بانَتshe departed وقدand already كلَّفتُهاI charged her with تَوديعيbidding me farewell
بانَت وقد كلَّفتُها تَوديعي
ماwhat lies بينbetween قَيظscorching heat جَوىanguished longing وفَيضِand a flood of دُمُوعِtears
ما بين قَيظ جَوى وفَيضِ دُمُوعِ
She departed, though I had pressed her to bid me farewell,
She departed, and I had asked her to bid me farewell,
between the scorching heat of longing and the flood of my tears.
Amid longing's scorching heat and a flood of tears.
وتجلَّدَتand she steeled herself للبَينِfor parting مثلlike تَجُلديmy fortitude
وتجلَّدَت للبَينِ مثل تَجُلدي
والنارُand fire حَشَوُthe filling of ضلوعهاher ribs وضلوعيand my ribs
والنارُ حَشَوُ ضلوعها وضلوعي
She bore herself firmly at the parting, just as I did,
She steeled herself for parting, as I steeled myself,
while fire filled her ribs and mine.
While fire filled her ribs and mine.
ولكمand how often تُعَلَّلُهاconsole her مواعيدُpromises of المُنىhopes
ولكم تُعَلَّلُها مواعيدُ المُنى
منىhopes علىon المرئيِّwhat is seen والمسموعِand what is heard
منى على المرئيِّ والمسموعِ
How often I consoled her with promises—
How often promises of hope console her—
promises from me, grounded in things seen and heard.
Hopes resting on what is seen and heard.
قالتshe said ذَمَمتI condemned البَينَparting قلتُI said لهاto her عَسَىperhaps
قالت ذَمَمت البَينَ قلتُ لها عَسَى
أنthat تشكريyou will praise عُقبَاهُits outcome عندat رجوعيmy return
أن تشكري عُقبَاهُ عند رجوعي
She said, “You have condemned our parting.” I said, “Perhaps
She said, “I have condemned parting.” I told her, “Perhaps
you will praise its outcome when I return.”
You will praise its outcome when I return.”
ياO هذهyou (woman) لولاwere it not for وثوقيmy confidence بالغنىin wealth
يا هذه لولا وثوقي بالغنى
لغداit would have become هُلُوعُكyour anguish وهوَwhile it is دونَless than هلوعيmy anguish
لغدا هُلُوعُك وهوَ دونَ هلوعي
My lady, were it not for my confidence in prosperity,
O you, were it not for my confidence in wealth,
your anguish, however dreadful, would fall short of mine.
Your anguish would have arisen, though it is less than mine.
تاللَهby God ماnot أمَّلتI placed my hope in غيرَother than مُؤَمَّلٍone in whom hopes are placed
تاللَه ما أمَّلت غيرَ مُؤَمَّلٍ
سَمحgenerous ولاnor ناديتُI called upon غيرُother than سميعِone who hears
سَمح ولا ناديتُ غيرُ سميعِ
By God, I have placed my hope only in one who inspires hope,
By God, I have hoped in none but one worthy of hope,
a generous man—and called only upon one who hears.
Generous; nor have I called on any but one who hears.
حَسبيenough for me رجاءٌhope in ابنِIbn (son of) الزُّبَيرِal-Zubayr فإنَّfor indeed ليI have
حَسبي رجاءٌ ابنِ الزُّبَيرِ فإنَّ لي
قَصداًan intention أراهُI consider it لديهwith him خَيرَthe best شَفيعٍintercessor
قَصداً أراهُ لديه خَيرَ شَفيعٍ
My hope in Ibn al-Zubayr suffices me, for I have
Hope in Ibn al-Zubayr suffices me, for I have
an aim I deem my finest intercessor with him.
An intention I consider my best intercessor with him.
لأهاجرنَّI shall surely journey إلىto نَداbounty منfrom كفَّهِhis palm
لأهاجرنَّ إلى نَدا من كفَّهِ
هامٍpouring down وَرَوضٍand a meadow بالنَّوالwith gifts مَريعٍlush
هامٍ وَرَوضٍ بالنَّوال مَريعٍ
I shall surely journey toward bounty from whose hand
I shall surely journey toward bounty from his palm,
come a downpour and a stream brimful with largesse.
Pouring down, and a meadow lush with gifts.
ولأرفعنَّand I shall surely raise بقصدِهِby seeking him النفسَthe soul التيwhich
ولأرفعنَّ بقصدِهِ النفسَ التي
هانتbecame debased عليَّin my eyes بقصدٍby seeking كلِّevery وضيعِbase man
هانت عليَّ بقصدٍ كلِّ وضيعِ
By seeking him I shall raise up the soul that
And by seeking him, I shall surely raise the soul
grew cheap in my eyes through seeking every base man.
That sank in my eyes through seeking every base man.
تاللَهby God ماnot اخترتُI chose الخمولَobscurity وإنماbut rather
تاللَه ما اخترتُ الخمولَ وإنما
للهGod has حكمٌa decree ليسis not بالمدفوعrepellable
لله حكمٌ ليس بالمدفوع
By God, I did not choose obscurity; it is only that
By God, I did not choose obscurity; rather,
God has a decree that cannot be repelled.
God has a decree that cannot be repelled.
ماليwhat is wrong with me? قَنِعتُI was content فصرتُand so I became أُدعَىI am called عاجزاincapable
مالي قَنِعتُ فصرتُ أُدعَى عاجزا
والعَجزُand incapacity منسوبٌascribed لكلِّto every قَنُوعٍperson content with little
والعَجزُ منسوبٌ لكلِّ قَنُوعٍ
Why did I remain content until I came to be called helpless,
Why was I content, only to be called incapable,
when helplessness is ascribed to every contented man?
When incapacity is ascribed to everyone content with little?
ماnot بينbetween آماليmy hopes وبينand between بلوغهاtheir attainment
ما بين آمالي وبين بلوغها
بِرَجاءthrough hope in يعقوبYaqub سوىexcept أُسبُوعٍa week
بِرَجاء يعقوب سوى أُسبُوعٍ
Between my hopes and their attainment,
Between my hopes and their fulfillment,
through hope in Ya‘qub, lies no more than a week.
Through hope in Yaqub, lies no more than a week.
نَدبٌa generous man يحجُّmake pilgrimage القاصدونthe seekers لنائلٍfor bounty
نَدبٌ يحجُّ القاصدون لنائلٍ
يومon the day of الرجاءhope ببشرِهِby his cheerful countenance مَشفُوعaccompanied
يوم الرجاء ببشرِهِ مَشفُوع
A noble man to whose bounty seekers journey as pilgrims;
A generous man: seekers make pilgrimage to him for bounty
on hope’s day, his gift comes attended by a smiling welcome.
Accompanied, on the day of hope, by his smiling face.
سَلask عنهabout him وأرحَلand journey نحوهtoward him تُنجِحyou will succeed ولاand do not
سَل عنه وأرحَل نحوه تُنجِح ولا
تَسألask عنabout التَثليثthe astrological trine والتربيعِand the astrological square
تَسأل عن التَثليث والتربيعِ
Ask after him and journey toward him—you will succeed; do not
Ask about him, journey to him, and you will succeed; do not
ask whether his bounty comes threefold or fourfold.
Ask about trines and squares.
هُوَhe ناظرٌan overseer هَجرforsook الهجوعَsleep لعلمهbecause he knows
هُوَ ناظرٌ هَجر الهجوعَ لعلمه
أنَّthat المعاليlofty honors لمnot تُنَلbe attained بهجُوعِthrough sleep
أنَّ المعالي لم تُنَل بهجُوعِ
He keeps watch, forsaking sleep, for he knows
He is an overseer who has forsaken sleep, knowing
that lofty honors are never won through sleep.
That lofty honors are not attained through sleep.
قدindeed قلتُI said حينwhen تَصَنَّعَتtried to imitate سُحُبُthe clouds of الحَيَاrain
قد قلتُ حين تَصَنَّعَت سُحُبُ الحَيَا
معناهhis nature فيin سَحpouring rain وحُسنand goodness of صَنيعaction
معناه في سَح وحُسن صَنيع
I said, when the rain clouds arrayed themselves,
I said, when the rainclouds tried to imitate
“Their meaning lies in pouring rain and gracious action.”
His nature in their downpour and gracious deeds:
ياغيثُO rain حسبكenough for you ليسَnot تحيapparently 'match' (text unclear) جُودَهُhis generosity
ياغيثُ حسبك ليسَ تحي جُودَهُ
فَضَحَexposed التَطبّثعَaffectation (corrupt form) شِيمَةُthe disposition of المَطبُوعَthe naturally gifted one
فَضَحَ التَطبّثعَ شِيمَةُ المَطبُوعَ
O rain cloud, enough—you cannot imitate his generosity;
O rain, enough! You do not [match] his generosity;
innate character puts affected imitation to shame.
The naturally gifted man's disposition has exposed affectation.
ياO منone who يهونُis easy مالهhis wealth تفريقهdistributing it
يا من يهونُ ماله تفريقه
بخلافunlike مكرمone who cherishes مالهhis wealth المجموعِamassed
بخلاف مكرم ماله المجموعِ
O you for whom scattering wealth is easy,
O you for whom scattering your wealth is easy,
unlike one whose sole distinction is his gathered wealth.
Unlike one who cherishes his amassed wealth.
بلغتyou have reached بكلwith all النفسthe soul التيwhich شَرُفَتwas noble إلىto
بلغت بكل النفس التي شَرُفَت إلى
شأوٍa height بعيدٍdistant فيin الفخارglory بديعِwondrous
شأوٍ بعيدٍ في الفخار بديعِ
Aspiring with your whole soul, you attained
With your whole noble soul, you have reached
a far and wondrous summit of glory.
A distant, wondrous height of glory.
فغدوتَthus you became ذاpossessing فضلbounty بسيطexpansive (also the Basit meter) كاملperfect (also the Kamil meter)
فغدوتَ ذا فضل بسيط كامل
يُلقىis bestowed وجودand generosity وافرabundant (also the Wafir meter) وسريعand swift (also the Sari‘ meter)
يُلقى وجود وافر وسريع
Thus you came to possess ample, perfect excellence,
Thus you became a man of expansive, perfect bounty,
where generosity is found abundant and swift.
Bestowed, and of generosity abundant and swift.
وقفوتand you followed آثارthe tracks of العداthe enemies بمصارعٍwith fatal downfalls
وقفوت آثار العدا بمصارعٍ
فجمعتthus you joined تقفيةًpursuit; rhyming إلىto تصريعِslaying; paired hemistich rhyme
فجمعت تقفيةً إلى تصريعِ
You followed the enemy’s tracks to where they fell,
And you pursued your enemies' tracks to their deaths,
joining pursuit to felling—taqfiya to tasri‘.
Thus joining pursuit to slaughter, rhyme to paired rhyme.
مولايmy lord زينZayn (adornment) الدينal-Din (the faith) دعوةa plea منone who رجاhas hoped
مولاي زين الدين دعوة من رجا
بنَدَاكthrough your bounty جَبرmending فُؤادهhis heart المَصدُوعbroken
بنَدَاك جَبر فُؤاده المَصدُوع
My lord Zayn al-Din, hear the plea of one who hopes
My lord Zayn al-Din, this is the plea of one who hopes
that your bounty will mend his stricken heart.
For your bounty to mend his broken heart.
ماnot إنat all (emphatic) تَغَيَّرَchanged بعدafter بينكparting from you وُدُّهُhis affection
ما إن تَغَيَّرَ بعد بينك وُدُّهُ
لكنbut تغيَّرَchanged دَمعُهُhis tears بنجيعِwith fresh blood
لكن تغيَّرَ دَمعُهُ بنجيعِ
His love has not changed since parting from you;
His affection has not changed since parting from you,
only his tears have changed—into fresh blood.
But his tears have become tinged with blood.
يشكوhe complains لفضلكto your generosity منone who يسلمsurrenders عرضَهُhis honor
يشكو لفضلك من يسلم عرضَهُ
للذمِّto censure رغبةout of desire for مالهhis wealth المجموعِamassed
للذمِّ رغبة ماله المجموعِ
To your bounty appeals the man who will not surrender his honor
He complains to your generosity of one who surrenders his honor
to humiliation; the herald is the wealth amassed in its train.
To censure, out of love for his amassed wealth.
ولقدand indeed كسوتكَI clothed you منfrom قريضٍverse حُلَّةًa robe
ولقد كسوتكَ من قريضٍ حُلَّةً
جَلَّتwas exalted عنabove التلفيقِpatchwork والترقيعِand patching
جَلَّت عن التلفيقِ والترقيعِ
I have clothed you in a robe of verse,
And indeed I have clothed you in a robe of verse,
too sublime for piecing together or patching,
Too fine for cobbling together or patching.
حَسنتgrew beautiful برقمٍwith embroidery منfrom خلالكyour virtues فاغتدتand so it became
حَسنت برقمٍ من خلالك فاغتدت
كالروضlike a garden فيin التسهيمstriped patterning (also a rhetorical figure) والتوشيعand yarn-winding (also a rhetorical figure)
كالروض في التسهيم والتوشيع
beautifully figured with the pattern of your virtues, until it became
Adorned with embroidery of your virtues, it became
like a garden in its striped and variegated designs.
Like a garden in its striped weave and twined yarn.
وِثقَتit felt assured بخفضِof ease العيشِof life عندكwith you فاغتدتand so it became
وِثقَت بخفضِ العيشِ عندك فاغتدت
تسمُوit rises بقصدby seeking محلَّكyour station المرفوعِexalted
تسمُو بقصد محلَّك المرفوعِ
Assured of an easy life with you, it set forth,
It trusted in an easy life with you, and now
aspiring in its purpose toward your exalted station.
Rises by seeking your exalted station.
Sol 6.1