تَراءت لنا بالأبرَقَيْن بُروقُ

تَراءت لنا بالأبرَقَيْن بُروقُ

شُروقٌ لأفقٍ غابَ عنه شُروقُ

شُروقٌ لأفقٍ غابَ عنه شُروقُ

Flashes of lightning appeared to us at al-Abraqayn,

Flashes gleamed for us with blinking eyes,

a dawning for a horizon from which dawn had vanished.

Dawns for a horizon from which dawns were absent,

كأنّ نجومَ الليل دُرٌّ وبينها

كأنّ نجومَ الليل دُرٌّ وبينها

تلألؤ إيماضِ الوميضِ بروقُ

تلألؤ إيماضِ الوميضِ بروقُ

As though the stars of night were pearls, and among them

As if the stars of night were pearls with among them

lightning glittered with flickering gleams.

The twinkling of the spark's twinkling flashes.

وَما خلتُ إلّا الوَرْسَ في الأفقِ إنّه

وَما خلتُ إلّا الوَرْسَ في الأفقِ إنّه

متى لم يَكُنْهُ الورس فَهْوَ خَلوقُ

متى لم يَكُنْهُ الورس فَهْوَ خَلوقُ

And I imagined only yellow wars-dye on the horizon; indeed,

And I saw nothing but the lightning in the horizon, it

if it was not wars-dye, it was saffron perfume.

Whenever lightning is absent from it, it is nonexistent.

كأنّ نجيعاً خالط الجوَّ أو جَرَتْ

كأنّ نجيعاً خالط الجوَّ أو جَرَتْ

لنا بين أثناء الغمامِ رحيقُ

لنا بين أثناء الغمامِ رحيقُ

As though dark blood had mingled with the air, or there flowed

As if a flock mixed with the atmosphere, or

pure wine for us through the folds of cloud.

Sweet nectar flowed for us amid the clouds,

يلوح ويخفى ثم يدنو وينتئي

يلوح ويخفى ثم يدنو وينتئي

ويوسع من مجراه ثمّ يضيقُ

ويوسع من مجراه ثمّ يضيقُ

It shines and vanishes, then draws near and recedes,

It appears and hides, then draws near and slopes

and widens its course, then narrows.

And widens from its course, then narrows.

فما خفقتْ إِلّا كذاك جوانحٌ

فما خفقتْ إِلّا كذاك جوانحٌ

ولا نبضتْ إلّا كذاك عروقُ

ولا نبضتْ إلّا كذاك عروقُ

No breasts have fluttered except like this,

So my wings fluttered nothing but like that,

nor have veins pulsed except like this.

And my veins throbbed nothing but like that.

وشوّقنِي إيماضُه نحو أوجهٍ

وشوّقنِي إيماضُه نحو أوجهٍ

لهنّ سناءٌ والمشوقُ مشوقُ

لهنّ سناءٌ والمشوقُ مشوقُ

Its flashing stirred my longing toward faces

And its twinkling urged me toward beloved faces

that have radiance—and the longing one is full of longing.

For them is glory and the urging one urges.

ودون اللّوى ظبْيٌ له كلُّ ما هوى

ودون اللّوى ظبْيٌ له كلُّ ما هوى

عَلوقٌ بحبّاتِ القلوب لَصوقُ

عَلوقٌ بحبّاتِ القلوب لَصوقُ

On this side of al-Liwa is a gazelle who has all he desires,

And below the twist is a gazelle, for it is whatever it desired,

clinging to the cores of hearts, adhering fast.

Clinging to the seeds of hearts, adhesive.

له حكمُهُ منّي ومن دون عَطفه

له حكمُهُ منّي ومن دون عَطفه

عليَّ غزيرُ اللُّجَّتين عميقُ

عليَّ غزيرُ اللُّجَّتين عميقُ

He has his way with me; and barring his tenderness

It has its rule over me, and without its kindness,

toward me is a deep sea, both its depths brimming.

The abundant two seas are deep upon me.

وأولَعُ بالبُقيا عليه وما له

وأولَعُ بالبُقيا عليه وما له

إلى جانب البُقيا عليَّ طريقُ

إلى جانب البُقيا عليَّ طريقُ

I am devoted to sparing him, yet he has no

And I am passionate for it over me, and it has

path toward sparing me.

No path to the side of it upon me.

وما وَعدُهُ إلّا اِختلاجةُ خُلَّبٍ

وما وَعدُهُ إلّا اِختلاجةُ خُلَّبٍ

وَإِلّا سرابٌ بالفلاةِ خَفوقُ

وَإِلّا سرابٌ بالفلاةِ خَفوقُ

His promise is only a flicker of rainless lightning,

And I promised it nothing but the stirring of an ardent love,

or only a mirage shimmering in the desert.

And nothing but a mirage in the wasteland flickering.

فمن لستُ مودوداً إليه أودّه

فمن لستُ مودوداً إليه أودّه

وَمَن ليس مشتاقاً إليَّ يشوقُ

وَمَن ليس مشتاقاً إليَّ يشوقُ

So I love one to whom I am not dear,

So I love those I am not inclined to,

and one who does not yearn for me makes me yearn.

And those not longing for me yearn.

وإنّي على مَن لا هوادَة عنده

وإنّي على مَن لا هوادَة عنده

ولا شَفَقٌ منه عليَّ شفيقُ

ولا شَفَقٌ منه عليَّ شفيقُ

And I, toward one who has no leniency

And I, toward those who have no affection,

and no compassion for me, am compassionate.

And no mercy toward me, am compassionate.

فيا داءَ قلبي ما أراك تُغِبُّنِي

فيا داءَ قلبي ما أراك تُغِبُّنِي

ويا سُكرَ قلبي ما أراك تفيقُ

ويا سُكرَ قلبي ما أراك تفيقُ

O sickness of my heart, I see you never spare me a day;

So oh my heart's disease, I do not see you make me forget,

O drunkenness of my heart, I never see you sober up!

And oh my heart's intoxication, I do not see you awaken.

بنفسِيَ من ودّعتُه يومَ ضارجٍ

بنفسِيَ من ودّعتُه يومَ ضارجٍ

وجَفنِيَ من فيضِ الدّموعِ غريقُ

وجَفنِيَ من فيضِ الدّموعِ غريقُ

With my life I would ransom the one I bade farewell on the day at Darij,

By my soul, from those I bid farewell on a day of departure,

and my eyelid was drowned in the flood of tears.

And my eyelids from the torrents of tears are drowning,

وكلّفنِي من ثِقْلِ يومِ وداعِهِ

وكلّفنِي من ثِقْلِ يومِ وداعِهِ

بلابلَ لا يسطيعهنَّ مطيقُ

بلابلَ لا يسطيعهنَّ مطيقُ

He burdened me, through the weight of the day of his farewell,

And it burdened me from the heaviness of the day of farewell,

with torments that even the enduring could not bear.

With afflictions no capable person can endure,

يُغِلْنَ اِعتزامَ المرءِ وهْوَ مصمّمٌ

يُغِلْنَ اِعتزامَ المرءِ وهْوَ مصمّمٌ

ويَهْدِمْنَ ركن الصّبر وهو وثيقُ

ويَهْدِمْنَ ركن الصّبر وهو وثيقُ

They slay a person's resolve, though he stands determined,

They shatter a man's resolve though he is determined,

and demolish the pillar of patience, though it is firm.

And demolish the pillar of patience though it is firm.

وليلةَ بِتْنا وهو حانٍ على الهوى

وليلةَ بِتْنا وهو حانٍ على الهوى

بعيدُ النّوى شَحْطَ الأذاة سحيقُ

بعيدُ النّوى شَحْطَ الأذاة سحيقُ

And a night we spent, when he was tender toward love,

And a night we spent while it crept upon passion,

with separation far away and harm distant and remote.

Far in purpose, distant in reprimand, profound,

وقد ضلَّ فيه الكاشحون وقُطّعتْ

وقد ضلَّ فيه الكاشحون وقُطّعتْ

عوائقُ كانت قبل ذاك تعوقُ

عوائقُ كانت قبل ذاك تعوقُ

The spiteful had lost their way in it, and severed were

And the searchers went astray in it and obstacles

the obstacles that had hindered us before.

That before were hindering were cut off,

ونحن كما شاء العدوّ فإنّه

ونحن كما شاء العدوّ فإنّه

شَجٍ بالّذي نهوى وشاء صديقُ

شَجٍ بالّذي نهوى وشاء صديقُ

And we were as the enemy wished—for he

And we are as the enemy desired, so he

was grieved by what we loved—and as a friend wished.

Is harsh to what we passionately love and desired a friend.

فعَرْفُ الوصالِ يومَ ذاك مُنَشَّرٌ

فعَرْفُ الوصالِ يومَ ذاك مُنَشَّرٌ

وعذبُ المُنى صِرْفٌ هناك مَذوقٌ

وعذبُ المُنى صِرْفٌ هناك مَذوقٌ

So the fragrance of union was spread abroad that day,

So the honor of union on that day is displayed

and the sweetness of hopes was tasted there, unmixed.

And the sweet attainment there is tasted.

فَلم تَك إلّا عفّةٌ ونزاهةٌ

فَلم تَك إلّا عفّةٌ ونزاهةٌ

وَإِلّا اِشتكاءٌ للغرامِ رقيقُ

وَإِلّا اِشتكاءٌ للغرامِ رقيقُ

There was nothing but chastity and purity,

Thus there was nothing but chastity and righteousness,

and only a gentle lament for passionate love,

And nothing but complaints of tender love,

وَإِلّا اِنتجاءٌ بالهوى وتحدّثٌ

وَإِلّا اِنتجاءٌ بالهوى وتحدّثٌ

صقيلُ حواشي الطُّرَّتين أنيقُ

صقيلُ حواشي الطُّرَّتين أنيقُ

and only whispered confidences of love and conversation

And nothing but moaning of passion and talking

polished along both its margins, elegant.

Smoothly, refining the edges of the two cheeks.

عليه من الجاديّ فَغْمةُ نَشرةٍ

عليه من الجاديّ فَغْمةُ نَشرةٍ

وَفيهِ ذكيُّ المَنْدَلِيِّ سَحيقُ

وَفيهِ ذكيُّ المَنْدَلِيِّ سَحيقُ

Upon it is a waft of saffron fragrance,

Upon it from the generous is the gloom of diffusion,

and within it, fragrant Mandali aloeswood, powdered fine.

And in it the slender one's slenderness is profound.

فَما زالَ منّا ظامئُ الحبِّ ناقعاً

فَما زالَ منّا ظامئُ الحبِّ ناقعاً

إلى أن تبدّتْ للصّباحِ فتوقُ

إلى أن تبدّتْ للصّباحِ فتوقُ

So the love-thirsty among us stayed with his thirst quenched,

So we continued, thirsty of love, drinking

until the rifts of dawn appeared.

Until the glimpses of dawn appeared.

وَأَقبل مَوْشِيَّ القميص إذا بدا

وَأَقبل مَوْشِيَّ القميص إذا بدا

وكلّ أسيرٍ بالظّلام طليقُ

وكلّ أسيرٍ بالظّلام طليقُ

And it came, its shirt embroidered; when it appeared,

And the striped garment's walker approached when it showed,

every captive of darkness was free.

And every prisoner in the darkness is free.

يقوِّض أطنابَ الدّياجي كأنّما

يقوِّض أطنابَ الدّياجي كأنّما

ترحّل من بعض الدّيار فريقُ

ترحّل من بعض الدّيار فريقُ

It took down the tent-ropes of deep darkness, as though

It demolishes the fringes of night as if

a company had departed from some encampment.

A group migrated from some of the homes.

فَما هو إلّا قُرحةٌ لدُجُنَّةٍ

فَما هو إلّا قُرحةٌ لدُجُنَّةٍ

وَإلّا فَرأسٌ للظّلامِ حليقُ

وَإلّا فَرأسٌ للظّلامِ حليقُ

So it was only a white blaze upon the gloom,

So it is nothing but a wound for thick darkness,

or else a shaven head for darkness.

And nothing but a head for the darkness, bald.

وَشُرِّد بِالبطحاءِ حتّى كأنّه

وَشُرِّد بِالبطحاءِ حتّى كأنّه

بِكارُ فلاةٍ راعهنَّ فنيقُ

بِكارُ فلاةٍ راعهنَّ فنيقُ

And it was driven across al-Batha until it seemed

And it was scattered in the desert until it was as if

young desert she-camels startled by a prized camel stallion.

It were a young camel in desolation, grazing it delicately.

فإن لم يكن ثغرُ الدُّجى متبسّماً

فإن لم يكن ثغرُ الدُّجى متبسّماً

فسيفُك يا أُفقَ الصّباحِ ذَلوقُ

فسيفُك يا أُفقَ الصّباحِ ذَلوقُ

If the mouth of darkness was not smiling,

So if the mouth of darkness is not smiling,

then your sword, O horizon of dawn, is keen-edged.

Your sword oh horizon of dawn will be sweet.

وإن لم يكن هذا الصّباح بعينه

وإن لم يكن هذا الصّباح بعينه

فجانبُ شرق الرّكب فيه حريقُ

فجانبُ شرق الرّكب فيه حريقُ

And if this was not dawn itself,

And if this dawn itself is not in the eye,

then there was a blaze on the side east of the caravan.

Then the side of the caravan's east in it has flames.

فلم يبقَ للسّاري سُرىً في لبانةٍ

فلم يبقَ للسّاري سُرىً في لبانةٍ

ولا لِطَروقٍ للرِّحالِ طُروقُ

ولا لِطَروقٍ للرِّحالِ طُروقُ

So no night-journey remained for the traveler pursuing a cherished aim,

So no hidden course remained for the one traveling

nor a night-visit to the encampments for a night-visitor.

And no flashes for the departing traveler's flashes.