يُريكَshows you قوامَهاher figure الغصنُthe bough الرطيبُsupple
يُريكَ قوامَها الغصنُ الرطيبُ
ولحظَand the glance جفونِهاof her eyelids الرشأُthe fawn الربيبُhand-reared
ولحظَ جفونِها الرشأُ الربيبُ
The supple bough shows you her figure,
The supple branch shows you her slender shape,
And the hand-reared fawn the glance of her eyelids.
And the gentle morning breeze reveals her eyelids.
غَداةَone morning بَداappeared لهاof hers خدٌّa cheek أسيلٌsmooth
غَداةَ بَدا لها خدٌّ أسيلٌ
يُنَمنِمُfinely embellishes وشيَهits brocade كفٌّa hand خَضيبُhenna-dyed
يُنَمنِمُ وشيَه كفٌّ خَضيبُ
One morning, a smooth cheek of hers appeared,
One morning appeared a moist cheek for her,
A henna-dyed hand embellishing its brocade.
Caressed by a ruddy palm, gently stroking.
وأدناهاand brought her nearer منto الصبِّthe lovesick lover التنائيseparation
وأدناها من الصبِّ التنائي
كذاكَlikewise الشمسُthe sun يُدنيهاbrings it nearer الغروبُsunset
كذاكَ الشمسُ يُدنيها الغروبُ
And separation brought her nearer to the lovesick lover;
And the twilight brought her closer to passion’s heat—
So sunset brings the sun nearer.
Thus does sunset draw the sun nearer.
فمنso, from خدٍّa cheek تخدِّدُهfurrow it دموعٌtears
فمن خدٍّ تخدِّدُه دموعٌ
ومنand from قلبٍa heart يُقلِّبُهُturns it about حبيبُa beloved
ومن قلبٍ يُقلِّبُهُ حبيبُ
Ah, a cheek that tears furrow,
So one whose cheeks are reddened by tears,
And a heart a beloved turns about,
And whose heart is stirred by a lover,
بظبيٍfor a gazelle فيamong الخيامِthe tents لهit has مُرادٌa roaming-place
بظبيٍ في الخيامِ له مُرادٌ
وبدرٍand a full moon فيin الخدورِsecluded chambers لهit has مَغيبُa setting-place
وبدرٍ في الخدورِ له مَغيبُ
For a gazelle with a roaming-place among the tents,
Seeks a gazelle in tents, fulfilling desire,
And a full moon with a setting-place in secluded chambers!
And a full moon in chambers, setting.
فكمso how often بَعُدَwas far away الرقيبُthe watcher فأسعفَتْنيthen aided me
فكم بَعُدَ الرقيبُ فأسعفَتْني
صروفُthe vicissitudes الدهرِof time إذwhen بَعُدَwas far away الرقيبُthe watcher
صروفُ الدهرِ إذ بَعُدَ الرقيبُ
How often the watcher was far away, and I was aided
How remote was the spy! Fortune granted me success
By the turns of time, when the watcher was far away,
When the guardian was far away.
بصبحٍwith a dawn منfrom محاسِنِهhis beauties تجلَّىshone forth
بصبحٍ من محاسِنِه تجلَّى
وليلٍand a night منfrom ذوائِبهhis tresses يذوبُmelts
وليلٍ من ذوائِبه يذوبُ
With a dawn shining forth from his beauty,
Dawn appeared in its beauty,
And a night melting from his tresses.
And night melted in its passions.
رويدَكtake your time أيُّهاO القلبُthe heart المُعَّنىtormented
رويدَك أيُّها القلبُ المُعَّنى
وقَصركَand restrain yourself أيُّهاO الدمعُthe tears السّكوبُfreely flowing
وقَصركَ أيُّها الدمعُ السّكوبُ
Take your time, O tormented heart,
Restrain yourself, O troubled heart,
And restrain yourself, O freely flowing tears.
And limit yourself, O overflowing tears.
تناءىdrew far away الجودُgenerosity حتىuntil ليسnot يدنوcomes near
تناءى الجودُ حتى ليس يدنو
وغابَand vanished البِشرُgood cheer حتىuntil ماnot يَؤوبُreturns
وغابَ البِشرُ حتى ما يَؤوبُ
Generosity has withdrawn so far it no longer draws near,
Generosity has withdrawn such that none come near,
And good cheer has vanished and does not return.
And mortals have departed such that none return.
وأُخِّرَand was held back حاذقٌa skilled one فيin الشِّعرِpoetry طِبٌّexpert
وأُخِّرَ حاذقٌ في الشِّعرِ طِبٌّ
وقُدِّمَand was advanced سارقٌa plagiarist فيهin it مُرِيبُsuspect
وقُدِّمَ سارقٌ فيه مُرِيبُ
A skilled master of poetry has been held back,
An eloquent poet was held back though worthy,
And a suspect plagiarist has been put ahead.
And an unscrupulous thief put forward, corrupting.
كبعضِlike some الصيَّدِgame يُرزَقُis given a share منهfrom it مُخطٍone who misses
كبعضِ الصيَّدِ يُرزَقُ منه مُخطٍ
ويُحرَمُand is denied خيرَهits bounty الراميthe marksman المصيبُwho hits the mark
ويُحرَمُ خيرَه الرامي المصيبُ
As with some game, a poor shot gets a share,
Some game is apportioned to the errant hunter
While the marksman who hits is denied its bounty.
While the true marksman is deprived of the best.
سأُغرِبُI shall speak extraordinarily فيin الثناءِpraise علىof ابنِIbn فهدٍFahd
سأُغرِبُ في الثناءِ على ابنِ فهدٍ
فماfor ... not هوhe فيamong الورىhumankind إلاexcept غريبُextraordinary
فما هو في الورى إلا غريبُ
I shall offer extraordinary praise of Ibn Fahd,
I will be unique in praising Ibn Fahd—
For he is extraordinary among humankind.
For in the world he is truly unique.
تألَّقَshone والخطوبُwhile calamities لهاthey have ظَلامٌdarkness
تألَّقَ والخطوبُ لها ظَلامٌ
فأسفرَthen shone forth والظَّلامُwhile darkness لهit has قُطوبُa frown
فأسفرَ والظَّلامُ له قُطوبُ
He shone while calamities had their darkness,
He shone though gloom surrounded him,
Then beamed while darkness wore a frown.
He brightened and darkness was his blanket.
وقدand already قَرِحَتْgrew sore علىin mourning for الجُودِgenerosity المآقيthe inner eye corners
وقد قَرِحَتْ على الجُودِ المآقي
وقدand already شُقَّتْwere torn علىin mourning for الشِّعْرِpoetry الجُيوبُthe collars
وقد شُقَّتْ على الشِّعْرِ الجُيوبُ
While the eyes' corners had grown sore mourning generosity,
Burdens have wounded generosity,
And collars had been torn in mourning for poetry.
And straits have torn poetry.
حُلِيٌّan ornament منamong حِلَىornaments الآدابِof letters يُغْنيenriches
حُلِيٌّ من حِلَى الآدابِ يُغْني
بحِليَتهِwith his adornment وشيمَتهِand his character الأديبُthe man of letters
بحِليَتهِ وشيمَتهِ الأديبُ
An ornament among the ornaments of letters, enriching
He of Mecca’s virtues enriches us
The man of letters with his adornment and character.
With his fairness and the scholar’s ways.
إذاwhen شيمَتْare sighted بوارقُهhis lightning flashes استهلَّتbegins to rain
إذا شيمَتْ بوارقُه استهلَّت
سماءٌa sky منof مواهبِهhis gifts تصوَّبُpours down
سماءٌ من مواهبِه تصوَّبُ
When his lightning flashes are sighted, rain begins
When his lightning flashed, a heaven
To pour from a sky of his gifts.
Of his gifts opened and took aim.
سَمَتْraised aloft بأبيwith Abu الفوارسal-Fawaris فيin المعاليlofty honors
سَمَتْ بأبي الفوارس في المعالي
ضرائبُinnate qualities ماnot لهhe has فيهاin them ضريبُa peer
ضرائبُ ما له فيها ضريبُ
Abu al-Fawaris was raised to lofty honors
He rivals Abu al-Fawaris in grandeur;
By qualities in which he has no peer.
None can rival what he has achieved.
فَمِنْso, of حَزمٍresolve تَدينُsubmit لهto it اللياليthe nights
فَمِنْ حَزمٍ تَدينُ له الليالي
وَمِنْand of رأيٍjudgment تَدِينُsubmit بهthrough it الغُيوبُthe unseen
وَمِنْ رأيٍ تَدِينُ به الغُيوبُ
A resolve to which the nights submit,
Through his wisdom nights submit to him,
And judgment to which the unseen yields.
And through his reason grim fates bow down.
وزادَand he added الأَزْدَal-Azd مأثَرةًa distinction فأمسَىso there came to be
وزادَ الأَزْدَ مأثَرةً فأمسَى
لهاfor them منfrom كلِّevery مكرُمَةٍnoble honor نَصيبُa share
لها من كلِّ مكرُمَةٍ نَصيبُ
He added distinction to al-Azd, so now
He brought more glory to the Azd
They have a share in every noble honor.
And from each honor gained a share.
مَنحْتَyou bestowed وليَّكَyour loyal friend النِّعَمَthe favors اللواتيwhich
مَنحْتَ وليَّكَ النِّعَمَ اللواتي
كفَتْهshielded him كلَّevery نائبةٍcalamity تنوبُbefalls
كفَتْه كلَّ نائبةٍ تنوبُ
You bestowed on your loyal friend the favors that
You granted your loyal one blessings—
Shielded him from every calamity that befalls.
Each hardship they relieved and drove away.
وبُيِّنَand was revealed رَحْبُthe breadth صدرِكَof your breast منthrough خلالٍqualities
وبُيِّنَ رَحْبُ صدرِكَ من خلالٍ
يَضيقُis constricted بوسْعِهاby their vastness الصَّدرُthe breast الرَّحيبُspacious
يَضيقُ بوسْعِها الصَّدرُ الرَّحيبُ
And your breast's breadth was revealed by qualities
The breadth of your chest showed clear
Whose vastness even a spacious breast cannot contain.
When troubles narrowed the ample bosom.
فلماbut when راقَcharmed ناظِرَةَthe watching eye اللياليof the nights
فلما راقَ ناظِرَةَ الليالي
شبابُthe youth الأُنسِof companionship عاجلَهswiftly overtook it المَشيبُgray hair
شبابُ الأُنسِ عاجلَه المَشيبُ
But when the nights' watching eye was charmed
When the watcher of nights was pleased
By the youth of companionship, gray hair swiftly overtook it.
The frolics of youth were hastened by old age.
متىwhen يَثنيwill he turn إليهtoward him عِنانَthe reins بِشْرٍof cheer
متى يَثني إليه عِنانَ بِشْرٍ
فتَثْنيso turn عنهaway from him أوجُهَهاtheir faces الخطوبُcalamities
فتَثْني عنه أوجُهَها الخطوبُ
When will he turn the reins of cheer toward him,
When will the reins of mortal man
So that calamities turn their faces away from him?
Turn from him, and troubles cease?
فقدfor already نشرَspread الثَّناءَpraise عليكof you منهfrom him
فقد نشرَ الثَّناءَ عليك منه
خطيبٌan orator ليسnot يُشْبِهُهresembles him خَطيبُan orator
خطيبٌ ليس يُشْبِهُه خَطيبُ
For from him your praises have been spread
For you an incomparable orator spread praise,
By an orator whom no other orator can match.
One no other speaker resembles.
فسيَّرَso he sent forth منهfrom it وَشْياًa brocade ليسَnot يَبْلىwears out
فسيَّرَ منه وَشْياً ليسَ يَبْلى
وأطلعَand made rise منهfrom it شَمْساًa sun لاnot تَغيبُsets
وأطلعَ منه شَمْساً لا تَغيبُ
Thus he sent forth from it a brocade that never wears out,
He launched from you an undying fame,
And from it raised a sun that never sets.
And made rise from you a sun that never sets.
وقدand already غرسَتْplanted يمينُكyour right hand منهof him غَرْساًa sapling
وقد غرسَتْ يمينُك منه غَرْساً
فصُنْهُso protect it أنlest يُلِمَّcome بهupon it شُحوبُwithering
فصُنْهُ أن يُلِمَّ به شُحوبُ
And your right hand has already planted him as a sapling;
Your right hand planted in him a shoot—
So protect it lest withering touch it.
Protect it from the blight of meanness!
أَيقرُبُdoes ... draw near? منكto you ذوone of نَسَبٍkinship بعيدٍdistant
أَيقرُبُ منك ذو نَسَبٍ بعيدٍ
ويبعُدُand is far away مَنْone who لهhe has نَسَبٌkinship قريبُclose
ويبعُدُ مَنْ له نَسَبٌ قريبُ
Does one of distant kinship draw close to you,
Is one of distant lineage brought near to you
While one of close kinship stays far away?
While one whose lineage is near is kept far?
ومَدْحٍand praise فوَّقَتْهnocked it like an arrow لكfor you المعاليlofty virtues
ومَدْحٍ فوَّقَتْه لك المعالي
فجاءthen came كأنهas though it were بُردٌa cloak قَشيبُnew and fine
فجاء كأنه بُردٌ قَشيبُ
And praise that lofty virtues nocked for you
You have been praised with eulogies
Came like a new, fine cloak.
That exceed you, like excessive chill.
إذاwhen ماever صافحَshakes hands with الأسماعَthe ears يوماًone day
إذا ما صافحَ الأسماعَ يوماً
تبسَّمَتِsmiled الضَّمائرُthe inner selves والقلوبُand the hearts
تبسَّمَتِ الضَّمائرُ والقلوبُ
When one day it shakes hands with the ears,
When they reach listeners’ ears one day,
Inner selves and hearts smile.
Hearts and souls will smile.
فمنso, from حُسْنِthe beauty الصنائعِof benefactions فيهin it حُسْنٌbeauty
فمن حُسْنِ الصنائعِ فيه حُسْنٌ
ومنand from طيبِthe fragrance المحامدِof praiseworthy deeds فيهin it طيبُfragrance
ومن طيبِ المحامدِ فيه طيبُ
So its beauty comes from the beauty of benefactions,
For the odes contain a remarkable beauty,
And its fragrance from the fragrance of praiseworthy deeds.
And the praises, a pleasing fragrance.
وليسَand not يَفوحُgives off fragrance زَهرُthe blossoms الرَّوضٍof the garden حتىuntil
وليسَ يَفوحُ زَهرُ الرَّوضٍ حتى
تفتِّحَهُopens it شَمالٌa north wind أوor حَنوبُa south wind
تفتِّحَهُ شَمالٌ أو حَنوبُ
And the garden's blossoms shed no fragrance until
The meadow’s flowers smell not their scent
A north wind or a south wind opens them.
Until stirred by a south or north wind.
Sol 6.1