هيit is الدارُthe dwelling قدalready أقوتْbecame deserted ورثَّand became worn جديدُهاits newness
هي الدارُ قد أقوتْ ورثَّ جديدُها
غداةَon the morning نأتْwent far away ليلىLayla وحالتْand changed عهودُهاher pledges
غداةَ نأتْ ليلى وحالتْ عهودُها
This is the dwelling: deserted now, its newness worn away,
It's the abode whose dweller has passed away
since the morning Layla departed and her pledges changed.
The morning Leila left and her pact was no more
أبادَdestroyed وأبلىand wore away الدهرُtime بهجةَthe splendor أنسِهاof its companionship
أبادَ وأبلى الدهرُ بهجةَ أنسِها
فهلso is there للياليfor the nights أُنسِهاof its companionship مَنْanyone who يُعيدُهاbrings them back
فهل لليالي أُنسِها مَنْ يُعيدُها
Time destroyed and wore away the joy of its companionship;
Time has withered the joy of her company
can anyone bring back its nights of intimacy?
Can the nights restore what was its delight before?
وقدand already ذهبتْhas departed عنهاfrom it البشاشةُcheerfulness بعدَماafter
وقد ذهبتْ عنها البشاشةُ بعدَما
تأنَّقَgrew exquisite مرآهاits appearance وطابَand grew pleasant صعيدُهاits ground
تأنَّقَ مرآها وطابَ صعيدُها
Its cheerfulness has departed, after
Gone is the gaiety since the day
its appearance had grown exquisite and its ground delightful.
Her lovely face adorned this place no more
لياليَnights when تُصبينيshe captivated me بخُوْطِwith a slender shoot قَوامِهاof her figure
لياليَ تُصبيني بخُوْطِ قَوامِها
ويَشْغَفُand enthralls قلبيmy heart ناظراهاher two eyes وجيدُهاand her neck
ويَشْغَفُ قلبي ناظراها وجيدُها
Those nights when she captivated me with the slender bough of her figure,
The nights would visit me in fine figure
and her two eyes and her neck enthralled my heart.
My heart would yearn when I saw her, nothing more
رنتْshe gazed فرمتْthen shot نبلاًarrows حشاىَmy heart رديةًdeadly
رنتْ فرمتْ نبلاً حشاىَ رديةً
لهfor them دونَbefore أحشائيmy inward parts هواهاher love يؤودُهاweighs them down
له دونَ أحشائي هواها يؤودُها
She gazed, then shot arrows deadly to my heart;
She moaned, so I let fly an arrow, heart-piercing
even before they reach my inward parts, her love weighs them down.
To her heart it winged, mine could endure no more
فلاso may it never زالَcease يَسْقيto water ربعَهاher dwelling كلُّevery مزنةٍrain cloud
فلا زالَ يَسْقي ربعَها كلُّ مزنةٍ
تُزَمجرُgrowl فيin أعلىthe highest part الغمامِof the clouds رعودُهاits thunders
تُزَمجرُ في أعلى الغمامِ رعودُها
May every rain cloud never cease to water her dwelling,
Still would each heavy cloud water her land
its thunders growling in the highest clouds.
Thundering loudly through the highest clouds it tore
يلوحُflashes وميضُthe gleam البرقِof lightning فيin حُجُراتِهاits chambers
يلوحُ وميضُ البرقِ في حُجُراتِها
فتهميthen it pours علىupon أطلالِهاher ruins ونَجُودُهاand her uplands
فتهمي على أطلالِها ونَجُودُها
Lightning's gleam flashes within its chambers,
Lightning flashed in her rooms
and it pours upon her ruins and her uplands.
Urging me on to her ruins and what they bore
حمَىwithheld بعدُهاher distance عنfrom مقلتيmy eye لذَّةَthe sweetness الكرىof sleep
حمَى بعدُها عن مقلتي لذَّةَ الكرى
فقدfor already بانَhas departed عنهاfrom it منذُsince بانتْshe departed هجودُهاits slumber
فقد بانَ عنها منذُ بانتْ هجودُها
Her distance withheld from my eye the sweetness of sleep;
After her, the pain of longing denied me
since she departed, its slumber has departed from it.
Since the day her most precious self withdrew
فكيفَso how لهاfor it بالنومِsleep والبينُand separation بعدَماafter
فكيفَ لها بالنومِ والبينُ بعدَما
تناءَتْit grew distant عنِfrom الاِغْفاءِdozing أمسىhas become يذودُهاdriving it away
تناءَتْ عنِ الاِغْفاءِ أمسى يذودُها
How can it find sleep, when separation, after
How could she sleep when gloom descends
it grew distant from dozing, now drives it away?
Having eschewed rest which wards it off no more?
تكلَّفُنيit burdens me with رعيَwatching النجومِthe stars واِنَّهاand indeed it
تكلَّفُني رعيَ النجومِ واِنَّها
لَخُطَّةُsurely a course خَسْفٍof humiliation ضلَّlost his way فيهاin it رشيدُهاits wise one
لَخُطَّةُ خَسْفٍ ضلَّ فيها رشيدُها
It makes me keep watch over the stars; and this
She charges me with herding the stars a task
is surely a course of humiliation in which even the wise lose their way.
Beyond guidance, when their setting is unsure
تعرَّضَinterposed ماwhat بينيbetween me وبينَand between مزارِهاthe place to visit her
تعرَّضَ ما بيني وبينَ مزارِها
موامٍdeserts فسيحاتُspacious المفاوزِwastelands بيدُهاtheir barren tracts
موامٍ فسيحاتُ المفاوزِ بيدُها
Between me and the place where I would visit her lie
Between us stand impassable sands
deserts whose barren reaches spread wide.
In their hands, vast empty deserts obscure the score
اِذاwhen هبَّتِblew النكباءُthe crosswind عنfrom قُلَلِthe summits الحِمىof the protected pasture
اِذا هبَّتِ النكباءُ عن قُلَلِ الحِمى
ومازَحَand played with نيرانَthe fires الغرامِof passion بَرُودُهاits coolness
ومازَحَ نيرانَ الغرامِ بَرُودُها
When the crosswind blows from the heights of the protected pasture,
When the stars incline over the mountain tops
and its coolness plays with the fires of passion,
And the fires of love subside, in them no roar
وجاذَبَand tugged at أغصانَthe branches الأراكِof arak نسيمُهاits breeze
وجاذَبَ أغصانَ الأراكِ نسيمُها
يُمَيَّلُهاbends them فيat مَرَّةٍone turn ويُميدُهاand sways them
يُمَيَّلُها في مَرَّةٍ ويُميدُها
and its breeze tugs at the arak branches,
The branches of the thorn-trees it tosses
bending them now and setting them swaying,
Bending them over, then raising them high once more
وجدتُI found لهاfor it برداًcoolness علىupon حَرَّthe heat مهجةٍof a heart
وجدتُ لها برداً على حَرَّ مهجةٍ
يضرَمُهاsets it aflame ليّانُهاher delays وصدودُهاand her aversion
يضرَمُها ليّانُها وصدودُها
I feel its coolness upon the heat of a heart
I found for her, in the heat of my burning pain
that her delays and her aversion set aflame.
A coolness it kindles, its cruelty and nothing more
فليسso not يسُّرgladdens القلبَthe heart إلاexcept هبوبُهاits blowing
فليس يسُّر القلبَ إلا هبوبُها
كماjust as لاnot يسوءُgrieves النفسَthe soul إلاexcept ركودُهاits stillness
كما لا يسوءُ النفسَ إلا ركودُها
Nothing gladdens the heart but its blowing,
Only her breeze gladdens the heart
just as nothing grieves the soul but its stillness.
Just as only its stillness weighs on the soul sore
وماand whatever أنسَI forget لاnot أنسَI forget اللياليthe nights التيwhich بهاin them
وما أنسَ لا أنسَ الليالي التي بها
أنارَshone محيّاهاher face وأورقَand put forth leaves عودُهاher stem
أنارَ محيّاها وأورقَ عودُها
Whatever I forget, I shall not forget the nights in which
Can one have companionship but that of nights
her face shone and her stem put forth leaves.
Lit by her lamps, the incense begins to pour?
أمِنْis it from بَعْدِafter ماthat شطَّتْwent far away بهاwith her غُربةُthe exile النوىof separation
أمِنْ بَعْدِ ما شطَّتْ بها غُربةُ النوى
وأصبحَand became مسلوبَdeprived العزاءِof consolation جليدُهاher steadfast lover
وأصبحَ مسلوبَ العزاءِ جليدُها
Is it after separation's exile has carried her far away,
After the loss of my friend, is it possible
and her steadfast lover has been stripped of consolation,
To hear my reproacher, his rebuke I'll ignore?
يسمَّعُهmake him hear العُذّالُthe reproachers فيهاconcerning her ملامةًblame
يسمَّعُه العُذّالُ فيها ملامةً
لفرطِbecause of the excess هواهof his love منهمُfrom them يستعيدُهاhe asks to hear it again
لفرطِ هواه منهمُ يستعيدُها
that the reproachers make him hear blame concerning her—
He takes joy in blaming while cooing like a dove
which he asks them to repeat, so intense is his love?
As though the wind had softly flown, her to me it bore
يَلَذُّhe delights بهاin it حتّىuntil كأنَّas though لطائماًperfume sachets
يَلَذُّ بها حتّى كأنَّ لطائماً
معَwith الريِحِthe wind أدَّتْهاbrought them اليهto him عقودُهاher necklaces
معَ الريِحِ أدَّتْها اليه عقودُها
He delights in it, as though sachets of perfume
They supposed the reproach made my agony grow less
were brought to him on the wind by her necklaces.
But blame in love only makes it thrive more and more
أخالواthey supposed سَماعَhearing العَذْلِreproach يُنْقِصُlessens لوعتيmy anguish
أخالوا سَماعَ العَذْلِ يُنْقِصُ لوعتي
وماand not اللَّومُblame فيin الأهواءِpassions إلاexcept يزيدُهاincreases it
وما اللَّومُ في الأهواءِ إلا يزيدُها
They supposed that hearing reproach would lessen my anguish;
Her lightnings trouble me, as though they were
but blame in matters of love only increases it.
Flames kindled when clouds drew their garb tight once more
تؤرَّقُنيkeep me sleepless تلكَthose البروقُlightning flashes كأنَّهاas though they
تؤرَّقُني تلكَ البروقُ كأنَّها
قواضبُkeen swords شيمتْdrawn والسحابُand the clouds غمودُهاtheir sheaths
قواضبُ شيمتْ والسحابُ غمودُها
Those lightning flashes keep me sleepless, as though
So my heart knows no peace, its fluttering endless
they were keen swords drawn, with clouds for their sheaths.
No hope remains of quenching its flames, no cure in store
فحتَّىso until مَwhen قلبيmy heart لاnot يَقَرُّsettles خفوقُهits throbbing
فحتَّى مَ قلبي لا يَقَرُّ خفوقُه
ونارُand the fire غراميof my passion لاnot يُرَجَّىis hoped for خمودُهاits dying down
ونارُ غرامي لا يُرَجَّى خمودُها
How long will my heart's throbbing find no rest,
My tears flow free when night falls, my pillow
and the fire of my passion offer no hope of dying down?
My streaming tears could be taken, with the clouds they soar
سُهاديmy sleeplessness إذاwhen ماever الليلُthe night جَنَّenfolds وأدمُعيand my tears
سُهادي إذا ما الليلُ جَنَّ وأدمُعي
وزفرةُand the sigh صدريof my breast والحنينُand yearning شهودُهاits witnesses
وزفرةُ صدري والحنينُ شهودُها
My sleeplessness when night falls, my tears,
How I hid them fearing the spy and his quest
the sigh within my breast and my yearning are its witnesses.
Though first they surged, I checked them and they flowed no more
مدامعُtears تَهْميpour فيin الطلولِthe ruins كأنَّهاas though they
مدامعُ تَهْمي في الطلولِ كأنَّها
أتيٌّa torrent إذاwhen مابانَhas departed عنهنَّfrom them رَوْدُهاtheir tender maiden
أتيٌّ إذا مابانَ عنهنَّ رَوْدُها
Tears pour upon the ruins, as though they were
Until the one who lived in the sandy waste was gone
a torrent when their tender maiden has departed from them.
And I, though far from her abode, remained its faithful squire
وكمand how often صنتُهاI guarded them خوفَfor fear of الرقيبِthe watcher وسعيهِand his scheming
وكم صنتُها خوفَ الرقيبِ وسعيهِ
وكفكفتُهاand I held them back مِنfrom قبلُbefore تَتْرَىcame in succession مدودُهاtheir floods
وكفكفتُها مِن قبلُ تَتْرَى مدودُها
How often I guarded them, fearing the watcher and his scheming,
I stood weeping, for love had made clear
and held them back before, though their floods came in succession,
My wish to possess it, though distant its fire
الىuntil أنthat تناءَىmoved far away الحيُّthe tribe عنfrom رملِthe sands عالجٍof ʿAlij
الى أن تناءَى الحيُّ عن رملِ عالجٍ
وأصبحَand became دانيnear الدارِin dwelling وهوwhile it بعيدُهاfar from it
وأصبحَ داني الدارِ وهو بعيدُها
until the tribe moved far from the sands of ʿAlij,
Had it not been for love, my eyes would not thus
and those once near in dwelling became distant.
Have roamed, in every moment shared, the sands they watched for
وقفتُI stood بهاat it أبكيweeping وقدand already صرَّحَopenly declared الهوىlove
وقفتُ بها أبكي وقد صرَّحَ الهوى
لهاto her ولواشيهابأنّيand to her informer that I أُريدُهاdesire her
لها ولواشيهابأنّي أُريدُها
I stood there weeping, while love openly declared
No life unless her beauties appear
to her and to her informer that I desired her.
Her locks in the hills tossed by the wind sweep ashore
ولولاand were it not for الهوىlove ماnot كنتُI was سرَّحتُI sent roaming ناظريmy gaze
ولولا الهوى ما كنتُ سرَّحتُ ناظري
الىtoward أرضِهاher land فيat كلَّevery وقتٍmoment يَرُودُهاexplores it
الى أرضِها في كلَّ وقتٍ يَرُودُها
Were it not for love, I would never have sent my gaze roaming
No water unless from my eyes heavy clouds
toward her land, exploring it at every moment.
No fire unless my burning ribs its fuel store
فلاso no عيشَlife إلاexcept حينَwhen تبدوappear حسانُهاits beauties
فلا عيشَ إلا حينَ تبدو حسانُها
وتهتزُّand sway فيamong الكُثْبانِthe dunes منهاfrom it قُدُودُهاits figures
وتهتزُّ في الكُثْبانِ منها قُدُودُها
There is no life except when its beauties appear,
No rapture unless before my rapture they rose
and the figures of its women sway among the dunes.
When dawn broke from those dwellings, their passion it bore
ولاand no ماءَwater إلاexcept ماthat which جفونيmy eyelids سحابُهare its clouds
ولا ماءَ إلا ما جفوني سحابُه
ولاand no نارَfire إلاexcept ماthat which ضلوعيmy ribs وقودُهاare its fuel
ولا نارَ إلا ما ضلوعي وقودُها
There is no water but that whose clouds are my eyelids,
I swore by the disheveled locks above every lovely lady
and no fire but that whose fuel is my ribs.
Adorning herself, though Time will her locks deplore
ولاand no وَجْدَyearning إلاexcept دونَless than وجديmy yearning وقدand already سرىjourneyed by night
ولا وَجْدَ إلا دونَ وجدي وقد سرى
معwith الصبحِthe dawn مِنfrom تلكَthose المرابعِspring quarters غيدُهاtheir graceful maidens
مع الصبحِ مِن تلكَ المرابعِ غيدُها
All other yearning falls below mine, now that they have journeyed
They find relief from the cold's burden for their steeds
with dawn from those spring quarters—their graceful maidens.
When its harshness makes the bees languid, no more to soar
حلفتُI swore بِشُعْثٍby disheveled riders فوقَupon كلَّevery نجيبةٍnoble she-camel
حلفتُ بِشُعْثٍ فوقَ كلَّ نجيبةٍ
مزَّممةٍbridled تفليscours الفلاthe deserts وتُبيدُهاand devours them
مزَّممةٍ تفلي الفلا وتُبيدُها
I swore by disheveled riders upon every noble she-camel,
Plunging with them into the flood-water's deep
bridled, scouring the deserts and devouring them.
Whenever their gathered firewood is put to the flame's roar
يُريحونَthey relieve مِنfrom حملِbearing البرودِthe cloaks مناكباًshoulders
يُريحونَ مِن حملِ البرودِ مناكباً
مِنfrom السُّقْمِsickness تُوهيweaken الناحلينَthe emaciated men بُرُودُهاtheir cloaks
مِن السُّقْمِ تُوهي الناحلينَ بُرُودُها
They relieve their shoulders of the weight of cloaks—
Over each rider's forearm lies a wing-span
so frail from sickness that their cloaks weaken the emaciated men.
With it they are flung headlong, though nobly they tore
تخوضُshe wades بهمwith them فيthrough غمرةِthe depths الآلِof the mirage كلَّماwhenever
تخوضُ بهم في غمرةِ الآلِ كلَّما
تكنَّفهاsurround her كَومُhigh-humped ones المطاياof the mounts وَقُودُهاand their long-necked ones
تكنَّفها كَومُ المطايا وَقُودُها
She wades with them through the depths of the mirage whenever
Tracking them with sacks in the far waste, her cheek
the high-humped and long-necked mounts surround her.
An ally of travels that bear no relief in their store
علىupon كلَّevery فتلاءِsinewy الذراعينِin both forelegs جَسْرَةٍsturdy she-camel
على كلَّ فتلاءِ الذراعينِ جَسْرَةٍ
تهائمُهاits lowlands تُرمَىare assailed بهاwith her ونُجُودُهاand its uplands
تهائمُها تُرمَى بها ونُجُودُها
Upon every sturdy she-camel with sinewy forelegs,
For you are most coveted in souls
with her, the lowlands and uplands are assailed.
When your promises of victory their longings stoke and stir
تُتابعُshe keeps up بالأرقالِat a racing trot فيin البيدِthe wastes وخَدهاher swift stride
تُتابعُ بالأرقالِ في البيدِ وخَدها
حليفةُsworn companion سيرٍof travel ماnot تُحَلُّare loosened قُتُودُهاher saddle-frames
حليفةُ سيرٍ ما تُحَلُّ قُتُودُها
She keeps up her swift stride at a racing trot through the wastes,
If you were in a distant land, guarded
a sworn companion of travel, her saddle-frames never loosened.
By your heroes and lions, nothing could hinder
بأنَّكِthat you أشهىmore desirable فيto النفوسِsouls مِنَthan المنىwishes
بأنَّكِ أشهى في النفوسِ مِنَ المنى
اِذاwhen بشَّرتْهاgive them glad news بالنَّجازِof fulfillment وعودُهاtheir promises
اِذا بشَّرتْها بالنَّجازِ وعودُها
That you are more desirable to souls than wishes,
If they heard in the black of night a rumor
when their promises give them glad tidings of fulfillment.
Of swords from India unsheathed, nothing could deter
فلوso if كنتِyou were فيin أرضٍa land بعيدٍfar-off مزارُهاits visitation
فلو كنتِ في أرضٍ بعيدٍ مزارُها
تُحِيطُsurround بهاaround it أبطالُهاits champions وأُسودُهاand its lions
تُحِيطُ بها أبطالُها وأُسودُها
So, even were you in a land far distant to visit,
I would knock at your thick-walled citadel, unable to stop
encircled by its champions and its lions,
Even threats of death from meeting with you, no more
اذاwhen آنسواthey detected فيin حِندسِthe blackness الليلِof night نبأةًa faint sound
اذا آنسوا في حِندسِ الليلِ نبأةً
سَمِعْتِyou would hear سيوفَthe swords الهندِof India صَلَّclanged حديدُهاtheir iron
سَمِعْتِ سيوفَ الهندِ صَلَّ حديدُها
where, whenever they detected a murmur in the blackness of night,
With each gentle-moving Indian scimitar
you would hear the iron of India's swords clang,
The hour of death sounds, but its keenness holds no lore
طرقتُI would visit by night حماكِyour sanctuary الرحبَthe spacious ليسnot يصدُّنيdeters me
طرقتُ حماكِ الرحبَ ليس يصدُّني
اِذاwhen ماever نهانيit forbids me عنfrom لقاكِmeeting you وعيدُهاits threat
اِذا ما نهاني عن لقاكِ وعيدُها
I would visit your broad sanctuary by night, undeterred
You alone inspire poetry of subtle charm
even if its threats forbade me to meet you,
Pleasing you in its rhyme and unmatched mete, nothing more
بكلَّwith every رقيقِthin الشفرتينِin both edges مُصَمَّمٍcleaving clean through
بكلَّ رقيقِ الشفرتينِ مُصَمَّمٍ
اِذاwhen قرعَstrikes الأذمارَthe champions ماتتْdie حقودُهاtheir rancors
اِذا قرعَ الأذمارَ ماتتْ حقودُها
with every thin-edged sword that cleaves clean through,
A unique string of pearls, which when a bard chants
which, when it strikes the champions, leaves their rancors dead.
Most rapturously stirs up love, its melody the finger adore
فدونكِso take مِنfrom حُرَّnoble الكلامِspeech قصيدةٍa poem
فدونكِ مِن حُرَّ الكلامِ قصيدةٍ
يروقُكِdelights you منهاin it نظمُهاits composition ونضيدُهاand its arrangement
يروقُكِ منها نظمُها ونضيدُها
So take a poem of noble speech,
What are verses if you were the judge?
whose composition and arrangement will delight you:
All who recited would be your slaves, nothing more
فريدةَa unique pearl عقدٍof a necklace كلَّماwhenever فاهَspeaks مُنشِدٌa reciter
فريدةَ عقدٍ كلَّما فاهَ مُنشِدٌ
بأبياتِهاwith its verses أذكىkindles الغرامَpassion نشيدُهاits song
بأبياتِها أذكى الغرامَ نشيدُها
a necklace's unique pearl, whenever a reciter voices
its verses, its song kindles passion.
فماso not قالةُthe speakers الأشعارِof poetry لوif كنتِyou were حاكماًa judge
فما قالةُ الأشعارِ لو كنتِ حاكماً
لهاfor it وأردتِand you sought النصفَfairness إلاexcept عبيدُهاits slaves
لها وأردتِ النصفَ إلا عبيدُها
The speakers of poetry, were you its judge,
and sought to do it justice, would be nothing but its slaves.
Partial English translation: 84 of 88 Arabic lines translated.