ألَمياءُ إِن شَطَّت بِنَا الدّارُ عَنوةً

ألَمياءُ إِن شَطَّت بِنَا الدّارُ عَنوةً

فَدارَاكِ أَجفاني القريحَةُ والخِلبُ

فَدارَاكِ أَجفاني القريحَةُ والخِلبُ

O Lamya, if our abode has borne us far away against our will,

My beloved, if against our will this house parts us,

then your two homes are my wounded eyelids and my liver's membrane.

then your eyelids suffice my heart and hips.

تَدانت بِنَا الأَهواءُ والبعدُ بَينَنا

تَدانت بِنَا الأَهواءُ والبعدُ بَينَنا

وما فُرقَةُ الأَحبابِ حَزْنٌ ولا سَهبُ

وما فُرقَةُ الأَحبابِ حَزْنٌ ولا سَهبُ

Our affections have drawn us close, though distance lies between us;

The passions drew us close; the distance kept us apart.

and lovers' separation is neither rugged ground nor open plain.

Not the separation of lovers that brings sadness or regret.

ولكنَّما البينُ المُشِتُّ هُوَ القِلى

ولكنَّما البينُ المُشِتُّ هُوَ القِلى

وإنْ قَربُوا والبُعْدُ أن يَبعُدَ القلبُ

وإنْ قَربُوا والبُعْدُ أن يَبعُدَ القلبُ

Rather, the parting that sunders is aversion,

But true remoteness is an ailing heart,

even if they are near; distance is the heart's remoteness.

though they come near and distance remains in the heart.

وكم مَهْمَهٍ تَستهوِلُ الشمسُ قطعَه

وكم مَهْمَهٍ تَستهوِلُ الشمسُ قطعَه

طَوتْهُ لنا الأَشواقُ نَحوَكِ والحبُّ

طَوتْهُ لنا الأَشواقُ نَحوَكِ والحبُّ

And many a trackless desert, whose crossing the sun finds daunting,

How many burdens the sun makes light through travel,

longing for you and love have folded up for us.

yearning for you makes easy, and love carries.

عقَلتُ بِهِ العيسَ المراسيلَ بالوَجى

عقَلتُ بِهِ العيسَ المراسيلَ بالوَجى

إليك فأَدنَتنا المطهَّمَةُ القُبُّ

إليك فأَدنَتنا المطهَّمَةُ القُبُّ

There I hobbled the swift, pale camels with footsoreness,

I reasoned with the night messengers at dusk

on my way to you; then the well-formed, lean-bellied steeds brought us near.

to you, so longing brought us closeness and a kiss.

فلَمّا وصلْنَا بَرقَعيدَ تَحاشدت

فلَمّا وصلْنَا بَرقَعيدَ تَحاشدت

عليَّ صَبَاباتِي وعنّفَني الرّكبُ

عليَّ صَبَاباتِي وعنّفَني الرّكبُ

Then, when we reached Barqaʿid, there thronged

When we arrived at the ruins, my youthful folly assailed me,

upon me my ardent longings, and the riders rebuked me.

and the journey reproached me.

ولَجَّ اشتياقٌ كنتُ أَتّهِم النّوَى

ولَجَّ اشتياقٌ كنتُ أَتّهِم النّوَى

علَيهِ إِلى أَن زَادَ سَورَتَه القُربُ

علَيهِ إِلى أَن زَادَ سَورَتَه القُربُ

And yearning persisted; I had blamed separation

A longing I’d blamed on passion for you

for it, until nearness heightened its fury.

grew until nearness increased its grip.

فأَيقنْتُ أَن لا قُربَ يَشفي من الجوَى

فأَيقنْتُ أَن لا قُربَ يَشفي من الجوَى

ولا يَنْقَضي ذا الحبُّ أو ينقضِي النّحْبُ

ولا يَنْقَضي ذا الحبُّ أو ينقضِي النّحْبُ

So I knew for certain that no nearness cures love's anguish,

I knew then no nearness would cure my love-madness,

nor will this love end until life's allotted term ends.

nor would this love cease, or longing finish.