أَهُنَّscorn عَواديthe assaults يوسُفٍof Yusuf وَصَواحِبُهand his companions
أَهُنَّ عَوادي يوسُفٍ وَصَواحِبُه
فَعَزماًso, resolve فَقِدماًfor of old أَدرَكَattained السُؤلَthe desire طالِبُهits seeker
فَعَزماً فَقِدماً أَدرَكَ السُؤلَ طالِبُه
Scorn the assaults of Yusuf and his companions;
be resolute: of old, the seeker attained his desire.
إِذاif المَرءُthe man لَمnot يَستَخلِصِsave الحَزمُsound judgment نَفسَهُhis self
إِذا المَرءُ لَم يَستَخلِصِ الحَزمُ نَفسَهُ
فَذِروَتُهُthen his crest لِلحادِثاتِto calamities وَغارِبُهand his withers
فَذِروَتُهُ لِلحادِثاتِ وَغارِبُه
If sound judgment does not save a man's self,
his crest and his withers lie exposed to calamities.
أَعاذِلَتيO my reproacher ماhow أَخشَنَrough اللَيلَthe night مَركَباًas a mount
أَعاذِلَتي ما أَخشَنَ اللَيلَ مَركَباً
وَأَخشَنُand rougher مِنهُthan it فيamid المُلِمّاتِcalamities راكِبُهits rider
وَأَخشَنُ مِنهُ في المُلِمّاتِ راكِبُه
My reproacher, how rough a mount the night is!
Yet rougher than it, amid calamities, is its rider.
ذَرينيleave me وَأَهوالَwith the terrors الزَمانِof time أُفانِهاI contend with them
ذَريني وَأَهوالَ الزَمانِ أُفانِها
فَأَهوالُهُfor its terrors العُظمىgreatest تَليهاfollow them رَغائِبُهits coveted gifts
فَأَهوالُهُ العُظمى تَليها رَغائِبُه
Leave me to grapple with the terrors of time;
for its greatest terrors are followed by its coveted gifts.
أَلَمhave not? تَعلَميyou learned أَنَّthat الزِماعَfirm resolve عَلىto السُرىnight travel
أَلَم تَعلَمي أَنَّ الزِماعَ عَلى السُرى
أَخوthe brother النُجحِof success عِندَamid النائِباتِcalamities وَصاحِبُهand its companion
أَخو النُجحِ عِندَ النائِباتِ وَصاحِبُه
Have you not learned that resolve to travel by night
is success's brother and companion amid calamities?
دَعينيleave me عَلىwith أَخلاقِيَmy traits الصُمِّunyielding لِلَّتيfor that which
دَعيني عَلى أَخلاقِيَ الصُمِّ لِلَّتي
هِيَit is الوَفرُwealth أَوor سِربٌa grave تُرِنُّwail نَوادِبُهits mourners
هِيَ الوَفرُ أَو سِربٌ تُرِنُّ نَوادِبُه
Leave me to my unyielding ways, for what lies ahead:
wealth, or a grave whose mourners wail.
فَإِنَّfor indeed الحُسامَthe keen sword الهُندُوانِيَّIndian إِنَّماonly
فَإِنَّ الحُسامَ الهُندُوانِيَّ إِنَّما
خُشونَتُهُits hardness ماas long as لَمnot تُفَلَّلbe notched مَضارِبُهits cutting edges
خُشونَتُهُ ما لَم تُفَلَّل مَضارِبُه
For the keen Indian sword—only
while its cutting edges remain unnotched does its hardness endure.
وَقَلقَلَand unsettled نَأيٌremoteness مِنfrom خُراسانَKhurasan جَأشَهاher heart
وَقَلقَلَ نَأيٌ مِن خُراسانَ جَأشَها
فَقُلتُso I said اِطمَئِنّيbe at ease أَنضَرُthe freshest الرَوضِof the meadowland عازِبُهits distant part
فَقُلتُ اِطمَئِنّي أَنضَرُ الرَوضِ عازِبُه
And Khurasan's remoteness unsettled her heart;
I said, 'Be at ease: the freshest meadow is the distant one.'
وَرَكبٍand many a troop كَأَطرافِlike the tips الأَسِنَّةِof spearheads عَرَّسواhalted for the night
وَرَكبٍ كَأَطرافِ الأَسِنَّةِ عَرَّسوا
عَلىupon مِثلِهاtheir like وَاللَيلُwhile the night تَسطوassail غَياهِبُهits dark depths
عَلى مِثلِها وَاللَيلُ تَسطو غَياهِبُه
And many a troop, like spearpoints, halted for the night
on mounts like them, while night's deep darkness assailed.
لِأَمرٍfor an undertaking عَلَيهِمupon them أَنthat تَتِمَّbe completed صُدورُهُits beginnings
لِأَمرٍ عَلَيهِم أَن تَتِمَّ صُدورُهُ
وَلَيسَand it is not عَلَيهِمupon them أَنthat تَتِمَّbe completed عَواقِبُهits outcomes
وَلَيسَ عَلَيهِم أَن تَتِمَّ عَواقِبُه
For an undertaking whose beginnings they must fulfill,
but whose outcomes are not theirs to ensure.
عَلىupon كُلِّeach رَوّادِsupple المَلاطِof flank تَهَدَّمَتcollapsed
عَلى كُلِّ رَوّادِ المَلاطِ تَهَدَّمَت
عَريكَتُهُits hump-flesh العَلياءُlofty وَاِنضَمَّand contracted حالِبُهits flank
عَريكَتُهُ العَلياءُ وَاِنضَمَّ حالِبُه
On every supple-flanked mount, collapsed was
its lofty hump, and its flank had drawn in.
رَعَتهُgrazed on it الفَيافيthe deserts بَعدَماafter كانَit had حِقبَةًfor an age
رَعَتهُ الفَيافي بَعدَما كانَ حِقبَةً
رَعاهاgrazed them وَماءُand the water الرَوضِof the meadows يَنهَلُّpours down ساكِبُهits pouring source
رَعاها وَماءُ الرَوضِ يَنهَلُّ ساكِبُه
The deserts grazed on it, after it had for an age
grazed them, while water poured over the meadows.
فَأَضحىso now الفَلاthe wilderness قَدindeed جَدَّstrove earnestly فيin بَريِshaving away نَحضِهِits flesh
فَأَضحى الفَلا قَد جَدَّ في بَريِ نَحضِهِ
وَكانَand it had زَماناًfor a time قَبلَbefore ذاكَthat يُلاعِبُهplayed with it
وَكانَ زَماناً قَبلَ ذاكَ يُلاعِبُه
Now the wilderness has set earnestly to shaving its flesh away,
though for a time before that it had played with it.
فَكَمso how many جِذعِmain course وادٍof a valley جَبَّcut off ذِروَةَthe crest غارِبٍof a hump
فَكَم جِذعِ وادٍ جَبَّ ذِروَةَ غارِبٍ
وَبِالأَمسِand yesterday كانَتhad أَتمَكَتهُraised it high مَذانِبُهits tributaries
وَبِالأَمسِ كانَت أَتمَكَتهُ مَذانِبُه
How many a valley's main course has shorn a hump's crest,
though yesterday its tributaries had raised it high.
إِلَيكَtoward you جَزَعناwe crossed مَغرِبَthe setting-place الشَمسِof the sun كُلَّماwhenever
إِلَيكَ جَزَعنا مَغرِبَ الشَمسِ كُلَّما
هَبَطناwe descended مَلاًa plain صَلَّتprayed blessings عَلَيكَupon you سَباسِبُهits open expanses
هَبَطنا مَلاً صَلَّت عَلَيكَ سَباسِبُه
Toward you we crossed the sunset's lands; whenever
we descended into a plain, its expanses prayed blessings upon you.
فَلَوso if أَنَّthat سَيراًa journey رُمنَهُthey desired it فَاِستَطَعنَهُand could undertake it
فَلَو أَنَّ سَيراً رُمنَهُ فَاِستَطَعنَهُ
لَصاحَبنَناthey would accompany us سَوقاًdriving onward إِلَيكَtoward you مَغارِبُهits western reaches
لَصاحَبنَنا سَوقاً إِلَيكَ مَغارِبُه
Had they wished to journey and been able to do so,
its western reaches would have accompanied us, driving us toward you.
إِلىto مَلِكٍa king لَمnever يُلقِlay كَلكَلَthe chest بَأسِهِof his might
إِلى مَلِكٍ لَم يُلقِ كَلكَلَ بَأسِهِ
عَلىupon مَلِكٍa king إِلّاexcept وَلِلذُلِّand to abasement جانِبُهhis flank
عَلى مَلِكٍ إِلّا وَلِلذُلِّ جانِبُه
To a king who never laid the chest of his might
upon another king without delivering his flank to abasement.
إِلىto سالِبِone who strips الجَبّارِthe tyrant بَيضَةَthe heart مُلكِهِof his kingdom
إِلى سالِبِ الجَبّارِ بَيضَةَ مُلكِهِ
وَآمِلُهُand one hoping in him غادٍcoming at dawn عَلَيهِto him فَسالِبُهthen stripping him
وَآمِلُهُ غادٍ عَلَيهِ فَسالِبُه
To one who strips a tyrant of his kingdom's heart,
while one who hopes in him comes at dawn and strips him in turn.
وَأَيُّand what مَرامٍgoal عَنهُaway from him يَعدوextends beyond نِياطُهُits reach
وَأَيُّ مَرامٍ عَنهُ يَعدو نِياطُهُ
عَداfar away أَوor تَفُلُّwear down الناعِجاتِthe white she-camels أَخاشِبُهits crags
عَدا أَو تَفُلُّ الناعِجاتِ أَخاشِبُه
And what goal could stretch away from him,
far off, or have crags that wear down the white she-camels,
وَقَدwhen indeed قَرَّبَbrought near المَرمىthe goal البَعيدَdistant رَجاؤُهُhope in him
وَقَد قَرَّبَ المَرمى البَعيدَ رَجاؤُهُ
وَسَهَّلَتِand smoothed الأَرضَthe ground العَزازَhard كَتائِبُهhis battalions
وَسَهَّلَتِ الأَرضَ العَزازَ كَتائِبُه
when hope in him has brought the distant goal near,
and his battalions have smoothed the hard ground?
إِذاwhen أَنتَyou وَجَّهتَdirected الرِكابَthe riding camels لِقَصدِهِto seek him
إِذا أَنتَ وَجَّهتَ الرِكابَ لِقَصدِهِ
تَبَيَّنتَyou discerned طَعمَthe taste الماءِof the water ذوwhich أَنتَyou شارِبُهdrink it
تَبَيَّنتَ طَعمَ الماءِ ذو أَنتَ شارِبُه
When you direct the riding camels toward him,
you discern the taste of the water you will drink.
جَديرٌfitting بِأَنto يَستَحيِيَrevere اللَهَGod بادِياًbeginning
جَديرٌ بِأَن يَستَحيِيَ اللَهَ بادِياً
بِهِwith Him ثُمَّthen يَستَحييrevere النَدىgenerosity وَيُراقِبُهand be mindful of it
بِهِ ثُمَّ يَستَحيي النَدى وَيُراقِبُه
It is fitting to revere God, beginning
with Him, then to revere generosity and be mindful of it.
سَماrose لِلعُلىtoward glory مِنfrom جانِبَيهاits two sides كِلَيهِماboth of them
سَما لِلعُلى مِن جانِبَيها كِلَيهِما
سُمُوَّthe rising عُبابِthe swelling flood الماءِof water جاشَتsurged غَوارِبُهits wave-crests
سُمُوَّ عُبابِ الماءِ جاشَت غَوارِبُه
He rose toward glory from both its sides,
as a swelling flood rises when its wave-crests surge.
فَنَوَّلَso he bestowed حَتّىuntil لَمnot يَجِدfind مَنanyone يُنيلُهgive him gifts
فَنَوَّلَ حَتّى لَم يَجِد مَن يُنيلُه
وَحارَبَand he fought حَتّىuntil لَمnot يَجِدfind مَنanyone يُحارِبُهfight him
وَحارَبَ حَتّى لَم يَجِد مَن يُحارِبُه
He gave until he found no one left to receive his gifts,
and fought until he found no one to fight him.
وَذوand possessed of يَقَظاتٍwakeful insights مُستَمِرٍّfirmly twisted مَريرُهاtheir cord
وَذو يَقَظاتٍ مُستَمِرٍّ مَريرُها
إِذاwhen الخَطبُthe crisis لاقاهاmeets them اِضمَحَلَّتvanished نَوائِبُهits calamities
إِذا الخَطبُ لاقاها اِضمَحَلَّت نَوائِبُه
A man of watchful insights, their cord firmly twisted:
when a crisis meets them, its calamities vanish.
وَأَينَand where بِوَجهِwith the face الحَزمِof prudence عَنهُaway from him وَإِنَّماwhen only
وَأَينَ بِوَجهِ الحَزمِ عَنهُ وَإِنَّما
مَرائيthe mirrors الأُمورِof affairs المُشكِلاتِperplexing تَجارِبُهhis experiences
مَرائي الأُمورِ المُشكِلاتِ تَجارِبُه
Where could prudence's face turn away from him, when
his experiences are the very mirrors of perplexing affairs?
أَرىhe showed الناسَthe people مِنهاجَthe path النَدىof generosity بَعدَماafter عَفَتfaded
أَرى الناسَ مِنهاجَ النَدى بَعدَما عَفَت
مَهايِعُهُits broad highways المُثلىfinest وَمَحَّتand were effaced لَواحِبُهits clear roads
مَهايِعُهُ المُثلى وَمَحَّت لَواحِبُه
He showed people generosity's path, after fading had overtaken
its finest highways and its clear roads had been erased.
فَفيso in كُلِّevery نَجدٍupland فيin البِلادِthe lands وَغائِرٍand lowland
فَفي كُلِّ نَجدٍ في البِلادِ وَغائِرٍ
مَواهِبُgifts لَيسَتare not مِنهُfrom him وَهيَand they are مَواهِبُهhis gifts
مَواهِبُ لَيسَت مِنهُ وَهيَ مَواهِبُه
In every upland and lowland across the lands
are gifts not from him, yet they are his gifts.
لِتُحدِثso as to renew لَهُfor him الأَيّامُthe days شُكرَgratitude خَناعَةٍhumility
لِتُحدِث لَهُ الأَيّامُ شُكرَ خَناعَةٍ
تَطيبُgrow sweet صَباthe east wind نَجدٍof Najd بِهِthrough it وَجَنائِبُهand its south winds
تَطيبُ صَبا نَجدٍ بِهِ وَجَنائِبُه
So the days renew for him humble thanks,
by which Najd's east wind and its south winds grow sweet.
فَوَاللَهِso, by God لَوif لَمnot يُلبِسِclothe الدَهرَtime فِعلَهُhis deeds
فَوَاللَهِ لَو لَم يُلبِسِ الدَهرَ فِعلَهُ
لَأَفسَدَتِwould have spoiled الماءَthe water القَراحَpure مَعايِبُهits flaws
لَأَفسَدَتِ الماءَ القَراحَ مَعايِبُه
By God, had he not clothed time in his deeds,
its flaws would have spoiled pure water.
فَياso, O أَيُّهاyou الساريnight traveler اِسرِtravel by night غَيرَwithout مُحاذِرٍfearing
فَيا أَيُّها الساري اِسرِ غَيرَ مُحاذِرٍ
جَنانَthe spirits ظَلامٍof darkness أَوor رَدىًdeath أَنتَyou هائِبُهfear it
جَنانَ ظَلامٍ أَو رَدىً أَنتَ هائِبُه
O night traveler, travel on without fearing
the spirits of darkness, or the death you dread.
فَقَدfor indeed بَثَّspread عَبدُAbd (servant) اللَهِAllah (God) خَوفَfear اِنتِقامِهِof his vengeance
فَقَد بَثَّ عَبدُ اللَهِ خَوفَ اِنتِقامِهِ
عَلىover اللَيلِthe night حَتّىuntil ماnot تَدِبُّcrawl عَقارِبُهits scorpions
عَلى اللَيلِ حَتّى ما تَدِبُّ عَقارِبُه
For Abd Allah has spread the fear of his vengeance
over the night, until its scorpions no longer crawl.
يَقولونَthey say إِنَّthat اللَيثَthe lion لَيثُthe lion خَفِيَّةٍof Khafiyyah
يَقولونَ إِنَّ اللَيثَ لَيثُ خَفِيَّةٍ
نَواجِذُهُits fangs مَطرورَةٌsharpened وَمَخالِبُهand its claws
نَواجِذُهُ مَطرورَةٌ وَمَخالِبُه
They say the lion—the lion of Khafiyyah—
has sharpened fangs and claws.
وَماand not اللَيثُthe lion كُلُّall اللَيثِthe lion إِلّاexcept اِبنُa son عَثرَةٍof a stumble
وَما اللَيثُ كُلُّ اللَيثِ إِلّا اِبنُ عَثرَةٍ
يَعيشُlives فُواقَa milking pause ناقَةٍof a she-camel وَهوَwhile he راهِبُهfears him
يَعيشُ فُواقَ ناقَةٍ وَهوَ راهِبُه
Yet the lion, for all his lionhood, is only a son of a stumble,
living but a she-camel's milking pause, while fearing him.
وَيَومٍand many a day أَمامَbefore المُلكِthe kingdom دَحضٍslippery وَقَفتَهُyou stood through it
وَيَومٍ أَمامَ المُلكِ دَحضٍ وَقَفتَهُ
وَلَوand if خَرَّfell فيهِon it الدينُthe faith لَاِنهالَwould have crumbled كاثِبُهits sand-mound
وَلَو خَرَّ فيهِ الدينُ لَاِنهالَ كاثِبُه
And many a slippery day before the kingdom you stood through;
had faith fallen that day, its sand-mound would have crumbled.
جَلَوتَyou polished بِهِthrough it وَجهَthe face الخِلافَةِof the caliphate وَالقَناand the spears
جَلَوتَ بِهِ وَجهَ الخِلافَةِ وَالقَنا
قَدِalready اِتَّسَعَتhad widened بَينَbetween الضُلوعِthe ribs مَذاهِبُهits paths
قَدِ اِتَّسَعَت بَينَ الضُلوعِ مَذاهِبُه
You polished the caliphate's face that day, while the spears
had opened broad paths between the ribs.
شَفَيتَyou quenched صَداهُits thirst وَالصَفيحَand the broad blades مِنَfrom الطُلىthe necks
شَفَيتَ صَداهُ وَالصَفيحَ مِنَ الطُلى
رُواءٌwell-watered نَواحيهِits sides عِذابٌsweet مَشارِبُهits drinking-places
رُواءٌ نَواحيهِ عِذابٌ مَشارِبُه
You quenched its thirst, while the broad blades, from throats,
were drenched along their sides, their drinking-places sweet.
لَيالِيَon nights لَمnot يَقعُدُhold back بِسَيفِكَyour sword أَنto يُرىbe seen
لَيالِيَ لَم يَقعُدُ بِسَيفِكَ أَن يُرى
هُوَit المَوتُdeath إِلّاexcept أَنَّthat عَفوَكَyour pardon غالِبُهovercomes it
هُوَ المَوتُ إِلّا أَنَّ عَفوَكَ غالِبُه
On nights when nothing held your sword back from being seen
as death itself, except that your pardon overcame it.
فَلَوso if نَطَقَتspoke حَربٌwar لَقالَتit would say مُحِقَّةًrightly
فَلَو نَطَقَت حَربٌ لَقالَت مُحِقَّةً
أَلاindeed هَكَذاlike this فَليَكسِبِso let him win المَجدَglory كاسِبُهits winner
أَلا هَكَذا فَليَكسِبِ المَجدَ كاسِبُه
If war could speak, it would rightly say:
'Indeed, this is how glory's winner must win it!'
لِيُعلَمَso it may be known أَنَّthat الغُرَّthe illustrious مِنof آلِthe house مُصعَبٍof Mus'ab
لِيُعلَمَ أَنَّ الغُرَّ مِن آلِ مُصعَبٍ
غَداةَon the morning الوَغىof battle آلُthe family الوَغىof battle وَأَقارِبُهand its kinsmen
غَداةَ الوَغى آلُ الوَغى وَأَقارِبُه
Let it be known that the radiant men of Mus'ab's house,
on battle's morning, are battle's family and kin.
كَواكِبُstars مَجدٍof glory يَعلَمُknows اللَيلُthe night أَنَّهُthat it
كَواكِبُ مَجدٍ يَعلَمُ اللَيلُ أَنَّهُ
إِذاwhen نَجَمَتthey rose باءَتcame away بِصُغرٍwith abasement كَواكِبُهits stars
إِذا نَجَمَت باءَت بِصُغرٍ كَواكِبُه
Stars of glory: night knows that,
when they rise, its stars come away humbled.
وَياand O أَيُّهاyou الساعيthe striver لِيُدرِكَto attain شَأوَهُhis stature
وَيا أَيُّها الساعي لِيُدرِكَ شَأوَهُ
تَزَحزَحَmove aside قَصِيّاًfar away أَسوَأُthe worst الظَنِّof surmises كاذِبُهits false one
تَزَحزَحَ قَصِيّاً أَسوَأُ الظَنِّ كاذِبُه
O you who strive to match his stature,
stand far aside: the worst surmise is the false one.
بِحَسبِكَenough for you مِنof نَيلِattaining المَناقِبِthe distinctions أَنto تُرىbe seen
بِحَسبِكَ مِن نَيلِ المَناقِبِ أَن تُرى
عَليماًknowing بِأَنthat لَيسَتare not تُنالُattained مَناقِبُهhis distinctions
عَليماً بِأَن لَيسَت تُنالُ مَناقِبُه
In winning distinctions, it is enough for you to be seen
as knowing that his distinctions cannot be attained.
إِذاwhen ماever اِمرُؤٌa man أَلقىlaid down بِرَبعِكَin your abode رَحلَهُhis saddle
إِذا ما اِمرُؤٌ أَلقى بِرَبعِكَ رَحلَهُ
فَقَدthen indeed طالَبَتهُdemanded of him بِالنَجاحِsuccess مَطالِبُهhis aspirations
فَقَد طالَبَتهُ بِالنَجاحِ مَطالِبُه
Whenever a man lays down his saddle in your abode,
his aspirations have already demanded success of him.
Sol 6.1