عَرِّجا في رُبوعها وَسَلاها

عَرِّجا في رُبوعها وَسَلاها

كَيفَ تَسلو مُتَيَّماً ما سَلاها

كَيفَ تَسلو مُتَيَّماً ما سَلاها

You two, pause awhile among her dwellings, and ask after her.

Turn aside, you two, to her dwellings and ask her:

How can she forget an enthralled lover who has never forgotten her?

how can she forget a love-stricken man who has not forgotten her?

وَأَعطفاها بِوَصف سَقْمِي وَما بي

وَأَعطفاها بِوَصف سَقْمِي وَما بي

مِن شُجونِ الهَوى وَلا تَعتَباها

مِن شُجونِ الهَوى وَلا تَعتَباها

Move her to tenderness by describing my sickness and all I suffer

Move her to compassion by describing my sickness and what afflicts me

from love’s sorrows—and do not reproach her.

of love's sorrows, and do not reproach her.

وَإِذكرا وُدِّيَ القَديمَ وَما لَم

وَإِذكرا وُدِّيَ القَديمَ وَما لَم

تَنسَهُ مِن حَنينها وَجَواها

تَنسَهُ مِن حَنينها وَجَواها

Remind her of my former love, and of what she has not

Recall my love of old, and what she has not

forgotten—her yearning and secret passion.

forgotten of her yearning and inward anguish.

رُبَّ دَمعٍ أَسلَتْهُ بَعد هَجرٍ

رُبَّ دَمعٍ أَسلَتْهُ بَعد هَجرٍ

مَزجَتْهُ بِمثلِهِ عَيناها

مَزجَتْهُ بِمثلِهِ عَيناها

Many a tear I sent forth after estrangement,

Many a tear I shed after estrangement

her eyes mingling it with another just like it.

her eyes mingled with its like.

وَلَيالٍ تَضاحَكَ الأُنسُ فيها

وَلَيالٍ تَضاحَكَ الأُنسُ فيها

أَشفَقَت مِن زَوالِها فَشَجاها

أَشفَقَت مِن زَوالِها فَشَجاها

And nights when intimacy smiled,

And nights in which companionship laughed—

then feared their passing and turned to grief.

she feared their passing, and that grieved her.

يَعلمُ اللَهُ ما بِقَلبي وَما تَج

يَعلمُ اللَهُ ما بِقَلبي وَما تَج

هَلُ ما فيهِ أنَّهُ في حِماها

هَلُ ما فيهِ أنَّهُ في حِماها

God knows what lies within my heart, and what she

God knows what is in my heart, and she does not

fails to know: that it dwells inside her sanctuary.

fail to know what it holds: it lies within her sanctuary.

وَسقامي بِها وَإِن أَنكَرتَهُ

وَسقامي بِها وَإِن أَنكَرتَهُ

شاهِدٌ بِالَّذي جَنَت مُقلَتاها

شاهِدٌ بِالَّذي جَنَت مُقلَتاها

My sickness for her—even if she denies it—

And my sickness because of her, though she denies it,

bears witness to what her eyes have wrought.

bears witness to what her eyes have wrought.

عَذَلَتها فيَّ الظنونُ وَلَم تَسْ

عَذَلَتها فيَّ الظنونُ وَلَم تَسْ

معْ لِلاحٍ قَبلَ الظُنونِ لَحاها

معْ لِلاحٍ قَبلَ الظُنونِ لَحاها

Suspicion reproached her on my account; yet she had not heard

Suspicions reproached her over me, though she had never

a censurer rebuke her before suspicion did.

listened to a reprover who blamed her before those suspicions.

وَإِذا كانَ في السُلوِّ شِفاءٌ

وَإِذا كانَ في السُلوِّ شِفاءٌ

فَقَليل سلوُّنا في شِفاها

فَقَليل سلوُّنا في شِفاها

If forgetting holds a cure,

And if forgetting holds a cure,

then scant indeed is the forgetting that cures us of her.

then little healing comes from our forgetting.

وَأَنا الصَبُّ لا أَزالُ كَما تَعْ

وَأَنا الصَبُّ لا أَزالُ كَما تَعْ

هَدُ مِني مُتيَّماً في هَواها

هَدُ مِني مُتيَّماً في هَواها

I remain the impassioned one, as you know me:

And I, the yearning lover, remain as she has

a lover enthralled by her love.

known me: enthralled by love for her.

أَحملُ الصَدَّ فَوقَ محملِ دَهري

أَحملُ الصَدَّ فَوقَ محملِ دَهري

حابسَ النَفسِ كَاتِماً شَكواها

حابسَ النَفسِ كَاتِماً شَكواها

I bear rejection atop the burden of my years,

I bear rejection atop the burden of my time,

imprisoning my soul and concealing its complaint.

restraining my soul and suppressing its complaint.

نازلَتْ صَبريَ الخطوبُ فَوَلّت

نازلَتْ صَبريَ الخطوبُ فَوَلّت

عاثِراتٍ بِاليَأسِ بَعد مُناها

عاثِراتٍ بِاليَأسِ بَعد مُناها

Calamities battled my patience, then fled,

Calamities challenged my patience, then retreated,

stumbling in despair after all they had hoped for.

stumbling in despair after their hopes.

تَرَكتُ في شباته ثلماتٍ

تَرَكتُ في شباته ثلماتٍ

مِثل ما في رُؤوسَها وَشواها

مِثل ما في رُؤوسَها وَشواها

They left notches in its blade,

I left notches in its sharp edge,

like those upon its points and edges.

like those in their heads and limbs.

وَاللَيالي عدوُّها كُلُّ حُرٍّ

وَاللَيالي عدوُّها كُلُّ حُرٍّ

ناصَبتهُ الطَعامَ تَحتَ لِواها

ناصَبتهُ الطَعامَ تَحتَ لِواها

The nights are the enemy of every free man;

And every freeborn man is the nights' enemy;

food set itself against him beneath their banner.

food [as written] opposed him beneath their banner.

وَالعداواتُ كَالمَودات في النا

وَالعداواتُ كَالمَودات في النا

س تُساوي الأَقدار مِن مُقتَضاها

س تُساوي الأَقدار مِن مُقتَضاها

Enmities, like affections among people,

And enmities, like affections among

are apportioned as destiny requires.

people, match their stature in what they entail.

وَخدوش الظَراء آلَم مَضّاً

وَخدوش الظَراء آلَم مَضّاً

مِن جِراحِ السُيوفِ رَقّت ظُباها

مِن جِراحِ السُيوفِ رَقّت ظُباها

A beast’s scratches are more searing in pain

The scratches of hounds sting more painfully

than sword wounds when their edges have grown blunt.

than wounds from swords whose edges are fine.

مَن عَذيري مِن عُصبَةٍ أَنا مِمَّن

مَن عَذيري مِن عُصبَةٍ أَنا مِمَّن

لامَني في تَطأمُني لَولاها

لامَني في تَطأمُني لَولاها

Who will excuse me before a company to which I belong,

Who will vindicate me against a band? I would be among those

when they blamed my abasement before her?

who blamed me for humbling myself, were it not for them.

وَعَظتني بِجَهلِها فَأَفادت

وَعَظتني بِجَهلِها فَأَفادت

نِيَ رُشداً وَفاتَ رُشدي هُداها

نِيَ رُشداً وَفاتَ رُشدي هُداها

She admonished me with her dark eyes, and thereby gave me

They admonished me through their ignorance and imparted

counsel, though my own sound judgment fell short of her guidance.

sound judgment to me, which surpassed their guidance.

وَإِذا الرفق لَم يَفد كانَ في الشِّدْ

وَإِذا الرفق لَم يَفد كانَ في الشِّدْ

دَةِ رفقٌ بِالنَفسِ يَشفي أَذاها

دَةِ رفقٌ بِالنَفسِ يَشفي أَذاها

When gentleness does no good, severity may hold

And when gentleness does not help, there is in

a kindness to the soul that heals its hurt.

sternness a kindness to the soul that heals its hurt.

وَإِذا الحِلمُ جَرَّ حَربَ سَفاهٍ

وَإِذا الحِلمُ جَرَّ حَربَ سَفاهٍ

فَمِنَ الرَأي أَن يَصيرَ سَفاها

فَمِنَ الرَأي أَن يَصيرَ سَفاها

When forbearance draws down a war of folly,

And when forbearance brings a war of folly,

wisdom itself may counsel answering folly with folly.

wisdom counsels that it become folly.

وَإِذا الجَهلُ أَورَث السكر نَفساً

وَإِذا الجَهلُ أَورَث السكر نَفساً

فَسَوِيُّ الجَهلِ لا يَكونُ دَواها

فَسَوِيُّ الجَهلِ لا يَكونُ دَواها

And when ignorance bequeaths intoxication to a soul,

And if ignorance leaves a soul intoxicated,

then nothing but ignorance can be its cure.

then an equal ignorance cannot be its cure.

رُبَّ سِلمٍ جَنَت مِن الشَر ما لَم

رُبَّ سِلمٍ جَنَت مِن الشَر ما لَم

تَجنهِ الحَربُ حينَ دارَت رَحاها

تَجنهِ الحَربُ حينَ دارَت رَحاها

Many a peace has bred an evil that war did not,

Many a peace has wrought evils that

even when war’s millstone turned.

war did not wreak when its millstone turned.

وَعَشير جَرّت مَصافاته العا

وَعَشير جَرّت مَصافاته العا

رُ وَأَمسى عَداوةً مُنتَهاها

رُ وَأَمسى عَداوةً مُنتَهاها

Many a companion’s friendship has dragged one into shame

And a companion whose friendship brought

until enmity became its final end.

disgrace, and whose friendship ended in enmity.

وَخِصالُ الفَتى تَنمُّ عَلَيهِ

وَخِصالُ الفَتى تَنمُّ عَلَيهِ

مِثل ريح عَرَفتَها مِن شَذاها

مِثل ريح عَرَفتَها مِن شَذاها

A young man’s qualities betray themselves upon him,

A young man's traits reveal him,

as scent makes known the breeze you recognize.

like a breeze you recognize by its fragrance.

جِلدةُ اللُؤمِ لا تَحولُ وَلَو أُبْ

جِلدةُ اللُؤمِ لا تَحولُ وَلَو أُبْ

رزَ مِن بزّةِ العُلى مِعصَماها

رزَ مِن بزّةِ العُلى مِعصَماها

The skin of baseness never changes, even if

The skin of baseness never changes, even if

its wrist is brought forth in the raiment of glory.

both its wrists are displayed from the garb of eminence.

وَأَخو الغَدرِ لا يُصافي وَما للْ

وَأَخو الغَدرِ لا يُصافي وَما للْ

لُؤْمِ من ذمةٍ تَشدُّ عُراها

لُؤْمِ من ذمةٍ تَشدُّ عُراها

The brother of treachery offers no true devotion; baseness

A treacherous man offers no sincere friendship, and baseness has

owns no covenant whose knots can bind it.

no covenant with firmly fastened bonds.

وَالتَجاريبُ مُوبِقاتٌ وَلَكن

وَالتَجاريبُ مُوبِقاتٌ وَلَكن

يَستَفيدُ الحَكيمُ مِن عُقباها

يَستَفيدُ الحَكيمُ مِن عُقباها

Trials are deadly things, and yet

And trials are ruinous, yet

the wise man profits from their aftermath.

the wise man benefits from their aftermath.

وَبِنَفسي وَإِن غلت نَفسُ حرٍّ

وَبِنَفسي وَإِن غلت نَفسُ حرٍّ

لَستُ بِالنَفسِ خاسِراً في فِداها

لَستُ بِالنَفسِ خاسِراً في فِداها

By my life—though the soul of a free man is dear—

My own soul—dear though it be—for a freeborn man's soul:

I do not count that soul lost when ransomed for her.

I am no loser in giving my soul as ransom for it.

ذي وِدادٍ كَأَنَّهُ الفَضةُ البَيْ

ذي وِدادٍ كَأَنَّهُ الفَضةُ البَيْ

ضاءُ زادَت يَدُ الزَمانِ جَلاها

ضاءُ زادَت يَدُ الزَمانِ جَلاها

For one whose affection is like silver,

With affection like silver,

made brighter by the hand of time;

white, its polish heightened by the hand of time;

وَذِمامٌ كَأَنَّهُ الصَخرَةُ الصَّم

وَذِمامٌ كَأَنَّهُ الصَخرَةُ الصَّم

ماءُ لاقَت مِن الخُطوبِ مياها

ماءُ لاقَت مِن الخُطوبِ مياها

and whose pledge is like a solid rock

and a pledge like a rock,

met by the floodwaters of calamity.

solid, meeting the waters of adversity.

كاملُ الفَضلِ في اِقتِبالِ شَبابٍ

كاملُ الفَضلِ في اِقتِبالِ شَبابٍ

هانَ فيهِ عَلى الشُيوخِ نُهاها

هانَ فيهِ عَلى الشُيوخِ نُهاها

Perfect in merit at the threshold of youth,

Perfect in merit in the first bloom of youth,

when even elders’ wisdom bowed before him.

in which elders deemed their own wisdom slight.

اَكسَبتُهُ الأَيّام حلماً لَو اِرتَدْ

اَكسَبتُهُ الأَيّام حلماً لَو اِرتَدْ

دَ إِلَيها لَم نَشكِ جَهلَ قَضاها

دَ إِلَيها لَم نَشكِ جَهلَ قَضاها

The days endowed him with such forbearance that, were it returned

The days endowed him with forbearance; were it to return

to them, we would no longer lament the ignorance of their decrees.

to them, we would not lament the ignorance of their decrees.

وَحَباهُ الزَمانُ أَخلاقَ لَطفٍ

وَحَباهُ الزَمانُ أَخلاقَ لَطفٍ

لَم تَحِل عِندَ سُخطِهِ عَن رِضاها

لَم تَحِل عِندَ سُخطِهِ عَن رِضاها

Time bestowed upon him gracious manners

Time bestowed on him gentle manners

that do not turn, even in anger, away from their kindness.

that never left their gracious calm, even in his anger.

مَن لشمسِ الضُحى بِنورِ هِلالٍ

مَن لشمسِ الضُحى بِنورِ هِلالٍ

مِن سَماءِ الشَهباءِ قَدْ حَياها

مِن سَماءِ الشَهباءِ قَدْ حَياها

Who can give the noonday sun the light of a crescent

Who can match the forenoon sun with a crescent's light

from the sky of al-Shahbāʾ, to greet it?

that has greeted her from the sky of al-Shahba?

تِلكَ شَرقٌ في الشَرقِ قَد كاثَرتْهُ

تِلكَ شَرقٌ في الشَرقِ قَد كاثَرتْهُ

أَنجُماً غالبَ النُجومَ سَناها

أَنجُماً غالبَ النُجومَ سَناها

That city is an orient within the Orient, thickly sown with

She is an East within the East, rivaling it

stars that outshine the stars in splendor.

in stars whose radiance surpasses the stars.

بَلدةٌ مَجدُها تَواصل في الإِع

بَلدةٌ مَجدُها تَواصل في الإِع

صارِ مِثلَ الإِعصارِ في مَجراها

صارِ مِثلَ الإِعصارِ في مَجراها

A city whose glory has endured through the ages,

A city whose glory endured through the ages [probable reading],

like a whirlwind coursing on its way.

like the whirlwind along its course.

كُلَما استَدبَرَتَ مِن الدَهر يَوماً

كُلَما استَدبَرَتَ مِن الدَهر يَوماً

زادَ سَطراً عَلى حَديثٍ عَلاها

زادَ سَطراً عَلى حَديثٍ عَلاها

Whenever it leaves behind a day of time,

Whenever you leave behind a day of time,

it adds a line to the chronicle of its loftiness.

it adds a line to the story of her glory.

وَسَقى اللَهُ أَرضَ حمصَ وَحيَّت

وَسَقى اللَهُ أَرضَ حمصَ وَحيَّت

نَفَحاتُ الرِّضَى خَصيبَ ثَراها

نَفَحاتُ الرِّضَى خَصيبَ ثَراها

May God water the land of Homs, and may it be greeted

May God water the land of Homs, and may

by the garden’s breaths over its fertile soil.

breezes of favor salute her fertile soil.

هِي فَردوسيَ القَديمَ وَمِنها

هِي فَردوسيَ القَديمَ وَمِنها

ثَمراتُ الحَياةِ كانَ جَناها

ثَمراتُ الحَياةِ كانَ جَناها

It is my ancient paradise, and from it

She is my paradise of old, and from her

came the fruits of life I gathered.

came the harvest of the fruits of life.

نَفحتني مِن سرها نَسمة حِي

نَفحتني مِن سرها نَسمة حِي

نَ سَرَت هَزَّ غصنُ وَجدي سُراها

نَ سَرَت هَزَّ غصنُ وَجدي سُراها

From its secret a breeze breathed upon me;

A breeze from her secret breathed upon me; when

as it passed, the branch of my longing swayed through the night.

it traveled by night, its passage shook the bough of my longing.

مِن حَبيب تَروي الصّبا عَن مَعانِي

مِن حَبيب تَروي الصّبا عَن مَعانِي

هِ فَتُحيي نُفوسَنا رياها

هِ فَتُحيي نُفوسَنا رياها

It came from a beloved, recounting youth and his meanings,

From a beloved whose meanings the east wind recounts,

and its fragrance revives our souls.

and whose fragrance brings our souls to life.

أَدَبٌ أَخجَل الأَزاهِرَ فَاِحمَر

أَدَبٌ أَخجَل الأَزاهِرَ فَاِحمَر

رَت حَياءٍ وَكلَلَت بِنداها

رَت حَياءٍ وَكلَلَت بِنداها

A refinement that put the flowers to shame, until they

Literary grace that shamed the blossoms, so they reddened

blushed modestly and crowned themselves with dew.

with bashfulness and were crowned with their dew.

وَمَعانٍ هِي السُلاف تَلافَت

وَمَعانٍ هِي السُلاف تَلافَت

ما جنته السُلافُ في صَرعاها

ما جنته السُلافُ في صَرعاها

And meanings like pure wine, surpassing

And meanings that are choice wine, repairing

what wine itself yields when poured unmixed.

the harm wine wrought among its victims.

قَد أَطاعَتهُ شارِداتُ القَوافي

قَد أَطاعَتهُ شارِداتُ القَوافي

راشِداتٍ فَأَنطَقَت مَن عَصاها

راشِداتٍ فَأَنطَقَت مَن عَصاها

The elusive rhymes obeyed him,

The wandering rhymes obeyed him,

guided, until he made even their staff speak.

rightly guided, and gave voice to one who resisted them.

طالَ عَهدي بِها إِلى أَن جَفَتها

طالَ عَهدي بِها إِلى أَن جَفَتها

همة قَصَّرت بِها في مَداها

همة قَصَّرت بِها في مَداها

Long had I known them, until they were estranged by

Long was my bond with them, until they were deserted

an ambition that fell short of their utmost reach.

by an aspiration that fell short of their range.

إِنَّما الشعرُ مِن صَبابات هَذا ال

إِنَّما الشعرُ مِن صَبابات هَذا ال

قَلبِ يُغني مَعينهُ بِغِناها

قَلبِ يُغني مَعينهُ بِغِناها

Poetry is only the outpouring of this

Poetry comes only from the passionate longings of this

heart; its spring sings through its abundance.

heart, its wellspring enriched by their abundance.

وَمَشيبُ الرُؤوس ينبئُ عَمَّا

وَمَشيبُ الرُؤوس ينبئُ عَمَّا

هَلَّ مِن مِثلِ فعلهِ في سِواها

هَلَّ مِن مِثلِ فعلهِ في سِواها

The whitening of heads tells of what

And the graying of heads reveals what

has descended, like it, upon their dark locks.

has dawned through the same working elsewhere.

وَرَواح زارَت وَفيها دَلالٌ

وَرَواح زارَت وَفيها دَلالٌ

زادَ ليناً بِلينهِ عِطفاها

زادَ ليناً بِلينهِ عِطفاها

A visiting spirit came, full of coquettish grace,

And Rawah came visiting, with a coy grace

adding tenderness to his own yielding tenderness.

whose softness made her two flanks softer still.

فَتَنَت قَلبَ هائمٍ تَرَكتَهُ

فَتَنَت قَلبَ هائمٍ تَرَكتَهُ

حائِراً بَينَ أُنسِها وَجَفاها

حائِراً بَينَ أُنسِها وَجَفاها

She captivated a wanderer’s heart and left it

She bewitched a wandering lover's heart and left it

bewildered between her intimacy and her estrangement.

bewildered between her intimacy and her coldness.

عاتَبتَني عَلى صُروفِ زَمانٍ

عاتَبتَني عَلى صُروفِ زَمانٍ

قَد رَماني بِشُؤمِهِ لا رَماها

قَد رَماني بِشُؤمِهِ لا رَماها

She reproached me for the turns of an age

She reproached me for the vicissitudes of a time

that struck me with its ill omen—may it never strike her.

that struck me with its ill fortune—may it never strike her.

وَعِتابُ الأَحبابِ حُلوٌ وَأَحلا

وَعِتابُ الأَحبابِ حُلوٌ وَأَحلا

هُ مَذاقاً ما جاءَ مِن أَحلاها

هُ مَذاقاً ما جاءَ مِن أَحلاها

A beloved’s reproach is sweet, and sweetest

And loved ones' reproach is sweet; the sweetest

in taste is what comes from the sweetest of them.

to taste is what comes from the sweetest of them.

وَالهَوى مَورِدُ الظُنون وَبَعض الظ

وَالهَوى مَورِدُ الظُنون وَبَعض الظ

ظنِّ إِثمٌ غَلِطتُ بَل حاشاها

ظنِّ إِثمٌ غَلِطتُ بَل حاشاها

Love is the watering place of suspicions, and some suspicion

Love is the watering place of suspicions, and some

is sin. I was mistaken—no, far be it from her.

suspicion is sin. I erred—no, far be it from her!

هِيَ أَوفى عَهداً وأَرشَدُ مِن أَن

هِيَ أَوفى عَهداً وأَرشَدُ مِن أَن

تَشمت الحادِثات في مَضناها

تَشمت الحادِثات في مَضناها

She is truer to her covenant, and wiser than to let

She is too faithful to her pledge, and too wise, to

events gloat over her lovesick sufferer.

let misfortunes gloat over her languishing lover.

وَأَنا الصادقُ الوَفاء وَإِن لَم

وَأَنا الصادقُ الوَفاء وَإِن لَم

يَصدق العَزمُ تارةً في وَفاها

يَصدق العَزمُ تارةً في وَفاها

And I am faithful and true, though

And I am true in fidelity, even if

resolve may sometimes fail in keeping faith.

my resolve sometimes falters in being faithful to her.

يا غُصونَ المُنى سَقَتكِ الغَوادي

يا غُصونَ المُنى سَقَتكِ الغَوادي

فَأَفادتك نَشأَةٌ سُقياها

فَأَفادتك نَشأَةٌ سُقياها

O branches of desire, may the morning rains water you

O branches of desire, may morning rains water you,

and grant you growth through their watering.

and may their watering grant you fresh growth.

وَالتَداني حَسبي وَلِلدَهرِ فينا

وَالتَداني حَسبي وَلِلدَهرِ فينا

بدواتٍ نَقول رَبِّ عَساها

بدواتٍ نَقول رَبِّ عَساها

Nearness is enough for me; and Time has, concerning us,

And nearness is enough for me; time has for us

sudden turns—to which we say: Lord, may it be so.

whims; we say, 'Lord, may they...'