طافَ الخيالُ وقاربَ الإِلمالما

طافَ الخيالُ وقاربَ الإِلمالما

فرأى جُفوني لم يذُقنَ مَناما

فرأى جُفوني لم يذُقنَ مَناما

The phantom passed by and nearly paid a visit,

Imagination came visiting in the stilly night

then saw my eyelids had tasted no sleep.

And found my eyelids unacquainted with sleep

واهاً لهُ وَصَلَ الحِمَى وأَراد أن

واهاً لهُ وَصَلَ الحِمَى وأَراد أن

يُهدي لَنا وَصلاً فكانَ حِماما

يُهدي لَنا وَصلاً فكانَ حِماما

Ah for him! He reached the sanctuary, wishing

Alas for him, fever came calling

to offer us union, but it proved to be death.

Bearing a gift of wakefulness where I’d hoped for rest

يا ليتهُ أهدى الكرى قبلَ السُّرى

يا ليتهُ أهدى الكرى قبلَ السُّرى

كرماً عَسى أن يخمدَ الأحلاما

كرماً عَسى أن يخمدَ الأحلاما

If only he had bestowed sleep before his night journey,

If only beforehand he had brought forgetfulness

out of kindness—perhaps it might extinguish dreams.

A generous gift that might extinguish dreams

وأَتى يَظُنُّ بأنَّ طرفيَ راقدٌ

وأَتى يَظُنُّ بأنَّ طرفيَ راقدٌ

في حُبَّه فرأى الرُّقادَ حَراما

في حُبَّه فرأى الرُّقادَ حَراما

He came supposing that my eye was asleep

He thought he’d find me sleeping in his love

in love for him, but found sleep forbidden.

But found such repose forbidden

واللهِ ما زادَ النَّوى الأَحوى

واللهِ ما زادَ النَّوى الأَحوى

والقربَ إلاَّ لوعةً وغَراما

والقربَ إلاَّ لوعةً وغَراما

By God, separation brought the dark-lipped one—

By God, nothing increased but sorrow

and nearness, too—only greater anguish and passion.

And nearness naught but torment and desire

يا سَلمَ عَلَّ تحيَّةً نحيا بها

يا سَلمَ عَلَّ تحيَّةً نحيا بها

وتكونَ برداً للهوَى وَسَلاما

وتكونَ برداً للهوَى وَسَلاما

O Salm, perhaps a greeting might give us life

O peace, greet me in a way

and bring coolness and peace to passion.

That cools passion and bids sadness cease

فالنَّارُ من قَلبي تَوقَّدَ حَرُّها

فالنَّارُ من قَلبي تَوقَّدَ حَرُّها

والماءُ من طَرفي أَسالَ غَماما

والماءُ من طَرفي أَسالَ غَماما

For fire's heat has blazed up from my heart,

For from my heart the fire of sadness

and water from my eye has set clouds streaming.

Pours forth its heat, from my eyes well tears

وأَظُنُّ ما اعتلَّ النَّسيمُ بأَرِضكم

وأَظُنُّ ما اعتلَّ النَّسيمُ بأَرِضكم

إلاَّ ومن سقَمي أَقلَّ سَقاما

إلاَّ ومن سقَمي أَقلَّ سَقاما

And I think the breeze fell ill in your land

And I suppose no breeze in your land

only because it bore some of my sickness.

Blows but to bear some germ of my disease

إنَّا ذَممنا بالعَقيقِ معاهِداً

إنَّا ذَممنا بالعَقيقِ معاهِداً

عَقيتُمُ عَهداً بِهَا وَذِماما

عَقيتُمُ عَهداً بِهَا وَذِماما

We have indeed reproached familiar haunts at al-ʿAqiq:

By carnelian we pledged a covenant

there you broke a pledge and a bond of honor.

You broke that vow, I kept that troth