لَمَكاسِرُindeed, the inner qualities of الحَسَنِal-Hasan بنِson of وَهبٍWahb أَطيَبُfiner
لَمَكاسِرُ الحَسَنِ بنِ وَهبٍ أَطيَبُ
وَأَمَرُّand more bitter فيon حَنَكِthe palate of الحَسودِthe envious man وَأَعذَبُand sweeter
وَأَمَرُّ في حَنَكِ الحَسودِ وَأَعذَبُ
Surely al-Hasan ibn Wahb's inner qualities are finer,
The cheeks of Hasan ibn Wahb are most fragrant,
and more bitter on the envious man's palate, yet sweeter.
And sweetest to bite for the envious, most delicious.
وَلَهُand he has إِذاwhen خَلُقَwears thin التَخَلُّقُaffected manners أَوor نَباfails
وَلَهُ إِذا خَلُقَ التَخَلُّقُ أَو نَبا
خُلُقٌa character كَرَوضِlike the meadow of الحَزنِthe uplands أَوor هُوَit أَخصَبُmore fertile
خُلُقٌ كَرَوضِ الحَزنِ أَو هُوَ أَخصَبُ
He has, when affected manners wear thin or fail,
When innate character or upbringing polish him,
a character like an upland meadow—or more fertile still.
He has a nature soft as meadows, or yet more fertile.
ضَرَبَتcarried بِهِwith him أُفُقَthe horizon of الثَناءِpraise ضَرائِبٌinnate traits
ضَرَبَت بِهِ أُفُقَ الثَناءِ ضَرائِبٌ
كَالمِسكِlike musk يُفتَقُis blended بِالنَدىwith generosity's dew وَيُطَيَّبُand is made fragrant
كَالمِسكِ يُفتَقُ بِالنَدى وَيُطَيَّبُ
Innate traits have borne him to the horizon of praise,
The horizons of praise strike him with flashes
like musk, blended with generosity's dew and made fragrant.
Like musk blown about by the breeze and scenting the air.
يَستَنبِطُdraws forth الروحَthe spirit اللَطيفَsubtle نَسيمُهاtheir breeze
يَستَنبِطُ الروحَ اللَطيفَ نَسيمُها
أَرَجاًas fragrance وَتُؤكَلُand are eaten بِالضَميرِin the inner mind وَتُشرَبُand are drunk
أَرَجاً وَتُؤكَلُ بِالضَميرِ وَتُشرَبُ
Their breeze draws forth the subtle spirit
The gentle spirit inhales his breath,
as fragrance; they are eaten and drunk in the mind.
A balm, to be drunk by the conscience and imbibed.
ذَهَبَتwent off بِمُذهَبِهِwith his gilded wealth السَماحَةُgenerosity فَاِلتَوَتso became tangled
ذَهَبَت بِمُذهَبِهِ السَماحَةُ فَاِلتَوَت
فيهِabout him الظُنونُconjectures أَمَذهَبٌa way of life? أَمor مُذهَبُsomething gilded
فيهِ الظُنونُ أَمَذهَبٌ أَم مُذهَبُ
Generosity carried off his gilded wealth, so conjectures grew tangled
Generosity went about in his manner of thought
about him: a way of life, or something gilded?
So that assumptions all went astray, led by its example.
وَرَأَيتُand I saw غُرَّتَهُhis radiant brow صَبيحَةَon the morning of نَكبَةٍa calamity
وَرَأَيتُ غُرَّتَهُ صَبيحَةَ نَكبَةٍ
جَلَلٍgrave فَقُلتُso I said أَبارِقٌa lightning flash? أَمor كَوكَبُa star
جَلَلٍ فَقُلتُ أَبارِقٌ أَم كَوكَبُ
And I saw his radiant brow on the morning of a calamity,
And I saw his cheek one bright morning of calamity
a grave one, and said: 'A lightning flash, or a star?'
In its majesty, and I said: lightning? or planet?
مَتَعَتrose and shone كَماas مَتَعَrose and shone الضُحىthe forenoon light فيamid حادِثٍa calamity
مَتَعَت كَما مَتَعَ الضُحى في حادِثٍ
داجٍdark كَأَنَّas though الصُبحَmorning فيهِin it مَغرِبُsunset
داجٍ كَأَنَّ الصُبحَ فيهِ مَغرِبُ
It rose and shone as the forenoon shines, amid a calamity
It gave joy, as the dawn gives joy in thick darkness,
so dark that morning within it seemed sunset.
As though the dawn in it were sunset.
يَفديهِmay ransom him قَومٌpeople أَحضَرَتhave brought forth أَعراضُهُمtheir reputations
يَفديهِ قَومٌ أَحضَرَت أَعراضُهُم
سوءَthe ugliness of المَعايِبِfaults وَالنَوالُand bounty مُغَيَّبُkept away
سوءَ المَعايِبِ وَالنَوالُ مُغَيَّبُ
May people be his ransom, whose reputations have brought forth
A folk ransom him whose honor
the ugliness of faults, while bounty is absent.
Evil aspersions have made to disappear and vanish.
مِنfrom كُلِّevery مُهراقِdrained of الحَياءِmodesty كَأَنَّماas though
مِن كُلِّ مُهراقِ الحَياءِ كَأَنَّما
غَطّىcovered غَديرَيthe two pools of وَجنَتَيهِhis two cheeks الطُحلُبُalgae
غَطّى غَديرَي وَجنَتَيهِ الطُحلُبُ
Each one drained of modesty, as though
As though every shred of decency
algae had covered the two pools of his cheeks.
Were mantled by its lake and gardens with duckweed.
مُتَدَسِّمُgrease-stained الثَوبَينِin both garments يَنظُرُwatches زادَهُhis food
مُتَدَسِّمُ الثَوبَينِ يَنظُرُ زادَهُ
نَظَرٌa gaze يُحَدِّقُهُthat encircles it وَخَدٌّand a cheek صُلَّبُrock-hard
نَظَرٌ يُحَدِّقُهُ وَخَدٌّ صُلَّبُ
His two garments grease-stained, his food is watched
The double-clad starer with his eyes boring
by a gaze that encircles it and a rock-hard cheek.
And cheeks held tight, looks to his provision,
فَإِذاso when طَلَبتُI sought لَدَيهِمُfrom them ماwhat لَمnot أَنَلI obtain
فَإِذا طَلَبتُ لَدَيهِمُ ما لَم أَنَل
أَدرَكتُI obtained مِنfrom جَدواهُhis bounty ماwhat لاnot أَطلُبُI seek
أَدرَكتُ مِن جَدواهُ ما لا أَطلُبُ
So when I sought from them what I failed to obtain,
So if I seek from them what I have not attained,
I obtained from his bounty what I did not ask for.
I gain from their absence what I do not seek.
ضَمَّjoined الفَتاءَyouth إِلىto الفُتُوَّةِchivalry بُردُهُhis mantle
ضَمَّ الفَتاءَ إِلى الفُتُوَّةِ بُردُهُ
وَسَقاهُand watered him وَسمِيُّthe first rain of الشَبابِyouth الصَيِّبُpouring copiously
وَسَقاهُ وَسمِيُّ الشَبابِ الصَيِّبُ
His mantle unites youth with chivalry,
His cloak gathered up youth and chivalry,
and youth's first copious rain has watered him.
The torrent fed him, and the shooting star gave him to drink,
وَصَفاand grew clear كَماas يَصفوshines clear الشِهابُthe shooting star وَإِنَّهُand indeed he
وَصَفا كَما يَصفو الشِهابُ وَإِنَّهُ
فيin ذاكَthat مِنfrom صِبغِthe dye of الحَياءِmodesty لَمُشرَبُsurely tinged
في ذاكَ مِن صِبغِ الحَياءِ لَمُشرَبُ
And he shines clear as a shooting star, yet he
Pure as the shooting stars are purified, truly in that,
is, in that clarity, surely tinged with modesty's dye.
In the dye of modesty he is steeped.
تَلقىyou meet السُعودَgood fortune بِوَجهِهِin his face وَتُحِبُّهُand love him
تَلقى السُعودَ بِوَجهِهِ وَتُحِبُّهُ
وَعَلَيكَand upon you مَسحَةُa trace of بِغضَةٍhatefulness فَتُحَبَّبُso you are made beloved
وَعَلَيكَ مَسحَةُ بِغضَةٍ فَتُحَبَّبُ
You meet good fortune in his face and love him;
Good fortune meets his face and loves him,
though you bear a trace of hatefulness, you are made beloved.
While you are touched with smear of hatred and so made lovable.
إِنَّindeed الإِخاءَbrotherhood وِلادَةٌbirth وَأَناand I اِمرُؤٌa man
إِنَّ الإِخاءَ وِلادَةٌ وَأَنا اِمرُؤٌ
مِمَّنfrom those whom أُواخيI take as brothers حَيثُwherever مِلتُI turn فَأُنجِبُand so beget noble offspring
مِمَّن أُواخي حَيثُ مِلتُ فَأُنجِبُ
Indeed, brotherhood is birth, and I am a man
Brotherhood's a nativity, and I'm a man who claims kinship
who, wherever I turn, begets noble offspring from those I take as brothers.
Wherever I'm congenial and so engender.
وَإِذاand when الرِجالُmen تَساجَلواvie with one another فيin مَشهَدٍan assembly
وَإِذا الرِجالُ تَساجَلوا في مَشهَدٍ
فَمُريحُthen one offering reassurance رَأيٍcounsel مِنهُمُamong them أَوor مُغرِبُone offering novel ideas
فَمُريحُ رَأيٍ مِنهُمُ أَو مُغرِبُ
And when men vie with one another in an assembly,
And when men bandy together in an assembly,
one offers reassuring counsel, another striking novelty.
He reconciles views or turns them aside.
أَحرَزتَyou secured خَصلَيهِboth its prizes إِلَيكَfor yourself وَأَقبَلَتand there came
أَحرَزتَ خَصلَيهِ إِلَيكَ وَأَقبَلَت
آراءُopinions قَومٍof men خَلفَbehind رَأيِكَyour judgment تُجنَبُled along
آراءُ قَومٍ خَلفَ رَأيِكَ تُجنَبُ
You have secured both prizes for yourself, and there come
You seized both traits for yourself, while men’s counsel
men's opinions, led along behind your judgment.
Came round behind your view, turned away.
وَإِذاand when رَأَيتُكَI see you وَالكَلامُand words لَآلِئٌpearls
وَإِذا رَأَيتُكَ وَالكَلامُ لَآلِئٌ
تُؤمٌtwins فَبِكرٌso some virgin ones فيin النِظامِthe string وَثَيِّبُand some previously wedded
تُؤمٌ فَبِكرٌ في النِظامِ وَثَيِّبُ
And when I see you, with words like pearls,
And when I see you, and words are pearls
paired, some virgin in the string and some already wed,
Strung, virgin and ripe in arrangement and threading,
فَكَأَنَّso as though قُسّاًQuss فيat عُكاظٍʿUkaz يَخطُبُdelivers an oration
فَكَأَنَّ قُسّاً في عُكاظٍ يَخطُبُ
وَكَأَنَّand as though لَيلىLayla الأَخيَلِيَّةَal-Akhyaliyya تَندُبُlaments
وَكَأَنَّ لَيلى الأَخيَلِيَّةَ تَندُبُ
it is as though Quss were orating at ʿUkaz,
You are like one making speeches in Okaz,
and as though Layla al-Akhyaliyya were lamenting,
Or Layla the poetess, elegizing,
وَكَثيرَand Kuthayyir عَزَّةَʿAzza يَومَon a day of بَينٍparting يَنسُبُsings of love
وَكَثيرَ عَزَّةَ يَومَ بَينٍ يَنسُبُ
وَاِبنَand Ibn المُقَفَّعِal-Muqaffaʿ فيin اليَتيمَةِal-Yatima يُسهِبُspeaks at length
وَاِبنَ المُقَفَّعِ في اليَتيمَةِ يُسهِبُ
and Kuthayyir ʿAzza were singing of love on a day of parting,
Or boastful Kuthayyir on the day of Bu‘ath, reciting ancestry,
and Ibn al-Muqaffaʿ were speaking at length in al-Yatima.
Or Ibn al-Muqaffac in al-Yatima waxing eloquent.
تَكسوyou clothe with الوَقارَdignity وَتَستَخِفُّand stir out of composure مُوَقَّراًa dignified man
تَكسو الوَقارَ وَتَستَخِفُّ مُوَقَّراً
طَوراًat times وَتُبكيand make weep سامِعينَlisteners وَتُطرِبُand inspire rapture
طَوراً وَتُبكي سامِعينَ وَتُطرِبُ
You clothe others in dignity, yet stir the dignified
You clothe dignity and take on with ease the dignified,
at times; you make listeners weep and enrapture them.
Now overwhelming, making hearers weep and tremble.
قَدalready جاءَناhas come to us الرَشَأُthe young gazelle الَّذيwhom أَهدَيتَهُyou gifted him
قَد جاءَنا الرَشَأُ الَّذي أَهدَيتَهُ
خَرِقاًbewildered وَلَوand had شِئناwe wished لَقُلناwe would have called المَركَبُthe mount
خَرِقاً وَلَو شِئنا لَقُلنا المَركَبُ
The young gazelle you gave us has arrived,
What you patched and sent back to us came
bewildered; had we wished, we would have called him 'the mount.'
A tatter—had we wished we might have said a ship!
لَدنُsupple البَنانِthe fingertips لَهُhe has لِسانٌa tongue أَعجَمٌforeign; inarticulate
لَدنُ البَنانِ لَهُ لِسانٌ أَعجَمٌ
خُرسٌmute مَعانيهِits meanings وَوَجهٌand a face مُعرِبُeloquent
خُرسٌ مَعانيهِ وَوَجهٌ مُعرِبُ
Soft-fingered, he has a foreign tongue,
The juice of creation has a mute tongue,
its meanings mute, and an eloquent face.
Dumb meanings, but a face so eloquent.
يَرنوhe gazes فَيَثلِمُso makes breaches فيin القُلوبِhearts بِطَرفِهِwith his glance
يَرنو فَيَثلِمُ في القُلوبِ بِطَرفِهِ
وَيَعِنُّand comes into view لِلنَظَرِbefore the gaze الحَرونِbalking فَيُصحِبُso it grows docile
وَيَعِنُّ لِلنَظَرِ الحَرونِ فَيُصحِبُ
He gazes, making breaches in hearts with his glance,
It ogles and with a glance breaks open hearts,
and appears before the balking gaze, which then grows docile.
Lingers for the amorous eye then accompanies.
قَدalready صَرَّفَdrank unmixed الرانونَthe gazers خَمرَةَthe wine of خَدِّهِhis cheek
قَد صَرَّفَ الرانونَ خَمرَةَ خَدِّهِ
وَأَظُنُّهاand I think it بِالريقِwith saliva مِنهُfrom him سَتُقطَبُwill be blended
وَأَظُنُّها بِالريقِ مِنهُ سَتُقطَبُ
The gazers have already drunk the wine of his cheek unmixed,
The ogler turned the wine of his cheek to a circulator,
and I think it will be blended with his saliva.
And I reckon because of the spittle in it, it will thicken.
حَمدٌpraise حُبيتَyou were endowed بِهِwith it وَأَجرٌand a reward حَلَّقَتsoared
حَمدٌ حُبيتَ بِهِ وَأَجرٌ حَلَّقَت
مِنfrom دونِهِbeneath it عَنقاءُthe phoenix of لَيلٍnight مُغرِبُfar-flying
مِن دونِهِ عَنقاءُ لَيلٍ مُغرِبُ
Praise bestowed upon you, and a reward—there has soared
Praise you were loved for, and reward that lifted
beneath it the far-flying phoenix of night.
Over it the necks of a darkening eve.
خُذهُtake it وَإِنand even if لَمnot يَرتَجِعreclaims مَعروفَهُhis kindness
خُذهُ وَإِن لَم يَرتَجِع مَعروفَهُ
مَحضٌa pure man إِذاwhen مُزِجَare blended الرِجالُmen مُهَذَّبُrefined
مَحضٌ إِذا مُزِجَ الرِجالُ مُهَذَّبُ
Take it, even though his kindness is not reclaimed
Take it, though the favor be not returned,
by one pure and refined when other men are blended.
Unadulterated, when men mix, refined.
وَاِنفَحand waft لَناto us مِنfrom طيبِthe fragrance of خَيمِكَyour innate nature نَفحَةًa breath
وَاِنفَح لَنا مِن طيبِ خَيمِكَ نَفحَةً
إِنif كانَتِare الأَخلاقُcharacter traits مِمّاamong what توهَبُis bestowed
إِن كانَتِ الأَخلاقُ مِمّا توهَبُ
And waft us a breath from the fragrance of your nature,
Waft us a scent from the perfume of your tents
if character traits are among the things bestowed.
If character itself is something granted.
Sol 6.1