أقسمتI swore منfrom فرعهاher hair المسبولflowing loose بالداجيby the dark locks
أقسمت من فرعها المسبول بالداجي
كالآبنوسlike ebony بمشطby the instep الرجلof the foot فيin العاجivory
كالآبنوس بمشط الرجل في العاج
I swore by the darkness of her flowing hair,
I swear by the one with the soft, flowing hair
ebony-like, and by the ivory-white instep of her foot.
Like ebony with the comb of a man in ivory
لقدindeed تورَّطbecame entangled قلبيmy heart فيin حبائلِهاher snares
لقد تورَّط قلبي في حبائلِها
فماso not أرىI see أنَّهthat it منfrom حبِّهاher love ناجescaping
فما أرى أنَّه من حبِّها ناج
My heart has indeed become entangled in her snares,
My heart has been trapped in her spells
so I do not see it escaping her love.
I don’t see it being saved from her love
لوif only أنسَI forget يومthe day of النوىparting دمعاًtears بوجنتِهاon her cheek
لو أنسَ يوم النوى دمعاً بوجنتِها
كماas though نثرتwere scattered لآلٍpearls فوقover ديباجbrocade
كما نثرت لآلٍ فوق ديباج
If only I could forget the tears on her cheek on parting day,
If the young one's tears stained her cheek one day
as though pearls had been scattered over brocade.
As she sprinkled the necklaces on the brocade
وناظرِيand my eye حينَwhen أخلىvacated الجزعthe valley bend ساكنهits dweller
وناظرِي حينَ أخلى الجزع ساكنه
كعارضٍlike a raincloud بعقيقِwith the carnelian of الدمعِtears ثجاجpouring abundantly
كعارضٍ بعقيقِ الدمعِ ثجاج
And my eye, when the valley bend was deserted by its dweller,
And my eyes when sorrow left it dwelling
was like a raincloud pouring carnelian tears.
Like a lover shedding tears of agony
محجوبةveiled إنif أقلI say عمرِيmy life انْقضىhas ended فبِهاthen through her
محجوبة إن أقل عمرِي انْقضى فبِها
قضىperished حجايَmy reason ولمand has not يقضfulfilled اللقاmeeting حاجيmy need
قضى حجايَ ولم يقض اللقا حاجي
She is veiled; if I say my life is spent, through her
If the least of my life passed with her
my reason has perished, yet meeting her has not satisfied my need.
My pilgrimage was fulfilled but not the meeting, my purpose
لاno عيبَflaw فيهاin her سوىexcept ريقsaliva علىupon بَردhail-white teeth
لا عيبَ فيها سوى ريق على بَرد
مبرِّدcooling فيin الشتاwinter والصيفand summer ثلاَّجicy-cold
مبرِّد في الشتا والصيف ثلاَّج
No flaw in her save saliva upon hail-white teeth,
No fault in her but saliva on cold
cooling in winter, icy-cold in summer.
Ice in winter and summer melting
قسمتI apportioned أغزالَlove poems شعريmy poetry والمديحand praise لهاfor her
قسمت أغزالَ شعري والمديح لها
نظمstringing الشذورgold beads ونظمand stringing الدرpearls فيin التاجthe crown
نظم الشذور ونظم الدر في التاج
I divided my verse between love and praise: for her,
I have sworn the gazelles of my poetry and praise to her
gold beads strung, and pearls strung into the crown.
Prose of embers and prose of pearls in the crown
يحييrevives الندىgenerosity جعفرJaʿfar والفضلand al-Fadl قدalready فنياboth have perished
يحيي الندى جعفر والفضل قد فنيا
وظلهand his shade لاmay not عدِمناwe be deprived of ظلهhis shade ساجtranquil
وظله لا عدِمنا ظله ساج
Generosity revives Jaʿfar and al-Fadl, though both have perished;
May morning dew revive Ja'far and al-Fadl they are gone
and his shade—may we never lack his shade—is tranquil.
And may its shade not leave us, never leaving its column
ذوpossessor of الجودgenerosity كمhow many جملٍsums منfrom وفرthe abundance of راحتهhis palm
ذو الجود كم جملٍ من وفر راحته
قدindeed عوجلتwere hastened قبلbefore تحصيلٍcollection بإخراجinto disbursement
قد عوجلت قبل تحصيلٍ بإخراج
Lord of generosity—how many sums from his abundant palm
The generous one, how many beautiful acts of generosity
were hurried into disbursement before collection!
Were rushed before being counted in expenditure
والبرand benevolence والمكرماتand noble deeds الغرّradiant كمhow often هرعتhurried
والبر والمكرمات الغرّ كم هرعت
إليهto him أفواجُcrowds قصدٍof seekers بعدafter أفواجcrowds
إليه أفواجُ قصدٍ بعد أفواج
And kindness and radiant noble deeds—how often
And kindness and generous acts, how much did they rush
have crowds of seekers rushed to him, crowd after crowd!
To him in waves of purpose after waves
كمhow many منof بناتٍdaughters وأبناءٍand sons قدindeed اجْتمعواhave gathered
كم من بناتٍ وأبناءٍ قد اجْتمعوا
علىat قراهhis hospitality وزوجاتٍand wives وأزواجand husbands
على قراه وزوجاتٍ وأزواج
How many daughters and sons have gathered
How many daughters, sons gathered
at his hospitable table, and wives and husbands!
Around his towns, wives, and husbands
كمhow many بينamong أبياتverses أمداحِيmy praises لهfor him شيمٌvirtues
كم بين أبيات أمداحِي له شيمٌ
كأنَّهنَّas though they were نجومٌstars بينamong أبراجzodiacal houses
كأنَّهنَّ نجومٌ بين أبراج
How many of his virtues appear among my verses of praise,
How many noble qualities in my praises to him
as though they were stars among the zodiac's houses!
Are like stars between towers
بحرa sea أرىI see مقبلاتoncoming الخيرgoodness أكثرmore منthan
بحر أرى مقبلات الخير أكثر من
ماضيwhat has passed of سرَاهاtheir flow فماso no عدٌّcounting لأمواجof waves
ماضي سرَاها فما عدٌّ لأمواج
A sea: I see more goodness coming than
I see the sea of good news more than
has already flowed past; there is no counting the waves.
Its flowing past, no counting its waves
فيin كفِّهhis palm القلمانthe two pens الرَّاجحانthe two outweighing علىover
في كفِّه القلمان الرَّاجحان على
سواهماothers besides them بينamong كفاتٍscale-pans وأدراجand scrolls
سواهما بين كفاتٍ وأدراج
In his palm are the two pens, outweighing
In his hand the two feathers outweighing
all others amid scale-pans and scrolls.
Others between palms and chests
ياah حبَّذاhow fine قلمُthe pen of التصريفadministration معwith قلمthe pen of الthe
يا حبَّذا قلمُ التصريف مع قلم ال
إنشاءِcomposition منsuch a سابقٍracer فيon الطرسِthe page هملاجsmooth-gaited
إنشاءِ من سابقٍ في الطرسِ هملاج
Ah, how fine the pen of administration beside the pen of
O the bliss of the feather of administration with the feather of
composition—a smooth-gaited racer across the page!
Composition, outstanding in broadcasting goodness
وحبَّذاand how fine الطرسthe page منشوراًunfolded بنفعِwith the benefit of رجاhope
وحبَّذا الطرس منشوراً بنفعِ رجا
وملتقيand welcoming كلّevery ذيperson with همٍّcare بإفراجwith relief
وملتقي كلّ ذي همٍّ بإفراج
And how fine the page, unfolded with a hoped-for boon,
And blissful is the broadcasting, beneficial to aspiring men
and welcoming everyone burdened by care with relief!
And meeting everyone with concerns to relieve them
وحبَّذاand how fine منsuch a حباسيّHabasi وأنعمهُand his favors
وحبَّذا من حباسيّ وأنعمهُ
فرّاجةdispelling distress لمثارِfor the outbreak of الخطبcalamity مهتاجraging
فرّاجة لمثارِ الخطب مهتاج
And how fine a Habasi he is! His favors
And blissful is the one releasing captives and favoring them
dispel the outbreak of raging calamity.
Relieving fruits of sorrows raging
فيconcerning الحمدِpraise والأجرِand reward ذوpossessed of فكرٍthought وذوand possessed of نظرٍvision
في الحمدِ والأجرِ ذو فكرٍ وذو نظرٍ
إلىtoward صميمِthe very heart of العلىeminence والفضلand excellence ولاَّجever entering
إلى صميمِ العلى والفضل ولاَّج
He reflects on praise and reward, and looks
In praise and reward, of wise and seeing thought
toward the heart of eminence and excellence, ever entering it.
To the essence of highness, merit, and intimacy
قضىdecreed لهfor him اللهGod أنthat تعلوrise مراتبهُhis ranks
قضى له الله أن تعلو مراتبهُ
وأنand that يكونhe be ملاذa refuge for القاصدthe seeker اللاجيseeking shelter
وأن يكون ملاذ القاصد اللاجي
God has decreed for him that his ranks should rise,
May God ordain his rank be raised
and that he be the refuge of the seeker seeking shelter.
And that he be the refuge of the aspiring refugees
مهنأblessed الجودgenerosity مدلولguided النوالgiving علىtoward
مهنأ الجود مدلول النوال على
أهلpeople of المقاصدِrequests دارٍaware of حالَthe condition of محتاجa needy person
أهل المقاصدِ دارٍ حالَ محتاج
Blessed in generosity, guided in giving toward
Bestowing kindness, receiving wishes from
those with requests, knowing the plight of the needy.
People of purposes whose state is needy
إذاwhen أرادwills قبولَacceptance of البرِّbenevolence خالقناour Creator
إذا أراد قبولَ البرِّ خالقنا
هياmade ready نوافلهُhis voluntary gifts فيat وقتa time of إحواجpressing need
هيا نوافلهُ في وقت إحواج
When our Creator wills to accept benevolence,
If the Creator wanted acceptance of righteousness
He readies his voluntary gifts at a time of pressing need.
Come, his voluntary acts at a time of need
ياO مذكريyou who remind me منof كريمِKarim الدِّينal-Din أنعمهhis favors
يا مذكري من كريمِ الدِّين أنعمه
بمصرin Egypt دُمْremain أنتyou تاجيُّTaji (crown-like) العلىeminence ناجيsafe
بمصر دُمْ أنت تاجيُّ العلى ناجي
O you who remind me of Karim al-Din's favors
O you who remind me of the generous man, bless him
in Egypt—live on, you crown of eminence, safe and sound!
In Egypt stay, you are the aspiring’s highest wish granted
لقدindeed منحتyou bestowed كثيراًmuch منof قليلكyour little إذfor
لقد منحت كثيراً من قليلك إذ
قليلهa little of it فيamid كثيرmuch الوفرwealth رَوَّاجmuch sought-after
قليله في كثير الوفر رَوَّاج
You have indeed given much of what is little to you, for
You have given much from your little when
a little of it is much sought after amid abundant wealth.
Your little in abundant generosity is streaming
فأنتَso you عندِيin my view وعندand in the view of الناسpeople أكرمmore generous منthan
فأنتَ عندِي وعند الناس أكرم من
ذاكthat الممكنman of means ياah نعمhow fine الفتىthe young man الراجيhopeful
ذاك الممكن يا نعم الفتى الراجي
So you, in my eyes and in people's eyes, are more generous than
For you are to me and people more generous than
that man of means—ah, what a fine, hopeful youth!
That possible one, O the excellent desiring youth
مولايَmy lord مولايmy lord تاجTaj الدِّينal-Din ممتدحاًin praise
مولايَ مولاي تاج الدِّين ممتدحاً
حاشاfar be it لمنهاجfor the path to ذاكthat البابdoor منfrom هاجa satirist
حاشا لمنهاج ذاك الباب من هاج
My lord, my lord, Taj al-Din, I praise you:
My Master, my Master, pride of religion, while praised
far be any satirist from the path to that door!
Far from the way of that gate the outraged
أحسنْhow fine بهاit is جبةًa robe قدindeed فرَّجتْhas relieved كربِيmy distress
أحسنْ بها جبةً قد فرَّجتْ كربِي
عوديةaloeswood-colored أطربتنيdelighted me بعدafter إزعاجvexation
عودية أطربتني بعد إزعاج
How fine a robe it is, dispelling my distress—
Bestow on it a robe that relieved my worries
aloeswood-hued, it delighted me after vexation.
A gentle tune that delighted me after annoyance
شكراًthanks لنسَّاجهاto its weaver بلrather للجوادto the generous giver بهاwith it
شكراً لنسَّاجها بل للجواد بها
مستفتحاًopening بابthe door of شعريmy poetry بعدafter إرتاجbeing barred
مستفتحاً باب شعري بعد إرتاج
Thanks to its weaver—rather, to its generous giver,
Thanks to its weaver! But to the generous one who gave it
opening the door of my poetry after it was barred.
Opening my poetry's gate after confusion
إنif يكسِيhe clothes ماwhat سيبليهwill wear it out الزمانtime فقدْthen indeed
إن يكسِي ما سيبليه الزمان فقدْ
كساهhas clothed him ماwhat ليسَdoes not يبلىwear out نسجthe weaving of نساجa weaver
كساه ما ليسَ يبلى نسج نساج
If he clothes me in what time will wear out, then
If it clothes what time will wear, then it has clothed
a weaver's weaving has clothed him in what never wears out.
What will not wear out, the weaving of a weaver
لأجعلنَّI shall surely establish لشعرِيfor my poetry عندهwith him ملكاًa dominion
لأجعلنَّ لشعرِي عنده ملكاً
علىover الرواةِthe reciters سنيّsplendid in الملكsovereignty والتاجand the crown
على الرواةِ سنيّ الملك والتاج
I shall surely establish for my verse, with him, a dominion
I will make for my poetry through him a kingdom
over the reciters, splendid in sovereignty and crown.
Over the narrators, excellent in rule and crown
Sol 6.1