سَرَىcoursed by night الْبَرْقُthe lightning مِصْرِيَّاًEgyptian فَأَرَّقَنِيso kept me sleepless وَحْدِيby myself
سَرَى الْبَرْقُ مِصْرِيَّاً فَأَرَّقَنِي وَحْدِي
وَأَذْكَرَنِيand reminded me ماwhat لَسْتُI am not أَنْسَاهُforgetting it مِنْof عَهْدِa former time
وَأَذْكَرَنِي ما لَسْتُ أَنْسَاهُ مِنْ عَهْدِ
Egyptian lightning coursed by night and kept me sleepless, alone.
The lightning flashed Egyptian, keeping me awake alone,
And reminded me of days I have never forgotten.
And reminding me of what I have not forgotten from the past.
فَيَاso, O بَرْقُlightning حَدِّثْنِيtell me وَأَنْتَand you مُصَدَّقٌbelieved
فَيَا بَرْقُ حَدِّثْنِي وَأَنْتَ مُصَدَّقٌ
عَنِabout الآلِthe family والأَصْحَابِand the companions مَاwhat فَعَلُواthey did بَعْدِيafter my departure
عَنِ الآلِ والأَصْحَابِ مَا فَعَلُوا بَعْدِي
O lightning, then, tell me, for you are believed,
So, O truthful lightning, tell me
Of my family and companions: what have they done since I left?
About my family and companions - what did they do after me?
وَعَنْand about رَوْضَةِthe garden of الْمِقْيَاسِthe Nilometer تَجْرِيflow خِلالَهاthrough it
وَعَنْ رَوْضَةِ الْمِقْيَاسِ تَجْرِي خِلالَها
جَدَاوِلُstreams يُسْدِيهَاsupplies them الْغَمَامُthe clouds بِمَاwith what يُسْدِيbestows
جَدَاوِلُ يُسْدِيهَا الْغَمَامُ بِمَا يُسْدِي
And of the Nilometer's garden, through which flow
And about the garden of Al-Miqsas, through which run
Streams the clouds supply with what they bestow.
Rivulets shaded by clouds with their rain.
إِذَاwhen صَافَحَتْهَاclasps them الرِّيْحُthe wind رَهْواًgently تَجَعَّدَتْwrinkled
إِذَا صَافَحَتْهَا الرِّيْحُ رَهْواً تَجَعَّدَتْ
حَبَائِكُهَاtheir woven patterns مِثْلَlike الْمُقَدَّرَةِwell-proportioned السَّرْدِin its mail-linking
حَبَائِكُهَا مِثْلَ الْمُقَدَّرَةِ السَّرْدِ
When the wind gently brushes them, they wrinkle,
When the wind blows gently upon it,
Their woven patterns like mail with measured links.
Its buds curl up like braided hair.
وَإِنْand if ضَاحَكَتْهَاsmiles at them الشَّمْسُthe sun رَفَّتْthey shimmer كَأَنَّهَاas though they were
وَإِنْ ضَاحَكَتْهَا الشَّمْسُ رَفَّتْ كَأَنَّهَا
مَنَاصِلُblades سُلَّتْwere drawn لِلضِّرَابِfor combat مِنَfrom الْغِمْدِthe sheath
مَنَاصِلُ سُلَّتْ لِلضِّرَابِ مِنَ الْغِمْدِ
And if the sun smiles upon them, they shimmer as though they were
And when the sun smiles upon it, it blossoms as if
Blades drawn from the sheath for combat.
Unsheathed swords for fencing were drawn from their scabbards.
نَعِمْتُI delighted بِهَاin it دَهْراًfor an age وَمَاand not كُلُّevery نِعْمَةٍblessing
نَعِمْتُ بِهَا دَهْراً وَمَا كُلُّ نِعْمَةٍ
حَبَتْكَfavored you بِهَاwith it الأَيَّامُthe days إِلَّاexcept إِلَىtoward الرَّدِّbeing returned
حَبَتْكَ بِهَا الأَيَّامُ إِلَّا إِلَى الرَّدِّ
I delighted in it for an age; no blessing
For a time I enjoyed it, but not every delight
The days bestow on you escapes being taken back.
Has the days make you love except to loss.
فَوَاso, O! أَسَفَاmy sorrow! إِذْsince لَيْسَdoes not يُجْدِيavail تَأَسُّفٌregret
فَوَا أَسَفَا إِذْ لَيْسَ يُجْدِي تَأَسُّفٌ
عَلَىover مَاwhat طَواهُfolded it away الدَّهْرُtime مِنْof عَيْشِنَاour life الرَّغْدِcomfortable
عَلَى مَا طَواهُ الدَّهْرُ مِنْ عَيْشِنَا الرَّغْدِ
Ah, my sorrow! There is no use in grieving
So alas! Regret is fruitless
Over our life of ease, which time has folded away.
For what time has buried of our pleasant life.
إِذِwhen الدَّهْرُtime سَمْحٌgenerous وَاللَّيالِيand the nights سَمِيعَةٌattentive
إِذِ الدَّهْرُ سَمْحٌ وَاللَّيالِي سَمِيعَةٌ
وَلَمْيَاءُand a dark-lipped beauty لَمْdid not تُخْلِفْfail to keep بِلَيَّانِهاby her delaying وَعْدِيthe promise made to me
وَلَمْيَاءُ لَمْ تُخْلِفْ بِلَيَّانِها وَعْدِي
When time was generous and the nights attentive,
For time is forgiving and the nights are hearing,
And a dark-lipped beauty did not break her promise to me by delaying.
And the appointed tryst - the eyes have not failed my promise.
فَتَاةٌa maiden تُرِيكَshows you الشَّمْسَthe sun تَحْتَbeneath خِمَارِهَاher veil
فَتَاةٌ تُرِيكَ الشَّمْسَ تَحْتَ خِمَارِهَا
إِذَاwhen سَفَرَتْshe unveils وَالْغُصْنَand a bough فِيat مَعْقِدِthe tying-place of الْبَنْدِthe girdle
إِذَا سَفَرَتْ وَالْغُصْنَ فِي مَعْقِدِ الْبَنْدِ
A maiden who shows you the sun beneath her veil,
A maiden who shows you the sun beneath her veil
When she unveils, and a bough where her girdle is tied.
When she travels, and the branch in the knot of her belt.
مِنَfrom among الفَاتِنَاتِthe enchanting women الْغِيدِthe supple ones لَوْif مَرَّpassed ظِلُّهَاher shadow
مِنَ الفَاتِنَاتِ الْغِيدِ لَوْ مَرَّ ظِلُّهَا
عَلَىover قَانِتٍa devout worshipper دَبَّتْcrept بِهِthrough him سَوْرَةُa surge of الْوَجْدِpassion
عَلَى قَانِتٍ دَبَّتْ بِهِ سَوْرَةُ الْوَجْدِ
One of those alluring, supple beauties: were her shadow to pass
One of the languid beauties - if her shadow
Over a devout worshipper, a surge of passion would steal through him.
Fell upon a worshipper, the surah of ardor would pulse within him.
فَتَاللهِso, by God أَنْسَىI shall not forget عَهْدَهاthe days with her ماas long as تَرَنَّمَتْsing
فَتَاللهِ أَنْسَى عَهْدَها ما تَرَنَّمَتْ
بَنَاتُdaughters (birds) الضُّحَىof the morning بَيْنَamong الأَرَاكَةِthe arak tree والرَّنْدِand the laurel
بَنَاتُ الضُّحَى بَيْنَ الأَرَاكَةِ والرَّنْدِ
By God, I shall not forget my days with her while they sing—
By God, I will forget her covenant as long as
The daughters of morning among the arak and laurel.
The daughters of dawn twitter between branches and trellises.
حَلَفْتُI swore بِمَاby what وَارَىconcealed الْخِمَارُthe veil مِنَof الْحَيَاmodesty
حَلَفْتُ بِمَا وَارَى الْخِمَارُ مِنَ الْحَيَا
وَمَاand what ضَمَّتِenfolded الأَرْدَانُthe sleeves مِنْof حَسَبٍancestral nobility عِدِّdeep-rooted
وَمَا ضَمَّتِ الأَرْدَانُ مِنْ حَسَبٍ عِدِّ
I swore by the modesty the veil conceals,
I swear by her life the veil has hidden
And the deep-rooted nobility the sleeves enfold,
And by the lineage the gown has contained.
وبِاللُّؤْلُؤِand by the pearls الْمَنْضُودِarrayed in rows بَيْنَbetween يَواقِتٍrubies
وبِاللُّؤْلُؤِ الْمَنْضُودِ بَيْنَ يَواقِتٍ
هِيَthey are الشَّهْدُhoney ظَنَّاًseemingly بَلْrather أَلَذُّmore delicious مِنَthan الشَّهْدِhoney
هِيَ الشَّهْدُ ظَنَّاً بَلْ أَلَذُّ مِنَ الشَّهْدِ
And by the pearls arrayed between rubies,
By the strung pearls between the breast-bones -
Which seem to be honey—nay, more delicious than honey.
It is honey, nay sweeter than honey!
يَمِيناًan oath لَوِif اسْتَسْقَيْتَyou asked for rain أَرْضاًa land بِهِby it الْحَيَاrain
يَمِيناً لَوِ اسْتَسْقَيْتَ أَرْضاً بِهِ الْحَيَا
لَخَاضَwould surely wade بِهَاin it الرُّعْيَانُthe shepherds فِيthrough كَلإٍpasture جَعْدِdense
لَخَاضَ بِهَا الرُّعْيَانُ فِي كَلإٍ جَعْدِ
An oath: were you to ask rain for a land by it,
A solemn oath - if you used it to request rain from the land
The shepherds would surely wade there through luxuriant pasture.
The shepherds would wade through fresh herbage.
لأَنْتِyou indeed وَأَيُّand what a النَّاسِpeople أَنْتِyou حَبِيبَةٌbeloved
لأَنْتِ وَأَيُّ النَّاسِ أَنْتِ حَبِيبَةٌ
إِلَيَّto me وَلَوْand even if عَذَّبْتِyou torment قَلْبِيَmy heart بِالصَّدِّby turning away
إِلَيَّ وَلَوْ عَذَّبْتِ قَلْبِيَ بِالصَّدِّ
You—and what a person you are!—are indeed beloved
You, whoever you are, are a beloved
To me, even if you torment my heart by turning away.
To me, even if you torment my heart with aloofness.
إِلَيْكِfor you سَلَبْتُI deprived الْعَيْنَthe eye طِيبَthe sweetness of مَنَامِهَاits sleep
إِلَيْكِ سَلَبْتُ الْعَيْنَ طِيبَ مَنَامِهَا
وفِيكِand for you رَعَيْتُI watched النَّجْمَthe star فِيin أُفْقِهِits horizon وَحْدِيby myself
وفِيكِ رَعَيْتُ النَّجْمَ فِي أُفْقِهِ وَحْدِي
For you I robbed my eye of its sweet sleep,
For you I robbed sleep’s eye of bliss
And for you I watched the star in its horizon, alone.
And for you I shepherded the star in its horizon, alone.
وَذَلَّلْتُand I subdued هَذِيthis النَّفْسَsoul بَعْدَafter إِبائِهاits proud resistance
وَذَلَّلْتُ هَذِي النَّفْسَ بَعْدَ إِبائِها
وَلَوْلاكِand were it not for you لَمْwould not تَسْمَحْconsent بِحَلٍّto loosening وَلاnor عَقْدِbinding
وَلَوْلاكِ لَمْ تَسْمَحْ بِحَلٍّ وَلا عَقْدِ
And subdued this soul after its proud resistance;
I tamed this soul after its refusal,
But for you, it would consent to neither loosening nor binding.
And were it not for you, it would agree to neither tie nor bond.
فَحَتَّامَso how long? تَجْزِينِيyou repay me بِوُدِّيَfor my love جَفْوَةًcoldness
فَحَتَّامَ تَجْزِينِي بِوُدِّيَ جَفْوَةً
أَمَاdo you not تَرْهَبِينَfear اللهَGod فِيregarding حُرْمَةِthe sanctity of الْمَجْدِhonor
أَمَا تَرْهَبِينَ اللهَ فِي حُرْمَةِ الْمَجْدِ
How long, then, will you repay my love with coldness?
So for sure you repay my love with coldness -
Do you not fear God for the sanctity of honor?
Do you not fear God regarding the sanctity of glory?
سَلِيask عَنِّيَabout me اللَّيْلَthe night الطَّوِيلَlong فَإِنَّهُfor it is
سَلِي عَنِّيَ اللَّيْلَ الطَّوِيلَ فَإِنَّهُ
خَبِيرٌwell acquainted بِمَاwith what أُخْفِيهِI conceal it شَوْقاًlonging وَمَاand what أُبْدِيI reveal
خَبِيرٌ بِمَا أُخْفِيهِ شَوْقاً وَمَا أُبْدِي
Ask the long night about me, for it
Ask the long night about me, for it
Knows well what longing I conceal and what I reveal.
Knows what I conceal in yearning and what I divulge.
هَلِhave ...? اكْتَحَلَتْbeen lined with kohl عَيْنَايَmy two eyes إِلَّاexcept بِمَدْمَعٍwith tears
هَلِ اكْتَحَلَتْ عَيْنَايَ إِلَّا بِمَدْمَعٍ
إِذَاwhen ذَكَرَتْكِremembers you النَّفْسُthe soul سَالَflows عَلَىupon خَدِّيmy cheek
إِذَا ذَكَرَتْكِ النَّفْسُ سَالَ عَلَى خَدِّي
Have my eyes worn any kohl but tears,
Have my eyes lined with anything but tears
That flow down my cheek when my soul remembers you?
Whenever the soul mentions you, streaming down my cheek?
أُصَبِّرُI urge to endure عَنْكِwithout you النَّفْسَthe soul وَهْيَwhile it is أَبِيَّةٌunyielding
أُصَبِّرُ عَنْكِ النَّفْسَ وَهْيَ أَبِيَّةٌ
وَهَيْهَاتَand how impossible صَبْرُpatience الظَّامِئَاتِthe thirsty ones عَنِaway from الْوِرْدِthe watering place
وَهَيْهَاتَ صَبْرُ الظَّامِئَاتِ عَنِ الْوِرْدِ
I urge my soul to bear your absence, but it refuses;
I restrain the soul from you though it is unwilling -
And how could the thirsty endure being kept from the watering place?
Alas! The thirsty are hardly patient from attaining the stream.
كَأَنِّيas though I أُلاقِيI encounter مِنْthrough هَوَاكِlove of you ابْنَa son of خِيسَةٍa thicket
كَأَنِّي أُلاقِي مِنْ هَوَاكِ ابْنَ خِيسَةٍ
أَخَاone given to فَتَكَاتٍdeadly attacks لاnot يُنَهْنَهُis restrained بِالرَّدِّby repulse
أَخَا فَتَكَاتٍ لا يُنَهْنَهُ بِالرَّدِّ
As though, through love of you, I faced a son of the thicket,
As if I meet from your love the son of Khisa,
Given to deadly attacks, unrestrained by repulse.
A brother of the ferocious who cannot be deterred by refusal.
تَنَكَّبَhe turned aside from مُمْسَاهُhis evening haunt وَأَخْطَأَand missed صَيْدَهُhis prey
تَنَكَّبَ مُمْسَاهُ وَأَخْطَأَ صَيْدَهُ
فَأَقْعَىso he crouched on his haunches عَلَىin غَيْظٍrage مِنَfrom الْجُوعِhunger وَالْكَدِّand toil
فَأَقْعَى عَلَى غَيْظٍ مِنَ الْجُوعِ وَالْكَدِّ
He turned aside from his evening haunt and missed his prey,
He missed his target and lost his prey,
Then crouched in rage from hunger and toil.
So he snarls in anger from hunger and toil.
لَهُhe has نَعَراتٌroars بِالْفَلاةِin the wilderness كَأَنَّهاas though they were
لَهُ نَعَراتٌ بِالْفَلاةِ كَأَنَّها
عَلَىdespite عُدَوَاءِthe remoteness of الدَّارِthe dwelling جَلْجَلَةُthe rolling of الرَّعْدِthunder
عَلَى عُدَوَاءِ الدَّارِ جَلْجَلَةُ الرَّعْدِ
His roars in the wilderness are like
He has howls in the wilderness as if they are
The rolling of thunder, despite his distant dwelling.
Thunderclaps against the homes of enemies.
يُمَزِّقُhe rends أَسْتَارَthe veils of الظَّلامِdarkness بِأَعْيُنٍwith eyes
يُمَزِّقُ أَسْتَارَ الظَّلامِ بِأَعْيُنٍ
تَطِيرُfly شَراراًsparks كَالسُّقَاطِlike falling sparks مِنَfrom الزَّنْدِthe fire-stick
تَطِيرُ شَراراً كَالسُّقَاطِ مِنَ الزَّنْدِ
He rends the veils of darkness with eyes
He tears the curtains of darkness with eyes
That shoot sparks like those falling from a fire-stick.
That shoot sparks like flint stones.
كَأَنَّهُمَاas though the two were مَاوِيَّتَانِtwo mirrors أُدِيرَتَاboth were turned
كَأَنَّهُمَا مَاوِيَّتَانِ أُدِيرَتَا
إِلَىtoward الشَّمْسِthe sun فَانْبَثَّاso both burst forth شُعَاعاًas rays مِنَof الْوَقْدِblazing fire
إِلَى الشَّمْسِ فَانْبَثَّا شُعَاعاً مِنَ الْوَقْدِ
As though they were two mirrors turned
As if they are two cressets rotated
Toward the sun, then bursting forth in fiery rays.
Towards the sun, erupting with flames of fuel.
فَهَذَاso this الَّذِيwhat أَلْقَاهُI encounter it مِنْكَfrom you عَلَىamid النَّوَىseparation
فَهَذَا الَّذِي أَلْقَاهُ مِنْكَ عَلَى النَّوَى
فَرَاخِيso slacken وَثَاقِيmy bonds يَاO بْنَةَdaughter of القَوْمِthe clan أَوْor شُدِّيtighten
فَرَاخِي وَثَاقِي يَا بْنَةَ القَوْمِ أَوْ شُدِّي
So this is what I suffer from you in separation;
This is what your aloofness from me has thrown
So slacken my bonds, O daughter of the clan, or tighten them.
Onto the embers, my composure and restraint, O daughter of the people, or strengthen them!
Sol 6.1