كَالريحِlike the wind لَوِif اِقتَفَيتُهُI pursued him الدَهرَall my life أَناI
كَالريحِ لَوِ اِقتَفَيتُهُ الدَهرَ أَنا
ترداديَmy coming and going ماnot أَفادَنيbenefited me غَيرَother than ونىweariness
ترداديَ ما أَفادَني غَيرَ ونى
He is like the wind—were I myself to pursue him all my life,
Were I to pursue him like the wind all my life,
my ceaseless coming and going would bring me nothing but weariness.
My coming and going would bring me nothing but weariness.
لَوif صرتI became صباًthe east wind وخوطَand a tender twig بانٍof the bān tree سَكَنيmy beloved
لَو صرت صباً وخوطَ بانٍ سَكَني
عَطفاًout of affection ليfor me ماnot اِهتَزَّhe swayed وَلاnor العِطفَthe side ثنىhe bent
عَطفاً لي ما اِهتَزَّ وَلا العِطفَ ثنى
Were I the east wind, and my beloved a slender bān-tree bough,
Were I the east wind, and my beloved a tender bān twig,
it would not sway toward me in tenderness, nor would tenderness bend it.
He would not sway out of affection for me, nor bend his side.
Sol 6.1