أَتكتُمُDo you conceal أسرارَthe secrets الهَوىof love أَمor تُذيعُهاreveal them
أَتكتُمُ أسرارَ الهَوى أَم تُذيعُها
وتَحفَظُهاand guard them بعدَafter النَّوىseparation أَمor تُضيعُهاlose them
وتَحفَظُها بعدَ النَّوى أَم تُضيعُها
Do you conceal love's secrets, or reveal them?
And guard them after separation, or lose them?
مَهاةٌan oryx-doe ولكنْbut للفِراقِfor parting لِقاؤُهاmeeting her
مَهاةٌ ولكنْ للفِراقِ لِقاؤُها
وشَمْسٌand a sun ولكنbut للغُروبِfor setting طُلوعُهاher rising
وشَمْسٌ ولكن للغُروبِ طُلوعُها
An oryx-doe, yet meeting her leads to parting;
and a sun, yet her rising leads to setting.
تَعُنُّappear لناto us فيamid مُشرِقاتِthe radiant aspects وُجوههاof her features
تَعُنُّ لنا في مُشرِقاتِ وُجوهها
إذاwhen هيshe عنَّتappears مُظلِماتٍdark فروعُهاher tresses
إذا هي عنَّت مُظلِماتٍ فروعُها
Against her radiant features appear to us,
whenever she appears, her dark tresses.
تُصانِعُshe wards off عنfrom أَجيادِهاher necks بأَكُفِّهاwith her palms
تُصانِعُ عن أَجيادِها بأَكُفِّها
فيحسُنُand seems lovely عندَto المُستهامِthe love-stricken صَنيعُهاher gesture
فيحسُنُ عندَ المُستهامِ صَنيعُها
She shields her neck with her palms,
and to the love-stricken her gesture seems lovely.
ولمَّاand when تَبادَلْناwe exchanged العِناقَembraces وأعنَقَتْand streamed swiftly
ولمَّا تَبادَلْنا العِناقَ وأعنَقَتْ
دُموعيَmy tears مَمزوجاًmingled بهنَّwith them دُموعُهاher tears
دُموعيَ مَمزوجاً بهنَّ دُموعُها
And when we exchanged embraces, and there streamed
my tears, with her tears mingled into them,
شَكَوْتُI lamented الذيwhat تَشكُوshe laments إليَّto me كأنَّماas though
شَكَوْتُ الذي تَشكُو إليَّ كأنَّما
تُجِنُّenclose ضُلوعيmy ribs ماwhat تُجِنُّenclose ضُلوعُهاher ribs
تُجِنُّ ضُلوعي ما تُجِنُّ ضُلوعُها
I lamented what she lamented to me, as though
my ribs enclosed what her ribs enclosed.
سَلامٌpeace علىupon الأيامِthe days تَبيَضُّshine white بينَهاamid them
سَلامٌ على الأيامِ تَبيَضُّ بينَها
صَنائِعُfavors مُسوَدُّblackened العِذارِin cheek-down شَفيعُهاtheir intercessor
صَنائِعُ مُسوَدُّ العِذارِ شَفيعُها
Peace upon the days, amid which shone white
favors whose intercessor had black cheek-down.
تَلَفَّتُّI looked back بعدَafter الأربعينَforty وأسرَعَتand they hastened
تَلَفَّتُّ بعدَ الأربعينَ وأسرَعَت
عِجالاًswiftly فلمand did not يَربَعْlinger عليَّfor me رَبِيعُهاtheir spring
عِجالاً فلم يَربَعْ عليَّ رَبِيعُها
I looked back after forty, while they hurried on,
swiftly; their spring did not wait for me.
وتاجرَةٍand a woman trading بالخَمْرِin wine تُؤثِرُprefers صَوْنَهاpreserving it
وتاجرَةٍ بالخَمْرِ تُؤثِرُ صَوْنَها
عَنِfrom البَيعِsale أوunless تَلقىshe obtains الغِنىwealth فتَبيعُهاand then sells it
عَنِ البَيعِ أو تَلقى الغِنى فتَبيعُها
And a woman trading in wine, who prefers to keep it
from sale, unless she gains riches and then sells it.
تُسيلُshe sets flowing قَمَthe mouth (apparently mistyped) الزِّقِّof the wineskin الرَّوِيِّfull كأنَّهas though it were
تُسيلُ قَمَ الزِّقِّ الرَّوِيِّ كأنَّه
جِراحَةُa wound زِنْجيٍّof a Black African يَسيلُflows نَجيعُهاits fresh blood
جِراحَةُ زِنْجيٍّ يَسيلُ نَجيعُها
She sets the full wineskin's mouth flowing, as though it were
a Black man's wound, its fresh blood streaming.
إذاwhen زارَهاvisits her وَفْدُa delegation الرِّضاعِof sucklings تَبرَّعَتْshe freely offers
إذا زارَها وَفْدُ الرِّضاعِ تَبرَّعَتْ
بِعَذْراءَa virgin لاnot يَهوىdesires الفِطامَweaning رضيعُهاher nursling
بِعَذْراءَ لا يَهوى الفِطامَ رضيعُها
When a delegation of sucklings visits her, she freely offers
a virgin wine whose nursling has no wish for weaning.
فلاso no طيبَperfume إلاّexcept أنthat يَفوحَwafts نَسيمُهاits fragrance
فلا طيبَ إلاّ أن يَفوحَ نَسيمُها
ولاand no فجرَdawn إلاexcept أنthat يَلوحَgleams صَديعُهاits dawning radiance
ولا فجرَ إلا أن يَلوحَ صَديعُها
There is no perfume save when its fragrance wafts,
and no dawn save when its dawning radiance gleams.
أَقَمْناwe stayed لَدَيْهاwith her فيin رياضٍgardens أنيقَةٍdelightful
أَقَمْنا لَدَيْها في رياضٍ أنيقَةٍ
نَمارِقُهاtheir cushions مَوشِيَّةٌembroidered وقُطوعُهاand their curtains
نَمارِقُها مَوشِيَّةٌ وقُطوعُها
We stayed with her amid delightful gardens,
their cushions and their curtains embroidered.
نَروعُwe terrify بأسيافِwith the swords المُدامِof wine هُمومَناour cares
نَروعُ بأسيافِ المُدامِ هُمومَنا
كأنَّاas though we بأسيافِwith the swords الوزيرِof the vizier نَروعُهاterrify them
كأنَّا بأسيافِ الوزيرِ نَروعُها
We terrify our cares with the swords of wine,
as though with the vizier's swords we terrified them.
هُوَhe المُزْنَةُthe raincloud الغَرَّاءُradiant طَبَّقَcovered everything صَوبُهاits downpour
هُوَ المُزْنَةُ الغَرَّاءُ طَبَّقَ صَوبُها
إذاwhen المُزنَةُthe raincloud الغَرَّاءُradiant غَبَّgrew intermittent لُمُوعُهاits flashes
إذا المُزنَةُ الغَرَّاءُ غَبَّ لُمُوعُها
He is the radiant raincloud whose downpour blankets all,
when the radiant cloud's lightning comes but seldom.
طَلوبٌan ardent pursuer لغاياتِof the goals الكِرامِof noble men لَحوقُهاever attaining them
طَلوبٌ لغاياتِ الكِرامِ لَحوقُها
رَكوبٌan eager climber لأعلامِof the peaks النِّجادِof highlands طَلوعُهاever scaling them
رَكوبٌ لأعلامِ النِّجادِ طَلوعُها
An ardent pursuer of noble men's goals, who attains them;
a climber of the highlands' peaks, who scales them.
إذاwhen متَعَتْrise high أخلاقُهhis virtues الغُرُّradiant خَيَّلَتْmake it seem
إذا متَعَتْ أخلاقُه الغُرُّ خَيَّلَتْ
لعَيْنَيْكَto your eyes أنَّthat الشَّمسَthe sun راجٍa hopeful petitioner مُتوعُهاits rising
لعَيْنَيْكَ أنَّ الشَّمسَ راجٍ مُتوعُها
When his radiant virtues rise, they make it seem
to your eyes that the sun rises as a hopeful petitioner.
وأزهرَand a radiant man يَنقادُyields الزَّمانُtime لأمرِهِto his command
وأزهرَ يَنقادُ الزَّمانُ لأمرِهِ
وتأمُرُهُand command him زُهْرُthe splendors العُلىof glory فيُطيعُهاand he obeys them
وتأمُرُهُ زُهْرُ العُلى فيُطيعُها
And a radiant man: time yields to his command,
while the splendors of glory command him, and he obeys them.
وَقورُdignified in السَّجاياdisposition فيin النَّدِيِّthe council رَكينُهاsteadfast in them
وَقورُ السَّجايا في النَّدِيِّ رَكينُها
شَرودُfar-ranging in العَطاياgifts فيin المُحولِdroughts خَليعُهاunbridled in them
شَرودُ العَطايا في المُحولِ خَليعُها
Dignified and steadfast in disposition in the council,
far-ranging and unbridled in his gifts during drought.
إذاwhen سجَدَتْprostrate themselves فيupon الطُّرْسِthe page أقلامُهhis pens اغتَدىthere become
إذا سجَدَتْ في الطُّرْسِ أقلامُه اغتَدى
سُجودُthe prostrations العِداof enemies جَمّاًmany لَهُbefore him ورُكوعُهاand their bows
سُجودُ العِدا جَمّاً لَهُ ورُكوعُها
When his pens prostrate themselves upon the page,
his enemies' prostrations and bows before him grow many.
تُرَوِّعُهاterrify them أسيافُهhis swords فتَشيمُهاand they watch them
تُرَوِّعُها أسيافُه فتَشيمُها
بِدَاميَةِwith bleeding الأجفانِeyelids نزرٍscant هُجوعُهاtheir slumber
بِدَاميَةِ الأجفانِ نزرٍ هُجوعُها
His swords terrify them, and they watch them
with bleeding eyelids, their slumber scant.
وكيفَand how علىunder هَزِّthe brandishing السُّيوفِof swords بَقاؤُهاtheir survival
وكيفَ على هَزِّ السُّيوفِ بَقاؤُها
إذاwhen كانَis مُهتَزُّthe quiver اليَراعِof the reed-pen يَروعُهاterrifying them
إذا كانَ مُهتَزُّ اليَراعِ يَروعُها
How can they survive the brandishing of swords,
when even the quiver of a reed-pen terrifies them?
أَياO سائليyou who ask me عنabout شِيمَةِthe character الحَسَنِof al-Hasan استَمِعْlisten
أَيا سائلي عن شِيمَةِ الحَسَنِ استَمِعْ
مَحاسِنَbeauties منfrom نَظْمِverses الثَّناءِof praise أُذيعُهاI proclaim them
مَحاسِنَ من نَظْمِ الثَّناءِ أُذيعُها
O you who ask me of al-Hasan's character, hear
the beauties I proclaim in verses of praise.
إذاwhen عَدَّhe reckons up منfrom آلِthe house المُهَلَّبِof al-Muhallab أسرةًa clan
إذا عَدَّ من آلِ المُهَلَّبِ أسرةً
مَعاقِلُهاits strongholds أسيافُهاits swords ودُروعُهاand its shields
مَعاقِلُها أسيافُها ودُروعُها
When he reckons up a clan from the house of al-Muhallab,
whose strongholds are its swords and shields,
رَأَيتَyou see العُلاglory مُنثالَةًpouring forth منfrom شِعابِهاits mountain passes
رَأَيتَ العُلا مُنثالَةً من شِعابِها
عليهupon him ومَجموعاًand gathered إليهunto him جميعُهاall of it
عليه ومَجموعاً إليه جميعُها
you see glory pouring from its mountain passes
upon him, all of it gathered unto him.
هُمامٌa resolute hero وَقىshielded الأَعداءَthe enemies منfrom سَطواتِهِhis assaults
هُمامٌ وَقى الأَعداءَ من سَطواتِهِ
تَباعُدُهاtheir keeping distant منfrom سُخطِهِhis wrath فتروعُهاyet they terrify them
تَباعُدُها من سُخطِهِ فتروعُها
A hero: what has shielded his foes from his assaults
is their distance from his wrath—yet his assaults terrify them.
فَعُدَّتُهُso his armament أسيافُهُhis swords ورِماحُهُand his lances
فَعُدَّتُهُ أسيافُهُ ورِماحُهُ
وعُدَّتُهاand their armament إذعانُهاtheir compliance وخُضوعُهاand their submission
وعُدَّتُها إذعانُها وخُضوعُها
His armament is his swords and lances;
theirs is compliance and submission.
أَعَلَّgave a second drink to صُدورَthe breasts السًّمْرِof brown spears وهوwhile he is حبيبُهاtheir beloved
أَعَلَّ صُدورَ السًّمْرِ وهو حبيبُها
وحَلَّىand adorned شِفارَthe edges البِيضِof white swords وهوَwhile he is ضَجيعُهاtheir bedfellow
وحَلَّى شِفارَ البِيضِ وهوَ ضَجيعُها
He gave the brown spears' breasts a second draught, being their beloved,
and adorned the white swords' edges, being their bedfellow.
وقدand indeed عَلِمَتْknew أموالُهُhis riches حينَwhen سامَهاhe tasked them with
وقد عَلِمَتْ أموالُهُ حينَ سامَها
حِفاظَsafeguarding المَعاليlofty honors أنَّهthat he سَيُضيعُهاwould squander them
حِفاظَ المَعالي أنَّه سَيُضيعُها
And his riches knew, when he charged them
with safeguarding lofty honors, that he would squander them.
ومَعرَكَةٍand many a battlefield يَسْوَدُّblackens للنَّقعِwith dust أُفقُهاits horizon
ومَعرَكَةٍ يَسْوَدُّ للنَّقعِ أُفقُها
وتَحمَرُّand redden منfrom فَيْضِthe flood الدِّماءِof blood رُبوعُهاits grounds
وتَحمَرُّ من فَيْضِ الدِّماءِ رُبوعُها
And many a battlefield whose horizon blackens with dust,
whose grounds redden from the flood of blood—
إذاwhen ازدَحَمَتْcrowd together فيهاwithin it السيوفُthe swords حَسبِتَهاyou would think them
إذا ازدَحَمَتْ فيها السيوفُ حَسبِتَها
يَنابيعَsprings ماءٍof water ضاقَgrew too narrow عنعاfor them (apparently mistyped) وسيعُهاits broad expanse
يَنابيعَ ماءٍ ضاقَ عنعا وسيعُها
when swords crowd there, you would think them
springs of water, its broad expanse too narrow to hold them.
قَسَمْتَyou divided حُميَّاthe fierce intoxication الموتِof death بينَamong حُماتِهاits defenders
قَسَمْتَ حُميَّا الموتِ بينَ حُماتِها
فراحَand so became سَواءًequal جَلْدُهاits steadfast fighter وجَزوعُهاand its fearful fighter
فراحَ سَواءً جَلْدُها وجَزوعُها
You dealt death's heady draught among its defenders,
and its steadfast and fainthearted fared alike.
وكمand how many خُطَّةٍan undertaking حاولتَهاyou attempted it فاستَطَعْتَهاand accomplished it
وكم خُطَّةٍ حاولتَها فاستَطَعْتَها
بِسَيْفِكَwith your sword والأيَّامُwhile the days لاnot تَستَطيعُهاcan accomplish it
بِسَيْفِكَ والأيَّامُ لا تَستَطيعُها
How many an undertaking you attempted and accomplished
with your sword, while the days themselves could not accomplish it!
إليكَtoward you أَطَرْناwe sent flying منfrom ديارِthe lands رَبيعَةٍof Rabi'ah
إليكَ أَطَرْنا من ديارِ رَبيعَةٍ
نَعائِمَostriches فيin أرضِthe land العِراقِof Iraq وُقوعُهاtheir alighting
نَعائِمَ في أرضِ العِراقِ وُقوعُها
Toward you we sent flying, from the lands of Rabi'ah,
ostriches whose alighting is on the soil of Iraq—
رَكائبَmounts تَحدوهاdrives them onward الشَّمالُthe north wind كأنَّهاas though they were
رَكائبَ تَحدوها الشَّمالُ كأنَّها
قِلاعٌfortresses إذاwhen أَوْفَتْrise high عليهاabove them قُلوعُهاtheir sails
قِلاعٌ إذا أَوْفَتْ عليها قُلوعُها
mounts driven onward by the north wind, as though they were
fortresses, when their sails tower above them.
تَمادىcontinued بهاwith them السَّيرُthe journey الحَثيثُswift فلمyet did not تَجُلْshift
تَمادى بها السَّيرُ الحَثيثُ فلم تَجُلْ
لِبُعْدِdespite the length of المَدىthe course أغراضُهاtheir girths ونُسوعُهاand their leather straps
لِبُعْدِ المَدى أغراضُها ونُسوعُها
Swift travel carried them far, yet nothing shifted
in their girths and straps, despite the distance.
يزيدُdeepens سَوادُthe blackness اللَّيلِof night صِبغَthe dye سَوادِهاof their blackness
يزيدُ سَوادُ اللَّيلِ صِبغَ سَوادِها
ولاand not يَتَجلَّىclears away فيin الصَّباحِthe morning هَزيعُهاtheir portion of night
ولا يَتَجلَّى في الصَّباحِ هَزيعُها
Night's blackness deepens the dye of their blackness,
and their share of night does not clear away at morning.
فيذهَبُso proceeds منهاfrom them فيin سَريعٍswift motion ذَهابُهاtheir departure
فيذهَبُ منها في سَريعٍ ذَهابُها
ويَرجعُand returns منهاfrom them فيin بَطئِslow motion رُجوعُهاtheir return
ويَرجعُ منها في بَطئِ رُجوعُها
So their outward course proceeds swiftly,
and their return comes slowly.
تَمُدُّthey extend علىover الأمواجِthe waves باعاًan arm-span كأنَّهas though it
تَمُدُّ على الأمواجِ باعاً كأنَّه
يُعانِقُهاembraces them فيin مَدِّهِits extension ويَبوعُهاand measures them by arm-spans
يُعانِقُها في مَدِّهِ ويَبوعُها
They stretch an arm-span over the waves, as though it
embraces them in its reach and measures them by spans.
أُشيعُI proclaim عَطاياكَyour gifts التيwhich لوif سترتُهاI concealed them
أُشيعُ عَطاياكَ التي لو سترتُها
لَقامَwould surely rise الغِنىwealth عنَّيon my behalf خَطيباًas an orator يُشيعُهاproclaiming them
لَقامَ الغِنى عنَّي خَطيباً يُشيعُها
I proclaim your gifts; were I to conceal them,
wealth would rise as my spokesman to proclaim them.
وأَصدَعُand I speak openly بالحُسنىof the kindness التيwhich طارَhas flown ذِكرُهاits fame
وأَصدَعُ بالحُسنى التي طارَ ذِكرُها
وأكبادُwhile the livers قَوْمٍof some people تَستَطيرُspread wide صدوعُهاtheir fissures
وأكبادُ قَوْمٍ تَستَطيرُ صدوعُها
And I proclaim aloud the kindness whose fame has flown abroad,
while rifts in some men's livers spread wide.
لقدindeed أُولِعَتْhave grown devoted منكَin you المَكارِمُnoble deeds بامرئٍto a man
لقد أُولِعَتْ منكَ المَكارِمُ بامرئٍ
حَبيبٍdear إليهto him إلفُهاtheir companionship وولوعُهاand their devotion
حَبيبٍ إليه إلفُها وولوعُها
Indeed, in you noble deeds have grown devoted to a man
to whom their companionship and devotion are dear.
فمَورِدُهاso their watering place عَذْبُsweet in المياهِwaters نَمِيرُهاpure in them
فمَورِدُها عَذْبُ المياهِ نَمِيرُها
ومَرْبَعُهاand their spring pasture سَهْلُlevel in الرِّياضِmeadows مَريعُهاfertile in them
ومَرْبَعُها سَهْلُ الرِّياضِ مَريعُها
So their watering place has waters sweet and pure,
and their spring pasture has meadows level and lush.
قَوافٍrhymes إذاif كانتthey are دُروعُarmor مَعاشرٍof peoples
قَوافٍ إذا كانت دُروعُ مَعاشرٍ
فأنتمthen you are حِلَىthe ornaments أجيادِهاof their necks ودروعُهاand their armor
فأنتم حِلَى أجيادِها ودروعُها
Rhymes—if they are armor for peoples,
then you are the ornaments of their necks and their armor.
تَراءَتْthey appeared مَنيعاتٍunassailable فلمّاbut when دعوتُهاI summoned them
تَراءَتْ مَنيعاتٍ فلمّا دعوتُها
لمجدِكُمُto your glory أعطىyielded القِيادَthe reins مَنيعُهاtheir unyielding ones
لمجدِكُمُ أعطى القِيادَ مَنيعُها
They appeared unassailable; but when I summoned them
to your glory, their unyielding ones surrendered the reins.
وماand not زالَhas ceased رَيحانُthe sweet basil المديحِof praise وصُبْحُهand its dawn
وما زالَ رَيحانُ المديحِ وصُبْحُه
يُضيءُilluminating قُلوباًhearts منكمُamong you ويَضوعُهاand perfuming them
يُضيءُ قُلوباً منكمُ ويَضوعُها
And the sweet basil of praise and its dawn have ever
illumined hearts among you and filled them with fragrance.
Sol 6.1