أَقْبِلْturn toward me بوجهكَwith your face إِنِّيindeed I عنكَaway from you مُنْصَرِفُam departing
أَقْبِلْ بوجهكَ إِنِّي عنكَ مُنْصَرِفُ
فماso what أَقولُshall I say لسُؤَّاليto my questioners وماand what أَصِفُshall I describe
فما أَقولُ لسُؤَّالي وما أَصِفُ
Turn your face toward me; I am departing from you.
Turn your face to me, for I am leaving you
What shall I tell those who ask me, and what shall I describe?
What can I say to my questions, what can I describe?
واسترْجِعِand recover الرشدَright judgment منfrom غيٍّfolly وَهَبْتَyou granted لَهُto it
واسترْجِعِ الرشدَ من غيٍّ وَهَبْتَ لَهُ
فَضْلَthe bounty of الدِّمامِcosmetic covering فَوَلَّىso it turned away حيثُwhere لاnot يقِفُit stops
فَضْلَ الدِّمامِ فَوَلَّى حيثُ لا يقِفُ
Recover right judgment from the folly to which you granted
Regain your sanity from error which you granted
lavish covering; it ran on, never stopping.
The virtue of proximity but it turned where there is no standing
خُدِعْتَyou were deceived فِيَّabout me وَغَرَّتْكَand beguiled you الضَّراعةُhumility بيin me
خُدِعْتَ فِيَّ وَغَرَّتْكَ الضَّراعةُ بي
ومالَand swayed تِيهاًin conceit بكwith you الإِعجابُself-admiration والصَّلَفُand arrogance
ومالَ تِيهاً بك الإِعجابُ والصَّلَفُ
You were deceived about me; my humility beguiled you,
You were deceived about me, and my pleading deluded you
and self-admiration and arrogance carried you into conceit.
And you wandered lost in self-admiration and arrogance
وكانَand it was مِنْamong سَيِّئاتِيmy faults أَننيthat I أَبداًalways
وكانَ مِنْ سَيِّئاتِي أَنني أَبداً
إِليكto you فيin سائِرِall الحالاتِcircumstances أَخْتَلِفُvisit repeatedly
إِليك في سائِرِ الحالاتِ أَخْتَلِفُ
Among my faults was that I would always
And of my evils was that I was always
visit you repeatedly, in every circumstance.
Changing towards you in all circumstances
فهَلْso did I أَتيتُكَcome to you إلاَّexcept قبلَbefore مَخْبرَتِيmy discovery
فهَلْ أَتيتُكَ إلاَّ قبلَ مَخْبرَتِي
بأَنَّنيof the fact that I عنكَfrom you بالأَشجانِwith sorrows أَنْصَرِفُdepart
بأَنَّني عنكَ بالأَشجانِ أَنْصَرِفُ
Did I come to you except before discovering
Did I come to you except before my demise
that I would depart from you burdened with sorrows?
That I am leaving you in great sorrow
ولوand had عَلِمْتُI known بهذَاof this ماwhat عَلِمْتَyou knew بهof it
ولو عَلِمْتُ بهذَا ما عَلِمْتَ به
وكانَand had there been ليfor me دونَهُapart from it فيon الأَرضِthe earth مُصْطَرَفُa place to turn
وكانَ لي دونَهُ في الأَرضِ مُصْطَرَفُ
Had I known of this what you knew of it,
Had I known this, that which you knew
and had I somewhere else on earth to turn—
And I had besides it on earth a refuge
لكنْbut غُرِرْتُI was deceived بِبَرْقٍby lightning باتَspent the night خُلَّبُهُits rainless flashing
لكنْ غُرِرْتُ بِبَرْقٍ باتَ خُلَّبُهُ
يَهْمِيpours down لَهُfor it دُمُوعيmy tears عارِضٌa raincloud يَكِفُdrips
يَهْمِي لَهُ دُمُوعي عارِضٌ يَكِفُ
but I was beguiled by lightning; all night its rainless flash
But I was fooled by a lightning whose darkness disappeared
drew my streaming tears—a dripping raincloud.
My tears raining for it, a cloudburst stopping
حَتَّىuntil حَصَلْتُI arrived وماand not حصَّلْتُI gained مِنْكَfrom you سِوىexcept
حَتَّى حَصَلْتُ وما حصَّلْتُ مِنْكَ سِوى
مَلْقَىa reception عَبُوسٍscowling ولَفْظٍand words دُونَهُless than it التَّلَفُdeath
مَلْقَى عَبُوسٍ ولَفْظٍ دُونَهُ التَّلَفُ
Until I arrived, and gained nothing from you but
Until I attained and what I attained from you was only
a scowling reception and words worse than death.
A sullen face and words, less than it, rotten
فإِنْso if عَتَبْتُI reproach فَدَهْرٌthen a lifetime كُلُّهُall of it جَدَلٌwrangling
فإِنْ عَتَبْتُ فَدَهْرٌ كُلُّهُ جَدَلٌ
وإِنْand if غَفَلْتُI overlook it فَعَيْشٌthen a life كُلُّهُall of it شَظَفُhardship
وإِنْ غَفَلْتُ فَعَيْشٌ كُلُّهُ شَظَفُ
If I reproach you, my days are nothing but wrangling;
So if I complain, then all time is contention
and if I overlook it, my life is nothing but hardship.
And if I forget, then all living is fragmented
وإِنْand if رَأَىsaw حالَتِيmy condition غَيْرِيsomeone other than me تَنَاشَدَهاwould recite about it
وإِنْ رَأَى حالَتِي غَيْرِي تَنَاشَدَها
مِنَamong الخُسارَةِlosses سُوءُbadness of الكَيْلِthe measure والحَشَفُand shriveled dates
مِنَ الخُسارَةِ سُوءُ الكَيْلِ والحَشَفُ
And if another saw my plight, he would quote of it:
And if another saw my state, he will recall it
'Short measure and shriveled dates—what a loss!'
Among losses, the evil of measuring and sifting
إِذاif زَوَىwithheld عَنِّيَfrom me الجُمَّارُthe palm's heart طَلْعَتَهُits appearance
إِذا زَوَى عَنِّيَ الجُمَّارُ طَلْعَتَهُ
فلاthen let not يُصِبْنيstrike me بِحَدَّيْwith the two edges of شَوْكِهِits thorns السَّعَفُthe palm fronds
فلا يُصِبْني بِحَدَّيْ شَوْكِهِ السَّعَفُ
If the palm's heart withholds its face from me,
When the clouds turn away their rising from me
let its fronds not strike me with their thorns' twin edges.
Let not their thorns strike me with their prickling leaves
وكمand how often صَبَرْتُI endured وقلتُand said الحُرُّthe noble man يُرْجِعُهُbrings him back
وكم صَبَرْتُ وقلتُ الحُرُّ يُرْجِعُهُ
لِينُgentleness of الكلامِspeech وإِنْand even if وَلَّىturned away بِهِwith him الأَنَفُpride
لِينُ الكلامِ وإِنْ وَلَّى بِهِ الأَنَفُ
How often I endured and said, 'A noble man is brought back
And how much I endured and said a free man returns
by gentle speech, though pride may have carried him away.'
With gentle speech, even if the nose turns away
وبتُّand I spent the night أَنْظِمُهاI string them عِقْدًاinto a necklace جواهِرُهُits jewels
وبتُّ أَنْظِمُها عِقْدًا جواهِرُهُ
لولاwere it not for العُقولُminds لَغلَّتْwould have been fastened shut دُونَهَاover them الصَّدَفُthe shells
لولا العُقولُ لَغلَّتْ دُونَهَا الصَّدَفُ
I spent the night stringing them into a necklace, whose jewels
I decided to string them into a necklace, its jewels
would, but for minds, have been enclosed in shells.
Were it not for minds, the oyster would have covered them
مِنْfrom كُلِّeach زاهرةِblooming الأَرجاءِthe quarters لوif بَصَرَتْsaw
مِنْ كُلِّ زاهرةِ الأَرجاءِ لو بَصَرَتْ
بهاat it الغوادِيthe morning rainclouds لقالَتْwould say رَوْضَةٌa meadow أُنُفُfresh and untouched
بها الغوادِي لقالَتْ رَوْضَةٌ أُنُفُ
Each verse blooms on all sides; if morning rainclouds saw
From every blossoming meadow, if the valleys saw it
it, they would say, 'A fresh, untouched meadow!'
They would say a garden, most excellent
فَكُنْتُso I was كالمُبْتَغِيlike one seeking شَرْخَthe prime of الشَّبابِyouth لِمَنْfor one who
فَكُنْتُ كالمُبْتَغِي شَرْخَ الشَّبابِ لِمَنْ
عَلاَrose بهِover him الشَّيْبُgray hair واسْتَهْوَىand dragged down بهwith him الخَرَفُsenility
عَلاَ بهِ الشَّيْبُ واسْتَهْوَى به الخَرَفُ
Yet I was like one seeking the prime of youth for someone
So I was like one seeking the bloom of youth, for one
whom gray hair has overtaken and senility dragged down.
Whom old age overwhelmed and senility conquered
ياO عادلاًone turning away عنfrom سبيلِthe path of العَدْلِjustice عُدْreturn وَأَعِدْand restore
يا عادلاً عن سبيلِ العَدْلِ عُدْ وَأَعِدْ
فالجَوْرُfor injustice يُتْلِفُdestroys والمظلومُand the wronged يَنْتَصِفُobtains redress
فالجَوْرُ يُتْلِفُ والمظلومُ يَنْتَصِفُ
O you who turn from justice's path, return and set things right:
O you equitable, return to the path of justice, and return
injustice destroys, and the wronged obtain redress.
For injustice brings harmony, and the wronged gets satisfaction
أَنتَyou الكريمُthe noble one وقدand indeed قالَsaid الأُلىthose of old مَثَلاًas a proverb
أَنتَ الكريمُ وقد قالَ الأُلى مَثَلاً
إِنَّindeed الكِرَامَthe noble إذاwhen ماemphasis استُعْطِفُواare asked for compassion عَطَفواshow compassion
إِنَّ الكِرَامَ إذا ما استُعْطِفُوا عَطَفوا
You are noble, and those of old said proverbially:
You are generous, and the protector said a proverb:
'The noble show compassion when their compassion is sought.'
“The generous when appealed to, relent”
هلam I? غَيْرُother than صاحِبِِكَyour companion المُوفِيthe faithful one إِذاwhen غَدَرواthey betray
هل غَيْرُ صاحِبِِكَ المُوفِي إِذا غَدَروا
أَوor غَيْرُother than خَادِِمِكَyour servant الباقِيthe steadfast one إِذاwhen انْحَرَفَواthey turn away
أَو غَيْرُ خَادِِمِكَ الباقِي إِذا انْحَرَفَوا
Am I other than your companion, faithful when they betray,
Is other than your companion, the loyal, when they betray?
or other than your servant, steadfast when they turn away?
Or other than your servant, the eternal, when they turn away?
فإِنْso if نَكِرْتَyou disown فماthen not الحالاتُthe circumstances ناكِرَةٌdenying
فإِنْ نَكِرْتَ فما الحالاتُ ناكِرَةٌ
كُلٌّeveryone بتصدِيقِهاto their corroboration ليof me فيكconcerning you يَعْتَرِفُattests
كُلٌّ بتصدِيقِها لي فيك يَعْتَرِفُ
If you disown me, the circumstances do not;
If you deny, then situations do not deny
everyone acknowledges that they bear me out concerning you.
Each one's confirmation of me in you confesses
وهَبْكَand suppose you تنويintend لإِخلاصِيtoward my sincere devotion مخالَفَةًopposition
وهَبْكَ تنوي لإِخلاصِي مخالَفَةً
فالقولُthen speech يَجمُلُis gracious والنِّيَّاتُand intentions تَخْتَلِفُdiffer
فالقولُ يَجمُلُ والنِّيَّاتُ تَخْتَلِفُ
Suppose you intend to oppose my sincere devotion—
Your neglect intends for my loyalty opposition
speech can be gracious, while intentions differ.
Yet words are beautiful, and intentions differ
أَجْحَفْتَyou dealt harshly بيwith me وبوُدِّيand I wish لوthat تُقَعْقُعُwould rattle ليfor me
أَجْحَفْتَ بي وبوُدِّي لو تُقَعْقُعُ لي
بالموتِwith death منfrom دونِrather than هذاthis عِنْدَكَat your side الحَجَفُthe leather shields
بالموتِ من دونِ هذا عِنْدَكَ الحَجَفُ
You have wronged me; I would rather hear the rattle
You wronged me and my love. If for me
of leather shields at your side, threatening death, than endure this.
Other than this, death's rattle at you would shake
متىwhen أَقولُshall I say صباحٌa morning لاحَappeared شارِقُهits rising sun
متى أَقولُ صباحٌ لاحَ شارِقُه
فضُمَّso gather رَحْلَكَyour baggage وارحَلْand depart أَيهاO السَّدَفُdarkness
فضُمَّ رَحْلَكَ وارحَلْ أَيها السَّدَفُ
When shall I say, 'Morning—its rising sun has appeared!
When can I say morning shone its rising?
So pack your baggage and depart, O darkness!'
So pack your bags and leave, O horsefly
وأَجْتَلِيand behold دَوْحَةًa spreading tree للوُدِّof friendship ناضرةًverdant
وأَجْتَلِي دَوْحَةً للوُدِّ ناضرةً
قدindeed طالَwas long ماthe time that كنتُI used to منهاfrom it قبلُbefore أَقتَطِفُpluck
قد طالَ ما كنتُ منها قبلُ أَقتَطِفُ
and behold a verdant, spreading tree of friendship,
And I will pluck a bouquet of love, blooming
from which I used to pluck for so long before,
For long have I been gathering from it before
وأُرْجِعُand turn back الحاسدَthe envier الباغِيthe spiteful وقدand already سَلَكَentered الْthe (unfinished article)
وأُرْجِعُ الحاسدَ الباغِي وقد سَلَكَ الْ
أَضَلاَعَهُhis ribs والهَمُّand anxiety والأَسَفُand sorrow
أَضَلاَعَهُ والهَمُّ والأَسَفُ
and turn back the spiteful envier, already pierced through
And return the envious aggressor who walked the
the ribs by anxiety and sorrow?
Ribs, and worry and anguish
أَحْسِنْdo well أَباAbu (father of) حَسَنٍHasan فيin الاسْتِماعِlistening فَقَدْfor indeed
أَحْسِنْ أَبا حَسَنٍ في الاسْتِماعِ فَقَدْ
طالَhas grown long العِتابُthe reproach فَهَلاَّso why not قَصَّرَabated العُنُفُharshness
طالَ العِتابُ فَهَلاَّ قَصَّرَ العُنُفُ
Listen well, Abu Hasan, for
Be good, Abu Hasan, in listening, for long
reproach has gone on long; will harshness not abate?
Has blame lasted, so make rebuke shorter
وقدand already مَضَيْتُI have gone لِشَأْنِيabout my own affairs فامْضِso go فيin دَعَةٍease
وقد مَضَيْتُ لِشَأْنِي فامْضِ في دَعَةٍ
اللُّهGod جارُكَyour protector نِعْمَexcellent is الجارُthe neighbor والكَنَفُand the refuge
اللُّه جارُكَ نِعْمَ الجارُ والكَنَفُ
I have gone about my own affairs; go your way in tranquility.
And I have gone about my business, so go gently
God be your protector—what an excellent neighbor and refuge!
God is your neighbor - excellent Neighbor and guardian
Sol 6.1