حَتَّامَuntil when أمطلُI delay paying سيِّديmy lord شكرَthanks for اليدِthe favor
حَتَّامَ أمطلُ سيِّدي شكرَ اليدِ
وإلاَمَand until when يُمهلُنيgrants me respite التغاضيforbearance سيديmy lord
وإلاَمَ يُمهلُني التغاضي سيدي
How long must I delay, my lord, the thanks my hand owes?
How long shall I withhold from my lord thanks for his favor?
And how long will my lord indulge my negligence?
And how long will my lord's forbearance grant me respite?
وأناand I الذيthe one who أوجبتُmade obligatory منout of كرمٍnobility علىupon
وأنا الذي أوجبتُ من كرمٍ على
نفسيmyself وإنeven if مُوطِلْتُI am kept waiting شُكرَthanks for الموعدِthe promise
نفسي وإن مُوطِلْتُ شُكرَ الموعدِ
I am the one who, out of nobility, imposed
And I, out of nobility, have made it binding upon
upon myself—even if I tarried—the promised thanks.
myself, even if kept waiting, to give thanks for a promise.
فلأشكرنَّso I shall surely thank لهhim وأشكرُand I shall thank بعدهafter him
فلأشكرنَّ له وأشكرُ بعده
دهراًan age أَرانيهِshowed him to me وبَلَّand moistened بهِthrough him يديmy hand
دهراً أَرانيهِ وبَلَّ بهِ يدي
I shall surely thank him, and go on thanking him
So I shall surely thank him, and after him thank
for an age of plenty he showed me, placing it within my reach.
the age that showed him to me and through him moistened my hand.
ولأحمدنَّand I shall surely praise مُلِمّةًa calamity صَرَفْتُI turned لهtoward him
ولأحمدنَّ مُلِمّةً صَرَفْتُ له
وَجْهيmy face ومهماand whatever جَرَّbrings نفعاًbenefit يُحمَدِis praised
وَجْهي ومهما جَرَّ نفعاً يُحمَدِ
And I shall praise the misfortune toward which I turned
And I shall praise a calamity for which I turned toward him
my face to him—for whatever brings benefit deserves praise.
my face; whatever brings benefit deserves praise.
ولأجْلوَنَّand I shall surely unveil عليهِbefore him كلَّevery خَريدةٍbashful maiden
ولأجْلوَنَّ عليهِ كلَّ خَريدةٍ
عذراءَa virgin تهزأُmocks بالعَذَارىthe virgins الخُرَّدِuntouched maidens
عذراءَ تهزأُ بالعَذَارى الخُرَّدِ
And I shall unveil before him every secluded maiden,
And I shall unveil before him every bashful maiden,
a virgin poem that mocks untouched young maidens.
a virgin who mocks the other untouched maidens.
ولأفرِغَنَّand I shall surely pour علَىupon مُقلَّدِthe neck of مجدِهِhis glory
ولأفرِغَنَّ علَى مُقلَّدِ مجدِهِ
دُرَراًpearls يهشُّis delighted لهُنَّby them كُلُّevery مُقَلِّدِimitator
دُرَراً يهشُّ لهُنَّ كُلُّ مُقَلِّدِ
And I shall pour upon the necklace of his glory
And I shall pour upon the neck of his glory
pearls at which every wearer of necklaces rejoices—
pearls that delight every imitator.
منfrom كلِّevery مَنْone whose لمdoes not يسخُgive freely راويُهاits reciter بهاof it
من كلِّ مَنْ لم يسخُ راويُها بها
فيكادُso almost يُمسِكُهاholds it back لسانُthe tongue of المُنشِدِthe chanter
فيكادُ يُمسِكُها لسانُ المُنشِدِ
each a poem whose reciter can scarcely bear to yield it,
Each one its reciter is loath to share,
so that the singer’s tongue almost withholds it.
so the chanter's tongue almost holds it back.
مازالَhas never ceased يكنفُنِيsheltering me بغُرِّwith the radiant صِلاَتِهِgifts of his
مازالَ يكنفُنِي بغُرِّ صِلاَتِهِ
حتىuntil أَنَارَilluminated ظلامَthe darkness of حَظّيmy fortune الأسودِblack
حتى أَنَارَ ظلامَ حَظّي الأسودِ
For he has never ceased surrounding me with the radiance of his gifts,
He never ceased to shelter me with his radiant gifts,
until he illuminated the darkness of my black fortune.
until he lit the darkness of my black fortune.
ويرمُّand repairs منof حَالٍa condition لَوَىtampered بصلاحِهَاwith its well-being
ويرمُّ من حَالٍ لَوَى بصلاحِهَا
دهرٌtime تَعَاورَهاassailed it in turn بكفَّيwith the two hands of مُفْسِدِa destroyer
دهرٌ تَعَاورَها بكفَّي مُفْسِدِ
He restores my condition, whose very backbone
And he mends a condition whose well-being was twisted
Time had mauled with both its ruinous hands;
by time, which assailed it with a destroyer's two hands.
قَسَماًI swear بِضَبْعِby the upper arm of فَتَىa youth أسَفَّcast down بِعَزْمِهِwith his resolve
قَسَماً بِضَبْعِ فَتَى أسَفَّ بِعَزْمِهِ
ذُلَّthe humiliation of الخمولِobscurity إلىinto الحضيضِthe abyss الأوهَدِlowest
ذُلَّ الخمولِ إلى الحضيضِ الأوهَدِ
and he raises by the arm a young man whose resolve
I swear by the arm of a youth whose resolve cast
the humiliation of obscurity had cast into the deepest abyss.
the humiliation of obscurity into the lowest abyss,
وأعزَّand ennobled بالإكْرَامِby honoring نَفْساًa soul طَالَمَاfor so long
وأعزَّ بالإكْرَامِ نَفْساً طَالَمَا
كانتْit used to تَروحُgo in the evening علىin الهَوَانِhumiliation وتغتديand go in the morning
كانتْ تَروحُ على الهَوَانِ وتغتدي
Through honor he ennobled a soul that long
and with honor ennobled a soul that had long
had gone forth and returned clothed in humiliation.
passed its evenings and mornings in humiliation.
أسدَىbestowed إليَّupon me يداًa favor يضيقُfalls short بهاof it الثَّنَاpraise
أسدَى إليَّ يداً يضيقُ بها الثَّنَا
ذَرعاًin capacity ولمْand did not أبسطْI stretch out يَدَthe hand of المُسْتَرْفِدِa supplicant
ذَرعاً ولمْ أبسطْ يَدَ المُسْتَرْفِدِ
He bestowed on me a hand of bounty whose praise constrains
He bestowed on me a favor that praise cannot
both my arms, though I had never stretched out a petitioner’s hand.
encompass, though I never held out a supplicant's hand.
كرَمٌgenerosity أَرَاحَspared منfrom السُؤَالِasking عُفاتَهُits petitioners
كرَمٌ أَرَاحَ من السُؤَالِ عُفاتَهُ
حتَّىeven ابتدَىinitiated بالعُرْفِwith kindness منthose who لمdid not يَجْتَدِseek gifts
حتَّى ابتدَى بالعُرْفِ من لم يَجْتَدِ
Such generosity spared its petitioners the need to ask,
A generosity that spared its petitioners from asking,
anticipating with kindness even those who had not begged.
even initiating kindness toward those who had not asked.
أَعْطَىgave فماso not أبقَىspared علىof مُسْتَطرَفٍnewly acquired wealth
أَعْطَى فما أبقَى على مُسْتَطرَفٍ
عَلقَتْclung يَدَاهُhis two hands بِهِto it ولاnor مُتَلدِّدِinherited wealth
عَلقَتْ يَدَاهُ بِهِ ولا مُتَلدِّدِ
He gave away every rare possession newly acquired;
He gave, sparing no newly acquired possession
once his hands obtained it, they never hesitated to release it.
his hands had grasped, nor any inherited wealth.
كالغيثِlike rain لاnot يَسْطيعُcan يملكُrestrain قَطْرَهُits drops
كالغيثِ لا يَسْطيعُ يملكُ قَطْرَهُ
حتىuntil لقدindeed خِلناهُwe thought him مَخْرُوقَpierced اليَدِin the hand
حتى لقد خِلناهُ مَخْرُوقَ اليَدِ
Like a rain-cloud that cannot hold back its drops,
Like rain, unable to hold back its drops,
until we thought his hand had been pierced through.
until we thought his hand was full of holes.
قدindeed قلتُI said للساعيto the seeker لإدراكِto attain الغِنَىwealth
قد قلتُ للساعي لإدراكِ الغِنَى
يتربصُawaits الأَوْشَالَscant trickles عنout of أَمَلٍhope صَدِيthirsty
يتربصُ الأَوْشَالَ عن أَمَلٍ صَدِي
I said to the man striving to attain riches,
I have said to the seeker striving to attain wealth,
searching the scant pools at the bidding of a thirsty hope,
awaiting scant trickles, driven by thirsty hope,
يَطْويcrosses المفاوزَthe deserts دَاخِلاًentering فيinto فَدْفَدٍa barren plain
يَطْوي المفاوزَ دَاخِلاً في فَدْفَدٍ
بيدِon the forelegs of المطيِّriding camels وخارجاًand leaving منfrom فَدْفَدِa barren plain
بيدِ المطيِّ وخارجاً من فَدْفَدِ
crossing the wastelands, entering one open desert
crossing deserts, entering a barren plain
on the backs of riding-camels and emerging into another:
on his camels' forelegs, and leaving a barren plain,
طَوْراًat times يَحثُّspeeds along بهِwith him القِلاَصُyoung she-camels وتارةًand at other times
طَوْراً يَحثُّ بهِ القِلاَصُ وتارةً
يَرْميtosses بهِhim آذِيُّthe billows of بحرٍa sea مُزْبِدِfoaming
يَرْمي بهِ آذِيُّ بحرٍ مُزْبِدِ
at times the young she-camels hasten beneath him; at others,
sometimes the young she-camels hurry him on, and sometimes
the surge of a foaming sea tosses him.
the billows of a foaming sea toss him:
هذيْthese وفودُdelegations of الحَمدِpraise صادرةًreturning فَخُذْso take
هذيْ وفودُ الحَمدِ صادرةً فَخُذْ
بطريقهِمْalong their road تُبلِغْكَwill bring you to أَعْذَبَthe sweetest مَورِدِwatering place
بطريقهِمْ تُبلِغْكَ أَعْذَبَ مَورِدِ
Here are the delegations of praise departing; follow
Here are the delegations of praise returning; take
their road, and they will bring you to the sweetest watering-place.
their road, and it will bring you to the sweetest watering place.
يَدْعُوcalls الظُمَاةَthe thirsty إليهِto him صَفْوُthe purity of جَمامِهِhis abundant waters
يَدْعُو الظُمَاةَ إليهِ صَفْوُ جَمامِهِ
وتقولُand says للصَاديto the thirsty man عُذُوبَتُهُits sweetness رِدِcome to drink
وتقولُ للصَادي عُذُوبَتُهُ رِدِ
Its limpid fullness calls the thirsty to itself,
The purity of his abundant waters calls the thirsty to him,
and its sweetness tells the parched man: Drink!
and its sweetness tells the thirsty man, 'Come drink.'
حَاشَاfar be it from نَدَىthe bounty of العلويِّal-Alawi أنْthat طَلَبَshould seek امرؤٌa man
حَاشَا نَدَى العلويِّ أنْ طَلَبَ امرؤٌ
مَعَهُwith him الثراءَwealth ومَدَّand extended كفَّthe palm of المُجْتَدِيa beggar
مَعَهُ الثراءَ ومَدَّ كفَّ المُجْتَدِي
Far be it from the bounty of the Alid that any seeker
Far be it from al-Alawi's bounty that a man should seek
should keep his wealth when the petitioner extends his palm.
riches beside him and still stretch out a beggar's palm.
هُوَhe مَنْthe one who إذاif فَوَّقْتَyou nock سهمَكَyour arrow رامياًaiming at
هُوَ مَنْ إذا فَوَّقْتَ سهمَكَ رامياً
غَرَضَthe target of المُنَىhopes وَذَكَرْتَهand mention him لمdoes not يَصرُدِmiss
غَرَضَ المُنَى وَذَكَرْتَه لم يَصرُدِ
He is the man who, when you aim your arrow
He is one who, if you nock your arrow, aiming
at the goal of desire and invoke his name, never misses.
at the target of hopes, and mention him, it will not miss.
ومَتىand whenever جَمعتَyou bring together يَدَيْكَyour two hands مُقْتَدِحاًstriking fire بِهِthrough him
ومَتى جَمعتَ يَدَيْكَ مُقْتَدِحاً بِهِ
زَندَthe fire-stick of الرّجاhope أورَىit kindles ولمّاand has not yet يَصْلُدِfailed to spark
زَندَ الرّجا أورَى ولمّا يَصْلُدِ
And whenever your hands strike together, kindling hope through him,
And whenever you bring your hands together, striking through him
the fire-drill of expectation catches and never fails.
hope's fire-stick, it kindles and has not failed to spark.
ومتىand whenever أظلّكَovershadows you ليلُa night of نحسٍill fortune فاستَنِرْthen seek light
ومتى أظلّكَ ليلُ نحسٍ فاستَنِرْ
بوضيءِfrom the radiance of غُرَّتِهhis brow صباحَthe dawn of الأسعَدِthe most auspicious
بوضيءِ غُرَّتِه صباحَ الأسعَدِ
Whenever a night of ill fortune overshadows you, seek light
And whenever a night of ill fortune overshadows you, seek light
in the shining blaze of his brow—the morning of happiest fate.
in his radiant brow, the dawn of the most auspicious day.
ياO أيُّهاyou الساعيstriving one ليدركَto attain شَأْوَهُhis reach
يا أيُّها الساعي ليدركَ شَأْوَهُ
أسرفتَyou went too far فيin إخفاقِthe failure of سَعْيِكَyour striving فاقعُدِso sit down
أسرفتَ في إخفاقِ سَعْيِكَ فاقعُدِ
O you who strive to attain his eminence,
O you who strive to match his reach,
you have hurried straight into failure; sit down.
you have persisted too far in fruitless striving; sit down.
أَوَيُمكنُand is it possible for السَّاعِيthe striver المُجدُّdiligent لُحُوقَto overtake مَنْone who
أَوَيُمكنُ السَّاعِي المُجدُّ لُحُوقَ مَنْ
يجريruns بأقدامِwith the feet of النبيِّthe Prophet مُحمّدِMuhammad
يجري بأقدامِ النبيِّ مُحمّدِ
Can even the most diligent runner overtake
And can the diligent striver overtake one
one who runs in the footsteps of the Prophet Muhammad?
who runs with the feet of the Prophet Muhammad?
أوor تَسْتَطيعُcan يَدٌa hand مُطَاولةَrival the reach of امرئٍa man
أو تَسْتَطيعُ يَدٌ مُطَاولةَ امرئٍ
رقَتِascended السَّماءُheaven بِهِwith him مناكبَthe shoulders of أحمدِAhmad
رقَتِ السَّماءُ بِهِ مناكبَ أحمدِ
Can any hand compete with a man
Or can a hand rival the reach of a man
by whose hand the sky rose to Ahmad’s shoulders?
with whom heaven climbed onto Ahmad's shoulders?
هيهاتَhow impossible أَنْthat بلَّتْwere moistened بآخرَby another مثلهِlike him
هيهاتَ أَنْ بلَّتْ بآخرَ مثلهِ
أيديthe hands of القَوابِلِmidwives ماwhenever حَضَرْنَthey attended لمولِدِat a birth
أيدي القَوابِلِ ما حَضَرْنَ لمولِدِ
Far indeed that another like him should ever be delivered
Impossible that another like him should ever moisten
by the hands of midwives, however many births they attend!
the midwives' hands at any birth they attend.
مِنfrom دَوحةٍa great tree بَسَقتْtowered above مناجيthe heights of فرعِهَاits bough
مِن دَوحةٍ بَسَقتْ مناجي فرعِهَا
هَامَthe heads of السِّمَاكِal-Simak وحَكَّand brushed فَرْقَthe crown of الفَرْقَدِal-Farqad
هَامَ السِّمَاكِ وحَكَّ فَرْقَ الفَرْقَدِ
He comes from a tree whose far-reaching branches towered
From a great tree whose bough's heights rose above
above al-Simāk and grazed the crown of al-Farqad.
the heads of al-Simak and brushed al-Farqad's crown.
ومضتْflashed مَخَايلُهُhis signs لناto us فسفَرْنَand they lifted the veil عنfrom
ومضتْ مَخَايلُهُ لنا فسفَرْنَ عن
نَفْسٍa soul مُؤَيَّدةٍstrengthened وعَزْمٍand a resolve أَيِّدِmighty
نَفْسٍ مُؤَيَّدةٍ وعَزْمٍ أَيِّدِ
His signs passed before us and then unveiled
His signs flashed before us, unveiling
a well-supported spirit and a mighty resolve,
a strengthened soul and a mighty resolve,
وَيَدٍand a hand صَنَاعٍskilled بالجميلِin kindness وهِمَّةٍand an ambition
وَيَدٍ صَنَاعٍ بالجميلِ وهِمَّةٍ
طَمَّاحَةٍsoaring لِسَدَادِto seal ثَغْرِthe breach in السُؤْدِدِlordly glory
طَمَّاحَةٍ لِسَدَادِ ثَغْرِ السُؤْدِدِ
a hand accomplished in doing good, and an ambition
and a hand skilled in kindness, and an ambition
aspiring to seal every breach in sovereign excellence;
soaring to close the breach in lordly glory,
ومعاطفٍand flanks تفترُّpart gently عندat المدحِpraise عنrevealing
ومعاطفٍ تفترُّ عند المدحِ عن
حَركَاتِthe movements of مُطَّردِevenly spaced الكُعُوبِjoints مُسَدَّدِwell-aimed
حَركَاتِ مُطَّردِ الكُعُوبِ مُسَدَّدِ
and graceful folds that, when praise parts them, reveal
and flanks that, at praise, reveal
the motions of a straight-jointed, unerring spear.
the motions of a straight-jointed, well-aimed spear.
ياO غلطةَerror of الدهرِtime التيwhich ماnever عَوَّدتْaccustomed
يا غلطةَ الدهرِ التي ما عَوَّدتْ
يَدَthe hand of جودِهِits generosity بعطيّةِto the gift of المتعمّدِa deliberate giver
يَدَ جودِهِ بعطيّةِ المتعمّدِ
O happy error of Time—one never repeated
O error of time, which never accustomed
by its generous hand as a deliberately fashioned gift!
its generous hand to deliberate giving!
فَهَّهتنيyou made me tongue-tied فأناso I am الغبيُّwitless وإنَّنيalthough I
فَهَّهتني فأنا الغبيُّ وإنَّني
لَيَنُوبُsurely substitutes عنfor عملِthe work of الصَوَارمِkeen swords مِذْوَديmy tongue
لَيَنُوبُ عن عملِ الصَوَارمِ مِذْوَدي
You have struck me speechless: I am the slow-witted one, though
You have made me tongue-tied, so I am witless, though
my defense may stand in for the work of cutting swords.
my tongue surely does the work of keen swords.
أمَعَاشِرَO companies of الشُّعَراءِpoets ضَاقَfell short أخوكُمُyour brother
أمَعَاشِرَ الشُّعَراءِ ضَاقَ أخوكُمُ
عنof مَدْحpraising سَيِّدِهِhis lord فهلso is there منany مُسْعِدِhelper
عن مَدْح سَيِّدِهِ فهل من مُسْعِدِ
O company of poets, your brother has proved unequal
O companies of poets, your brother is unequal
to praising his lord—will anyone lend him aid?
to praising his lord; is there anyone to help?
ياO أيُّهاyou المدليone who proffers بِوَفْرِwith the abundance of ثَنَائِهِhis praise
يا أيُّها المدلي بِوَفْرِ ثَنَائِهِ
قَابِلْmatch بِهِwith it نُعْمىthe bounty of حُسينٍHusayn يَنْفَدِit will run out
قَابِلْ بِهِ نُعْمى حُسينٍ يَنْفَدِ
O you who pour out an abundance of praise,
O you who offer your abundant praise,
set it against Husayn’s favors: it will be exhausted.
set it against Husayn's bounty, and it will run out.
فالشكرُfor gratitude يَقِرُfalls short عَنْof مُطَاوَلةِkeeping pace with امرئٍa man
فالشكرُ يَقِرُ عَنْ مُطَاوَلةِ امرئٍ
إنif يشكرواthey thank ماضِيthe past of نَدَاهُhis bounty تجَدَّدِit renews itself
إن يشكروا ماضِي نَدَاهُ تجَدَّدِ
For gratitude falls short of keeping pace with a man
For gratitude falls short of keeping pace with a man
whose past generosity renews itself whenever it is thanked.
whose bounty renews itself whenever they thank his past gifts.
لازلتَmay you always remain مَحْسُوداًenvied علىfor ماwhat فيكَis in you منof
لازلتَ مَحْسُوداً على ما فيكَ من
نُبِلٍnobility وماand what قدْرُthe worth of امرئٍa man لمْnot يُحسَدِbe envied
نُبِلٍ وما قدْرُ امرئٍ لمْ يُحسَدِ
May you remain envied for all the excellence within you—
May you never cease to be envied for your
what worth has any man who has never been envied?
nobility; what is a man worth if he is not envied?
إنّindeed العُلاgreatness أُفُقاًa horizon متىwhenever استجليتَهاyou behold it clearly
إنّ العُلا أُفُقاً متى استجليتَها
ألفيتَyou find أنجمَهاits stars عُيُونَthe eyes of الحُسَّدِthe envious
ألفيتَ أنجمَها عُيُونَ الحُسَّدِ
Whenever you survey the horizons of sublimity,
Indeed, greatness is a horizon: whenever you behold it,
you find its stars to be the eyes of envy.
you find its stars are the eyes of the envious.
لاno عُذْرَexcuse للعلويِّfor al-Alawi إنْif أبصرتَهُyou see him
لا عُذْرَ للعلويِّ إنْ أبصرتَهُ
بعدafter الفِطَامِweaning يَشِبُّgrows up غيرَwithout being مُحَسَّدِgreatly envied
بعد الفِطَامِ يَشِبُّ غيرَ مُحَسَّدِ
Sublimity would have no excuse if it saw him
Al-Alawi has no excuse if you see him
grow beyond weaning without becoming an object of envy.
growing up after weaning without being much envied.
فليهنَso may it gladden والدَكَyour father الخلودُimmortality وإنeven if قضىhe has died
فليهنَ والدَكَ الخلودُ وإن قضى
فالمرءُfor a man ماwhen أُوليhe is granted بِمثلِكَone like you يخْلُدِlives forever
فالمرءُ ما أُولي بِمثلِكَ يخْلُدِ
May your father rejoice in immortality, though he has passed away:
So may immortality gladden your father, even if he has died,
a man blessed with one like you is surely made immortal.
for a man blessed with one like you lives forever.
Sol 6.1