شَفاهhealed him قُرباًthrough nearness وقدand already أشفَىcame to the brink علىof العطَبِruin
شَفاه قُرباً وقد أشفَى على العطَبِ
خَيالُthe phantom نائيةٍa distant woman حيَّاهُgreeted him منfrom كَثَبِclose by
خَيالُ نائيةٍ حيَّاهُ من كَثَبِ
It healed him by drawing near, when he was on the brink of ruin—
Lips close by have cured my love-sickness,
the phantom of a distant woman, greeting him from close by.
An apparition of one far off revived me from my sorrow.
ألمَّvisited يُتحِفُهُpresents him بالوَرْدِwith roses منfrom خَفَرٍbashfulness
ألمَّ يُتحِفُهُ بالوَرْدِ من خَفَرٍ
فيon وجنتَيْهِits two cheeks وبالصهَّباءِand with red wine منfrom شَنَبِthe mouth's cool sweetness
في وجنتَيْهِ وبالصهَّباءِ من شَنَبِ
It came, offering him roses born of bashfulness
Does he not wrap himself in roses from the wine-pourer
on its cheeks, and red wine from its mouth's cool sweetness.
On his cheeks, and with the tipsiness of youth?
فباتَso it spent the night عذبَsweet الرِّضاfavor والظَّلمِand mouth's moisture ليلَتهits night
فباتَ عذبَ الرِّضا والظَّلمِ ليلَته
وربماand at times باتَspent the night مُرَّbitter الظُّلمِcruelty والغَضَبِand anger
وربما باتَ مُرَّ الظُّلمِ والغَضَبِ
So it spent that night sweet in favor and in its mouth's moisture,
So he slept, sweetly content, while the night was dark,
though at times it spent the night bitter in cruelty and anger.
Though sometimes he slept, bitter with darkness and rage,
إذاwhen تجلَّىappeared جلاrevealed الخدَّينِboth cheeks فيin خَفَرٍbashfulness
إذا تجلَّى جلا الخدَّينِ في خَفَرٍ
وإنand if تثنَّىswayed ثَنىbent العِطْفَينِboth flanks منfrom تَعَبِweariness
وإن تثنَّى ثَنى العِطْفَينِ من تَعَبِ
When it appeared, it revealed both cheeks in bashfulness;
When her cheeks shone radiant with bashfulness,
and if it swayed, it bent its flanks in weariness.
And when she turned away twisting in languor.
وكيفَand how بالجِدِّin earnest منهاfrom her وهيwhile she لاعبةٌplays
وكيفَ بالجِدِّ منها وهي لاعبةٌ
تُهديgives إلىto الصبِّthe lovesick man جِدَّearnestness الشوقِlonging فيin اللَّعبِplay
تُهدي إلى الصبِّ جِدَّ الشوقِ في اللَّعبِ
And what would she be like in earnest, when, playing,
How can he be serious with her while she plays,
she gives the lovesick man earnest longing through her play?
Giving the ardour of passion the seriousness of play?
تعرَّضَتshe appeared ليَbefore me فيamong بيضِwhite السوالفِsides of the neck لاnot
تعرَّضَت ليَ في بيضِ السوالفِ لا
يُسلِفنَoffer in advance وعداًa promise ولاnor يُقْرَقْنَare troubled بالرِّيَبِby suspicions
يُسلِفنَ وعداً ولا يُقْرَقْنَ بالرِّيَبِ
She appeared before me among white-necked women who never
She addressed me coyly in the gathering of intimates
offer promises, nor are troubled by suspicions.
Not promising a date or doubting with suspicion,
منamong them بارزٍone in plain view بحِجابِbehind a veil الصَّونِchastity مِحتَجِبٍhidden
من بارزٍ بحِجابِ الصَّونِ مِحتَجِبٍ
وسافرand one bare-faced بنقابِwith a veil الوَرْدِroses مُنتَقِبِveiled
وسافر بنقابِ الوَرْدِ مُنتَقِبِ
One was visible, yet hidden behind chastity's veil,
Covered in the veil of virtue, modestly veiled,
another bare-faced, yet wearing a veil of roses.
Journeying in the veil of roses, face concealed,
حتىuntil كأنَّas though سُجُوفَcurtains الرَّقْمِembroidery ضاحيةًin plain sight
حتى كأنَّ سُجُوفَ الرَّقْمِ ضاحيةً
تكشَّفَتparted عنto reveal دُمىًfigurines منهنof them أوor لُعَبِdolls
تكشَّفَت عن دُمىً منهن أو لُعَبِ
Until it seemed that embroidered curtains, in plain sight,
Until it was as if the lined writing paper smiled open
had parted to reveal figurines of them, or dolls.
Revealing idols, or dolls, or toys.
هلّاwhy not ونحنُwhile we علىon كُثْبِdunes اللِّوىal-Liwa اعترَضَتappeared
هلّا ونحنُ على كُثْبِ اللِّوى اعترَضَت
تلكthose المحاسنُbeauties منof قُضبٍslender boughs ومنand of كُثُبِsand dunes
تلك المحاسنُ من قُضبٍ ومن كُثُبِ
Why, while we were on al-Liwa's dunes, did there not appear
Why, while we were on the hill of rendezvous, did
those beauties of slender boughs and mounds of sand,
Those beauties, those swelling hips and hillocks waylay me?
أيامَin the days ليI had فيfor الهَوىlove العُذريِّchaste (Udhri) مأرُبةًa desire
أيامَ لي في الهَوى العُذريِّ مأرُبةً
وليسَand there was not ليfor me فيfor هوىthe whims العُذَّالِreproachers منany أرَبِdesire
وليسَ لي في هوى العُذَّالِ من أرَبِ
in days when I desired chaste Udhri love
Days of innocent, chaste love were granted me,
and had no desire for the reproachers' whims?
But in passionate love I have no fortune.
سقىmay it water الغمامُthe clouds رُباهَاher hills دمعَtears مُبتَسمٍone smiling
سقى الغمامُ رُباهَا دمعَ مُبتَسمٍ
وكمand how often سقاهاwatered them التَّصابيyouthful dalliance دمعَtears مُكتئِبِone grieving
وكم سقاها التَّصابي دمعَ مُكتئِبِ
May clouds water her hills with the tears of one who smiles;
The light rain cloud watered it with a smiling tear,
and how often youthful dalliance watered them with a grieving man's tears!
And how many times the heavy downpour watered it with melancholy tears!
ولوand if حَمْدتُI thanked بهاfor her الأيامَthe days قلتُI would say سقَىmay he water
ولو حَمْدتُ بها الأيامَ قلتُ سقَى
ربوعَهاher dwellings أحمدُAhmad المحمودُthe praiseworthy فيin النُّوبِcalamities
ربوعَها أحمدُ المحمودُ في النُّوبِ
And were I to thank the days for her, I would say: 'May he water
If I were to praise those days, I would say:
her dwellings—Ahmad, the praiseworthy in calamities.'
The Most Praiseworthy in munificence watered their meadows in blessings.
سأبعثُI shall send الحمدَpraise مَوشِيّاًembroidered سبابُيهits fabric strips
سأبعثُ الحمدَ مَوشِيّاً سبابُيه
إلىto الأميرِthe emir صحيحاًsound غيرَnot مُؤتَشِبِmingled or tangled
إلى الأميرِ صحيحاً غيرَ مُؤتَشِبِ
I shall send praise, its fabric strips embroidered,
I will send praise embroidered on its cuffs
to the emir, flawless and unalloyed.
To the Prince, sound, without embellishment.
إنَّindeed المدائحَpraise-poems لاnot تُهدىare offered لناقِدهاto their critic
إنَّ المدائحَ لا تُهدى لناقِدها
إلاunless وألفاظُهاand their words أصفىpurer منthan الذَّهَبِgold
إلا وألفاظُها أصفى من الذَّهَبِ
Indeed, praise-poems are not offered to their critic
For praises are not gifted to their critic
unless their words are purer than gold.
Unless their words are purer than gold.
كمhow many رُضتُI cultivated بالفِكْرwith thought منهاfrom them روضةًa garden أُنُفاًuntouched
كم رُضتُ بالفِكْر منها روضةً أُنُفاً
تفتَّحَopened الزَّهْرُthe blossoms منهاfrom it عنto reveal جَنَىthe fruit الأدبِliterature
تفتَّحَ الزَّهْرُ منها عن جَنَى الأدبِ
How many an untouched garden of praise have I cultivated with thought,
How often have I found contentment in contemplating her, a garden to delight the soul,
whose blossoms opened to yield the fruits of literature!
Wherefrom blossoms the flowers of literature!
إذاwhen الرجاhope هَزَّstirred أرواحَspirits الكلامِspeech بهاwithin them
إذا الرجا هَزَّ أرواحَ الكلامِ بها
أتتكthey came to you أحسنَmore beautiful منthan مُهتزَّهِits swaying القَصَبِreeds
أتتك أحسنَ من مُهتزَّهِ القَصَبِ
When hope stirs the spirits of speech within them,
When inspiration moves the spirits of speech through her,
they come to you lovelier than its swaying reeds.
There comes to you something fairer than the shaking reed.
لَفظٌan utterance يروحُends up لهfor its sake الرَّيحانُsweet basil مُطَّرِحاًcast aside
لَفظٌ يروحُ له الرَّيحانُ مُطَّرِحاً
إذاwhen جعلناهwe make it رَيحاناًsweet basil علىover النُّخَبِdraughts of wine
إذا جعلناه رَيحاناً على النُّخَبِ
An utterance for which sweet basil is cast aside,
A word whose spirit is freshened by the breeze
when we make it our basil over draughts of wine.
When we make it a bouquet upon picks.
أماdo you not تراهsee it أباAbu العَبَّاسِal-Abbas مُعتَرِضاًstretching across
أما تراه أبا العَبَّاسِ مُعتَرِضاً
علىabove السُّهاSuha ويَديand my hand تجنيهِplucks it منfrom قُرُبِclose by
على السُّها ويَدي تجنيهِ من قُرُبِ
Do you not see it, Abu al-Abbas, stretching
Do you not see it accosting Abul Abbaas
above Suha, while my hand plucks it from close by?
And my hand plucking it close by?
خُطَىstrides المكارمِnoble deeds فردُthe peerless one الحسنِbeauty مُغترباًfar from home
خُطَى المكارمِ فردُ الحسنِ مُغترباً
يلوذُseeks refuge منهfrom him بفَردِwith the peerless one الجودِgenerosity مُقترِبِclose at hand
يلوذُ منه بفَردِ الجودِ مُقترِبِ
The strides of nobility: peerless beauty, far from home,
The path of virtues, unique in beauty, an exile
seeks refuge in his peerless generosity, close at hand.
Seeking refuge in his unique generosity, drawing near.
مُقسَّمٌapportioned بينbetween نَفْسٍa soul حُرَّةٍnoble ويَدٍand a hand
مُقسَّمٌ بين نَفْسٍ حُرَّةٍ ويَدٍ
مقابلٌnoble on both sides بينَbetween أمٍّa mother بَرَّةٍvirtuous وأبِand a father
مقابلٌ بينَ أمٍّ بَرَّةٍ وأبِ
Apportioned between a noble soul and a hand,
Divided between a free soul and a hand
noble on both sides, through a virtuous mother and a father.
Matched between a righteous mother and father.
مِصباحُa lamp خَطبٍcalamity لهhe has فيin كُلِّevery مُظلِمَةٍdarkness
مِصباحُ خَطبٍ له في كُلِّ مُظلِمَةٍ
صُبحٌa dawn منof العِزِّglory أوor صبحٌa dawn منof الحسَبِancestral honor
صُبحٌ من العِزِّ أو صبحٌ من الحسَبِ
A lamp in calamity, he has in every darkness
A guiding lamp for him in every dark place
a dawn of glory, or a dawn of ancestral honor.
Is an early dawn of honour or nobility at dawn.
إذاwhen بلَوْناwe tested عَدِيّاًAdiyy يومَa day عاديةٍonslaught
إذا بلَوْنا عَدِيّاً يومَ عاديةٍ
كانتwere ضرائبُهاtheir innate qualities أحلىsweeter منthan الضَّربِwhite honey
كانت ضرائبُها أحلى من الضَّربِ
When we tested Adiyy on a day of onslaught,
When we tested an enemy on a day of enmity
their inborn qualities were sweeter than white honey.
Its taxes were sweeter than agreeable conversation.
قومٌa people همُthey البيضُthe white ones أفعالاًin deeds إذاwhen اطّرَدَتْstreamed continuously
قومٌ همُ البيضُ أفعالاً إذا اطّرَدَتْ
جداوِلُrivulets البيضِbright swords فيin غابِa forest القَناspears الأشِبِtangled
جداوِلُ البيضِ في غابِ القَنا الأشِبِ
A people white in deed, when there stream
A people white in action when the streams
rivulets of bright swords through the tangled forest of spears.
Of whiteness coursed the thickets' recesses.
راحَdeparted الصِّيامُfasting فولَّىand so turned away عنكfrom you مُنقَضِباًended
راحَ الصِّيامُ فولَّى عنك مُنقَضِباً
ورحتَand you departed عنهfrom it بأجرٍwith a reward غيرِnot مُنقضِبِending
ورحتَ عنه بأجرٍ غيرِ مُنقضِبِ
The fast has passed, turning away from you, now ended,
The fast departed, turning away from you,
and you have left it with a reward that never ends.
While you turned from it with endless reward.
فعادَso returned فِطرُكَyour fast-breaking feast فيamid نَعماءَblessings سابغةٍample
فعادَ فِطرُكَ في نَعماءَ سابغةٍ
وفيand amid سُعودٍgood fortunes إليهاtoward them ساقةُthe drivers الحِقَبِthe ages
وفي سُعودٍ إليها ساقةُ الحِقَبِ
So your fast-breaking feast returned amid ample blessings,
So your breakfast in abundant bliss returned,
and amid good fortunes toward which the ages' drivers lead.
And in good fortune the epochs escorted it to you.
أتاكَit came to you والجوُّand the sky يُجلىis unveiled فيin مُمَسَّكةٍmusk-scented attire
أتاكَ والجوُّ يُجلى في مُمَسَّكةٍ
والأرضُand the earth تختالُstruts فيin أبرادِهاits robes القُشُبِfresh
والأرضُ تختالُ في أبرادِها القُشُبِ
It came to you while the sky was unveiled in musk-scented attire,
It came while the air was clear in a vast plain,
and the earth strutted in its fresh robes.
And the land preened itself in its fresh cloaks.
إذاwhen ألحَّpersisted حُسامُthe sword البَرقِlightning مُؤتَلِقاًflashing
إذا ألحَّ حُسامُ البَرقِ مُؤتَلِقاً
فيin الرَّوضِthe garden جَدَّgrew earnest خطيبُthe orator الرَّعدِthunder فيin الخُطَبِspeeches
في الرَّوضِ جَدَّ خطيبُ الرَّعدِ في الخُطَبِ
When lightning's sword flashed relentlessly
When the gleaming sword of lightning insisted,
in the garden, thunder's orator grew earnest in his speeches.
The orator of thunder declaimed forcefully in the meadow.
فللخمائلِso the groves have بُسطٌcarpets غيرُnot زائلةٍvanishing
فللخمائلِ بُسطٌ غيرُ زائلةٍ
للسَّحائبِthe clouds have ظِلٌّshade غيرُnot مُستَلَبِsnatched away
للسَّحائبِ ظِلٌّ غيرُ مُستَلَبِ
So the groves have carpets that never vanish;
For the beautiful wild cows there is an unending plain,
the clouds have shade that is never snatched away.
For the clouds a shade not usurped.
والريحand the wind وسنىdrowsy خلالwithin الروضthe garden وانيةlanguid
والريح وسنى خلال الروض وانية
فماso not يراعis alarmed لهاby it مستيقظthe wakeful التربdust
فما يراع لها مستيقظ الترب
And the wind is drowsy, languid within the garden,
The wind and forgetfulness wind through the garden,
so the wakeful dust is not alarmed by it.
So none heed save those wakeful with care.
تَمَلَّهاenjoy it long ياO ابْنَson of نصرٍNasr فهيfor it is سيفُa sword وغىًbattle
تَمَلَّها يا ابْنَ نصرٍ فهي سيفُ وغىً
ماضيkeen الظُّباcutting edges وشِهابٌand a meteor ساطعُblazing اللَّهَبِflame
ماضي الظُّبا وشِهابٌ ساطعُ اللَّهَبِ
Enjoy it long, son of Nasr, for it is a sword of battle,
Brandish it, O Ibn Nasr, it is a sword of calamity
keen-edged, and a meteor whose flame blazes.
Speeding, a shining meteor of flame.
تَسريtravels by night فتخفُقُand so flutter أحشاءُentrails العدوِّthe enemy لهاat it
تَسري فتخفُقُ أحشاءُ العدوِّ لها
كأنهاas though it were رايةٌa banner خفّاقةُfluttering العَذَبِstreamers
كأنها رايةٌ خفّاقةُ العَذَبِ
It travels by night, and the enemy's entrails flutter at it,
It moves, and the innards of the foe tremble before it
as though it were a banner with fluttering streamers.
As if it were a fluttering, sweet-scented standard.
تكادُit almost تَبرُقُflashes لوif إنindeed الثناءَpraise لهit has
تكادُ تَبرُقُ لو إن الثناءَ له
كتيبةٌa battalion بَرقتflashed منfrom قَبلُbefore فيin الكُتُبِbooks
كتيبةٌ بَرقت من قَبلُ في الكُتُبِ
It would almost flash, if praise possessed
It almost flashes brightly if praise of it
a battalion that had flashed before in books.
Were a band that flashed before in books.
فلوso if هَتفتَyou cried out بهاwith it فيon يومِa day مَلحَمةٍpitched battle
فلو هَتفتَ بها في يومِ مَلحَمةٍ
قامتit would stand مَقامَin place of القَناspears والبِيضِand bright swords واليَلَبِand leather armor
قامت مَقامَ القَنا والبِيضِ واليَلَبِ
So if you cried it out on a day of pitched battle,
If you shouted with it on a day of battle,
it would take the place of spears, bright swords, and leather armor.
It would take the place of the lances, whites, and greys.
Sol 6.1