ماwhat ليwith me كأنas though اشتياقاًa longing ظلَّkept يعنُفacts harshly بيtoward me
ما لي كأن اشتياقاً ظلَّ يعنُف بي
بمصرto Egypt لاnot بسواهاto anywhere other than it كانwas مرتبطاbound
بمصر لا بسواها كان مرتبطا
What ails me, as though a longing that has kept tormenting me
Why do I feel such yearning violence within me
What ails me, that longing still assaults my soul,
Were bound to Egypt, and nowhere else?
Only for Egypt, and naught else to which I'm tied
Bound fast to Egypt, and to no other goal?
وماand not أفدتُI gained الغنىwealth فيهاin it ولاnor ملكتpossessed
وما أفدتُ الغنى فيها ولا ملكت
كفِّيmy hand بهاin it ملكاًa king بالجودin generosity مغتبطاdelighted
كفِّي بها ملكاً بالجود مغتبطا
And I gained no wealth there, nor did
The wealth I gained there did not profit me
Though there I gained no wealth, nor did I claim
My hand win there a king who delighted in generosity.
Nor did I rule, though generous and dignified
A power that generous hands might envy and acclaim,
أأنis it because سريتُI traveled by night ولمand did not أغلطerr تجدّدarose anew بيin me
أأن سريتُ ولم أغلط تجدّد بي
وجدٌintense longing يحسنmakes seem fair عنديin my eyes الجورَinjustice والغلطاand error
وجدٌ يحسن عندي الجورَ والغلطا
Is it because I traveled by night and made no mistake that there stirred anew in me
Does absence make me err, and error seem
Is it that since I left—unerring—there awoke
A yearning that makes injustice and error seem fair in my eyes?
Fine to me now, though once it horrified?
A passion painting fair the error and the yoke?
لولاwere it not for مُحَسَّدُMuhassad بلrather لولاwere it not for الحسينal-Husayn لماwould not
لولا مُحَسَّدُ بل لولا الحسين لما
رأيتI saw رأييmy judgment بوهنwith weakness of العزمresolve مختلطاmingled
رأيت رأيي بوهن العزم مختلطا
Were it not for Muhassad—rather, were it not for al-Husayn—I would not
But for the envious, indeed, but for Hussein
But for Muhassad—nay, for Hussein—I would not find
Have found my judgment mingled with weakness of resolve.
My will had not been weak and terrified
My judgment with the frailty of resolve entwined.
هذاthis one هوايmy love وذاand this one ابنيmy son خُطَّwas marked out مسكنthe dwelling of ذاthis one
هذا هواي وذا ابني خُطَّ مسكن ذا
بمصرin Egypt والشامand Syria ألقىlaid out ذاthis one بهاin it خططاplots for homes
بمصر والشام ألقى ذا بها خططا
This one is my love, and that one my son; one's dwelling was marked out
This was my love, this was my son, his place
This is my love, and that my son; one's home is traced
In Egypt, while the other laid out plots for homes in Syria.
Was mapped in Egypt and in Syria's side
In Egypt, while in Sham the other's lot is placed.
وليand mine منof الأرضthe earth ماthat which أنضىwore out رواحلُهits mounts
ولي من الأرض ما أنضى رواحلُه
عمريmy life لقدindeed حكمتhas judged فيناin our case النوىseparation شططاunjustly
عمري لقد حكمت فينا النوى شططا
And my share of earth is land whose mounts have worn out
I owned such land that wearied my steeds' pace
Mine is a breadth of earth that wears the camels down,
My life; separation has indeed judged us unjustly.
Yet Fate decreed that we be tossed aside
By my life, Separation rules with a tyrant's frown.
ياah قاتلmay ... slay اللَهُGod قلبيmy heart كيفhow ينزعtugs بيat me
يا قاتل اللَهُ قلبي كيف ينزع بي
أماis it not ...? أُرىI am seen منfrom عقالthe tether of الهمِّanxiety منتشطاfreed
أما أُرى من عقال الهمِّ منتشطا
Ah, may God slay my heart! How it tugs at me!
O Killer of my heart, how can you wrest
God strike my heart! How it drags me in its plea;
Will I not be seen freed from anxiety's tether?
Me from Reason's reins to Passion's tide?
Will I never from the hobble of my cares be free?
Sol 6.1