كُنْbe عاذريone who excuses me فيin حُبِّهمlove for them لاnot عاذليone who censures me
كُنْ عاذري في حُبِّهم لا عاذلي
ياO فارغاًone free منfrom شُغلِthe preoccupation of قلبيmy heart الشّاغلِengrossing
يا فارغاً من شُغلِ قلبي الشّاغلِ
Be one who excuses my love for them, not one who censures me,
Forgive my love for them, do not blame me,
O you free of the care that engrosses my heart.
O you free from the preoccupations of my preoccupied heart,
هَبْsuppose أَنَّthat سمعيmy hearing للنصيحةِto counsel قابلٌreceptive
هَبْ أَنَّ سمعي للنصيحةِ قابلٌ
ماwhat نافعيbenefits me والقلبُand the heart ليسis not بقابلِreceptive
ما نافعي والقلبُ ليس بقابلِ
Suppose my hearing is receptive to counsel:
Even if my hearing accepts advice,
What good is that to me, when my heart is unreceptive?
What use is that when the heart cannot accept?
أَخفيتُI concealed سرَّthe secret of الوَجْدِpassion خيفةَfor fear of عُذَّليmy reproachers
أَخفيتُ سرَّ الوَجْدِ خيفةَ عُذَّلي
فتعرَّفواso they discovered منfrom أَدمعيmy tears ومخايليand my outward signs
فتعرَّفوا من أَدمعي ومخايلي
I hid the secret of my passion for fear of my reproachers,
I concealed the secret of passion stealthily,
But they discerned it from my tears and outward signs.
So they recognised from my tears and my glances,
لمnot يقبلواthey accepted عذرَthe excuse of المحبِّthe lover وقابلواand they answered
لم يقبلوا عذرَ المحبِّ وقابلوا
حقَّthe truth of الهوىlove منfrom لؤمهمtheir baseness بالباطلِwith falsehood
حقَّ الهوى من لؤمهم بالباطلِ
They would not accept the lover's excuse, and answered
They did not accept the lover's excuse but instead
The truth of love, in their baseness, with falsehood.
Met the right of love with their villainy,
مالُواthey inclined إلىtoward وصليunion with me فحينَthen when وَصَلتُهُمI joined them
مالُوا إلى وصلي فحينَ وَصَلتُهُم
ملُّواthey grew weary وليسand is not يُمَلُّwearied of غيرanyone but الواصلِthe one keeping contact
ملُّوا وليس يُمَلُّ غير الواصلِ
They inclined toward union with me; but when I joined them,
When I inclined towards union with them, they became bored,
They grew weary; only the one who keeps contact is wearied of.
And none becomes bored except one united,
ياO ناشداًseeker يبغيseeking فؤاداًa heart ضائعاًlost
يا ناشداً يبغي فؤاداً ضائعاً
يومَon the day of النّوىseparation إثرَin the wake of الخليطِthe companions الزائلِdeparting
يومَ النّوى إثرَ الخليطِ الزائلِ
O seeker searching for a lost heart,
O you who seek a lost heart,
On the day of parting, in the wake of the departing companions:
The day of passion, the fleeting amalgam,
أَينwhere الفوادُthe heart أَراحلٌhas it departed? فيin إثرهمtheir wake
أَين الفوادُ أَراحلٌ في إثرهم
أَمor سائلٌflowing ماemphatic particle بينَamid دمعٍtears سائلِflowing
أَم سائلٌ ما بينَ دمعٍ سائلِ
Where is the heart? Has it gone in their wake,
Where is the heart? Wandering in their pursuit?
Or is it flowing amid streaming tears?
Or asking between a questioning tear?
وأَغنَّand a softly nasal-voiced one أَغنىmade needless طَرْفُهhis gaze فيin سحرهِits magic
وأَغنَّ أَغنى طَرْفُه في سحرهِ
ورُضابُهand his mouth's nectar فيin سكرهِits intoxicating power عنin place of بابلِBabylon
ورُضابُه في سكرهِ عن بابلِ
And a softly nasal-voiced beloved whose gaze, through its magic, sufficed,
And the most melodious of them was delighted by the magic of his charm,
And whose mouth's nectar, through its intoxication, dispensed with Babylon.
And his flirtation drunk on the wine of anklets,
مَنْone whose وجهُهُhis face حَسنٌbeautiful وليسand is not بمحسنٍkind
مَنْ وجهُهُ حَسنٌ وليس بمحسنٍ
والقدُّand the figure معتدِلٌupright وليسand is not بعادلِjust
والقدُّ معتدِلٌ وليس بعادلِ
One whose face is beautiful, yet who is not kind,
One whose face is beautiful but who is not beautiful,
Whose form is upright, yet who is not just.
His stature well-proportioned but not equitable,
متلوِّنٌchangeable كمدامعيlike my tears متعفِّفٌchaste
متلوِّنٌ كمدامعي متعفِّفٌ
كضمائريlike my secret thoughts متعذرٌinaccessible كوسائليlike my means of approach
كضمائري متعذرٌ كوسائلي
Changeable like my tears, chaste
Like my tears, a hypocrite,
Like my secret thoughts, elusive like my means of approach.
Like my conscience, making excuses, like my tears,
أَناI فيin الضّنىwasting sickness كالخصرِlike the waist منهof him أَشتكيI complain
أَنا في الضّنى كالخصرِ منه أَشتكي
منof جائرa tyrant ماas يشتكيit complains منof جائلِa swaying one
من جائر ما يشتكي من جائلِ
In wasting sickness I am like his waist; I complain
I complain of his waist's slenderness,
Of a tyrant, as it complains of a swaying form.
As one complains of an unjust tyrant,
ياO قلبهhis heart القاسيhard تعلّمْlearn عطفةًtenderness
يا قلبه القاسي تعلّمْ عطفةً
وتمايلاًand swaying منfrom عطْفهِhis flank المتمايلِswaying
وتمايلاً من عطْفهِ المتمايلِ
O his hard heart, learn tenderness
O his harsh heart, learn tenderness
And a yielding sway from his swaying flank.
And swaying from his swaying tenderness,
سقياًa blessing of rain لوصلِupon union with الغانياتِthe beautiful women وشربناand our drinking
سقياً لوصلِ الغانياتِ وشربنا
كأْسَa cup of الرُّضابِsweet saliva علىto غناءِthe music of خلاخلِanklets
كأْسَ الرُّضابِ على غناءِ خلاخلِ
May rain bless union with beauties, and our drinking
We drank the wine of the singing girls' union,
The cup of lips' nectar to the music of anklets,
The cup of intoxication to the singing of ankle bracelets,
بنواظرٍwith eyes قدhad خلتُهُنَّI thought them غوافلاًunwatchful
بنواظرٍ قد خلتُهُنَّ غوافلاً
لفتورهنَّbecause of their languor وهنَّyet they غيرُnot غوافلِunwatchful
لفتورهنَّ وهنَّ غيرُ غوافلِ
With eyes I had thought unwatchful
With glances from which I made them languorous,
Because of their languor, though they were not unwatchful.
For their listlessness, though they are not languid,
وقدودُهنَّand their figures قدودthe forms of سمرِdark spears رواعفٍdripping blood
وقدودُهنَّ قدود سمرِ رواعفٍ
وجفونهنَّand their eyelids جفونُscabbards بيضِbright مناصلِsword-blades
وجفونهنَّ جفونُ بيضِ مناصلِ
Their figures were the forms of dark lances dripping blood,
Their kohl is kohl of supple myrtle,
And their eyelids the sheaths of gleaming sword-blades.
Their eyelids are eyelids of shining swords,
أَيامَin the days when لاnot عهدُthe covenant of الوفاءِfidelity بحائلٍchanging
أَيامَ لا عهدُ الوفاءِ بحائلٍ
غَدْراًtreacherously ولاnor أُمُّthe mother of الصّفاءpure affection بحائلِbarren
غَدْراً ولا أُمُّ الصّفاء بحائلِ
In days when fidelity's covenant did not change
Days without loyalty's pact intervening,
Through treachery, nor was the mother of pure affection barren.
Neither by treachery nor the mother of sincerity intervening,
أَعقيلةَO noble lady of الحيِّthe tribe اللَّقاحِindependent ودُونَهاand before her
أَعقيلةَ الحيِّ اللَّقاحِ ودُونَها
بيضٌbright swords وسُمْرٌand dark spears منof ظُبىًblade-edges وذوابلِand slender spears
بيضٌ وسُمْرٌ من ظُبىً وذوابلِ
O noble lady of the independent tribe, guarded by
The doe of the living and her fawn,
Bright blades and dark, slender spears:
White and brown of gazelle and young ostrich intervening,
بكرتْshe came early تلومُshe reproaches علىfor لزومِremaining in مواطنٍplaces
بكرتْ تلومُ على لزومِ مواطنٍ
وضعُthe lowering of الرَّفيعِthe exalted بهاin them ورفعُand the raising of الخاملِthe obscure
وضعُ الرَّفيعِ بها ورفعُ الخاملِ
She came at dawn to blame me for remaining in places
She blamed the clinging to settled abodes,
Where the exalted are lowered and the obscure raised.
And the high one's coming down and the apathetic one's rising,
طالَgrew long التردُّدُwandering فيthrough البلادِthe lands فلمyet not أَفزْI gain
طالَ التردُّدُ في البلادِ فلم أَفزْ
منهاfrom them علىin رغمِdefiance of العدوِّthe enemy بطائلِanything worthwhile
منها على رغمِ العدوِّ بطائلِ
Long was my wandering through the lands, yet I won
My wandering the lands was prolonged so I gained
No worthwhile gain from them to spite my enemy.
No escape from the enemy, attaining no goal,
أَوor ماnot رأَيتَyou saw البحرَthe sea يُغرِقُit submerges درَّهُits pearls
أَو ما رأَيتَ البحرَ يُغرِقُ درَّهُ
ويخلِّصُand it releases الأَزبادَthe foam نَحوَtoward الساحلِthe shore
ويخلِّصُ الأَزبادَ نَحوَ الساحلِ
Have you not seen the sea submerge its pearls
Or did you not see the sea drowning its pearls
And cast its foam toward the shore?
And carrying off the foam towards the coast?
مضريّةٌa woman of Mudar عَذلتْshe reproached علىfor حبِّlove of النّدىgenerosity
مضريّةٌ عَذلتْ على حبِّ النّدى
منone who ليسdoes not يسمعُhe heeds فيهconcerning it عذلَthe censure of العاذلِthe reproacher
من ليس يسمعُ فيه عذلَ العاذلِ
A woman of Mudar reproached, for his love of bounty,
A Mudhari woman blamed love of the beloved
One who heeds no reproacher's censure concerning it.
One who cannot hear the blamer's blame,
ياO هذهthis lady لولاwere it not for السّماحةُgenerosity لمnot يكنْbe
يا هذه لولا السّماحةُ لم يكنْ
ينميكِclaim you as a descendant خيرُthe best of عشائرِclans وقبائلِand tribes
ينميكِ خيرُ عشائرِ وقبائلِ
O lady, but for generosity, you would not
O this one, were it not for forgiveness, the best
Be descended from the best of clans and tribes.
Of clans and tribes would not have raised you,
عنّفتyou rebuked harshly فيfor حبِّlove of السّماحةِgenerosity مُؤثراًone preferring
عنّفت في حبِّ السّماحةِ مُؤثراً
عُدْمَthe poverty of الكريمthe noble man علىover ثراءِthe wealth of الباخلِthe miser
عُدْمَ الكريم على ثراءِ الباخلِ
You harshly rebuked, for his love of generosity, one preferring
I censured love of forgiveness, preferring
The noble man's poverty to the miser's wealth.
The poor but generous to the wealthy miser,
أَوor هلdoes يخافُhe fear العُدْمَpoverty مَنْone who وجدَhas found الغنىwealth
أَو هل يخافُ العُدْمَ مَنْ وجدَ الغنى
منfrom جودِthe generosity of مولاناour lord الإمامِthe imam العادلِjust
من جودِ مولانا الإمامِ العادلِ
Or does he fear poverty who has found riches
Does one who finds riches fear poverty?
In the generosity of our lord, the just imam?
From the generosity of our Imam the just,
ولقدand indeed وردتُI came to فِناءَthe courtyard of بحرٍa sea للندىof generosity
ولقد وردتُ فِناءَ بحرٍ للندى
أَغنىI am made independent بهِthrough him عنwithout need of أَنهرٍrivers وجداولِand streams
أَغنى بهِ عن أَنهرٍ وجداولِ
Indeed, I have entered the courtyard of a sea of bounty,
I came to a sea of beloveds,
Through whom I have no need of rivers or streams.
Richer than rivers and streams,
فيin كفِّهِhis palm للجوِfor the air خمسةُfive أَبحرٍseas
في كفِّهِ للجوِ خمسةُ أَبحرٍ
فياضةٍoverflowing تُسمْىare called بخمسِby five أَناملِfingertips
فياضةٍ تُسمْى بخمسِ أَناملِ
In his palm, for the air, are five seas,
In his palm are five overflowing oceans
Overflowing, called five fingertips.
Called by the five fingers,
ممدودُoutstretched ظلِّthe shade of العدلِjustice ليسis not بزائلٍvanishing
ممدودُ ظلِّ العدلِ ليس بزائلٍ
معمودُbuttressed رُكنِthe pillar of المُلكِsovereignty ليسis not بمائلِleaning
معمودُ رُكنِ المُلكِ ليس بمائلِ
The outspread shade of his justice never vanishes;
The shadow of justice does not disappear,
The buttressed pillar of his sovereignty never inclines.
The pillar of the kingdom does not lean,
وَعَرَمْرَمٍand a massive host لَجِبٍclamorous كمنهالِlike cascading النّقاdune-sand
وَعَرَمْرَمٍ لَجِبٍ كمنهالِ النّقا
مَجْرٍa mighty army ومنهلِّand the downpour of السّحابِthe clouds الهاملِpouring
مَجْرٍ ومنهلِّ السّحابِ الهاملِ
And a massive, clamorous host, like cascading dune-sand,
Brilliant white fortresses like the flash of lightning,
A mighty army, and like torrents from pouring clouds,
And meadows, the rain clouds' place of descent,
سترَit veiled الغزالةَthe sun بالعجاجةِwith dust مُطلعاًbringing forth
سترَ الغزالةَ بالعجاجةِ مُطلعاً
زُهرَglittering الأَسنّةِspearheads فيin سماءِa sky of قساطلِdust-clouds
زُهرَ الأَسنّةِ في سماءِ قساطلِ
Hid the sun in dust, bringing forth
He unveiled the doe's charm with the storm clouds,
Glittering spearheads in a sky of dust-clouds.
The blossoms of the lances in the sky of war,
فالشّمسُso the sun ماemphatic particle بينَamid العجاجِthe dust كأَنّهاas though it were
فالشّمسُ ما بينَ العجاجِ كأَنّها
بدرٌa full moon تطلّعrose جُنحin the darkness of ليلٍa night لائلِpitch-dark
بدرٌ تطلّع جُنح ليلٍ لائلِ
The sun amid the dust was as though
So the sun between the clouds is like
A full moon had risen in the darkness of a pitch-black night.
A moon rising, the wings of night folding,
والنقعُand the dust يَنْصُلُfades بالنُّصُولِthrough sword-blades خضابُهُits dye
والنقعُ يَنْصُلُ بالنُّصُولِ خضابُهُ
فكأَنّهso it is as though لونُthe color of الشبابyouth الناصلِfading
فكأَنّه لونُ الشباب الناصلِ
The dust's dye fades beneath the sword-blades,
And the starlings chatter with their bills, their dye
As though it were the fading color of youth.
As if the colour of sprouting youth,
والمُقْرَباتُand the prized steeds بأَنْسُرٍwith hoof-frogs وقوائمٍand legs
والمُقْرَباتُ بأَنْسُرٍ وقوائمٍ
تحكيresemble قوادِمَthe flight feathers of أَنْسُرٍeagles وأَجادلِand falcons
تحكي قوادِمَ أَنْسُرٍ وأَجادلِ
And the prized steeds, with their hoof-frogs and legs,
And the mares with eagles' claws and legs
Resemble the flight feathers of eagles and falcons,
Tell of the arrival of eagles' and warriors' steeds,
فيin مأزِقٍa battlefield's press لاnot يسمعُhears الواغيthe combatant بهِin it
في مأزِقٍ لا يسمعُ الواغي بهِ
إلاَّexcept أَنينَthe groaning of صوارمٍkeen swords وصواهلِand neighing steeds
إلاَّ أَنينَ صوارمٍ وصواهلِ
In a battlefield's press where the warrior hears nothing
In a tight spot where the negligee hears only
But the moaning of keen swords and neighing steeds.
The clanging of swords and Indian swords,
والجيشُand the army مَنthe one who مَلكَmastered الجيوشَthe armies برأْيهِthrough his judgment
والجيشُ مَن مَلكَ الجيوشَ برأْيهِ
فيin صائبٍunerring وبجأشهِand through his courage فيin صائلِcharging
في صائبٍ وبجأشهِ في صائلِ
The army is the man who masters armies through his judgment,
And the army whose king by his wisdom
Unerring in counsel, and through his courage when charging.
Is always right and whose boldness always strikes,
هزمhe routed العداthe foes قبلَbefore اللِّقاءِthe encounter برعبهِthrough dread of him
هزم العدا قبلَ اللِّقاءِ برعبهِ
فغدواso they became بأُمٍwith a mother فيin الشّقاوةِmisery هابلِbereaved
فغدوا بأُمٍ في الشّقاوةِ هابلِ
He routed the foes through dread of him before the encounter,
He defeated the enemy with fear before meeting them
So they were left with a mother bereaved in misery.
So they became in misery fleeing and confused,
طلبواthey sought الفرارَflight ولمand not يزلْhas ceased مُتكفِّلاًa guarantor
طلبوا الفرارَ ولم يزلْ مُتكفِّلاً
بهزيمةof the defeat of الرِّعديدِthe trembling coward بأْسُthe might of الباسلِthe valiant man
بهزيمة الرِّعديدِ بأْسُ الباسلِ
They sought flight; forever a guarantor
They sought escape but ceaselessly
Of the trembling coward's defeat is the valiant man's might.
The striking of the valiant routed the frightened,
أَمطوِّقَO garlander of الأَعناقِnecks منfrom إفضالهhis bounty
أَمطوِّقَ الأَعناقِ من إفضاله
نِعَماًfavors تسامتْrose above عنbeyond سؤالِthe request of السائلِthe petitioner
نِعَماً تسامتْ عن سؤالِ السائلِ
O you who garland necks, through your bounty,
The necks of his enemies encircled with his favours,
With favors surpassing the petitioner's requests:
Blessings too lofty for the beseecher's request,
ماذاwhat أَقولُI say ولاand not يقومُcan fulfill بشكرِthe thanks for ماwhat
ماذا أَقولُ ولا يقومُ بشكرِ ما
توليهِyou bestow it منof نُعمىblessings لسانُthe tongue of القائلِthe speaker
توليهِ من نُعمى لسانُ القائلِ
What can I say? Unequal to thanking you for what
What can I say when the tongue of the speaker
You bestow in blessings is the speaker's tongue.
Cannot thank what he has bestowed on me of blessings?
أوor هلis it possible بلوغattainment of مقاصديmy aims بقصائديthrough my poems
أو هل بلوغ مقاصدي بقصائدي
أَمor هلis it possible قبولacceptance of وسائليmy pleas برسائليthrough my letters
أَم هل قبول وسائلي برسائلي
Or can my poems bring me to my aims?
Or is reaching my goals with my poems possible
Or can my letters secure acceptance of my pleas?
Or acceptance of my means with my messages?
أَمor قisolated qaf; unclear كفىsufficed سبباًas a means إلىto دركِattainment of المُنىwishes
أَم ق كفى سبباً إلى دركِ المُنى
صدقُthe sincerity of الولاءloyalty وحُسنُand the goodness of ظنِّthe expectation of الآملthe hopeful one
صدقُ الولاء وحُسنُ ظنِّ الآمل
Or—[isolated qaf]—does it suffice, as a means to attain wishes,
Or did loyalty and good expectation
To have sincere loyalty and the hopeful one's trust?
Suffice as cause to attain wishes?
الفخرُpride كُلُّall الفخرِpride ليis mine نظميmy composing لكمfor you all
الفخرُ كُلُّ الفخرِ لي نظمي لكم
مِدَحاًpraises تَزِينُadorn مشاهديmy public gatherings ومحافليand my assemblies
مِدَحاً تَزِينُ مشاهدي ومحافلي
All pride, the utmost pride, is mine in composing for you
Supreme pride is mine in composing for you
Praises that adorn my gatherings and assemblies.
Praise adorning my presence and gatherings,
لكنbut يقولُsay الحاسدونَthe envious لمَwhy انثنىhe returned
لكن يقولُ الحاسدونَ لمَ انثنى
غِرِّيدُthe songbird of مدحِهمُpraise of them بجيدٍwith a neck عاطلunadorned
غِرِّيدُ مدحِهمُ بجيدٍ عاطل
But the envious ask, 'Why has he returned,
But the envious say why did
The songbird singing their praise, with a neck unadorned?'
His song of praise for them fall idle?
وإذاand when حظيتُI am favored منby الإمامِthe imam برتبةٍwith a rank
وإذا حظيتُ من الإمامِ برتبةٍ
فيهاin which الفخارُpride علىover جميعِall النّاسthe people ليis mine
فيها الفخارُ على جميعِ النّاس لي
And when the imam favors me with a rank,
And if I gained through the Imam a rank
Mine is the pride in it over all people.
In which there is pride over all people for me,
لاmay you not زلتَcease to be غيثَa rain-shower of مواهبٍgifts وبقيتَand may you remain غَوْfirst part of 'succor'
لا زلتَ غيثَ مواهبٍ وبقيتَ غَوْ
ثَfinal part of 'succor' ممالكٍkingdoms وسلمتَand may you stay unharmed كَهْفَa refuge for أَراملِwidows
ثَ ممالكٍ وسلمتَ كَهْفَ أَراملِ
May you ever be a rain of gifts, and remain the succor
You remained a rain of gifts and stayed the rain
Of kingdoms, and live unharmed, a refuge for widows.
Of kingdoms, and remained the cave of widows.
Sol 6.1