مَنْwho ليfor me برَدِّto restore سوالفِthe bygone periods of الأحقابِthe ages
مَنْ لي برَدِّ سوالفِ الأحقابِ
ومآربٍand desires أعيَتْproved unattainable علىto الطُلاَّبِthe seekers
ومآربٍ أعيَتْ على الطُلاَّبِ
Who will restore for me the ages gone by,
Who will bring back to me the conversations of past eras,
and desires that proved beyond their seekers?
And aspirations that exhausted students' efforts,
أتبعْتُهاI sent after them نَفَسَthe breath of المحبِّthe lover تضرَّمَتْblazed
أتبعْتُها نَفَسَ المحبِّ تضرَّمَتْ
أحشاؤُهhis inward parts لتَفرُّقِbecause of the separation of الأحبابِthe loved ones
أحشاؤُه لتَفرُّقِ الأحبابِ
I sent after them a lover's sigh; burning were
I pursued them with the breath of a lover whose heart ached
his inward parts at the parting of loved ones.
For the parting of friends.
أتبعْتُهاI sent after them نَظَرَthe gaze of المَشُوقِthe yearning lover تجمَّعتْgathered
أتبعْتُها نَظَرَ المَشُوقِ تجمَّعتْ
زَفَراتُهhis sighs لتَفرُّقِbecause of the separation of الأترابِthe peers
زَفَراتُه لتَفرُّقِ الأترابِ
I sent after them a yearning lover's gaze; gathered were
I pursued them with the gaze of a yearner whose sighs gathered
his sighs at the parting of his peers.
For the scattering of companions.
إنَّindeed الظِّباءَthe gazelles حَمتْguarded مراتِعَهاtheir pastures الظُّباthe sword-edges
إنَّ الظِّباءَ حَمتْ مراتِعَها الظُّبا
ورَعَتْand tended سوائمُهاtheir grazing herds أُسودَthe lions of الغابِthe forest
ورَعَتْ سوائمُها أُسودَ الغابِ
Indeed, the gazelles' pastures were guarded by sword-edges,
The gazelles protected their meadows from the mountain goats
and their grazing herds tended the forest's lions.
And their does grazed among the dark forests.
منfrom كلِّevery سكرَىdrunken اللَّحظِin gaze أثمرَbore fruit غصنُهاher bough
من كلِّ سكرَى اللَّحظِ أثمرَ غصنُها
نوعينtwo kinds منof وردٍroses ومنand of عُنَّابِjujubes
نوعين من وردٍ ومن عُنَّابِ
From every drunken-eyed beauty, whose bough bore
Every bud of sweet glance yielded two kinds of roses and jasmine,
two kinds: roses and jujubes.
A meadow refreshed us from the thirst of passion,
ريَّاwell-watered أخَاضَتْناmade us wade علىamid ظمإِthe thirst of الهوىpassion
ريَّا أخَاضَتْنا على ظمإِ الهوى
منfrom وعدِهاher promise الممطولِlong-deferred لَمْعَthe gleam of سَرابِa mirage
من وعدِها الممطولِ لَمْعَ سَرابِ
Well-watered, she made us wade, thirsting with love, through
With its endless promise like a mirage.
a mirage's gleam from her long-deferred promise.
By God, a Bedouin woman deceived us,
للهِfor God! (exclamation) أعرابيّةٌa Bedouin woman غدرَتْbetrayed بناus
للهِ أعرابيّةٌ غدرَتْ بنا
إنَّindeed النِّفاقَhypocrisy سَجِيَّةُthe innate nature of الأعرابِthe Bedouins
إنَّ النِّفاقَ سَجِيَّةُ الأعرابِ
What a Bedouin woman, by God—she betrayed us!
For hypocrisy is the nature of Bedouins.
Hypocrisy is indeed the Bedouins' nature.
Her beauty was veiled by tents, and had she appeared,
حَجَبَتveiled محاسنَهاher charms الخيامُthe tents ولوand even if بَدَتْshe appeared
حَجَبَت محاسنَها الخيامُ ولو بَدَتْ
كانَwould have been العَفافُchastity لهاfor her أتمَّthe most complete حِجابِveil
كانَ العَفافُ لها أتمَّ حِجابِ
The tents veiled her charms; even had she appeared,
Modesty would have been her finest veil.
chastity would have been her most complete veil.
Passion settled her in her lover's heart with its endless promise
وأحلَّهاand lodged her منwithin قلبِthe heart of عاشِقِهاher lover الهوىpassion
وأحلَّها من قلبِ عاشِقِها الهوى
منfrom وعدِهاher promise الممطولِlong-deferred لَمْعَthe gleam of سَرابِa mirage
من وعدِها الممطولِ لَمْعَ سَرابِ
And passion lodged her within her lover's heart:
Like the glimmer of a mirage.
a mirage's gleam from her long-deferred promise.
Alas! The knots of her lineage did not unravel
هيهاتَfar from it! ماnot صدَرَتْsprang عقودُthe necklaces of نسيبِهhis love-verse
هيهاتَ ما صدَرَتْ عقودُ نسيبِه
عنfrom لوعةٍanguish كمَنَتْlay hidden ولاnor أوصابِafflictions
عن لوعةٍ كمَنَتْ ولا أوصابِ
Far from it! The necklaces of his love-verse did not spring
From a burning agony, nor misfortunes.
from hidden anguish, nor from afflictions.
Rather, it was a thought which, when pondered,
لكنَّهاbut they فِكَرٌthoughts إذاwhen ما(emphasis) سُومِرَتْwere discussed by night
لكنَّها فِكَرٌ إذا ما سُومِرَتْ
باتتْspent the night تُفَتِّحُopening زَهرَةَthe blossom of الآدابِliterature
باتتْ تُفَتِّحُ زَهرَةَ الآدابِ
But they are thoughts that, when discussed by night,
Would blossom into the flower of refinement.
spend the night unfolding literature's blossom.
It saddens the gazelles that youth has abandoned
يَهْنىgladdens العواذلَthe reproachers أنَّهthat he هَجَرَabandoned الصِّباyouthful dalliance
يَهْنى العواذلَ أنَّه هَجَرَ الصِّبا
أُنفthe first bloom of الشَّبابِyouth مُعَذَّلَreproached by الأصحابِthe companions
أُنف الشَّبابِ مُعَذَّلَ الأصحابِ
It gladdens the reproachers that he abandoned youthful dalliance,
The summit of glory and weakened companions.
in youth's first bloom, reproached by his companions.
The glance of the beauties - its secret, when found
لحْظُthe gaze of الكواعبِthe budding-breasted maidens سرَّهdelighted him فوَجَدْتَهand you found him
لحْظُ الكواعبِ سرَّه فوَجَدْتَه
عَفَّchaste السَّريرَةِinward character طاهرَpure الأثوابِgarments
عَفَّ السَّريرَةِ طاهرَ الأثوابِ
The gaze of budding-breasted maidens delighted him, yet you found him
Was pure modesty in radiant clothes.
chaste in his inward character, pure in his garments.
How often did we say, when he stood in his shrine,
كمhow often قُلْنَthey said لمَّاwhen قامَhe stood فيin مِحرابِهhis sanctuary
كم قُلْنَ لمَّا قامَ في مِحرابِه
سِيَّانِalike أنتَyou ودُميةُand the statue of المِحرابِthe sanctuary
سِيَّانِ أنتَ ودُميةُ المِحرابِ
How often they said, when he stood in his sanctuary:
"You and the doll in the shrine are equal!"
'You and the sanctuary's statue are alike.'
O beauty, how the hands of youth adorned its shoulders,
ياO حُسْنَthe beauty of ماwhat خَلَعَتْdraped علىupon أعطافِهhis shoulders
يا حُسْنَ ما خَلَعَتْ على أعطافِه
أيديthe hands of الصِّباyouthful ardor وأوand/or (unclear) زانَهadorned him بتصابيwith my youthful dalliance
أيدي الصِّبا وأو زانَه بتصابي
How lovely what was draped upon his shoulders
And balanced its branches with boughs!
by youth's hands—and/or what adorned him with my dalliance [text unclear]!
Threats distracted him from his opinions
إنَّindeed الوعيدَthe threat ثَناهturned him away عنfrom آرائِهhis views
إنَّ الوعيدَ ثَناه عن آرائِه
حتىuntil تجنَّبَhe avoided مُونِقَthe delights of الآدابِliterature
حتى تجنَّبَ مُونِقَ الآدابِ
Indeed, the threat turned him away from his views,
Until he avoided refined manners.
until he shunned the delights of literature.
Now hardships have been shortened, so they bite
الآنَnow قَصَّرَتِfell short النَّوائبُcalamities فاغتدَتْand so became
الآنَ قَصَّرَتِ النَّوائبُ فاغتدَتْ
بِنَدىthrough the bounty of الأميرِthe prince كليلةَblunt الأنيابِthe fangs
بِنَدى الأميرِ كليلةَ الأنيابِ
Now calamities have fallen short and become,
With the prince's dew, like a night of fangs.
through the prince's bounty, blunt of fang.
From his opinion and sword flashed for us
سَفَرَتْunveiled لناfor us منfrom رأيهhis judgment وحُسامِهand his sword
سَفَرَتْ لنا من رأيه وحُسامِه
عنfrom ضوْءِthe light of صُبْحٍa dawn مُسْفرٍbrightening وشِهابِand a shooting star
عن ضوْءِ صُبْحٍ مُسْفرٍ وشِهابِ
They unveiled for us, through his judgment and his sword,
The light of a clear dawn and shooting star.
the light of a radiant dawn and a shooting star.
A king whose right hand is filled with praise
مَلِكٌa king عُقودُthe necklaces of الحمدِpraise مِلْءُfilling يمينِهhis right hand
مَلِكٌ عُقودُ الحمدِ مِلْءُ يمينِه
ونَداهand his bounty ملءُfilling حقائبِthe saddlebags of الطُّلاَّبِthe seekers
ونَداه ملءُ حقائبِ الطُّلاَّبِ
A king whose right hand is filled with necklaces of praise,
And whose left hand is filled with students’ hopes.
whose bounty fills the seekers' saddlebags.
Dew interceded for his chastity with dew, as
شفَعَsupplemented النَّدىbounty لعُفاتِهfor his petitioners بنَدىًwith bounty كماjust as
شفَعَ النَّدى لعُفاتِه بنَدىً كما
شفَعَsupplemented الرَّبيعُspring سَحابةًa cloud بسَحابِwith clouds
شفَعَ الرَّبيعُ سَحابةً بسَحابِ
He added bounty to bounty for his petitioners, just as
Spring intercedes for a cloud with a cloud.
spring follows a cloud with clouds.
He forgave and sheathed the swords in their scabbards,
وعَفاand pardoned فردَّso returned البِيضَthe gleaming swords فيinto أغمادِهاtheir sheaths
وعَفا فردَّ البِيضَ في أغمادِها
وسَطاand assailed فَعلَّso gave another draught to متونَهاtheir blade-flats بخِضابِwith dye
وسَطا فَعلَّ متونَها بخِضابِ
And he pardoned, returning the gleaming swords to their sheaths;
Moderated and dyed their blades with blood.
and he assailed, giving their blades another draught of dye.
He distinguished between one who falls short of his stature
وجَرىand raced فبينَand so between مقصِّرٍone falling short عنof شأوِهhis reach
وجَرى فبينَ مقصِّرٍ عن شأوِه
متخلِّفٍlagging عنهbehind him وآخرَand another كابيstumbling
متخلِّفٍ عنه وآخرَ كابي
And he raced; the rest ranged between one short of his reach,
One who lags behind and another who is biased.
lagging behind him, and another stumbling.
You have built your glory, so act with refinement
شيَّدتَyou built مجدَكَyour glory فاعْمَلَنْso act indeed بمهذَّبٍthrough one refined
شيَّدتَ مجدَكَ فاعْمَلَنْ بمهذَّبٍ
بينَamong القبائلِthe tribes والشُّعوبِand the peoples لُبابِthe choicest
بينَ القبائلِ والشُّعوبِ لُبابِ
You have built your glory; then act through one refined,
Among the tribes and eloquent peoples.
the choicest among the tribes and peoples.
And you presented yourself to the Prophet and his family
وَنَصَبَتْand you devoted (vocalization irregular) نفسَكyourself للنبيِّto the Prophet وآلِهand his family
وَنَصَبَتْ نفسَك للنبيِّ وآلِه
حتىuntil شَفَيْتَهُمُyou relieved them منof الطُّلاُّبِthe pursuers
حتى شَفَيْتَهُمُ من الطُّلاُّبِ
And you devoted yourself to the Prophet and his family,
Until you quenched their hopes.
until you gave them relief from their pursuers.
So may your victory be honored by the remaining guidance
فأعزَّand so exalted نصرَكَyour support منهمُamong them باقيthe remainder of الهُدَىguidance
فأعزَّ نصرَكَ منهمُ باقي الهُدَى
وأذلَّand humbled عنهaway from it بقيَّةَthe remnant of الأحزابِthe factions
وأذلَّ عنه بقيَّةَ الأحزابِ
Thus your support exalted the guidance remaining among them,
And may the rest of the factions be disgraced by it.
and humbled the remaining factions, keeping them away from it.
They came to you dyed red with honor,
نَزَلواthey alighted فِناكَyour courtyard مُخضبَّينَdye-stained أَعِزَّةًhonored
نَزَلوا فِناكَ مُخضبَّينَ أَعِزَّةً
ما(linking particle) بينbetween رَحبِexpansiveness of خلائقٍcharacter ورِحابِand spacious courts
ما بين رَحبِ خلائقٍ ورِحابِ
They alighted in your courtyard, dye-stained and honored,
Among the vastness of people and expanse.
amid generous character and spacious courts.
It is as if they descended on Yathrib from it or
فكأنماand it was as though حَلُّواthey settled بيثربَin Yathrib منهtherein أوor
فكأنما حَلُّوا بيثربَ منه أو
نَزَلواthey alighted بمكةَin Mecca فيamong رُبىًhills وهِضابِand uplands
نَزَلوا بمكةَ في رُبىً وهِضابِ
It was as though, there, they had settled in Yathrib, or
Encamped in Mecca among hills and flat lands.
alighted in Mecca, among hills and uplands.
So make peace, Abu al-Hasan, for a day of nobility,
فَاسْلَمْso remain safe أباAbu (father of) حَسَنٍHasan ليومِfor a day of مَكارمٍnoble deeds
فَاسْلَمْ أبا حَسَنٍ ليومِ مَكارمٍ
وُطْفٍthick and heavy سحائبُهاtheir clouds ويومِand a day of عِقابِpunishment
وُطْفٍ سحائبُها ويومِ عِقابِ
So remain safe, Abu Hasan, for a day of noble deeds,
With clouds as its army, and a day of reckoning.
their clouds heavy, and a day of punishment.
The clothes of fasting did not wear out, emblazoned,
لمnot تَنْضُyou shed أثوابَthe garments of الصيِّامِfasting مُودّشعاًunclear; perhaps 'bidding farewell'
لم تَنْضُ أثوابَ الصيِّامِ مُودّشعاً
حتىuntil كساكَclothed you الفِطْرُthe breaking of the fast ثَوبَa robe of ثَوابِreward
حتى كساكَ الفِطْرُ ثَوبَ ثَوابِ
You had not shed fasting's garments in farewell [reading uncertain],
Until the Feast clothed you in the garb of reward.
before the breaking of the fast clothed you in a robe of reward.
So enjoy an Eid that has returned like its auspicious star,
فَاسْعَدْso rejoice بعيدٍin a festival عادَreturned كوكبُthe star of سَعْدِهits good fortune
فَاسْعَدْ بعيدٍ عادَ كوكبُ سَعْدِه
طَلْقَunclouded in الضِّياءِradiance مؤكَّدَmade firm in الأسبابِthe bonds
طَلْقَ الضِّياءِ مؤكَّدَ الأسبابِ
So rejoice in a festival whose lucky star has returned,
With brilliant light and affirmed reasons.
unclouded in radiance, with its bonds made firm.
And adorn it with eloquence of tongue, and yet
وتَحلَّهاand adorn yourself with it نظْمَthe verse of اللسانِthe tongue وإنماand indeed ... only
وتَحلَّها نظْمَ اللسانِ وإنما
نَظْمُthe verse of اللّسانِthe tongue فرائدُthe choice pearls of الألبابِminds
نَظْمُ اللّسانِ فرائدُ الألبابِ
And adorn yourself with it, the tongue's string of verse; for
Eloquence of tongue is the pride of minds.
the tongue's verse is but the choice pearls of minds.
If it shook al-Walid's hearing he would bow to it -
لوif صافَحَتshook hands with سَمْعَthe hearing of الوليدِal-Walid جَثَاknelt لَهاbefore it
لو صافَحَت سَمْعَ الوليدِ جَثَا لَها
أرسومُare these traces of دارٍa dwelling أمor سُطورُlines of كتابِa book
أرسومُ دارٍ أم سُطورُ كتابِ
Had it clasped al-Walid's hearing, this would have knelt before it:
Are they lines of verse or pages of a book?
'Are these traces of a dwelling, or lines of a book?'
Rather, if Ibn Aws contemplated it, he would not say,
بلrather لوif تأمَّلَهاhe contemplated it ابنُIbn (son of) أوسٍAws لمnot يَقُلْhe said
بل لو تأمَّلَها ابنُ أوسٍ لم يَقُلْ
لوif only أنَّthat دهراًan age رَدَّreturned رَجْعَthe echo of جوابيmy reply
لو أنَّ دهراً رَدَّ رَجْعَ جوابي
Rather, had Ibn Aws contemplated it, he would not have said:
"If only time brought back the return of my youth!"
'If only time returned the echo of my reply.'
Partial English translation: 65 of 66 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1