَى
فَغَلَّso he misappropriated حَقِّيmy due وَأَسَاءَand mishandled الْقَضَاthe judgment
فَغَلَّ حَقِّي وَأَسَاءَ الْقَضَا
I sued him before the king of love,
I took him to court before the king of love,
so he cheated me of my due and judged unjustly.
But he denied my rights and judged wrongly.
فَمَنْso who لَهُto him أَشْكُوdo I complain وَقَدْand has سَامَنِيsubjected me
فَمَنْ لَهُ أَشْكُو وَقَدْ سَامَنِي
جَوْراًinjustice وَحَقُّand the due الْجَوْرِof injustice أَنْto يُرْفَضَاbe rejected
جَوْراً وَحَقُّ الْجَوْرِ أَنْ يُرْفَضَا
So to whom can I complain, when he has dealt me
So to whom can I complain when he has
injustice, which rightly ought to be rejected?
Wronged me, and the wrong of wrong demands redress?
تَاللَّهِby God لَوْلاwere it not for خَوْفُfear هِجْرَانِهِof his abandonment
تَاللَّهِ لَوْلا خَوْفُ هِجْرَانِهِ
مَاnot بَاتَspent the night قَلْبِيmy heart عَانِياًcaptive مُحْرَضَاwasted
مَا بَاتَ قَلْبِي عَانِياً مُحْرَضَا
By God, were it not for fear of his abandonment,
By God, were it not for fear of his abandonment,
my heart would not spend the night captive and worn away.
My heart would not have spent the night troubled and provoked.
فَإِنَّfor indeed لِيI have مِنْfrom عَزْمَتِيmy resolve صَاحِبَاًa companion
فَإِنَّ لِي مِنْ عَزْمَتِي صَاحِبَاً
يَمْنَعُنِيprevents me فِيamid الرَّوْعِterror أَنْthat أَدْحَضَاI stumble
يَمْنَعُنِي فِي الرَّوْعِ أَنْ أَدْحَضَا
For I have in my resolve a companion
Yet I have a will that gives me strength
who keeps me, amid terror, from stumbling.
And prevents me from being shaken in distress.
وَلَسْتُand I am not مِمَّنْof those who إِنْif دَجَاdarkened حَادِثٌa calamity
وَلَسْتُ مِمَّنْ إِنْ دَجَا حَادِثٌ
أَلْقَىcast aside زِمَامَthe reins الأَمْرِof affairs أَوْor فَوَّضَاhanded over control
أَلْقَى زِمَامَ الأَمْرِ أَوْ فَوَّضَا
And I am not one who, if disaster darkens,
And I am not one, if disaster should strike,
casts away the reins of affairs or hands them over.
To let go the reins or resign them away.
لَكِنَّنِيbut I أَلْقَىface الرَّدَىdeath حَاسِرَاًunarmored
لَكِنَّنِي أَلْقَى الرَّدَى حَاسِرَاً
وَأَصْدَعُand I cleave الْخَصْمَthe foe إِذَاwhen عَرَّضَاoffered a challenge
وَأَصْدَعُ الْخَصْمَ إِذَا عَرَّضَا
But I face death unarmored,
Rather I plunge into the fray undaunted
and cleave the foe when he challenges me.
And cleave the adversary when he dares oppose.
أَسْتَحْقِبُI carry الشَّهْدَhoney لِمَنْfor whoever وَدَّنِيloved me
أَسْتَحْقِبُ الشَّهْدَ لِمَنْ وَدَّنِي
وَأَنْفُثُand I spit السُّمَّpoison لِمَنْfor whoever أَبْغَضَاhated
وَأَنْفُثُ السُّمَّ لِمَنْ أَبْغَضَا
I carry honey for whoever loves me,
I sip the honey from those who befriend me
and spit venom at whoever hates me.
And spew poison at those who hate.
جَرَّدْتُI bared نَفْسِيmyself لِطِلابِto pursue الْعُلاhigh honor
جَرَّدْتُ نَفْسِي لِطِلابِ الْعُلا
وَالسَّيْفُand the sword لاnot يُرْهَبُis feared أَوْuntil يُنْتَضَىis unsheathed
وَالسَّيْفُ لا يُرْهَبُ أَوْ يُنْتَضَى
I bared myself in pursuit of high honor,
I have steeled myself in pursuit of greatness,
and a sword is not feared until it is drawn.
And a sword is not to be awed or blunted.
وَلِيand I have مِنَfrom الْقَوْلِspeech نَصِيرٌan ally إِذَاwhen
وَلِي مِنَ الْقَوْلِ نَصِيرٌ إِذَا
دَعَوْتُهُI called him فِيin حَاجَةٍa need أَوْفَضَاhastened
دَعَوْتُهُ فِي حَاجَةٍ أَوْفَضَا
And I have an ally in speech who, when
And I have words that come to my aid whenever
I call upon him in need, hastens forth.
I call them in time of need, fully sufficient.
سَلْask عَنِّيَabout me الْمَجْدَGlory وَلاand do not تَحْتَشِمْbe shy
سَلْ عَنِّيَ الْمَجْدَ وَلا تَحْتَشِمْ
فَالْمَجْدُfor Glory يَدْرِيknows أَيَّwhat a سَيْفٍsword نَضَاit unsheathed
فَالْمَجْدُ يَدْرِي أَيَّ سَيْفٍ نَضَا
Ask Glory about me, and do not be shy;
Ask glory about me, do not be shy,
for Glory knows what a sword it unsheathed.
For glory knows which sword is sharpened.
Sol 6.1