جَوىًburning grief ساوَرَassailed الأَحشاءَthe entrails وَالقَلبَand the heart واغِلُهُits intruder
جَوىً ساوَرَ الأَحشاءَ وَالقَلبَ واغِلُهُ
وَدَمعٌand tears يُضيمُoppresses العَينَthe eye وَالجَفنَand the eyelid هامِلُهits downpour
وَدَمعٌ يُضيمُ العَينَ وَالجَفنَ هامِلُه
A burning grief whose invading force assails the entrails and heart,
and tears whose downpour oppresses the eye and eyelid,
وَفاجِعُand the calamity of مَوتٍdeath لاnot عَدُوّاًan enemy يَخافُهُit fears him
وَفاجِعُ مَوتٍ لا عَدُوّاً يَخافُهُ
فَيُبقيso it spares وَلاand not يُبقيit spares صَديقاًa friend يُجامِلُهit treats him courteously
فَيُبقي وَلا يُبقي صَديقاً يُجامِلُه
and devastating death, which fears no enemy
so as to spare him, nor spares a friend out of courtesy.
وَأَيُّand what أَخيpossessor of عَزّاءَfortitude أَوor جَبَرِيَّةٍovermastering might
وَأَيُّ أَخي عَزّاءَ أَو جَبَرِيَّةٍ
يُنابِذُهُcan defy it أَوor أَيُّwhat رامٍarcher يُناضِلُهcan contest it in archery
يُنابِذُهُ أَو أَيُّ رامٍ يُناضِلُه
And what man of fortitude or overmastering might
can defy it, or what archer can match it,
إِذاwhen ماindeed جَرىflows مَجرىthe course of دَمِblood المَرءِa man حُكمُهُits decree
إِذا ما جَرى مَجرى دَمِ المَرءِ حُكمُهُ
وَبُثَّتand were scattered عَلىalong طُرقِthe paths of النُفوسِsouls حَبائِلُهits snares
وَبُثَّت عَلى طُرقِ النُفوسِ حَبائِلُه
when its decree flows along the course of a man's blood,
and its snares are spread along the paths of souls?
فَلَوso if شاءَwilled هَذاthis الدَهرُage أَقصَرَwould cease شَرُّهُits evil
فَلَو شاءَ هَذا الدَهرُ أَقصَرَ شَرُّهُ
كَماjust as قَصُرَتhave fallen short عَنّاof us لُهاهُits gifts وَنائِلُهand its bounty
كَما قَصُرَت عَنّا لُهاهُ وَنائِلُه
If this age so willed, its evil would cease,
just as its gifts and bounty have failed to reach us.
سَنَشكوهُwe shall complain of it إِعلاناًopenly وَسِرّاًand secretly وَنِيَّةًand in thought
سَنَشكوهُ إِعلاناً وَسِرّاً وَنِيَّةً
شَكِيَّةَthe complaint of مَنone who لاnot يَستَطيعُis able يُقاتِلُهto fight it
شَكِيَّةَ مَن لا يَستَطيعُ يُقاتِلُه
We shall complain of it openly, secretly, and in thought,
as one complains who cannot fight it.
فَمَنso who مُبلِغٌwill convey عَنّيon my behalf رَبيعَةَRabiʿah أَنَّهُthat it is so
فَمَن مُبلِغٌ عَنّي رَبيعَةَ أَنَّهُ
تَقَشَّعَhas dispersed طَلُّthe drizzle of الجودِgenerosity مِنهاfrom her وَوابِلُهand its downpour
تَقَشَّعَ طَلُّ الجودِ مِنها وَوابِلُه
Who will tell Rabiʿah on my behalf that
generosity's drizzle and downpour have dispersed from her,
وَأَنَّand that الحِجىwisdom مِنهاwithin her اِستَطارَتspread widely صُدوعُهُits fissures
وَأَنَّ الحِجى مِنها اِستَطارَت صُدوعُهُ
وَأَنَّand that النَدىbounty مِنهاwithin her أُصيبَتwere struck مَقاتِلُهits vital parts
وَأَنَّ النَدى مِنها أُصيبَت مَقاتِلُه
that the fissures in her wisdom have spread wide,
and that her bounty has been struck in its vital parts?
مَضىhas departed لِلزِيَالِto separation القاسِمُal-Qasim الواهِبُthe giver of اللُهىgifts
مَضى لِلزِيَالِ القاسِمُ الواهِبُ اللُهى
وَلَوand if لَمnot يُزايِلناhe parted from us لَكُنّاwe would have been نُزايِلُهwe part from him
وَلَو لَم يُزايِلنا لَكُنّا نُزايِلُه
Al-Qasim, the giver of gifts, has departed;
had he not left us, we would have left him.
وَلَمand not يَعلَمواthey knew أَنَّthat الزَمانَTime يُريدُهُintended for him
وَلَم يَعلَموا أَنَّ الزَمانَ يُريدُهُ
بِفَجعٍwith calamity وَلاand not أَنَّthat المَناياdeath's decrees تُراسِلُهcorresponded with him
بِفَجعٍ وَلا أَنَّ المَنايا تُراسِلُه
They did not know that Time intended for him
a grievous calamity, nor that death's decrees were sending him messages.
فَتىًa youth سيطَwas mingled حُبُّlove of المَكرُماتِnoble deeds بِلَحمِهِwith his flesh
فَتىً سيطَ حُبُّ المَكرُماتِ بِلَحمِهِ
وَخامَرَهُand permeated him حَقُّthe rightful part of السَماحِgenerosity وَباطِلُهand its wrongful part
وَخامَرَهُ حَقُّ السَماحِ وَباطِلُه
A youth with love of noble deeds mingled into his flesh,
and generosity permeating him, rightful and wrongful alike.
فَتىًa youth لَمnot يَذُقhe tasted سُكرَthe intoxication of الشَبابِyouth وَلَمand not تَكُنwere
فَتىً لَم يَذُق سُكرَ الشَبابِ وَلَم تَكُن
تَهُبُّblow شَمالاًas a north wind لِلصَديقِupon a friend شَمائِلُهhis dispositions
تَهُبُّ شَمالاً لِلصَديقِ شَمائِلُه
A youth who never tasted youth's intoxication, nor did
his disposition blow like a north wind upon a friend.
فَتىًa youth جاءَهُcame to him مِقدارُهُhis destined end وَاِثنَتاwhile the two of العُلاglory
فَتىً جاءَهُ مِقدارُهُ وَاِثنَتا العُلا
يَداهُhis two hands وَعَشرُand the ten of المَكرُماتِnoble deeds أَنامِلُهhis fingers
يَداهُ وَعَشرُ المَكرُماتِ أَنامِلُه
A youth whose destined end came while glory's two hands
were his hands, and noble deeds' ten fingers his fingers.
فَتىًa youth يَنفَجُbreathe out الأَقوامُpeoples مِنfrom طيبِthe sweetness of ذِكرِهِhis renown
فَتىً يَنفَجُ الأَقوامُ مِن طيبِ ذِكرِهِ
ثَناءًpraise كَأَنَّas though العَنبَرَambergris الوَردَrose-hued شامِلُهenveloped it
ثَناءً كَأَنَّ العَنبَرَ الوَردَ شامِلُه
A youth whose sweet renown makes peoples breathe out
praise, as though rose-hued ambergris enveloped it.
لَقَدindeed فُجِعَتwere bereaved عَتّابُهُhis ʿAttab وَزُهَيرُهُand his Zuhayr
لَقَد فُجِعَت عَتّابُهُ وَزُهَيرُهُ
وَتَغلِبُهُand his Taghlib أُخرىto the last of اللَياليnights وَوائِلُهand his Waʾil
وَتَغلِبُهُ أُخرى اللَيالي وَوائِلُه
His ʿAttab and his Zuhayr have indeed been bereaved,
and his Taghlib and his Waʾil, till the last of nights.
وَكانَand he was لَهُمfor them غَيثاًrain وَعِلماًand knowledge فَمُعدِمٍso many a destitute man
وَكانَ لَهُم غَيثاً وَعِلماً فَمُعدِمٍ
فَيَسأَلُهُso he asks him أَوor باحِثٍan inquirer فَيُسائِلُهso he questions him
فَيَسأَلُهُ أَو باحِثٍ فَيُسائِلُه
He was rain and knowledge to them: many a destitute man
would ask him for aid, or an inquirer would question him.
وَمُبتَدِرُand one quick to المَعروفِkindness تَسريtravel by night هِباتُهُhis gifts
وَمُبتَدِرُ المَعروفِ تَسري هِباتُهُ
إِلَيهِمto them وَلاand not تَسريtravel by night إِلَيهِمto them غَوائِلُهhis harms
إِلَيهِم وَلا تَسري إِلَيهِم غَوائِلُه
And swift to do good: his gifts traveled by night
to them, but no harm from him traveled to them.
فَتىًa youth لَمnot تَكُنwere تَغليboiling الحُقودُgrudges بِصَدرِهِin his breast
فَتىً لَم تَكُن تَغلي الحُقودُ بِصَدرِهِ
وَتَغليand boil لِأَضيافِfor the guests of الشِتاءِwinter مَراجِلُهhis cauldrons
وَتَغلي لِأَضيافِ الشِتاءِ مَراجِلُه
A youth in whose breast grudges never boiled,
while his cauldrons boiled for winter's guests.
مَليكٌa king لِأَملاكٍover kings تُضيفُgive hospitality ضُيوفُهُhis guests
مَليكٌ لِأَملاكٍ تُضيفُ ضُيوفُهُ
وَيُرجىand is looked to in hope مُرَجّيهِone who hopes in him وَيُسأَلُand is asked سائِلُهone who asks him
وَيُرجى مُرَجّيهِ وَيُسأَلُ سائِلُه
A king of kings, whose guests themselves give hospitality,
and those who look to him are looked to, his petitioners petitioned.
طَواهُfolded him الرَدىdeath طَيَّlike the folding of الكِتابِa scroll وَغُيِّبَتand were hidden
طَواهُ الرَدى طَيَّ الكِتابِ وَغُيِّبَت
فَضائِلُهُhis virtues عَنfrom قَومِهِhis people وَفَواضِلُهand his bounties
فَضائِلُهُ عَن قَومِهِ وَفَواضِلُه
Death folded him as a scroll is folded; hidden were
his virtues and bounties from his people.
طَوىit folded away شِيَماًnoble traits كانَتused to تَروحُgo forth at evening وَتَغتَديand go forth at dawn
طَوى شِيَماً كانَت تَروحُ وَتَغتَدي
وَسائِلَmeans for مَنone whose أَعيَتproved inadequate عَلَيهِfor him وَسائِلُهhis means
وَسائِلَ مَن أَعيَت عَلَيهِ وَسائِلُه
It folded away noble traits that went forth at dusk and dawn,
as resources for those whose own resources had failed them.
فَياso O عارِضاًcloudbank لِلعُرفِof kindness أَقلَعَwithdrew مُزنُهُits rain clouds
فَيا عارِضاً لِلعُرفِ أَقلَعَ مُزنُهُ
وَياand O وادِياًvalley لِلجودِof generosity جَفَّتdried up مَسائِلُهits watercourses
وَيا وادِياً لِلجودِ جَفَّت مَسائِلُه
O cloudbank of kindness, whose rain clouds have withdrawn,
and O valley of generosity, whose watercourses have dried!
أَلَمhave not تَرَنيyou seen me أَنزَفتُI drained عَينيmy eye عَلىfor أَبيAbu
أَلَم تَرَني أَنزَفتُ عَيني عَلى أَبي
مُحَمَّدٍMuhammad النَجمِthe star المُشَرِّقِshining forth آفِلُهits setting
مُحَمَّدٍ النَجمِ المُشَرِّقِ آفِلُه
Have you not seen me weep my eye dry for Abu
Muhammad, the star whose setting shines?
وَأَخضَلتُهاand I drenched it فيهِfor him كَماjust as لَوif أَتَيتُهُI came to him
وَأَخضَلتُها فيهِ كَما لَو أَتَيتُهُ
طَريدَa fugitive from اللَياليthe nights أَخضَلَتنيdrenched me نَوافِلُهhis gifts
طَريدَ اللَيالي أَخضَلَتني نَوافِلُه
And I drenched it for him, just as, had I come to him
a fugitive from the nights, his gifts would have drenched me.
وَلَكِنَّنيbut I أُطريextol الحُسامَthe keen sword إِذاwhen مَضىit cut keenly
وَلَكِنَّني أُطري الحُسامَ إِذا مَضى
وَإِنeven if كانَwas يَومَon the day of الرَوعِterror غَيرِيَsomeone other than me حامِلُهits bearer
وَإِن كانَ يَومَ الرَوعِ غَيرِيَ حامِلُه
But I extol the sword when it cuts keenly,
even if another bears it on the day of terror.
وَآسىand I grieve عَلىfor جَيحانَJayhan إِذwhen غاضَdwindled ماؤُهُits water
وَآسى عَلى جَيحانَ إِذ غاضَ ماؤُهُ
وَإِنeven if كانَwas ذَوداًa camel herd غَيرَother than ذَودِيَmy camel herd ناهِلُهthose drinking from it
وَإِن كانَ ذَوداً غَيرَ ذَودِيَ ناهِلُه
And I grieve for Jayhan when its water dwindles,
even if the camel herd drinking there is not mine.
عَلَيكَyou must hold to أَباAbu كُلثومٍKulthum الصَبرَpatience إِنَّنيindeed I
عَلَيكَ أَبا كُلثومٍ الصَبرَ إِنَّني
أَرىI see الصَبرَpatience أُخراهُits end تُقىًpiety وَأَوائِلُهand its beginnings
أَرى الصَبرَ أُخراهُ تُقىً وَأَوائِلُه
Hold to patience, Abu Kulthum; for I
see patience, in its end and its beginnings, as piety.
تَعادَلَbalanced equally وَزناًin weight كُلُّevery شَيءٍthing وَلاand not أَرىI see
تَعادَلَ وَزناً كُلُّ شَيءٍ وَلا أَرى
سِوىexcept صِحَّةِsoundness of التَوحيدِbelief in God's oneness شَيئاًanything يُعادِلُهequals it
سِوى صِحَّةِ التَوحيدِ شَيئاً يُعادِلُه
Everything finds its equal in weight, yet I see
nothing to equal it but sound belief in God's oneness.
فَأَنتَfor you are سَنامٌa hump لِلفَخارِof glory وَغارِبٌand a lofty ridge
فَأَنتَ سَنامٌ لِلفَخارِ وَغارِبٌ
وَصِنواكَand your two brothers مِنهُof it مِنكَباهُits two shoulders وَكاهِلُهand its upper back
وَصِنواكَ مِنهُ مِنكَباهُ وَكاهِلُه
For you are glory's hump and lofty ridge,
and your two brothers are its shoulders and upper back.
وَلَيسَتand are not أَثافيthe hearthstones of القِدرِthe cooking pot إِلّاexcept ثَلاثُهاits three
وَلَيسَت أَثافي القِدرِ إِلّا ثَلاثُها
وَلاnor الرُمحُthe spear إِلّاbut لَهذَماهُits two sharp ends وَعامِلُهand its upper shaft
وَلا الرُمحُ إِلّا لَهذَماهُ وَعامِلُه
A pot's supports are nothing but its three hearthstones,
nor is a spear anything but its two sharp ends and upper shaft.
Sol 6.1