أَلا رُبَّ لَهوٍ آنِسٍ وَلَذاذَةٍ

أَلا رُبَّ لَهوٍ آنِسٍ وَلَذاذَةٍ

مِنَ العَيشِ يَغبيهِ الحَياءُ المُسَتَّرُ

مِنَ العَيشِ يَغبيهِ الحَياءُ المُسَتَّرُ

Ah, many a convivial pastime and delight

Ah, many a pleasant diversion and delight

of life has veiled, sheltered modesty kept hidden.

of life is hidden by veiled modesty.

تَفَرَّقَ أَخداني وَبانَ حَبايَتي

تَفَرَّقَ أَخداني وَبانَ حَبايَتي

فَأَيَّ هَواكَ اليَومَ إِذ شَكَّ تُبصِرُ

فَأَيَّ هَواكَ اليَومَ إِذ شَكَّ تُبصِرُ

My intimates scattered, and my beloved went away;

My close companions have scattered, and my loved ones departed.

which of your loves today can you discern when doubt intrudes?

Which of your loves, then, do you see today, now that doubt has arisen?

عَفَت أَكَماتُ السِرِّ مِن أمِّ هاشِمِ

عَفَت أَكَماتُ السِرِّ مِن أمِّ هاشِمِ

وَكُلُّ دِيارٍ سَوفَ تَعفو وَتَقفِرُ

وَكُلُّ دِيارٍ سَوفَ تَعفو وَتَقفِرُ

The hillocks of al-Sirr, once Umm Hashim’s, are effaced,

The hillocks of al-Sirr have lost all trace of Umm Hashim,

and every habitation will be effaced and deserted.

and every dwelling will be effaced and lie deserted.

فَأَقفَرَ مِنها ذو القَطا فَقُراقِرُ

فَأَقفَرَ مِنها ذو القَطا فَقُراقِرُ

وَأَحياءُ لَيلى فَالأَحَلُّ فَعَرعَرُ

وَأَحياءُ لَيلى فَالأَحَلُّ فَعَرعَرُ

Deserted now are Jaww al-Qata and Qaraqir,

So Dhu al-Qata lies empty without her, then Quraqir,

and Layla’s encampments—al-Ahall, then Ar‘ar,

and Layla's encampments, then al-Ahall, then Ar'ar,

إِلى ذي الحِيافِ ما بِهِ اليَومَ نازِلٌ

إِلى ذي الحِيافِ ما بِهِ اليَومَ نازِلٌ

وَما حَلَّ مُذ سَبتٌ طويلٌ مُهَجِّرُ

وَما حَلَّ مُذ سَبتٌ طويلٌ مُهَجِّرُ

as far as Dhu al-Hiyaf; no one lodges there today,

as far as Dhu al-Hiyaf—no one camps there today,

nor has a traveler alighted there for a long, sun-scorched age.

nor has a midday traveler alighted for a long age.

أَماجِدُ أَنَّ القَلبَ رَهنٌ مُتَيَّمٌ

أَماجِدُ أَنَّ القَلبَ رَهنٌ مُتَيَّمٌ

بِهِ سَقَمٌ أَعيا الأَطِبَّةَ مُضمَرُ

بِهِ سَقَمٌ أَعيا الأَطِبَّةَ مُضمَرُ

O Majid, the heart is captive, enthralled;

O Majid, indeed the heart is held in pledge, enslaved by love;

concealed within it is a sickness that has baffled physicians.

within it is a hidden sickness that has baffled physicians.

تَراءَت لَهُ حَتّى رَجا ثُمَّ أَدبَرَتُ

تَراءَت لَهُ حَتّى رَجا ثُمَّ أَدبَرَتُ

فَلا هُوَ مَوصولٌ وَلا هُوَ مُقصِرُ

فَلا هُوَ مَوصولٌ وَلا هُوَ مُقصِرُ

She showed herself to it until hope arose, then turned away;

She showed herself to it until it hoped, then turned away,

it is neither granted union nor able to desist.

so it is neither united in love nor giving up.

بِساجٍ عَلى المَتنَينِ وَجفٍ كَأَنَّهُ

بِساجٍ عَلى المَتنَينِ وَجفٍ كَأَنَّهُ

أَساوِدُ مِنهُ مُرسَلُ وَمُقَصَّرُ

أَساوِدُ مِنهُ مُرسَلُ وَمُقَصَّرُ

With darkness over both shoulders, quivering as though

With hair draped over both sides of her back, quivering as though it were

black serpents streamed from it, some long, some shortened.

black snakes—some flowing loose, others shortened.

لَقَد كانَ في نوحٍ وَداوُدَ عَبرَةٌ

لَقَد كانَ في نوحٍ وَداوُدَ عَبرَةٌ

لِمَن يَأتَسي بِالناسِ أَو يَتَغَيَّرُ

لِمَن يَأتَسي بِالناسِ أَو يَتَغَيَّرُ

In Noah and David there was surely a lesson

There was indeed a lesson in Noah and David

for one who takes example from mankind or lets himself be changed.

for whoever follows others' example or changes his ways.

رَأى اللَهُ نوحاً فَاِصطَفاهُ كَرامَةً

رَأى اللَهُ نوحاً فَاِصطَفاهُ كَرامَةً

وَكانَ اِمرِءاً مِن أُمَّةٍ لَيسَ يُكفَرُ

وَكانَ اِمرِءاً مِن أُمَّةٍ لَيسَ يُكفَرُ

God looked upon Noah and chose him out in honor;

God saw Noah and chose him as an honor,

he was a man among his people who did not disbelieve.

and he was a man from a people, not denied his due.

فَلَمّا عَلا الماءُ الجِبالَ تَحامَلَت

فَلَمّا عَلا الماءُ الجِبالَ تَحامَلَت

سَفينَةُ نوحٍ وَهوَ فيها يُكَبِّرُ

سَفينَةُ نوحٍ وَهوَ فيها يُكَبِّرُ

When the waters climbed above the mountains, onward bore

Then, when the water overtopped the mountains, onward struggled

Noah’s ark, while within it he magnified God.

Noah's ship, while he inside proclaimed God's greatness.

فَأَمرَعَ بِالجودِيِّ نوحٌ وَقَد بَدا

فَأَمرَعَ بِالجودِيِّ نوحٌ وَقَد بَدا

لَهُ ذِروَةٌ مِن جانِبِ الطَودِ مُجزِرُ

لَهُ ذِروَةٌ مِن جانِبِ الطَودِ مُجزِرُ

Noah found lush ground upon al-Judi, when there appeared

So Noah found fertile ground on al-Judi, and there had appeared

to him a crest on the great mountain’s flank as the water ebbed.

to him a summit on the mountain's side, exposed by ebbing waters.

فَأَرسَلَ وَحفاً حالِكاً وَحَمامَةً

فَأَرسَلَ وَحفاً حالِكاً وَحَمامَةً

وَما مُتَبَغّي الخَير إِلّا مُغَرِّرُ

وَما مُتَبَغّي الخَير إِلّا مُغَرِّرُ

He sent out a heavy-feathered black bird and a dove—

Then he sent a thick-feathered, pitch-black bird and a dove,

whoever seeks the good must hazard himself.

and anyone who seeks good must take risks.

فَما أَقلَعَت تَرتادُ حَتّى بَدا لَها

فَما أَقلَعَت تَرتادُ حَتّى بَدا لَها

قَضيبٌ مِنَ الزَيتونِ يَهتَزُّ أَخضَرُ

قَضيبٌ مِنَ الزَيتونِ يَهتَزُّ أَخضَرُ

She took wing, searching, until there appeared to her

So she did not stop searching until there appeared to her

a green olive twig, trembling.

a green olive twig, swaying.

فَجاءَت إِلى نوحٍ تَطيرُ بِغُصنِها

فَجاءَت إِلى نوحٍ تَطيرُ بِغُصنِها

فَصَلّى عِلَيها إِذا أَتَتهُ تُبَشِّرُ

فَصَلّى عِلَيها إِذا أَتَتهُ تُبَشِّرُ

She flew back to Noah with her branch,

Then she came flying to Noah with her branch,

and he prayed over her when she came bearing glad tidings—

so he prayed a blessing upon her when she brought him good news,

صَلاةَ مُجابٍ يَسمَعُ الله صَوتَهُ

صَلاةَ مُجابٍ يَسمَعُ الله صَوتَهُ

وَأَورَثَها أَن لَيسَتِ الدَهرَ تَكبَرُ

وَأَورَثَها أَن لَيسَتِ الدَهرَ تَكبَرُ

the prayer of one answered, whose voice God hears—

the prayer of one whose pleas are answered, whose voice God hears.

and endowed her never to grow old through all time.

And he bequeathed to her that she would never grow old.

فَلَو كانَ إِنسِيٌّ مِنَ المَوتِ مُفلِتاً

فَلَو كانَ إِنسِيٌّ مِنَ المَوتِ مُفلِتاً

لِأَفلَتَ كِسرى الفارِسِيُّ وَقَيصَرُ

لِأَفلَتَ كِسرى الفارِسِيُّ وَقَيصَرُ

If any human being could slip free of death,

Then, had any human been able to escape death,

Persian Chosroes and Caesar would have escaped.

Kisra the Persian and Caesar would surely have escaped.

وَكانَ سُلَيمانُ بنُ داوودَ عُبِّدَت

وَكانَ سُلَيمانُ بنُ داوودَ عُبِّدَت

لَهُ الجِنُّ تَبني دونَهُ وَتُسَخَّرُ

لَهُ الجِنُّ تَبني دونَهُ وَتُسَخَّرُ

Solomon son of David once had made servants

And there was Solomon son of David: enslaved

of the jinn: they built before him and were compelled.

to him were the jinn, building before him and compelled to serve.

وَمُلِّكَ ما لا يَملِكُ الناسُ قَبلَهُ

وَمُلِّكَ ما لا يَملِكُ الناسُ قَبلَهُ

وَلا بَعدَهُ في الدَهرِ وَالدَهرُ أَعصُرُ

وَلا بَعدَهُ في الدَهرِ وَالدَهرُ أَعصُرُ

He was given dominion over what no people before him possessed,

And he was granted what no people before him possessed,

nor any after him through time—and time is age upon age.

nor any after him, throughout time—and time comprises ages.

فَأَفنى ثَمودَ الحجرِ رَبُّكَ إِنَّهُ

فَأَفنى ثَمودَ الحجرِ رَبُّكَ إِنَّهُ

يُعاقِبُ أَقواماً كَثيراً وَيَغفِرُ

يُعاقِبُ أَقواماً كَثيراً وَيَغفِرُ

Your Lord destroyed Thamud of al-Hijr; indeed, He

So your Lord destroyed Thamud of al-Hijr; indeed, He

punishes many peoples, and forgives.

punishes peoples often, and forgives.

وَقَد مَنَعوا سَبتاً مِنَ الدَهرِ لَقحَةً

وَقَد مَنَعوا سَبتاً مِنَ الدَهرِ لَقحَةً

تَدُرُّ بِرُسلٍ فاضِلٍ ثُمَّ تَصدُرُ

تَدُرُّ بِرُسلٍ فاضِلٍ ثُمَّ تَصدُرُ

For a span of time they barred a milch she-camel

And for a span of time they had barred a milk-giving she-camel,

that poured abundant milk, then left the watering place.

that yielded abundant milk, then left the watering place.