هَوِيتُI fell in love فَقَالُواso they said لِيto me تَسَلَّforget your love أَوor ارعَوِdesist
هَوِيتُ فَقَالُوا لِي تَسَلَّ أَو ارعَوِ
وكَيفُand how تسَلِّيforgetting love ذِيone possessed of هَوًىpassion بَعدَafter أنthat هَوِيhe fell in love
وكَيفُ تسَلِّي ذِي هَوًى بَعدَ أن هَوِي
I fell in love, and they told me, “Forget your love, or desist.”
They told me to forget or beware
How can a lover forget, after falling in love?
But how can one who loves forget love after having loved?
كَلِفتُI became enamored بِمَنwith one who أسقَىgave drink to فُؤَادِيَّmy heart حُبُّهَاher love
كَلِفتُ بِمَن أسقَى فُؤَادِيَّ حُبُّهَا
غَرَامَينِtwo passions بَينِيًّاseparation-born وآخَرَand another مَغنَوِيspiritual (uncertain reading)
غَرَامَينِ بَينِيًّا وآخَرَ مَغنَوِي
I became enamored of her whose love made my heart drink
I was burdened with one whose love quenched my heart
Two passions: one born of separation, another spiritual [reading uncertain].
My passion was for a beauty and for one who sings
سَبَانيcaptured me ظبيa gazelle سَاحِرُenchanting اللَّحظِthe glance فَاتِرٌlanguid
سَبَاني ظبي سَاحِرُ اللَّحظِ فَاتِرٌ
بِلَونَينِwith two hues فِيهِin him أسنَوِىٍّradiant (uncertain reading) وأَلمَوِيand dusky-lipped
بِلَونَينِ فِيهِ أسنَوِىٍّ وأَلمَوِي
A gazelle captured me, enchanting and languid of glance,
A gazelle enchanted me, with languid glance and charm
With two hues in him: radiant and dusky.
Of two colors in it, one dark and one bright
رُكًَامِيُّheaped-up أردَافٍhips عُقَارِىُّwine-like رِيقَةٍsaliva
رُكًَامِيُّ أردَافٍ عُقَارِىُّ رِيقَةٍ
عَلَىupon المِسكِmusk واليَاقُوتِand ruby والرَّاحِand wine مُحتَوِcontaining
عَلَى المِسكِ واليَاقُوتِ والرَّاحِ مُحتَوِ
With heaped-up hips and wine-like saliva,
Smooth-cheeked, velvet-thighed, scented breath
Containing musk, ruby, and wine.
Of musk, ruby, and spirits she is redolent
بَدَاappeared لِيَto me مِنهُfrom him فيin تَدلُّلِهِhis coquetry اجتِواًaversion
بَدَا لِيَ مِنهُ في تَدلُّلِهِ اجتِواً
وإنيand indeed I لِمَنtoward whoever هُوَّhe اجتَوَانيshunned me لُمجتَوِsurely averse
وإني لِمَن هُوَّ اجتَوَاني لُمجتَوِ
In his coquetry, his aversion became apparent to me,
I saw her flirting, wiggling, teasing me
And I am surely averse to whoever has shunned me.
And I who am teased by coquetry am helpless
جَفَانيhe shunned me بَلاwithout ذَنبٍa fault لأرضاءِto please غَادِرٍa traitor
جَفَاني بَلا ذَنبٍ لأرضاءِ غَادِرٍ
غَوِيٍّwayward وَأمسَىand became خَادِمَservant of الغَادِرِthe traitor الغَوِيthe wayward one
غَوِيٍّ وَأمسَى خَادِمَ الغَادِرِ الغَوِي
He shunned me without fault on my part, to please a traitor,
Without cause he shunned me to please a traitor
A wayward man—and became the wayward traitor’s servant.
Misguided and became the slave of an unguided traitor
أُنَادِيهِI call him بِالمصبَاحِby “al-Misbah” (“the Lamp”) مِثلlike مَفَازَةٍa desert (literally, place of escape)
أُنَادِيهِ بِالمصبَاحِ مِثل مَفَازَةٍ
وَلَمand did not يَدرknow اللهُGod مَاwhat هُوhe مَنتَوِintending
وَلَم يَدر اللهُ مَا هُو مَنتَوِ
I call him “al-Misbah,” “the Lamp,” as a desert is called a “place of escape”;
I call him by lamplight like a desert traveler lost
And God did not know what he intended.
But God knows not what he intends
أغَدَّارُO traitor لاَdo not تَتعَبtire yourself فَلَستَfor you are not بِشَاعِرٍa poet
أغَدَّارُ لاَ تَتعَب فَلَستَ بِشَاعِرٍ
فَصاحِبso befriend مَذَاقاًa false friend (uncertain reading) وَأحسُand sip حَيساًḥays (dates, ghee, and curds) أوor أدَّوِseek a cure
فَصاحِب مَذَاقاً وَأحسُ حَيساً أو أدَّوِ
O traitor, do not tire yourself: you are no poet.
Inconstant one, do not weary yourself, for you are no poet
So befriend a false friend; sip ḥays, or seek a cure.
So seek a man of taste who feels or composes finest verse
بُلِيتَyou were afflicted بِدَاءٍwith a disease مِنfrom هِجَائِىَmy satire مُعضِلٍintractable
بُلِيتَ بِدَاءٍ مِن هِجَائِىَ مُعضِلٍ
دويgrievous وَدَاءٍand a disease فِيكَin you مِنfrom حُمُقٍstupidity دويgrievous
دوي وَدَاءٍ فِيكَ مِن حُمُقٍ دوي
You are afflicted with an intractable disease from my satire,
You are afflicted with a fatal illness from my biting satire
A grievous one—and a grievous disease of stupidity within you.
An illness in you from stupidity ever-flowing
فَنَعلُكُso your sandal قَدalready زَلَّتslipped وأصبَحَتَand you became هَاوياًfalling
فَنَعلُكُ قَد زَلَّت وأصبَحَتَ هَاوياً
كَماas قَدalready هَوَىfell مِنfrom قُلَّةِthe summit of النِّيقِthe crag مَنهَوِone falling
كَما قَد هَوَى مِن قُلَّةِ النِّيقِ مَنهَوِ
Your sandal has slipped, and now you are falling,
Your shoes have slipped and you have fallen headlong
Like one who has fallen from a crag’s summit.
As one of little propriety fell in his swooning
فَأصلُكَso your root مَذمُومٌblameworthy وَفرعُكَand your branch ذِلَّةٌhumiliation
فَأصلُكَ مَذمُومٌ وَفرعُكَ ذِلَّةٌ
وَهُونُكًand your abasement مُخضَرٌّverdant ومَجدُكَand your glory قَدalready ذويwithered
وَهُونُكً مُخضَرٌّ ومَجدُكَ قَد ذوي
Your root is blameworthy, and your branch is humiliation;
So your origin is condemned and your branch disgraced
Your abasement is verdant, while your glory has withered.
Your present is vile while your glory is faded
وَبطنُكَand your belly مَملُوءٌfull وَضيفُكَand your guest جَائِعٌhungry
وَبطنُكَ مَملُوءٌ وَضيفُكَ جَائِعٌ
وَفسِقُكَand your depravity مَنبي[unclear form] ودِينُكَand your faith قَدalready خويfell to ruin
وَفسِقُكَ مَنبي ودِينُكَ قَد خوي
Your belly is full, while your guest is hungry.
Your belly is filled but your guest is hungry
Your depravity is [unclear], and your faith has fallen to ruin.
Your debauchery flourishes but your religion is diminished
ومَالُكُand your wealth مَحمىٌّprotected وعِرضُكُand your honor ضَائِعٌlost
ومَالُكُ مَحمىٌّ وعِرضُكُ ضَائِعٌ
وَهَجوُكُand satire against you مَنشُورٌspread abroad ومَدحُكَand praise of you مُنطَوِfolded away
وَهَجوُكُ مَنشُورٌ ومَدحُكَ مُنطَوِ
Your wealth is protected, while your honor is lost.
Your wealth is hoarded while your honor is lost
Satire against you is spread abroad, while praise of you is folded away.
Your slander flourishes but praise of you is folded
وَإنand if تُدعَyou are summoned لِلجُلَّىto a grave affair انزَوَيتَyou withdrew مُحَاذِراًfearful
وَإن تُدعَ لِلجُلَّى انزَوَيتَ مُحَاذِراً
وَتَنقَادُand you yield لِلعَورَاءِto shameful things وَمَدحُكَand praise of you مُنطُوِfolded away
وَتَنقَادُ لِلعَورَاءِ وَمَدحُكَ مُنطُوِ
If called to a grave affair, you shrink away in fear;
If called to a party, you shy away cautiously
You yield to shameful things, while praise of you is folded away.
But are led by the blind while praise of you is folded
وَلَوand if كُنتَyou were حَيًّاalive مُتَّyou would have died انزَويتَyou withdrew مُحَاذِراًfearful
وَلَو كُنتَ حَيًّا مُتَّ انزَويتَ مُحَاذِراً
يَضُرُّharms الهِجَاءُsatire الحَىَّthe living والبَشَرَand human beings السويsound
يَضُرُّ الهِجَاءُ الحَىَّ والبَشَرَ السوي
Had you been alive, you would have died; you shrank away in fear.
If you were alive when called you'd shy away cautiously
Satire harms the living and sound human beings.
Satire hurts the living and the sound person
طَلَبتَyou sought مِنَfrom الدَّجَّالِthe Dajjal (deceiver) هَدياًguidance وَرِفعَةًand elevation
طَلَبتَ مِنَ الدَّجَّالِ هَدياً وَرِفعَةً
فَأُغرِقتَso you were drowned فيin بَحرِthe sea of الضَّلاَلاَتِdelusions والهويand desire
فَأُغرِقتَ في بَحرِ الضَّلاَلاَتِ والهوي
You sought guidance and elevation from the Dajjal,
You sought from the deceiver a gift and promotion
And were drowned in the sea of delusions and desire.
So you drowned in an ocean of misguidance and passion
وَقَدand indeed خَسِرَlost الدًّنيَاthis world والآخرَةَand the hereafter امرُؤٌa man
وَقَد خَسِرَ الدًّنيَا والآخرَةَ امرُؤٌ
أتَاهُcame to him لأمرٍfor a matter دِنيويworldly أوor أُخرويotherworldly
أتَاهُ لأمرٍ دِنيوي أو أُخروي
Indeed, a man has lost this world and the next
A man who came to a worldly or religious matter has lost
Who came to him for a worldly or otherworldly concern.
Both this world and the next
أمَنis one who ضَمَّjoined خُبثاًfoulness مَعنَوِيًّاinward وَظَاهِراًand outward
أمَن ضَمَّ خُبثاً مَعنَوِيًّا وَظَاهِراً
إِلَىto خُبثِfoulness of أصلٍlineage ظَاهِرِىٍّoutward وَمَعنويand inward
إِلَى خُبثِ أصلٍ ظَاهِرِىٍّ وَمَعنوي
What of one who joined inward and outward foulness
Who gathered inward and outward wickedness
To foulness of lineage, outward and inward,
To inward and outward wickedness of origin?
وحُلِّىءَand was driven away عَنfrom بَحرِthe sea of التَّعَلُّمِlearning فَانثَنَىthen turned back
وحُلِّىءَ عَن بَحرِ التَّعَلُّمِ فَانثَنَى
وَطُرِّدَand was expelled عَنfrom نَهجِthe path of التَعَبُّدِdevotion واجتويand was shunned
وَطُرِّدَ عَن نَهجِ التَعَبُّدِ واجتوي
And was driven from the sea of learning, then turned away,
And was prevented from the sea of learning, so he recoiled
And was expelled from the path of devotion and shunned,
And was expelled from the path of devotion, and was passionate
وَشُلَّand was crippled عَنِfrom التَّقويpiety إِلَىuntil أنthat بَدَتappeared بِin/with (fragment)
وَشُلَّ عَنِ التَّقوي إِلَى أن بَدَت بِ
عَلاَمَاتُsigns كُفرٍunbelief بِالوِلاَيةِin sainthood احروي[unclear form]
عَلاَمَاتُ كُفرٍ بِالوِلاَيةِ احروي
And was kept from piety, until there appeared in...
And was lax in piety until the signs appeared in him
Signs of unbelief in sainthood—[final word unclear]?
Of disbelief in loyalty. Shun him!
فَلَستَso you are not وَإنeven if ظَنُّوكَthey thought you كٌفئاًan equal مُكَافِئاًa match
فَلَستَ وَإن ظَنُّوكَ كٌفئاً مُكَافِئاً
فَلَيسَfor it is not النَّضِيرُlush الغَضُّtender كَالكَلأِlike herbage اللويwithered
فَلَيسَ النَّضِيرُ الغَضُّ كَالكَلأِ اللوي
You are no match, even if they think you an equal;
You are not, though they reckon you an equivalent
Lush, tender growth is not like withered herbage.
For faded weed is not like luxuriant herbage
وِإنَّand indeed امرَءاًa man لَمdid not يَغشَcover مُقلَتَهhis eye العَمَىblindness
وِإنَّ امرَءاً لَم يَغشَ مُقلَتَه العَمَى
ولَيسَand is not عَلَىagainst المَذمُومِthe censured man مِنany كَذِبٍfalsehood طويharboring (uncertain reading)
ولَيسَ عَلَى المَذمُومِ مِن كَذِبٍ طوي
A man whose eye has not been clouded by blindness,
A man, his blindness does not deceive
And who harbors no lies against the man censured,
Is not to be blamed for lies he does voice
يَرىsees السِّيدَthe wolf فيin بَيدَائِهِits desert مُتضَوِّراًwrithing with hunger
يَرى السِّيدَ في بَيدَائِهِ مُتضَوِّراً
مَعَalongside اللَّيثِthe lion فيin عَرِّيسِهِits lair غَيرُnot مُستويequal
مَعَ اللَّيثِ في عَرِّيسِهِ غَيرُ مُستوي
Sees the wolf, writhing with hunger in its desert,
He sees the master in his coarse mantle
As unequal to the lion in its lair.
With the lion in his den, though unequal
Sol 6.1