أأحبابناO our beloveds داركمyour abode والعيشand life نعمانNaʿmān
أأحبابنا داركم والعيش نعمان
والسفحand the slope دمعيmy tears ودارand the abode القلبthe heart حرانḤarrān
والسفح دمعي ودار القلب حران
O our beloveds, your home and life are Naʿmān;
Our beloveds, your abode is bliss
And the slope is my tears, and the heart’s abode is Ḥarrān.
While my cheek is tearful and my heart restless
أشكوI complain of اشتياقاًlonging وماand there is no بالوصلin union منany قدمlong passage of time
أشكو اشتياقاً وما بالوصل من قدم
كأنas though وصليmy union لفرطbecause of the excess of الحبlove هجرانseparation
كأن وصلي لفرط الحب هجران
I complain of longing, though our union is still recent;
I complain of yearning, though reunited after long absence
As though, through love’s excess, my union were separation.
As if my union were, for excessive love, estrangement
وربماand sometimes رمتI sought أنto أشكوI complain of السهادsleeplessness إلىto
وربما رمت أن أشكو السهاد إلى
عدلjustice المنامslumber وقلتand I said النومsleep سلطانa sovereign
عدل المنام وقلت النوم سلطان
And sometimes I sought to complain of sleeplessness to
And I thought to complain to the pillows' edge
The justice of slumber, and said, “Sleep is a sovereign.”
Of the justice of sleep, and said: slumber is sovereign
كمhow much فيamong ملوكkings الورىhumankind فضلvirtue ومعرفةand knowledge
كم في ملوك الورى فضل ومعرفة
كانواthey existed ومثلكand your like فيin ذاthis النحوregard ماnot كانواthey were
كانوا ومثلك في ذا النحو ما كانوا
How much virtue and knowledge among the kings of humankind!
How many virtues and wisdom are there amongst earth's kings
Such kings there were, but none like you in this regard.
Who, likened to you, were never thus
إنif يمضِhe passes away كسرىKisrā فكمthen how many إيوانvaulted hall معدلةjustice
إن يمضِ كسرى فكم إيوان معدلة
لديكin your possession قدindeed زانهadorned it يمنgood fortune وإيمانand faith
لديك قد زانه يمن وإيمان
If Kisrā is gone, how many a vaulted hall of justice
When Chosroes passes away, however many halls restored
You possess, adorned by good fortune and faith!
With auspiciousness and faith yours remains adorned
أمَّرتyou appointed as commander شعريَmy poetry ياO خيرbest of الملوكkings علىover
أمَّرت شعريَ يا خير الملوك على
أشعارpoems قومٍa group of people فليso I have أمرٌauthority وديوانand a dīwān (verse collection or administrative office)
أشعار قومٍ فلي أمرٌ وديوان
You set my poetry in command, O best of kings, over
You've graced my verse, best of rulers, over
The poems of others; thus I have authority and a dīwān.
Poems of others, so mine are order and diwan
Sol 6.1