مِنfrom رُسومٍtraces بالِياتٍworn away وَدِمَنand dung-darkened camp remains
مِن رُسومٍ بالِياتٍ وَدِمَن
عادَreturned ليto me هَمّيmy sorrow وَعاوَدتُand I resumed دَدَنamusement
عادَ لي هَمّي وَعاوَدتُ دَدَن
From faded traces and dung-darkened campsites,
From the ruins of past glories and abodes
My sorrow returned to me, and I took up amusement anew.
My worries have returned and persistently gnaw at me
ياO أَباfather of الحارِثِal-Harith قَلبيmy heart هائِمٌwandering in love
يا أَبا الحارِثِ قَلبي هائِمٌ
فَأتَمِرso heed أَمرَthe counsel of رَشيدٍa wise man مُؤتَمَنtrusted
فَأتَمِر أَمرَ رَشيدٍ مُؤتَمَن
O Abu al-Harith, my heart wanders in love;
Oh Abu Al-Harith my heart wanders aimlessly
So heed the counsel of a wise, trusted man.
So take the advice of a trusted, wise counsel
نَظَرَتlooked عَينيmy eye إِلَيهاat her نَظرَةًa glance
نَظَرَت عَيني إِلَيها نَظرَةً
تَرَكَتit left قَلبيmy heart لَدَيهاwith her مُرتَهَنheld in pledge
تَرَكَت قَلبي لَدَيها مُرتَهَن
My eye cast a glance at her,
My eyes glanced at her with a look
Which left my heart with her, held in pledge.
That left my heart with her as a hostage
عُلِّقَbecame enamored of القَلبُthe heart غَزالاًa gazelle شادِناًgrown independent of its mother
عُلِّقَ القَلبُ غَزالاً شادِناً
ياO لَقَوميmy people, help! مِنagainst غَزالٍa gazelle قَدalready شَدَنgrew independent
يا لَقَومي مِن غَزالٍ قَد شَدَن
The heart fell in love with a newly grown gazelle;
My heart was hung like a graceful gazelle
O my people, help me against a gazelle now grown!
Oh my people, from a gazelle that has been ensnared
حَسَنَbeautiful الوَجهِof face نَقِيّاًpure لَونُهُhis complexion
حَسَنَ الوَجهِ نَقِيّاً لَونُهُ
طَيِّبِsweet النَشرِof scent لَذيذِdelightful المُحتَضَنwhen embraced
طَيِّبِ النَشرِ لَذيذِ المُحتَضَن
Fair of face, his complexion pure,
Of beautiful face, pure complexion
Sweet of scent, delightful to embrace.
Sweet scent, soft to embrace
أُطلُبَنdo seek ليfor me صاحِO friend وَصلاًunion عِندَهُwith him
أُطلُبَن لي صاحِ وَصلاً عِندَهُ
إِنَّindeed خَيرَthe best of الوَصلِunion ماthat which لَيسَis not يُمَنheld over one as a favor
إِنَّ خَيرَ الوَصلِ ما لَيسَ يُمَن
Seek union with him for me, my friend;
Seek for me to meet and be united with her
For the best union is one not held over you as a favor.
For the best union is that without prevention
إِنَّindeed حُبّيmy love for آلَthe household of لَيلىLayla قاتِليkilling me
إِنَّ حُبّي آلَ لَيلى قاتِلي
ظَهَرَbecame manifest الحُبُّlove بِجِسميin my body وَبَطَنand lay hidden within
ظَهَرَ الحُبُّ بِجِسمي وَبَطَن
Indeed, my love for Layla’s household is killing me.
Indeed my love for Layla will be the death of me
Love has shown itself in my body and lies hidden within.
Love has appeared in my body and gut
لَيسَthere is no حُبٌّlove فَوقَgreater than ماwhat أَحبَبتُهُI have loved him
لَيسَ حُبٌّ فَوقَ ما أَحبَبتُهُ
غَيرَexcept أَنthat أَقتُلَI kill نَفسيmyself أَوor أُجَنّI go mad
غَيرَ أَن أَقتُلَ نَفسي أَو أُجَنّ
No love exceeds the love I have borne him,
There is no love greater than my love for her
Save that I kill myself or go mad.
Unless I kill myself or go insane
جَعَلَتshe made لِلقَلبِfor the heart مِنّيof mine حُبَّهاlove for her
جَعَلَت لِلقَلبِ مِنّي حُبَّها
شَجَناًa sorrow زافَsurpassed عَلىabove كُلِّevery شَجَنsorrow
شَجَناً زافَ عَلى كُلِّ شَجَن
She made my love for her, in this heart of mine,
Her love for me has caused my heart
A sorrow that surpassed every sorrow.
A passion that flows over all other passions
فَإِذاso whenever ماemphatic particle شَحَطَتshe went far away هامَit pined بِهاfor her
فَإِذا ما شَحَطَت هامَ بِها
وَإِذاand whenever راعَتshe returned إِلىto الدارِthe house سَكَنit grew still
وَإِذا راعَت إِلى الدارِ سَكَن
So whenever she went far away, it pined for her;
So when she wanders lost in thought of me
And whenever she returned to the house, it grew still.
And when she returns to settle in her abode
Sol 6.1