غَضبانُan angry one ينسانيforgets me وأذكرُهand I remember him
غَضبانُ ينساني وأذكرُه
ويَنامُand he sleeps عنunmindful of ليليmy night وأسهرُهand I spend it sleepless
ويَنامُ عن ليلي وأسهرُه
An angry one forgets me, while I remember him.
Angry, he forgets me, while I remember him
He sleeps through my night, while I spend it sleepless.
He sleeps away from Layla, while I stay awake for her
وبِجَوْرِهand through his injustice ماnot صارَbecame مُورِقُهits leaf-bearing branch
وبِجَوْرِه ما صارَ مُورِقُه
حظِّيmy share وحظُّand the share سوايَof someone other than me مُثمِرُهits fruit-bearing part
حظِّي وحظُّ سوايَ مُثمِرُه
Through his injustice, its leafy branch never became
With his injustice, nothing prospers for him
my share, while another's share is its fruit.
While my fortune and that of others prosper
وكفَىand would suffice for الهَوىlove لوif كانit were مُكتَفياًcontent
وكفَى الهَوى لو كان مُكتَفياً
ماwhat رحتُI went on أُضْمِرُهُconcealing it وأُظْهِرُهand revealing it
ما رحتُ أُضْمِرُهُ وأُظْهِرُه
Love would have enough, if it could be content,
If passion was satisfied, that would be enough
with what I have kept concealing and revealing.
I wouldn't have concealed it or revealed it
لمnot يقتسِمbe apportioned فيamong العاشقينthe lovers أسىًsorrow
لم يقتسِم في العاشقين أسىً
إلاّexcept that وقِسميand my share منهof it أوفرُهits greatest portion
إلاّ وقِسمي منه أوفرُه
No sorrow is apportioned among lovers
Sorrow was never divided among lovers
without my share of it being the greatest.
Except my share of it was the greatest
فأَطيحُso I am swept away فيin نَفسٍa sigh أُصعِّدُهI send it aloft
فأَطيحُ في نَفسٍ أُصعِّدُه
وأعومُand I swim فيin دَمْعٍtears أُحدِّرُهI let them fall
وأعومُ في دَمْعٍ أُحدِّرُه
So I am swept away in a sigh I send aloft,
So I fall into a soul I try to elevate
and swim in tears I let fall.
And I swim in tears I make flow
وسميرِand a night companion نجمٍa star لاno بَراحَdeparture لهfor it
وسميرِ نجمٍ لا بَراحَ له
وكأنَّماand as though مَلِكٌa king يُسَمِّرُهnails it in place
وكأنَّما مَلِكٌ يُسَمِّرُه
And a companion-star that never moves,
Like a star that never rests
as though a king were nailing it in place.
As if a king had chained it in place
ومهفهَفٍand a slender youth هفَتِfluttered العقولُthe minds بهfor him
ومهفهَفٍ هفَتِ العقولُ به
شَغَفاًwith passionate love تخيَّرَهُنَّsingled them out أحورُهhis dark-eyed gaze
شَغَفاً تخيَّرَهُنَّ أحورُه
And a slender youth, for whom minds fluttered
Bewitching, it captivated minds
with passion: his dark-eyed gaze had singled them out.
Its passion handpicked the most beautiful maidens
إنif لمnot يكنhad وهبَbestowed الغزالُthe gazelle لهupon him
إن لم يكن وهبَ الغزالُ له
لَحَظاتِthe glances مُقلتِهof its eye فجُؤذُرُهthen its fawn
لَحَظاتِ مُقلتِه فجُؤذُرُه
If the gazelle has not bestowed upon him
If the gazelle had not bestowed upon it
the glances of its eye, then its fawn has.
Glances from its seducing eyes
وافَىarrived بخَمرَتِهwith his wine وناظرِهand his gaze
وافَى بخَمرَتِه وناظرِه
بالفَتْرِwith languor يُسكِرُهاintoxicates it وتُسكِرُهand it intoxicates him
بالفَتْرِ يُسكِرُها وتُسكِرُه
He arrived with his wine, while his gaze
It came with its wine and its looks
intoxicates it with languor, and it intoxicates him.
Sobering with absence, intoxicating with presence
حمراءَred كالياقوتِlike a ruby صافيةًlimpid
حمراءَ كالياقوتِ صافيةً
ومعظِّمُand what ennobles الياقوتِthe ruby أحمرُهits red variety
ومعظِّمُ الياقوتِ أحمرُه
Red as a ruby, limpid,
Red like pure ruby
and its red variety gives the ruby its glory.
While most rubies are redder
فهيfor it is she التيwho عَصَرَتْpressed out لقَاطِفِهاfor her gatherer
فهي التي عَصَرَتْ لقَاطِفِها
عُنقودَهاher grape-cluster منfrom قبلُbefore يَعْصِرُهhe presses it
عُنقودَها من قبلُ يَعْصِرُه
For it was she who pressed out, for her gatherer,
It was this that squeezed its vines
her grape-cluster before he could press it.
And harvested their bunches early
فيin كأسِهhis cup كسرىKhosrow يقابِلُهfaces him
في كأسِه كسرى يقابِلُه
منfrom خَلْفِbehind سِترِthe veil الرَّاحِof wine قَيصَرُهits Caesar
من خَلْفِ سِترِ الرَّاحِ قَيصَرُه
In his cup is Khosrow; facing him
In his cup it faces
from behind the wine's veil is its Caesar.
Behind the veil, his rival Caesar
فكأنَّهاso it is as though she نارٌa fire هُماthe two of them حِصَبٌfuel
فكأنَّها نارٌ هُما حِصَبٌ
لحريقِهاfor her blaze العاليtowering يُسَعِّرُهstokes it
لحريقِها العالي يُسَعِّرُه
It is as though she were fire, and those two were fuel
It's like a fire, they are its kindling
for her towering blaze, stoking it.
Its towering blaze fuels it
أصلَىmade burn لهاfor her هذاthis one تَمَجُّسُهhis Magian faith
أصلَى لها هذا تَمَجُّسُه
وأَحَلَّهاand made her lawful هذاthis one تَنصُّرُهhis Christian faith
وأَحَلَّها هذا تَنصُّرُه
This one's Magian faith exposed him to her fire,
This one prayed to it reverently
and that one's Christian faith made her lawful to him.
While that one Christianized it
فيin زاهرٍa flowering garden عَبقٍfragrant تَضوُّعُهits spreading scent
في زاهرٍ عَبقٍ تَضوُّعُه
فكأنّso it is as though عطّاراًa perfumer يُعَطِّرُهperfumes it
فكأنّ عطّاراً يُعَطِّرُه
In a flowering garden, fragrant with spreading scent,
In blossoming scent it is perfumed
as though a perfumer were perfuming it.
As if a perfumer had scented it
ضاهَىrivaled ممسَّكَهits musk-scented blooms مُعَنبَرُهits ambergris-scented blooms
ضاهَى ممسَّكَه مُعَنبَرُه
وحكىand resembled مُدَرهَمهits silver-dirham-like blooms مُدَنَّرُهits gold-dinar-like blooms
وحكى مُدَرهَمه مُدَنَّرُه
Its ambergris-scented blooms rivaled its musk-scented ones,
Its musk equals camphor
and its gold-dinar blooms mirrored its silver-dirham ones.
And its gold coin pure gold
وحكىand resembled غديراًa pool غادرَتْهleft it لناfor us
وحكى غديراً غادرَتْه لنا
خُضْرُthe green growths النباتِof plants يرُفُّquivers أخضرُهits green part
خُضْرُ النباتِ يرُفُّ أخضرُه
And it resembled a pool left for us
It described a pond it had left us
by green plants, its green surface quivering.
Green with vegetation at its banks
صافٍclear تمُدُّextends الرِّيحُthe wind خُطوتَهاits stride
صافٍ تمُدُّ الرِّيحُ خُطوتَها
ويَفيضُand surges فيهthrough it فلاyet does not تكدِّرُهcloud it
ويَفيضُ فيه فلا تكدِّرُه
Clear, as the wind stretches out its stride
Pure, the wind strides across it
and surges through it without clouding it.
Spilling into it without muddying it
مثلُlike الرِّداءِa robe يُكَفُّis hemmed صانِعُهits maker
مثلُ الرِّداءِ يُكَفُّ صانِعُه
يَطويهِhe folds it أحياناًat times ويَنشُرُهand unfolds it
يَطويهِ أحياناً ويَنشُرُه
Like a robe hemmed by its maker,
Like a cloak its maker
who sometimes folds it and unfolds it.
Furls it one time and unfurls it another
شادَraised الأميرُthe emir بناءَan edifice مَكرُمةٍof noble generosity
شادَ الأميرُ بناءَ مَكرُمةٍ
لاnot يستطيعُcan النَّجمُa star يَعْشِرُهreach a tenth of it
لا يستطيعُ النَّجمُ يَعْشِرُه
The emir raised an edifice of noble generosity
The prince built honored architecture
whose tenth not even a star can reach.
The stars cannot equal a tenth of it
وَسَمَاand exalted بهhim الكرَمُgenerosity الذيwhich شَرُفَتْgained honor
وَسَمَا به الكرَمُ الذي شَرُفَتْ
فيهin it أسِرَّتُهhis thrones ومِنبَرُهand his pulpit
فيه أسِرَّتُه ومِنبَرُه
And generosity exalted him—that generosity in which
He named it with the generosity that ennobled
his thrones and his pulpit gained honor.
His family and his pulpit
وكأنَّand as though قُدْساًQuds أوor مَتالِعَهhis Mataliʿ
وكأنَّ قُدْساً أو مَتالِعَه
وهبَbestowed الوَقارَdignity لهupon him تَوَقُّرُهits solemn stillness
وهبَ الوَقارَ له تَوَقُّرُه
As though Quds, or his Mataliʿ,
It's like Jerusalem or a constellation
had lent him dignity through its solemn stillness.
Its dignity instilled reverence in it
ومَغيمُand the cloud-bringer يومِthe day السُّخطِof wrath مُظلِمُهits darkener
ومَغيمُ يومِ السُّخطِ مُظلِمُه
ومُضئُand the illuminator ليلِthe night البِشْرِof cheer مُقْمِرُهits moonlight-giver
ومُضئُ ليلِ البِشْرِ مُقْمِرُه
He brings clouds and darkness to the day of wrath,
The cloud of wrath has darkened it
and light and moonlight to the night of cheer.
While the moon of good news made it luminous
وكأنَّهand as though he فيinto الغَيْبِthe unseen مُطَّلِعٌhas insight
وكأنَّه في الغَيْبِ مُطَّلِعٌ
للأمْرِconcerning the affair يُورِدُهُhe brings it in ويُصْدِرُهand sends it out
للأمْرِ يُورِدُهُ ويُصْدِرُه
As though he had insight into the unseen,
It's as if he sees the unseen
concerning each affair he brings in and sends out.
And dispatches and delivers command
وإذاand when الأنامِلُthe fingers أُرْعِشَتْare made to tremble حذَراًwith fear
وإذا الأنامِلُ أُرْعِشَتْ حذَراً
فشِفاءُthen a cure منfor whoever عَلِقَتْهُit has clasped خِنصَرُهhis little finger
فشِفاءُ من عَلِقَتْهُ خِنصَرُه
And when fingers are made to tremble with fear,
If fingers trembled in caution
his little finger heals whomever it clasps.
The healing of his grip soothed them
وإذاand when تَلَجلَجَstammers قائلٌa speaker حَصَراًtongue-tied
وإذا تَلَجلَجَ قائلٌ حَصَراً
وأماتَand killed حجَّتَهhis argument تَحَيُّرُهhis bewilderment
وأماتَ حجَّتَه تَحَيُّرُه
And when a speaker stammers, tongue-tied,
And if a speaker faltered in anxiety
and his bewilderment kills his argument,
Confounded, his reasoning failed him
فَتَقَopened المَسامِعَthe ears بالصَّوابِwith the right answer ولمand did not
فَتَقَ المَسامِعَ بالصَّوابِ ولم
تُنْجِدْaid بَديهتَهhis ready wit تَفَكُّرُهhis deliberation
تُنْجِدْ بَديهتَه تَفَكُّرُه
he opens ears with the right answer, and no
It struck the hearing with truth, not aided
deliberation has aided his ready wit.
By its clarity, his thinking
منfrom حيثwhere لاno معنىًmeaning يُعَقِّدُهentangles him
من حيث لا معنىً يُعَقِّدُه
عَيّاًin speechlessness ولاand no لفظٌword يُكدِّرُهconfounds him
عَيّاً ولا لفظٌ يُكدِّرُه
For no meaning entangles him
From where no complex meaning obstructs it
in speechlessness, nor does any word confound him.
Or terms that muddy it
وحديثand an account كلof every سماحةgenerosity كذبa lie
وحديث كل سماحة كذب
إلاexcept حديثan account عنهabout him تؤثرهyou recount it
إلا حديث عنه تؤثره
Every account of generosity is a lie
And all gracious speech is a lie
except an account of him that you recount.
Except speech about him you prefer
فمَتىso whenever أرادَseeks الجَحْدَdenial حاسِدُهhis envier
فمَتى أرادَ الجَحْدَ حاسِدُه
شَهِدَتْbear witness غَمائمُهُhis clouds وأبحرُهand his seas
شَهِدَتْ غَمائمُهُ وأبحرُه
Whenever his envier seeks to deny it,
So when his envious foe denied
his clouds and his seas bear witness.
Its clouds and seas bore witness
وإذاand when طَمَىsurges فيover البَرِّdry land بحرُa sea وغىًof battle
وإذا طَمَى في البَرِّ بحرُ وغىً
لاno شَئَthing إلاexcept السَّيفَthe sword مَعبَرُهits crossing
لا شَئَ إلا السَّيفَ مَعبَرُه
And when a sea of battle surges over dry land,
If he sank in the land with a tumultuous sea
with no crossing but the sword,
Nothing but the sword could cross it
أبصرْتَyou behold عسكرَa host نجدةٍof valor بِحَياًwith life-giving rain
أبصرْتَ عسكرَ نجدةٍ بِحَياً
منهfrom him إذاwhen ماindeed شامَlooks on عَسكَرُهhis army
منه إذا ما شامَ عَسكَرُه
you see a host of valor with life-giving rain
You saw an army of aid alive
from him, whenever his army looks on.
When its camp awoke
لاnot درعهhis armor إلاexcept سطاهhis might ولاand no
لا درعه إلا سطاه ولا
شيءthing سوىother than الإقدامdaring مغفرهhis helmet
شيء سوى الإقدام مغفره
His only armor is his might, and
No armor but courage
nothing but daring is his helmet.
And nothing but resolve its forgiveness
حيثُwhere الظُّباthe sword-edges بالهامِagainst heads عاثرَةٌstumbling
حيثُ الظُّبا بالهامِ عاثرَةٌ
والصُّبحُand morning مثلُlike اللَّيلِnight عِثْيَرُهits dust
والصُّبحُ مثلُ اللَّيلِ عِثْيَرُه
Where sword-edges stumble over heads,
Where the oryx stumbles in the dunes
and its dust makes morning like night.
And the dawn is as obscure as night
يُرْديfells العِداthe enemies بالضَّرْبِwith blows أبيضُهhis white sword
يُرْدي العِدا بالضَّرْبِ أبيضُه
ويُبيدُهُمand annihilates them بالطَّعْنِwith thrusts أسمرُهhis brown spear
ويُبيدُهُم بالطَّعْنِ أسمرُه
His white sword fells his enemies with blows,
Its white warriors fell its foes with blows
and his brown spear destroys them with thrusts.
And its brown ones slay them with stabs
سِربُthe herd الحَديثةِof Haditha مُنْذُsince صِينَwas protected بهby him
سِربُ الحَديثةِ مُنْذُ صِينَ به
فيin مأمنٍsafety ممَّنfrom whoever يُنفِّرُهscatters it
في مأمنٍ ممَّن يُنفِّرُه
Haditha's herd, since it was protected by him,
The flock of Haditha, since it protected them
is safe from anyone who would scatter it.
Is safe from whoever would startle it
إنif زادَwards off (contextual reading) عنهاfrom it ماwhat يُرَوِّعُهاfrightens it
إن زادَ عنها ما يُرَوِّعُها
فالغابُthen the forest يدفعُdefends عنهit قَسْوَرُهits lion
فالغابُ يدفعُ عنه قَسْوَرُه
If he wards off from it whatever frightens it,
If more than it passes and frightens them
the forest is likewise defended by its lion.
The forest repels it with its lion
فَلْيَحْيَso may he live فيin ظَفَرٍvictory وعاشَand may live لهfor him
فَلْيَحْيَ في ظَفَرٍ وعاشَ له
فيin نَعمَةٍbliss أبداًforever مُظفَّرُهhis Muzaffar
في نَعمَةٍ أبداً مُظفَّرُه
May he live in victory, and may there live for him,
May he live triumphant and have
in bliss forever, his Muzaffar—
For him, forever prosperous, his fortune
ولَدٌa son عَلَتْrose high بَركاتُthe blessings مَولِدِهof his birth
ولَدٌ عَلَتْ بَركاتُ مَولِدِه
سَعْداًin good fortune وطهَّرَهand purified him مُطَهِّرُهhis purifier
سَعْداً وطهَّرَه مُطَهِّرُه
a son whose birth's blessings rose high
The blessings of his birth exalted
in good fortune, and whose purifier made him pure.
His happiness and purified him
ضاهيmatched أباهhis father سماحةًin generosity وحِجىًand wisdom
ضاهي أباه سماحةً وحِجىً
وحكاهand resembled him مَرآهhis appearance ومَخبَرُهand his inward character
وحكاه مَرآه ومَخبَرُه
He matched his father in generosity and wisdom,
Matching his father in generosity and refuge
and his looks and inward character mirrored him.
And portraying him, his mirror and confidant
أَO أَباAbu (father of) شجاعٍShujaʿ ياO عَقيدَsworn companion of ندىًbounty
أَ أَبا شجاعٍ يا عَقيدَ ندىً
كَرْمَتْwere noble أَرومَتُهhis lineage وعُنصرُهand his stock
كَرْمَتْ أَرومَتُه وعُنصرُه
O Abu Shujaʿ, O sworn companion of bounty,
O father of bravery, leader of dew
whose lineage and stock are noble!
His vine flourished and its essence prospered
اللهُGod يعلمُknows كيفَhow أحمَدُI praise ماwhat
اللهُ يعلمُ كيفَ أحمَدُ ما
أولَيْتَنيهyou bestowed it on me وكيفَand how أشكرُهI give thanks for it
أولَيْتَنيه وكيفَ أشكرُه
God knows how I praise what
God knows how I praise what
you have bestowed on me, and how I give thanks for it.
You granted me and how I thank you
ونَداكَand your bounty لاnot تُنسىare forgotten مَواعِدُهits promises
ونَداكَ لا تُنسى مَواعِدُه
كَرَماًout of generosity فماso I do not أحتاجُneed أذكُرُهto mention it
كَرَماً فما أحتاجُ أذكُرُه
Your bounty's promises are never forgotten,
Your call is unforgettable in its promises
such is your generosity; I need not mention it.
So I need not remember it
لكنَّyet إحساناًa kindness تُقدِّمُهyou offer it promptly
لكنَّ إحساناً تُقدِّمُه
أَولىmore fitting بهfor it ممّاthan what تؤخِّرُهyou defer
أَولى به ممّا تؤخِّرُه
Yet a kindness you offer promptly
But favor you offer
better befits that bounty than one you defer.
Is worthier than delaying it
ومَدَاكَand your reach إنif جادَlavished المَداءُthe utmost scope بهِupon it
ومَدَاكَ إن جادَ المَداءُ بهِ
غَمْرَa flood الثناءِof praise نداكَyour bounty يغمُرُهengulfs it
غَمْرَ الثناءِ نداكَ يغمُرُه
And your stature, if the utmost scope lavished upon it
And if assistance flows from you
a flood of praise—your bounty would engulf it.
My praise of you overflows it
Sol 6.1