رَبعُ البَلى أَخرَسُ عِمّيتُ

رَبعُ البَلى أَخرَسُ عِمّيتُ

مُستَلَبُ المَنطِقِ سِكّيتُ

مُستَلَبُ المَنطِقِ سِكّيتُ

The ruined dwelling is mute and bewildered,

The abode of separation has rendered me mute,

The ruins of decay are mute and blindly obscure,

robbed of speech, utterly silent.

Stripped of speech, in silence absolute.

Stripped of all speech, habitually silent.

أَعارَهُ حيرَتَهُ عاشِقٌ

أَعارَهُ حيرَتَهُ عاشِقٌ

رَأى حَبيباً فَهوَ مَبهوتُ

رَأى حَبيباً فَهوَ مَبهوتُ

A lover lent it his bewilderment,

A lover lent confusion his bewilderment,

A lover has lent them his own bewilderment,

who saw a beloved and is dumbfounded.

When he saw his beloved, stupefied, mute.

Who saw a beloved and was left stunned.

وَلا عَجيبٌ إِن جَفَت دِمنَةٌ

وَلا عَجيبٌ إِن جَفَت دِمنَةٌ

عَن مُستَهامٍ نَومُهُ قوتُ

عَن مُستَهامٍ نَومُهُ قوتُ

And no wonder if a ruined campsite turns away

No wonder the inkwell ran dry,

And it is no wonder if the traces are harsh

from one maddened by love, whose sleep is sustenance.

When sleep was the writer’s only pursuit,

To a passion-struck soul whose sleep is scarce sustenance.

وَقَهوَةٍ كَالمِسكِ مَشمولَةٍ

وَقَهوَةٍ كَالمِسكِ مَشمولَةٍ

مَنزِلُها الأَنبارِ أَو هيتُ

مَنزِلُها الأَنبارِ أَو هيتُ

And wine, musk-like, cooled by the north wind,

And coffee, musk-scented,

And wine like musk, chilled by the northern breeze,

has its home in al-Anbar or Hit.

From Annabar its abode, or Hīt’s repute,

Whose home is Al-Anbar or the city of Hit.

كَأَنَّها الشَمسُ إِذا صُفِّقَت

كَأَنَّها الشَمسُ إِذا صُفِّقَت

مَسكَنُها الكَبشُ أَوِ الحوتُ

مَسكَنُها الكَبشُ أَوِ الحوتُ

When decanted, it is as though it were the sun,

As though it were the sun unveiled

As if it were the sun when the cup is poured,

whose dwelling is the Ram or the Fish;

Whose dwelling, Pisces or the whale acute,

Its dwelling place the Ram or the Whale.

أَو دارَةُ البَدرِ إِذا ما استَوى

أَو دارَةُ البَدرِ إِذا ما استَوى

وَتَمَّ لِلعَدِّ المَواقيتُ

وَتَمَّ لِلعَدِّ المَواقيتُ

or the full moon's disc when it reaches fullness,

Or the moon’s configuration at full phase,

Or the circle of the full moon when it stands complete,

and the count of the appointed times is complete.

When the timing of watches is astute,

And the appointed phases are fulfilled for the count.

كَأَنَّها هَذاكَ في حِسنِهِ

كَأَنَّها هَذاكَ في حِسنِهِ

أَو وَجهُ عَبّاسٍ إِذا شيتُ

أَو وَجهُ عَبّاسٍ إِذا شيتُ

It is like that in beauty,

As if it were, in its beauty, that one,

It resembles that orb in the splendor of its beauty,

or Abbas's face, if I wish.

Or the face of Abbas when he salutes,

Or the face of Abbas, if you so choose.

بَل وَجهُ عَبّاسٍ لَهُ حُسنُهُ

بَل وَجهُ عَبّاسٍ لَهُ حُسنُهُ

لِأَنَّهُ دُرٌّ وَياقوتُ

لِأَنَّهُ دُرٌّ وَياقوتُ

Rather, Abbas's face has its own beauty,

Nay, the face of Abbas has its beauty,

Nay, the face of Abbas has a beauty all its own,

for it is pearl and ruby.

For it is a pearl and ruby to boot.

For he is composed of pearl and ruby.