آبَ لَيلي بَعدَ السُلُوِّ بِعَتبِ

آبَ لَيلي بَعدَ السُلُوِّ بِعَتبِ

مِن حَبيبٍ أَصابَ عَيني بِسَكبِ

مِن حَبيبٍ أَصابَ عَيني بِسَكبِ

My night returned with reproach after I had found solace,

My nights' tears after joy from a lover who pained my eyes with weeping,

from a beloved who made my eye pour tears.

I met on Tuesday walking haughtily though distressed at heart.

لَقِيَتني يَومَ الثُلاثاءِ تَمشي

لَقِيَتني يَومَ الثُلاثاءِ تَمشي

بِالتَصابي وَبِالعَناءِ لِقَلبي

بِالتَصابي وَبِالعَناءِ لِقَلبي

She met me on Tuesday, walking

I had a door, a place to meet; his company came and mine own company failed me.

with flirtation and torment for my heart.

She let fall to me softly a girdle, then scolded me with it though I was the scolded one.

كانَ لي بابُ مِقسَمٍ بابَ غِيٍّ

كانَ لي بابُ مِقسَمٍ بابَ غِيٍّ

وافَقَت صَحبُهُ وَما ثابَ صَحبي

وافَقَت صَحبُهُ وَما ثابَ صَحبي

Miqsam's door was for me a doorway to waywardness.

My tongue was not slack in answering though its replier was none but fighting.

His companions were in accord, while mine had not returned.

I said, "After this meeting is there any more?" She said, "How can the unbroken unite with the broken?"

ساقَطَت مَنطِقاً إِلَيَّ رَخيماً

ساقَطَت مَنطِقاً إِلَيَّ رَخيماً

فَسَبَتني بِهِ وَقَد كُنتُ أَسبي

فَسَبَتني بِهِ وَقَد كُنتُ أَسبي

She let fall to me soft, melodious words,

She went not till love turned to me again as the mill turns above the pivot.

and with them she captured me, though I used to capture others.

My love returned through that newly enkindled yet how often have I had my sufficiency of them!

لَم يُوَهَّن مِنَ المَقالِ لِساني

لَم يُوَهَّن مِنَ المَقالِ لِساني

لِجَوابٍ مُجيبُهُ غَيرُ حَربِ

لِجَوابٍ مُجيبُهُ غَيرُ حَربِ

My tongue did not falter in speech

The sun's image in the veil of a girl who offered herself to me but my heart was not for loving.

when answering one who was no enemy.

Let not life be mine if there be no draught for me from her approval without compulsion.

قُلتُ هَل بَعدَ ذا تَلاقٍ فَقالَت

قُلتُ هَل بَعدَ ذا تَلاقٍ فَقالَت

كَيفَ تُلفى صَحيحَةٌ بَينَ جُربِ

كَيفَ تُلفى صَحيحَةٌ بَينَ جُربِ

I said, 'Shall we meet after this?' She said,

She was created unique, and I am not innocent towards one like her, wild, who will not be tamed or trained.

'How can a healthy one be found among the mangy?'

O thou who bringest her counsel, say unto her from a love-captive and sorrowful heart,

ما تَوَلَّت حَتّى اِستَدارَ بِيَ الحُب

ما تَوَلَّت حَتّى اِستَدارَ بِيَ الحُب

بُ كَما دارَتِ الرَحا فَوقَ قُطبِ

بُ كَما دارَتِ الرَحا فَوقَ قُطبِ

She had scarcely turned away when love spun me round,

"Speak to me for thou art the delight of my eye; lovest thou me, hast thou gained my love?"

as the millstone turns upon its pivot.

The wadies have made the roads difficult to thee so I find no way to thee but on the backs of the air.

عادَ حُبّي بِتِلكَ غَضّاً جَديداً

عادَ حُبّي بِتِلكَ غَضّاً جَديداً

رُبَّ ما قَد لَقيتُ مِنهُنَّ حَسبي

رُبَّ ما قَد لَقيتُ مِنهُنَّ حَسبي

My love for her returned tender and new.

Sleep, if thou shouldst accord therein a visitation, would try us with mange and fleas.

How much I have endured from them—enough for me!

I am by reason of my love for thee the weak one whom desire for thee will not release.

صورَةُ الشَمسِ في قِناعِ فَتاةٍ

صورَةُ الشَمسِ في قِناعِ فَتاةٍ

عَرَضَت لي فَلَيسَ لُبّي بِلُبِّ

عَرَضَت لي فَلَيسَ لُبّي بِلُبِّ

The sun's likeness, beneath a maiden's veil,

And if the passion should be diverted from me her bereavement would be my redemption, O excellent ransom!

appeared to me; my mind is no longer a mind.

Remember me if thou art remembered in the vale of trees with good - thou wouldst relieve some of my sorrow.

لا تَكُن لي الحَياةُ إِن لَم تَكُن لي

لا تَكُن لي الحَياةُ إِن لَم تَكُن لي

شَربَةٌ مِن رُضابِها غَيرَ غَصبِ

شَربَةٌ مِن رُضابِها غَيرَ غَصبِ

Let life not be mine unless I can have

Naught has urged me to passionate love for thee, since we were parted, save my rising to seek thee out.

a draught of her saliva, not taken by force.

I desire thy nearness, hopefully, and God is near, but dost thou desire my nearness?

خُلِقَت وَحدَها فَلَستُ بِراءٍ

خُلِقَت وَحدَها فَلَستُ بِراءٍ

مِثلَها صاحِ لا تَصابى وَتُصبي

مِثلَها صاحِ لا تَصابى وَتُصبي

She was created unique; I see no one

I will clarify my affection for thee, then excuse thee the need to heed any crime.

like her, my friend: she does not flirt, yet captivates.

Favor me with a union like mine, lasting, be not thou one who tastes all manner of unions.

أَيُّها الناصِحُ الرَسولُ إِلَيها

أَيُّها الناصِحُ الرَسولُ إِلَيها

قُل لَها عَن مُتَيَّمِ القَلبِ صَبِّ

قُل لَها عَن مُتَيَّمِ القَلبِ صَبِّ

O sincere adviser, messenger to her,

Would that I knew if thou hast renewed when we met or if thou repellest one who toys with thee.

tell her, from one enslaved in heart and lovesick:

We have doubted what thou didst pledge us and thirsted: direct us then to the watering place.

حَدِّثيني فَأَنتِ قُرَّةُ عَيني

حَدِّثيني فَأَنتِ قُرَّةُ عَيني

هَل تُحِبّينَني فَهَل نِلتِ حُبّي

هَل تُحِبّينَني فَهَل نِلتِ حُبّي

'Speak to me, for you are the delight of my eye.

Would that I had lived until I saw him among lovers of you, beyond lovers,

Do you love me, and have you gained my love?

Who sings privately your name in truth and spies upon the foe, a mother and a gift,

أَبهَمَت دونَكَ الفِجاجُ فَلا أَل

أَبهَمَت دونَكَ الفِجاجُ فَلا أَل

قى سَبيلاً إِلَيكِ في غَيرِ تُربِ

قى سَبيلاً إِلَيكِ في غَيرِ تُربِ

The passes before you have closed; I can find no

And ransoms you, except for him, in the assembly of the tribe, and aids you with his ransom, by my Lord!

way to you except through the earth.

You are to me among lovers a like, nay, beyond the like. Open your door to a pleading one.

ما عَلى النَومِ لَو تَعَرَّضتِ فيهِ

ما عَلى النَومِ لَو تَعَرَّضتِ فيهِ

فَبَلَوناكِ في سِخابٍ وَإِتبِ

فَبَلَوناكِ في سِخابٍ وَإِتبِ

What would it cost sleep if you appeared in it,

Should absence come between us, its term will see me keeping the pledge.

so we could know you in a scented necklace and a shift?

When your glances alight, grace covers the country, without need for rain.

أَنا مِن حُبِّكِ الضَعيفُ الَّذي لا

أَنا مِن حُبِّكِ الضَعيفُ الَّذي لا

أَستَطيعُ السُلُوَّ عَنكِ بِطِبِّ

أَستَطيعُ السُلُوَّ عَنكِ بِطِبِّ

Through loving you, I am the weak one who cannot

The full moonsborrow from your face; through you God shows favor.

forget you through any remedy.

With you is the perfect gentleness that revives the troubled soul.

وَلَوَ اَنَّ الهَوى تَزَحزَحَ عَنّي

وَلَوَ اَنَّ الهَوى تَزَحزَحَ عَنّي

شَيَّعَتني فَيا فِدا كُلِّ حَنبِ

شَيَّعَتني فَيا فِدا كُلِّ حَنبِ

Even if passion moved away from me,

you would see me off—O ransom of every ḥanb [unclear word].

فَاِذكُريني ذُكِرتِ في ظُلَّةِ العَر

فَاِذكُريني ذُكِرتِ في ظُلَّةِ العَر

شِ بِخَيرٍ تُفَرِّجي بَعضَ كَربي

شِ بِخَيرٍ تُفَرِّجي بَعضَ كَربي

So remember me—may you be remembered beneath the Throne's canopy

with goodness—and relieve some of my anguish.

ما دَعاني هَواكِ مُنذُ اِفتَرَقنا

ما دَعاني هَواكِ مُنذُ اِفتَرَقنا

بِاِشتِياقٍ إِلّا نَهَضتُ أُلَبّي

بِاِشتِياقٍ إِلّا نَهَضتُ أُلَبّي

Since we parted, my love for you has never called me

with longing without my rising to answer.

أَشتَهي قُربَكِ المُؤَمَّلَ وَاللَ

أَشتَهي قُربَكِ المُؤَمَّلَ وَاللَ

هِ قَريباً فَهَل تَشَهَّيتِ قُربي

هِ قَريباً فَهَل تَشَهَّيتِ قُربي

I long for the nearness to you I hope for—by God—

soon; have you longed to be near me?

سَوفَ أُصفي لَكِ المَوَدَّةَ مِنّي

سَوفَ أُصفي لَكِ المَوَدَّةَ مِنّي

ثُمَّ أُعفيكِ أَن تُراعي بِذَنبِ

ثُمَّ أُعفيكِ أَن تُراعي بِذَنبِ

I shall give you my affection, pure,

then spare you any fear over a fault.

فَصِليني وِصالَ مِثلي وَدومي

فَصِليني وِصالَ مِثلي وَدومي

لا تَكوني ذَوّاقَةً كُلَّ ضَربِ

لا تَكوني ذَوّاقَةً كُلَّ ضَربِ

So grant me union befitting one like me, and remain constant;

do not be a taster of every kind.

لَيتَ شِعري جَدَدتِ يَومَ اِلتَقَينا

لَيتَ شِعري جَدَدتِ يَومَ اِلتَقَينا

أَم تَصُدّينَ مَن لَقيتِ بِلِعبِ

أَم تَصُدّينَ مَن لَقيتِ بِلِعبِ

I wish I knew: were you earnest the day we met,

or do you playfully rebuff whomever you meet?

قَد شَكَكنا فيما عَهِدتِ إِلَينا

قَد شَكَكنا فيما عَهِدتِ إِلَينا

وَظَمِئنا فَوَجِّهينا لِشِربِ

وَظَمِئنا فَوَجِّهينا لِشِربِ

We have doubted what you pledged to us,

and we have grown thirsty; so lead us to drink.

لَيتَني قَد حَيِيتُ حَتّى أَراهُ

لَيتَني قَد حَيِيتُ حَتّى أَراهُ

في مُحِبٍّ لَكُم وَفَوقَ المُحِبِّ

في مُحِبٍّ لَكُم وَفَوقَ المُحِبِّ

If only I could live long enough to see it

in one who loves you, and is more than a lover:

يَتَغَنّى إِذا خَلا بِاِسمِكِ الحَ

يَتَغَنّى إِذا خَلا بِاِسمِكِ الحَ

قِ وَيَكنيكِ في العِدى أُمَّ وَهبِ

قِ وَيَكنيكِ في العِدى أُمَّ وَهبِ

he sings your true name when alone,

and among enemies calls you Umm Wahb.

وَيُفَدّي سِواكِ في مَجلِسِ القَو

وَيُفَدّي سِواكِ في مَجلِسِ القَو

مِ وَيَعنيكِ بِالتَفَدّي وَرَبّي

مِ وَيَعنيكِ بِالتَفَدّي وَرَبّي

And in the people's gathering he offers himself as ransom for another,

yet means you by his offer of ransom—by my Lord.'