لولاَwere it not for زَمانa time سَلَفاgone by
لولاَ زَمان سَلَفا
لَمdid not يَشكُcomplain of قَلبيmy heart الأَسفاsorrow
لَم يَشكُ قَلبي الأَسفا
Were it not for a time gone by,
Had it not been for times gone by
My heart would not complain of sorrow.
My heart would not have felt sorrow
وإنَّماand only هَيَّجنيstirred me
وإنَّما هَيَّجني
رَبعٌa dwelling علىbeside الجزعِthe valley bend عَفاwas effaced
رَبعٌ على الجزعِ عَفا
And what stirred me was only
And yet I was stirred
A dwelling by the valley bend, effaced,
By a quarter that forgave my anguish
وذكرُand remembrance of منthose دمعيmy tears بهمfor them
وذكرُ من دمعي بهم
علىupon خُدوديmy cheeks قدalready نَفَىstreamed
على خُدودي قد نَفَى
And remembrance of those for whom my tears
And the memory of those whose tears
Have streamed down my cheeks.
Once flowed down my cheeks
حسبيenough for me غراماًardent love بهمُfor them
حسبي غراماً بهمُ
حسبيenough for me غراميmy ardent love وكفَىand it suffices
حسبي غرامي وكفَى
Passion for them is enough for me;
It is enough that I loved them
My passion is enough for me, and it suffices.
My love for them is enough
قالواthey said عَشقتyou loved أَهيفاًa slender-waisted man
قالوا عَشقت أَهيفاً
نَعمyes عشقتُI loved أَهيفاa slender-waisted man
نَعم عشقتُ أَهيفا
They said, 'You loved a slender-waisted man.'
They said you loved one graceful
Yes, I loved a slender-waisted man,
Yes, I loved one most graceful
مُمنطقَاbelted مُقرَّطاًwearing earlobe earrings
مُمنطقَا مُقرَّطاً
مُطوَّقاًwearing a neck-ring مُشنَّفاwearing upper-ear ornaments
مُطوَّقاً مُشنَّفا
Belted, with earrings in his earlobes,
Adorned and well-attired
Wearing a neck-ring and upper-ear ornaments.
Collared and finely dressed
لهُhe has سهامُarrows أعيُنِeyes
لهُ سهامُ أعيُنِ
غادرنَthey left قلبيmy heart هَدفاa target
غادرنَ قلبي هَدفا
The arrows of his eyes
With the arrows of his eyes
Have left my heart a target.
That pierced my heart with purpose
وليسand is not قصديmy aim ابداًever
وليس قصدي ابداً
فيin الحُبِّlove إلاexcept يُوسُفاYusuf
في الحُبِّ إلا يُوسُفا
And I never seek
And I never intended
In love anyone but Yusuf.
Except for Joseph my love
أمرضنيhe made me ill فليسَso there is no إلاَّexcept
أمرضني فليسَ إلاَّ
شفتاهُhis two lips ليfor me شِفاa cure
شفتاهُ لي شِفا
He made me ill; so only
He made me lovesick so none but
His lips are a cure for me.
His lips could heal me
كالبدرِlike the full moon وجهاًin face مُشرقاًradiant
كالبدرِ وجهاً مُشرقاً
والغُصنِand a branch خصراًin waist مُخطفاslender
والغُصنِ خصراً مُخطفا
His radiant face is like the full moon,
His face shone like the moon
And his slender waist like a branch.
His waist swayed like a tender branch
ماnot ضَرَّنيharmed me أنِّيthat I بهِbecause of him
ما ضَرَّني أنِّي بهِ
أَصبحتُI became صباًa passionate lover مُدنفَاwasted by illness
أَصبحتُ صباً مُدنفَا
It has not harmed me that, because of him,
It mattered not to me that for him
I have become a passionate lover, wasted by illness.
I woke each dawn lovelorn
Sol 6.1