أشاقَكَ بَرْقٌ باتَ طرْفَكَ شَائِمُه

أشاقَكَ بَرْقٌ باتَ طرْفَكَ شَائِمُه

فَأَرسَلَ دَمْعاً لا تُغِبُّ غَمَائِمُه

فَأَرسَلَ دَمْعاً لا تُغِبُّ غَمَائِمُه

Did a lightning-flash stir your longing—one your eye spent the night watching for rain—

Did lightning stir your longing, your eye watching it through the night,

and send your tears streaming? May its clouds never pass away.

Then shedding tears whose clouds never let up?

سَلِ الدَّارَ عَنْ أَقمارِهَا وَلَرُبَّما

سَلِ الدَّارَ عَنْ أَقمارِهَا وَلَرُبَّما

سَأَلْتَ عنِ الشيءِ الذي أَنت عالمُه

سَأَلْتَ عنِ الشيءِ الذي أَنت عالمُه

Ask the deserted dwelling about its moons; for often

Ask the dwelling about its moons; often enough

you ask about the very thing you already know.

You have asked about something you already know.

وَدُونَكَ فاسْتَنْشِقْ صَباً مَسَّ ذَيلَها

وَدُونَكَ فاسْتَنْشِقْ صَباً مَسَّ ذَيلَها

لَواحِظُ زَهْرٍ قَد تَنبَّهَ نَائِمُه

لَواحِظُ زَهْرٍ قَد تَنبَّهَ نَائِمُه

Here it is before you: breathe in an east wind whose hem has been brushed

And here—breathe in an east wind whose hem was touched

by the eyes of blossoms, their sleeper now awakened.

By the glances of flowers whose sleeping blooms have awakened.

سَقى الغَيْثُ أَيَّامي هُناكَ فَإنَّها

سَقى الغَيْثُ أَيَّامي هُناكَ فَإنَّها

وَسَلْ زَمني أَعيادُهُ وَمَواسِمُه

وَسَلْ زَمني أَعيادُهُ وَمَواسِمُه

May the rain water those days back there, for they—

May rain water my days there, for they are

ask my lifetime—were its feast-days and festival seasons.

—ask my lifetime—its feast days and festive seasons.

وَشَرْبٍ كِرامٍ لِلصَّبُوحِ دَعَوْتُهُمْ

وَشَرْبٍ كِرامٍ لِلصَّبُوحِ دَعَوْتُهُمْ

وَغِمْدُ الدُّجَى لم يَشْتَهِرْ منهُ صَارِمُه

وَغِمْدُ الدُّجَى لم يَشْتَهِرْ منهُ صَارِمُه

And many a noble company of drinkers I invited to the morning draught,

And a noble band of drinkers I invited for the morning draught,

while from the scabbard of darkness its keen sword had not yet been drawn.

While from night’s scabbard its keen sword had not yet been drawn.

دَعَوْتُهُمُ والدِّيكَ لَمْ يَنْعَ لَيلَهُ

دَعَوْتُهُمُ والدِّيكَ لَمْ يَنْعَ لَيلَهُ

وَلا نَهَضَتْ بِالنَّسْرِ فِيهِ قَوادِمُه

وَلا نَهَضَتْ بِالنَّسْرِ فِيهِ قَوادِمُه

I invited them before the cock had announced the death of its night,

I invited them while the cock had not yet announced its night’s death,

and before its foremost pinions had borne the Eagle aloft through it,

Nor had the Eagle’s flight feathers borne it aloft in the night,

إلى بِنْتِ كَرْمٍ كاتَمَ الدَّهْرُ أَمَرها

إلى بِنْتِ كَرْمٍ كاتَمَ الدَّهْرُ أَمَرها

بَنِيهِ رَجَاءً في خَلِيلٍ تُنادِمُه

بَنِيهِ رَجَاءً في خَلِيلٍ تُنادِمُه

to a daughter of the vine whose secret Time had hidden

To a daughter of the vine whose secret Time had kept

from his sons, in hope she might find a dear companion with whom to drink.

From his sons, hoping for a friend she might drink with.

وَكُنتُ أمرأ ما ضَاقَ صَدْرُ احتِمالهِ

وَكُنتُ أمرأ ما ضَاقَ صَدْرُ احتِمالهِ

بِذَنْبِ صَدِيقٍ لا أُرِيدُ أُقاوِمُه

بِذَنْبِ صَدِيقٍ لا أُرِيدُ أُقاوِمُه

I was a man whose forbearing heart never constricted

And I was a man whose forbearing breast never tightened

at a friend's offense; I had no wish to confront him.

At a friend’s offense; I have no wish to oppose him.

وَلَوْ شِئْتُ لاستنجدْتُ عَزُمةَ جَلْدَكٍ

وَلَوْ شِئْتُ لاستنجدْتُ عَزُمةَ جَلْدَكٍ

وَحَارَبْتُ دَهراً لا أَزالُ أُسالِمُه

وَحَارَبْتُ دَهراً لا أَزالُ أُسالِمُه

Had I wished, I would have enlisted the firm resolve of your fortitude

And had I wished, I would have sought aid from Jaldak’s resolve,

and fought Time, with whom I never cease making peace.

And waged war on Time, with whom I still keep peace.