نَباgave no rest بِكَbeneath you خَلفَbehind الظاعِنينَthe departing travelers وِسادُa pillow
نَبا بِكَ خَلفَ الظاعِنينَ وِسادُ
وَماand not لَكَfor you إِلّاexcept راحَتَيكَyour two palms عِمادُsupport
وَما لَكَ إِلّا راحَتَيكَ عِمادُ
Your pillow gives you no rest in the wake of the departing travelers,
The scoundrels reproach you while the pillow is your only support,
and you have no support but your two palms.
Your hands are your limit every night,
لِحَدِّكَfor your side (edge) مِنfrom كَفَّيكَyour two palms فيin كُلِّevery لَيلَةٍnight
لِحَدِّكَ مِن كَفَّيكَ في كُلِّ لَيلَةٍ
إِلىuntil أَنthat تَرىyou see وَجهَthe face of الصَباحِmorning وِسادُa pillow
إِلى أَن تَرى وَجهَ الصَباحِ وِسادُ
For your side, your two palms each night
Until you see the face of dawn as a pillow.
are a pillow until you see the face of morning.
As if, when yearning creeps upon you,
كَأَنَّكَas though you لِلشَوقِbecause of the longing الغَريبِstrange إِذاwhen سَرىstole in by night
كَأَنَّكَ لِلشَوقِ الغَريبِ إِذا سَرى
مِنَfrom الوَجهِthe face مَشدودٌbound عَلَيكَupon you صِفادُa shackle
مِنَ الوَجهِ مَشدودٌ عَلَيكَ صِفادُ
As though, when strange longing steals in by night,
Chains are drawn tight upon your face.
a shackle were fastened upon you across the face.
You spend the night wakeful, hoping for its passing,
تَبيتُyou spend the night تُراعيyou watch اللَيلَthe night تَرجوyou hope for نَفادَهُits ending
تَبيتُ تُراعي اللَيلَ تَرجو نَفادَهُ
وَلَيسَand there is no لِلَيلِfor the night of العاشِقينَthe lovers نَفادُan end
وَلَيسَ لِلَيلِ العاشِقينَ نَفادُ
You spend the night watching the night, hoping for its end,
Yet for lovers' nights there is no end.
but the lovers' night has no end.
You toss and turn in a darkness as though
تَقَلَّبُyou toss about فيin داجٍdarkness كَأَنَّas though سَوادَهُits blackness
تَقَلَّبُ في داجٍ كَأَنَّ سَوادَهُ
إِذاwhenever اِنجابَit lifted مَوصولٌjoined إِلَيهِto it سَوادُblackness
إِذا اِنجابَ مَوصولٌ إِلَيهِ سَوادُ
You toss in darkness whose blackness seems,
Its blackness is connected to you, blackness.
whenever it lifts, to have more blackness joined to it.
Weariness has refused to close its tired eyes
أَبىrefused لَكَto you إِغماضُthe closing of الخَلِيِّthe carefree one جُفونَهُhis eyelids
أَبى لَكَ إِغماضُ الخَلِيِّ جُفونَهُ
عَلىfor النَومِsleep عَينٌan eye صَبَّةٌlovesick وَفُؤادُand a heart
عَلى النَومِ عَينٌ صَبَّةٌ وَفُؤادُ
You are denied the carefree man's closing of his eyelids
To sleep, intent and heart are wakeful.
in sleep, by a lovesick eye and heart.
The struggle of the soul in what it pursued
وَطولُand the length of جِهادِthe struggle with النَفسِthe soul فيماover what تَتَبَّعَتit pursued
وَطولُ جِهادِ النَفسِ فيما تَتَبَّعَت
وَإِدراكُكَand your catching hold of النَفسَthe soul اللَجوجَobstinate جِهادُa struggle
وَإِدراكُكَ النَفسَ اللَجوجَ جِهادُ
And long is the struggle with the soul over what it has pursued,
And your comprehension of the stubborn soul a struggle.
and catching hold of your obstinate soul is a struggle.
The great distance from a goal, if you travelled it
وَبُعدُand the remoteness of المَدىthe distance مِنfrom غايَةٍa goal لَوif جَرَيتَهاyou ran its course
وَبُعدُ المَدى مِن غايَةٍ لَو جَرَيتَها
إِلىtoward هَجرِforsaking سُعدىSu'da ماnot هَجاكَtaunted you بِعادُseparation
إِلى هَجرِ سُعدى ما هَجاكَ بِعادُ
And long is the course to a goal—were you to run it
To your love's estrangement, separation would not take you far.
toward forsaking Su'da, no separation would taunt you.
Yet my mind, gathering after gathering, counsels you
وَلَكِنَّbut عَقليmy judgment مَجلِساًa sitting بَعدَafter مَجلِسٍa sitting
وَلَكِنَّ عَقلي مَجلِساً بَعدَ مَجلِسٍ
لِنَفسِكَfor your soul مِمّاfrom what لاnot تَنالُyou attain فَسادُruin
لِنَفسِكَ مِمّا لا تَنالُ فَسادُ
Yet, to my mind, sitting session after session
Against what would not bring you ruin.
over what you cannot attain is ruin for your soul.
Will you not now heal yourself, find solace,
أَفالآنَis it now, then? تَستَشفيyou seek healing from طَبيبَكَyour physician سَلوَةًconsolation
أَفالآنَ تَستَشفي طَبيبَكَ سَلوَةً
وَقَدwhen already ظَعَنَتshe departed سُعدىSu'da وَقَلبُكَand your heart رادُroving
وَقَد ظَعَنَت سُعدى وَقَلبُكَ رادُ
Do you now seek consolation as a cure from your physician,
Since she is lost to you and your heart distraught?
when Su'da has departed and your heart still roams?
I see the soul has been miserly toward you in attaining it
أَرىI see النَفسَthe soul قَدindeed ضَنَّتbegrudged عَلَيكَto you بِنَيلِهاwith its bounty
أَرى النَفسَ قَد ضَنَّت عَلَيكَ بِنَيلِها
وَضَنَّتand begrudged عَلَيهاto it بِالنَوالِwith bounty سُعادُSu'ad
وَضَنَّت عَلَيها بِالنَوالِ سُعادُ
I see the soul has begrudged you its bounty,
And miserly toward itself in happy fortune.
and Su'ad has begrudged it her bounty.
What is it to you if that does not give you respite?
وَماand there is no بِكَin you إِنif لَمnot تُعطَyou are given تِلكَthat woman جَلادَةٌfortitude
وَما بِكَ إِن لَم تُعطَ تِلكَ جَلادَةٌ
وَماand there is no مِنكَfrom you إِنif لَمnot تَلقَyou meet تِلكَthat woman رُقادُsleep
وَما مِنكَ إِن لَم تَلقَ تِلكَ رُقادُ
And you have no fortitude unless she is given you,
What is it of you if that does not bring you rest?
nor can you sleep unless you meet her.
A gazelle enticed me and I desired to hunt it,
لَقَدindeed صادَنيcaught me ريمٌa white gazelle أَرَدتُI intended اِصطِيادَهُto hunt it
لَقَد صادَني ريمٌ أَرَدتُ اِصطِيادَهُ
وَماand not كُنتُI was لَولاwere it not for ماwhat أَرَدتُI intended أُصادُI am caught
وَما كُنتُ لَولا ما أَرَدتُ أُصادُ
Indeed, a white gazelle has caught me, though I meant to hunt it,
Yet had I not so desired, I'd not have hunted.
and, but for what I intended, I would not be caught.
When the breeze of love lifts from you its care,
إِذاwhen طارِفُnewly acquired الحُبِّlove اِنجَلىcleared away عَنكَfrom you هَمُّهُits distress
إِذا طارِفُ الحُبِّ اِنجَلى عَنكَ هَمُّهُ
ثَناهُbrought it back مِنَfrom الحُبِّlove الدَخيلِdeep-seated تَلادُan old possession
ثَناهُ مِنَ الحُبِّ الدَخيلِ تَلادُ
When the distress of newly acquired love clears from you,
New love will divert it.
an old store of deep-seated love brings it back.
It has been candid about what a taunt whispers,
لَقَدindeed صَرَّحَتrevealed clearly عَمّاabout what تُجَمجِمُyou mutter indistinctly طَعنَةٌa stab
لَقَد صَرَّحَت عَمّا تُجَمجِمُ طَعنَةٌ
شَجيتَyou were grieved بِهاby it حَتّىuntil ظَلِلتَyou spent the day تُعادُyou are visited when ill
شَجيتَ بِها حَتّى ظَلِلتَ تُعادُ
A stab has plainly revealed what you mutter indistinctly;
You are wounded until you have become an echo.
you grieved at it until you spent the day being visited in sickness.
Passions have pressed upon you, so you weep more,
تَداعَتflocked together لَكَto you الأَهواءُthe passions فَاِزدَدتَso you increased عَبرَةًweeping
تَداعَت لَكَ الأَهواءُ فَاِزدَدتَ عَبرَةً
وَلِلدَمعِand for tears مِنfrom بَينَparting الحَبيبِthe beloved مِدادُreplenishment
وَلِلدَمعِ مِن بَينَ الحَبيبِ مِدادُ
Passions flocked to you, and you grew more tearful,
And for tears, the beloved is their ink.
and parting from the beloved feeds the tears.
Say to a friend who thinks ill, good counsel,
فَقُلso speak فيabout صَديقٍa friend يَحسَبُhe considers الغِيَّerror رَشدَةًright guidance
فَقُل في صَديقٍ يَحسَبُ الغِيَّ رَشدَةً
وَفيand in بَعضَsome حَوزاتِdomains of الخَليلِthe close friend رَشادُsound guidance
وَفي بَعضَ حَوزاتِ الخَليلِ رَشادُ
So speak of a friend who counts error as right guidance,
And in some of the loved one's precincts, guidance.
and in some of a close friend's domains lies sound guidance.
He delays what would give you comfort,
يُؤَخِّرُhe delays ماwhat تَعجيلُهُhastening it لَكَfor you راحَةٌrelief
يُؤَخِّرُ ما تَعجيلُهُ لَكَ راحَةٌ
فَتَحياso live on كُروبٌsorrows كُلُّهُنَّall of them شِدادُsevere
فَتَحيا كُروبٌ كُلُّهُنَّ شِدادُ
He delays what, if hastened, would bring you relief,
So you live - all of it harshness.
so sorrows live on, every one severe.
If I say, "I have met with misfortune
إِذاwhen قُلتُI said إِنّيI indeed قَدalready لَقيتُI encountered شَقاوَةًmisery
إِذا قُلتُ إِنّي قَد لَقيتُ شَقاوَةً
بِحُبِّكَthrough loving you قالَتshe said ليto me وَسَوفَand in the future تُزادُyou are given more
بِحُبِّكَ قالَت لي وَسَوفَ تُزادُ
When I said, ‘I have suffered misery
In your love," she says, "And more will yet come."
through loving you,’ she told me, ‘And you shall have more.’
For us are hardness, gentle words,
لَناfor us غِلظَةٌharshness مِنهاfrom her وَلينُand softness of مَقالَةٍspeech
لَنا غِلظَةٌ مِنها وَلينُ مَقالَةٍ
وَلَوعَةُand burning anguish هَجرٍestrangement مَرَّةًat one time وَوِدادُand affection
وَلَوعَةُ هَجرٍ مَرَّةً وَوِدادُ
From her we receive harshness and gentle speech,
The agony of estrangement, bitterness and affection.
and now the burning pain of estrangement, now affection.
By God, I know not, though each is a tribulation,
فَوَاللَهِso, by God ماnot أَدريI know وَكُلٌّand each مُصيبَةٌan affliction
فَوَاللَهِ ما أَدري وَكُلٌّ مُصيبَةٌ
بِأَيِّby which مَكيداتِstratagems of النِساءِwomen نُكادُwe are plotted against
بِأَيِّ مَكيداتِ النِساءِ نُكادُ
By God, I do not know—and each is an affliction—
By what wiles of women we are undone.
by which of women's stratagems we are being tricked.
A gazelle enticed me and I desired to hunt it,
لَقَدindeed صادَنيcaught me ريمٌa white gazelle أَرَدتُI intended اِصطِيادَهُto hunt it
لَقَد صادَني ريمٌ أَرَدتُ اِصطِيادَهُ
وَماand not كُنتُI was لَولاwere it not for ماwhat أَرَدتُI intended أُصادُI am caught
وَما كُنتُ لَولا ما أَرَدتُ أُصادُ
Indeed, a white gazelle has caught me, though I meant to hunt it,
Yet had I not so desired, I'd not have hunted.
and, but for what I intended, I would not be caught.
The fair faced - his share of you is kinship
جَميلُfair المُحَيّاof face حَظُّهُhis share مِنكَfrom you نِسبَةٌa connection
جَميلُ المُحَيّا حَظُّهُ مِنكَ نِسبَةٌ
وَحَظُّكَand your share مِنهُfrom him لَوعَةٌburning anguish وَسُهادُand sleeplessness
وَحَظُّكَ مِنهُ لَوعَةٌ وَسُهادُ
Fair of face, his share from you is a connection,
While your share of him agony and ardour.
and your share from him is burning grief and sleeplessness.
When you find comfort in the imminent separation
إِذاif أَنِسَتshe perceived مِنfrom عاجِلِimminent البَينِparting
إِذا أَنِسَت مِن عاجِلِ البَينِ
رَجاءًhope بِأُختِin the sister of الناسِhumankind حينَwhen تُذادُyou are driven away
رَجاءً بِأُختِ الناسِ حينَ تُذادُ
If she sensed, in imminent parting,
Hoping for mankind's sister when she is gone,
hope in humankind's sister when you are driven away—
Deceitful promises are like her visitations
غُرورُdeception مَواعيدٍpromises كَأَنَّas though جَداءَهاtheir benefit
غُرورُ مَواعيدٍ كَأَنَّ جَداءَها
جَداthe benefit of بارِقاتٍlightning flashes مُزنُهُنَّtheir rain clouds جَمادُrainless
جَدا بارِقاتٍ مُزنُهُنَّ جَمادُ
deceptive promises, whose benefit seems
As if her coming were shooting stars.
the benefit of lightning flashes whose rain clouds are barren.
You have never been favoured by fate and beyond it
عَلىupon الدَهرِTime ماwhat مَنَّتكَshe made you hope for سُعدىSu'da وَدونَهُand before it
عَلى الدَهرِ ما مَنَّتكَ سُعدى وَدونَهُ
لِأُمِّfor the mother of المَناياdeaths مُبتَدىa beginning وَمَعادُand a return
لِأُمِّ المَنايا مُبتَدى وَمَعادُ
What Su'da made you hope for rests with Time; before it,
To the mother of calamity, beginning and return.
the mother of deaths has a beginning and a return.
Will you not, if fate does not give you its head,
فَهَلthen, will? أَنتَyou إِنif لَمnot يُعطِكَit gives you الدَهرُTime رَأسَهُits head
فَهَل أَنتَ إِن لَم يُعطِكَ الدَهرُ رَأسَهُ
مُذَلِّلُهُits tamer حَتّىuntil تَراهُyou see it يُقادُbeing led
مُذَلِّلُهُ حَتّى تَراهُ يُقادُ
Then, if Time will not yield you its head, will you
Humble it until you see it led?
tame it until you see it being led?
Else leave off your youth and healing is
وَإِلّاand if not فَدَعthen leave عَنكَaway from you الصَبابَةَpassionate longing فَالشِفاfor the cure
وَإِلّا فَدَع عَنكَ الصَبابَةَ فَالشِفا
عَلىin إِثرِthe wake of مَنthe one whom تَهوىyou love وَفيكَand in you مِدادُa reserve of strength
عَلى إِثرِ مَن تَهوى وَفيكَ مِدادُ
Otherwise, set passionate longing aside; for the cure
In the wake of she you love, while in you is ink.
is in the wake of the one you love, while strength remains in you.
Partial English translation: 55 of 56 Arabic lines translated.