أَرَبَّةُwas it the mistress of الْعُودِthe lute أَمْor قُمْرِيَّةُthe turtledove of السَّحَرِthe predawn hours
أَرَبَّةُ الْعُودِ أَمْ قُمْرِيَّةُ السَّحَرِ
غَنَّتْshe sang فَحَرَّكَتِthen she stirred الأَشْجَانَthe sorrows بِالْوَتَرِwith the string
غَنَّتْ فَحَرَّكَتِ الأَشْجَانَ بِالْوَتَرِ
Was it the mistress of the lute, or the turtledove of the predawn hours,
That sang and stirred sorrows with the string?
حَوْرَاءُa dark-eyed beauty لِلسِّحْرِof magic فِيin أَلْحَاظِهَاher glances أَثَرٌa trace
حَوْرَاءُ لِلسِّحْرِ فِي أَلْحَاظِهَا أَثَرٌ
يُرِيكَshows you أَنَّthat الرُّقَىincantations ضَرْبٌa kind مِنَof الْهَذَرِidle talk
يُرِيكَ أَنَّ الرُّقَى ضَرْبٌ مِنَ الْهَذَرِ
A dark-eyed beauty: her glances bear a trace of magic
That shows you incantations are merely idle talk.
لَوْif لَمْnot تَكُنْshe were قَمَراًa moon فِيin الْحُسْنِbeauty مَاnot ظَهَرَتْshe appeared
لَوْ لَمْ تَكُنْ قَمَراً فِي الْحُسْنِ مَا ظَهَرَتْ
لأَعْيُنِto the eyes of النَّاسِpeople فِيin لَيْلٍa night مِنَof الشَّعَرِhair
لأَعْيُنِ النَّاسِ فِي لَيْلٍ مِنَ الشَّعَرِ
Had she not been a moon in beauty, she would not have appeared
To people's eyes in a night of hair.
أَمْلَتْshe dictated عَلَيَّto me بِلَحْظَيْهَاwith her twin glances حَدِيثَa tale of هَوىًlove
أَمْلَتْ عَلَيَّ بِلَحْظَيْهَا حَدِيثَ هَوىً
عَرَفْتُI understood مِنْهُfrom it ضَمِيرَthe secret of الْعَينِthe eye بِالأَثَرِthrough the effect
عَرَفْتُ مِنْهُ ضَمِيرَ الْعَينِ بِالأَثَرِ
With her twin glances she dictated to me a tale of love;
From it, by its effect, I knew the secret of her eye.
كَأَنَّمَاas though بَيْنَbetween جَفْنَيْهَاher two eyelids إِذَاwhen نَظَرَتْshe looked
كَأَنَّمَا بَيْنَ جَفْنَيْهَا إِذَا نَظَرَتْ
هَارُوتُHarut يَعْبَثُtoys بِالأَلْبَابِwith minds وَالْفِكَرِand thoughts
هَارُوتُ يَعْبَثُ بِالأَلْبَابِ وَالْفِكَرِ
It was as though between her eyelids, whenever she looked,
Harut toyed with minds and thoughts.
لاno غَرْوَwonder أَنْthat هِمْتُI was love-maddened مِنْfrom وَجْدٍpassion بِصُورَتِهَاby her form
لا غَرْوَ أَنْ هِمْتُ مِنْ وَجْدٍ بِصُورَتِهَا
فَالْحُسْنُfor beauty مَشْغَلَةٌa preoccupation لِلْعَقْلِfor the mind وَالْبَصَرِand sight
فَالْحُسْنُ مَشْغَلَةٌ لِلْعَقْلِ وَالْبَصَرِ
No wonder I was mad with passion for her form:
For beauty engrosses mind and sight.
لاnot تَقْنَعُis sated الْعَيْنُthe eye مِنْهَاwith her كُلَّمَاwhenever نَظَرَتْit looks
لا تَقْنَعُ الْعَيْنُ مِنْهَا كُلَّمَا نَظَرَتْ
وَكَيْفَand how يَقْتَنِعُis content الْمُشْتَاقُthe yearning lover بِالنَّظَرِwith looking
وَكَيْفَ يَقْتَنِعُ الْمُشْتَاقُ بِالنَّظَرِ
The eye is never sated with her, however often it looks;
And how can a yearning lover be content with looking?
نَاغَيْتُهَاI cooed to her بِلِسَانِin the tongue of الشَّوْقِlonging فَازْدَهَرَتْthen blossomed
نَاغَيْتُهَا بِلِسَانِ الشَّوْقِ فَازْدَهَرَتْ
لِلْحُسْنِfor beauty فيon وَجْنَتَيْهَاher two cheeks وَرْدَتَاtwo roses of خَفَرِbashfulness
لِلْحُسْنِ في وَجْنَتَيْهَا وَرْدَتَا خَفَرِ
I cooed to her in longing's tongue, and there blossomed
Two roses of bashfulness upon her cheeks, enhancing her beauty.
وَازْوَرَّand turned aside حَاجِبُهَاher eyebrow عَنْaway from نَظْرَةٍa glance رَشَقَتْstruck
وَازْوَرَّ حَاجِبُهَا عَنْ نَظْرَةٍ رَشَقَتْ
سَوَادَthe dark core of قَلْبِيmy heart بِسَهْمٍwith an arrow صِيغَwas fashioned مِنْfrom حَوَرِthe eyes' black-and-white contrast
سَوَادَ قَلْبِي بِسَهْمٍ صِيغَ مِنْ حَوَرِ
And her eyebrow turned aside from a glance that struck
My heart's dark core with an arrow forged of dark-eyed beauty.
فَلَمْso not أَزَلْI ceased بِرُقَىwith the spells of الأَشْعَارِverse أَعْطِفُهَاI draw her near
فَلَمْ أَزَلْ بِرُقَى الأَشْعَارِ أَعْطِفُهَا
وَرُقْيَةُand the spell of الشِّعْرِpoetry تُجْرِيmakes flow الْمَاءَwater فِيin الْحَجَرِstone
وَرُقْيَةُ الشِّعْرِ تُجْرِي الْمَاءَ فِي الْحَجَرِ
So I kept drawing her to me with the spells of verse;
And poetry's spell makes water flow in stone.
حَتَّىuntil إِذَاwhen عَلِمتْshe knew أَنِّيthat I بِهَاof her كَلِفٌenamored
حَتَّى إِذَا عَلِمتْ أَنِّي بِهَا كَلِفٌ
وَأَنَّنِيand that I مِنْbecause of تَجَنِّيهَاher unjust treatment عَلَىin خَطَرِdanger
وَأَنَّنِي مِنْ تَجَنِّيهَا عَلَى خَطَرِ
Until, when she learned that I was enamored of her,
And that her unjust treatment had put me in danger,
تَبَسَّمَتْshe smiled فَجَلَتْthen she revealed لِلْعَيْنِto the eye مِنْfrom فَمِهَاher mouth
تَبَسَّمَتْ فَجَلَتْ لِلْعَيْنِ مِنْ فَمِهَا
يَاقُوتَةًa ruby أُودِعَتْwas entrusted with سَطْرَيْنِtwo rows مِنْof دُرَرِpearls
يَاقُوتَةً أُودِعَتْ سَطْرَيْنِ مِنْ دُرَرِ
She smiled, and from her mouth revealed to the eye
A ruby set with two rows of pearls.
فَبِتُّso I spent the night مِنْthrough وَصْلِهَاunion with her فِيin جَنَّةٍa garden يَنَعَتْripened
فَبِتُّ مِنْ وَصْلِهَا فِي جَنَّةٍ يَنَعَتْ
أَفْنَانُهَاits boughs بِثِمَارِwith the fruits of الأُنْسِintimacy وَالْحَبَرِand delight
أَفْنَانُهَا بِثِمَارِ الأُنْسِ وَالْحَبَرِ
So, through union with her, I spent the night in a garden where ripened
Its boughs with the fruits of intimacy and delight.
أَبَحْتُI allowed لِلْعَيْنِto the eye فِيهَاin it مَاwhat تَقَرُّit is gladdened بِهِby it
أَبَحْتُ لِلْعَيْنِ فِيهَا مَا تَقَرُّ بِهِ
وَذُدْتُand I kept back كَفَّthe hand of الصِّبَاyouth عَنْfrom مَعْقِدِthe knot of الأُزُرِthe waist-wraps
وَذُدْتُ كَفَّ الصِّبَا عَنْ مَعْقِدِ الأُزُرِ
There I allowed my eye whatever gave it joy,
And kept youth's hand from the knot of the waist-wraps.
حَتَّىuntil اشْرَأَبَّتْcraned its neck عُقَابُthe eagle of الْفَجْرِdawn وَانْطَلَقَتْand flew free
حَتَّى اشْرَأَبَّتْ عُقَابُ الْفَجْرِ وَانْطَلَقَتْ
حَمَائِمُthe doves of الشُّهْبِthe bright stars مِنْfrom أُحْبُولَةِthe snare of السَّحَرِthe predawn hours
حَمَائِمُ الشُّهْبِ مِنْ أُحْبُولَةِ السَّحَرِ
Until dawn's eagle craned its neck, and there flew free
The doves of the bright stars from the snare of the predawn hours.
فَيَاso, oh لَهَاfor it لَيْلَةًa night كَانَتْit was بِرَوْنَقِهَاin its splendor
فَيَا لَهَا لَيْلَةً كَانَتْ بِرَوْنَقِهَا
تَارِيخَa chronicle of لَهْوٍpleasure لِمَاfor what أَحْرَزْتُI attained مِنْof وَطَرِdesire
تَارِيخَ لَهْوٍ لِمَا أَحْرَزْتُ مِنْ وَطَرِ
Ah, what a night! In all its splendor it was
A chronicle of pleasure, for the desires I fulfilled.
وَسَمْتُهَاI marked it بِضِياءِwith the radiance of الْكَأْسِthe cup فَالْتَمَعتْand so it gleamed
وَسَمْتُهَا بِضِياءِ الْكَأْسِ فَالْتَمَعتْ
وَزِينَةُand the adornment of الدُّهْمِblack steeds فِيin الأَوْضَاحِwhite markings وَالْغُرَرِand forehead blazes
وَزِينَةُ الدُّهْمِ فِي الأَوْضَاحِ وَالْغُرَرِ
I marked it with the radiance of the cup, and it gleamed;
And black steeds' beauty lies in white markings and forehead blazes.
لَوْif كَانَwas يَسْمَحُallows لِيto me دَهْرِيmy fate بِعَوْدَتِهَاwith its return
لَوْ كَانَ يَسْمَحُ لِي دَهْرِي بِعَوْدَتِهَا
لَبِعْتُI would surely sell فِيهَاduring it لَذِيذَthe sweetness of النَّوْمِsleep بِالسَّهَرِfor wakefulness
لَبِعْتُ فِيهَا لَذِيذَ النَّوْمِ بِالسَّهَرِ
If my fate would grant me its return,
I would trade the sweetness of sleep for wakefulness that night.
وَلَّتْit departed فَلَمْso did not يَبْقَremain مِنْهَاof it غَيْرُother than فَذْلَكَةٍa brief account
وَلَّتْ فَلَمْ يَبْقَ مِنْهَا غَيْرُ فَذْلَكَةٍ
تَلُوحُglimmers فِيin دَفْتَرِthe ledger of الأَوْهَامِfancies وَالذُّكَرِand memories
تَلُوحُ فِي دَفْتَرِ الأَوْهَامِ وَالذُّكَرِ
It passed, and nothing of it remained but a brief account,
Glimmering in the ledger of fancies and memories.
وَأَيُّand what بَاقٍlasting thing عَلَىthrough الأَيَّامِthe days نَطْلُبُهُwe seek it
وَأَيُّ بَاقٍ عَلَى الأَيَّامِ نَطْلُبُهُ
وَكُلُّand every وَارِدَةٍarrival يَوْمَاًone day إِلَىtoward صَدَرِdeparture
وَكُلُّ وَارِدَةٍ يَوْمَاً إِلَى صَدَرِ
And what lasting thing do we seek through the days,
When every arrival must one day end in departure?
فَلاso do not تَثِقْtrust بِوَفَاءِin the fidelity of الدَّهْرِtime إِنَّindeed لَهُit has
فَلا تَثِقْ بِوَفَاءِ الدَّهْرِ إِنَّ لَهُ
غَدْراًtreachery يُفَرِّقُseparates بَيْنَbetween الْعُودِthe bough والثَّمَرِand the fruit
غَدْراً يُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ الْعُودِ والثَّمَرِ
So do not trust time's fidelity: it has
Treachery that parts the bough from its fruit.
وَلاand do not تَغُرَّنْكَever deceive you مِنْfrom وَجْهٍa face بَشَاشَتُهُits cheerfulness
وَلا تَغُرَّنْكَ مِنْ وَجْهٍ بَشَاشَتُهُ
فَالسّمُّfor poison يُوجَدُis found فِيin نَضْرٍflourishing growth مِنَof الشَّجَرِtrees
فَالسّمُّ يُوجَدُ فِي نَضْرٍ مِنَ الشَّجَرِ
And do not let the cheerfulness of a face deceive you,
For poison is found in flourishing trees.
قَدْindeed كِدْتُI nearly أُتْهِمُdoubt ظَنِّيmy judgment فِيin فِرَاسَتِهِits discernment
قَدْ كِدْتُ أُتْهِمُ ظَنِّي فِي فِرَاسَتِهِ
مِنْbecause of طُولِthe long duration of مَاthat اشْتَبَهَتْwere confused عَيْنَايَmy two eyes فِيabout الصُّوَرِappearances
مِنْ طُولِ مَا اشْتَبَهَتْ عَيْنَايَ فِي الصُّوَرِ
I have nearly questioned the discernment of my own judgment,
So long have my eyes been confused by appearances.
فَخُذْso take لِنَفْسِكَfor yourself مِنْfrom دُنْيَاكَyour world مَاwhat سَمَحَتْit granted freely
فَخُذْ لِنَفْسِكَ مِنْ دُنْيَاكَ مَا سَمَحَتْ
بِهِwith it إِلَيْكَto you وَكُنْand be مِنْهَاagainst it عَلَىon حَذَرِguard
بِهِ إِلَيْكَ وَكُنْ مِنْهَا عَلَى حَذَرِ
So take for yourself, from your world, whatever it freely grants
To you, and remain on your guard against it.
وَسَالِمِand make peace with الدَّهْرَtime تَسْلَمْyou will be safe مِنْfrom غَوَائِلِهِits calamities
وَسَالِمِ الدَّهْرَ تَسْلَمْ مِنْ غَوَائِلِهِ
فَصَاحِبُfor the companion of الشَّرِّevil لاnot يَنْجُوescapes مِنَfrom الْكَدَرِdistress
فَصَاحِبُ الشَّرِّ لا يَنْجُو مِنَ الْكَدَرِ
And make peace with time, and you will be safe from its calamities;
For evil's companion cannot escape distress.
لاnot يَبْلُغُattains الْمَرْءُa man مَاwhat يَهْوَاهُhe longs for it مِنْof أَرَبٍdesire
لا يَبْلُغُ الْمَرْءُ مَا يَهْوَاهُ مِنْ أَرَبٍ
إِلَّاexcept بِتَرْكِby setting aside الَّذِيwhat يَخْشَاهُhe fears it مِنْof ضَرَرِharm
إِلَّا بِتَرْكِ الَّذِي يَخْشَاهُ مِنْ ضَرَرِ
A man cannot attain the desires he longs for
Except by setting aside the harm he fears.
فَانعَمso live in bliss وَطِبand be glad وَالهُand make merry وَاطرَبand rejoice وَاسعَand strive وَاعلُand rise high وَسُدand rule
فَانعَم وَطِب وَالهُ وَاطرَب وَاسعَ وَاعلُ وَسُد
وَاشْرَبْand drink وَغَنِّand sing وَتِهْand strut وَالْعَبْand play وَهِمْand love madly وَطِرِand fly
وَاشْرَبْ وَغَنِّ وَتِهْ وَالْعَبْ وَهِمْ وَطِرِ
So live in bliss, be glad, make merry, rejoice, strive, rise, and rule;
And drink, sing, strut, play, love madly, and fly.
لاnot يَقْنَطُdespairs الْمَرْءُa man مِنْof غُفْرَانِthe forgiveness of خَالِقِهِhis Creator
لا يَقْنَطُ الْمَرْءُ مِنْ غُفْرَانِ خَالِقِهِ
مَاas long as لَمْnot يَكُنْhe is كَافِرَاًa disbeliever بِالْبَعْثِin resurrection وَالْقَدَرِand divine decree
مَا لَمْ يَكُنْ كَافِرَاً بِالْبَعْثِ وَالْقَدَرِ
A man does not despair of his Creator's forgiveness
So long as he does not disbelieve in resurrection and divine decree.
Sol 6.1