دعleave الأبرقal-Abraq والباناand the ban trees
دع الأبرق والبانا
وخذand choose وادthe valley of حمّاناHammana
وخذ واد حمّانا
Leave al-Abraq and the ban trees,
Leave lightning and hail behind
and choose the valley of Hammana.
And take the valley of Hammana
هوit الفردوسParadise قدalready قامstood
هو الفردوس قد قام
بهwithin it الشاغورShaghour رضواناas Ridwan, Paradise's keeper
به الشاغور رضوانا
It is Paradise, where now stands
It is paradise come to life
Shaghour as its Ridwan.
With al-Shaghour as its guardian
إذاwhen استرسلflowed freely أوor شفbecame translucent
إذا استرسل أو شف
رأيتyou saw الحسنbeauty عرياناbare
رأيت الحسن عريانا
When it flows freely or turns translucent,
If it meanders or inclines
you see beauty laid bare.
You'll see beauty unveiled
وإنand if صوّتsounded أوor رنّrang
وإن صوّت أو رنّ
وجدتyou found القاعthe valley floor آذاناears
وجدت القاع آذانا
And if it sounds or rings,
And if it sounds or rings
you find the valley floor all ears.
You'll find its depths have ears
تراهyou see it فيin الضحىmidmorning ماساa diamond
تراه في الضحى ماسا
وفيand in الآصالthe late afternoons عقباناeagles
وفي الآصال عقبانا
You see it as a diamond at midmorning,
You'll see it at dawn settled
and as eagles in the late afternoons.
And at dusk soaring high
وطيرand the birds of العشقpassionate love لاnot يأوىtakes refuge
وطير العشق لا يأوى
سوىother than الشاغورShaghour بستاناas a garden
سوى الشاغور بستانا
And the birds of love take no refuge
The birds of passion find no rest
in any garden but Shaghour.
Except in al-Shaghour's gardens
فماfor never حلّقsoared أوor صفقflapped its wings
فما حلّق أو صفق
إلاexcept that اصطادcaught إنساناa human being
إلا اصطاد إنسانا
For never do they soar or beat their wings
None flapped or clapped its wings
without capturing a human being.
Without catching a human soul
يحسfeels القلبthe heart للقلبfor the heart
يحس القلب للقلب
صباباتardent longings وأشجاناand sorrows
صبابات وأشجانا
The heart feels for another heart
The heart feels for the heart
ardent longings and sorrows.
Yearnings and sorrows abound
ترىyou see فيin منزلa house مياMayy
ترى في منزل ميا
وفيand in آخرanother غيلاناGhaylan
وفي آخر غيلانا
You see Mayy in one house,
You see one house is Maya's
and Ghaylan in another.
And another is Ghilana's
وذىand this is سلمىSalma وذاand this is حمدىHamdi
وذى سلمى وذا حمدى
يبثانكthey both confide to you ماwhat كاناhad happened
يبثانك ما كانا
And here is Salma, and here is Hamdi,
That one belongs to Sulaima
both confiding to you what had happened.
And this one to Hamda
رواياتهماthe stories of the two of them زادتenhanced
رواياتهما زادت
أحاديثtales الهوىlove شاناstature
أحاديث الهوى شانا
Their stories have lent
Their tales have added
greater stature to the tales of love.
New stories of love