إِنَّindeed الحُمولَthe laden caravans غَداةon the morning of غربةestrangement غرَّبwent far away
إِنَّ الحُمولَ غَداة غربة غرَّب
وَلَّتturned away بِأَحسَنwith the loveliest سافِرunveiled one وَمنقبِand veiled one
وَلَّت بِأَحسَن سافِر وَمنقبِ
The laden caravans went far away that morning of estrangement,
bearing away the loveliest unveiled and veiled beauties.
فخلستso I stole مِنهاfrom them لحظةa glance فَكَأَنَّنيso it was as though I
فخلست مِنها لحظة فَكَأَنَّني
أَبصَرتI saw لمعةa flash كَوكبa star مُتَصَوِّبfalling
أَبصَرت لمعة كَوكب مُتَصَوِّب
I stole a glance at them, and it was as though I
had seen the flash of a falling star.
وَلحظننيand they glanced at me فَكَأَنَّماso it was as though انفَرجَتparted لَناfor us
وَلحظنني فَكَأَنَّما انفَرجَت لَنا
تِلكَthose البَراقِعface-veils عَنfrom جآذِرwild-ox calves رَبرَبِa herd
تِلكَ البَراقِع عَن جآذِر رَبرَبِ
They glanced at me, as though there had parted for us
those face-veils, revealing the calves of a wild-ox herd.
ونثرنَand they scattered مِنfrom صدفِthe oyster-shells of الجُفونِthe eyelids لبينناfor our parting
ونثرنَ مِن صدفِ الجُفونِ لبيننا
درينtwo kinds of pearls بَينَranging between مضرَّسtooth-shaped وَمُحَبَّبِand beadlike
درين بَينَ مضرَّس وَمُحَبَّبِ
And at our parting they scattered from their eyelids' oyster-shells
two kinds of pearls, tooth-shaped and beadlike.
دانينthey approached غُزلانthe gazelles of الصريمةthe thicket فالتَقىso there met
دانين غُزلان الصريمة فالتَقى
فيin الرَوضِthe meadow غَيرnot مربربٍherded بمربربِwith the herded
في الرَوضِ غَير مربربٍ بمربربِ
They approached the gazelles of the thicket, and there met
in the meadow the unherded with the herded.
وَإِذاand when ارتَقينthey climbed إِلىto عَوارِضthe slopes of تلعةٍa hill
وَإِذا ارتَقين إِلى عَوارِض تلعةٍ
بسمتit smiled بِدُرٍwith pearls مِنof أَقاحٍdaisies أَشنَبِfresh and cool
بسمت بِدُرٍ مِن أَقاحٍ أَشنَبِ
Whenever they climbed to the slopes of a hill,
it smiled with pearls of fresh, cool daisies.
ولثمنand they kissed نَوّارthe blossoms of الأَقاحيthe daisies غدوةin the morning
ولثمن نَوّار الأَقاحي غدوة
بِأَلَذwith something more delicious فيin الأَفواهِthe mouths مِنهthan them وَأَعذَبِand sweeter
بِأَلَذ في الأَفواهِ مِنه وَأَعذَبِ
And in the morning they kissed the daisy blossoms
with something more delicious and sweeter in the mouth than those blossoms.
وَالطَلُّand the dew يُجريmakes stream كُلَّevery مقلةeye of نرجسٍa narcissus
وَالطَلُّ يُجري كُلَّ مقلة نرجسٍ
مِنfrom فَوقabove خدthe cheek of شَقائقٍanemones لَكto you معجَبِdelightful
مِن فَوق خد شَقائقٍ لَك معجَبِ
And dew made every narcissus-eye stream
from above an anemone-cheek that wins your admiration.
أَبصَرَتI saw ملعبهاher playground القديمthe old فَدَلَّنيand guided me
أَبصَرَت ملعبها القديم فَدَلَّني
نشرwafted fragrance العَبيرperfume الوردrose نَحوtoward المَلعَبِthe playground
نشر العَبير الورد نَحو المَلعَبِ
I saw her old playground; I was guided
toward the playground by the wafted fragrance of rose perfume.
فَوَقَفتso I stood فيهاthere ذاpossessed of لِسانa tongue أَعجَمٍinarticulate
فَوَقَفت فيها ذا لِسان أَعجَمٍ
عَنabout ذِكرtelling ماwhat أَلقىI suffer وَدَمعِand tears معربِeloquent
عَن ذِكر ما أَلقى وَدَمعِ معربِ
So I stood there with a tongue unable
to tell what I suffered, but with eloquent tears.
أَبكيI weep وَيَبكيand weeps منthe one who يَعنفrebukes فيover الهَوىlove
أَبكي وَيَبكي من يَعنف في الهَوى
حَتّىuntil أَؤَنِّبI reproach فيfor البُكاءweeping مُؤَنِّبيmy reproacher
حَتّى أَؤَنِّب في البُكاء مُؤَنِّبي
I weep, and so does the one who reproaches me for love,
until I reproach, for weeping, my own reproacher.
وَدموعناand our tears صَنفانtwo kinds دمعtears ساكِبstreaming
وَدموعنا صَنفان دمع ساكِب
يَجريrun وآخرand another حائِرlingering لَمnot يُسكَبِshed
يَجري وآخر حائِر لَم يُسكَبِ
Our tears are of two kinds: one streaming tear
runs, while another lingers, still unshed.
عَذُبَwas sweet المِطالdelay لأَنَّهُbecause it was مِنfrom عندهاher side
عَذُبَ المِطال لأَنَّهُ مِن عندها
وَلَوand if أَنَّهُit were منfrom غيرِهاanyone but her لَمnot يعذبِbe sweet
وَلَو أَنَّهُ من غيرِها لَم يعذبِ
Delay was sweet because it came from her;
had it come from another, it would not have been sweet.
إِنif يُخطِنيmisses me كلفinfatuation بِهwith it فإلىthen toward جوىًburning heartache
إِن يُخطِني كلف بِه فإلى جوىً
أَوor يخطهاmisses her بَينٌseparation فنَحوthen toward تَجَنُّبِavoidance
أَو يخطها بَينٌ فنَحو تَجَنُّبِ
If yearning for it spares me, I fall into burning heartache;
or if separation spares her, she turns toward avoidance.
إِنَّindeed الحجازthe Hijaz علىdespite تَنائيthe remoteness of أَهلهits people
إِنَّ الحجاز على تَنائي أَهله
ناهيكَsuffice it for you مِنas بلَدٍa land إِليَّto me مُحَبَّبِbeloved
ناهيكَ مِن بلَدٍ إِليَّ مُحَبَّبِ
Indeed, the Hijaz, despite the remoteness of its people,
is, suffice it to say, a land beloved of me.
فَسقاهُso may it water it مُنهَمِرُthe downpour of الرَبابthe clouds كَأَنَّهُas though it were
فَسقاهُ مُنهَمِرُ الرَباب كَأَنَّهُ
يَدthe hand of جَعفرJa'far بنson of محمدMuhammad بنson of المَغربيal-Maghribi
يَد جَعفر بن محمد بن المَغربي
May the clouds' pouring rain water it, as though it were
the hand of Ja'far ibn Muhammad ibn al-Maghribi.
فَردٌpeerless يردturns back شعاعthe rays of وجهكyour face ضوؤهhis radiance
فَردٌ يرد شعاع وجهك ضوؤه
فَيظَلso he remains محتجباًhidden وَإِنeven if لَمnot يُحجبِveiled
فَيظَل محتجباً وَإِن لَم يُحجبِ
Peerless, his radiance turns back the rays of your face,
so he remains hidden, though no veil conceals him.
هوَhe نهبةplunder للمعتفينfor bounty-seekers فإِنso if بَداappears
هوَ نهبة للمعتفين فإِن بَدا
لكto you مالهhis wealth وَأَطقتand you can نَهباًplunder فانهَبِthen plunder!
لك ماله وَأَطقت نَهباً فانهَبِ
He is plunder for seekers of bounty; if there appears
to you his wealth, and you can plunder it, then plunder!
سمحgenerous الخَلائِقِin character حَظَّهُhis share
سمح الخَلائِقِ حَظَّهُ
مَمّاof what حَواهُhe possesses دونَless than حظthe share of الأَجنَبيthe stranger
مَمّا حَواهُ دونَ حظ الأَجنَبي
Generous in character, his own share
of what he possesses is smaller than the stranger's.
فالجودso generosity مِنfrom فَضلٍbounty لَدَيهِwith him مُشرِّقgoes eastward
فالجود مِن فَضلٍ لَدَيهِ مُشرِّق
أَبَداًforever وَمالand wealth فيthrough البِلادِthe lands مغربِgoes westward
أَبَداً وَمال في البِلادِ مغربِ
So generosity goes eastward from the bounty he possesses,
forever, while his wealth goes westward through the lands.
لَهِجَkept repeating اللِسانُthe tongue لِزائريهto his visitors بِمَرحبٍwith 'Welcome!'
لَهِجَ اللِسانُ لِزائريه بِمَرحبٍ
إِنَّindeed النَدىgenerosity عنوانهits sign فيin مرحَبِ'Welcome!'
إِنَّ النَدى عنوانه في مرحَبِ
His tongue keeps greeting his visitors with 'Welcome!'
For generosity's sign is in that welcome.
قَدindeed أَخصَبتgrew fertile همميmy aspirations بِهِthrough him وَلرُبَّماand often
قَد أَخصَبت هممي بِهِ وَلرُبَّما
أَنزَلَتlodged طارِقهاtheir night-visitor بِوادٍin a valley مجدبِbarren
أَنزَلَت طارِقها بِوادٍ مجدبِ
My aspirations have flourished through him, though many a time
they lodged their night-visitor in a barren valley.
غربتwere wondrous خَلائقهhis qualities وَأغربand spoke wonders واصِفٌa describer
غربت خَلائقه وَأغرب واصِفٌ
فيهِabout him فأَغرَبso excelled مغربa wonder-speaker فيabout مغربa wonder-worker
فيهِ فأَغرَب مغرب في مغرب
His qualities were wondrous, and a describer spoke wonders
of him: a wonder-speaker excelled in describing a wonder-worker.
وَكَأَنَّهُand as though he فيin كُلevery معرَكَةٍbattle لَهُof his
وَكَأَنَّهُ في كُل معرَكَةٍ لَهُ
ليثa lion لَهُfor him فيin فعلِهِhis deeds المتغضِّبِenraged
ليث لَهُ في فعلِهِ المتغضِّبِ
And in every battle of his, it is as though
he were a lion, enraged in all his deeds.
طابَتwere fair مَحائِدُهُhis evasive maneuvers وَكابَand [unclear as written] فَأَنَّماso it is as though
طابَت مَحائِدُهُ وَكابَ فَأَنَّما
تَزهىglories العُلىhigh honor بالطَيِّبِin the good man بنson of الطَيِّبِthe good man
تَزهى العُلى بالطَيِّبِ بن الطَيِّبِ
His evasive maneuvers were fair, and [word unclear]; so it is as though
high honor glories in a good man, son of a good man.
لَيسَnot الدَخيلthe newcomer إِلىto العُلىhigh honor كمعرقٍlike a man of deep lineage
لَيسَ الدَخيل إِلى العُلى كمعرقٍ
ورثinherited العُلىhigh honor بأبٍthrough a father كَريمٍnoble عَنfrom أَبِa father
ورث العُلى بأبٍ كَريمٍ عَن أَبِ
No newcomer to high honor is like a man of deep lineage,
who inherited honor through a noble father, from father to father.
تَبدوappears أَبوتهhis paternal lineage بغرةin the radiance of وجهِهِhis face
تَبدو أَبوته بغرة وجهِهِ
وَعَلىand in شَمائِلِهِhis qualities وَإِنeven if لَمnot يُنسَبِhis lineage is stated
وَعَلى شَمائِلِهِ وَإِن لَم يُنسَبِ
His paternal lineage shows in the radiance of his face
and in his qualities, even without his ancestry being named.
يَفتَضُّdeflowers أَبكارthe virgins of المَعانيmeanings قائِلاًspeaking
يَفتَضُّ أَبكار المَعاني قائِلاً
أَوor كاتِباًwriting وَيديمand keeps up هجرabandoning الثيبِthe nonvirgins
أَو كاتِباً وَيديم هجر الثيبِ
He deflowers virgin meanings, whether speaking
or writing, and constantly shuns the nonvirgin ones.
متَيقظalert أَخشىI fear عَلَيهِfor him إِذاwhen ارتأىhe reflects
متَيقظ أَخشى عَلَيهِ إِذا ارتأى
مِنbecause of رأيهِhis thought المتوقدblazing المُتَلَهِّبِflaming
مِن رأيهِ المتوقد المُتَلَهِّبِ
He is ever alert; I fear for him whenever he reflects,
because of his blazing, flaming thought.
لماwhen كملتyou attained perfection نطقتI spoke فيكof you بِمَنطِقٍwith speech
لما كملت نطقت فيك بِمَنطِقٍ
حقtruthful فَلَمso not آثمI sin ولَمand not أَتحَوَّبِI feel guilty scruples
حق فَلَم آثم ولَم أَتحَوَّبِ
When you attained perfection, I spoke of you in words
of truth; I neither sinned nor felt guilty scruples.
حَتّىeven لَوif أَنَّthat الدَهرTime ظلremained مُصادِميmy adversary
حَتّى لَو أَنَّ الدَهر ظل مُصادِمي
لهددتI would shatter منكبهits shoulder الشديدstrong بِمنكبيwith my shoulder
لهددت منكبه الشديد بِمنكبي
Even if Time were to keep opposing me,
I would shatter its mighty shoulder with my shoulder.
فيin كَفهhis palm قلمa pen يَنوبُstands in بِحَدِّهِby its edge
في كَفه قلم يَنوبُ بِحَدِّهِ
عَنfor حدthe edge of كلevery مثقَّفٍstraightened spear وَمشطَّبِand grooved sword
عَن حد كل مثقَّفٍ وَمشطَّبِ
In his palm is a pen whose edge stands in
for the edge of every straightened spear and grooved sword.
قلمa pen أَقامstayed in place وَلفظهand its words مُتداوِلٌcirculating
قلم أَقام وَلفظه مُتداوِلٌ
ماwhat lies بَينَbetween مشرقِthe rising-place of شَمسَهاtheir sun وَالمغربِand the west
ما بَينَ مشرقِ شَمسَها وَالمغربِ
A pen that stays in place, while its words circulate
between the rising-place of their sun and the west.
وَيَفضُّand breaks open ختمthe seal of كِتابِهِhis letter عنto reveal كُتبهِhis writings
وَيَفضُّ ختم كِتابِهِ عن كُتبهِ
كالدُرِّlike pearls إِلّاexcept أَنَّهُthat it لَمnot يثقَبِwas pierced
كالدُرِّ إِلّا أَنَّهُ لَم يثقَبِ
And his letter's seal is broken to reveal his writings,
like pearls, except that they have not been pierced.
لِلَهُGod be praised for آلthe house of المغربيal-Maghribi فَأنَّهُمfor they
لِلَهُ آل المغربي فَأنَّهُم
كَنزthe treasure of الفَقيرthe poor وَنجعةand the pasture of المتأدِّبِthe student of letters
كَنز الفَقير وَنجعة المتأدِّبِ
God be praised for the house of al-Maghribi, for they are
the poor man's treasure and the learned seeker's pasture.
وَإِلَيهمُand in them لَوif أَنصفwere fair الناسpeople انتهتculminated
وَإِلَيهمُ لَو أَنصف الناس انتهت
شُعَبُthe branches of الفَصاحةeloquence وابتَدتand began فيwith يَعربِYa'rub
شُعَبُ الفَصاحة وابتَدت في يَعربِ
And in them, were people fair, would culminate
the branches of eloquence that began with Ya'rub.
أَهلmasters of الفَصاحةeloquence وَالصباحةand beauty وَالرجاand sound judg-
أَهل الفَصاحة وَالصباحة وَالرجا
حة-ment وَالسماحةand generosity وَالكَلامand speech المعرَّبِin correct Arabic
حة وَالسماحة وَالكَلام المعرَّبِ
Masters of eloquence, beauty, and sound
judgment, generosity, and well-formed Arabic speech.
شَهَرواwere famed بِفضلهمfor their merit وَهَلand can يَخفىbe hidden علىfrom
شَهَروا بِفضلهم وَهَل يَخفى على
ذيone with ناظِرٍan eye شِيَةَthe hue of الصَباحِmorning الأَشهَبِgray-white
ذي ناظِرٍ شِيَةَ الصَباحِ الأَشهَبِ
They are famed for their merit; can there be hidden from
one with eyes the hue of the gray-white dawn?
لَوif يَستَرونthey conceal نفوسهمthemselves قالsaid النَدىgenerosity
لَو يَستَرون نفوسهم قال النَدى
لِشَواهِدِto the witnesses of العَلياءhigh honor قَوميrise! فاخطُبيthen proclaim!
لِشَواهِدِ العَلياء قَومي فاخطُبي
Were they to hide themselves, generosity would say
to the witnesses of high honor: 'Rise and proclaim!'
قَومa people لَهُمtheirs is صدرthe foremost place in الدسوتِassemblies إِذاwhen هَمّواthey intend
قَوم لَهُم صدر الدسوتِ إِذا هَمّوا
جَلَسواthey sit وَإِنand if رَكبواthey ride فصدرthen the head of الموكَبِthe procession
جَلَسوا وَإِن رَكبوا فصدر الموكَبِ
A people with the chief seats in assemblies whenever they choose
to sit; and if they ride, theirs is the head of the procession.
لَمnot تَخلُlacked أَرضa land مِنهُمُfrom among them مِنof صَيبٍa raincloud
لَم تَخلُ أَرض مِنهُمُ مِن صَيبٍ
وَسماءand a sky of مُجدٍglory منهُمُfrom among them مِنof كَوكَبِa star
وَسماء مُجدٍ منهُمُ مِن كَوكَبِ
No land lacks a raincloud from among them,
nor any sky of glory a star from among them.
وَمهذَّبونand refined men مُهَذَّبونrefined men وَلَنand never تَرىyou will see
وَمهذَّبون مُهَذَّبون وَلَن تَرى
فيin النائِباتcalamities مُهَذِّباًa refiner كمهذَّبِlike a refined man
في النائِبات مُهَذِّباً كمهذَّبِ
And refined men, refined indeed; never will you see
amid calamities a refiner like a refined man.
كهفa refuge for اللَهيفِthe distressed وَروضand a meadow for مرتادa seeker of النَدىbounty
كهف اللَهيفِ وَروض مرتاد النَدى
وَغِنىand wealth for الفقيرthe poor وَأوبةand a homecoming for المتغَرِّبِthe one far from home
وَغِنى الفقير وَأوبة المتغَرِّبِ
A refuge for the distressed, a meadow for the seeker of bounty,
wealth for the poor, and a homecoming for the man far from home.
وَأَبواand Abu عبيد'Ubayd اللَهِAllah درةُthe jewel of تاجِهِمtheir crown
وَأَبوا عبيد اللَهِ درةُ تاجِهِم
وَسوادُand the dark pupil of ناظِرِهِمtheir eye وَقلبُand the heart of المُقَنِبِthe cavalry troop
وَسوادُ ناظِرِهِم وَقلبُ المُقَنِبِ
And Abu 'Ubayd Allah is the jewel of their crown,
the pupil of their eye and the heart of their cavalry troop.
وَلَوand if أَنَّthat إِنساناًa person مِنَamong الناسpeople ادَّعىclaimed
وَلَو أَنَّ إِنساناً مِنَ الناس ادَّعى
لَهُمfor them الفَضائلthe virtues كُلَّهاall of them لَمnot يكذبِhe would lie
لَهُم الفَضائل كُلَّها لَم يكذبِ
And if anyone among mankind were to claim
all virtues for them, he would not lie.
هُمthey حُلَّةthe robe of المَجدِglory القَديمancient وَجعفرand Ja'far
هُم حُلَّة المَجدِ القَديم وَجعفر
ماan emphatic particle بينهمamong them مثلlike الطرازِthe embroidery المذهَّبِgilded
ما بينهم مثل الطرازِ المذهَّبِ
They are the robe of ancient glory, and Ja'far,
among them, is like its gilded embroidery.
ياO طالِبseeker of الرِزقِsustenance الجَزيلَabundant ومنand whoever غَداsets out
يا طالِب الرِزقِ الجَزيلَ ومن غَدا
فيamong الناسpeople راجيhoping for الفضلِbounty مِنas مُتَطَلِّبِa petitioner
في الناس راجي الفضلِ مِن مُتَطَلِّبِ
O seeker of plentiful sustenance, and whoever sets out
among people hoping for bounty, as a petitioner,
لاdo not تطلبنَّever seek الرِزقَsustenance إِلّاexcept مِنهُمواfrom them
لا تطلبنَّ الرِزقَ إِلّا مِنهُموا
فَإِنso if استربتyou doubt بِماabout what أَقولُI say فجرِّبِthen try!
فَإِن استربت بِما أَقولُ فجرِّبِ
never seek sustenance from any but them;
so if you doubt what I say, try for yourself.
كَيفَhow التأخُّرholding back عَنهمfrom them وَلقاؤهمwhile meeting them
كَيفَ التأخُّر عَنهم وَلقاؤهم
مِنfrom بَعدِafter تَقوىreverence for اللَهِGod أَنجَحُmost fruitful مطلَبِpursuit
مِن بَعدِ تَقوى اللَهِ أَنجَحُ مطلَبِ
How can one hold back from them, when meeting them,
after reverence for God, is the most fruitful pursuit?
فلأكسونَّهُمthen I will surely clothe them المَدائِحَpraises مِثلَlike ماwhat
فلأكسونَّهُم المَدائِحَ مِثلَ ما
قَدalready البَسونيthey clothed me مِنwith نَوالٍbounty مُقِثبِample
قَد البَسوني مِن نَوالٍ مُقِثبِ
Then I will surely clothe them in praises, just as
they have clothed me in ample bounty:
مَدحاًpraise تُناشِدُهُrecite it to one another الشيوخُthe elders إِذاwhen خَلواthey are alone
مَدحاً تُناشِدُهُ الشيوخُ إِذا خَلوا
طَرباًin delight وَيُنشدهand recites it الفَتىthe youth فيin المكتَبِthe schoolroom
طَرباً وَيُنشده الفَتى في المكتَبِ
praise that elders recite to one another when alone,
in delight, and that a youth recites in the schoolroom.
دامواmay they endure ودامand may endure العزhonor يخدمُserves جَدّهمtheir fortune
داموا ودام العز يخدمُ جَدّهم
وَيسُدُّand wards off عنهمfrom them كلevery خطبcalamity مُنكِبِruinous
وَيسُدُّ عنهم كل خطب مُنكِبِ
May they endure, and honor endure, serving their fortune
and shielding them from every ruinous calamity,
ماas long as لاحَshines ضوءthe light of البَدرِthe full moon فيin أُفُقِthe horizon of العُلىthe heights
ما لاحَ ضوء البَدرِ في أُفُقِ العُلى
وَبَداand appears الصَباحُmorning فَشَقَّthen splits دِرعُthe armor of الغَيهَبِdeep darkness
وَبَدا الصَباحُ فَشَقَّ دِرعُ الغَيهَبِ
as long as the full moon's light gleams on the lofty horizon
and morning appears, rending the armor of deep darkness.
Sol 6.1