عافَshunned الوقوفَstopping علىat المحلِّthe dwelling العافيeffaced
عافَ الوقوفَ على المحلِّ العافي
وأقامَand maintained إلفَintimacy مَوَدَّةِthe affection of الأُلاّفِintimates
وأقامَ إلفَ مَوَدَّةِ الأُلاّفِ
He shunned stopping at the effaced dwelling,
He lingers where the breeze is sweet and mild,
and maintained his bond of affection with his intimates.
And fellowship abides, companions tried and true.
صَبٌّlove-stricken يواصلُkeeps ties with للصبَّابةِfor passionate longing قاطعاًone who breaks ties
صَبٌّ يواصلُ للصبَّابةِ قاطعاً
ويُلِمُّand draws near منfrom ألمِthe pain of الغَرامِpassion بِحَافيto a barefoot one
ويُلِمُّ من ألمِ الغَرامِ بِحَافي
Lovesick, he keeps ties, for love's sake, with one who breaks them,
The lover pours the loved one wine, and fills
and, from love's pain, draws near to a barefoot one.
Her cup again - would that these pains I knew!
ظَامٍthirsting إلىfor الوَجَنَاتِcheeks يُوِردُهُleads him to الرَّدَىdeath
ظَامٍ إلى الوَجَنَاتِ يُوِردُهُ الرَّدَى
وَرْدٌroses بهاupon them يُجنىare gathered بغيرِwithout قِطافِplucking
وَرْدٌ بها يُجنى بغيرِ قِطافِ
Thirsting for cheeks, he is led to death
The darkness brings a pallor to his cheeks;
by roses upon them, gathered without plucking.
Unplucked, the fruit hangs ripe on every bough.
ويَزيدُهُand adds to him ضُعْفُfrailty الخُصورِwaists إذاwhen انثَنَتْthey bend
ويَزيدُهُ ضُعْفُ الخُصورِ إذا انثَنَتْ
للوَجْدِin passionate longing أَضعافاًmanyfold علىupon أضعافِmanyfold
للوَجْدِ أَضعافاً على أضعافِ
And the frailty of waists, when they bend, multiplies
And when she turns, her languid grace alone
his longing, fold upon fold.
Can double and redouble lover's vow.
أيامَin the days when يَعْطِفهُdraws him علىtoward لَذَّاتِهhis pleasures
أيامَ يَعْطِفهُ على لَذَّاتِه
خَنِثُsoft; effeminate الشَّمائلِmanners مائسُswaying الأَعْطافِflanks
خَنِثُ الشَّمائلِ مائسُ الأَعْطافِ
In days when he was drawn toward his pleasures
The smooth of form and limb, the soft of skin -
by one soft in manner, swaying at the hips.
Their days are given to pleasure and delight.
والشَّرْبُand the drinking companions قدhad صبّواpoured الصَّباحَmorning علىover الدُّجىnight's darkness
والشَّرْبُ قد صبّوا الصَّباحَ على الدُّجى
ماwhat lies بينَbetween ضَوْءِthe radiance of سوالفٍcheeks وسُلافِand fine wine
ما بينَ ضَوْءِ سوالفٍ وسُلافِ
And the drinkers had poured morning over night's darkness,
They poured the dawn-cup, and the veil of night
between the radiance of cheeks and fine wine.
Was torn between the bowls and shining white.
والبدرُand the full moon يَظهرُappears فيamong السَّحابِthe clouds كأنَّهas though it were
والبدرُ يَظهرُ في السَّحابِ كأنَّه
عَذراءُa maiden تنظُرُlooks منfrom وَراءِbehind سِجافِa curtain
عَذراءُ تنظُرُ من وَراءِ سِجافِ
And the full moon appears among the clouds, as though
Behind the clouds the moon was like a maid
a maiden looking from behind a curtain.
Who peeps from modest curtains, half afraid.
والرّاحُand the wine قدhad حملَتْcarried لهاto it ريحُwind الصَّباthe east wind
والرّاحُ قد حملَتْ لها ريحُ الصَّبا
نَفَحاتِwafts of مِسْكٍmusk بالعَبيرِwith perfume مُدافِblended
نَفَحاتِ مِسْكٍ بالعَبيرِ مُدافِ
And the east wind had carried to the wine
The morning breeze was scented as the maid
wafts of musk blended with perfume.
Opened the musky phials that last eve she made.
وتناهَبَتْand vied in plundering كاساتُهاits cups ظُلَمَthe shadows of الدُّجىnight's darkness
وتناهَبَتْ كاساتُها ظُلَمَ الدُّجى
نَهْبَas the plundering of العُفاةِbounty-seekers نَدىthe generosity of أبيAbu العَطَّافِal-ʿAṭṭāf
نَهْبَ العُفاةِ نَدى أبي العَطَّافِ
And its cups vied in plundering the shadows of night,
And so they snatched the last dark from the night,
as petitioners plunder Abu al-ʿAṭṭāf's bounty.
Like Abû Nuwâs, ere came the day-star's light.
حَكَمٌan arbiter علىover الأيَّامِthe days يحكُمُpasses judgment فيon العِداthe enemies
حَكَمٌ على الأيَّامِ يحكُمُ في العِدا
والمالِand wealth حُكمَthe judgment of مُجانِبِone shunning الإنصافِfairness
والمالِ حُكمَ مُجانِبِ الإنصافِ
An arbiter over the days, he judges his foes
Judgment upon the days! They judge amiss
and wealth as one who shuns fairness.
Qf wealth; equity escapes them in this.
فَمحلُّهso his abode خَضِرُgreen الجَنابِthe precincts منfrom النَّدىgenerosity; dew
فَمحلُّه خَضِرُ الجَنابِ من النَّدى
عَذْبُsweet المَوارِدِthe watering places آمِنُsafe الأكنافِthe surroundings
عَذْبُ المَوارِدِ آمِنُ الأكنافِ
So his abode's precincts are green with bounty's dew,
The place is green, sweet are its streams and fair,
its watering places sweet, its surroundings safe.
Safe its retreats from every troubling care.
حاليadorned الثَّرىthe soil يجريflows النَّسيمُthe breeze إذاwhen جرَىit flows
حالي الثَّرى يجري النَّسيمُ إذا جرَى
صُبْحاًat dawn بأنفاسٍwith breaths عليهover it ِضعافِfaint
صُبْحاً بأنفاسٍ عليه ِضعافِ
Its soil is adorned; the breeze, when it blows, drifts
The wind blows o'er it when the breeze is set
at dawn over it with faint breaths.
That wakes perfume from hair with braids inset.
قطعَended الوفودُthe delegations بهthere المسيرَthe journey وطالَماand for a long time
قطعَ الوفودُ به المسيرَ وطالَما
وَصَلواjoined الذَّميلَthe steady trot إليهtoward him بالإيجافِwith galloping
وَصَلوا الذَّميلَ إليه بالإيجافِ
Delegations ended their journey there, having long
The roads that lead men thither are too long.
joined a steady trot toward him with galloping.
Yet they press on apace the sands among.
عرَفواthey knew الأميرَthe prince مُواصِلاًjoining معروفَهhis kindness
عرَفوا الأميرَ مُواصِلاً معروفَه
بخلائِقٍwith qualities مِسكيِّةِmusky الأعرافِin scent
بخلائِقٍ مِسكيِّةِ الأعرافِ
They knew the prince to join his kindness
They know the prince as bounty's very fount,
with qualities fragrant as musk.
The soul of high emprise and brave account.
وكَسَوهand clothed him منfrom بِدَعِnovel creations of القريضِpoetry مدائحاًpraises
وكَسَوه من بِدَعِ القريضِ مدائحاً
موشّيةًembroidered كبدائعِlike marvels of الأفوافِstriped fabrics
موشّيةً كبدائعِ الأفوافِ
And they clothed him in praises, fresh wonders of verse,
The verses they have woven for his praise
embroidered like wondrous striped fabrics.
Show like the broideries time shall not erase.
أعطىhe gave فقَصَّرَand made fall short فيin العَطاءِgenerosity بحاتمٍḤātim
أعطى فقَصَّرَ في العَطاءِ بحاتمٍ
وسَطاand struck fiercely فأخمَلَand eclipsed سطوةَthe might of الجحَّافِal-Jaḥḥāf
وسَطا فأخمَلَ سطوةَ الجحَّافِ
He gave, leaving Ḥātim behind in generosity,
He gave, but ceased not giving, overpassed
and struck, eclipsing al-Jaḥḥāf's might.
Hâtim in bounty - his high name shall last.
فيin مَعْرَكٍa battlefield طافَcircled الرَّدىdeath بكُماتِهaround its champions
في مَعْرَكٍ طافَ الرَّدى بكُماتِه
عندَduring اختلافِthe exchange of الطَّعْنِspear-thrusts أيَّwhat a طَوافِcircling
عندَ اختلافِ الطَّعْنِ أيَّ طَوافِ
on a battlefield where death circled its champions,
When in the mêlée swords flash swift and fast,
as spear-thrusts were exchanged—what a circling!
His, surest-thrusting,agh the onset past.
فإذاthen when السَّنابِكُthe hooves أنشأَتْraised ليلاًa night بهin it
فإذا السَّنابِكُ أنشأَتْ ليلاً به
ثَقَبَkindled الصَّباحَdawn لهfor it سَناthe radiance of الأسيافِthe swords
ثَقَبَ الصَّباحَ له سَنا الأسيافِ
Then, when the hooves raised a night there,
His many heroes carry into the night
the swords' radiance kindled dawn for it.
Assault, and pierce with lances towards the light,
منfrom أسرةٍa clan أَسَرَتْcaptured لهاfor it صِيدَthe proud lords of العُلىglory
من أسرةٍ أَسَرَتْ لها صِيدَ العُلى
وقَفَاتُthe stands of أَصْيَدَa proud man فيamid الرَّدىdeath وَقَّافِever steadfast
وقَفَاتُ أَصْيَدَ في الرَّدى وَقَّافِ
From a clan for whom the proud lords of glory were captured
Of princely stock, they captured high estate,
by the stands of a proud warrior, ever steadfast amid death.
The quarry sentinel at Fortune's gate.
جعلُواthey made السُّيوفَthe swords لكلِّfor every خَطْبٍcalamity مَعْقِلاًa stronghold
جعلُوا السُّيوفَ لكلِّ خَطْبٍ مَعْقِلاً
إنindeed السُّيوفُthe swords معاقلُstrongholds of الأشرافِthe noble
إن السُّيوفُ معاقلُ الأشرافِ
They made swords a stronghold against every calamity;
Their swords the refuge of each lofty thing.
indeed, swords are the strongholds of the noble.
Swords are the seals of the most puissant king.
وكَساهُمُand clothed them صَفُوthe purity of النَّجاةِdeliverance خَلائِقاًqualities
وكَساهُمُ صَفُو النَّجاةِ خَلائِقاً
أصفىpurer منthan الماءِwater الزُّلالِlimpid الصَّافيclear
أصفى من الماءِ الزُّلالِ الصَّافي
And the purity of deliverance clothed them in qualities
Pure lives have they, from sin and evil clean,
purer than limpid, clear water.
Pure as the water, spotless in its sheen.
فلهُمso they have عَزائِمُresolves ماnever امتضَيْنَunsheathe صَوارِماًkeen swords
فلهُم عَزائِمُ ما امتضَيْنَ صَوارِماً
إلاexcept that جَلَيْنَthey dispel بهاwith them دُجىthe darkness of الأسيافِthe swords
إلا جَلَيْنَ بها دُجى الأسيافِ
So they have resolves that never unsheathe keen swords
The purposes they have set their hearts upon,
without dispelling with them the darkness of swords,
Not least of all is this - to blunt the sword.
ومَحلُّand a seat of عِزٍّglory شاملٍall-embracing ماnever احتلَّهoccupied it
ومَحلُّ عِزٍّ شاملٍ ما احتلَّه
باغٍa rebel كَساهclothed him البغيُrebellion ثَوبَa garment of خِلافِdefiance
باغٍ كَساه البغيُ ثَوبَ خِلافِ
and a seat of all-embracing glory, never occupied
And every place of vantage he has gained
by a rebel whom rebellion has clothed in a robe of defiance,
Spoil from the niggard time he holds unchained.
إلاexcept that رأىhe saw الرَّاياتِthe banners تَخفُقُfluttering حولَهaround him
إلا رأى الرَّاياتِ تَخفُقُ حولَه
ورأىand he saw الوَشيجَthe spears مُخَضَّبَstained الأطرافِthe tips
ورأى الوَشيجَ مُخَضَّبَ الأطرافِ
without his seeing banners flutter around him
On every side the banners rise unfurled,
and seeing spears stained at their tips.
The blood reddens and spatters on the world.
Sol 6.1