شَمْسُsun الضُّحَىthe forenoon فِيin الغَمَامِthe clouds مُسْتَتِرَهْconcealed
شَمْسُ الضُّحَى فِي الغَمَامِ مُسْتَتِرَهْ
أَمْor دُمْيَةٌa statue فِيin النِّقَابِthe veil مُعْتَجِرَهْwith her head wrapped
أَمْ دُمْيَةٌ فِي النِّقَابِ مُعْتَجِرَهْ
Is she the forenoon sun concealed in clouds,
The sun of morning is hidden in the clouds,
or a statue, her head wrapped in a veil?
Or is it a doll veiled in robes?
حَنَّتْshe longed فَجَاءَتْso she came مَجِيءَthe coming مُذْنِبَةٍof a guilty woman
حَنَّتْ فَجَاءَتْ مَجِيءَ مُذْنِبَةٍ
إِلَيْكَto you مِمَّاfor what جَنَتْهُshe committed it مُعْتَذِرَهْapologizing
إِلَيْكَ مِمَّا جَنَتْهُ مُعْتَذِرَهْ
She longed, and came as a guilty woman comes,
She inclined and came like a comet,
to you, apologizing for what she had committed.
To you, apologizing for what she had done.
يَعْتَادُهَاrevisits her الشَّوْقُlonging ثُمَّthen يَمْنَعُهَاholds her back
يَعْتَادُهَا الشَّوْقُ ثُمَّ يَمْنَعُهَا
خَوْفُfear العدَاthe enemies وَالحَسُودَةِand the envious woman المَكِرَهْscheming
خَوْفُ العدَا وَالحَسُودَةِ المَكِرَهْ
Longing revisits her, then she is held back
Longing is wont to visit her, but then prevents her
by fear of enemies and the scheming, envious woman.
Fear of foes and hated envy.
حَتَّىuntil إِذَاwhen نَفْحَةُa breath الصَّبَاthe east wind نَسَمَتْblew gently
حَتَّى إِذَا نَفْحَةُ الصَّبَا نَسَمَتْ
نَمَّتْtattled عَلَيْهَاon her الرَّوَائِحُthe scents العَطِرَهْfragrant
نَمَّتْ عَلَيْهَا الرَّوَائِحُ العَطِرَهْ
Until, when a breath of the east wind blew,
Until when a breeze blew from the zephyr,
the fragrant scents betrayed her.
The scented airs awoke upon her.
أَحْبَبْhow lovely! بِهَاshe is زَوْرَةًas a visit وَزَائِرَةًand a visitor
أَحْبَبْ بِهَا زَوْرَةً وَزَائِرَةً
لَوْif only لَمْnot تَكُنْshe had been مِنْof وُشَاتِهَاher tale-bearers حَذِرَهْwary
لَوْ لَمْ تَكُنْ مِنْ وُشَاتِهَا حَذِرَهْ
How lovely the visit and the visitor,
Love her with occasional, fleeting visits,
had she not been wary of her tale-bearers!
If only she were not so cautious and wary.
تَظَلُّshe keeps عَنْabout حَالَتِيmy condition تُسَائِلُنِيasking me
تَظَلُّ عَنْ حَالَتِي تُسَائِلُنِي
وَهْيَand she بِمَاof what قَدْalready لَقِيْتُهُI suffered it خَبِرَهْwell aware
وَهْيَ بِمَا قَدْ لَقِيْتُهُ خَبِرَهْ
She keeps asking me about my condition,
She remains, asking after my state,
though she knows what I have suffered.
While she is aware of what I have endured.
قُلْتُI said لَهَاto her قَدْindeed قَدَرْتِyou have power فَاغْتَفِرِيso forgive
قُلْتُ لَهَا قَدْ قَدَرْتِ فَاغْتَفِرِي
مَاhow أَحْسَنَbeautiful العَفْوَforgiveness عِنْدَwith مُقْتَدِرَهْa powerful woman
مَا أَحْسَنَ العَفْوَ عِنْدَ مُقْتَدِرَهْ
I told her, 'You have power now, so forgive;
I said to her, “It was destined, so forgive me,
how beautiful forgiveness is in a woman with power!'
How excellent is pardon from one able to punish.”
قَالَتْshe said وَحَتَّىand until مَتَىwhen تُوَبِّخُنِيwill you reproach me
قَالَتْ وَحَتَّى مَتَى تُوَبِّخُنِي
مِنْfor دُونِless than ذّاthis مَاnot هَتَكْتُI unveiled مُسْتَتِرَهْa veiled woman
مِنْ دُونِ ذّا مَا هَتَكْتُ مُسْتَتِرَهْ
She said, 'And how long will you reproach me?
She said, “How long will you rebuke me
For less than this, I have unveiled no veiled woman.
Without that which I have exposed and uncovered?”
الذَّنْبُthe fault فِيin الحُبِّlove ليis mine فَأَغْفِرُهُso I forgive it
الذَّنْبُ فِي الحُبِّ لي فَأَغْفِرُهُ
هَذَاthis مِنَof الحُكْمِjudgment فِيin الهَوَىpassion نَكِرَهْan oddity
هَذَا مِنَ الحُكْمِ فِي الهَوَى نَكِرَهْ
The fault in love is mine, yet I should forgive it?
Sin in love is mine, so I forgive it;
That is a strange judgment in love!'
This is strange judgment in passion’s law.”
وَأَسْمَحَتْand she yielded فَاجْتَذَبْتُso I drew toward me مِئْزَرَهَاher waist-wrap
وَأَسْمَحَتْ فَاجْتَذَبْتُ مِئْزَرَهَا
يَاoh حُسْنَهَاher beauty حَاسِراًuncovered وَمُؤْتَزِرَهْand waist-wrapped
يَا حُسْنَهَا حَاسِراً وَمُؤْتَزِرَهْ
She yielded, so I drew her waist-wrap toward me;
She relented, so I drew up her skirt—
oh, her beauty, uncovered and waist-wrapped!
Such beauty bared and exposed!
نَاهِيْكَenough for you! مِنْof خَلْوَةٍa private meeting وَمُلْتَزَمٍand an embrace
نَاهِيْكَ مِنْ خَلْوَةٍ وَمُلْتَزَمٍ
وَرَشْفِand sipping ثَغْرٍlips وَرِيْقَةٍand saliva خَصِرَهْcool
وَرَشْفِ ثَغْرٍ وَرِيْقَةٍ خَصِرَهْ
What a private meeting and an embrace,
No more of trysts and secluded meetings,
and sipping at lips and cool saliva,
Of nipping the lip and sipping the waist.
وَمِنْand of مُشَارٍextracted honey عَلَىupon التَّرَائِبِthe collarbones فِيin
وَمِنْ مُشَارٍ عَلَى التَّرَائِبِ فِي
صَحِيْحَةِsound الصَّدْرِthe breast غَيْرُnot مُنْكَسِرَهْbroken
صَحِيْحَةِ الصَّدْرِ غَيْرُ مُنْكَسِرَهْ
and honey upon the collarbones of
Of fingers on soft breasts, not broken
a woman sound of breast, unbroken!
And blame that remains chiding me
وَذَاتُand a woman of لُوْمٍreproach تَظَلُّshe keeps تَزْجُرُنِيscolding me
وَذَاتُ لُوْمٍ تَظَلُّ تَزْجُرُنِي
وَهْيَand she عنِfrom الغَيِّwaywardness غَيْرُnot مُزْدَجِرَهْdesisting
وَهْيَ عنِ الغَيِّ غَيْرُ مُزْدَجِرَهْ
A reproachful woman keeps scolding me,
While she does not forbid wickedness.
though she herself will not desist from waywardness.
I said “O you, listen to a lad
يَاO هَذِهِyou there قُلْتُI said فَاسْمَعِيso listen لِفَتًىto a young man
يَا هَذِهِ قُلْتُ فَاسْمَعِي لِفَتًى
فِيin حَالِهِhis condition عِبْرَةٌa lesson لِمُعْتَبِرَهْfor a woman taking heed
فِي حَالِهِ عِبْرَةٌ لِمُعْتَبِرَهْ
I said, 'You there, listen to a young man
Whose state is a lesson for those who reflect.
whose plight holds a lesson for a woman who takes heed.
You ordered patience and resignation—if only
أَمَرْتِyou commanded بِالصَّبْرِto show patience وَالسُّلُوِّand forgetting love وَلَوْand if
أَمَرْتِ بِالصَّبْرِ وَالسُّلُوِّ وَلَوْ
عَشِقْتِyou fell in love أُلْفِيْتَyou would be found غَيْرَnot مُصْطَبِرَهْable to endure
عَشِقْتِ أُلْفِيْتَ غَيْرَ مُصْطَبِرَهْ
You commanded patience and forgetting; but had
You were in love you would not be so patient.
you fallen in love, you would have been found unable to endure.'
Give news to my brothers though they are distant
مِنْwho مُبْلِغٌwill tell إِخْوَتيmy brothers وَإِنْand though بَعَدُواthey are far away
مِنْ مُبْلِغٌ إِخْوَتي وَإِنْ بَعَدُوا
أَنَّthat حَيَاتِيmy life لِبُعْدِهِمْbecause of their distance كَدِرَهْclouded
أَنَّ حَيَاتِي لِبُعْدِهِمْ كَدِرَهْ
Who will tell my brothers, though they are far away,
That my life is unhappy due to their absence.
that my life is clouded by their distance?
I yearned to see their faces,
قَدْindeed هِمْتُI grew distraught شَوْقَاًwith longing إِلَىfor وُجُوهِهِمْtheir faces
قَدْ هِمْتُ شَوْقَاً إِلَى وُجُوهِهِمْ
تِلْكَthose الوُجُوهُfaces البَهِيَّةُsplendid النَّضِرَهْradiant
تِلْكَ الوُجُوهُ البَهِيَّةُ النَّضِرَهْ
I have grown distraught with longing for their faces,
Those radiant and glowing faces,
those splendid, radiant faces.
Sons of a king whose nobility prides them
أَبْنَاءُsons مُلْكٍof royalty عُلاَهُمُtheir eminence بِهِمُbecause of them
أَبْنَاءُ مُلْكٍ عُلاَهُمُ بِهِمُ
عَلَىabove العُلاَeminence وَالفَخَارِand glory مُفْتَخِرَهْvaunting itself
عَلَى العُلاَ وَالفَخَارِ مُفْتَخِرَهْ
Sons of royalty, whose eminence, because of them,
Above all others, gloriously exalted.
vaunts itself above high rank and glory.
A bounty adorned by them, graced
تُزْهَىtakes pride بِهِمْin them نِعْمَةٌprosperity تُزَيِّنُهَاadorns it
تُزْهَى بِهِمْ نِعْمَةٌ تُزَيِّنُهَا
مُرُوَّةٌmagnanimity لَمْnever تَكُنْwas تُرَىseen زَمِرَهْmeager
مُرُوَّةٌ لَمْ تَكُنْ تُرَى زَمِرَهْ
Prosperity takes pride in them, adorned
By a gentility that was never seen in others.
by a magnanimity never found meager.
This nature never ceased to be victorious
مَاnot انْفَكَّceased ذَاthis الخَلْقُhumankind بَيْنَbetween مُنْتَصِرٍa male victor
مَا انْفَكَّ ذَا الخَلْقُ بَيْنَ مُنْتَصِرٍ
عَلَىover الأَعَادِيthe enemies بِهِمْthrough them ومُنْتَصِرَهْand a female victor
عَلَى الأَعَادِي بِهِمْ ومُنْتَصِرَهْ
Humankind has ever been divided between men victorious
Against enemies, vanquishing and triumphant.
over enemies through them, and women victorious.
Mountains of forbearance, moons of hospitality,
جِبَالُmountains حِلْمٍof forbearance بُدُورُfull moons أَنْدِيَةٍof assemblies
جِبَالُ حِلْمٍ بُدُورُ أَنْدِيَةٍ
أُسْدُlions وَغًىof battle فِيin الهِيَاجِthe fray مُبْتَدِرَهْrushing foremost
أُسْدُ وَغًى فِي الهِيَاجِ مُبْتَدِرَهْ
Mountains of forbearance, full moons of assemblies,
Lions in battle, attacking with growls.
lions of battle, first to rush into the fray.
Pure white like the hands of the generous, no paleness
بَيْضٌfair كِرَامُnoble الفَعَالِin deeds لاَnot لَحِزُmiserly الْthe (continued next line)
بَيْضٌ كِرَامُ الفَعَالِ لاَ لَحِزُ الْ
أَيْدِيhands وَلَيْسَتْand are not مِنَof النَّدَىgenerosity صَفِرَهْempty
أَيْدِي وَلَيْسَتْ مِنَ النَّدَى صَفِرَهْ
Fair, noble in deeds, with no miserly
Of hands not dyed by the dew.
hands, nor hands empty of generosity.
People benefit from them and they benefit
لِلنَّاسِfor people فِيْهِمْin them مَنَافِعٌbenefits وَلَهُمْand theirs are
لِلنَّاسِ فِيْهِمْ مَنَافِعٌ وَلَهُمْ
مَنَافِعٌbenefits فِيamong الأَنَامِhumankind مُشْتَهَرَهْrenowned
مَنَافِعٌ فِي الأَنَامِ مُشْتَهَرَهْ
People find benefits in them, and theirs are
People with famed and widespread bounty.
benefits renowned among humankind.
When will I see myself in their Egypt
مَتَىwhen أَرَانِيshall I see myself بِمصْرَin Egypt جَارَهُمُtheir neighbor
مَتَى أَرَانِي بِمصْرَ جَارَهُمُ
تَسْمىis named بِهَاin it كُلُّevery غَادَةٍyoung beauty خَفِرَهْbashful
تَسْمى بِهَا كُلُّ غَادَةٍ خَفِرَهْ
When shall I see myself in Egypt, their neighbor,
Where each forest is guarded by a lion?
where every bashful young beauty is known by name?
The Nile completes its increase
والنِّيْلُand the Nile مُسْتَكْمِلٌcompleting زِيَادَتَهُits rise
والنِّيْلُ مُسْتَكْمِلٌ زِيَادَتَهُ
مِثْلَlike دُرُوعِcoats of mail الكُمَاةِthe warriors مُنْتَثِرَهْspread out
مِثْلَ دُرُوعِ الكُمَاةِ مُنْتَثِرَهْ
And the Nile, its rise complete,
Like coats of mail strewn about.
like warriors' coats of mail spread out.
The boats sail up and down,
تَغْدُوgo in the morning الزَّوَارِيْقُthe boats فِيْهِon it مُصْعِدَةًupstream
تَغْدُو الزَّوَارِيْقُ فِيْهِ مُصْعِدَةً
بِنَاwith us وَطَوْرَاًand sometimes تَرُوحُreturn at evening مُنْحَدِرَهْdownstream
بِنَا وَطَوْرَاً تَرُوحُ مُنْحَدِرَهْ
Boats go upstream upon it in the morning,
Ascending with us and cruising down.
with us, and sometimes return downstream at evening.
The wine cup circulates
والكَأسُand the cup يَسْعَىgoes about بِهَاwith it مُذَكَّرَةٌa boyish girl
والكَأسُ يَسْعَى بِهَا مُذَكَّرَةٌ
أَرْدَانُهَاher sleeves بِالعَبِيْرِwith perfume مُخْتَمِرَهْsteeped
أَرْدَانُهَا بِالعَبِيْرِ مُخْتَمِرَهْ
And a boyish girl carries round the cup,
Sealed with fragrance and fermenting,
her sleeves steeped in perfume.
Maidens, but this one has a hundred,
بِكْرَانِtwo virgins لَكِنْbut لِهَذِهِthis one has مِائَةٌa hundred
بِكْرَانِ لَكِنْ لِهَذِهِ مِائَةٌ
وَتِلْكَand that one ثِنْتَانِtwo واثْنَتَاand two عَشَرَهْten
وَتِلْكَ ثِنْتَانِ واثْنَتَا عَشَرَهْ
Two virgins—but this one is a hundred years old,
And that one twelve.
and that one is two plus twelve.
Oh would that I never saw Iraq nor
يَاoh لَيْتَنِيif only I لَمْhad not أَرَseen العِرَاقَIraq وَلَمْand had not
يَا لَيْتَنِي لَمْ أَرَ العِرَاقَ وَلَمْ
أَسْمَعْheard بِذِكْرِmention of الأَهْوَازِAhwaz وَالبَصَرَهْand Basra
أَسْمَعْ بِذِكْرِ الأَهْوَازِ وَالبَصَرَهْ
Oh, would that I had never seen Iraq, nor
Heard mention of Ahvaz or Basra!
heard mention of Ahwaz and Basra!
One land elevates me and another
تَرْفَعَنِيraises me بَلْدَةٌa town وَتَخْفِضُنِيand lowers me
تَرْفَعَنِي بَلْدَةٌ وَتَخْفِضُنِي
أُخْرَىanother فَمَنْthen from سَهْلَةٍsmooth terrain وَمِنْand from وَعِرَهْrugged terrain
أُخْرَى فَمَنْ سَهْلَةٍ وَمِنْ وَعِرَهْ
One town lifts me up, and I am brought down
Debases me—which is easy and which difficult?
by another—through smooth country and through rough.
Sometimes atop a Salhaba mount,
فَتَارَةٌso sometimes فَوْقَon ظَهْرِthe back سَلْهَبَةٍa tall she-camel
فَتَارَةٌ فَوْقَ ظَهْرِ سَلْهَبَةٍ
قَطَاتُهَاher rump بِالبِدَادِby the saddle-pads مُنْعَقِرَهْchafed raw
قَطَاتُهَا بِالبِدَادِ مُنْعَقِرَهْ
So sometimes on the back of a tall she-camel,
Its pattering in the desert never stills.
her rump chafed raw by the saddle-pads;
Other times in the Euphrates foundering,
وَتَارَةًand sometimes فِيon الفُرَاتِthe Euphrates طَامِيَةًswollen
وَتَارَةً فِي الفُرَاتِ طَامِيَةً
أَمْوَاجُهُits waves كَالْجِبَالِlike mountains مُعْتَكِرَهْchurning
أَمْوَاجُهُ كَالْجِبَالِ مُعْتَكِرَهْ
and sometimes on the Euphrates, its swollen
Its waves like mountains closely packed.
waves like mountains, churning.
As if distance loves me
حَتَّىuntil كَأَنَّas though البِعَادَseparation يَعْشَقُنِيis in love with me
حَتَّى كَأَنَّ البِعَادَ يَعْشَقُنِي
أَوْor طَالَبتْنِيhas pursued me يَدُthe hand النَّوَىof parting بِتِرَهْfor a blood-debt
أَوْ طَالَبتْنِي يَدُ النَّوَى بِتِرَهْ
Until it seems that separation is in love with me,
Or the hand of union lures me back.
or parting's hand has pursued me for a blood-debt.
Partial English translation: 65 of 66 Arabic lines translated.