ومُسمعٍand a singer لاnot عدمْتُI lack فُرقَتَهُparting from him
ومُسمعٍ لا عدمْتُ فُرقَتَهُ
فإنهاfor it is نعمةٌa blessing منamong النعمِblessings
فإنها نعمةٌ من النعمِ
And a singer—may I never be denied parting from him,
His company I never lack, its loss brings me no ease,
for it is a blessing among blessings.
For it's a blessing among other boons and joys.
يطولُgrows long يوميmy day إذاwhen قُرِنْتُI am paired بهwith him
يطولُ يومي إذا قُرِنْتُ به
كأننيas though I صائمٌfasting ولمand did not أصُمِI fast
كأنني صائمٌ ولم أصُمِ
My day grows long when I am paired with him,
My day seems long when he's apart, as though
as though I were fasting, though I have not fasted.
I'm fasting but forgot the fast's decrees.
إذاwhen تغنَّىhe sings النديمُthe drinking companion ذكَّرهُhe reminds him of
إذا تغنَّى النديمُ ذكَّرهُ
أخْذَthe grip of السياقdeath-throes الحثيثِswift بالكظمِupon the throat
أخْذَ السياق الحثيثِ بالكظمِ
When the drinking companion sings, he brings to mind
When entertained, I check his mirth lest he in joy exceed,
the grip of swift death-throes upon the throat.
And hold the flowing stream of talk in rein.
يفتحُhe opens فاهُhis mouth منfrom الجهادِexertion كماjust as
يفتحُ فاهُ من الجهادِ كما
يفْتَحhe opens فاهُhis mouth لأعظمfor the largest اللُّقمِmouthfuls
يفْتَح فاهُ لأعظم اللُّقمِ
He opens his mouth from exertion, just as
He opens not his mouth except with toil, as if
he opens his mouth for the largest mouthfuls.
It gaped but for the hugest mouthful's gain.
مجلسهhis gathering مأتمُa funeral for اللذاذاتِpleasures والand the…
مجلسه مأتمُ اللذاذاتِ وال
قَصْفِrevelry وعُرسُand a wedding feast for الهمومworries والسَّدمِand grief
قَصْفِ وعُرسُ الهموم والسَّدمِ
His gathering is a funeral for pleasures and
His circle is the rally of delights, no scanty fare,
revelry, and a wedding feast for worries and grief.
No feast of sorrows, griefs, regrets, and pain.
ينشدناrecites to us اللهوmerriment عندat طلعتهhis appearance
ينشدنا اللهو عند طلعته
منwhoever أوحشتْهestranges him البلادthe land لمdoes not يقمِstay
من أوحشتْه البلاد لم يقمِ
At his appearance, merriment recites to us:
He chants when he arrives: "Be glad, though far from kin,
"Whoever finds the land unwelcoming does not stay."
Homesick, heartsore, you pined in loneliness vain!"
كأننيas though I طولَthroughout ماthe time that أُشاهِدُهُI watch him
كأنني طولَ ما أُشاهِدُهُ
أشربُI drink كأسيmy cup ممزوجةًmingled بدميwith my blood
أشربُ كأسي ممزوجةً بدمي
It is as though, for as long as I watch him,
As long as I behold him there I seem to sip
I drink my cup mingled with my blood.
My wine-cup mixed with blood-drops from my veins.
تشهدُهyou watch him فرْطَfor a span of ساعتينtwo hours فيُنْand he makes…
تشهدُه فرْطَ ساعتين فيُنْ
سِيكَ…you forget عهوداًremembered times لمnot تُؤْتَwere eroded منby قِدمِage
سِيكَ عهوداً لم تُؤْتَ من قِدمِ
You watch him for a span of two hours, and he makes
When met two hours he makes old covenants new
you forget memories not yet eroded by age.
Which time destroys not, though it rends the chain.
يُريكَhe makes you see ماwhat قدalready عَهِدْتَyou knew فيin أمسكyour yesterday الthe…
يُريكَ ما قد عَهِدْتَ في أمسك ال
أدنىmost recent كشيءٍlike something فيin سالِفِthe past of الأُمَمِthe nations
أدنى كشيءٍ في سالِفِ الأُمَمِ
He makes what you knew in your most recent
He shows whate'er you knew in bygone terms is naught,
yesterday seem like something from the nations of old.
The least of things in days and years of bane.
عِشرتُهُhis companionship عشرةٌcompanionship تُباركbrings blessing فيto الthe…
عِشرتُهُ عشرةٌ تُبارك في ال
أعمارِlifespans لولاwere it not for تعجُّلُthe hastening of الهرمِdecrepitude
أعمارِ لولا تعجُّلُ الهرمِ
His company is company that brings blessing to
His comradeship is fortune's gift, that blesses life
lifespans, were it not for the hastening of decrepitude.
But for the swift-paced steed that brings old age's wane.
إذاwhen الندامىthe drinking companions دعوْهُthey invite him آونةًon occasion
إذا الندامى دعوْهُ آونةً
تنادمواthey drink together كأسهمtheir cup علىin ندمِregret
تنادموا كأسهم على ندمِ
When the drinking companions invite him on occasion,
When boon-companions hail him for a space, their talk
they share their cup in regret.
Turns ever to regrets and grief and pain.
نبردُwe grow cold حتىso that يظلَّhe keeps يُنشِدناreciting to us
نبردُ حتى يظلَّ يُنشِدنا
هلis there? بالديارin the dwellings الغداةَthis morning منany صممِdeafness
هل بالديار الغداةَ من صممِ
We grow so cold that he keeps reciting to us:
Till eve we converse, then he asks, "Shall morning light
"Is there deafness in the dwellings this morning?"
Once more the house with all therein again?"
يستطعمُhe begs الشربَthe drinkers أنthat يقالbe said لهُto him
يستطعمُ الشربَ أن يقال لهُ
أحسنْتَyou did well والقومُand the company منهbecause of him فيin وَكمِdistress
أحسنْتَ والقومُ منه في وَكمِ
He begs the drinkers to say to him,
He craves a draught, and when 'tis said, "You've done us well,"
"Well done!"—while the company is in distress because of him.
His folk smile blandly though with rage they're fain.
وكيفَand how للقوْمfor the company بالتَّصنُّعwith pretence لاno
وكيفَ للقوْم بالتَّصنُّع لا
كيفَhow ولوand even if صُوِّرواthey were fashioned منfrom الكَرمِgenerosity
كيفَ ولو صُوِّروا من الكَرمِ
And how can the company pretend? No—
How feign them pleasure in hypocrisy, how pretend,
how could they, even if fashioned from generosity itself?
When nature's self is fused in their disdain?
تظهرُappears فيin وجههhis face إساءتُهhis bad performance
تظهرُ في وجهه إساءتُه
كأنّهاas though it were مَسْحةٌa smear منof الحُمَمِcharcoal
كأنّها مَسْحةٌ من الحُمَمِ
His bad performance shows upon his face,
Dislike appears upon his face as though a blot
as though it were a smear of charcoal.
Of soot had marred its brightness' sheen and stain.
يسْوَدُّhe turns black منfrom قُبْحِthe ugliness of ماwhat يجيءhe comes بهwith it
يسْوَدُّ من قُبْحِ ما يجيء به
حتّىuntil كأنْas though قدalready أُسِفَّhe was dusted بالفحمِwith charcoal
حتّى كأنْ قد أُسِفَّ بالفحمِ
He blackens from the ugliness of what he produces,
Naught have I tasted, but to hold my peace near him
until he seems to have been dusted with charcoal.
Is worse than poison's burning in my brain.
ماnot ذُقْتُI have tasted شيئاًanything ولستُand I am not ذائقهgoing to taste it
ما ذُقْتُ شيئاً ولستُ ذائقه
أوقَعَmore satisfying منthan صَمْتِهhis silence علىto القرمِone craving meat
أوقَعَ من صَمْتِه على القرمِ
I have tasted nothing—and never shall—
When comes the call to prayer, relief rewards our pain,
more satisfying to a hungry man than his silence.
As 'twere to one long racked repose made plain.
نرتاحwe find relief منهfrom him إلىin الأذانthe call to prayer كماjust as
نرتاح منه إلى الأذان كما
يرتاحrejoices ذوone with شُقَّةٍa long journey إلىat علمِa landmark
يرتاح ذو شُقَّةٍ إلى علمِ
We find relief from him in the call to prayer, just as
He chants in voice offensive to the hearer's soul,
one on a long journey rejoices at a landmark.
Praise God who fashioned Man from clotted strain!
يشدوhe sings بصَوْتٍin a voice يسوءُdistresses سامِعَهُits hearer
يشدو بصَوْتٍ يسوءُ سامِعَهُ
تباركblessed be اللَّهُGod بارئُCreator of النسمِsouls
تبارك اللَّهُ بارئُ النسمِ
He sings in a voice that distresses its hearer—
He bursts in rough uncouthly rhymed lines that appall,
blessed be God, Creator of souls!—
Like braying discord in a monkish train.
أبحَّhoarse فيهin it شُذورfragments of حَشرجةٍa death-rattle
أبحَّ فيه شُذور حَشرجةٍ
منظومةٍstrung together فيin مقاطعِthe phrases of النغمِmelody
منظومةٍ في مقاطعِ النغمِ
hoarse, with fragments of a death-rattle
His chant a choking grief, his tremulousness like the bleat
strung together in the phrases of the tune.
Of silly camels in a mourning train.
نَبْرتُهُhis vocal inflection غُصَّةٌa choking lump وهِزَّتُهُand his trill
نَبْرتُهُ غُصَّةٌ وهِزَّتُهُ
مثلُlike نبيبthe bleating of التيوسِhe-goats فيamong الغنمِthe sheep
مثلُ نبيب التيوسِ في الغنمِ
His inflection is a choking fit, and his trill
Had it but hallowed God of Might, the Speaking One
is like the bleating of he-goats among the sheep.
Ne'er raised the goodly Word man's creed to gain.
لوif قُدِّسَwere hallowed اللَّهُGod ذوpossessor of الجلالmajesty بهthrough it
لو قُدِّسَ اللَّهُ ذو الجلال به
لمwould not يرفعِraise up اللَّهُGod طيِّبgoodly الكلِمِwords
لم يرفعِ اللَّهُ طيِّب الكلِمِ
If God, the Lord of Majesty, were hallowed through it,
It terrifies the children small when some poor brat
God would not raise up goodly words.
Falls weeping, since he slept not, as 'twere slain.
يُفزَّعare frightened الصبيةthe children الصغارُlittle بهwith it
يُفزَّع الصبية الصغارُ به
إذاwhen بكىcries بعضهُمone of them ولمand does not ينمِsleep
إذا بكى بعضهُم ولم ينمِ
Little children are frightened with it
My heart is flint when hearing him, though dear ones sigh
when one of them cries and will not sleep.
And greet his cruelty with tear and rain.
يقسوgrows hard لهbecause of it القلبُthe heart حينwhen يسمعُهit hears it
يقسو له القلبُ حين يسمعُه
علىtoward أحِبَّائهِits loved ones بلاwithout جرَمِfault
على أحِبَّائهِ بلا جرَمِ
The heart grows hard because of it when it hears it,
I swear by God who hath no like, no match, no peer,
toward its loved ones, through no fault of theirs.
'Tis naught but surfeit of God's boons of bane!
أحلفُI swear باللَّهِby God لاno شريكَpartner لهto Him
أحلفُ باللَّهِ لا شريكَ له
فإنهاfor it is غايةٌthe utmost منof القسمِswearing
فإنها غايةٌ من القسمِ
I swear by God, who has no partner,
None hath God shown before him who so lacked all good,
for that is the utmost form of swearing:
No dearth of bounty like his ban and bane!
ماnever عرَّفَtaught اللَّهُGod قبلهُbefore him أحداًanyone
ما عرَّفَ اللَّهُ قبلهُ أحداً
ماhow great فَضْلُthe superiority of نعمائهِHis blessings علىover النقمِafflictions
ما فَضْلُ نعمائهِ على النقمِ
before him, God had never shown anyone
how far His blessings surpass afflictions.
Partial English translation: 50 of 52 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1