دَعاكَinvited you خَليلٌa close friend وَالأَصيلُwhile late afternoon كَأَنَّهُas though it were
دَعاكَ خَليلٌ وَالأَصيلُ كَأَنَّهُ
عَليلٌan ailing man يُقَضّيlives out مُدَّةَthe span of الرَمقِthe breath of life الباقيremaining
عَليلٌ يُقَضّي مُدَّةَ الرَمقِ الباقي
A friend invited you, while late afternoon seemed
An ailing man living out his last remaining breath,
إِلىto شَطِّthe bank of مُنسابٍa flowing stream كَأَنَّكَas though you were ماؤُهُits water
إِلى شَطِّ مُنسابٍ كَأَنَّكَ ماؤُهُ
صَفاءَin purity of ضَميرٍheart أَوor عُذوبَةَsweetness of أَخلاقِcharacter
صَفاءَ ضَميرٍ أَو عُذوبَةَ أَخلاقِ
To the bank of a flowing stream, as though you were its water
In purity of heart or sweetness of character,
وَمَهوىand the swooping-place of جَناحٍa wing لِلصِّباof the east wind يَمسَحُbrushing الرُبىthe hills
وَمَهوى جَناحٍ لِلصِّبا يَمسَحُ الرُبى
خَفِيِّunseen الخَوافيthe secondary flight feathers وَالقَوادِمِand the primary flight feathers خَفّاقِfluttering
خَفِيِّ الخَوافي وَالقَوادِمِ خَفّاقِ
And to where the east wind’s wing swoops, brushing the hills,
Its inner and outer flight feathers unseen, yet fluttering.
وَفِتيانُand youths of صِدقٍtrue character كَالنُجومِlike stars تَأَلَّفواgathered together
وَفِتيانُ صِدقٍ كَالنُجومِ تَأَلَّفوا
عَلىdespite النَأيِthe distance مِنfrom شَتّىvarious بُروجٍconstellations وَآفاقِand horizons
عَلى النَأيِ مِن شَتّى بُروجٍ وَآفاقِ
And true-hearted youths, like stars, had gathered
Despite the distance, from diverse constellations and horizons,
عَلىat حينِa time when راحَbegan البَرقُthe lightning فيin الجَوِّthe sky مُغمِداًsheathing
عَلى حينِ راحَ البَرقُ في الجَوِّ مُغمِداً
ظُباهُits blades وَدَمعُand the tears of المُزنِthe rainclouds فيin جَفنِهِits eyelid راقِstilled
ظُباهُ وَدَمعُ المُزنِ في جَفنِهِ راقِ
At a time when lightning in the sky was sheathing
Its blades, and the raincloud’s tears had stilled within its eyelid.
وَجالَتand roamed بِعَينيwith my eye فيthrough الرِياضِthe gardens اِلتِفاتَةٌa glance
وَجالَت بِعَيني في الرِياضِ اِلتِفاتَةٌ
حَبَستُI held back بِهاbecause of it كَأسيmy cup قَليلاًa little while عَنِfrom الساقيthe cupbearer
حَبَستُ بِها كَأسي قَليلاً عَنِ الساقي
And my eye wandered through the gardens, turning—
For this I briefly held my cup back from the cupbearer—
عَلىupon سَطرِa row of خيرِيٍّwallflowers ذَكَرتُكَI mentioned you فَاِنثَنىso it bent
عَلى سَطرِ خيرِيٍّ ذَكَرتُكَ فَاِنثَنى
يَميلُswaying بِأَعناقٍwith necks وَيَرنوand gazing بِأَحداقِwith eyes
يَميلُ بِأَعناقٍ وَيَرنو بِأَحداقِ
To a row of wallflowers; I mentioned you, and it bent,
Swaying its necks and gazing with its eyes.
فَقِفso stand وِقفَةَin the stance of المَحبوبِthe beloved مِنهُbefore it فَإِنَّهاfor they are
فَقِف وِقفَةَ المَحبوبِ مِنهُ فَإِنَّها
شَمائِلُthe gestures of مَشغوفٍone consumed with love بِمَرآكِby the sight of you مُشتاقِyearning
شَمائِلُ مَشغوفٍ بِمَرآكِ مُشتاقِ
So stand before it as its beloved, for these are
The gestures of one love-struck, longing for the sight of you.
وَصلand show affection to زَهراتٍblossoms مِنهُof it صُفراًyellow كَأَنَّهاas though they were
وَصل زَهراتٍ مِنهُ صُفراً كَأَنَّها
وَقَدwhile already خَضِلَتgrown wet قَطراًwith drops مَحاجِرُthe eye sockets of عُشّاقِlovers
وَقَد خَضِلَت قَطراً مَحاجِرُ عُشّاقِ
And give its yellow blossoms your affection, as though they were—
Now wet with drops—the eye sockets of lovers.
Sol 6.1