دَعlet دُموعيmy tears فيin ذَلِكَthat الاِشتِياقِlonging
دَع دُموعي في ذَلِكَ الاِشتِياقِ
تَتَناجىwhisper to one another بِفِعلِof the work of يَومِthe day of الفِراقِparting
تَتَناجى بِفِعلِ يَومِ الفِراقِ
Let my tears, amid that longing,
Leave my tears in that yearning
whisper together of what the day of parting wrought.
To converse with the act of the day of parting
فَعَسىso perhaps الدَمعُtears أَنto يُسكَنَsoothe بِالسَكby pouring (continues)
فَعَسى الدَمعُ أَن يُسكَنَ بِالسَك
بِcompletes 'pouring' غَليلاًa burning thirst مِنof هائِمٍone distraught with love مُشتاقِlonging
بِ غَليلاً مِن هائِمٍ مُشتاقِ
So perhaps tears, by pouring forth, may soothe
Perhaps tears will be calmed with complaint
the burning thirst of one distraught with longing.
Of a passionate longing lover
إِنَّindeed رَيّاRayya لَمdid not تَسقِgive drink رَيّاa thirst-quenching draught مِنَof الوَصunion (continues)
إِنَّ رَيّا لَم تَسقِ رَيّا مِنَ الوَص
لِcompletes 'union' وَلَمand did not تَدرِknow ماجَوىwhat anguish العُشّاقِlovers
لِ وَلَم تَدرِ ماجَوى العُشّاقِ
Indeed, Rayya has given no thirst-quenching draught of union,
Verily a doe did not give drink to a doe
nor has she known the anguish of lovers.
And did not know the secrets of lovers
بَعَثَتshe sent طَيفَهاher phantom إِلَيَّto me وَدونيand between me and her
بَعَثَت طَيفَها إِلَيَّ وَدوني
وَخدُthe swift gait of شَهرَينِtwo months لِلمَهاريfor the Mahri camels العِتاقِnoble-bred
وَخدُ شَهرَينِ لِلمَهاري العِتاقِ
She sent her phantom to me, though between us lay
Her apparition sent me in my slumber
two months' swift travel for noble Mahri camels.
With two rosy cheeks for the brave beloved
زارَit visited وَهناًlate at night مِنَfrom الشَآمِal-Sham فَحَيّاthen greeted
زارَ وَهناً مِنَ الشَآمِ فَحَيّا
مُستَهاماًone crazed with love صَباfell in love بِأَعلىin the upper part of العِراقِIraq
مُستَهاماً صَبا بِأَعلى العِراقِ
It visited late at night from al-Sham, and greeted
He visited weakness from Syria, so he greeted
a man crazed with love, enamored in Upper Iraq.
A morning in the highest place of Iraq
فَقَضىthen it accomplished ماwhat قَضىit accomplished وَعادَand returned إِلَيهاto her
فَقَضى ما قَضى وَعادَ إِلَيها
وَالدُجىand darkness فيin ثِيابِهِits garments الأَخلاقِthreadbare
وَالدُجى في ثِيابِهِ الأَخلاقِ
It did what it did, then returned to her,
He fulfilled what he did, and returned to her
while darkness wore its threadbare robes.
While gloom is in his silk clothes
قَدindeed أَخَذناwe took مِنَfrom التَلاقيmeeting بِحَذٍّwith a clipped portion (unclear)
قَد أَخَذنا مِنَ التَلاقي بِحَذٍّ
وَالتَلاقيand meeting فيin النَومِsleep عِدلُthe equivalent of التَلافيmaking good a loss
وَالتَلاقي في النَومِ عِدلُ التَلافي
We have taken a sliver of reunion,
We have taken from meeting with eagerness
and meeting in sleep is as good as making up the loss.
And meeting in sleep is equal to union
ياO أَباAbu (father of) نَهشَلٍNahshal وَلازِلتَand may you always remain يَسقيwaters
يا أَبا نَهشَلٍ وَلازِلتَ يَسقي
كَyou (object suffix) عَلىin حالَةٍa state مِنَof الغَيثِrain ساقِone who waters
كَ عَلى حالَةٍ مِنَ الغَيثِ ساقِ
O Abu Nahshal, may there ever be one to water
O Abu Nahshal you still give drink
you with rain, whatever your condition.
As if you are in a state of rain pouring
لَوif تَرىyou see لَوعَتيmy anguish وَحُزنيand my sorrow وَوَجديand my passion
لَو تَرى لَوعَتي وَحُزني وَوَجدي
وَغَليليand my burning thirst وَحُرقَتيand my heartache وَاِشتِياقيand my longing
وَغَليلي وَحُرقَتي وَاِشتِياقي
If you could see my anguish, my sorrow, and my passion,
If you could see my agony, sorrow, fervor
my burning thirst, my heartache, and my longing,
And my passion, burning, and yearning
وَاِلتِفاتيand my turning إِلَيكَtoward you مِنfrom جَبَلِMount القاal-Qatul (name continues)
وَاِلتِفاتي إِلَيكَ مِن جَبَلِ القا
طولِcompletes 'al-Qatul' وَالدَمعُand tears ساكِبٌpouring ذوpossessing اِندِفاقِa torrent
طولِ وَالدَمعُ ساكِبٌ ذو اِندِفاقِ
and my turning toward you from Mount al-Qatul,
And my turning to you from Mount Qa
while tears stream forth in torrents,
With pouring tears of outpouring
لَتَيَقَّنتَyou would know for certain أَنَّنيthat I صادِقُsincere in الوُدaffection (continues)
لَتَيَقَّنتَ أَنَّني صادِقُ الوُد
دِcompletes 'affection' وَفِيٌّfaithful بِالعَهدِto the pledge وَالميثاقِand the covenant
دِ وَفِيٌّ بِالعَهدِ وَالميثاقِ
you would know for certain that I am true in affection,
You would be certain that I am truthful in love
faithful to the pledge and covenant.
Loyal in pact and covenant
وَبِنَفسيand with my life وَأُسرَتيand my family حُسنُthe beauty of ذاكَthat الthe
وَبِنَفسي وَأُسرَتي حُسنُ ذاكَ ال
أَدَبِcourtesy الأَريَحِيِّgenerous-hearted وَالأَخلاقِand character
أَدَبِ الأَريَحِيِّ وَالأَخلاقِ
May my life and family ransom the beauty of that
By my soul and my family’s good manner
generous courtesy and character,
Of Arabi’s etiquette and morals
وَالنَدىand bounty الصامِتِيُّSamiti وَالمَلِكُand the king الأَبلَthe radiant (continues)
وَالنَدى الصامِتِيُّ وَالمَلِكُ الأَبلَ
جُcompletes 'radiant' فيin أُخرَياتِthe rearmost parts of الرِواقِthe portico
جُ في أُخرَياتِ الرِواقِ
and Samiti bounty, and the radiant king
The silent dew and the gracious king
at the far end of the portico.
In the conclusion of the porch
دائِمُever الاِنفِرادِbeing alone بِالرَأيِin judgment فيin الخَلseclusion (continues)
دائِمُ الاِنفِرادِ بِالرَأيِ في الخَل
وَةِcompletes 'seclusion' لاnot يَتَّقيguards against اللَياليthe nights بِواقِwith a shield
وَةِ لا يَتَّقي اللَيالي بِواقِ
Ever alone in deliberation, in seclusion,
Always secluding with opinion in solitude
he takes no shield against the nights.
Not fearing the nights with a companion
تَتفادىshrink away الخُطوبُcalamities إِنif واجَهَتهُthey confront him
تَتفادى الخُطوبُ إِن واجَهَتهُ
حينَwhen يُغرىis engrossed بِالفِكرِin thought وَالإِطراقِand bowing the head
حينَ يُغرى بِالفِكرِ وَالإِطراقِ
Calamities shrink away if they confront him,
Troubles avoid him if they meet him
when he is absorbed in thought, with bowed head.
When he is tempted by thought and determination
صامِتِيٌّa Samiti يَغدوgoes forth فَتَغدوand then goes forth بِومناin the right hand (probable reading)
صامِتِيٌّ يَغدو فَتَغدو بِومنا
هُhis (possessive suffix) طَريقُthe course of الآجالِlifespans وَالأَرزاقِand livelihoods
هُ طَريقُ الآجالِ وَالأَرزاقِ
A Samiti goes forth, and in his right hand moves
Silent, he rises so the path of lifespan and provisions rise with him
the course of lifespans and livelihoods,
With a threat and appointment like pouring rain between thunder and lightning
بِوَعيدٍwith a threat وَمَوعِدٍand a promise كَاِنسِكابِlike the pouring of الthe
بِوَعيدٍ وَمَوعِدٍ كَاِنسِكابِ ال
غَيثِrain بَينَamid الإِرعادِthundering وَالإِبراقِand lightning
غَيثِ بَينَ الإِرعادِ وَالإِبراقِ
with threat and promise, like the pouring
And assets he made for gathering
of rain amid thunder and lightning.
Wealth he made for separation
وَمَعالٍand lofty merits أَصارَهاbrought them لِاِجتِماعٍinto union
وَمَعالٍ أَصارَها لِاِجتِماعٍ
شَملُthe gathered total of مالٍwealth أَصارَهُhe consigned it لِاِفتِراقِto dispersal
شَملُ مالٍ أَصارَهُ لِاِفتِراقِ
And lofty merits brought into union
And gifts that come as comrades but depart
by gathered wealth he consigned to dispersal,
As comrades of the well-being after comrades
وَعَطاياand gifts تَأتيcome رِفاقاًin companies فَيَصدُرthen depart (continues)
وَعَطايا تَأتي رِفاقاً فَيَصدُر
نَthey (feminine plural ending) رِفاقَas companions to العافينَpetitioners بَعدَafter الرِفاقِthe companies
نَ رِفاقَ العافينَ بَعدَ الرِفاقِ
and gifts that come in companies, then go forth
Coming and going with a sign of generosity
as companions to petitioners, company after company.
Spreading its shade upon the horizons
مُقبِلٌcoming مُدبِرٌgoing away بِعارِضِwith a raincloud of جودٍbounty
مُقبِلٌ مُدبِرٌ بِعارِضِ جودٍ
باسِطٍspreading ظِلَّهُits shade عَلىover الآفاقِthe horizons
باسِطٍ ظِلَّهُ عَلى الآفاقِ
He comes and goes with a raincloud of bounty,
And with determination, if it repelled dawn, no face
that spreads its shade over the horizons,
Would have accepted the east in its rising
وَبِعَزمٍand with resolve لَوif دافَعَrepelled الفَجرَthe dawn ماnot أَقcome forth (continues)
وَبِعَزمٍ لَو دافَعَ الفَجرَ ما أَق
بَلَcompletes 'come forth' وَجهٌa face لِلشَرقِof the east فيin إِشراقِradiance
بَلَ وَجهٌ لِلشَرقِ في إِشراقِ
and with a resolve that, if it repelled the dawn,
And glory, if it were for the full moon
no face of the east would emerge in radiance,
The judgment of disappearance would not have passed in it
وَجَلالٍand majesty لَوif كانَwere لِلقَمَرِfor the moon البَدthe full moon (continues)
وَجَلالٍ لَو كانَ لِلقَمَرِ البَد
رِcompletes 'full moon' لَماthen would not جازَtake effect فيهِupon it حُكُمُthe decree of المُحاقِcomplete lunar waning
رِ لَما جازَ فيهِ حُكُمُ المُحاقِ
and with a majesty that, if it belonged to the full moon,
Generosity flows from abundant giving
the decree of darkening would never apply to it.
And might from pouring blood
يَصدُرُissues forth الجودُbounty عَنfrom عَطاءٍgiving جَزيلٍlavish
يَصدُرُ الجودُ عَن عَطاءٍ جَزيلٍ
مِنهُfrom him وَالبَأسُand martial might عَنfrom دَمٍblood مُهَراقِpoured out
مِنهُ وَالبَأسُ عَن دَمٍ مُهَراقِ
Bounty springs from lavish gifts
from him, and valor from blood poured out.
Partial English translation: 44 of 46 Arabic lines translated.