أَزَعَمتَdid you claim أَنَّthat الرَبعَthe dwelling-place لَيسَis not يُتَيَّمُenslaved by love
أَزَعَمتَ أَنَّ الرَبعَ لَيسَ يُتَيَّمُ
وَالدَمعُand tears فيover دِمَنٍabandoned campsite traces عَفَتwere effaced لاdo not يَسجُمُstream
وَالدَمعُ في دِمَنٍ عَفَت لا يَسجُمُ
Did you claim the dwelling is not enslaved by love,
You claimed the quarter was not orphaned
And tears do not stream over effaced traces of camps?
While tears in vessels of chastity did not integrate
ياO مَوسِمَgathering-place of اللَذّاتِpleasures غالَتكَravaged you النَوىseparation
يا مَوسِمَ اللَذّاتِ غالَتكَ النَوى
بَعديafter me فَرَبعُكَso your dwelling لِلصَبابَةِfor ardent longing مَوسِمُa gathering-place
بَعدي فَرَبعُكَ لِلصَبابَةِ مَوسِمُ
O gathering-place of pleasures, separation has ravaged you
O season of pleasures, their wishes went high
Since I left; your dwelling is a gathering-place for longing.
After me, so your quarter is for the youth a season
وَلَقَدand indeed أَراكَI see you مِنَin الكَواعِبِbudding-breasted maidens كاسِياًclothed
وَلَقَد أَراكَ مِنَ الكَواعِبِ كاسِياً
فَاليَومَso today أَنتَyou مِنَof الكَواعِبِbudding-breasted maidens مُحرِمُbereft
فَاليَومَ أَنتَ مِنَ الكَواعِبِ مُحرِمُ
I have indeed seen you clothed in budding-breasted maidens,
And I saw you wearing the locks of hair
But today you are bereft of those maidens.
Today, you are forbidden from the locks of hair
لَحَظَتcast a glance بَشاشَتَكَyour cheerfulness الحَوادِثُcalamities لَحظَةًa glance
لَحَظَت بَشاشَتَكَ الحَوادِثُ لَحظَةً
مازِلتُI have kept أَحلُمُdreaming أَنَّهاthat it لاnot تَسلَمُsurvives unhurt
مازِلتُ أَحلُمُ أَنَّها لا تَسلَمُ
Calamities cast one glance at your cheerfulness;
Events glanced at your cheerfulness for a moment
I had always dreamed that it would not be spared.
I still dream that it is unharmed
أَينَwhere الَّتيshe who كانَتwas إِذاwhenever شاءَتshe wished جَرىflowed
أَينَ الَّتي كانَت إِذا شاءَت جَرى
مِنfrom مُقلَتيmy eye دَمعٌtears يُعَصفِرُهُdyes it safflower-red دَمُblood
مِن مُقلَتي دَمعٌ يُعَصفِرُهُ دَمُ
Where is she who, whenever she wished, made flow
Where is she who, when she wished, a tear flowed
From my eye tears that blood dyed safflower-red?
From my eyelid that yellowed by blood
بَيضاءُfair-skinned تَسريtravels by night فيthrough الظَلامِdarkness فَيَكتَسيso it clothes itself
بَيضاءُ تَسري في الظَلامِ فَيَكتَسي
نوراًlight وَتَسرُبُand goes forth فيthrough الضِياءِdaylight فَيُظلِمُso it grows dark
نوراً وَتَسرُبُ في الضِياءِ فَيُظلِمُ
Fair-skinned, she travels through darkness, and it clothes itself
White, walking in the darkness, it clothes
In light; she moves through daylight, and it grows dark.
Itself with light, and it oozes into the glow, so it darkens
يَستَعذِبُfinds sweet المِقدامُthe bold warrior فيهاfor her sake حَتفَهُhis death
يَستَعذِبُ المِقدامُ فيها حَتفَهُ
فَتَراهُso you see him وَهوَwhile he is المُستَميتُthe death-seeking one المُعلِمُthe insignia-wearing warrior
فَتَراهُ وَهوَ المُستَميتُ المُعلِمُ
The bold warrior finds his death sweet for her sake,
The valiant finds his death in it sweet
So you see him, death-seeking, wearing his battle insignia.
So you see him as the one voluntarily dying, the teacher
مَقسومَةٌallotted a share فيin الحُسنِbeauty بَلrather هِيَshe غايَةٌan utmost limit
مَقسومَةٌ في الحُسنِ بَل هِيَ غايَةٌ
فَالحُسنُfor beauty فيهاin her وَالجَمالُand loveliness مُقَسَّمُis apportioned
فَالحُسنُ فيها وَالجَمالُ مُقَسَّمُ
Granted a share of beauty—no, she is its utmost limit;
Divided in beauty, but it is the utmost
For beauty and loveliness are apportioned within her.
So beauty in it and perfection are divided
مَلطومَةٌslapped بِالوَردِwith roses أُطلِقَwas unleashed طَرفُهاher gaze
مَلطومَةٌ بِالوَردِ أُطلِقَ طَرفُها
فيamong الخَلقِmankind فَهوَso it is مَعَalongside المَنونِDeath مُحَكَّمُgranted authority
في الخَلقِ فَهوَ مَعَ المَنونِ مُحَكَّمُ
Her cheeks are slapped with roses; her gaze is unleashed
Adorned with roses, its glance was unleashed
Among mankind, where it rules alongside Death.
Among people, so it is the definitive with the softness
مَذِلَتshe divulged secrets وَلَمand did not تَكتُمconceal جَفاءَكَyour estrangement تَكتَمُTaktam
مَذِلَت وَلَم تَكتُم جَفاءَكَ تَكتَمُ
إِنَّindeed الَّذيwhoever يَمِقُloves المَذولَthe divulger of secrets لَمُغرَمُsurely afflicted
إِنَّ الَّذي يَمِقُ المَذولَ لَمُغرَمُ
Taktam divulged, and did not conceal, your estrangement;
It was humiliated, but it did not conceal your estrangement, it conceals
Whoever loves a divulger of secrets is surely afflicted.
Indeed, who yields to the disgraced is infatuated
إِنif كانَwas وَصلُكِunion with you آضَhas become وَهوَwhile it is مُحَرَّمٌforbidden
إِن كانَ وَصلُكِ آضَ وَهوَ مُحَرَّمٌ
مِنكِby you الغَداةَthis morning فَماthen not السُلُوُّforgetting love مُحَرَّمُforbidden
مِنكِ الغَداةَ فَما السُلُوُّ مُحَرَّمُ
If union with you has become forbidden
If your union was harmful while forbidden
By you this morning, then forgetting you is not forbidden.
From you in the morning, so drinking is not forbidden
عَزمٌa resolve يَفُلُّrouts الجَيشَthe army وَهوَthough it is عَرَمرَمُvast
عَزمٌ يَفُلُّ الجَيشَ وَهوَ عَرَمرَمُ
وَيَرُدُّand sends back ظُفرَthe claw of الشَوقِlonging وَهوَwhile it is مُقَلَّمُclipped
وَيَرُدُّ ظُفرَ الشَوقِ وَهوَ مُقَلَّمُ
A resolve that routs an army, though it is vast,
A resolve that defeats the army while unraveled
And sends back longing's claw, clipped.
And repels the desire’s victory while severed
وَفَتىًand a young man إِذاwhen ظَلَمَdoes wrong الزَمانُTime فَماthen not يُرىis seen
وَفَتىً إِذا ظَلَمَ الزَمانُ فَما يُرى
إِلّاexcept إِلىto عَزَماتِهِhis firm resolves يُتَظَلَّمُredress is sought
إِلّا إِلى عَزَماتِهِ يُتَظَلَّمُ
And a young man—when Time does wrong, one sees
And a man, if the time is unfair to him
Redress sought only from his firm resolves.
He is only seen to complain to his resolves
لَولاwere it not for اِبنُthe son of حَسّانَHassan المُرَجّىthe one on whom hopes rest لَمnot يَكُنthere would be
لَولا اِبنُ حَسّانَ المُرَجّى لَم يَكُن
بِالرِقَّةِin Raqqa البَيضاءِthe white ليfor me مُتَلَوَّمُa place to linger
بِالرِقَّةِ البَيضاءِ لي مُتَلَوَّمُ
Were it not for Hassan's son, on whom hopes rest, I would have
Were it not for the son of Hassān, the hopeful
No place to linger in white Raqqa.
With the soft whiteness, I would have been troubled
شافَهتُI addressed face-to-face أَسبابَthe means of الغِنىwealth بِمُحَمَّدٍthrough Muhammad
شافَهتُ أَسبابَ الغِنى بِمُحَمَّدٍ
حَتّىuntil ظَنَنتُI thought بِأَنَّهاthat they تَتَكَلَّمُspeak
حَتّى ظَنَنتُ بِأَنَّها تَتَكَلَّمُ
Through Muhammad I addressed the means of wealth face to face,
I have healed the reasons for wealth through Muḥammad
Until I thought that they could speak.
To the point I thought they were speaking
قَدindeed تُيِّمَتhave been love-enthralled مِنهُby him القَوافيthe rhymes بِاِمرِئٍby a man
قَد تُيِّمَت مِنهُ القَوافي بِاِمرِئٍ
مازالَhas always been بِالمَعروفِby beneficence وَهوَwhile he is مُتَيَّمُlove-enthralled
مازالَ بِالمَعروفِ وَهوَ مُتَيَّمُ
Indeed, rhymes have been enthralled by him—by a man
The rhymes were orphaned by him, by a man
Forever himself enthralled by beneficence.
Who is still benevolent while orphaned
يَحلوis sweet وَيَعذُبُand pleasant إِنif زَمانٌTime نالَهُvisits him
يَحلو وَيَعذُبُ إِن زَمانٌ نالَهُ
بِغِنىًwith wealth وَتَلتاثُand become tangled الخُطوبُmisfortunes فَيَكرُمُthen he is generous
بِغِنىً وَتَلتاثُ الخُطوبُ فَيَكرُمُ
He is sweet and delightful when Time visits him
It is sweet and delectable if a time obtained him
With wealth; when misfortunes grow tangled, he grows generous.
With wealth, and accumulated adversities so he is generous
تَلقاهُyou find him إِنif طَرَقَknocks الزَمانُTime بِمَغرَمٍwith a loss
تَلقاهُ إِن طَرَقَ الزَمانُ بِمَغرَمٍ
شَرِهاًeager إِلَيهِfor it كَأَنَّماas though هُوَit مَغنَمُa gain
شَرِهاً إِلَيهِ كَأَنَّما هُوَ مَغنَمُ
You find him, when Time knocks with a loss,
He faces it if the time knocks with yearning
Eager for it, as though it were a gain.
Evil toward it as though it were spoils
لاnot يَحسِبُcounts الإِقلالَscant means عُدَماًdestitution بَلrather يَرىhe sees
لا يَحسِبُ الإِقلالَ عُدَماً بَل يَرى
أَنَّthat المُقِلَّone deficient مِنَin المُروءَةِnoble character مُعدِمُis destitute
أَنَّ المُقِلَّ مِنَ المُروءَةِ مُعدِمُ
He does not count scant means as destitution; rather, he sees
He does not consider scarcity a void, but he sees
That one lacking noble character is destitute.
That the scarce in manliness is nullifying
مازالَhas always been وَهوَand he إِذاwhen الرِجالُmen تَواضَحواvied in distinction
مازالَ وَهوَ إِذا الرِجالُ تَواضَحوا
عِندَat المُقَدَّمِthe foremost place حَيثُwherever كانَit was يُقَدَّمُis given precedence
عِندَ المُقَدَّمِ حَيثُ كانَ يُقَدَّمُ
He has always, when men vie in distinction,
He remains when the men compete
Been placed foremost, wherever the foremost place may be.
At the start, wherever progress was made
يَحتَلُّdwells فيamong سَعدِSa'd بنِson of ضَبَّةَDabba فيon ذُراheights
يَحتَلُّ في سَعدِ بنِ ضَبَّةَ في ذُرا
عادِيَّةٍancient قَدindeed كَلَّلَتهاhave crowned them الأَنجُمُthe stars
عادِيَّةٍ قَد كَلَّلَتها الأَنجُمُ
He dwells among Sa'd ibn Dabba upon heights
He aspires in Saʿd bin Ḍabā’s lineage
Of ancient standing, crowned by the stars.
Ancient, which the stars have crowned
قَومٌa people يَمُجُّspews دَماًblood عَلىupon أَرماحِهِمtheir spears
قَومٌ يَمُجُّ دَماً عَلى أَرماحِهِم
يَومَthe day of الوَغىbattle المُستَبسِلُthe fearless warrior المُستَلئِمُthe armor-clad
يَومَ الوَغى المُستَبسِلُ المُستَلئِمُ
A people on whose spears blood is spewed
A people whose blood pours on their spears
On battle day by the fearless, armored warrior.
On a ferocious battle day made smooth
يَعلونَthey rise high حَتّىuntil ماnot يَشُكُّdoubts عَدُوُّهُمtheir enemy
يَعلونَ حَتّى ما يَشُكُّ عَدُوُّهُم
أَنَّthat المَناياdeaths الحُمرَthe red حَيٌّa clan مِنهُمُof them
أَنَّ المَنايا الحُمرَ حَيٌّ مِنهُمُ
They tower so high that their enemy has no doubt
They rise until their enemy doubts
That blood-red deaths are a clan of their own.
That the red deaths among them are alive
لَوif كانَthere were فيin الدُنياthe world قَبيلٌa tribe آخَرٌanother
لَو كانَ في الدُنيا قَبيلٌ آخَرٌ
بِإِزائِهِمfacing them ماnot كانَthere would be فيهِمamong them مُصرِمُa destitute person
بِإِزائِهِم ما كانَ فيهِم مُصرِمُ
If another tribe existed in this world
If there were another tribe in the world
To face them, none among them would be destitute.
Compared to them, there would be no vanquisher among them
وَلَأَنتَand you indeed أَوضَحُmore conspicuous فيهِمُamong them مِنthan غُرَّةٍa white forehead-blaze
وَلَأَنتَ أَوضَحُ فيهِمُ مِن غُرَّةٍ
شَدَخَتspread wide وَفازَand won بِهاit الجَوادُthe noble steed الأَدهَمُthe jet-black
شَدَخَت وَفازَ بِها الجَوادُ الأَدهَمُ
And you shine more clearly among them than a white blaze
And you are the clearest among them, like an auburn
That spreads wide, and which a noble jet-black steed has won.
That glistened and the chestnut steed won it
تَجريyou run عَلىalong آثارِهِمtheir tracks فيon مَسلَكٍa path
تَجري عَلى آثارِهِم في مَسلَكٍ
ماnot إِنemphatic particle لَهُfor it إِلّاexcept المَكارِمَnoble deeds مَعلَمُa landmark
ما إِن لَهُ إِلّا المَكارِمَ مَعلَمُ
You follow their tracks upon a path
They walk in their footsteps in a path
Whose only landmark is noble deeds.
That has nothing in it but landmarks of nobility
لَمnot يَنأَhas grown distant عَنّيfrom me مَطلَبٌa goal وَمُحَمَّدٌwhile Muhammad
لَم يَنأَ عَنّي مَطلَبٌ وَمُحَمَّدٌ
عَونٌa help عَلَيهِin attaining it أَوor إِلَيهِto it سُلَّمُa ladder
عَونٌ عَلَيهِ أَو إِلَيهِ سُلَّمُ
No goal is beyond my reach while Muhammad
No purpose evaded me while Muḥammad
Is help in attaining it, or a ladder leading to it.
Was a help toward it or submitted to it
لَمnot يَذعَرِfrightened الأَيّامَthe days عَنكَaway from you كَمُرتَدٍlike one clad
لَم يَذعَرِ الأَيّامَ عَنكَ كَمُرتَدٍ
بِالعَقلِin reason يَفهَمُunderstands عَنfrom أَخيهِhis brother وَيُفهِمُand makes others understand
بِالعَقلِ يَفهَمُ عَن أَخيهِ وَيُفهِمُ
None has frightened the days away from you like one clad
The days did not flee from you like one retreating
In reason, who understands his brother and makes himself understood.
With intellect, he understands his brother and makes him understand
مِمَّنof those who إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle الشِعرُpoetry صافَحَshook hands with سَمعَهُhis hearing
مِمَّن إِذا ما الشِعرُ صافَحَ سَمعَهُ
يَوماًone day رَأَيتَyou saw ضَميرَهُhis inner self يَتَبَسَّمُsmiles
يَوماً رَأَيتَ ضَميرَهُ يَتَبَسَّمُ
One of those—when poetry shakes hands with his hearing
Of those whom when poetry shook his hearing
One day, you see his inner self smile.
One day you saw his conscience smile
Sol 6.1