مَرحَباًwelcome! ثُمَّthen مَرهَباًwelcome! (variant form) بِالَّتيto her who قاshe said (first part)
مَرحَباً ثُمَّ مَرهَباً بِالَّتي قا
لَتshe said (continuation) غَداةَon the morning of الوداعِfarewell يَومَthe day of الرَحيلِdeparture
لَت غَداةَ الوداعِ يَومَ الرَحيلِ
Welcome, then welcome again, to her who
said on farewell morning, the day of departure,
لِلثُرَيّاto al-Thurayya قوليtell (addressing a woman) لَهُhim أَنتَyou هَمّيmy concern
لِلثُرَيّا قولي لَهُ أَنتَ هَمّي
وَمُنىand the desires النَفسِof the soul خالِياًin solitude وَخَليليand my beloved
وَمُنى النَفسِ خالِياً وَخَليلي
to al-Thurayya: “Tell him: You are my concern,
and my soul’s desire in solitude, and my beloved.”
فَاِلتَقَيناso we met فَرَحَّبَتthen she welcomed me ثُمَّthen قالَتshe said
فَاِلتَقَينا فَرَحَّبَت ثُمَّ قالَت
عَمرَكَyour life (invoking its preservation) اللَهُGod اِئتِناcome to us فيat المَقيلِmidday rest
عَمرَكَ اللَهُ اِئتِنا في المَقيلِ
So we met; she welcomed me, then said,
“God preserve your life! Come to us at midday rest,
فيin خَلاءٍseclusion كَيماso that يَرَينَكَthey may see you عِنديwith me
في خَلاءٍ كَيما يَرَينَكَ عِندي
فَيُصَدِّقنَنيso they may believe me فَداكَa ransom for you قَبيليmy kin
فَيُصَدِّقنَني فَداكَ قَبيلي
in seclusion, so that they may see you with me
and believe me—may my kin be your ransom!”
لَمdid not يَرُعهُنَّstartle them عِندَat ذاكَthat time وَقَدand already جِئI came (first part)
لَم يَرُعهُنَّ عِندَ ذاكَ وَقَد جِئ
تُI came (continuation) لَميعادِهِنَّto their rendezvous إِلّاexcept دُخوليmy entrance
تُ لَميعادِهِنَّ إِلّا دُخولي
Nothing startled them then, when I had come
to their rendezvous, except my entrance.
قُلنَthey said هَذاthis الَّذيthe one whom نَلومُكِwe reproach you فيهِconcerning him
قُلنَ هَذا الَّذي نَلومُكِ فيهِ
لاdo not تَحَجّيpay heed مِنto قَولِناour words بِفَتيلِeven a date-stone fiber’s worth
لا تَحَجّي مِن قَولِنا بِفَتيلِ
They said, “This is the one we reproach you over.
Pay no heed to our words, not even a thread’s worth.
فَصِليهِso give him your love فَلَنfor you will not تُلاميbe blamed عَلَيهِon his account
فَصِليهِ فَلَن تُلامي عَلَيهِ
فَهوَfor he is أَهلُworthy of الصَفاءِsincere affection وَالتَنويلِand the granting of favors
فَهوَ أَهلُ الصَفاءِ وَالتَنويلِ
So give him your love; you will not be blamed for him,
for he deserves sincere affection and favors.”
قالَتِshe said اِنصِتنَbe silent, all of you وَاِستَمِعنَand listen, all of you مَقاليto my words
قالَتِ اِنصِتنَ وَاِستَمِعنَ مَقالي
لَستُI am not أَرضىcontent مِنin خُلَّتيmy intimate affection بِقَليلِwith little
لَستُ أَرضى مِن خُلَّتي بِقَليلِ
She said, “Be silent, and listen to my words:
I am not content with little in my love.
قَدindeed صَفاhas grown pleasant العَيشُlife وَالمُغيرِيُّand al-Mughiri عِنديwith me
قَد صَفا العَيشُ وَالمُغيرِيُّ عِندي
حَبَّذاhow wonderful هُوَhe is مِنas a صاحِبٍcompanion وَخَليلِand beloved
حَبَّذا هُوَ مِن صاحِبٍ وَخَليلِ
Life has grown sweet, with al-Mughiri beside me—
how fine he is as a companion and beloved!”