نامَslept الخَلِيُّthe carefree man وَبِتُّand I spent the night غَيرَwithout موَسَّدِa pillow أَI (prefix continued in the next line)
نامَ الخَلِيُّ وَبِتُّ غَيرَ موَسَّدِ أَ
رَعىwatch over (continuing the preceding prefix) النُجومَthe stars بِهاduring it كَفِعلِlike the action of الأَرمَدِone with inflamed eyes
رَعى النُجومَ بِها كَفِعلِ الأَرمَدِ
The carefree man slept; I spent the night without a pillow, keeping
The dreamer slept without a pillow
watch over the stars that night, like one with inflamed eyes.
He herded the stars as the sleepless do
حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen الجَوزاءُOrion وَهناًlate at night حَلَّقَتsoared high
حَتّى إِذا الجَوزاءُ وَهناً حَلَّقَت
وَعَلَتand rose كَواكِبُهاits stars كَجَمرٍlike embers موقَدِkindled
وَعَلَت كَواكِبُها كَجَمرٍ موقَدِ
Until, when Orion soared high late at night,
Until the Pleiades withdrew tiredly
and its stars rose like kindled embers,
And its stars rose like glowing embers
نامَslept الأُلىthose who لَيسَis not الهَوىlove مِنamong شَأنِهِمtheir concerns
نامَ الأُلى لَيسَ الهَوى مِن شَأنِهِم
وَكَفاهُمُand spared them الإِدلاجَthe night journey مَنthe one who لَمdid not يَرقُدsleep
وَكَفاهُمُ الإِدلاجَ مَن لَم يَرقُد
those for whom love was no concern slept,
The companions slept, love was not their concern
and one who did not sleep spared them the journey by night,
Darkness sufficed those who did not slumber
فيin لَيلَةٍa night طَخياءَpitch-dark يُخشىis feared هَولُهاits terror
في لَيلَةٍ طَخياءَ يُخشى هَولُها
ظَلماءَdark مِنamong لَيلِthe nights of التَمامِgreatest length in winter الأَسوَدِthe black
ظَلماءَ مِن لَيلِ التَمامِ الأَسوَدِ
on a pitch-dark night whose terror was feared,
On a gloomy night, its horrors feared
dark, among the long black nights of winter.
Pitch black from the darkness whole
فَطَرَقتُso I knocked at بابَthe door of العامِريَّةِthe ʿĀmirī woman موهِناًlate at night
فَطَرَقتُ بابَ العامِريَّةِ موهِناً
فِعلَlike the action of الرَفيقِthe companion أَتاهُمُwho came to them لِلمَوعِدِfor the appointed meeting
فِعلَ الرَفيقِ أَتاهُمُ لِلمَوعِدِ
So I knocked at al-ʿĀmiriyya’s door late at night,
I knocked on the door of the populated house
like a companion coming to them for an appointed tryst.
As friends do when they have an appointment
فَإِذاthen there was وَليدَتُهاher maidservant فَقُلتُso I said لَهاto her اِفتَحيopen
فَإِذا وَليدَتُها فَقُلتُ لَها اِفتَحي
لِمُتَيَّمٍfor one enslaved by love صَبِّlovesick الفُؤادِat heart مُصَيَّدِensnared
لِمُتَيَّمٍ صَبِّ الفُؤادِ مُصَيَّدِ
There was her maidservant; I said to her, “Open
There her maid came so I said uncover
for a captive of love, lovesick at heart and ensnared.”
For a love-struck heart, a passionate hunter
فَتَفَرَّجَthen parted البابانِthe two door-leaves عَنfor ذيone possessing مِرَّةٍstrength and resolve
فَتَفَرَّجَ البابانِ عَن ذي مِرَّةٍ
ماضٍresolute عَلىdespite العِلّاتِthe obstacles لَيسَnot بِقُعدُدِone to hang back (emphatic)
ماضٍ عَلى العِلّاتِ لَيسَ بِقُعدُدِ
Then the two door-leaves parted for a man of resolve,
The two doors opened for a handsome man
pressing on despite obstacles, not one to hang back.
Firm in his ascent, no laggard was he
فَتَجَهَّمَتthen she scowled لَمّاwhen رَأَتنيshe saw me داخِلاًentering
فَتَجَهَّمَت لَمّا رَأَتني داخِلاً
بِتَلَهُّفٍwith distress مِنin قَولِهاher speech وَتَهَدُّدِand threats
بِتَلَهُّفٍ مِن قَولِها وَتَهَدُّدِ
She scowled when she saw me entering,
She frowned when she saw me enter
with distress and threats in her words.
Yearning from her threats and reprimands
ثُمَّthen اِرعَوَتshe relented شَيئاًsomewhat وَخَفَّضَand soothed جَأشَهاher heart
ثُمَّ اِرعَوَت شَيئاً وَخَفَّضَ جَأشَها
بَعدَafter الطُموحِthe agitation تَهَجُّديmy night vigil وَتَوَدُّديand my affection
بَعدَ الطُموحِ تَهَجُّدي وَتَوَدُّدي
Then she relented a little, and her heart was calmed,
Then she calmed down and softened her demeanor
after its agitation, by my night vigil and affection.
After ambition, my courting and wooing
فيat ذاكَthat point ماan emphatic particle قَدalready قُلتُI had said إِنّيindeed I ماكِثٌam staying
في ذاكَ ما قَد قُلتُ إِنّي ماكِثٌ
عَشراًten nights فَقالَتthen she said ماas long as بَداseemed good لَكَto you فَاِقعُدِso stay
عَشراً فَقالَت ما بَدا لَكَ فَاِقعُدِ
At that point I had said, “I shall stay
I said I would stay ten days here
ten nights.” She said, “Stay as long as you please.”
She said no need, just take a seat
حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen ماan emphatic particle العَشرَthe ten nights جَنَّshrouded ظَلامُهاtheir darkness
حَتّى إِذا ما العَشرَ جَنَّ ظَلامُها
قالَتshe said أَلاindeed حانَthe time has come التَفَرُّقُparting فَاِعهَدِso give instructions
قالَت أَلا حانَ التَفَرُّقُ فَاِعهَدِ
Until, when darkness shrouded the tenth night,
When the ten nights passed in darkness
she said, “Indeed, the time to part has come; give your instructions,
She said it's time we go our ways
وَاِذكُرand tell لَناus ماwhatever شِئتَyou wish مِمّاof what تَشتَهيyou desire
وَاِذكُر لَنا ما شِئتَ مِمّا تَشتَهي
وَاللَهِby God لاnot نَعصيكَwe disobey you أُخرىto the end of المُسنَدِtime
وَاللَهِ لا نَعصيكَ أُخرى المُسنَدِ
and tell us whatever you wish of what you desire.
Remember what you desire
By God, we shall not disobey you to the end of time.”
By God, we won't disobey you again
Sol 6.1