عَلِّلانيsoothe me, you two بِصَفوِwith the clear part of ماwhat فيin الدِنانِthe wine jars
عَلِّلاني بِصَفوِ ما في الدِنانِ
وَاِترُكاand disregard, you two ماwhat يَقولُهُsay it العاذِلانِthe two reproachers
وَاِترُكا ما يَقولُهُ العاذِلانِ
Soothe me, you two, with the clear wine in the jars,
Reason with me with the purity of what is in the religion,
and disregard what the two reproachers say.
And leave what the criticizers say,
وَاِسبِقاand outstrip, you two فاجِعَthe cruel blow of المَنِيَّةِdeath بِالعيon white camels (continued)
وَاِسبِقا فاجِعَ المَنِيَّةِ بِالعي
سِcompletion of 'white camels' فَكُلٌّfor everyone عَلىamid الجَديدَينِthe two ever-renewed ones: night and day فانيmortal
سِ فَكُلٌّ عَلى الجَديدَينِ فاني
And outrun death’s cruel blow on white camels;
And hasten, so death meets life,
for all perish as night and day pass.
For each is bound to perish.
عَلِّلانيsoothe me, you two بِشَربَةٍwith a draught تُذهِبُdispels الهَمْworry (continued)
عَلِّلاني بِشَربَةٍ تُذهِبُ الهَمْ
مَcompletion of 'worry' وَتَنفيand banishes طَوارِقَthe visitations of الأَحزانِsorrows
مَ وَتَنفي طَوارِقَ الأَحزانِ
Soothe me with a draught that dispels worry
Reason with me with a drink that takes away cares,
and banishes the visitations of sorrow.
And dispels the sorrows of gloom,
وَالقِياand cast, you two فيinto مَسامِعٍears سَدَّهاhas sealed them الصَوfasting (continued)
وَالقِيا في مَسامِعٍ سَدَّها الصَو
مُcompletion of 'fasting' رُقىincantations المَوصِلَيِّal-Mawsili’s أَوor دَحمانِDahman’s
مُ رُقى المَوصِلَيِّ أَو دَحمانِ
And cast into ears that fasting has sealed
And make resound in ears blocked by silence,
the spells of al-Mawsili or Dahman.
The singing of Al-Mawsili or Dahman.
قَدindeed أَتاناhas come to us شَوّالُShawwal فَاِقتَبَلَthen began anew العَيlife (continued)
قَد أَتانا شَوّالُ فَاِقتَبَلَ العَي
شُcompletion of 'life' وَأَعدىand overran قَسراًby force عَلىagainst رَمَضانِRamadan
شُ وَأَعدى قَسراً عَلى رَمَضانِ
Shawwal has come to us, and life has begun anew,
Shawwal has come, so welcome life,
and has forcibly overrun Ramadan.
And transgress forcibly upon Ramadan.
نِعمَexcellent is عَونُthe aid of الفَتىthe young man عَلىagainst نُوَبِthe vicissitudes of الدَهTime (continued)
نِعمَ عَونُ الفَتى عَلى نُوَبِ الدَه
رِcompletion of 'Time' سَماعُhearing القِيانِthe singing girls وَالعِيَدانِand the lutes
رِ سَماعُ القِيانِ وَالعِيَدانِ
An excellent aid for a young man against Time’s reversals
The support of a young man is good for the valleys of time,
is hearing the singing girls and the lutes,
Listening to singing and flutes.
وَكُؤوسٌand cups تَجريflow بِماءِwith the water of كرومٍvines
وَكُؤوسٌ تَجري بِماءِ كرومٍ
وَمَطِيُّand the mounts of الكُؤوسِthe cups أَيديthe hands of القِيانِthe singing girls
وَمَطِيُّ الكُؤوسِ أَيدي القِيانِ
and cups flowing with the water of vines,
And cups flowing with the water of vineyards,
and the cups’ mounts are the singing girls’ hands.
And the hands of singers guide the cups.
مِنof عُقارٍwine تُميتُkills كُلَّevery اِحتِشامٍreserve
مِن عُقارٍ تُميتُ كُلَّ اِحتِشامٍ
وَتَسُرُّand delights النَدمانَthe drinking companion بِالنَدمانِwith the drinking companion
وَتَسُرُّ النَدمانَ بِالنَدمانِ
Of wine that kills all reserve,
From a potion that kills all propriety,
and makes one drinking companion delight in another.
And makes the repentant happy with the repentant.
وَكَأَنَّand as though المِزاجَthe mixing water يَقدَحُstrikes مِنهاfrom it
وَكَأَنَّ المِزاجَ يَقدَحُ مِنها
شَرَراًsparks فيamid سَبائِكِingots of العِقيانِpure gold
شَرَراً في سَبائِكِ العِقيانِ
And it is as though the mixing water strikes from it
As if the temperament sparks from it,
sparks amid ingots of pure gold.
Sparks in the cups of the drinkers.
فَاِشرَبِso drink الراحَwine وَاِعصِand defy مَنwhoever لامَblamed فيهاfor it
فَاِشرَبِ الراحَ وَاِعصِ مَن لامَ فيها
إِنَّهاindeed it نِعمَexcellent is عُدَّةُthe provision of الفِتيانِthe young men
إِنَّها نِعمَ عُدَّةُ الفِتيانِ
So drink the wine, and defy whoever blames you for it;
So drink joy and disobey those who blame it,
it is indeed an excellent provision for young men.
It is a good provision for the youth.
وَاِصحَبِand accompany الدَهرَTime بِاِرتِحالٍin travel وَحَلٍّand alighting
وَاِصحَبِ الدَهرَ بِاِرتِحالٍ وَحَلٍّ
لاdo not تَخَفfear ماwhat يَجُرُّهُbring it along الحادِثانِthe two recurring ones: night and day
لا تَخَف ما يَجُرُّهُ الحادِثانِ
And keep company with Time, in travel and rest;
And accompany life with travel and settlement,
do not fear what night and day bring.
Do not fear what the two fates decree.
حَسبَsufficient for مُستَظهِرٍone seeking support عَلىagainst الدَهورُthe ages رُكناًas a pillar
حَسبَ مُستَظهِرٍ عَلى الدَهورُ رُكناً
بِحمَيدٍin Hamid رِدءاًas a support مِنَagainst الحَدَثانِmisfortune
بِحمَيدٍ رِدءاً مِنَ الحَدَثانِ
One seeking strength against the ages has a sufficient pillar
It is enough for one seeking help against fate to take as pillars,
in Hamid, a bulwark against misfortune.
A praiseworthy cloak from events.
مَلِكٌa king يَقتَنىacquires المَكارِمَnoble deeds كَنزاًas treasure
مَلِكٌ يَقتَنى المَكارِمَ كَنزاً
وَتَراهُand you see him مِنamong أَكرَمِthe most generous of الفِتيانِyoung men
وَتَراهُ مِن أَكرَمِ الفِتيانِ
A king who stores noble deeds as treasure,
A king who acquires virtues as treasure,
and you see him among the most generous young men.
And you see him as the most generous of youth.
خَلِقَتwere created راحَتاهُhis two palms لِلجودِfor generosity وَالبَأand valor (continued)
خَلِقَت راحَتاهُ لِلجودِ وَالبَأ
سِcompletion of 'valor' وَأَموالِهِand his wealth لِشُكرِfor the thanks of اللِسانِthe tongue
سِ وَأَموالِهِ لِشُكرِ اللِسانِ
His two palms were made for generosity and valor,
His comfort was created for generosity and dignity,
and his wealth for the tongue’s thanks.
And his money for gratitude of tongues.
مَلَّكَتهُmade him king عَلىover العِبادِthe people مَعَدُّMaʿadd
مَلَّكَتهُ عَلى العِبادِ مَعَدُّ
وَأَقَرَّتand acknowledged لَهُto him بَنوthe sons of قَحطانِQahtan
وَأَقَرَّت لَهُ بَنو قَحطانِ
Maʿadd made him king over the people,
Fate has made him king over the servants,
and the sons of Qahtan acknowledged him.
And the sons of Qahtan have conceded to him.
أَريَحِيُّfreely generous النَدىbounty جَميلُfair المحَيّاcountenance
أَريَحِيُّ النَدى جَميلُ المحَيّا
يَدُهُhis hand وَالسَماءُand the sky مُعتَقِدانِbound in a pact, both
يَدُهُ وَالسَماءُ مُعتَقِدانِ
Freely generous, fair of countenance,
Fragrant, with a beautiful smile,
his hand and the sky are bound in a pact.
His hand and the sky are believing.
وَجهُهُhis face مُشرِقٌradiant إِلىtoward معتَفيهِwhoever seeks his bounty
وَجهُهُ مُشرِقٌ إِلى معتَفيهِ
وَيَداهُand his two hands بِالغَيثِwith rain تَنفَجِرانِgush forth, both
وَيَداهُ بِالغَيثِ تَنفَجِرانِ
His face shines on whoever seeks his bounty,
His face shines towards who seeks his refuge,
and his two hands gush forth with rain.
And his hands gush with rain.
جَعَلَhe made الدَهرَTime بَينَbetween يَومَيهِhis two days قِسمَيtwo portions (continued)
جَعَلَ الدَهرَ بَينَ يَومَيهِ قِسمَي
نِcompletion of 'two portions' بِعُرفٍwith kindness جَزلٍabundant وَحَرِّand the heat of طِعانِspear-thrusts
نِ بِعُرفٍ جَزلٍ وَحَرِّ طِعانِ
He divided Time between his two days into two portions:
He made the days between two times,
lavish kindness and the heat of spear-thrusts.
With abundant custom and hot battle.
فَإِذاso when سارَhe marches بِالخَميسِwith the army لِحَربto war
فَإِذا سارَ بِالخَميسِ لِحَرب
كَلَّfall short عَنof نَصِّthe full speed of جَريِهِhis course الخافِقانِthe eastern and western horizons
كَلَّ عَن نَصِّ جَريِهِ الخافِقانِ
So when he marches with the army to war,
So if he traveled on Thursday for war,
the eastern and western horizons fall short of his full-speed course.
The fluttering flags refrained from waving.
وَإِذاand when ماemphatic particle هَزَزتَهُyou rouse him لِنَوالٍfor bounty
وَإِذا ما هَزَزتَهُ لِنَوالٍ
ضاقَprove too narrow عَنfor رَحبِthe breadth of صَدرِهِhis breast الأُفقانِthe two horizons
ضاقَ عَن رَحبِ صَدرِهِ الأُفقانِ
And when you rouse him to generosity,
And if you roused him for booty,
the two horizons are too narrow for his spacious breast.
The horizons were too narrow for his generous chest.
غَيثُlife-giving rain جَدبٍdrought إِذاwhen أَقامَhe stays رَبيعٌspringtime
غَيثُ جَدبٍ إِذا أَقامَ رَبيعٌ
يَتَغَشّىcovers بِالسَيبِwith bounty كُلَّevery مَكانِplace
يَتَغَشّى بِالسَيبِ كُلَّ مَكانِ
Rain in drought when he stays, a springtime
A rain for drought, if spring stayed,
that blankets every place with bounty.
Covering every place with torrents.
ياO أَباAbu: father of غانِمٍGhanim بَقيتَmay you endure عَلىthrough الدَهTime (continued)
يا أَبا غانِمٍ بَقيتَ عَلى الدَه
رcompletion of 'Time' وَخُلِّدتَand may you live forever ماas long as جَرىrun their course العَصرانِthe two periods: night and day
ر وَخُلِّدتَ ما جَرى العَصرانِ
O Abu Ghanim, may you endure through Time,
O Abu Ghanim you remained in life,
and live forever while night and day run their course.
And you are immortalized whatever the times flow.
ماnot نُباليwe care إِذاif عَدَتكَpass you by المَناياthe fates of death
ما نُبالي إِذا عَدَتكَ المَنايا
مَنwhom أَصابَتit strikes بِكَلكَلٍwith a breast وَجرانِand a throat
مَن أَصابَت بِكَلكَلٍ وَجرانِ
We care not, if death passes you by,
We do not care if death has seized you,
whom it strikes with breast and throat.
Whoever is struck with shackles and crying.
قَدindeed جَعَلناwe have made إِلَيكَtoward you بَعثَthe dispatch of المَطاياthe mounts
قَد جَعَلنا إِلَيكَ بَعثَ المَطايا
هَرَباًin flight مِنfrom زَمانِناour age الخَوّانِthe treacherous
هَرَباً مِن زَمانِنا الخَوّانِ
We have dispatched our mounts to you,
We have made sending messages to you,
fleeing our treacherous age.
An escape from our betraying time.
وَحَمَلناand we loaded الحاجاتِthe needs فَوقَupon عِتاقٍnoble mounts
وَحَمَلنا الحاجاتِ فَوقَ عِتاقٍ
ضامِناتٍguaranteeing حَوائِجَthe needs of الرُكبانِthe riders
ضامِناتٍ حَوائِجَ الرُكبانِ
And we have loaded our needs upon noble mounts,
And we carried needs over saddled camels,
pledged to meet their riders’ needs.
Guaranteeing the needs of riders.
لَيسَthere is no جودٌgenerosity وَراءَbeyond جودِكَyour generosity ينتاis sought out (continued)
لَيسَ جودٌ وَراءَ جودِكَ ينتا
بُcompletion of 'is sought out' وَلاand not يُعتَفيseeks bounty لِغَيرِكَfrom someone other than you عانيone in distress
بُ وَلا يُعتَفي لِغَيرِكَ عاني
No generosity beyond yours is sought out,
There is no generosity beyond your generosity that is aimed for,
nor does one in distress seek bounty from anyone else.
And none but you relieves the troubled.
Sol 6.1