جاءَhas come الرَبيعُspring فاينَso where مَنthe one whom اهواهُI love him
جاءَ الرَبيعُ فاينَ مَن اهواهُ
كيماso that اسيرَI may walk مرافقاًaccompanying اياهُhim
كيما اسيرَ مرافقاً اياهُ
Spring has come; where is the one I love?
Spring has come, so where is the one I love
So that I may walk in his company.
That I may walk with him hand in hand
نَختالwe strut ماwhat lies بينbetween الخمائلthe leafy groves نحبتنيwe pluck (unclear spelling)
نَختال ما بين الخمائل نحبتني
ورداًroses نضيراًfresh مثلَهُlike it خدّاهُhis two cheeks
ورداً نضيراً مثلَهُ خدّاهُ
We strut among the leafy groves, plucking
Strolling between beauties who loved me
Fresh roses, like his two cheeks.
Like a rose, his cheeks blushed like it
وَنَجوسُand we roam هاتيكthose الغياضَwoods كانَّناas though we were
وَنَجوسُ هاتيك الغياضَ كانَّنا
لِصّانِtwo thieves نَبغيwe seek فيin الخباconcealment اقصاهُits farthest extent
لِصّانِ نَبغي في الخبا اقصاهُ
And roam those woods, as though we were
The meadows giggled as if
Two thieves seeking the utmost concealment.
We were thieves seeking refuge far in the thickets
وَنَغُلُّand we slip within فيin ذاكthat الضرآءِdense cover ومآؤُهُand its water
وَنَغُلُّ في ذاك الضرآءِ ومآؤُهُ
وَغصونُهُand its branches وَحمائمٌand doves بِحِماهُwithin its sanctuary
وَغصونُهُ وَحمائمٌ بِحِماهُ
And we slip into that dense cover; its water,
We wade into the valley and its water
Its branches, and doves within its sanctuary,
Its branches, doves nesting in its shelter
بِخَريرهِwith its murmuring وَحَفيفهاand their rustling وَهَديرهاand their cooing
بِخَريرهِ وَحَفيفها وَهَديرها
كَرَقيبِlike a watcher صَبٍّof a lovesick lover قامrose يَصرُخُshouting هاhere هوhe is
كَرَقيبِ صَبٍّ قام يَصرُخُ ها هو
With its murmuring, their rustling, and their cooing,
With its murmuring, rustling, and roaring
Are like a lover's watcher, rising to shout, 'Here he is!'
Like a vigilant boy shouting “Look here!”
أَوor كاللواتيlike those females who خِفنَfeared منّاus فاِنتَضَينَso they unsheathed
أَو كاللواتي خِفنَ منّا فاِنتَضَينَ
سِلاحَthe weapon of صَوتٍa voice ماnot لهنَّthey have سواهُanything but it
سِلاحَ صَوتٍ ما لهنَّ سواهُ
Or like those who feared us and unsheathed
Or like shy girls who fled from us
The weapon of a voice, for they have no other.
With no voice but their voice
لاno صَوتَsound الّاexcept صوتهنَّtheir voices بِهِin it كماjust as
لا صَوتَ الّا صوتهنَّ بِهِ كما
لاno غيرَother than أَرجُلناour feet هناكthere تَطاهُtread it
لا غيرَ أَرجُلنا هناك تَطاهُ
No sound but their voices fills it, just as
No feet but our feet roaming there
No feet but ours tread it there.
Until we penetrated deep within
حتىّuntil نروحَwe move on وقدand already توغَّلناwe ventured deep بِهِwithin it
حتىّ نروحَ وقد توغَّلنا بِهِ
وكأَنَّناand as though we were منfrom قلبهِits heart سِرّاهُits two secrets
وكأَنَّنا من قلبهِ سِرّاهُ
Till we move on, having ventured deep within it,
As if we came from its heart, its secrets
As though we were its heart's twin secrets.
Or hunters hiding in the clouds
اوor صائِدانtwo hunters منamong السمُاةhuntsmen تبطَّناthey both entered
او صائِدان من السمُاة تبطَّنا
خَمَراًa thicket اثيثاًdense يَقنِصانِthey both hunt ظِباهُits gazelles
خَمَراً اثيثاً يَقنِصانِ ظِباهُ
Or two hunters among huntsmen who have entered
Pursuing a flock of gazelles
A dense thicket, hunting its gazelles.
Or like prey escaped from the hunter
اوor مِثلُlike صَيدٍquarry فرَّfled منfrom صيَّادِهِits hunter
او مِثلُ صَيدٍ فرَّ من صيَّادِهِ
اوor هاربٍa fugitive لِحقَتcaught up بِهِwith him أَعداهُhis enemies
او هاربٍ لِحقَت بِهِ أَعداهُ
Or like quarry that fled its hunter,
Or fugitive fate chased him down
Or a fugitive whose enemies caught up with him,
Or a lover following his darling’s trail
اوor عاشقٍa lover جارٍrunning بإِثرin the wake of حبيبهِhis beloved
او عاشقٍ جارٍ بإِثر حبيبهِ
وَقَدand already اِختفىhad vanished عنهُfrom him فماso not يَلقاهُhe finds him
وَقَد اِختفى عنهُ فما يَلقاهُ
Or a lover running in his beloved's wake,
Though he disappeared, nowhere to be found
Who has vanished from him, so he cannot find him.
Walking together, then walking side by side
مُتَسايرَينwalking together وَتارةand at times مُتَخاصرَينِholding each other's waists
مُتَسايرَين وَتارة مُتَخاصرَينِ
أَضُمُّهُI embrace him وَيَضُمُّنيand embrace me زنداهُhis two forearms
أَضُمُّهُ وَيَضُمُّني زنداهُ
Walking together, and sometimes holding each other's waists,
I hold him and he holds me, his arm around me
I embrace him, and his two forearms embrace me.
Teasing each other with the finest talk
متجاذَبينexchanging with each other منof الحديثِconversation ارَقَّthe tenderest ماwhat
متجاذَبين من الحديثِ ارَقَّ ما
يُمليdictates الغَرامُpassion وحبَّذاand how delightful إِملاهُits dictation
يُملي الغَرامُ وحبَّذا إِملاهُ
Exchanging, in conversation, the tenderest things
That love inspires—how delightful to indulge!
Passion dictates—and how delightful its dictation!
In the shade of its dome covering it
هَذاthis وقدand already بَسطhas spread الرَبيعُspring بِساطَهُits carpet
هَذا وقد بَسط الرَبيعُ بِساطَهُ
فيin ظِلِّthe shade of قُبَّتهِits dome الَّتيwhich تَغشاهُcovers it
في ظِلِّ قُبَّتهِ الَّتي تَغشاهُ
All this, while spring has spread its carpet
A dome of branches and leaves
In the shade of its dome, which covers it.
Blocking iron spears from the sky
هيَit قُبَّةُthe dome of الأَغصانِthe branches والأَوراقِand the leaves قدindeed
هيَ قُبَّةُ الأَغصانِ والأَوراقِ قد
قدhas indeed حَجَبتveiled عنfrom النظرthe gaze الحديدِkeen سَماهُits sky
قد حَجَبت عن النظر الحديدِ سَماهُ
It is a dome of branches and leaves which has
Swaying like pavilions hung
Indeed veiled its sky from the keen gaze,
On the belt of water we see
حَتىّuntil تَدَلَّتthey drooped كالحمائلlike sword-belts عُلِّقتsuspended
حَتىّ تَدَلَّت كالحمائل عُلِّقت
بِحُسامfrom a sword مآءٍof water لِلغَديرof the brook نَراهُwe see it
بِحُسام مآءٍ لِلغَدير نَراهُ
Till they droop like sword-belts suspended
Shadows in the calm water as though
From a blade of water—the brook we see.
A friend’s forearm and whoever clasps it finds bliss
ظَلَلٌshades منof الماءِwater القَراحpure كأَنَّهُas though it were
ظَلَلٌ من الماءِ القَراح كأَنَّهُ
زَندُthe forearm of الحَبيبthe beloved ومنand from حَصاهُits pebbles حِلاهُits ornaments
زَندُ الحَبيب ومن حَصاهُ حِلاهُ
Shades of pure water, as though it were
Flowing over smooth stone while around it
The beloved's forearm, its pebbles forming its jewels.
Are emeralds and rubies, pure as can be
يَجريit flows علىover مثلthe likeness of الجُمانِpearls وحولَهُand around it
يَجري على مثل الجُمانِ وحولَهُ
مِثلُthe likeness of الزَبَرجَدِchrysolite وَاللُجينُand silver نَقاهُits sandbanks
مِثلُ الزَبَرجَدِ وَاللُجينُ نَقاهُ
It flows over the likeness of pearls, and around it lies
Bubbling like snakes but bites
The likeness of chrysolite; its sandbanks are silver.
Find only healing in its water
متمعّجاًwinding كالافعوانlike a serpent وإِنَّماyet indeed
متمعّجاً كالافعوان وإِنَّما
منfrom مآئِهِits water يَجِدfinds اللديغُthe snake-bitten one شفاهُhis cure
من مآئِهِ يَجِد اللديغُ شفاهُ
Winding like a serpent, yet
Pure—but without its sound and reflection
It is from its water that the bitten one finds his cure.
It would be hidden, invisible to the eye
صافٍclear فَلَولاand were it not for صوتُهُits sound وَخَيالُand the image of ماwhat
صافٍ فَلَولا صوتُهُ وَخَيالُ ما
فيهِin it تمثَّلis reflected لاختفىit would vanish مَرآهُits appearance
فيهِ تمثَّل لاختفى مَرآهُ
Clear—were it not for its sound and the images of what
The wind plays with it, teasing it
Is reflected in it, it would vanish from sight.
Back and forth around its run
وَالريحُand the wind تمزحُjests معهُwith it لاعبةًplaying بِهِwith it
وَالريحُ تمزحُ معهُ لاعبةً بِهِ
طَرداًforward وعكساًand backward حولَهُaround it وإِزاهُand beside it
طَرداً وعكساً حولَهُ وإِزاهُ
And the wind jests with it, playing upon it,
Bending, the branches immersed within
Forward and backward, around it and beside it.
One submerged, another stretching to reach it
وَقَدand already اِنحنىbent متهدِّلُdrooping الأَغصانthe branches ذاthis one
وَقَد اِنحنى متهدِّلُ الأَغصان ذا
قدalready غاصplunged فيهِinto it وَذاand that one لَهُtoward it مَسعاهُits course
قد غاص فيهِ وَذا لَهُ مَسعاهُ
And the drooping branches have bent: this one
Like camels thirsty, stooping to drink
Has plunged into it, and that one's course is toward it.
Or blossoms opening their mouths for it
كأَراقمٍlike mottled snakes عَطشىthirsty تَدَلَّتhung down وارِداًcoming to drink
كأَراقمٍ عَطشى تَدَلَّت وارِداً
أَوor فاتِحاًopening لِلوردto drink منهاamong them فاهُits mouth
أَو فاتِحاً لِلورد منها فاهُ
Like thirsty mottled snakes hanging down, one coming to drink,
Each bud’s tip like the mouth
Or one among them opening its mouth to drink.
Of a silent viper opened wide
وَكأَنَّand as though برُغُمَthe bud of (unclear spelling) كلِّevery أُملودٍtender shoot بهاon them
وَكأَنَّ برُغُمَ كلِّ أُملودٍ بها
رأَسٌa head لأَرقَمَof a mottled snake مُطبَقٍclosed فكّاهُits two jaws
رأَسٌ لأَرقَمَ مُطبَقٍ فكّاهُ
And as though the bud of every tender shoot there
Until saturated, you swim without wanting
Were a serpent's head with its jaws shut.
To part from its goodness and tenderness
حتىّuntil اذاwhen رَويتَyou drank your fill بِهِfrom it سَبحتyou swam ولمand did not
حتىّ اذا رَويتَ بِهِ سَبحت ولم
تَسطِعyou can تفارِقُleave طيبَةُsweetness وَهَناهُand its delight
تَسطِع تفارِقُ طيبَةُ وَهَناهُ
Till, when you have drunk your fill of it, you swim and cannot
And the falling leaves seem to have
Part from its sweetness and delight.
A passion so strong for it they tossed themselves in
وكأَنَّماand as though مُتَساقِطُthe falling الاوراقleaves ذوone possessing
وكأَنَّما مُتَساقِطُ الاوراق ذو
شَوقٍlonging لَهُfor it غَلَبَovercame الهوىpassion فَرَماهُso it cast him down
شَوقٍ لَهُ غَلَبَ الهوى فَرَماهُ
And as though the falling leaves were someone
And you see plant roots infatuated with it
Longing for it, whom passion overcame and cast down.
Wandering in it, quenching their thirst
وَترىand you see جُذورَthe roots of النبتplants مُغرَمةًenamored بِهِof it
وَترى جُذورَ النبت مُغرَمةً بِهِ
فتجولُso they wander فيهِwithin it تَرتَويdrink their fill بِرواهُwith its refreshing water
فتجولُ فيهِ تَرتَوي بِرواهُ
And you see the plants' roots enamored of it,
Red, yellow, or white
So they wander within it, drinking deeply of its water.
Like snakes slithering in its curves
منsome احمرٍred اوor اصفرٍyellow اوor ابيضٍwhite
من احمرٍ او اصفرٍ او ابيضٍ
كجوارِنlike bodies (uncertain term) الحَيّاتof snakes فيin أَنحاهُits reaches
كجوارِن الحَيّات في أَنحاهُ
Some red, or yellow, or white,
And when it nears a lofty tree in its flow
Like the bodies of snakes along its reaches.
It trips and goes on smashed feet
واذاand when دناit neared منto شاهقٍa height فيin جَريهِits flow
واذا دنا من شاهقٍ في جَريهِ
زَلَّتslipped فراحَso it went محطَّماًshattered قدَماهُits two feet
زَلَّت فراحَ محطَّماً قدَماهُ
And when it nears a height in its course,
But soon returns unharmed
Its feet slip, and it goes on with them shattered.
Like spilt glass it comes back whole
لكنهُbut it فيin الحالthe instant يرجعreturns سالماًintact
لكنهُ في الحال يرجع سالماً
مثلlike الزجاجglass اذاwhen سكبتَyou poured out إِناهُits vessel
مثل الزجاج اذا سكبتَ إِناهُ
But at once it returns intact,
And it seems to avoid reaching the tall
Like glass when you pour out its vessel.
Trees bending back the way it came
وكانهُand as though it حَذَرَfor fear of البلوغreaching لِشاهقٍa height
وكانهُ حَذَرَ البلوغ لِشاهقٍ
عندupon التجعُّدrippling راجِعٌturning back لِوَراهُbehind itself
عند التجعُّد راجِعٌ لِوَراهُ
And as though, fearing to reach a height,
Until it flows out to the meadows
It turns backward as it ripples.
As if they were its hiding place
حتىّuntil اذاwhen بلغit reached الحَضيضَthe bottom انسابglided فيthrough
حتىّ اذا بلغ الحَضيضَ انساب في
تلكthose الرياضgardens كأَنَّهُنَّas though they were خِباهُits tent
تلك الرياض كأَنَّهُنَّ خِباهُ
Until, on reaching the bottom, it glides through
There the branches embodied it, made it theirs
Those gardens, as though they were its tent.
So their branches became its course
فَتناوَلَتهُso they took it in ومثَّلتهُand embodied it لنفسهاfor themselves
فَتناوَلَتهُ ومثَّلتهُ لنفسها
فغدتso became بِذاكthrough that غصونُهاtheir branches مَجراهُits channel
فغدت بِذاك غصونُها مَجراهُ
Then they take it in and give it form within themselves,
It took the form of elegant roses, narcissi
And thus their branches become its channel.
Violets and the like, its peers
فتمثَّلso it took the form of الوردَroses الانيقَelegant وَنَرجِساًand narcissi
فتمثَّل الوردَ الانيقَ وَنَرجِساً
وَبَنفسجاand violets وَنظيرُهاand their like الأَشباهُkindred forms
وَبَنفسجا وَنظيرُها الأَشباهُ
It takes the form of elegant roses and narcissi,
So it became both what plucks
And violets, and other forms akin to them.
The thorns from the hearts of the afflicted
فَغَداso it became هوit الإِثنينboth مِمّاamong things through which يَنتَفيis dispelled
فَغَدا هو الإِثنين مِمّا يَنتَفي
منهُthrough it عنfrom القلبthe heart الشجيّgrieving اساهُits sorrow
منهُ عن القلب الشجيّ اساهُ
Thus it becomes both forms, through which
And there were fresh green meadows
Sorrow is dispelled from the grieving heart.
With snakes whose spots were rain drops
وَهناكand there منfrom تلكthose المُروجmeadows مَطارِفٌfine cloaks
وَهناك من تلك المُروج مَطارِفٌ
خَضرآءُgreen زخرَفَهاadorned them الحَياrain بنَداهُwith its dew
خَضرآءُ زخرَفَها الحَيا بنَداهُ
And there, those meadows furnish cloaks
The blossoms shone and filled the air with fragrance
Of green, embroidered by rain with its dew.
As if the flowers were its Lord's creation
وَالزَهرand the blossoms لاحَshone بهاin them وفاحand spread fragrance كانهُas though they were
وَالزَهر لاحَ بها وفاح كانهُ
زُهرٌstars واينand where الزُهرthe stars منbeside رَبّاهُits hills
زُهرٌ واين الزُهر من رَبّاهُ
And blossoms gleam and breathe fragrance there, as though they were
The birds tweeted from the branches and the leaves
Stars—yet how can stars compare with its hills?
Rustled as the water flowed by
وَالطيرand the birds صاحcalled عَلىupon الغصونthe branches فصفَّقتso clapped
وَالطير صاح عَلى الغصون فصفَّقت
اوراقهاtheir leaves وَتَثَنَّتand swayed الأَمواهُthe waters
اوراقها وَتَثَنَّت الأَمواهُ
And birds call upon the branches, prompting applause
Those branches swayed and it became
From their leaves, while the waters sway.
A place of joy, like a paradise of clarity
وَتَراقَصَتand danced تلكthose الغصونbranches فمَجلِسٌthus a gathering place
وَتَراقَصَت تلك الغصون فمَجلِسٌ
لِلَّهوِfor pleasure ثَمَّthere كَجَنَّةٍlike a paradise بصفاهُin its serenity
لِلَّهوِ ثَمَّ كَجَنَّةٍ بصفاهُ
And those branches dance—a gathering place
It is a paradise and its angel is my love
For pleasure lies there, like paradise in its serenity.
Who rules beauty and grace like a god
هُوَit جنَّةٌa paradise وَمَلاكُهاand its angel حبيmy beloved الَّذيwho
هُوَ جنَّةٌ وَمَلاكُها حبي الَّذي
هوَhe للمحاسنof loveliness وَالجمالand beauty إِلهُa god
هوَ للمحاسن وَالجمال إِلهُ
It is a paradise, and its angel is my beloved, who
Praise to you, my darling—I see
Is a god of loveliness and beauty.
Nothing that resembles your charm
لِلَّهGod be praised ذَيّاكthat الحَبيبbeloved وَماand not أَرىI see
لِلَّه ذَيّاك الحَبيب وَما أَرى
شَيئاًanything اشبههُI liken him بِهِto it إِلّاهُexcept himself
شَيئاً اشبههُ بِهِ إِلّاهُ
God be praised for that beloved! I see
You who I compare to nothing, for you are
Nothing to compare him with but himself.
Perfection! Behold, such is your beauty!
هُوَhe ماwhat أُشبِّههُI liken him بِهِto it فكأَنَّهُso as though he were
هُوَ ما أُشبِّههُ بِهِ فكأَنَّهُ
هُوَhe himself فانظرواso look باللَهby God ماhow أَحلاهُsweet he is
هُوَ فانظروا باللَه ما أَحلاهُ
He is what I liken him to, as though he were
Sweeter than hopes, so much so
Himself—look, by God, how sweet he is!
I say my hopes have attained their goal in you
احلىsweeter منthan الآمالhopes حتىّso much so that إِنَّنيindeed I
احلى من الآمال حتىّ إِنَّني
لأُقولُI surely say منthan أَمليmy hope بنَيلof attaining لِقاهُa meeting with him
لأُقولُ من أَملي بنَيل لِقاهُ
Sweeter than hopes, so much so that I
And more overwhelmingly sweet than our union
Say: sweeter than my hope of meeting him;
So with whom do I compare your beauty and splendor?
وأَشَدُّand more intense فرطَexcess of حلاوةٍsweetness منوَصلهِthan union with him
وأَشَدُّ فرطَ حلاوةٍ منوَصلهِ
فَبِمَنso to whom اشبهحسنهُcan I liken his beauty وَبَهاهُand his radiance
فَبِمَن اشبهحسنهُ وَبَهاهُ
And far more intensely sweet than union with him—
Sit there, gentle gazelle, with your peerless gathering
To whom, then, can I liken his beauty and radiance?
Listen, taste, thrill, live! For living is but
فاجلسso sit هنالكthere ايهاO you الغَزِلُthe amorous one الطَروthe raptur-
فاجلس هنالك ايها الغَزِلُ الطَرو
بُ-ous (word ending) بمعشرٍwith a company مَلمومةٍgathered together أَحشاهُits inward parts
بُ بمعشرٍ مَلمومةٍ أَحشاهُ
Then sit there, O amorous, raptur-
A moment of long days
ous one, among a company knit together at heart.
Cry out to every brother in joy and bliss through him
واسمعand listen وذُقand taste واطرَبand rejoice وَعِشand live فالعيشُfor life ذاis this
واسمع وذُق واطرَب وَعِش فالعيشُ ذا
حيناًfor a while منof الزَمنtime الطويلِlong مداهُits span
حيناً من الزَمن الطويلِ مداهُ
And listen, taste, rejoice, and live, for this is life,
Does this bliss, I wonder, equal its sorrow?
For a while within time's long span.
This is the good life, but few
واهتِفand call out بكلِّto every اخيpossessor of غنىًwealth وعَناًand toil بِهِover it
واهتِف بكلِّ اخي غنىً وعَناً بِهِ
أَيَفيdoes it compensate تُرىdo you think هَذاthis الغنىwealth بعناهُfor his toil
أَيَفي تُرى هَذا الغنى بعناهُ
And call to every man of wealth and toil for it:
Can achieve it or seek it, so miserable are they
Does this wealth, you think, repay his toil?
And those who desire it cannot—it is
هَذاthis هُوَis العَيشُlife الصَحيحtrue وقلَّand few are مَنthose who
هَذا هُوَ العَيشُ الصَحيح وقلَّ مَن
يَسطيعُهُcan attain it وَيرومهُand seek it لِشقاهُto his sorrow
يَسطيعُهُ وَيرومهُ لِشقاهُ
This is true life, and few are those who
A name without body, oh what loss!
Can attain it, though they seek it to their sorrow.
وَمُريدُهُand its seeker لاnot يَستَطيعُis able فقدfor already غَداit has become
وَمُريدُهُ لا يَستَطيعُ فقد غَدا
إِسماًa name بلاwithout جسمٍa body فواso, alas أَسفاهُwhat sorrow!
إِسماً بلا جسمٍ فوا أَسفاهُ
And its seeker cannot attain it; it has become
A name without a body—alas, what sorrow!
Partial English translation: 95 of 98 Arabic lines translated.