وَعَشيٍّand an evening كأَنَّهas though it were صبحُmorning عيدٍa feast day
وَعَشيٍّ كأَنَّه صبحُ عيدٍ
جامعٍuniting بَينَbetween بَهجَةٍdelight وَشحوبِand pallor
جامعٍ بَينَ بَهجَةٍ وَشحوبِ
And an evening like a feast-day morning,
An evening as if it were the morn of Eid
uniting delight with pallor.
Bringing joy and melancholy together
هبَّblew فيهin it النَسيمُthe breeze مثلlike محبٍّa lover
هبَّ فيه النَسيمُ مثل محبٍّ
مستعيراًborrowing شَمائلgraces المَحبوبthe beloved
مستعيراً شَمائل المَحبوب
The breeze blew there like a lover,
The breeze blows gently like a lover
borrowing the beloved’s graces.
Borrowing the features of the beloved
ظلتُI remained فيهin it ماemphatic particle بينbetween شَمسينtwo suns هذىthis one
ظلتُ فيه ما بين شَمسين هذى
فيin طلوعٍrising وَهذهand this one فيin غروبsetting
في طلوعٍ وَهذه في غروب
I remained there between two suns: this one
I remained as between two suns in ecstasy
rising, and the other setting.
One rising, the other setting
وَتَدَلَّتand sank low شَمسُthe sun الأَصيلlate afternoon وَلَكِنand yet
وَتَدَلَّت شَمسُ الأَصيل وَلَكِن
شمسناour sun لَمdid not تزلcease to be بأَعلىat the top of الجيوبthe garment necklines
شمسنا لَم تزل بأَعلى الجيوب
And the late-afternoon sun sank low, yet
The real sun set but our sun
our sun was still above the necklines.
Remained at the highest horizon
ربِّmy Lord هَذاthis one خلقتهYou created him منof بَديعٍa marvel
ربِّ هَذا خلقته من بَديعٍ
مَنwho رأىhas seen الشمسthe sun أُطلعتwas made to rise فيin قَضيبa slender bough
مَن رأى الشمس أُطلعت في قَضيب
My Lord, how wondrous is this one You created!
Lord, You created this from perfect grace
Who has seen the sun made to rise in a slender bough?
One who saw the sun rise on a stick
أَيّwhat a وَقتٍtime قَدindeed أَسعفlent aid الدَهرُfate فيهin it
أَيّ وَقتٍ قَد أَسعف الدَهرُ فيه
وَأَجابَتand responded بهin it المنىwishes عَنafter قَريبa short while
وَأَجابَت به المنى عَن قَريب
What a time, when fate lent its aid
What time did fate oblige so well
and wishes soon came true within it!
Fulfilling hopes swiftly
قَدindeed قطعناهwe spent it نشوةًintoxication وَوصالاًand lovers’ union
قَد قطعناه نشوةً وَوصالاً
وَملأناهand we filled it منwith كبارmajor الذُنوبsins
وَملأناه من كبار الذُنوب
We spent it in intoxication and lovers’ union,
We spent it in bliss and union
and filled it with major sins,
Filling it with terrible sins
حينَwhen وَجهُthe face السعودgood fortune بالبشرwith cheer
حينَ وَجهُ السعود بالبشر
طَلقٌradiant لَيسَthere is no فيهin it أَمارةٌa sign للقطوبof frowning
طَلقٌ لَيسَ فيه أَمارةٌ للقطوب
when the face of good fortune, full of cheer,
When good fortune brought glad tidings
was radiant, with no sign of a frown.
Unrestrained, with no signs of distress
ضيّعmay forsake اللَهGod مَنwhoever يضيّعsquanders وَقتاًa moment
ضيّع اللَه مَن يضيّع وَقتاً
قَدindeed خَلاwas free منof مكدِّرٍa spoilsport وَرَقيبand a watcher
قَد خَلا من مكدِّرٍ وَرَقيب
May God forsake whoever squanders a moment
May God destroy one who wastes such a time
free of any spoilsport or watcher.
Free of all that troubles and spies
Sol 6.1