سَلامُpeace اللَهِof God عِدَّةَas many as رَملِthe sand of خَبتٍKhabt
سَلامُ اللَهِ عِدَّةَ رَملِ خَبتٍ
عَلىupon اِبنِthe son of الهَيثَمِal-Haytham المَلِكِthe king اللُبابِof purest worth
عَلى اِبنِ الهَيثَمِ المَلِكِ اللُبابِ
God's peace, as numerous as the grains of sand in Khabt,
May God's peace as numerous as grains of shifting sand,
upon Ibn al-Haytham, the king of purest worth.
Be upon Ibn Al-Haytham, the brilliant learned king.
ذَكَرتُكَI remembered you ذِكرَةًa remembrance جَذَبَتdrew ضُلوعيmy ribs
ذَكَرتُكَ ذِكرَةً جَذَبَت ضُلوعي
إِلَيكَtoward you كَأَنَّهاas though it were ذِكرىa memory of تَصابيyouthful love
إِلَيكَ كَأَنَّها ذِكرى تَصابي
I remembered you with a remembrance that drew my ribs
I recalled you in a way that pulled my ribs,
toward you, as though recalling youthful love.
Towards you, as if it were a recollection of quarrels.
فَلاso may not يُغبِبskip a day's visit مَحَلَّكَyour dwelling كُلَّevery يَومٍday
فَلا يُغبِب مَحَلَّكَ كُلَّ يَومٍ
مِنَfrom الأَنواءِthe rain-bringing stars أَلطافُgentle gifts السَحابِof the clouds
مِنَ الأَنواءِ أَلطافُ السَحابِ
May your dwelling never lack, on any day,
So your abode is not deprived, every day,
the clouds' gentle gifts from the rain-bringing stars.
Of the gentle breezes of clouds.
سَقَتmay they water جوداًwith copious rain نَوالاًa bounty مِنكَfrom you جَوداًcopious as rain
سَقَت جوداً نَوالاً مِنكَ جَوداً
وَرَبعاًand a dwelling غَيرَnot مُجتَنَبِshunned الجَنابِin its precincts
وَرَبعاً غَيرَ مُجتَنَبِ الجَنابِ
May they drench with rain your rainlike bounty,
It rained generosity upon generosity from you,
and a dwelling whose precincts are never shunned.
And a pasture never avoiding abundance.
فَثَمَّso there الجودُgenerosity مَشدودَfastened الأَواخيits tethers
فَثَمَّ الجودُ مَشدودَ الأَواخي
وَثَمَّand there المَجدُglory مَضروبَpitched القِبابِits domed tents
وَثَمَّ المَجدُ مَضروبَ القِبابِ
For there generosity's tethers are firmly fastened,
So generosity remained fully stretched,
and there glory's domed tents are pitched.
And glory remained high-domed.
وَأَخلاقٌand virtues كَأَنَّas though المِسكَmusk فيهاin them
وَأَخلاقٌ كَأَنَّ المِسكَ فيها
بِصَفوِwith the purest الراحِwine وَالنُطَفِand drops of water العِذابِsweet
بِصَفوِ الراحِ وَالنُطَفِ العِذابِ
And virtues in which musk seems mingled
And morals as if musk were in them,
with pure wine and sweet drops of water.
With the essence of breeze and intense droplets.
وَكَمand how many أَحيَيتَyou revived مِنof ظَنٍّan expectation رُفاتٍcrumbled to dust
وَكَم أَحيَيتَ مِن ظَنٍّ رُفاتٍ
بِهاthrough them وَعَمَرتَand you rebuilt مِنof أَمَلٍa hope خَرابِruined
بِها وَعَمَرتَ مِن أَمَلٍ خَرابِ
How many an expectation turned to dust you revived
And how much you revived of withered hopes,
through them, and how many a ruined hope you rebuilt!
With them, and restored of ruined aspirations.
يَمينُthe right hand of مُحَمَّدٍMuhammad بَحرٌa sea خِضَمٌّvast
يَمينُ مُحَمَّدٍ بَحرٌ خِضَمٌّ
طَموحُtowering المَوجِin waves مَجنونُmaddened العُبابِin its surge
طَموحُ المَوجِ مَجنونُ العُبابِ
Muhammad's right hand is a vast sea,
Muhammed's right hand is a raging sea,
with towering waves and a maddened surge.
With waves ambitious, madly foaming.
تَفيضُit pours forth سَماحَةًgenerosity وَالمُزنُwhile the rainclouds مُكدٍwithhold rain
تَفيضُ سَماحَةً وَالمُزنُ مُكدٍ
وَتَقطَعُand it cuts وَالحُسامُwhile the sword العَضبُsharp نابِfails to cut
وَتَقطَعُ وَالحُسامُ العَضبُ نابِ
It pours forth generosity while the rainclouds withhold,
Overflowing with generosity while the clouds are stingy,
and cuts while the sharp sword fails to cut.
And cutting while the swords are dull.
فَداكَmay he ransom you أَباO father of الحُسَينِal-Husayn مِنَfrom الرَزاياcalamities
فَداكَ أَبا الحُسَينِ مِنَ الرَزايا
وَمِنand from داجيthe darkness of حَوادِثِهاtheir happenings الغِضابِwrathful
وَمِن داجي حَوادِثِها الغِضابِ
May you be ransomed, Abu al-Husayn, from calamities
May you redeem Abu Al-Hussein from afflictions,
and from the darkness of their wrathful happenings,
And from the raging accidents of fate.
حَسودٌan envier قَصَّرَتfell short كَفّاهُhis two hands عَنهُof him
حَسودٌ قَصَّرَت كَفّاهُ عَنهُ
وَكَفُّكَand your hand لِلنَوالِfor bounty وَلِلضِرابِand for combat
وَكَفُّكَ لِلنَوالِ وَلِلضِرابِ
by an envier whose two hands have failed him,
An envier whose palms fell short of it,
while your hand is for bounty and for battle.
While your palm gives freely and strikes.
وَيَحسُبُand he counts ماwhat يُفيدُhe acquires بِلاwithout عَطاءٍgiving
وَيَحسُبُ ما يُفيدُ بِلا عَطاءٍ
وَتُعطيand you give ماwhat تُفيدُyou acquire بِلاwithout حِسابِreckoning
وَتُعطي ما تُفيدُ بِلا حِسابِ
He counts what he gains, giving nothing,
He reckons what benefits without giving,
while you give what you gain without reckoning.
While you give what benefits without reckoning.
وَيَغدوand he sets out يَستَثيبُseeking recompense بِلاwithout نَوالٍgiving
وَيَغدو يَستَثيبُ بِلا نَوالٍ
وَنَيلُكَand your bounty كُلُّهُall of it لاnot لِلثَوابِfor reward
وَنَيلُكَ كُلُّهُ لا لِلثَوابِ
He sets out seeking reward without giving,
And he goes in the morning seeking reward without gain,
yet all your bounty is given without seeking reward.
While your gain is all without hope of reward.
ذَكَرتُI recalled صَنيعَةًa favor لَكَof yours أَلبَسَتنيclothed me
ذَكَرتُ صَنيعَةً لَكَ أَلبَسَتني
أَثيثَabundant المالِwealth وَالنِعَمِand blessings الرِغابِample
أَثيثَ المالِ وَالنِعَمِ الرِغابِ
I recalled a favor of yours that clothed me
I recalled your favor that clothed me
in luxuriant wealth and ample blessings.
With wealth and coveted bounty.
تَجَدَّدُit grows new كُلَّماwhenever لُبِسَتit is worn وَتَبقىand it endures
تَجَدَّدُ كُلَّما لُبِسَت وَتَبقى
إِذاwhen اِبتُذِلَتit is put to use وَتَخلَقُand it wears out فيin الحِجابِconcealment
إِذا اِبتُذِلَت وَتَخلَقُ في الحِجابِ
It grows new whenever worn, and endures
It is renewed whenever worn, and remains
when put to use, but wears out in concealment.
When it is worn out, and it thrives in wraps.
إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle أُبرِزَتit is brought forth زادَتit increases ضِياءًin radiance
إِذا ما أُبرِزَت زادَت ضِياءً
وَتَشحُبُand grow pale وَجنَتاهاits two cheeks فيbeneath النِقابِthe veil
وَتَشحُبُ وَجنَتاها في النِقابِ
Whenever brought forth, it grows more radiant,
When taken out, it increases in brilliance,
and its two cheeks grow pale beneath the veil.
And its cheeks grow pale in the veil.
وَلَيسَتand it is not بِالعَوانِa middle-aged woman العَنسِan aging spinster عِنديto me
وَلَيسَت بِالعَوانِ العَنسِ عِندي
وَلاnor هِيَit مِنكَfrom you بِالبِكرِa virgin الكَعابِwith budding breasts
وَلا هِيَ مِنكَ بِالبِكرِ الكَعابِ
To me it is no middle-aged spinster,
It is not, to me, a barren old maid,
nor, from you, is it a virgin with budding breasts.
Nor is it, from you, an unbroken filly.
فَلاso may not يَبعُدpass away زَمانٌa time مِنكَfrom you عِشناwe lived
فَلا يَبعُد زَمانٌ مِنكَ عِشنا
بِنَضرَتِهِin its freshness وَرَونَقِهِand its splendor العُجابِwondrous
بِنَضرَتِهِ وَرَونَقِهِ العُجابِ
May the time you granted us never pass away; we lived
So no time of ours spent with you is far,
in its freshness and its wondrous splendor.
In its freshness and amazing grace.
كَأَنَّas though العَنبَرَambergris الهِندِيَّIndian فيهِin it
كَأَنَّ العَنبَرَ الهِندِيَّ فيهِ
وَفَأرَand pods المِسكِof musk مَفضوضَscattered الرُضابِfragrant granules
وَفَأرَ المِسكِ مَفضوضَ الرُضابِ
As though Indian ambergris were within it,
As if Indian amber were in it,
and musk-pods, their fragrant granules scattered.
And musk rat crushed for fragrance.
لَياليهِits nights لَياليnights of الوَصلِunion تَمَّتwere completed
لَياليهِ لَيالي الوَصلِ تَمَّت
بِأَيّامٍby days كَأَيّامِlike the days of الشَبابِyouth
بِأَيّامٍ كَأَيّامِ الشَبابِ
Its nights were nights of union, made complete
Its nights are nights of connection, made
by days like the days of youth.
Of days like days of youth.
أَقولُI speak بِبَعضِof some of ماwhat أَسدَيتَyou bestowed عِنديupon me
أَقولُ بِبَعضِ ما أَسدَيتَ عِندي
وَماand what أَطلَبتَنيyou granted my wish قَبلَbefore الطِلابِthe asking
وَما أَطلَبتَني قَبلَ الطِلابِ
I speak of some of what you bestowed on me,
I speak of some of what you gave me,
and what you granted me before I asked.
And never asked of me before asking.
وَلَوand if أَنّيI اِستَطَعتُwere able لَقامَwould stand عَنّيon my behalf
وَلَو أَنّي اِستَطَعتُ لَقامَ عَنّي
بِشُكرِكَin thanking you مَنwhoever مَشىwalks فَوقَupon التُرابِthe earth
بِشُكرِكَ مَن مَشى فَوقَ التُرابِ
And if I were able, there would stand in my place,
If I could stand up, by thanking you,
to thank you, everyone who walks upon the earth.
Who walked upon the soil.
إِذاًthen شَكَرَتكَwould thank you مَذحِجُMadhhij حَيثُwherever كانَتit might be
إِذاً شَكَرَتكَ مَذحِجُ حَيثُ كانَت
بَنوsons of دَيّانِهاits Dayyan وَبَنوand sons of الضِبابِal-Dibab
بَنو دَيّانِها وَبَنو الضِبابِ
Then Madhhij would thank you wherever it might be:
Then I would thank you, wherever Maḏḥij were,
its Banu Dayyan, and Banu al-Dibab.
The clan of Dayyan and the clan of Mist.
وَجِئتُكَand I would come to you فيamid قُضاعَةَQuda'ah قَدalready أَطافَتgathered around
وَجِئتُكَ في قُضاعَةَ قَد أَطافَت
بِرُكنَيaround the two pillars عامِرٍAmir وَبَنيand the sons of جَنابِJanab
بِرُكنَي عامِرٍ وَبَني جَنابِ
And I would come to you amid Quda'ah, gathered
And I came to you when Quda'a had revolved around,
around its two pillars, Amir and Banu Janab.
The pillars of Amer and the clan of Janab.
وَلَاِستَنجَدتُand I would seek help from حَنظَلَةًHanzalah وَعَمراًand Amr
وَلَاِستَنجَدتُ حَنظَلَةً وَعَمراً
وَلَمand I would not أَعدِلset an equal بِسَعدٍto Sa'd وَالرَبابِand al-Rabab
وَلَم أَعدِل بِسَعدٍ وَالرَبابِ
And I would call on Hanzalah and Amr for help,
And I did not seek help from Ḥanẓala and ʿAmr,
and set none equal to Sa'd and al-Rabab.
Nor favored Saʿd and Rabab.
وَلَاِستَرفَدتُand I would seek aid مِنfrom قَيسٍQays ذُراهاits summits
وَلَاِستَرفَدتُ مِن قَيسٍ ذُراها
بَنيthe sons of بَدرٍBadr وَصيدَand the proud chiefs of بَنيthe sons of كِلابِKilab
بَني بَدرٍ وَصيدَ بَني كِلابِ
And I would seek aid from Qays's lofty summits:
Nor asked for aid from Qais' scattering winds,
Banu Badr and the proud chiefs of Banu Kilab.
The clan of Badr and prey of Kilab's clan.
وَلَاِحتَفَلَتand would rally رَبيعَةُRabi'ah ليfor me جَميعاًall together
وَلَاِحتَفَلَت رَبيعَةُ لي جَميعاً
بِأَيّامٍwith days كَأَيّامِlike the days of الكُلابِal-Kulab
بِأَيّامٍ كَأَيّامِ الكُلابِ
And all Rabi'ah would rally for me,
Nor did all of Rabee'a celebrate for me,
with days like the days of al-Kulab.
Days like the days of dogs.
فَأَشفيso I would heal مِنwith صَميمِthe pure essence of الشُكرِgratitude نَفسيmy soul
فَأَشفي مِن صَميمِ الشُكرِ نَفسي
وَتَركُand neglecting الشُكرِgratitude أَثقَلُheavier لِلرِقابِon necks
وَتَركُ الشُكرِ أَثقَلُ لِلرِقابِ
Thus I would heal my soul with heartfelt gratitude,
So I quenched my soul with pure thanks,
for neglecting thanks lies heavier on the neck.
For leaving thanks is most burdensome.
إِلَيكَto you أَثَرتُI stirred up مِنfrom تَحتِbeneath التَراقيthe collarbones
إِلَيكَ أَثَرتُ مِن تَحتِ التَراقي
قَوافِيَrhymes تَستَدِرُّdraw milk بِلاwithout عِصابِa binding strap
قَوافِيَ تَستَدِرُّ بِلا عِصابِ
For you I stirred up from beneath my collarbones
To you I sent, from below the veils,
rhymes that draw milk without a binding strap,
Rhymes that flow without restraint.
مِنَamong القِرطاتِearrings فيin الآذانِthe ears تَبقىthey endure
مِنَ القِرطاتِ في الآذانِ تَبقى
بَقاءَthe permanence of الوَحيِinscriptions فيin الصُمِّsolid rocks الصِلابِhard
بَقاءَ الوَحيِ في الصُمِّ الصِلابِ
earrings in the ears, enduring
Remaining in ears like earrings,
as inscriptions endure in solid, hard rock.
Remaining like revelation in solid rocks.
Sol 6.1