سَرَتshe traveled by night وَهيَwhile she was بَدرٌa full moon وَالغَدائِرُand the tresses جونُblack
سَرَت وَهيَ بَدرٌ وَالغَدائِرُ جونُ
وَقَدand already هَجَعَتhad fallen asleep لِلنائِمينَof the sleepers جُفونeyelids
وَقَد هَجَعَت لِلنائِمينَ جُفون
She traveled by night, a full moon, her tresses black,
She rose like a full moon while eyelids still slumbered,
When sleepers' eyelids had already fallen asleep.
Walking with a gait that tests my patience, just to reach her,
تَميسُshe sways بِقَدٍّwith a figure قُدَّwas torn صَبريmy patience لِنَيلِهِto attain it
تَميسُ بِقَدٍّ قُدَّ صَبري لِنَيلِهِ
وَخِصرٍand a waist وَلَكِنَّand yet النِطاقَthe girdle عُيونُeyes
وَخِصرٍ وَلَكِنَّ النِطاقَ عُيونُ
She sways with a figure for whose attainment my patience was torn,
And a waist - but it's the belt that captures eyes!
And a waist—yet its girdle is eyes.
Drawing her train behind the galaxy's curve,
وَتَسحَبُand she drags عَنpast هامِthe crowns of المَجَرَّةِthe Milky Way ذَيلَهاher train
وَتَسحَبُ عَن هامِ المَجَرَّةِ ذَيلَها
وَتَجريand she moves لِدامِعِfor the weeping eye of الصبِّthe lovesick one فَهوَso it is هَتونpouring
وَتَجري لِدامِعِ الصبِّ فَهوَ هَتون
And trails her train past the crowns of the Milky Way,
Flowing to meet the tears of the passionate, submissive lover,
And moves for the lover's tearful eye, which pours in torrents.
Smiling from lips whose rhythm is perfection embodied,
وَتَبسَمُand she smiles عَنrevealing ثَغرٍa mouth تَناسَقَwas harmonious نَظمُهُits arrangement
وَتَبسَمُ عَن ثَغرٍ تَناسَقَ نَظمُهُ
تَجولُroams الحُمَيّاwine's intoxicating force فيهِwithin it وَهوَwhile it is مَصونguarded
تَجولُ الحُمَيّا فيهِ وَهوَ مَصون
And smiles, revealing a mouth whose teeth are harmoniously arrayed;
Where glances wander safe from harm.
Wine's intoxicating fire roams within it, though it is guarded.
So who will quench my thirst with the wine of union?
فَمَنso who ليfor me بِمَنwith someone who يُرويquenches ظَمائيَmy thirst مِنfrom لَمىًdarkness of lips
فَمَن لي بِمَن يُروي ظَمائيَ مِن لَمىً
بِهِin it وَأَبيby my father ماءُthe water of الحَياةِlife مَعينُflowing
بِهِ وَأَبي ماءُ الحَياةِ مَعينُ
So who will bring me one to quench my thirst from dark lips,
For me the water of life has no spring!
In which, by my father, the water of life flows freely;
And eyes that tell of her growth, eyes that see
وَمِنand from أَعيُنٍeyes تَحكيresemble النَباتَthe plant الَّذيthat لَهُit has
وَمِن أَعيُنٍ تَحكي النَباتَ الَّذي لَهُ
عُيونٌeyes عَنِof السَحرِthe enchantment المُبينmanifest تُبينreveal
عُيونٌ عَنِ السَحرِ المُبين تُبين
And from eyes resembling the plant whose
Through the obvious witchery and clarify,
Eyes reveal unmistakable enchantment;
And eyebrows that narrate more woe than patience greatest,
وَمِنand from حاجِبٍan eyebrow لِلصَّبرِto patience أَعظَمthe greatest حاجِبٍbarrier
وَمِن حاجِبٍ لِلصَّبرِ أَعظَم حاجِبٍ
أَنوناًthe letter nūn? حَكىit resembled أَمor خُطَّwas inscribed فيهِin it مَنونُdoom
أَنوناً حَكى أَم خُطَّ فيهِ مَنونُ
And from an eyebrow, the greatest barrier to patience—
Or are they lines of beauty traced thereon?
Did it resemble a nūn, or was doom inscribed in it?
And cheeks that whisper of the tender rose's bloom -
وَخَدٍّand a cheek حَكىresembled الوَردَthe rose الجَنيِّfreshly picked لَطافَةًin delicacy
وَخَدٍّ حَكى الوَردَ الجَنيِّ لَطافَةً
وَمَنand who يَجتَنيcan pluck وَالسَمهَريُّwhile the slender spear يَصونguards
وَمَن يَجتَني وَالسَمهَريُّ يَصون
And from a cheek as delicate as a freshly picked rose—
Who ever plucked it? The thorns still hedge it round!
Yet who can pluck it while the slender spear stands guard?
I'm tormented, with only my own reproaches to help me,
بَليتُI have wasted away وَلاand no عَوناًhelp سِوىexcept عُذليmy reproachers بِهاfor her
بَليتُ وَلا عَوناً سِوى عُذلي بِها
وَلاand no مُسعِدٌcomforter إِلّاexcept الرَقيبُthe watcher يبينmakes plain
وَلا مُسعِدٌ إِلّا الرَقيبُ يبين
I have wasted away, with no help except those who reproach me for her,
And no sympathizer, save the watchman, clarifying.
And no comforter but the watcher, who makes things plain.
And folk, their endeavor went astray,
وَقَوماًand a band مِنَof الواشينَtale-bearers قَدalready ضَلَّwent astray سَعيُهُمtheir striving
وَقَوماً مِنَ الواشينَ قَد ضَلَّ سَعيُهُم
وَكُلَّand each عَلىregarding وَصلِunion with الحَبيبِthe beloved ضَنينُbegrudging
وَكُلَّ عَلى وَصلِ الحَبيبِ ضَنينُ
And a band of tale-bearers whose striving has gone astray,
Each envious of the love my heart contains,
And each begrudges union with the beloved.
No intimate have I to console my wakefulness,
وَماand not ليfor me عَلىdespite فَرطِexcessive السهادwakefulness مُسامِرٌa nighttime companion
وَما لي عَلى فَرطِ السهاد مُسامِرٌ
وَلاand no ليfor me عَلىwith شَحطِthe remoteness of المَعينِthe flowing spring مُعينa helper
وَلا لي عَلى شَحطِ المَعينِ مُعين
Despite my excessive wakefulness, I have no nighttime companion,
And my supporter lends no helping hand.
Nor, with the spring so distant, have I a helper.
May God water the sea's gate with a shower, though
سَقىmay water اللَهُGod بابَthe Gate of البَحرthe Sea قَطراًrain وَإِنand even if هَمىpours down
سَقى اللَهُ بابَ البَحر قَطراً وَإِن هَمى
بِمَقطَرِهِat its dripping-place دَمعٌtears عَليto me ثَمينprecious
بِمَقطَرِهِ دَمعٌ عَلي ثَمين
May God water Bab al-Bahr with rain, even if there fall
My tear, with its sprinkler, is treasure enough;
At its dripping-place tears precious to me.
And with it may He bless a gazelle containing the light of my eyes,
وَحَيّاand may He greet بِهِwith it ريماًa gazelle حَوىheld نورَthe light of ناظِريmy eye
وَحَيّا بِهِ ريماً حَوى نورَ ناظِري
وَنارَand the fire of فُؤاديmy heart وَهوَwhile it is فيهِwithin it رَهينُcaptive
وَنارَ فُؤادي وَهوَ فيهِ رَهينُ
And may He greet with it a gazelle holding the light of my eye
The fire of my heart - while she's held in pawn.
And my heart's fire, while my heart lies captive within her.
Darling of a people who honor their guest,
عَزيزَةُthe cherished woman of قَومٍa people يُكرِمونَwho honor جَليسَهُمtheir companion
عَزيزَةُ قَومٍ يُكرِمونَ جَليسَهُم
وَيَحظىand finds favor لَدَيهِمamong them عاشِقٌa lover وَحَزينُand a sorrowful one
وَيَحظى لَدَيهِم عاشِقٌ وَحَزينُ
The darling of a people who honor their companion,
Where a lover in sorrow is fortunate,
And among whom lovers and the sorrowful find favor.
Who make the convent visitor feel at home
يُقيمونَthey make stand بِالإِنجيلِwith the Gospel زائِرَthe visitor to دَيرِهِمtheir monastery
يُقيمونَ بِالإِنجيلِ زائِرَ دَيرِهِم
فَيَفتِنُso enchants تَرجيعٌchanting لَهُمof theirs وَحَنينُand plaintive strains
فَيَفتِنُ تَرجيعٌ لَهُم وَحَنينُ
They make their monastery's visitor stand for the Gospel,
With hymns that melt the heart and make it yearn,
So their chanting and plaintive strains enchant.
Serving wine as if its bubbles are a string of tears
وَيَسقونَand they serve مِنsome of راحِwine كَأَنَّas though حُبابَهُits bubbles
وَيَسقونَ مِن راحِ كَأَنَّ حُبابَهُ
عُقودٌnecklaces لِدَمعٍof tears نَظَّمَتهُstrung it جُفونُeyelids
عُقودٌ لِدَمعٍ نَظَّمَتهُ جُفونُ
And they serve wine whose bubbles seem
Threaded by the eyelids and neatly strung.
Like necklaces of tears strung by eyelids.
The captor of glances, bewitcher of mankind,
وَفاتِكَةِand she who slays with الأَلحاظِglances سَحّارَةِenchantress of الوَرىhumankind
وَفاتِكَةِ الأَلحاظِ سَحّارَةِ الوَرى
تَقولُshe says لِقَلبِto the heart of الصَبّthe lovesick one كُنbe فَيَكونand so it is
تَقولُ لِقَلبِ الصَبّ كُن فَيَكون
And she whose glances slay, enchantress of humankind,
Says to the youthful heart: "Be!" and it is.
Says to the lovesick heart, 'Be,' and it is.
Reminding - in the torment of a life, for one aware -
تُذَكِّرُshe brings to mind فيin تَعذيبِthe tormenting by عَمرٍʿAmr وsilent wāw in ʿAmr لِمُدرِكٍof Mudrik
تُذَكِّرُ في تَعذيبِ عَمرٍ و لِمُدرِكٍ
وَهَذاand this مَزيدٌis more وَالحَديثُand talk شُجونُbranches
وَهَذا مَزيدٌ وَالحَديثُ شُجونُ
She brings to mind ʿAmr's tormenting of Mudrik,
More can be said, but let that suffice.
And this is more; one tale leads to another.
She says: "Will you be content if you're the third?"
تَقولُshe says أَتَرضىare you content? اليَومَtoday أَنَّكَthat you are ثالِثٌa third
تَقولُ أَتَرضى اليَومَ أَنَّكَ ثالِثٌ
فَقُلتُso I said نَعَمyes سيyes سيyes قَراتِسيthank you بونُgood
فَقُلتُ نَعَم سي سي قَراتِسي بونُ
She says, 'Are you content today to be the third?'
I said: "Yes, yes, karatsi bon!" - I'll take it!
So I said, 'Yes—yes, yes; thank you, good!'
From the spies I've hid her name within my heart,
سَتَرتُI concealed عَنِfrom الواشينَthe tale-bearers بِالقَلبِin the heart اسمَهاher name
سَتَرتُ عَنِ الواشينَ بِالقَلبِ اسمَها
وَباحَتand divulged بِهِabout it لِلناظِرينَto onlookers عُيونُeyes
وَباحَت بِهِ لِلناظِرينَ عُيونُ
I concealed her name in my heart from the tale-bearers,
But for all to see, through my eyes it's known.
And eyes divulged it to onlookers.
In my verses I've clouded it from every critic -
وَعَمَّيتُهُand I obscured it فيin النَظمِverse عَنfrom كُلِّevery ناثِرٍscatterer
وَعَمَّيتُهُ في النَظمِ عَن كُلِّ ناثِرٍ
عُقودَthe necklaces of وِداديmy affection غادِرٌa traitor وَخَؤونُand a betrayer
عُقودَ وِدادي غادِرٌ وَخَؤونُ
And veiled it in verse from every scatterer
My tokens of affection are hurt, though faithful.
Of my affection's necklaces—a traitor and betrayer.
So I've encoded it, hard to enumerate -
فَأحرُفُهُso its letters فيin العَدِّthe count لاno شَكَّdoubt أَربَعٌfour
فَأحرُفُهُ في العَدِّ لا شَكَّ أَربَعٌ
وَفيand in الشَطرِthe half-line سِتّsix فيin الحُروفthe letters تَكونُthey become
وَفي الشَطرِ سِتّ في الحُروف تَكونُ
Its letters number four, beyond doubt,
Four letters surely, six syllables in one line,
And in the half-line they come to six.
Drunk up through misreading, glad tidings for you!
وَبِالقَلبِand by reversal وَالتَصحيفِand by changing letter-dots تَشرَبُyou drink ريقَهits saliva
وَبِالقَلبِ وَالتَصحيفِ تَشرَبُ ريقَه
وَبُشِّرتَand may you receive glad tidings بالإِسعافِof aid فَهوَfor it is ضَمينُa guarantor
وَبُشِّرتَ بالإِسعافِ فَهوَ ضَمينُ
And by reversal and changing letter-dots, you drink its saliva;
Good fortune always, never to wane or change.
And may you receive glad tidings of aid, for it is a guarantor.
With you is a maiden, born of the dusk -
وَيُسِّرتَand may you be eased لِليُسرىtoward ease وَدُمتَand may you remain مَحَصناprotected
وَيُسِّرتَ لِليُسرى وَدُمتَ مَحَصنا
مَدىthroughout الدَهرِall time لاdo not تَسطوassail فَهوَfor it is ضَمينُa guarantor
مَدى الدَهرِ لا تَسطو فَهوَ ضَمينُ
And may your way to ease be made easy, and may you remain protected,
She adds luster to the night blossoms' adornment.
Throughout time; do not assail, for it is a guarantor.
He described you, Abu Abdellah, with qualities
وَدونَكَهاand take her عَذراءَa virgin بِنتَdaughter of عَشيَّةٍan evening
وَدونَكَها عَذراءَ بِنتَ عَشيَّةٍ
تَزيدُshe exceeds عَلىbeyond زُهرthe bright stars of الدجىnight's darkness وَتَزينand adorns
تَزيدُ عَلى زُهر الدجى وَتَزين
And take her: a virgin, daughter of an evening,
Making you the best, after the Companions.
She surpasses the bright stars of night and brings beauty.
May you remain as you wish, serving your pledge
حَكتَكَshe resembled you أَباO father of عَبدِthe servant of الإِلَهGod شَمائِلاًin qualities
حَكتَكَ أَبا عَبدِ الإِلَه شَمائِلاً
وَأَنتَand you بِهاof her دونَrather than الصحابِthe companions قَمينworthy
وَأَنتَ بِها دونَ الصحابِ قَمين
She mirrors your qualities, O Abu ʿAbd al-Ilah,
With waves of happy fortune sparkling and delicious!
And you, rather than the companions, are worthy of her.
وَدُمتُمand may you all endure كَماas تَختارُyou choose تَسقيwater عُهودَكُمyour covenants
وَدُمتُم كَما تَختارُ تَسقي عُهودَكُم
غَوادٍmorning rainclouds مِنَof السَعدِgood fortune السَنيِّradiant هَتونpouring abundantly
غَوادٍ مِنَ السَعدِ السَنيِّ هَتون
And may you all endure as you choose, your covenants watered
By morning clouds of radiant good fortune, pouring abundantly.
Partial English translation: 51 of 54 Arabic lines translated.