تُرى قَبَّلَتكَ الريحُ عَنّي وَبَلَّغَت

تُرى قَبَّلَتكَ الريحُ عَنّي وَبَلَّغَت

مِنَ السِرَّ ما اِستَودَعتها حينَ هَبَّتِ

مِنَ السِرَّ ما اِستَودَعتها حينَ هَبَّتِ

I wonder: did the wind kiss you for me and convey

I wonder, did the wind kiss you for me and convey

I wonder, did the wind kiss you on my behalf and convey

as much of the secret as I entrusted to it when it blew—

the secret I entrusted to it when it blew—

The secret I entrusted to it when it blew?

تَحِيَّةَ مُشتاقٍ يَعضُّ بَنانَهُ

تَحِيَّةَ مُشتاقٍ يَعضُّ بَنانَهُ

عَلى قَدَمٍ زلّت وَلم تَتَثَبَّتِ

عَلى قَدَمٍ زلّت وَلم تَتَثَبَّتِ

the greeting of a yearning lover who bites his fingertips

a greeting from a yearning lover who bites his fingertips

The greeting of a yearning soul biting his fingertips in regret

over a footstep that slipped and could not regain its footing?

over a foot that slipped and failed to stand firm?

Over a foot that slipped and failed to stand firm.

تَرَكتَ الَّتي مِن أَجلِها جَدَّ بي السّرى

تَرَكتَ الَّتي مِن أَجلِها جَدَّ بي السّرى

عَلى أَنَّني أَحبَبتُها وَأَحبَّتِ

عَلى أَنَّني أَحبَبتُها وَأَحبَّتِ

You left the woman for whose sake night travel pressed hard upon me,

You left the woman for whose sake night travel hurried me onward,

I left the one for whose sake I endured the arduous night journey,

though I loved her, and she loved me.

even though I loved her and she loved me.

Even though I loved her, and she loved me in return.

تَعَجَّبتُ إِذ مَدَّ النَوى لِوَداعِنا

تَعَجَّبتُ إِذ مَدَّ النَوى لِوَداعِنا

يَداً كَيفَ لَم تُشلَل هُناكَ وَتَبّتِ

يَداً كَيفَ لَم تُشلَل هُناكَ وَتَبّتِ

I marveled when separation stretched out a hand to bid us farewell:

I marveled when separation stretched out for our farewell

I marveled when Separation extended a hand for our farewell—

how was that hand not paralyzed there, and withered?

a hand—how did it not become paralyzed there and perish?

How was that hand not paralyzed right there and destroyed?

تَقولُ اِصطَبر كم ذا البُكاء فَقُلتُ ما

تَقولُ اِصطَبر كم ذا البُكاء فَقُلتُ ما

دُموعي جَرَت بَل أَبحُرُ الشَوقِ عَبَّتِ

دُموعي جَرَت بَل أَبحُرُ الشَوقِ عَبَّتِ

She says, “Endure—how long will you weep?” I said, “It was not

She says, 'Be patient! Why all this weeping?' I said, 'It was not

She says, "Have patience, why all this weeping?" I replied, "These are not

my tears that flowed; rather, seas of longing surged.”

my tears that flowed; rather, the seas of longing surged.'

Tears that flow; rather, the oceans of longing have surged."

تَميمِيَّة تَرقي الضَجيعَ بِريقِها

تَميمِيَّة تَرقي الضَجيعَ بِريقِها

إِذا عَقرَب مِنها عَلى الصّدغِ دَبَّتِ

إِذا عَقرَب مِنها عَلى الصّدغِ دَبَّتِ

A Tamimite woman, she heals her bedfellow by incantation with her saliva

A Tamimi woman, she casts a healing charm on her bedfellow with her saliva,

A beauty of Tamim who heals her bedfellow with the nectar of her lips,

whenever a scorpion-like curl of hers crawls upon her temple.

when a scorpion of hers creeps over the temple.

Whenever the scorpion-curl upon her temple creeps.

تَتيهُ عَلى شَمسِ الضُحى فَكَأَنَّها

تَتيهُ عَلى شَمسِ الضُحى فَكَأَنَّها

مَعَ الحورِ في دارِ النَعيمِ تَرَبَّتِ

مَعَ الحورِ في دارِ النَعيمِ تَرَبَّتِ

She vaunts herself above the noonday sun, as though

She looks down on the midmorning sun, as though she

She parades in pride before the morning sun, as if she

she were raised among the houris in the Abode of Bliss.

were raised among the houris in the abode of bliss.

Was raised among the maidens of Paradise in the Abode of Bliss.

تَهُبُّ رِياحُ المِسكِ مِن نَفَحاتِها

تَهُبُّ رِياحُ المِسكِ مِن نَفَحاتِها

فَما اِستَنشَقتها الشيبُ إِلّا وَشَبَّتِ

فَما اِستَنشَقتها الشيبُ إِلّا وَشَبَّتِ

Winds of musk waft from her fragrant breaths;

Winds of musk blow from her fragrant breaths;

Winds of musk blow forth from her fragrant breaths;

gray hairs have only to inhale them, and they grow young.

so the gray-haired never inhale them without growing young.

No gray-haired elder inhales them without returning to youth.

تَراءَت لِعَيني في المَنامِ فَأَطفَأَت

تَراءَت لِعَيني في المَنامِ فَأَطفَأَت

بِزَورَتِها نار الهَوى حينَ شَبَّتِ

بِزَورَتِها نار الهَوى حينَ شَبَّتِ

She appeared before my eyes in sleep and extinguished,

She appeared before my eyes in a dream and quenched

She appeared to my eyes in slumber, and thus extinguished,

with her visit, the fire of passion just as it flared.

with her visit the fire of love as it flared.

By her visit, the fire of passion just as it flared high.

تَمَثَّلتها حَتّى إِذا ما تَمَثَّلَت

تَمَثَّلتها حَتّى إِذا ما تَمَثَّلَت

طَرِبتُ كَأَنّي قَد دَعَوتُ وَلَبَّتِ

طَرِبتُ كَأَنّي قَد دَعَوتُ وَلَبَّتِ

I conjured her image until, when she took form before me,

I pictured her until at last she took form;

I conjured her image, and when she materialized before me,

I thrilled, as though I had called and she had answered.

I thrilled with joy, as though I had called and she had answered.

I was seized with rapture, as if I had called and she had answered.