لوif كنتُI had been يومَon the day of الواقفينthose standing علىat منىMina
لو كنتُ يومَ الواقفين على منى
لعجبتI would have marveled مماat what اثَّرَتْwrought دُعجdark الرَّناgazes
لعجبت مما اثَّرَتْ دُعج الرَّنا
Had I been there the day the pilgrims stood at Mina,
I would have marveled at what dark gazes wrought.
حجواthey made pilgrimage لكيso that يمحواthey might erase الذنوبَsins فمكّنواyet they empowered
حجوا لكي يمحوا الذنوبَ فمكّنوا
مناover us لحاظاًglances كالسيوفِlike swords وأَعْيُناand eyes
منا لحاظاً كالسيوفِ وأَعْيُنا
They made pilgrimage to erase their sins, yet gave power
over us to swordlike glances and eyes.
ماnot كانwas حجَهُمُtheir pilgrimage ثواباًa reward إنّماrather
ما كان حجَهُمُ ثواباً إنّما
خَلعواthey bestowed علىupon الأجسادbodies اثوابَrobes of الضناwasting sickness
خَلعوا على الأجساد اثوابَ الضنا
Their pilgrimage brought no reward; instead,
they clothed bodies in robes of wasting sickness.
منfrom كلّevery عاسلةِswaying in القَوامِfigure كأنهاas though she were
من كلّ عاسلةِ القَوامِ كأنها
فيin بردهاher cloak المعسولhoneyed عَسَالُa swaying shaft of القنَاspears
في بردها المعسول عَسَالُ القنَا
From every woman of swaying form, as though she were
in her honeyed cloak a swaying spear-shaft.
وأسِيلةُand a woman smooth of الخدّيْنِboth cheeks فيon وجناتِهاher cheeks
وأسِيلةُ الخدّيْنِ في وجناتِها
وردٌa rose حماهguarded it السيفُthe sword أنّthat لاnot يُجتَنَىbe plucked
وردٌ حماه السيفُ أنّ لا يُجتَنَى
And a smooth-cheeked woman, upon whose cheeks
a rose was guarded by the sword against being plucked.
ياoh ليتwould that أنthat اللهGod لمdid not يقدرordain لهمfor them
يا ليت أن الله لم يقدر لهم
حجاًa pilgrimage وإنand that اللهGod أخّرَdelayed حَجّنَاour pilgrimage
حجاً وإن الله أخّرَ حَجّنَا
Oh, would that God had not ordained for them
a pilgrimage, and that God had delayed our own!
ياoh ليتَwould that ليلاهمtheir Layla أقمْنَاwe had stayed عندهمwith them
يا ليتَ ليلاهم أقمْنَا عندهم
ونحلّهُاand we might free her منfrom ليتwould that ليلىLayla عندناwith us
ونحلّهُا من ليت ليلى عندنا
Would that we had stayed with their Layla among them,
and freed her from ‘Would that Layla were with us!’
أنَاI إنْif حَملتُI carried وكنتُand I used to فيماin what قدhad already مَضَىpassed
أنَا إنْ حَملتُ وكنتُ فيما قد مَضَى
أدَعُI leave الركائبَthe riding-camels كالحنىّlike bows مذلوناbrought low
أدَعُ الركائبَ كالحنىّ مذلونا
If I bear burdens now, once, in days gone by,
I used to leave riding-camels bent like bows, brought low.
عُوِّضتُI was compensated بالشعرِfor poetry الفلاحةfarming فاعجبواso marvel
عُوِّضتُ بالشعرِ الفلاحة فاعجبوا
ممنat one who تقوَّمstraightened up ثمthen عاودwent back فانحنىand stooped
ممن تقوَّم ثم عاود فانحنى
I was given farming in exchange for poetry; so marvel
at one who straightened up, then went back and stooped.
ماnot كانwould there have been ليfor me بسهامِat Siham عَوجةa detour by راكبٌa rider
ما كان لي بسهامِ عَوجة راكبٌ
لولاbut for جمالُJamal الدينِal-Din مُخْضرُّverdant of الفِناcourtyard
لولا جمالُ الدينِ مُخْضرُّ الفِنا
I would have made no rider’s detour to Siham,
but for Jamal al-Din, whose courtyard is verdant.
Sol 6.1