أَسقىmay water طُلولَهُمُtheir ruined dwellings أَجَشُّhoarse-thundering هَزيمُrumbling
أَسقى طُلولَهُمُ أَجَشُّ هَزيمُ
وَغَدَتand may dawn عَلَيهِمupon them نَضرَةٌfreshness وَنَعيمُand bliss
وَغَدَت عَلَيهِم نَضرَةٌ وَنَعيمُ
May a deep-voiced, rumbling cloud water their ruins,
and may freshness and bliss dawn upon them.
جادَتdrenched generously مَعاهِدَهُمtheir familiar haunts عِهادُrepeated rains of سَحابَةٍa cloud
جادَت مَعاهِدَهُم عِهادُ سَحابَةٍ
ماnot عَهدُهاits covenant عِندَwith الدِيارِthe dwellings ذَميمُblameworthy
ما عَهدُها عِندَ الدِيارِ ذَميمُ
May their haunts be drenched by the returning rains of a cloud
whose covenant with the dwellings is beyond reproach.
سَفِهَacted rashly الفِراقُparting عَلَيكَtoward you يَومَon the day of رَحيلِهِمtheir departure
سَفِهَ الفِراقُ عَلَيكَ يَومَ رَحيلِهِم
وَبِماand often أَراهُI see it وَهوَwhile it is عَنكَtoward you حَليمُforbearing
وَبِما أَراهُ وَهوَ عَنكَ حَليمُ
Parting treated you rashly on the day they left,
though often I have seen it forbearing toward you.
ظَلَمَتكَwronged you ظالِمَةُwronger of البَريءِthe innocent ظَلومُZalum
ظَلَمَتكَ ظالِمَةُ البَريءِ ظَلومُ
وَالظُلمُand wrongdoing مِنfrom ذيone possessing قُدرَةٍpower مَذمومُblameworthy
وَالظُلمُ مِن ذي قُدرَةٍ مَذمومُ
Zalum, wronger of the innocent, has wronged you;
and wrongdoing by one with power is blameworthy.
زَعَمَتshe claimed هَواكَyour love عَفاhad faded الغَداةَthis morning كَماjust as عَفَتfaded
زَعَمَت هَواكَ عَفا الغَداةَ كَما عَفَت
مِنهاof hers طُلولٌruined dwellings بِاللِوىat al-Liwa وَرُسومُand traces
مِنها طُلولٌ بِاللِوى وَرُسومُ
She claimed your love had faded this morning, as had faded
her ruins and traces at al-Liwa.
لاno وَالَّذيby Him who هُوَHe عالِمٌknows أَنَّthat النَوىseparation
لا وَالَّذي هُوَ عالِمٌ أَنَّ النَوى
صَبِرٌbitter aloes وَأَنَّand that أَباAbu (father of) الحُسَينِal-Husayn كَريمُgenerous
صَبِرٌ وَأَنَّ أَبا الحُسَينِ كَريمُ
No—by Him who knows that separation
is bitter aloes, and that Abu al-Husayn is generous—
مازِلتُI have not swerved عَنfrom سَنَنِthe path of الوِدادِaffection وَلاnor غَدَتhas become
مازِلتُ عَن سَنَنِ الوِدادِ وَلا غَدَت
نَفسيmy soul عَلىover إِلفٍa beloved سِواكَother than you تَحومُhovers
نَفسي عَلى إِلفٍ سِواكَ تَحومُ
I have not strayed from affection's path, nor has
my soul hovered about any beloved but you.
لِمُحَمَّدِfor Muhammad بنِson of الهَيثَمِal-Haytham بنِson of شُبانَةٍShubana
لِمُحَمَّدِ بنِ الهَيثَمِ بنِ شُبانَةٍ
مَجدٌglory إِلىat جَنبِthe side of السماكِal-Simak مُقيمُabiding
مَجدٌ إِلى جَنبِ السماكِ مُقيمُ
Muhammad son of al-Haytham son of Shubana has
a glory abiding beside al-Simak.
مَلِكٌa king إِذاif نُسِبَis traced in lineage النَدىbounty مِنfrom مُلتَقىthe meeting of
مَلِكٌ إِذا نُسِبَ النَدى مِن مُلتَقى
طَرَفَيهِits two sides فَهوَthen he أَخٌa brother لَهُto it وَحَميمُand close kin
طَرَفَيهِ فَهوَ أَخٌ لَهُ وَحَميمُ
A king: if bounty's lineage is traced from the meeting
of its two branches, he is its brother and close kin.
كَاللَيثِlike the lion لَيثِthe lion of الغابِthe thickets إِلّاexcept أَنَّthat ذاthis one
كَاللَيثِ لَيثِ الغابِ إِلّا أَنَّ ذا
فيamid الرَوعِterror بَسّامٌever-smiling وَذاكَwhile that one شَتيمُgrim-faced
في الرَوعِ بَسّامٌ وَذاكَ شَتيمُ
Like the lion, the lion of the thickets—except that this one
smiles amid terror, while that one is grim-faced.
طَحطَحتَyou shattered بِالخَيلِwith cavalry الجِبالَthe mountains مِنَamong العِدىthe enemies
طَحطَحتَ بِالخَيلِ الجِبالَ مِنَ العِدى
وَالكُفرُwhile unbelief يَقعُدُbrings down بِالهُدىtrue guidance وَيَقومُand raises up
وَالكُفرُ يَقعُدُ بِالهُدى وَيَقومُ
With cavalry you shattered mountains of enemies,
while unbelief tossed true guidance to and fro,
بِالسَفحِon the slope مِنof هَمَذانَHamadhan إِذwhen سَفَحَتit shed دَماًblood
بِالسَفحِ مِن هَمَذانَ إِذ سَفَحَت دَماً
رَوِيَتwere slaked بِجُمَّتِهِfrom its pool الرِماحُthe spears الهيمُthirst-maddened
رَوِيَت بِجُمَّتِهِ الرِماحُ الهيمُ
on Hamadhan's slope, when the cavalry shed blood
from whose pool the thirst-maddened spears drank their fill.
يَومٌa day وَسَمتَyou branded بِهِwith it الزَمانَtime وَوَقعَةٌand a battle
يَومٌ وَسَمتَ بِهِ الزَمانَ وَوَقعَةٌ
بَرَدَتbrought coolness عَلىto الإِسلامِIslam وَهيَthough it was سَمومُa scorching wind
بَرَدَت عَلى الإِسلامِ وَهيَ سَمومُ
A day with which you branded time, and a battle
that cooled Islam, though it was a scorching wind.
لَمَعَتflashed أَسِنَّتُهُits spearheads فَهُنَّthen they مَعَwith الضُحىthe morning light
لَمَعَت أَسِنَّتُهُ فَهُنَّ مَعَ الضُحى
شَمسٌa sun وَهُنَّand they مَعَwith الظَلامِdarkness نُجومُstars
شَمسٌ وَهُنَّ مَعَ الظَلامِ نُجومُ
Its spearheads flashed: in the morning light they were
a sun, and in darkness they were stars.
نُضِيَتwere unsheathed سُيوفُكَyour swords لِلقِراعِfor combat فَأُغمِدَتthen were sheathed
نُضِيَت سُيوفُكَ لِلقِراعِ فَأُغمِدَت
وَالخُرَّمِيَّةُwhile the Khurramiyya كَيدُهاtheir plotting مَخرومُthwarted
وَالخُرَّمِيَّةُ كَيدُها مَخرومُ
Your swords were drawn for combat, then sheathed,
with the Khurramiyya's plotting thwarted.
أَبلَيتَyou served well فيهِin it الدينَthe faith يُمنَthe good fortune of نَقيبَةٍmettle
أَبلَيتَ فيهِ الدينَ يُمنَ نَقيبَةٍ
تَرَكَتit left إِمامَthe leader of الكُفرِunbelief وَهوَwhile he was أَميمُwounded to the brain
تَرَكَت إِمامَ الكُفرِ وَهوَ أَميمُ
You served the faith that day with auspicious mettle
that left unbelief's leader wounded to the brain.
بَرَقَتflashed بَوارِقُlightning flashes مِنfrom يَمينِكَyour right hand غادَرَتthey left
بَرَقَت بَوارِقُ مِن يَمينِكَ غادَرَت
وَضَحاًa white blaze بِوَجهِon the face of الخَطبِcalamity وَهوَthough it was بَهيمُpitch-black
وَضَحاً بِوَجهِ الخَطبِ وَهوَ بَهيمُ
Flashes blazed from your right hand, leaving
a white blaze on calamity's face, though it was pitch-black.
ضَرَبَتthey struck أُنوفَthe noses of المَحلِdrought حَتّىuntil أَقلَعَتwithdrew
ضَرَبَت أُنوفَ المَحلِ حَتّى أَقلَعَت
وَالعُدمُand poverty تَحتَbeneath غَمامِهاtheir clouds مَعدومُnonexistent
وَالعُدمُ تَحتَ غَمامِها مَعدومُ
They battered drought's noses until it withdrew,
and beneath their clouds, poverty was no more.
لِلَّهِto God (in admiration) كَفُّthe hand of مُحَمَّدٍMuhammad وَوِلادُهاand its giving birth
لِلَّهِ كَفُّ مُحَمَّدٍ وَوِلادُها
لِلبَذلِin giving إِذwhen بَعضُsome of الأَكُفِّthe hands عَقيمُbarren
لِلبَذلِ إِذ بَعضُ الأَكُفِّ عَقيمُ
How wondrous Muhammad's hand, and how fruitful
in giving, when some hands are barren!
مُتَفَجِّرٌoverflowing نادَمتُهُI drank with him فَكَأَنَّنيso it was as though I
مُتَفَجِّرٌ نادَمتُهُ فَكَأَنَّني
لِلنَجمِto the Pleiades أَوor لِلمِرزَمَينِto the two Mirzams نَديمُa boon companion
لِلنَجمِ أَو لِلمِرزَمَينِ نَديمُ
He overflowed with bounty; I drank with him, as though I
were boon companion to the Pleiades or the two Mirzams.
غَيثٌlife-giving rain حَوىpossessed كَرَمَnobility of الطَبائِعِdispositions دَهرَهُall his life
غَيثٌ حَوى كَرَمَ الطَبائِعِ دَهرَهُ
وَالغَيثُwhereas rain يَكرُمُis generous مَرَّةًsometimes وَيَلومُand is miserly
وَالغَيثُ يَكرُمُ مَرَّةً وَيَلومُ
A life-giving rain, noble in nature all his life,
whereas rain is generous at times, and at times is mean.
مازالَhe never ceased يَهذيraving بِالمَواهِبِof gifts دائِباًincessantly
مازالَ يَهذي بِالمَواهِبِ دائِباً
حَتّىuntil ظَنَنّاwe thought أَنَّهُthat he مَحمومُfeverish
حَتّى ظَنَنّا أَنَّهُ مَحمومُ
He kept raving ceaselessly of gifts,
until we thought he was feverish.
لِلجودِgenerosity has سَهمٌa share فيin المَكارِمِnoble deeds وَالتُقىand piety
لِلجودِ سَهمٌ في المَكارِمِ وَالتُقى
ماnot رَبُّهُits possessor المُكديimpoverished وَلاnor المَسهومُdenied his share
ما رَبُّهُ المُكدي وَلا المَسهومُ
Generosity has a share in noble deeds and piety;
its possessor is neither impoverished nor denied his share.
بَيانُthe proof of ذَلِكَthat أَنَّthat أَوَّلَthe first مَنwho حَباbestowed gifts
بَيانُ ذَلِكَ أَنَّ أَوَّلَ مَن حَبا
وَقَرىand offered hospitality خَليلُthe intimate friend of اللَهِGod إِبراهيمُAbraham
وَقَرى خَليلُ اللَهِ إِبراهيمُ
The proof is that the first to bestow gifts
and offer hospitality was God's friend, Abraham.
أَعطَيتَنيyou gave me دِيَةَthe blood-price of القَتيلِthe slain man وَلَيسَthough there was no ليfor me
أَعطَيتَني دِيَةَ القَتيلِ وَلَيسَ لي
عَقلٌblood-money claim وَلاnor حَقٌّa right عَلَيكَagainst you قَديمُlongstanding
عَقلٌ وَلا حَقٌّ عَلَيكَ قَديمُ
You gave me a slain man's blood-price, though I had
no blood-money claim, nor any longstanding right against you,
إِلّاexcept نَدىًbounty كَالدَينَlike a debt حَلَّfell due قَضاؤُهُits payment
إِلّا نَدىً كَالدَينَ حَلَّ قَضاؤُهُ
إِنَّindeed الكَريمَthe generous man لِمُعتَفيهِto his petitioner غَريمُa debtor
إِنَّ الكَريمَ لِمُعتَفيهِ غَريمُ
save bounty like a debt whose payment had fallen due:
indeed, a generous man is his petitioner's debtor.
عُرفٌa kindness غَداbecame ضَرباًlean نَحيفاًslender عِندَهُbeside it
عُرفٌ غَدا ضَرباً نَحيفاً عِندَهُ
شُكرُthe gratitude of الرِجالِmen وَإِنَّهُand though it is لَجَسيمُtruly great
شُكرُ الرِجالِ وَإِنَّهُ لَجَسيمُ
A kindness beside which has grown lean and slender
the gratitude of men, great though it is.
أَخفَيتَهُyou concealed it فَخَفَيتُهُso I revealed it وَطَوَيتَهُand you folded it away
أَخفَيتَهُ فَخَفَيتُهُ وَطَوَيتَهُ
فَنَشَرتُهُso I spread it out وَالشَخصُand the figure مِنهُof it عَميمُtall and full
فَنَشَرتُهُ وَالشَخصُ مِنهُ عَميمُ
You concealed it, so I revealed it; you folded it away,
so I unfurled it, and its stature towered high.
جودٌgenerosity مَشَيتَyou walked بِهِwith it الضَراءَunder cover تَواضُعاًout of humility
جودٌ مَشَيتَ بِهِ الضَراءَ تَواضُعاً
وَعَظُمتَand you were too great عَنfor ذِكراهُmentioning it وَهوَthough it is عَظيمُgreat
وَعَظُمتَ عَن ذِكراهُ وَهوَ عَظيمُ
Generosity you practiced under cover, out of humility,
and were above mentioning it, great though it was.
النارُthe fire نارُthe fire of الشَوقِyearning فيin كَبِدِthe liver of الفَتىthe young man
النارُ نارُ الشَوقِ في كَبِدِ الفَتى
وَالبَينُand separation يوقِدُهُkindles it هَوىًa passion مَسمومُpoisoned
وَالبَينُ يوقِدُهُ هَوىً مَسمومُ
Fire—the fire of yearning in a young man's liver—
and parting, kindled by a poisoned passion,
خَيرٌbetter لَهُfor him مِنthan أَنthat يُخامِرَpervade صَدرَهُhis breast
خَيرٌ لَهُ مِن أَن يُخامِرَ صَدرَهُ
وَحَشاهُand his innermost heart مَعروفُthe kindness of اِمرِئٍa man مَكتومُkept hidden
وَحَشاهُ مَعروفُ اِمرِئٍ مَكتومُ
are better for him than to harbor in his breast
and heart a man's kindness, kept unacknowledged.
سَرَقَhe stole الصَنيعَةَthe favor فَاِستَمَرَّso he went on بِلَعنَةٍunder a curse
سَرَقَ الصَنيعَةَ فَاِستَمَرَّ بِلَعنَةٍ
يَدعوcalls down عَلَيهِupon him النائِلُthe bounty المَظلومُwronged
يَدعو عَلَيهِ النائِلُ المَظلومُ
He stole the favor and went his way beneath a curse
that the wronged bounty calls down upon him.
أَأُقَنِّعُshall I veil المَعروفَthe kindness وَهوَwhen it is كَأَنَّهُas though it were
أَأُقَنِّعُ المَعروفَ وَهوَ كَأَنَّهُ
قَمَرُthe moon of الدُجىthe darkness إِنّيindeed I إِذَنthen لَلَئيمُwould surely be base
قَمَرُ الدُجى إِنّي إِذَن لَلَئيمُ
Shall I veil the kindness, when it is like
the moon in darkest night? I would then indeed be base,
مُثرٍrich مِنَin المالِwealth الَّذيwhich مَلَّكتَنيyou made me master of
مُثرٍ مِنَ المالِ الَّذي مَلَّكتَني
أَعناقَهُits necks وَمِنَyet in الوَفاءِloyalty عَديمُdestitute
أَعناقَهُ وَمِنَ الوَفاءِ عَديمُ
rich in wealth—you made me master
of its necks—yet destitute of loyalty.
فَأَروحُthen I would go فيin بُردَينِtwo cloaks لَمnot يَسحَبهُماhad trailed them both
فَأَروحُ في بُردَينِ لَم يَسحَبهُما
قَبليbefore me فَتىًa young man وَهُماand they both are الغِنىwealth وَاللومُand baseness
قَبلي فَتىً وَهُما الغِنى وَاللومُ
Then I would go about in two cloaks never trailed
by any young man before me: wealth and baseness.
Sol 6.1