لَحْظُglances عَيْنَيْكَyour two eyes للرَّدىfor death أنصارُallies
لَحْظُ عَيْنَيْكَ للرَّدى أنصارُ
وسيوفٌand swords شِفارُهاtheir cutting edges الأشفارُthe eyelashes
وسيوفٌ شِفارُها الأشفارُ
Your eyes' glances are allies of death,
The glance of your eyes makes ruin its partisans
And swords whose edges are eyelashes.
And swords whose edges are sharp blades
فتكَتْslew بالمحبِّagainst the lover منfrom غيرِabsence of ثأرٍblood-vengeance
فتكَتْ بالمحبِّ من غيرِ ثأرٍ
فلهاso they have فيin فؤادِهِhis heart آثارُmarks
فلها في فؤادِهِ آثارُ
They slew the lover without a blood-debt to avenge,
They have vanquished the lover without vengeance
So their marks remain in his heart.
So in his heart there are traces
وَقعةٌa battle باللِّوىat al-Liwa استباحَتْlaid waste to نُفوساًsouls
وَقعةٌ باللِّوى استباحَتْ نُفوساً
قَمَرَتْهاwon them in a wager غَرَّاءَهاtheir fairest الأقمارُthe moons
قَمَرَتْها غَرَّاءَها الأقمارُ
A battle at al-Liwa laid waste to souls,
An occurrence in passion that ransacked souls
The moons won away their fairest in a wager.
The full moons adorned them, the full moons
ومهاًand oryx-like beauties تَكتُمُconceal البَراقِعُthe veils مِنْهاof them
ومهاً تَكتُمُ البَراقِعُ مِنْها
صُوَراًforms هُنَّthey للعُيونِto the eyes صِوارُa herd of wild cattle
صُوَراً هُنَّ للعُيونِ صِوارُ
And oryx-like beauties, whose veils conceal
A passion that veils conceal from it
Forms that, to the eyes, are a herd of wild cattle.
Images that for the eyes are guards
أعربَdeclared itself البانُthe bān tree بَينَهنَّamong them فمنand among أَثْfruits (beginning)
أعربَ البانُ بَينَهنَّ فمن أَثْ
مارِهits fruits (completion) الياسَمينُjasmine والجُلَّنارُand pomegranate blossoms
مارِه الياسَمينُ والجُلَّنارُ
The bān tree declared itself among them; among its fruits
The Arab pronounced between them, so which affliction
Are jasmine and pomegranate blossoms.
Jasmine and roses have caused
قدindeed صرَفْناwe turned away الأبصارَthe eyes عنهنَّfrom them خَوْفاًin fear
قد صرَفْنا الأبصارَ عنهنَّ خَوْفاً
إذwhen رَمَتْناshot at us بِلَحْظِهاwith their glances الأبصارُthe eyes
إذ رَمَتْنا بِلَحْظِها الأبصارُ
We turned our eyes away from them in fear,
We have averted our sights from them in fear
When their eyes shot their glances at us.
When their glances have cast at us the sights
هاتِهاbring it لمnot تُباشِرِhas touched النَّارَthe fire واعلَمْand know
هاتِها لم تُباشِرِ النَّارَ واعلَمْ
أنهاthat it فيin المَعادِthe hereafter للشَّرْبِfor the drinkers نارُfire
أنها في المَعادِ للشَّرْبِ نارُ
Bring it, untouched by fire, and know
These have not set the fire and know
That in the hereafter it is fire for drinkers.
That in the return they are for drinking fire
قَصُرَتْbecame brief ليلةُthe night الخَوَرْنَقِal-Khawarnaq حُسْناًthrough beauty
قَصُرَتْ ليلةُ الخَوَرْنَقِ حُسْناً
واللَّياليand the nights الطِّوالُthe long فيهthere قِصارُbrief
واللَّيالي الطِّوالُ فيه قِصارُ
The beauty of the night at al-Khawarnaq made it seem brief,
The night of Khawarnaq fell short in beauty
And even long nights there are brief.
And its long nights are brief
بِكَرٌyoung she-camels تَرتَعيgraze on جَنَىthe fruit of اللَّهوِmerriment غَضّاًtender
بِكَرٌ تَرتَعي جَنَى اللَّهوِ غَضّاً
واللَّذاذاتُand the pleasures بينَهاamong them أبكارُvirgins
واللَّذاذاتُ بينَها أبكارُ
Young she-camels graze on merriment's tender fruit,
An early bloomer grazing the meadows of pleasure while green
And the pleasures among them are virgins.
And enjoyments amongst it are maidens
إذwhen وجوهُthe faces of الأيَّامِthe days فيهthere رِياضٌgardens
إذ وجوهُ الأيَّامِ فيه رِياضٌ
ومياهُand the waters of السُّرورِjoy فيهthere خِمارُwines
ومياهُ السُّرورِ فيه خِمارُ
When the faces of the days there are gardens,
When the faces of days in it are meadows
And the waters of joy there are wines.
And waters of bliss in it are wine
وَجَناتٌcheeks تَحَيَّرَwas bewildered الوَردُthe rose فيهاin them
وَجَناتٌ تَحَيَّرَ الوَردُ فيها
وثُغورٌand mouths جَرَتْflowed عليهاover them العُقارُwine
وثُغورٌ جَرَتْ عليها العُقارُ
Cheeks in which the rose stands bewildered,
Gardens in which roses are confused
And mouths over which wine has flowed.
And borders over which perfumes flowed
كلَّماwhenever كرَّتِreturned الجِباهُthe foreheads بصبُحٍwith dawn
كلَّما كرَّتِ الجِباهُ بصبُحٍ
عطفَتْcast back ليلَهاtheir night عليهover it الطِّرارُthe forelocks
عطفَتْ ليلَها عليه الطِّرارُ
Whenever foreheads return bearing dawn,
Whenever foreheads spun with daybreak
The forelocks cast their night back over it.
Their night turned to them with dew
فَضُحاهso its morning منfrom الذَّوائبِthe tresses ليلٌnight
فَضُحاه من الذَّوائبِ ليلٌ
ودُجاهand its darkness منfrom الخُدودِthe cheeks نَهارُday
ودُجاه من الخُدودِ نَهارُ
So its morning, from the tresses, is night,
Its dawn is from the gazelles a night
And its darkness, from the cheeks, is day.
And its cheeks from the cheeks a day
غَنَيتْhad no need عنof سَحائبِclouds المُزْنِrain-bearing clouds أرضٌa land
غَنَيتْ عن سَحائبِ المُزْنِ أرضٌ
هنَّthey منfrom راحةِthe palm of الأميرِthe prince تمُارُare provisioned
هنَّ من راحةِ الأميرِ تمُارُ
A land has no need of rain-bearing clouds:
A land that rain clouds were in no need for
They are supplied from the prince's palm.
They are from the comfort of the prince saturated
ظِلُّهاits shade سَجْسَجٌtemperate وزَهْرُand the blossoms of ربُاهاits hills
ظِلُّها سَجْسَجٌ وزَهْرُ ربُاها
عَطِرٌfragrant والحَياand the rain بهاthere مِدرارُpouring abundantly
عَطِرٌ والحَيا بها مِدرارُ
Its shade is temperate, and the blooms of its hills
Its shade is soft and the blossoms of its vegetation fragrant
Are fragrant, and rain pours abundantly there.
And snakes in it flow
حيثُwhere لاnot وِردُناour water supply ثِمادٌscant pools ولاnor الوَعthe promise (beginning)
حيثُ لا وِردُنا ثِمادٌ ولا الوَع
دُpromise (completion) غرورٌdeception ولاnor الهُجوعُsleep غِرارُa brief doze
دُ غرورٌ ولا الهُجوعُ غِرارُ
Where our water is no scant pool, nor is the promise
Where our roses have no withering, nor the promises
Deceptive, nor sleep a fleeting doze.
Deceit, nor the yearning burning
يَتصدَّىcomes forward لظاهرِwith manifest البِشْرِcheerfulness طَلقُopen الthe (article before face)
يَتصدَّى لظاهرِ البِشْرِ طَلقُ ال
وَجْهِface فيهin him سكينةٌserenity ووَقارُand dignity
وَجْهِ فيه سكينةٌ ووَقارُ
He comes forward with manifest cheer, open-faced;
Warding off the good of mankind is a face
In him are serenity and dignity.
In it tranquility and dignity
لاnot يُصَدُّis turned away الثَّناءُpraise عَنهfrom him ولاnor تَرْturn away (beginning)
لا يُصَدُّ الثَّناءُ عَنه ولا تَرْ
غَبُturn away (completion) عنfrom وِرْدِهِhis watering-place النُّفوسُthe souls الحِرارُthe noble
غَبُ عن وِرْدِهِ النُّفوسُ الحِرارُ
Praise is never turned away from him, nor do
Praise does not deflect from it nor do ardent souls
Noble souls turn from his watering-place.
Refrain from its blossoms
سائلِask الدَّيَلميَّthe Daylamite كيفhow رأىhe saw سِنْSin- (beginning of Sinjar)
سائلِ الدَّيَلميَّ كيف رأى سِنْ
جارَ-jar (completion of Sinjar) لماwhen تَنمَّرَتْgrew leopard-fierce سِنجارُSinjar
جارَ لما تَنمَّرَتْ سِنجارُ
Ask the Daylamite how he saw Sinjar
Ask Dalami how he saw Sinjar
When Sinjar grew leopard-fierce.
When Sinjar took pride in itself
إذwhen تلاقَىon its land بأرضِهاthe firewood الحَطَبُthe thick (beginning) الجَزْmet
إذ تلاقَى بأرضِها الحَطَبُ الجَزْ
لُthick (completion) ونارٌand a fire يَحُثُّهاdrives it onward إعصارُa whirlwind
لُ ونارٌ يَحُثُّها إعصارُ
When on its soil thick firewood met
When in its land the dry wood met
A fire urged onward by a whirlwind.
Fire and a storm that stirs it
مَعْشَرٌa band أصبحواthey were at dawn وُجوداًin existence وأمسَواand they were by evening
مَعْشَرٌ أصبحوا وُجوداً وأمسَوا
عَدَماًnonexistent والخُطوبُand calamities فيهاin them اعتبارُa lesson
عَدَماً والخُطوبُ فيها اعتبارُ
A band that existed at dawn and by evening
A people who were existence in the morning and in the evening
Was nothing—in calamities there is a lesson.
Nonexistence, and in it lessons are taken
لمnot يَسِرْmarched حَينُهمtheir doom إليهمtoward them ولكِنْbut
لم يَسِرْ حَينُهم إليهم ولكِنْ
زَجَرواthey urged onward نحوَهtoward it الجِيادَthe steeds وسَارواand they rode
زَجَروا نحوَه الجِيادَ وسَاروا
Their doom did not march toward them; instead,
Their time did not proceed to them, but they were
They urged their steeds toward it and rode.
Driven by steeds toward it and marched on
خطرَتْstrode proudly بالقَناwith spears الأُسودُthe lions عليهِمagainst them
خطرَتْ بالقَنا الأُسودُ عليهِم
فارتوَىand drank its fill مِنهُمُfrom them القَناthe spears الخَطَّارُthe swaying
فارتوَى مِنهُمُ القَنا الخَطَّارُ
The lions strode against them with spears,
The black spears charged at them
And the swaying spears drank their fill from them.
So the murderous spears were saturated by them
فيin بَرارٍwildernesses تكشَّفَcleared النَّقْعُthe dust عنهاfrom them
في بَرارٍ تكشَّفَ النَّقْعُ عنها
وهيَand they were منfrom رَوْنَقِthe sheen of الحديدِiron بِحارُseas
وهيَ من رَوْنَقِ الحديدِ بِحارُ
In wildernesses from which the dust cleared,
In a wilderness where the armor was exposed
And which were seas of gleaming iron.
And it from the sheen of iron shining
مَوْقِفٌa scene لوif أطَلَّlooked upon كِسْرىKisra عليهupon it
مَوْقِفٌ لو أطَلَّ كِسْرى عليه
لانْثَنّىwould have turned back كاسِفاًdowncast وفيهand in him انْكِسارُdefeat
لانْثَنّى كاسِفاً وفيه انْكِسارُ
A scene which, had Kisra looked upon it,
A stand, if Chosroes looked upon it
He would have turned back, downcast and defeated.
He would cower with defeat and despair in it
جَبَرَrestored المُلْكَthe kingdom فيهthere جَبَّارُa mighty champion حَرْبٍof war
جَبَرَ المُلْكَ فيه جَبَّارُ حَرْبٍ
رافعٌlifting منof لِوائِهِhis banner الجَبَّارُthe Mighty One
رافعٌ من لِوائِهِ الجَبَّارُ
There a mighty warrior restored the kingdom,
The kingdom was restored through a warrior of war
Whose banner the Mighty One lifts aloft.
Raising through his banners the Supreme
أَسَدٌa lion فيin الحديدِiron تَستَوحِشُfeel afraid الأُسْthe lions (beginning)
أَسَدٌ في الحديدِ تَستَوحِشُ الأُسْ
دُlions (completion) لدَيهِbefore him ويأنَسُand feel at ease الزُّوَّارُthe visitors
دُ لدَيهِ ويأنَسُ الزُّوَّارُ
A lion clad in iron; the other lions feel afraid
A lion in iron where lions feel estranged by him
Before him, while his visitors feel at ease.
And visitors feel safe
قَبُحَwas ugly الضَّرْبُstriking فيin الوُجوهِthe faces ولكنbut
قَبُحَ الضَّرْبُ في الوُجوهِ ولكن
حَسُنَتْwere fair عنabout سيوفِكَyour swords الأخبارُthe reports
حَسُنَتْ عن سيوفِكَ الأخبارُ
Striking faces is ugly, yet
Ugly is striking faces but
Fair are the reports of your swords.
Your swords made good news of it
وتَحلَّتْand were adorned بكthrough you المدائحُthe praises حتَّىuntil
وتَحلَّتْ بك المدائحُ حتَّى
هيthey شَدْوُthe singing of القِيانِthe singing-girls والأسمارُand evening tales
هي شَدْوُ القِيانِ والأسمارُ
And praises are adorned by you, until
And praises adorned you until they are
They are singing-girls' songs and evening tales.
The song of singers and poets
واشرأبَّتْand craned their necks لكَtoward you الدِّيارُthe dwellings فلوso if تسbe able (beginning)
واشرأبَّتْ لكَ الدِّيارُ فلو تس
تطيعُbe able (completion) سيراًto travel سَرَتْwould journey إليكَto you الدِّيارُthe dwellings
تطيعُ سيراً سَرَتْ إليكَ الدِّيارُ
And the dwellings crane their necks toward you; if they could
The abodes craved for you so if you could
Travel, the dwellings would journey to you.
Take a journey, the abodes would journey to you
نِعَمٌfavors للسُّيوفِbelonging to the swords لاnot يَنفَدُruns out الشُّكْthe gratitude (beginning)
نِعَمٌ للسُّيوفِ لا يَنفَدُ الشُّكْ
رُgratitude (completion) عليهاfor them أوuntil تَنْفَدُrun out الأعمارُthe lifetimes
رُ عليها أو تَنْفَدُ الأعمارُ
Favors from the swords: gratitude never ends
Bounties to the swords whose gratitude will not expire
For them until lifetimes end.
Or lifespans run out
أَبْرَأَتْناhealed us كماjust as أَبارَتْdestroyed عِداناour enemies
أَبْرَأَتْنا كما أَبارَتْ عِدانا
فَهْيَso they are فيناamong us بُرْءٌhealing وفيهمand among them بَوارُruin
فَهْيَ فينا بُرْءٌ وفيهم بَوارُ
They healed us just as they destroyed our foes,
We were cleared as we cleared our enemies
So they are healing for us and ruin for them.
So for us is acquittal and for them perishment
قدindeed أَطاعَتْكَhave obeyed you فيagainst العدوِّthe enemy المَناياdeaths
قد أَطاعَتْكَ في العدوِّ المَنايا
وجرَتْand have moved بالمُنىwith wishes لكfor you الأقدارُthe fates
وجرَتْ بالمُنى لك الأقدارُ
Death has obeyed you against the enemy,
Death obeyed you against the enemy
And the fates have moved to fulfill your wishes.
And fate flowed with wishes to you
لاdo not تَقُدْlead جَحفَلاًa host فأنتَfor you are منthrough النَّجvalor (beginning)
لا تَقُدْ جَحفَلاً فأنتَ من النَّج
دَةِvalor (completion) والبأسِand might جَحْفَلٌa great host جَرَّارُvast and advancing
دَةِ والبأسِ جَحْفَلٌ جَرَّارُ
Do not lead a host: you are, through valor
Lead not an army for you are from determination and might
And might, a vast marching host.
A dragging army
أيُّهاO you اللاّئميwho blame me علىfor صَوْنِguarding وَجهْيmy face
أيُّها اللاّئمي على صَوْنِ وَجهْي
إنَّindeed بذْلَoffering up الوُجوهِfaces شَيْنٌdisgrace وعارُand shame
إنَّ بذْلَ الوُجوهِ شَيْنٌ وعارُ
O you who blame me for guarding my face,
O you blaming me for veiling my cheek
Offering up one's face is indeed disgrace and shame.
Giving the cheeks is disgrace and shame
أمَلِيmy hope فيin المُلوكِkings عُسْرٌhardship ولكنْbut
أمَلِي في المُلوكِ عُسْرٌ ولكنْ
أمليmy hope فيin أبيAbu (father of) المرجَّىal-Murajja (the hoped-for) اليَسارُprosperity
أملي في أبي المرجَّى اليَسارُ
My hope in kings is hardship, but
My hopes in kings are difficult but
My hope in Abu al-Murajja is prosperity.
My hopes in the father of wishes are easiness
Sol 6.1