حالي غدا عاطلاً مِن وصلكِ الحالي

حالي غدا عاطلاً مِن وصلكِ الحالي

فكم أُغالطُ عن ذا الهجرِ آمالي

فكم أُغالطُ عن ذا الهجرِ آمالي

My state is now unadorned, bereft of your sweet union.

My present has become devoid of your connection

How often I delude my hopes about this estrangement!

So how I delude myself about this separation and my hopes

كتمتُه فوشتْ بي وهي جالهةٌ

كتمتُه فوشتْ بي وهي جالهةٌ

مدامعٌ أَرْخَصَتْ مِن سريَ الغالي

مدامعٌ أَرْخَصَتْ مِن سريَ الغالي

I hid it, but they betrayed me, openly revealing it:

I concealed it, but it was exposed through my tears

tears that cheapened my precious secret.

Flowing freely from my innermost feelings

يا جيرةَ الحيَّ أشمتُّمْ بهجركمُ

يا جيرةَ الحيَّ أشمتُّمْ بهجركمُ

قبلَ التفرُّقِ لُوّامي وعُذّالي

قبلَ التفرُّقِ لُوّامي وعُذّالي

O neighbors of the encampment, your estrangement made them gloat—

O neighbors of the dear quarter, you rejoice at your estrangement

my reproachers and censurers—even before we parted.

Before we parted, you blamed and rebuked me

تلقونَني ثمَّ القاكمْ ولا عجبٌ

تلقونَني ثمَّ القاكمْ ولا عجبٌ

عندَ العتابِ باِدلالٍ واِذلالِ

عندَ العتابِ باِدلالٍ واِذلالِ

You meet me, and then I meet you—no wonder—

You meet me, then turn away - no wonder

at reproach, with coy pride on one side and abasement on the other.

You reproach and humiliate me

أبكي على مربعٍ من بعد بينكمُ

أبكي على مربعٍ من بعد بينكمُ

عافٍ وجسمٍ على أطلالكمْ بالِ

عافٍ وجسمٍ على أطلالكمْ بالِ

Since your departure, I weep over a springtime dwelling

I lament over a pasture, after you are gone

effaced, and a body worn out upon your ruins,

A sound body, at your abandoned dwellings

بأدمعٍ لم يزلْ في الوجدِ صَيَّبُها

بأدمعٍ لم يزلْ في الوجدِ صَيَّبُها

وقفاً على جيرةٍ تنأَى وأطلالِ

وقفاً على جيرةٍ تنأَى وأطلالِ

with tears whose downpour, in yearning, has always remained

With tears that have not ceased flowing in sadness

devoted to neighbors drawing away and to ruins.

Pausing at the neighborhood that has moved away and dwellings in ruins

وزَّعتُه بين هجرٍ أو أليمِ هوًى

وزَّعتُه بين هجرٍ أو أليمِ هوًى

ما بين ساكبِ تَهماعٍ وتَهمالِ

ما بين ساكبِ تَهماعٍ وتَهمالِ

I apportioned it between estrangement or painful love,

I have distributed it between painful separation or tormenting passion

between torrents poured and tears streaming.

Between a pouring of gatherings and assemblies

في أربعٍ حكمتْ أيدي النوى عبثاً

في أربعٍ حكمتْ أيدي النوى عبثاً

فيها بما لا جرى منّي على بالي

فيها بما لا جرى منّي على بالي

Among dwellings where separation's hands ruled wantonly,

In four lines, the hands of fate have randomly

dealing with them in ways that never crossed my mind.

Inscribed what has not crossed my mind

وقفتُ فيها

وقفتُ فيها

وقد سارتْ ركائبُهمْ

وقد سارتْ ركائبُهمْ

I stood among them,

I stood amongst them

while their riding camels had already departed,

As their riding camels departed

على ضِرامٍ لنيرانِ الهوى صالِ

على ضِرامٍ لنيرانِ الهوى صالِ

ما بين ناشدِ قلبٍ ضلَّ من وَلَهٍ

ما بين ناشدِ قلبٍ ضلَّ من وَلَهٍ

burning in the blaze of love's fires.

On the burning embers of passion’s fire

Between seeking a heart lost through love's bewilderment

Between a heartfelt lover and an avid reciter of poetry and verse

وبين منشدِ أشعارٍ وأغزالِ

وبين منشدِ أشعارٍ وأغزالِ

منازلٌ طالَ فيها بعدما دَرَستْ

منازلٌ طالَ فيها بعدما دَرَستْ

and reciting poetry and love songs.

The dwellings where, after they were ravaged,

Dwellings where, after they were effaced, I long continued

I wandered and questioned about the loved ones

عنِ الحبائبِ تَردادي وتَسآلي

عنِ الحبائبِ تَردادي وتَسآلي

لبئس ما اعتضتُ فيها عن جمالِهمُ

لبئس ما اعتضتُ فيها عن جمالِهمُ

to return and ask after the loved ones.

Evil is what I found in them after the bloom of their kindness and beauty

How wretched what I gained there in place of their beauty,

Will time ever return to its course, though its ways are gone

من بعدِ رونقِِ اِحسانٍ واِجمالِ

من بعدِ رونقِِ اِحسانٍ واِجمالِ

يا هل يردُّ زماناً بانَ مُذْهَبُه

يا هل يردُّ زماناً بانَ مُذْهَبُه

after the splendor of kindness and graciousness!

I passed by them and could glimpse naught

Ah, can a time whose gilded splendor has gone be restored

But traces like the shavings of patience piled up

بكايَ في رسمِ دارٍ غيرِ محلالِ

بكايَ في رسمِ دارٍ غيرِ محلالِ

مررتُ فيها فلم ألمحْ

مررتُ فيها فلم ألمحْ

by my weeping at the trace of a house no longer frequented?

And fate forever continues in its varying states

I passed through them and glimpsed nothing—

Between receding and advancing

وقد دَرَسَتْ

وقد دَرَسَتْ

سوى رسومٍ كَبُردِ الصَّبرِ اسمالِ

سوى رسومٍ كَبُردِ الصَّبرِ اسمالِ

their traces having been effaced—

O bending shape of sadness - my heart calls on me

but traces in tatters, like the cloak of patience.

For what was destined for us in your departed era

والدهرُ ما زالَ في حالاتهِ أبداً

والدهرُ ما زالَ في حالاتهِ أبداً

مذ كانَ ما بين ادبارٍ واِقبالِ

مذ كانَ ما بين ادبارٍ واِقبالِ

And time, through all its states, has always remained

Of the beauty of intimate friends and a pleasant gathering

since it began, between retreat and advance.

And the fragrance of pre-dawn and evening gatherings

يا منحنى الجِزعِ لي قلبٌ يطالِبُني

يا منحنى الجِزعِ لي قلبٌ يطالِبُني

بما تقضَّى لنا في عصرِكَ الخالي

بما تقضَّى لنا في عصرِكَ الخالي

O bend of the valley, I have a heart that demands of me

Their dwellings made their doves weep

what passed for us in your bygone days:

And they sang over the tamarisk and honey plant

مِن حسنِ اِلفةِ أحبابٍ ومجتمعٍ

مِن حسنِ اِلفةِ أحبابٍ ومجتمعٍ

وطيبِ أوقاتِ أسحارٍ وآصالِ

وطيبِ أوقاتِ أسحارٍ وآصالِ

the beauty of intimacy with loved ones and gathering together,

They flowed my tears in playfulness

and the sweetness of hours before dawn and in late afternoon.

While we are between warbling and moaning

تلكَ المنازلُ أبكتنا حمائمُها

تلكَ المنازلُ أبكتنا حمائمُها

وقد تغنَّينَ فوق الطلحِ والضّالِ

وقد تغنَّينَ فوق الطلحِ والضّالِ

Those dwellings—their doves made us weep

Dwellings ravaged by the blowing winds

as they sang above the acacias and wild lote trees.

And rainfall between springs and runnels

أجرينَ بالنوحِ دمعي في ملاعبها

أجرينَ بالنوحِ دمعي في ملاعبها

فَنَحْنُ ما بين تغريدٍ واِعوالِ

فَنَحْنُ ما بين تغريدٍ واِعوالِ

With their lament, they set my tears flowing in those playgrounds;

O Rema, who has surrendered me

so we are between birdsong and wailing.

To those determined to make me forget and neglect

منازلٌ درستْها الريحُ سافيةً

منازلٌ درستْها الريحُ سافيةً

والقَطرُ ما بين مُنهلًّ ومُنهالِ

والقَطرُ ما بين مُنهلًّ ومُنهالِ

Dwellings the wind effaced as it swept sand over them,

My heart and body are what you have known

and rain, now pouring, now cascading.

In times of pain and affliction

يا ريمَ رامةَ قد أمسيتَ تُسلِمُني

يا ريمَ رامةَ قد أمسيتَ تُسلِمُني

الى الممضَّينِنسياني واِغفالي

الى الممضَّينِنسياني واِغفالي

O gazelle of Rama, you now consign me

Do not stay away, for in love there is much discontent

to twin torments: your forgetting and neglecting me.

Blame, talk and words

قلبي وجسمي هما ما قد عرفتَهما

قلبي وجسمي هما ما قد عرفتَهما

في النائباتِ لأوجاعٍ وأوجالِ

في النائباتِ لأوجاعٍ وأوجالِ

My heart and body are as you have known them,

I have left it to people who care for it

given to pains and fears amid calamities.

While my passion and reproach have diminished

لا تَبْعُدَنَّ فكم في الحبَّ مِنْ نُغَصٍ

لا تَبْعُدَنَّ فكم في الحبَّ مِنْ نُغَصٍ

ومِنْ ملامٍ ومِنْ قيلٍ ومِنْ قالِ

ومِنْ ملامٍ ومِنْ قيلٍ ومِنْ قالِ

Do not go far away: how many vexations love contains,

Blessed is an era when my she-camel was not prodded

and reproach, and hearsay, and idle chatter!

To travel to the dwellings and camel pens

تركتُه لأناسٍ يَحفِلُونَ به

تركتُه لأناسٍ يَحفِلُونَ به

وقلَّ بالعذلِ واللوامِ اِحفالي

وقلَّ بالعذلِ واللوامِ اِحفالي

I left it to people who concern themselves with it,

No, never was I prodded

and little do I care for censure and reproachers.

For the days gathered us before separation

يا حبذا زمنٌ لم تُمْنَ راحلتي

يا حبذا زمنٌ لم تُمْنَ راحلتي

فيه بشدًّ إلى السرى واِرقالِ

فيه بشدًّ إلى السرى واِرقالِ

Ah, how lovely the time when my mount was not burdened

With hopes and traveling

with saddling for night journeys and swift trotting.

Days when the doe of the neighborhood entrusted

كلاّ ولم أُمْنَ

كلاّ ولم أُمْنَ

والأيامُ تجمعُنا

والأيامُ تجمعُنا

No indeed; nor was I burdened,

Passion, undeterred by gossip

while the days brought us together,

While today in my love and burning

قبلَ الفراقِ

قبلَ الفراقِ

باِزماعٍ وتَرحالِ

باِزماعٍ وتَرحالِ

before parting,

I am isolated from the fervor of my heart and its secrets

by resolve to leave and journeying.

A frightened gazelle avoiding its glances

ايامَ كان غزالُ الحيَّ مؤتَمناً

ايامَ كان غزالُ الحيَّ مؤتَمناً

على الهوى لم تَشُنْهُ نفرَةُ القالِ

على الهوى لم تَشُنْهُ نفرَةُ القالِ

In the days when the encampment's gazelle was entrusted

Fearing for it, from sword and arrow

with love, unblemished by a hater's aversion.

None among lovers is like me in my ardency

واليومَ أُصبِحُ في وجدي وفي حُرَقي

واليومَ أُصبِحُ في وجدي وفي حُرَقي

بمعزلٍ عن جوى قلبي وبَلْبَالي

بمعزلٍ عن جوى قلبي وبَلْبَالي

Today I wake amid my yearning and my burning grief,

Oh remoteness of what my peers and likenesses seek

apart from my heart's anguish and turmoil.

By God, I will neither forget his love nor ever

نبّاذُ فيه حضماهُ مِن لواحظِه

نبّاذُ فيه حضماهُ مِن لواحظِه

خوفاً عليه بسيّافٍ ونبّالِ

خوفاً عليه بسيّافٍ ونبّالِ

A caster within it—his [unclear noun]—from his glances,

See myself, as long as I live, distracted from him and his love

for fear for it, with a swordsman and an archer.

And I will not take any substitute, even if

ما في المحبينَ مثلي في صبابتهِ

ما في المحبينَ مثلي في صبابتهِ

يا بُعدَ مطلبِ أضرابي وأشكالي

يا بُعدَ مطلبِ أضرابي وأشكالي

No lover is like me in his passionate longing;

Time allowed it, with other matters and changes

how remote the prospect of finding my peers and equals!

And I will not, as long as I live, be busy

تاللهِ أنسى هواه أو أُرى أبداً

تاللهِ أنسى هواه أو أُرى أبداً

عنه وعن حبَّهِ ما عشتُ بالسالي

عنه وعن حبَّهِ ما عشتُ بالسالي

By God, I will not forget his love or ever be seen

With anything but him - for he is my life and purpose

forgetful of him and his love, as long as I live.

O you who seek poetry, its ways exhaust you

ولا أرى عوضاً منه ولو سمحَ

ولا أرى عوضاً منه ولو سمحَ

الزَّمانُ عنه بأعراض وأبدالِ

الزَّمانُ عنه بأعراض وأبدالِ

Nor would I find a substitute for him, even if

So refrain from it, in distress and confusion

time offered worldly goods and replacements in his stead.

Take it - for there are many arts in its subtleties

ولستُ أُصبِحُ عنه الدهرَ في شُغُلِ

ولستُ أُصبِحُ عنه الدهرَ في شُغُلِ

إِلاّ به فهو أوطاري وأشغالي

إِلاّ به فهو أوطاري وأشغالي

I am never distracted from him, through all time,

Containing wisdom flowing into proverbs

save by him: he is my desires and my concerns.

يا طالبَ الشَّعرِ تُعييهِ مذاهبُهُ

يا طالبَ الشَّعرِ تُعييهِ مذاهبُهُ

فينثني منه في ضيق ٍ واِشكالِ

فينثني منه في ضيق ٍ واِشكالِ

O seeker of poetry, whom its paths defeat,

so that you turn back from it in distress and perplexity:

خُذْها فكم مِن فنونٍ في طرائفِه

خُذْها فكم مِن فنونٍ في طرائفِه

فيها ومِن حِكَمٍ تسري وأمثالِ

فيها ومِن حِكَمٍ تسري وأمثالِ

Take it: how many arts from poetry's rarities

it contains, and wisdom that circulates, and proverbs!