صَدّاحُSaddah ياO مَلِكَking of الكَناthe canaries (start)
صَدّاحُ يا مَلِكَ الكَنا
رِthe canaries (end) وَياand O أَميرَprince of البُلبُلِthe nightingale
رِ وَيا أَميرَ البُلبُلِ
Saddah, O king of canaries,
O chatterer, O king of the vineyards
and prince of nightingales,
And prince of the nightingale
قَدindeed فُزتُI have gained مِنكَfrom you بِمَعبَدٍwith Ma'bad
قَد فُزتُ مِنكَ بِمَعبَدٍ
وَرُزِقتُand I was blessed with قُربَnearness to الموصِليal-Mawsili
وَرُزِقتُ قُربَ الموصِلي
From you I have gained a Ma'bad,
I have gained from you a temple
and been granted al-Mawsili's company.
And been granted approach to the nightingale
وَأُتيحَand was granted ليto me داودُDavid مِزa flute (start)
وَأُتيحَ لي داودُ مِز
ماراًa flute (end) وَحُسنَand the beauty of تَرَتُّلِchanting
ماراً وَحُسنَ تَرَتُّلِ
And David was granted me through your flute
David has been made accessible to me
and the beauty of your chanting.
Chanting beautifully
فَوقَabove الأَسِرَّةِthe thrones وَالمَناand the pulpits (start)
فَوقَ الأَسِرَّةِ وَالمَنا
بِرِthe pulpits (end) قَطُّever لَمnot تَتَرَجَّلِyou descended
بِرِ قَطُّ لَم تَتَرَجَّلِ
Above thrones and pulpits,
Above the beds and pulpits
you have never come down.
A cat that does not prowl
تَهتَزُّyou quiver كَالدينارِlike a dinar فيin
تَهتَزُّ كَالدينارِ في
مُرتَجِّthe wavering لَحظِgaze of الأَحوَلِthe cross-eyed man
مُرتَجِّ لَحظِ الأَحوَلِ
You quiver like a dinar in
It sways like a dinar in the palm
the wavering gaze of the cross-eyed man.
Of a conjurer in an instant of magic
وَإِذاand when خَطَرتَyou strut عَلىupon المَلاthe stages (start)
وَإِذا خَطَرتَ عَلى المَلا
عِبِthe stages (end) لَمnot تَدَعyou leave لِمُمَثِّلِfor an actor
عِبِ لَم تَدَع لِمُمَثِّلِ
And when you strut upon the stages,
And if it occurs to jesters
you leave no scope for an actor.
It leaves nothing for the actor
وَلَكَand you have اِبتِداءاتُopenings الفَرَزal-Farazdaq (start)
وَلَكَ اِبتِداءاتُ الفَرَز
دَقِal-Farazdaq (end) فيin مَقاطِعِclosing passages of جَروَلِJarwal
دَقِ في مَقاطِعِ جَروَلِ
And yours are al-Farazdaq's openings
You have the openings of the separated
in Jarwal's closing passages.
Syllables in the prose of the messenger
وَلَقَدand indeed تَخِذتَyou took مِنَfrom الضُحىthe forenoon
وَلَقَد تَخِذتَ مِنَ الضُحى
صُفرَyellow الغَلائِلِthe tunics وَالحَليand the ornaments
صُفرَ الغَلائِلِ وَالحَلي
And from the forenoon you have taken
You have indeed taken from the morning
yellow tunics and ornaments.
The yellow parts and the ornaments
وَرَوَيتَand you recited فيin بيضِwhite القَلاthe caps (start)
وَرَوَيتَ في بيضِ القَلا
نِسِthe caps (end) عَنfrom عَذارىmaidens of الهَيكَلِthe temple
نِسِ عَن عَذارى الهَيكَلِ
And in white caps you have recited
And related in the white domes
the songs of the temple's maidens.
About the chaste virgins of the temple
ياO لَيتَwould that شِعرِيَmy knowing ياO أَسيcaptive (start)
يا لَيتَ شِعرِيَ يا أَسي
رُcaptive (end) شَجٍsorrowful فُؤادُكَyour heart أَمor خَليcarefree
رُ شَجٍ فُؤادُكَ أَم خَلي
Ah, would that I knew, O captive:
Oh, would that I know, o captive of passion,
is your heart sorrowful or carefree?
Is your heart empty or filled?
وَحَليفُand an ally of سُهدٍsleeplessness أَمor تَناyou sleep (start)
وَحَليفُ سُهدٍ أَم تَنا
مُyou sleep (end) اللَيلَthe night حَتّىuntil يَنجَليit clears
مُ اللَيلَ حَتّى يَنجَلي
And are you an ally of sleeplessness, or do you sleep
And the companion of wakefulness or do you
through the night until it clears?
Sleep until the night passes?
بِالرُغمِagainst the will مِنّيof me ماwhat تُعاyou endure (start)
بِالرُغمِ مِنّي ما تُعا
لِجُyou endure (end) فيin النُحاسِthe copper المُقفَلِthe locked
لِجُ في النُحاسِ المُقفَلِ
Against my will is what you endure
In spite of me, why do you shut
within the locked copper cage.
Yourself in sealed brass?
حِرصيmy concern عَلَيكَfor you هَوىًlove وَمَنand whoever
حِرصي عَلَيكَ هَوىً وَمَن
يُحرِزpossesses ثَميناًsomething precious يَبخَلِbecomes miserly
يُحرِز ثَميناً يَبخَلِ
My care for you is love; and whoever
My desire for you is love, and who
possesses something precious grows miserly.
Keeps something precious is stingy
وَالشُحُّand miserliness تُحدِثُهُcauses it الضَروnecessity (start)
وَالشُحُّ تُحدِثُهُ الضَرو
رَةُnecessity (end) فيin الجَوادِthe generous person المُجزِلِthe lavish giver
رَةُ في الجَوادِ المُجزِلِ
And necessity breeds miserliness
And need causes stinginess
in the generous, lavish giver.
In the generous giver
أَناI إِنif جَعَلتُكَI placed you فيin نُضاgold (start)
أَنا إِن جَعَلتُكَ في نُضا
رٍgold (end) بِالحَريرِwith silk مُجَلَّلِdraped
رٍ بِالحَريرِ مُجَلَّلِ
Were I to place you in gold
If I made you a cage of silk
draped in silk,
Encrusted with pearls
وَلَفَفتُهُand I wrapped it فيin سَوسَنٍlilies
وَلَفَفتُهُ في سَوسَنٍ
وَحَفَفتُهُand I surrounded it بِقُرُنفُلِwith carnations
وَحَفَفتُهُ بِقُرُنفُلِ
and wrap it in lilies,
And wrapped it in lilies
and surround it with carnations,
And lined it with carnations
وَحَرَقتُand I burned أَزكىthe most fragrant العودِaloeswood حَوaround (start)
وَحَرَقتُ أَزكى العودِ حَو
لَيهِit (completes 'around it') وَأَغلىand the costliest الصَدنَلِsandalwood
لَيهِ وَأَغلى الصَدنَلِ
and burn the most fragrant aloeswood around it
And burned the finest incense around it
and the costliest sandalwood,
And the most expensive oils
وَحَمَلتُهُand I carried it فَوقَabove العُيوthe springs (start)
وَحَمَلتُهُ فَوقَ العُيو
نِthe springs (end) وَفَوقَand above رَأسِhead of الجَدوَلِthe stream
نِ وَفَوقَ رَأسِ الجَدوَلِ
and carry it above the springs
And carried it above fountains
and above the head of the stream,
And above the top of brooks
وَدَعَوتُand I invited كُلَّevery أَغَرَّwhite-blazed one فيin
وَدَعَوتُ كُلَّ أَغَرَّ في
مُلكِthe kingdom of الطُيورِthe birds مُحَجَّلِwhite-marked of foot
مُلكِ الطُيورِ مُحَجَّلِ
and invite every white-blazed bird in
And called all the proudest
the birds' kingdom, white-marked of foot,
Of the kings of birds adorned
فَأَتَتكَso they came to you بَينَamong مُطارِحٍone exchanging songs
فَأَتَتكَ بَينَ مُطارِحٍ
وَمُحَبِّذٍand one praising وَمُدَلِّلِand one pampering
وَمُحَبِّذٍ وَمُدَلِّلِ
so they came to you, some exchanging songs,
They would come to you amid those who flatter
some praising, and some pampering you,
And praise and pamper
وَأَمَرتَand you gave orders بِاِبنيfor my son فَاِلتَقاso he met
وَأَمَرتَ بِاِبني فَاِلتَقا
كَyou بِوَجهِهِwith his face المُتَهَلِّلِthe beaming
كَ بِوَجهِهِ المُتَهَلِّلِ
and you called for my son, who met you
And you would command my son, so you both
with his beaming face,
Would meet face to smiling face
بِيَمينِهِin his right hand فالوذَجٌfaludhaj (a sweet)
بِيَمينِهِ فالوذَجٌ
لَمnot يُهدَwas offered لِلمُتَوَكِّلِto al-Mutawakkil
لَم يُهدَ لِلمُتَوَكِّلِ
with faludhaj in his right hand,
In his right hand a ring-necked dove
such as had never been offered to al-Mutawakkil,
That has not been given to the trusting
وَزُجاجَةٌand a bottle مِنof فِضَّةٍsilver
وَزُجاجَةٌ مِن فِضَّةٍ
مَملوءَةٌfilled مِنwith سَلسَلِsweet, flowing water
مَملوءَةٌ مِن سَلسَلِ
and a bottle of silver
And a silver bottle
filled with sweet, flowing water,
Filled with chains
ماnot كُنتُI would be ياO صَدّاحُSaddah عِنin your estimation (start)
ما كُنتُ يا صَدّاحُ عِن
دَكَyour estimation (end) بِالكَريمِa generous man المُفضَلِthe esteemed
دَكَ بِالكَريمِ المُفضَلِ
I would not, O Saddah, be in
I would not consider you, O chatterer,
your eyes a generous, esteemed man.
Among the noble and preferred
شَهدُhoney of الحَياةِlife مَشوبَةًtainted
شَهدُ الحَياةِ مَشوبَةً
بِالرِقِّwith bondage مِثلُlike الحَنظَلِthe colocynth
بِالرِقِّ مِثلُ الحَنظَلِ
The honey of a life tainted
The witness of life is tainted
with bondage is like colocynth.
With misery like ink
وَالقَيدُand the fetter لَوeven if كانَit were الجُماpearls (start)
وَالقَيدُ لَو كانَ الجُما
نُpearls (end) مُنَظَّماًstrung together لَمnot يُحمَلِcould be borne
نُ مُنَظَّماً لَم يُحمَلِ
And a fetter, even if it were pearls,
And if fate were organized
strung together, could not be borne.
It would not be carried
ياO طَيرُbird لَولاwere it not for أَنthat يَقوthey say (start)
يا طَيرُ لَولا أَن يَقو
لواthey say (end) جُنَّhe has gone mad قُلتُI would say تَعَقَّلِuse reason!
لوا جُنَّ قُلتُ تَعَقَّلِ
O bird, were it not that they would say,
O bird, if they did not say it was madness
'He's mad,' I would tell you, 'Use reason.'
I would say, be reasonable
اِسمَعlisten! فَرُبَّfor many a مُفَصِّلٍone explaining at length
اِسمَع فَرُبَّ مُفَصِّلٍ
لَكَto you لَمnot يُفِدكَbenefit you كَمُجمِلِlike one who is concise
لَكَ لَم يُفِدكَ كَمُجمِلِ
Listen: many who explain at length
Listen, for perhaps one who details to you
to you have helped you less than one who is brief.
Does not benefit you like one who summarizes
صَبراًpatience! لِماwith what تَشقىyou suffer بِهِfrom it
صَبراً لِما تَشقى بِهِ
أَوor ماwhat بَداseemed fitting لَكَto you فَاِفعَلِthen do!
أَو ما بَدا لَكَ فَاِفعَلِ
Be patient with what afflicts you,
Be patient with what troubles you
or do whatever you see fit.
Or do what seems good, so do
أَنتَyou اِبنُthe child of رَأيٍa design لِلطَبيof nature (start)
أَنتَ اِبنُ رَأيٍ لِلطَبي
عَةِnature (end) فيكَin you غَيرِnot مُبَدَّلِaltered
عَةِ فيكَ غَيرِ مُبَدَّلِ
You are the child of nature's design,
You are the son of an opinion, in you
unchanging within you:
That does not change
أَبَداًalways مَروعٌterrified بِالإِساby captivity (start)
أَبَداً مَروعٌ بِالإِسا
رِcaptivity (end) مُهَدَّدٌthreatened بِالمَقتَلِwith death
رِ مُهَدَّدٌ بِالمَقتَلِ
forever terrified by captivity,
Forever fearful of harm, threatened by death
threatened with death.
If you flew from my wings, you would fall
إِنif طِرتَyou fly عَنaway from كَنَفيmy shelter وَقَعfell
إِن طِرتَ عَن كَنَفي وَقَع
تَyou (completes 'you fell') عَلىamong النُسورِthe vultures الجُهَّلِthe ignorant
تَ عَلى النُسورِ الجُهَّلِ
If you fly from my shelter, you fall
Upon the ignorant vultures
among the ignorant vultures.
O bird, examples are struck
ياO طَيرُbird وَالأَمثالُand proverbs تُضare set forth (start)
يا طَيرُ وَالأَمثالُ تُض
رَبُare set forth (end) لِلَّبيبِfor the discerning الأَمثَلِthe most worthy
رَبُ لِلَّبيبِ الأَمثَلِ
O bird, proverbs are set forth
For the intelligent the examples
for the discerning and most worthy.
Your world, of its customs
دُنياكَyour world مِنamong عاداتِهاits habits
دُنياكَ مِن عاداتِها
أَلّاnot to تَكونَbelong لِأَعزَلِto an unarmed man
أَلّا تَكونَ لِأَعزَلِ
It is the way of your world
Not to be for the powerless
not to belong to the unarmed,
Or the foolish, though he declaims
أَوor لِلغَبِيِّto the fool وَإِنeven if تَعَلhe consoles himself (start)
أَو لِلغَبِيِّ وَإِن تَعَل
لَلَhe consoles himself (end) بِالزَمانِwith the time المُقبِلِto come
لَلَ بِالزَمانِ المُقبِلِ
or to the fool, though he consoles himself
In the coming future
with the time to come.
It was made for a free man, who is tested
جُعِلَتit was made لِحُرٍّfor a free man يُبتَلىis put to the test
جُعِلَت لِحُرٍّ يُبتَلى
فيin ذيthis الحَياةِlife وَيَبتَليand puts others to the test
في ذي الحَياةِ وَيَبتَلي
It was made for a free man who is tested
In the life and tests
in this life, and who tests others,
He throws and is thrown in the struggle
يَرميhe shoots وَيُرمىand is shot at فيin جِهاthe struggle (start)
يَرمي وَيُرمى في جِها
دِthe struggle (end) العَيشِfor life غَيرَnot مُغَفَّلِheedless
دِ العَيشِ غَيرَ مُغَفَّلِ
who shoots and is shot at in
Of life without heedlessness
the struggle for life, never heedless,
Assembling himself like a lion, if
مُستَجمِعٍwith strength gathered كَاللَيثِlike a lion إِنif
مُستَجمِعٍ كَاللَيثِ إِن
يُجهَلinsolence is shown عَلَيهِagainst him يَجهَلِhe answers insolently
يُجهَل عَلَيهِ يَجهَلِ
with strength gathered like a lion: if
He is ignorant, he is ignorant
met with insolence, he answers in kind.
Have you heard of the two arbiters in Islam
أَسَمِعتَhave you heard? بِالحَكَمَينِof the two arbiters فيin الthe (article attached to 'Islam')
أَسَمِعتَ بِالحَكَمَينِ في ال
إِسلامِIslam يَومَthe day of الجَندَلِal-Jandal
إِسلامِ يَومَ الجَندَلِ
Have you heard of the two arbiters in
The day of Jandal?
Islam, on the day of al-Jandal,
In the great strife, and if not for
فيamid الفِتنَةِthe strife الكُبرىthe great وَلَوand were it
في الفِتنَةِ الكُبرى وَلَو
لاnot for حِكمَةٌwisdom لَمnot تُشعَلِit would be kindled
لا حِكمَةٌ لَم تُشعَلِ
amid the great strife—which, but for
Wisdom, it would not have ignited
wisdom, would not have been kindled?
The companions were pleased that day
رَضِيَwere content الصَحابَةُthe Companions يَومَon the day of ذَthat (start)
رَضِيَ الصَحابَةُ يَومَ ذَ
لِكَthat (end) بِالكِتابِwith the Book المُنزَلِthe revealed
لِكَ بِالكِتابِ المُنزَلِ
The Companions were content that day
With the revealed book
with the revealed Book,
And they are the pure lamps
وَهُمُand they المَصابيحُthe lamps الرُواthe transmitters (start)
وَهُمُ المَصابيحُ الرُوا
ةُthe transmitters (end) عَنِfrom النَبِيِّthe Prophet المُرسَلِthe one sent
ةُ عَنِ النَبِيِّ المُرسَلِ
and they are lamps, transmitters
About the sent prophet
from the Prophet sent forth.
They said the book, and each
قالواthey said الكِتابُthe Book وَقامَand arose كُلevery (start)
قالوا الكِتابُ وَقامَ كُل
لُevery (end) مُفَسِّرٍcommentator وَمُوَوِّلِand interpreter
لُ مُفَسِّرٍ وَمُوَوِّلِ
They said, 'The Book!' And every
Interpreter and supporter stood up
commentator and interpreter arose,
Until, when Mu‘awiyah grew powerful
حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen وَسِعَتit gave room to مُعاMu'awiya (start)
حَتّى إِذا وَسِعَت مُعا
وِيَةًMu'awiya (end) وَضاقَand was constrained بِهاby it عَليAli
وِيَةً وَضاقَ بِها عَلي
until, when it gave Mu'awiya room
And Ali found him constricting
while Ali was hemmed in by it,
They turned to an injustice that took root
رَجَعواthey returned لِظُلمٍto injustice كَالطَباlike innate dispositions (start)
رَجَعوا لِظُلمٍ كَالطَبا
ئِعِinnate dispositions (end) فيin النُفوسِthe souls مُؤَصَّلِdeeply rooted
ئِعِ في النُفوسِ مُؤَصَّلِ
they returned to injustice, like innate dispositions
In souls like dispositions
rooted deep in human souls.
They descended to rule by the strong
نَزَلواthey submitted عَلىto حُكمِthe ruling of القَوِيthe strong (start)
نَزَلوا عَلى حُكمِ القَوِي
يِthe strong (end) وَعِندَand to رَأيِthe judgment of الأَحيَلِthe craftiest
يِ وَعِندَ رَأيِ الأَحيَلِ
They submitted to the ruling of the strong
And the opinion of the cunning
and to the judgment of the craftiest.
Chatterer, is it true what I say
صَدّاحُSaddah حَقٌّtrue ماwhat أَقوI say (start)
صَدّاحُ حَقٌّ ما أَقو
لُI say (end) حَفِلتَyou heed أَمor لَمnot تَحفَلِyou heed
لُ حَفِلتَ أَم لَم تَحفَلِ
Saddah, what I say is true,
Did you understand or not understand?
whether you heed it or not.
You dwelled by the clearest meadow
جاوَرتَyou dwelt beside أَندىthe most dew-laden رَوضَةٍgarden
جاوَرتَ أَندى رَوضَةٍ
وَحَلَلتَand you settled in أَكرَمَthe noblest مَنزِلِhome
وَحَلَلتَ أَكرَمَ مَنزِلِ
You dwell beside the most dew-laden garden,
And settled the most honorable abode
and have settled in the noblest home,
Between the nobility of Hussein
بَينَamid الحَفاوَةِthe warm welcome مِنfrom حُسَيHusayn (start)
بَينَ الحَفاوَةِ مِن حُسَي
نٍHusayn (end) وَالرِعايَةِand the care مِنfrom عَليAli
نٍ وَالرِعايَةِ مِن عَلي
amid Husayn's warm welcome
And the care of Ali
and Ali's care,
And the tenderness of Amina your mother
وَحَنانِand tenderness of آمِنَةٍAmina كَأُمlike your mother (start)
وَحَنانِ آمِنَةٍ كَأُم
مِكَyour mother (end) فيin صِباكَyour childhood الأَوَّلِthe earliest
مِكَ في صِباكَ الأَوَّلِ
and Amina's tenderness, like your mother's
In your first youth
in your earliest childhood.
Awaken in the morning and give good news
صِحcry out! بِالصَباحِat dawn وَبَشِّرِand give glad tidings to الthe (article attached to 'children')
صِح بِالصَباحِ وَبَشِّرِ ال
أَبناءَchildren بِالمُستَقبَلِof the future
أَبناءَ بِالمُستَقبَلِ
Cry out at dawn, and give the children
To the children of the future
glad tidings of the future.
And ask for Egypt God's care
وَاِسأَلand ask لِمِصرَfor Egypt عِنايَةًcare
وَاِسأَل لِمِصرَ عِنايَةً
تَأبىrefuses وَتَهبُطُand descends مِنfrom عَلِon high
تَأبى وَتَهبُطُ مِن عَلِ
And ask for Egypt care
Which comes down from above
that is unyielding and descends from on high.
Say "Our Lord, open a mercy
قُلsay! رَبَّناour Lord اِفتَحopen! رَحمَةًmercy
قُل رَبَّنا اِفتَح رَحمَةً
وَالخَيرُand goodness مِنكَfrom You فَأَرسِلِso send forth!
وَالخَيرُ مِنكَ فَأَرسِلِ
Say: 'Our Lord, open Your mercy;
And the good is from You, so send it."
goodness comes from You, so send it forth.
Realize your noble nature, our Lord, and accept
أَدرِكcome to the aid of! كِنانَتَكَYour quiver الكَريthe noble (start)
أَدرِك كِنانَتَكَ الكَري
مَةَthe noble (end) رَبَّناour Lord وَتَقَبَّلِand accept!
مَةَ رَبَّنا وَتَقَبَّلِ
Come to the aid of Your noble quiver,
My poem.
our Lord, and accept our plea.'
Partial English translation: 107 of 108 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1