كُنتُI was مِنَthrough الحُبِّlove فيin ذُرىthe heights نيقِof a mountain peak
كُنتُ مِنَ الحُبِّ في ذُرى نيقِ
أَرودُI roam مِنهُwithin it مَرادَthe roaming مَوموقِof one beloved
أَرودُ مِنهُ مَرادَ مَوموقِ
In love I stood upon a mountain's heights,
I was of love in the bloom of youth
I stood upon the highest crest of love's domain,
roaming its haunts as one beloved roams.
Seeking my desire, hopeful
Seeking a realm the beloved's heart would deign.
مَجالُthe range عَينيof my eye فيin يانِعٍlush زاهِرِflowering الthe
مَجالُ عَيني في يانِعٍ زاهِرِ ال
رَوضِgarden وَشُربيand my drinking مِنfrom غَيرِthe absence of تَرنيقِcloudiness
رَوضِ وَشُربي مِن غَيرِ تَرنيقِ
My eye ranged through the lush, flowering
My eyes roamed a blooming garden
My eyes wandered freely over ripe, blooming grounds,
garden, and my drink was unclouded,
And I drank without affectation
Drinking from a garden where clear water abounds.
حَتّىuntil نَفانيbanished me عَنهُfrom him تَخَلُّقُthe fabrication of واa slanderer (first part)
حَتّى نَفاني عَنهُ تَخَلُّقُ وا
شٍa slanderer (completion) كِذبَةًa lie لَفَّهاhe wrapped it بِتَذويقِwith embellishment
شٍ كِذبَةً لَفَّها بِتَذويقِ
until a slanderer's fabrication drove me away from him—
Until dishonesty estranged us
Until I was banished by the fabrications of a spy,
a lie he had wrapped in embellishment.
Which she covered in sweet talk
A slanderer who wrapped in artifice his lie.
جِئتُI came قَفاon the heels of ماwhat نِمتُهُI divulged it (uncertain reading) مُعتَذِراًapologizing
جِئتُ قَفا ما نِمتُهُ مُعتَذِراً
قَدalready فَتَّرَتit softened مِنهُsomething of him بَعدَafter تَخريقِharshness
قَد فَتَّرَت مِنهُ بَعدَ تَخريقِ
I came after what I had divulged [reading uncertain], apologizing;
I came back, no longer sleeping
I came to answer for what was spun while I slept,
it had softened him after harshness.
Excuses failed after the break
Apologizing for tattered falsehoods I never kept.
ياO أَيُّهاyou المُبطِلونَthose dismissing مَعذِرَتيmy excuse
يا أَيُّها المُبطِلونَ مَعذِرَتي
أَراكُمُmay He show you اللَهُGod وَجهَgrounds for تَصديقِbelief
أَراكُمُ اللَهُ وَجهَ تَصديقِ
O you who dismiss my excuse,
O you who deny my excuses
O you who declare my excuses void and untrue,
may God show you grounds for believing it.
May God show you the face of truth
May God reveal the face of truth to you.
نَمَّbetrayed بِماabout what كُنتُI used to لاnot أَبوحُdivulge بِهِabout it
نَمَّ بِما كُنتُ لا أَبوحُ بِهِ
عَلىon لِسانٍa tongue بِالدَمعِwith tears مِنطيقِeloquent
عَلى لِسانٍ بِالدَمعِ مِنطيقِ
What I would not divulge was betrayed
He slept with what I wouldn't confess
Betrayed was the secret I swore not to speak,
on a tongue eloquent with tears,
With a tearful tongue that spoke
By a tongue of tears, eloquent down my cheek.
شَوقاًout of longing إِلىfor حُسنِthe beauty of صورَةٍa form ظَفِرَتshe obtained
شَوقاً إِلى حُسنِ صورَةٍ ظَفِرَت
مِنfrom سَلسَبيلِSalsabil الجِنانِParadise بِالريقِsaliva
مِن سَلسَبيلِ الجِنانِ بِالريقِ
in longing for a lovely form that had won
Yearning for the beauty of an image
Longing for a beautiful form that has gained
its saliva from Paradise's Salsabil.
That my wrists obtained with charm
The nectar of Paradise within her saliva contained.
وَصيفُa young servant كَأسٍof the winecup مُحَدِّثٌa conversationalist وَلَهاand she has
وَصيفُ كَأسٍ مُحَدِّثٌ وَلَها
تيهُthe conceit of مُغَنٍّa singer وَظُرفُand the wit of زِنديقِa heretic
تيهُ مُغَنٍّ وَظُرفُ زِنديقِ
A young cupbearer, a conversationalist, endowed with
The summer goblet of a conversationalist
A cupbearer who converses with captivating art,
a singer's conceit and a heretic's wit.
The ignorance of a singer, the manners of an atheist
With a singer's pride and a charming rogue’s heart.
تَشوبُshe mingles ذُلّاًhumility بِعِزَّةٍwith pride فَلَهاand hers is
تَشوبُ ذُلّاً بِعِزَّةٍ فَلَها
ذُلُّthe humility of مُحِبٍّa lover وَعِزُّand the pride of مَعشوقِone beloved
ذُلُّ مُحِبٍّ وَعِزُّ مَعشوقِ
She mingles humility with pride, and has
Humbled with glory, she has
She mingles humbleness with a sovereign’s might,
a lover's humility and a beloved's pride.
The humiliation of a lover, the glory of the beloved
The lover’s submission and the beloved’s height.
وَرِدفُهاand her rump كَالكَثيبِlike a sand dune نيطَwas joined إِلىto
وَرِدفُها كَالكَثيبِ نيطَ إِلى
خَصرٍa waist رَقيقِdelicate in اللِحاءِskin مَمشوقِgracefully slender
خَصرٍ رَقيقِ اللِحاءِ مَمشوقِ
And her rump, like a sand dune, is joined to
Her buttocks like a sand dune
Her hips are like a sand dune, heavy and wide,
a delicately skinned, gracefully slender waist.
Above a delicate, smooth waist
Attached to a waist, slender and purified.
أَمشيI walk إِلىto جَنبِهاher side أُزاحِمُهاI press against her
أَمشي إِلى جَنبِها أُزاحِمُها
عَمداًdeliberately وَماalthough there is no بِالطَريقِon the road مِنany ضيقِnarrowness
عَمداً وَما بِالطَريقِ مِن ضيقِ
I walk beside her, pressing against her
I walk beside her, nudging her
I walk by her side, pressing close in the lane,
deliberately, though the road is not narrow.
Intentionally, though the road isn't narrow
On purpose—though the road is a broad, open plain.
كَقَولِlike the saying of كِسرىKisra فيماin what تَمَثَّلَهُhe quoted as a proverb
كَقَولِ كِسرى فيما تَمَثَّلَهُ
مِنamong فُرَصِthe opportunities of اللِصِّthe thief ضَجَّةُthe uproar of السوقِthe marketplace
مِن فُرَصِ اللِصِّ ضَجَّةُ السوقِ
As Kisra said in a proverb he quoted:
Like Kisra's words about what he imagined
As Chosroes once said in a proverb well known:
'The market's uproar is an opportunity for a thief.'
Of the thief's opportunity in the clamour of the market
"The thief finds his chance when the market noise has grown."
فَالحَمدُso praise لِلَّهِto God ياO رَفاقَةُcompanions ماnot
فَالحَمدُ لِلَّهِ يا رَفاقَةُ ما
كُلُّevery مُحِبٍّlover أَيضاًalso بِمَرزوقِblessed with good fortune
كُلُّ مُحِبٍّ أَيضاً بِمَرزوقِ
So praise be to God, O companions: not
So praise God, O fellow
So praise be to God, O friends, for it seems,
every lover is likewise blessed.
Not every lover is also provided for
Not every lover is granted his dreams.
وَسَبسَبٍand many a broad plain قَدalready عَلَوتُI crossed طامِسَهُits trackless expanse
وَسَبسَبٍ قَد عَلَوتُ طامِسَهُ
بِناقَةٍon a she-camel فوقَةٍsuperior مِنَamong النوقِthe she-camels
بِناقَةٍ فوقَةٍ مِنَ النوقِ
And many a broad waste—I crossed its trackless reaches
With a bracelet I surmounted its clasp
Upon a vast desert where trails are erased,
on a she-camel superior to other camels.
With a tall she-camel made for travelling
I rode a mount among camels most highly placed.
كَأَنَّماas though رِجلُهاher hind leg قَفاbehind يَدِهاher foreleg
كَأَنَّما رِجلُها قَفا يَدِها
رِجلُthe leg of وَليدٍa boy يَلهوhe plays بِدَبّوقِwith a ball
رِجلُ وَليدٍ يَلهو بِدَبّوقِ
As though her hind leg, following her foreleg,
As if her foot were her hand
Her hind leg follows her foreleg’s swift beat,
were the leg of a boy playing with a ball.
And the foot of a playing baby
Like a child playing games with nimble feet.
كَأَنَّماas though أُسلِمَتwere released قَوائِمُهاher legs
كَأَنَّما أُسلِمَت قَوائِمُها
إِذاwhen مَرَتهُنَّshe urged them on مِنfrom مَجانيقِcatapults
إِذا مَرَتهُنَّ مِن مَجانيقِ
As though her legs were launched,
As if her legs were surrendered
As though her limbs were launched into flight,
when she urged them on, from catapults,
When the catapults passed them
Like stones from a catapult fired with might.
إِلىtoward اِمرِئٍa man أُمُّthe mother of مالِهِhis wealth أَبَداًforever
إِلى اِمرِئٍ أُمُّ مالِهِ أَبَداً
تَسعىshe hastens بِجَيبٍwith a collar فيamong الناسِthe people مَشقوقِtorn
تَسعى بِجَيبٍ في الناسِ مَشقوقِ
toward a man whose wealth's mother is forever
To a man whose money's mother
Towards a man whose wealth is destined to part,
hastening among the people with her collar torn.
Always runs in people's torn pockets
Spilling from a pocket torn by a generous heart.
يَداهُhis two hands كَالأَرضِlike the earth وَالسَماءِand the sky فَماand no
يَداهُ كَالأَرضِ وَالسَماءِ فَما
تُنقِصُdiminishes قُطرَيهِhis two expanses كَفُّthe hand of مَخلوقِa created being
تُنقِصُ قُطرَيهِ كَفُّ مَخلوقِ
His hands are like earth and sky, and no
His hands like the earth and sky, so
His hands are like Earth and the Heavens vast,
creature's hand can diminish his two expanses.
No creature can reduce his rainfall
Diminished by no creature, holding fast.
فَإِنso if يَكُنthere is مَنanyone سِواهُother than him شَيءٌanything فَمِنthen from
فَإِن يَكُن مَن سِواهُ شَيءٌ فَمِن
هُhim وَهوَand he فيin ذاكَthat غَيرُnot مَسبوقِoutstripped
هُ وَهوَ في ذاكَ غَيرُ مَسبوقِ
If anyone else has anything, it comes from
If there is anything apart from Him
If others are something, from him they proceed,
him, and in that he has never been outstripped.
It is from Him, and in that He has no equal
While he remains first, unsurpassed in his deed.
فَكَمso how many تَرىyou see مِنamong مُجَوِّدٍthose who excel أَظهَرَrevealed الal-
فَكَم تَرى مِن مُجَوِّدٍ أَظهَرَ ال
عَبّاسُAbbas مِنهُin him طِباعَthe nature of مَستوقِcounterfeit coin
عَبّاسُ مِنهُ طِباعَ مَستوقِ
How many men of excellence you see unmasked by
So how many pretenders have shown
How many strive for glory, yet Abbas’s light
al-Abbas as counterfeit coin at heart!
What al-Abbas showed of natural disposition?
Reveals their alloy to be counterfeit and slight.
وَأَنتَand you إِذwhen لَيسَthere were no لِلقَضاءِfor fate حَصىًpebbles
وَأَنتَ إِذ لَيسَ لِلقَضاءِ حَصىً
غَيرُexcept أَكُفِّthe palms of الكُماةِarmed warriors وَالسوقِand shins
غَيرُ أَكُفِّ الكُماةِ وَالسوقِ
And you—when fate had no pebbles
And you, since fate has no limit
You stand firm when Fate has lost its reasoned way,
but warriors' palms and shins,
Apart from the palms and markets
Amidst the clash where warriors hold sway.
وَكانَand was بِالمُرهَفاتِwith keen-edged swords ضَربُهُمُtheir striking
وَكانَ بِالمُرهَفاتِ ضَربُهُمُ
ضَربَlike the striking of بَنيthe sons of الحَيِّthe tribe بِالمَخاريقِwith twisted-rag playthings
ضَربَ بَني الحَيِّ بِالمَخاريقِ
and their blows with keen-edged swords were
And their beating with clubs
Their strikes with the slender blades fall and rise,
like the tribe's boys striking with twisted rags—
Was like the Banu Hayy with catapults
Like children playing with rags in others’ eyes.
أَغلَبُa thick-necked lion أَوفىstood high عَلىupon بَراثِنِهِhis claws
أَغلَبُ أَوفى عَلى بَراثِنِهِ
يَفتَرُّhe bares a grin عَنrevealing كُلَّحِgrimly bared الشَباat the points روقِlong, protruding fangs
يَفتَرُّ عَن كُلَّحِ الشَبا روقِ
were a thick-necked lion poised upon his claws,
The strongest, truest to his insignia
A lion dominating, poised on his claws,
baring long fangs with grim, exposed points.
Bares his teeth from the gray hair of youth
Baring grim teeth that defy nature's laws.
كَأَنَّماas though عَينُهُhis eye إِذاwhen اِلتَهَبَتit blazed
كَأَنَّما عَينُهُ إِذا اِلتَهَبَت
بارِزَةَbulging الجَفنِat the eyelid عَينُthe eye of مَخنوقِa strangled man
بارِزَةَ الجَفنِ عَينُ مَخنوقِ
It was as though his eye, when it blazed,
As if, when his eyes blaze
As if his eye, when it burns with ire,
bulging at the lid, were a strangled man's eye.
His protruding eyelids are those of a choked man
Bulges like a strangled man’s in the fire.
لَمّاwhen تَراءَوكَthey saw you قالَsaid قائِلُهُمtheir spokesman
لَمّا تَراءَوكَ قالَ قائِلُهُم
قَدindeed جاءَكُمhas come to you قابِضُthe captor of البَطاريقِthe patricians
قَد جاءَكُم قابِضُ البَطاريقِ
When they saw you, their spokesman said:
When they saw you, one of them said
When they saw you appear, their herald cried out:
'The captor of the patricians has come to you!'
The claw of the bullies has come to you
"The crusher of Patriarchs has come, have no doubt!"
فَاِنصَدَعواso they scattered وِجهَةًaway in a direction كَأَنَّهُمُas though they were
فَاِنصَدَعوا وِجهَةً كَأَنَّهُمُ
جُناةُperpetrators of شَرٍّevil يُنفَونَare banished بِالبوقِby the trumpet
جُناةُ شَرٍّ يُنفَونَ بِالبوقِ
So they scattered away, as though they were
So they cracked apart, as if they
They scattered in panic, breaking their line,
evildoers banished by the trumpet,
Were evil-doers, driven away by the horn
Like criminals chased by a trumpet’s sign.
لَمّاwhen تَداعىhe summoned a rally بِمَكَّةَin Mecca العاجِزُthe feeble one الthe
لَمّا تَداعى بِمَكَّةَ العاجِزُ ال
رَأيِjudgment عَلىupon ضِلَّةٍerror وَتَفريقِand division
رَأيِ عَلى ضِلَّةٍ وَتَفريقِ
when at Mecca the man rallied, feeble in
When the incapable one in Mecca went around
When the weak-minded one in Mecca made his plea,
judgment, intent on error and division.
Confused, without direction or composure
Calling for error and disunity,
سَجِيَّةٌan innate trait مِنكَof yours حُزتَهاyou acquired it عَنfrom أَبيAbu الal-
سَجِيَّةٌ مِنكَ حُزتَها عَن أَبي ال
فَضلِFadl فَماand not شُبتَهاyou mixed it بِتَرنيقِwith cloudiness
فَضلِ فَما شُبتَها بِتَرنيقِ
An inborn quality of yours, inherited from Abu al-
A bracelet of yours that you took from Abul-Fadl
You showed a nature from Abu al-Fadl gained,
Fadl, which you never sullied with cloudiness.
Which you didn't refine with polish
A pure legacy that you have never stained.
وَكانَand used to سَيفُthe sword of الرَبيعِal-Rabi يَأدِبُinvite to a feast ذاthe one possessing الthe
وَكانَ سَيفُ الرَبيعِ يَأدِبُ ذا ال
سَفهَةِfolly مِنهاfrom it وَراكِبَand the rider of الموقِstupidity
سَفهَةِ مِنها وَراكِبَ الموقِ
And al-Rabi's sword would invite to its feast the man
The sword of spring reprimanded
The sword of al-Rabi‘ was there to chastise
of folly there, and the rider of stupidity.
The foolish one, the rider of the she-camel
The foolish and clumsy in everyone’s eyes.
فَياso O لَهُfor him سُؤدُداًlordship خَلاwas exclusively reserved لِأَبيfor Abu الal-
فَيا لَهُ سُؤدُداً خَلا لِأَبي ال
فَضلِFadl لِغَمرِfor one ample in النِجادِthe sword-belt بِطريقِa patrician
فَضلِ لِغَمرِ النِجادِ بِطريقِ
Ah, what lordship was reserved for Abu al-
What a loss, the intimacy gone from Abul Fadl
Oh, what vast sovereignty Abu al-Fadl has won,
Fadl, that patrician of the ample sword-belt!
The path of salvation blocked
A noble leader, the sword-bearing son.
مِنhe who سَرَّgladdened آلَthe family of النَبِيِّthe Prophet فيin رُتَبٍranks
مِن سَرَّ آلَ النَبِيِّ في رُتَبٍ
قالَsaid لَهاto them اللَهُGod بِالتُقىthrough piety فوقيrise above!
قالَ لَها اللَهُ بِالتُقى فوقي
He who gladdened the Prophet's family in ranks
From the elite house of the Prophet in order
Who gladdened the Prophet's kin in their place,
to which God said, 'Through piety, rise above!'
To which God said, "Above you in piety"
Told by God through piety: "Ascend and grace."
ثُمَّthen جَرىran الفَضلُal-Fadl فَاِنطَوىand he sped on قُدُماًforward
ثُمَّ جَرى الفَضلُ فَاِنطَوى قُدُماً
دونَshort of مَداهُhis reach مِنfrom غَيرِthe absence of تَرهيقِoverstrain
دونَ مَداهُ مِن غَيرِ تَرهيقِ
Then al-Fadl raced and sped straight ahead,
So excellence came, feet wrapped up
Al-Fadl raced forward, swift and bold,
short of his reach, without being overstrained.
Before its extent, without swaggering
Covering the distance, unrestrained and uncontrolled.
فَقيلَso it was said راشاthey both feathered سَهماًan arrow تُرادُis sought بِهِwith it الthe
فَقيلَ راشا سَهماً تُرادُ بِهِ ال
غايَةُgoal وَالنَصلُand the arrowhead سابِقُpreceding الفوقِthe nock
غايَةُ وَالنَصلُ سابِقُ الفوقِ
So it was said: 'They both feathered an arrow intended for the
It was said, "An arrow whose target is the farthest"
It is said they feathered an arrow to fly,
goal, its point preceding its nock.'
Its arrowhead outpacing the tip
Seeking the goal with its head held high.
وَإِنَّand indeed عَبّاسَAbbas مِثلُlike والِدِهِhis father
وَإِنَّ عَبّاسَ مِثلُ والِدِهِ
لَيسَhe is not إِلىtoward غايَةٍa goal بِمَسبوقِoutstripped
لَيسَ إِلى غايَةٍ بِمَسبوقِ
And indeed Abbas, like his father,
And Abbas is just like his father
And Abbas is truly his father’s own peer,
is never outstripped in pursuit of a goal.
He is never surpassed on the path
Surpassed by no one in his career.
تَأَنَّقَtook exquisite care اللَهُGod حينَwhen صاغَكُماHe fashioned you both
تَأَنَّقَ اللَهُ حينَ صاغَكُما
فَفُقتُماso you both surpassed الناسَmankind أَيَّwhat great تَأنيقِrefinement
فَفُقتُما الناسَ أَيَّ تَأنيقِ
God took exquisite care when He fashioned you both,
God made you graceful in creation
God crafted you both with exquisite art,
so you surpassed mankind—what exquisite artistry!
You both lead the people in grace
Surpassing all men, set completely apart.
فَصَوَّرَso He shaped الفَضلَal-Fadl مِنfrom نَدىًgenerosity وَحِجىًand intellect
فَصَوَّرَ الفَضلَ مِن نَدىً وَحِجىً
وَأَنتَand you مِنfrom حِكمَةٍwisdom وَتَوفيقِand divine success
وَأَنتَ مِن حِكمَةٍ وَتَوفيقِ
He shaped al-Fadl from generosity and intellect,
He pictured al-Fadl with dew and shelter
He formed al-Fadl from wisdom and dew,
and you from wisdom and success.
You with wisdom and success
And you from guidance and judgment true.
Sol 6.1