نَطويwe fold away اللَّيالَيthe nights عِلْمَاًknowing أنthat سَتَطوِيناthey will fold us away
نَطوي اللَّيالَي عِلْمَاً أن سَتَطوِينا
فشَعشِعِيهاso mix it بماءِwith water from المُزنِthe rain clouds واسقِيناand give us drink
فشَعشِعِيها بماءِ المُزنِ واسقِينا
We fold away the nights, knowing they will fold us away;
The nights fold up knowledge that they will fold us,
so mix it with rain-cloud water and give us drink.
So illuminate them with the water of grape and let us drink.
وتَوِّجيand crown بكؤوسِwith goblets of الراحِwine أيديَناour hands
وتَوِّجي بكؤوسِ الراحِ أيديَنا
فإِنماfor only خُلقَتwere created للرَّاحِfor wine أيديناour hands
فإِنما خُلقَت للرَّاحِ أيدينا
And crown our hands with goblets of wine,
And crown our hands with cups of comfort
for our hands were created only for wine.
For our hands were only created for comfort.
قامتshe rose تَهُزُّshe sways قَواماًa figure ناعماًsupple سَرَقتshe stole
قامت تَهُزُّ قَواماً ناعماً سَرَقت
شَمائلَthe graces of البانِthe moringa tree منfrom أعطافِهits boughs لِيناsoftness
شَمائلَ البانِ من أعطافِه لِينا
She rose, swaying a supple figure, having stolen
She stood, gently swaying a delicate body,
the moringa's graces—softness from its boughs.
Stealing the traits of shyness from its folds to seduce us.
تَحُثُّshe pours briskly حمراءَred wine يَلقاهاmeets it المِزاجُthe mixing water كماjust as
تَحُثُّ حمراءَ يَلقاها المِزاجُ كما
أَلقيتَyou cast فَوقَover جَنِيِّfreshly gathered الوَردِroses نِسريناwhite wild roses
أَلقيتَ فَوقَ جَنِيِّ الوَردِ نِسرينا
She pours red wine briskly; the mixing water meets it as though
Stirring up rosy wine that mixes as
you had cast white wild roses over freshly gathered roses.
You poured over the rose garden nectar.
فلستُso I am not أدريI know أتَسقِيَناdoes she give us drink? وقدwhile already نَفحَتhave wafted
فلستُ أدري أتَسقِيَنا وقد نَفحَت
روائحُthe scents of المِسكِmusk منهاfrom her أوor تُحيِّيناshe greets us
روائحُ المِسكِ منها أو تُحيِّينا
So I cannot tell: does she give us drink, as there waft
So I know not if she quenches our thirst, though the scent of musk
from her the scents of musk, or does she greet us?
Exhales from her, or if she revives us.
قدindeed ملَّكَتناshe granted us زِمامَthe reins of العَيشِlife صافيةًpure wine
قد ملَّكَتنا زِمامَ العَيشِ صافيةً
لوif فاتَناeluded us المُلكُkingship راحَتit set about عنهfor its loss تُسلِيناit consoles us
لو فاتَنا المُلكُ راحَت عنه تُسلِينا
She has given us the reins of life with pure wine;
She has made us masters of the reins of life, pure,
were kingship to elude us, it would set about consoling us for its loss.
If we lost the kingdom, she would depart from it to console us.
ومُخطَفِand slender of القَدِّfigure يُرضِيناpleases us ويُسخِطُناand angers us
ومُخطَفِ القَدِّ يُرضِينا ويُسخِطُنا
حُسناًwith beauty ويَقتُلُناand kills us دَلاًwith coyness ويُحْيِينَاand revives us
حُسناً ويَقتُلُنا دَلاً ويُحْيِينَا
And one of slender figure pleases us and angers us
The snatcher of the pitcher satisfies and angers us,
with his beauty, and kills us with coyness and brings us to life.
Killing us slowly, and bringing us back to life.
تَفَتَّحَتblossomed وَردتَاthe two roses of خَدَّيهِhis two cheeks مِنfrom خَجَلٍbashfulness
تَفَتَّحَت وَردتَا خَدَّيهِ مِن خَجَلٍ
وزِيدَتَاand both were increased بعِذارَيهِby his two lines of cheek-down تَزايِينَاin adornment
وزِيدَتَا بعِذارَيهِ تَزايِينَا
The two roses of his cheeks blossomed with bashfulness,
Shyly her two cheeks blushed from bashfulness,
and his two lines of cheek-down gave them added adornment.
And she increased in her coquetry to adorn us.
ماnot زالَceased يَنقُرُhe taps أحشاءَthe bellies of الدنِّانِthe wine jars لناfor us
ما زالَ يَنقُرُ أحشاءَ الدنِّانِ لنا
حتَّىuntil نَفاهنَّhe cast them aside مَجروحاًwounded ومطعوناand pierced
حتَّى نَفاهنَّ مَجروحاً ومطعونا
He kept tapping the bellies of the wine jars for us,
It incessantly pecked at the innards of the two gall bladders for us,
until he cast them aside, wounded and pierced.
Until it was exhausted and wounded.
لمّاwhen رأيتُI saw عُيونَthe eyes of الدهرِTime تَلحَظُناlooking upon us
لمّا رأيتُ عُيونَ الدهرِ تَلحَظُنا
شَزْراًaskance تيقَّنتُI became certain أنَّthat الدَّهرTime يُرديناbrings us to ruin
شَزْراً تيقَّنتُ أنَّ الدَّهر يُردينا
When I saw the eyes of Time looking upon us
When I saw the eyes of fate glance at us
askance, I knew for certain that Time would destroy us.
Mockingly, I was certain that fate sought to destroy us.
نمضيwe pass on ونترُكُand leave منfrom ألفاظِناour words تُحَفاًtreasures
نمضي ونترُكُ من ألفاظِنا تُحَفاً
تَسبيcaptivate ريَاحِينُهاtheir fragrant blossoms الشَّرْبَthe drinkers الرَّياحِيناthe fragrant blossoms
تَسبي ريَاحِينُها الشَّرْبَ الرَّياحِينا
We pass on, leaving treasures of our words;
We proceed and leave behind from our words treasures
their fragrant blossoms captivate the drinkers, themselves blossoms.
Whose fragrances the passing winds steal.
وماand not نُباليwe care بِذَمِّabout the blame of الأغبياءِfools إذاif
وما نُبالي بِذَمِّ الأغبياءِ إذا
كانَwas اللَّبيبُthe wise man منamong الأقوامthe peoples يُطرِيناpraises us
كانَ اللَّبيبُ من الأقوام يُطرِينا
And we care nothing for the blame of fools, if
And we care not for the criticism of fools, so long as
the wise man among the people praises us.
The intelligent among the people extol us.
ورُبَّand many a غَرَّاءَradiant ode لمnot تُنظَمwere strung قَلائِدهاits necklaces
ورُبَّ غَرَّاءَ لم تُنظَم قَلائِدها
إلاّexcept ليُحمَدَto be praised فيهاin it الفَاطميُّوناthe Fatimids
إلاّ ليُحمَدَ فيها الفَاطميُّونا
And many a radiant ode has had its necklaces strung
Many a beauty whose necklaces were not strung
only that the Fatimids might be praised in it.
Except so the Fatimids would be praised through her.
الوارثُونthe inheritors of كِتابَthe Book of اللِهGod يَمَنحُهمgrants them
الوارثُون كِتابَ اللِه يَمَنحُهم
إرثَthe inheritance of النَّبِيِّthe Prophet علىin رُغمِdefiance of المُعاديناthe adversaries
إرثَ النَّبِيِّ على رُغمِ المُعادينا
The inheritors of God's Book, who are granted
The inheritors of God's book who bestow upon them
the Prophet's inheritance, despite the adversaries.
The inheritance of the Prophet despite the enemies.
والسابِقُونand those foremost إلىtoward الخَيراتِgood deeds يَنجُدُهمaids them
والسابِقُون إلى الخَيراتِ يَنجُدُهم
عِتقُthe nobility of النِّجارlineage إذاwhen كلَّgrew weary المُجارُوناthe rivals
عِتقُ النِّجار إذا كلَّ المُجارُونا
And those foremost in good deeds, upheld by
The first to good deeds, their emancipation helps them
their noble lineage when their rivals falter.
When all humankind enslaves them.
قومُa people نُصلِّيwe invoke blessings عليهمِupon them حينَwhen نَذكُرُهمwe remember them
قومُ نُصلِّي عليهمِ حينَ نَذكُرُهم
حُبّاًout of love ونَلعَنُand we curse أَقواماًpeoples مَلاعيناaccursed
حُبّاً ونَلعَنُ أَقواماً مَلاعينا
A people upon whom we invoke blessings whenever we remember them,
A people we bless when we remember them out of love,
out of love, while we curse accursed peoples.
And curse the wretched people who oppose us.
إذاwhen عَددناwe counted قُرَيشاًQuraysh فيin أباطحِهاits gravelly valleys
إذا عَددنا قُرَيشاً في أباطحِها
كانُواthey were الذَّوائِبَthe forelocks منهاof it والعَرانِيناand the nose-bridges
كانُوا الذَّوائِبَ منها والعَرانِينا
When we counted Quraysh in its gravelly valleys,
If we count Quraysh in its dwellings,
they were its forelocks and its proud noses.
They are its predators and lionesses.
أغنَتهُمُmade them independent عَنof صِفاتِthe descriptions of المادحِينthe panegyrists لهمfor them
أغنَتهُمُ عَن صِفاتِ المادحِين لهم
مدائحُthe praises of اللهِGod فيin طَهTa-Ha ويَاسِيناand Ya-Sin
مدائحُ اللهِ في طَه ويَاسِينا
They were spared the descriptions their panegyrists offered them
God's praises of them in Ta Ha and Ya Seen make them
by God's praises in Ta-Ha and Ya-Sin.
Needless of the praises of praising poets.
فلستُso I am not أمدحهُمI praise them إلاexcept لأرغِمَto rub in dust فيthrough
فلستُ أمدحهُم إلا لأرغِمَ في
مَدْحِيهمُmy praise of them أنفَthe nose of شانِيهمtheir hater وشَانِيناand our hater
مَدْحِيهمُ أنفَ شانِيهم وشَانِينا
So I praise them only to rub in the dust, through
And I do not praise them except to force, through praising them,
my praise of them, the nose of their hater and ours.
The nose of their detractor and opponent to submit to us.
أقامَmay abide رَوحٌrepose ورَيحانٌand sweet basil علىupon جَدَثٍa grave
أقامَ رَوحٌ ورَيحانٌ على جَدَثٍ
ثَوَىlay buried الحُسينُal-Husayn بهin it ظمآنَthirsty آميناamen
ثَوَى الحُسينُ به ظمآنَ آمينا
May repose and sweet basil abide upon a grave
A spirit and a fragrance stayed over the grave,
where al-Husayn lay thirsty. Amen.
Where al-Husayn who cried "Thirsty" lies buried.
كأنَّas though أحشاءَناour entrails منfrom ذِكرِهmention of him أبداًforever
كأنَّ أحشاءَنا من ذِكرِه أبداً
تُطوَىare folded علىaround الجَمْرِthe embers أوor تُحشَىare stuffed with السَّكاكِيناthe knives
تُطوَى على الجَمْرِ أو تُحشَى السَّكاكِينا
It is as though our entrails, at his mention, were forever
It is as if our innards forever fold over embers
folded around embers or stuffed with knives.
Or are stuffed with daggers when we remember him.
مهلاًhold! فماfor not نَقضُواthey avenged أوتارَthe blood-debts of والدِهhis father
مهلاً فما نَقضُوا أوتارَ والدِه
وإنماbut rather نَقَضُواthey shattered فيin قَتلهِkilling him الدِّيناthe faith
وإنما نَقَضُوا في قَتلهِ الدِّينا
Hold! They did not settle his father's blood-debts;
But no! They did not sever his father's strings,
rather, by killing him, they shattered the faith.
Rather, by killing him, the religion itself they unraveled.
آلfamily of النبِيِّthe Prophet وجَدْناwe found حُبَّكمlove for you سَبَباًa means
آل النبِيِّ وجَدْنا حُبَّكم سَبَباً
يَرضَىis pleased الإلهُGod بهthrough it عنَّاwith us ويُرضِيناand makes us content
يَرضَى الإلهُ به عنَّا ويُرضِينا
Family of the Prophet, we have found love for you a means
O Family of the Prophet, we found that loving you leads
through which God is pleased with us and makes us content.
To God being pleased with us and satisfying us.
فمَاso not نُخاطِبُكمwe address you إلاّexcept بسادتِناas our masters
فمَا نُخاطِبُكم إلاّ بسادتِنا
ولاand not نُنادِيكُمُwe call you إلاexcept مَواليناour lords
ولا نُنادِيكُمُ إلا مَوالينا
So we address you only as 'our masters',
Thus we address you as nothing but our masters,
and call you only 'our lords'.
And call you nothing but our patrons.
وكمand how much لنَاfor us منof فَخارٍpride فيin مَودَّتِكمlove for you
وكم لنَا من فَخارٍ في مَودَّتِكم
يَزيدُهاincreases it فيin سَوادِthe dark core of القَلبِthe heart تَمكِيناin firmness
يَزيدُها في سَوادِ القَلبِ تَمكِينا
And how much pride we have in love for you,
And we take such pride in your affection,
which roots it more firmly in the heart's dark core!
Which increases the blackness of the heart by affirming us.
ومنand of عدوٍan enemy لكمof yours مُخْفٍconcealing عداوتَهhis enmity
ومن عدوٍ لكم مُخْفٍ عداوتَه
واللهُand God يرميهstrikes at him عناon our behalf وهوwhile he يرميناstrikes at us
واللهُ يرميه عنا وهو يرمينا
And many an enemy of yours conceals his enmity,
As for an enemy of yours whose enmity is concealed,
and God strikes at him on our behalf, while he strikes at us.
God casts him from us as he casts arrows at us.
إنif أَجرِI run فيin حُبِّكمlove for you جَرْيَthe running of الجوادِthe thoroughbred فقدfor indeed
إن أَجرِ في حُبِّكم جَرْيَ الجوادِ فقد
أضحَتhave become رِحابُthe spacious grounds of مَساعيكمyour endeavors مَياديناracecourses
أضحَت رِحابُ مَساعيكم مَيادينا
If I run in love for you as a thoroughbred runs, it is because
The reward of loving you is a stud horse's gallop, so
the spacious grounds of your endeavors have become racecourses.
The expanses of your efforts have become our racecourses.
وكيفَand how يَعدوكُمُpasses you by شِعريmy poetry وذكرُكُمُand mention of you
وكيفَ يَعدوكُمُ شِعري وذكرُكُمُ
يَزيدُincreases مُستَحسَنَadmired الأشعارِpoems تَحسِيناin beauty
يَزيدُ مُستَحسَنَ الأشعارِ تَحسِينا
And how could my poetry pass you by, when mention of you
And how can my poetry keep pace with you when mentioning you
makes beautiful poetry more beautiful still?
Improves the most well-crafted poetry by beautifying it?
Sol 6.1