بانَdeparted الحبيبُthe beloved فبانso departed الصّبرُpatience والجلَدُand fortitude
بانَ الحبيبُ فبان الصّبرُ والجلَدُ
وأورثَand left الجسمthe body ناراًa fire حرّهاits heat كبَدُanguish
وأورثَ الجسم ناراً حرّها كبَدُ
The beloved departed, and patience and fortitude departed.
The beloved appeared, so patience and composure vanished,
And left the body a fire whose heat is anguish.
And ignited a burning fire in my body that consumed my liver.
كيفhow السلوّforgetfulness عنof الأحبابloved ones ويحكُمُwoe to you all
كيف السلوّ عن الأحباب ويحكُمُ
عندat الرحيلdeparture وقلبيand my heart شفّهُhas worn it away الكمَدُgrief
عند الرحيل وقلبي شفّهُ الكمَدُ
How can one forget loved ones—woe to you all—
How can I find solace from loved ones, when they bid farewell,
At departure, when grief has worn my heart away?
And my heart is cleft by anguish?
للهto God دَرُّexcellence (in praise) فتاةٍa maiden غادةٍgraceful جمعَتْshe gathered
لله دَرُّ فتاةٍ غادةٍ جمعَتْ
منof المحاسنِlovely qualities شيئاًan amount ماnot لهُit has عددُa count
من المحاسنِ شيئاً ما لهُ عددُ
God be praised for a graceful maiden who has gathered
Praise be to God for a young, perfect maiden,
Of lovely qualities more than can be counted.
Who gathered beauty beyond measure.
صادَتْshe captured بمقلتِهاwith her eye الآسادَthe lions خاضعةsubmissive
صادَتْ بمقلتِها الآسادَ خاضعة
وماand not عجيبstrange لهاto her أنthat تخضعsubmit الأسْدُthe lions
وما عجيب لها أن تخضع الأسْدُ
With her eye she captured lions, submissive;
With her eyelashes she subdues lions in submission,
And it is no wonder that lions submit to her.
No wonder she can make lions submit!
فيon جيدهاher neck ذهبٌgold فيin ثغرِهاher mouth شنبٌcool freshness of teeth
في جيدها ذهبٌ في ثغرِها شنبٌ
فيin طرفهاher gaze قُضُبٌswords فيin ريقهاher saliva شُهُدُhoney
في طرفها قُضُبٌ في ريقها شُهُدُ
On her neck is gold; in her mouth, cool, gleaming teeth.
Gold adorns her cheeks, basil her mouth,
In her gaze are swords; in her saliva, honey.
Coquetry in her eyes, honey on her saliva.
الخصْرُthe waist ذوpossessing وهَنٍfrailty والردفُand the buttocks ذوpossessing سِمَنٍplumpness
الخصْرُ ذو وهَنٍ والردفُ ذو سِمَنٍ
والناسُand people منsince زمنٍa time ماضٍpast لهاfor her شهِدواhave testified
والناسُ من زمنٍ ماضٍ لها شهِدوا
Her waist is frail; her buttocks are full.
Her waist is delicate, her hips are plump,
And people, since times long past, have testified for her:
And people of old bear witness,
أنّthat المحاسنlovely qualities طُراًall فيكin you قدindeed جمعتhave been gathered
أنّ المحاسن طُراً فيك قد جمعت
وفيand in أعاديكyour enemies نارٌa fire فيin الحشىthe innermost parts تقِدُburns
وفي أعاديك نارٌ في الحشى تقِدُ
That all lovely qualities have been gathered in you,
That you have gathered all graces like a flock,
And a fire burns in your enemies' hearts.
And kindled a blazing fire in my heart.
إنif لامنيblame me فيfor هواكَlove of you اللائمونَthe faultfinders لقدsurely
إن لامني في هواكَ اللائمونَ لقد
حادواthey strayed عنfrom الحقّthe truth حقاًtruly والهُدىand guidance جحَدواthey denied
حادوا عن الحقّ حقاً والهُدى جحَدوا
If faultfinders blame me for my love of you, indeed
If they blame me for loving you, they have indeed,
They have truly strayed from truth and denied guidance.
Strayed from truth and denied guidance.
لوif أبصروكِthey saw you وحقِّand by the right of اللهGod طالعةًrising
لو أبصروكِ وحقِّ الله طالعةً
كالبدرِlike the full moon فوقabove قضيبٍa bough ناعمٍsupple سجدواthey would prostrate themselves
كالبدرِ فوق قضيبٍ ناعمٍ سجدوا
Had they seen you—by God—rising
If only they saw you, by God’s truth, appearing
Like the full moon above a supple bough, they would have prostrated themselves.
Like the full moon above a smooth palm tree, they would prostrate!
لماwhen غدَتْset out عيسُهاher pale camels تمشيwalking علىat مَهَلٍa slow pace
لما غدَتْ عيسُها تمشي على مَهَلٍ
نادَيْتُI cried منfrom حُرَقٍburning anguish هلis there فيamong الورىmankind أحدُanyone
نادَيْتُ من حُرَقٍ هل في الورى أحدُ
When her pale camels set out, walking slowly,
When she strolled gently, I cried in agony,
I cried in burning anguish: Is there anyone among mankind
“Is there anyone in this world who can save me from her love?”
يُجيرُنيshelters me منfrom هواهاlove of her إنindeed فيin كبِديmy liver
يُجيرُني من هواها إن في كبِدي
ناراًa fire منfrom الشوقِlonging لاnot يسطيعُهاcan bear it الكبِدthe liver
ناراً من الشوقِ لا يسطيعُها الكبِد
Who will shelter me from love of her? For in my liver
“For in my heart there is a fire of longing no liver can withstand.”
Is a fire of longing that the liver cannot endure.
O defender, respected imam, the one we rely on after God,
ياO أيهاyou الحافظُthe hadith master الحبْرُthe learned scholar الإمامُthe imam ومَنand one who
يا أيها الحافظُ الحبْرُ الإمامُ ومَن
عليهon him منfrom بعدِafter ربِّthe Lord of العرشِthe Throne يُعتمَدُone relies
عليه من بعدِ ربِّ العرشِ يُعتمَدُ
O master of tradition, learned scholar, imam, and you
You who nothing in creation matches in character and manners,
On whom, after the Lord of the Throne, reliance is placed,
You are an ocean to one who seeks you,
أنتyou الذيthe one whom ماnot يضاهيهequals him ويشبهُهand resembles him
أنت الذي ما يضاهيه ويشبهُه
فيin الخَلْقِphysical form والخُلقand character ماemphatic particle بينamong الورىmankind أحدanyone
في الخَلْقِ والخُلق ما بين الورى أحد
You are the one whom no one equals or resembles
A full moon, while others are wolves.
In appearance or character, among all mankind.
By God, if all mankind together,
فأنتfor you بحرٌa sea لمنto whoever وافاكَcame to you مجتدياًseeking bounty
فأنت بحرٌ لمن وافاكَ مجتدياً
وأنتand you بدرٌa full moon وماand (emphatic) بينamong العدىenemies أسدُa lion
وأنت بدرٌ وما بين العدى أسدُ
For you are a sea to whoever comes seeking bounty;
Strove to find your equal this long life, they would fail!
And you are a full moon—and among enemies, a lion.
Honor this insightful, judicious man of Ariha,
واللهِby God لوif رامsought أهلُthe people of الأرضِthe earth قاطبةٍall together
واللهِ لو رام أهلُ الأرضِ قاطبةٍ
مِثلاًan equal لهto him طولَthroughout هذاthis الدهرِage لمnot يجِدواthey would find
مِثلاً له طولَ هذا الدهرِ لم يجِدوا
By God, if all the people of the earth sought
On whom virtues’ banners gather.
An equal to him throughout this age, they would find none.
He narrates the words of the Chosen Prophet authentically,
أكرِمْhow noble بهhe is أريحيّاًopenhanded مِصقَعاًeloquent فطِناًdiscerning
أكرِمْ به أريحيّاً مِصقَعاً فطِناً
عليهabove him ألويةُbanners الأفضالِbeneficence تنعقِدُare fastened
عليه ألويةُ الأفضالِ تنعقِدُ
How noble he is—openhanded, eloquent, discerning—
His transmissions are sound, proven by the chain.
Above him the banners of bounty are fastened.
It is established with me and all people,
يرويhe transmits حديثَthe traditions of النبيّthe Prophet المصطفىthe chosen one فلهso he has
يروي حديثَ النبيّ المصطفى فله
فيهof it سماعٌoral reception صحيحٌauthentic زانَهadorned it السّندُthe chain of transmission
فيه سماعٌ صحيحٌ زانَه السّندُ
He transmits the chosen Prophet's traditions; thus he has
That in the Islamic sciences he has no equal.
Authentic oral reception of them, graced by the chain of transmission.
He cares for us as a kind father cares for his son,
قدindeed صحّis established عنديin my view وعندand in the view of الناسthe people كلّهمُall of them
قد صحّ عندي وعند الناس كلّهمُ
بأنهthat he فيin علومthe sciences of الشرعِsacred law منفَردُpeerless
بأنه في علوم الشرعِ منفَردُ
It is established for me and for all people
Fulfilling that which he promises.
That he is peerless in the sciences of sacred law.
We care not if he draws near or distances,
يحنوshows tenderness عليناtoward us كماjust as يحنوshows tenderness علىtoward ولدٍa child
يحنو علينا كما يحنو على ولدٍ
أبٌa father رؤوفٌcompassionate ويوفيand is true بالذيto what يعِدُhe promises
أبٌ رؤوفٌ ويوفي بالذي يعِدُ
He cares for us as a child is cared for
For all people to call him from afar.
By a compassionate father, and he fulfills what he promises.
O you whose great deeds none can deny,
وماand not نُباليwe care إذاif ماemphatic particle كانis مقترباًnear
وما نُبالي إذا ما كان مقترباً
مناto us نداهhis bounty جميعَall الناسِpeople لوeven if بعُدواthey were far away
منا نداه جميعَ الناسِ لو بعُدوا
And we care nothing, so long as near
Save those who deny God’s grace!
To us is his bounty, though all mankind be far away.
Good tidings! The silent month has arrived,
ياO مَنْone who أياديهhis favors تَتْرىcome in succession ليسnot يجحَدُهاdenies them
يا مَنْ أياديه تَتْرى ليس يجحَدُها
إلاexcept أناسٌpeople لفضلthe bounty of اللهGod قدindeed جحَدواhave denied
إلا أناسٌ لفضل الله قد جحَدوا
O you whose favors come in succession—none denies them
And the Lord of the Throne has protected you from harm.
Except people who have denied God's bounty.
A victory, and you are her sole pillar.
تهنّrejoice قدindeed أقبلhas arrived الشهرُthe month الأصمّthe deaf one وقدand indeed
تهنّ قد أقبل الشهرُ الأصمّ وقد
وقاكَhas protected you صرْفَthe blows of الردىdeath ربُّthe Lord of العُلىthe heights الصّمدُthe Eternal Refuge
وقاكَ صرْفَ الردى ربُّ العُلى الصّمدُ
Rejoice: the Deaf Month has arrived, and
Live in eternal, everlasting bliss,
The Lord of the heights, the Eternal Refuge, has guarded you from death's blows.
A bounty without limit or number.
وهاكَهاand take her غادةًa graceful maiden بكراًa virgin أتاكَcame to you بهاwith her
وهاكَها غادةً بكراً أتاكَ بها
نصرٌNasr وأنتَand you لهfor him دونto the exclusion of الورىmankind السّندُthe support
نصرٌ وأنتَ له دون الورى السّندُ
And take her, a graceful virgin, brought to you by
No clouds gathered, no turtledoves cooed,
Nasr, and you alone among mankind are his support.
No planets appeared to guide the wings of night,
واسلَمْand stay safe وعشand live فيin نعيمٍbliss دائمٍlasting أبداًforever
واسلَمْ وعش في نعيمٍ دائمٍ أبداً
وأنعُمٍand blessings ماnot لهاthey have حدٌّa limit ولاnor عددُa number
وأنعُمٍ ما لها حدٌّ ولا عددُ
And stay safe, and live in lasting bliss forever,
Except that you remain in bliss without end,
And in blessings that have neither limit nor number,
Living forever, no hand rising above you.
ماas long as لاحflashes برقٌlightning وماand as long as ناحتlaments مطوّقةٌa collared dove
ما لاح برقٌ وما ناحت مطوّقةٌ
وماand as long as بداappears كوكبٌa star جِنْحَin the depths of الدُجىnight's darkness يقِدُblazes
وما بدا كوكبٌ جِنْحَ الدُجى يقِدُ
As long as lightning flashes and a collared dove laments,
And as long as a star appears, blazing in the dark of night.
تبقىyou remain كذاthus فيin نعيمٍbliss ماnot لهit has أمدٌan end
تبقى كذا في نعيمٍ ما له أمدٌ
تعيشُyou live ألفاًa thousand years ولاand not تعلوrises عليكover you يدُa hand
تعيشُ ألفاً ولا تعلو عليك يدُ
May you remain thus in bliss without an end,
May you live a thousand years, and may no hand rise above you.
Partial English translation: 48 of 52 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1