لا القوم راحوا بأخبارٍ ولا جاؤوا

لا القوم راحوا بأخبارٍ ولا جاؤوا

ولا لقلبِكَ عن ليلاكَ أنباءُ

ولا لقلبِكَ عن ليلاكَ أنباءُ

The people neither went away with news nor came,

Neither have the folk brought tidings, nor have they come,

nor has your heart any tidings of your Layla.

Nor has your heart news about your nights.

جفا الربيع ليالينَا وغادرها

جفا الربيع ليالينَا وغادرها

وأقفرَ الروضُ لا ظلٌّ ولا ماءُ

وأقفرَ الروضُ لا ظلٌّ ولا ماءُ

Spring forsook our nights and left them;

Spring abandoned our nights and left them,

and the garden grew desolate: no shade, no water.

And the meadow was deserted – no shade, no water.

يا شافيَ الداءِ قد أودى بيَ الداءُ

يا شافيَ الداءِ قد أودى بيَ الداءُ

أما لهذا الظما القتَّالِ إرواءُ

أما لهذا الظما القتَّالِ إرواءُ

O healer of illness, illness has undone me.

O you who cure maladies, malady has destroyed me,

Is there no quenching for this murderous thirst?

Is there no slaking this raging, murderous thirst?

ولا لطائرِ قلبٍ أن يقَرَّ ولا

ولا لطائرِ قلبٍ أن يقَرَّ ولا

لموكبٍ فَزِعٍ في الشطِّ إرساءُ

لموكبٍ فَزِعٍ في الشطِّ إرساءُ

Nor can the bird of a heart settle, nor

No rest for the heart’s bird, no haven

is there anchorage at the shore for a frightened convoy.

For an anxious, frightened caravan in the river.

عندي سماءُ شتاءٍ غيرُ ممطرةٍ

عندي سماءُ شتاءٍ غيرُ ممطرةٍ

سوداءُ في جنَبَاتِ النفسِ جرداء

سوداءُ في جنَبَاتِ النفسِ جرداء

Within me is a winter sky that bears no rain,

I have a winter sky that does not rain,

black and barren in the recesses of the soul.

Dark in the ribs of my soul, barren.

هوجاءُ آونةً خرساءُ آونةً

هوجاءُ آونةً خرساءُ آونةً

وليس تخدعُ ظنّي وَهيَ خرساء

وليس تخدعُ ظنّي وَهيَ خرساء

Tempestuous at times, mute at times,

Tempestuous a while, silent another,

yet it does not deceive my judgment when it is mute.

Yet my fancy is not fooled when she is silent.

فكم سجا الليلُ إِلا هامسٌ قَلِقٌ

فكم سجا الليلُ إِلا هامسٌ قَلِقٌ

كأنه نَفَسٌ في الليلِ مَشَّاءُ

كأنه نَفَسٌ في الليلِ مَشَّاءُ

For how often the night lay still, save for a restless whisperer,

So how often has the night been tranquil but for a restless murmur,

as though it were a breath forever walking through the night.

As if it were a breath in the dark, a patrol.

أأنتِ ناديتِ أم صوتٌ يُخَيَّلُ لي

أأنتِ ناديتِ أم صوتٌ يُخَيَّلُ لي

فلي إِليك بأُذنِ الوهمِ إصغاءُ

فلي إِليك بأُذنِ الوهمِ إصغاءُ

Was it you who called, or a voice I imagine?

Was it you who called, or a voice I imagined?

So I listen to you with the ear of illusion.

So to you my hearing strains, attentive.

لبيكِ لو عندَ روحي ما تطيرُ به

لبيكِ لو عندَ روحي ما تطيرُ به

وكيفَ ينهضُ بالمجروحِ إعياءُ

وكيفَ ينهضُ بالمجروحِ إعياءُ

At your call—if only my soul had the means to fly!

I am here, if only my soul had wings to fly to you,

And how can exhaustion lift the wounded?

How can one wasted by love rise up?

لِمَن قيامي وبعثي هذه صورٌ

لِمَن قيامي وبعثي هذه صورٌ

لا تصطبي وتماثيلُ وأزياءُ

لا تصطبي وتماثيلُ وأزياءُ

For whom would I rise and return to life? These are images

Why should I rise and exert myself when these are but semblances,

that do not captivate, statues and costumes,

Not solid, mere clothes and images?

ومعرضُ أجوف المعنى وأسماءٌ

ومعرضُ أجوف المعنى وأسماءٌ

مذ آذنتنا بهذا البينِ أسماءُ

مذ آذنتنا بهذا البينِ أسماءُ

and a display empty of meaning, and names,

An empty show of meaning and names

ever since Asma told us of this parting.

Since you gave notice of this separation, names.

يا ليلُ كلُّ نهارٍ ميِّتٌ فإذا

يا ليلُ كلُّ نهارٍ ميِّتٌ فإذا

ناديت قامَ كما للبعثِ إِحياءُ

ناديت قامَ كما للبعثِ إِحياءُ

O night, every day is dead; but when

O night, every day is dead, so when

you call, it rises, as resurrection restores life.

You call, it rises as at the resurrection.

وليس يبلى نهارٌ في هواكِ مضى

وليس يبلى نهارٌ في هواكِ مضى

هيهاتَ ينسيه إصباحٌ وإمساءُ

هيهاتَ ينسيه إصباحٌ وإمساءُ

No day spent in your love wears away;

No day in your precincts passes away,

no morning or evening could ever make it forgotten.

Never will a morn or eve make it forgotten.

طابَ اللقاء به لاثنينِ فانفرَدَا

طابَ اللقاء به لاثنينِ فانفرَدَا

فتىً به سقمٌ بادٍ وحسناءُ

فتىً به سقمٌ بادٍ وحسناءُ

The meeting that day was sweet for two, and they withdrew alone:

Two met, and their meeting was sweet –

a young man with a visible illness, and a beauty.

A sick youth and a lovely girl.

جمالُهَا توبةُ الدنيا وعزتُهَا

جمالُهَا توبةُ الدنيا وعزتُهَا

كفارةٌ عن ذنوبِ الدهرِ بيضاءُ

كفارةٌ عن ذنوبِ الدهرِ بيضاءُ

Her beauty is the world's repentance, and her dignity

Her beauty was repentance for the world and her chastity

a white atonement for the sins of Time.

Expiation for the sins of time, pure white.

وشعرُهَا الفحمُ انسابت جَدَاوِلُه

وشعرُهَا الفحمُ انسابت جَدَاوِلُه

تكادُ تسطعُ حُسناً وَهي سوداءُ

تكادُ تسطعُ حُسناً وَهي سوداءُ

And her hair was coal; its rivulets flowed,

Her hair was black – its ringlets cascading,

almost shining with beauty, though they were black.

Glistening with beauty though raven dark.

نامت به خصلٌ واسترسلت خُصَلٌ

نامت به خصلٌ واسترسلت خُصَلٌ

لهَا وللعاجِ خلفَ الليلِ إغراءُ

لهَا وللعاجِ خلفَ الليلِ إغراءُ

Some locks slept within it, and others flowed loose;

A tress nodded in sleep and others freely flowed

there was allure in them, and in the ivory behind the night.

Temptingly behind the night for her and ivory.

توهجت شمسُ ذاك اليومِ واضطرمت

توهجت شمسُ ذاك اليومِ واضطرمت

كأنها شُعَلٌ في الأفقِ حمراءُ

كأنها شُعَلٌ في الأفقِ حمراءُ

The sun of that day glowed and blazed,

The sun of that day blazed and flamed

as though it were red flames on the horizon.

As if a bonfire on the horizon, red.

تَفَرّقَ الناسُ حول الشطٍِّ واجتمعوا

تَفَرّقَ الناسُ حول الشطٍِّ واجتمعوا

لهم به صخبٌ عالٍ وضوضاءُ

لهم به صخبٌ عالٍ وضوضاءُ

People scattered about the shore and gathered;

People scattered about the shore and gathered,

there they raised loud clamor and uproar.

Raised a great din and hubbub for themselves.

وآخرونَ كسالى في أماكنهم

وآخرونَ كسالى في أماكنهم

كأنهم في رمالِ الشطِّ أنضاءُ

كأنهم في رمالِ الشطِّ أنضاءُ

And others were languid in their places,

While others, lazy, in their places,

as though they were spent creatures on the sands of the shore.

As if they were rocks on the shore, hard.

تحللوا من قيودِ العيشِ وانطلقوا

تحللوا من قيودِ العيشِ وانطلقوا

لا هُم أُسَارى ولا فيهم أرِقَّاءُ

لا هُم أُسَارى ولا فيهم أرِقَّاءُ

They freed themselves from life's shackles and went forth;

They stripped off the fetters of life and broke loose,

they were not captives, nor were any among them slaves.

No longer captives, no longer sleepless prisoners.

تَنَزَّلَ الدهرُ يوماً عن مشيئته

تَنَزَّلَ الدهرُ يوماً عن مشيئته

وحكمِه فَلَهُم في الدهرِ ما شاءوا

وحكمِه فَلَهُم في الدهرِ ما شاءوا

For a day, Time relinquished its will

Time on that day cast off its laws

and its rule; so whatever they wished in life was theirs.

And decrees, so they had of it what they wished.

هُمُ الورى قبلَ إِفسادِ الزمانِ لهم

هُمُ الورى قبلَ إِفسادِ الزمانِ لهم

وقبلَ أن تتحدَّى الحبَّ بغضاءُ

وقبلَ أن تتحدَّى الحبَّ بغضاءُ

They were humankind before time corrupted them,

Before the corruption of the age they were

and before hatred challenged love.

The world's core, before hatred challenged love, foes.

لَم يُخلقوا وبهم من نفسهم عِلَلٌ

لَم يُخلقوا وبهم من نفسهم عِلَلٌ

لكن حضارةُ هذا العالمِ الداءُ

لكن حضارةُ هذا العالمِ الداءُ

They were not created with ailments inherent in themselves;

They were not created with flaws in themselves,

but this world's civilization is the disease.

Rather, the sickness of this world is the sickness.

ضاقت نفوسٌ بأحقادٍ ولو سلمت

ضاقت نفوسٌ بأحقادٍ ولو سلمت

فإنها كسماءِ البحرِ روحاءُ

فإنها كسماءِ البحرِ روحاءُ

Souls grew cramped with grudges; had they remained unspoiled,

Some souls narrowed with hatred – and had they been safe

they would be as spacious as the sky above the sea.

They would have been like the sky's expanse, open.

ما لي بهم أنتِ لي الدنيا بأجمعهَا

ما لي بهم أنتِ لي الدنيا بأجمعهَا

وما وعت ولقلبي منكِ إِغناءُ

وما وعت ولقلبي منكِ إِغناءُ

What have I to do with them? You are the whole world to me,

I have no need of them. For me you are the whole world

and all it holds; my heart is enriched by you.

And more – you suffice my heart and enrich it.

لو كان لي أبدٌ ما زادَ عن سنَةٍ

لو كان لي أبدٌ ما زادَ عن سنَةٍ

ومدةُ الحلمِ بالجفنينِ إغفاءُ

ومدةُ الحلمِ بالجفنينِ إغفاءُ

Had I an eternity, it would be no longer than a brief doze;

If I had forever, it would not exceed a year,

and a dream's span beneath the eyelids is a doze.

And the dream's span with eyes closed in sleep.

أرنو إليكِ وبي خوفُ يساورني

أرنو إليكِ وبي خوفُ يساورني

وأَنثَني ولطرفي عنكِ إِغضاءُ

وأَنثَني ولطرفي عنكِ إِغضاءُ

I gaze at you, while fear assails me,

I look to you, and a fear comes over me,

and I turn away, my gaze averted from you.

And I avert my gaze for I cannot bear to look.

إذا نطقتُ فما بالقولِ منتفعُ

إذا نطقتُ فما بالقولِ منتفعُ

وإن سكتُّ فإنَّ الصمتَ إِفشاءُ

وإن سكتُّ فإنَّ الصمتَ إِفشاءُ

When I speak, speech is of no avail;

When I speak, speech does not profit me,

and if I keep silent, silence is disclosure.

Yet if I am silent, silence too reveals.

أحَبَّكِ القلبُ حباً ما هتكتُ له

أحَبَّكِ القلبُ حباً ما هتكتُ له

سرّا ولا مستطاعٌ فيه إِخفاءُ

سرّا ولا مستطاعٌ فيه إِخفاءُ

My heart loved you with a love of which I disclosed no

My heart loved you with a love whose secret I have not betrayed

secret, nor is its concealment possible.

Nor can conceal, beyond my power.

وأيما خطرةٌ فالريحُ ناقلةٌ

وأيما خطرةٌ فالريحُ ناقلةٌ

والشطُّ حاكٍ لها والأفقُ أصداءُ

والشطُّ حاكٍ لها والأفقُ أصداءُ

And any passing thought—the wind carries it,

Whatever notion occurs, the wind conveys it

and the shore recounts it, and the horizon is echoes.

And the shore echoes it, and the horizon, echoes.

يا ليل من عَلَّمَ الأطيارَ قصتَنَا

يا ليل من عَلَّمَ الأطيارَ قصتَنَا

وكيفَ تدري الصَّبَا أَنَّا أَحباءُ

وكيفَ تدري الصَّبَا أَنَّا أَحباءُ

O night, who taught the birds our story?

O night, who taught the birds our tale,

And how does the east wind know that we are lovers?

How does the morning breeze know we are lovers?

لمَّا أفقنَا رأينَا الشمسَ مائلةً

لمَّا أفقنَا رأينَا الشمسَ مائلةً

إِلى الوداعِ وما للبينِ إِرجاءُ

إِلى الوداعِ وما للبينِ إِرجاءُ

When we awoke, we saw the sun inclining

When we awoke we saw the sun declining

toward farewell, and parting could not be delayed.

To farewell, with no reprieve for separation.

شابت ذوائبُ وانحلَّت غدائرُهَا

شابت ذوائبُ وانحلَّت غدائرُهَا

شهباءُ في ساعةِ التوديعِ صفراءُ

شهباءُ في ساعةِ التوديعِ صفراءُ

Its forelocks grayed, and its braids came undone,

Her braids greyed and her tresses unravelled,

ash-gray at the hour of farewell, and yellow.

Ash-blonde at the hour of parting, yellow.

مَشَى لها شفقٌ دامٍ فخضَّبَها

مَشَى لها شفقٌ دامٍ فخضَّبَها

كأنه في ذيولِ الشعرِ حِنَّاءُ

كأنه في ذيولِ الشعرِ حِنَّاءُ

A bleeding twilight walked toward it and dyed it,

An abiding dusk escorted her and dyed her,

as though it were henna on the hair's trailing ends.

As if it were henna on the train of her hair.

يا من تَنَفَّسَ حَرَّ الوجدِ في عُنُقي

يا من تَنَفَّسَ حَرَّ الوجدِ في عُنُقي

كما تَنَفَّسُ في الأقداحِ صهباءُ

كما تَنَفَّسُ في الأقداحِ صهباءُ

O you who breathed passion's heat upon my neck,

O you who breathed the heat of passion on my neck,

as tawny wine breathes in the goblets,

As the hot vapour breathes in the wine flasks.

ومَن تنفستُ حرَّ الوجدِ في فمه

ومَن تنفستُ حرَّ الوجدِ في فمه

فما ارتويتُ وهذا الريُّ إِظماءُ

فما ارتويتُ وهذا الريُّ إِظماءُ

and you into whose mouth I breathed passion's heat,

And I breathed the heat of passion in his mouth,

yet my thirst was not quenched; this quenching brings thirst.

Yet am not sated, though this stream flows ever.

ما أنتَ عن خاطري بالبعد مبتعد

ما أنتَ عن خاطري بالبعد مبتعد

ولن توارِيكَ عن عينيَّ ظلماءُ

ولن توارِيكَ عن عينيَّ ظلماءُ

Distance does not remove you from my thoughts,

You are not far from my thoughts, however distant,

nor will darkness hide you from my eyes.

Nor will darkness conceal you from my eyes.