وردتarrived أحاديثtidings العذيبal-ʿUdhayb معwith الصَّباthe east wind
وردت أحاديث العذيب مع الصَّبا
فشفتand healed فؤاداًa heart بالوشاةby tale-bearers معذِّباtormented (contextual reading)
فشفت فؤاداً بالوشاة معذِّبا
Tidings of al-ʿUdhayb arrived with the east wind,
The tales of my love reached me with the breeze
and healed a heart tormented by tale-bearers.
And so unveiled a heart tormented by slanderers
ياO نفحةa waft وردتcame إلىَّto me بشارةas glad tidings
يا نفحة وردت إلىَّ بشارة
أهلاًwelcome وسهلand ease (welcome formula) بالبشيرto the bearer of good news ومرحباand welcome
أهلاً وسهل بالبشير ومرحبا
O waft that came to me as glad tidings,
O breeze that brought good tidings, welcome!
welcome to the bearer of good news—welcome!
Greetings to the herald, salutations and peace
كمhow often قدindeed ركبتyou rode إليَّto me ليلاًa night أدهماًcoal-black
كم قد ركبت إليَّ ليلاً أدهماً
لاnot تمتطيyou mount وركضتand you galloped صبحاًa dawn أشهباgray-white
لا تمتطي وركضت صبحاً أشهبا
How often you rode to me on a coal-black night,
Through many a dark night you rode to me
without a mount, and galloped on a gray-white dawn!
Neither riding a mount nor galloping at dawn
تلقىfinds الملامةreproach فيكon your account بالياًworn out
تلقى الملامة فيك بالياً
وتعنّفand chastise العذّالthe reproachers قلباًa heart قلباًheartsick (possible reading)
وتعنّف العذّال قلباً قلباً
Reproach finds me worn out on your account,
You endure blame though blameless
and the reproachers berate a heartsick heart.
And chide my heart however wounded
فسليso ask الثرىthe earth عنabout ادمعيmy tears وسيلand ask (uncertain spelling) الدthe dark— (word fragment)
فسلي الثرى عن ادمعي وسيل الد
دجىُّ—ness of night (continuation) عنabout مضجعيmy bed وعنand about سهادsleeplessness الكواكباthe stars
دجىُّ عن مضجعي وعن سهاد الكواكبا
So ask the earth about my tears, and ask the dark—
Ask the ground about my tears, ask the night
—ness about my bed, and the stars about sleeplessness.
About my bed, my pillow and the stars above
والقيand convey بالأخبارwith the news غزالa gazelle كناسهhis lair
والقي بالأخبار غزال كناسه
فأراهfor I see him إلاّexcept عنكfrom you باتhe spent the night محجباveiled
فأراه إلاّ عنك بات محجبا
And bring the news to the gazelle in his lair,
Relay the news to my graceful gazelle
for I see him spending the night veiled from all but you.
That but for you, seclusion was his way
فيfor مثلهone like him يصبوyearns الحليمthe self-possessed man صبابةٌardent longing
في مثله يصبو الحليم صبابةٌ
ومنand among العجائبِthe wonders إنif يلامَhe is blamed إذاwhen صَباhe falls in love
ومن العجائبِ إن يلامَ إذا صَبا
For one like him, the self-possessed man yearns with passion,
The forbearing pours his drink slowly
and what a wonder if he is blamed when he falls in love!
Yet how odd to blame one who pours a drink!
ياO غانياًone needing no بلحاظهthrough his glances عنneed for سيفهِhis sword
يا غانياً بلحاظه عن سيفهِ
ولوحظand glances (uncertain reading) أمضىkeener عنthan (uncertain reading) مضاربهits striking edges شباin sharpness
ولوحظ أمضى عن مضاربه شبا
O one whose glances leave him no need of his sword,
O singer, shield your eyes from the sword
and whose glances are keener-edged than its blades!
For at its sharpest, the glance is deadlier
دعput aside ماwhat بجفنكis in your eyelid ماwhat بجفنكis in your eyelid قاتلٌdeadly
دع ما بجفنك ما بجفنك قاتلٌ
ماذاwhat الذيthat which تبغيseek الظباءthe gazelles منfrom الظبيthe male gazelle
ماذا الذي تبغي الظباء من الظبي
Put aside what is in your eyelid: what is in your eyelid kills.
Leave what's in your eyes that kills
What do the gazelles seek from the gazelle?
What do you want of the deer, o deer hunter?
كالغصنlike a bough لولاwere it not أنthat يقالit is said لهof it ذواit withered
كالغصن لولا أن يقال له ذوا
والبدرand the full moon لولاwere it not أنthat يقالit is said لهof it خباit faded
والبدر لولا أن يقال له خبا
Like a bough, save that a bough may be said to wither;
Like the branch, lest it's called flexible
and like the full moon, save that the moon may be said to fade.
Like the moon, lest it's called disappearing
فيin جفنهُhis eyelid لاnot تستفيقyou recover منfrom الضَّنىwasting sickness
في جفنهُ لا تستفيق من الضَّنى
وقوامهand his figure نشوانُintoxicated منwith الخمرِwine الصّباyouth
وقوامه نشوانُ من الخمرِ الصّبا
In his eyelid, there is no recovery from languor,
Sleep never leaves his eyes from sadness
and his figure is drunk with the wine of youth.
His figure sways from the wine of youth
أبداًalways يمينُhe lies ولاand not يميلُhe inclines لعاشقٍtoward a lover
أبداً يمينُ ولا يميلُ لعاشقٍ
يشكوcomplains فيمنحso he grants جفوةَcoldness وتجنُّبand avoidance
يشكو فيمنح جفوةَ وتجنُّب
Always he lies, and never inclines toward a lover
His right hand never falters for a lover
who complains, only to receive coldness and avoidance.
Who complains of his aloofness and avoidance
القاهُI meet him معتذراًapologizing أُناشدI implore صفحهُhis pardon
القاهُ معتذراً أُناشد صفحهُ
عنيfor me وإنthough كانhe is المسيءَthe wrongdoer الُمذنباthe guilty one
عني وإن كان المسيءَ الُمذنبا
I meet him apologetically, imploring his forgiveness
I met him with an apology and asked his pardon
for me, though he is the wrongdoer, the guilty one.
Though I was the one at fault, the unjust
ومتىand whenever سألتُI asked الوعدَthe promise منهُfrom him فإَّنماthen only
ومتى سألتُ الوعدَ منهُ فإَّنما
حاولتُI sought برقاًlightning فيin الحقيقةtruth خُلَّباrainless
حاولتُ برقاً في الحقيقة خُلَّبا
And whenever I ask him for a promise, I only
Whenever I asked him to promise, I tried
seek lightning that, in truth, brings no rain.
To squeeze water from a rock, to no avail
عجباًhow wondrous لطَّتهِat his forelock (uncertain reading) وضوءand the light جبينهِof his brow
عجباً لطَّتهِ وضوء جبينهِ
أوor ماnot ترىyou see صبحاًa dawn أقامabided وغيهباand deep darkness
أو ما ترى صبحاً أقام وغيهبا
How wondrous his [forelock?] and the light of his brow!
How wondrous his composure, the light of his face
Or do you not see dawn abiding beside deep darkness?
Have you not seen the morn rise and set?
ولماءِand at the moisture of وجنتهِhis cheek وماءِand the water of حياتهِhis life
ولماءِ وجنتهِ وماءِ حياتهِ
تعتادهُcomes upon him repeatedly فتزيدso it increases منهُin him تلهُّباburning
تعتادهُ فتزيد منهُ تلهُّبا
And wondrous are his cheek's moisture and his life's water:
The water of his cheeks, the water of his life
it comes upon him, only to make him burn more fiercely.
With which, the more you taste, the more thirsty you become
صلفٌhaughty تعجَّبَhe marveled منat وفاةthe death تجلّديof my endurance
صلفٌ تعجَّبَ من وفاة تجلّدي
وأرىand I find حياتيmy life فيin هواهlove for him أعجباmore wondrous
وأرى حياتي في هواه أعجبا
A haughty one, he marveled at the death of my endurance,
An indifferent one was shocked by my loyalty
yet I find my surviving in love with him more wondrous.
Yet I find my life in his love more wondrous
شمسَgrew restive الزمانُTime عليَّagainst me فيهِconcerning him وإنماand only
شمسَ الزمانُ عليَّ فيهِ وإنما
بالصَّاحبthrough the Ṣāḥib استثنىmade an exception الوفاقconcord فأصبحاand it dawned
بالصَّاحب استثنى الوفاق فأصبحا
Time grew restive against me over him, and only
He was my sun, and made an exception for me
through the Ṣāḥib did it make an exception for concord, and dawn broke.
Exempting affection, so we both rose
لندىthrough the bounty of صفيّṢafī ('chosen one') الدينal-Dīn ('of the faith') أخصبgrew fertile مربعيmy spring abode
لندى صفيّ الدين أخصب مربعي
قبلbefore السؤالasking وكانand it was يبساًdry مجدباbarren
قبل السؤال وكان يبساً مجدبا
The dew of Ṣafī al-Dīn's bounty made my abode fertile,
To the dew of the sincere al-Din went my ode
before I asked, though it had been dry and barren.
Before asking, when the soil was dry and barren
كمhow often نابنيbefell me خطبٌa calamity ففلَّلso he blunted نابهُits fang
كم نابني خطبٌ ففلَّل نابهُ
دونيto protect me وقلَّمَand clipped ظفرهُits nail والمخلَباand the claw
دوني وقلَّمَ ظفرهُ والمخلَبا
How often a calamity befell me, and he blunted its fang
How many seek my company but are refused
to protect me, and clipped its nail and claw.
As I clip their nails and blunt their claws
وشفىand healed ضنايَmy wasting sickness وماthough not شكوتُI complained of سقامهُits illness
وشفى ضنايَ وما شكوتُ سقامهُ
وسقىand watered ثنايَmy praise ندىthe dew of generosity يديهِof his two hands فأخصباso it grew fertile
وسقى ثنايَ ندى يديهِ فأخصبا
He healed my wasting sickness, though I never complained of it,
My sorrows were healed though I did not complain
and his hands' dew watered my praise, making it fertile.
The nectar of his hands revived my meadows
ذوpossessor of المجدglory حطَّset down علىupon السِّماكal-Simāk رحالهُhis saddles
ذو المجد حطَّ على السِّماك رحالهُ
وبنىand built القبابpavilions علىon ذُراهits heights وطنَّباُand stretched tent-ropes
وبنى القباب على ذُراه وطنَّباُ
The lord of glory set his saddles down upon al-Simāk,
The glorious one pitched his tent on the heights
and raised pavilions on its heights, stretching their tent-ropes.
And built domes over the sand dunes
سهلُgentle الخليقةِin disposition أنسأتmade lag behind هزَّاتٌstirrings نائلـbounty— (before its suffix)
سهلُ الخليقةِ أنسأت هزَّاتٌ نائلـ
ـهِ—his (possessive suffix) زياداًZiyād فيin الصباحthe morning ومُصعباand Muṣʿab
ـهِ زياداً في الصباح ومُصعبا
Gentle in nature, the stirrings of his bounty left behind
Easygoing, his moods are clouds that rain
Ziyād in the morning, and Muṣʿab.
In the morn, adding difficulty to the arduous
ملَكhe mastered العدىthe enemies فحياتهمso their life إِماif عفاhe pardoned
ملَك العدى فحياتهم إِما عفا
ومماتهمand their death وحتوفهمand their dooms أنthat يغضباhe grows angry
ومماتهم وحتوفهم أن يغضبا
He masters his enemies: they live if he pardons,
The king of justice, so their lives are either grace
and their death and doom depend on his anger.
Or their death and destruction if he gets angry
فهوso he is الحياةlife غداةَon the morning when يُلقىhe is met باسماًsmiling
فهو الحياة غداةَ يُلقى باسماً
ويحولand becomes موتاًdeath إِذwhen يحولhe becomes مقطَّبِاfrowning
ويحول موتاً إِذ يحول مقطَّبِا
He is life on the morning you find him smiling,
He is life itself, though named
and becomes death when he becomes grim-faced.
And death itself, though shaped
بدرfull moon السماءof the sky المجتلىto be beheld ثمرfruit الأماthe wish— (word fragment)
بدر السماء المجتلى ثمر الأما
ني—es (word continuation) المجتنىto be plucked ربُّlord of المعاليlofty honors المجتنىto be harvested
ني المجتنى ربُّ المعالي المجتنى
The sky's full moon to behold, the fruit of wish—
Moon of the heavens, fruit of hopes
—es to be plucked; lord of lofty honors, whose fruits are gathered.
Lord of glory, the hoped-for
يَثنيturns back العداةَthe enemies كتابهُhis letter فكأنماas though
يَثني العداةَ كتابهُ فكأنما
بعثhe dispatched الجيوشthe armies إلىagainst العداةِthe enemies وكتَّباand formed battalions
بعث الجيوش إلى العداةِ وكتَّبا
His letter turns the enemies back, as though
His writ turns back the enemies, as though
he had sent armies against the foes and arrayed them in battalions.
He summoned armies against the enemy and assigned them
أسديmore lavish ندًىin bounty وأَشدَّand mightier أَيداًin strength منthan بنيthe sons of
أسدي ندًى وأَشدَّ أَيداً من بني
الدنياthe world وانكبand broader-shouldered للحوداثagainst calamities منكباin shoulder
الدنيا وانكب للحوداث منكبا
More lavish in bounty and mightier in strength than the sons of
My ode is his tender dew, my hand firmer
this world, and broader of shoulder against calamities.
Than all worldly hands, and I lean into tribulations
يغنيكmakes you need no عنneed for خُودmaidens الغمامof the clouds إذاwhen حباhe bestows gifts
يغنيك عن خُود الغمام إذا حبا
ويريكand shows you طيشاًunsteadiness فيin الجبالthe mountains إذاwhen احتبىhe sits with knees drawn up
ويريك طيشاً في الجبال إذا احتبى
He makes the cloud-maidens needless to you when he gives,
He distracts you from the cheek of clouds if angry
and makes the mountains seem unsteady when he sits with knees drawn up.
And shows you madness in the mountains if he comes down
قلsay للحسودto the envier انصبwear yourself out فلستَfor you are not بوادعٍat ease
قل للحسود انصب فلستَ بوادعٍ
اللهGod أشقىmade wretched حاسديهhis enviers واتبعاand pursued
الله أشقى حاسديه واتبعا
Tell the envier: 'Wear yourself out—you will find no ease.'
Say to the envious, do your worst, you cannot deter me
God made his enviers wretched and pursued them.
May Allah make my enviers more wretched, and destroy them
هوhe فيthrough الأيامthe days ممدَّحٌmuch praised وأبوهand his father
هو في الأيام ممدَّحٌ وأبوه
ماتdied مؤَّبناeulogized وأراكand I see you أنتyou yourself مؤنَّباrebuked
مات مؤَّبنا وأراك أنت مؤنَّبا
He is much praised through the days, and his father
He is praised in his time, and his father
died eulogized, while I see you yourself rebuked.
Died mourned, while you are left in agony
أينhow far الضلالerror منfrom الهدىguidance أينhow far الصباحmorning منfrom
أين الضلال من الهدى أين الصباح من
الجىَّnight-darkness (uncertain spelling) أينhow far الجبالthe mountains منfrom الَهباdust
الجىَّ أين الجبال من الَهبا
How far is error from guidance! How far is morning from
Where is misguidance from guidance? Where is dawn from night?
night-darkness! How far are mountains from dust!
Where are mountains from dust?
حسُنتgrew fair بهِthrough him الأَيامthe days بعدafter سماجةٍugliness
حسُنت بهِ الأَيام بعد سماجةٍ
فيناamong us وعاتبناand we reproached الزمانTime فأعتباso it made amends
فينا وعاتبنا الزمان فأعتبا
Through him, the days grew fair after ugliness
With him our days improved after discordance
among us; we reproached Time, and it made amends.
We blamed Time, and it expressed remorse
تأتيهِyou approach him منبسطاًat ease كأَنكas though you عاتبٌwere reproaching
تأتيهِ منبسطاً كأَنك عاتبٌ
ويجودand he gives generously معتذراًapologizing كأنas though قدhad أذبناhe sinned (uncertain reading)
ويجود معتذراً كأن قد أذبنا
You approach him at ease, as though reproaching him,
I came to him aggrieved as if complaining
and he gives apologetically, as though he had [sinned?].
He generously apologized as if he wronged me
ياO سيّدchief of الوزراءthe ministers دعوةَthe plea of خائفٍa frightened man
يا سيّد الوزراء دعوةَ خائفٍ
أنزلتهُyou lodged him حيثwhere الغنىwealth lies فتأَشباso he grew luxuriant
أنزلتهُ حيث الغنى فتأَشبا
O chief of ministers, a frightened man's plea:
O minister, I am a fearful supplicant
you lodged him where wealth lies, and he grew luxuriant.
Whose poverty you changed into wealth, so he thrived
Sol 6.1