كمhow many مرةٍtimes .. أغلقتَyou closed بابَthe door الأسئِلةْthe questions
كم مرةٍ .. أغلقتَ بابَ الأسئِلةْ
وصددتَand you rebuffed رُوحاًa soul فيin هواكَlove for you مكبّلةshackled
وصددتَ رُوحاً في هواكَ مكبّلة
How many times ... have I shut the door on questions,
How many times have you closed the door to questions,
and turned away a soul, fettered in love for you?
and rebuffed a soul shackled by love for you?
كمhow many مرةٍtimes .. أطفأتَyou extinguished نبراسيmy lamp الذيwhich
كم مرةٍ .. أطفأتَ نبراسي الذي
أوقدتُهI kindled it بِمُنىwith hopes of الرّدودِthe replies المهمَلةneglected
أوقدتُه بِمُنى الرّدودِ المهمَلة
How many times ... have I extinguished my beacon,
How many times have you extinguished my lamp, which
the one I kindled with hopes of answers left neglected?
I kindled with hopes of replies left neglected?
ماذاwhat عَنof الأشواقِthe longings عَنof دمعِيmy tears أنَاI
ماذا عَن الأشواقِ عَن دمعِي أنَا
عنof قلبيَmy heart المشبوبِset ablaze منby نارِthe fire الولَهardent longing
عن قلبيَ المشبوبِ من نارِ الولَه
What of the longings, what of my tears—my own?
What of the longings, of my own tears,
What of my heart, ablaze with the fire of love’s delirium?
of my heart set ablaze by the fire of ardent longing?
مازلتَyou still تخبرُyou tell وَرْدتِيmy rose عَنabout رِيّهاits watering
مازلتَ تخبرُ وَرْدتِي عَن رِيّها
مازلتَyou still تَضربُyou give بالكلامِwith words الأمْثِلةthe examples
مازلتَ تَضربُ بالكلامِ الأمْثِلة
Still you tell my rose of its watering;
You still tell my rose of its watering;
still you offer examples in words.
you still give examples in words.
ماذاwhat ادّخرْتَyou saved سِوىexcept دَواتِكyour inkwell للّتِيfor her who
ماذا ادّخرْتَ سِوى دَواتِك للّتِي
جَمَحتْbolted بهاwith her نحوَtoward اللّقاءِthe meeting الأَخْيِلةthe imaginings
جَمَحتْ بها نحوَ اللّقاءِ الأَخْيِلة
What have you stored away except those impulses of yours
What have you kept in store, save your inkwell, for her
that sent fantasies galloping toward the rendezvous?
whom imaginings swept headlong toward the meeting?
إنّيindeed I سَئمتُhave grown weary وأنْتَwhile you تُذكِيyou stoke حَيرتِيmy bewilderment
إنّي سَئمتُ وأنْتَ تُذكِي حَيرتِي
ذُلّhumiliation انتظاركَwaiting for you والتباسَand ambiguity المَسْألةthe matter
ذُلّ انتظاركَ والتباسَ المَسْألة
I have grown weary, while you keep kindling my bewilderment,
I have grown weary—while you stoke my bewilderment—
of the humiliation of waiting for you and the ambiguity of the matter.
of the humiliation of waiting for you and the ambiguity of the matter.
( لَاdo not تَسْأليask ) .. هذاthis جَوابُكَyour answer كلّمَاwhenever
( لَا تَسْألي ) .. هذا جَوابُكَ كلّمَا
ضَيّعتَyou lost فِيin دربِthe path الغرامِlove البَوصَلةْthe compass ؟!
ضَيّعتَ فِي دربِ الغرامِ البَوصَلةْ ؟!
“Do not ask” ... Is that your answer whenever
“Do not ask”—this is your answer whenever
you lose the compass on love’s road?!
you lose the compass on the path of love?!
