ياO حُلْوتيmy sweet one لوif كُنْتِyou had غازَلْتِنيyou courted me
يا حُلْوتي لو كُنْتِ غازَلْتِني
قَبْلَbefore مَشِيبيmy graying hair لَرَأَيْتِyou would have seen العُجابْwonders!
قَبْلَ مَشِيبي لَرَأَيْتِ العُجابْ!
My sweet one, if you had courted me
O my sweetness, had you flirted with me
before my hair turned gray, you would have seen wonders!
Before my hair turned white, you would have seen wonders!
لكُنتِyou would have أَفْضَيْتِyou reached إلىto نَشْوَةٍecstasy
لكُنتِ أَفْضَيْتِ إلى نَشْوَةٍ
تُنْسِكِmakes you forget بالبَهْجَةِthrough joy نَهْجَthe path الصوابْright conduct!
تُنْسِكِ بالبَهْجَةِ نَهْجَ الصوابْ!
You would have reached an ecstasy
I would have surrendered to ecstasy
whose joy would make you forget the path of right conduct!
That would have guided me to the path of righteousness!
فإِنَّنيfor indeed I كُنْتُI was الفتىthe youth عارِماًuntamed
فإِنَّني كُنْتُ الفتى عارِماً
يَفْتَرِعُhe scales الذُّرْوَةَthe summit رَغْمَdespite الصِّعابْthe hardships!
يَفْتَرِعُ الذُّرْوَةَ رَغْمَ الصِّعابْ!
For I was a youth of untamed force,
For I was a raging young man
scaling the summit despite hardships!
Who seized the peak despite difficulties!
عُروقُهُhis veins تَحْوىcontain دَماًblood لاهِباًblazing
عُروقُهُ تَحْوى دَماً لاهِباً
يَجْريit flows بِهاthrough them مُكْتَسِحاًsweeping through كلَّevery بابْgate!
يَجْري بِها مُكْتَسِحاً كلَّ بابْ!
His veins held blazing blood,
His veins contained fiery blood
coursing through them, sweeping through every gate!
That flowed through them conquering every door!
يالَoh, the wonder of شَبابيmy youth مِنof لَظًىa blaze مُحْرِقٍscorching
يالَ شَبابي مِن لَظًى مُحْرِقٍ
أَذْهَلَنيit stunned me.. أَذْهَلَit stunned كُلَّall الكِعابْthe nubile maidens!
أَذْهَلَني.. أَذْهَلَ كُلَّ الكِعابْ!
Oh, the scorching blaze of my youth!
Oh my youth, with burning ardency
It stunned me—it stunned every nubile maiden!
That dazzled me.. dazzled all cowards!
قُلْنَthey said وقدand already شاهَدْنَهُthey saw him عَاصِفاًraging
قُلْنَ وقد شاهَدْنَهُ عَاصِفاً
ماذاwhat بِهِwith him؟! ياO سِحْرَmagic of هذاthis الشَّبابْyouth!
ماذا بِهِ؟! يا سِحْرَ هذا الشَّبابْ!
They said, having seen him raging,
Tell me, after seeing him raging
"What has come over him? Oh, the magic of this youth!"
What was he like?! The magic of this youth!
ورُحْنَand they went on يَحْلَمْنَthey dream بِحُلْوِof sweet الرُّؤىvisions
ورُحْنَ يَحْلَمْنَ بِحُلْوِ الرُّؤى
بِهof him.. ويُكْثِرْنَand they increase عليهupon him الطِّلابْtheir pursuit!
بِه.. ويُكْثِرْنَ عليه الطِّلابْ!
And they went on dreaming sweet visions
And they dreamed of the sweetness of visions
of him, pursuing him ever more!
Of him.. and multiplied their wishes for him!
وهوand he قَرِيرٌcontent بالهَوىin love جارِحاًwounding
وهو قَرِيرٌ بالهَوى جارِحاً
أَفْئِدَةَhearts of الغِيدِgraceful women.. كماضِيlike keen-edged الحِرابْspears!
أَفْئِدَةَ الغِيدِ.. كماضِي الحِرابْ!
While he, content in love, was wounding
While he flirted mischievously
the hearts of graceful women like keen-edged spears!
Ravaging the hearts of maidens.. like the speed of swords!
تَعِيْثُrun riot فيin أَحْشائِهنُtheir entrails المُنىlongings
تَعِيْثُ في أَحْشائِهنُ المُنى
وهُنَّand they يَسْعَدْنَrejoice بِهذاin this العذابْtorment!
وهُنَّ يَسْعَدْنَ بِهذا العذابْ!
Longings ran riot in their entrails,
He sowed bliss in their bosoms
and they rejoiced in this torment!
And they were happy with this torment!
أَحْلىsweetest المُنىhopes كانَwas مِنْهاfrom them النَّوىseparation
أَحْلى المُنى كانَ مِنْها النَّوى
بُشْرىglad tidings بِوَصْلِof union حافِلٍabounding بالثَّوابْin reward!
بُشْرى بِوَصْلِ حافِلٍ بالثَّوابْ!
Parting from them was the sweetest of hopes—
The sweetest bliss was their intention
glad tidings of a union rich in reward!
Of good tidings of a fulfilling union!
قالتْshe said وقدand already رَاوَدَنيbeguiled me طَيْفُهاher phantom
قالتْ وقد رَاوَدَني طَيْفُها
منfrom صَحْوَتيmy wakefulness بَيْنَamong عَدِيدِmany الصِّحابْcompanions!
من صَحْوَتي بَيْنَ عَدِيدِ الصِّحابْ!
She said, as her phantom lured me
She said to me when her apparition seduced me
from wakefulness amid many companions—
From my sobriety among many friends!
وهيand she التيwho تَسْحَرُbewitches أَعْيُنَeyes of النُّهىreason
وهي التي تَسْحَرُ أَعْيُنَ النُّهى
وهيand she التيwho تَخْطُرُwalks gracefully فَوْقَabove السَّحابْthe clouds!
وهي التي تَخْطُرُ فَوْقَ السَّحابْ!
she who bewitches the eyes of reason,
She who enchants the eyes of modesty
she who strides above the clouds:
She who hovers above the clouds!
ماذاwhat؟! ألاdo you not تَعْرِفُknow أنِّيthat I التيam she who
ماذا؟! ألا تَعْرِفُ أنِّي التي
مِنfrom دُونِapart from كُلِّall الفاتِناتِthe alluring women اللُّبابْthe choicest essence؟!
مِن دُونِ كُلِّ الفاتِناتِ اللُّبابْ؟!
"What? Do you not know that I am she
What?! Do you not know that I am she
who is the choicest of all alluring women?
Beyond all the elegant ladies?!
ماwhat لَكَis with you عَنِّيaway from me هكذاlike this مُعْرِضٌturning away؟!
ما لَكَ عَنِّي هكذا مُعْرِضٌ؟!
والنَّاسُand people. كلُّall النَّاسِpeople مِنِّيwith me غِضابْangry؟!
والنَّاسُ. كلُّ النَّاسِ مِنِّي غِضابْ؟!
Why are you turning away from me like this,
Why do you spurn me so?!
when people—all people—are angry with me?
And people, all people are angry with me?!
كأَنَّنيas though I were الشَّهْدُhoney حَلاwas sweet صَافِياًpure
كأَنَّني الشَّهْدُ حَلا صَافِياً
فاجْتَمعُواso they gathered مِنfrom حَوْلِهِaround it كالذُّبابْlike flies!
فاجْتَمعُوا مِن حَوْلِهِ كالذُّبابْ!
As though I were honey, sweet and pure,
It is as if I were pure, limpid honey
so they gathered around it like flies!
And they gathered around me like flies!
يَشْكُونَthey complain مِنِّيfrom me الصَّدَّrejection لكِنَّنيbut I
يَشْكُونَ مِنِّي الصَّدَّ لكِنَّني
أَرْخَيْتُI lowered –فانْجابُواso they dispersed صَفيقَthick الحِجابْthe veil!
أَرْخَيْتُ –فانْجابُوا صَفيقَ الحِجابْ!
They complain of my rejection, but I
They complain of my aloofness, but I
let fall the thick veil—and they dispersed!
Loosened - so they buzzed behind the veil!
لمdid not أَحْتَفِلْI pay heed إلاexcept بِمُرِّto the bitterness of الهَوىlove
لم أَحْتَفِلْ إلا بِمُرِّ الهَوى
هَواكَlove for you هذاthis.. بَعْدَafter عَذْبِsweet الشَّرابْthe drink!
هَواكَ هذا.. بَعْدَ عَذْبِ الشَّرابْ!
I paid heed only to love's bitterness—
I did not celebrate except the bitterness of love
this love for you, after the sweet draught!
Your love.. after the sweetness of the drink!
فاصْدَعْso proclaim بِحُبِّيwith love for me إنَّنيindeed I جَدْوَلٌa stream
فاصْدَعْ بِحُبِّي إنَّني جَدْوَلٌ
صافٍclear. وأَخْدانكَand your lovers مِثْلُlike السَّرابْa mirage!
صافٍ. وأَخْدانكَ مِثْلُ السَّرابْ!
So proclaim your love for me: I am a stream,
So proclaim your love, I am a brook
clear, while your lovers are like a mirage!"
Clear. And your expectations are like mirages!
قُلْتُI said لهاto her ياO حُلْوَتيmy sweet one. ياO جَنىfruit of
قُلْتُ لها يا حُلْوَتي. يا جَنى
رَوْضٍa garden نَضِيرٍlush.. أَنْتِyou مِثْلُlike الشِّهابْa meteor!
رَوْضٍ نَضِيرٍ.. أَنْتِ مِثْلُ الشِّهابْ!
I said to her, "My sweet one, O fruit
I said to her, O my sweetness, O delight
of a lush garden, you are like a meteor,
Of a meadow.. you are like a shooting star!
مُسْتَعْلِياًrising high منfrom أُفُقٍa horizon شاهقٍlofty
مُسْتَعْلِياً من أُفُقٍ شاهقٍ
مُنْتَشِياًintoxicated بالحُسْنِwith beauty غَضِّfresh الإِهابْof skin!
مُنْتَشِياً بالحُسْنِ غَضِّ الإِهابْ!
rising high from a lofty horizon,
Rising high from a lofty horizon
intoxicated with beauty, fresh of skin!
Spreading beauty, removing the veil!
منfrom خُيَلاءٍconceit يَسْتَوِيit rises لاهِياًtoying..
من خُيَلاءٍ يَسْتَوِي لاهِياً..
بالشَّجْوِwith sorrow.. ماnothing لِلشَّجْوِfor sorrow إلاَّexcept التَّبابْruin!
بالشَّجْوِ.. ما لِلشَّجْوِ إلاَّ التَّبابْ!
Out of conceit it rises, toying
With arrogance, equal in vanity..
with sorrow—sorrow has nothing but ruin!
With passion.. for passion only brings confusion!
وماand nothing لَهُfor it غَيْرُother than النَّوىseparation والقِلاand loathing..
وما لَهُ غَيْرُ النَّوى والقِلا..
وماand nothing لَهُfor it غَيْرُother than ضَنًىwasting sickness واكْتِئابْand despondency!
وما لَهُ غَيْرُ ضَنًى واكْتِئابْ!
And it has nothing but separation and loathing,
It has nothing but longing and nightly whispers..
and nothing but wasting sickness and despondency!
It has nothing but grief and melancholy!
ولَسْتُand I am not مِنamong هذاthese الذُّبابِflies الذيthat
ولَسْتُ مِن هذا الذُّبابِ الذي
أَشْقَيْتِهِyou made it wretched.. عَرَّضْتِهِyou exposed it لِلْخَرابْto ruin!
أَشْقَيْتِهِ.. عَرَّضْتِهِ لِلْخَرابْ!
And I am not one of those flies whom
And I am not one of those flies
you have made wretched and exposed to ruin!
Whom you have made wretched.. brought to ruin!
أَمْسىit became عَمِيّاًblind ماnot يَرىit sees دَرْبَهُits path..
أَمْسى عَمِيّاً ما يَرى دَرْبَهُ..
كيفhow؟! وقدand already خَيَّمَsettled فيهin it الضَّبابْthe fog؟!
كيف؟! وقد خَيَّمَ فيه الضَّبابْ؟!
They have gone blind, unable to see their path—
Who have become blind, unable to see their path..
how could they, when fog has settled over it?
How?! When the fog has descended upon them?!
فلاso not ذَهاباًa departure يَرْتَجيit hopes for سالِماًsafe
فلا ذَهاباً يَرْتَجي سالِماً
وماand not لَهُfor it عِنْدَكِwith you حُسْنُgoodness of المآبْreturn!
وما لَهُ عِنْدَكِ حُسْنُ المآبْ!
They cannot hope for a safe departure,
So there is no safe return they hope for
nor is there a happy return for them with you!
And they have no grace with you!
دَعِيleave فُؤادِيmy heart. إنَّهُindeed it قانِعٌcontent
دَعِي فُؤادِي. إنَّهُ قانِعٌ
بِحَظِّهِwith its share مِنof زَيْنَبٍZaynab والرَّبابْand al-Rabab!
بِحَظِّهِ مِن زَيْنَبٍ والرَّبابْ!
Leave my heart alone: it is content
Leave my heart be. It is content
with its share of Zaynab and al-Rabab!
With its share of Zainab and Rabab!
هُماthe two of them. وسِرْبٌand a flock ناعِمٌdelicate يَشْتَهيdesires
هُما. وسِرْبٌ ناعِمٌ يَشْتَهي
هَوايَmy love.. قدmay يُخْطِىءُerr فيهin it الحِسابُthe reckoning!
هَوايَ.. قد يُخْطِىءُ فيه الحِسابُ!
The two of them, and a delicate flock, desire
They, and a soft flock that desires
my love—one could err in counting them!
My love.. the count may err in it!
وأَنْتِand you.. قدmay يَغْدوbecome الذُّبابُthe flies الذيthat
وأَنْتِ.. قد يَغْدو الذُّبابُ الذي
صَدَدْتِهِyou spurned it.. يُقْذِيهِirritates it مِنْكِfrom you الرُّضابُsweet saliva!
صَدَدْتِهِ.. يُقْذِيهِ مِنْكِ الرُّضابُ!
And you—it may be that the flies whom
While you.. the flies you repelled
you spurned find your sweet saliva repellent!
May one day sting you.. the slap!
فَلْتَحْذَرِيهِso beware of it.. رُبَّmany a مُسْتَوْحِشٍwild creature
فَلْتَحْذَرِيهِ.. رُبَّ مُسْتَوْحِشٍ
يَنْهشُbites فيinto جِسْمِكِyour body نَهْشَthe biting of الذِّئابْwolves!
يَنْهشُ في جِسْمِكِ نَهْشَ الذِّئابْ!
So beware of them: many a wild creature
So beware of them.. for many a lonely one
bites into your body as wolves bite!
Can gnaw your body with the bite of wolves!
أَخْشىI fear احْتِراقيmy burning منby شِهابٍa meteor
أَخْشى احْتِراقي من شِهابٍ
يرىit sees ماwhat تَحْتَهُbeneath it إلاexcept الهَشيمَthe tinder المُذابْmolten
يرى ما تَحْتَهُ إلا الهَشيمَ المُذابْ
I fear being burned by a meteor
I fear burning by a shooting star
that sees all beneath it as nothing but molten tinder!"
That sees beneath it only molten debris!
بَكَتْshe wept.. ولكِنِّيbut I ارْتَضَيْتُI chose الطَّوىhunger
بَكَتْ.. ولكِنِّي ارْتَضَيْتُ الطَّوى
عنrather than شِبَعٍsatiety يُلصِقُنيpins me بالتُّرابْto the dust
عن شِبَعٍ يُلصِقُني بالتُّرابْ
She wept, but I chose hunger
She wept.. but I chose patience
over fullness that would pin me to the dust.
Over satiation that would stick me to the dust
أوَّاهِalas مِنfor شَيْخُوخَةٍold age لاتَنيnever ceases
أوَّاهِ مِن شَيْخُوخَةٍ لاتَني
تَجْعَلُmakes مِنِّيfrom me الشَّدْوَsinging مِثْلَlike النُّعابْcawing!
تَجْعَلُ مِنِّي الشَّدْوَ مِثْلَ النُّعابْ!
Alas for old age, which never ceases
Oh what decrepitude has afflicted me
turning my singing into cawing!
That makes my voice like the croaking of crows!
كُنْتُI was هِزاراًa nightingale شادِياًsinging.. مُطْرِباenchanting
كُنْتُ هِزاراً شادِياً.. مُطْرِبا
وعُدْتُand I became مِنْهاbecause of it ناعِقاًcawing كالغُرابْlike a crow!
وعُدْتُ مِنْها ناعِقاً كالغُرابْ!
I was a nightingale, singing and enchanting,
I was playful and joyous.. delightful
and through it became a croaker like a crow!
And I became from it a squawker like the raven!
لوif كُنْتُI were مِثْلَlike الأَمْسِyesterday ماnot شَفَّنِيwore me thin
لو كُنْتُ مِثْلَ الأَمْسِ ما شَفَّنِي
حُسْنٌbeauty. ولاnor أَثْخَنَgrievously wounded رُوحيmy soul الضِّرابْblows!
حُسْنٌ. ولا أَثْخَنَ رُوحي الضِّرابْ!
If I were as I was yesterday, I would not be worn thin
If I were like yesterday, beauty would not have healed me
by beauty, nor would blows grievously wound my soul!
Nor would the blow have pierced my soul!
ولمand not أَكُنْI would be أُغْضِيturn a blind eye إذاif مَسَّنيtouched me
ولم أَكُنْ أُغْضِي إذا مَسَّني
مِنfrom العواديassailants جَنَفٌinjustice أَوْor سِبابْinsults!
مِن العوادي جَنَفٌ أَوْ سِبابْ!
Nor would I turn a blind eye if I were touched
I would not frown if adversity touched me
by injustice or insults from assailants!
Whether insult or abuse!
لكِنَّهُbut it is الدَّهْرُtime.. وياand oh وَيْلَتاwoe to me..
لكِنَّهُ الدَّهْرُ.. ويا وَيْلَتا..
مِنْهfrom it فقدfor indeed أَوْجَعَنيit pained me بالمُصابْwith calamity!
مِنْه فقد أَوْجَعَني بالمُصابْ!
But it is time—oh, woe to me
But it is time.. and woe is me..
at its hands, for it has pained me with calamity!
From it I have been pained with affliction!
ولَيْسَand there is not ليfor me إلاexcept اصْطِبارِيmy patient endurance علىof
ولَيْسَ لي إلا اصْطِبارِي على
سِرْدابِهِits cellar المُظْلِمِdark بَعْدafter القِيابْdomes (uncertain reading)!
سِرْدابِهِ المُظْلِمِ بَعْد القِيابْ!
And I have only my patient endurance of
I have nothing left but to be patient with
its dark cellar, after the domes!
Its dark tunnel after burial!
تَبارَكَblessed be اللهُGod.. فَكَمso how many ضَيِّقٍa narrow place
تَبارَكَ اللهُ.. فَكَم ضَيِّقٍ
نَأْلَفُهُwe grow used to it بَعْدafter وَسِيعspacious الرِّحابْcourtyards!
نَأْلَفُهُ بَعْد وَسِيع الرِّحابْ!
Blessed be God! How many a narrow place
Blessed is God.. for how narrow
we grow used to after spacious courtyards!
Is what we grow accustomed to after spaciousness!
لَيْسَit is not عُجاباًa wonder أُلْفَتِيmy familiarity لِلأَسىwith sorrow
لَيْسَ عُجاباً أُلْفَتِي لِلأَسى
وهوand it ضجيعيmy bedfellow.. فالنُّفُورso aversion العُجابْthe wonder!
وهو ضجيعي.. فالنُّفُور العُجابْ!
It is no wonder I am accustomed to sorrow,
It is no wonder I grew accustomed to sorrow
for it is my bedfellow; the wonder would be shunning it!
While it is my companion.. aversion is wonder!
هذاthis أَناI. إِنِّيindeed I أَلِفْتُhave grown used to الضَّنىwasting sickness
هذا أَنا. إِنِّي أَلِفْتُ الضَّنى
بعدafter الغِلابِconquest التَّمِّcomplete. بعدafter الوِثابْleaping!
بعد الغِلابِ التَّمِّ. بعد الوِثابْ!
This is who I am: I have grown used to wasting sickness
This is me. I have become familiar with grief
after complete conquest, after bounding leaps!
After the complete victory. After the leap!
Sol 6.1