عِشْlive مدَىthroughout الدَّهْرِall time ياO أباfather of إسحاقِIshaq
عِشْ مدَى الدَّهْرِ يا أبا إسحاقِ
ووَقاكَand may he shield you الخطوبَcalamities ماas long as عشتَyou live واقيa guardian
ووَقاكَ الخطوبَ ما عشتَ واقي
Live for all time, O Abu Ishaq,
Live long, O Abu Ishaq
and may a guardian shield you from calamities as long as you live.
And may hardships avoid you as long as you live
فلقَدfor indeed أطلقَتْhas unleashed يَمينُكَyour right hand جُوداًgenerosity
فلقَد أطلقَتْ يَمينُكَ جُوداً
كانwas منfrom قبلُbefore مُوثَقاًbound fast بوِثاقِwith bonds
كان من قبلُ مُوثَقاً بوِثاقِ
For your right hand has indeed unleashed generosity
For your generosity has been unleashed
that had once been held fast in bonds.
After being bound by covenant
إنَّindeed داراًa house تَضُمُّembraces أخلاقَكَyour virtues الغُرَّradiant
إنَّ داراً تَضُمُّ أخلاقَكَ الغُرَّ
لَدارُsurely a dwelling of الجِنانِParadise غيرَwithout اختلاقِfabrication
لَدارُ الجِنانِ غيرَ اختلاقِ
Indeed, a house that embraces your radiant virtues
Surely a home that harbors your sublime morals
is surely a dwelling of Paradise, no fiction.
Is none but the home of Heaven without pretense
مَنزِلٌa dwelling كالرَّبيعِlike spring حَلَّتْunfastened عليهover it
مَنزِلٌ كالرَّبيعِ حَلَّتْ عليه
حالياتُjewel-decked ones السِّحابِthe clouds عِقْدَthe knot of النِّطاقِthe girdle
حالياتُ السِّحابِ عِقْدَ النِّطاقِ
A dwelling like spring, over which
A dwelling like spring, visited by
jewel-decked clouds have unfastened their girdle's knot.
The ornaments of clouds binding waistbands
يُمْتِعُdelights الطَّرْفَthe eye منwith طَرائِفِrare delights of حُسْنٍbeauty
يُمْتِعُ الطَّرْفَ من طَرائِفِ حُسْنٍ
يَتَجافىturns away بهاthrough them عنfrom الإطراقِlowering the gaze
يَتَجافى بها عن الإطراقِ
It delights the eye with rare beauties
Delighting the eyes with its beautiful spectacles
that keep it from lowering its gaze.
Turning them away from squinting
بينَamid ساجٍteak كأنَّهas though it were ذائبُmolten التَّبْgold (first part)
بينَ ساجٍ كأنَّه ذائبُ التَّبْ
رِcompletion of 'gold' علىover مِثلِthe likeness of ذائبِmolten الأوراقِsilver
رِ على مِثلِ ذائبِ الأوراقِ
Amid teak that seems like molten gold
Among cushions as if dripping with moisture
over what seems like molten silver,
Like the dripping of leaves and boughs
وعَذارَىand maidens كأنَّهُنَّas though they were مِنَin الحُسbeauty (first part)
وعَذارَى كأنَّهُنَّ مِنَ الحُس
نِcompletion of 'beauty' عَذارَىvirgins سَفَرْنَunveiled themselves للعُشَّاقِfor the lovers
نِ عَذارَى سَفَرْنَ للعُشَّاقِ
and maidens whose beauty makes them seem
And maidens as if they are made of beauty
like virgins unveiled for their lovers.
Maidens who have adorned themselves for lovers
تتلاقَىmeet رؤُوسُهاtheir heads لِتَدانٍthrough closeness
تتلاقَى رؤُوسُها لِتَدانٍ
وتَناءىand draw apart جُسومُهاtheir bodies لافتراقِthrough separation
وتَناءى جُسومُها لافتراقِ
Their heads meet in closeness,
Their heads meet in affection
while their bodies stand distant, apart.
While their bodies keep apart
حَلِيَتْwere adorned منwith ثِمارِهاtheir fruit فتَراءَتْand so appeared
حَلِيَتْ من ثِمارِها فتَراءَتْ
حالياتِbejeweled النُّحورِat the bosoms والأَعْناقِand the necks
حالياتِ النُّحورِ والأَعْناقِ
Adorned with their fruit, they appear
Graced with fruits, their throats and necks appear
bejeweled at their bosoms and necks.
Like the ornaments of wells and water channels
تَخْرُقُpierce المُزْنَthe rain-clouds والتُّرابَand the soil إلىto الماwater (first part)
تَخْرُقُ المُزْنَ والتُّرابَ إلى الما
ءِcompletion of 'water' بتلكَwith those الفُروعِbranches والأعراقِand roots
ءِ بتلكَ الفُروعِ والأعراقِ
They pierce clouds and soil to reach water
Their branches and twigs pierce the earth and dust
with those branches and roots.
Reaching the water through those branches and limbs
فَلِماءِthus for the water of البُحورِthe seas إذas رَسَخَتْthey took root فيin
فَلِماءِ البُحورِ إذ رَسَخَتْ في
هِit وماءِand the water of الغَمامِthe clouds فيهin it تَلاَقيa meeting
هِ وماءِ الغَمامِ فيه تَلاَقي
Thus the water of the seas, in which they take root,
For they are rooted in the water of seas
and the water of the clouds meet there.
And the water of clouds unites in them
كيفَhowever قابَلتَهاyou face them أَرَتْكَthey show you رِياضاًgardens
كيفَ قابَلتَها أَرَتْكَ رِياضاً
وسَماءًand a sky مُخْضَرَّةَverdant الآفاقِat the horizons
وسَماءً مُخْضَرَّةَ الآفاقِ
However you face them, they show you gardens
When they appeared before you, did you see gardens
and a sky with verdant horizons.
And a green sky with vast horizons?
يَنثُرُscatters الرِّيحُthe wind حَلْيَهاtheir finery فتَراهand you see it
يَنثُرُ الرِّيحُ حَلْيَها فتَراه
نَهْبَspoils for أيديthe hands of العُفاةِbeggars والطُّرَّاقِand night visitors
نَهْبَ أيدي العُفاةِ والطُّرَّاقِ
The wind scatters their finery, and you see it
The wind sheds their ornaments, leaving them
as spoils for the hands of beggars and night visitors.
Prey to the hands of vagabonds and harvesters
بِدَعٌmarvels لوif تحقَّقَتْwere assured ببَقاءٍof permanence
بِدَعٌ لو تحقَّقَتْ ببَقاءٍ
كُنَّthey would be أَولىmore deserving منthan الحِلَىjewelry بالحِقاقِof jewel-caskets
كُنَّ أَولى من الحِلَى بالحِقاقِ
Marvels that, if assured of permanence,
Wondrous, if they lasted, more deserving of reality
would deserve jewel-caskets more than ornaments.
Than jewels are deserving of rights
وإذاand if كانَتِare الجواهِرُjewels للزِّيfor adornment (first part)
وإذا كانَتِ الجواهِرُ للزِّي
نَةِcompletion of 'adornment' كانَتْthey are جَواهِرَthe jewels of الأرزاقِsustenance
نَةِ كانَتْ جَواهِرَ الأرزاقِ
And if jewels are for adornment,
And if gems are for beauty
these are the jewels of sustenance.
Then gems are the sustenance of livelihoods
فكأنَّso it is as though الطَّلْعَthe palm-blossoms النَّضيدَdensely packed جُفونٌscabbards
فكأنَّ الطَّلْعَ النَّضيدَ جُفونٌ
يَتَصَدَّعْنَsplit open عنto reveal سُيوفٍswords رِقاقِslender
يَتَصَدَّعْنَ عن سُيوفٍ رِقاقِ
So the tightly packed palm-blossoms are like scabbards,
Their tender sprouts appear to be eyelids
splitting open to reveal slender swords.
Split open by thin, sharp swords
وكأنand it is as though الحمامthe doves منbecause of حمرةthe redness of الأرthe feet (first part)
وكأن الحمام من حمرة الأر
جلcompletion of 'feet' قدindeed خضنthey waded فيin دمblood مهراقspilled
جل قد خضن في دم مهراق
And the doves, with their feet so red,
Their doves as if dyed red in the blood
seem to have waded through spilled blood.
Of sandgrouse, cooing or alighting in thickets
تتغنىsing علىupon العراجينthe palm-stalks أوor تنlament (first part)
تتغنى على العراجين أو تن
دبcompletion of 'lament' منهاamong them أهلةcrescents فيin محاقthe moon's dark phase
دب منها أهلة في محاق
They sing upon the palm-stalks, or
And when the warblers fall silent there
lament crescents among them in the dark of the moon.
They are a kind of everlasting warbler
فإذاso if أفنتwipe out المحولthe droughts سواماgrazing herds
فإذا أفنت المحول سواما
فهيthen they are ضربa kind منof السوامgrazing livestock الباقيthat survives
فهي ضرب من السوام الباقي
So if droughts wipe out grazing herds,
Among them lies a pool refreshing
then these are a kind of herd that survives.
The green of its orchards with water channels
بينهاamong them بركةa pool تسلunsheathes علىacross خضgreenery (first part)
بينها بركة تسل على خض
رةcompletion of 'greenery' بستانهاits garden سيوفthe swords of السواقيthe watercourses
رة بستانها سيوف السواقي
Among them, a pool unsheathes across the greenery
And curtains as if they are the spring
of its garden the swords of the watercourses.
With daylight gleaming from smooth shells
وستورand curtains كأنهنas though they were ربيعspring
وستور كأنهن ربيع
شرقdrenched النورthe blossoms منwith حياrain رقراقshimmering
شرق النور من حيا رقراق
And curtains that seem like spring,
Upon them, incompetent hands fashioned idols,
its blossoms drenched in shimmering rain.
Incapable of the Creator's handiwork
صَنَعَتْfashioned فوقَهاupon them التماثيلَthe figures أيدٍhands
صَنَعَتْ فوقَها التماثيلَ أيدٍ
عاجِزاتٌincapable عنof صَنعَةِthe handiwork of الخَلاَّقِthe Creator
عاجِزاتٌ عن صَنعَةِ الخَلاَّقِ
Hands have fashioned figures upon them,
Of faces like full moons at dawn
hands unequal to the Creator's handiwork.
And slender bodies like swaying branches
مِنْwith وُجوهٍfaces مثلِlike البدورِfull moons صِباحٍfair
مِنْ وُجوهٍ مثلِ البدورِ صِباحٍ
وقُدودٍand figures مثلِlike الغُصونِbranches رِشاقِslender
وقُدودٍ مثلِ الغُصونِ رِشاقِ
With faces fair as full moons,
Clothing them in creation's beauty when
and figures slender as branches.
They fell short of moral beauty
أَلبَسَتْهاclothed them in مَحاسِنَthe beauties of الخَلْقِoutward form لَمَّاsince
أَلبَسَتْها مَحاسِنَ الخَلْقِ لَمَّا
عَجِزَتْthey were unable عنto bestow مَحاسِنِthe beauties of الأخلاقِcharacter
عَجِزَتْ عن مَحاسِنِ الأخلاقِ
They clothed them in the beauties of outward form, since
So when the winds stirred them
they could not bestow the beauties of character.
Their horses appeared to compete in race
فإذاand whenever ماemphatic particle الرِّياحُthe winds حرَّكْنَset in motion منهاsome of them
فإذا ما الرِّياحُ حرَّكْنَ منها
خَيَّلَتْmade it seem أنَّthat خَيْلَهاtheir horses فيin استباقِa race
خَيَّلَتْ أنَّ خَيْلَها في استباقِ
Whenever the winds set some of them in motion,
Their lions and leopards pounced out
their horses seem to be racing one another.
Baring the fangs of their clenched jaws
وتَراءَتْand appeared أُسودُهاtheir lions واثِباتٍleaping
وتَراءَتْ أُسودُها واثِباتٍ
مُبْدِياتٍbaring خَناجِرَthe daggers of الأشداقِthe jaws
مُبْدِياتٍ خَناجِرَ الأشداقِ
And their lions appear to be leaping,
The cheetahs preyed upon the gazelles
baring the daggers of their jaws.
The greens of their eyes, the blacks of their brows
يَغْتَديgo forth at dawn بينَهاamong them الفُهودُthe cheetahs علىagainst الغِزthe gazelles (first part)
يَغْتَدي بينَها الفُهودُ على الغِز
لانِcompletion of 'gazelles' خُزْرَsidelong العُيونِthe eyes سُودَblack المآقيthe eye-corners
لانِ خُزْرَ العُيونِ سُودَ المآقي
Among them, cheetahs go forth at dawn against gazelles,
Creatures without life, so some departed
with sidelong eyes and black eye-corners.
From death while others met their fate
حَيوانٌanimals بلاwithout حَياةٍlife فمنهso among them
حَيوانٌ بلا حَياةٍ فمنه
حائِدٌone turning away عنfrom مَنِيَّةٍdeath ومُلاقيand one meeting it
حائِدٌ عن مَنِيَّةٍ ومُلاقي
Animals without life: among them are
And spies who denied our hearing delight
some that evade death and some that meet it.
Depriving it by covering their ears
وقِيانٌand singing-girls مَنَعْنَdenied أسماعَناour ears الحظْthe share (first part)
وقِيانٌ مَنَعْنَ أسماعَنا الحظْ
ظَcompletion of 'share' وَوَفَّرْنَهand lavished it علىupon الأَحْداقِthe pupils
ظَ وَوَفَّرْنَه على الأَحْداقِ
And singing-girls who deny our ears their share,
And gardens whose flowers were not nursed by soil
and lavish it upon our eyes.
Nor watered by a water bearer
ورِياضٌand gardens لمdid not يُنْشِbring forth زَهرَتَهاtheir blossoms التُّرthe soil (first part)
ورِياضٌ لم يُنْشِ زَهرَتَها التُّر
بُcompletion of 'soil' ولمand did not يَسْقِهاwater them منَwith الغَيْثِrain سِاقِيa waterer
بُ ولم يَسْقِها منَ الغَيْثِ سِاقِي
And gardens: no soil brought their blossoms forth,
You enjoyed utter bliss living among them
nor did any waterer irrigate them with rain.
In the mornings of pleasure and intimate embrace
فتَمَلَّso savor السُّرورَjoy ماas long as عِشْتَyou live فيهin it
فتَمَلَّ السُّرورَ ما عِشْتَ فيه
باصطباحٍwith a morning draught منof لَذَّةٍpleasure واغتباقِand an evening draught
باصطباحٍ من لَذَّةٍ واغتباقِ
So savor joy as long as you live there,
And praises were lavished upon you by maidens
with morning and evening draughts of pleasure,
Unafraid of rejection or divorce
وثَناءًand praise زُفَّتْwere led as brides إليكَto you عَذاراmaidens
وثَناءً زُفَّتْ إليكَ عَذارا
هُits فليسَتso they are not مَرُوعةًfrightened بِطَلاقِby divorce
هُ فليسَت مَرُوعةً بِطَلاقِ
and praise whose maidens have been led to you as brides,
so they have no fear of divorce.
Partial English translation: 62 of 64 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1