رياضgardens نجدNajd بكمthrough you جنانparadises
رياض نجد بكم جنان
فضيةsilvery نورهاtheir blossoms حسانlovely
فضية نورها حسان
The gardens of Najd are paradises through you,
The gardens of Najd, with their silver lights
silvery, with lovely blossoms.
And sweet-scented herbs and flowers
وَتربand the soil واديكمyour valley بنجدin Najd
وَترب واديكم بنجد
مسكmusk وَحصباؤهand its pebbles جمانpearls
مسك وَحصباؤه جمان
And the soil of your valley in Najd
The valleys of your land are filled with musk
is musk, and its pebbles are pearls.
And saffron flowers bright
وَالروحand the breeze منfrom شعبكمyour ravine عَبيرperfume
وَالروح من شعبكم عَبير
وَالزهرand the flowers وردroses وَزَعفرانand saffron
وَالزهر ورد وَزَعفران
And the breeze from your ravine is perfume,
Your neighbor in your land is held with honor
and the flowers are roses and saffron.
And the free man keeps his rights
وَالجارand the neighbor فيin ربعكمyour abode عزيزhonored
وَالجار في ربعكم عزيز
وَالحرand the freeborn man فيin أَرضكمyour land يصانis protected
وَالحر في أَرضكم يصان
And the neighbor in your abode is honored,
How I've shed my blood and tears for you
and the freeborn man is protected in your land.
Though vengeance lies with the killer, not the slain
فكمso often سفكتمyou have shed دميmy blood وَدمعيand my tears
فكم سفكتم دمي وَدمعي
أَماis there not عَلىupon القاتلthe killer الضمانliability
أَما عَلى القاتل الضمان
So often have you shed my blood and tears!
How my heart yearns to see you again
Is the killer not liable for restitution?
Though between us lie ravines and shepherds' plains
كَمhow often حنyearned قَلبيmy heart الىto لقاكمmeeting you
كَم حن قَلبي الى لقاكم
وَدونناand between us الغورthe lowlands وَالرعانand the mountain spurs
وَدوننا الغور وَالرعان
How often my heart has yearned to meet you,
I almost hid my love and tears
and between us lie lowlands and mountain spurs.
So intense was the fire within me, beyond restrain
وَكدتand I almost أَخفيconceal الهوىlove وَدَمعيand my tears
وَكدت أَخفي الهوى وَدَمعي
منfrom شدةthe intensity الوجدpassionate longing ترجمانan interpreter
من شدة الوجد ترجمان
And I almost hid my love, but my tears
O you who blame me, be gentle I implore
are an interpreter, so intense is my longing.
Have mercy on a heart so full of pain
ياO لائمينreproachers اقصرdesist (split verb) واملاميyou all; reproaching me (misdivided)
يا لائمين اقصر واملامي
رفقاgently بمنwith one قلبهhis heart ملانfull
رفقا بمن قلبه ملان
O reproachers, cease reproaching me;
Do not mention the traitors before me
be gentle with one whose heart is full.
For I and they are not the same
لاdo not تذكرواmention الظاعنينthose departing عنديin my presence
لا تذكروا الظاعنين عندي
فَليfor I have وَللظاعنينand for those departing شانa matter
فَلي وَللظاعنين شان
Do not mention those who departed in my presence,
They said: "You care for them too much"
for there is a matter between me and those who departed.
I said: "The covenants of love have passed away"
قالواthey said هوhe/it أَهمmore important عليحتمunclear in source
قالوا هو أَهم عليحتم
قلتI said عهودpledges الهوىlove رزاتunclear in source
قلت عهود الهوى رزات
They said, “He is more important—[wording unclear].”
They said: "Then stop writing poems of longing"
I said, “Love's pledges are [last word unclear].”
I said: "The meaning itself leads me astray"
قالواthey said فكمthen how many تكتبyou write المَعانيpoetic themes
قالوا فكم تكتب المَعاني
قلتI said المعنىthe tormented one بهمby them معانaided
قلت المعنى بهم معان
They said, “Then how many poetic themes will you write?”
They said: "Then leave them be" I said: "Never!
I said, “The one tormented by them is aided.”
Perhaps time was harsh and led them astray"
قالواthey said فدعهمthen leave them فقلتso I said كلاno
قالوا فدعهم فقلت كلا
لعلperhaps دهراa time قساgrew harsh فَلانواthen they softened
لعل دهرا قسا فَلانوا
They said, “Then leave them.” I said, “No!”
They said: "They've left you and the homeland"
Perhaps time grew harsh, and then they softened.
I said: "People are where they choose to stay"
قالواthey said فقدso indeed فارقوكthey have left you ربعاan abode
قالوا فقد فارقوك ربعا
قلتI said همthey الناسthe people حيثwherever كانواthey were
قلت هم الناس حيث كانوا
They said, “They have left you in your dwelling.”
If only the morning breeze would carry
I said, “They are the people, wherever they may be.”
News from the dwellings where they used to stay
ليتif only الصباthe east wind الحاجريfrom Hajir ينبيbrings news
ليت الصبا الحاجري ينبي
عَنabout جيرةneighbors البانthe ban trees يومthe day باتواthey spent the night
عَن جيرة البان يوم باتوا
If only the east wind from Hajir would bring news
Is their covenant with Najd still binding
of the neighbors by the ban trees, when they spent the night.
Or did they break their oath and go astray?
هَلis ...? عهدهمtheir pledge عهدهمtheir pledge بنجدin Najd
هَل عهدهم عهدهم بنجد
باقlasting أَمor استؤمنواthey were entrusted فَخانواthen they betrayed the trust
باق أَم استؤمنوا فَخانوا
Is their pledge—their pledge in Najd—
O you who judged well the nature of time
still intact, or did they betray the trust placed in them?
You did not know what time will do one day
ياO محسناthinking well بالزَمانof time ظناan opinion
يا محسنا بالزَمان ظنا
لمdid not تدرyou know ماwhat يفعلdoes الزَمانtime
لم تدر ما يفعل الزَمان
O you who think well of time,
Do not let desire lead you in passion
you have not learned what time does.
For following desire leads to decay
لاdo not تتبعfollow النفسthe self فيin هَواهاits desires
لا تتبع النفس في هَواها
انindeed اتباعfollowing الهوىdesire هوانabasement
ان اتباع الهوى هوان
Do not follow the self in its desires;
And I am shamed by the rebuke of my Lord
following desire is indeed abasement.
If He should say: "O man, you went astray!"
واخجلتيalas, my shame منat عتابreproach ربيmy Lord
واخجلتي من عتاب ربي
انقالَif He says اسرفتyou have transgressed ياO فلانso-and-so
انقالَ اسرفت يا فلان
Alas, my shame at my Lord's reproach,
How long will you persist in sin
if He says, “You have transgressed, so-and-so!
With the reins loose and passions held sway?
الىuntil مَتىwhen أَنتَyou فيin المَعاصيsins
الى مَتى أَنتَ في المَعاصي
تسيرyou go مرخىloosened لكfor you العنانthe reins
تسير مرخى لك العنان
How long will you persist in sins,
Neither old age nor my envoy deterred you
going with your reins let loose?
Nor even the Glorious Quran, Nay!
لَمdid not ينهكrestrain you الشيبgray hair عَنfrom حدوديMy limits
لَم ينهك الشيب عَن حدودي
وَلاnor رَسوليMy Messenger وَلاnor القرانthe Qur'an
وَلا رَسولي وَلا القران
Did gray hair not restrain you from transgressing My bounds,
If fear of my wrath in hellfire gripped you
nor My Messenger, nor the Qur'an?
It would make the gardens your heart's doorway
لَوif خوفتكmade you fear الجحيمHell بطشيMy fierce punishment
لَو خوفتك الجحيم بطشي
لشوقتwould surely have stirred longing قلبكyour heart الجنانthe gardens of Paradise
لشوقت قلبك الجنان
Had Hell made you fear My fierce punishment,
Brave you are in committing sins
the gardens of Paradise would have stirred longing in your heart.
Yet from obeying me you shy away
أَنتَyou شجاعbold عَلىin المَعاصيsins
أَنتَ شجاع عَلى المَعاصي
وَأَنتَand you عَنregarding طاعَتيobedience to Me جبانcowardly
وَأَنتَ عَن طاعَتي جبان
You are bold in committing sins,
I offer you peace but you take the sword
and you are cowardly when it comes to obeying Me.
Gathering armies in disarray
عنديwith Me لكfor you الصلحreconciliation وَهوand it يرىis seen
عندي لك الصلح وَهو يرى
وَعندكand with you السيفthe sword وَالسنانand the spearhead
وَعندك السيف وَالسنان
With Me is reconciliation for you, plain to see,
Content that the nights keep passing by
while with you are the sword and the spearhead.
While your war on truth lingers midway
تَرضىyou are content بأنfor ... to تنقضيpass اللياليthe nights
تَرضى بأن تنقضي الليالي
وَماand not اِنقضتhas ended حربكyour war العوانoft-renewed
وَما اِنقضت حربك العوان
Are you content for the nights to pass,
So feel shame before the noble scribe
while your oft-renewed war has not ended?
Who records each deed and word you say
فاِستَحيso feel shame منbefore كاتبa scribe كَريمnoble
فاِستَحي من كاتب كَريم
يحصىis recorded بهby him الفعلthe deed وَاللسانand the tongue (speech)
يحصى به الفعل وَاللسان
Then feel shame before a noble scribe,
And feel shame before the grey hair you see
by whom deeds and the tongue's speech are recorded.
Imprisoned and disgraced in hell's doorway
واستَحيand feel shame منat شيبةgray hair تَراهاyou see it
واستَحي من شيبة تَراها
فيin لنارthe Fire (misspelled) مسجونةimprisoned تهانis humiliated
في لنار مسجونة تهان
And feel shame at gray hair you see
When will you repent? After hope is gone?
imprisoned in the Fire, humiliated.
Is that the time for repentance, Nay!
أيّwhat أوانtime تتوبyou repent فيهin it
أيّ أوان تتوب فيه
هَلis there ...? بعدafter قطعcutting off الرجاhope أَوانa time
هَل بعد قطع الرجا أَوان
At what time will you repent?
You chose others above me, but
Is there time after hope is cut off?
Man will be judged by the path he fray
آثرتyou preferred غيريother than Me عليّover Me لكنbut
آثرت غيري عليّ لكن
كَماas يدينhe deals with others الفتىa young man يدانhe is dealt with
كَما يدين الفتى يدان
You preferred another to Me, but
My Lord, these are my sins
as a man deals, so is he dealt with.”
And You are the source of might I say
ياO سَيديmy Master هذهthese عيوبيmy faults
يا سَيدي هذه عيوبي
وانتand You فيin الخطبcalamity مستعانsought for help
وانت في الخطب مستعان
O my Master, these are my faults,
O You who has mercy for sinners
and You are sought for help in calamity.
And whose nature is gentleness alway
ياO منthe One who لهHe has فيconcerning العصاةsinners شأنa concern
يا من له في العصاة شأن
وَشأنهand His way العطفcompassion وَالحنانand tenderness
وَشأنه العطف وَالحنان
O You who have a concern for sinners,
O You whose grace all corners fills
and whose way is compassion and tenderness,
Whose kindness has no decay
ياO منthe One whose ملابرهHis goodness filled (joined form) النواحيthe regions
يا من ملابره النواحي
لَمdid not يخلbe empty منof برهHis goodness مكانany place
لَم يخل من بره مكان
O You whose goodness fills all regions,
Forgive, for I am prisoner of sin
no place is empty of His goodness.
Do not let hope be lost, I pray
عفواpardon فانيfor I am رهينheld in pledge ذنبa sin
عفوا فاني رهين ذنب
حاشاكfar be it from You أَنthat يغلقbe forfeited الرهانthe pledge
حاشاك أَن يغلق الرهان
Pardon me, for I am held in pledge by sin;
Forgive this fearful servant, be kind
far be it from You to let the pledge be forfeited.
Who has no shelter where he can stay
فاغفرso forgive لعبدfor Abd (servant of) الرَحيمal-Rahim (the Merciful) وَالطفand be gentle
فاغفر لعبد الرَحيم وَالطف
بخائفwith one afraid مالهhe has no أَمانsecurity
بخائف ماله أَمان
So forgive Abd al-Rahim, and be gentle
Absolve all people of their sins
with one afraid, who has no security.
By which we will be tried on Judgment Day
وَسامحand pardon الكلeveryone فيfor ذنوبsins
وَسامح الكل في ذنوب
غداtomorrow بهاconcerning them تشهدwill testify البنانthe fingertips
غدا بها تشهد البنان
And pardon everyone for sins
Bestow your peace and blessings upon
to which the fingertips will bear witness tomorrow.
The best of messengers sent our way
وَصلand bless ياO ذاPossessor of العلاsublimity وَسلمand grant peace
وَصل يا ذا العلا وَسلم
عَلىupon منthe one who اخلاقهhis qualities حسانbeautiful
عَلى من اخلاقه حسان
And bless, O Possessor of sublimity, and grant peace
Muhammad, to whom You revealed
upon the one whose qualities are beautiful:
Ta-Ha and Tasin without delay
محمدMuhammad منthe one who عليهupon him أنزلwas revealed
محمد من عليه أنزل
طهTa-Ha وَطسand Ta-Sin وَالدخانand al-Dukhan (The Smoke)
طه وَطس وَالدخان
Muhammad, upon whom were revealed
Ta-Ha, Ta-Sin, and al-Dukhan.
Partial English translation: 70 of 72 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1