شَاقَتْكَmade you yearn آرَامُgazelles إِلْفِof a beloved
شَاقَتْكَ آرَامُ إِلْفِ
بَيْنَbetween الْعُذَيْبِal-ʿUdhayb وَحِقْفِand a sand dune
بَيْنَ الْعُذَيْبِ وَحِقْفِ
The gazelles of a beloved stirred your longing,
The white gazelles of a familiar realm filled you with longing,
Between al-ʿUdhayb and a sand dune,
between Al-Udhayb and the curving sand dune,
إِذْwhen وَاصَلَتْكَjoined you الأَمَانِيwishes
إِذْ وَاصَلَتْكَ الأَمَانِي
بَيْنَbetween ارْتِقَابٍanticipation وَخَوْفِand fear
بَيْنَ ارْتِقَابٍ وَخَوْفِ
When wishes came to join you,
when hopes drew near to embrace you
Between anticipation and fear,
between anticipation and fear.
فِيin مَاwhat حَوَىcontained نُعْمَdelight عَيِنٍof the eye
فِي مَا حَوَى نُعْمَ عَيِنٍ
وَرَوْحَand solace أُذْنٍfor the ear وَأَنْفِand nose
وَرَوْحَ أُذْنٍ وَأَنْفِ
Amid what held delight for the eye
Amidst all that holds delight for the eye,
And solace for ear and nose,
and brings comfort to the ear and the nose,
مِنْfrom جَنَّةٍa garden ضَحِكَتْlaughed مِنْfrom
مِنْ جَنَّةٍ ضَحِكَتْ مِنْ
بُكَاءِthe weeping أَجْفَانِof eyelids وُطْفِlong-lashed
بُكَاءِ أَجْفَانِ وُطْفِ
From a garden whose laughter came from
within a garden that laughed from
The weeping of long-lashed eyelids.
the weeping of heavy, rain-laden clouds.
إِنْif غَنَّتِsang الْوُرْقُthe gray doves فِيهَاin it
إِنْ غَنَّتِ الْوُرْقُ فِيهَا
أَذْكَتْkindled مَجَامِرَcensers عَرْفِof fragrance
أَذْكَتْ مَجَامِرَ عَرْفِ
If the gray doves sang within it,
Whenever the ringdoves sing within it,
They kindled censers of fragrance.
they kindle censers of fragrant scent;
وَأَوْجَسَand sensed الْغُصْنُthe branch أُنْساًcompanionship
وَأَوْجَسَ الْغُصْنُ أُنْساً
فَهَزَّso it swayed عِطْفاًa flank لِعَطْفِtoward a flank
فَهَزَّ عِطْفاً لِعَطْفِ
And the branch sensed companionship,
and the branch, sensing an intimate joy,
So it swayed one flank toward another.
sways its bending bough toward another.
وَنَبَّهَand awakened الطَّلُّthe dew نَوْراًblossoms
وَنَبَّهَ الطَّلُّ نَوْراً
يَرْنُوgazing بِأَجْفَانِwith eyelids خِشْفِof a fawn
يَرْنُو بِأَجْفَانِ خِشْفِ
And the dew awakened blossoms
The morning dew awakens the blossoms,
Gazing with a fawn's eyelids.
gazing back with the eyelids of a fawn.
خَلَعْتُI cast off فِيهَاin it عِذَارِيmy bridle
خَلَعْتُ فِيهَا عِذَارِي
بَيْنَbetween اجْتِنَاءٍgathering وَقَطْفِand plucking
بَيْنَ اجْتِنَاءٍ وَقَطْفِ
There I cast off my bridle,
There, I cast off all my restraints,
Between gathering and plucking,
between gathering and plucking the fruits,
وَلَثْمِand kissing خَدٍّa cheek لِوَرْدٍof a rose
وَلَثْمِ خَدٍّ لِوَرْدٍ
وَرَشْفِand sipping خِلْفٍa teat لِقِطْفِof a cluster
وَرَشْفِ خِلْفٍ لِقِطْفِ
And kissing a rose's cheek,
and kissing the soft cheek of a rose,
And sipping from a cluster's teat.
and sipping sweet nectar from the hanging clusters.
وَرُضْتُand I tamed فِيهَاin it غَرَامِيmy passion
وَرُضْتُ فِيهَا غَرَامِي
يَقُودُهُleads it طِرْفُthe steed طَرْفِيof my gaze
يَقُودُهُ طِرْفُ طَرْفِي
And there I tamed my passion,
I gave free rein to my passion there,
Led by the steed of my gaze.
led by the swift steed of my wandering gaze.
رَاقَتْit was pleasing فَرَاقَso was pleasing نَسِيبِيmy love-prelude
رَاقَتْ فَرَاقَ نَسِيبِي
فَهَامَso was enamored وَصْفِيmy description بِرَصْفِيof my phrasing
فَهَامَ وَصْفِي بِرَصْفِي
It was pleasing, and so was my love-prelude;
It was so enchanting that my amatory verse grew enchanting,
So my description was enamored of my phrasing.
and my descriptions fell in love with my poetic arrangement.
فَمَاthus not التَّخَلُّصُthe transition مِنْهَاaway from it
فَمَا التَّخَلُّصُ مِنْهَا
فِيwithin وُسْعِthe capacity حِذْقِيof my skill وَظَرْفِيand my refinement
فِي وُسْعِ حِذْقِي وَظَرْفِي
Thus a transition away from it would not be
Escaping from this reverie would not be
Within my skill and refinement,
within the power of my skill and wit,
لَوْلاَwere it not for مَدِيحُpraise هُمَامٍof a noble man
لَوْلاَ مَدِيحُ هُمَامٍ
مِنَof الْغَبَاوَةِdullness يَشْفِيhe cures
مِنَ الْغَبَاوَةِ يَشْفِي
Were it not for praise of a noble man
were it not for the praise of a magnanimous hero,
Who cures dullness.
whose very presence cures one of ignorance;
لأِنَّهُfor he ذُوpossesses ذَكَاءٍintelligence
لأِنَّهُ ذُو ذَكَاءٍ
مُبْدٍrevealing لِمَاof what أَنْتَyou تُخْفِيconceal
مُبْدٍ لِمَا أَنْتَ تُخْفِي
For he possesses keen intelligence,
for he is the possessor of a piercing intellect,
Revealing what you conceal,
revealing the very thoughts you seek to hide.
وَشَمْسُand a sun عِلْمٍof learning وَفَهْمٍand understanding
وَشَمْسُ عِلْمٍ وَفَهْمٍ
وَظَرْفُand a vessel ظَرْفٍof refinement وَلُطْفِand gentleness
وَظَرْفُ ظَرْفٍ وَلُطْفِ
And is a sun of learning and understanding,
A blazing sun of knowledge and understanding,
And a vessel of refinement and gentleness:
the very essence of elegance and grace:
مُحَمَّدُMuhammad الْحَبْرُthe learned scholar الأَسْمَىthe most exalted الthe (continued prefix)
مُحَمَّدُ الْحَبْرُ الأَسْمَى ال
فَاسِيFasi (of Fez) الْمُحَلِّيthe one adorning لِوَصْفِيmy description
فَاسِي الْمُحَلِّي لِوَصْفِي
Muhammad, the most exalted scholar, al-
Muhammad, the most exalted of scholars,
Fasi, who adorns my description.
the Fasi who adorns my descriptive verse.
بَدْرٌa full moon بَدَاappeared نُورُهُits light مِنْfrom
بَدْرٌ بَدَا نُورُهُ مِنْ
شُمُوسِsuns عِلْمٍof learning وَكَشْفِand unveiling
شُمُوسِ عِلْمٍ وَكَشْفِ
A full moon whose light appeared from
A full moon whose radiance has emerged from
Suns of learning and unveiling,
the brilliant suns of knowledge and spiritual unveiling;
مَنْone who قَدْhas رَوَىtransmitted عَنْfrom أَبِيهِhis father
مَنْ قَدْ رَوَى عَنْ أَبِيهِ
مِنَof الْعُلاَhigh distinction كُلَّevery صِنْفِkind
مِنَ الْعُلاَ كُلَّ صِنْفِ
One who has transmitted from his father
one who has inherited from his father
Every kind of high distinction.
every form of nobility and eminence.
وَصَافَحَتْهُand shook his hand صَغِيراًwhile young
وَصَافَحَتْهُ صَغِيراً
أَكُفُّthe hands أَمْرٍof command وَكَفِّand restraint
أَكُفُّ أَمْرٍ وَكَفِّ
And he was greeted, while still young,
Even in his youth, he was greeted by
By the hands of command and restraint.
the commanding and forbidding hands of authority,
وَسَرْبَلَتْهُand clothed him السَّجَايَاinnate virtues
وَسَرْبَلَتْهُ السَّجَايَا
مِنَof الثَّنَاءِpraise بِزَعْفِin chain mail
مِنَ الثَّنَاءِ بِزَعْفِ
And his innate virtues clothed him
and his noble character clothed him
In chain mail wrought of praise.
in an impenetrable armor of praise.
يَرْتَاحُhe rejoices إِنْwhen عَنَّarises بَحْثٌan inquiry
يَرْتَاحُ إِنْ عَنَّ بَحْثٌ
مِنْfrom ذِيone possessing ذَكَاءٍintelligence وَظَرْفِand refinement
مِنْ ذِي ذَكَاءٍ وَظَرْفِ
He rejoices when an inquiry arises
He delights whenever a scholarly debate arises
From one of intelligence and refinement.
with a person of intelligence and wit;
وَيَزْدَهِيهِand elates him ابْتِهَاجٌjoy
وَيَزْدَهِيهِ ابْتِهَاجٌ
كَالْخَرْقِlike a generous man (likely intended) يَحْظَىis blessed بِضَيْفِwith a guest
كَالْخَرْقِ يَحْظَى بِضَيْفِ
And joy elates him,
and he beams with a radiant joy,
Like a generous man blessed with a guest.
like a generous man receiving an honored guest.
يُبْدِيhe reveals بِأَعْذَبِin the sweetest لَفْظٍwording
يُبْدِي بِأَعْذَبِ لَفْظٍ
مَاwhat لاَnot يُؤَدَّىis conveyed بِأَلْفِby a thousand
مَا لاَ يُؤَدَّى بِأَلْفِ
He reveals, in the sweetest wording,
He expresses in the most mellifluous words
What a thousand cannot convey,
what a thousand words could never convey,
إِلَىalong with شُمُوسِsuns بَيَانٍof eloquence
إِلَى شُمُوسِ بَيَانٍ
تَضِيءُshining مِنْfrom كُلِّevery حَرْفِletter
تَضِيءُ مِنْ كُلِّ حَرْفِ
Along with suns of eloquence
drawing upon the suns of eloquence
Shining from every letter.
that radiate brilliantly from every letter.
بَيْنَbetween الْهُدَىright guidance وَنُهَاهُand his reason
بَيْنَ الْهُدَى وَنُهَاهُ
فِيin النَّصْرِsupport أَوْثَقُthe firmest حِلْفِalliance
فِي النَّصْرِ أَوْثَقُ حِلْفِ
Between right guidance and his reason
Between divine guidance and his own intellect
Lies the firmest pact of mutual support.
lies the firmest alliance in achieving victory;
وَبَيْنَand between مَاwhat يَقْتَفِيهِhe follows it
وَبَيْنَ مَا يَقْتَفِيهِ
وَالْعُحْبِand conceit (apparent typo) غَايَةُthe utmost خُلْفِopposition
وَالْعُحْبِ غَايَةُ خُلْفِ
And between what he follows
and between the righteous path he follows
And conceit lies utter opposition.
and vain conceit lies the greatest divide.
شَيْخٌa shaykh غَذَتْهُnourished him الْمَعَالِيlofty virtues
شَيْخٌ غَذَتْهُ الْمَعَالِي
بِدَرِّwith milk أَفْضَِلِthe finest خِلْفِteat
بِدَرِّ أَفْضَِلِ خِلْفِ
A shaykh whom lofty virtues nourished
A master nourished by high virtues,
With milk from the finest teat;
nursing upon the milk of the greatest excellence.
فَهْيَso they بِهِthrough him خَيْرُthe finest رِيمٍgazelle
فَهْيَ بِهِ خَيْرُ رِيمٍ
لِأَنَّهُfor he خَيْرُthe finest خِشْفِfawn
لِأَنَّهُ خَيْرُ خِشْفِ
So through him they are the finest gazelle,
Through him, virtue becomes the finest of white gazelles,
For he is the finest fawn.
for he is undeniably the finest of fawns.
يُبْدِيhe displays شَمَائِلَtraits زُهْراًradiant
يُبْدِي شَمَائِلَ زُهْراً
لِذِيto one with خَلاَئِقَdispositions غُلْفِuncultivated
لِذِي خَلاَئِقَ غُلْفِ
He displays radiant traits
He displays luminous, radiant traits
To one of uncultivated character.
even to those of coarse and covered manners;
مَاnot إِنْat all (emphasis) يَغِيظُangers حُلاُهُhis gracious qualities
مَا إِنْ يَغِيظُ حُلاُهُ
وَهْوَand it is الأَذَىan affront بَحْثُthe questioning جِلْفِof a boor
وَهْوَ الأَذَى بَحْثُ جِلْفِ
His gracious nature is never angered
his sweet composure is never ruffled,
By a boor's questioning—an affront though it is.
though the argumentation of a boor is an annoyance.
بَلْrather وَجْهُهُhis face يَتَلاَلاَshines
بَلْ وَجْهُهُ يَتَلاَلاَ
بِشْراًwith cheer عَلَىtoward كُلِّevery عَوْفِguest
بِشْراً عَلَى كُلِّ عَوْفِ
Rather, his face shines
Rather, his face gleams
With cheer for every guest,
with a cheerful glow in every circumstance,
كَالشَّمْسِlike the sun تَقْذِفُcasts نُوراًlight
كَالشَّمْسِ تَقْذِفُ نُوراً
لِذِيfor one with ثَنَاءٍpraise وَقَذْفِand slander
لِذِي ثَنَاءٍ وَقَذْفِ
Like the sun casting light
just as the sun casts its radiant light
On those who praise and those who slander.
upon both the one who praises and the one who slanders.
نَعَمْyes إِذَاwhen سَامَsubjects أَمْرٌsome act
نَعَمْ إِذَا سَامَ أَمْرٌ
حَقَّthe right الإِلَهِof God بِخَسْفِto abasement
حَقَّ الإِلَهِ بِخَسْفِ
Yes, when some act subjects
Yet indeed, if any matter were to subject
God's right to abasement,
the rights of God to humiliation or loss,
تَهْفُوblow رِيَاحُwinds انْتِصَارٍof vindication
تَهْفُو رِيَاحُ انْتِصَارٍ
مِنْهُfrom him بِعَصْفٍwith violent gusts وَقَصْفِand crashing blasts
مِنْهُ بِعَصْفٍ وَقَصْفِ
Winds of vindication blow
the winds of his defense would fiercely blow
From him, with gusts and crashing blasts;
with a tempestuous and shattering gale.
وَيَمْتَطِيand he mounts طِرْفthe steed رَدْعٍof deterrence
وَيَمْتَطِي طِرْف رَدْعٍ
وَيَنْتَضِيand he unsheathes سَيْفَthe sword عُنْفِof violence
وَيَنْتَضِي سَيْفَ عُنْفِ
And he mounts the steed of deterrence,
He mounts the swift steed of deterrence
And unsheathes the sword of violence.
and draws the unsheathed sword of forceful might;
سَجِيَّةٌa disposition قَدْhas حَوَاهَاhe acquired it
سَجِيَّةٌ قَدْ حَوَاهَا
عَنْfrom كُلِّevery أَرْوَعَadmirable man عِفِّchaste
عَنْ كُلِّ أَرْوَعَ عِفِّ
A disposition he has acquired
a righteous disposition he has inherited
From every admirable, chaste man
from every brave and virtuous forebear.
مِنْof مَعْشَرٍa company قَدْhave أَحَاطُواencompassed
مِنْ مَعْشَرٍ قَدْ أَحَاطُوا
بِكُلِّall of مَدْحٍpraise وَوَصْفِand description
بِكُلِّ مَدْحٍ وَوَصْفِ
Of a company who have encompassed
He comes from a noble lineage that has encompassed
Every praise and description.
every conceivable praise and exalted description,
مُذْsince أَسْرَجُواthey saddled لِلْمَزَايَاfor noble merits
مُذْ أَسْرَجُوا لِلْمَزَايَا
مِنَof الْهُدَىright guidance كُلَّevery طِرْفِsteed
مِنَ الْهُدَى كُلَّ طِرْفِ
Since they saddled, for noble merits,
ever since they saddled, in the pursuit of virtue,
Every steed of right guidance,
every swift steed of divine guidance.
وَظَاهَرُواand layered بَيْنَtogether زَعْفِcoats of mail
وَظَاهَرُوا بَيْنَ زَعْفِ
مَجْدٍof glory وَزُهْدِand asceticism وَخَوْفِand fear
مَجْدٍ وَزُهْدِ وَخَوْفِ
And layered coats of mail of
They layered the chainmail armor of
Glory, asceticism, and fear,
glory, asceticism, and the fear of God,
فَأَوْقَعُواso they inflicted defeat بِالْمَخَازِيon disgrace
فَأَوْقَعُوا بِالْمَخَازِي
وَالُّلؤْمِand baseness فِيin كُلِّevery زَحْفِadvance
وَالُّلؤْمِ فِي كُلِّ زَحْفِ
So they struck down disgrace
and struck down all disgrace
And baseness in every advance.
and baseness in every advancing battle.
أَوْتَادُtent-pegs فَاسٍٍof Fez فَفَاسٌthus Fez
أَوْتَادُ فَاسٍٍ فَفَاسٌ
تَلُوذُtakes refuge مِنْهُمْamong them بِكَهْفِin a cave
تَلُوذُ مِنْهُمْ بِكَهْفِ
The tent-pegs of Fez—thus Fez
They are the very pillars of Fes, and Fes
Takes refuge in a cave among them,
finds a protective cave of refuge within them.
لأَِنَّهُمْfor they قَدْhave حَمَوْهَاprotected it
لأَِنَّهُمْ قَدْ حَمَوْهَا
بِالْعِلْمِwith learning مِنْfrom كُلِّevery رَجْفِtremor
بِالْعِلْمِ مِنْ كُلِّ رَجْفِ
For they have protected it
Because they have steadfastly protected it
With learning, from every tremor.
with knowledge against every tremor of doubt.
فَلَمْso never يَهُمُّواthey contemplated بِنَقْصٍa failing
فَلَمْ يَهُمُّوا بِنَقْصٍ
وَلَمْand never يَفُوهُواthey uttered بِخَلْفِany falsehood
وَلَمْ يَفُوهُوا بِخَلْفِ
So they never contemplated a failing,
They never harbored thoughts of deficiency,
Nor uttered any falsehood.
nor did they ever utter a broken promise,
وَمَاand not ابْتَغَوْاthey sought قَطُّever أَمْراًa thing
وَمَا ابْتَغَوْا قَطُّ أَمْراً
يَحْكِيresembling سَحَابَةَa cloud صَيْفِof summer
يَحْكِي سَحَابَةَ صَيْفِ
And never did they seek a thing
and never did they pursue an endeavor
Resembling a summer cloud.
as fleeting as a passing summer cloud.
بَلْrather حَرَّرُواthey freed كُلَّevery عَدْلٍjust principle
بَلْ حَرَّرُوا كُلَّ عَدْلٍ
مِنَfrom الْخِلاَفِdispute وَصَرْفِand distortion
مِنَ الْخِلاَفِ وَصَرْفِ
Rather, they freed every just principle
Rather, they firmly established every just law,
From dispute and distortion,
free from contradiction and distortion,
وَأَوْضَحُواand clarified لِلْمَعَالِيfor excellence
وَأَوْضَحُوا لِلْمَعَالِي
كُلَّevery اصْطِلاَحٍtechnical term وَعُرْفِand convention
كُلَّ اصْطِلاَحٍ وَعُرْفِ
And clarified, in service of excellence,
and they clarified, for the sake of eminence,
Every technical term and convention.
every profound terminology and custom.
حَلَّوْاthey adorned صَحِيحَSahih الْبُخَارِيal-Bukhari
حَلَّوْا صَحِيحَ الْبُخَارِي
بِحَلْيِwith ornaments أَنْفَسِthe most precious صُحْفِwritings
بِحَلْيِ أَنْفَسِ صُحْفِ
They adorned Sahih al-Bukhari
They adorned the Sahih of Al-Bukhari
With ornaments of the most precious writings.
with the jewels of the most precious pages.
فَهْوَso it بِهَاwith them خَيْرُthe finest أًذْنٍear
فَهْوَ بِهَا خَيْرُ أًذْنٍ
لأَِنَّهَاfor they خَيْرُthe finest شَنْفِearring
لأَِنَّهَا خَيْرُ شَنْفِ
So with them it is the finest ear,
Thus, it serves as the finest ear,
For they are the finest earring.
for their commentary is the finest earring;
وَهْوَand it بِهَاwith them خَيْرُthe finest زَنْدٍforearm
وَهْوَ بِهَا خَيْرُ زَنْدٍ
لأَِنَّهَاfor they خَيْرُthe finest وَقْفِbracelet
لأَِنَّهَا خَيْرُ وَقْفِ
And with them it is the finest forearm,
and it serves as the finest wrist,
For they are the finest bracelet.
for their work is the finest bracelet.
وَأَنْجَبُواand they begot بِإِمَامٍan imam
وَأَنْجَبُوا بِإِمَامٍ
أَبْدَىhe displayed سَنَاهُhis radiance بِضَعْفِthrough weakness
أَبْدَى سَنَاهُ بِضَعْفِ
And they begot an imam
They brought forth an Imam
Who displayed his radiance through weakness.
whose brilliance my weak words can barely reveal,
يَضِيقُis too narrow عَنْfor عُشْرِa tenth مَاwhat قَدْhas
يَضِيقُ عَنْ عُشْرِ مَا قَدْ
حَوَىhe encompassed رَوِيِّيmy rhyme-letter وَحَرْفِيand my wording
حَوَى رَوِيِّي وَحَرْفِي
Too narrow for a tenth of what he has
falling short of even a tenth of the merits
Encompassed are my rhyme-letter and my wording,
that my rhymes and letters strive to contain.
لأَِنَّfor مُجْتَثَّشِعْرِيmy verse's Mujtath meter
لأَِنَّ مُجْتَثَّشِعْرِي
يُدْلِيreveals بِعَيِّيmy inarticulacy وَضَعْفِيand my weakness
يُدْلِي بِعَيِّي وَضَعْفِي
For my verse's Mujtath meter
Because the Mujtath meter of my poetry
Reveals my inarticulacy and weakness.
only betrays my faltering tongue and my frailty.
أَبْقَىmay preserve سِيَادَتَهُhis eminence مَنْHe who
أَبْقَى سِيَادَتَهُ مَنْ
يَبْقَىabides بِلاَwithout نَقْصِdiminution كَفِّof a hand
يَبْقَى بِلاَ نَقْصِ كَفِّ
May his eminence be preserved by Him who
May his mastery be prolonged by the One who
Abides, His hand undiminished.
remains forever without decrease or bound.
Sol 6.1