سَقىmay water دِمَنَthe camp ruins of الحَيِّthe tribe الحَياthe rain المُتَفائِضُoverflowing
سَقى دِمَنَ الحَيِّ الحَيا المُتَفائِضُ
وَفيand in وَجهِهِits face بَرقٌlightning مِنَof البِشرِgladness وامِضُflashing
وَفي وَجهِهِ بَرقٌ مِنَ البِشرِ وامِضُ
May overflowing rain water the tribe's deserted camps,
The lively life waterer waters the lively,
and in its face a lightning-flash of gladness gleams.
In his face a flashing light from glad tidings is apparent.
يَصُبُّpours عَلَيهِنَّupon them المِياهَthe waters كَأَنَّهُas though it were
يَصُبُّ عَلَيهِنَّ المِياهَ كَأَنَّهُ
لِماof what دَنَّسَsoiled العَصرانِnight and day مِنهُنَّof them راحِضُa cleanser
لِما دَنَّسَ العَصرانِ مِنهُنَّ راحِضُ
It pours water upon them, as though it were
He pours water on them as though
washing away what night and day have soiled in them.
He is making amends for the twigs that sullied them.
مَعاهِدُhaunts of آرامِgazelles of الأَنيسِhumankind فَأَصبَحَتso they became
مَعاهِدُ آرامِ الأَنيسِ فَأَصبَحَت
وَفيهاand within them لِآرامِfor the gazelles of الفَضاءِthe open wild مَرابِضُresting places
وَفيها لِآرامِ الفَضاءِ مَرابِضُ
Haunts of the gazelles of humankind, now transformed,
Sanctuaries for the pleasures of company, so they became
with resting places for gazelles of the open wild within them.
Dwellings for the pleasures of open spaces.
رِياضٌmeadows لَوىwrapped بيضَwhite العَمائِمِthe turbans حَزنُهاtheir rugged uplands
رِياضٌ لَوى بيضَ العَمائِمِ حَزنُها
كَماjust as قُمِصَتwere clothed in حُضرَgreen المَلاءِmantles الرَبائِضُthe low pastures
كَما قُمِصَت حُضرَ المَلاءِ الرَبائِضُ
Meadows whose rugged heights have wound on white turbans,
Gardens of sorrow twined in white turbans,
as the low pastures were clothed in green mantles.
As if the necks of singing birds were captured.
تُذَكِّرُناremind us هاتيthese بِتِلكَof those تَشابُهاًthrough resemblance
تُذَكِّرُنا هاتي بِتِلكَ تَشابُهاً
يَبينُappears فَيُخفيهِthen conceals it الشَوىthe extremities وَالمَآبِضُand the knee-bends
يَبينُ فَيُخفيهِ الشَوى وَالمَآبِضُ
These remind us of those through a resemblance
They remind us—these ones—with that resemblance
that appears, then the limbs and knee-bends conceal it.
Clear at times and hidden by passion and shelter.
فَتِلكَfor those الَّتيwhich يَغذوnourishes صِنابٌmustard-raisin sauce وَناطِفٌand whipped sweetmeat
فَتِلكَ الَّتي يَغذو صِنابٌ وَناطِفٌ
وَهاتيand these الَّتيwhich يَغذوnourishes كِباتٌarak berries (uncertain reading) وَبارِضُand tender shoots
وَهاتي الَّتي يَغذو كِباتٌ وَبارِضُ
For those are nourished by mustard-raisin sauce and whipped sweets,
So that is the one fed by wagtails and wind-blown trees,
and these are nourished by arak berries and tender shoots.
And this is the one fed by turtledoves and land wet by rain.
أَثارَstirred اِدِّكارُthe recollection of العَنبَرِيَّةِal-ʿAnbariyya حُبَّهاlove for her
أَثارَ اِدِّكارُ العَنبَرِيَّةِ حُبَّها
فَفاضَso it overflowed عَلىover الأَحشاءِthe inmost parts وَالصَبرُwhile patience غائِضُebbing
فَفاضَ عَلى الأَحشاءِ وَالصَبرُ غائِضُ
Recollection of al-ʿAnbariyya stirred love for her,
Stirring memories of the sweet basil awakened his love for her
so it flooded my inmost being, while patience ebbed.
And it overflowed into the heart while patience was submerged.
وَلَيلٍand many a night قَضَيناwe discharged فيهِin it لِلأنسِto companionship حَقَّهُits due
وَلَيلٍ قَضَينا فيهِ لِلأنسِ حَقَّهُ
فَتَمَّتso were fulfilled بِماwith what نَهوىwe desire الأَمانيthe wishes الغَوائِضُdeeply hidden
فَتَمَّت بِما نَهوى الأَماني الغَوائِضُ
And many a night we gave companionship its due,
And a night we spent therein fulfilling the right of company,
so our hidden wishes were fulfilled with what we desired.
So what we yearned for was completed through soaring desires.
تُدَوِّمُcircle overhead غِربانُthe crows of الدُجىdarkness فَتَرُدُّهاthen drives them back
تُدَوِّمُ غِربانُ الدُجى فَتَرُدُّها
إِلىinto الجَوِّthe air حَيّاتserpents of الشِماعِthe candles النَضانِضُtongue-flicking
إِلى الجَوِّ حَيّات الشِماعِ النَضانِضُ
The crows of darkness circle, then are driven back
The ravens of dusk persist, restoring them
into the air by the candles' tongue-flicking serpents.
To the air, the snakes of glowing embers.
زَمانٌan age تَوانىgrew slack فيin المَصالِحِbeneficial affairs أَهلُهُits people
زَمانٌ تَوانى في المَصالِحِ أَهلُهُ
وَكُلُّهُمand all of them نَحوَtoward المَفاسِدِcorrupt deeds راكِضُracing
وَكُلُّهُم نَحوَ المَفاسِدِ راكِضُ
An age whose people have grown slack in pursuing good,
An era whose people fall short in purpose,
and every one of them races toward corruption.
And all of them hasten toward misdeeds.
يَقولونَthey say خَيرُa benefit to الدينِreligion وَالعِلمِand learning سَعيُهُمtheir striving
يَقولونَ خَيرُ الدينِ وَالعِلمِ سَعيُهُم
وَسَعيُهُمyet their striving لِلدينِto religion وَالعِلمِand learning هائِضُcrippling
وَسَعيُهُم لِلدينِ وَالعِلمِ هائِضُ
They say their striving benefits religion and learning,
They claim the endeavoring for religion and knowledge is their goodness
yet their striving cripples religion and learning.
While their endeavoring is ruinous to religion and knowledge.
عَجزتُI was powerless فَأَظهَرتُso I displayed القَبولَacceptance كَتابِعٍlike one following
عَجزتُ فَأَظهَرتُ القَبولَ كَتابِعٍ
عَجوزاًan old woman يُصَلّيpraying خَلفَهاbehind her وَهيَwhile she is حائِضُmenstruating
عَجوزاً يُصَلّي خَلفَها وَهيَ حائِضُ
I was powerless, so I showed assent, like one following
I failed, so I feigned acceptance like a follower—
an old woman, praying behind her while she menstruates.
An old woman praying behind her while she has her period.
فَلَوso if كُنتُI were أَرجوhoping for الودَّaffection مِنهُمfrom them تَواخِياًin brotherhood
فَلَو كُنتُ أَرجو الودَّ مِنهُم تَواخِياً
وَماand there is none مِنهُمamong them إِلّاbut عَدُوٌّan enemy مُباغِضُfull of hatred
وَما مِنهُم إِلّا عَدُوٌّ مُباغِضُ
So, if I hoped for brotherly affection from them,
Had I hoped for affection from them through conviviality
though none of them is anything but a hate-filled enemy,
There is naught from them save an enemy full of hate.
لَكُنتُI would indeed be كَراجlike one hoping لِلنَوافِلِfor voluntary devotions حِفظَهاtheir observance
لَكُنتُ كَراج لِلنَوافِلِ حِفظَها
لَدىwith مَنone who مُضاعاتٌneglected لَدَيهِin his care الفَرائِضُthe obligatory duties
لَدى مَن مُضاعاتٌ لَدَيهِ الفَرائِضُ
I would be like one hoping for observance of voluntary devotions
I’d have been the keeper of the voluntary prayers, preserving them
from someone whose obligatory duties lie neglected;
With one who has mandatory duties to fulfill,
وَراجٍand one hoping لِداءٍfor an illness طَبَّthe treatment of مَنone who هُوَhe مُشكِلٌconfusing
وَراجٍ لِداءٍ طَبَّ مَن هُوَ مُشكِلٌ
عَلَيهِto him مَريضُa sufferer from الماءِdropsy وَالمُتَمارِضُand one feigning illness
عَلَيهِ مَريضُ الماءِ وَالمُتَمارِضُ
and one seeking treatment for illness from someone unable to distinguish
And a searcher for remedies to one with an obscure dilemma—
a sufferer from dropsy from someone feigning illness;
The sick from water and the pretender sick one.
كَماas خَضَّhe churned ماءَthe water of الشَنِّthe worn waterskin جَرّاto draw out إِتائِهِits yield
كَما خَضَّ ماءَ الشَنِّ جَرّا إِتائِهِ
وَمُطَّلِبٌand a seeker عَنّاهُtormented him أَبلَقa piebald stallion ماخِضُin labor
وَمُطَّلِبٌ عَنّاهُ أَبلَق ماخِضُ
like one churning water in a worn waterskin to draw out its yield,
Just as he spooned along the brackish water
and a seeker tormented by a piebald stallion in labor.
And a beseecher of it, a newborn calf.
إِلىuntil كَمhow long وَهَذاwhile this الجَورinjustice يُبرِمُmakes binding حُكمَهُits judgment
إِلى كَم وَهَذا الجَور يُبرِمُ حُكمَهُ
وَلَمand has not يَتَعَقَّبهُfollowed it مِنَfrom العَدلِjustice ناقِضُone who overturns
وَلَم يَتَعَقَّبهُ مِنَ العَدلِ ناقِضُ
How long will this injustice make its judgment binding,
To what extent will this tyranny impose its unjust rule
while no force of justice has followed to overturn it?
With none to veto it in the name of justice?
وَلَمand has not يَبقَremained إِلّاexcept مُغمِصٌrheumy-eyed مُتَباصِرٌpretending to see
وَلَم يَبقَ إِلّا مُغمِصٌ مُتَباصِرٌ
يَخافُfears أَذاهُhis harm مُبصِرٌa sighted man مُتَغامِضُshutting his eyes
يَخافُ أَذاهُ مُبصِرٌ مُتَغامِضُ
None remains but a rheumy-eyed man pretending to see,
Naught remains save a conniving secret sympathizer
whose harm a sighted man fears while shutting his eyes.
Who surveys and lingers, apprehensive of harm.
يَروحُgoes forth جِرابُthe sack of الباطِلِfalsehood الفَعمpacked full جُهدهُto its utmost capacity
يَروحُ جِرابُ الباطِلِ الفَعم جُهدهُ
وَماand there is nothing فيin جِرابِthe sack of الحَقِّtruth إِلّاbut نَفائِضُremnants
وَما في جِرابِ الحَقِّ إِلّا نَفائِضُ
Falsehood's sack goes forth packed to capacity,
The horse bag of falsehood strains to the maximum its capacity
while truth's sack holds nothing but scraps.
While in the horse bag of truth there is only the surplus.
عَلىin صورَةِthe form of الإِنسانِa human being غَطَّيتَyou concealed صورَةَthe form of الthe
عَلى صورَةِ الإِنسانِ غَطَّيتَ صورَةَ ال
حِمارِdonkey وَغَطَّتهاand concealed it الثِيابُthe garments الفَضافِضُloose-fitting
حِمارِ وَغَطَّتها الثِيابُ الفَضافِضُ
In human form you have concealed the form of the
You covered the image of a donkey in the image of
donkey, and loose-fitting garments have concealed it.
A human and draped it with loose-hanging clothes!
سَأَعصيI shall disobey عَذوليmy reprover فيabout السُّرىnight travel وَهوَthough he is ناصِحُa sincere adviser
سَأَعصي عَذولي في السُّرى وَهوَ ناصِحُ
وَاِغتَشَّهُand suspect him of deceit فيin نُصحِهِhis counsel وَهوَthough he is ماحِضُwholly sincere
وَاِغتَشَّهُ في نُصحِهِ وَهوَ ماحِضُ
I shall disobey my reprover about night travel, though he means well,
I will disobey my reproacher in secret while he gives advice
and suspect him of deceit in his counsel, though he is wholly sincere.
And feels his way through giving advice blindly.
وَتَطويand fold up عَواصيthe stubborn reaches of القَفرِthe desert عيسيmy pale camels بِأَذرُعٍwith forelegs
وَتَطوي عَواصي القَفرِ عيسي بِأَذرُعٍ
طِوالlong التَمَشّيin stride بِالخِضَمِّthrough the vast sea النَضانِضُdarting
طِوال التَمَشّي بِالخِضَمِّ النَضانِضُ
And my pale camels fold up the desert's stubborn reaches with forelegs
And Jesus crosses the expanses of the desert, stretching out
long-striding, darting across the sea-like expanse,
His step, slow and with a pronounced limp.
إِلىto حَيثُwhere صَيرُthe destination of الشَرعِthe sacred law لاno نَهجَpath ظاهِرٌapparent
إِلى حَيثُ صَيرُ الشَرعِ لا نَهجَ ظاهِرٌ
وَلاand no باطِلٌfalsehood مِنfrom حُكمِهِits ruling مُتَناقِضُcontradictory
وَلا باطِلٌ مِن حُكمِهِ مُتَناقِضُ
to where the sacred law has its destination—no path is apparent,
To where the principles of Islamic Law are without an apparent path
nor any contradictory falsehood issuing from its ruling;
And none of its rulings are contradictory.
وَمَنand one who عُدَّwas counted on لِلجُلّىfor the gravest ordeal وَحِملانِand bearing عِبئِهاits burden
وَمَن عُدَّ لِلجُلّى وَحِملانِ عِبئِها
تَأَرَّضَdrew back عَنهُfrom him المُستَطيلُthe overbearing one الجَرائضُthe hulking one
تَأَرَّضَ عَنهُ المُستَطيلُ الجَرائضُ
and to one counted on for the gravest ordeal and bearing its burden,
And whoever was counted for the hilltops and bearing their burden:
from whom the hulking, overbearing man draws back.
The level land slipped out of his hands.
إِذاif ماever اللُّحىthe beards لَمdo not تَسعَstrive فيamid النَقعِthe battle-dust أَهلُهاtheir wearers
إِذا ما اللُّحى لَم تَسعَ في النَقعِ أَهلُها
لِأَهليهِمُfor their families فَلتَسعَthen let them work فيهاupon them المَقارِضُthe shears
لِأَهليهِمُ فَلتَسعَ فيها المَقارِضُ
If the wearers of beards do not strive amid battle-dust
When the encampments cannot accommodate their inhabitants,
for their families, let the shears work upon those beards.
Let those due their kin accommodate them!
وَلِيٌّa saint حَفِيٌّsolicitous بِالمُريدِfor the disciple فِعِذقُهُso his date-cluster
وَلِيٌّ حَفِيٌّ بِالمُريدِ فِعِذقُهُ
بِجَنَّتِهِin his garden وَالداءُwhile the disease أَدوَأُmore virulent نابِضُthrobbing
بِجَنَّتِهِ وَالداءُ أَدوَأُ نابِضُ
A saint, solicitous for the disciple—so his date-cluster
A loyal guardian insistent with the spiritual seeker—
is in his garden, while the disease is more virulent and throbbing.
His clusters of grapes in his garden while the harm is most toxic.
يُرَجّيهِgives him hope عِندَduring البَسطِexpansion وَاللَهُand God باسِطٌthe Expander
يُرَجّيهِ عِندَ البَسطِ وَاللَهُ باسِطٌ
وَيُخفيهِand conceals him عِندَduring القَبضِcontraction وَاللَهُand God قابِضُthe Constrictor
وَيُخفيهِ عِندَ القَبضِ وَاللَهُ قابِضُ
He gives him hope in expansion—and God is the Expander,
He gives hope during ease, and God is the Grantor of Ease,
and conceals him in contraction—and God is the Constrictor.
He hides during hardship, and God is the Constrictor.
Sol 6.1