سَلامٌpeace عَلىupon مَنthe one whom لاnot أُنوّهُI mention openly باسمِهِby his name
سَلامٌ عَلى مَن لا أُنوّهُ باسمِهِ
لِإِجلالِهِout of reverence for him لاnot لِلتَساهُلout of carelessness وَالتركand neglect
لِإِجلالِهِ لا لِلتَساهُل وَالترك
Peace upon the one I do not mention by name,
Peace be upon the one whose name I do not mention
out of reverence for him, not carelessness or neglect.
Out of reverence, not out of negligence or abandonment
أَرقmore delicate وَاصفيand purer مِنthan دُموعtears النَدىthe dew عَلىupon
أَرق وَاصفي مِن دُموع النَدى عَلى
أَقاحdaisies الرُبىthe hills صُبحاًat dawn وَأَذكىand more fragrant مِنthan المسكmusk
أَقاح الرُبى صُبحاً وَأَذكى مِن المسك
More delicate and purer than the tears of dew upon
My eloquent tears at dawn are more fragrant than musk
the daisies of the hills at dawn, and more fragrant than musk.
Weeping over the cheeks of the hills
وَبَثَand an outpouring اِشتِياقlonging كُلَماwhenever رُمتَyou sought وَصفَهُits description
وَبَثَ اِشتِياق كُلَما رُمتَ وَصفَهُ
تَقولsay لِيَto me الأَقلامُthe pens كَمhow long هَكَذاlike this تَبكيyou weep
تَقول لِيَ الأَقلامُ كَم هَكَذا تَبكي
And an outpouring of longing—whenever you seek to describe it,
And with every attempt to describe him, longing grows
the pens say to me, “How long will you weep like this?”
My pens say "How much more will you weep?"
إِذاif أَناI كَفكَفَتI wiped away الدُموعthe tears فَإِنَّماthen it is only
إِذا أَنا كَفكَفَت الدُموع فَإِنَّما
أَكفكفهاI wipe them away خَوفfor fear of الفَضيحةscandal وَالهَتكand dishonor
أَكفكفها خَوف الفَضيحة وَالهَتك
If I wipe away my tears, it is only
When I wipe away the tears, it is only
for fear of scandal and dishonor that I wipe them away.
For fear of shame and violation
وَإِنand if أَكتُمI conceal الشَكوىthe complaint يَقلsays فَيضthe flood عبرَتيmy tears
وَإِن أَكتُم الشَكوى يَقل فَيض عبرَتي
عَلىin كُلevery حالcircumstance أَنتِyou (feminine) لاno بُدَّescape ليfor me مِنكfrom you (feminine)
عَلى كُل حال أَنتِ لا بُدَّ لي مِنك
And if I conceal my complaint, the flood of my tears says:
And if I restrain my lament, the flow of my tears decreases
“Whatever the case, I cannot do without you.”
In any case, I cannot do without you