نَوارٌNawār فيamong صَواحِبِهاher companions نَوارُshy and elusive
نَوارٌ في صَواحِبِها نَوارُ
كَماas when فاجاكَsurprised you سِربٌa gazelle herd أَوor صِوارُa wild-cattle herd
كَما فاجاكَ سِربٌ أَو صِوارُ
Nawār among her companions is shy and elusive,
Light among her companions is light
as when a herd of gazelles or wild cattle surprises you.
As a flock or bells surprised you
تَكَذَّبَtold lies حاسِدٌan envious man فَنَأَتso drew away قُلوبٌhearts
تَكَذَّبَ حاسِدٌ فَنَأَت قُلوبٌ
أَطاعَتheeded واشِياًa slanderer وَنَأَتand grew distant دِيارُdwellings
أَطاعَت واشِياً وَنَأَت دِيارُ
An envious man lied, and hearts drew away,
A jealous one denied, so hearts obeyed
heeding a slanderer, and homes grew distant.
A slanderer, and homes parted
قِفاstop, you two نُعطِlet us give المَنازِلَthe dwellings مِنfrom عُيونٍeyes
قِفا نُعطِ المَنازِلَ مِن عُيونٍ
لَهاthey have فيin الشَوقِlonging أَحساءٌwaterholes غِزارُabundant
لَها في الشَوقِ أَحساءٌ غِزارُ
Stop, you two; let us offer the dwellings tears from eyes
Stop, let us give the abodes their due
that hold abundant wells of longing.
For them longing has copious tears
عَفَتfaded آياتُهُنَّtheir traces وَأَيُّand what رَبعٍencampment
عَفَت آياتُهُنَّ وَأَيُّ رَبعٍ
يَكونُhas لَهُfor itself عَلىagainst الزَمَنِTime الخِيارُthe choice
يَكونُ لَهُ عَلى الزَمَنِ الخِيارُ
Their traces have faded; what encampment
Their signs have been chaste, and which quarter
can ever have its way against Time?
Will have the choice over time?
أَثافٍhearthstones كَالخُدودِlike cheeks لُطِمنَwere slapped حُزناًin grief
أَثافٍ كَالخُدودِ لُطِمنَ حُزناً
وَنُؤيٍand a tent-trench مِثلَماjust as اِنفَصَمَsnapped apart السِوارُa bracelet
وَنُؤيٍ مِثلَما اِنفَصَمَ السِوارُ
Hearthstones like cheeks slapped in grief,
Cheeks like gifts that console sorrow
and a tent-trench like a bracelet snapped apart.
Eyes like bracelets when they are parted
وَكانَتand there was لَوعَةٌburning anguish ثُمَّthen اِطمَأَنَّتgrew still
وَكانَت لَوعَةٌ ثُمَّ اِطمَأَنَّت
كَذاكَthus لِكُلِّfor every سائِلَةٍflowing thing قَرارُa resting place
كَذاكَ لِكُلِّ سائِلَةٍ قَرارُ
There was burning anguish, then it grew still;
There was agony, then it was calmed
so every flowing thing has a resting place.
Thus for every questioner, a settlement
مَضىpassed away الأَملاكُthe kings فَاِنقَرَضواso they died out وَأَمسَتand became
مَضى الأَملاكُ فَاِنقَرَضوا وَأَمسَت
سَراةُthe foremost مُلوكِناour kings وَهُمُand they تِجارُmerchants
سَراةُ مُلوكِنا وَهُمُ تِجارُ
The kings passed on and died out, and now
The angels passed away and vanished
the foremost of our kings—mere merchants—
And our kings’ cavalcade remained merchants
وُقوفٌstanding فيin ظِلالِshadows الذَمِّreproach تُحمىare guarded
وُقوفٌ في ظِلالِ الذَمِّ تُحمى
دَراهِمُهاtheir dirhams وَلاand not يُحمىis guarded الذِمارُinviolable honor
دَراهِمُها وَلا يُحمى الذِمارُ
stand in the shadows of reproach; guarded are
Standing in the shadows of blame, protected
their dirhams, but not their honor.
Their coins, but not protected from blame
فَلَوso if ذَهَبَتdeparted سِناتُfits of drowsiness الدَهرِTime عَنهُfrom him
فَلَو ذَهَبَت سِناتُ الدَهرِ عَنهُ
وَأُلقِيَand was cast off عَنfrom مَناكِبِهِhis shoulders الدِثارُthe covering
وَأُلقِيَ عَن مَناكِبِهِ الدِثارُ
If Time's fits of drowsiness left him,
If the years of fate left him
and the covering were cast off his shoulders,
And the robes fell from his shoulders
لَعَدَّلَhe would surely rectify قِسمَةَthe distribution الأَرزاقِlivelihoods فيناamong us
لَعَدَّلَ قِسمَةَ الأَرزاقِ فينا
وَلَكِنbut دَهرُناour Time هَذاthis حِمارُan ass
وَلَكِن دَهرُنا هَذا حِمارُ
he would apportion sustenance fairly among us;
He would make equal the portion of sustenance among us
but this Time of ours is an ass.
But our fate, this is a donkey
سَيَبتَعِثُhe will send forth الرِكابَthe riding camels وَراكِبيهاand their riders
سَيَبتَعِثُ الرِكابَ وَراكِبيها
فَتىًa youth كَالسَيفِlike a sword هَجعَتُهُhis sleep غِرارُbrief
فَتىً كَالسَيفِ هَجعَتُهُ غِرارُ
The riding camels and their riders will be sent forth
It will revive the riders and their mounts
by a youth like a sword, whose sleep is brief.
A young man whose slumber roused embers
أَطَلَّsurveyed عَلىover كِلاboth الآفاقِhorizons حَتّىuntil
أَطَلَّ عَلى كِلا الآفاقِ حَتّى
كَأَنَّas though الأَرضَthe earth فيin عَينَيهِhis two eyes دارُa house
كَأَنَّ الأَرضَ في عَينَيهِ دارُ
He surveyed both horizons, until
He looked upon both horizons until
the earth seemed a house in his eyes.
The earth in his eyes was a house
يَقولُsay الحاسِدونَthe envious إِذاwhen اِنصَرَفناwe depart
يَقولُ الحاسِدونَ إِذا اِنصَرَفنا
لَقَدsurely قَطَعواthey cut off طَريقاًa road أَوor أَغارواthey raided
لَقَد قَطَعوا طَريقاً أَو أَغاروا
The envious say, when we depart,
The jealous say, when we move on:
“They must have committed highway robbery or gone raiding!”
“They have crossed a road or raided”
نَؤُمُّwe head toward أَباAbu الحُسَينِal-Husayn وَكانَand he was قِدماًlong ago
نَؤُمُّ أَبا الحُسَينِ وَكانَ قِدماً
فَتىًa youth أَعمارُlifetimes مَوعِدِهِhis promise قِصارُshort
فَتىً أَعمارُ مَوعِدِهِ قِصارُ
We make for Abu al-Husayn, who has long been
We entrust Abu Al-Hussein, and he was
a youth whose promises have short lives.
A man whose lifetimes are brief
لَهُhe has خُلُقٌa character trait نَهىforbade القُرآنُthe Quran عَنهُagainst it
لَهُ خُلُقٌ نَهى القُرآنُ عَنهُ
وَذاكَand that عَطاؤُهُhis giving السَرَفُextravagance البِدارُpromptness
وَذاكَ عَطاؤُهُ السَرَفُ البِدارُ
He has a trait forbidden by the Quran:
He has a nature the Quran forbade
and that is his giving—extravagant and swift.
And that is his excessive, wasteful giving
وَلَمand did not يَكُbe مِنكَfrom you إِضرارٌharm وَلَكِنbut
وَلَم يَكُ مِنكَ إِضرارٌ وَلَكِن
تَمادَتpersisted فيin سَجِيَّتِهاtheir innate nature البِحارُthe seas
تَمادَت في سَجِيَّتِها البِحارُ
And no harm came from you; rather,
You did no harm, but
the seas simply persisted in their nature.
The oceans raged in their own nature
يَطيبُgrows sweet لِجودِهِthrough his generosity ثَمَرُfruit الأَمانيhopes
يَطيبُ لِجودِهِ ثَمَرُ الأَماني
وَتَرىand blaze عِندَهُin his presence الهِمَمُambitions الحِرارُnoble
وَتَرى عِندَهُ الهِمَمُ الحِرارُ
The fruit of hopes grows sweet through his generosity,
The fruit of hopes ripens through his generosity
and noble ambitions blaze in his presence.
And you see the passionate ambitions by him
رَفَعتُI raised كَواعِبَbudding maidens الأَشعارِpoems فيهِin his praise
رَفَعتُ كَواعِبَ الأَشعارِ فيهِ
كَماas رُفِعَتwere raised لِناظِرِهاfor their beholder المَنارُbeacons
كَما رُفِعَت لِناظِرِها المَنارُ
I raised the budding maidens of poetry in his praise,
I raised the maidens of poetry about him
as beacons are raised for those who behold them.
As the lighthouse was raised for its viewer
حَليمٌforbearing وَالحَفيظَةُand indignation مِنهُin him خَيمٌinnate nature
حَليمٌ وَالحَفيظَةُ مِنهُ خَيمٌ
وَأَيُّand what النارِfire لَيسَis not لَهاit has شَرارُsparks
وَأَيُّ النارِ لَيسَ لَها شَرارُ
He is forbearing, yet indignation is innate in him;
Forbearing, and the angry one from him is protected
and what fire has no sparks?
And which fire lacks sparks?
تَحِنُّmoan yearningly عِداتُهُhis promises إِثرَfollowing التَقاضيdemand for fulfillment
تَحِنُّ عِداتُهُ إِثرَ التَقاضي
وَتُنتَجُand are delivered مِثلَماjust as نَتِجَgave birth العِشارُten-month-pregnant she-camels
وَتُنتَجُ مِثلَما نَتِجَ العِشارُ
His promises moan when fulfillment is demanded,
His enemies grieve after the quarrel
and are delivered like she-camels ten months pregnant.
And produce like the tithe produces
أَرىI see الدالِيَّتَينِthe two dāl-rhymed odes عَلىin جَفاءٍneglect
أَرى الدالِيَّتَينِ عَلى جَفاءٍ
لَدَيكَwith you وَكُلُّand each واحِدَةٍone نُضارُpure gold
لَدَيكَ وَكُلُّ واحِدَةٍ نُضارُ
I see the two dāl-rhymed odes neglected
I see the two enticers sullen
by you, though each is pure gold.
Before you, and each is blooming
إِذاif ماever شِعرُpoetry قَومٍa people كانَwas لَيلاًnight
إِذا ما شِعرُ قَومٍ كانَ لَيلاً
تَبَلَّجَتاboth shone forth كَماas اِنشَقَّbroke open النَهارُday
تَبَلَّجَتا كَما اِنشَقَّ النَهارُ
If ever a people's poetry is night,
If the poetry of some people was gloomy at night
the two shine forth as day breaks open.
They glistened as the dawn split
وَإِنand if كانَتwere قَصائِدُهُمtheir odes جُدوباًbarren wastes
وَإِن كانَت قَصائِدُهُم جُدوباً
تَلَوَّنَتاboth took on color كَماas اِزدَوَجَbecame paired البَهارُoxeye blossoms
تَلَوَّنَتا كَما اِزدَوَجَ البَهارُ
And if their odes are barren wastes,
And if their poems were barren
the two take on colors like paired oxeye blossoms.
They were colored as flowers doubled
أَغَرتَهُماyou made both jealous وَغَيرُهُماwhile others besides them مُحَلّىًadorned
أَغَرتَهُما وَغَيرُهُما مُحَلّىً
بِجودِكَwith your generosity وَالقَوافيand rhymes قَدmay تَغارُbe jealous
بِجودِكَ وَالقَوافي قَد تَغارُ
You made them jealous, while other verse is adorned
You seduced them and others with your munificence
with your generosity—and rhymes may feel jealousy.
And the rhymes almost envied each other
وَغَيرُكَand someone other than you يَلبَسُclothes المَعروفَkindness خُلفاًbroken promises
وَغَيرُكَ يَلبَسُ المَعروفَ خُلفاً
وَيَأخُذُand takes مِنfrom مَواعِدِهِhis promises الصُفارُjaundice
وَيَأخُذُ مِن مَواعِدِهِ الصُفارُ
Another clothes kindness in broken promises,
While others falsely wear beneficence
and jaundice eats into his pledges.
And take their rations from its seats
رَأَيتُI saw صَنائِعاًfavors مُعِكَتwere stalled فَأَمسَتso they became
رَأَيتُ صَنائِعاً مُعِكَت فَأَمسَت
ذَبائِحَslaughtered victims وَالمِطالُand delay لَهاfor them شِفارُknife-blades
ذَبائِحَ وَالمِطالُ لَها شِفارُ
I saw favors stalled until they became
I saw arts made cranky, so they became
slaughtered victims, delay their knife-blades.
Sacrifices, and the knives are their healers
وَكانَand was المَطلُdelay فيin بَدءٍa beginning وَعَودٍand recurrence
وَكانَ المَطلُ في بَدءٍ وَعَودٍ
دُخاناًsmoke لِلصَنيعَةِfor the favor وَهيَand it is نارُfire
دُخاناً لِلصَنيعَةِ وَهيَ نارُ
Delay, at first and yet again, was
The knife, at first, was smoke for the craft
smoke to the favor, which was fire,
And it was fire while it was a rod
نَسيبَkin البُخلِmiserliness مُذever since كاناboth existed وَإِلّاand if not
نَسيبَ البُخلِ مُذ كانا وَإِلّا
يَكُنthere is نَسَبٌkinship فَبَينَهُماthen between the two جِوارُproximity as neighbors
يَكُن نَسَبٌ فَبَينَهُما جِوارُ
kin to miserliness since both began; and if
He forgot the lineage of stinginess since they were
there is no kinship, they are neighbors.
Otherwise, between them would be neighborhood
لِذَلِكَfor that reason قيلَit was said بَعضُsome المَنعِwithholding أَدنىnearer
لِذَلِكَ قيلَ بَعضُ المَنعِ أَدنى
إِلىto كَرَمٍgenerosity وَبَعضُand some الجودِgiving عارُdisgrace
إِلى كَرَمٍ وَبَعضُ الجودِ عارُ
Thus it is said: some withholding is nearer
Therefore, it was said some denial is closer
to generosity, while some giving is disgrace.
To generosity, and some giving is shame
فَدَعso leave off ذِكرَmention الضِياعِlanded estates فَبيfor in me شِماسٌrestiveness
فَدَع ذِكرَ الضِياعِ فَبي شِماسٌ
إِذاwhen ذُكِرَتthey are mentioned وَبيand in me عَنهاaway from them نِفارُaversion
إِذا ذُكِرَت وَبي عَنها نِفارُ
So leave off talk of estates; I grow restive
Leave mention of losses, for in me are spears
when they are mentioned, and recoil from them.
If mentioned, and from them, aversion
وَماand not ليfor me ضَيعَةٌan estate إِلّاexcept المَطاياriding beasts
وَما لي ضَيعَةٌ إِلّا المَطايا
وَشِعرٌand poetry لاnot يُباعُis sold وَلاnor يُعارُis lent
وَشِعرٌ لا يُباعُ وَلا يُعارُ
And I have no estate except my mounts
I have no estate but the mounts
and poetry that is neither sold nor lent.
And poetry that is neither sold nor lent
وَماand what أَناI وَالعَقارَand landed property وَلَستُand I am not مِنهُconcerning it
وَما أَنا وَالعَقارَ وَلَستُ مِنهُ
عَلىin ثِقَةٍconfidence وَجودُكَand your generosity ليfor me عَقارُan estate
عَلى ثِقَةٍ وَجودُكَ لي عَقارُ
What have I to do with landed property? I have
I am not for real estate, and am not one
no trust in it; your generosity is my estate.
To trust in it - your generosity is my real estate
Sol 6.1