غصنa bough بانa bān tree جينهhis brow (reading uncertain) بدرa full moon ثغرهhis mouth جوهرa jewel
غصن بان جينه بدر ثغره جوهر
طالhas lasted long منهfrom him البعادseparation والهجرand estrangement أينwhere منone who يصبرendures
طال منه البعاد والهجر أين من يصبر
A bān-tree bough: his brow is a full moon, his mouth a jewel.
A branch whose splendor is like the full moon
Long have his absence and estrangement lasted; where is anyone who can endure?
Separation and distance have been prolonged, who can be patient?
قلبيmy heart الماءwater وقلبهand his heart الصخرrock ياO عبادservants [of God] انظرواlook
قلبي الماء وقلبه الصخر يا عباد انظروا
واسمعواand listen قصتيmy story وماand what الأمرthe matter تشفعواintercede تؤجرyou will be rewarded
واسمعوا قصتي وما الأمر تشفعوا تؤجر
My heart is water and his heart is rock; O servants of God, look!
My heart is water, his is rock. O people, look
And hear my story and how matters stand; intercede, and you will be rewarded.
And listen to my story, intercede for reward
أناI فيin الدّهرthe age آيةa marvel العشاقlovers
أنا في الدّهر آية العشاق
رايةthe banner الحبlove مطلقةunfurled إطلاقcompletely
راية الحب مطلقة إطلاق
I am, in this age, a marvel among lovers.
I am in life a symbol of lovers
Love's banner is fully unfurled
With the flag of love flying freely above my head
فوقabove رأسيmy head وبيرقيand my standard خفاقfluttering
فوق رأسي وبيرقي خفاق
قلtell لقومto a people جفاهمhas forsaken them القطرrain مدمعيmy tears أغزرmore abundant
قل لقوم جفاهم القطر مدمعي أغزر
Above my head, and my standard flutters.
Tell those whose rain of affection has been scarce that my tears flow more abundantly
Tell a people whom the rain has forsaken: my tears flow more abundantly.
In my cheeks, my tears are a river whose water is Kauthar
فيon خدوديmy cheeks لعبرتيfor my tears نهرa river ماؤهits water كوثرKawthar
في خدودي لعبرتي نهر ماؤه كوثر
ياO اللموعthe gleaming one الوشمthe tattoo الأفرقthe gap-toothed one طالhas lasted long هجركyour estrangement فرقhave pity
يا اللموع الوشم الأفرق طال هجرك فرق
On my cheeks is a river of tears, whose water is Kawthar.
O you whose beauty is transcendent, separation from you is unbearable
O gleaming, tattooed, gap-toothed one, your estrangement has lasted; have pity.
You are matchless, like a gift never created before, you are the light of dawn
أنتyou مثلa likeness هديتmay you be guided لمnot يخلقbe created أنتyou نورthe light الفلقdaybreak
أنت مثل هديت لم يخلق أنت نور الفلق
أنتyou بدرa full moon التمامfullness إذاwhen أشرقit shines فيin بهيمpitch-black الغسقdusk
أنت بدر التمام إذا أشرق في بهيم الغسق
Your like—may you be guided—has never been created; you are the light of daybreak.
You are the full moon when it rises in the darkness of night
You are the full moon when it shines in the pitch-black dusk.
In your eyes is magic for your lover, in them is charm
فيin عيونكyour eyes لعاشقكfor your lover سحرenchantment وبهاand in them عنترAntar
في عيونك لعاشقك سحر وبها عنتر
خالa beauty mark خدّيكyour two cheeks منكof you فيin كافورcamphor
خال خدّيك منك في كافور
In your eyes is enchantment for your lover, and in them is Antar.
The mole on your cheek is like camphor
The beauty mark on your cheeks is set in camphor.
You are formidable in your glory like a sword
وأنتand you فيamong جندthe troops هيبتكyour majesty سابورSabur
وأنت في جند هيبتك سابور
كلّevery غاليprecious thing لعشقكfor love of you ياO حورhouri
كلّ غالي لعشقك يا حور
And among the troops of your majesty, you are Sabur.
Everything precious is for love of you, O houri
All that is precious is for love of you, O houri.
It’s as if my body is a slender twig about to snap
فيكfor love of you جسميmy body كأنهas though it were خصرa waist مخمصhollowed مضمرlean
فيك جسمي كأنه خصر مخمص مضمر
ودمعand the tears عينيof my eye كأنهas though they were تبرuncoined gold ذائبmolten ينثرbeing scattered
ودمع عيني كأنه تبر ذائب ينثر
For love of you, my body is like a waist, hollowed and lean.
And my tears are melting gum that scatters
And the tears of my eye are like raw gold, melted and scattered.
You are the essence of gazelles in love. O transcendent beauty
أنتyou فيin العشقlove آيةa marvel الغزلانgazelles ياO للموعfor the gleaming الثمانthe eight [teeth]
أنت في العشق آية الغزلان يا للموع الثمان
كيفhow حتىeven فلتyou escaped منfrom رضوانRidwan منfrom قصورpalaces الجنانthe gardens of Paradise
كيف حتى فلت من رضوان من قصور الجنان
In love, you are the marvel of gazelles—oh, the gleam of those eight teeth!
How did you slip away from Heaven and its palaces?
How did you even slip away from Ridwan, from the palaces of Paradise?
Is it your grace that makes you seek the Merciful and grants me safety?
هلwill you بفضلكthrough your kindness تقصدseek الرحمنthe All-Merciful وتهبand grant ليto me أمانsafety
هل بفضلك تقصد الرحمن وتهب لي أمان
ليلthe night هجريof my separation كأنهas though it were شهرa month كيفhow لاnot أسهرI stay awake
ليل هجري كأنه شهر كيف لا أسهر
Will you, in your kindness, seek the All-Merciful and grant me safety?
My night of separation is like a month, how can I not stay up?
My night of separation is like a month; how could I not stay awake?
O prince of singers, long has been the description of love for you
ياO أميرprince الغوانيbeautiful women الصفحpardon
يا أمير الغواني الصفح
طالhas grown long فيin وصفdescribing حبكlove for you الشرحthe account
طال في وصف حبك الشرح
O prince of beauties, grant pardon.
So gain reward from the One praised
The account of my love for you has grown long.
I praise rhyme and prose, all gratitude
فاغنمso win أجريmy reward بمنby the one who لهto him belongs المدحpraise
فاغنم أجري بمن له المدح
أحمدAhmad النظمverse فيهabout him والنثرand prose كلهall of it شكرthanksgiving
أحمد النظم فيه والنثر كله شكر
So win my reward, by him to whom praise is due:
Every hardship is eased by His grace. O people, be thankful.
Ahmad—verse and prose about him are all thanksgiving.
كلّevery عسرhardship بجودهthrough his generosity يسرease ياO عبادservants [of God] اشكرواgive thanks
كلّ عسر بجوده يسر يا عباد اشكروا
Through his generosity, every hardship becomes ease; O servants of God, give thanks.
Partial English translation: 25 of 27 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1