خَلُقَgrew worn الشَبابُyouth وَشِرَّتيand my impetuous vigor لَمhas not تُخلَقِworn out
خَلُقَ الشَبابُ وَشِرَّتي لَم تُخلَقِ
وَرَمَيتُand I shot فيat غَرَضِthe target of الزَمانِtime بِأَفوَقِwith a broken-nocked arrow
وَرَمَيتُ في غَرَضِ الزَمانِ بِأَفوَقِ
Youth has worn out, but my impetuous vigor has not.
Youth was created, but not my naughtiness,
Youth has frayed and faded, yet my spirit remains unfrayed,
And I shot at time's target with a broken-nocked arrow.
And I shot arrows at the target of time.
Though I have shot at Time's target with an arrow broken and decayed.
تَقَعُfall السِهامُthe arrows وَرائَهُbeyond it وَكَأَنَّهُand as though it were
تَقَعُ السِهامُ وَرائَهُ وَكَأَنَّهُ
أَثَرَon the trail of الخَوالِفِthe stragglers طالِبٌa pursuer لَمhas not يَلحَقِcaught up
أَثَرَ الخَوالِفِ طالِبٌ لَم يَلحَقِ
The arrows fall beyond it, and it seems
The arrows fall behind it as though
My shafts fall short of the mark, as though they were
a pursuer on the stragglers' trail who never caught up.
It were the track of ants that couldn't be reached.
Seeking those left behind, unable to catch the fleeing blur.
وَأَرىand I see قُوايَmy powers تَكاءَدَتهاhas overburdened them رَيثَةٌsluggishness
وَأَرى قُوايَ تَكاءَدَتها رَيثَةٌ
فَإِذاso when بَطَشتُI strike بَطَشتُI strike رِخوَfeeble المِرفَقِin the elbow
فَإِذا بَطَشتُ بَطَشتُ رِخوَ المِرفَقِ
And I see my powers weighed down by sluggishness;
And I see my strength diminished by laziness,
I see my strength besieged by a dragging slowness,
so when I strike, I strike with a feeble elbow.
Then when I exert it, it is flabby at the elbow joint.
So when I strike, I strike with a feeble, slackened elbow.
وَلَقَدand indeed غَدَوتُI set out at dawn بِدُستُبانٍwith a falconer's glove مُعلَمٍdecorated
وَلَقَد غَدَوتُ بِدُستُبانٍ مُعلَمٍ
صَخِبِloud with الجَلاجِلِthe bells فيon الوَظيفِthe shank مُسَبَّقِfitted with jesses
صَخِبِ الجَلاجِلِ في الوَظيفِ مُسَبَّقِ
Indeed, I set out at dawn with a decorated falconer's glove,
And I went out early with marked, known weapons
Yet often I went forth early with a distinguished falcon,
and a jessed bird, his shank loud with jingling bells:
Of noisy, clanking chains, already prepared.
Bells clamoring upon its shank, always first in the race.
حُرٌّnoble صَنَعناهُwe trained him لِتُحسِنَso that it may excel كَفُّهُhis talon
حُرٌّ صَنَعناهُ لِتُحسِنَ كَفُّهُ
عَمَلَthe work of الرَفيقَةِthe deft one وَاِستِلابَand the snatching of الأَخرَقِthe clumsy one
عَمَلَ الرَفيقَةِ وَاِستِلابَ الأَخرَقِ
a noble bird we trained so that his talon might excel
A free man whose palm we made skillful
A noble bird we trained, that his talons might master
at a deft hand's work and a bungler's snatching.
At woman's work, and gaining booty from the coward.
The gentle touch of a friend and the violent snatch of a brute.
يَجلوclears away القَذىthe motes بِعَقيقَتَينِwith two agates اِكتَنَّتاboth sheltered themselves
يَجلو القَذى بِعَقيقَتَينِ اِكتَنَّتا
بِذَراin the shelter of سَليمِsound الجَفنِthe eyelid غَيرَnot مُخَرَّقِpierced
بِذَرا سَليمِ الجَفنِ غَيرَ مُخَرَّقِ
He clears the motes with two agates sheltered
It removes grit with two dear pupils
He clears his sight with twin agate eyes, sheltered deep
beneath the cover of sound, unpierced eyelids.
Of the eyelids of Salim, not pierced.
Beneath the brow of a sound eyelid, unpierced and whole.
أَلقىhe shed زَآبِرَهُhis down وَأَخلَقَand wore out بَزَّةًa garment
أَلقى زَآبِرَهُ وَأَخلَقَ بَزَّةً
كانَتthat was حِياكَةَthe weaving of صانِعٍa craftsman مُتَنَوِّقِmeticulous
كانَت حِياكَةَ صانِعٍ مُتَنَوِّقِ
He shed his down and wore a garment threadbare
It cast off its burdens and made a cloak
He cast off his molting down and wore out his old garb,
that had been woven by a meticulous craftsman.
That had been tailored by a careful artisan.
Which was the weaving of a craftsman of exquisite skill.
فَكَأَنَّهُso he seems مُتَدَرِّعٌclad in armor ديباجَةًbrocade
فَكَأَنَّهُ مُتَدَرِّعٌ ديباجَةً
عَنabove قالِصِshortened التُبّانِthe breeches غَيرَnot مُسَوَّقِhaving leg-coverings
عَن قالِصِ التُبّانِ غَيرَ مُسَوَّقِ
So he seems to be armored in brocade
So it is as though armored in brocade
He seems now armored in a coat of shimmering brocade,
above short breeches, with his shanks uncovered.
From an uncompressed mattress, not patched.
Wearing short breeches that leave the shank bare.
وَإِذاand when شَهِدتَyou attend بِهِwith him الوَقيعَةَthe attack أَقلَعَتlifts
وَإِذا شَهِدتَ بِهِ الوَقيعَةَ أَقلَعَت
عَنهُfrom him الغَيابَةُthe obscuring veil وَهوَand he حُرُّnoble in proving himself المِصدَقِthe test of truth
عَنهُ الغَيابَةُ وَهوَ حُرُّ المِصدَقِ
And when you take him to the attack, the veil lifts
And if you witness it in battle, flight
And when you witness him in the fray, the dust clears
from him, and he proves himself truly noble.
Leaves it, while it remains valiantly truthful.
To reveal him, striking true and bold in the attack.
فَتَرىthen you see الإِوَزَّthe geese فُوَيتَjust beyond خَطمِthe beak of مُشَيَّعٍa fearless one
فَتَرى الإِوَزَّ فُوَيتَ خَطمِ مُشَيَّعٍ
غَرثانَhungry أَنشاطِlithe الشَواكِلِin the flanks سَودَقِa falcon
غَرثانَ أَنشاطِ الشَواكِلِ سَودَقِ
Then you see the geese just beyond the beak of a fearless,
You see the lance avoid the nostril of its guide
You see the geese just before the beak of this valiant hunter,
hungry, lithe-flanked falcon.
Who urges on the active, black horses.
Famished, with flanks quivering, and eyes sharp as hawks.
يَعتامُhe selects جِلَّتَهاtheir largest وَيَقصُرُand cuts short شَؤوَهاtheir course
يَعتامُ جِلَّتَها وَيَقصُرُ شَؤوَها
بِمُؤَنَّفٍwith a tapering point سَلبِslender الشَباةِat the tip مُذَلَّقِsharpened
بِمُؤَنَّفٍ سَلبِ الشَباةِ مُذَلَّقِ
He chooses their largest and cuts short their flight
Their necks darken and their zeal shortens
He singles out the largest of the flock and cuts short their flight,
with a tapering point, slender and sharp.
At a cultivated, eloquent poet's satires,
With a tapered beak and talons honed to a deadly edge.
حَتّىuntil رَفَعناwe lifted قِدرَناour pot بِنِضائِهاwith their cooked meat
حَتّى رَفَعنا قِدرَنا بِنِضائِها
فَاللَحمُso the meat بَينَbetween مُؤَزَّرٍgirdled chunks وَمُوَشَّقِand cut into strips
فَاللَحمُ بَينَ مُؤَزَّرٍ وَمُوَشَّقِ
Until we lifted our pot with their cooked flesh;
Until we raised our worth through their shame
Until we hoisted our cooking pot, filled with their abundance,
the meat, some girdled, some sliced into strips.
So the flesh lies between being bound and ripped open.
The meat divided into distinct cuts and strips for drying.
هَذاthis أَميرُCommander المُؤمِنينَof the Faithful اِنتاشَنيrescued me
هَذا أَميرُ المُؤمِنينَ اِنتاشَني
وَالنَفسُand the soul بَينَbetween مُحَنجَرٍa throat-constriction وَمُخَنَّقِand strangulation
وَالنَفسُ بَينَ مُحَنجَرٍ وَمُخَنَّقِ
This Commander of the Faithful rescued me
By this Commander of the Faithful I was revived
It is the Commander of the Faithful who has rescued me,
while my life hung between choking and strangulation.
While my soul lies between choking and being strangled.
When my soul was caught between the throat and the noose.
فَاِقذِفso cast بِرَحلِكَyour saddle فيin جَنابِthe precinct of خَليفَةٍa caliph
فَاِقذِف بِرَحلِكَ في جَنابِ خَليفَةٍ
سَبّاقِforemost at غاياتٍgoals بِهاin them لَمhas not يُسبَقِbeen surpassed
سَبّاقِ غاياتٍ بِها لَم يُسبَقِ
So cast your saddle within the precinct of a caliph
So hurl your mount next to a caliph
So cast down your saddle in the sanctuary of a Caliph,
foremost at goals in which he has never been surpassed.
Who surpassed goals that none had surpassed before.
Who surpasses all goals, yet is himself unsurpassed.
نَفسيmy soul فِداأُكَa ransom for you يَومَon the day وابِقَone doomed مُنعَماًshown favor
نَفسي فِداأُكَ يَومَ وابِقَ مُنعَماً
لَولاbut for عَواطِفُthe tender impulses of حِلمِهِhis clemency لَمnot أُطلَقِI was freed
لَولا عَواطِفُ حِلمِهِ لَم أُطلَقِ
My soul be your ransom—that day, a doomed man was graced;
My soul be your ransom on a day of noble deed—
May my soul be your ransom on the day of Wabiq, O Benefactor;
but for the tender impulses of his clemency, I would not have been freed.
If not for the restraint of his patience, I would not be freed.
Were it not for the grace of his clemency, I would not be free.
حَرَّمتَyou forbade مِنof لَحميmy flesh عَلَيكَto yourself مُحَلَّلاًwhat was lawful
حَرَّمتَ مِن لَحمي عَلَيكَ مُحَلَّلاً
وَجَمَعتَand you gathered مِنfrom شَتّىscattered things إِلىto مُتَفَرِّقِdispersed things
وَجَمَعتَ مِن شَتّى إِلى مُتَفَرِّقِ
You forbade yourself what had been lawful of my flesh,
You forbade yourself my flesh though lawful to you
You forbade yourself the shedding of my lawful blood,
and brought together what was scattered and dispersed.
And gathered together from diverse places the scattered.
And gathered together the scattered fragments of my life.
إِنّاindeed we إِلَيكَtoward you مِنَfrom الصَليتِal-Salit فَداسِمٍthen Dasim
إِنّا إِلَيكَ مِنَ الصَليتِ فَداسِمٍ
طَلَعَclimbed النِجادَthe ridges بِناbearing us وَجيفُthe swift trot of الأَينُقِthe she-camels
طَلَعَ النِجادَ بِنا وَجيفُ الأَينُقِ
From al-Salit, then Dasim, we journeyed toward you;
We are charging from Sali towards you, intensely
We journeyed toward you from al-Salit and Dasim,
our she-camels' swift trot carried us up the ridges.
The noble souls and carrion of the sheep mounts.
As the trotting she-camels ascended the highlands with us.
يَتبَعنَthey follow مائِرَةَa swaying one المِلاطِin the flanks كَأَنَّماas though
يَتبَعنَ مائِرَةَ المِلاطِ كَأَنَّما
تَرنوshe gazes بِعَينَيwith the eyes of مُقلِتٍa bereaved dam لَمhas not تَفرَقِgrown frightened
تَرنو بِعَينَي مُقلِتٍ لَم تَفرَقِ
They follow a swaying-flanked she-camel, as though
They follow the course of sodden fur as though
They follow a mare with quivering flanks, gazing out
she gazed with the eyes of a bereaved dam, not yet frightened:
The eyes of a short-necked ewe were focused on it.
With the eyes of a wild doe that knows no fear.
خَنساءُa snub-nosed wild cow تَرعىtending جَوذَراًa calf بِخَميلَةٍin a thicket
خَنساءُ تَرعى جَوذَراً بِخَميلَةٍ
وَبِهاand within her إِلَيهِfor him صَبابَةٌyearning كَالأَولَقِlike madness
وَبِها إِلَيهِ صَبابَةٌ كَالأَولَقِ
a snub-nosed wild cow tending a calf in a thicket,
Khanssa tends a small spark with dried wood
A snub-nosed doe nursing her fawn in a lush thicket,
and her yearning for him is like madness.
And by it for him a blaze like burnt patches.
Bound to him with a love as fierce as madness.
حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen وَجَدَتهُshe found him لَمdid not تَرَshe see عِندَهُbeside him
حَتّى إِذا وَجَدَتهُ لَم تَرَ عِندَهُ
إِلّاexcept مَجَرَّthe drag-mark of إِهابِهِhis hide المُتَمَزِّقِtorn
إِلّا مَجَرَّ إِهابِهِ المُتَمَزِّقِ
Until, when she found him, she saw nothing there
Until when she found him, she did not see with him
Until she found him, and saw nothing remaining
but the drag-mark of his torn hide.
Anything but the worn edge of his tattered cloak.
But the trail of his torn and scattered hide.
يَأبىdenies لِهارونَto Harun الخِلافَةَthe caliphate عُنصُرٌa lineage
يَأبى لِهارونَ الخِلافَةَ عُنصُرٌ
مَحضٌpure تَمَكَّنَbecame firmly rooted فيin المُصاصِthe choicest stock المُعرِقِdeep-rooted
مَحضٌ تَمَكَّنَ في المُصاصِ المُعرِقِ
A lineage denies Harun the caliphate—
Unser refuses the caliphate to Harun
A pure lineage secures the Caliphate for Harun alone,
pure, firmly rooted in the choicest ancestral stock.
With pure, rooted establishment in the bloody incisors.
An essence unblemished, deep-rooted in noble ancestry.
مَلِكٌa king تَطيبُare pleasing طِباعُهُhis dispositions وَمِزاجُهُand his temperament
مَلِكٌ تَطيبُ طِباعُهُ وَمِزاجُهُ
عَذبُsweet المَذاقِto the taste عَلىon فَمِthe mouth of المُتَذَوِّقِthe taster
عَذبُ المَذاقِ عَلى فَمِ المُتَذَوِّقِ
A king whose character and temperament are pleasant,
A king whose nature and constitution are pleasant,
A King of distinct character and tempered nature,
sweet to the taste in the taster's mouth.
Sweet to the taste in the mouth of the taster.
Sweet to the taste of any who would test his worth.
يَلقىhe faces جَميعَall الأَمرِaffairs وَهوَwhile he مُقَسَّمٌis divided
يَلقى جَميعَ الأَمرِ وَهوَ مُقَسَّمٌ
بَينَbetween المَناسِكِpilgrimage rites وَالعَدُوِّand the enemy الموفِقِsure-aimed
بَينَ المَناسِكِ وَالعَدُوِّ الموفِقِ
He faces every affair, while divided
He takes on every matter while occupied
He confronts all affairs, dividing his attention
between pilgrimage rites and the sure-aimed enemy.
Between rituals and the successful enemy.
Between sacred rituals and the crushing of foes.
يَحميكَprotects you مِمّاfrom what تَستَسِرُّyou keep secret بِفِعلِهِin doing it
يَحميكَ مِمّا تَستَسِرُّ بِفِعلِهِ
ضَحِكاتُthe smiles of وَجهٍa face لاnot يُريبُكَmakes you uneasy مُشرِقِradiant
ضَحِكاتُ وَجهٍ لا يُريبُكَ مُشرِقِ
You are guarded against what you would do in secret
It protects you from what you hide in doing
He protects you from the consequences of your secret deeds,
by smiles of a radiant face that causes you no unease.
The smiles of a face that does not make you doubt when shining.
With the smiles of a radiant face that casts no doubt.
حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen أَمضىhe puts into effect عَزيمَةَthe firm resolve of رَأيِهِhis judgment
حَتّى إِذا أَمضى عَزيمَةَ رَأيِهِ
أَخَذَتit seizes بِسَمعِthe hearing of عَدُوِّهِhis enemy وَالمَنطِقِand speech
أَخَذَت بِسَمعِ عَدُوِّهِ وَالمَنطِقِ
Until, when he puts his firm decision into effect,
Until when its purpose is resolved, it takes
But when he executes the resolve of his judgment,
it seizes his enemy's hearing and speech.
Both the hearing of its enemy and logic.
It seizes the hearing and speech of his enemy.
إِنّيindeed I حَلَفتُhave sworn عَلَيكَconcerning you جَهدَthe utmost force of أَلِيَّةٍan oath
إِنّي حَلَفتُ عَلَيكَ جَهدَ أَلِيَّةٍ
قَسَماًan oath بِكُلِّby every مُقَصِّرٍone trimming his hair وَمُحَلِّقِand one shaving his head
قَسَماً بِكُلِّ مُقَصِّرٍ وَمُحَلِّقِ
Indeed, I have sworn concerning you with all an oath's force,
I swear to you by the effort of the loftiest
I have sworn a solemn oath regarding you,
an oath by every pilgrim who trims his hair or shaves his head:
Oath, by all who fall short and all who ascend.
By every pilgrim who trims his hair or shaves his head:
لَقَدِindeed اِتَّقَيتَyou have feared اللَهَGod حَقَّthe true measure of تُقاتِهِfear due to Him
لَقَدِ اِتَّقَيتَ اللَهَ حَقَّ تُقاتِهِ
وَجَهَدتَand you have strained نَفسَكَyourself فَوقَbeyond جَهدِthe effort of المُتَّقيthe God-fearing
وَجَهَدتَ نَفسَكَ فَوقَ جَهدِ المُتَّقي
you have indeed feared God as He rightly should be feared,
You have revered God as is due His reverence
That you have feared God with true and righteous fear,
and strained yourself beyond the effort of the God-fearing.
And strived, yourself, beyond the effort of the reverent.
And strived beyond the striving of the most pious.
وَأخَفتَand you have terrified أَهلَthe people of الشِركِpolytheism حَتّىuntil إِنَّهُindeed it is
وَأخَفتَ أَهلَ الشِركِ حَتّى إِنَّهُ
لَتَخافُكَsurely fear you النُطَفُthe seed-drops الَّتيwhich لَمhave not تُخلَقِbeen created
لَتَخافُكَ النُطَفُ الَّتي لَم تُخلَقِ
And you have so terrified the people of polytheism
You frightened the idolaters until indeed
You have struck such terror into the hearts of polytheists,
that even seed-drops not yet created surely fear you.
The liquid drops fear you that are not yet created.
That the very seed yet unformed in the womb fears you.
وَبِضاعَةُand the merchandise of الشُعَراءِthe poets إِنif أَنفَقتَهاyou promote it
وَبِضاعَةُ الشُعَراءِ إِن أَنفَقتَها
نَفَقَتit sells وَإِنand if أَكسَدتَهاyou make it unsaleable لَمdoes not تَنفُقِsell
نَفَقَت وَإِن أَكسَدتَها لَم تَنفُقِ
And the poets' merchandise—if you give it currency,
And the merchandise of poets, if you spend it
The merchandise of poets, if you but grant it currency,
it sells; but if you make it unsaleable, it will not sell.
It is spent; and if you make it worthless, it has no value.
Will prosper; but if you spurn it, it holds no value.
Sol 6.1