أهلاًwelcome بطيفto a phantom علىover الجرعاءal-Jarʿāʾ مختلسfurtive
أهلاً بطيف على الجرعاء مختلس
والفجرand the dawn فيin سحرthe last of night كالثغرlike the teeth فيamid لعسdusky lips
والفجر في سحر كالثغر في لعس
Welcome to a phantom stealing over al-Jarʿāʾ,
Welcome, O specter, upon the barren land furtively creeping,
and dawn in the predawn gloom is like teeth amid dusky lips.
As dawn in its magic like a mouth in smiling,
والنجمand the star فيin الأفقthe horizon الغربيwestern منحدرsinking
والنجم في الأفق الغربي منحدر
كشعلةlike a flame سقطتfell منfrom كفthe hand مقتبسone borrowing fire
كشعلة سقطت من كف مقتبس
And the star on the western horizon is sinking,
And the star in the western horizon waning,
like a flame fallen from the hand of one taking a light.
Like a flame fallen from a kindled hand.
ياAh حبَّذاhow lovely زمنthe time الجرعاءal-Jarʿāʾ منamong زمنtimes
يا حبَّذا زمن الجرعاء من زمن
كلall اللياليَthe nights فيهin it ليلةa night العرُسthe wedding
كل اللياليَ فيه ليلة العرُس
Ah, how lovely were the days of al-Jarʿāʾ among all days!
Oh, wonderful is the time of the barren land, a time
Every night there was a wedding night.
Where all its nights are a wedding night,
وحبَّذاand how lovely العيشlife معwith هيفاءa slender-waisted beauty لوif برزتshe appeared
وحبَّذا العيش مع هيفاء لو برزت
للبدرbefore the full moon لوif يزْهُit shines أوor للغصنbefore the bough لمnot يمسit sways
للبدر لو يزْهُ أو للغصن لم يمس
And how lovely life with a slender beauty—were she to appear
And wonderful is living with a gazelle, if she appeared
before the full moon, were it shining, or a bough, which would not sway.
To the moon, though veiled, or to a branch, untouched.
خودa tender maiden لهاshe has مثلthe like ماwhat فيin الظبيthe gazelle منof ملحcharms
خود لها مثل ما في الظبي من ملح
وليسَand not للظبيfor the gazelle ماwhat فيهاin her منof الأنسcompanionable warmth
وليسَ للظبي ما فيها من الأنس
A tender maiden with the same charms as a gazelle,
She has a cheek like the salt in a gazelle,
yet the gazelle lacks her companionable warmth.
Yet the gazelle has not her charm.
محروسةguarded بشعاعby the radiance البيضbright swords ملتمعاًflashing
محروسة بشعاع البيض ملتمعاً
ونورand the light ذاكthat المحياface آيةa marvel الحرسthe guards
ونور ذاك المحيا آية الحرس
Guarded by the flashing radiance of bright swords,
Guarded by the rays of white light gathered together
and the light of that face is a marvel to the guards.
And the light of those cheeks is a sign of protection.
يسعىpursues وراafter لحظهاher glance قلبيmy heart ومنand among عجبwonders
يسعى ورا لحظها قلبي ومن عجب
سعيُthe pursuit الطريدةthe quarry فيalong آثارthe tracks مفترسa predator
سعيُ الطريدة في آثار مفترس
My heart pursues her glance; how strange
My heart pursues her glances, and how strange
that quarry should follow a predator's tracks!
The pursuit of the hunted in the tracks of a predator.
ليتwould that العذولthe reproacher علىat مرآىthe sight محاسنهاher beauties
ليت العذول على مرآى محاسنها
لوif only كانhe had ثنىcoupled عمىthe blindness عينيهhis two eyes بالخرسwith muteness
لو كان ثنى عمى عينيه بالخرس
Would that the reproacher, at the sight of her beauties,
Would that the virgins were within sight of her beauties
had coupled his eyes' blindness with muteness!
Even if bent with blindness, their eyes stopped up in muteness.
إنيindeed I وإنand even if علقتhas clung بالقلبto the heart صبوتهits yearning
إني وإن علقت بالقلب صبوته
لمحوجsurely compelling العيسthe pale camels طيّtraversing الضوءdaylight والغلسand predawn gloom
لمحوج العيس طيّ الضوء والغلس
I, though passion has clung to my heart,
Though I have hung my love around my heart,
surely compel the pale camels to traverse daylight and predawn gloom.
I am perplexed, confused in the light and darkness.
سفينةa ship ليسdoes not تجريsail بيwith me لذيto one possessing بخلstinginess
سفينة ليس تجري بي لذي بخل
إنَّindeed السفينةthe ship لاnot تجريsails علىon اليبسdry land
إنَّ السفينة لا تجري على اليبس
A ship that does not carry me to a miser—
A ship that does not carry me to one who is stingy –
indeed, a ship does not sail on dry land.
Indeed a ship does not travel on dry land.
تؤمheads for بابthe gate ابنIbn أيوبAyyūb إذاwhen اعتكرتgather thickly
تؤم باب ابن أيوب إذا اعتكرت
سودُdark الخطوبcalamities كماjust as يؤتمone is guided بالقبسby a flame
سودُ الخطوب كما يؤتم بالقبس
It makes for Ibn Ayyūb's gate whenever there gather
It brings me to the gate of Ibn Ayyoub when darkened
dark calamities, as one follows a flame for guidance.
By the sorrows of misfortunes, as brought to a flint for light.
المانحthe giver الرّفدbounty أفناناًboughs مهدلةhanging low
المانح الرّفد أفناناً مهدلة
فماso not يردّturns away جناهاtheir fruit كفa hand ملتمسa seeker
فما يردّ جناها كف ملتمس
He grants bounty as low-hanging boughs,
The bestower whose gift is shining pearls
whose fruit never turns away a seeker's hand.
So his bounty is never spurned by a grasping hand.
والرافعand the remover البخلstinginess فيin الدنياthe world وساكنهاand its dwellers
والرافع البخل في الدنيا وساكنها
بجودthrough the generosity كفيهhis two hands رفعremoval الماءwater للنجسof impurity
بجود كفيه رفع الماء للنجس
And he removes stinginess from the world and its dwellers
The miser who hoards in life and dwells in it
with his hands' generosity, as water removes impurity.
With his open hands raised water to the impure.
محاerased المؤيدal-Muʾayyad بؤسthe misery المقترينthe impoverished فماso not
محا المؤيد بؤس المقترين فما
تكادalmost تظفرfinds جدواهhis bounty بمبتئسsomeone distressed
تكاد تظفر جدواه بمبتئس
Al-Muʾayyad has erased the destitute's misery, so
Al-Mu’ayyad erased the destitution of the needy, so
his bounty can scarcely find anyone in distress.
His bounty can barely be grasped by one in despair.
واستأنسand found comfort الناسthe people جدوىthe bounty كفهhis hand فروواand so they related
واستأنس الناس جدوى كفه فرووا
عنfrom مالكMālik خبرthe account العلياlofty glory وعنand from أنسAnas
عن مالك خبر العليا وعن أنس
And people found comfort in his hand's bounty, and related
People felt at ease with his bounty, so they reported
from Mālik the tale of lofty glory, and from Anas.
About Malik the news of the most high and of Anas.
ملكa king يقاسcan be compared مجاريهhis rival بسؤددهwith his nobility
ملك يقاس مجاريه بسؤدده
إذاif تقايسis compared عيرthe donkey الدارthe household بالفرسwith the horse
إذا تقايس عير الدار بالفرس
A king whose rival could be measured against his nobility
A king whose courses are measured by his generosity
only if the household ass could be compared with a horse.
When the camel loads of the house are measured by a horse.
وينتهيand reaches لضحىthe morning brightness بشرcheer مؤملهone hoping in him
وينتهي لضحى بشر مؤمله
إذاwhen انتهىhe arrives منamong بنيthe sons الدنياthe world إلىat عبسfrowning
إذا انتهى من بني الدنيا إلى عبس
And his hopeful petitioner reaches the morning light of cheer
His mornings end in shining faces
when he has met with frowns among the sons of this world.
When he finishes with the people of the world in frowning.
مظفرvictorious الجدّfortune مشاءever-striding علىon جددfirm level ground
مظفر الجدّ مشاء على جدد
منthrough حلمهhis forbearance اللدنgentle أوor منthrough حربهhis warfare الشرسfierce
من حلمه اللدن أو من حربه الشرس
Victorious in fortune, striding ever on firm ground,
Victorious in ancestral glory, walking
whether in his gentle forbearance or his fierce warfare.
In his gentle nature or his ferocious war.
يخفيhe conceals اللهاlargesse ودنانيرand the dinars الصلاتgifts بهاwithin it
يخفي اللها ودنانير الصلات بها
تكادalmost تضربstrike للأسماعupon the ears بالجرسwith ringing
تكاد تضرب للأسماع بالجرس
He hides his largesse, while the dinars of gifts within it
He hides pearls and dinars of prayers thereby
almost strike the ears with their ringing.
Nearly striking the ears with ringing.
وينشرand spreads العلمknowledge لاno قولstatement بمختلفcontradictory
وينشر العلم لا قول بمختلف
إذاwhen رواهhe relates it ولاand no معنىmeaning بملتبسobscure
إذا رواه ولا معنى بملتبس
And he spreads knowledge: no statement is contradictory
He spreads knowledge without controversy in interpretation
when he relates it, and no meaning is obscure.
When he narrates it, or without confusion in meaning.
ويشبعand fills completely الأمرthe affair آراءًcounsels مسددةwell-directed
ويشبع الأمر آراءً مسددة
تمضيpress forward وتدفعand repel صدرthe breast الحادثthe calamity الشكسheadstrong
تمضي وتدفع صدر الحادث الشكس
And he fills each affair with well-directed counsels
He fulfills command with guided opinions
that press forward and thrust back the breast of headstrong calamity.
That proceed and push back the difficulties of events.
تكونthey are كالعضبlike a sharp sword أحياناًsometimes وآونةand at other times
تكون كالعضب أحياناً وآونة
تكونthey are منagainst وقعاتthe blows العضبthe sharp sword كالترسlike a shield
تكون من وقعات العضب كالترس
Sometimes they are like a sharp sword, and at other times
Sometimes being like a lion, and at times
like a shield against the sharp sword's blows.
Being like the strikes of a lion, like a shield.
لوif باشرtouched الأفقthe horizon يوماًone day يمنauspiciousness طلعتهhis appearance
لو باشر الأفق يوماً يمن طلعته
لماyou would not سمعتyou hear بنجمof a star ثمّthere منتحسill-omened
لما سمعت بنجم ثمّ منتحس
Were the blessing of his appearance to touch the horizon one day,
If the horizon some day took on the blessings of his sunrise,
you would hear of no ill-omened star there.
No star would be heard among the unlucky.
ولوand if تولتtook charge of حزونthe rugged tracts الأرضthe earth راحتهhis palm
ولو تولت حزون الأرض راحته
لمnot يبقwould remain فيin الأرضthe earth صلدhard rock غيرnot منبجسgushing forth
لم يبق في الأرض صلد غير منبجس
And were his palm to tend the earth's rugged tracts,
If the sorrows of the earth gained his comfort,
not a hard rock on earth would fail to gush forth.
No rugged place would remain on earth unsmoothed.
منwho مبلغwill tell قوميmy people الزاكيpure نجارهمtheir lineage
من مبلغ قومي الزاكي نجارهم
أنيthat I اعتزَيتclaimed affiliation إلىwith جمabundant in العلىnoble greatness ندسdiscerning
أني اعتزَيت إلى جم العلى ندس
Who will tell my people, whose stock is pure,
You who gave my people their most excellent carpenter,
that I have claimed kinship with one rich in glory and keen of mind,
I boast to the gathering of the most high a secret boast.
مجدداًrenewing ليَfor me فيin أمداحهpraises of him نسباًa lineage
مجدداً ليَ في أمداحه نسباً
أبرّmore beneficent منthan نسبa lineage فيin التربthe dust مندرسeffaced
أبرّ من نسب في الترب مندرس
renewing for myself, in my praises of him, a lineage
Renewing for me in his praises a lineage
more beneficent than a lineage effaced in the dust?
Purer than a lineage in the buried earth.
ماnot زالتceased أخبرI test ممدوحاًa praised patron وأهجرهand abandon him
ما زالت أخبر ممدوحاً وأهجره
حتىuntil اعتلقتI clung بحبلto a rope محصدtightly twisted المرَسthe strands
حتى اعتلقت بحبل محصد المرَس
I kept testing a patron I praised and then leaving him,
My best reports of him and most ingratitude to him
until I clung to a rope of tightly twisted strands,
Until I clung to the rope of the reaper’s sickle.
وطاهرand one pure الخيمnature لاnot تثنىare bent خلائقهhis character traits
وطاهر الخيم لا تثنى خلائقه
علىtoward الملالweariness ولاnor تطوىare folded علىover الدنسimpurity
على الملال ولا تطوى على الدنس
and to one pure of nature, whose character is never bent
Pure of tent, his character does not lean
toward weariness, nor folded over impurity.
To boredom or fold to vileness.
ماnever شمتI watched for بارقthe lightning flash جدواهhis bounty فأخلفنيand it disappointed me
ما شمت بارق جدواه فأخلفني
ولاnor عهدتI entrusted إلىto معروفهhis kindness فنسيand then he forgot
ولا عهدت إلى معروفه فنسي
Never have I watched his bounty's lightning only to be disappointed,
I never sensed the lightning of his bounty and it disappointed me,
nor entrusted anything to his kindness that he then forgot.
Nor relied on his kindness and he forgot me.
تلكsuch العلىnoble greatness لابنfor Ibn حمدانḤamdān علىover حلبAleppo
تلك العلى لابن حمدان على حلب
ولابنand for Ibn عمارʿAmmār شاوٍlofty stature فيin طرابلسTripoli
ولابن عمار شاوٍ في طرابلس
Such greatness belonged to Ibn Ḥamdān over Aleppo,
That is the most high for Ibn Hamdan in Aleppo
and Ibn ʿAmmār had his lofty stature in Tripoli.
And for Ibn ‘Ammar, who makes a din in Tripoli.
ماnot ضرنيharmed me إنif تولواthey departed وهوwhile he مرتقبawaited
ما ضرني إن تولوا وهو مرتقب
وخاسand failed عهدthe pledge الغواديthe morning rainclouds وهوwhile he لمnot يخسbreaks faith
وخاس عهد الغوادي وهو لم يخس
It does me no harm if they have departed, while he is awaited,
It does not harm me if they come to power while he remains hopeful,
and the morning rainclouds' pledge has failed, while he has not broken faith.
Though the promise of the returning was disgraced and did not disgrace.
ياO ابنson of الملوكthe kings الأولىof old خذهاtake her عروسa bride ثناًpraise
يا ابن الملوك الأولى خذها عروس ثناً
مصريةEgyptian المنتمىorigin غربيةWestern النفسspirit
مصرية المنتمى غربية النفس
O son of the kings of old, take her as a bride of praise,
O son of the first kings, take her as a praised bride –
Egyptian in origin, Western in spirit.
Egyptian in upbringing, western in spirit.
اللهGod أكبرis greatest صاغfashioned الحقthe truth مادحكمyour panegyrist
الله أكبر صاغ الحق مادحكم
كأنهas though he ناطقspeaking عنon behalf of حضرةthe presence القدُسholiness
كأنه ناطق عن حضرة القدُس
God is greatest! Your panegyrist has fashioned truth,
God is great! He who praises you crafted the truth,
as though he spoke on behalf of the Holy Presence.
As if he spoke on behalf of the Holy Presence.
Sol 6.1