مَعيwith me كَلماتٌwords ماnot يُطاقُcan be endured احتِمالُهاbearing them
مَعي كَلماتٌ ما يُطاقُ احتِمالُها
أوَدُّI wish إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle قُلتُهاI utter them لوif only أُقالُهاI be released from them
أوَدُّ إِذا ما قُلتُها لو أُقالُها
I have words whose burden cannot be borne.
I have words that cannot be borne
Whenever I utter them, I wish I could take them back.
I wish I could say them and then take them back
وتسألand she asks غرَّاءُa radiant beauty احتِيالاًcunningly لِسرِّهاabout her secret
وتسأل غرَّاءُ احتِيالاً لِسرِّها
وَلوand if وَجدَتshe felt وَجديmy passion لقلَّwould surely lessen احتِيالُهاher guile
وَلو وَجدَت وَجدي لقلَّ احتِيالُها
And a radiant beauty asks cunningly about her secret;
The sly one asks trickily about their secret
had she felt my passion, her guile would have diminished.
And if my love was found, her trickery would diminish
إذاwhen ماemphatic particle سألناwe ask مُستطاعاًsomething possible تمنَّعَتshe refuses
إذا ما سألنا مُستطاعاً تمنَّعَت
وتأتيand she comes بماwith what لاnot يُستَطاعُis possible سُؤالُهاasking her
وتأتي بما لا يُستَطاعُ سُؤالُها
Whenever we ask for something within her power, she refuses,
When we ask for something possible, she refuses
yet she brings what one could never ask of her.
And she does what cannot be asked of her
وَقالواand they said أماis there not فيin فِعلهاher treatment بكَof you سَلوةٌsolace
وَقالوا أما في فِعلها بكَ سَلوةٌ
فكَمso how much سَلوةٍsolace لوif only كانwere قَلبيmy heart يَنالُهاattains it
فكَم سَلوةٍ لو كان قَلبي يَنالُها
They said, 'Is there no solace in her treatment of you?'
And they said, “Is there not charm in her actions toward you?”
How much solace—if only my heart could attain it!
How much charm would there be if my heart could attain it
وأَنسىand I forget بِهthrough it فيماin what أراهُI see it وإنَّهاand indeed she
وأَنسى بِه فيما أراهُ وإنَّها
لَجِنيَّةsurely a female jinn الأفعالِdeeds فيماin what إخالُهاI imagine her
لَجِنيَّة الأفعالِ فيما إخالُها
And through it I forget, as I see it; yet she
And I forget, in what I see, that she
is surely a jinn in her deeds, as I imagine her.
Is a devil in her actions, by what she implies
يوَسوِسُwhispers فيin صَدريmy breast إذاwhen خَطرَتshe crosses بِهthrough it
يوَسوِسُ في صَدري إذا خَطرَت بِه
كذاthus الجنُّthe jinn وَسواسِwhispering الصُّدورِbreasts فِعالُهاtheir actions
كذا الجنُّ وَسواسِ الصُّدورِ فِعالُها
Whispering stirs in my breast whenever she comes to mind;
She whispers in my chest when she comes to mind
thus are the jinn: whispering in breasts is their work.
Thus are devils and their chest-whispering deeds
إذاwhen وصلَتshe grants union منَّتshe flaunts her favors وملَّتand grows bored كأنَّماas though
إذا وصلَت منَّت وملَّت كأنَّما
يواصِلُkeeps company عنهاin her stead منُّهاher reminders of favors ومَلالُهاand her boredom
يواصِلُ عنها منُّها ومَلالُها
When she grants union, she flaunts her favors and grows bored, as though
When she is affectionate she is weary and bored
her reproaches and boredom keep me company in her stead.
As if her affection and boredom persist
وإنand if هَجرَتshe forsakes أمسىbecomes يُحبِّبُmakes dear هَجرَهاher forsaking
وإن هَجرَت أمسى يُحبِّبُ هَجرَها
إليَّto me بلاwithout منٍّreproach for favors عليَّupon me خيالُهاher phantom
إليَّ بلا منٍّ عليَّ خيالُها
And if she forsakes me, her absence is made dear
And if she is distant, her distance makes me love
to me, without favors held over me, by her phantom.
Her absence without blame, its fantasy still in my mind
وَدائرةٍand wine passed round فيin الكأسِthe cup لَولاwere it not for مُديرُهاits cupbearer
وَدائرةٍ في الكأسِ لَولا مُديرُها
ووَجنَتهand his cheek أَمسىwould become عَزيزاًrare مِثالُهاits likeness
ووَجنَته أَمسى عَزيزاً مِثالُها
And wine passed round in the cup—were it not for its cupbearer
A cycle in the wine cup without its Turner
and his cheek, its like would be hard to find.
Its fermentation has become a rare example
وكِلتاهُماand both of them نارٌfire تُشَبُّis kindled وإنَّنيand indeed I
وكِلتاهُما نارٌ تُشَبُّ وإنَّني
لأَعرِفُI surely know أخرَىanother لاnot يَبينُis visible اشتِعالُهاits burning
لأَعرِفُ أخرَى لا يَبينُ اشتِعالُها
Both are kindled fire; and indeed I
Both are a fire that flames, but I
know another whose burning cannot be seen.
Know another whose kindling is not seen
إذاwhen ماemphatic particle فؤادٌa heart حازَهاpossesses it بِاشتِمالِهby its embrace
إذا ما فؤادٌ حازَها بِاشتِمالِه
علَيهاaround it فقَدthen indeed أمسَىhas become علَيهِaround it اشتِمالُهاits embrace
علَيها فقَد أمسَى علَيهِ اشتِمالُها
Whenever a heart possesses it by enfolding itself
When a heart possesses it in its embrace
around it, it comes in turn to enfold that heart.
Its embrace of it has become an embrace
علىupon أعيُنِthe eyes العُشاقِof lovers أنto تَجلبdraw الهَوىpassion
على أعيُنِ العُشاقِ أن تَجلب الهَوى
لهُمto them ولهاand for them تَسهيدُهاtheir sleeplessness وانهِمالُهاand their streaming tears
لهُم ولها تَسهيدُها وانهِمالُها
It falls to lovers' eyes to draw desire
It is for lovers’ eyes to attract passion for them
to them; the eyes' lot is sleeplessness and streaming tears.
And for it to lull and enrapture them
وهنَّand they are اللياليthe nights إِنif طمِعنَthey covet منfrom الفَتىthe young man
وهنَّ الليالي إِن طمِعنَ من الفَتى
بطولِfor length of سُهادٍsleeplessness جاوَدَتهvied with him in giving طِوالُهاtheir long ones
بطولِ سُهادٍ جاوَدَته طِوالُها
Such are the nights: if they crave from a young man
The nights, if they hope for length
long sleeplessness, their longest vie with him in giving.
Of pillow-talk with the beloved, its duration rewards them
نوائبُafflictions إنif لَمnot يَقطَعِmakes a break اللَّهُGod بينَهاbetween them
نوائبُ إن لَم يَقطَعِ اللَّهُ بينَها
بجودٍwith bounty منfrom الأُستاذِthe Master طالgrows long اتِّصالُهاtheir succession
بجودٍ من الأُستاذِ طال اتِّصالُها
Afflictions—unless God makes a break between them
Afflictions, if God does not cut them off
with bounty from the Master, their succession stretches on.
With the beloved’s generosity, their connection lasts
بجودِthrough the bounty of فتىًa young man كمhow many ساجَلَتهvied with him in giving سَحائِبٌclouds
بجودِ فتىً كم ساجَلَته سَحائِبٌ
فأعجَلَهاso he hurried them عَنfrom أَنthat يُذَمَّbe blamed سِجالُهاtheir outpouring
فأعجَلَها عَن أَن يُذَمَّ سِجالُها
Through a young man's bounty—how many clouds have vied with him,
With the generosity of a youth at whom clouds hurled reproaches,
and he hastened them before their outpouring could be blamed.
He hurried them, lest their reproach continue
فَماfor scarcely طلَعتthey rose واستَوسَقَتand gathered densely وانبَرىand he confronted لهاthem
فَما طلَعت واستَوسَقَت وانبَرى لها
بجَدواهُwith his bounty حتَّىuntil قيلَit was said خفَّgrew light ثقالُهاtheir laden ones
بجَدواهُ حتَّى قيلَ خفَّ ثقالُها
No sooner had they risen and gathered, and he confronted them
It did not rise up and ask for rain but
with his bounty, than it was said, 'Their laden clouds have grown light.'
He hastened to it with exertion until it was said its heaviness lessened
فياso O غيثُrain لاdo not تَعرِضchallenge ليُمناهُagainst his right hand بَعدَماafter
فيا غيثُ لا تَعرِض ليُمناهُ بَعدَما
بداbecame clear لكَto you عندَin الجودِgenerosity والبأسِand battle حالُهاits nature
بدا لكَ عندَ الجودِ والبأسِ حالُها
So, O rain, do not challenge his right hand, after
O raincloud, do not ignore his right
its nature in generosity and battle has become clear to you.
Now that your state of generosity and valor has appeared to you
فَماfor not فِعلُهاits action إِلاexcept الغناءُbenefit كماas تَرىyou see
فَما فِعلُها إِلا الغناءُ كما تَرى
فأعداؤُهاso its enemies فيهاin it سَواءٌequal ومالُهاand its wealth
فأعداؤُها فيها سَواءٌ ومالُها
For all its deeds bring benefit, as you see;
Her situation is but singing, as you see
its enemies and its wealth are alike in its grasp.
Her friends and foes within it are equal
وخَيلٍand a cavalry force تَلقَّاهاhe met it بخَيلٍwith cavalry فَلمso did not تَزلcease
وخَيلٍ تَلقَّاها بخَيلٍ فَلم تَزل
تقاربُdrawing closer حتَّىuntil ضاقَgrew narrow عنهاfor it مَجالُهاits field
تقاربُ حتَّى ضاقَ عنها مَجالُها
And a cavalry force he met with cavalry; it kept
And horses that met horses and did not stop
drawing closer until its field grew too narrow for it.
Approaching until the space around them narrowed
وألقَتand it laid down عَصاهاits staff وهيَwhile it was عزلunarmed منof القناlances
وألقَت عَصاها وهيَ عزل من القنا
يسَربِلهاclothes it ذلّhumiliation الحياةِof life اعتِزالُهاits withdrawal
يسَربِلها ذلّ الحياةِ اعتِزالُها
And it laid down its staff, bereft of lances;
And it threw down its staff, isolated from the reed-pipes
its withdrawal clothed it in the humiliation of life.
That clothe it in the humiliation of reclusion
فياso O لِدماءٍfor blood قدindeed تَساوىbecame equal حَرامُهاits forbidden portion
فيا لِدماءٍ قد تَساوى حَرامُها
علىupon كلِّevery عَضبٍsharp sword باترٍcleaving وحَلالُهاand its lawful portion
على كلِّ عَضبٍ باترٍ وحَلالُها
Ah, the blood whose forbidden portion has become equal
Oh for blood whose unlawfulness
to its lawful portion upon every keen, cleaving sword!
Is equal for every enraged and calm soul
وقَدand indeed صُبغَتwere dyed بيضُwhite الظُّبىsword-edges بِدَمِwith blood of الطُّلىnecks
وقَد صُبغَت بيضُ الظُّبى بِدَمِ الطُّلى
وغُيِّرَand was altered مِنهاof them حُسنُهاtheir beauty وصِقالُهاand their polish
وغُيِّرَ مِنها حُسنُها وصِقالُها
And the white sword-edges were dyed with the blood of necks,
The pure white has been dyed with red blood
and their beauty and polish were changed.
Its beauty and polish thereby changed
وقَدand indeed ظلَّلتهاhad shaded it للغُبارِof dust غَمامَةٌa cloud
وقَد ظلَّلتها للغُبارِ غَمامَةٌ
يَزيدُexceeds عَلىbeyond حرِّheat الشموسِof suns ظِلالُهاits shadows
يَزيدُ عَلى حرِّ الشموسِ ظِلالُها
And a cloud of dust had cast its shade over it;
A cloud has shaded it from dust
its shade surpassed the heat of suns.
Whose shade exceeds the heat of suns
فلماthen when انجَلَتit cleared كانَتit was لأَروَعَto an awe-inspiring man ماجِدٍnoble
فلما انجَلَت كانَت لأَروَعَ ماجِدٍ
يَروعُstrikes terror فتَرتاعُso takes fright الوَغىbattle ورِجالُهاand its men
يَروعُ فتَرتاعُ الوَغى ورِجالُها
When it cleared, victory belonged to an awe-inspiring nobleman,
When it cleared away it revealed the most glorious conqueror
who strikes terror, so battle and its men take fright:
Frightening chaos and its men
لِضاربِto a striker of هاماتٍheads يَعزُّis difficult منالُهاreaching them
لِضاربِ هاماتٍ يَعزُّ منالُها
مُغيِّرِa changer of حالاتconditions يَبينُis clear اختِلالُهاtheir disorder
مُغيِّرِ حالات يَبينُ اختِلالُها
to a striker of heads that are hard to reach,
Changer of conditions whose disorder is evident
a changer of conditions whose disorder is plain.
Who finds it difficult yet yearns for it intensely
أباO father of الحَسنِal-Hasan الآمالُhopes جاءَتhave come تَقودُنيleading me
أبا الحَسنِ الآمالُ جاءَت تَقودُني
أوامرُcommands مِنهاfrom them يُستَحبُّis pleasing امتِثالُهاobeying them
أوامرُ مِنها يُستَحبُّ امتِثالُها
Abu al-Hasan, hopes have come to lead me—
Abul Hasan hopes have led me
commands from them that one gladly obeys.
To obey commands from it I should hasten to fulfill
وماand not جَسَرَتthey dared لولاكَbut for you أنto تَضمنguarantee الغِنىwealth
وما جَسَرَت لولاكَ أن تَضمن الغِنى
ولَكنand yet علَىupon جَدوىthe bounty of يَديكَyour two hands اتِّكالُهاtheir reliance
ولَكن علَى جَدوى يَديكَ اتِّكالُها
They would not have dared, but for you, to guarantee wealth;
And I would not have dared, were it not for you, to imply richness
yet their reliance is on the bounty of your hands.
Rather, it relies on the usefulness of your hands
مكارمُnoble deeds أنif فازَsucceeded الكرامُthe generous بِفعلِهاby performing them
مكارمُ أن فازَ الكرامُ بِفعلِها
وتاهُوand they boasted بِهof it عُجباًproudly فَفيهِso in him كَمالُهاtheir perfection
وتاهُو بِه عُجباً فَفيهِ كَمالُها
Noble deeds—if the generous find success by performing them,
Generosities - for the generous have won it by their deed
and proudly boast of it, their perfection lies in him.
And they were amazed by it, therein lies its perfection
تكادُnearly القوافيthe rhymes أنto تنوءَstagger بحَملِهاfrom bearing them
تكادُ القوافي أن تنوءَ بحَملِها
ويظهرand appears مِنهاin them ضَعفُهاtheir weakness وكَلالُهاand their weariness
ويظهر مِنها ضَعفُها وكَلالُها
The rhymes nearly stagger beneath their burden,
Rhymes almost bend under its weight
and their weakness and weariness become apparent.
And through it their weakness and feebleness show
Sol 6.1