ياO مِنّةًa boon لذّgrew sweet بهاthrough it السُّكْرُintoxication
يا مِنّةً لذّ بها السُّكْرُ
لاnot ينقَضيends منّيfrom me لهاfor it الشُّكْرُgratitude
لا ينقَضي منّي لها الشُّكْرُ
O boon through which intoxication grew sweet,
O delight intoxicated by bliss
for which my gratitude never ends.
My gratitude to it will never cease
فلَقَsplit الدُجىthe darkness بعَمودِهwith its shaft الفجرُdawn
فلَقَ الدُجى بعَمودِه الفجرُ
وبكىand wept النّدىthe dew وتبسّمَand smiled الزّهرُthe flowers
وبكى النّدى وتبسّمَ الزّهرُ
Dawn split the darkness with its shaft;
Dawn has cleaved the darkness with its pillar
the dew wept, and the flowers smiled.
The dew wept while the flowers smiled
وتنفّسَand breathed out النّسرينُthe eglantine عنwith عبقٍa fragrance
وتنفّسَ النّسرينُ عن عبقٍ
منهُfrom it بأذيالِin the skirts of الصَّباthe east wind عِطْرُperfume
منهُ بأذيالِ الصَّبا عِطْرُ
The eglantine breathed out a fragrance;
The breeze breathed the fragrance
from it, perfume lay in the skirts of the east wind.
Carried by the train of the morning breeze
والوقتُand the hour قدhad لطُفَتْgrown gentle شمائِلُهُits ways
والوقتُ قد لطُفَتْ شمائِلُهُ
فصَفاso it brightened ورقَّand grew gentle وراقَتِand grew clear الخَمْرُthe wine
فصَفا ورقَّ وراقَتِ الخَمْرُ
The hour had grown gentle in its ways,
The atmosphere has become gentle
so it brightened and softened, and the wine grew clear.
Clear, delighted, refined is the wine
فاِنهَضْso rise علىon قدمِthe foot of السّرورِjoy إلىtoward
فاِنهَضْ على قدمِ السّرورِ إلى
شمسٍa sun يَطوفُcarries round بكأسِهاits cup بَدْرُa full moon
شمسٍ يَطوفُ بكأسِها بَدْرُ
So rise on joy's foot toward
So rise on the foot of joy to
a sun whose cup a full moon carries round.
A sun orbiting which a full moon revolves
بِكْرٌa maiden إذاwhen ماan emphatic particle الماءُwater خالَطَهاmingles with it
بِكْرٌ إذا ما الماءُ خالَطَها
منهاfrom it تولّدَare born لؤلؤٌpearls نَثْرُunstrung
منها تولّدَ لؤلؤٌ نَثْرُ
A maiden wine: whenever water mingles with it,
A virgin whom when water mixes with
unstrung pearls are born from it.
Pearls are born and scattered from her
عَذراءُa virgin ماnot لبَنيfor the sons of الخلاعةِdissipation عنْfor
عَذراءُ ما لبَني الخلاعةِ عنْ
خَلْعِcasting off العِذارِthe bridle بحبُّهاin loving it عُذْرُan excuse
خَلْعِ العِذارِ بحبُّها عُذْرُ
A virgin—the sons of dissipation, for
An untouched beauty whom the slyness of men
casting off the bridle in love of it, have no excuse.
Cannot tempt, her chastity their excuse
نفسٌa soul منof الياقوتِruby سائِلةٌflowing
نفسٌ من الياقوتِ سائِلةٌ
روحٌa spirit ولكنْbut جِسمُهاits body تِبْرُraw gold
روحٌ ولكنْ جِسمُها تِبْرُ
A flowing soul of ruby,
A soul of ruby pouring forth
a spirit, yet its body is raw gold.
A spirit though its body is gold
تَبدوappear براقِعُهاits veils فتحسَبُهاso you take them for
تَبدو براقِعُها فتحسَبُها
برداًhail تلظّىblazed تحتَهُbeneath it جَمْرُembers
برداً تلظّى تحتَهُ جَمْرُ
Its veils appear, and you would take them for
Her veil appears then you'd think
hail beneath which embers blaze.
It's ambers burning behind it embers
نورٌa light يكادُalmost فؤادُthe heart of شارِبِهاits drinker
نورٌ يكادُ فؤادُ شارِبِها
للعَينِto the eye منهاthrough it ينجَليbecomes revealed السّرُّthe secret
للعَينِ منها ينجَلي السّرُّ
A light—its drinker's heart almost
A light that nearly burst the heart of its drinker
has its secret revealed to the eye through it.
From it the secret is revealed to the eye
لطُفَتْgrew subtle فخِلناso we imagined ذاتthe very being of جوهرِهاits substance
لطُفَتْ فخِلنا ذات جوهرِها
فنِيَتْvanished وقامَand subsisted بنفْسِهاin its own being السُّكْرُintoxication
فنِيَتْ وقامَ بنفْسِها السُّكْرُ
It grew so subtle that we imagined its very substance
Her essence distilled its delicacy
had vanished, and intoxication subsisted in its being.
It evanesced and inebriation took its place
تذَرُleaves الزُّجاجَthe glass بلَونِهاwith its color ذهَباًgold
تذَرُ الزُّجاجَ بلَونِها ذهَباً
فلهاso it has بعِلْمِin the science of الكيمياalchemy خبَرُknowledge
فلها بعِلْمِ الكيميا خبَرُ
It leaves the glass gold with its hue,
She makes glass with her complexion gold
so it knows the science of alchemy.
She's versed in the science of alchemy
وكأنّand as though سرَّthe secret of المومياءِmumiya (healing bitumen) لهاbelonged to it
وكأنّ سرَّ المومياءِ لها
فيهاwithin it لكَسْرِfor the breaking of قُلوبِناour hearts جَبْرُmending
فيها لكَسْرِ قُلوبِنا جَبْرُ
As though mumiya's secret belonged to it,
As if she knows the secret of the elixir
within it our broken hearts find mending.
To mend our broken hearts she has skill
وكأنّماand as if راوُوقُهاits wine-strainer دَنِفٌa lovesick man
وكأنّما راوُوقُها دَنِفٌ
أجرىmade flow عَقيقَthe agate of دموعِهِhis tears الهَجْرُseparation
أجرى عَقيقَ دموعِهِ الهَجْرُ
As though its strainer were a lovesick man,
As if her saliva is wine
whose agate tears separation set flowing.
Whose fermentation is the tears of separation
ومُهَفهَفٍand a slender youth كالشمسِlike the sun طلعَتُهhis countenance
ومُهَفهَفٍ كالشمسِ طلعَتُه
بالجيدِupon the neck منهُof him كواكبٌstars زُهْرُbright
بالجيدِ منهُ كواكبٌ زُهْرُ
And a slender youth, his countenance like the sun,
A crescent whose rising adorns his forehead
upon whose neck are shining stars.
With stars like flowers gracing his mane
شُغِفَتْbecame enamored بقامَتِهof his stature القَناthe lance-shafts فلِذاso for this reason
شُغِفَتْ بقامَتِه القَنا فلِذا
ألوانُهاtheir colors لشحوبِهاbecause of their pallor سُمْرُdusky
ألوانُها لشحوبِها سُمْرُ
The lance-shafts fell in love with his stature, and so
The branches lean crazily towards his stature
their colors are dusky from their pallor.
Hence their hues turned pale in yearning
ورأىand saw البهارthe yellow daisy شَقيقthe anemone of وجْنَتِهاher cheek
ورأى البهار شَقيق وجْنَتِها
فخُدودُهاso its cheeks كَلَفاًwith infatuation بهِfor it صُفْرُyellow
فخُدودُها كَلَفاً بهِ صُفْرُ
The yellow daisy saw the anemone of her cheek;
The blossoms saw his red rose cheeks
its cheeks are yellow with passion for it.
Thus their complexion turned yellow in jealousy
بوِشاحِهat his sash معنىa meaning عِبارتِهits wording
بوِشاحِه معنى عِبارتِه
رقّتْgrew delicate ودقّقْand refined شرْحَهاits explanation الخَضْرُthe greenery
رقّتْ ودقّقْ شرْحَها الخَضْرُ
At his sash is a meaning whose wording
His expression explains his words
grew delicate, and the greenery refined its explanation.
Subtleties clarified by the green
وبلحظِهand in his glance وفؤادِand the heart of وامقِهhis lover
وبلحظِه وفؤادِ وامقِه
سُكْرٌintoxication لهfor it بكِلَيْهِماin both of them كَسْرُbrokenness
سُكْرٌ له بكِلَيْهِما كَسْرُ
And in his glance and his lover's heart
His glances, heart, and tender heart
is intoxication, with brokenness in both.
For both a drunk infraction
باتَتْspent the night تُضاحِكُنيlaughing with me براحتِهin his palm
باتَتْ تُضاحِكُني براحتِه
راحٌwine كأنّas though حَبابَهاits bubbles ثَغْرُa mouth
راحٌ كأنّ حَبابَها ثَغْرُ
All night, in his palm, there laughed with me
She laughs to me in relaxation
a wine whose bubbles seemed a smiling mouth.
Winds as if their drafting amusement
فأرضتهso I tamed him بعدَafter الجِماحِunruliness بهاwith it
فأرضته بعدَ الجِماحِ بها
حتّىuntil تسهّلَgrew gentle خُلقُهhis disposition الوَعْرُrugged
حتّى تسهّلَ خُلقُه الوَعْرُ
So with it I tamed him after his unruliness,
So I pleased him after defiance with her
until his rugged disposition grew gentle.
Until his strictness turns amenable
نظمَstrung الهوىlove عقدَthe necklace of العِناقِembracing لناfor us
نظمَ الهوى عقدَ العِناقِ لنا
ومنَand of العَفافِchastity تضمّناenfold us أُزْرُwaist-wraps
ومنَ العَفافِ تضمّنا أُزْرُ
Love strung for us the necklace of an embrace,
Passion has knitted for us the necklace of embrace
and waist-wraps of chastity enfolded us.
And from chastity we took dress
رفعَlifted الشّبابُyouth حِجابَthe veil of أوجهناour faces
رفعَ الشّبابُ حِجابَ أوجهنا
ومنand of الفتوّةِchivalry بينَناbetween us سِتْرُa screen
ومن الفتوّةِ بينَنا سِتْرُ
Youth lifted the veil from our faces,
Youth raised the veil from our faces
while a screen of chivalry stood between us.
And nobility was drape between us
ولكمand how often عرجتُI ascended إلىto محلِّa station of عُلاًloftiness
ولكم عرجتُ إلى محلِّ عُلاً
فوقَabove السِّماكِal-Simak وتحتَهُand beneath it الغَفْرُal-Ghafr
فوقَ السِّماكِ وتحتَهُ الغَفْرُ
How often I ascended to a lofty station,
And how often I frequented the abode of highness
above al-Simak, with al-Ghafr beneath it,
Above the lofty and beneath it forgiveness
بمطهَّمٍon a well-built steed مثلِlike الظّليمِthe male ostrich إذاwhen
بمطهَّمٍ مثلِ الظّليمِ إذا
ماan emphatic particle شدّcharged قُلْتُI said بأنّهُthat it was صَقْرُa falcon
ما شدّ قُلْتُ بأنّهُ صَقْرُ
on a well-built steed like a male ostrich—when
With a steadfastness like darkness
it charged, I said it was a falcon.
When I called it an eagle
تَدريknow المَهاthe oryx أنthat لاno نَجاةَescape لهاfor them
تَدري المَها أن لا نَجاةَ لها
منهُfrom it ويعلَمُand know ذلكَthat العُفْرُthe tawny gazelles
منهُ ويعلَمُ ذلكَ العُفْرُ
The oryx know they have no escape
The prey knows it has no escape
from it, and the tawny gazelles know this too.
From it and so does the rat
فإذاthen when لهbefore it آجالُهاtheir herds عرضَتْappeared
فإذا له آجالُها عرضَتْ
عرضَتْappeared لهاbefore them آجالُهاtheir appointed deaths الحُمرُcrimson
عرضَتْ لها آجالُها الحُمرُ
When their herds appear before it,
So when its death presented itself
their crimson deaths appear before them.
The red death presented itself
مثلُlike الرّياحِthe winds رواحُthe afternoon journey of أربعةٍfour legs
مثلُ الرّياحِ رواحُ أربعةٍ
شهرٌa month وسَيرُand the journey of غُدوّهاtheir morning departure شَهْرُa month
شهرٌ وسَيرُ غُدوّها شَهْرُ
Like the winds, the afternoon journey of its four legs
Like the blowing of the four winds
is a month, and their morning journey a month.
A month, and the going of its tomorrow a month
كمُلَتْwere perfected صِفاتُthe qualities of الصّافِناتِsteeds with one hoof poised بهin it
كمُلَتْ صِفاتُ الصّافِناتِ به
فبذاتِهso in its very being لجميعِهاfor all of them حَصْرُcontainment
فبذاتِه لجميعِها حَصْرُ
The qualities of poised steeds are perfected in it,
It perfected the qualities of removers
so its very being contains them all.
Thus by its essence all have limitation
يجريit runs ويجريand runs الفِكرُthought يتبَعُهُfollows it
يجري ويجري الفِكرُ يتبَعُهُ
فيَفوتُso it outstrips ثمّthen ويحسَرُand grows weary الفِكرُthought
فيَفوتُ ثمّ ويحسَرُ الفِكرُ
It runs, and thought runs after it;
Thought goes on following it
it outstrips thought, and then thought grows weary.
I miss then thought regrets
ويكادand almost أنto يرِدَcome to drink السّماءَthe sky إذاwhen
ويكاد أن يرِدَ السّماءَ إذا
ظنّit thought المجرّةَthe Milky Way أنّهاthat it was نَهْرُa river
ظنّ المجرّةَ أنّها نَهْرُ
It almost comes to drink in the sky when
It nearly returns the sky if
it thinks the Milky Way is a river.
It thinks the galaxy is a river
أطلَعتُI sent forth منهfrom it سَهمَan arrow of حادثةٍcalamity
أطلَعتُ منه سَهمَ حادثةٍ
يرميshoots بهwith it عنfrom قوسِهhis bow الدّهْرُTime
يرمي به عن قوسِه الدّهْرُ
From it I sent forth an arrow of calamity,
I drew from it the arrow of an event
which Time shoots from his bow,
That time shoots from its bow
حتّىuntil بلغْتُI reached أباAbu (father of) الحُسينal-Husayn بهon it
حتّى بلغْتُ أبا الحُسين به
فبلغْتُso I reached حيثwhere يُرَفرِفُflutters النّسرُthe Eagle
فبلغْتُ حيث يُرَفرِفُ النّسرُ
until on it I reached Abu al-Husayn,
Until I reached Abu Al Hussein with it
and reached where the Eagle flutters.
Until where the eagles flutter
حيثwhere العُلاloftiness ضربَتْpitched سُرادقهhis pavilion
حيث العُلا ضربَتْ سُرادقه
فيهthere وحلّand settled المجدُglory والفخرُand pride
فيه وحلّ المجدُ والفخرُ
Where loftiness pitched his pavilion,
Where glory has pitched its pavilion
and glory and pride made their home there;
In it settled glory and pride
حيثwhere التُّقىpiety والفضلُand excellence أجمعُهُall of it
حيث التُّقى والفضلُ أجمعُهُ
تأويtake refuge إليهin him ويأمَنُand is safe البرُّgoodness
تأوي إليه ويأمَنُ البرُّ
where piety and excellence in its entirety
Where piety and all virtue reside
take refuge in him, and goodness is safe.
To it repairs and in it trusts the righteous
فوثِقْتُso I became certain منذُsince حلَلْتُI entered ساحتَهُhis court
فوثِقْتُ منذُ حلَلْتُ ساحتَهُ
أنthat لاnot يحِلَّsettles بساحَتيin my courtyard فَقْرُpoverty
أن لا يحِلَّ بساحَتي فَقْرُ
Since I entered his court, I have been certain
Since I stepped into his yard
that poverty would not settle in my courtyard.
Poverty will never afflict my abode
ماnot زالَceased يقذِفُcasts ليto me جواهرَهُhis jewels
ما زالَ يقذِفُ لي جواهرَهُ
حتّىuntil علِمْتُI knew بأنّهthat he was بحرُan ocean
حتّى علِمْتُ بأنّه بحرُ
He never ceased casting his jewels to me,
He continues to fling at me his gems
until I knew that he was an ocean.
Until I knew he is an ocean
يُجديbestows ندىًbounty ويُفيدُand imparts مسألةًa point of learning
يُجدي ندىً ويُفيدُ مسألةً
فنوالُهso his gifts وكلامُهand his words دُرُّpearls
فنوالُه وكلامُه دُرُّ
He bestows bounty and imparts a point of learning;
Benefiting dew and aiding inquiry
his gifts and his words are pearls.
Thus his bestowal and speech are pearls
فوقَabove الخصيبِal-Khasib محلُّthe station of رِفعتِهِhis eminence
فوقَ الخصيبِ محلُّ رِفعتِهِ
وبهِand through him الخَويزةُal-Khuwayza دونَهاbeneath it مِصْرُEgypt
وبهِ الخَويزةُ دونَها مِصْرُ
His exalted station stands above al-Khasib's,
Above the fertile his elevated station
and through him al-Khuwayza stands above Egypt.
And below it Egypt
كمhow many منof أيادِيهhis favors لديّwith me يدٌa favor
كم من أيادِيه لديّ يدٌ
ماnot ينقَضيends منّيfrom me لهاfor it الشُّكْرُgratitude
ما ينقَضي منّي لها الشُّكْرُ
How many a favor of his I have received,
How many hands do I have from him
for which my gratitude never ends.
My gratitude to them will never cease
Sol 6.1