أَنّىhow تَذَكَّرَremembered زَينَبَZaynab القَلبُthe heart
أَنّى تَذَكَّرَ زَينَبَ القَلبُ
وَطِلابُand seeking وَصلِunion غَريرَةٍa guileless maiden شَغبُtrouble
وَطِلابُ وَصلِ غَريرَةٍ شَغبُ
How did the heart come to remember Zaynab,
How can the heart forget Zainab
When seeking union with a guileless maiden is trouble?
While seeking to join her radiant company
ماnot رَوضَةٌa meadow جادَgave generously الرَبيعُspring لَهاto it
ما رَوضَةٌ جادَ الرَبيعُ لَها
مَوليَّةٌwatered by later rains ماwhat حَولَهاaround it جَدبُbarren
مَوليَّةٌ ما حَولَها جَدبُ
No meadow that spring has lavishly watered,
No garden blossomed in spring for her sake
Watered by later rains, with all around it barren,
A barren wasteland surrounds her
بِأَلَذَّmore delightful مِنهاthan she إِذwhen تَقولُshe says لَناto us
بِأَلَذَّ مِنها إِذ تَقولُ لَنا
سِرّاًin secret أَسِلمٌis it peace? ذاكَthat أَمor حَربُwar
سِرّاً أَسِلمٌ ذاكَ أَم حَربُ
Is more delightful than she when she says to us
Sweeter than which, when she tells us
In secret, “Is that peace or war?”
Privately, "Is he a Muslim or at war?"
لاnot الدارُthe dwelling جامِعَةٌbringing together وَلَوand even if جَمَعَتit brought together
لا الدارُ جامِعَةٌ وَلَو جَمَعَت
ماnot زالَceased يَعرِضُarises دونَهاbetween us and her خَطبُtrouble
ما زالَ يَعرِضُ دونَها خَطبُ
The dwelling does not bring us together; and even if it did,
It is no gathering house, even if it gathered
Some trouble would still arise, barring the way to her.
Misfortunes persist in happening to it
أَهَجَرتِناhave you forsaken us? ثُمَّthen اِعتَلَلتِyou made excuses لَناto us
أَهَجَرتِنا ثُمَّ اِعتَلَلتِ لَنا
وَلَقَدand indeed نَرىwe see أَنthat ماnot لَناto us ذَنبُfault
وَلَقَد نَرى أَن ما لَنا ذَنبُ
Have you forsaken us, then offered us excuses?
You shunned us, then yearned for us
Yet we surely see that we are not at fault.
Though we see we've committed no wrong
Sol 6.1