أَلِبَرْقٍwas it for lightning? سَرَىtraveled by night بأعلىat the heights of البُراقِal-Buraq
أَلِبَرْقٍ سَرَى بأعلى البُراقِ
باتَhe spent the night رَهْنَcaptive to الحَنينِyearning والأشواقِand longings
باتَ رَهْنَ الحَنينِ والأشواقِ
Was it for lightning that coursed over the heights of al-Buraq
that he spent the night captive to yearning and longing?
أمor لِطَيْفٍfor a phantom أعلَّهmade it ill الشَّوقُlonging حتَّىuntil
أم لِطَيْفٍ أعلَّه الشَّوقُ حتَّى
زارَit visited تحتَbeneath الدُّجىthe darkness عَليلَone sick with اشتياقِyearning
زارَ تحتَ الدُّجى عَليلَ اشتياقِ
Or for a phantom that longing sickened, until
it visited, beneath the darkness, one ill with yearning?
مُغْرَمٌenamored بالدُّنُوِّof drawing near بعدَafter التَّنائيdistance
مُغْرَمٌ بالدُّنُوِّ بعدَ التَّنائي
والتَّلاقيand reunion منfrom بعدِafter وَشكِthe imminence of الفِراقِparting
والتَّلاقي من بعدِ وَشكِ الفِراقِ
Enamored of nearness after distance,
and reunion after parting had loomed.
عَرِّجُواturn aside فالكثيبُfor the dune مَغنىis the dwelling of الغَوانيbeautiful women
عَرِّجُوا فالكثيبُ مَغنى الغَواني
وقِفُواand stop فهوfor it is مَوْقِفُthe meeting-place of العشَّاقِthe lovers
وقِفُوا فهو مَوْقِفُ العشَّاقِ
Turn aside: the dune is the dwelling of beauties;
and stop, for it is the lovers' meeting-place.
دِمَنٌtraces of abandoned camps لاnot تَزالُcease تَذكُرُrecalling عَهْداًa pledge
دِمَنٌ لا تَزالُ تَذكُرُ عَهْداً
مِنْfrom وَفيٍّone faithful بالعَهْدِto the pledge والميثاقِand the covenant
مِنْ وَفيٍّ بالعَهْدِ والميثاقِ
Camp ruins that still recall a pledge
from one faithful to promise and covenant.
قَمَرٌa moon رقَّgrew tender للمُحِبِّtoward the lover فجادَتْso poured forth
قَمَرٌ رقَّ للمُحِبِّ فجادَتْ
مُقلتاهhis two eyes بواكفٍwith streaming tears رَقراقِshimmering
مُقلتاه بواكفٍ رَقراقِ
A moon took pity on the lover, and
his two eyes shed streaming, shimmering tears.
جارَحكمُthe decree dealt unjustly النَّوىseparation عليهagainst him ولكنbut
جارَحكمُ النَّوى عليه ولكن
لمdid not يَجُرْdeal unjustly فيin سَناهhis radiance حُكْمُthe decree of المَحاقِthe moon's dark phase
لم يَجُرْ في سَناه حُكْمُ المَحاقِ
Separation's decree wronged him, but
the dark moon's decree did not harm his radiance.
عَذُبَتgrew sweet لوعةُthe anguish of الصَّبابَةِardent love فيهِfor him
عَذُبَت لوعةُ الصَّبابَةِ فيهِ
فأَرتْناso it showed us السُلُوَّforgetting love مُرَّbitter المَذاقِin taste
فأَرتْنا السُلُوَّ مُرَّ المَذاقِ
The anguish of love for him grew sweet,
so it showed us how bitter forgetting love tastes.
كَلِفٌa lovesick one ضاقَgrew cramped فيwithin الجَوانحِthe breast مَثْواdwelling (continued)
كَلِفٌ ضاقَ في الجَوانحِ مَثْوا
هُhis ودَمْعٌand tears تَضيقُare too narrow عنهfor it المآقيthe eye-corners
هُ ودَمْعٌ تَضيقُ عنه المآقي
A lovesick one, cramped in his lodging within the breast,
and tears the eye-corners cannot contain;
وفِراقٌand parting جَنىbrought about عليَّupon me انتكاسَa relapse of الthe
وفِراقٌ جَنى عليَّ انتكاسَ ال
حُبَّlove منfrom بعدِafter راحَةِthe relief of الأَفراقِrecovery from illness
حُبَّ من بعدِ راحَةِ الأَفراقِ
and parting brought upon me a relapse of
love, after the relief of recovery.
لِيَI have منهfrom it صَبابَةٌardent longing فيin اتِّئادٍslowness
لِيَ منه صَبابَةٌ في اتِّئادٍ
ليسَnot تَنْأىdraws away وعَبْرَةٌand a tear فيin استِباقِracing ahead
ليسَ تَنْأى وعَبْرَةٌ في استِباقِ
From it I have a passion slow to move,
that does not leave, and a tear that races ahead.
كمhow many a فَلاةٍwilderness فَلَّتْblunted شَباهاits sharp edge المَهارىthe Mahri riding-camels
كم فَلاةٍ فَلَّتْ شَباها المَهارى
برِفاقٍwith bands of travelers تُهويspeed along أمامَahead of رِفاقِother bands
برِفاقٍ تُهوي أمامَ رِفاقِ
How many a wilderness had its edge blunted by Mahri camels,
bearing bands that sped ahead of other bands!
وكأنَّand as though الظَّلماءَthe dark night قُدَّwas cut دُجَاهاits gloom
وكأنَّ الظَّلماءَ قُدَّ دُجَاها
منfrom سَوادِthe blackness of القُلوبِthe hearts والأَحداقِand the pupils
من سَوادِ القُلوبِ والأَحداقِ
And as though the dark night's gloom were cut
from the blackness of hearts and pupils.
ياO ابْنَson of فَهْدٍFahd وأنتَand you مُنتَجَعُa sought-out haven for الرَّكْthe riders (continued)
يا ابْنَ فَهْدٍ وأنتَ مُنتَجَعُ الرَّكْ
بِcompletes 'the riders' وغَيْثُand rain for الوُفودِthe delegations والطُّرَّاقِand night visitors
بِ وغَيْثُ الوُفودِ والطُّرَّاقِ
O son of Fahd, you are the riders' sought-out haven,
and rain for delegations and visitors by night.
قدْindeed لعمريby my life جَرَيْتَyou ran فيin حَلْبَةِthe racecourse of المَجْglory (continued)
قدْ لعمري جَرَيْتَ في حَلْبَةِ المَجْ
دِcompletes 'glory' فَحُزْتَand so you won السَّباقَfirst place عندَat السِّباقِthe race
دِ فَحُزْتَ السَّباقَ عندَ السِّباقِ
By my life, you have run in the racecourse of glory,
and won first place in the race.
بِغُدُوٍّwith morning journeys منof العُلىgreatness ورَواحٍand evening journeys
بِغُدُوٍّ من العُلى ورَواحٍ
واصطِباحٍand morning drinking منof النَّدىgenerosity واغْتِباقِand evening drinking
واصطِباحٍ من النَّدى واغْتِباقِ
With morning journeys in greatness and evening journeys,
and morning draughts of bounty and evening draughts;
وسَجاياand qualities فَلَّتْblunted شَباthe sharp edge of الدَّهْرِTime بأساًthrough valor
وسَجايا فَلَّتْ شَبا الدَّهْرِ بأساً
وعَطاياand gifts كُفِّلْنَwere made guarantors بالأَرْزاقِof sustenance
وعَطايا كُفِّلْنَ بالأَرْزاقِ
and qualities whose valor blunted Time's sharp edge,
and gifts that guarantee sustenance.
كَرَمٌgenerosity جَدَّدَrenewed السَّماحَmunificence وقدwhen already هَمْwas about to (continued)
كَرَمٌ جَدَّدَ السَّماحَ وقد هَمْ
مَcompletes 'was about to' جديدُthe newness of السَّماحِmunificence بالإِخلاقِto wear thin
مَ جديدُ السَّماحِ بالإِخلاقِ
Generosity that renewed munificence, when
new munificence was about to wear thin,
برَحيبِin one with a spacious الفِناءِcourtyard يَرهَبُهfears him الدَّهْTime (continued)
برَحيبِ الفِناءِ يَرهَبُه الدَّهْ
رُcompletes 'Time' ولاand not يَتَّقيshields himself from الخُطوبَcalamities بِوَاقيwith a shield
رُ ولا يَتَّقي الخُطوبَ بِوَاقي
in one of spacious courtyard, whom Time fears,
who takes no shield against calamities.
وعَريقٍand one deeply rooted فيamong الأَزْدِthe Azd يُمْسيhe enters evening ويُضحيand he enters morning
وعَريقٍ في الأَزْدِ يُمْسي ويُضحي
باسقَlofty in الفَرْعِbranch طَيَّبَpure in الأَعْراقِancestral roots
باسقَ الفَرْعِ طَيَّبَ الأَعْراقِ
And one deeply rooted in the Azd, at evening and morning
lofty in branch and pure in ancestral roots.
تَخْضِبُyou stain الكَفَّthe hand بالمُدامِwith wine وطَوْراًand at times
تَخْضِبُ الكَفَّ بالمُدامِ وطَوْراً
تَخْضِبُyou stain الكّفَّthe hand منfrom دَمٍblood مُهْراقِpoured out
تَخْضِبُ الكّفَّ من دَمٍ مُهْراقِ
You stain the hand with wine, and at times
you stain the hand with blood poured out.
أنفَقَتْexpended عَزْمَهhis resolve التَّجارِبُtrials حتَّىuntil
أنفَقَتْ عَزْمَه التَّجارِبُ حتَّى
تَرَكَتْهُthey left him مُهَذَّبَrefined in الأَخْلاقِcharacter
تَرَكَتْهُ مُهَذَّبَ الأَخْلاقِ
Trials drew upon his resolve until
they left him refined in character.
قدindeed لَعَمريby my life زُفَّتْwere brought as brides إليكto you منof المَدpraise (continued)
قد لَعَمري زُفَّتْ إليك من المَد
حِcompletes 'praise' عَذارىmaidens علىupon عُلاكyour greatness بَوَاقيenduring
حِ عَذارى على عُلاك بَوَاقي
By my life, there have been brought to you as brides, in praise,
maidens that endure in honor of your greatness.
مِنْfrom وَلِيٍّa loyal friend يَسيرُwalks فيalong طُرُقِthe paths of الوُدْaffection (continued)
مِنْ وَلِيٍّ يَسيرُ في طُرُقِ الوُدْ
دِcompletes 'affection' ولاand does not يَهْتدَيfind his way لِطُرْقِto the paths of النِّفاقِhypocrisy
دِ ولا يَهْتدَي لِطُرْقِ النِّفاقِ
From a loyal friend who walks the paths of affection,
and finds no way to the paths of hypocrisy.
فإذاand when ماemphatic particle امتَحَنْتَهyou test him فيin القَوافيrhymes
فإذا ما امتَحَنْتَه في القَوافي
صاغَhe fashioned حَلْياًornaments يَفوقُsurpassing حَلْيَthe ornaments of الحِقاقِjewel-caskets
صاغَ حَلْياً يَفوقُ حَلْيَ الحِقاقِ
And when you put him to the test in rhyme,
he fashions ornaments finer than those in jewel-caskets.
عَطَّرَتْهُperfumed it عُلاكَyour greatness حتَّىuntil لَخِلْناwe truly thought
عَطَّرَتْهُ عُلاكَ حتَّى لَخِلْنا
أنَّthat فيهin it نَسيمَa breath of مِسْكٍmusk فِتاقِfragrance-diffusing
أنَّ فيه نَسيمَ مِسْكٍ فِتاقِ
Your greatness perfumed it, until we truly thought
it held a breath of fragrance-diffusing musk.
وأرىand I see الدُّرَّpearls ليسَnot يَحسُنُlook beautiful إلاّexcept
وأرى الدُّرَّ ليسَ يَحسُنُ إلاّ
فيon حِسانِbeautiful النُّحورِbosoms والأعناقِand necks
في حِسانِ النُّحورِ والأعناقِ
And I see that pearls are beautiful only
on lovely bosoms and necks.
لستُI am not مِمَّنْamong those who يُغِيِرُraid جَهْلاًignorantly علىupon الشِّعpoetry (continued)
لستُ مِمَّنْ يُغِيِرُ جَهْلاً على الشِّع
رِcompletes 'poetry' وَيُرْبيand goes to excess فيin الأَخْذِtaking والإنْفاقِand spending
رِ وَيُرْبي في الأَخْذِ والإنْفاقِ
I am not one who ignorantly raids poetry,
and goes to excess in taking and spending,
بِنظامٍwith verse واهيfeeble in القُوىstrength مُستَحيلٍincoherent
بِنظامٍ واهي القُوى مُستَحيلٍ
لمdid not يَرُضْهُtrain it رياضَةَwith the training of الحُذَّاقِthe skilled masters
لم يَرُضْهُ رياضَةَ الحُذَّاقِ
with verse feeble in structure and incoherent,
which he has not schooled as skilled masters do.
وإذاand when ماemphatic particle حَباكَhe grants you منهfrom it عَروساًa bride
وإذا ما حَباكَ منه عَروساً
باعَهاhe sold her بعدَafter عرسِهاher wedding بِطَلاقِwith a divorce
باعَها بعدَ عرسِها بِطَلاقِ
And when he grants you a bride from it,
he sells her after her wedding, with a divorce.
Sol 6.1