عِشِيَّةone evening لاقَيْتُI met المليحةَthe beautiful woman فيin الدُّجىthe darkness
عِشِيَّة لاقَيْتُ المليحةَ في الدُّجى
فقالتْso she said أماis it not يَخْفىis hidden عليكfrom you مَكانيmy whereabouts؟!
فقالتْ أما يَخْفى عليك مَكاني؟!
One evening I met the beautiful woman in the darkness.
One evening I met the beautiful maiden in the twilight
She said: Aren't my whereabouts hidden from you?!
She said, "Don't you know where I live?!"
فقلتُso I said بلىyes لكنَّbut ليI have بينbetween أضلُعيmy ribs
فقلتُ بلى لكنَّ لي بين أضلُعي
عُيوناًeyes تُرِينيthat show me جَدْوليmy brook وجِنانيand my gardens!
عُيوناً تُرِيني جَدْولي وجِناني!
I said: Yes, but between my ribs I have
I said, "Yes, but within my ribs I have eyes
Eyes that show me my brook and my gardens!
That show me my stream and gardens!"
وأَنْتِand you هُماboth.. أنتِyou التيwho لاnot تُرٍيحنيyou relieve me
وأَنْتِ هُما.. أنتِ التي لا تُرٍيحني
بِوَصْلٍthrough union . ولاnor تُشقْىyou suffer بِقطْعby cutting عِنانيmy reins!
بِوَصْلٍ . ولا تُشقْى بِقطْع عِناني!
And you are both—you who give me no relief
And you are...you are the one who gives me no rest
Through union, nor suffer at cutting my reins!
With union, nor misery by severing my ties!
تَدَفَّقflowed إِلهاميmy inspiration منfrom شَكاةَa complaint فحاوِليso try
تَدَفَّق إِلهامي من شَكاةَ فحاوِلي
تَدَفُّقَهits flow بالحَمْدِthrough praise بِضْعَa few ثَوانيseconds!
تَدَفُّقَه بالحَمْدِ بِضْعَ ثَواني!
My inspiration flowed from complaint; so try
My inspiration flows from the fountain of creation
Making it flow with praise for a few seconds!
Try to match its flow with praise for a few moments!
فَقالتْso she said سَتلْقانيyou will find me الحَفِيَّةَthe devoted one بالهوىto love
فَقالتْ سَتلْقاني الحَفِيَّةَ بالهوى
هَواكَyour love. ولاand not أصْبوI yearn إلىfor عاشِقٍa lover ثانيsecond!
هَواكَ. ولا أصْبو إلى عاشِقٍ ثاني!
She said: You will find me devoted to love—
She said, "Passion will meet me for your love
Your love—and I yearn for no second lover!
And I long for no other lover!"
أَلسْتَare you not الذيthe one who يُزْجِيsends forth القوافِيthe rhymes شُرَّعاًpoised to strike
أَلسْتَ الذي يُزْجِي القوافِي شُرَّعاً
فَتَفْعَلُso they do ماwhat لاnot يَفْعَلُdoes اللَّهْذَمُthe keen spear القانيcrimson؟!
فَتَفْعَلُ ما لا يَفْعَلُ اللَّهْذَمُ القاني؟!
Are you not the one who sends rhymes forth, poised to strike,
"Are you not the one who unfurls the rhymes
So they do what the crimson, keen spear cannot?!
And does what the expert composer cannot do?!"
أَلسْتَare you not الذيthe one who يُمْسيpasses the evening ويُصْبحُand passes the morning شادِياًsinging
أَلسْتَ الذي يُمْسي ويُصْبحُ شادِياً
بِحُبَّيof my love. ولوeven if ألْقَيْتُهI cast him بَيْنamong نِيرانِfires؟!
بِحُبَّي. ولو ألْقَيْتُه بَيْن نِيرانِ؟!
Are you not the one who sings at evening and morning
"Are you not the one who wakes and sleeps elated
Of my love, even if I cast him amid flames?!
With my love, even if I cast it into fires?!"
أَلسْتَare you not الذيthe one who عافَspurned الحِسانَthe beauties وبرَّنيand honored me
أَلسْتَ الذي عافَ الحِسانَ وبرَّني
بِحُبَّwith love شجانيthat moved me .. واصْطَفانيand singled me out بألْحانِwith melodies؟!
بِحُبَّ شجاني .. واصْطَفاني بألْحانِ؟!
Are you not the one who spurned the beauties and honored me
"Are you not the one who was virtuous and loyal to me
With love that moved me, and singled me out with melodies?!
With the love of my ardour and chose me with melodies?!"
فقلتُso I said رعاكِmay He guard you اللهGod . ياO ذاتَpossessor of بَهْجَتيmy joy
فقلتُ رعاكِ الله . يا ذاتَ بَهْجَتي
وياand O سِرَّsecret of إْلهاميmy inspiration. وصَبْوَةَand yearning of أشْجانيmy sorrows!
ويا سِرَّ إْلهامي. وصَبْوَةَ أشْجاني!
I said: May God guard you, O source of my joy,
So I said, "God bless you, O essence of my delight
And O secret of my inspiration, yearning of my sorrows!
And secret of my inspiration and fervour of my passions!"
فماfor ... not أَنْتِyou ليto me إلاَّexcept الحياةُlife فإنْso if نَأَتْit draws away
فما أَنْتِ لي إلاَّ الحياةُ فإنْ نَأَتْ
تَلاشَيْتُI faded away واسْتَخْذىand grew abject يَراعيmy reed pen وتَبْيانيand my expression!
تَلاشَيْتُ واسْتَخْذى يَراعي وتَبْياني!
For you are nothing to me but life; if it draws away,
For you are nothing but life to me, if you depart
I fade away, and my reed pen and my expression grow abject!
I will wither and my pasture and land will be desolate!
وعادتْand returned بلاwithout شَدْوsong طَرُوبrapturous بَلابلىmy nightingales
وعادتْ بلا شَدْو طَرُوب بَلابلى
بِقَفْرٍin a wasteland مُخِيفfrightening ماnot بهِin it غَيْرَexcept غِرْبانِcrows!
بِقَفْرٍ مُخِيف ما بهِ غَيْرَ غِرْبانِ!
And my nightingales return, bereft of rapturous song,
And the warbling nightingales returned without melody
In a frightening wasteland with nothing but crows!
To a frightening wasteland with nothing but ravens!
فأنْتِfor you عُيونيmy eyes أَسْتَشِفُّI discern بهاthrough them الرُّؤىvisions
فأنْتِ عُيوني أَسْتَشِفُّ بها الرُّؤى
وأَنْتِand you .. وقدand indeed أَسْمَعْتِنيyou made me hear الحُلوَsweetness .. آذانيmy ears!
وأَنْتِ .. وقد أَسْمَعْتِني الحُلوَ .. آذاني!
For you are my eyes, through which I discern visions,
For you are my eyes with which I gain insight
And you—having made me hear sweetness—are my ears!
And you, who let me hear the sweetness, are my ears!
فقالتso she said لقدindeed مَجَّدْتَنيyou glorified me وَرَفَعْتَنيand raised me
فقالت لقد مَجَّدْتَني وَرَفَعْتَني
إلىto قِمَّةٍa summit .. ياO صِنْوَpeer of مُسَّMuss وسَحْبانand Sahban!
إلى قِمَّةٍ .. يا صِنْوَ مُسَّ وسَحْبان!
She said: You have indeed glorified me and raised me
She said, "You have honoured and elevated me
To a summit, O peer of Muss and Sahban!
To a peak, O pillar of purity and loftiness!"
فَتُهْتso I strutted علىabove كلَّall الحِسانthe beauties . فَقُلْنَso they said ليto me
فَتُهْت على كلَّ الحِسان . فَقُلْنَ لي
لقدindeed صِرْتِyou have become عندin الشَّعْرِpoetry أَنْضَرَthe lushest بُسْتانِgarden!
لقد صِرْتِ عند الشَّعْرِ أَنْضَرَ بُسْتانِ!
So I strutted above all the beauties, and they said to me:
So the beauties were amazed by all the kindness, saying
In poetry, you have indeed become the lushest garden!
In poetry, you have become the most verdant garden!
ولَمَّاand not yet نَعُدْwe return فيin فَكْرِهhis thought وشُعوِرِهِand his feeling
ولَمَّا نَعُدْ في فَكْرِه وشُعوِرِهِ
سوىexcept شَجَرtrees ذاوِwithered يَلُوذُseeking shelter بِقِيعانِin barren flats!
سوى شَجَر ذاوِ يَلُوذُ بِقِيعانِ!
And in his thought and feeling we have yet to return
And when we consider his thoughts and feelings
As anything but withered trees sheltering in barren flats!
He is but a tree taking refuge in valleys!
نَراهُwe see him كمجْنُونٍlike Majnun بَلَيْلاهُwith his Layla.. سادِرٍblindly persisting
نَراهُ كمجْنُونٍ بَلَيْلاهُ.. سادِرٍ
بغَيَّin error.. وماand ... not يُشْقِيmakes wretched الهوىlove غَيْرُother than غَيَّانِone astray
بغَيَّ.. وما يُشْقِي الهوى غَيْرُ غَيَّانِ
We see him like Majnun with his Layla, blindly persisting
We see him like a crazed madman wandering
In error; none brings misery to love but one astray.
Purposelessly, for nothing makes love suffer like madness!
فقُلْتُso I said لهاto her تيهيstrut proudly علىabove الغيدِthe graceful women وافْخَريand take pride
فقُلْتُ لها تيهي على الغيدِ وافْخَري
عَلَيْهِنَّover them.. حتىuntil يَنْقِلَبْنَthey turn away بِخُسْرانِwith loss!
عَلَيْهِنَّ.. حتى يَنْقِلَبْنَ بِخُسْرانِ!
I said to her: Strut above the graceful women and take pride
So I said to her, wander proudly over the dunes
Over them, until they turn away defeated!
And boast over them, until they retreat in loss!
فإِنَّكِfor you are بَدْرٌa full moon يَسْتِثيرُthat provokes كواكِباًstars
فإِنَّكِ بَدْرٌ يَسْتِثيرُ كواكِباً
غَيارىjealous حَوالَيْهِaround it. هَذَيْنَthey babbled ببَهتْانِwith slander!
غَيارى حَوالَيْهِ. هَذَيْنَ ببَهتْانِ!
For you are a full moon that provokes stars,
For you are a moon that stirs up jealous stars
Jealous around it, babbling slander!
Around it, confused and dazzled!
هَذَيْنَthey babbled بهِwith it حِقْداout of spite عليكِagainst you ونِقْمَةًand resentment
هَذَيْنَ بهِ حِقْدا عليكِ ونِقْمَةً
عَلَيَّagainst me. وماand ... not أَشْقىI suffer . فَلَسْتُfor I am not بِشَيْطانِa devil!
عَلَيَّ. وما أَشْقى . فَلَسْتُ بِشَيْطانِ!
They babbled it out of spite against you and resentment
They are jealous of you and resentful of me
Against me. I do not suffer, for I am no devil!
And I am not wretched, for I am no devil!
قدindeed اخْتَرتُI chose ماwhat أرْضىsatisfied الضَّمِيَرconscience وصانَهُand protected it
قد اخْتَرتُ ما أرْضى الضَّمِيَر وصانَهُ
منfrom العَبَثِfrivolity المُزرِيdegrading بِشِعْريto my poetry وعِرْفانيand my insight!
من العَبَثِ المُزرِي بِشِعْري وعِرْفاني!
I have chosen what satisfied conscience and protected it
I have chosen what pleases the conscience I protected
From frivolity degrading my poetry and my insight!
From the idle gossip that degrades my poetry and mysticism!
فقالتso she said ولنand will not أَشقىI suffer بِحُبَّكَwith your love عاصِماًas a protector
فقالت ولن أَشقى بِحُبَّكَ عاصِماً
فماfor ... not ضَلَّwent astray أَنْthat أَثَرْتَyou stirred حُبًّكَyour love وُجْدانيmy heart!
فما ضَلَّ أَنْ أَثَرْتَ حُبًّكَ وُجْداني!
She said: I shall not suffer, with your love protecting me,
She said, "I will not suffer misery for your chaste love,
For my heart did not stray when you stirred it with your love!
For it was no error that you chose to love me wholeheartedly!
وماand ... not ضَلَّstrayed إيمانيmy faith بِهِin it مُتَبَتَّلاًdevoutly devoted
وما ضَلَّ إيماني بِهِ مُتَبَتَّلاً
ولاnor ضّلَّstrayed ياO مَنyou who يُسْعِدُgladden الحُبَّlove حُسبانيmy judgment!
ولا ضّلَّ يا مَن يُسْعِدُ الحُبَّ حُسباني!
Nor has my faith in it strayed in its devotion,
Nor was my faith in it misguided,
Nor my judgment, O you who gladden love!
Nor was it misguided, O you who brings happiness to love in my view!
وجَدْتُI found بهthrough it بعدafter الضَّلالِstraying هِدايتيmy guidance
وجَدْتُ به بعد الضَّلالِ هِدايتي
إلىto كلَّall ماthat يَطْويdispels الظُّنُونَdoubts.. بإِيقانwith certainty!
إلى كلَّ ما يَطْوي الظُّنُونَ.. بإِيقان!
Through it I found, after straying, my guidance
With it I found, after being lost, my guidance
To all that dispels doubts with certainty!
To everything the imaginations conceal, with certainty!
وماand ... not خِفْتُI feared مِنof حِقْدٍhatred عَلَيَّagainst me فَرُبَّماfor perhaps..
وما خِفْتُ مِن حِقْدٍ عَلَيَّ فَرُبَّما..
تَنَوَّرْتُI discerned by light مِنهfrom it فيin الدَّياجيرِdeep darkness شُطْآنيmy shores!
تَنَوَّرْتُ مِنه في الدَّياجيرِ شُطْآني!
And I have not feared hatred against me; perhaps
And I do not fear any resentment towards me, perhaps
I discerned my shores by its light amid deep darkness!
I found light within it in the dark tribulations!
فقُاتso I said لهاto her هذاthis الحُبُّlove فاسْعَديso be happy
فقُات لها هذا الحُبُّ فاسْعَدي
وكََلاَand both. فقدfor indeed لاقَتْmet بِهthrough it السَّعْدُgood fortune نًفْسانِtwo souls!
وكََلاَ. فقد لاقَتْ بِه السَّعْدُ نًفْسانِ!
I said to her: This is love; be happy,
So I said to her, "Be happy with this love,
And both of us—for through it two souls have found good fortune!
For with it, happiness has met two souls!"
أراهI deem it جَدِيراًworthy بالرِّضاof approval وهِباتِهِand its gifts
أراه جَدِيراً بالرِّضا وهِباتِهِ
وسوفand will أُوافِيِهِI come to it بأَكْرَمِwith the noblest قُرْبانِoffering!
وسوف أُوافِيِهِ بأَكْرَمِ قُرْبانِ!
I deem it worthy of approval and its gifts,
I see it as worthy of contentment and its gifts,
And I shall come to it with the noblest offering!
And I will repay it with the most precious sacrifice!
جَزانيit rewarded me بشِعْرٍwith poetry ثمthen ثَنَّىadded a second بِعِفَّةٍwith chastity
جَزاني بشِعْرٍ ثم ثَنَّى بِعِفَّةٍ
وثَلَّثَand added a third ماhow أَشْجاهُmoving it is بالشَّغَفِwith passion الحانيtender!
وثَلَّثَ ما أَشْجاهُ بالشَّغَفِ الحاني!
It rewarded me with poetry, then added chastity,
It rewarded me with poetry, then it was chaste,
And added a third—how moving it is!—tender passion!
Then it made passionate what inspires me with ardent fervor!
فإِنso if شاءَit wished قُرْباًnearness لمnot أكُنْI was عنهfrom it نائِياًfar away
فإِن شاءَ قُرْباً لم أكُنْ عنه نائِياً
وإنْand if شاءَit wished بُعْداًdistance كنْتُI was منهto it أَناI الدَّانيthe one near!
وإنْ شاءَ بُعْداً كنْتُ منه أَنا الدَّاني!
For if it wished for nearness, I would not be far from it,
If it wants nearness I will not be distant,
And if it wished for distance, I would be the one near it!
And if it wants distance, I will be the one drawing near!
فقالتso she said . وقدwhile ... had سَمتrisen الدُّموعَthe tears بعَيْنِهاin her eye
فقالت . وقد سَمت الدُّموعَ بعَيْنِها
تُضِيءُshining كنجمlike a star شَعَّthat gleamed فيin عَيْنِthe eye of رُبّانِa helmsman!
تُضِيءُ كنجم شَعَّ في عَيْنِ رُبّانِ!
She said, while tears had risen in her eye,
She said, and tears had risen in her eyes,
Shining like a star that gleamed in a helmsman's eye:
Lighting them like a star shining in the eyes of sailors!
فَدَيْتُكَmay I be your ransom. ماhow أَنقىpure هواكَyour love يَرُدُّنيit brings me back
فَدَيْتُكَ. ما أَنقى هواكَ يَرُدُّني
إلىto الرُّشْدِright judgment يَشْفينيِit heals me منof الشَّنآنِrancor!
إلى الرُّشْدِ يَشْفينيِ من الشَّنآنِ!
I would give my life for you! How pure your love, bringing me back
I ransom you! How pure is your love that returns me
To right judgment, healing me of rancor!
To righteousness, healing me of hostilities!
ولَسْتُand I do not أباليcare بالحِسانِabout the beauties يَنُشْنَنيthey assail me
ولَسْتُ أبالي بالحِسانِ يَنُشْنَني
فماfor ... not هُنَّthey فيin عَيْنَيَّmy eyes غَيْرُother than قيانِsinging slave-girls!
فما هُنَّ في عَيْنَيَّ غَيْرُ قيانِ!
I do not care about the beauties who assail me,
I do not care about the beauties mocking me,
For in my eyes they are nothing but singing slave-girls!
For they are nothing but dirt in my eyes!
وماand ... not أناI إلاَّexcept حُرَّةٌa freeborn woman طَهّرَpurified الهوَىlove
وما أنا إلاَّ حُرَّةٌ طَهّرَ الهوَى
حَشاهاher heart. فماso ... not عَاشَتْshe lived كَعَيْشِlike the life of غَوانيbelles!
حَشاها. فما عَاشَتْ كَعَيْشِ غَواني!
And I am only a freeborn woman; love has purified
I am but a free woman whose love
Her heart, so she has not lived as belles live!
Has purified her. I did not live like sinful women!
فَقُلْتُso I said لهاto her هذاthis هوit العَيْشُlife يزدريscorns
فَقُلْتُ لها هذا هو العَيْشُ يزدري
بكلall مَتاعيْmy delights عَبْقِfragrance وجُمانِand pearls..!
بكل مَتاعيْ عَبْقِ وجُمانِ..!
I said to her: This is life, which scorns
So I said to her, this is the life that scorns
All my delights—fragrance and pearls!
All my belongings, however fragrant and exquisite!
ويَزْهُوand shines proudly بَلأْلاءِwith the radiance of الجَمالِbeauty مُزَمَّلاًwrapped..
ويَزْهُو بَلأْلاءِ الجَمالِ مُزَمَّلاً..
بِطُهْرٍin purity.. فماso ... not يَخْزىit is disgraced منby النَّزَوانِlustful impulses!
بِطُهْرٍ.. فما يَخْزى من النَّزَوانِ!
And shines with beauty's radiance, wrapped
And it triumphs in the radiance of beauty, adorned
In purity, never disgraced by lust!
With purity, so it is not shamed by flaws!
أَبانَتْrevealed لِيَto me المِرْآةُthe mirror منكِin you كريمةًa noble woman
أَبانَتْ لِيَ المِرْآةُ منكِ كريمةً
حَصاناًchaste تَجَلَّتْshe shone forth فيin هُدىguidance وحَنانِand tenderness!
حَصاناً تَجَلَّتْ في هُدى وحَنانِ!
The mirror revealed to me in you a noble woman,
The mirror has shown me in you, O noble one,
Chaste, shining forth in guidance and tenderness!
A steed whose guidance and affection have appeared!
سأَشْدوI shall sing. وتَشْدُوand she sings بالهوىof love وشُجُونِهِand its sorrows
سأَشْدو. وتَشْدُو بالهوى وشُجُونِهِ
وجَلَّand exalted is الهوىlove يَشْدُوsing بهof it قَلَمانِtwo pens!
وجَلَّ الهوى يَشْدُو به قَلَمانِ!
I shall sing, and she shall sing, of love and its sorrows,
I will sing, and you will sing of love and its passions,
And exalted is the love sung by two pens!
And the sublime love that makes two pens sing!
أشادَتْshe praised بِشَدْوِيmy song واسْتجابَتْand responded لِجَرْسِهِto its resonance
أشادَتْ بِشَدْوِي واسْتجابَتْ لِجَرْسِهِ
وقالتْand she said. لقدindeed حَلَّقْتَyou soared ياO كَرَوانيmy curlew!
وقالتْ. لقد حَلَّقْتَ يا كَرَواني!
She praised my song and responded to its resonance,
She acclaimed my singing and responded to its melody,
And said: You have indeed soared, O my curlew!
Saying, "You have soared, O little dove!"
Sol 6.1