صَدّتْshe turned away وماand not كانwas الّذيthat which صدّهاturned her away
صَدّتْ وما كان الّذي صدّها
إِلّاexcept طلوعُthe appearance of الشّعَرِthe hair الأشهبِgray-white
إِلّا طلوعُ الشّعَرِ الأشهبِ
She turned away—and what made her turn away
She turned away; what made her turn away
was nothing but the rising of ash-gray hair.
was nothing but the appearance of gray hair.
زارcame visiting وكَمْand how many منof زائرٍa visitor للفتىto the young man
زار وكَمْ من زائرٍ للفتى
حلَّalighted بواديهِin his valley ولمand was not يُطلبِsummoned
حلَّ بواديهِ ولم يُطلبِ
It came to visit—and many a visitor to a young man
It came calling—and how many a visitor to a young man
has alighted in his valley without being sought.
has alighted in his valley unbidden.
رَكبتهI rode it كُرْهاًunwillingly ومنand who ذاthat one الّذيwho
رَكبته كُرْهاً ومن ذا الّذي
أركبهmade him ride الدّهرTime فلمyet did not يركبِride
أركبه الدّهر فلم يركبِ
I mounted it unwillingly—and who is there
I rode it unwillingly; and who is there
whom Time has set upon it, who did not ride?
whom Time made mount it, yet who did not ride?
كأنّهas though it were نارٌa fire لباغيfor one seeking القِرَىhospitality
كأنّه نارٌ لباغي القِرَى
أضرمهاkindled it القومُthe people إلىat مَرْقَبِa lookout
أضرمها القومُ إلى مَرْقَبِ
It is as though it were a fire for one seeking hospitality,
It is like a fire for one seeking hospitality,
kindled by the people upon a lookout;
which the people kindled at a lookout;
أوor كوكبٌa star لاحَshone علىupon أُفقِهِits horizon
أو كوكبٌ لاحَ على أُفقِهِ
أوor بارقٌa lightning flash يلمعُgleams فيin غَيْهَبِdeep darkness
أو بارقٌ يلمعُ في غَيْهَبِ
or a star appearing upon its horizon,
or a star that shone upon its horizon,
or a flash of lightning gleaming in profound darkness.
or a lightning flash gleaming in deep darkness.
لحميmy flesh وقدand indeed أصبحتI have become جاراًa neighbor لهto it
لحمي وقد أصبحت جاراً له
زاديmy sustenance ودمعيand my tears وحدَهit alone مشربيmy drink
زادي ودمعي وحدَه مشربي
My flesh—now that I have become its neighbor—
My flesh, now that I have become its neighbor,
is my provision, and my tears alone my drink.
is my sustenance, and my tears alone are my drink.
وإنّنيand indeed I فيهconcerning it ومنand for أجلِهِits sake
وإنّني فيه ومن أجلِهِ
مُعاقبُpunishing القلبِthe heart ولمand did not يُذنِبِsin
مُعاقبُ القلبِ ولم يُذنِبِ
And in it, and because of it,
And I, over it and on its account,
my heart is punished, though it has not sinned.
punish my heart, though it has done no wrong.
وليسand there is not لِيfor me حظٌّa share وإنand although كنتُI am مِنْamong
وليس لِي حظٌّ وإن كنتُ مِنْ
أهلِthe people of الهوىlove فيin قَنَصِhunting الرّبْرَبِthe antelope herd
أهلِ الهوى في قَنَصِ الرّبْرَبِ
I have no share, although I am one
And I have no luck—though I am among
of love’s devotees, in hunting the antelope herd.
love’s devotees—in hunting the antelope herd.
وماand not رأيناwe had seen قبلَهbefore it زائراًa visitor
وما رأينا قبلَه زائراً
جاءcame إليناto us ثُمّthen لمdid not يذهبِleave
جاء إلينا ثُمّ لم يذهبِ
Never before it had we seen a visitor
And before it, we had never seen a visitor
who came to us and then did not depart.
who came to us and then did not leave.
