إِنْif تَسْأليyou ask .. فَجَوَايَthen my burning love فِيكِfor you جَوَابِيmy answer
إِنْ تَسْألي .. فَجَوَايَ فِيكِ جَوَابِي
أَوْor تَعْتِبِيyou reproach.. فَخَطَايَthen my steps فِيكِin you خِطَابِيmy speech
أَوْ تَعْتِبِي.. فَخَطَايَ فِيكِ خِطَابِي
If you ask, my burning love for you is my answer.
If you ask, my answer about you is my reply
Or if you reproach me, my steps within you are my speech.
Or if you reproach, my sins towards you are my words
لاَno وَرْدَroses.. إِلاَّexcept مَاwhat زَرَعْتِyou planted بِجَنَّتِيin my garden
لاَ وَرْدَ.. إِلاَّ مَا زَرَعْتِ بِجَنَّتِي
لاَno صُبْحَdawn.. إِلاَّexcept إِنْif وَقَفْتِyou stood بِبَابِيat my door
لاَ صُبْحَ.. إِلاَّ إِنْ وَقَفْتِ بِبَابِي
There are no roses except those you planted in my garden.
No roses, except what you planted in my garden
There is no dawn unless you stand at my door.
No morning, unless you stood at my door
لاَno طِيبَfragrance.. إِلاَّexcept مَاwhat نَفَثْتِyou breathed بِخَاطِرِيinto my thoughts
لاَ طِيبَ.. إِلاَّ مَا نَفَثْتِ بِخَاطِرِي
لاَno شِعْرَpoetry.. إِلاَّexcept إِنْif رَقَمْتِyou inscribed كِتَابِيmy book
لاَ شِعْرَ.. إِلاَّ إِنْ رَقَمْتِ كِتَابِي
There is no fragrance except what you breathed into my thoughts.
No perfume, except what you breathed into my soul
There is no poetry unless you inscribe my book.
No poetry, unless you composed my book
فِيكِin you انْتِظَارِيmy waiting وَاحْتِضَارِيand my death throes وَالمُنَىand hopes
فِيكِ انْتِظَارِي وَاحْتِضَارِي وَالمُنَى
وَهَوَاكِand love for you مُذْsince كُنَّاwe were جَنَىharvest أَعْنَابِيmy grapes
وَهَوَاكِ مُذْ كُنَّا جَنَى أَعْنَابِي
In you lie my waiting, my death throes, and my hopes.
In you is my waiting, my death, and my purpose
And love for you, since we came to be, is the harvest of my grapes.
And your love since we were the harvest of grapes
مُذْsince كُنْتِyou were لِيmine غَنَّىsang الرَّبِيعُspring بخَافِقِيin my beating heart
مُذْ كُنْتِ لِي غَنَّى الرَّبِيعُ بخَافِقِي
وَهَمَىand rained المَسَاءُthe evening بِمُزْنَةِwith a raincloud of الأَطْيَابِfragrances
وَهَمَى المَسَاءُ بِمُزْنَةِ الأَطْيَابِ
Since you were mine, spring has sung in my beating heart,
Since you were the melody of spring in my throbbing
and evening has rained in a cloud of fragrances.
And the evening swooned with the aroma of perfumes
وَغَدَاand became الزَّمَانُtime وَذِيand these الدُّنَاworlds مِنْamong خُلَّتِيmy intimates
وَغَدَا الزَّمَانُ وَذِي الدُّنَا مِنْ خُلَّتِي
وَالشَّمْسُand the sun وَالأَقْمَارُand the moons مِنْamong أَتْرَابِيmy peers
وَالشَّمْسُ وَالأَقْمَارُ مِنْ أَتْرَابِي
And time and these worlds have become my close friends,
And time went by, and the worldly life from my seclusion
and the sun and the moons my peers.
And the sun and the moons from my peers
وَاعْشَوْشَبَتْand grew lush أُغْرُودَةٌa song سَكْرَىdrunken تَرَقْripples (first part)
وَاعْشَوْشَبَتْ أُغْرُودَةٌ سَكْرَى تَرَقْ
رَقُripples (second part) فيin دَمِيmy blood وَتَؤُجُّand kindles جَمْرَthe embers of شَبَابِيmy youth
رَقُ في دَمِي وَتَؤُجُّ جَمْرَ شَبَابِي
And a drunken song grew lush, rippling
And an intoxicated nightingale sang drunkenly
in my blood and stoking the embers of my youth.
Singing in my blood and kindling the embers of my youth
مُذْsince كُنْتِyou were لِيmine أَمَّsought الضِّيَاءُthe light مَشَارِقِيmy eastern horizons
مُذْ كُنْتِ لِي أَمَّ الضِّيَاءُ مَشَارِقِي
وَهَفَاand yearned الظَّلاَمُthe darkness لِجَلْوَتِيfor my unveiling.. وَشَرَابِيand my drink
وَهَفَا الظَّلاَمُ لِجَلْوَتِي.. وَشَرَابِي
Since you were mine, light has sought my eastern horizons,
Since you were the mother of radiance to my dawns
and darkness has yearned for my unveiling and my drink.
And darkness melted before my splendor and drink
وَتَعَانَقَتْand embraced فِيَّwithin me الرُّؤَىthe visions وَالسِّرُّand the secret أَزَblossomed (first part)
وَتَعَانَقَتْ فِيَّ الرُّؤَى وَالسِّرُّ أَزَ
هَرَblossomed (second part) وَدْقُهُits rain لَمَّاwhen وَشَىbetrayed بِسَحَابِيmy clouds
هَرَ وَدْقُهُ لَمَّا وَشَى بِسَحَابِي
And visions embraced within me; the secret's
And visions and secrets embraced within me, a blossom
rain blossomed when it betrayed my clouds.
Whose knocking throbbed when it interlaced with my clouds
فَشَذَىso the fragrance of الخَمَائِلِthe groves بَعْضُpart of بَوْحِthe outpouring of مَوَاجِدِيmy passionate feelings
فَشَذَى الخَمَائِلِ بَعْضُ بَوْحِ مَوَاجِدِي
وَالطُّهْرُand purity وَالإِلْهَامُand inspiration طَيُّwithin the folds of ثِيَابِيmy clothes
وَالطُّهْرُ وَالإِلْهَامُ طَيُّ ثِيَابِي
So the groves' fragrance is part of my passions' outpouring.
So the inspirations of sanctuaries leaked some of the revelations of my shrines
And purity and inspiration lie within the folds of my clothes.
And purity and revelation clad my clothes
فَلأَنْتِfor you indeed كَرْمِيmy vineyard فِيin المَحَبَّةِlove بَاسِقًاrising tall
فَلأَنْتِ كَرْمِي فِي المَحَبَّةِ بَاسِقًا
وَلأَنْتِand you indeed عِشْقِيmy love لِلسَّنَىof radiance أَسْرَىjourneyed by night بِيwith me
وَلأَنْتِ عِشْقِي لِلسَّنَى أَسْرَى بِي
For you are indeed my vineyard, rising tall in love.
So you are my lofty generosity in love
And you are indeed my love of radiance, which carried me by night.
And you are my passion for intimacy, my captor
وَلأَنْتِand you indeed فَجْرِيmy dawn لِلْحَقِيقَةِof truth صَادِقًاtrue
وَلأَنْتِ فَجْرِي لِلْحَقِيقَةِ صَادِقًا
وَلأَنْتِand you indeed فَيْضِيmy flood فِيin جَحِيمِthe hell of سَرَابِيmy mirage
وَلأَنْتِ فَيْضِي فِي جَحِيمِ سَرَابِي
And you are indeed my true dawn of truth.
And you are my honest dawn to the truth
And you are indeed my flood amid the hell of my mirage.
And you are my abundance in the mirage of my desert
شَفَتَاكِyour lips رِيِّيmy thirst's quenching وَاصْطِبَاحَةُand the morning draught of مُهْجَتِيmy soul
شَفَتَاكِ رِيِّي وَاصْطِبَاحَةُ مُهْجَتِي
وَبِكَأْسِكِand in your cup المَخْتُومِsealed يَعْذُبُgrows sweet صَابِيmy bitter sap
وَبِكَأْسِكِ المَخْتُومِ يَعْذُبُ صَابِي
Your lips quench my thirst and are my soul's morning draught.
Your lips are my drink and the liveliness of my reverie
And in your sealed cup my bitter sap turns sweet.
And with your sealed cup my morning drink is sweet
شُرُفَاتُthe balconies of فِرْدَوْسِيmy paradise عُيُونُكِyour eyes.. وَالضَّنَىand languor
شُرُفَاتُ فِرْدَوْسِي عُيُونُكِ.. وَالضَّنَى
وَالْوَجْدُand passion كُلُّall الْوَجْدِthe passion فِيin الأَهْدَابِthe lashes
وَالْوَجْدُ كُلُّ الْوَجْدِ فِي الأَهْدَابِ
Your eyes are the balconies of my paradise; and languor
The balconies of my paradise are your eyes, and longing
and passion—all passion—lie in the lashes.
And ecstasy is all the rapture in the eyelids
وَالنَّاهِدَانِand the two full breasts الأَطْيَبَانِthe two sweetest تَقَاسَمَاthe two shared
وَالنَّاهِدَانِ الأَطْيَبَانِ تَقَاسَمَا
شَغَفِيmy passion.. وَخَطَّاand the two inscribed فِيin الصَّبَابَةِardent love بَابِيmy chapter
شَغَفِي.. وَخَطَّا فِي الصَّبَابَةِ بَابِي
And the two sweetest, full breasts have shared
And the two soft fragrances shared
my passion, and inscribed my chapter in ardent love.
My fervor, and marked the door of my youth
فَهُمَاfor they both غَدِيرَاtwo pools of نَشْوَةٍrapture وَأَغَارِدٍand songs
فَهُمَا غَدِيرَا نَشْوَةٍ وَأَغَارِدٍ
وَهُمَاand they both قُمَيْرَاtwo little moons of دَهْشَةٍwonder وَعُجَابِand amazement
وَهُمَا قُمَيْرَا دَهْشَةٍ وَعُجَابِ
For they are two pools of rapture and songs.
So they are two ponds of bliss and melodies
And they are two little moons of wonder and amazement.
And two moons of marvel and wonders
فِيin حِضْنِthe lap of حِضْنِهِمَاtheir embrace ثَوَتْdwelt بِيwithin me غُرْبَتِيmy exile
فِي حِضْنِ حِضْنِهِمَا ثَوَتْ بِي غُرْبَتِي
وَتَغَرُّبِيand my wandering abroad فِيin كَرْمَتَيْكِyour two vines ثَوَابِيmy reward
وَتَغَرُّبِي فِي كَرْمَتَيْكِ ثَوَابِي
In the lap of their embrace, my exile dwelt within me.
In their embrace my estrangement rested
And my wandering among your two vines is my reward.
And my expatriation in your generosity is my reward
إِنْif تُهْتُI lost my way رَدَّانِيthe two brought me back إِلَيْكِto you تَوَلُّهًاin lovesick infatuation
إِنْ تُهْتُ رَدَّانِي إِلَيْكِ تَوَلُّهًا
أَوْor هِمْتُI wandered.. شَوْقِيmy longing فِيin دُنَاكِyour worlds دَنَاdrew near بِيwith me
أَوْ هِمْتُ.. شَوْقِي فِي دُنَاكِ دَنَا بِي
If I stray, they bring me back to you, mad with love.
If you come to me yearning
Or if I wander, my longing draws me close in your worlds.
Or I imagined, my longing in your presence drew me near
فَأَنَاfor I المُحَيَّرُthe bewildered one فِيin هَوَاكِyour love.. هِدَايَتِيmy guidance
فَأَنَا المُحَيَّرُ فِي هَوَاكِ.. هِدَايَتِي
تِيهِيmy wandering.. وَخِطْئِيand my error فِيكِin you عَيْنُthe very essence of صَوَابِيmy rightness
تِيهِي.. وَخِطْئِي فِيكِ عَيْنُ صَوَابِي
For I am bewildered in your love; my guidance
Then I am the perplexed one in your love, my guide
is my wandering, and my error in you is the very essence of my rightness.
Astray, and my sin towards you is my vision of right
وَأَنَاand I المُسَجَّىthe shrouded one فِيin حُرُوفِكِyour letters آهَةًas a sigh
وَأَنَا المُسَجَّى فِي حُرُوفِكِ آهَةً
جَذْلَىjoyous.. وَصَحْوًاand as clarity فِيin ضَمِيرِthe inner heart of ضَبَابِmist
جَذْلَى.. وَصَحْوًا فِي ضَمِيرِ ضَبَابِ
And I am shrouded in your letters as a sigh,
And I am the one writhing in your letters, sighing
joyous, and as clarity within the heart of mist.
Sluggish, and wakeful in the conscience of mist
وَأَنَاand I المُرَدَّىthe cloaked one مِنْfrom إِهَابِكِyour skin بُرْدَةًa mantle
وَأَنَا المُرَدَّى مِنْ إِهَابِكِ بُرْدَةً
فَسَبَائِكُso ingots of النَّوْرِblossoms النَّظِيمِstrung in order إِهَابِيmy skin
فَسَبَائِكُ النَّوْرِ النَّظِيمِ إِهَابِي
And I am cloaked in a mantle of your skin.
And I am the one cast off by your awe, chilled
So ingots of strung blossoms are my skin.
So your lighted composure is my awe
وَأَنَاand I القَتِيلُthe slain one.. وَذِيand these الأَصَائِلُlate afternoons مِنْfrom دَمِيmy blood
وَأَنَا القَتِيلُ.. وَذِي الأَصَائِلُ مِنْ دَمِي
مَخْضُوبَةٌdyed.. فَنَجِيعُهَاso their crimson blood أَعْصَابِيmy nerves
مَخْضُوبَةٌ.. فَنَجِيعُهَا أَعْصَابِي
And I am slain; these late afternoons, with my blood,
And I am the slain one, and the one with bloodties from my blood
are dyed; so their crimson blood is my nerves.
Bloodstained, so all my veins are saturated
وَأَنَاand I المُعَلَّقُthe suspended one فِيin ضَمِيرِكَyour inner self نَفْثَةًas a breath
وَأَنَا المُعَلَّقُ فِي ضَمِيرِكَ نَفْثَةً
وَلْهَىlove-distraught.. تَرَدَّدُechoes فِيin حُضُورِthe presence of غِيَابِيmy absence
وَلْهَى.. تَرَدَّدُ فِي حُضُورِ غِيَابِي
And I am suspended in your inner self as a breath,
And I am the one suspended in your conscience like a whiff
love-distraught, echoing in the presence of my absence.
Distracted, echoing in the presence of my absence
أَتَبُوحُdoes it disclose? عِنْدَكِin your presence بالمُكَتَّمِِwhat is kept hidden مِنْof هَوًىlove
أَتَبُوحُ عِنْدَكِ بالمُكَتَّمِِ مِنْ هَوًى
فَيَكُونُso there may be عُرْسُthe wedding of رَبَائِبِيmy foster daughters.. وَرَبَابِيand my rebab (fiddle) ؟
فَيَكُونُ عُرْسُ رَبَائِبِي.. وَرَبَابِي ؟
Does it reveal, in your presence, the love kept hidden,
I confess the concealed passion to you
so that my foster daughters and my rebab may have their wedding?
So will it be the wedding of my goddess, and my worship?
أَمْor تَسْتَبِيحُravages تَوَلُّعِيmy ardor بِصُمَاتِهَاwith its silence
أَمْ تَسْتَبِيحُ تَوَلُّعِي بِصُمَاتِهَا
فَتَبُوحُso speak عَنِّيfor me أَدْمُعِيmy tears.. وَعَذَابِيand my torment ؟!
فَتَبُوحُ عَنِّي أَدْمُعِي.. وَعَذَابِي ؟!
Or does it ravage my ardor with its silence,
Or will you desecrate my craving with its silence
so that my tears and my torment speak for me?
So you confess about me, my tears and torment?!
إِنْif كُنْتِyou were كُنْتُI was.. وكانَand was رَوْضُthe meadow of خَوَاطِرِيmy thoughts
إِنْ كُنْتِ كُنْتُ.. وكانَ رَوْضُ خَوَاطِرِي
خَضِلاًlush بِدِيمَةِwith the steady rain of لَحْنِكِyour melody المِسْكَابِpouring abundantly
خَضِلاً بِدِيمَةِ لَحْنِكِ المِسْكَابِ
If you are, I am; and the meadow of my thoughts is
If I was, I was, and the garden of my thoughts
lush with the steady rain of your cascading melody.
Was verdant with the melody of your perfumed drink
أَوْor بُحْتِyou divulged بُحْتُI divulged.. وَكَانَand there was صَدْحُthe ringing song of قَيَاثِرِيmy lyres
أَوْ بُحْتِ بُحْتُ.. وَكَانَ صَدْحُ قَيَاثِرِي
وغَدَتْand became حَدَائِقُthe gardens of ذِيthese الرُّؤَىvisions مِنْpart of غَابِيmy forest
وغَدَتْ حَدَائِقُ ذِي الرُّؤَى مِنْ غَابِي
Or if you speak, I speak, and my lyres sing out,
Or I confessed, I confessed, and my soul’s anthems
and the gardens of these visions become part of my forest.
Became the orchards of visions from my forest
وَإِذَاand if صَمَتِّyou fell silent فَبَرْزَخِيthen my limbo.. وَلَرَشْفَةٌand surely a sip
وَإِذَا صَمَتِّ فَبَرْزَخِي.. وَلَرَشْفَةٌ
مِنْof شَهْدِthe honey of ثَغْرِكِyour mouth بَعْثَتِيmy resurrection.. وَمَآبِيand my return
مِنْ شَهْدِ ثَغْرِكِ بَعْثَتِي.. وَمَآبِي
And if you fall silent, it is my limbo; and surely a sip
And if you are silent, then a limbo, and a sip
of the honey of your mouth is my resurrection and my return.
From the honey of your lips, my resurrection and refuge
أَنْتِyou العَشِيقَةُthe beloved.. مَاnot كَتَمْتُI concealed صَبَابَتِيmy ardent love
أَنْتِ العَشِيقَةُ.. مَا كَتَمْتُ صَبَابَتِي
وَفَصِيحُand eloquent جُرْحِيmy wound فِيin الغَرَامِlove وَشَىbetrayed بِيme
وَفَصِيحُ جُرْحِي فِي الغَرَامِ وَشَى بِي
You are the beloved; I have not hidden my ardent love.
You are the lover - I never hid my youth
And my eloquent wound of love has given me away.
And the articulation of my wound in love betrayed me
مَاnot هُنْتُI was debased يَوْمًاever أَنْthat بَكَيْتُI wept لِصَبْوَةٍfrom yearning
مَا هُنْتُ يَوْمًا أَنْ بَكَيْتُ لِصَبْوَةٍ
أَوْor شَانَtarnished عِشْقِيmy love فِيin الدُّنَاthe worlds مِنْwhoever عَابِfound fault
أَوْ شَانَ عِشْقِي فِي الدُّنَا مِنْ عَابِ
I was never debased for weeping from yearning,
I never refused a day that I cried for passion’s sake
nor has any faultfinder tarnished my love in the worlds.
Or that the talk of my love in life was a disgrace
فَإِذَاso if سَأَلْتِyou asked.. فَذَاthen this كِتَابِيmy book فِيin الهَوَىlove
فَإِذَا سَأَلْتِ.. فَذَا كِتَابِي فِي الهَوَى
نَزْفِيmy bleeding.. حُرُوفِيmy letters.. حُرْقَتِيmy burning anguish.. أَوْصَابِيmy afflictions
نَزْفِي.. حُرُوفِي.. حُرْقَتِي.. أَوْصَابِي
So if you ask, this is my book of love:
So if you ask, here is my book of love
My bleeding, my letters, my burning anguish, my afflictions.
My bleeding, my letters, my burning, my cups
هَذِيthese بَرَاهِينِيmy proofs بِحُبِّكِof love for you كُلُّهَاall of them
هَذِي بَرَاهِينِي بِحُبِّكِ كُلُّهَا
مَصْدُوقَةٌconfirmed true.. وَجَوَايَand my burning love فِيكِfor you جَوَابِيmy answer !
مَصْدُوقَةٌ.. وَجَوَايَ فِيكِ جَوَابِي !
These are my proofs of love for you, all of them
Trustworthy, and my answer about you is my reply!
confirmed true—and my burning love for you is my answer!
Partial English translation: 63 of 64 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1