نظرتُI looked إليهاat her والرّقائبُand the watchers حولهاaround her
نظرتُ إليها والرّقائبُ حولها
فأعرضتُso I turned away خوفاًin fear منof عيونthe eyes الرّقائبِof the watchers
فأعرضتُ خوفاً من عيون الرّقائبِ
I looked toward her while watchers surrounded her,
I looked at her, with watchers all around her,
then turned away, fearing the watchers’ eyes.
then turned away, fearing the watchers’ eyes.
وَلمand not تَكُit was إِلّاexcept نَظرةًa glance ثمَّthen لفتةًa turning away
وَلم تَكُ إِلّا نَظرةً ثمَّ لفتةً
كنُغْبَةِlike a sip ظمآنٍa thirsty one منamong الطّيرthe birds لاغبِweary
كنُغْبَةِ ظمآنٍ من الطّير لاغبِ
It was nothing more than a glance, then a fleeting look—
It was only a glance, then a turning away,
like the quick sip of a weary, thirsting bird:
like the sip of a thirsty, weary bird:
رَأىit saw الماءَthe water لاnot يَسطيعcan رِيّاًquenching of thirst وإنّماbut only
رَأى الماءَ لا يَسطيع رِيّاً وإنّما
رأىit saw الماءَthe water والقنّاصَand the hunters منfrom كلّevery جانبِside
رأى الماءَ والقنّاصَ من كلّ جانبِ
it saw the water, unable to drink its fill, and only
it saw the water but could not drink its fill; it only
saw the water, with hunters on every side.
saw the water, with hunters on every side.
وليand I have مطلبٌa goal لكنّنيbut I لاnot أنالُهُattain it
ولي مطلبٌ لكنّني لا أنالُهُ
وكمand how often عاقتِhave obstructed الأقدارُthe fates دونshort of المطالبِthe goals
وكم عاقتِ الأقدارُ دون المطالبِ
I have a desire, but I cannot attain it;
And I have something I seek, yet I cannot attain it;
how often fate has barred the way to our desires.
how often have the fates barred the way to what is sought!
أرىI see الزّادthe sustenance ممنوعاًwithheld وعَذْباًand sweet كأنّهas though it were الthe
أرى الزّاد ممنوعاً وعَذْباً كأنّه ال
سُلافُchoicest wine ولكنْbut لاnot يَذُلُّit yields لشاربِto a drinker
سُلافُ ولكنْ لا يَذُلُّ لشاربِ
I see the sustenance withheld, though sweet—as though it were the
I see sustenance withheld, yet sweet, as though it were the
choicest wine, yet yielding to no drinker.
choicest wine—but it will not yield to a drinker.
وكمand how often صَدّheld back مِقْداماًa bold man وثَبّطand deterred ماضياًa steadfast man
وكم صَدّ مِقْداماً وثَبّط ماضياً
علىin عزمِهِhis resolve جهلٌignorance بماof what فيis in العواقِبِthe consequences
على عزمِهِ جهلٌ بما في العواقِبِ
How often has it turned back a bold man and checked one pressing on,
How often has a bold man been checked, and a steadfast man deterred
though firm in purpose—ignorant of what the consequences hold.
in his resolve, by ignorance of what the consequences hold.
