أنجومare these stars? ليلٍnight أمor نجومstars خدورsecluded chambers
أنجوم ليلٍ أم نجوم خدور
وغصونand boughs بانٍbān trees أمor رماحspears خصورwaists
وغصون بانٍ أم رماح خصور
Are these stars of night, or stars of secluded chambers?
Stars of a dark night, or fading stars?
And are these bān-tree boughs, or spear-like waists?
Branches of a willow, or lances of chests?
والشمسand the sun أمor شمسsun السلافthe finest wine تقلهاbear it
والشمس أم شمس السلاف تقلها
بينamong البدورthe full moons كواكبstars البلورcrystal
بين البدور كواكب البلور
And is this the sun, or the sun of fine wine, borne
The sun, or the sun of the Salaf you liken
Among full moons by stars of crystal?
Among the full moons, crystals of glass.
يوليكهاbestows it on you قمرٌa moon يريكshows you قوامهhis stature
يوليكها قمرٌ يريك قوامه
بانَthe bān-tree الغويرal-Ghuwayr علىon هضابheights ثبيرThabīr
بانَ الغوير على هضاب ثبير
A moon bestows it on you; his stature shows you
The moon makes you see its shape
The bān-tree of al-Ghuwayr on the heights of Thabīr.
Clearly on the plateau of flowing sand.
وكأنand as though ماءwater الحسنbeauty فيon وجناتهhis cheeks
وكأن ماء الحسن في وجناته
حباتbeads درٍّpearls فيon ترائبupper chests حورhouris
حبات درٍّ في ترائب حور
And the water of beauty upon his cheeks is like
As if the water of beauty on his cheeks
Pearl beads upon the bosoms of houris.
Were pearls in the necklaces of virgins.
ماnot علمتهhas taught him العينthe eye غيرother than نفارهاits shying away
ما علمته العين غير نفارها
فلذاكand for that reason يجهلdoes not know لفتةturning glance اليعفورthe young gazelle
فلذاك يجهل لفتة اليعفور
The eye has taught him nothing but its shying away;
The eye did not know anything but its glance,
And so he knows nothing of the young gazelle’s turning glance.
So it remains ignorant of the gesture of the gazelle.
ياO هاجريyou who forsake me وحماكand your sanctuary بينbetween أضالعيmy ribs
يا هاجري وحماك بين أضالعي
أوديتyou have laid waste بالمهجورto the forsaken one والمعمورand the inhabited place
أوديت بالمهجور والمعمور
O you who forsake me, while your sanctuary lies between my ribs,
Oh you who migrated and found refuge in my ribs,
You have laid waste to the forsaken one and the inhabited place.
I was destroyed by the abandoned and settled.
ماnot كنتI was أحسبthinking بعدafter أثقالburdens الهوىlove
ما كنت أحسب بعد أثقال الهوى
أنthat الصدودrejection يكونwould be بعضpart أجوريmy rewards
أن الصدود يكون بعض أجوري
I did not think, after the burdens of love,
I did not expect, after the heaviness of passion,
That rejection would be part of my reward.
That being turned away would be some of my reward.
إنif شئتyou wish تصفحshow clemency عنregarding دميmy blood وتذودهand ward it off
إن شئت تصفح عن دمي وتذوده
عنfrom ناظريmy eye الداميbleeding وتعمرand restore دوريmy dwellings
عن ناظري الدامي وتعمر دوري
If you wish to spare my blood and ward it off
If you wish, overlook my blood and defend it
From my bleeding eye, and restore my dwellings,
From my tearful eyes, and build up my house.
قربbring close فميmy mouth منto فيكyour mouth والمسand touch ناظريmy eye
قرب فمي من فيك والمس ناظري
ببياضwith the whiteness هذاthis المعصمthe wrist الكافوريcamphor-white
ببياض هذا المعصم الكافوري
Bring my mouth close to yours, and touch my eye
Bring my mouth closer to yours and touch my eyes
With the whiteness of this camphor-white wrist.
With the whiteness of this camphor-like forearm.
Sol 6.1