سَقىmay water الصِباyouth وَاللَهوand mirth عَهدُthe days of الرَبابRabab
سَقى الصِبا وَاللَهو عَهدُ الرَباب
وَلاand may not عَداpass by الوَسمِيُّthe early autumn rain عَهدthe days of الرَبابRabab
وَلا عَدا الوَسمِيُّ عَهد الرَباب
May Rabab’s days give drink to youth and revelry,
May the days of Rabab water youth and mirth,
and may the season’s first rain never pass Rabab’s days by;
And may the autumn rain never pass Rabab's days by;
وَلاand may not أَغبَّتvisit intermittently رَبعَهُits abode دِيمَةٌa steady rain
وَلا أَغبَّت رَبعَهُ دِيمَةٌ
مَجلوبةُbrought by المِرزمal-Mirzam ذاتُpossessing اِنصِبابa downpour
مَجلوبةُ المِرزم ذاتُ اِنصِباب
nor may a steady rain ever fail to visit his dwelling—
And may steady rain never visit its abode only at intervals,
a downpour summoned by al-Mirzam, pouring abundantly—
Brought by al-Mirzam, pouring down.
حَيثُwhere الشَبابyouth الغَضُّtender نَوّارَةٌa blossom
حَيثُ الشَباب الغَضُّ نَوّارَةٌ
نَسيمُهاits breeze الخَفّاقُfluttering رَطبmoist المَهابthe wind-paths
نَسيمُها الخَفّاقُ رَطب المَهاب
there where tender youth is a blossom
Where tender youth is a blossom,
whose fluttering breeze blows fresh and moist;
Its fluttering breeze moist wherever it blows;
أَيّامin the days when رَوضيmy garden بِالمُنىwith hopes زاهِرٌblooming
أَيّام رَوضي بِالمُنى زاهِرٌ
وَربعُand the abode of لَهويَmy mirth آهلٌinhabited بِالتَصَابwith youthful dalliance
وَربعُ لَهويَ آهلٌ بِالتَصَاب
the days when my garden bloomed with hopes
In the days when my garden bloomed with hopes,
and the abode of my pleasure teemed with youthful passion;
And the abode of my mirth was peopled with youthful dalliance;
وَظَبيُand the gazelle of ذاكَthat السِربherd ليfor me مُنيَةٌa cherished desire
وَظَبيُ ذاكَ السِرب لي مُنيَةٌ
وَالدَهرُand time طَلقٌsmiling وَالمَغانيand the dwellings رِحابspacious
وَالدَهرُ طَلقٌ وَالمَغاني رِحاب
when the gazelle of that herd was my heart’s desire,
And the gazelle of that herd was my heart's desire,
time smiled, and the beloved haunts were spacious;
And time was smiling, and the dwellings spacious.
وَإِذand when غُصونُthe boughs of الأُنسcompanionship فَينانةٌluxuriant
وَإِذ غُصونُ الأُنس فَينانةٌ
قَدhad جاذبتهاtugged at them الوَصلunion أَيديthe hands of العِتابreproach
قَد جاذبتها الوَصل أَيدي العِتاب
when the boughs of companionship were luxuriant,
And when the boughs of companionship were luxuriant,
and the hands of reproach contended with union over them;
The hands of reproach had tugged at them for union;
وَالحُبُّand love يُزهىflourishes بَينَamid رَيحانَةٍa sweet-basil plant
وَالحُبُّ يُزهى بَينَ رَيحانَةٍ
يانِعةٍlush تُسقىwatered بِماءwith the water of الشَبابyouth
يانِعةٍ تُسقى بِماء الشَباب
when love took pride amid a sweet basil plant,
And love flourished amid a sweet-basil plant,
ripe and watered with the water of youth—
Lush, watered with the water of youth.
كَأَنَّهاas though it وَالبِشرُand gladness بادٍapparent بِهاupon it
كَأَنَّها وَالبِشرُ بادٍ بِها
غُرَّةُthe radiant brow of شَمسِShams الدينِal-Din ساميlofty in الجَنابrank
غُرَّةُ شَمسِ الدينِ سامي الجَناب
as though she, with gladness showing upon her,
As though it, with gladness shining upon it,
were the radiant brow of Shams al-Din, lord of lofty rank:
Were the radiant brow of Shams al-Din, lofty in station:
مولىًa lord عَلاrose above بِالمَجدِthrough glory هامَthe summits of العُلاeminence
مولىً عَلا بِالمَجدِ هامَ العُلا
فَاقتَعدَand so mounted الجَوزاءal-Jawza أَعلىthe highest هِضابhills
فَاقتَعدَ الجَوزاء أَعلى هِضاب
a master who rose through glory to the summits of eminence
A lord who, through glory, rose above the summits of greatness,
and made Gemini his seat upon the highest hills.
And mounted al-Jawza, the loftiest of hills.
أَخلاقُهُhis virtues الزُهرradiant حكينmirrored الرُبىthe hills
أَخلاقُهُ الزُهر حكين الرُبى
حُسناًin beauty وَأَزرينَand cast scorn بِغُرِّupon the brightest of السَحابthe clouds
حُسناً وَأَزرينَ بِغُرِّ السَحاب
His radiant virtues rival the hills
His radiant virtues mirrored the hills
in beauty, and outshine the bright-edged clouds.
In beauty, and put the brightest clouds to shame.
ماnot وَجَّهَdirected الفِكرَthought إِلىtoward مَطلَبٍa goal
ما وَجَّهَ الفِكرَ إِلى مَطلَبٍ
إِلّاexcept أَتىcame فيهِin it بِأَمرٍwith something عُجابwondrous
إِلّا أَتى فيهِ بِأَمرٍ عُجاب
Never does he direct his thought toward an aim
He never directed his thought toward a goal
without accomplishing something wondrous in it,
Without accomplishing something wondrous in it,
بِهِمّةٍwith resolve كَاللَّيثِlike a lion عِندَat the time of اِنسِيابgliding forward
بِهِمّةٍ كَاللَّيثِ عِندَ اِنسِياب
وَراحَةٍand a palm كَالغَيثlike rain عِندَat the time of اِنسِكابpouring down
وَراحَةٍ كَالغَيث عِندَ اِنسِكاب
with resolve like a lion’s when it charges
With resolve like a lion as it glides forward,
and a giving hand like rain when it pours.
And a palm like rain as it pours.
إِذاwhen مَشَتwalked فيacross الطِرسthe parchment أَقلامُهُhis pens
إِذا مَشَت في الطِرس أَقلامُهُ
أَهوِنhow insignificant بِفعلthe work of السُمرِthe brown spears ذاتِpossessing الكِعابshaft-joints
أَهوِن بِفعل السُمرِ ذاتِ الكِعاب
When his pens move across the page,
When his pens walk across the parchment,
how slight beside their work is that of supple brown spears!
How trifling the work of brown, jointed spears!
وَإِنand if جَرىraced وَالخَصمand the opponent فيin حَلبةٍan arena
وَإِن جَرى وَالخَصم في حَلبةٍ
وَوجّهتand were presented تِلكَthose القَضاياthe cases الصِعابdifficult
وَوجّهت تِلكَ القَضايا الصِعاب
And when he enters an arena against an adversary
And if he races with an opponent in an arena,
and those difficult cases are put before him,
And those difficult cases are presented,
أَتىbrought مِنَfrom الحُكمِjudgment بِفَصلِwith the decisive word of الخِطابspeech
أَتى مِنَ الحُكمِ بِفَصلِ الخِطاب
فيهاin them وَحازَand won الخَصمُthe opponent غُنمَthe spoils of الإِيابreturning
فيها وَحازَ الخَصمُ غُنمَ الإِياب
he renders in them the decisive word of judgment,
He delivers the decisive word of judgment
and the litigant departs bearing the profit of his return.
In them, while the opponent gains the spoils of returning.
ياO فاضِلاًexcellent man سُؤددهُhis eminence باهِرٌdazzling
يا فاضِلاً سُؤددهُ باهِرٌ
وَفَضلُهُand his excellence بادٍmanifest بِغَيرِwithout اِحتِجابconcealment
وَفَضلُهُ بادٍ بِغَيرِ اِحتِجاب
O excellent man, whose eminence is dazzling
O excellent man, whose eminence is dazzling,
and whose bounty appears without a veil,
And whose excellence is manifest, without concealment:
أَنتَyou فَتىthe gallant of الآدابِletters فيin عَصرِناour age
أَنتَ فَتى الآدابِ في عَصرِنا
وَفيكَand for your sake لاnot عَنكَaway from you تُنَصُّare spurred الرِكابthe riding camels
وَفيكَ لا عَنكَ تُنَصُّ الرِكاب
you are the champion of letters in our age;
You are the gallant of letters in our age,
to you—not away from you—the camel trains are urged.
And toward you, not away from you, riding camels are spurred.
رُضتyou tamed لَناfor us شُوسthe headstrong ones of القَوافيrhymes وَقَدand indeed
رُضت لَنا شُوس القَوافي وَقَد
كانَتhad been عَلىfor مَنwhoever يَمتَطيهاmounts them صِعابintractable
كانَت عَلى مَن يَمتَطيها صِعاب
You have tamed for us the fiercest rhymes, though
You tamed for us the headstrong rhymes, though
they were difficult for anyone who sought to ride them.
They had been intractable for anyone who mounted them.
فَلَمand so not نَجِدwe found قافِيَةًa rhyme أُحكِمَتperfected
فَلَم نَجِد قافِيَةً أُحكِمَت
إِلاexcept لَهاit has نَحوtoward ذُراكyour heights اِنتِسابa lineage
إِلا لَها نَحو ذُراك اِنتِساب
We have found no finely wrought rhyme
So we found no well-wrought rhyme
that does not claim kinship with your lofty court.
Without a lineage reaching toward your heights.
إِلَيكَto you وَجَّهتُI sent بِهاwith it مُلغزاًposing a riddle
إِلَيكَ وَجَّهتُ بِها مُلغزاً
وَقَدand indeed أَتَتit came مِنout of خَجلshyness فيin اِنتِقابa face-veil
وَقَد أَتَت مِن خَجل في اِنتِقاب
To you I have directed this poem as a riddle,
To you I have sent it, posing a riddle,
though out of shyness it has come wearing a veil:
And out of shyness it has come wearing a veil:
فيconcerning اِسمٍa name ثلاثِيٍّthree-lettered يُرىis seen سامياًaloft
في اِسمٍ ثلاثِيٍّ يُرى سامياً
يُهدىis guided بِهِby it الساريthe night traveler سَبيلَthe path of الصَوابrightness
يُهدى بِهِ الساري سَبيلَ الصَواب
about a three-letter name, seen on high,
About a three-letter name that is seen aloft,
by which the night traveler is guided to the proper path.
By which the night traveler is guided on the right path.
يَرعاهُwatches it طرفيmy eye بِالدَياجيin dark nights كَماjust as
يَرعاهُ طرفي بِالدَياجي كَما
يَرعاهُwatches it طرفيmy eye بِثَناياin the folds of الشِعابthe ravines
يَرعاهُ طرفي بِثَنايا الشِعاب
My eye watches it through the darkest nights, just as
My eye watches it in dark nights, just as
my eye watches it among the folds of the mountain passes.
My eye watches it in the folds of ravines.
مَقلوبُهُits reversal ياO صاحِfriend ماthat which يُتَّقىone is shielded
مَقلوبُهُ يا صاحِ ما يُتَّقى
بِهِwith it مِنَfrom الأَعداءenemies وُقِّيتmay you be spared المَصابharm
بِهِ مِنَ الأَعداء وُقِّيت المَصاب
Reversed, my friend, it is that by which one seeks protection
Its reversal, my friend, is a means of protection
from enemies—may you be spared calamity.
Against enemies—may you be spared harm.
ماضيهِits past-tense form فِعلٌa verb إِنif تَزُلdisappears عَينُهُits middle letter
ماضيهِ فِعلٌ إِن تَزُل عَينُهُ
فَذَلِكَthen that اِسمٌa name لجنىًfor a harvest مُستَطابdelectable
فَذَلِكَ اِسمٌ لجنىً مُستَطاب
Its unreversed form is a past-tense verb; if its middle letter is removed,
Its past-tense form is a verb; if its middle letter disappears,
the result is a noun for a delectable fruit.
Then that is a name for a delectable harvest.
حَكىmirrored سَجاياكَyour qualities واقِعاًcorresponding لَهاto them
حَكى سَجاياكَ واقِعاً لَها
وَمِنand among سَجاياthe qualities of المَرءِa person ماwhat يُستَطابis found pleasing
وَمِن سَجايا المَرءِ ما يُستَطاب
It truly resembles your qualities,
It mirrors your qualities, corresponding to them,
and among a person’s qualities are those found delightful.
And among a man's qualities are some that delight.
أَوضِحexplain لَناto us مَعناهits meaning مَنّاًas a favor وَجُدand be generous
أَوضِح لَنا مَعناه مَنّاً وَجُد
بِحلِّهwith its solution أَثناءَamid رُودٍsupple كِعابfull-breasted maidens
بِحلِّه أَثناءَ رُودٍ كِعاب
Explain its meaning to us as a favor, and be generous
Explain its meaning to us as a favor, and be generous
by solving it amid graceful, full-breasted maidens.
With its solution amid supple, full-breasted maidens.
لاmay you not زِلتَcease تَسمُوto rise الدَهرَfor all time فيin نِعمَةٍprosperity
لا زِلتَ تَسمُو الدَهرَ في نِعمَةٍ
مَضروبَةَdriven الأَوتادِthe tent-pegs حَيثُwhere القِبابthe pavilions
مَضروبَةَ الأَوتادِ حَيثُ القِباب
May you continue to rise forever amid a blessing
May you ever rise, for all time, in prosperity,
whose tent pegs stand firm wherever domed pavilions rise—
With tent-pegs driven where the pavilions stand,
ماas long as وَشَّعadorned الطِرسthe parchment أَديبٌa man of letters وَماand as long as
ما وَشَّع الطِرس أَديبٌ وَما
وَشَّحَتِembroidered الأَقلامُthe pens يَوماًon any day كِتابa book
وَشَّحَتِ الأَقلامُ يَوماً كِتاب
as long as a man of letters ornaments a page, and as long as
As long as a man of letters adorns the parchment, and as long as
pens someday adorn a book;
Pens ever embroider a book,
وَلَعلَعand chanted loudly الحاديthe chanting camel-driver بِسَلعٍat Salʿ وَماand as long as
وَلَعلَع الحادي بِسَلعٍ وَما
شُبِّبَlove verses were sung فيin الحَيِّthe camp بِصَوتto the sound of الرَبابthe rebab
شُبِّبَ في الحَيِّ بِصَوت الرَباب
as long as the caravan leader raises his cry at Salʿ, and as long as
And the camel-driver chants aloud at Salʿ, and as long as
love poetry is sung in the encampment to the sound of the rebab.
Love verses are sung in the camp to the sound of the rebab.
Sol 6.1