وَماand as long as سَجَعَتcooed وَرقاءُa gray dove تَهتُفُcalls بِالضُحىat midmorning
وَما سَجَعَت وَرقاءُ تَهتُفُ بِالضُحى
تُصَعِّدُrises فيamong أَفنانِهاits boughs وَتُصَوِّبُand descends
تُصَعِّدُ في أَفنانِها وَتُصَوِّبُ
And as long as a gray dove coos, calling at midmorning,
The rustling leaves do not cheer at dawn’s first light,
rising among its boughs and descending;
Nor soar aloft, arranging their array.
وَماand as long as أَمطَرَتrained يَوماًever بِنَجدٍin Najd سَحابَةٌa cloud
وَما أَمطَرَت يَوماً بِنَجدٍ سَحابَةٌ
وَماand as long as اِخضَرَّturned green بِالأَجراعِon sandy tracts طَلحٌacacia trees وَتَنضُبُand tandub trees
وَما اِخضَرَّ بِالأَجراعِ طَلحٌ وَتَنضُبُ
and as long as a cloud ever rains over Najd,
No cloud has rained on Nejd with needed showers,
and acacia and tandub trees turn green on sandy tracts.
No oleander blooms at springs from brimming flow.
وَقالَand said أُناسٌsome people وَالظُنونُand conjectures كَثيرَةٌmany
وَقالَ أُناسٌ وَالظُنونُ كَثيرَةٌ
وَأَعلَمُand most knowledgeable شَيءٍbeing بِالهَوىabout love مَنone who يُجَرِّبُexperiences it
وَأَعلَمُ شَيءٍ بِالهَوى مَن يُجَرِّبُ
Some people said—and conjectures are many,
Some say, conjecturing, opinions swarm and spread,
and none knows love better than one who experiences it—
But who knows love like one who is love’s burnt victim?
أَلاtake heed إِنَّindeed فيin اليَأسِdespair المُفَرِّقُthat brings parting راحَةًrelief
أَلا إِنَّ في اليَأسِ المُفَرِّقُ راحَةً
سَيُسليكَit will make you forget عَمَّنabout the one who نَفعُهُhis help عَنكَfrom you يَعزُبُis absent
سَيُسليكَ عَمَّن نَفعُهُ عَنكَ يَعزُبُ
"Indeed, in despair that brings parting there is relief;
Know, despair’s retreat brings balm, rest, peace from strife.
it will make you forget one whose help eludes you."
Solace it grants, when ties you prized drift far apart.
فَكُلُّso all الَّذيthat which قالواthey said بَلَوتُI tested فَلَمbut did not أَجِدI find
فَكُلُّ الَّذي قالوا بَلَوتُ فَلَم أَجِد
لِذيfor one with الشَجوِsorrow أَشفىmore healing مِنthan هَوىlove حينَwhen يَقرُبُdraws near
لِذي الشَجوِ أَشفى مِن هَوى حينَ يَقرُبُ
So I tested all they said, yet found
All said to bear love’s pain – I bore, but found
nothing more healing for the sorrowful than love when it draws near.
Nothing can match yearning’s sting, when love draws near.
عَلَيهاupon her سَلامُpeace اللَهِGod ماas long as هَبَّتِblew الصَباthe east wind
عَلَيها سَلامُ اللَهِ ما هَبَّتِ الصَبا
وَماand as long as لاحَgleamed وَهناat a late hour فيin دُجىdarkness اللَيلِthe night كَوكَبُa star
وَما لاحَ وَهنا في دُجى اللَيلِ كَوكَبُ
Upon her be God's peace, as long as the east wind blows,
God bless her, no morning breeze has breathed at dawn,
and as long as a star gleams at a late hour in night's darkness.
No star has gleamed, shimmering soft in darkest night.
فَلَستُfor I am not بِمُبتاعٍa buyer وِصالاًunion بِوَصلِهاin exchange for union with her
فَلَستُ بِمُبتاعٍ وِصالاً بِوَصلِها
وَلَستُand I am not بِمُفشٍone who divulges سِرَّهاher secret حينَwhen أَغضَبُI become angry
وَلَستُ بِمُفشٍ سِرَّها حينَ أَغضَبُ
For I will not buy another union at the cost of hers,
Her love I’ll not buy, even if she stoops to union.
nor will I divulge her secret when I am angry.
Her secret’s mine, though she take umbrage, wrath aroused.
Sol 6.1