أَيّwhat a هِلالٍcrescent moon خَباwent dark وَقَدthough it had بَزَغاrisen
أَيّ هِلالٍ خَبا وَقَد بَزَغا
وَأَيُّand what a سَيفٍsword نَباfailed to cut وَقَدthough it had نَبَغاexcelled
وَأَيُّ سَيفٍ نَبا وَقَد نَبَغا
What a crescent moon went dark after it had risen!
What crescent moon has faded just as it rose?
And what a sword failed after it had excelled!
And what sword has dulled just as it showed its edge?
أَبلغmost eloquent فيin القَولِspeech حُجَّةًargument وَحجىًand understanding
أَبلغ في القَولِ حُجَّةً وَحجىً
وَهوَthough he was اِبنُaged تِسعٍnine years فَكَيفَso how لَوif بَلَغاhe reached maturity
وَهوَ اِبنُ تِسعٍ فَكَيفَ لَو بَلَغا
Most eloquent in speech, in argument and understanding,
Most eloquent in speech, in argument and intellect,
though he was nine years old—what if he had reached maturity?
While only nine years old—how would he have been had he matured?
فَصاحَةٌeloquence لَوif صَغَتlistened إِيادُIyad لَهاto it
فَصاحَةٌ لَو صَغَت إِيادُ لَها
ظَنّتwould have thought بِقسٍّof Quss خَطيبِهاits orator لثغاa lisp
ظَنّت بِقسٍّ خَطيبِها لثغا
Such eloquence that, had Iyad listened to it,
An eloquence that, had the tribe of Iyad listened to it,
it would have thought its orator Quss had a lisp.
They would have deemed Quss, their great orator, to be stammering.
وَنَجدَةٌand courage خيلَتmade it seem لِمَسمَعِهِto his hearing
وَنَجدَةٌ خيلَت لِمَسمَعِهِ
أَنَّthat أَباthe father of الشِبلِthe cub حينَwhen زارَroared رَغاbellowed
أَنَّ أَبا الشِبلِ حينَ زارَ رَغا
And courage that made it seem to his ears
And a bravery that made one imagine, upon hearing of him,
that the cub’s father, when he roared, merely bellowed.
That the lion himself, when approaching, merely grunted in submission.
يَسأَلنيask me الناسُpeople ماwhat دَهاهُbefell him وَلمand why
يَسأَلني الناسُ ما دَهاهُ وَلم
أرعفَhe bled from the nose حَتّىuntil كَأَنَّهُas though he دُمِغاhad his skull crushed
أرعفَ حَتّى كَأَنَّهُ دُمِغا
People ask me what befell him, and why
People ask me: "What struck him? And why
he bled from the nose until it seemed his skull had been crushed.
Did he bleed so profusely, as if struck upon the head?"
أَستَغفِرُI ask forgiveness from اللَهَGod كَيفَhow قُلتُI said لهمto them
أَستَغفِرُ اللَهَ كَيفَ قُلتُ لهم
بَعضُone of الأعاديthe enemies عَلىagainst الحبيبِthe beloved بَغىtransgressed
بَعضُ الأعادي عَلى الحبيبِ بَغى
I ask God’s forgiveness—how could I have told them,
I seek God’s forgiveness for how I answered them:
“One of the enemies had wronged the beloved”?
"Some enemy has transgressed against my beloved."
وَلَوand had هَدىguided me اللّهGod قلتُI would have said إِذwhen سَأَلواthey asked
وَلَو هَدى اللّه قلتُ إِذ سَأَلوا
سِنوهُhis years تَمَّتwere completed وَرِزقهُand his sustenance فَرغاwas exhausted
سِنوهُ تَمَّت وَرِزقهُ فَرغا
Had God guided me, I would have said when they asked:
Yet had God guided me, I would have said when they asked:
“His years were complete, and his sustenance was spent.”
"His years were completed, and his allotted provision ran out."
الحَمدُpraise لِلَّهِbelongs to God لاno شَريكَpartner لَهُto Him
الحَمدُ لِلَّهِ لا شَريكَ لَهُ
بِإِذنِهِby His permission كُلّevery حَيَّةٍserpent لدغاbites
بِإِذنِهِ كُلّ حَيَّةٍ لدغا
Praise belongs to God; He has no partner.
Praise be to God, He who has no partner;
By His leave, every serpent bites.
By His permission, every serpent strikes its bite.
قَدalready فَرغتfinished its work فَادِغٌa deadly serpent هُناكَthere وَلَوand had
قَد فَرغت فَادِغٌ هُناكَ وَلَو
شاءَHe willed لَشلّتwould have been paralyzed يَمينُthe right hand مَنof whoever فَدَعاmaimed him
شاءَ لَشلّت يَمينُ مَن فَدَعا
A deadly serpent has finished its work there; yet had
The decree is fulfilled; the crusher is there, and if
He willed, the right hand of the one who maimed him would have been paralyzed.
He had willed, the hand of the slayer would have been paralyzed.
سَلمتُI found safety بِاللَّهِthrough God وَاِستَعَذتُand I sought refuge بِهِin Him
سَلمتُ بِاللَّهِ وَاِستَعَذتُ بِهِ
مِنfrom هَمَزاتِthe goadings of الشيطانِSatan إِذwhen نَزَعاhe tugged at me
مِن هَمَزاتِ الشيطانِ إِذ نَزَعا
I found safety through God and sought refuge in Him
I have surrendered to God and sought refuge in Him,
from Satan’s goadings, when he tugged at me.
From the whispers of Satan when he sows discord.
سُبحانَهُglory be to Him ماhow أَجَلَّmajestic قُدرَتَهُHis power
سُبحانَهُ ما أَجَلَّ قُدرَتَهُ
صاغَHe fashioned البَراياthe creatures فَأَحسَنَand perfected الصيغاthe forms
صاغَ البَرايا فَأَحسَنَ الصيغا
Glory be to Him! How majestic His power!
Glory be to Him! How majestic is His power!
He fashioned all creatures and perfected their forms.
He fashioned all creatures and perfected their form.
ماءٌfluid مَهينٌlowly أَعادَهُHe turned it into عَلَقاًclinging clots
ماءٌ مَهينٌ أَعادَهُ عَلَقاً
بِلُطفِهِthrough His gentleness ثُمَّthen رَدَّهُHe changed it into مُضَغاlumps of flesh
بِلُطفِهِ ثُمَّ رَدَّهُ مُضَغا
A lowly fluid He turned into clinging clots,
From a humble fluid He turned him into a clot,
through His gentleness, then He made it lumps of flesh.
Then, by His grace, transformed him into flesh.
وَأَبرَزَand He brought forth الطِفلَthe child ثُمَّthen أَلهَمَهُHe guided him instinctively to النthe (word fragment)
وَأَبرَزَ الطِفلَ ثُمَّ أَلهَمَهُ الن
نجدَينِtwo breasts رِزقاًas nourishment نَمىhe grew بِهِthrough it وَنَغىand cooed
نجدَينِ رِزقاً نَمى بِهِ وَنَغى
And He brought forth the child, then guided him to the
He brought forth the infant, then inspired him regarding
two breasts for nourishment, through which he grew and cooed.
The two paths, and provision by which he grew and spoke.
اِنظُرlook إِذwhen شِئتَyou wish كَيفَhow يَرفُلُhe struts فيin
اِنظُر إِذ شِئتَ كَيفَ يَرفُلُ في
ثَوبِa robe نَعيمٍof bliss عَلَيهِover him قَدalready سَبَغاspread amply
ثَوبِ نَعيمٍ عَلَيهِ قَد سَبَغا
Look, whenever you wish, how he struts in
Look, if you will, how he struts about
a robe of bliss that drapes him amply.
In a garment of bliss that amply covers him.
تَجِدهُyou find him أمّاas for فُؤادهُhis heart فَغَوىthen it strayed
تَجِدهُ أمّا فُؤادهُ فَغَوى
حوباًinto sin وَأَمّاand as for لِسانهُhis tongue فَلَغاthen it spoke idly
حوباً وَأَمّا لِسانهُ فَلَغا
You find him—as for his heart, it has strayed
You find him: as for his heart, it has gone astray
into sin; and as for his tongue, it speaks idly.
In sin; and as for his tongue, it babbles in vanity.
يَعصيhe disobeys الَّذيHim who أَمسَكَheld up السَماءَthe sky قُوىًwith might
يَعصي الَّذي أَمسَكَ السَماءَ قُوىً
وَأَنطقَand gave speech to الخَلقَcreatures بِاِختِلافِin a diversity of لُغىtongues
وَأَنطقَ الخَلقَ بِاِختِلافِ لُغى
He disobeys Him who held the sky aloft with might
He disobeys the One who upholds the heavens with power,
and gave creatures speech in diverse tongues,
And who gave speech to creation in diverse tongues.
وَقَدّرand decreed المَوتَdeath وَالنُشورَand resurrection عَلىfor الthe
وَقَدّر المَوتَ وَالنُشورَ عَلى ال
خَلقِcreatures فَماso what بالُails مَنone who يَموتُwill die طَغىtransgressed
خَلقِ فَما بالُ مَن يَموتُ طَغى
and decreed death and resurrection for the
He decreed death and resurrection upon
creatures—why, then, does one who must die transgress?
All creation; so why does the mortal act with such tyranny?
أَلَيسَis there not لِلَّهِbelonging to God صِبغَةٌa dye حَسُنَتthat is beautiful
أَلَيسَ لِلَّهِ صِبغَةٌ حَسُنَت
فَكَيفَthen how شاءَتdesired عِبادُهُHis servants صِبغاdyes
فَكَيفَ شاءَت عِبادُهُ صِبغا
Does God not have a beautiful dye?
Does God not have a nature that is beautiful?
Why, then, do His servants desire other dyes?
How then did His servants choose a different hue?
هَلis there ليfor me زادٌprovision فَالعمرُfor the lifespan قَدalready فَرغاhas run out
هَل لي زادٌ فَالعمرُ قَد فَرغا
وَبازِليand my full-grown camel قَدalready أَثَرتُهُI roused it فَرَغاso it bellowed
وَبازِلي قَد أَثَرتُهُ فَرَغا
Have I provisions? My life has run out,
Do I have provisions prepared? For my life has run its course,
and I have roused my full-grown camel, and it has bellowed.
And my steed is roused and ready to depart.
ياO شِبلُlion cub ثُبleap لِاِنتِصارِto defend قَسورَةٍa lion
يا شِبلُ ثُب لِاِنتِصارِ قَسورَةٍ
فيin دَمِهِhis blood الكَلبُthe dog كادَalmost أَنto يَلغاlap
في دَمِهِ الكَلبُ كادَ أَن يَلغا
O cub, leap to a lion’s defense:
O cub, return to aid the triumph of the lion,
the dog almost lapped his blood.
In whose blood the dog has nearly lapped.
ياO بغيَةَcherished hope of المَجدِglory ياO
يا بغيَةَ المَجدِ يا
قَدindeed فاتَهُit has lost مِنكَin you ماwhat رَجاit hoped for وَبَغىand sought
قَد فاتَهُ مِنكَ ما رَجا وَبَغى
O glory’s cherished hope, O—
O seeker of glory, O...
it has lost in you what it hoped for and sought.
He has lost what he hoped for and sought from you.
ياO مُدرِكاًdiscerning one أَكبَرَتهُesteemed him مُدرِكَةٌMudrika
يا مُدرِكاً أَكبَرَتهُ مُدرِكَةٌ
فَلَمso he never يَزَلceased to be مِنamong كِبارِهاits elders البُلَغاthe eloquent
فَلَم يَزَل مِن كِبارِها البُلَغا
O discerning one, whom Mudrika held in esteem,
O achiever, whom the clan of Mudrikah held in high esteem,
he never ceased to rank among its eloquent elders.
Who remained among its greatest and most eloquent.
رَبَّتهُraised him فُرسانهاits horsemen فَلاso no قسطٌleg stiffness
رَبَّتهُ فُرسانها فَلا قسطٌ
فيin الخَيلِhorses إِلّاexcept that دَرىhe knew وَلاnor صبغاwhite forelock
في الخَيلِ إِلّا دَرى وَلا صبغا
Its horsemen raised him; no leg stiffness
Raised by its knights, so there is no flaw
in horses escaped his notice, nor any white forelock.
In horsemanship that he did not know, nor any nuance.
وَكانَand he would يَدريknow حُلىthe features of الرفيقِthe companions إِذاwhen
وَكانَ يَدري حُلى الرفيقِ إِذا
لَمdid not يَعلَمknow الناسpeople أَيُّهُنَّwhich of them شَغاhad protruding teeth
لَم يَعلَم الناس أَيُّهُنَّ شَغا
And he knew the companions’ features, when
He knew the qualities of a true companion, even when
people could not tell which had protruding teeth.
People could not distinguish which of them was flawed.
مِنbecause of حُبِّهِhis love for الذكرَthe Remembrance كُنتُI used to أَسمَعُهُhear him
مِن حُبِّهِ الذكرَ كُنتُ أَسمَعُهُ
يَتلوهُreciting it مُضنىًwhile ailing وَإِنand if تَلَوتُI recited صَغىhe listened attentively
يَتلوهُ مُضنىً وَإِن تَلَوتُ صَغى
Because he loved the Remembrance, I would hear him
Out of his love for the Holy Text, I used to hear him
reciting it while ailing; and if I recited, he listened.
Reciting it while ill; and if I recited, he listened intently.
عَهِدتُI knew خَيِليَmy horses غُرّاًwhite-blazed مُحَجَّلَةًwhite-stockinged
عَهِدتُ خَيِليَ غُرّاً مُحَجَّلَةً
تَفرُقُwere afraid مِنهُنَّof them أُسدُthe lions of كُلِّevery وَغىbattle
تَفرُقُ مِنهُنَّ أُسدُ كُلِّ وَغى
I knew my horses white-blazed and white-stockinged;
I have known my horses to be noble, with white stars and anklets,
the lions of every battle feared them.
From whom the lions of every battle flee in fear.
فَماso what لَهاails them اليَومَtoday بَعدafter مَصرَعِهِhis fall
فَما لَها اليَومَ بَعد مَصرَعِهِ
لَمdid not تَتَّضِحshine white جَبهَةًat the forehead وَلاnor رُسُغاat the pastern
لَم تَتَّضِح جَبهَةً وَلا رُسُغا
What ails them today, after his fall,
But what ails them today, after his demise,
that neither forehead nor pastern shines white?
That neither forehead nor fetlock shines bright?
كَمhow often رُقتَنيyou charmed me كَمhow often بَسِمتَyou smiled عَنrevealing دُرَرٍpearls
كَم رُقتَني كَم بَسِمتَ عَن دُرَرٍ
كَأَنَّas though مِسكاًmusk بِهِنَّwith them قَدalready مُضِغاhad been chewed
كَأَنَّ مِسكاً بِهِنَّ قَد مُضِغا
How often you charmed me, how often you smiled to reveal pearls,
How often you charmed me! How often you smiled to reveal pearls,
as though musk had been chewed with them!
As though musk had been chewed between them.
ماnot زِلتُI ceased فيamid الأَهيَغَينِthe two pleasures: food and lovemaking مُصطَبِحاًtaking a morning draught
ما زِلتُ في الأَهيَغَينِ مُصطَبِحاً
وَأَنتَand you كُنتَwere الصَبوحthe morning draught وَالهَيغاand abundant delight
وَأَنتَ كُنتَ الصَبوح وَالهَيغا
I always took my morning draught amid the two pleasures,
I remained amidst the finest of pleasures, drinking my morning draught,
and you were my morning draught and my delight,
While you—you were the true morning draught and the joy.
فيon كُلِّevery يَومٍday سَماؤُهُits sky نَثَرَتscattered
في كُلِّ يَومٍ سَماؤُهُ نَثَرَت
جَوهَرَjewels of طَلٍّdew وَنَظمَتand strung رَزَغاmud
جَوهَرَ طَلٍّ وَنَظمَت رَزَغا
on every day whose sky scattered
In every day whose sky scattered down
jewels of dew and strung beads of mud,
Jewels of dew, and turned the dust to clay,
حَتّىuntil رَأَيتُI saw العَقيقَthe agate مُنتَثِراًscattered
حَتّى رَأَيتُ العَقيقَ مُنتَثِراً
مِنfrom عِقدِهِhis necklace وَالرِداءَand the mantle مُنصَبِغاstained
مِن عِقدِهِ وَالرِداءَ مُنصَبِغا
until I saw the agate beads scattered
Until I saw the carnelian beads scattered
from his necklace, and the mantle stained.
From their necklace, and the cloak deeply dyed.
فَكَمso how often دَعاcalled آسِياًa healer أَبوكَyour father لَهُfor him
فَكَم دَعا آسِياً أَبوكَ لَهُ
وَكَمand how often رَقىhe recited healing charms لَوif only شَفىthey had healed وَكَمand how often نَشغاhe sobbed
وَكَم رَقى لَو شَفى وَكَم نَشغا
How often your father called a healer for him,
How often your father summoned a healer for him,
and how often he recited charms—if only they healed!—and how often he sobbed.
And recited prayers hoping for a cure, and administered doses!
عَبدُ'Abd (servant of) الغنيّal-Ghani (the Self-Sufficient) اِقتَربcome near فَلاso no وَأَبيby my father
عَبدُ الغنيّ اِقتَرب فَلا وَأَبي
ماnot رُفِّهِhas been eased العَيشُlife ليfor me وَلاnor رُفِغاmade plentiful
ما رُفِّهِ العَيشُ لي وَلا رُفِغا
'Abd al-Ghani, come near! No, by my father,
O Abdul-Ghani, draw near! For no, by my father,
my life has had neither ease nor plenty.
Life has not been easy for me, nor has it been comfortable.
قَبرُكَyour grave رَوضٌa garden أُحِبُّI love زَورَتَهُvisiting it
قَبرُكَ رَوضٌ أُحِبُّ زَورَتَهُ
وَلَوeven if وَطِئتُI trod on الشِظاظَwooden packing-pins وَالرَدغاand mire
وَلَو وَطِئتُ الشِظاظَ وَالرَدغا
Your grave is a garden I love to visit,
Your grave is a garden I love to visit,
even if I tread on wooden pegs and mire.
Even if I must tread upon thorns and mire.
لاmay not فَرِحَتrejoice كُلُّany طِفلَةٍyoung maiden كَحُلَتapplied kohl
لا فَرِحَت كُلُّ طِفلَةٍ كَحُلَت
بَعدَكَafter you عَيناًto an eye وَزُرّقتand was dyed blue صَدغاat the temple
بَعدَكَ عَيناً وَزُرّقت صَدغا
May no young maiden rejoice who has applied kohl
May no young girl rejoice who adorns her eyes with kohl
to her eye after you, and dyed her temple blue.
After you are gone, nor she who tattoos her temple.
تُراكَwill you, I wonder يَومَon the Day of الحِسابِReckoning تَشفَعُintercede ليfor me
تُراكَ يَومَ الحِسابِ تَشفَعُ لي
إِذاwhen اِلتَقَيناwe meet وَليand I have إِلَيكَtoward you ضُغاa cry for help
إِذا اِلتَقَينا وَلي إِلَيكَ ضُغا
Will you, I wonder, intercede for me on the Day of Reckoning,
Will you, I wonder, intercede for me on the Day of Reckoning,
when we meet, and I cry out to you for help?
When we meet, and I cry out in longing for you?
Sol 6.1