فَماso not وَجدُanguish أَعرابيَّةٍa Bedouin woman قَذَفَتcast away بِهاher
فَما وَجدُ أَعرابيَّةٍ قَذَفَت بِها
صُروفُthe vicissitudes of النَوىseparation مِنfrom حَيثُwhere لَمnot تَكُshe had ظَنَّتِshe expected
صُروفُ النَوى مِن حَيثُ لَم تَكُ ظَنَّتِ
The anguish of a Bedouin woman, cast away
by separation's turns from an unforeseen quarter—
إِذاwhenever ذَكَرَتshe recalled نَجداًNajd وَطيبَand the fragrance تُرابِهِof its soil
إِذا ذَكَرَت نَجداً وَطيبَ تُرابِهِ
وَخَيمَةَand the tent of نَجدٍNajd أَعوَلَتshe wailed وَأَرَنَّتِand cried aloud
وَخَيمَةَ نَجدٍ أَعوَلَت وَأَرَنَّتِ
when she recalls Najd and the fragrance of its soil,
and the tent of Najd, she wails and cries aloud—
بِأَكثَرَgreater مِنّيthan me حُرقَةًburning anguish وَصَبابَةًand yearning
بِأَكثَرَ مِنّي حُرقَةً وَصَبابَةً
إِلىfor هَضَباتٍhillocks بِاللَوىat al-Liwa قَدalready أَظَلَّتِhave cast shade
إِلى هَضَباتٍ بِاللَوى قَد أَظَلَّتِ
is no greater than mine in burning pain and yearning
for the hillocks at al-Liwa that cast their shade.
تَمَنَّتshe longed for أَحاليبُmilch herds الرِعاءِof the shepherds وَخَيمَةًand a tent
تَمَنَّت أَحاليبُ الرِعاءِ وَخَيمَةً
بِنَجدٍin Najd فَلَمbut not يُقدَرwas granted لَهاto her ماwhat تَمَنَّتِshe wished
بِنَجدٍ فَلَم يُقدَر لَها ما تَمَنَّتِ
She longed for the shepherds' milch herds and a tent
in Najd, but what she wished was not granted her.
إِذاwhenever ذَكَرَتshe recalled ماءَthe water الفَضاءِof the open plain وَخَيمَةًand a tent
إِذا ذَكَرَت ماءَ الفَضاءِ وَخَيمَةً
وَبَردِand the coolness الضُحىof forenoon مِنfrom نَحوِthe direction of نَجدَNajd أَرَنَّتِshe cried aloud
وَبَردِ الضُحى مِن نَحوِ نَجدَ أَرَنَّتِ
When she recalls the water of the open plain and a tent,
and forenoon's coolness from the direction of Najd, she cries aloud.
لَهاshe has أَنَّةٌa groan قَبلَbefore العِشاءِnightfall وَأَنَّةٌand a groan
لَها أَنَّةٌ قَبلَ العِشاءِ وَأَنَّةٌ
سُحَيرٌjust before dawn فَلَولاand were it not for أَنَّتاهاher two groans لَجُنَّتِshe would have gone mad
سُحَيرٌ فَلَولا أَنَّتاها لَجُنَّتِ
She has one groan before nightfall, and another
just before dawn; without her two groans she would have gone mad.
بِأَوجَدَmore anguished مِنthan وَجدٍan anguish بِلَيلىfor Layla وَجَدتُهُI felt it
بِأَوجَدَ مِن وَجدٍ بِلَيلى وَجَدتُهُ
غَداةَthe morning اِرتَحَلناwe departed غَدوَةًat daybreak وَاِطمَأَنَتِand she remained settled
غَداةَ اِرتَحَلنا غَدوَةً وَاِطمَأَنَتِ
Nor keener than the anguish for Layla that I felt
the morning we set out at daybreak while she remained.
فَإِنso if يَكُit is هَذاthis عَهدُthe pledge of لَيلىLayla وَأَهلِناand our people
فَإِن يَكُ هَذا عَهدُ لَيلى وَأَهلِنا
فَهَذاthen this is الَّذيwhat كُنّاwe had ظَنَنّاwe expected وَظَنَّتِand she expected
فَهَذا الَّذي كُنّا ظَنَنّا وَظَنَّتِ
If this is Layla's pledge, and our people's,
then this is what we had expected, and she expected too.
أَلاAh قاتَلَmay curse اللَهُGod الحَمامَةَthe dove غَدوَةًat daybreak
أَلا قاتَلَ اللَهُ الحَمامَةَ غَدوَةً
عَلىupon الغُصنِthe branch ماذاwhat هَيَّجَتshe stirred حينَwhen غَنَّتِshe sang
عَلى الغُصنِ ماذا هَيَّجَت حينَ غَنَّتِ
Ah, may God curse the dove at daybreak
upon the branch—what she stirred when she sang!
تَغَنَّتshe sang بِلَحنٍin a tune أَعجَميٍّunintelligible فَهَيَّجَتand so she stirred
تَغَنَّت بِلَحنٍ أَعجَميٍّ فَهَيَّجَت
هَوايَmy passion الَّذيwhich بَينَbetween الضُلوعِthe ribs أَجَنَّتِkept concealed
هَوايَ الَّذي بَينَ الضُلوعِ أَجَنَّتِ
She sang an unintelligible tune, and stirred
the passion kept hidden between my ribs.
نَظَرتُI looked إِلَيهِنَّtoward them الغَداةَthat morning بِنَظرَةٍwith a glance
نَظَرتُ إِلَيهِنَّ الغَداةَ بِنَظرَةٍ
وَلَوand if نَظَرَتlooked عَينيmy eye بِطَرفيwith my gaze تَجَنَّتِtransgressed
وَلَو نَظَرَت عَيني بِطَرفي تَجَنَّتِ
I cast a glance toward them that morning,
and had my eye looked with my gaze, it would have transgressed.
خَفَتshe hushed شَجَناًa sorrow مِنfrom شَجوِهاher grief ثُمَّthen أَعلَنَتshe cried aloud
خَفَت شَجَناً مِن شَجوِها ثُمَّ أَعلَنَت
كَإِعوالِlike the wailing of ثَكلىa bereaved mother أُثكِلَتwas bereaved ثُمَّthen حَنَّتِshe moaned
كَإِعوالِ ثَكلى أُثكِلَت ثُمَّ حَنَّتِ
She hushed some of her sorrow, then cried aloud,
like the wailing of a bereaved mother, stricken and then moaning.
فَماso not أَخَّرَتshe held back إِذwhen هَيَّجَتshe stirred مِنany of صَبابَتيmy yearning
فَما أَخَّرَت إِذ هَيَّجَت مِن صَبابَتي
غَداةَthat morning أَشاعَتshe proclaimed لِلهَوىfor love وَاِرفَأَنَّتِand grew still
غَداةَ أَشاعَت لِلهَوى وَاِرفَأَنَّتِ
She spared none of my yearning when she roused it,
that morning she gave voice to love, then grew still.
أَقولُI say لِحاديto the driver of عيرِthe caravan of لَيلىLayla وَقَدwhile indeed يَرىhe sees
أَقولُ لِحادي عيرِ لَيلى وَقَد يَرى
ثِيابِيَmy garments يَجريflows الدَمعُthe tears فيهاthrough them فَبُلَّتِand so they were soaked
ثِيابِيَ يَجري الدَمعُ فيها فَبُلَّتِ
I say to the driver of Layla's caravan, as he sees
my garments, where tears stream until they are drenched:
أَلاAh قاتَلَmay curse اللَهُGod اللَوىal-Liwa مِنas مَحَلَّةِa dwelling-place
أَلا قاتَلَ اللَهُ اللَوى مِن مَحَلَّةِ
وَقاتَلَand may He curse ذُؤباناًDhu'ban بِهاthere كَيفَhow وَلَّتِshe turned away
وَقاتَلَ ذُؤباناً بِها كَيفَ وَلَّتِ
Ah, may God curse al-Liwa as a dwelling-place,
and curse Dhu'ban there—how she turned away!
غَبَرناwe stayed زَماناfor a time بِاللِوىat al-Liwa ثُمَّthen أَصبَحَتit became
غَبَرنا زَمانا بِاللِوى ثُمَّ أَصبَحَت
بِراقِthe stony tracts of اللِوىal-Liwa مِنof أَهلِهاtheir people قَدalready تَخَلَّتِstood deserted
بِراقِ اللِوى مِن أَهلِها قَد تَخَلَّتِ
We stayed a while at al-Liwa; then one morning
the stony tracts of al-Liwa lay emptied of their people.
أُلامُI am blamed عَلىfor لَيلىLayla وَلَوand even if أَنَّthat هامَتيmy skull
أُلامُ عَلى لَيلى وَلَو أَنَّ هامَتي
تُداوىwere treated بِلَيلىwith Layla بَعدَafter يُبسٍdryness لَبُلَّتِit would surely grow moist
تُداوى بِلَيلى بَعدَ يُبسٍ لَبُلَّتِ
I am blamed for Layla; yet were my skull
treated with Layla after drying out, it would grow moist again,
بِذيwith one possessing أَشَرٍserrated teeth تَجريflows بِهِthrough it الراحُwine أُنهِلَتshe was given a first draught
بِذي أَشَرٍ تَجري بِهِ الراحُ أُنهِلَت
تَخالُyou would think بِهاof it بَعدَafter العِشاءِnightfall وَعَلَّتِand she drank again
تَخالُ بِها بَعدَ العِشاءِ وَعَلَّتِ
with a mouth of serrated teeth through which wine flows—she was given a first draught,
you would think, of it after nightfall, and drank again.
وَيَبسِمُand it smiles إيماضَthe flashing of الغَمامَةِthe cloud إِذwhen سَمَتrose
وَيَبسِمُ إيماضَ الغَمامَةِ إِذ سَمَت
إِلَيهاtoward it عُيونُthe eyes of الناسِthe people حَتّىuntil اِستَهَلَّتِit poured rain
إِلَيها عُيونُ الناسِ حَتّى اِستَهَلَّتِ
And it smiles like a cloud's lightning, when there rise
toward it the eyes of the people, until it pours rain.
حَلَفتُI swore لَهاto her بِاللَهِby God ماnot حَلَّdwelt بَعدَهاafter her
حَلَفتُ لَها بِاللَهِ ما حَلَّ بَعدَها
وَلاnor قَبلَهاbefore her إِنسِيَّةٌa mortal woman حَيثُwhere حَلَّتِshe dwelt
وَلا قَبلَها إِنسِيَّةٌ حَيثُ حَلَّتِ
I swore to her by God: neither after her
nor before her has a mortal woman dwelt where she dwells.
أَقامَتshe dwelt بِأَعلىin the highest شُعبَةٍbranch مِنof فُؤادِهِhis heart
أَقامَت بِأَعلى شُعبَةٍ مِن فُؤادِهِ
فَلاso not القَلبُthe heart يَنساهاforgets her وَلاnor العَينُthe eye مَلَّتِhas grown weary
فَلا القَلبُ يَنساها وَلا العَينُ مَلَّتِ
She dwelt in the highest branch of his heart;
the heart does not forget her, nor has the eye grown weary.
وَقَدand indeed زَعَمَتshe claimed أَنّيthat I سَأَبغيI will seek إِذاif نَأَتshe went far away
وَقَد زَعَمَت أَنّي سَأَبغي إِذا نَأَت
بِهاfor her بَدَلاًa replacement ياoh بِئسَhow bad ماwhat بِيَof me ظَنَّتِshe thought
بِها بَدَلاً يا بِئسَ ما بِيَ ظَنَّتِ
And she claimed that I would seek, if she went far away,
a replacement for her—how ill she has thought of me!
وَماand not أَنصَفَتshe was fair أَمّاas for النِساءَwomen فَبَغَّضَتso she made them hateful
وَما أَنصَفَت أَمّا النِساءَ فَبَغَّضَت
إِلَيَّto me وَأَمّاand as for بِالنَوالِwith favors فَضَنَّتِso she begrudged them
إِلَيَّ وَأَمّا بِالنَوالِ فَضَنَّتِ
She has not been fair: as for women, she made them hateful
to me, while she begrudged her own favors.
فَياso oh حَبَّذاhow dear إِعراضُthe turning away of لَيلىLayla وَقَولُهاand her saying
فَيا حَبَّذا إِعراضُ لَيلى وَقَولُها
هَمَمتَyou intended بِهَجرٍto part وَهيَwhile she بِالهَجرِto part هَمَّتِshe intended
هَمَمتَ بِهَجرٍ وَهيَ بِالهَجرِ هَمَّتِ
Ah, how dear are Layla's turning away and her words,
'You meant to part'—when she herself meant to part!
فَماso no أُمُّa mother of سَقبَa male camel-calf هالِكٍdead فيin مَضَلَّةٍa trackless waste
فَما أُمُّ سَقبَ هالِكٍ في مَضَلَّةٍ
إِذاwhenever ذَكَرَتهُshe remembered him آخِرَat the end of اللَيلِthe night حَنَّتِshe moaned
إِذا ذَكَرَتهُ آخِرَ اللَيلِ حَنَّتِ
No mother-camel whose male calf died in a trackless waste,
who moans when she remembers him at night's end,
بِأَبرَحَmore grievously afflicted مِنّيthan me لَوعَةًwith anguish غَيرَexcept أَنَّنيthat I
بِأَبرَحَ مِنّي لَوعَةً غَيرَ أَنَّني
أُجَمجِمُI keep closed أَحشائيmy entrails عَلىover ماwhat أَكَنَّتِthey have hidden
أُجَمجِمُ أَحشائي عَلى ما أَكَنَّتِ
is more racked by anguish than I, except that I
keep my inward parts closed over what they conceal.
خَليلَيَّmy two friends هَذيthis زَفرَةُthe sigh of اليَومِtoday قَدalready مَضَتhas passed
خَليلَيَّ هَذي زَفرَةُ اليَومِ قَد مَضَت
فَمَنthen who لِغَدٍfor tomorrow مِنagainst زَفرَةٍa sigh قَدalready أَظَلَّتِhas drawn near
فَمَن لِغَدٍ مِن زَفرَةٍ قَد أَظَلَّتِ
My two friends, this day's sigh has passed;
then who will face tomorrow's sigh, already looming?
Sol 6.1