شجوُsorrow قلبيmy heart منamong سائرall الخلقcreation شاجيa tormentor
شجوُ قلبي من سائر الخلق شاجي
ليسthere is no للقلبfor the heart دونَهَاapart from her منany مَعَاجِrefuge
ليس للقلب دونَهَا من مَعَاجِ
My heart's sorrow, among all creation, is a tormentor;
My heart's passion for her surpasses all people's passion
the heart has no refuge apart from her.
The heart has no solace without her
أفْرَدَتْهاsingled her out بالقلبin the heart أَفرادُunique instances حُسْنٍbeauty
أفْرَدَتْها بالقلب أَفرادُ حُسْنٍ
خُلِقَتْwere created وحدهاalone بلاwithout أزواجِcounterparts
خُلِقَتْ وحدها بلا أزواجِ
Peerless beauties have singled her out in my heart,
Her beauty singled her out, excelling all
created alone, without counterparts.
She was created peerless, without match
فجرىso flowed حبهاlove for her منfrom القلبthe heart والأحـand the entrails (start)
فجرى حبها من القلب والأحـ
ـشاءentrails (end) مجرىًa course خلافunlike مجرىthe course اللجاجِobstinacy
ـشاء مجرىً خلاف مجرى اللجاجِ
So love for her flowed from the heart and
So my love for her flowed from my heart and thoughts
entrails along a course unlike that of obstinacy.
Unlike the flow of persistent skeptics
هوit حبٌّlove جاءcame الهوىpassion فيهin it والرأand reason (start)
هو حبٌّ جاء الهوى فيه والرأ
يreason (end) سواءًequally وليسand is not بالإلهاجِthrough obsession
ي سواءً وليس بالإلهاجِ
It is a love in which passion and
It's a love wherein desire and reason are equal
reason came as equals, not through obsession.
Not just fleeting infatuation
ذاتpossessing جِيدٍa neck يُزْهَىglories علىover كلevery عقدٍnecklace
ذات جِيدٍ يُزْهَى على كل عقدٍ
وجبينand a brow يزهىglories علىover كلevery تاجِcrown
وجبين يزهى على كل تاجِ
She has a neck that outshines every necklace,
A beauty whose neck graces every pearl necklace
and a brow that outshines every crown.
And a forehead that adorns every crown
يتلقاكmeets you فيin الغلائلthe sheer robes منهاfrom her
يتلقاك في الغلائل منها
وجهa face شمسٍa sun وجسمand a body دميةِa figurine عاجِivory
وجه شمسٍ وجسم دميةِ عاجِ
What meets you from within her sheer robes is
Her face greets you amongst her tresses
a sun's face and an ivory figurine's body.
Like a sun's face and a doll's body of ivory
أَسبلتshe let fall منfrom ذراهits crown جعداًcurly hair أثيثاًthick
أَسبلت من ذراه جعداً أثيثاً
جائزاًpassing beyond حدَّthe limit متنهاher back الرّجراجِsoftly quivering
جائزاً حدَّ متنها الرّجراجِ
From its crown she let fall thick, curling hair,
She let down jet black braids
passing beyond the end of her softly quivering back,
Flowing seemly, limited by their length
جارياًflowing فوقover متنهاher back جريةthe flow الماwater (start)
جارياً فوق متنها جرية الما
ءِwater (end) وإنalthough كانit was حالكpitch-black الأمواجِthe waves
ءِ وإن كان حالك الأمواجِ
flowing over her back like
Flowing atop her figure like the flow
water, though its waves were pitch-black.
Of water, though you are in tumultuous waves
فهيso she أماas for السراجُthe lamp منهاin her فوهَّاso blazing (start)
فهي أما السراجُ منها فوهَّا
جٌblazing (end) وأماand as for الظلامthe darkness منهاin her فداجيso it is pitch-dark
جٌ وأما الظلام منها فداجي
Thus, as for the lamp in her, it is
She is like a lamp in her radiance
blazing; as for the darkness in her, it is pitch-dark.
And like darkness in her coyness
رملةa sandhill عَبْلةplump منin respect of البُدْنbodily fullness غصنa branch
رملة عَبْلة من البُدْن غصن
مخْطَفٌslender مرهفdelicate منin respect of الإدماجِcompactness
مخْطَفٌ مرهف من الإدماجِ
A plump sandhill in her bodily fullness; a branch
A supple branch from an elegant body
trim and delicate in its compact form.
Delicate, refined in her composition
فلأعطافهاso her sides have صنوفُkinds اهتزازٍswaying
فلأعطافها صنوفُ اهتزازٍ
ولأردافهاand her hips have صنوفkinds ارتجاجِquivering
ولأردافها صنوف ارتجاجِ
So her sides have many kinds of swaying,
Her sides sway gracefully
and her hips many kinds of quivering.
And her hips shake alluringly
طلعتshe appeared فيin لَبُوسهاher clothing وحلاهاand her ornaments
طلعت في لَبُوسها وحلاها
كمَهاةlike an oryx فيin روضةa meadow مِبْهاجِdelightful
كمَهاة في روضة مِبْهاجِ
She appeared in her garments and ornaments,
She appeared amidst her clothing and adornment
like an oryx in a delightful meadow.
Like a frightened gazelle in a garden refuge
ثمthen قالتshe said بطرفهاwith her gaze سوفwill تدريyou know
ثم قالت بطرفها سوف تدري
فأضاقتso she narrowed عليّfor me رَحْبَthe breadth الفجاجِof the wide roads
فأضاقت عليّ رَحْبَ الفجاجِ
Then her gaze said, 'You shall know,'
Then she glanced with her eyes and said
and she made the broad roads narrow for me.
"You will soon know", tightening my vast space
حدّدتshe sharpened طرفهاher gaze وعيداًas a threat لصبٍّto a lovesick lover
حدّدت طرفها وعيداً لصبٍّ
صرعتْهُshe felled him بطرفهاwith her gaze وهوwhile it was ساجيlanguid
صرعتْهُ بطرفها وهو ساجي
She sharpened her gaze, threatening a lovesick lover
She threatened with her glance, warning a love-struck youth
whom she had felled with that gaze while it was languid.
Felling him with her eyes while he was smitten
ليتwould that شعريmy knowing علامwhy أُوعَدُI am threatened بالهجـwith abandonment (start)
ليت شعري علام أُوعَدُ بالهجـ
ـرabandonment (end) ووُدِّيand my affection ودٌّaffection بغيرwithout مزاجِadmixture
ـر ووُدِّي ودٌّ بغير مزاجِ
Would I knew why I am threatened with
I wonder why I'm promised separation
abandonment, when my affection is unmixed,
When I'm affectionate and hope-filled
وأناand I الخاضعthe submissive one الشحيحthe jealous guardian علىof السِّرthe secret (start)
وأنا الخاضع الشحيح على السِّر
رِsecret (end) كشُحِّيlike my jealous care علىfor دمthe blood الأوداجِof the jugular veins
رِ كشُحِّي على دم الأوداجِ
and I am submissive, guarding the
Though I'm a humble secret-keeper
secret as jealously as the blood in my jugular veins.
Like a wound's scab on spewing blood
والتيand she who ماnot رأيتهاI saw her قطُّever إلاexcept
والتي ما رأيتها قطُّ إلا
عادbecame عنديto me الحسانthe beautiful women مثلَlike السِّماجِthe ugly ones
عاد عندي الحسان مثلَ السِّماجِ
And never have I seen her without
She I've never seen but that the vision of her
beautiful women seeming to me like the ugly.
Returns to me like an illusion
يالهoh, how great it is منof صِباyouthful passion بغيرwithout تصابٍaffected youthful passion
ياله من صِبا بغير تصابٍ
وشجىًand sorrow خالصٍpure بغيرwithout تشاجيfeigned sorrow
وشجىً خالصٍ بغير تشاجي
Oh, what youthful passion, without affected passion,
Oh, a love without suffering
and pure sorrow, without pretended sorrow!
And pure passion without agony
قلsay لمنto her who حرَّمتdenied عليَّto me جَداهاher bounty
قل لمن حرَّمت عليَّ جَداها
أينwhere is لطفُthe kindness الغنيِّof the wealthy للمحتاجِto the needy
أين لطفُ الغنيِّ للمحتاجِ
Say to her who has denied me her bounty:
Say to her who denied me her presence
where is the wealthy one's kindness to the needy?
Where is the kindness of the wealthy to the needy?
عجباًa marvel ليat me وللذيand at what سوَّلتْmade alluring ليto me
عجباً لي وللذي سوَّلتْ لي
منكfrom you نفسيmy soul وللذيand at what أناI راجيhope for
منك نفسي وللذي أنا راجي
How strange I am, and what my soul has tempted me
Wondrous! Me and the one who enticed
to seek from you, and what I hope for!
My soul, and the one I hope for
أناI راجٍhopeful لأنْthat يفوزmay win بحظٍّa share
أنا راجٍ لأنْ يفوز بحظٍّ
منكfrom you قلبيmy heart وليتَهand would that it منكfrom you ناجيwere safe
منك قلبي وليتَه منك ناجي
I hope that a share may be won
I hope my heart succeeds in winning
from you by my heart—would that it might escape you!
Some of your affection, if only a small share
ليتwould that شعريmy knowing أسحرُis it the magic عينيكof your eyes داءthe sickness الـthe
ليت شعري أسحرُ عينيك داء الـ
ـقلبِheart أمor نارُthe fire خدِّكof your cheek الوهاجِblazing
ـقلبِ أم نارُ خدِّك الوهاجِ
Would I knew: is your eyes' magic the sickness of the
I wonder if your eyes' magic is the ailment
heart, or the fire of your blazing cheek?
Of my heart, or the blaze of your reddened cheeks
أيهاO الناسpeople ويحكمwoe to you all هلis there مُغيثٌa rescuer
أيها الناس ويحكم هل مُغيثٌ
لِشَجٍfor a sorrowful one يستغيثcrying for help منagainst ظلمthe injustice شاجيof a tormentor
لِشَجٍ يستغيث من ظلم شاجي
O people—woe to you! Is there a rescuer
O people! Is there a savior for one passionately in love
for a sorrowing soul crying for help against a tormentor's injustice?
Appealing from the injustice of the cruel beloved?
منwho مُجيريmy protector منfrom أضعفِthe weakest الناسof people ركناًin strength
من مُجيري من أضعفِ الناس ركناً
ولعينيهand his eyes have سطوةthe might الحَجَّاجِof al-Hajjaj
ولعينيه سطوة الحَجَّاجِ
Who will protect me from the frailest of people,
Who will protect me, the weakest of people,
whose eyes have the might of al-Hajjaj?
When her eyes have the power of tyrants
شادنٌa young gazelle يرتعيgrazes on القلوبَhearts ببغداin Baghdad (start)
شادنٌ يرتعي القلوبَ ببغدا
ذَBaghdad (end) ولاand not يرتعيgrazes on الخَلاfresh grass بالنِّباجِat al-Nibaj
ذَ ولا يرتعي الخَلا بالنِّباجِ
A young gazelle that grazes on hearts in
A beauty who grazes on hearts with her smile
Baghdad, not on grass at al-Nibaj.
But does not graze on minds with her voice
أورثbequeathed القلبَthe heart سحرُthe magic عينيهof his eyes داءًa sickness
أورث القلبَ سحرُ عينيه داءً
مالهit has no غيرَother than ريقِهِhis saliva منany علاجِcure
ماله غيرَ ريقِهِ من علاجِ
The spell of his eyes bequeathed the heart a sickness
Her eyes' magic has sickened my heart
that has no cure but his saliva.
With an ailment only her saliva can cure
ولئنand although قلتُI said شادنٌa young gazelle إنindeed قلبيmy heart
ولئن قلتُ شادنٌ إن قلبي
لأَسيرٌis surely captive لغادةٍto a young woman مِغْناجِcoquettish
لأَسيرٌ لغادةٍ مِغْناجِ
And though I said 'a young gazelle,' my heart
And if I say "Beauty, my heart is captive
is indeed captive to a coquettish young woman.
To a hazel-eyed gazelle with a supple neck",
يومُهاher day للنديمfor the drinking companion يومُa day نعيمٍof bliss
يومُها للنديم يومُ نعيمٍ
والتذاذٍand pleasure وحَبرةٍand delight وابتهاجِand rejoicing
والتذاذٍ وحَبرةٍ وابتهاجِ
Her day is a day of bliss for the drinking companion,
Her day for the confidant is one of bliss
of pleasure, delight, and rejoicing.
Pleasure, serenity, and gaiety
ذاتpossessing شدوٍsong إذاwhen جرتshe performs فيهin it للشرْfor the drinkers (start)
ذات شدوٍ إذا جرت فيه للشرْ
بِdrinkers (end) جَرىproceeded أمرُهاher performance علىalong المنهاجِthe proper course
بِ جَرى أمرُها على المنهاجِ
Gifted with song, when she performs it for the
A singer whose voice, when she sings,
drinkers, her performance follows the proper course.
Flows harmoniously like a stream
يبعثrouses الساكنَthe quiet one البعيدthe distant one اهتياجاًto excitement
يبعث الساكنَ البعيد اهتياجاً
ويداويand heals حرارةthe heat المهتاجِof the impassioned
ويداوي حرارة المهتاجِ
It rouses the quiet, distant listener to passion,
It awakens distant sleepers to exuberance
and heals the heat of the impassioned.
And cures the burning fever of the lovesick
أقبلتْshe came والربيعُwhile spring يختالstruts فيin الروthe meadows (start)
أقبلتْ والربيعُ يختال في الرو
ضmeadows (end) وفِيand in المُزْنthe rainclouds ذيpossessing الحياrain الثَّجَّاجِpouring abundantly
ض وفِي المُزْن ذي الحيا الثَّجَّاجِ
She came, while spring strutted in the
She came while spring was glorious in the meadows
meadows and the clouds with their pouring rain,
And on the branches full of chirping birds
ذوwith سماءa sky كأدكنlike dusky الخَزِّsilk-and-wool cloth قدalready غِيْclouded (start)
ذو سماء كأدكن الخَزِّ قد غِيْ
مَتْclouded (end) وأرضٍand an earth كأخضرlike green الديباجِbrocade
مَتْ وأرضٍ كأخضر الديباجِ
with a sky like dusky silk-and-wool cloth, grown
Under a sky dark as black fur
cloudy, and an earth like green brocade.
And ground as green as brocade
وتجلىand became manifest عنrevealing كلall ماthat نتمنىwe wish for
وتجلى عن كل ما نتمنى
موعدُthe promise الكَذْخُذَاةthe Kadkhudah (astrological ruler) والهِيلاجِand the Hyleg (life-significator)
موعدُ الكَذْخُذَاة والهِيلاجِ
And all that we wished for was revealed by
She revealed everything we wished for
the promise of the Kadkhudah and the Hyleg.
At the promised time of rewards and gifts
فظللناso we spent the day فيamid نزهتينtwo delights وفيand amid حُسْـtwo beauties (start)
فظللنا في نزهتين وفي حُسْـ
ـنَينِtwo beauties (end) بينbetween الأرمالramal rhythms والأهزاجِand hazaj rhythms
ـنَينِ بين الأرمال والأهزاجِ
So we passed the day amid two delights and two
We reclined during two pleasures amidst
beauties, between ramal and hazaj rhythms.
Sand dunes and grassy hills
نغمةa melody تسحرenchants القلوبhearts وضربٌand instrumental playing
نغمة تسحر القلوب وضربٌ
هوit is بينbetween الترتيلmeasured phrasing والإِدراجِand rapid flow
هو بين الترتيل والإِدراجِ
A melody that enchants hearts, and instrumental playing
A melody enchanting hearts and a rhythm
between measured phrasing and rapid flow.
Between chanting and humming
سيرةa pace بينbetween سيرتينtwo paces منof القصـrevelry (start)
سيرة بين سيرتين من القصـ
ـفrevelry (end) تُنَسِّيكmakes you forget سيرةthe gait الهِمْلاجِof the ambling horse
ـف تُنَسِّيك سيرة الهِمْلاجِ
A pace between two paces of
An evening between two evenings of storytelling
revelry, making you forget the ambling horse's gait.
Making you forget the evening of worries
ونعمناand we delighted بليلةin a night ليسthere was no لِلْهَمـfor sorrow (start)
ونعمنا بليلة ليس لِلْهَمـ
ـمِsorrow (end) لديهاin it قِرىًhospitality سوىexcept الإِزعاجِbanishment
ـمِ لديها قِرىً سوى الإِزعاجِ
And we delighted in a night when
We enjoyed a night without concerns of sorrow
sorrow found no hospitality but banishment.
Nothing but joy within it
قدindeed جعلناwe made الكؤوسthe cups فيهاin it نجوماًstars
قد جعلنا الكؤوس فيها نجوماً
وجَعلناand we made الأكُفَّthe palms كالأبراجِlike zodiacal houses
وجَعلنا الأكُفَّ كالأبراجِ
We made the cups that night into stars,
We made the cups into stars
and made our palms like zodiacal houses.
And the palms like constellations
تمbecame complete فيهاin it النعيمbliss كلَّutter تمامٍperfection
تم فيها النعيم كلَّ تمامٍ
وعلاand rose قدرهits worth عنabove الإِخداجِincompleteness
وعلا قدره عن الإِخداجِ
Bliss reached its fullest perfection there,
Bliss was complete, nothing held back
and its worth rose above all incompleteness,
Its value too lofty for bargaining
بفتاةٍwith a maiden تسرناdelighting us فيon المثانيthe paired strings
بفتاةٍ تسرنا في المثاني
وعجوزٍand an old woman (wine) تسرُّناdelighting us فيin الزجاجِthe glass
وعجوزٍ تسرُّنا في الزجاجِ
with a maiden delighting us on the paired strings,
With a girl who delighted us with gifts
and an old woman delighting us in the glass.
And an old woman who delighted us with wine
لمnot نزلwe ceased نشربdrinking المدامةwine حتىuntil
لم نزل نشرب المدامة حتى
عادbecame منّاamong us الفصيحthe eloquent speaker كاللَّجلاجِlike a stammerer
عاد منّا الفصيح كاللَّجلاجِ
We kept drinking wine until
We kept drinking the wine until
the eloquent among us became like a stammerer.
The eloquent turned into babblers
أخذتshe took منfrom رؤوسthe heads قومof men كرامnoble
أخذت من رؤوس قوم كرام
ثأْرَهاher revenge عندfor أرجُلthe feet الأعلاجِof the non-Arab laborers
ثأْرَها عند أرجُل الأعلاجِ
She took from the heads of noble men
She took revenge on the heads of dignified people
her revenge for the feet of foreign laborers.
At the feet of the lowly
وَطِئتهاthey trod her الأعلاجُthe non-Arab laborers فانتقمتso she took revenge منon
وَطِئتها الأعلاجُ فانتقمت من
نَاus شَمولٌwine تُضِىءshines ضوءwith the light السراجِof a lamp
نَا شَمولٌ تُضِىء ضوء السراجِ
The foreign laborers had trodden her; then revenge was taken on
The lowly trampled her so she avenged us
us by wine shining with a lamp's light.
With a passionate zeal illuminating like a lamp
فترىso you see كلevery مِصْقعٍeloquent orator ذاwith سِقاطٍverbal slips
فترى كل مِصْقعٍ ذا سِقاطٍ
وترىand you see كلevery قيِّمٍupright person ذاwith اعوجاجٍcrookedness
وترى كل قيِّمٍ ذا اعوجاجٍ
So you see every eloquent orator full of slips,
You'd see every drunk stumbling
and every upright man grown crooked.
And every critic crooked and twisting
ياoh لهاfor it ليلةًa night قضيناwe fulfilled بهاin it حاneeds (start)
يا لها ليلةً قضينا بها حا
جاًneeds (end) وإنthough علَّقتit bound قلوباًhearts بحاجِto longings
جاً وإن علَّقت قلوباً بحاجِ
Oh, what a night! In it we fulfilled our
What a night we spent fulfilled
needs, though it left hearts bound to longings.
Though hearts were left yearning
رفعتْناraised us السعودُthe auspicious stars فيهاin it إلىto الفوtriumph (start)
رفعتْنا السعودُ فيها إلى الفو
زtriumph (end) فكانتso it was كليلةlike the night المِعرَاجِof the Ascension
ز فكانت كليلة المِعرَاجِ
The auspicious stars lifted us that night to
Good fortune elevated us in it to success
triumph, so it was like the Night of Ascension.
As if it were the night of ascension