ولمَّاand when ألمَّcame upon بِعَينيupon my eyes الكَرىslumber
ولمَّا ألمَّ بِعَيني الكَرى
بَعثتُI sent السُّهادَsleeplessness عَليهِover it وَكيلاas an overseer
بَعثتُ السُّهادَ عَليهِ وَكيلا
And when slumber came upon my eyes,
When sorrow afflicted my eyes
I sent sleeplessness to watch over it.
I sent dreams to watch over it as my deputy
بَخِلتَyou begrudged عليَّto me بطيفِthe phantom of الخَياthe imagina-
بَخِلتَ عليَّ بطيفِ الخَيا
لِ-tion (completes 'imagination') فَألاso should ... not? أَكونَI be بِقَلبيwith my heart بَخيلاsparing
لِ فَألا أَكونَ بِقَلبي بَخيلا
You begrudged me the phantom of imagina-
You were stingy with me regarding the specter of life
tion—should I not, then, be sparing with my heart?
So I could not be stingy in my heart
فلاso may ... never زلتُI cease ياO مُستطيلَoverbearing in الجَفاestrangement
فلا زلتُ يا مُستطيلَ الجَفا
عليكَover you بجيشِwith an army of العَزاsolace مُستَطيلاprevailing
عليكَ بجيشِ العَزا مُستَطيلا
So may I never cease, O you overbearing in estrangement,
Yet you remained, O elongated in aloofness
to prevail over you with the army of solace.
With the army of grief I was elongated
ولاand may ... not عدتُI return أحفظُI cherish منfrom بَعدِهاafter that
ولا عدتُ أحفظُ من بَعدِها
حَبيباًa beloved ولاnor عُدتُI return أَرعىI care for خَليلاa close friend
حَبيباً ولا عُدتُ أَرعى خَليلا
And may I never again, after that, cherish
And after it I no longer remembered
a beloved, nor ever again care for a close friend.
A lover, nor did I tend a bosom friend
فرأيكَso your counsel فيconcerning مُهجَةٍa soul لمdid not تَدَعyou leave
فرأيكَ في مُهجَةٍ لم تَدَع
لغَيرِfor any other than الحِمامِdeath إِليهاto it سَبيلاa path
لغَيرِ الحِمامِ إِليها سَبيلا
So give your counsel for a soul to which you have left
So your view in an ardour that did not permit
no path for any but death.
A path to it except for the doves