ياO طارداًone who drives away بالهجرthrough estrangement لهويmy delight
يا طارداً بالهجر لهوي
أسرفتyou went too far فيin صلفٍarrogance وزهوْand pride
أسرفت في صلفٍ وزهوْ
O you who banish my delight through estrangement,
O you who spurns me with estrangement, my love,
you have gone too far in arrogance and pride.
You have been excessive in aloofness and vainglory.
وذهبتَand you departed لاnot تحنوshow tenderness علىtoward
وذهبتَ لا تحنو على
دنفٍone sick with love ولاand do not ترثيpity لنضوfor one wasted away
دنفٍ ولا ترثي لنضو
And you departed, showing no tenderness to
You went away, showing no tenderness
one sick with love, nor pitying one wasted away,
For my thinness, nor grieving my leanness.
ملآنfilled منwith شوقٍlonging ومنand with
ملآن من شوقٍ ومن
سهرٍsleeplessness إلىfor وسنانone drowsy خلوcarefree
سهرٍ إلى وسنان خلو
filled with longing and with
Filled with longing and sleeplessness
sleeplessness for one drowsy and carefree.
Until the beloved ones are alone.
وتلand [you keep] (unclear form) تضحكyou laugh كلماwhenever
وتل تضحك كلما
أسخطتنيyou angered me فبكيتso I wept شجويmy grief
أسخطتني فبكيت شجوي
And [you keep] laughing whenever
And you laugh whenever you anger me, so I weep my laments.
you anger me and I weep my grief.
My thirst increases, and the tears' water does not quench.
ويزيدand it increases فيin ظمأيmy thirst وماand water (continued)
ويزيد في ظمأي وما
ءcompletion of 'water' الدمعthe tears ماءٌwater غيرnot مُرويthirst-quenching
ء الدمع ماءٌ غير مُروي
And it adds to my thirst, and the water
So if you swear to sever the bond,
of tears is water that does not quench.
It is linked to eloquence and poetry.
فإذاso when حلفتyou swear علىto الوصاunion (continued)
فإذا حلفت على الوصا
لcompletion of 'union' فنيةٌthen an intention قُرنتْwas coupled بلغْوwith idle talk
ل فنيةٌ قُرنتْ بلغْو
So when you swear to union,
That is the nature of days, in situations
it is an intention coupled with idle talk.
Of distress and serenity.
هيit شيمةthe nature الأيامthe days فيin الحـthe two states (continued)
هي شيمة الأيام في الحـ
ـالينcompletion of 'the two states' منof كدرٍmurkiness وصفوand clarity
ـالين من كدرٍ وصفو
Such is the nature of days in both
You have made me spend my whole life,
states: murkiness and clarity.
So allow one sweet day of it.
أمررتَyou made bitter عيشيmy life كلهall of it
أمررتَ عيشي كله
فاسمحso be generous بيومwith a day منهof it حلوsweet
فاسمح بيوم منه حلو
You have made all my life bitter;
And you were angry that I am guilty of loving you,
so grant me one sweet day of it.
So be gracious with pardon.
وغضبتَand you grew angry إيyes أنيthat I بحبـthrough love (continued)
وغضبتَ إي أني بحبـ
ـبكfor you (completes 'love for you') مذنبٌguilty فامننso bestow favor بعفوwith pardon
ـبك مذنبٌ فامنن بعفو
And you grew angry—yes, I, through my love
For tears for injustice do not cease
for you, am guilty; so favor me with pardon.
From a neighbor or enemy.
فالدمعso the tears للعدوانfor racing لاnot
فالدمع للعدوان لا
ينفكُّcease منfrom جيٍcoursing (unclear form) وعدوand running
ينفكُّ من جيٍ وعدو
For the tears, in their race, never
And if you were formerly generous,
cease from [coursing] and running.
Provoke some generosity from my soul.
وإذاand when ونتgrew weary منهof it السوابقthe front-runners
وإذا ونت منه السوابق
حثَّurged on منfrom نفسيmy breath بحدوwith a driving-song
حثَّ من نفسي بحدو
And when their front-runners flag,
You have totally shredded my patience -
they are spurred by a driving-song from my breath.
So when will you mend it with comfort?
مزَّقتyou tore apart صبريmy patience كلَّهُall of it
مزَّقت صبري كلَّهُ
فمتىso when تلافاهُwill you restore it برفوby darning
فمتى تلافاهُ برفو
You have torn all my patience apart;
so when will you restore it by darning?
Partial English translation: 22 of 24 Arabic lines translated.