أَسَقيطُis it falling drops الطَلِّthe dew فَوقَupon النَرجِسِthe narcissus
أَسَقيطُ الطَلِّ فَوقَ النَرجِسِ
أَمor نَسيمُthe breeze الرَوضِthe garden تَحتَbeneath الحِندِسِdeep darkness
أَم نَسيمُ الرَوضِ تَحتَ الحِندِسِ
Is it dewfall upon the narcissus,
Do I pour dew over the narcissus,
or the garden's breeze beneath night's darkness,
Or is it the breeze of the garden beneath the Indian jasmine?
أَمor نِظامٌa string لِلَآلٍof pearls نَسَقٍordered
أَم نِظامٌ لِلَآلٍ نَسَقٍ
جامِعٍgathering كُلَّevery خَطيرٍprecious مُنفِسِhighly prized
جامِعٍ كُلَّ خَطيرٍ مُنفِسِ
or a string of pearls in ordered array,
Or is it a string of pearls, a well-arranged necklace,
gathering all that is precious and prized,
That brings together all that is precious and cherished?
أَمor قَريضٌverse جاءَنيcame to me عَنfrom مَلِكٍa king
أَم قَريضٌ جاءَني عَن مَلِكٍ
مالِكٍpossessing بِالبِرِّthrough kindness رِقَّthe bondage of الأَنّفُسِsouls
مالِكٍ بِالبِرِّ رِقَّ الأَنّفُسِ
or verse that has come to me from a king
Or is it an ode that came to me from a king,
who, through kindness, holds souls in thrall?
A righteous king with a gentle spirit?
دَلَّهَتbewildered فِكرِيَmy mind مِنat إِبداعِهِhis artistry
دَلَّهَت فِكرِيَ مِن إِبداعِهِ
حيرَةٌbewilderment فيat مَنطِقٍspeech ليfor me مُخرِسِsilencing
حيرَةٌ في مَنطِقٍ لي مُخرِسِ
At his artistry, my mind was bewildered
My thoughts were confused by its creativity,
by wonder at speech that leaves me mute.
Perplexed, my eloquence failed me.
بِتُّI spent the night مِنهُbecause of it بَينَbetween سَهلٍease مُطمِعٍenticing
بِتُّ مِنهُ بَينَ سَهلٍ مُطمِعٍ
خادِعٌdeceptive يُتلىis followed بِحُزنٍby sorrow مُؤيِسِdespair-inducing
خادِعٌ يُتلى بِحُزنٍ مُؤيِسِ
I spent the night caught between its enticing ease—
I passed it on, wavering between an ambitious plain
deceptive—and the despairing sorrow that follows.
And a gloomy, despairing valley.
ياO نَدىdew; bounty يُمنىthe right hand of أَبيAbu (father of) القاسِمِal-Qasim غِمbring clouds!
يا نَدى يُمنى أَبي القاسِمِ غِم
ياO سَناradiance شَمسِof the sun المُحَيّاthe face أَشمِسِshine!
يا سَنا شَمسِ المُحَيّا أَشمِسِ
O dew of Abu al-Qasim's right hand, bring clouds!
O joyful breath of my father Abu al-Qasim, be calm!
O radiance of the sunlike face, shine!
O ray of the rising sun, shine!
ياO بَهيجَdelightful الخُلُقِcharacter العَذبِsweet اِبتَسِمsmile!
يا بَهيجَ الخُلُقِ العَذبِ اِبتَسِم
ياO مُهيجَarouser of الأَنِفِthe proud one الصَعبِunyielding اِعبِسِfrown!
يا مُهيجَ الأَنِفِ الصَعبِ اِعبِسِ
O you of delightful, sweet character, smile!
O most gracious and gentle nature, smile!
O you who stir the proud and unyielding, frown!
O difficult and haughty spirit, frown!
ياO جَمالَbeauty المَوكِبِthe procession الغاديgoing forth in the morning إِذاwhen
يا جَمالَ المَوكِبِ الغادي إِذا
سارَhe moved فيهِin it ياO بَهاءَsplendor المَجلِسِthe assembly
سارَ فيهِ يا بَهاءَ المَجلِسِ
O beauty of the morning procession, when
O beauty of the departing procession, when
he moves within it; O splendor of the assembly!
He walked in it, O splendor of the gathering!
أَنتَyou لَمdid not يُقنِعكَsatisfy you أَنthat أَلبَستَنيyou clothed me
أَنتَ لَم يُقنِعكَ أَن أَلبَستَني
نِعمَةًa favor تُذكِرُrecalling عَهدَthe days of السُندُسِfine silk
نِعمَةً تُذكِرُ عَهدَ السُندُسِ
You were not content with having clothed me
You were not satisfied that I clothed you
in a favor recalling the days of fine silk;
With blessings that recall the bygone finery,
فَتَلَطَّفتَso you acted graciously لِأَنin that حَلَّيتَنيyou adorned me
فَتَلَطَّفتَ لِأَن حَلَّيتَني
مولِياًbestowing طوليtwo favors مُحَلّىًone adorned مُلبَسِone clothed
مولِياً طولي مُحَلّىً مُلبَسِ
so you showed graciousness by adorning me,
So you were gracious and adorned me
bestowing both favors: adornment and clothing.
As a client dressed in splendor.
داكَthat تَنويهٌacclaim ثَنانيturned me فَخرُهُits glory
داكَ تَنويهٌ ثَناني فَخرُهُ
سامِيَlofty اللَحظِof gaze أَشَمَّhigh-bridged المَعطِسِof nose
سامِيَ اللَحظِ أَشَمَّ المَعطِسِ
That is acclaim whose glory has left me
Yours is praise that exalts, its pride
with lofty gaze and nose held proudly high.
Is sublime, the most fragrant scent.
شَرَّفَتennobled بِكرَthe virgin of المَعاليlofty honors خِطبَةٌa marriage proposal
شَرَّفَت بِكرَ المَعالي خِطبَةٌ
مِنكَfrom you فَاِنعَمso enjoy! بِسُرورِin the joy of المُعرَسِthe bridegroom
مِنكَ فَاِنعَم بِسُرورِ المُعرَسِ
The virgin of lofty honors is ennobled by a proposal
The prime of glory was honored by a proposal
from you; so enjoy the bridegroom's delight.
From you, and the groom rejoiced.
تُمنَحُyou are granted التَأييدَsupport يُجلىis unveiled لَكَfor you عَنrevealing
تُمنَحُ التَأييدَ يُجلى لَكَ عَن
ظَفَرٍvictory حُلوٍsweet وَعِزٍّand might أَقعَسِunbending
ظَفَرٍ حُلوٍ وَعِزٍّ أَقعَسِ
May you be granted support, unveiled for you to reveal
You are granted support, victory shines on you,
sweet victory and unbending might.
Sweet and mighty triumph.
وَاِرتَشِفand sip! مَعسولَthe honeyed sweetness of نَصرٍvictory أَشنَبٍcool, white-toothed
وَاِرتَشِف مَعسولَ نَصرٍ أَشنَبٍ
تَجتَنيهِyou pluck it مِنfrom عَجاجٍswirling dust أَلعَسِdark-lipped
تَجتَنيهِ مِن عَجاجٍ أَلعَسِ
And sip the honeyed sweetness of cool, white-toothed victory,
And sip the honeyed drink of speckled victory
which you pluck from dark-lipped, swirling dust.
That you collect from the grey grouse,
وَاِرتَفِقand take your ease! بِالسَعدِwith good fortune فيon دَستِthe throne of المُنىwishes
وَاِرتَفِق بِالسَعدِ في دَستِ المُنى
تُصبِحِyou serve a morning draught الصُنعَFavor دِهاقَbrimming الأَكؤُسِcups
تُصبِحِ الصُنعَ دِهاقَ الأَكؤُسِ
And take your ease with good fortune on the throne of wishes,
And gently handle good fortune in the hand of wishes,
serving Favor a morning draught in brimming cups.
So that your works shine like goblets.
فَاِعتِراضُfor opposition الدَهرِTime فيماregarding whatever شِئتَهُyou wished for it
فَاِعتِراضُ الدَهرِ فيما شِئتَهُ
مُرتَقىًan ascent فيwithin صَدرِهِits breast لَمhas not يَهجِسِstirred as a thought
مُرتَقىً في صَدرِهِ لَم يَهجِسِ
For Time to oppose whatever you desire
Thus the course of fate, however you desire it,
is an ascent that has never stirred as a thought within its breast.
Climbing in its breast, does not shudder.
Sol 6.1