أَعْذَرَoffered an excuse لَفْظُspeech الْمُحِّبthe lover بالْعُذْرwith an excuse
أَعْذَرَ لَفْظُ الْمُحِّب بالْعُذْر
وَاخْتَلَطَand mingled السِّرُّthe secret مِنْهُfrom him بالْجَهْرِwith open speech
وَاخْتَلَطَ السِّرُّ مِنْهُ بالْجَهْرِ
The lover's speech has offered its excuse,
The lover's words are excused for their excess
and his secret has mingled with open speech.
And the secret is mixed with the overt
وبِعْتُand I sold أَرْضَthe land of الْعِراقِIraq بَيْعَةَa sale مَغْcheated (first fragment)
وبِعْتُ أَرْضَ الْعِراقِ بَيْعَةَ مَغْ
بُونٍcheated (final fragment) فَجَمَّتْso multiplied بلابِلُtroubles الصَّدْرِthe breast
بُونٍ فَجَمَّتْ بلابِلُ الصَّدْرِ
And I sold the land of Iraq in the sale of one
I sold the land of Iraq in haste
cheated; then the breast's troubles multiplied.
So my confusions overwhelmed my heart
وَسَائِلٍand an inquirer لاَnot يَزَالُceases عَنْabout خَبَرِيmy condition
وَسَائِلٍ لاَ يَزَالُ عَنْ خَبَرِي
إِسْمَعْlisten فَماfor what بِيis in me يَجِلُّis too great عَنْfor قَدْرِmeasure
إِسْمَعْ فَما بِي يَجِلُّ عَنْ قَدْرِ
And to one who keeps asking about my condition:
With one who won't cease asking of my news
Listen, for what ails me is beyond measure.
Listen! Nothing makes me conceal my worth
فَارَقْتُI left مَغْنىًan abode مُذَكَّراًreminding بِهَوىًof a love
فَارَقْتُ مَغْنىً مُذَكَّراً بِهَوىً
يَلْذَعُsears قَلْبِيmy heart بِعارِضِwith a passing flash of الذِّكْرِmemory
يَلْذَعُ قَلْبِي بِعارِضِ الذِّكْرِ
I left an abode that recalled a love
I left a beloved who reminded me of passion
that sears my heart with a passing flash of memory.
That bites at my heart with memories
وَجِئْتُand I came أَرْضاًa land تَسُوءgrieves سَاكِنَهَاits inhabitant
وَجِئْتُ أَرْضاً تَسُوء سَاكِنَهَا
وَتُبْدلُand replaces الْيُسْرَease مِنْهُfrom him بِالْعُسْرِwith hardship
وَتُبْدلُ الْيُسْرَ مِنْهُ بِالْعُسْرِ
And I came to a land that grieves its inhabitant,
And came to a land that tries its dweller
and replaces his ease with hardship.
Changing ease for him into distress
يَضْحيhe spends the day بِهَاin it ثَاكِلاًbereft لِلذَّتِهِof his pleasure
يَضْحي بِهَا ثَاكِلاً لِلذَّتِهِ
مُقَلِّباًturning over قَلْبَهُhis heart عَلَىupon الْجَمْرِthe embers
مُقَلِّباً قَلْبَهُ عَلَى الْجَمْرِ
He spends his days there bereft of his pleasure,
Where one gives up his joys
turning his heart over upon the embers.
Turning his heart upon embers
عُرْضَةُexposed to نَتْنٍstench يَحُفُّهَاsurrounds it جَبَلٌa mountain
عُرْضَةُ نَتْنٍ يَحُفُّهَا جَبَلٌ
يَقْطُنُdwells فِيهَاin it الْهُمُومُworries بالْقَطْرِwith the rain
يَقْطُنُ فِيهَا الْهُمُومُ بالْقَطْرِ
Prey to stench, it is hemmed in by a mountain;
A place of decay surrounded by mountains
worries dwell there with the rain,
Where sorrows settle with rain
يَجِيءُcomes فِيin غَيْرِother than حِينِهِits season أَبَداًalways
يَجِيءُ فِي غَيْرِ حِينِهِ أَبَداً
وَالسَّهْلُand the level ground فِيهاin it مَشَاكِلُresembles الْوَعْرِthe rugged ground
وَالسَّهْلُ فِيها مَشَاكِلُ الْوَعْرِ
which always comes out of season.
That comes always at the wrong time
And its level ground resembles rugged terrain.
And its plains are filled with ruggedness
شِتَاؤُهَاits winter حَتْفُthe death of مَنْwhoever يَقَرُّsettles بِهَاin it
شِتَاؤُهَا حَتْفُ مَنْ يَقَرُّ بِهَا
بِثَلْجِهَاwith its snow الْمُسْتَدَرِّincessantly falling وَالْقَرِّand bitter cold
بِثَلْجِهَا الْمُسْتَدَرِّ وَالْقَرِّ
Its winter is death to anyone who settles there,
Its winter means death to those who stay
with its incessant snow and bitter cold.
With its icy, bitter cold
وَشَمْسُهاand its sun فِيin الْمَصِيفِsummer مَحْرِقَةٌscorching
وَشَمْسُها فِي الْمَصِيفِ مَحْرِقَةٌ
تَقِيدُblazes نِيرانُهَاits fires عَلَىupon الصَّخْرِthe rocks
تَقِيدُ نِيرانُهَا عَلَى الصَّخْرِ
And its summer sun is scorching;
Its summer sun is scorching
its fires blaze upon the rocks.
Chaining its fires upon rock
عَجَزْتَyou have failed يَاO مُحْصِيَcounter of الْعُيُوبِthe faults بِهَاin it
عَجَزْتَ يَا مُحْصِيَ الْعُيُوبِ بِهَا
قَدْكَenough for you أَتُحْصِيcan you count? عَجَائِبَthe wonders of الْبَحْرِthe sea
قَدْكَ أَتُحْصِي عَجَائِبَ الْبَحْرِ
You have failed, O counter of its faults;
You faltered, O enumerator of its flaws
Enough! Can you count the wonders of the sea?
Before you enumerate the sea's wonders
سُمِّيتِyou were named الْمُوْصِلَMosul الْمُوَاصِلَةَthe perpetuator of الْthe
سُمِّيتِ الْمُوْصِلَ الْمُوَاصِلَةَ الْ
حُزْنِsorrow لَمَّاwhen جَاءَهَاhe came to it عَلَىwith خُبْرِfirsthand knowledge
حُزْنِ لَمَّا جَاءَهَا عَلَى خُبْرِ
You were named Mosul, the perpetuator of
I named it the joiner of sorrow
sorrow, when one came there with firsthand knowledge.
When the news came that I must go there
إِنْif أَذِنَpermits اللهُGod فِيfor الرَّحِيلِdeparture فَقَدْthen indeed
إِنْ أَذِنَ اللهُ فِي الرَّحِيلِ فَقَدْ
أَعِيدَwas restored طَيُّthe folding of السُّرُورِjoy ذَاpossessing نَشْرِunfolding
أَعِيدَ طَيُّ السُّرُورِ ذَا نَشْرِ
If God permits departure, then indeed
If God permits departure, joy will return
folded joy will once again be unfurled.
As I seek pleasure to comfort my loss
لأَقْتَضِيthat I may claim لَذَّةًa pleasure مُطْلِتُI was kept waiting بِهَاfor it
لأَقْتَضِي لَذَّةً مُطْلِتُ بِهَا
يَعُودُturns رِبْحِيmy gain فِيهاin it إلَىinto خُسْرِloss
يَعُودُ رِبْحِي فِيها إلَى خُسْرِ
To claim a pleasure for which I was kept waiting,
And drink wine from its vessels
in which my gain turns into loss.
Until the gloom turns bright as dawn
وَأَجْتَلِيand I behold الْخَمْرthe wine فِيin غِلائِلِهاits fine veils
وَأَجْتَلِي الْخَمْر فِي غِلائِلِها
حَتَّىuntil يُفْرِّيrends غِلاَلَةَthe veil of الفَجْرِdawn
حَتَّى يُفْرِّي غِلاَلَةَ الفَجْرِ
And I behold the wine in its fine veils,
With a close friend who my devotion knows
until the veil of dawn is torn apart.
Is permitted, not forbidden pleasure
وَشَادِنٍand a young gazelle مَلَكَتْهُhas possessed him خَالِصَتِيmy exclusive affection
وَشَادِنٍ مَلَكَتْهُ خَالِصَتِي
إِباحَةًfree enjoyment لاَnot تُشانَis sullied بِالْحَظْرِby prohibition
إِباحَةً لاَ تُشانَ بِالْحَظْرِ
And a young gazelle whom my exclusive affection has claimed,
Its cups shine like lightning
freely enjoyed, untainted by prohibition.
In his hand or like nuggets of gold
تَلْمَعُflash كَاسَاتُهُhis cups كَبَارِقَةٍlike a lightning gleam
تَلْمَعُ كَاسَاتُهُ كَبَارِقَةٍ
فِيin كَفِّهِhis palm أَوْor كَذَائِبِlike molten التِّبْرِraw gold
فِي كَفِّهِ أَوْ كَذَائِبِ التِّبْرِ
His cups flash like a gleam of lightning
I've sacrificed the faith my virtues raised
in his palm, or like molten gold.
With the sin and guilt he leads me toward
فَدَيْتُmay I be ransom for مَنْthe one whom بِعْثُI sold (reading بعتُ) فِيin مَحَاسِنِهِhis charms
فَدَيْتُ مَنْ بِعْثُ فِي مَحَاسِنِهِ
دِينِيَmy faith بِالإِثْمِfor sin فِيهِon his account وَالْوِزْرِand the burden of sin
دِينِيَ بِالإِثْمِ فِيهِ وَالْوِزْرِ
May I be ransom for him for whose charms I sold
By a night whose worth surpasses
my faith for sin and the burden of guilt on his account.
Even the Night of Power's regard
وَلَيْلَةٍand a night يُنْتَجُis brought to fruition السُّؤَالُthe petition بِهَاin it
وَلَيْلَةٍ يُنْتَجُ السُّؤَالُ بِهَا
يَصْغُرُis lesser قَدْراًin worth عَنْthan لَيْلَةِthe Night of الْقَدْرِDecree
يَصْغُرُ قَدْراً عَنْ لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ
And a night in which a petition bears fruit,
On it I was blessed by one who aided me
less in worth than the Night of Decree.
And grasped the rope of union against separation's brink
سَعِدْتُI found happiness فِيهاin it بِذِيwith one possessing مُسَاعَدَةٍwilling assistance
سَعِدْتُ فِيها بِذِي مُسَاعَدَةٍ
أَقْبِضُI seize بِالْوَصْلِthrough union مَهْجَةَthe lifeblood of الْهَجْرِseparation
أَقْبِضُ بِالْوَصْلِ مَهْجَةَ الْهَجْرِ
I found happiness in it with one who was willing,
Reveling in sin without relying on it
and through union I seize the lifeblood of separation.
Pretending drunkenness to conceal intention's purpose
أَغْتَرُّI am beguiled بِالذَّنْبِby sin غَيْرَnot مُعْتَمِدٍacting deliberately
أَغْتَرُّ بِالذَّنْبِ غَيْرَ مُعْتَمِدٍ
مَوِّهَwas disguised صَحْوُthe sobriety of الْمُرادِintent بِالسُّكْرِby drunkenness
مَوِّهَ صَحْوُ الْمُرادِ بِالسُّكْرِ
I am beguiled by sin, without deliberate intent;
O what an envied night it was
the sobriety of intent was masked by drunkenness.
Among the epochs the finest epoch ever known
ياO لَكِto you مِنْof لَيْلَةٍa night مُحَسَّدَةٍmuch-envied
يا لَكِ مِنْ لَيْلَةٍ مُحَسَّدَةٍ
تُعَدُّyou are counted فِيin الدَّهْرِtime غُرَّةَthe bright forehead-blaze of الدَّهْرِtime
تُعَدُّ فِي الدَّهْرِ غُرَّةَ الدَّهْرِ
Ah, what an envied night you are!
Bring back the days of youth in their grandeur
You are counted in time as the bright blaze on time's brow.
For old age has no excuse
أَحْيِrevive بِدَهْرِin the time of الشَّبَابِyouth دَوْلَتَهُits reign
أَحْيِ بِدَهْرِ الشَّبَابِ دَوْلَتَهُ
فَمَاfor there is no لِدَهْرِfor the age of المَشِيبِgray hair مِنْany عُذْرِexcuse
فَمَا لِدَهْرِ المَشِيبِ مِنْ عُذْرِ
Revive its reign in the time of youth,
for the age of gray hair has no excuse.
Partial English translation: 44 of 46 Arabic lines translated.