آيO أطلاَلِruins الأوِدَاءِof dear friends
آي أطلاَلِ الأوِدَاءِ
هَيَّجتyou stirred لاَعِجَthe burning pain الدَّاءِthe affliction
هَيَّجت لاَعِجَ الدَّاءِ
O ruins of dear friends,
O ruins of affection
You have stirred the burning pain of affliction.
You have provoked incurable pain
لَعِبَتplayed قُومُhosts الرياحِof the winds بِهاwith them
لَعِبَت قُومُ الرياحِ بِها
وَعَفَتهَاand erased them كُلُّevery نَكبَاءِcrosswind
وَعَفَتهَا كُلُّ نَكبَاءِ
The hosts of the winds have toyed with them,
The winds have played with them
And every crosswind has effaced them.
And every adversity has worn them out
وَمَحَاand erased السَّافيwindblown sand مَعَالِمَهَاtheir landmarks
وَمَحَا السَّافي مَعَالِمَهَا
غَيرَexcept آرِىِّa tethering-stake وآنَاءِand vessels
غَيرَ آرِىِّ وآنَاءِ
And windblown sand has erased their landmarks,
The torrents have erased their features
Except a tethering-stake and vessels.
Except foundations and columns
وَسقَتهَاand watered them كُلُّevery سَارِيَّةٍnight-faring rain cloud
وَسقَتهَا كُلُّ سَارِيَّةٍ
منfrom غَمَامِrain clouds of الدلوِAquarius هَطلاءِpouring abundantly
من غَمَامِ الدلوِ هَطلاءِ
And every night-faring cloud has watered them,
And every downpour has watered them
Pouring from the rain clouds of Aquarius.
With rain from the buckets of clouds
فَجَرَىthen flowed فِيهَاthrough them الآتِىُّthe oncoming torrent إلىuntil
فَجَرَى فِيهَا الآتِىُّ إلى
أنthat جَلاَcleared عَنfrom كُلُّevery صَفوَاءِsmooth stone
أن جَلاَ عَن كُلُّ صَفوَاءِ
Then the oncoming torrent ran through them, until
So the floods have run in them
It laid bare every smooth stone.
Until they hid every open space
إِنthough نَكُنwe may be أَصبَحَتhave become خَلَفاًa ruined remnant
إِن نَكُن أَصبَحَت خَلَفاً
قَفرَةًdesolate بعدَafter الأحِبَّاءِthe loved ones
قَفرَةً بعدَ الأحِبَّاءِ
Though [they] have become a ruined remnant,
If we have become ruins
Desolate after the loved ones,
Desolate after loved ones
فَهَواهَاyet love for them غيرُnot مُندَرِسٍeffaced
فَهَواهَا غيرُ مُندَرِسٍ
لَمnot يَزلcease يغليboiling بِأحشَائِىwithin my entrails
لَم يَزل يغلي بِأحشَائِى
Yet love for them has not faded;
Yet their allure has not collapsed
It still boils within my entrails.
It still seethes in my entrails
إنif يعتريone visits فيهَاthere لَمُرتَبَعاًindeed a spring retreat
إن يعتري فيهَا لَمُرتَبَعاً
طَيِّباًpleasant مَلذوذَdelightful آنَاءِhours
طَيِّباً مَلذوذَ آنَاءِ
If one visits there, [one finds] indeed a spring retreat,
If I pitch my tent in them
Pleasant, with delightful hours.
A good, sweet, lovely time
كُنتُI was فِيهاthere بَينَamong أندِيَةٍassemblies
كُنتُ فِيها بَينَ أندِيَةٍ
قَدindeed علتhad risen فيin كُلِّevery عَليَاءِlofty eminence
قَد علت في كُلِّ عَليَاءِ
I was there among assemblies
I was among assemblies
That had risen to every height,
That transcended all sublime
عُرِفَتwere known بالمَجدِfor glory قدhad وَرِثَتinherited
عُرِفَت بالمَجدِ قد وَرِثَت
مَجدَهَاtheir glory عنfrom مَجدِthe glory of آبَاءِforefathers
مَجدَهَا عن مَجدِ آبَاءِ
Known for glory, having inherited
Known for glory, inherited
Their glory from their fathers' glory.
Glory from fathers
لاnot يحلalights الذَّمُّreproach سَاحَتَنَاour courtyard
لا يحل الذَّمُّ سَاحَتَنَا
مِنfrom حمًىa protected domain دَانٍnear ولاَnor نَاءِfar
مِن حمًى دَانٍ ولاَ نَاءِ
No reproach alights in our courtyard,
No blame may touch our domain
From any domain, near or far.
From protecting friend or foe
نُوضِحُwe clarify العَوصَاthe difficult question إنif التَبَسَتit becomes obscure
نُوضِحُ العَوصَا إن التَبَسَت
فَنُرِيَهاand we show it غيرَnot عَوصَاءِdifficult
فَنُرِيَها غيرَ عَوصَاءِ
We clarify the difficult question when it grows obscure,
We clarify what is obscured
And show it no longer difficult.
Showing it free of crookedness
ونَذُودَand we repel الزَّيغَerror حِينَwhen عَرَاit arises
ونَذُودَ الزَّيغَ حِينَ عَرَا
بِعَصَاwith the staff of آىٍverses وأنبَاءِand accounts
بِعَصَا آىٍ وأنبَاءِ
And we drive off error whenever it arises,
We block heresy when it appears
With the staff of verses and accounts.
With a staff, signs, and tidings
فإِذَاand when ضَيفٌa guest ألَمَّalights بِنَاamong us
فإِذَا ضَيفٌ ألَمَّ بِنَا
نَالَhe obtains مِنَّاfrom us خَيرَthe finest إيَوَاءِshelter
نَالَ مِنَّا خَيرَ إيَوَاءِ
And when a guest alights among us,
When a guest visits in distress
He receives from us the finest shelter.
We give him best reception
فَالقِرَىso the guest-fare يَأتِيهِcomes to him مُحتَمَلاًcarried in
فَالقِرَى يَأتِيهِ مُحتَمَلاً
دُونَمَاwithout مَنِّflaunting favors وإِيَذاءِand giving offense
دُونَمَا مَنِّ وإِيَذاءِ
So the guest-fare comes to him, carried in,
So he comes to us unoppressed
Without flaunting favors or giving offense.
Without demand or hurt
إنif أتَىhe comes لَمnot يَخشَfear مَسألَةًa request
إن أتَى لَم يَخشَ مَسألَةً
لَمnot نُكَلِّفهُwe burden him بِإهدَاءِwith gift-giving
لَم نُكَلِّفهُ بِإهدَاءِ
If he comes, he need fear no request;
If he comes he fears no request
We do not burden him with giving gifts.
We tax him with no gift
فَسؤَالِfor asking الضَّيفشof the guest مَنقَصَةٌa failing
فَسؤَالِ الضَّيفش مَنقَصَةٌ
وَخنًىand baseness عِندَin the eyes of الأَلبَّاءِthe wise
وَخنًى عِندَ الأَلبَّاءِ
For making demands of a guest is a failing,
To ask a guest demeans
And baseness in the eyes of the wise.
Among the glorious ones
إنif أتَانَاcomes to us الشعرُpoetry مِنfrom أحَدٍanyone
إن أتَانَا الشعرُ مِن أحَدٍ
لَمnot يُجِبanswers عَنَّاon our behalf أمرُؤٌa man نَاءِdistant
لَم يُجِب عَنَّا أمرُؤٌ نَاءِ
If poetry comes to us from anyone,
If one brings us poetry
No distant man answers on our behalf.
No effeminate answers us
فَألقَواso they cast فيinto طَوعِthe sway of قَبضَتِناour grasp
فَألقَوا في طَوعِ قَبضَتِنا
عِندَwhen إلحَامٍweaving the weft وإسدَاءِand laying the warp
عِندَ إلحَامٍ وإسدَاءِ
So they cast [it] under the sway of our grasp,
So they put in our grasp
In weaving weft and setting warp.
When we grasp and confer
نَأخُذُwe seize المعنَىthe meaning البديعَwondrous بِلاَwithout
نَأخُذُ المعنَى البديعَ بِلاَ
كُلفَةٍeffort فيalong نَهجِهِits course الجَائِىcoming
كُلفَةٍ في نَهجِهِ الجَائِى
We seize the wondrous meaning without
We take the splendid meaning without
Effort, along the path by which it comes.
Affectation in its course
لمnot يَكُwas المصباحُal-Misbah يعتريcomes forward كُفئاًan equal
لم يَكُ المصباحُ يعتري كُفئاً
لاَdo not تَظُنُّوهsuppose him منamong أَكفَائِىmy peers
لاَ تَظُنُّوه من أَكفَائِى
Al-Misbah never came forward as an equal;
The lamp was no makeshift
Do not suppose him one of my peers.
Think it not my peer
لَيسَnot كالسعدَانِlike sa‘dan كَانَwas كَلاًherbage
لَيسَ كالسعدَانِ كَانَ كَلاً
انبَتَتهُmade it grow كُلُّevery بَيدَاءِdesert
انبَتَتهُ كُلُّ بَيدَاءِ
Not like sa‘dan was the herbage
It's not like lightning was
That every desert had brought forth.
That every wasteland nursed
ماnot السُّهاSuha مثلَlike الشموسِthe suns ومَاnor
ما السُّها مثلَ الشموسِ ومَا
كُلُّevery مَاءٍwater مِثلَlike صَدَّاءِSadda’
كُلُّ مَاءٍ مِثلَ صَدَّاءِ
Suha is not like the suns, nor is
Dews are not like suns
Every water like Sadda’.
Nor every water pure
فَهوَfor he is رَاعٍa herdsman شَبَّgrew up فيamong مَلأٍa company
فَهوَ رَاعٍ شَبَّ في مَلأٍ
مِنof رُعَاةِherders of الإبلcamels والشاءِand sheep
مِن رُعَاةِ الإبل والشاءِ
For he is a herdsman who grew up among a company
He is a shepherd who grew in a throng
Of herders of camels and sheep,
Of camel and sheep herders
مَلأٍa company بالعارِwith disgrace مُمتَزِجmingled
مَلأٍ بالعارِ مُمتَزِج
كامتزاجِlike the mixing of الرِّسلِmilk بالماءwith water
كامتزاجِ الرِّسلِ بالماء
A company mingled with disgrace,
A throng steeped in shame
As milk is mingled with water.
Like the mixing of messengers and water
لَوif رَأىsaw الرائِىthe beholder سريرتَهhis inner nature
لَو رَأى الرائِى سريرتَه
لازدَرَتهُwould surely scorn him مُقلَةُthe eye of الرائِىthe beholder
لازدَرَتهُ مُقلَةُ الرائِى
If a beholder saw his inner nature,
If the seer saw his nature
The beholder's eye would scorn him.
The sight would scorn the seer
ليسnot يدرِىhe knows مِنجهالتِهfrom his ignorance
ليس يدرِى مِنجهالتِه
كُلَّevery شىءthing وَزنَthe word-pattern of أشياء'things'
كُلَّ شىء وَزنَ أشياء
In his ignorance he does not know
He knows not from ignorance
Anything—[not even] the word-pattern of 'things'.
Everything, weighing things
يَدَّعِىhe claims شعراًpoetry ويخبطand blunders فيthrough
يَدَّعِى شعراً ويخبط في
كلevery معنىmeaning خبطthe blundering of عشواءa night-blind she-camel
كل معنى خبط عشواء
He lays claim to poetry and blunders through
He claims poetry and flails in
Every meaning like a night-blind she-camel.
Every meaning, flailing blind
إنif يَرُمhe attempts انشاءَcomposing قافيةٍa rhyme
إن يَرُم انشاءَ قافيةٍ
ظنهhis supposition أنشَىhe composed كانشائِىlike my composing
ظنه أنشَى كانشائِى
If he attempts to compose a rhyme,
If he aims to fashion a rhyme
He fancies he has composed as I compose.
He thinks he inspired mine
كلفٍinfatuated بالغَىَّwith error يَتبعُهhe follows it
كلفٍ بالغَىَّ يَتبعُه
بالنميمwith slander الصِّرفِunalloyed مَشَّاءِforever going about
بالنميم الصِّرفِ مَشَّاءِ
Besotted with error, he follows it,
Effortful yet following it
Forever going about with unalloyed slander.
With gossip's ramble aloof
قَلَّدُواthey blindly followed الأهوَاءَwhims واتبعُواand pursued
قَلَّدُوا الأهوَاءَ واتبعُوا
نَهجthe path of أهوَاءٍwhims وآرَاءِand opinions
نَهج أهوَاءٍ وآرَاءِ
They blindly followed whims and pursued
They aped passions and pursued
The path of whims and opinions.
The course of passions and views
شِيبُهمtheir graybeards لِلعِلمِtoward learning إِنif جَنَحُواthey incline
شِيبُهم لِلعِلمِ إِن جَنَحُوا
لمnot يميزُواthey distinguish الكَافَkaf مِنfrom رَاءِra
لم يميزُوا الكَافَ مِن رَاءِ
Their graybeards, if they incline toward learning,
Their grey hair, if inclined to science
Cannot tell kaf from ra.
Knew not “k” from “r”
حَذِّرُوهُwarn him قبلَbefore دَاهِيةٍa calamity
حَذِّرُوهُ قبلَ دَاهِيةٍ
منamong دواهِىthe calamities of الهجوِsatire دَهيَاءِdreadful
من دواهِى الهجوِ دَهيَاءِ
Warn him before a calamity comes—
Warn him before foolhardiness
A dreadful one among the calamities of satire,
From the abyss of sarcasm
لمnot يطقcould manage دفعاrepulsion لهاof it أبَداًever
لم يطق دفعا لها أبَداً
جندُan army إخفَاءٍconcealment وإبدَاءِand open display
جندُ إخفَاءٍ وإبدَاءِ
Which could never be warded off
No troops have ever repelled them
By any host, whether hidden or openly arrayed.
Of hiding and revealing
حَذوُراwarn المصباحَal-Misbah مِنof داءٍa malady
حَذوُرا المصباحَ مِن داءٍ
مخجلٍshame-bringing بَينَamong أندَاءِassemblies
مخجلٍ بَينَ أندَاءِ
Warn al-Misbah of a malady
Beware the lamp from a malady
That brings disgrace among assemblies.
That shames among intimates
Sol 6.1