يدميmakes bleed المحبthe lover منfrom شجىanguish أنةa groan
يدمي المحب من شجى أنة
خلتlay secluded بأحشاهwithin his entrails وشبّتand blazed نارهhis fire
خلت بأحشاه وشبّت ناره
A groan of anguish makes the lover bleed.
It lay secluded in his entrails, and his fire blazed.
طرفan eye وفيّfaithful لاnot يُفاتis overlooked إنif شكاcomplains
طرف وفيّ لا يُفات إن شكا
فيin لومهreproaching him عسىperhaps يزيدهincreases his بُكاweeping
في لومه عسى يزيده بُكا
A faithful eye is not overlooked if it complains;
In reproaching him, perhaps it increases his weeping.
حسبيenough for me نداdew بينparting لوif كانthere were فيin
حسبي ندا بين لو كان في
ليلnight دناdrew near منيto me وفيّfaithful مسعفa helper
ليل دنا مني وفيّ مسعف
Parting’s dew would suffice me, if there were in
The night a faithful helper who drew near me.
زنweigh out حقناour due مماfrom what يقلis little زيفهits debasement
زن حقنا مما يقل زيفه
لاnot نكتفيwe are content إلاexcept بنصwith half of حدفهhis tossing
لا نكتفي إلا بنص حدفه
Weigh out our due from what is little debased.
We are content only with half of what he tosses,
منfrom غياثGhiyath لاnot نصيبwe find مثلهhis like
من غياث لا نصيب مثله
فيin برّهhis beneficence مُنيلa bestower of خيرgood مُفلحsuccessful
في برّه مُنيل خير مُفلح
From Ghiyath, whose like we do not find
In his beneficence—a successful bestower of good.
هنّيتهI congratulated him فأهاننيthen he insulted me هلis there عزّةhonor
هنّيته فأهانني هل عزّة
منهfrom him تمثلpicture مَنone who بهin him ذلّhumiliation بداappeared
منه تمثل مَن به ذلّ بدا
I congratulated him, then he insulted me—is there honor
From him? Picture one in whom humiliation appeared.
دمعtears غيثrain عزّgrew scarce منfrom أجفانيmy eyelids
دمع غيث عزّ من أجفاني
لماwhen تخلىceased جريهits flow أرمانيcast me down
لما تخلى جريه أرماني
Rain-like tears from my eyelids grew scarce;
When its flow ceased, it cast me down.
جُزpass فيهthrough it فيماamid whatever ينوبbefalls إنif إذاwhen
جُز فيه فيما ينوب إن إذا
مَنwhoever جازهpassed him فيin كلevery برّgood deed مُنعاwas thwarted
مَن جازه في كل برّ مُنعا
Pass through it amid whatever befalls—if, when—
Whoever passed him was thwarted in every good deed.