نيلNile الجفونthe eyelids أذابmelted قلبheart العاشقthe lover
نيل الجفون أذاب قلب العاشق
فيin جنحfolds ليلnight غيهبpitch-black منof غاسقdarkness
في جنح ليل غيهب من غاسق
The Nile of the eyelids melted the lover's heart.
The charm of eyelids melted the lover's heart
In the folds of a pitch-black night of deep darkness.
In the wings of a night that darkened with gloom
شاذنyoung gazelle عنجcoquettish أغنّnasal-voiced مهفهفslender
شاذن عنج أغنّ مهفهف
أحوىdark-colored العيونthe eyes بديعwondrous صنعhandiwork الخالقthe Creator
أحوى العيون بديع صنع الخالق
A coy young gazelle, nasal-voiced and slender,
A wild doe sang, her voice fluttering
Dark-eyed, a marvel of the Creator's handiwork.
With the most beautiful work of the Creator
ملكpossessed الفؤادthe heart ودلالهand his coquetry
ملك الفؤاد ودلاله
بجوانحيwithin my breast كجناحlike a wing طيرa bird خافقfluttering
بجوانحي كجناح طير خافق
He possessed the heart, and his coquetry
He ruled my heart and its affection
Is within my breast like the wing of a fluttering bird.
With my wings beating like those of a fluttering bird
عجturn aside بالحمىto the sanctuary ياO سائقاdriver بفؤاديwith my heart
عج بالحمى يا سائقا بفؤادي
دعنيleave me هناكthere لواهجto the blaze الإشراقillumination
دعني هناك لواهج الإشراق
Turn aside to the sanctuary, O driver bearing my heart.
Hasten, o driver, with my heart
Leave me there to the blaze of illumination.
Leave me there at the break of dawn
ياO ساكنيdwellers of نجدNajd ونعمىand Nu'ma باللوىat al-Liwa
يا ساكني نجد ونعمى باللوى
أرفقbe gentle بصبwith a lovesick one قدalready ثوىdwelt بالحاذقwith the adept
أرفق بصب قد ثوى بالحاذق
O dwellers of Najd, and Nu'ma at al-Liwa,
O dweller of Najd and blessed Nu'man
Be gentle with a lovesick man who has dwelt with the adept.
Be gentle with one who has languished in passionate love
ياO سائقdriver الوجناthe stout she-camel هلis there منany زورةa visit
يا سائق الوجنا هل من زورة
أرضيmy land بهاthrough it أوجsummit المصاعدthe ascents راقa climber
أرضي بها أوج المصاعد راق
O driver of the stout she-camel, is there any visit?
O driver of the camel litter, is there a visit
My land—through it, the summit of ascents, a climber [unclear syntax].
To please me at the highest ascents?
واحسرتيalas, my sorrow ولّىpassed الزمانtime ولمand did not أفزI succeed
واحسرتي ولّى الزمان ولم أفز
فيin غفلةheedlessness ونومand sleep الرامقthe watcher
في غفلة ونوم الرامق
Alas for me! Time has passed, and I have not succeeded.
Alas, time has passed and I have not succeeded
In heedlessness and the watcher's sleep.
In heedless sleep of the drowsy one
واهاah! علىfor ذاكthat العواتقthe shoulders طالماhow often
واها على ذاك العواتق طالما
قدindeed كنتI was محمولاborne لذاكtoward that البارقthe lightning-flash
قد كنت محمولا لذاك البارق
Ah, for those shoulders! How often
Oh, for that graceful gazelle, how often
I have been borne toward that lightning-flash.
Was I carried by that lightning bolt
جفتshunned رياضgardens خدودهhis cheeks سلسبيلهhis Salsabil spring
جفت رياض خدوده سلسبيله
إذas قدalready غدتhad become مهجhearts الورىhumankind فيin
إذ قد غدت مهج الورى في
The gardens of his cheeks shunned his Salsabil.
The gardens of his cheeks dried up, his tufted beard
As the hearts of humankind had come to be in...
When the soul of man became desolate
فكأنهاso, as though they were نملants سرىcrept فيin عسددunclear word (ʿasdad)
فكأنها نمل سرى في عسدد
وكأنهاand as though they were نجمa star علاrose high لتلاقfor a meeting
وكأنها نجم علا لتلاق
So it is as though they were ants creeping through ʿasdad [unclear word].
It was as if crawling ants moved about in a stalk
And as though they were a star that rose for a meeting.
Or stars shining for our meeting
فكأنso, as though ولدa child
فكأن ولد
وردa rose تفتحblossomed فيin رياضgardens فائقsplendid
ورد تفتح في رياض فائق
So it is as though a child...
It was as if a newborn child
A splendid rose has blossomed in gardens.
A rose bloomed in the meadows of glory
وكأنهاand as though it were وردa rose سماrose high فيin روضهits garden
وكأنها ورد سما في روضه
وكأنهاand as though they were نجمa star علاrose high لتلاقfor a meeting
وكأنها نجم علا لتلاق
And as though it were a rose rising high in its garden.
It was as if it was a high star in its meadow
And as though they were a star that rose for a meeting.
Shining for our meeting
سالflowed العذارthe cheek-down بسلwith unsheathing سيفsword جفونهhis eyelids
سال العذار بسل سيف جفونه
هاbehold مغرمa lovesick one دبيبcreeping كئيبهhis sorrowful one باسقtowering
ها مغرم دبيب كئيبه باسق
The cheek-down flowed with the unsheathing of his eyelids' sword.
The brimming tears of his eyelids flow
Behold a lovesick one—creeping, his sorrowful one, towering [unclear syntax].
If you but knew how you paused, you'd pardon me
لوif تدريyou knew فيهاin it وقفتيmy standing لعذرتنيthen you would excuse me
لو تدري فيها وقفتي لعذرتني
قدindeed عنcame to mind حصرcounting النجومthe stars
قد عن حصر النجوم
If you knew my standing there, you would excuse me.
Beyond counting the stars
The counting of the stars has indeed come to mind.
O dweller of the shrine, recite to them
ياO ساكناdweller حيquarter الحمىthe sanctuary انشدrecite لهمto them
يا ساكنا حي الحمى انشد لهم
نيلNile الجفونthe eyelids أذابmelted قلبheart العاشقthe lover
نيل الجفون أذاب قلب العاشق
O dweller in the sanctuary's quarter, recite to them:
The charm of eyelids melted the lover's heart
The Nile of the eyelids melted the lover's heart.
He who rides the sun of knowledge becomes enlightened
ومنand whoever يمتطيmounts شمسsun المعارفspiritual knowledge يتجليbeholds
ومن يمتطي شمس المعارف يتجلي
أشعتهاits rays فليصطبرthen let him endure patiently للطوارقfor the visitations
أشعتها فليصطبر للطوارق
And whoever mounts the sun of spiritual knowledge, beholding
So be patient for the flash of swords
Its rays, let him patiently endure the visitations.
Be not troubled if wounds should pierce you
ولاand not ينزعجbe dismayed إنif أثخنتهgrievously weakened him جراحاتwounds
ولا ينزعج إن أثخنته جراحات
الوقائعthe battles وليشهدand let him witness كنوزtreasures الحقائقthe realities
الوقائع وليشهد كنوز الحقائق
And let him not be dismayed if he is grievously weakened by wounds
Witness the treasures of truths
Of battles; let him behold the treasures of realities.
For the sweetness of visions makes one forget
فإنfor indeed لذاذاتdelights المشاهدthe visions تنسينsurely make one forget
فإن لذاذات المشاهد تنسين
سمومpoisons المناياdeaths فيin كؤوسcups المضايقthe hardships
سموم المنايا في كؤوس المضايق
For the delights of the visions surely make one forget
The poisons in cups of distress
The poisons of death in the cups of hardship.
Partial English translation: 35 of 36 Arabic lines translated.