إِذاif شِئتماyou two wish أنْto تبكيانيmake me weep, you two صبابةًwith ardent longing
إِذا شِئتما أنْ تبكياني صبابةً
فكرّاthen both bring back علىupon قلبيmy heart حديثاًa tale تقدّماthat came before
فكرّا على قلبي حديثاً تقدّما
If you two wish to make me weep with longing,
If you wish to weep for me fresh and new,
Then bring back to my heart a tale long past.
Then do not mention him, though he grieves my heart.
تصرّمdeparted عنّيfrom me رغمdespite أنفيmy nose (in the idiom 'against my will') وذكرُهُand its memory
تصرّم عنّي رغم أنفي وذكرُهُ
عَلىupon القلبِthe heart منّيof mine جاثمٌcrouching heavily ماnot تصرّماdeparted
عَلى القلبِ منّي جاثمٌ ما تصرّما
It departed from me against my will, yet its memory
For his memory sits heavy on my heart—do not speak of him.
Lies heavy upon this heart of mine and has not departed.
Nights wear everything away, but they only increase
ترثّwear out اللّياليthe nights كلَّevery شيءٍthing وإنّماand yet only
ترثّ اللّيالي كلَّ شيءٍ وإنّما
يزيدgrows عليهاwith them (the nights) جِدَّةًfreshness وتصرّماand separation
يزيد عليها جِدَّةً وتصرّما
The nights wear everything out, yet it alone
His power over me—do not speak of him.
Grows fresher and further removed as they pass.
Do not wonder at my tears, but wonder
ولاand do not تعجباmarvel, you two منat دمعتيmy tear وتعجّباand marvel, you two
ولا تعجبا من دمعتي وتعجّبا
لعينِيَat my eye إنْif لمnot تجرِflow منfrom بعدهاafter it دماblood
لعينِيَ إنْ لم تجرِ من بعدها دما
And do not marvel at my tear, but marvel
If my eyes failed to weep blood after him.
At my eye if, after that tear, it does not flow with blood.
Partial English translation: 7 of 8 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1