ضمانةٌa chronic affliction يَصدُقcomes true وعدُthe promise of الضناwasting sickness
ضمانةٌ يَصدُق وعدُ الضنا
فيهاwithin it جناهاbrought it on الطَمَعُhope الكاذبُfalse
فيها جناها الطَمَعُ الكاذبُ
A chronic affliction—wasting sickness keeps its promise
A promise in which the deceitful hope
within it; false hope has brought it on.
Believes its lying promise
عادreturned بهاwith it اليومُtoday جديدَrenewed in الهوىlove
عاد بها اليومُ جديدَ الهوى
وقدwhile already تولَّىdeparted أمسُهاits yesterday الذاهبُdeparting
وقد تولَّى أمسُها الذاهبُ
Today has returned with it, its love renewed,
It returned today, renewed in passion
while its departing yesterday has passed away.
While yesterday took its leave
أيّةwhat a نارٍfire قَدَحتْkindled فيin الحشاthe breast
أيّة نارٍ قَدَحتْ في الحشا
عينُthe eye of مَهاةٍan oryx نَندُهاits fragrant wood ثاقبُblazing
عينُ مَهاةٍ نَندُها ثاقبُ
What a fire has been kindled in my breast
What fire has kindled in the thickets
by an oryx's eye—its fragrant wood ablaze!
With the keen eye of a wild animal
وأيُّand what a ثغرٍmouth ولَمىًand dusky lips صادنيensnared me
وأيُّ ثغرٍ ولَمىً صادني
نابلُthe archer of قلبيmy heart بهماwith them both الصائبُunerring
نابلُ قلبي بهما الصائبُ
And what a mouth and dusky lips! I was snared
What cheek and soft glance wounded me
by my heart's unerring archer, using both.
My heart pierced by them both
حُبّاًlove! لهfor it منof بَرَدٍhail جامدٍfrozen
حُبّاً له من بَرَدٍ جامدٍ
يقطُرُdrips منهfrom it ضَرَبٌwhite honey ذائبُmelted
يقطُرُ منه ضَرَبٌ ذائبُ
How I love it, that frozen hail,
In love of him, from solid ice
from which melted honey drips!
Melting drops flow
اللهَGod ياO خنساءKhansa فيconcerning مهجةٍa soul
اللهَ يا خنساء في مهجةٍ
أنتِyou بهاconcerning it الثائرُthe avenger والطالبُand the claimant
أنتِ بها الثائرُ والطالبُ
For God's sake, Khansa, have mercy on a soul
O Khansa, by the passion in your nature
for which you are the avenger and claimant.
You are the rebel and the seeker
إنif كنتِyou were حرَّمتِyou forbade وصاليunion with me فمنthen from
إن كنتِ حرَّمتِ وصالي فمن
أينwhere دمِيmy blood حِلٌّlawful لكمfor you all واجبdue
أين دمِي حِلٌّ لكم واجب
If you have forbidden union with me, then from
If you have forbidden my desire
where comes your lawful, binding claim to my blood?
Whence is my blood made lawful to you
سليask سهامَthe arrows of الشوقِlonging عنabout أضلعيmy ribs
سلي سهامَ الشوقِ عن أضلعي
إنif صدَقتْspoke truly عينُكِyour eye والحاجبُand the eyebrow
إن صدَقتْ عينُكِ والحاجبُ
Ask the arrows of longing about my ribs,
Send the arrows of longing into my ribs
if your eye and eyebrow speak truly:
If your eye and brow speak truth
مَنْwho مُوقِدُthe kindler of النارِthe fire وقدthough already أُخمِدتْit was extinguished
مَنْ مُوقِدُ النارِ وقد أُخمِدتْ
علىupon فؤاديmy heart ومَنand who الحاطبُthe firewood-gatherer
على فؤادي ومَن الحاطبُ
who kindles the fire, though it has been quenched,
Who kindled the fire, now extinguished
upon my heart—and who gathers the firewood?
Upon my heart - who is the arsonist?
Sol 6.1