تذكَّرَhe remembered نَجداًNajd فحنَّso he yearned ادِّكاراin remembrance
تذكَّرَ نَجداً فحنَّ ادِّكارا
وأرَّقَهand kept him sleepless البرقُlightning لَمَّاwhen استطارَاit flashed widely
وأرَّقَه البرقُ لَمَّا استطارَا
He remembered Najd and yearned as he recalled it,
He recalled Najd, so he sighed with yearning,
and lightning kept him sleepless as it flashed far and wide.
And the lightning made him restless when it flared up.
أماتَتkilled صبابتُهhis longing صَبْرَهhis patience
أماتَت صبابتُه صَبْرَه
وكانand he had been يَرىthinking أنthat يموتَhe would die اصطِباراin patient endurance
وكان يَرى أن يموتَ اصطِبارا
His longing killed his patience,
His youthfulness killed his patience,
though he had thought to die enduring patiently.
And he thought he would die with forbearance.
وجارَand acted unjustly الهَوىpassion فاستجارَso he sought refuge with الدموعَtears
وجارَ الهَوى فاستجارَ الدموعَ
إذاwhen لمnot يجِدْhe found غيرَهاother than them مُستجاراa refuge
إذا لم يجِدْ غيرَها مُستجارا
Passion wronged him, so he sought refuge in tears,
And passion oppressed him, so his tears sought refuge—
when he found no refuge but them.
When he could not find any other refuge.
وقَفْناwe halted فكمand how much خَفَرٍbashfulness عارضٍpassing
وقَفْنا فكم خَفَرٍ عارضٍ
يُعَصْفِرُdyes safflower-red وَرْدَthe roses of الخدودِthe cheeks احمِراراwith redness
يُعَصْفِرُ وَرْدَ الخدودِ احمِرارا
We halted—how much passing bashfulness
We stopped—so how many roving flashes
dyed the roses of cheeks a safflower red!
That redden the rose of the cheeks with burning!
وأُدْمٍand white gazelles إذاwhen رامَhe sought ظُلمَthe injustice of الفِراparting (continued)
وأُدْمٍ إذا رامَ ظُلمَ الفِرا
قِcompletes 'parting' عُذْنَthey sought refuge بِفَيْضِin a flood of الدُّموعِtears انتصاراseeking redress
قِ عُذْنَ بِفَيْضِ الدُّموعِ انتصارا
And white gazelles: when he sought the cruelty of parting,
And a dark night, when it tries the murk of separation,
they sought refuge in floods of tears for redress.
Kills me with the abundance of tears and anguish.
يَجُدْنَthey lavish عليَّupon me بأجيادِهِنَّwith their necks
يَجُدْنَ عليَّ بأجيادِهِنَّ
ويُبْدينَand they show ليto me الوردَroses والجُلَّناراand pomegranate blossoms
ويُبْدينَ لي الوردَ والجُلَّنارا
They lavish their necks upon me,
They find fault with me because of their steeds,
and show me roses and pomegranate blossoms.
And show me the rose and narcissus.
وإنand if أَعْرَI am bereft نfragment, probably 'of' سَلوةٍsolace أوor أَحِدْI stray
وإن أَعْرَ ن سَلوةٍ أو أَحِدْ
عَنِfrom الرُّشدright guidance لمnot يكسُنيhas clothed me الغَيُّwaywardness عاراin shame
عَنِ الرُّشد لم يكسُني الغَيُّ عارا
And if I am bereft [of] solace, or stray
And if they blame a fault or absence
from right guidance, waywardness has not clothed me in shame.
From righteousness, disgrace does not shame me.
فغَدْرُfor the betrayal of المحبِّthe lover سوادُthe blackness of العِذارِcheek-down
فغَدْرُ المحبِّ سوادُ العِذارِ
إذاwhen خلعَhas cast off الحبُّlove منهfrom him العِذاراthe bridle
إذا خلعَ الحبُّ منه العِذارا
For a lover's betrayal is the blackness of his cheek-down,
For a lover’s betrayal is the blackness of censure,
when love has stripped him of his bridle.
When love strips off from him the mantle of honor.
وحاشاand far be it لغاويfor one led astray by الصِّباyouth أنthat يُقالَit be said
وحاشا لغاوي الصِّبا أن يُقالَ
عصَىhe disobeyed غَيَّهhis waywardness وأطاعَand he obeyed الوَقاراdignity
عصَى غَيَّه وأطاعَ الوَقارا
Far be it from one led astray by youth that it be said:
And far be it for the passionate youth that it be said
'He disobeyed his waywardness and obeyed dignity.'
He disobeyed his passion and obeyed dignity!
وَبِكْرٍand a virgin raincloud إذاwhen جَنَّبَتْهاdrove it along الجَنوبُthe south wind
وَبِكْرٍ إذا جَنَّبَتْها الجَنوبُ
حسْبِتَyou would think العِشارَpregnant she-camels تؤمُّhead toward العِشاراpregnant she-camels
حسْبِتَ العِشارَ تؤمُّ العِشارا
And a virgin raincloud, driven by the south wind:
And an early rain, when the south winds avoid it,
you would think pregnant she-camels were heading toward pregnant she-camels.
You would think the gentle rain comes after the rain.
ترىyou see البرقَlightning يبسِمُsmiles سِرّاًsecretly بهاwithin it
ترى البرقَ يبسِمُ سِرّاً بها
إذاwhen انتحبَsobbed الرَّعدُthunder فيهاwithin it جِهاراaloud
إذا انتحبَ الرَّعدُ فيها جِهارا
You see lightning smile secretly within it,
You see the lightning smile secretly at it
when thunder sobs aloud inside it.
When the thunder laments loudly because of it.
إذاwhen ماemphatic particle تَنَمَّرَbecame leopard-spotted وَسمُّيهاits early-season rain
إذا ما تَنَمَّرَ وَسمُّيها
تَعَصفَرَturned safflower-yellow بارِقُهاits lightning فاستطاراand then flashed widely
تَعَصفَرَ بارِقُها فاستطارا
When its early-season raincloud takes on a leopard's spots,
When its cloud cover turns hostile and threatens it,
its lightning turns safflower-yellow and flashes far and wide.
Its lightning flares up and flies high.
يُعارِضُهاcrosses its path فيin الهواءِthe air النَّسيمُthe breeze
يُعارِضُها في الهواءِ النَّسيمُ
فَيَنْثُرُand so scatters فيin الرَّوْضِthe garden دُرّاًpearls صِغاراsmall
فَيَنْثُرُ في الرَّوْضِ دُرّاً صِغارا
The breeze crosses its path in the air,
The breeze contends with it in the air
and scatters little pearls in the garden.
And sprinkles small pearls in the meadow.
تَكادُalmost تسيرُmoves إليهtoward it الرياضُthe gardens
تَكادُ تسيرُ إليه الرياضُ
إذاwhen اطَّرَدَflowed continuously الماءُwater فيهاthrough them فسَاراand then ran on
إذا اطَّرَدَ الماءُ فيها فسَارا
The gardens almost move toward it,
The meadows almost march toward it
when water streams through them and flows onward.
When the water flows in it and walks.
فطَوْراًso at times تَشُقُّrends جيوبَthe collars of الحَياءِmodesty
فطَوْراً تَشُقُّ جيوبَ الحَياءِ
وطوراًand at times تَسُحُّpours الدُّموعَtears الغِزاراcopious
وطوراً تَسُحُّ الدُّموعَ الغِزارا
At times it rends the collars of modesty,
At times it cleaves the bosoms of shyness,
and at times pours down copious tears.
At others it wipes away the abundant tears.
كأنَّas though الأميرَthe prince أعارَlent الرُّباthe hills
كأنَّ الأميرَ أعارَ الرُّبا
شمائلَهhis virtues فاشتملْنَand so they clothed themselves in المُعَارَاwhat was lent
شمائلَه فاشتملْنَ المُعَارَا
As though the prince had lent the hills
As if the prince lent the zephyr
his virtues, and they had donned what he lent.
His attributes, and they donned the borrowed robes.
هوhe الغيثُthe rain تغَنىgrows rich بهthrough him بلدةٌa town
هو الغيثُ تغَنى به بلدةٌ
وأخرىand another تَحِنُّyearns إليهfor him افتقاراin need
وأخرى تَحِنُّ إليه افتقارا
He is the rain: one town grows rich through him,
It is the rain which a land sings for,
while another yearns for him in need.
While another yearns for it out of need.
أيادٍbenefactions سحائبُهاtheir clouds ثَرَّةٌabundant with rain
أيادٍ سحائبُها ثَرَّةٌ
تفيضoverflow رَواحاًin the evening وتَهميand pour ابتكاراat daybreak
تفيض رَواحاً وتَهمي ابتكارا
His favors have clouds brimming with rain,
Its clouds hands are abundant,
overflowing at evening and pouring at dawn.
Pouring freely and innovating generously.
وباعٌand an arm's reach إذاwhen طالَgrew long يومُthe day of اللقاbattle (continued)
وباعٌ إذا طالَ يومُ اللقا
ءِcompletes 'battle' غادرَleft أعمارَthe lifespans of قومٍa people قِصاراshort
ءِ غادرَ أعمارَ قومٍ قِصارا
And an arm which, when the day of battle grows long,
And a seller, when the day of meeting is prolonged,
leaves a people's lives short.
Leaves a people’s lifetimes short.
ولنand will not يرهَبَhe fears السَّيفَthe sword حتىuntil يَرىhe sees
ولن يرهَبَ السَّيفَ حتى يَرى
علىon صفحةِthe flat of السيفِthe sword ماءًwater وناراand fire
على صفحةِ السيفِ ماءً ونارا
He will not fear the sword until he sees
And it will not frighten the sword until it sees
water and fire on the sword's flat.
Water and fire on the sword’s blade.
أباO father of الحسَنِal-Hasan اخترْتَyou chose حُسْنَfine الثَّناءِpraise
أبا الحسَنِ اخترْتَ حُسْنَ الثَّناءِ
ومثلُكَand one like you مَنْone who يُحسِنُdoes well in الاختياراchoosing
ومثلُكَ مَنْ يُحسِنُ الاختيارا
Abu al-Hasan, you chose noble praise,
Abu al-Hasan, you chose the excellence of praise,
and one like you chooses well.
And one like you chooses excellently.
وكمand how often قدindeed وَطِئْتَyou trod ديارَthe dwellings of العِداthe enemies
وكم قد وَطِئْتَ ديارَ العِدا
علىin الرُّغمِdefiance منهمof them فجُستَand so you ranged through الدِّياراthe dwellings
على الرُّغمِ منهم فجُستَ الدِّيارا
How often you have trodden the enemies' dwellings,
And how many abodes of enemies you have trodden
against their will, ranging through their homes,
Defiantly, though you sought the abodes.
بخيلٍwith horses تَمُدُّspread عليهاover them الدُّجَىdarkness
بخيلٍ تَمُدُّ عليها الدُّجَى
وبِيضٍand bright swords تَرُدُّbring back عليهاupon them النَّهاراdaylight
وبِيضٍ تَرُدُّ عليها النَّهارا
with horses that spread darkness over them,
With a night that extends its hem over them
and bright swords that bring daylight back upon them.
And a day that casts its hem back from them.
وأطلعْتَand you raised فيهاthere نجومَthe stars of القَناthe spears
وأطلعْتَ فيها نجومَ القَنا
فليستand so they do not تَغورُset إذاwhen النجمُthe star غاراset
فليست تَغورُ إذا النجمُ غارا
You raised the stars of the spears there,
And you rose among them like stars of the bow—
and they do not set when the star sets.
They do not set when the star sets.
ويومَand on the day of المدائنِal-Mada'in إذwhen زُرْتَهاyou visited it
ويومَ المدائنِ إذ زُرْتَها
وقدand already منَعْتهاhad barred it الظُّباsword-edges أنthat تُزاراit be visited
وقد منَعْتها الظُّبا أن تُزارا
And on the day of al-Mada'in, when you visited it,
And the day of al-Mada’in, when you visited it,
though sword-edges had barred it from being visited,
While the dust prevented it from being visited.
وخاضَتْand waded جيادُكَyour steeds فيهاwithin it الدِّماءَblood
وخاضَتْ جيادُكَ فيها الدِّماءَ
ومنand from قبلُbefore جاءَتthey came تُثيرُstirring up الغُباراdust
ومن قبلُ جاءَت تُثيرُ الغُبارا
your steeds waded through blood there,
And your steeds plunged into its blood there,
having earlier come stirring up dust.
Though first the dust came stirring it up.
فلوso if أنَّthat كِسرىKisra بإيوانِهاin its great hall
فلو أنَّ كِسرى بإيوانِها
لأَهدَتْwould surely have gifted سَطاكyour assaults إليهto him انكساراdefeat
لأَهدَتْ سَطاك إليه انكسارا
Had Kisra been in its great hall,
So if Ctesiphon with its archway
your assaults would have gifted him defeat.
Had gifted its ceiling to you, it would have collapsed.
سَقَيْتَyou gave drink to الرِّماحَthe spears دِماًblood فانثَنتْand so they bent
سَقَيْتَ الرِّماحَ دِماً فانثَنتْ
نَشاوىdrunk كأنْas though قدalready شَرِبْنَthey had drunk العُقاراwine
نَشاوى كأنْ قد شَرِبْنَ العُقارا
You gave the spears blood to drink, and they bent,
You let the spears drink blood, so they bent over
drunk, as though they had drunk wine.
Like sniffers when they have drunk a poison draft.
يُقصِّرْنَthey shorten إذthough طُلْنَthey are long خَطْوَthe stride of العِداthe enemies
يُقصِّرْنَ إذ طُلْنَ خَطْوَ العِدا
ويُبدينَand they show فيin كلِّevery نحرٍbreast عِثاراa stumble
ويُبدينَ في كلِّ نحرٍ عِثارا
Long though they are, they shorten the enemies' stride,
They falter when the enemies walk proudly
and show their stumbling in every breast.
And stumble in every throat passage.
وكمand how many منof ملوكٍkings تواعدْتَهمyou threatened them
وكم من ملوكٍ تواعدْتَهم
علىdespite النأيِdistance منهمfrom them فماتواand so they died حِذاراof dread
على النأيِ منهم فماتوا حِذارا
How many kings you have threatened,
And how many kings you had agreed with
though far from them, and they died of dread!
To avoid them, and they died wary.
جريْتَyou raced فأنضَيْتَand so you exhausted شأوَthe course of الرِّياحِthe winds
جريْتَ فأنضَيْتَ شأوَ الرِّياحِ
وجاوزْتَand you surpassed فيin السَّبْقَthe race منbeyond أنthat تُجارىyou be matched
وجاوزْتَ في السَّبْقَ من أن تُجارى
You raced and outwore the winds in their course,
You raced, outstripping the winds,
and passed beyond being matched in speed.
And surpassed in rivalry those you competed with.
نأيْتَyou departed فأصبحْتَand so you became جارَa neighbor of الفُراتِthe Euphrates
نأيْتَ فأصبحْتَ جارَ الفُراتِ
وكنتَand you had been لدِجلةَto the Tigris منfrom قبلُbefore جاراa neighbor
وكنتَ لدِجلةَ من قبلُ جارا
You departed and became the Euphrates' neighbor,
You avoided, so you lived alongside the Euphrates,
having earlier been a neighbor to the Tigris.
When you had been alongside the Tigris before.
فقدand indeed عُذْنَthey sought refuge منكin you بمستَلئِمٍwith an armored warrior
فقد عُذْنَ منك بمستَلئِمٍ
يُبيحُfreely bestows التَّليدَinherited wealth ويَحميand protects الذِّماراwhat must be defended
يُبيحُ التَّليدَ ويَحمي الذِّمارا
So they have found refuge in you, an armored warrior,
So you were kept safe from a reproach
who lavishes inherited wealth and guards what is inviolable.
That permits humiliation and protects the honored.
بغيثٍin a raincloud يجودُgives generously إذاwhen الغيثُthe rain ضَنَّwithheld
بغيثٍ يجودُ إذا الغيثُ ضَنَّ
وليثٍand a lion يَثورُrises إذاwhen النَّقْعُbattle-dust ثاراrose
وليثٍ يَثورُ إذا النَّقْعُ ثارا
In a raincloud that gives when the rain withholds,
A rain that pours freely when the rain is stingy,
and a lion that rises when battle-dust rises,
And a lion that rages when the leopard flares up.
وأغلَبَand a thick-necked lion إنif سارَhe marches فيamong تَغِلبٍTaghlib
وأغلَبَ إن سارَ في تَغِلبٍ
سمعْتَyou hear لسُمرِof the brown الرِّماحِspears اشتِجاراclashing
سمعْتَ لسُمرِ الرِّماحِ اشتِجارا
and a thick-necked lion: if he marches among Taghlib,
And it has overcome Tughlib when it marched in Tughlib,
you hear the brown spears clashing.
You heard the clashing of spear tips.
تغارُare jealous عليهover him قوافيthe rhymes of المديحِpraise
تغارُ عليه قوافي المديحِ
فيأبَيْنَand so they refuse إنif رَيْتَunclear verb in source إلاexcept ابتِداراracing to be first
فيأبَيْنَ إن رَيْتَ إلا ابتِدارا
The rhymes of praise are jealous over him,
The rhymes of praise envy it,
and, if you [unclear], refuse anything but racing to be first.
And refuse if you gaze except to excel.
وحُقَّand it is fitting لقافيةٍfor a rhyme لمnot تكُنْbe
وحُقَّ لقافيةٍ لم تكُنْ
مآثرُهhis exploits حَليَهاits adornment أنto تَغاراbe jealous
مآثرُه حَليَها أن تَغارا
And a rhyme has every right, if it lacks
A rhyme that has not been
his exploits as its adornment, to be jealous.
Adorned by his achievements has no right to envy.
لأَذكَرَنيsurely reminded me بِشرَهhis cheerful expression عارضٌa cloud
لأَذكَرَني بِشرَه عارضٌ
أضاءَlit دُجىthe darkness of اللَّيلِnight حتَّىuntil أناراit shone
أضاءَ دُجى اللَّيلِ حتَّى أنارا
A cloud surely reminded me of his cheerful face,
A roving lightning reminded me of its gleam,
lighting the night's darkness until it shone bright.
Lighting the night’s darkness until it illuminated.
ومرَّand passed علىover الرَّوضِthe garden مَرَّlike the passing of الخليعِthe libertine
ومرَّ على الرَّوضِ مَرَّ الخليعِ
يُغنِّيsinging ويَسحَبُand dragging فيهthrough it الإزاراthe waistcloth
يُغنِّي ويَسحَبُ فيه الإزارا
It passed over the garden like a libertine,
And it passed by the meadow like the passing of a libertine,
singing and trailing his waistcloth through it.
Singing and dragging its lower garment in it.
فأيقنْتُand so I knew for certain أنthat سأُطيعُI would obey النَّوىseparation
فأيقنْتُ أن سأُطيعُ النَّوى
وأَعصيand I disobey الهَوىpassion صائراًgoing حيثُwhere صَاراhe went
وأَعصي الهَوى صائراً حيثُ صَارا
Then I knew that I would obey separation,
So I was certain I would obey the resolve
and defy passion, going wherever he went.
And disobey the passion, going wherever it went.
دَعَتْكَcalled you الثُّغورُthe frontier towns وقدand already عايَنتْthey had seen
دَعَتْكَ الثُّغورُ وقد عايَنتْ
حِماماًdeath مُطِّلاًlooming وحَتْفاًand doom بَواراruinous
حِماماً مُطِّلاً وحَتْفاً بَوارا
The frontier towns called you, having seen
The marches called you, and they had seen
looming death and ruinous doom.
A slaughter you would survive and ravages you would endure.
وصادفَand found بعدَكafter you وفدُthe delegation of الثَّناpraise (continued)
وصادفَ بعدَك وفدُ الثَّنا
ءِcompletes 'praise' وِرْداًa watering-place ثِماداًscant in water ورَبعاًand a dwelling قِفاراdesolate
ءِ وِرْداً ثِماداً ورَبعاً قِفارا
After you left, the delegation of praise found
And after you a delegation of praise met
a scant watering-place and a desolate dwelling.
A barren wasteland and arid desert.
يَقولونthey say إنif طرَقَتْcame by night أزمةٌhardship
يَقولون إن طرَقَتْ أزمةٌ
أأنْجدَhas it gone to Najd ذاكthat النَّدىgenerosity أَمor أغاراdescended to the lowlands
أأنْجدَ ذاك النَّدى أَم أغارا
They say, when hardship comes by night:
They say, “If a crisis comes,
Has that generosity gone to Najd, or down to the lowlands?
Will we find that dew or dust?”
فليسَso is not المحلُّthe lodging مَحَلاًّa lodging لهمfor them
فليسَ المحلُّ مَحَلاًّ لهم
إذاwhen فَقدوكَthey lose you ولاand not الدارُthe home داراa home
إذا فَقدوكَ ولا الدارُ دارا
For their lodging is no lodging to them
For them the place is no place
when they lose you, nor is a home a home.
When you are absent, nor is the house a house.
Sol 6.1