ليI have نحوtoward أرضland المنىwishes منin شرقِthe east of اندلسِAndalusia
لي نحو أرض المنى من شرقِ اندلسِ
شَوقa longing يؤلفُunites بينbetween الماءِwater والقبسِand the flame
شَوق يؤلفُ بين الماءِ والقبسِ
From eastern Andalusia toward the land of desire, I bear
For the land of dreams in eastern Andalusia, I have
a longing that unites water and flame.
a longing that brings water and flame together.
لاحتappeared لناto us منfrom ذراهاits summits الشُمlofty شاهِقةa towering peak
لاحت لنا من ذراها الشُم شاهِقة
تدنيbrings near لزَهرto the blossoms of الدّرارىthe brilliant stars كَفّa hand ملتَمِسَof a seeker
تدني لزَهر الدّرارى كَفّ ملتَمِسَ
Its lofty summits loomed before us, towering,
From its lofty summits, a towering peak appeared to us,
bringing a seeker’s hand close to the radiant stars.
bringing a seeker's hand near the blossoms of the radiant stars.
وقدand already اغذتsped بناwith us فيin اليّمthe sea جاريةًa vessel
وقد اغذت بنا في اليّم جاريةً
سَوداءَblack لاnot تستطيعُcan الجَرَىrunning فيon يَبَسِdry land
سَوداءَ لا تستطيعُ الجَرَى في يَبَسِ
A vessel sped with us across the deep,
And a vessel had sped with us across the sea,
black, unable to travel over dry land.
black, unable to run on dry land.
كأَنهاas though she وعبابwhile the surge of الماءwater يزعِجهاjolts her
كأَنها وعباب الماء يزعِجها
تنصraises جيدَthe neck of مراعيa watcher of اللحظthe glance مختلِسstealing furtively
تنص جيدَ مراعي اللحظ مختلِس
As though, while the surging water tosses her,
As though, while the water's surge jolts her,
she craned the neck of a wary watcher stealing a glance.
she cranes the neck of a watcher stealing glances.
كأنas though بيضَthe white sails نَواحيهاat her sides اذاwhen انتَشَرتspread out
كأن بيضَ نَواحيها اذا انتَشَرت
لواءُa banner صُبحof morning بداappeared فيin سدفَةِthe gloom of الغَلَسearly dawn
لواءُ صُبح بدا في سدفَةِ الغَلَس
As though the white sails at her sides, when unfurled,
As though the white sails at her sides, when unfurled,
were dawn’s banner appearing amid the gloom of night.
were morning's banner appearing in the gloom of dawn.
تنازعَcontends for الرِّيحthe wind منهاfrom her صَعبَstubborn مقودَهاher rein
تنازعَ الرِّيح منها صَعبَ مقودَها
فَترتميso she darts ahead بِعنانwith a rein مسمحyielding سَلسsupple
فَترتمي بِعنان مسمح سَلس
The wind wrestles against her stubborn rein,
The wind contends with her for her stubborn rein,
and she hurtles onward under a yielding, supple rein.
and she darts ahead with a yielding, supple rein.
لولاwere it not for حِذارىmy fear أنthat اذكيI kindle لهاfor her لَهَباa flame
لولا حِذارى أن اذكي لها لَهَبا
زَجّيتهاI would propel her برياحِwith the winds of الشّوقlonging فيin نفسِa breath
زَجّيتها برياحِ الشّوق في نفسِ
Were it not for fear that I might kindle a flame for her,
Were it not for my fear of kindling a flame for her,
I would urge her on with longing’s wine, in a single breath.
I would propel her with longing's winds in a single breath.
ياoh ليتwould that شِعريmy knowing والآمالwhile hopes معوزةٌelusive
يا ليت شِعري والآمال معوزةٌ
ورّبماand perhaps امكنتbecame attainable يوماًone day لمختلسِto a furtive snatcher
ورّبما امكنت يوماً لمختلسِ
Would that I knew—though hopes lie beyond reach,
Oh, would that I knew—though hopes are elusive,
and perhaps one day may yield to one who seizes his chance—
and may one day yield to one who seizes them—
هلwhether يدنونَwill draw near مزارُthe place of visitation الشّوقlonging إنّindeed بِهin it
هل يدنونَ مزارُ الشّوق إنّ بِه
ماwhatever شئتِyou desire منof نهزٍopportunities للأُنسfor companionship أوor خَلَسِstolen moments
ما شئتِ من نهزٍ للأُنس أو خَلَسِ
will the longed-for visit ever draw near? For it holds
will the place my longing seeks draw near? For there
every chance for companionship one could wish, whether seized or stolen.
are all the chances for companionship or stolen moments you desire.
وهلand whether تعوَّدنwill return ايامٌdays رشفتُI sipped بهاduring them
وهل تعوَّدن ايامٌ رشفتُ بها
سلافةthe choicest wine العيشlife احلىsweeter منthan جنىthe fruit of اللّعسthe dusky tint of lips
سلافة العيش احلى من جنى اللّعس
And will those days return, when I sipped within them
And will the days return when I sipped
life’s choicest wine, sweeter than the fruit of dusky lips;
the choicest wine of life, sweeter than the fruit of dusky lips,
حيثwhere انبسطَناwe reveled معamid اللذاتpleasures تَنقلناcarry us along
حيث انبسطَنا مع اللذات تَنقلنا
ايديthe hands of المسراتِjoys منfrom عيدa festival إلىto عرُسِa wedding
ايدي المسراتِ من عيد إلى عرُسِ
when we gave ourselves freely to delights, borne onward
where we reveled amid pleasures, carried along
by the hands of joy, from festival to wedding feast?
by the hands of joy, from festival to wedding?
