اليَوْمَtoday قدindeed حَكَمَjudged الهَوَىlove بالمَعْدَلَهْwith justice
اليَوْمَ قد حَكَمَ الهَوَى بالمَعْدَلَهْ
وأَراحَand relieved قَلْبِيmy heart مِنْfrom مُكابَدَةِthe ordeal of الوَلَهْlove-madness
وأَراحَ قَلْبِي مِنْ مُكابَدَةِ الوَلَهْ
Today love has judged with justice,
Today desire has judged with justice,
And relieved my heart of the ordeal of love-madness.
And eased my heart of enduring passion's anguish.
وتَبَدَّلَتْand changed مِنِّيwithin me الصَّبابَةُardent longing سَلْوَةًsolace
وتَبَدَّلَتْ مِنِّي الصَّبابَةُ سَلْوَةً
صِينَتْwere safeguarded بهاby it عَبَراتِيmy tears المُتَبَذَّلَهْfreely shed
صِينَتْ بها عَبَراتِي المُتَبَذَّلَهْ
And longing within me has turned to solace,
My youth has turned to wise maturity,
By which my freely shed tears have been spared.
Wherein my flowing tears are treasured.
ماليwhat have I وَلِلعُشَّاقِand with lovers أَتْبَعُI follow منهمُfrom among them
مالي وَلِلعُشَّاقِ أَتْبَعُ منهمُ
أُمَماًcompanies تَضِلُّstray عَنِfrom الرشادِright guidance مُضَلَّلَهْled astray
أُمَماً تَضِلُّ عَنِ الرشادِ مُضَلَّلَهْ
What have I to do with lovers, that I should follow their
What is it to me if lovers go astray,
Companies, astray from right guidance, themselves misled?
Led by nations that swerve from guidance, misled?
مِنْof كلِّevery مَنْone who يَشْكُوcomplains of جِنايَةَthe offense of نَفْسِهِhis own self
مِنْ كلِّ مَنْ يَشْكُو جِنايَةَ نَفْسِهِ
وَيَرُومُand seeks مِنْfrom أَحْبَابِهِhis beloveds ماwhat ليسَis not لَهْhis
وَيَرُومُ مِنْ أَحْبَابِهِ ما ليسَ لَهْ
Each of them complains of his own self's offense,
I complain not of the injustice done my soul,
And seeks from his beloveds what is not his.
Nor charge my loved ones falsely.
إنيindeed I امْرُؤٌa man أُعْطَىyielded السُّلُوَّsolace قيادَهُhis reins
إني امْرُؤٌ أُعْطَى السُّلُوَّ قيادَهُ
وَأًراحَand spared مِنْfrom تَعَبِthe toil of المَلامَةِreproach عُذَّلَهْhis reproachers
وَأًراحَ مِنْ تَعَبِ المَلامَةِ عُذَّلَهْ
I am a man who yielded his reins to solace,
I am a man who gives the lead to self-control,
And spared his reproachers the toil of rebuke.
And finds relief from blame's fatigue and spite.
وَدَعَاand summoned جميلَkindness ابنِson of الزُّبَيْرِal-Zubayr مَدِيحَهُhis praise
وَدَعَا جميلَ ابنِ الزُّبَيْرِ مَدِيحَهُ
فأَطَاعُهُso he obeyed it وعَصَىand defied الهَوَىlove وتَغَزُّلَهْand its love-song
فأَطَاعُهُ وعَصَى الهَوَى وتَغَزُّلَهْ
And Ibn al-Zubayr's kindness summoned his praise,
Fair Jamīl's excellence called me to sing his praise;
So he obeyed it, defying love and its love-song.
I obeyed it and spurned desire's conceit.
مَوْلَىًa patron عَرَفْتُI knew بِجاهِهِthrough his standing وبمالِهِand through his wealth
مَوْلَىً عَرَفْتُ بِجاهِهِ وبمالِهِ
عِزَّthe dignity of الغِنَىaffluence وجَهِلْتُand I did not know ذُلَّthe humiliation of المَسْأَلَهْbegging
عِزَّ الغِنَى وجَهِلْتُ ذُلَّ المَسْأَلَهْ
A patron through whose standing and wealth I knew
I know a lord of generous means,
The dignity of affluence, and knew not the humiliation of begging.
Who scorned wealth's ease and clung to hardship's blight,
وأَتَمَّand he completed حَظِّيmy fortune بَعْدَafter نُقْصانٍprivation فَكَمْso how many
وأَتَمَّ حَظِّي بَعْدَ نُقْصانٍ فَكَمْ
مِنْof عَائِدٍa benefit لِيfor me منfrom نَدَاهُhis bounty ومِنْand of صِلَهْa gift
مِنْ عَائِدٍ لِي من نَدَاهُ ومِنْ صِلَهْ
And he made my fortune whole after want—how many
Whose lot, though once deficient, now is filled.
Benefits and gifts have come to me from his bounty!
Restored by gifts he gives, care he invites.
وَجَبَتْbecame binding عليَّupon me لهُto him حُقُوقٌclaims لَمْnot
وَجَبَتْ عليَّ لهُ حُقُوقٌ لَمْ
أَقُمْI discharge منهاof them بماضِيَةٍwith a past one ولاnor مُسْتَقْبِلَهْa future one
أَقُمْ منها بماضِيَةٍ ولا مُسْتَقْبِلَهْ
Claims of his have become binding on me; I have not
His rights on me no past or future can annul,
Discharged any of them, past or yet to come.
Which I can neither shun nor can ignore.
لاnot أَسْتَطِيعُI can جُحُودَهاdenial of them وشُهُودُهاand their witnesses
لا أَسْتَطِيعُ جُحُودَها وشُهُودُها
عِنْدِيbefore me بماby what أَوْلَتْbestowed يَداهhis two hands مُعَدَّلَهْattested as trustworthy
عِنْدِي بما أَوْلَتْ يَداه مُعَدَّلَهْ
I cannot deny them, for their witnesses
Still clearly in my mind live on the favors
Are accredited before me by what his hands bestowed.
His hands have brought me, rightly reconciled.
ماnot طالَlasted long صَمْتُthe silence of مَدائِحِيmy praises عَنْabout مَجْدِهِhis glory
ما طالَ صَمْتُ مَدائِحِي عَنْ مَجْدِهِ
إِلاَّexcept لأَنَّbecause صِلاتِهِhis gifts مُسْتَرْسِلَهْunceasing
إِلاَّ لأَنَّ صِلاتِهِ مُسْتَرْسِلَهْ
My praises have long been silent about his glory
Though long my panegyrics silent were of him,
Only because his gifts flow without pause.
Only because his gifts streamed swift and wide.
فمتىso whenever هَمَمْتُI intended بشُكْرٍto give thanks for سالفِan earlier نِعْمَةٍfavor
فمتى هَمَمْتُ بشُكْرٍ سالفِ نِعْمَةٍ
أَلْفَيْتُI found سالِفَتيmy neck بأُخْرَىwith another مُثْقَلَهْweighed down
أَلْفَيْتُ سالِفَتي بأُخْرَى مُثْقَلَهْ
So whenever I resolve to thank him for an earlier favor,
Whene’er I sought some kindness to repay,
I find my neck weighed down by another.
I found a new one had the old compiled.
مَنْwho مِثْلُlike زَيْنِadornment الدِّيِنِof the faith يَعْقُوبَYaqub الذيwho
مَنْ مِثْلُ زَيْنِ الدِّيِنِ يَعْقُوبَ الذي
أَضْحَتْbecame بِهِthrough him رَتَبُthe ranks of الفَخَارِglory مُؤَثَّلَهْfirmly established
أَضْحَتْ بِهِ رَتَبُ الفَخَارِ مُؤَثَّلَهْ
Who is like Zayn al-Din Yaqub,
Where is the peer of noble Yaqūb's son
Through whom the ranks of glory became firmly established?
Who raised the lowly ranks to heights sublime?
عَمَّencompassed الخَلائِقَall creatures جُودُهُhis generosity فكأَنَّماso it is as though
عَمَّ الخَلائِقَ جُودُهُ فكأَنَّما
يَدُهُhis hand بأَرْزاقِfor the livelihoods of الوَرَىall creation مُتَكَفَّلَهْresponsible
يَدُهُ بأَرْزاقِ الوَرَى مُتَكَفَّلَهْ
His generosity encompasses all creatures, as though
His openhandedness embraced all humankind,
His hand were charged with all creation's sustenance.
As if sustaining all the world's provision was his task.
حَكَمَتْdecreed أَنامِلُهاits fingertips لهُfor him بالرَّفْعِin favor of elevation مِنْfrom
حَكَمَتْ أَنامِلُها لهُ بالرَّفْعِ مِنْ
أفعالِهِhis deeds الحُسْنَىexcellent بِخَمْسَةِwith five أمْثِلَهْexamples
أفعالِهِ الحُسْنَى بِخَمْسَةِ أمْثِلَهْ
Its fingertips have decreed his elevation, through
Ask of him! Ask about his father and grandfather!
Five examples drawn from his noble deeds.
You will hear an endless chain of generosity.
وأَحَلَّهُand placed him in الشَّرَفَhonor الرَّفِيعَlofty ذَكاؤُهُhis brilliance
وأَحَلَّهُ الشَّرَفَ الرَّفِيعَ ذَكاؤُهُ
فرَأَيْتُso I saw منهُin him عطارِداًMercury فيin السُّنْبُلَهْVirgo
فرَأَيْتُ منهُ عطارِداً في السُّنْبُلَهْ
And his brilliance has placed him in lofty honor,
If but one hair of his was a lion in valor,
So I saw in him Mercury in Virgo.
Or one thumb a sea of waves in immensity,
سَلْask عنهabout him وَاسْأَلْand ask عَنْabout أبيهِhis father وجَدِّهِand his grandfather
سَلْ عنه وَاسْأَلْ عَنْ أبيهِ وجَدِّهِ
تَسْمَعْyou will hear أحاديثَaccounts of الكرامِthe noble مُسَلْسَلَهْlinked in an unbroken chain
تَسْمَعْ أحاديثَ الكرامِ مُسَلْسَلَهْ
Ask about him, and ask about his father and grandfather;
What miracles his ready pen displayed
You will hear accounts of noble men in an unbroken chain.
To make the papers marvel at its power!
إنْif صالَhe charges كانَwould be اللَّيْثُthe lion منهُof him شَعْرَةًa hair
إنْ صالَ كانَ اللَّيْثُ منهُ شَعْرَةً
أَوْor جادَhe gives generously كانَwould be البحْرُthe sea منهof him أُنْمُلَهْa fingertip
أَوْ جادَ كانَ البحْرُ منه أُنْمُلَهْ
If he charges, the lion is but one hair of his;
It filled his books with intuitive wisdom's truth,
Or if he gives, the sea is but one fingertip of his.
Revealed in verses, generously supplied.
كَمْhow many أَظْهَرَتْrevealed أَقْلامُهُhis pens مِنْof مُعْجِزٍa miracle
كَمْ أَظْهَرَتْ أَقْلامُهُ مِنْ مُعْجِزٍ
لِلطَّرْسِto the parchment لَمَّاwhen أنْthat (linking particle) رَأَتْهُthey saw it مُرْسَلَهْsent forth
لِلطَّرْسِ لَمَّا أنْ رَأَتْهُ مُرْسَلَهْ
How many miracles his pens have revealed
In paragraphs between shown clearly there
To the parchment when, sent forth, they beheld it!
Are subtle wisdoms, closely unified.
مَلأَتْthey filled بإمْلاَءِat the dictation of الخواطِرِthoughts كُتْبَهُhis books
مَلأَتْ بإمْلاَءِ الخواطِرِ كُتْبَهُ
حِكَماًmaxims عَلَىin وفْقِaccord with الصَّوابِwhat is right مُنَزَّلَهْsent down
حِكَماً عَلَى وفْقِ الصَّوابِ مُنَزَّلَهْ
They filled his books at the dictation of thoughts,
Flawless in beauty, needing no perfection,
With maxims sent down in accord with truth.
Praiseworthy in script and sense, by God applied!
وَبَدَتْand appeared فَواصِلُهُhis rhymed endings خِلالَamid سُطُورِهاtheir lines
وَبَدَتْ فَواصِلُهُ خِلالَ سُطُورِها
تُهْدِيoffering لِقَارِئِهاto their reader العُقودَnecklaces مُفَصَّلَهْwith beads set apart
تُهْدِي لِقَارِئِها العُقودَ مُفَصَّلَهْ
And his rhymed endings appeared amid their lines,
Enriching the impoverished, after freely giving,
Offering their reader necklaces with beads set apart.
Their destiny awaits the rulers' promises.
ماnot صانَهاpreserved them (context suggests: marred them) نَقْصُa lack of الكمالperfection وَلَمْand did not تَفْتْsurpass
ما صانَها نَقْصُ الكمال وَلَمْ تَفْتْ
فيin الحُسْنِbeauty بَسْمَلَةُsaying 'In God's name' الكِتابِthe book الحَمْدْلَهْsaying 'Praise be to God'
في الحُسْنِ بَسْمَلَةُ الكِتابِ الحَمْدْلَهْ
No lack of perfection marred them, nor did
They exemplified sublime and noble deeds.
The book's 'In God's name' surpass its 'Praise be to God' in beauty.
Preeminent in glory, they led the way.
قدindeed أَغْنَتِenriched الفَقَراءَthe poor وافْتَقَرَتْand came to need لَهمْof them
قد أَغْنَتِ الفَقَراءَ وافْتَقَرَتْ لَهمْ
هِمَمُthe aspirations of الملوكِkings فماso do not تَزالَcease مُؤَمِّلَهْexpectant
هِمَمُ الملوكِ فما تَزالَ مُؤَمِّلَهْ
They have enriched the poor; yet on them depend
The Zubayrs, whose aid in every strait is sought,
The aspirations of kings, forever expectant.
Through all tribulations, complexities their stay.
مِنْof مَعْشَرٍa people شَرَعُواinstituted المَكارِمَnoble deeds والعُلَىand eminence
مِنْ مَعْشَرٍ شَرَعُوا المَكارِمَ والعُلَى
وتَبَوَّءُواand took their place مِنْin كلِّevery مَجْدٍglory أَوَّلَهْits foremost place
وتَبَوَّءُوا مِنْ كلِّ مَجْدٍ أَوَّلَهْ
Of a people who established noble deeds and eminence,
Feeding lavishly, as lavish in reward
And took the foremost place in every glory.
On battle's day and in disastrous times.
آلُthe house of الزُّبَيْرِal-Zubayr المَرْتَجَىhoped for إِسْعَادُهُمtheir aid
آلُ الزُّبَيْرِ المَرْتَجَى إِسْعَادُهُم
فيin كُلِّevery نائِبَةٍcalamity تَنُوبُthat befalls وَمُعْضِلَهْand a hard dilemma
في كُلِّ نائِبَةٍ تَنُوبُ وَمُعْضِلَهْ
The house of al-Zubayr, whose aid is hoped for
A feared, protecting hand extended over all
In every calamity that befalls and every hard dilemma.
Humanity, forever giving, kind are they.
المكْثِرُونَthose who give abundantly طَعَامَهُمtheir food وَطِعَانُهُمْand their spear-thrusts
المكْثِرُونَ طَعَامَهُم وَطِعَانُهُمْ
يَوْمَon the day of النَّزالِbattle وَفيand in السِّنِينَthe years المَمْحِلَهْdrought-stricken
يَوْمَ النَّزالِ وَفي السِّنِينَ المَمْحِلَهْ
Lavish with their food and their spear-thrusts,
Ask them of lore or bounty and they will confound
On the day of combat and in years of drought.
Questioners with brilliant, apt replies.
قَوْمٌa people لِكُلِّهِمُfor every one of them عَلَىover كُلِّall الوَرَىcreation
قَوْمٌ لِكُلِّهِمُ عَلَى كُلِّ الوَرَى
أَبَداًalways يَدٌa hand مَرْهُوبَةٌfeared ومَنَوَّلَهْand generous
أَبَداً يَدٌ مَرْهُوبَةٌ ومَنَوَّلَهْ
A people, every one of whom has, over all creation,
Noble their sins; each kissing friend
Forever a hand both feared and generous.
Could wish such sins his righteous acts to comprise!
إنْif يُسْأَلواthey are asked كَرَماًgenerosity وَعِلْماًand learning أُعْجَزُواthey confounded
إنْ يُسْأَلوا كَرَماً وَعِلْماً أُعْجَزُوا
بِبَدِيعِwith wondrous أَجْوِبَةِanswers لتلكَto those الأَسْئِلَهْquestions
بِبَدِيعِ أَجْوِبَةِ لتلكَ الأَسْئِلَهْ
If asked for generosity and learning, they confound
But for your virtues the world would lack
With wondrous answers to those questions.
Sweet mention of unparalleled magnificence.
أنِفُواthey disdained ذُنُوباًsins ودَّwished كلُّevery مُقَبَّلٍone who is kissed
أنِفُوا ذُنُوباً ودَّ كلُّ مُقَبَّلٍ
لوif only أنهاthat they حسناتُهُhis good deeds المتَقَبَلَهْaccepted
لو أنها حسناتُهُ المتَقَبَلَهْ
They disdained sins that every man honored with kisses would wish
You have annulled sins and made each kissing friend
Were his accepted good deeds.
Wish your sins were his righteous works comprised.
لولاwere it not for مَناقِبُكُمْyour virtues لَكانتwould have been هذهthis الدُّthe world (first part)
لولا مَناقِبُكُمْ لَكانت هذه الدُّ
نياcompletion of 'world' مِنَof الذِّكْرِremembrance الجَميلِfair مُعَطَّلَهْbereft
نيا مِنَ الذِّكْرِ الجَميلِ مُعَطَّلَهْ
Were it not for your virtues, this world would be
Bereft of fair remembrance.
Partial English translation: 58 of 60 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1