ذاتَO possessor of الجَناحِthe wing تَقَلَّبيflutter about
ذاتَ الجَناحِ تَقَلَّبي
بِجَوانِحِamong the ribs of القَلبِthe heart الخَفوقthrobbing
بِجَوانِحِ القَلبِ الخَفوق
O winged one, flutter
among the ribs of the throbbing heart.
وَتَساقَطيand flutter down بِالسَرحَتَيupon the two spreading trees
وَتَساقَطي بِالسَرحَتَي
نِdual-ending continuation تَساقُطَlike the falling of الدَمعِtears الطَليقunrestrained
نِ تَساقُطَ الدَمعِ الطَليق
And flutter down upon the two spreading trees
as unrestrained tears fall.
وَسَليهِماand ask them both بِأَرَقَّwith greater tenderness مِنthan
وَسَليهِما بِأَرَقَّ مِن
عِطفَيthe two curves of قَضيبِهِماtheir bough الوَريقleafy
عِطفَي قَضيبِهِما الوَريق
And ask them both in tones more tender than
the twin curves of their leafy bough:
هَلdoes...? بَعدَناafter us مُتَمَتِّعٌone taking delight
هَل بَعدَنا مُتَمَتِّعٌ
فيin مِثلِthe like of ظِلِّهِماtheir shade العَتيقancient
في مِثلِ ظِلِّهِما العَتيق
Does anyone, after us, take delight
in shade like their ancient shade?
وَإِذاand when صَدَرتِyou return مُبينَةًspeaking plainly
وَإِذا صَدَرتِ مُبينَةً
لِتُبَلِّغيso you may convey النَبَأَthe news المَشوقthe yearning one
لِتُبَلِّغي النَبَأَ المَشوق
And when you return, speaking plainly,
to bring the news to the yearning one,
أُختَO sister of الهَواءthe air فَعالِجيthen tend
أُختَ الهَواء فَعالِجي
بِأَخيto the brother of الهَوىlove حَتّىuntil يُفيقhe revives
بِأَخي الهَوى حَتّى يُفيق
O sister of the air, then tend
to love's brother until he revives.
وَلتَعلَميand know إِنif ضِفتِyou are a guest ياO
وَلتَعلَمي إِن ضِفتِ يا
وَرقاءُgray dove ذاone with جَفنٍan eyelid أَريقsleepless
وَرقاءُ ذا جَفنٍ أَريق
And know, if you are a guest, O
gray dove, of one with a sleepless eyelid,
أَنَّthat القِرىthe guest's fare عَبَراتُهُhis tears
أَنَّ القِرى عَبَراتُهُ
فَتَعَلَّميso learn لَقطَpicking up العَقيقcarnelian
فَتَعَلَّمي لَقطَ العَقيق
that his tears are the guest's fare;
so learn to peck up carnelian.