أَهدِoffer الدُموعَthe tears إِلىto دارٍa dwelling وَماصِحَهاand be true to her
أَهدِ الدُموعَ إِلى دارٍ وَماصِحَها
فَلِلمَنازِلِso, for dwellings سَهمٌa share فيin سَوافِحِهاtheir flowing streams
فَلِلمَنازِلِ سَهمٌ في سَوافِحِها
Offer tears to a dwelling, and be true to her;
for dwellings have a share in the tears that pour.
أَشلىunleashed الزَمانُTime عَلَيهاagainst her كُلَّevery حادِثَةٍcalamity
أَشلى الزَمانُ عَلَيها كُلَّ حادِثَةٍ
وَفُرقَةٍand separation تُظلِمُdarkens الدُنياthe world لِنازِحِهاfor one departing from her
وَفُرقَةٍ تُظلِمُ الدُنيا لِنازِحِها
Time unleashed against her every calamity
and every separation that darkens the world for one who leaves her.
حَلَفتُI swore حَقّاًtruly لَقَدindeed قَلَّتdiminished مَلاحَتُهاher beauty
حَلَفتُ حَقّاً لَقَد قَلَّت مَلاحَتُها
بِمَنwith those who تُخُرِّمَwere carried off عَنهاfrom her مِنamong مَلائِحِهاher lovely ones
بِمَن تُخُرِّمَ عَنها مِن مَلائِحِها
I swore truly: her beauty has indeed dwindled
with those of her lovely ones who were carried away from her.
إِنif تَبرَحاyou two depart وَتَباريحيand my torments عَلىupon كَبِدٍa liver
إِن تَبرَحا وَتَباريحي عَلى كَبِدٍ
ماnot تَستَقِرُّrests فَدَمعيthen my tears غَيرُnot بارِحِهاleaving her
ما تَستَقِرُّ فَدَمعي غَيرُ بارِحِها
If you two depart, while my torments weigh upon a liver
that never rests, my tears will never leave her.
دارٌa dwelling أُجِلُّI revere الهَوىlove عَنbeyond أَنthat أُلِمَّI stop briefly بِهاat her
دارٌ أُجِلُّ الهَوى عَن أَن أُلِمَّ بِها
فيin الرَكبِthe caravan إِلّاunless وَعَينيand my eye مِنamong مَنائِحِهاher loaned milch-beasts
في الرَكبِ إِلّا وَعَيني مِن مَنائِحِها
A dwelling: I honor love too much to stop there
with the caravan unless my eye is among her milk-yielding gifts.
إِذاwhen وَصَفتُI describe لِنَفسيto my soul هَجرَهاforsaking her جَمَحَتbroke loose
إِذا وَصَفتُ لِنَفسي هَجرَها جَمَحَت
وَدائِعُthe deposits الشَوقِof longing فيin أَقصىthe deepest جَوانِحِهاits inner ribs
وَدائِعُ الشَوقِ في أَقصى جَوانِحِها
When I speak to my soul of forsaking her, break loose
the stores of longing in its deepest ribs.
وَإِنand if خَطَبتُI petition إِلَيهاfrom it صَبرَهاits patience جَعَلَتbegan
وَإِن خَطَبتُ إِلَيها صَبرَها جَعَلَت
جِراحَةُthe wound الوَجدِof yearning تَدمىbleeds فيin جَوارِحِهاits limbs
جِراحَةُ الوَجدِ تَدمى في جَوارِحِها
And if I ask it for its patience, begins
the wound of yearning to bleed within its limbs.
ماwhat لِلفَيافيis with the deserts وَتِلكَand those العيسُpale camels قَدalready خُزِمَتwere nose-reined
ما لِلفَيافي وَتِلكَ العيسُ قَد خُزِمَت
فَلَمso did not تَظَلَّمcomplain إِلَيهاto them مِنof صَحاصِحِهاtheir bare plains
فَلَم تَظَلَّم إِلَيها مِن صَحاصِحِها
What have the deserts to do with those already nose-reined pale camels,
which never complained to them of their bare plains?
فُتلٌstout-limbed إِذاwhen اِبتَكَرَset out early الغاديthe morning traveler عَلىwith أَمَلٍhope
فُتلٌ إِذا اِبتَكَرَ الغادي عَلى أَمَلٍ
خَلَّفنَهُthey left him behind يَزجُرُurging on الحَسرىthe weary camels بِرائِحِهاwith their evening-goers
خَلَّفنَهُ يَزجُرُ الحَسرى بِرائِحِها
Stout-limbed: when the morning traveler sets out in hope,
they leave him behind as he urges weary camels, even when they start at evening.
تُصغيthey listen إِلىto الحَدوِthe camel-chant إِصغاءَattentive listening القِيانِthe singing girls إِلىto
تُصغي إِلى الحَدوِ إِصغاءَ القِيانِ إِلى
نَغمٍa melody إِذاwhen اِستَغرَبَتهُthey find it novel مِنfrom مَطارِحِهاits melodic ranges
نَغمٍ إِذا اِستَغرَبَتهُ مِن مَطارِحِها
They listen to the camel-chant as singing girls listen to
a melody they find novel in its variations.
حَتّىuntil تؤوبَthey return كَأَنَّas though الطَلحَthe acacia مُعتَرِضٌstands across
حَتّى تؤوبَ كَأَنَّ الطَلحَ مُعتَرِضٌ
بِشَوكِهِwith its thorns فيin المَآقيthe eye-corners مِنof طَلائِحِهاtheir exhausted ones
بِشَوكِهِ في المَآقي مِن طَلائِحِها
Until they return, as though acacia stood
with its thorns across the eye-corners of their weary ones,
إِلىto الأَكارِمِthe noblest men أَفعالاًin deeds وَمُنتَسَباًand lineage
إِلى الأَكارِمِ أَفعالاً وَمُنتَسَباً
لَمnot يَرتَعِgrazed الذَمُّblame يَوماًever فيamong طَوائِحِهاher outlying branches
لَم يَرتَعِ الذَمُّ يَوماً في طَوائِحِها
to men most noble in deeds and lineage,
whose remotest branches blame has never grazed.
آساسُthe foundations مَكَّةَof Mecca وَالدُنياand the world بِعُذرَتِهاin her maidenhood
آساسُ مَكَّةَ وَالدُنيا بِعُذرَتِها
لَمnot يَنزِلِhad settled الشَيبُgray hair فيin مَثنىthe braids مَسائِحِهاof her locks
لَم يَنزِلِ الشَيبُ في مَثنى مَسائِحِها
The foundations of Mecca, while the world was still a maiden,
and gray had not settled in the braids of her locks.
قَومٌa people هُمُthey themselves أَمِنواwere safe قَبلَbefore الحَمامِthe doves بِهاthere
قَومٌ هُمُ أَمِنوا قَبلَ الحَمامِ بِها
مِنfrom بَينِamong ساجِعِهاher cooing bird الباكيthe weeping one وَنائِحِهاand her wailing bird
مِن بَينِ ساجِعِها الباكي وَنائِحِها
A people secure there before the doves—
her weeping cooers and her wailing birds.
كانواthey were الجِبالَthe mountains لَهاfor her قَبلَbefore الجِبالِthe mountains وَهُمand they
كانوا الجِبالَ لَها قَبلَ الجِبالِ وَهُم
سالواflowed وَلَمand not يَكُthere was سَيلٌa flood فيin أَباطِحِهاher gravelly streambeds
سالوا وَلَم يَكُ سَيلٌ في أَباطِحِها
They were her mountains before the mountains, and they
flowed when no flood yet ran through her gravelly valleys.
وَالفَضلُand al-Faḍl إِنif شَمِلَenveloped الإِظلامُdarkness ساحَتَهاher courtyard
وَالفَضلُ إِن شَمِلَ الإِظلامُ ساحَتَها
مِصباحُهاher lamp المُتَجَلّيthe radiant مِنamong مَصابِحِهاher lamps
مِصباحُها المُتَجَلّي مِن مَصابِحِها
And al-Faḍl, if darkness enfolds her courtyard,
is her radiant lamp among her lamps.
مِنof خَيرِهاher best مَغرِساًin root-stock فيهاwithin her وَأَوسَعِهاand her broadest
مِن خَيرِها مَغرِساً فيها وَأَوسَعِها
شِعباًin valley-space تُحَطُّis unloaded إِلَيهِto him عيرُthe caravan مادِحِهاof her praiser
شِعباً تُحَطُّ إِلَيهِ عيرُ مادِحِها
Of her finest stock within her, and her broadest
valley: to him her praiser's caravan comes to unload.
لاdo not تَفتَcease تُزجيyou drive onward فَتِيَّthe young ones العيسِthe pale camels سَاهِمِةًgaunt
لا تَفتَ تُزجي فَتِيَّ العيسِ سَاهِمِةً
إِلىto فَتىa youth سِنِّهاher elder مِنهاfrom among her وَقارِحِهاand her seasoned one
إِلى فَتى سِنِّها مِنها وَقارِحِها
Do not cease driving the young, gaunt pale camels onward
to a youth—her elder among her people, her seasoned one.
حَتّىuntil تُناوِلَyou hand over تِلكَthat القَوسَbow بارِيَهاits carver
حَتّى تُناوِلَ تِلكَ القَوسَ بارِيَها
حَقّاًtruly وَتُلقيand you lay زِناداًfiresticks عِندَbefore قادِحِهاtheir striker
حَقّاً وَتُلقي زِناداً عِندَ قادِحِها
Until you hand that bow to its maker,
truly, and lay firesticks before their kindler.
كَأَنَّas though صاعِقَةًa thunderbolt فيin جَوفِthe belly of بارِقَةٍa lightning cloud
كَأَنَّ صاعِقَةً في جَوفِ بارِقَةٍ
زَئيرُهُhis roar واغِلاًintruding فيinto أُذنِthe ear نابِحِهاof one barking at it
زَئيرُهُ واغِلاً في أُذنِ نابِحِها
As though a thunderbolt within a lightning cloud
were his roar, intruding into the ear of its barking foe.
سِنانُa spearhead مَوتٍof death ذُعافٍswiftly lethal مِنamong أَسِنَّتِهاher spearheads
سِنانُ مَوتٍ ذُعافٍ مِن أَسِنَّتِها
صَفيحَةٌa sword-blade تُتَحامىis shunned مِنamong صَفائِحِهاher sword-blades
صَفيحَةٌ تُتَحامى مِن صَفائِحِها
A spearhead of swiftly killing death among her spearheads,
a dreaded sword-blade among her sword-blades.
ذوpossessing تَدرَءٍdefensive force وَإِباءٍand proud refusal فيin الأُمورِaffairs وَهَلand are
ذو تَدرَءٍ وَإِباءٍ في الأُمورِ وَهَل
جَواهِرُthe jewels الطَيرِof birds إِلّاexcept فيamong جَوارِحِهاtheir birds of prey
جَواهِرُ الطَيرِ إِلّا في جَوارِحِها
Forceful and unyielding in affairs—and are
the jewels of birds anywhere but among their raptors?
هَشماًcrushing لِأَنفِthe nose of المُساميthe one who rivals حَينَهُhis doom فَسَماand so rose
هَشماً لِأَنفِ المُسامي حَينَهُ فَسَما
لِهاشِمٍfor Hāshim فَضلُهاher Faḍl (her excellence) فيهاwithin her اِبنُthe son صالِحِهاof her Ṣāliḥ (her righteous one)
لِهاشِمٍ فَضلُها فيها اِبنُ صالِحِها
Crushing the nose of the man who challenges his doom, thus rose
her Faḍl for Hāshim, the son of her Ṣāliḥ among her.
ياO حاسِدَenvier الفَضلِof al-Faḍl لاnot أَعرِفكَI find you مُحتَشِداًmustering strength
يا حاسِدَ الفَضلِ لا أَعرِفكَ مُحتَشِداً
لِغَمرَةٍfor a deep flood أَنتَyou عِنديto my mind غَيرُnot سابِحِهاits swimmer
لِغَمرَةٍ أَنتَ عِندي غَيرُ سابِحِها
O envier of al-Faḍl, let me not find you mustering
for deep waters that you, to my mind, cannot swim:
لِكَوكَبٍfor a star نازِحٍfar away مِنfrom كَفِّthe hand لامِسِهِof one touching it
لِكَوكَبٍ نازِحٍ مِن كَفِّ لامِسِهِ
وَصَخرَةٍand a rock وَسمُهاits brand فيon قَرنِthe horn ناطِحِهاof one butting it
وَصَخرَةٍ وَسمُها في قَرنِ ناطِحِها
for a star beyond the hand that reaches for it,
and a rock whose brand is on the horn that butts it.
وَلاand do not تَقُلsay إِنَّناwe indeed مِنfrom نَبعَةٍone bow-wood tree فَلَقَدfor indeed
وَلا تَقُل إِنَّنا مِن نَبعَةٍ فَلَقَد
بانَتstood apart نَجائِبُnoble-bred ones إِبلٍcamels مِنfrom نَواضِحِهاtheir water-drawing camels
بانَت نَجائِبُ إِبلٍ مِن نَواضِحِها
And do not say, 'We come from one tree'; for
noble-bred camels are distinct from their water-carriers.
سَميدَعٌa noble lord يَتَغَطّىveils himself مِنbecause of صَنائِعِهِhis benefactions
سَميدَعٌ يَتَغَطّى مِن صَنائِعِهِ
كَماas تَغَطّىveiled themselves رِجالٌmen مِنbecause of فَضائِحِهاtheir disgraces
كَما تَغَطّى رِجالٌ مِن فَضائِحِها
A noble lord who veils himself because of his good deeds,
as men veil themselves because of their disgraces.
وَفارَةُand the pod المِسكِof musk لاnot يُخفيconceals تَضَوُّعَهاits spreading fragrance
وَفارَةُ المِسكِ لا يُخفي تَضَوُّعَها
طولُlong duration الحِجابِof veiling وَلاand not يُزرىdetracts بِفائِحِهاfrom its fragrant source
طولُ الحِجابِ وَلا يُزرى بِفائِحِها
And the musk-pod's spreading scent is not concealed
by long veiling, nor is its fragrant source diminished.
لِلَّهِto God دَرُّكَyour excellence (literally, your milk) فيwith الخَودِthe young beauty الَّتيwho طَمَحَتwas proud
لِلَّهِ دَرُّكَ في الخَودِ الَّتي طَمَحَت
ماhow كانَwas أَرقاكَyour skill at charming ياO هَذاyou there لِطامِحِهاfor her proud spirit
ما كانَ أَرقاكَ يا هَذا لِطامِحِها
How splendid you were with the proud young beauty!
How well you charmed her proud spirit, good sir!
نَقِيَّةُpure الجَيبِof bosom لاno لَيلٌnight بِمُدخِلِهاcan lead her in
نَقِيَّةُ الجَيبِ لا لَيلٌ بِمُدخِلِها
فيinto بابِa door عَيبٍof shame وَلاand no صُبحٌdawn بِفاضِحِهاcan expose her
في بابِ عَيبٍ وَلا صُبحٌ بِفاضِحِها
Pure of bosom: no night leads her
through a door of shame, nor does any dawn expose her.
أَخَذتَهاyou took her لَبوَةَa lioness العِرّيسِof the lair مُلبِدَةًcrouching
أَخَذتَها لَبوَةَ العِرّيسِ مُلبِدَةً
فيin الغابِthe thicket وَالنَجمُand the star أَدنىnearer مِنthan مَناكِحِهاmarriage to her
في الغابِ وَالنَجمُ أَدنى مِن مَناكِحِها
You took her, a lioness of the lair, crouching
in the thicket; the star was nearer than her hand in marriage.
لَوif أَنَّthat غَيرَanyone other than أَبيthe father الأَشبالِof the cubs صافَحَهاshook her hand
لَو أَنَّ غَيرَ أَبي الأَشبالِ صافَحَها
شَكَّتshe pierced بِمَخلَبِهاwith her claw كَفَّيthe two palms مُصافِحِهاof her hand-clasper
شَكَّت بِمَخلَبِها كَفَّي مُصافِحِها
Had anyone but the father of the cubs clasped her hand,
she would have pierced his two palms with her claw.
جاءَتshe came بِصَقرَينِwith two falcons غِطريفَينِtwo noble ones لَوif وُزِناthe two were weighed
جاءَت بِصَقرَينِ غِطريفَينِ لَو وُزِنا
بِهَضبِagainst the peaks of رَضوىRaḍwā إِذاًthen ماwould tip (split verb, first part) لاdual ending (split verb, second part) بِراجِحِهاagainst its heaviest
بِهَضبِ رَضوى إِذاً ما لا بِراجِحِها
She brought forth two noble falcons who, if weighed
against Raḍwā's peaks, would outweigh even its heaviest.
بِهاشِمِيَّينِwith two Hāshimites بَدرِيَّينِtwo full-moon-like men إِنif لَحَجَتjammed
بِهاشِمِيَّينِ بَدرِيَّينِ إِن لَحَجَت
مَغالِقُthe locks الدَهرِof Time كاناthe two were مِنamong مَفاتِحِهاtheir keys
مَغالِقُ الدَهرِ كانا مِن مَفاتِحِها
Two Hāshimites, bright as full moons: if
the locks of Time jammed, they would be among their keys.
نَصلانِtwo blades قَدalready أُثبِتاwere planted فيin قَلبِthe heart شانِئِهاof her hater
نَصلانِ قَد أُثبِتا في قَلبِ شانِئِها
نارَينِtwo fires أوقِدَتاwere kindled فيin كَشحِthe flank كاشِحِهاof her enemy
نارَينِ أوقِدَتا في كَشحِ كاشِحِها
Two blades planted in the heart of her hater,
two fires kindled in the flank of her foe.
وَكَذَّبَand gave the lie to اللَهُGod أَقوالاًclaims قُرِفتَyou were besmirched بِهاwith them
وَكَذَّبَ اللَهُ أَقوالاً قُرِفتَ بِها
بِحُجَّةٍwith a proof تُسرَجُis illuminated الدُنياthe world بِواضِحِهاby its clear light
بِحُجَّةٍ تُسرَجُ الدُنيا بِواضِحِها
And God gave the lie to accusations laid against you,
with a proof whose clear light illumines the world.
مُضيئَةٍradiant نَطَقَتit spoke فيناamong us كَماas نَطَقَتspoke
مُضيئَةٍ نَطَقَت فينا كَما نَطَقَت
ذَبيحَةُthe slaughtered beast المُصطَفىof the chosen one موسىMoses لِذابِحِهاto its slaughterer
ذَبيحَةُ المُصطَفى موسى لِذابِحِها
Radiant, it spoke among us, as spoke
the slaughtered beast of Moses, the chosen one, to its slaughterer.
لَئِنif indeed قَليبُكَyour well جاشَتsurged بِالسَماحَةِwith generosity ليfor me
لَئِن قَليبُكَ جاشَت بِالسَماحَةِ لي
لَقَدindeed وَصَلتُI lengthened بِشُكريwith my thanks حَبلَthe rope ماتِحِهاof its water-drawer
لَقَد وَصَلتُ بِشُكري حَبلَ ماتِحِها
If indeed your well has surged with generosity for me,
I have surely lengthened its drawer's rope with my thanks.
وَقَدand indeed رَأَتنيsaw me قُرَيشٌQuraysh ساحِباًdrawing رَسَنيmy halter
وَقَد رَأَتني قُرَيشٌ ساحِباً رَسَني
إِلَيكَtoward you عَنaway from طَلقِهاher cheerful one وَجهاًin face وَكالِحِهاand her scowling one
إِلَيكَ عَن طَلقِها وَجهاً وَكالِحِها
And Quraysh has seen me drawing my halter
toward you, away from her cheerful faces and her scowling ones.
إِذاif القَصائِدُthe poems كانَتwere مِنamong مَدائِحِهِمtheir praises
إِذا القَصائِدُ كانَت مِن مَدائِحِهِم
فَأَنتَthen you لاno شَكَّdoubt عِنديto me مِنamong مَدائِحِهاtheir praises
فَأَنتَ لا شَكَّ عِندي مِن مَدائِحِها
If poems are counted among their glories,
then you, beyond doubt to me, are among the glories of poems.
وَإِنand if غَرائِبُهاtheir rare verses أَجدَبنَmet with drought مِنfrom بَلَدٍa land
وَإِن غَرائِبُها أَجدَبنَ مِن بَلَدٍ
كانَتwere عَطاياكَyour gifts أَندىricher in dew مِنthan مَسارِحِهاtheir grazing grounds
كانَت عَطاياكَ أَندى مِن مَسارِحِها
And if their rare verses find some land barren,
your gifts are richer in dew than their pastures.
Sol 6.1