قُلSay لِلْخَلِيفةِto the caliph تِرْبِcompanion of الْعِلْمِlearning والأدَبِand letters
قُل لِلْخَلِيفةِ تِرْبِ الْعِلْمِ والأدَبِ
وأَفْضَلِand the best of النَّاسِpeople مِنْamong عُجْمٍnon-Arabs وَمِنْand among عَرَبِArabs
وأَفْضَلِ النَّاسِ مِنْ عُجْمٍ وَمِنْ عَرَبِ
Say to the caliph, companion of learning and letters,
Tell the Caliph, the soil of knowledge and literature,
and the best of people, non-Arabs and Arabs,
And the best of people, non-Arabs and Arabs,
ومَنْand him whose أَجَلَّexalted إلهُthe God of النَّاسِhumankind رُتْبَتَهُhis rank
ومَنْ أَجَلَّ إلهُ النَّاسِ رُتْبَتَهُ
حتَّىuntil علاَhe rose وهَوَىand fell الأملاكُthe kings فيinto صَبَبِa downward slope
حتَّى علاَ وهَوَى الأملاكُ في صَبَبِ
and him whose rank the God of humankind exalted,
He whom God Most High has made great,
until he rose while kings plunged down a slope:
Until he rose high and kingdoms melted before him,
قَدْindeed كانthere was لِيfor me مَوْعِدٌa promise فيconcerning النَّسْخِcopying لَمْnot أَرَهُI saw it
قَدْ كان لِي مَوْعِدٌ في النَّسْخِ لَمْ أَرَهُ
وفاتَنِيand I missed القَدَحُthe cup الْمَحْفُوفُsurrounded بِالطَّرَبِby merriment
وفاتَنِي القَدَحُ الْمَحْفُوفُ بِالطَّرَبِ
I had a promise concerning copying, which I never saw fulfilled,
I had an appointment in the registry I did not keep,
and I missed the cup encircled by merriment.
And the appointed cup eluded me,
وحازَand obtained صَحْبِيmy companions دُنِيapart from me طِيبَthe fragrance of مَعِرقَةٍa skullcap
وحازَ صَحْبِي دُنِي طِيبَ مَعِرقَةٍ
لِباسُهاwearing it أَفْخَرُthe proudest of الأنْسابِlineages والحَسَبِand inherited honor
لِباسُها أَفْخَرُ الأنْسابِ والحَسَبِ
And my companions, not I, obtained a skullcap's fragrance;
While my friends gained a pleasant favour,
wearing it is the proudest lineage and inherited honor.
Wearing the finest genealogy and nobility,
وليْلَةُand the night of الفِطْرِal-Fitr أَبْقَتْleft لِيfor me حزازَتُهاits bitterness
وليْلَةُ الفِطْرِ أَبْقَتْ لِي حزازَتُها
ناراًa fire تَرامىhurling itself عَلَىupon الأحشاءِthe entrails باللَّهَبِwith flame
ناراً تَرامى عَلَى الأحشاءِ باللَّهَبِ
And al-Fitr night's bitterness left me
And the night of Eid kept for me its bracelets,
a fire hurling flames upon my entrails.
A fire that burns the innards with flames,
فَجازَنِيso passed me by بِرُّthe kindness of مَوْلىًa patron كانused to يَبْدَأُنِيbegin with me
فَجازَنِي بِرُّ مَوْلىً كان يَبْدَأُنِي
كأَنَّنِيas though I ناقِصٌwere deficient فِيin رُتْبَةِthe rank of الأدَبِletters
كأَنَّنِي ناقِصٌ فِي رُتْبَةِ الأدَبِ
So the kindness of a patron who once attended to me first passed me by,
So the righteousness of my master, who used to favour me,
as though I were deficient in literary standing.
Passed me by, as if I fall short in sophistication,
أَلَمَّvisited بِيme طَيْفُa phantom of حِرْمَانٍdeprivation فَأَرَّقَنِيand kept me awake
أَلَمَّ بِي طَيْفُ حِرْمَانٍ فَأَرَّقَنِي
فَبِتُّso I spent the night مُعْتَنِقاًembracing للْهَمِّsorrow والكُرَبِand anguish
فَبِتُّ مُعْتَنِقاً للْهَمِّ والكُرَبِ
A phantom of deprivation visited me and kept me awake,
The spectre of deprivation has saddened me,
and I spent the night embracing sorrow and anguish.
To spend the night embracing anxiety and distress,
هذَاthis عَلىdespite خِدمَةٍservice مَاnot ذُمَّwas censured سالِفُهَاits past
هذَا عَلى خِدمَةٍ مَا ذُمَّ سالِفُهَا
ودَوْلَةٍand a dynasty لِيfor me فِيهاin it أَوْكَدُthe firmest السَّبَبِbond
ودَوْلَةٍ لِي فِيها أَوْكَدُ السَّبَبِ
All this, despite service whose past was never censured,
This - despite loyal service without prior flaws,
and a dynasty to which I have the firmest bond,
And a state where I held the strongest reasons,
وأنَّناand that we نُقَباءٌleaders شاعَbecame renowned نَصْرُهُمُtheir support
وأنَّنا نُقَباءٌ شاعَ نَصْرُهُمُ
نُلْقِيwe cast أَعادِيكُمُyour enemies فيin الحَرْبِwar بِالحَرَبِwith devastation
نُلْقِي أَعادِيكُمُ في الحَرْبِ بِالحَرَبِ
and though we are leaders whose aid is renowned:
For we are the chiefs whose victory is well-known,
we cast your enemies into ruin in war.
We meet your enemies in war with war,
ويَوْمَand the day of مَرْوانَMarwan أُفرِدْناwe were singled out بِمَشْهَدِهِfor witnessing it
ويَوْمَ مَرْوانَ أُفرِدْنا بِمَشْهَدِهِ
والفَخْرِand glory فِيهِin it بِنَصْرِthrough aiding السَّادَةِthe lords النُّجَبِthe noble-born
والفَخْرِ فِيهِ بِنَصْرِ السَّادَةِ النُّجَبِ
And on Marwan's day we were singled out to witness it,
And the day of Marwan we were singled out by his spectacle,
and to glory there in aiding the noble lords.
And pride in it by supporting the eminent masters,
مقالَةٌa claim تُوردُreport الأخْبارُthe chronicles صِحَّتَهاits truth
مقالَةٌ تُوردُ الأخْبارُ صِحَّتَها
مَوْجُودَةٌrecorded فِيin رِواياتٍaccounts وفِيand in كُتُبِbooks
مَوْجُودَةٌ فِي رِواياتٍ وفِي كُتُبِ
A claim whose truth the chronicles report,
A case whose news is proven correct,
recorded in accounts and in books.
Found in narrations and books,
إنif كانَwas ذلِكَthat مَزْحاًa jest مِنْfrom إمَامِan imam of هدىًguidance
إن كانَ ذلِكَ مَزْحاً مِنْ إمَامِ هدىً
فَحَبَّذاthen how welcome هُوَit مِنْas مَزْحٍjesting وَمِنْand as لَعِبِplay
فَحَبَّذا هُوَ مِنْ مَزْحٍ وَمِنْ لَعِبِ
If that was a jest from an imam of guidance,
If that is a jest from the Imam of guidance,
how welcome such jesting and such play!
Beautiful is his jest and play,
وَسَوْفَand will يأْتِيcome سَرِيعاًswiftly مِنْهُfrom him لِيto me عِوَضٌcompensation
وَسَوْفَ يأْتِي سَرِيعاً مِنْهُ لِي عِوَضٌ
كَمَاjust as أَتاهُمْit came to them بِلاwithout كَدٍّtoil وَلاَand without تَعَبِweariness
كَمَا أَتاهُمْ بِلا كَدٍّ وَلاَ تَعَبِ
And compensation from him will soon come to me,
And soon enough he will compensate me for it,
just as it came to them without toil or weariness.
Without hardship or fatigue,
فَالْعَيْشُthen life إنif كانَis هذَاthis عَنْfrom خَبِيٍّhidden رِضاًfavor
فَالْعَيْشُ إن كانَ هذَا عَنْ خَبِيٍّ رِضاً
والمَوْتُand death إنif كانَit is كُلُّall of الْمَوْتِdeath عَنْfrom غَضَبِanger
والمَوْتُ إن كانَ كُلُّ الْمَوْتِ عَنْ غَضَبِ
This is life, if it springs from hidden favor;
So life - if this is despite his pleasure - anger,
and death—utter death—if it springs from anger.
And all of death - if that is anger,
رَأَيْتُI have found وَجْهَthe face of الرِّضَاfavor أَعْلَىhigher لطَالِبِهِfor its seeker
رَأَيْتُ وَجْهَ الرِّضَا أَعْلَى لطَالِبِهِ
مِنَthan الصِّلاتِgifts إذَاwhen تُوبِعْنَbestowed successively وَالرُّتَبِand ranks
مِنَ الصِّلاتِ إذَا تُوبِعْنَ وَالرُّتَبِ
I have found a face of favor higher for its seeker
I saw the face of contentment, for its seeker,
than gifts bestowed in succession, or ranks.
Higher than optional prayers when accompanied by ranking,
لاdo not تَجْعَلَنِّيَmake me نَهْباًprey للْهُمُومِto worries فَقَدْfor indeed
لا تَجْعَلَنِّيَ نَهْباً للْهُمُومِ فَقَدْ
تَرَدَّدَwavered الظَّنُّexpectation بَيْنَbetween الرَّغْبِhope والرَّهَبِand fear
تَرَدَّدَ الظَّنُّ بَيْنَ الرَّغْبِ والرَّهَبِ
Do not make me prey to worries, for indeed
Do not make me easy prey for worries, for
expectation has wavered between hope and fear.
Suspicion has wavered between desire and fear,
أَقُولُI speak قَوْلَthe words of امْرِئٍa man صَحَّتْwas sound قَرِيحَتُهُhis poetic gift
أَقُولُ قَوْلَ امْرِئٍ صَحَّتْ قَرِيحَتُهُ
مَاnot زَالَceased فِيthroughout الدَّهْرِtime ذاpossessing كَدْحٍtoil وذَاand possessing دَأَبِperseverance
مَا زَالَ فِي الدَّهْرِ ذا كَدْحٍ وذَا دَأَبِ
I speak the words of a man whose poetic gift is sound,
I speak words of a wise man whose integrity was proven
who has never ceased to toil and persevere throughout his life.
He persisted in life with toil and purpose
سُبْحَانَglory be to مَنْHim who جَعَلَmade الآدَابَliterary learning فيfor عُصَبٍgroups
سُبْحَانَ مَنْ جَعَلَ الآدَابَ في عُصَبٍ
حَظَّاًgood fortune وصَيَّرَهاand made it غَيْظاًvexation عَلَىfor عُصَبِgroups
حَظَّاً وصَيَّرَها غَيْظاً عَلَى عُصَبِ
Glory to Him who made literary learning, for some groups,
Restrain your reigns, do not push it aggressively,
good fortune, and made it vexation for other groups.
No - by your life, livelihoods are not by pursuit,
ومِثْلُand the like of شَكْوَىthe complaint of حَكِيمٍa sage عَضَّهُbit him زَمَنٌtime
ومِثْلُ شَكْوَى حَكِيمٍ عَضَّهُ زَمَنٌ
كماas اشْتَكَىcomplained غَارِبٌa camel's withers مِنْof عَضَّةthe bite of القِتْبِthe packsaddle
كما اشْتَكَى غَارِبٌ مِنْ عَضَّة القِتْبِ
And I echo the complaint of a sage whom time has bitten,
Sustenance may come to one whose steeds did not tire,
as a camel's withers complain of the packsaddle's bite:
And sustenance be denied one who did not tire,
أَفْضِلْslacken عِنانَكَyour rein لاَdo not تَجْمَحْbolt بِهِwith it طلَباًin pursuit
أَفْضِلْ عِنانَكَ لاَ تَجْمَحْ بِهِ طلَباً
فلاfor no وعَيْشِكَby your life مَاnot الأرْزاقُlivelihoods بِالطَّلَبِthrough seeking
فلا وعَيْشِكَ مَا الأرْزاقُ بِالطَّلَبِ
Slacken your rein; do not race headlong in pursuit,
How difficult is the loss of habits from a king
for no—by your life—livelihoods do not come through seeking.
Whose precedence in gifts is the highest ranking,
قَدْmay يُرْزَقُbe provided for المَرْءُa man لَمْnot تَتْعَبْhave tired رَواحِلُهُhis mounts
قَدْ يُرْزَقُ المَرْءُ لَمْ تَتْعَبْ رَواحِلُهُ
ويُحْرَمُand is denied الرِّزْقَprovision مَنْone who لَمْnot يُؤْتَwas overcome مِنْthrough تَعَبِtoil
ويُحْرَمُ الرِّزْقَ مَنْ لَمْ يُؤْتَ مِنْ تَعَبِ
A man may receive provision though his mounts have not tired,
If I could restrain myself from his virtues,
while one not defeated by toil is denied provision.
And spreading them in the land, I would have fled,
مَاhow أَصْعَبَdifficult is الفَقْدَthe loss لِلْعَادَاتِof customary favors مِنْfrom مَلِكٍa king
مَا أَصْعَبَ الفَقْدَ لِلْعَادَاتِ مِنْ مَلِكٍ
تَقْدِيمُهُhis giving precedence فِيin الْعَطَايَاgifts أَشْرَفُthe noblest of الرُّتَبِranks
تَقْدِيمُهُ فِي الْعَطَايَا أَشْرَفُ الرُّتَبِ
How hard to lose a king's customary favors,
What do I have if I do not attain through him stature
whose giving one precedence in gifts is the noblest rank!
And his promise to be content in life from sustenance?
لَوْif كُنْتُI were أَمْلِكُI possess صَبْراًpatience عَنْaway from مَحاسِنِهِhis virtues
لَوْ كُنْتُ أَمْلِكُ صَبْراً عَنْ مَحاسِنِهِ
ونَشْرِهَاand proclaiming them فِيamong الْوَرَىmankind أمْعنْتُI would go far فِيin الْهَرَبِflight
ونَشْرِهَا فِي الْوَرَى أمْعنْتُ فِي الْهَرَبِ
If I had the patience to forgo his virtues
I do hope for his kind sentiment,
and their proclamation among mankind, I would flee far away.
Fate allots and time turns,
ماwhat لِيfor me إذاif لَمْnot أَفُزْI gain مِنْهُfrom him بِمَنْزِلَةٍa position
ما لِي إذا لَمْ أَفُزْ مِنْهُ بِمَنْزِلَةٍ
وَعَوْدِهِand his return بِالرِّضَاwith favor فيin الْعَيْشِlife مِنْany أَرَبِdesire
وَعَوْدِهِ بِالرِّضَا في الْعَيْشِ مِنْ أَرَبِ
What have I, if I gain no standing with him
To whiten my face, erasing my sorrow,
and no return of his favor, to desire in life?
By spending white silver and gold,
إنِّيindeed I لآمُلُsurely hope مِنْهُfrom him حُسْنَthe goodness of عَطْفَتِهِhis kindness
إنِّي لآمُلُ مِنْهُ حُسْنَ عَطْفَتِهِ
فالحَظُّfor fortune مُقْتَسِمٌis apportioned وَالدَّهْرُand time ذُوhas عُقَبِturns
فالحَظُّ مُقْتَسِمٌ وَالدَّهْرُ ذُو عُقَبِ
I indeed hope for his gracious kindness,
As is the way of fate to always first,
for fortune is apportioned, and time has its turns,
Provide me with the sweetest milk,
حَتَّىuntil يُبَيِّضَhe whitens وَجْهِيmy face مُذْهباًdispelling حَزَنِيmy grief
حَتَّى يُبَيِّضَ وَجْهِي مُذْهباً حَزَنِي
بِالبَذْلِby bestowing لِلْفِضَّةِof silver الْبَيْضاءwhite والذَّهَبِand gold
بِالبَذْلِ لِلْفِضَّةِ الْبَيْضاء والذَّهَبِ
until he whitens my face, banishing my grief,
For I had preceded in praising him and succeeded by it,
by bestowing white silver and gold,
Truthful when kings are praised with lies,
كعادَةِas the custom of الدَّهْرِtime فِيin تَقْدِيمِهِadvancing him أبداًalways
كعادَةِ الدَّهْرِ فِي تَقْدِيمِهِ أبداً
رَضَعْتُI suckled مِنْهُfrom him بَدَرٍّwith flowing milk طَيِّبِsweet الحلَبِmilking
رَضَعْتُ مِنْهُ بَدَرٍّ طَيِّبِ الحلَبِ
as time has always done in granting him precedence.
So listen to praise that pleases the hearing of its vocalizer,
I have suckled from him flowing milk, sweet to draw.
Do not make the main point in poetry like a tail,
فَقَدْfor indeed سَبَقْتُI excelled بِمَدْحٍwith praise فِيهِof him فُزْتُI triumphed بِهِthrough it
فَقَدْ سَبَقْتُ بِمَدْحٍ فِيهِ فُزْتُ بِهِ
صِدْقٍtruthful إذَاwhen مُدِحَare praised الأمْلاكُkings بِالْكَذِبِwith lies
صِدْقٍ إذَا مُدِحَ الأمْلاكُ بِالْكَذِبِ
For I have excelled in praise of him, and triumphed through it—
Its words are like fiery words aflame in beauty,
truthful praise, when kings are praised with lies.
O you who would blame the morning drinker,
فَاسْمَعَso listen لِمَدْحٍto praise يَلَذُّdelights السَّمْعَthe ear مُنْشِدُهُits reciter
فَاسْمَعَ لِمَدْحٍ يَلَذُّ السَّمْعَ مُنْشِدُهُ
لاdo not تَجْعَلmake الرَّأْسَthe head فِيin الأَشْعَارِpoetry كَالذَّنَبِlike the tail
لا تَجْعَل الرَّأْسَ فِي الأَشْعَارِ كَالذَّنَبِ
So listen to praise whose reciter delights the ear;
Come with the face of contentment in the moment of anger,
do not make the head in poetry equal to the tail.
No - by He from whom you are a blessing that filled,
مُشَبَّهٌlikened لَفْظُهُits wording فِيin حُسْنِthe beauty of مَذْهَبِهِits manner
مُشَبَّهٌ لَفْظُهُ فِي حُسْنِ مَذْهَبِهِ
بِلَفْظِto the wording of شِعْرٍverse بِنَارِwith the fire of الحُسْنِbeauty مُلْتَهِبِablaze
بِلَفْظِ شِعْرٍ بِنَارِ الحُسْنِ مُلْتَهِبِ
Its wording, in the beauty of its manner, resembles
The width of the country and the packs on the hump,
the wording of verse ablaze with beauty's fire:
Among your servants, if you examined them,
ياO مَنْyou who يُحَمِّلُmakes bear ذَنْبَthe guilt of الرَّاحِwine شَارِبَهَاits drinker
يا مَنْ يُحَمِّلُ ذَنْبَ الرَّاحِ شَارِبَهَا
أَقْبِلْcome forward بوَجْهِwith the face of الرِّضَاfavor فِيin ساعةthe hour of الغَضَبِanger
أَقْبِلْ بوَجْهِ الرِّضَا فِي ساعة الغَضَبِ
O you who lay wine's guilt upon its drinker,
None are less than me, in provision or youth,
come with a face of favor in the hour of anger.
لاno وَالَّذيby Him who أَنْتَyou are مِنْهُfrom Him نِعْمَةٌa blessing مَلأَتْhas filled
لا وَالَّذي أَنْتَ مِنْهُ نِعْمَةٌ مَلأَتْ
عُرْضَthe breadth of البِلادِthe lands وحَلَّتْand loosened حَبُوةَthe binding of النُّوَبِcalamities
عُرْضَ البِلادِ وحَلَّتْ حَبُوةَ النُّوَبِ
No, by Him from whom you are a blessing that has filled
the breadth of the lands and loosened calamities' binding,
ماnot فِيamong عَبِيدِكَyour servants إِنْif فَتَّشْتَyou examine أَمْرَهُمُtheir affairs
ما فِي عَبِيدِكَ إِنْ فَتَّشْتَ أَمْرَهُمُ
أَقَلُّless مِنِّيَthan I فِيin رِزْقِيmy livelihood وَفِيand in نَشَبِيmy property
أَقَلُّ مِنِّيَ فِي رِزْقِي وَفِي نَشَبِي
among your servants, if you examine their affairs, none
has less than I in livelihood and property.
Partial English translation: 61 of 66 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1