أَزارَ أَبا الفَضلِ الخَيالُ المُؤَرِّقُ

أَزارَ أَبا الفَضلِ الخَيالُ المُؤَرِّقُ

لِفَوزٍ نَعَم وَالطَيفُ مِمّا يُشَوِّقُ

لِفَوزٍ نَعَم وَالطَيفُ مِمّا يُشَوِّقُ

Did the sleep-robbing phantom visit Abu al-Fadl—

The restless fantasy disturbs Abu Al-Fadl,

the phantom of Fawz? Yes—and such a vision stirs longing.

Of winning - yes, and the specter is enticing.

تَنامُ عُيونُ الكاشِحينَ قَريرَةً

تَنامُ عُيونُ الكاشِحينَ قَريرَةً

وَعَيني بِأَصنافِ البُكا تَتَدَفَّقُ

وَعَيني بِأَصنافِ البُكا تَتَدَفَّقُ

The eyes of the spiteful sleep at ease,

The eyes of the wakeful sleep soundly,

while my eye streams with all manner of weeping.

While my eyes overflow with tears.

فَيا عَجَباً لِلعَينِ أَمّا رُقادُها

فَيا عَجَباً لِلعَينِ أَمّا رُقادُها

فَعانٍ وَأَمّا الدَمعُ مِنها فَمُطلَقُ

فَعانٍ وَأَمّا الدَمعُ مِنها فَمُطلَقُ

So, how strange the eye is! As for its sleep,

How strange are the eyes - their sleep brings rest

it is captive, while the tears from it run free.

While the tears flow freely from them.

وَما الناسُ إِلّا العاشِقونَ ذَوو الهَوى

وَما الناسُ إِلّا العاشِقونَ ذَوو الهَوى

وَلا خَيرَ فيمَن لا يُحِبُّ وَيَعشَقُ

وَلا خَيرَ فيمَن لا يُحِبُّ وَيَعشَقُ

And people are none but lovers, those possessed of passion;

People are but lovers and doters;

and there is no good in anyone who does not love and adore.

No good comes from those who do not love and yearn.

عَجِبتُ لِفَوزٍ خَوَّفَتني بِبَينِها

عَجِبتُ لِفَوزٍ خَوَّفَتني بِبَينِها

وَقَد عَلِمَت أَنّي مِنَ البَينِ مُشفِقُ

وَقَد عَلِمَت أَنّي مِنَ البَينِ مُشفِقُ

I was amazed at Fawz: she frightened me with her parting,

I am amazed that Fawz has frightened me with her distance,

though she knew that I feared separation.

Though she knows I fear separation.

لَقَد سَعِدَ الحُجّاجُ إِذ كُنتِ فيهِمُ

لَقَد سَعِدَ الحُجّاجُ إِذ كُنتِ فيهِمُ

وَحُقَّ لَهُم أَن يَسعَدوا وَيُوَفَّقوا

وَحُقَّ لَهُم أَن يَسعَدوا وَيُوَفَّقوا

The pilgrims were indeed fortunate when you were among them,

The pilgrims were fortunate with you among them,

and it was fitting that they should be happy and granted success.

And rightly so, for then they prospered and succeeded.

إِذا لُمتُها قالَت وَعَيشِكَ إِنَّنا

إِذا لُمتُها قالَت وَعَيشِكَ إِنَّنا

حِراصٌ وَلَكِنّا نَخافُ وَنُشفِقُ

حِراصٌ وَلَكِنّا نَخافُ وَنُشفِقُ

Whenever I reproached her, she said, “By your life, we

When I reproach her, she says “By your life, we fear

are eager, but we are afraid and apprehensive.

Though we are zealous, we are afraid and anxious.”

وَإِن كُنتَ مُشتاقاً إِلى أَن تَزورَنا

وَإِن كُنتَ مُشتاقاً إِلى أَن تَزورَنا

فَنَحنُ إِلى ما قُلتَ مِن ذاكَ أَشوَقُ

فَنَحنُ إِلى ما قُلتَ مِن ذاكَ أَشوَقُ

And if you long to visit us,

If you long to visit us, know that

then we long even more for what you have spoken of.”

We too desire what you say.

فَما أَنسَ مِلأَشياءِ لا أَنسَ قَولَها

فَما أَنسَ مِلأَشياءِ لا أَنسَ قَولَها

أَلا اُخرُج بِلا زادٍ فَإِنَّكَ موبَقُ

أَلا اُخرُج بِلا زادٍ فَإِنَّكَ موبَقُ

So, whatever things I may forget, I will not forget her words:

How excellent is her speech - I forget all else

“Listen: go out without provisions, for you are doomed.”

When she says “Go forth without provisions, for you are doomed.”

وَقَد نَذَرَت إِن سَلَّم اللَهُ نَفسَها

وَقَد نَذَرَت إِن سَلَّم اللَهُ نَفسَها

وَنَفسي لَها شَهراً تَصومُ وَتُعِتِقُ

وَنَفسي لَها شَهراً تَصومُ وَتُعِتِقُ

And she had vowed, if God kept her life safe

She had vowed, if God spared her life

and mine for her, to fast for a month and set slaves free.

And mine, to fast a month and emancipate a slave.

فَلَمّا خَرَجنا اِستَعبَرَت وَتَنَفَّسَت

فَلَمّا خَرَجنا اِستَعبَرَت وَتَنَفَّسَت

وَبادَرَها دَمعُ الهَوى يَتَرَقرَقُ

وَبادَرَها دَمعُ الهَوى يَتَرَقرَقُ

And when we set out, she wept and sighed,

When we set out, she sighed and breathed freely,

and shimmering tears of love swiftly overtook her.

And tears of passion flowed down her cheeks.