علىwith غَيرِno عَتْبٍgrievance ماnot طَوَيْتُI folded away عِتابَهاreproaching her
على غَيرِ عَتْبٍ ما طَوَيْتُ عِتابَها
وآثرْتُand I chose منfrom بعدِafter الوِصالِunion احتسابَهاbearing her loss in hope of reward
وآثرْتُ من بعدِ الوِصالِ احتسابَها
Not without grievance did I put away my reproaches to her,
Without reproach I forgave her transgression
and, after union, chose to bear her loss in hope of reward.
And after union I chose to forbear
وقَفْناwe stopped فظلَّso kept on الشوقُlonging يَسألُquestioning دارَهاher dwelling
وقَفْنا فظلَّ الشوقُ يَسألُ دارَها
وتُجعَلُand are made أسرابُflocks الدموعِof tears جوابَهاits answer
وتُجعَلُ أسرابُ الدموعِ جوابَها
We stopped, and longing kept questioning her dwelling,
We stood still and longing kept asking of her abode
and flocks of tears were made its answer.
And tears' throngs were made as its answer
فلاso may it never بَرِحَتْcease ريحُthe wind الجَنوبِof the south حَفِيَّةًsolicitous
فلا بَرِحَتْ ريحُ الجَنوبِ حَفِيَّةً
تَخُصُّfavors بألطافِwith the graces of السحابِthe clouds جَنابَهاits grounds
تَخُصُّ بألطافِ السحابِ جَنابَها
May the south wind never cease to be solicitous,
The south wind's breeze did not cease being devoted
favoring its grounds with the clouds' gentle gifts:
Bestowing the rain clouds' favours upon its side
لوامعُflashes بَرْقٍof lightning لاnot تَمَسُّtouch أراكَهاits arak trees
لوامعُ بَرْقٍ لا تَمَسُّ أراكَها
وأنفاسُand breaths of ريحٍwind لاnot تروعُstartle تُرابَهاits dust
وأنفاسُ ريحٍ لا تروعُ تُرابَها
flashes of lightning that do not strike its arak trees,
Lightnings of flashing that touch not her litter
and breaths of wind that do not startle its dust.
And winds' breaths that fright not its sand
ومَجدولَةٍand a slender woman جَدْلَtwisted like العِنانِa rein منحتُهاI granted her
ومَجدولَةٍ جَدْلَ العِنانِ منحتُها
عِنانيmy rein فأضحَتْso became رِحلةُthe journey of الهجرِestrangement دابَهاher habit
عِناني فأضحَتْ رِحلةُ الهجرِ دابَها
And to a woman, slender as a twisted rein, I gave
To a restive she-camel I slackened the rein
my rein; then journeys of estrangement became her habit.
My rein, so the journey of parting became her pace
إذاwhen برزَتْshe came forth كانwas العَفافُchastity حِجابَهاher veil
إذا برزَتْ كان العَفافُ حِجابَها
وإنand if سفرَتْshe unveiled كانَwas الحياءُmodesty نِقابَهاher face-veil
وإن سفرَتْ كانَ الحياءُ نِقابَها
When she came forth, chastity was her veil,
When she stepped out, modesty was her veil
and if she unveiled, modesty was her face-veil.
And if she travelled, shyness was her mask
ومِنand from دونِهاshort of her نَيْلُreaching الغَمامِthe clouds إذاwhen سرَتْshe traveled by night
ومِن دونِها نَيْلُ الغَمامِ إذا سرَتْ
نُجومُthe stars of القَناspears الخَطّيِّKhatti تُزْجيurge onward قِبابَهاher domed pavilions
نُجومُ القَنا الخَطّيِّ تُزْجي قِبابَها
The clouds are easier to reach than she; when she journeys by night,
Below it, the rain clouds' starbirths when she walked
the stars of Khatti spears urge her domed pavilions onward.
Through Al-Qana constellations, they adorned her dome
حَمتْناdenied us اللّياليthe nights بعدَafter ساكنةِthe female dweller in الحِمىthe sanctuary
حَمتْنا اللّيالي بعدَ ساكنةِ الحِمى
مشارِبَdrinking-places يهوىdesires كلُّevery طامٍyearning one شَرابَهاtheir drink
مشارِبَ يهوى كلُّ طامٍ شَرابَها
After the loss of the sanctuary's lady, the nights denied us
With the tribe, nights we passed after the fevered encampment
drinking-places whose drink every yearning soul desires.
A haunt every thirsting loved its drink
ألاحظُهاI gaze at her لَحْظَwith the gaze of الطّريدِthe banished man مَحلَّهhis home
ألاحظُها لَحْظَ الطّريدِ مَحلَّه
وأذكُرُهاand I remember her ذِكْرَwith the remembrance of البَغيِّthe prostitute شبابَهاher youth
وأذكُرُها ذِكْرَ البَغيِّ شبابَها
I gaze at her as a banished man gazes at his home,
I look upon her look of hunted prey
and remember her as a prostitute remembers her youth.
And remember her remembrance of prime youth
وأَنشُدُهاand I seek her والقُربُwhile nearness بينيbetween me وبينَهاand between her
وأَنشُدُها والقُربُ بيني وبينَها
ولوand even if آبَreturned حِلميmy reason ماnot رجوْتُI hoped for إيابَهاher return
ولو آبَ حِلمي ما رجوْتُ إيابَها
I seek her, though she and I are close,
I sing to her though nearness is between us
and even if my reason returned, I would not hope for her return.
Even if my patience failed I hoped not for her return
تخيَّرتُI selected أفوافَpatterned fabrics المديحِof praise فلمso did not أُنِخْmake kneel
تخيَّرتُ أفوافَ المديحِ فلم أُنِخْ
ببابِat the gate of بنيthe sons of العبّاسِal-Abbas إلاexcept لُبابَهاtheir choicest part
ببابِ بني العبّاسِ إلا لُبابَها
I chose the patterned fabrics of praise, and made none kneel
I picked eulogies' rhymes but would not chant
at the gate of Banu al-Abbas but their finest.
At Abbasids' gate except its most choice
قَوافٍrhymes لوif أنَّthat الأخيليَّةَal-Akhyaliyya عايَنَتْshe beheld
قَوافٍ لو أنَّ الأخيليَّةَ عايَنَتْ
محاسنَهاtheir beauties زانَتْshe adorned بهنّwith them سِخابَهاher scented necklace
محاسنَها زانَتْ بهنّ سِخابَها
Rhymes which, had al-Akhyaliyya beheld
Rhymes that if the camel-herds saw
their beauties, she would have adorned her necklace with them.
The beauties they would adorn with bracelets their wrists
أغرُّa radiant man يداهhis two hands مُزْنةٌa rain-cloud مُستَهَّلةٌpouring rain
أغرُّ يداه مُزْنةٌ مُستَهَّلةٌ
إذاwhen شامَscanned for rain راجٍa hopeful seeker بالشآمِin al-Sham سَحابَهاits clouds
إذا شامَ راجٍ بالشآمِ سَحابَها
A radiant man, whose hands are a pouring rain-cloud,
I allure hands white like the light
whenever a hopeful seeker in al-Sham scans its clouds.
When a cloud from Syria takes up its drink
ولوand even if لمnot يُثْبِهاreward them الهاشميُّthe Hashimite لأَصبَحَتْwould then have been
ولو لم يُثْبِها الهاشميُّ لأَصبَحَتْ
مآثرُهُhis glorious deeds اللاتيwhich حَوَيْنَcontained ثَوابَهاtheir reward
مآثرُهُ اللاتي حَوَيْنَ ثَوابَها
And even had the Hashimite not rewarded them, it would have been
Were it not for the Hashimite's support it would
his glorious deeds that contained their reward.
Become his feats which contained his reward
يَعُدُّhe counts الجِبالَthe mountains منof قريشٍQuraysh أُبوَّةًas forefathers
يَعُدُّ الجِبالَ من قريشٍ أُبوَّةً
إذاwhen عَدَّcounted ذوone possessed of فَخْرٍpride سِواهاother than them هِضابَهاits hills
إذا عَدَّ ذو فَخْرٍ سِواها هِضابَها
He counts the mountains of Quraysh among his forefathers,
He counts the mountains of Quraish a fatherhood
when a boaster counts its hills instead.
If one with pride counted others, plateaus
إذاwhen انتَسَبَتْthey traced their lineage بينَamong الخلائقِhumankind ألحقَتْthey linked
إذا انتَسَبَتْ بينَ الخلائقِ ألحقَتْ
أواصرَهاtheir kinship bonds بالمُصطفىto al-Mustafa وانتسابَهاand their lineage
أواصرَها بالمُصطفى وانتسابَها
When they proclaim their lineage among mankind, they link
If she affiliated herself among creations she attached
their bonds of kinship and descent to al-Mustafa.
Her ties to the Chosen One and his affiliation
وإنand if حَمَلَتْthey carried سُمْرَbrown الرِّماحِthe spears لمَشهَدٍto a battlefield
وإن حَمَلَتْ سُمْرَ الرِّماحِ لمَشهَدٍ
رأيْتَyou saw أُسُودَthe lions of الغابِthe forest تَحمِلُcarrying غابَهاtheir forest
رأيْتَ أُسُودَ الغابِ تَحمِلُ غابَها
And when they carry brown lances to a battlefield,
And if she carried the spears for an arena
you see the lions of the forest carrying their forest.
You'd see the jungle's lions carry its jungle
وسالَتand flowed بهمwith them تِلكَthose البِطاحُvalley flats كأنماas though
وسالَت بهم تِلكَ البِطاحُ كأنما
أسالواthey made flow عليهاover them بالحديدِwith iron سَرابَهاtheir mirage
أسالوا عليها بالحديدِ سَرابَها
And those valley flats flowed with them, as though
And down poured in them those surfaces as though
they had made the plains' mirage flow across them in iron.
They had poured in it with iron mirage
بهِمْthrough them عَرَفَتْknew زُرْقُblue الأَسِنَّةِspearheads رَيَّهاtheir fill
بهِمْ عَرَفَتْ زُرْقُ الأَسِنَّةِ رَيَّها
كماjust as عَرَفَتْknew بِيضُwhite السيوفِswords خِضابَهاtheir dye
كما عَرَفَتْ بِيضُ السيوفِ خِضابَها
Through them, blue spearheads knew their fill,
Through them the tongues' blade tips knew their watering place
just as white swords knew their dye.
As the swords' whites knew their reddening
أَباO father of أحمدٍAhmad أصبَحْتَyou became شَمْسَa sun of مَكارمٍnoble deeds
أَبا أحمدٍ أصبَحْتَ شَمْسَ مَكارمٍ
تُضيءshining ومِصباحَand the lamp of العُلىglory وشِهابَهاand its shooting star
تُضيء ومِصباحَ العُلى وشِهابَها
O Abu Ahmad, you have become a sun of noble deeds,
O father of Ahmad you became a sun of bounties
shining, and the lamp of glory and its shooting star.
Illuminating the Highest's lamp and its shooting star
أبوكyour father الذيwho سقَّىgave drink to الحَجِيجَthe pilgrims ولمand did not يَزَلْcease
أبوك الذي سقَّى الحَجِيجَ ولم يَزَلْ
بمكَّةَin Mecca يَرويquenches the thirst of رَكْبَهاits riders ورِكابَهاand its mounts
بمكَّةَ يَروي رَكْبَها ورِكابَها
Your father is he who gave the pilgrims drink, and never ceased
Your father who quenched the pilgrims and did not cease
in Mecca to quench the thirst of its riders and mounts.
In Mecca to water its riders and riders
ولماand when أقامَsettled المَحْلُdrought بينَamong بيوتهِمtheir houses
ولما أقامَ المَحْلُ بينَ بيوتهِم
دعاhe called upon اللهَGod فيهconcerning it دعوةًa prayer فأجابَهاand He answered it
دعا اللهَ فيه دعوةً فأجابَها
And when drought settled among their houses,
And when the abode stood between their houses
he called upon God about it, and He answered his prayer.
He supplicated to God in it with a prayer so He answered it
ولمand did not يَثْنِturn طَرْفَthe glance of العينِthe eye حتىuntil تَهلَّلَتْglistened
ولم يَثْنِ طَرْفَ العينِ حتى تَهلَّلَتْ
مَدامعُtear ducts مُزْنٍrain-clouds لاnot تَمَلُّtire of انسكابَهاtheir outpouring
مَدامعُ مُزْنٍ لا تَمَلُّ انسكابَها
And he had not turned his gaze before there glistened
And did not avert an eye until happiness spilled over
the tearful eyes of rain-clouds that never tire of pouring forth.
From Muzen's tears that do not stop pouring
فأعتبتso appeased الأرضthe earth السماءthe sky بجاههthrough his standing
فأعتبت الأرض السماء بجاهه
غداةthe morning when تولىhe undertook عنon behalf of قريشٍQuraysh عتابَهاreproaching it
غداة تولى عن قريشٍ عتابَها
So the sky appeased the earth through his standing,
So the land blamed the sky through his glory
the morning he took up reproaching the sky on Quraysh's behalf.
The morning it turned away from Quraish's rebuke
بنيO sons of هاشمٍHashim أعطاكمُhas given you الحقُّthe True One رُنبةًrank (apparently رُتبة)
بني هاشمٍ أعطاكمُ الحقُّ رُنبةً
يُقَصِّرُfalls short عنهاof it مَنْwhoever يُريدُseeks اغتصابَهاusurping it
يُقَصِّرُ عنها مَنْ يُريدُ اغتصابَها
Sons of Hashim, the True One has granted you a rank
O Hashimites the truth gave you a palm fruit
that whoever seeks to usurp it cannot attain.
That one coveting it falls short of seizing it
فأشرقَso shone منهاfrom it فيin القلوبِhearts ضياؤكمyour radiance
فأشرقَ منها في القلوبِ ضياؤكم
فأذهبَand dispelled عنfrom تلكthose النُّفوسِsouls ارتيابَهاtheir doubt
فأذهبَ عن تلك النُّفوسِ ارتيابَها
So from it your radiance shone within hearts,
So your light shone in the hearts dispelling
and drove doubt from those souls.
From those souls their doubts
منعتُمyou denied بنيthe sons of مَروانَMarwan حَوْزَتَهاits domain بكمthrough yourselves
منعتُم بني مَروانَ حَوْزَتَها بكم
وحُزتُمand you gained علىin رَغمِdefiance of الأُنوفِthe noses نِهابَهاits spoils
وحُزتُم على رَغمِ الأُنوفِ نِهابَها
You yourselves denied its domain to the sons of Marwan,
You prevented Marwan's progeny its precincts through your aid
and won its spoils in defiance of proud noses.
And you reaped despite the noses' spite its plunder
وآثرتُمُand you chose فَكَّthe freeing of العُناةِcaptives وإنماand only
وآثرتُمُ فَكَّ العُناةِ وإنما
يُملِّكُكُمgives you mastery of عِتْقُthe freeing of الرِّقابِnecks رِقابَهاtheir necks
يُملِّكُكُم عِتْقُ الرِّقابِ رِقابَها
And you chose to free captives; it is only
And you chose to unbind the enemies, and surely
the freeing of necks that gives you mastery over their necks.
Freeing necks makes you possess its necks
ومنand whoever يَنْأَstands far عنfrom إرْثِthe legacy of النُّبوةِprophecy والهُدىand guidance
ومن يَنْأَ عن إرْثِ النُّبوةِ والهُدى
فأنتُمthen you وَرِثُتمhave inherited هَدْيَهاits guiding way وكِتابَهاand its Book
فأنتُم وَرِثُتم هَدْيَها وكِتابَها
And whoever may stand far from the legacy of prophecy and guidance,
And whoever turns away from the prophecy and guidance
you have inherited its guiding way and its Book.
You inherited its guidance and scripture
وهلand can يتحلَّىadorn oneself بالخِلافَةِwith the caliphate غيرُكمanyone other than you
وهل يتحلَّى بالخِلافَةِ غيرُكم
وأنتمwhile you سلَبْتُمstripped عبدَAbd (servant of) شمسٍShams (the sun) ثيابَهاits robes
وأنتم سلَبْتُم عبدَ شمسٍ ثيابَها
And can anyone but you be adorned with the caliphate,
And who but you deserves the caliphate
when you stripped Abd Shams of its robes?
When you stripped Shams' slave of his clothes
Sol 6.1