حملَcarried الريحُthe wind بالأصيلِat dusk سلامَهْhis greeting
حملَ الريحُ بالأصيلِ سلامَهْ
وأعارَand lent البرقَthe lightning اللموعَgleaming غرامَهْhis passion
وأعارَ البرقَ اللموعَ غرامَهْ
The wind carried his greeting at dusk,
The wind carried his greetings,
and he lent the gleaming lightning his passion.
And lightning lent its flashes his passion.
فجرَتْso it blew هذهthis one رُخاءًgently وأذْكىand kindled
فجرَتْ هذه رُخاءً وأذْكى
ذاكthat one فيin سَدْفِهِits gloom الظلامَthe darkness ضِرامَهْits blaze
ذاك في سَدْفِهِ الظلامَ ضِرامَهْ
So this one blew gently, while the other kindled
So the former flowed with ease, while the latter
its blaze amid its dark gloom.
Ignited in its clouds its darkness' heat.
فرأىand so he saw منهماfrom both of them شمائلَthe charms of هندٍHind
فرأى منهما شمائلَ هندٍ
طيبَthe sweetness of نَشْرٍfragrance سَرىwafted وحسنَand the beauty of ابتسامَهْa smile
طيبَ نَشْرٍ سَرى وحسنَ ابتسامَهْ
He saw in the two the charms of Hind:
In both he saw the features of a Hindi maiden:
a sweet fragrance drifting, and the beauty of a smile.
A sweet dispersal that wandered, and the beauty of her smile.
غادةٌa lovely maiden تفتنُbewitches القلوبَhearts بطَرْفٍwith a glance
غادةٌ تفتنُ القلوبَ بطَرْفٍ
لاnot تُرجّيhope for القلوبُhearts منهfrom it سلامَهْsafety
لا تُرجّي القلوبُ منه سلامَهْ
A lovely maiden who bewitches hearts with a glance
A singing gazelle who seduces hearts with a glance -
from which hearts hope for no safety.
Hearts cannot wish safety from her.
أناI صبٌّlovesick بوصلِهاfor union with her مستهامٌinfatuated
أنا صبٌّ بوصلِها مستهامٌ
وهيand she بالهَجْرِfor estrangement صبّةٌlovesick مستهامَهْinfatuated
وهي بالهَجْرِ صبّةٌ مستهامَهْ
I am lovesick, infatuated with union with her,
I am a lover intoxicated with her company,
while she is lovesick, infatuated with estrangement.
While she, estranged, is a gazelle intoxicated.
عجَباًhow strange ليto me أشكوI complain of التباعُدَthe distance منهاfrom her
عجَباً لي أشكو التباعُدَ منها
وهيand she ريمٌa gazelle لهاfor her لقلبيindeed my heart رامَهْRamah
وهي ريمٌ لها لقلبي رامَهْ
How strange that I complain of her distance,
How strange that I complain of distance from her,
when she is a gazelle, and my heart her Ramah.
When she is a meadow doe who has made my heart her pasture.
ياO عَذوليmy reproacher إليكَaway with you عنّيfrom me فإنّيfor indeed I
يا عَذولي إليكَ عنّي فإنّي
قلّwas rare ماthat استحوذَتْtook hold عليّover me الملامَهْreproach
قلّ ما استحوذَتْ عليّ الملامَهْ
O my reproacher, leave me alone, for I
O you who have distanced yourself from me,
have seldom been overcome by reproach.
Rarely has blame clung to me.
إنّindeed مَنْthe one whose شفّنيwasted me هواهُhis love وأغرَتْand incited
إنّ مَنْ شفّني هواهُ وأغرَتْ
بفؤاديagainst my heart ألحاظُهُhis glances أسقامَهْhis maladies
بفؤادي ألحاظُهُ أسقامَهْ
Indeed, the one whose love has wasted me, and whose glances have loosed
For she who cured me with her love,
his maladies upon my heart,
And captivated my heart with her glances, is sick.
حالَstood between منfrom دونِهbefore him الصُدودُaversion وتوخيand swift striding (continued)
حالَ من دونِه الصُدودُ وتوخي
دُcompletion of 'swift striding' مطيٍّriding camels ليستْare not تشَكّىcomplaining of سآمَهْweariness
دُ مطيٍّ ليستْ تشَكّى سآمَهْ
is kept from me by aversion and the swift striding
Obstacles stand between us, while she hopes
of camels that never complain of weariness.
For a messenger uncomplaining of fatigue.
أيهاO الغيثُrain إنif طرَقْتَyou visited by night تهامَهْTihamah
أيها الغيثُ إن طرَقْتَ تهامَهْ
فاسْقِthen water واديthe valley of الغَضاghada trees وحيّand greet خِيامَهْits tents
فاسْقِ وادي الغَضا وحيّ خِيامَهْ
O rain, if you visit Tihamah by night,
O clouds, if you pass by Tihama,
then water Wadi al-Ghada and greet its tents.
Quench the valley of al-Ghadha and revive its tents.
وأقِمْand stay بُرهةًa while بربعٍat a dwelling شجانيgrieved me
وأقِمْ بُرهةً بربعٍ شجاني
بعدَafter يأسِdespair تذكّريmy remembering أيامَهْits days
بعدَ يأسِ تذكّري أيامَهْ
And linger a while at a dwelling—it grieved me,
And stay a while in a wooded glade,
after despair, to recall its days.
After despair of your remembering its days.
طلَلٌa ruined campsite طالَlasted long ماthat بكيتُI wept فأرويand so I watered (continued)
طلَلٌ طالَ ما بكيتُ فأروي
تُcompletion of 'I watered' بدمعيwith my tears عَرارَهُits arar flowers وبَشامَهْand its balsam trees
تُ بدمعي عَرارَهُ وبَشامَهْ
A ruined campsite where I wept so long that I watered
A relic whose tears I wept long, until I watered
its arar flowers and balsam trees with my tears.
Its bald hills and stony ground with my tears.
وفسيحِand wide الخُطاof stride جرىran وجرىand ran البرthe lightning (continued)
وفسيحِ الخُطا جرى وجرى البر
قُcompletion of 'lightning' الىtoward غايةٍa goal فكانand so it was إمامَهْits leader
قُ الى غايةٍ فكان إمامَهْ
And a wide-striding mount raced, and lightning raced
Spacious of error the path ran and ran;
toward a goal, and the mount ran ahead of it.
And the rain ran to its goal and became its imam.
راحdeparted عنهُaway from it لعِلمِهbecause it knew أنّthat أزْكىthe noblest of النthe people (continued)
راح عنهُ لعِلمِه أنّ أزْكى الن
اسِcompletion of 'people' قدراًin worth ومنصِباًand in rank قدّامَهْahead of it
اسِ قدراً ومنصِباً قدّامَهْ
It left the lightning behind, knowing that the noblest of men
He departed it, knowing that the most precious
in worth and station was before it:
In rank and office have preceded him.
الأثيرُfavored المحلُّin standing والسيّدُand the lord المَصْthe eloquent (continued)
الأثيرُ المحلُّ والسيّدُ المَصْ
قَعُcompletion of 'eloquent' منهمamong them والأوحدُand the peerless one العلاّمَهْthe great scholar
قَعُ منهم والأوحدُ العلاّمَهْ
favored in rank, the eloquent lord
The excellent, the noble place, the unmatched lord,
among them, the peerless scholar.
They and the guiding scholar rose above them.
شرعَinstituted الجودgenerosity مذهباًas a creed وأقامَهْand established it
شرعَ الجود مذهباً وأقامَهْ
وعليهِand according to it أجرىadministered لناfor us أحْكامَهْhis rulings
وعليهِ أجرى لنا أحْكامَهْ
He instituted generosity as a creed and established it,
The bountiful embarked upon it as a creed, establishing it,
and by it dispensed his rulings for us.
And subjected to us through it his rulings.
وانْثَنىand turned فابْتَنىthen built منof المجدِglory داراًa house
وانْثَنى فابْتَنى من المجدِ داراً
نالَattained فيهاin it بعزمِهِthrough his resolve ماwhat رامَهْhe sought it
نالَ فيها بعزمِهِ ما رامَهْ
Then he turned and built a house of glory,
He strove, so built of glory a house,
where, through his resolve, he attained what he sought.
Attaining in it by resolve what he desired.
حتّمdecreed اللهُGod أنthat علياكَyour eminence لاnot تَفperish (continued)
حتّم اللهُ أن علياكَ لا تَف
نَىcompletion of 'perish' برُغْمdespite الحَسودِthe envious one حتىuntil القيامَهْthe Resurrection
نَى برُغْم الحَسودِ حتى القيامَهْ
God decreed that your eminence shall not perish,
God ordained that despite enviers you shall not
despite the envious, until the Resurrection.
Perish until the Day of Resurrection.
حيثُwhere تُزْجيdrives along ريحُthe wind of ارتياحِكyour eagerness للمعfor kindness (continued)
حيثُ تُزْجي ريحُ ارتياحِك للمع
روفِcompletion of 'kindness' منfrom غيثِthe rain of راحتَيْكَyour two palms رُكامَهْa massed cloud
روفِ من غيثِ راحتَيْكَ رُكامَهْ
Where the wind of your eagerness for kindness drives
Where the wind of your well-being for virtue blows
a massed raincloud from your two palms.
From a raincloud of your comfort its treasures.
قدindeed رأيناwe have seen منin ناصرِNasir الدولةِal-Dawlah البدthe full moon (continued)
قد رأينا من ناصرِ الدولةِ البد
رَcompletion of 'full moon' تماماًin its fullness والغيثَand the rain والصَمْصامَهْand the Samsamah sword
رَ تماماً والغيثَ والصَمْصامَهْ
In Nasir al-Dawlah we have seen the full moon
Indeed we have seen in al-Malik al-Nasir
in its perfection, the rain, and the Samsamah sword.
The full moon and the pouring rain and lightning flash.
وصَحِبْناهُand we accompanied him برهةًfor a while فكأنّاand so it was as though we
وصَحِبْناهُ برهةً فكأنّا
قدindeed صحِبْناwe had accompanied متالعاًMutali' وإكامَهْand its hills
قد صحِبْنا متالعاً وإكامَهْ
And we kept his company for a while, and it was as though
We accompanied him a while as though we accompanied
we had accompanied Mutali' and its hills.
A glittering star and its decisive setting.
وتناجَتْand whispered together أقلامُهhis pens فسمِعْناand so we heard
وتناجَتْ أقلامُه فسمِعْنا
لفظَthe words of سحبانَSahban منfrom بيانِthe eloquence of قُدامَهْQudamah
لفظَ سحبانَ من بيانِ قُدامَهْ
And his pens whispered together, and we heard
His pens whispered; we heard
Sahban's words issuing from Qudamah's eloquence.
The utterance of Suhban in the eloquence of the ancients,
بمعانٍwith meanings راقتْdelighted ورقّتْand grew delicate فأبْدَتْand so revealed
بمعانٍ راقتْ ورقّتْ فأبْدَتْ
بهجةَthe beauty of الروضِthe garden فيin صفاءِthe clarity of المُدامَهْwine
بهجةَ الروضِ في صفاءِ المُدامَهْ
With meanings that delighted and grew delicate, revealing
With subtle, delicate meanings that showed
the garden's beauty in the clarity of wine.
The delight of a garden in the limpidity of wine.
كلّماwhenever صافَحَتْshook hands with مسامعَthe ears of خَصْمٍan adversary
كلّما صافَحَتْ مسامعَ خَصْمٍ
خفضَتْlowered منهof him قدرَهُhis standing وكَلامَهْand his speech
خفضَتْ منه قدرَهُ وكَلامَهْ
Whenever they shook hands with an adversary's ears,
Whenever his opponent's hearing was greeted,
they lowered his standing and subdued his speech.
It lowered his worth and speech.
وإذاand when الخيلُthe horses فيin الوَقيعةِthe battle ثارَتْsurged
وإذا الخيلُ في الوَقيعةِ ثارَتْ
فأثارتْand so raised منfrom الغُبارِthe dust غَمامَهْa cloud
فأثارتْ من الغُبارِ غَمامَهْ
And when the horses surged in battle,
When the horses raged in battle
raising a cloud of dust,
And stirred up clouds of dust,
ركضَspurred الدهرُTime سابحاًa swift steed وانْتَضىand unsheathed المقFate (continued)
ركضَ الدهرُ سابحاً وانْتَضى المق
دارُcompletion of 'Fate' سيفاًa sword واستَصْحَبَand took along السعدَgood fortune لامَهْarmor
دارُ سيفاً واستَصْحَبَ السعدَ لامَهْ
Time spurred a swift steed, and Fate drew
Time raced swimmingly; destinies leapt up, swords unsheathed,
a sword, and took good fortune as armor.
And good fortune donned its armor.
فإذاso when جادَhe gave generously قلتُI said حاتمُHatim طيٍّTayy
فإذا جادَ قلتُ حاتمُ طيٍّ
وإذاand when صالَhe charged قلتُI said كعبُKa'b بنُson of مامَهْMamah
وإذا صالَ قلتُ كعبُ بنُ مامَهْ
So when he gave generously, I said, 'Hatim of Tayy!'
When he gave generously, I said: "Hatem al-Ta'i;"
and when he charged, I said, 'Ka'b ibn Mamah!'
When he was valiant, I said: "Ka'b ibn Mamah."
ياO أباAbu (father of) القاسمِal-Qasim المقسِّمُthe one who apportions للحاto the envier (continued)
يا أبا القاسمِ المقسِّمُ للحا
سِدِcompletion of 'envier' هُلْكاًdestruction وللمواليand to loyal followers سلامَهْsafety
سِدِ هُلْكاً وللموالي سلامَهْ
O Abu al-Qasim, who allots to the envious
O Abu l-Qasim the distributor of destruction to the envious
destruction, and to loyal followers safety,
And safety to the loyal,
صُمْfast سعيداًhappily فأنتfor you are أكرمُthe most generous مَولىًpatron
صُمْ سعيداً فأنت أكرمُ مَولىً
قبِلmay accept اللهُGod نَسْكَهُhis worship وصِيامَهْand his fasting
قبِل اللهُ نَسْكَهُ وصِيامَهْ
fast joyfully, for you are the most generous patron;
Be prosperous, for you are a generous patron -
may God accept his worship and his fasting.
May God accept your ritual purity and fasting.
Sol 6.1