آهAh! إنif عادreturned الزمانtime لناto us
آه إن عاد الزمان لنا
واجتمعناand we gathered فيin منازلناour dwellings
واجتمعنا في منازلنا
Ah, if only time would return to us,
Oh, if only time would return to us,
And we were reunited in our homes,
And we gathered again in our homes,
نفتحwe open أبوابgates الهناhappiness فرحاjoyfully
نفتح أبواب الهنا فرحا
ونغيظand we vex الحاسدينthe envious بناbecause of us
ونغيظ الحاسدين بنا
We would joyfully open the gates of happiness,
We would open the doors of bliss joyfully,
And vex those who envy us.
And spite the envious of us.
أينwhere ماwhat كناwe used to علىat رامةRāmah
أين ما كنا على رامة
بختنيهunclear form; perhaps 'we pluck it' منfrom ثمارfruits المنىwishes
بختنيه من ثمار المنى
Where is what, at Rāmah, we used to
Where are we in our comfort and ease,
[Pluck?] from the fruits of hope?
With fortunes of wished-for pleasures?
أينwhere أيامdays بجزعat the bend of اللوىal-Liwā
أين أيام بجزع اللوى
ووصالand union كانwas بالمنحنىat the bend
ووصال كان بالمنحنى
Where are the days at the bend of al-Liwā,
Where are the days of ardent passion,
And the union once shared at the bend?
And union that bent the bough?
ولييلاتٌand little nights خلتelapsed ومضتand passed
ولييلاتٌ خلت ومضت
وعهودand times قدalready تقضتhave ended لناfor us
وعهود قد تقضت لنا
And those little nights, gone and past,
Nights have passed and gone,
And those times of ours, now ended?
And pledges for us are fulfilled.
كمhow many جنيناwe plucked منof ثمارfruits الهوىlove
كم جنينا من ثمار الهوى
بذراكمin your shelter منof لذيذluscious الجنىthe harvested fruit
بذراكم من لذيذ الجنى
How many fruits of love we plucked,
How much delight of love's fruits
In your shelter—a luscious harvest!
Did we reap, the sweetest of harvests!
أناI واللّهby God علىtrue to عهدكُمyour covenant
أنا واللّه على عهدكُم
لمnot أزلI cease أرعىI cherish الذيthat which بيناbetween us
لم أزل أرعى الذي بينا
I, by God, remain true to your covenant;
By God, I keep the pact between us,
I have never ceased to cherish what lies between us.
I still tend what is between us.
فوحقّso, by the sanctity of الحبlove ماnot أبصرتhas beheld
فوحقّ الحب ما أبصرت
مقلتيmy eye منfrom بعدكمafter you حسناbeauty
مقلتي من بعدكم حسنا
So, by love's sanctity, I have not beheld
By the right of love, my eyes have not seen
Any beauty with my eye since you departed.
A more beautiful gaze than yours.
ساجعO cooing bird الأيكةof the grove طارحconverse with فتىa youth
ساجع الأيكة طارح فتى
هجرتhave forsaken أجفانهُhis eyelids الوسناslumber
هجرت أجفانهُ الوسنا
O cooing bird of the grove, converse with a youth
A heartbroken lover returning to the ruins,
Whose eyelids have forsaken slumber.
Whose eyelids senility has abandoned.
بانdeparted عنfrom أوطانهhis homelands يالهalas for him منas a
بان عن أوطانه ياله من
محبa lover فارقleft الوطناthe homeland
محب فارق الوطنا
He left his homelands—alas for him, a
He is far from his homelands – what a
Lover who parted from his homeland!
Lover parted from his home!
كلّall ماthat which تخفىconceal جوانحهhis ribs
كلّ ما تخفى جوانحه
دمعtears عينيهof his two eyes بهof it أعلناhave openly proclaimed
دمع عينيه به أعلنا
All that his ribs conceal,
All his wings conceal
His eyes' tears have openly proclaimed.
Are tears his eyes openly declare.
كتبwrote الوجدُlonging كتاباًa book بهاwithin them
كتب الوجدُ كتاباً بها
وأرىand I see الدمعthe tears لهfor it عنوناa title
وأرى الدمع له عنونا
Longing wrote a book within them,
Love wrote in him a writ,
And I see the tears as its title.
And I see tears as its title.
رقمتwere inscribed بخدّهon his cheek أسطرlines
رقمت بخدّه أسطر
فبداso appeared سرa secret لهof his بطناhad been hidden
فبدا سر له بطنا
Lines were inscribed on his cheek,
I outlined on his cheek lines,
So a secret of his, once hidden, appeared.
So his secret openly showed.
أترىdo you think الوصلreunion لهto him عائدٌreturning
أترى الوصل له عائدٌ
فيُرىso may be seen الدهرُtime لهto him محسناkind
فيُرى الدهرُ له محسنا
Do you think reunion will return to him,
Will union return to him?
So that time may be seen as kind to him?
Will time again show him favor?