ديارَO abodes of شعريmy poetry سقاكِmay it water you السعدgood fortune ماطرَهits raincloud
ديارَ شعري سقاكِ السعد ماطرَه
ماhow أحسنlovely الحيّthe dwelling عادَreturned الأنسcompanionship زائرهits visitor
ما أحسن الحيّ عادَ الأنس زائره
O abodes of my poetry, may good fortune water you with its raincloud.
The rain of good fortune watered the abode of my poetry,
How lovely the dwelling—companionship has returned as its visitor!
How good is the living when intimacy returns as a visitor!
ياO عائدينyou returning بمغناهمwith their abode إلىto أفقٍa horizon
يا عائدين بمغناهم إلى أفقٍ
عوْدَlike the return of النجومthe stars جلتdispelled عنaway from دياجرَهits deep darkness
عوْدَ النجوم جلت عن دياجرَه
O you returning their abode to a horizon,
O you who return with their songs to the horizon,
as stars return, dispelling its deep darkness.
The stars shone brightly when you returned to its chambers.
محبّكمyour lover جامعa gatherer of الأشواقlongings مالئةًfilling
محبّكم جامع الأشواق مالئةً
أشواقهhis longings فيin صميمthe innermost part of القلبthe heart فاطرَهrending it
أشواقه في صميم القلب فاطرَه
Your lover gathers longings that fill
Your lover gathered longings overflowing
the heart's very core—his yearnings rending it.
His longings in the heart’s core that created them.
ياAh رُبَّmany a ليلٍnight بطيءِslow in الصبحdawn بعدكمafter your departure
يا رُبَّ ليلٍ بطيءِ الصبح بعدكم
قدindeed باتَspent the night فيهin it صريعslain by الجفنthe eyelid ساهرهits sleepless watcher
قد باتَ فيه صريع الجفن ساهره
Ah, how many a night, slow to dawn after your departure,
O lord of a slow night after you
its sleepless watcher spent within it, slain by an eyelid!
In it, the eyelid’s captive remained awake.
أبلىwore away لهfor him السقمُsickness لمَّاwhen طالَgrew long بعدكمyour absence
أبلى له السقمُ لمَّا طالَ بعدكم
جسماًa body أبىrefused العهدُthe pledge أنto يبليwear away سرائرهits inward secrets
جسماً أبى العهدُ أن يبلي سرائره
Sickness wore away for him, when your absence grew long,
Sickness weakened him when you were long absent,
a body whose inward secrets the pledge refused to wear away.
A body that refused to age its secrets.
حتَّىuntil غداhe became بخمارِwith the wine-haze of القربِnearness فيin طربٍjoy
حتَّى غدا بخمارِ القربِ في طربٍ
بعدafter البعادthe separation الذيthat قدalready كانhad been خامرهpervading him
بعد البعاد الذي قد كان خامره
Until he grew joyous in the wine-haze of nearness,
Until he returned in joy with the wine of nearness
after the separation that had pervaded him.
After the separation that had worried him.
ياAh حبَّذاhow lovely القلبthe heart خفَّاقاًfluttering بعشقتكمwith love for you
يا حبَّذا القلب خفَّاقاً بعشقتكم
ماhow كانَwas أيمنَauspicious فيamong العشَّاقlovers طائرهits omen-bird
ما كانَ أيمنَ في العشَّاق طائره
Ah, how lovely the heart, fluttering with love for you!
How wonderful a heart fluttering with love for you!
How auspicious among lovers was its omen-bird!
No bird was luckier among lovers in flight.
ماhow كانwas أولىfitting بسبقِfor the precedence of الدَّمعtears يذكرit remembers لوif
ما كان أولى بسبقِ الدَّمع يذكر لو
قدalready أخطرتstirred لمعاتُflashes of البرقlightning خاطرهits mind
قد أخطرت لمعاتُ البرق خاطره
How fitting for tears to come first as it remembers, if
No tears were more deserving to flow in remembrance if
flashes of lightning have stirred its thoughts!
Flashes of lightning stirred his thoughts.
عشْlive ياO وزيرminister of التقىpiety والبرّand beneficence محتوياًencompassing
عشْ يا وزير التقى والبرّ محتوياً
فيin الأجرِreward والدكرand remembrance أولاهُits first وآخرهand its last
في الأجرِ والدكر أولاهُ وآخره
Live, O minister of piety and beneficence, encompassing
Live long, minister of piety and righteousness, fulfilled
the first and the last of reward and remembrance.
In reward and remembrance, he began and ended it.
وياand O سليمانَSulayman of ملكٍa kingdom فيin سيادتهhis sovereignty
ويا سليمانَ ملكٍ في سيادته
لاnot ينبغيis fitting لسريٍّfor a nobleman أنto يسايرهkeep pace with him
لا ينبغي لسريٍّ أن يسايره
And O Sulayman of a kingdom—in his sovereignty,
And O Solomon, sovereign in his rule
no nobleman can hope to keep pace with him.
To whom no secret dares to profess equality.
لوif صوَّرpictured الشامal-Sham شخصاًas a person كنتyou would be صاحبهhis companion
لو صوَّر الشام شخصاً كنت صاحبه
وجامعand the congregational mosque of الشامal-Sham وجهاًas a face كنتyou would be ناظرهits eye
وجامع الشام وجهاً كنت ناظره
If al-Sham were pictured as a person, you would be his companion;
If Damascus were imagined as a person, you would be its companion,
and al-Sham's congregational mosque as a face, you would be its eye.
And the collector of Damascus, its overseer.
عمرتyou restored منfrom ذاthis وذاand that صرحينtwo edifices قدindeed شكراboth thanked
عمرت من ذا وذا صرحين قد شكرا
يقظانa vigilant man منwho ذاis there الذيwho لمdid not يمسbecome by evening شاكرهgrateful to him
يقظان من ذا الذي لم يمس شاكره
You restored from this and that two edifices that both thanked
You built two palaces, which offered thanks,
a vigilant man—who has not become grateful to him by nightfall?
Awake, who is this sleeper that no grateful one touched?
فمنso whoever رآكَsaw you وآثاراًand works ظهرتyou shone بهاthrough them
فمن رآكَ وآثاراً ظهرت بها
رأىsaw سليمانَSulayman واسْتجلىand beheld clearly عمائرهhis buildings
رأى سليمانَ واسْتجلى عمائره
Whoever sees you and the works through which you have shone
Whoever sees you and the monuments made clear through you
sees Sulayman and clearly beholds his buildings.
Sees Solomon and beholds his buildings.
فيin جامعthe congregational mosque of الشامal-Sham أركانٌpillars مصدرةٌplaced foremost
في جامع الشام أركانٌ مصدرةٌ
تمليdictate الثناpraise واردَthe incoming المعنىmeaning وصادِرِهand its outgoing
تملي الثنا واردَ المعنى وصادِرِه
In al-Sham's congregational mosque stand pillars given pride of place,
In the Damascus Mosque are glistening pillars
dictating praise in every meaning that comes and goes.
That inspire poetry and initiate its meanings.
سعادةgood fortune لحظتglanced at أركانthe corners of مستلمٍone reverently touched
سعادة لحظت أركان مستلمٍ
قدindeed كادَnearly بعدكafter your departure أنto تدميbleed محاجرهits eye-sockets
قد كادَ بعدك أن تدمي محاجره
Good fortune has glanced at the corners of a sanctuary honored by touch,
Good fortune beheld the pillars of an establisher
whose eye-sockets nearly bled in your absence.
Who almost made its stones weep after you.
وفيand in المحاريبthe prayer niches منfrom نصthe text of التقىpiety سيرٌaccounts
وفي المحاريب من نص التقى سيرٌ
كادتalmost ترنحmake sway منfrom عجبwonder منابرهits pulpits
كادت ترنح من عجب منابره
And in the prayer niches are accounts from piety's very text,
In the niches, the practice of piety has a tradition
that nearly set its pulpits swaying in wonder.
Its platforms almost swayed in awe.
وفيand in أعاليهits heights سرجٌlamps منfrom محامدكمyour praiseworthy deeds
وفي أعاليه سرجٌ من محامدكم
قبلbefore القناديلthe lanterns تستعليrise above منائرهits minarets
قبل القناديل تستعلي منائره
And in its heights are lamps of your praiseworthy deeds,
In its heights, praise of you is a lamp
rising over its minarets before the lanterns do.
That ascends above the oil lamps.
وفيand in حمىthe precincts of الشامal-Sham والدُّنياand the world لواحدهاbelongs to its peerless one
وفي حمى الشام والدُّنيا لواحدها
ذكرٌremembrance يعرّفacquaints عرفthe scent of المسكmusk ذاكرهits reciter
ذكرٌ يعرّف عرف المسك ذاكره
And within al-Sham's precincts—the world belongs to its peerless one—
In protecting Damascus and the land, they are one,
is a remembrance that acquaints its reciter with the scent of musk.
A remembrance that reveals the scent of musk in its protector.
أرضىpleased بهاin it اللهGod والسلطانand the sultan ذوa possessor of قلمa pen
أرضى بها الله والسلطان ذو قلم
بالخيرthrough goodness أعيىleft unable ابنson of سهلSahl أنto يحابرهrival him
بالخير أعيى ابن سهل أن يحابره
God and the sultan have been pleased there by a man of the pen,
May God and the Sultan, whose pen
whose goodness left Ibn Sahl unable to rival him.
Brought goodness, be pleased with it. Ibn Sahl cannot compete with it
حيثwhere الرَّعيةthe subjects والديوانand the chancery قدindeed مدحاboth praised
حيث الرَّعية والديوان قد مدحا
ممدَّحاًa much-praised man خصَّتsingled out العلياlofty glory مآثرهhis noble deeds
ممدَّحاً خصَّت العليا مآثره
Where subjects and chancery have both praised
Where people and government praised
a much-lauded man whose noble deeds lofty glory has singled out.
The one praised, his supreme qualities singled him out.
شمْdiscern فيin العلىeminence فضلهhis Fadl (excellence) والجودand generosity جعفرهhis Ja'far
شمْ في العلى فضله والجود جعفره
والنسكand devotion عمَّارهhis Ammar والعزمand resolve عامرهhis Amir
والنسك عمَّاره والعزم عامره
Discern his Fadl in eminence, his Ja'far in generosity,
Inhale in the Highest his excellence and generosity Jafar,
his Ammar in devotion, his Amir in resolve.
And the devotion of his reconstruction and determination its restoration.
كمhow many a بابgate of نصرٍvictory وكمand how many باباًa gate إلىto فرجٍrelief
كم باب نصرٍ وكم باباً إلى فرجٍ
فتحتyou opened ياO فائزَsuccessful in المسعىthe endeavor وظافرَهand its victor
فتحت يا فائزَ المسعى وظافرَه
How many a gate of victory, how many a gate to relief
How many doors of victory and doors to relief
have you opened, O winner in the endeavor and its victor!
You opened, O winner of the race and the one who attained it.
زكتgrew pure عناصرthe elements of مولاناour master وأردفهاand followed them
زكت عناصر مولانا وأردفها
فضلٌexcellence فأولso the first of ماwhat زكىpurified عناصرهhis elements
فضلٌ فأول ما زكى عناصره
Our master's elements grew pure, and following them came
The elements of our Master were purified
excellence; foremost among what purified his elements was
And a favor followed them, so the first thing it purified was his elements.
تقوىpiety مخافتهاits fear للهof God خوَّفfrightened منat
تقوى مخافتها لله خوَّف من
ذكراهhis mention أسدَthe lions of الفيافيthe wastes أنto تجاورهapproach him
ذكراه أسدَ الفيافي أن تجاوره
piety, whose fear of God frightened, at
Fear of God frightened it, frightening
his mention, the desert lions, so they dared not approach him;
The lions of wastelands from settling near it.
وهمَّةand an ambition ركبتrode شهبthe bright lights of النجومthe stars فماso not
وهمَّة ركبت شهب النجوم فما
يسطاعcan بهرامBahram (Mars) أفقa horizon أنto يسايرهkeep pace with him
يسطاع بهرام أفق أن يسايره
and an ambition that rode the bright stars, so that not even
And an aspiration rode the meteors of stars, so
Bahram of the horizon can keep pace with him;
The horizons cannot equal it.
وجودand the generosity of كفَّينtwo hands فيin سرٍّsecret وفيand in علنٍpublic
وجود كفَّين في سرٍّ وفي علنٍ
لاnot تجسرdare المزنُthe rainclouds أيضاًalso أنto تكاثرهrival him in abundance
لا تجسر المزنُ أيضاً أن تكاثره
and the generosity of two hands, in secret and in public—
Generosity from two concealed and revealed hands
the rainclouds, too, dare not rival him in abundance.
Daring cannot compete with it.
ثنىhe turned عنaway from العرضِworldly goods الأدنىthe lower بهthrough it بصراًa gaze
ثنى عن العرضِ الأدنى به بصراً
ثنىhe turned إلىtoward الجوهرِthe essence الأعلىthe higher بصائرهhis inner perceptions
ثنى إلى الجوهرِ الأعلى بصائره
Through it he turned his gaze from lowly worldly goods,
He averted his gaze from the lowest temptation
and turned his inward sight toward the higher essence.
And turned his insights to the highest essence.
فليهنهso may it gladden him الذكرrenown سيارfar-traveling المديحpraise لهof him
فليهنه الذكر سيار المديح له
إنif قيلَit was said ماwhat اخْترتَyou chose منهfrom it قلتُI said سائرهall of it
إن قيلَ ما اخْترتَ منه قلتُ سائره
May renown gladden him, with praise of him traveling far;
So let praise, the traveler of eulogy for him
if asked, 'What did you choose from it?' I say, 'All of it.'
Delight him. If asked what I chose from it, I say all of it.
والأجرand reward كمhow many جائعa hungry person عارnaked يقولُsays لقدindeed
والأجر كم جائع عار يقولُ لقد
أصلحتَyou restored باطنَthe inner state of ملهوفٍa distressed person وظاهرهand his outer state
أصلحتَ باطنَ ملهوفٍ وظاهره
And reward! How many a hungry, naked person says, 'Truly,
And how much hungry honor says you mended
you have set right a distressed man's inner and outer state.'
The inside and outside of an anxious one.
وكمand how many صنائعacts of معروفٍkindness تقولsay ألاbehold
وكم صنائع معروفٍ تقول ألا
ماhow كانَwas أربحَprofitable فيin الصنفينboth kinds تاجرهits trader
ما كانَ أربحَ في الصنفين تاجره
And how many acts of kindness say, 'Behold,
And how much good crafts say, is there not
how greatly its trader has profited in both kinds!'
More profitable merchandise among the two types than its merchant?
فلتهنهso may they gladden him خلعٌrobes of honor دامتcontinued مبشرةbringing glad tidings
فلتهنه خلعٌ دامت مبشرة
بيمنهof his good fortune منصباًto an office أضحىhe has become مباشرهits administrator
بيمنه منصباً أضحى مباشره
May robes of honor gladden him, ever bringing glad tidings
So let him be delighted by robes that remain
of his good fortune to the office he now administers,
Good omened through appointment which actualized it.
بيضاًwhite وخضراًand green كأنَّas though الطيلسانthe mantle بهاamong them
بيضاً وخضراً كأنَّ الطيلسان بها
غيمٌa cloud سقىwatered الرَّوضَthe garden فاسْتجلىand revealed أزاهرهits blossoms
غيمٌ سقى الرَّوضَ فاسْتجلى أزاهره
white and green, as though the mantle among them
White and green, as if the brocade by them
were a cloud that watered the garden and revealed its blossoms.
Were clouds that watered the garden and made its flowers shine.
شعارthe insignia of نعمan excellent وزيرminister قدindeed دعوهthey summoned him إلىto
شعار نعم وزير قد دعوه إلى
نعمthe finest of البيوتhouses فوفَّاهand he fulfilled for it شعائرهits rites
نعم البيوت فوفَّاه شعائره
The insignia of an excellent minister whom they have summoned to
The slogan of the minister’s blessings called him
the finest of houses, whose rites he then fulfilled.
To the blessed homes, so he completed its rituals.
مدَّhe extended البنانthe fingers بأقلامٍwith pens لهاthey have نعمٌblessings
مدَّ البنان بأقلامٍ لها نعمٌ
لمثلهاfor the like of them يعقدbends المثنيthe praiser خناصرهhis little fingers
لمثلها يعقد المثني خناصره
He extended his fingers with pens that bestow blessings,
He extended his fingertips, which had blessings,
for whose like the praiser bends his little fingers.
To which the doubled join their wrists.
أغصانbranches of رزقsustenance لديهin his keeping أوor نجومstars of هدًىguidance
أغصان رزق لديه أو نجوم هدًى
فقلso call them أزاهرهhis blossoms أوor قلcall them زواهرهhis shining stars
فقل أزاهره أو قل زواهره
Branches of sustenance in his keeping, or stars of guidance:
Branches of sustenance with him, or stars of guidance,
call them his blossoms, or call them his shining stars.
So say its flowers, or say its shining stars.
ياO فائضoverflowing البحرthe sea منwith جودٍbounty ومنand with كرمٍgenerosity
يا فائض البحر من جودٍ ومن كرمٍ
أنif شئتyou wish كاملهits Kamil (complete) أوor شئتyou wish وافرهits Wafir (abundant)
أن شئت كامله أو شئت وافره
O you whose sea overflows with bounty and generosity—
O overflowing sea of generosity and nobility,
its Kamil ('Complete'), if you wish, or its Wafir ('Abundant').
If you will, perfect it, or if you will, make it abundant.
ياO ذاpossessor of البراعةeloquence منone whose أسعفتI helped fulfill مدحتهhis praise
يا ذا البراعة من أسعفت مدحته
لقدindeed أعدْتI returned إلىto بحرٍa sea جواهرهits jewels
لقد أعدْت إلى بحرٍ جواهره
O master of eloquence, whose praise I have supplied,
O you of skill, when I praised him in eulogy
I have indeed returned to a sea its jewels.
I prepared for a sea its pearls.
ياO منone of whom تقولsay البراياall creatures حينwhen أمدحهُI praise him
يا من تقول البرايا حين أمدحهُ
قدindeed أفردَmade unique اللهGod ممدوحاًa praised man وشاعرهand his poet
قد أفردَ الله ممدوحاً وشاعره
O one of whom all creatures say, whenever I praise him:
O you who say to the open country when I praise him
'God has made a praised man and his poet peerless.'
God singled out the praised and the poet.
خذهاtake it عجالةa hasty offering منْfrom one نوَّرتyou illumined فيin مدحٍpraise
خذها عجالة منْ نوَّرت في مدحٍ
بالنورِwith light أسطرَهhis lines والنوْرand blossoms خاطرهhis mind
بالنورِ أسطرَه والنوْر خاطره
Take this hasty offering from one you have illumined in praise:
Take it quickly from one who illuminated
his lines with light, and his mind with blossoms.
Its lines with light, and light his thoughts.
لئنif indeed نشرتyou spread علىacross دهرِيmy lifetime قصائدهhis odes
لئن نشرت على دهرِي قصائده
لقدindeed طويتyou folded علىaround حبٍّlove ضمائرهhis secret thoughts
لقد طويت على حبٍّ ضمائره
If indeed you have spread his odes across my lifetime,
If I publish his eulogies over my lifetime
you have surely folded his secret thoughts around love.
I have folded love for him in my conscience.
Sol 6.1