عداكِmay it pass you by الأسىsorrow . إنَّيindeed I لَمْحْتَرِقِtruly burning الحشاthe heart's depths
عداكِ الأسى . إنَّي لَمْحْتَرِقِ الحشا
ومازِلْتُand I still أَشْدوI sing فيin هواكِlove for you وأَطرَبُand I rejoice!
ومازِلْتُ أَشْدو في هواكِ وأَطرَبُ!
May sorrow pass you by; my heart is truly burning.
Except for you, sorrow. Surely I am a tormented lover
And I still sing of my love for you and rejoice!
And I still sing of passion for you and become ecstatic!
وماand not زِلتِyou have ceased عنديto me فِتْنَةًan enchantment عَبْقَرِيَّةًextraordinary
وما زِلتِ عندي فِتْنَةً عَبْقَرِيَّةً
لهاfor her كلَّevery حينِmoment فيin حَنايايَmy heart's recesses مَأُرَبُa desire!
لها كلَّ حينِ في حَنايايَ مَأُرَبُ!
You still remain for me a wondrous enchantment,
You still remain for me an amazing fascination
For whom a longing always lives in my heart's recesses!
That stirs my soul again and again!
وماand not زِلْتُI have ceased أَصْبُوI yearn للْهيامfor passionate love مضىwent onward بِناwith us
وما زِلْتُ أَصْبُو للْهيام مضى بِنا
نَشاوىintoxicated. فماso not نَشْكوwe complain ولاand not نَتَعذَّبُwe suffer!
نَشاوى. فما نَشْكو ولا نَتَعذَّبُ!
And I still yearn for the passion that carried us away,
And I still strive for the passion that carried us away -
Intoxicated, neither complaining nor suffering!
Pleasures for which we neither complain nor suffer!
حياةa life تناءَتْgrew distant واسْتَقَرَّتِand settled بِحُفْرَةٍin a pit
حياة تناءَتْ واسْتَقَرَّتِ بِحُفْرَةٍ
مُفَزَّعةٍterrifying.. نِيرانُهاits fires تَتَلهَّبُblaze..
مُفَزَّعةٍ.. نِيرانُها تَتَلهَّبُ..
A life that grew distant and settled in a pit,
A life that leaned over and settled into
A terrifying one, with its fires ablaze.
A terrifying pit, its fires blazing...
فأَمَّاso as for أناme .. فالصَّرْمُthen the parting كانَwas فَجِيعةًa calamity
فأَمَّا أنا .. فالصَّرْمُ كانَ فَجِيعةً
مُزَلْزِلَةٍshattering يَطْوِيvanquishes بِهاthrough it اللَّيْثَthe lion أَرْنَبُa rabbit!
مُزَلْزِلَةٍ يَطْوِي بِها اللَّيْثَ أَرْنَبُ!
As for me, the parting was a calamity,
As for me... being hit was a painful
So shattering that a rabbit could vanquish a lion!
Devastating blow that makes the lion fold like a rabbit!
وأمَّاand as for التيshe who أَشْقَتْcaused misery فَظَلَّتْthen she remained سعيدةًhappy
وأمَّا التي أَشْقَتْ فَظَلَّتْ سعيدةً
بِشِقْوةِthrough the misery of قَلْبِa heart .. وهيwhile she تَلْهوamuses herself وتَلْعَبُand plays..!
بِشِقْوةِ قَلْبِ .. وهي تَلْهو وتَلْعَبُ..!
While she who made me miserable remained happy
As for she who tormented me, she remained happy
At a heart's misery, amusing herself and playing!
In the misery of a heart that plays and frolics...
عَجِبْتُI marveled لهاat her كانَتْshe used to تَذُوبُmelt صبابَةًwith yearning
عَجِبْتُ لها كانَتْ تَذُوبُ صبابَةً
وتَشْدوand sings بَحُبُّof love مُشْرِقٍradiant غَيْرِnot مُغُرِبِsetting!
وتَشْدو بَحُبُّ مُشْرِقٍ غَيْرِ مُغُرِبِ!
I marveled at her: she used to melt with yearning
I wondered at her - she used to melt with juvenility
And sing of radiant love that never set!
And sing of a rising love that has no setting!
أكانَwas it? لديهاto her الحُبُّlove زَيْفاًa sham وخُدْعَةًand a deception؟!
أكانَ لديها الحُبُّ زَيْفاً وخُدْعَةً؟!
وكانتْand was she لَعُوباًa coquette تَسْتَهِيمُarouses infatuation فَتكْذِبُthen lies؟!
وكانتْ لَعُوباً تَسْتَهِيمُ فَتكْذِبُ؟!
Was love, to her, a sham and a deception?
Did she have false, deceitful love?
Was she a coquette, arousing passion and then lying?
Was she but playing, attacking heedlessly, lying?!
لهاfor her الوَيْلُwoe أدْمَتْshe drew blood. واسْتَحَلَّتْand deemed it lawful. وغادَرتْand departed
لها الوَيْلُ أدْمَتْ. واسْتَحَلَّتْ. وغادَرتْ
وفيand in القَلْبِthe heart منهاfrom her جَذْوةُan ember تَتَلهَّبُblazes
وفي القَلْبِ منها جَذْوةُ تَتَلهَّبُ
Woe to her! She made me bleed, deemed it lawful, and departed,
Woe to her! She has persecuted, made lawful, and left,
And in my heart an ember from her blazes.
While in my heart remains an ember burning from her.
ولوand if كنتْI were ذاpossessed of ذَنْبٍa sin لَهَانتْwould have grown lighter . بَلِيَّتيmy affliction
ولو كنتْ ذا ذَنْبٍ لَهَانتْ . بَلِيَّتي
عليَّupon me . ولكنbut أكُنْI was قَطُّever أُذْنِبُI sin!
عليَّ . ولكن أكُنْ قَطُّ أُذْنِبُ!
Had I been guilty of a sin, my affliction would have been lighter
Had I been guilty, my affliction would be upon me.
Upon me; but I had never sinned!
But am I ever anything but innocent!
أياO حُبُّLove ماليI have no عَنْكَfrom you فيin الأّمْسِyesterday مَهْرَبُescape
أيا حُبُّ مالي عَنْكَ في الأّمْسِ مَهْرَبُ
وياand O حُبُّLove ماليI have no عَنْكَfrom you فيin اليَوْمtoday مَهْرَبُescape!
ويا حُبُّ مالي عَنْكَ في اليَوْم مَهْرَبُ!
O Love, yesterday I had no escape from you;
Oh love, why do I have no escape from you yesterday
And O Love, today I have no escape from you!
Oh love, why do I have no escape from you today?!
كِلاboth اثْنَيَهْماthe two of them كاناthey were شجُوناَsorrows عَصُوفةًtempestuous
كِلا اثْنَيَهْما كانا شجُوناَ عَصُوفةً
عَلَيَّupon me. وماand not أجْدىavailed عَلَيَّfor me الَتَّنكبُavoidance!
عَلَيَّ. وما أجْدى عَلَيَّ الَتَّنكبُ!
Both of them were sorrows sweeping fiercely
Both of them were difficult times, wrathful toward me
Over me; turning aside availed me nothing!
And of no use to avoid them!
تَجَلَّدْتُI steeled myself أَطْويI conceal الحُبَّlove عنfrom كلevery شامِتٍgloater
تَجَلَّدْتُ أَطْوي الحُبَّ عن كل شامِتٍ
فَهَلْso, whether سوفwill يُجْدِbenefit ينيme ويُخْفيand conceal التّنَقُّبُveiling oneself؟!
فَهَلْ سوف يُجْدِ يني ويُخْفي التّنَقُّبُ؟!
I steeled myself, hiding love from every gloater;
I pretended to hide love from every critic -
So will veiling myself help me and keep it hidden?
Will it ever yield fruit or remain hidden?!
وقالتand said فتاةٌa girl ذاتُpossessing حُسْنٍbeauty وعِفَّةٍand chastity
وقالت فتاةٌ ذاتُ حُسْنٍ وعِفَّةٍ
وزانَهُماand adorned them both مِنfrom بعيدafar ذاكِthat التَّحجُّبُveiling!
وزانَهُما مِن بعيد ذاكِ التَّحجُّبُ!
And a girl of beauty and chastity spoke,
And a girl of beauty and chastity said,
And that veiling, from afar, adorned them both:
Weighing them from afar with veil...
عَرَفْتُI knew التيthe woman whom تهْوىyou love . وكَانَتْand she was تَبَطُّراًwanton insolence
عَرَفْتُ التي تهْوى . وكَانَتْ تَبَطُّراً
وكِبْراًand arrogance ومَكْراًand cunning .. فهيso she is ذِئْبٌa wolf وثَعْلَبُand a fox!
وكِبْراً ومَكْراً .. فهي ذِئْبٌ وثَعْلَبُ!
I knew the woman you love; she was wanton insolence,
I knew she who loved and used to dominate -
And arrogance and cunning—a wolf and a fox!
She is a wolf and fox in greatness, pride and cunning!
أَضَلّتْshe led astray كثِيراًmany. فاسْتَبَدَّتْthen tyrannized ودَمَّرَتْand destroyed
أَضَلّتْ كثِيراً. فاسْتَبَدَّتْ ودَمَّرَتْ
وماand not كانwas يَثْنيهاdeters her عنfrom الغَيَّwaywardness مَعْطَبُa deadly peril!
وما كان يَثْنيها عن الغَيَّ مَعْطَبُ!
She led many astray, then tyrannized and destroyed,
She misled many, so she tyrannized and destroyed,
And no peril turned her from her waywardness!
And nothing deters her from straying!
فَقُلْتُso I said لهاto her ياO هذِهِthis woman رُبُّmany a كَوْكَبٍstar
فَقُلْتُ لها يا هذِهِ رُبُّ كَوْكَبٍ
وَضِيءٍradiant طَواهُenfolded it بَعْدafter ذِلِكthat غَيْهَبُdeep darkness!
وَضِيءٍ طَواهُ بَعْد ذِلِك غَيْهَبُ!
So I said to her: Woman, many a star,
So I said: “Oh you, the Lord of a planet
Brightly shining, was later swallowed by deep darkness!
And brightness, engulfed later by disappearance!”
فَلَمْso did not يَلقfind قَلْباًa heart مُشْفِقاَcompassionate . فَهْوَso it is قَسْوَةٌcruelty
فَلَمْ يَلق قَلْباً مُشْفِقاَ . فَهْوَ قَسْوَةٌ
ولمand did not يَلْقfind قَلْباًa heart ثابتاًsteadfast .. فَهْوَso it is قُلَّبُfickle!
ولم يَلْق قَلْباً ثابتاً .. فَهْوَ قُلَّبُ!
It found no compassionate heart—only cruelty;
She did not meet a compassionate heart, for it is cruelty,
Nor did it find a steadfast heart—only fickleness!
Nor a firm heart, for it fluctuates!
وياand oh رُبُّmany a حُسْنٍbeauty مُخْصِبٍfertile. وثِمارُهُand its fruits
ويا رُبُّ حُسْنٍ مُخْصِبٍ. وثِمارُهُ
وأَزْهارُهُand its flowers سُمٌّpoison سَقَتْناهُmade us drink it عَقْرَبُa scorpion!
وأَزْهارُهُ سُمٌّ سَقَتْناهُ عَقْرَبُ!
And oh, many a fertile beauty—its fruits
Oh Lord of fertile beauty, its fruits
And its flowers are poison a scorpion made us drink!
And flowers are a poison we drank from the scorpion!
إذاif كُنْتِyou are تُغْوينَyou mislead الُّسراةَthe night travelers إذاwhen رَنَوْاthey gaze
إذا كُنْتِ تُغْوينَ الُّسراةَ إذا رَنَوْا
إِلَيْكِat you لِيَسْتَهْدواso they may find guidance. فماthen not أَنْتِyou كَوْكبُa star!
إِلَيْكِ لِيَسْتَهْدوا. فما أَنْتِ كَوْكبُ!
If you mislead night travelers when they gaze
If you tempt the infatuated when they incline toward you
At you for guidance, then you are no star!
To guide them, then you are no planet!
فقالتْso she said دَعيleave عَنكِaway from you الهُراءَprattle فإِنَّنيfor indeed I
فقالتْ دَعي عَنكِ الهُراءَ فإِنَّني
بِمَمْلَكتِيin my kingdom هذىthis أَتِيهُI glory وأَعْجَبُand I admire myself..!
بِمَمْلَكتِي هذى أَتِيهُ وأَعْجَبُ..!
She replied: Leave off your prattle, for I
So she said: “Stop this nonsense! I surely
Glory in this kingdom of mine and admire myself!
Come to him crazed in my kingdom and please him...!”
وقدand may يَسْتَويbe equal عِنْديin my eyes المُدِلُّthe proud man بِنَفْسِهof himself
وقد يَسْتَوي عِنْدي المُدِلُّ بِنَفْسِه
بِراعٍto a shepherd حَقيِرٍlowly. كلُّall دُنْياهُhis world سَبْسَبُa barren plain!
بِراعٍ حَقيِرٍ. كلُّ دُنْياهُ سَبْسَبُ!
To me, the man proud of himself may be no different
And in my eyes the beggar who humbles himself
From a lowly shepherd whose whole world is a barren plain!
Is equal to the lowly peasant whose whole world is trifles!
أُذِيقُهُماI make them both taste سوءَthe cruelty of العَذابِtorment فَناشِجٌso one sobbing
أُذِيقُهُما سوءَ العَذابِ فَناشِجٌ
ومُبْتَسِمٌand one smiling مماat what يُلاِقِيhe encounters .. ومُغْضَبُand one angered!
ومُبْتَسِمٌ مما يُلاِقِي .. ومُغْضَبُ!
I make them both taste cruel torment—sobbing,
I make them both taste the bitterness of punishment – indignant
Smiling at what they suffer, and seething with anger!
And smiling at what they face – and angry!
يقودُleads لَدَيَّbefore me المِخْلَبُthe claw الصَّانِعُthat makes الرَّدىdeath
يقودُ لَدَيَّ المِخْلَبُ الصَّانِعُ الرَّدى
فماso not هوhe فَتَاكٌa killer. ولاand not هوhe مِخْلَبُa claw!
فما هو فَتَاكٌ. ولا هو مِخْلَبُ!
The death-dealing claw takes the lead before me,
The conductor of havoc at my side is the claw,
Yet he is no killer, nor is he a claw!
Yet it is no fierce claw, and it is no claws!
ولكِنَّهbut he is العُصْفُورُthe sparrow يُدْمِيهِmakes him bleed صَقْرُهُhis falcon
ولكِنَّه العُصْفُورُ يُدْمِيهِ صَقْرُهُ
فَمأْكَلُهُso its food مِنْهfrom him الهَنِىءُdelicious .. ومَشْرَبُand drink!
فَمأْكَلُهُ مِنْه الهَنِىءُ .. ومَشْرَبُ!
He is instead a sparrow whose falcon bloodies him,
Rather it is the little bird preyed on by its falcon -
So from him come the falcon's delicious food and drink!
Its sustenance from it is comfort...and drink!
وماand not الحُسْنbeauty إلاَّexcept سَطْوَةٌpower وتَنَمُّرٌand bullying
وما الحُسْن إلاَّ سَطْوَةٌ وتَنَمُّرٌ
وماand not هُوit إلاَّexcept مَغْنَمٌspoils وَتَكَسُّبُand profit-seeking.!
وما هُو إلاَّ مَغْنَمٌ وَتَكَسُّبُ.!
Beauty is nothing but power and bullying,
Beauty is nothing but tyranny and aggression -
And it is nothing but spoils and a means of profit!
It is nothing but spoils and gain!
فللعاشِقِso for the lover المُرْتاعِfrightened يَوْمٌa day مُرَفَّهٌcomfortable
فللعاشِقِ المُرْتاعِ يَوْمٌ مُرَفَّهٌ
ولِلْوَاغِلِand for the intruder المَفْتُونِinfatuated يَوْمٌa day عَصَبْصَبُharsh!
ولِلْوَاغِلِ المَفْتُونِ يَوْمٌ عَصَبْصَبُ!
For the frightened lover there is a day of ease,
So for the frightened lover is a dissipated day,
And for the infatuated intruder a day of harsh distress!
And for the infatuated captive is a confusing day!
رَبِيعيmy spring رَبيعٌa spring لاno خَرِيفَautumn وراءَهُafter it
رَبِيعي رَبيعٌ لا خَرِيفَ وراءَهُ
فماso not أناI أخْشاهُI fear it. ولاand not أَتَهَيَّبُI am daunted!
فما أنا أخْشاهُ. ولا أَتَهَيَّبُ!
My spring is a spring with no autumn to follow,
My spring is a spring with no autumn beyond it
So I neither fear it nor feel daunted!
Which I do not fear, and from which I do not shrink!
ومَرَّتْand passed بناover us الأيامُthe days فانْهارَthen collapsed رُكْنُهاher pillar
ومَرَّتْ بنا الأيامُ فانْهارَ رُكْنُها
وماand not عادَreturned يَلْقاهاmeets her الهوىlove والتَّشَبُّبُand amorous verse!
وما عادَ يَلْقاها الهوى والتَّشَبُّبُ!
And the days passed over us, and her pillar collapsed;
The days passed by us, their pillar collapsed,
And love and amorous verse no longer came her way!
And passion and enchantment no longer meet them!
وماand not عادَreturned يُجْديهاbenefits her الشموخُhaughtiness مُنَدَّداًdenounced
وما عادَ يُجْديها الشموخُ مُنَدَّداً
عَصُوفاًtempestuous.. وبَزَّتْهاand surpassed her الرَّبابُal-Rabab وزَينَبُand Zaynab!
عَصُوفاً.. وبَزَّتْها الرَّبابُ وزَينَبُ!
Nor did her haughtiness avail her any longer, denounced
Haughtiness, indignant and defiant, no longer benefits them -
And tempestuous; al-Rabab and Zaynab outshone her!
The pastures and the Zainabs* have adorned them!
بَكَتْshe wept وانْحَنَتْand bowed low تَبْكيshe weeps .. وياand oh رُبَّmany a مَدْمَعteardrop
بَكَتْ وانْحَنَتْ تَبْكي .. ويا رُبَّ مَدْمَع
يَسيلُflows فَيَشْفيthen heals رَبَّهُits owner حِينwhen يُسْكَبُis shed!
يَسيلُ فَيَشْفي رَبَّهُ حِين يُسْكَبُ!
She wept and bowed low, weeping—and oh, many a tear
She wept and bowed weeping... Oh Lord, a tear
Flows and heals its owner as it is shed!
Flowed to heal its Lord when poured out!
ومَجَّدْتُand I glorified رَبَّيmy Lord يَوْمهاon that day مُتَزَلَّفاًseeking favor
ومَجَّدْتُ رَبَّي يَوْمها مُتَزَلَّفاً
إليهto Him فإنَّيfor indeed I ضاحِكٌlaughing. وهيwhile she تنْدُبُshe laments!
إليه فإنَّي ضاحِكٌ. وهي تنْدُبُ!
And that day I glorified my Lord, seeking to draw near
And I glorified my Lord on that day, groveling before Him,
To Him, for I was laughing while she lamented!
For I am laughing while she mourns!
أأُسطورَةٌis it a fable? هذىthis.. وإلاَّor else حَقِيقَةٌa reality؟!
أأُسطورَةٌ هذى.. وإلاَّ حَقِيقَةٌ؟!
وهَلْand whether أَناI لاهٍa trifler فيin الهوىlove .. أَمْor مُجَرَّبُexperienced؟!
وهَلْ أَنا لاهٍ في الهوى .. أَمْ مُجَرَّبُ؟!
Is this a fable, or a reality?
Is this a myth...or reality?
And am I a trifler in love, or one seasoned by experience?
Am I crazed in love...or experienced?!
Sol 6.1