أَعيذُكِI seek protection for you مِنfrom لَوعَتيmy burning anguish وَاِشتِياقيand my longing
أَعيذُكِ مِن لَوعَتي وَاِشتِياقي
وَداءِand the sickness of هَوىًlove مالَهُwhich has no فيكِfor you راقيhealing spell-reciter
وَداءِ هَوىً مالَهُ فيكِ راقي
I seek protection for you from my burning anguish and longing,
and a love-sickness for you that no healer can cure;
وَلَيلٍand a night طَويلٍlong أُقَضّيهِI spend it فيكِbecause of you
وَلَيلٍ طَويلٍ أُقَضّيهِ فيكِ
بِنارِwith the fire of الضُلوعِthe ribs وَماءِand the water of المَآقيthe tear-ducts
بِنارِ الضُلوعِ وَماءِ المَآقي
and a long night I spend because of you,
with the fire of my ribs and the water of my tear-ducts.
بِجِسميَin my body ماwhat فيin الجُفونِthe eyelids المِراضِlanguid
بِجِسميَ ما في الجُفونِ المِراضِ
مِنof سَقَمٍsickness وَالخُصورِand the waists الدِقاقِslender
مِن سَقَمٍ وَالخُصورِ الدِقاقِ
My body holds what languid eyelids hold
of sickness, and slender waists as well.
وَحَمَّلتِنيand you burdened me with الهَجرَestrangement غِبَّafter الفِراقِparting
وَحَمَّلتِني الهَجرَ غِبَّ الفِراقِ
فَهَلّاso why not اِكتَفَيتِwere you content بِيَومِwith the day of الفِراقِparting
فَهَلّا اِكتَفَيتِ بِيَومِ الفِراقِ
And you burdened me with estrangement after parting;
could you not have been content with the day of parting?
بِعَينيكِby your two eyes ماwhat أَشتَكيI lament مِنof جَوىًinward burning
بِعَينيكِ ما أَشتَكي مِن جَوىً
مُعَذِّبَتيmy tormentress وَلَهاand hers is ماwhat أُلاقيI endure
مُعَذِّبَتي وَلَها ما أُلاقي
By your eyes, what inward burning I lament,
my tormentress—and hers is all I endure!
يُسَهِّلُmakes easy ليfor me فيكَconcerning you صَعبَthe harshness of المَلامِcensure
يُسَهِّلُ لي فيكَ صَعبَ المَلامِ
خَلِيُّuntroubled الحَشاat heart لَمhas never يَبِتspent the night فيin وِثاقِbonds
خَلِيُّ الحَشا لَم يَبِت في وِثاقِ
He makes harsh censure over you seem easy to me—
one whose heart is untroubled, who has never lain in bonds.
إِلَيكِaway with you فَبَينيfor between me وَبَينَand between السُلُوِّforgetting love
إِلَيكِ فَبَيني وَبَينَ السُلُوِّ
ماwhat بَينَlies between أَردافِهاher buttocks وَالنِطاقِand the girdle
ما بَينَ أَردافِها وَالنِطاقِ
Away with you! For between me and forgetting
is the distance between her buttocks and her girdle.
وَرُبَّand many لَيالٍnights نَصَحناwe cooled (likely نضحنا) بِهاduring them
وَرُبَّ لَيالٍ نَصَحنا بِها
حَرَّthe heat of الفِراقِseparation بِبَردِwith the coolness of التَلاقيreunion
حَرَّ الفِراقِ بِبَردِ التَلاقي
And many were the nights when we cooled
separation's heat with reunion's coolness,
بِصُفرِwith women golden in التَرائِبِthe upper chest حُمرِred in الخُدودِthe cheeks
بِصُفرِ التَرائِبِ حُمرِ الخُدودِ
بيضِwhite in المَباسِمِthe smiling teeth سودِblack in الحِداقِthe pupils
بيضِ المَباسِمِ سودِ الحِداقِ
with women golden of breast, red of cheek,
white of smiling teeth, black of pupil.
وَبِتُّand I spent the night أُمازِحُI jest with حَتّىuntil الصَباحِmorning
وَبِتُّ أُمازِحُ حَتّى الصَباحِ
نَشرَthe unfolding of العِتابِreproach بِلَفِّwith the enfolding of العِناقِembraces
نَشرَ العِتابِ بِلَفِّ العِناقِ
And till morning I kept playfully answering
unfolded reproaches with enfolding embraces.
تَقَضَّتthey passed قِصاراًbriefly وَلَكِنَّهاbut they
تَقَضَّت قِصاراً وَلَكِنَّها
أَطالَتmade long عَلَيَّfor me اللَياليthe nights البَواقيremaining
أَطالَت عَلَيَّ اللَيالي البَواقي
They passed all too briefly, yet they
made the remaining nights long for me.
وَوَلّىand departed الصِبىyouth وَلَياليand the nights of التَمامِthe full moon
وَوَلّى الصِبى وَلَيالي التَمامِ
يَعقُبُهُنَّfollow them لَياليthe nights of المُحاقِthe moon's dark phase
يَعقُبُهُنَّ لَيالي المُحاقِ
And youth departed; the nights of the full moon
are followed by nights of moonless darkness.
وَآمِرَةٍand a woman urging ليme بِجَوبِto traverse البِلادِthe lands
وَآمِرَةٍ لي بِجَوبِ البِلادِ
وَإِنضاءِand to wear out كُلِّevery أَمونٍtrusty she-camel دِفاقِswift-striding
وَإِنضاءِ كُلِّ أَمونٍ دِفاقِ
And a woman urged me to traverse the lands
and wear out every trusty, swift-striding she-camel.
دَرينيleave me (likely ذريني) فَإِنَّfor indeed سُؤالَbegging from الرِجالِmen
دَريني فَإِنَّ سُؤالَ الرِجالِ
مُستَكرَهُrepugnant الطَعمِin flavor مُرُّbitter المَذاقِin taste
مُستَكرَهُ الطَعمِ مُرُّ المَذاقِ
Leave me be, for begging of men
has a repugnant flavor, a bitter taste.
وَإِنَّand indeed القَناعَةَcontentment لَوif only تَعلَمينَyou knew
وَإِنَّ القَناعَةَ لَو تَعلَمينَ
عَلىupon المَرءِa person دِرعٌa shield مِنَagainst الغارِdisgrace (likely العار) واقيprotective
عَلى المَرءِ دِرعٌ مِنَ الغارِ واقي
And contentment, if you only knew,
is a shield upon a man, guarding him from disgrace.
كَفانيhas spared me أَبوAbu الفَرَجِal-Faraj الأَريَحِيُّthe openhanded
كَفاني أَبو الفَرَجِ الأَريَحِيُّ
سُرىnight journeys of اليَعمَلاتِhardy she-camels وَحَثَّand urging onward النِياقِthe she-camels
سُرى اليَعمَلاتِ وَحَثَّ النِياقِ
The openhanded Abu al-Faraj has spared me
night journeys on hardy she-camels and urging camels onward.
أَأَطلُبُshould I seek وِرداًa watering place بِأَرضِin the land of الشَآمِSyria
أَأَطلُبُ وِرداً بِأَرضِ الشَآمِ
وَدونيَwhile before me بَحرٌa sea بِأَرضِin the land of العِراقِIraq
وَدونيَ بَحرٌ بِأَرضِ العِراقِ
Should I seek a watering place in the land of Syria,
when before me lies a sea in the land of Iraq?
غَزيرُabundant in النَوالِgiving لَهُhe has راحَةٌa palm
غَزيرُ النَوالِ لَهُ راحَةٌ
إِذاwhen نَضَبَruns dry البَحرُthe sea ذاتُpossessing اِندِفاقِa gushing flow
إِذا نَضَبَ البَحرُ ذاتُ اِندِفاقِ
Lavish in gifts, he has a palm
that gushes forth when the sea runs dry.
إِذاwhen صَرَّدَstint الباخِلونَthe misers العَطاءَgiving
إِذا صَرَّدَ الباخِلونَ العَطاءَ
سَقَتكَgive you drink يَداهُhis two hands بِكَأسٍfrom a cup دِهاقِbrimming
سَقَتكَ يَداهُ بِكَأسٍ دِهاقِ
When misers stint their giving,
his two hands give you drink from a brimming cup.
أَروحُI go at evening وَأَغدوand I go at dawn عَلىon جودِهِhis bounty
أَروحُ وَأَغدو عَلى جودِهِ
فَمِنهُso from him اِصطِباحيmy morning draught وَمِنهُand from him اِغتِباقيmy evening draught
فَمِنهُ اِصطِباحي وَمِنهُ اِغتِباقي
I go at evening and at dawn, sustained by his bounty;
from him comes my morning draught, and from him my evening drink.
فَيَوماهُso his two days يَومٌa day لِنَحرِfor slaughtering العِشارِten-month-pregnant she-camels
فَيَوماهُ يَومٌ لِنَحرِ العِشارِ
وَيَومٌand a day لِقَودِfor leading المذاكيthe full-grown steeds العِتاقِthoroughbred
وَيَومٌ لِقَودِ المذاكي العِتاقِ
His days are twofold: one for slaughtering ten-month-pregnant she-camels,
and one for leading out mature, thoroughbred steeds.
غَنيتُI have become free of need بِجودِكَthrough your bounty فَخرَO pride of المُلوكِkings
غَنيتُ بِجودِكَ فَخرَ المُلوكِ
عَنof خَلَقٍpeople ماnot لَهُمhave they مِنany خَلاقِshare of virtue
عَن خَلَقٍ ما لَهُم مِن خَلاقِ
Through your bounty, O pride of kings, I have no need
of people who have no share of virtue—
بِأَيدٍwith hands خِفافٍlight in giving إِذاif ماever اِقتَرَيتَyou examine
بِأَيدٍ خِفافٍ إِذا ما اِقتَرَيتَ
أَخلاقَهاtheir character وَوُجوهٍand faces صِفاقِbrazen
أَخلاقَها وَوُجوهٍ صِفاقِ
with hands light in giving, if ever you examine
their character, and brazen faces.
يَجودونَthey give generously لِلطارِقِto the night visitor المُستَثيبِseeking a reward
يَجودونَ لِلطارِقِ المُستَثيبِ
بِماwith whatever شِئتَyou wish مِنof كَذِبٍlies وَاِختِلاقِand fabrication
بِما شِئتَ مِن كَذِبٍ وَاِختِلاقِ
They lavish upon the night visitor seeking reward
all the lies and fabrications you could wish.
شَفَيتَyou quenched عَلىamid ظَمَإٍthirst غُلَّتيmy burning thirst
شَفَيتَ عَلى ظَمَإٍ غُلَّتي
وَنَفَّستَand you loosened مِنfrom بَعدِafter ضيقٍtightness خُناقيmy choking noose
وَنَفَّستَ مِن بَعدِ ضيقٍ خُناقي
You quenched my burning thirst when I was parched,
and loosened the noose at my throat after its tightening.
وَأَحمَدتَّand you made rewarding عِندَكَat your court سوقَthe market for المَديحِpraise
وَأَحمَدتَّ عِندَكَ سوقَ المَديحِ
وَقَدand indeed كانَit was قَبلُbefore قَليلَlittle in النَفاقِdemand
وَقَد كانَ قَبلُ قَليلَ النَفاقِ
You made the market for praise prosper at your court,
though before it had found little demand.
كَأَنَّكَas though you were فيin الدَستِthe seat of state يَومَon the day of السَلامِgreetings
كَأَنَّكَ في الدَستِ يَومَ السَلامِ
جَدُّكَyour grandfather وَالتاجُand the crown تَهتَbeneath (likely تحت) الرُواقِthe canopy
جَدُّكَ وَالتاجُ تَهتَ الرُواقِ
As though, in the seat of state on the day of greetings, you were
your grandfather, with the crown beneath the canopy.
فِداؤُكَyour ransom كُلُّevery مَشوبِtainted in الوِدادِaffection
فِداؤُكَ كُلُّ مَشوبِ الوِدادِ
قَليلِscant in الحَياءِmodesty كَثيرِabundant in النِفاقِhypocrisy
قَليلِ الحَياءِ كَثيرِ النِفاقِ
May every man of tainted affection be your ransom—
scant in modesty, abundant in hypocrisy.
أَيُدرِكُcan attain شَأوَكَyour reach ذوone with كَبوَةٍa stumble
أَيُدرِكُ شَأوَكَ ذو كَبوَةٍ
قَصيرُshort in خُطىstrides toward المَجدِglory يَومَon the day of السِباقِthe race
قَصيرُ خُطى المَجدِ يَومَ السِباقِ
Can one who stumbles attain your reach,
short-striding toward glory on the day of the race?
وَناوٍand a would-be rival رَآكَsaw you تَفوتُoutpace العُيونَthe eyes
وَناوٍ رَآكَ تَفوتُ العُيونَ
فَمَنَّتهُso promised him أَطماعُهُhis ambitions بِاللِحاقِthat he would catch up
فَمَنَّتهُ أَطماعُهُ بِاللِحاقِ
And a would-be rival saw you outpace the eyes,
and his ambitions promised him he could catch up.
رُوَيداًnot so fast لَقَدindeed كَذَبَتكَhave deceived you الظُنونُsuppositions
رُوَيداً لَقَد كَذَبَتكَ الظُنونُ
وَلَوand even if كُنتَyou were عاليmounted atop سَراةِthe back of البُراقِal-Buraq
وَلَو كُنتَ عالي سَراةِ البُراقِ
Not so fast! Your fancies have indeed deceived you,
even were you mounted high on al-Buraq's back.
كَلِفتَyou are enamored بِحُبِّwith love of المَعاليlofty honors كَماjust as
كَلِفتَ بِحُبِّ المَعالي كَما
كَلِفتُI am enamored بِحُبِّwith love of القُدودِfigures الرِشاقِslender
كَلِفتُ بِحُبِّ القُدودِ الرِشاقِ
You are enthralled by love of lofty honors, as
I am enthralled by love of slender figures.
فَماso not يَستَفيقُsobers كِلاناboth of us هَوىًfrom passion
فَما يَستَفيقُ كِلانا هَوىً
بِسُمرٍfor brown ones دِقاقٍslender وَبيضٍand white ones رِقاقِdelicate
بِسُمرٍ دِقاقٍ وَبيضٍ رِقاقِ
So neither of us sobers from passion
for slender brown ones and delicate white ones.
رَفَعتُI have raised إِلَيكَto you رُؤوسَthe foremost parts of الثَناءِpraise
رَفَعتُ إِلَيكَ رُؤوسَ الثَناءِ
عَذراءَa virgin مِنof حُسنِهاher beauty فيwithin نِطاقِa girdle
عَذراءَ مِن حُسنِها في نِطاقِ
I have raised to you the foremost strains of praise—
a virgin girdled in her own beauty.
وَسَيَّرتُهاand I sent her traveling فيكَin your praise فَاِسأَلso ask بِهاabout her
وَسَيَّرتُها فيكَ فَاِسأَل بِها
رِكابَthe riding camels of الفَلاthe deserts وَحُداةَand the chanting drivers of الرِفاقِthe caravans
رِكابَ الفَلا وَحُداةَ الرِفاقِ
I sent her traveling in your praise; ask about her
the desert mounts and the caravans' chanting drivers.
لِيَهنَmay it gladden مَعاليكَyour high honors ياO اِبنَson of الكِرامِthe noble
لِيَهنَ مَعاليكَ يا اِبنَ الكِرامِ
مَدحٌpraise إِذاwhen نَفِدَruns out المالُwealth باقيremaining
مَدحٌ إِذا نَفِدَ المالُ باقي
May your high honors be gladdened, O son of the noble,
by praise that remains when riches run out.
وَإِنَّكَand indeed you تَبقىshall endure بَقاءَas long as الزَمانِtime
وَإِنَّكَ تَبقى بَقاءَ الزَمانِ
مَشيدَlofty in البِناءِedifice رَفيعَhigh in المَراقيstairways
مَشيدَ البِناءِ رَفيعَ المَراقي
And you shall endure as long as time endures,
your edifice towering, your stairways high.
Translation model: Sol 6.1