هلْwhether كُنْتَyou were تَعْلَمُknow فيin هُبوبِthe blowing of الرّيحِthe wind
هلْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ في هُبوبِ الرّيحِ
نَفَساًa breath يؤجِّجُkindles لاعِجَthe burning ache of التّبْريحِtorment
نَفَساً يؤجِّجُ لاعِجَ التّبْريحِ
Did you discern, in the blowing of the wind,
a breath that kindles torment's burning ache?
أهْدَتْكَit offered you منْfrom شِيحِthe wormwood of الحِجازِthe Hijaz تحيّةًa greeting
أهْدَتْكَ منْ شِيحِ الحِجازِ تحيّةً
غاضَتْdwindled لَهاfor it عُرُضُthe breadths of الفِجاجِthe mountain passes الفِيحِthe spacious
غاضَتْ لَها عُرُضُ الفِجاجِ الفِيحِ
It offered you a greeting from the wormwood of the Hijaz,
for which the breadths of the spacious passes dwindled.
باللّهِby God قُلْtell ليme كيفَhow نِيرانُthe fires of الهَوىlove
باللّهِ قُلْ لي كيفَ نِيرانُ الهَوى
ماwhat lies بَيْنَbetween ريحٍa wind بالفَلاةِin the wilderness وَشيحِand wormwood
ما بَيْنَ ريحٍ بالفَلاةِ وَشيحِ
By God, tell me how the fires of love burn
between a desert wind and wormwood.
وخَضيبَةِand one stained المِنْقارِin beak تَحْسِبُyou think أنّهاthat she
وخَضيبَةِ المِنْقارِ تَحْسِبُ أنّها
نَهَلَتْshe drank her fill بمَوْرِدِat the watering-place of دَمْعيَmy tears المَسْفوحِthe outpoured
نَهَلَتْ بمَوْرِدِ دَمْعيَ المَسْفوحِ
And a bird with a stained beak—you would think that she
had drunk at the watering-place of my outpoured tears.
باحَتْshe disclosed بِماwhat تُخْفيshe hides وناحَتْand she wailed فيin الدُّجىthe darkness
باحَتْ بِما تُخْفي وناحَتْ في الدُّجى
فرأيْتُso I saw فيacross الآفاقِthe horizons دعْوَةَthe call of نُوحِNoah
فرأيْتُ في الآفاقِ دعْوَةَ نُوحِ
She disclosed what she concealed and wailed in the darkness,
so I saw across the horizons the call of Noah.
نَطَقَتْspoke بماof what يُخْفيهِconceals it قَلْبيmy heart أدْمُعيmy tears
نَطَقَتْ بما يُخْفيهِ قَلْبي أدْمُعي
ولَطالَماand for so long صَمَتَتْthey kept silent عنِabout التّصْريحِopen declaration
ولَطالَما صَمَتَتْ عنِ التّصْريحِ
My tears spoke of what my heart conceals,
and long had they kept silent, withholding open confession.
عَجَباًhow strange! لأجْفانيfor my eyelids حمَلَنْthey bore شَهادةًtestimony
عَجَباً لأجْفاني حمَلَنْ شَهادةً
عنْon behalf of خافِقٍa beating heart بيْنَbetween الضّلوعِthe ribs جَريحِwounded
عنْ خافِقٍ بيْنَ الضّلوعِ جَريحِ
How strange that my eyelids should bear testimony
for a wounded heart beating between the ribs!
ولَقَبْلُماand indeed earlier كتَبَتْwrote رُواةُthe narrators of مَدامِعيmy tears
ولَقَبْلُما كتَبَتْ رُواةُ مَدامِعي
فيon طُرَّتَيْهاtheir two margins حِلْيةَthe ornament of التّجْريحِdiscrediting testimony
في طُرَّتَيْها حِلْيةَ التّجْريحِ
Yet earlier the narrators of my tears had inscribed
upon their two margins the ornament of discredit.
جادَmay rain water الحِمىthe sanctuary بَعْدِيafter me وأجْراعand the sandy hollows of الحِمَىthe sanctuary
جادَ الحِمى بَعْدِي وأجْراع الحِمَى
جَوْدٌa copious rain تَكِلُّgrow weary بهِbeneath it مُتونُthe backs of الرّيحِthe wind
جَوْدٌ تَكِلُّ بهِ مُتونُ الرّيحِ
May rain water the sanctuary after me, and its sandy hollows—
rain so abundant that the backs of the wind grow weary beneath it.
هُنّthey are المَنازلُthe dwellings ماnot فُؤاديmy heart بعْدَهاafter them
هُنّ المَنازلُ ما فُؤادي بعْدَها
سالٍconsoled ولاnor وَجْديmy yearning بِهاfor them بمُرِيحِrest-giving
سالٍ ولا وَجْدي بِها بمُرِيحِ
They are the dwellings; since leaving them, my heart is not
consoled, nor does my yearning for them grant repose.
حَسْبيenough for me وَلوعاًin ardor أنْthat أزورَI visit بفِكْرَتيin my thought
حَسْبي وَلوعاً أنْ أزورَ بفِكْرَتي
زُوّارَهاtheir visitors والجِسْمُand the body رَهْنُa hostage to نُزوحِremoteness
زُوّارَها والجِسْمُ رَهْنُ نُزوحِ
Enough to show my ardor is that, in thought, I visit
their visitors, while my body is hostage to remoteness.
فأبُثُّso I pour forth فِيهاin them منْsome of حَديثِthe account of صَبابَتيmy ardent longing
فأبُثُّ فِيها منْ حَديثِ صَبابَتي
وأحُثُّand I spur on فِيهاin them منْof جَناحِthe wing of جُنوحيmy inclination
وأحُثُّ فِيها منْ جَناحِ جُنوحي
So there I pour forth some account of my ardent longing,
and there urge on the wing of my inclination.
ودُجُنّةٍand a dark night كادَتْalmost تُضِلُّleads astray بيَwith me السَّرَىthe night journey
ودُجُنّةٍ كادَتْ تُضِلُّ بيَ السَّرَى
لوْلاbut for وَميضَاthe two flashes of بارِقٍlightning وصَفيحِand a broad blade
لوْلا وَميضَا بارِقٍ وصَفيحِ
And a dark night nearly led my night journey astray,
but for the twin flashes of lightning and a broad blade.
رَعَشَتْtrembled كَواكِبُthe stars of جوِّهاits sky فكأنّهاso, as though they were
رَعَشَتْ كَواكِبُ جوِّها فكأنّها
وَرِقٌsilver coins تُقَلِّبُهاturns them over بَنانُthe fingertips of شَحيحِa miser
وَرِقٌ تُقَلِّبُها بَنانُ شَحيحِ
The stars of its sky trembled, as though they were
silver coins turned by a miser's fingertips.
صابَرْتُI endured steadfastly مِنْهاof it لُجّةًa deep sea مهْماwhenever ارْتمَتْit tossed
صابَرْتُ مِنْها لُجّةً مهْما ارْتمَتْ
وطَمَتْand it surged رَمَيْتُI hurled عُبابَهاits swell بسَبوحِwith a swift-swimming steed
وطَمَتْ رَمَيْتُ عُبابَها بسَبوحِ
I steadfastly braved its deep sea; whenever it tossed
and surged, I hurled a swift-swimming steed into its swell.
حتّىuntil إذاwhen الكَفُّthe hand الخضيبُthe henna-stained بأفْقِهاon its horizon
حتّى إذا الكَفُّ الخضيبُ بأفْقِها
مسَحَتْstroked بوَجْهٍover the face للصّباحِof dawn صَبيحِbeautiful
مسَحَتْ بوَجْهٍ للصّباحِ صَبيحِ
Until, when the Henna-Stained Hand upon its horizon
had stroked the lovely face of dawn,
شِمْتُI glimpsed المُنىthe hopes وحَمِدْتُand I praised إدْلاجَthe early departure of السُّرَىthe night journey
شِمْتُ المُنى وحَمِدْتُ إدْلاجَ السُّرَى
وزَجَرْتُand I read omens للآمالِfor hopes كُلَّevery سَنيحِauspicious passing bird
وزَجَرْتُ للآمالِ كُلَّ سَنيحِ
I glimpsed my hopes and praised the night journey's early start,
and read every favorable flight as an omen for my hopes.
فكأنّماso it was as though لَيْليmy night نَسيبُthe love-prelude of قَصيدَتيmy poem
فكأنّما لَيْلي نَسيبُ قَصيدَتي
والصُّبْحُand dawn فيهِwithin it تخَلُّصٌa transition لمَديحيto my praise
والصُّبْحُ فيهِ تخَلُّصٌ لمَديحي
it was as though my night were my poem's love-prelude,
and dawn within it a transition to my praise,
لمّاwhen حطَطْتُI lowered لخَيْرِbefore the best of مَنْthose who وَطِئَtrod الثّرَىthe earth
لمّا حطَطْتُ لخَيْرِ مَنْ وَطِئَ الثّرَى
بعِنانِwith the rein of كُلِّevery مولِّدٍcrossbred steed وصَريحِand purebred steed
بعِنانِ كُلِّ مولِّدٍ وصَريحِ
when, before the best who ever trod the earth, I lowered
the rein of every crossbred and purebred steed—
رُحْمَىthe mercy of إلَهِthe God of العَرْشِthe Throne بيْنَamong عِبادِهِHis servants
رُحْمَى إلَهِ العَرْشِ بيْنَ عِبادِهِ
وأمِينِهand His trustee الأرْضَىthe most approved علىover ماwhat يُوحيHe reveals
وأمِينِه الأرْضَى على ما يُوحي
the mercy of the God of the Throne among His servants,
and His most approved trustee of what He reveals;
والآيةُand the sign الكُبْرىthe greatest التيwhich أنْوارُهاits lights
والآيةُ الكُبْرى التي أنْوارُها
ضاءَتْshone أشعُّتُهاtheir rays بصَفْحةِon the face of يوحِYuh (the sun)
ضاءَتْ أشعُّتُها بصَفْحةِ يوحِ
and the greatest sign, whose lights
shone in rays upon the face of Yuh, the sun;
رَبُّmaster of المَقامِthe station الصِّدْقِof truth والآيِand the signs التيthat
رَبُّ المَقامِ الصِّدْقِ والآيِ التي
راقَتْwere graced بِهاby them أوْراقُthe pages of كُلِّevery صَحيحِSahih collection
راقَتْ بِها أوْراقُ كُلِّ صَحيحِ
Master of the station of truth, and of signs that
graced the pages of every Sahih collection;
كهْفُrefuge of الأنامِhumankind إذاwhen تفاقَمَgrows worse مُعْضِلٌa hard dilemma
كهْفُ الأنامِ إذا تفاقَمَ مُعْضِلٌ
مَثَلواthey stood بساحَةِin the courtyard of بَابِهِhis door المَفْتوحِthe open
مَثَلوا بساحَةِ بَابِهِ المَفْتوحِ
refuge of humankind: when a hard dilemma grows worse,
they stand in the courtyard of his open door.
يَرِدونَthey come to drink منْهُfrom him علَىat مَشابَةِa mingled draught of راحِمٍa merciful one
يَرِدونَ منْهُ علَى مَشابَةِ راحِمٍ
جَمِّabundant in الهِباتِgifts عنِof الذّنوبِsins صَفوحِvery forgiving
جَمِّ الهِباتِ عنِ الذّنوبِ صَفوحِ
They draw from him the mingled draught of one merciful,
lavish with gifts, forgiving sins.
لهْفيalas for me علىfor عُمْرٍa lifetime مضَىgone by أنْضَيْتُهُI wore it out
لهْفي على عُمْرٍ مضَى أنْضَيْتُهُ
فيin مَلْعَبٍa playground للتّرَّهاتِfor vanities فَسيحِspacious
في مَلْعَبٍ للتّرَّهاتِ فَسيحِ
Alas for a lifetime gone by, which I wore out
in a spacious playground of vanities!
ياO زاجِرَdriver of الوَجْناءِthe thick-cheeked she-camel يعْتَسِفُcrosses tracklessly الفَلاthe wilderness
يا زاجِرَ الوَجْناءِ يعْتَسِفُ الفَلا
والليْلُand the night يَعْثُرُstumbles فيin فُضولِthe trailing lengths of مُسوحِsackcloth
والليْلُ يَعْثُرُ في فُضولِ مُسوحِ
O driver of the thick-cheeked she-camel, crossing the trackless wilderness,
while night stumbles in trailing lengths of sackcloth,
يَصِلُcontinues السُّرَىthe night journey سَبْقاًracing الىtoward خيْرِthe best of الوَرىhumankind
يَصِلُ السُّرَى سَبْقاً الى خيْرِ الوَرى
والرَّكْبُand the riders بيْنَbetween موَسَّدٍa pillowed sleeper وطَريحِand one sprawled
والرَّكْبُ بيْنَ موَسَّدٍ وطَريحِ
he presses on by night, racing toward the best of humankind,
while the riders lie either pillowed or sprawled.
ليfor me فيin حِمَىthe sanctuary of ذاكَthat الضّريحِtomb لُبابةٌa cherished treasure
لي في حِمَى ذاكَ الضّريحِ لُبابةٌ
إنْif أصبَحَتْshe becomes لُبْنىLubna أناI ابْنُson of ذَريحِDharih
إنْ أصبَحَتْ لُبْنى أنا ابْنُ ذَريحِ
I have a heart's treasure in the sanctuary of that tomb;
if she becomes Lubna, I am Ibn Dharih.
وبِمَهْبِطِand at the descent-place of الرّوحِthe Spirit الأمينِthe Trustworthy أمانةٌa trust
وبِمَهْبِطِ الرّوحِ الأمينِ أمانةٌ
واليُمْنُand blessing فيهاin it والأمانُand security لِروحيfor my soul
واليُمْنُ فيها والأمانُ لِروحي
And where the Trustworthy Spirit descended lies a trust,
in which are blessing and security for my soul.
ياO صَفوةَchosen one of اللهِGod المَكينِfirmly established مَكانُهُhis station
يا صَفوةَ اللهِ المَكينِ مَكانُهُ
ياO خَيْرَbest of مؤْتمَنٍthose entrusted وخَيْرَand best of نَصيحِsincere counselors
يا خَيْرَ مؤْتمَنٍ وخَيْرَ نَصيحِ
O God's chosen one, whose station is firmly established,
O best of trustees and best of sincere counselors!
أقْرَضْتُI lent فيكَfor your sake اللهَGod صِدْقَthe sincerity of محبّتيmy love
أقْرَضْتُ فيكَ اللهَ صِدْقَ محبّتي
أيَكونُcan it be تَجْريmy trade فيكَin you غيرَother than رَبيحprofitable
أيَكونُ تَجْري فيكَ غيرَ رَبيح
I have lent God the sincerity of my love for you;
could my trade in you be anything but profitable?
حاشاfar be it وكَلاّand never أنthat تَخيبَfail وسائِلِيmy pleas
حاشا وكَلاّ أن تَخيبَ وسائِلِي
أوor أنْthat أرَىI see مَسْعايَmy endeavor غيْرَnot نَجيحِsuccessful
أو أنْ أرَى مَسْعايَ غيْرَ نَجيحِ
Far be it—never!—that my pleas should fail,
or that I should see my striving unsuccessful.
إنْif عاقَhas barred عنْكَfrom you قَبيحُthe ugliness of ماwhat كَسَبَتْhas earned يَديmy hand
إنْ عاقَ عنْكَ قَبيحُ ما كَسَبَتْ يَدي
يوْماًone day فوجْهُthen the face of العَفْوِforgiveness غيرُnot قَبيحِugly
يوْماً فوجْهُ العَفْوِ غيرُ قَبيحِ
If the ugliness of what my hand has earned bars me from you
one day, the face of forgiveness is not ugly.
واoh خَجْلَتيmy shame منْat حَلْيَةِthe ornament of الفِكْرِthought التيwhich
وا خَجْلَتي منْ حَلْيَةِ الفِكْرِ التي
أغرَيْتُهاI spurred it on بغَراميَwith my passion المَشْروحِlaid bare
أغرَيْتُها بغَراميَ المَشْروحِ
Oh, my shame at the ornament of thought which
I spurred on with my passion laid bare!
قَصُرَتْfell short خُطاهاits strides بعْدَماafter ضمّرْتُهاI conditioned it
قَصُرَتْ خُطاها بعْدَما ضمّرْتُها
منْfrom كُلِّevery موْفورِabundant in الجِمامِrest جَموحِheadstrong steed
منْ كُلِّ موْفورِ الجِمامِ جَموحِ
Its strides fell short after I had conditioned it,
drawn from every fully rested, headstrong steed.
مدَحَتْكَpraised you آياتُthe verses of الكِتابِthe Book فماso what عَسىcould
مدَحَتْكَ آياتُ الكِتابِ فما عَسى
يُثْنيgives praise علىto عُلْياكَyour exalted rank نَظْمُthe verse of مَديحيmy praise
يُثْني على عُلْياكَ نَظْمُ مَديحي
The verses of the Book have praised you; how, then, could
the verses of my praise extol your exalted rank?
وإذاand when كِتابُthe Book of اللهِGod أثْنَىgave praise مُفْصِحاًspeaking clearly
وإذا كِتابُ اللهِ أثْنَى مُفْصِحاً
كانwas القُصورُinadequacy قُصارَthe utmost reach of كُلِّevery فَصيحِeloquent speaker
كان القُصورُ قُصارَ كُلِّ فَصيحِ
And when the Book of God gives praise in clear speech,
inadequacy is the utmost reach of every eloquent speaker.
صَلّىmay bestow blessings عليْكَupon you اللهGod ماas long as هَبّتْblows صَباan east wind
صَلّى عليْكَ الله ما هَبّتْ صَبا
فهَفَتْand so it wafted بغُصْنٍwith a bough للرّياضِof the gardens مَروحِwind-swayed
فهَفَتْ بغُصْنٍ للرّياضِ مَروحِ
May God bless you as long as an east wind blows,
then stirs a wind-swayed bough of the gardens;
واسْتأثَرَand kept to Himself الرّحمانُthe All-Merciful جلّexalted is جَلالُهHis majesty
واسْتأثَرَ الرّحمانُ جلّ جَلالُه
عنْapart from خَلْقِهِHis creatures بخَفيِّthe hidden part of سِرِّthe mystery of الرّوحِthe spirit
عنْ خَلْقِهِ بخَفيِّ سِرِّ الرّوحِ
and the All-Merciful—exalted is His majesty—keeps to Himself
the spirit's hidden mystery, apart from His creatures.
Translation model: Sol 6.1