بدرٌa full moon بداappeared بالحسنwith beauty إشراقُهْhis radiance
بدرٌ بدا بالحسن إشراقُهْ
كلّall الحسانthe beautiful women الغيدthe graceful maidens عشّاقُهْhis lovers
كلّ الحسان الغيد عشّاقُهْ
A full moon—his radiance shone with beauty.
The full moon shone brightly with beauty
All the beautiful, graceful women are his lovers.
Captivating all lovers with its charm
لماwhen لاحappeared بالبهاin splendor ينجليshines forth وازدهىand grew resplendent
لما لاح بالبها ينجلي وازدهى
أشجىdeepened sorrow بلباليmy anguish فيهfor him بالحسنwith beauty
أشجى بلبالي فيه بالحسن
When he appeared in splendor, shining forth and resplendent,
When it appeared radiantly in the sky, delighting all
his beauty deepened my anguish for him.
It set my heart aflame with its beauty
قدindeed لاحتappeared
قد لاحت
شمسthe sun الجمالof beauty
شمس الجمال
There has appeared
The sun of beauty arose
the sun of beauty.
And longing became an ardent lover
حتّىeven الهوىlove صبٌّa lovesick lover يشتاقهlongs for him
حتّى الهوى صبٌّ يشتاقه
كالغصنlike a bough لهfor him فيin الروضthe garden إطراقهhis bowing
كالغصن له في الروض إطراقه
Even Love is lovesick, yearning for him.
Like a branch bending gracefully in the garden
Like a bough, he bows his head in the garden.
The birds sang melodiously
والأطيارand the birds غرّدتwarbled بالألحانwith melodies
والأطيار غرّدت بالألحان
فيin هوىlove for ذيthe bearer of الحسنbeauty العاليsublime
في هوى ذي الحسن العالي
And the birds warbled their melodies,
In love of such sublime beauty
in love for the bearer of sublime beauty.
They chirp delicately
تشدوsings melodiously باللحنto a tune
تشدو باللحن
قدindeed ناحتlamented خنساKhansa حاليmy plight
قد ناحت خنسا حالي
They sing a tune;
My heart languished painfully, consumed with yearning
Khansa has lamented my plight.
And my tears flowed copiously like the sea
قلبيmy heart ذكاblazed بالشوقwith longing إحراقهits burning
قلبي ذكا بالشوق إحراقه
ومدمعيand my tearful eye كالبحرlike the sea إغراقهits flooding
ومدمعي كالبحر إغراقه
My heart's burning blazed with longing,
If only this fire would be extinguished
and my tearful eye floods like the sea.
And my anguished heart finds peace
ليتwould that لوif تنطفيgo out ذيthese النيرانthe fires
ليت لو تنطفي ذي النيران
والجوىand love's anguish لفؤاديfor my heart صاليscorching
والجوى لفؤادي صالي
If only these fires would go out,
My eyes shed tears abundantly like rain
while love's anguish scorches my heart.
While my body is frail and weary
عينيmy eye كالمزنlike rain clouds
عيني كالمزن
قدindeed ساحتflowed والجسمand the body باليworn away
قد ساحت والجسم بالي
My eye is like rain clouds;
Who is it that stirs this fervent longing
it has overflowed, and my body is worn away.
With a gaze like pouring rain
منwho الّذيthe one whose تذكوblaze أشواقهhis longings
من الّذي تذكو أشواقه
وطرفهand his eye كالسحبlike the clouds أغداقهits copious outpouring
وطرفه كالسحب أغداقه
Who is he whose longings blaze,
While he resides happily in the heavens
and whose eye pours down like the clouds,
I remain, suffering this agony
وهوand he منfrom نارهhis fire فيin الجنانthe heart
وهو من ناره في الجنان
قدindeed ثوىdwelt بعذابin torment قاليsearing
قد ثوى بعذاب قالي
and who, because of the fire within his heart,
My body is like a feeble nest
has dwelt in searing torment?
But my spirit finds solace in this state
جسميmy body كالعرينlike a lion's den
جسمي كالعرين
فارتاحتso found rest روحيmy soul بحاليin my state
فارتاحت روحي بحالي
My body is like a lion's den,
Oh reproacher, let me indulge in my yearning
so my soul found rest in my state.
Unbind these shackles of love
ياO عاذليmy reproacher دعنيlet me أشتاقهI long for him
يا عاذلي دعني أشتاقه
قيدthe bondage الشجيof the lovesick one فيin الحبّlove إطلاقهhis release
قيد الشجي في الحبّ إطلاقه
O my reproacher, let me yearn for him.
For love has made me covetous of beauty
The lovesick one's bondage in love is his release.
Seeking the reproach of the critic
إذfor أضحىhe has become بالهوىthrough love فيamid الأكوانall creation
إذ أضحى بالهوى في الأكوان
مشتهيcraving عذلthe reproach of العذّالِthe reproachers
مشتهي عذل العذّالِ
For through love, amid all creation, he has become
Pouring with charm, more fragrant than musk
one who craves the reproach of reproachers.
Upon the one who prayed, pure of lineage
يصبوhe yearns بالحسنfor beauty
يصبو بالحسن
ماas long as فاحتgave off fragrance مسكةmusk الغزالِof the gazelle
ما فاحت مسكة الغزالِ
He yearns for beauty,
Bless him now, O Merciful, with kindness
as long as the gazelle's musk gives off fragrance.
Along with peace and blessings on his noble family
علىupon الّذيthe one whose صلّىbestowed blessings خلّاقهhis Creator
على الّذي صلّى خلّاقه
عليهupon him إذsince طابتwas pure أعراقهhis lineage
عليه إذ طابت أعراقه
Upon the one whose Creator bestowed blessings
The eye continues to shed copious tears
upon him, since his lineage was pure,
Flowing down relentlessly
صلّsend blessings الآنnow ياO رحمنMost Merciful بالإحسانwith grace
صلّ الآن يا رحمن بالإحسان
معwith سلامpeace والصحبand the companions والآلِand the family
مع سلام والصحب والآلِ
send blessings now, O Most Merciful, with grace,
with peace, and upon his companions and family,
ماas long as سحبthe clouds العينof the eye
ما سحب العين
قدindeed سحّتpoured forth دمعtears الآليpearls
قد سحّت دمع الآلي
as long as the clouds of the eye
pour forth pearly tears.
Partial English translation: 32 of 36 Arabic lines translated.