وعيشكand by your life معdespite عِلمىmy knowledge بِأنكof the fact that you تمزحare jesting
وعيشك مع عِلمى بِأنك تمزح
لقدindeed نالنِىafflicted me منfrom ذاكthat وجدheartache مبرحagonizing
لقد نالنِى من ذاك وجد مبرح
By your life, though I know you are jesting,
And life with you knowing that you jest
Indeed, that has brought me agonizing heartache.
That brought me joy not sadness in my chest
وواللهِand by God ماnot فارقتI departed from أمركyour command ساعةan hour
وواللهِ ما فارقت أمرك ساعة
وماand no لِىَfor me عماfrom what ترتضِىyou approve متزحزحa way to move away
وما لِىَ عما ترتضِى متزحزح
And by God, I have not strayed from your command for an hour,
By God, I've never left your matter an hour
Nor have I any way to depart from what pleases you.
And I have not from what you wish recoiled
وإنىand indeed I علىregardless of قربِthe nearness of المزارِthe meeting place وبعدِهِand its remoteness
وإنى على قربِ المزارِ وبعدِهِ
حلِيفَa sworn companion of اشتِياقٍlonging ليسdoes not ينأىdraw away فيبرحand so depart
حلِيفَ اشتِياقٍ ليس ينأى فيبرح
And I, whether the meeting place is near or far,
And I, both near and far from the tomb
Am a sworn companion of longing that never recedes or departs.
Am friend to yearning that does not avoid
فلاfor no عِيشlife لِىfor me إِلاexcept بِظِلِّكَin your shade يجتنىis gathered
فلا عِيش لِى إِلا بِظِلِّكَ يجتنى
ولاand no لهوdelight لىfor me إلاexcept بِزِندِكby your fire-stick يقدحis kindled
ولا لهو لى إلا بِزِندِك يقدح
For no life is mine but what is gathered beneath your shade,
So I have no life but in your shadow collected
Nor any delight but what is kindled by your fire-stick.
And no joy but by your fire kindled
وماand not كانhappened إلاexcept ماwhat تحققتI ascertained عِلمهknowledge of it
وما كان إلا ما تحققت عِلمه
علىthough أننِىthat I مِنهfrom it إِلىtoward العذرِthe excuse أجنحI incline
على أننِى مِنه إِلى العذرِ أجنح
And what happened was only what I knew for certain,
It was nothing but what knowledge verified
Though I lean toward finding an excuse for it.
Though I for excuse am inclined
ولكِننِىbut I مِنfrom بعدafter ذاthis لاmay there be no بكupon you الأذىharm
ولكِننِى مِن بعد ذا لا بك الأذى
حلِيفُa sworn companion of ضنىwasting sickness أُمسِىI pass the evening بِهwith it ثمthen أصبحI enter the morning
حلِيفُ ضنى أُمسِى بِه ثم أصبح
Yet I, after this—may no harm befall you—
But after that, no crying over pain
Am a sworn companion of wasting sickness; with it I pass the evening, then enter the morning.
I'm friend to longing whom I eve and morn sustain