ياO لَيلَةًnight شكرthanked الهَوىlove أَحبابُهاits lovers
يا لَيلَةً شكر الهَوى أَحبابُها
رَقَّتgrew delicate حَواشيهاits edges وَطابَand grew pleasant جنابُهاits precincts
رَقَّت حَواشيها وَطابَ جنابُها
O night whose lovers thanked love!
Delicate were its edges, pleasant its precincts.
ماhow كانَwas أَقرَبclose شَرقَهاits east مِنto غَربِهاits west
ما كانَ أَقرَب شَرقَها مِن غَربِها
وَأَقَلُّand how little ماthe extent to which حجبconcealed الصَباحthe morning حِجابُهاits veil
وَأَقَلُّ ما حجب الصَباح حِجابُها
How near its east was to its west,
and how little its veil concealed the morning!
أَهدَتoffered لَناto us أَسماءAsma وَرداًa rose زاهِراًblooming
أَهدَت لَنا أَسماء وَرداً زاهِراً
فيهاin it وَغُصناًand a bough يَزدَهيهِadorns it شَبابُهاher youth
فيها وَغُصناً يَزدَهيهِ شَبابُها
Asma offered us a blooming rose
that night, and a bough adorned by her youth.
فَالغُصنُso the bough مِنهاof her ماwhat حَواهُenclosed it وشاحهاher sash
فَالغُصنُ مِنها ما حَواهُ وشاحها
وَالوَردُand the rose مِنهاof her ماwhat يَضُمُّencloses نِقابُهاher face-veil
وَالوَردُ مِنها ما يَضُمُّ نِقابُها
Her bough was what her sash enclosed;
her rose was what her veil enfolded.
ظَلَّتshe remained وَقَدand already حلتshe loosened ذَوائبthe tresses of شعرهاher hair
ظَلَّت وَقَد حلت ذَوائب شعرها
بِبنانهاwith her fingertips فَتَهَدَّلَتso hung loose أَورابُهاits strands
بِبنانها فَتَهَدَّلَت أَورابُها
She lingered, having loosened her hair's tresses
with her fingertips, so its strands hung down.
كالجَنَّةِlike the garden الزَهراءradiant طافَwandered بكرمِهاthrough its vines
كالجَنَّةِ الزَهراء طافَ بكرمِها
عنابهاits jujubes فَتَناثَرَتso scattered أَعنابُهاits grapes
عنابها فَتَناثَرَت أَعنابُها
Like a radiant garden, through whose vines wandered
its jujubes, so that its grapes fell scattered.
وَتَبَسَّمَتand she smiled وَالكأسwhile the cup حَشوfilling بَنانِهاher fingers
وَتَبَسَّمَت وَالكأس حَشو بَنانِها
فَرَأَيتُso I found مِثلَlike الكَأسthe cup طابَgrew sweet رضابُهاher saliva
فَرَأَيتُ مِثلَ الكَأس طابَ رضابُها
She smiled, the cup nestled in her fingers;
I found her saliva sweet, like the cup.
فَلثغرهاso for her mouth وَلريقِهاand for her saliva وَلطيبِهاand for her perfume
فَلثغرها وَلريقِها وَلطيبِها
نَفحاتِهاits fragrant wafts وَحبابِهاand its bubbles وَشَرابُهاand its wine
نَفحاتِها وَحبابِها وَشَرابُها
Her mouth, her saliva, and her perfume share
its fragrant breaths, its bubbles, and its wine.
وَالأَقحوانand the daisy عَلىupon الشَقائقthe anemones ناثِرٌscattering
وَالأَقحوان عَلى الشَقائق ناثِرٌ
أَوراقهits petals نثرthe scattering of القُطارraindrops سحابهاtheir clouds
أَوراقه نثر القُطار سحابها
The daisy over the anemones scatters
its petals as clouds scatter raindrops.
فَتَراهماso you see them both كالكأسlike the cup عِندَat طُلوعِهاits rising
فَتَراهما كالكأس عِندَ طُلوعِها
هَذاthis لَهُfor it راحٌwine وَذاكَand that حُبابُهاits bubbles
هَذا لَهُ راحٌ وَذاكَ حُبابُها
You see the two like the cup as it rises:
this is its wine, and that its bubbles.
لِلَهِto God, in admiration كاساتٌcups ثَلاثٌthree جَمَّعَتcombined
لِلَهِ كاساتٌ ثَلاثٌ جَمَّعَت
لِذاتِهاtheir delights فَتَناسَبَتso harmonized أَسبابُهاtheir affinities
لِذاتِها فَتَناسَبَت أَسبابُها
How wondrous are three cups that combined
their delights, so their affinities harmonized.
وَلَقَدand indeed نعمتI delighted بِهاin them لَياليَduring the nights لَمّتيmy locks
وَلَقَد نعمت بِها لَياليَ لَمّتي
تَعزيare traced إِلىto أَهلthe people of الضَنىwasting sickness أَنسابُهاtheir lineages
تَعزي إِلى أَهل الضَنى أَنسابُها
I delighted in them in the nights when my locks
traced their lineage to the folk of wasting sickness.
حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen لَعِبَplayed المَشيبgray hair بِحُسنِهاwith their beauty
حَتّى إِذا لَعِبَ المَشيب بِحُسنِها
عزَفَتturned away لَهُbecause of it نَفسيmy soul وَزالَand ceased لُعابُهاits saliva
عزَفَت لَهُ نَفسي وَزالَ لُعابُها
Until, when gray hair played with their beauty,
my soul turned from it, and its mouth stopped watering.
ليI have عِندَin the keeping of أَياميmy days تُراثa legacy لَوif غَدَتthey became
لي عِندَ أَيامي تُراث لَو غَدَت
مَحسوبَةreckoned أَعياproved too hard عَليَّfor me حِسابُهاtheir reckoning
مَحسوبَة أَعيا عَليَّ حِسابُها
My days hold a legacy for me; were they
reckoned up, their reckoning would defeat me.
صاحبتهاI accompanied them عشرينtwenty حَولاًyears كامِلاًfull
صاحبتها عشرين حَولاً كامِلاً
سَيراًtravelling وَقَدwhile already مَلَّgrew weary of السُرىnight travel أَصحابُهاtheir companions
سَيراً وَقَد مَلَّ السُرى أَصحابُها
I kept their company for twenty full years,
travelling, while their companions tired of night journeys.
طوراًat one time أَغورُI descend to lowlands وَتارَةًand at another time أَعلوI ascend الذُرىthe summits
طوراً أَغورُ وَتارَةً أَعلو الذُرى
وَتمُجُّنيand spit me out أَهضامُهاtheir hollows وَهِضابُهاand their plateaus
وَتمُجُّني أَهضامُها وَهِضابُها
At times I descend to lowlands, at times climb the heights;
their hollows and plateaus spit me out.
وَكَأَنَّنيand as though I were فيin الغَورِthe lowland سِرٌّa secret ضائِعٌlost
وَكَأَنَّني في الغَورِ سِرٌّ ضائِعٌ
وَكَأَنَّنيand as though I were فَوقَabove العِقابthe mountain passes عِقابُهاtheir eagle
وَكَأَنَّني فَوقَ العِقاب عِقابُها
In the lowland I am like a lost secret,
and above the mountain passes, like their eagle.
فيin حَيثa place where لاnot يَلقىmeets الغَريبthe stranger غُرابهاits raven
في حَيث لا يَلقى الغَريب غُرابها
أَبَداًever وَلاand not يَرجوhopes for الأَيابreturn ذُبابُهاits flies
أَبَداً وَلا يَرجو الأَياب ذُبابُها
Where no stranger meets its raven,
ever, nor do its flies hope to return.
يَرميstrike الوجوهَthe faces سِهامِهاits arrows وَالشَمand the sun (continued)
يَرمي الوجوهَ سِهامِها وَالشَم
سُcompletion of 'sun' يَلعَبُplays فيin الفجاجthe mountain passes لعابُهاits spittle
سُ يَلعَبُ في الفجاج لعابُها
Its arrows strike faces, and the sun's
spittle plays among the mountain passes.
أَلقىI face بِحُرِّwith the exposed part of الوَجهthe face حُرَّthe heat of هجيرهاits noonday
أَلقى بِحُرِّ الوَجه حُرَّ هجيرها
وَكَذاكَand likewise دأبيmy habit فيin الأَصيلِlate afternoon وَدابُهاand its habit
وَكَذاكَ دأبي في الأَصيلِ وَدابُها
I meet its scorching noon with my bare face;
such is my way in late afternoon, and its way as well.
فيin كُلِّall ذَلِكَthat أَبتَغيI seek حُرّاًa noble man لَهُwho has
في كُلِّ ذَلِكَ أَبتَغي حُرّاً لَهُ
نَفسa soul تَميلincline إِلىtoward العُلىgreatness آدابُهاits virtues
نَفس تَميل إِلى العُلى آدابُها
Through all this I seek a noble man who has
a soul whose virtues incline toward greatness.
حَتّىuntil رَأيتُI saw الكامِلthe perfect man العَلَمthe beacon الَّذيwho
حَتّى رَأيتُ الكامِل العَلَم الَّذي
عطفتturned إِلَيهِtoward him مِنَamong الأَنامِhumankind رِقابُهاtheir necks
عطفت إِلَيهِ مِنَ الأَنامِ رِقابُها
Until I saw the perfect man, the beacon to whom
the necks of humankind turned.
لَمّاwhen أَنخَتI made my camel kneel إِلىat ذراهhis shelter مؤمِّلاًhopeful
لَمّا أَنخَت إِلى ذراه مؤمِّلاً
هانَتbecame easy عَليَّfor me مِنَamong الأُمورِaffairs صِعابُهاtheir difficulties
هانَت عَليَّ مِنَ الأُمورِ صِعابُها
When I made my camel kneel by his shelter, full of hope,
the difficulties of affairs became easy for me.
لِلَّهِto God دَرُّكَyour excellence أَيُّwhat a كاشِفٍdispeller of كُربَةٍdistress
لِلَّهِ دَرُّكَ أَيُّ كاشِفٍ كُربَةٍ
كثرgrew numerous الجَوابُthe answers بِهاconcerning it وَقَلَّand grew scarce صَوابُهاtheir soundness
كثر الجَوابُ بِها وَقَلَّ صَوابُها
God bless you! What a dispeller of distress,
for which answers abounded but right answers were few!
يَهديهمُhe guides them طُرُقَthe paths of الأَصابةsound judgment بَعدَماafter
يَهديهمُ طُرُقَ الأَصابة بَعدَما
حارََتwere bewildered بِهِby it مِنof مَعشَرa company البابُهاits minds
حارََت بِهِ مِن مَعشَر البابُها
He guides them to the paths of sound judgment, after
a company's minds were bewildered by it.
رَفَعتُI raised بِهِمَّتِكَthrough your resolve المَمالِكthe kingdoms عَهدَهاtheir covenant
رَفَعتُ بِهِمَّتِكَ المَمالِك عَهدَها
وَتَمَسَّكتُand I grasped أَقوىthe strongest of العرىthe bonds أَطنابُهاtheir tent-ropes
وَتَمَسَّكتُ أَقوى العرى أَطنابُها
Through your resolve I raised the kingdoms' covenant,
and grasped their tent-ropes, the strongest bonds.
تَتَساقَطُfall one after another الأَعداءthe enemies حَولَكَaround you رَهبَةًin terror
تَتَساقَطُ الأَعداء حَولَكَ رَهبَةً
وَتَظَلُّand keep تَرميhurling بِالدَنيّwith vile abuse غِضابِهاtheir angry ones
وَتَظَلُّ تَرمي بِالدَنيّ غِضابِها
Enemies fall all around you in terror,
while their angry ones keep hurling vile abuse.
يَبدونthey display عِندَكَin your presence ذِلَّةًabasement وَمَهابَةًand awe
يَبدون عِندَكَ ذِلَّةً وَمَهابَةً
وَإِذاand when بعدfar away تَكَشَّرَتwere bared أَنيابُهاtheir fangs
وَإِذا بعد تَكَشَّرَت أَنيابُها
In your presence they show abasement and awe;
at a distance, their fangs are bared.
مِثلَlike الكِلابdogs السائِماتِroaming freely وَإِنَّماand only
مِثلَ الكِلاب السائِماتِ وَإِنَّما
مِثلَlike الكِلابdogs مِنَamong الأنامِhumankind كِلابُهاits dogs
مِثلَ الكِلاب مِنَ الأنامِ كِلابُها
Like roaming dogs—and only
the dogs among humankind resemble dogs.
يَنبَحنَthey bark مِنbecause of شَمِّsmelling الهَزبَرthe lion وَصَوتِهِand his voice
يَنبَحنَ مِن شَمِّ الهَزبَر وَصَوتِهِ
وَإِذاand when رَأَتهُthey see him تَحَرَّكَتstir أَذابُهاtheir tails (text uncertain)
وَإِذا رَأَتهُ تَحَرَّكَت أَذابُها
They bark at the lion's scent and roar,
but when they see him, their tails stir.
لَستyou are not الَّذيone who يَثنيbends عَزائِمthe resolves of بأسِهِhis might
لَست الَّذي يَثني عَزائِم بأسِهِ
كيدthe plotting of العداةِthe enemies وَلَنand will never يَطنَّbuzz ذُبابُهاtheir flies
كيد العداةِ وَلَن يَطنَّ ذُبابُها
You are not one whose fierce resolve is bent
by enemies' guile; their flies will never buzz.
زهرتblossomed بِكَthrough you الدُنياthe world وَقرand became firm قَرارهاits foundation
زهرت بِكَ الدُنيا وَقر قَرارها
وَصَفَتand grew pure مَدائِنُهاits cities وَطابَand grew sweet تُرابُهاits soil
وَصَفَت مَدائِنُها وَطابَ تُرابُها
The world blossomed through you, its foundation stood firm,
its cities grew pure, its soil grew sweet.
وَكَشَفَتand you dispelled عَنfrom مَلِكِthe King of المُلوكِKings نَوائِباًcalamities
وَكَشَفَت عَن مَلِكِ المُلوكِ نَوائِباً
يَنتابُhe visits دَولتِهِhis realm وَلاand not تَنتابُهاthey visit it
يَنتابُ دَولتِهِ وَلا تَنتابُها
You dispelled calamities from the King of Kings;
he visits his realm, while they do not.
فاهتَزَّso stirred مِنfrom بِعدِafter الهمودِstillness عَمودهاits pillar
فاهتَزَّ مِن بِعدِ الهمودِ عَمودها
وَأَنارَand shone مِنfrom بَعدِafter الخُمودِextinction شِهابُهاits flame
وَأَنارَ مِن بَعدِ الخُمودِ شِهابُها
Then its pillar stirred after lying still,
and its flame shone after being extinguished.
فَمَتىso whenever يَكُنthere is أَمنsecurity فَأَنَّكَthen you are بابهاits gate
فَمَتى يَكُن أَمن فَأَنَّكَ بابها
وَمَتىand whenever يَكُنthere is خَطبٌperil فَأنَّكَthen you are نابُهاits fang
وَمَتى يَكُن خَطبٌ فَأنَّكَ نابُها
Whenever there is security, you are its gate;
whenever there is peril, you are its fang.
جاسَتranged through كَتائِبُهاits battalions الدِيارthe lands وَأَوجَفَتand sped
جاسَت كَتائِبُها الدِيار وَأَوجَفَت
بِالأمنِwith security فيهاthrough them خَيلِهاits horses وَرِكابُهاand its riding camels
بِالأمنِ فيها خَيلِها وَرِكابُها
Its battalions ranged through the lands, and there sped
its horses and riding camels, bearing security.
وَتَطأطأتand bowed low هِمَمُthe ambitions of المُلوكِkings وَأَسمَحَتand yielded
وَتَطأطأت هِمَمُ المُلوكِ وَأَسمَحَت
بَعدَafter الخَرابِdevastation وَقادَهاand led them إِرهابُهاits intimidation
بَعدَ الخَرابِ وَقادَها إِرهابُها
Kings' ambitions bowed low and yielded
after devastation, driven by the terror it inspired.
ياO ذاpossessor of الجَلالَةِmajesty والأَصالَةِand noble lineage وَالَّذيand you who
يا ذا الجَلالَةِ والأَصالَةِ وَالَّذي
ضاقَتproved too narrow بِهِمَّتِهِfor his resolve الدناthe worlds وَرِحابُهاand their expanses
ضاقَت بِهِمَّتِهِ الدنا وَرِحابُها
O man of majesty and noble lineage, you whose
resolve found the worlds and their expanses too narrow!
عَمَّتencompassed أَياديكَyour favors الأَنامِhumankind وَخَصَّنيand singled me out
عَمَّت أَياديكَ الأَنامِ وَخَصَّني
مِنهاof them بِجودكَthrough your generosity صَفوَهاtheir choicest part وَلُبابُهاand their essence
مِنها بِجودكَ صَفوَها وَلُبابُها
Your favors embraced humankind, and I was singled out
by your bounty for their choicest part and purest essence.
فَلَئنand if indeed كفرتكهاI deny you thanks for them فأنّيthen I am كافِرٌan ingrate
فَلَئن كفرتكها فأنّي كافِرٌ
وَلَئِنand if indeed جَحدتI disavow فَأَنَّنيthen I am كَذّابُهاa liar about them
وَلَئِن جَحدت فَأَنَّني كَذّابُها
If I deny you thanks for them, I am an ingrate;
and if I disavow them, I am a liar about them.
وَوَعَدتُand I promised بِالعَملِto do the work الَّذيwhich نَفسيmy soul بِهِfor it
وَوَعَدتُ بِالعَملِ الَّذي نَفسي بِهِ
تَصبوyearns وَتَنميand grow نَحوَهُtoward it أَوصابُهاits afflictions
تَصبو وَتَنمي نَحوَهُ أَوصابُها
And I promised to do the work for which my soul
yearns, and toward which its afflictions grow.
شيرازُShiraz ضَدٌّan adversary لِلغَريبِto the stranger فَأَنَّهاfor it is
شيرازُ ضَدٌّ لِلغَريبِ فَأَنَّها
فيin البَردِthe cold مَصبوبpoured عَلَيهِupon him عَذابُهاits torment
في البَردِ مَصبوب عَلَيهِ عَذابُها
Shiraz is an enemy to the stranger, for
in the cold its torment is poured upon him.
ثَلجٌsnow يَدومُendures فَلاso not يَقومُstands up لِبأسِهِagainst its might
ثَلجٌ يَدومُ فَلا يَقومُ لِبأسِهِ
عِندَat الهُجومِthe onslaught لبودِهاits felt garments وَجِبابُهاand its cloaks
عِندَ الهُجومِ لبودِها وَجِبابُها
Snow endures; its might cannot be withstood,
when it attacks, by the city's felt garments and cloaks.
أَناI ضائِنٌa sheep فيamong الناسِpeople لَيسَis not مُوافِقاًcongenial
أَنا ضائِنٌ في الناسِ لَيسَ مُوافِقاً
ليto me مِنamong شُهورِthe months of الرومِthe Romans إِلّاexcept آبُهاtheir Ab (August)
لي مِن شُهورِ الرومِ إِلّا آبُها
I am a sheep among men; none is congenial
to me among the Roman months except Ab.
فَمَتىso whenever أَتىcomes تَشرينTishrin فيهاthere عاطِلاًwithout resources
فَمَتى أَتى تَشرين فيها عاطِلاً
ذَهَبَتdeparted بِهِwith it نَفسيmy soul وَهانَand became slight ذَهابُهاits departure
ذَهَبَت بِهِ نَفسي وَهانَ ذَهابُها
Whenever Tishrin comes there while I am destitute,
my soul goes with it, and its going matters little.
فانظُرso look إِليَّat me بِرحمَةِwith mercy أَوor فارمِthen cast بيme
فانظُر إِليَّ بِرحمَةِ أَو فارمِ بي
بَعضَsome الفجاجof the mountain passes أَلَمhas ... not? تَجيcome (text uncertain) إِخصابُهاtheir abundance
بَعضَ الفجاج أَلَم تَجي إِخصابُها
Look on me with mercy, or cast me
into some mountain passes—has their bounty not arrived?
قَدindeed كانَthere were ليfor me فيon الأَرضِthe earth أَلفُa thousand مَعيشَةٍlivelihoods
قَد كانَ لي في الأَرضِ أَلفُ مَعيشَةٍ
لَوif شِئتَyou wished لَمnot تصعبwould be difficult عَلَيكfor you صِعابُهاtheir difficulties
لَو شِئتَ لَم تصعب عَلَيك صِعابُها
I had a thousand ways to earn a living on earth;
if you wished, their difficulties would be no hardship for you.
لَكِنbut علمتI knew بِأَنَّthat أَكثَرَthe greater part of مُنِيَّتيmy desire
لَكِن علمت بِأَنَّ أَكثَرَ مُنِيَّتي
عقدتbound بِوجهكto your face ذيpossessing العَلاءِexalted rank رِغابُهاits longings
عقدت بِوجهك ذي العَلاءِ رِغابُها
But I knew that the greater part of my desire
had bound its longings to your exalted face.
وَالرّأيand judgment أَجمَعall فيlies in الَّذيwhat تَنويyou intend لَهاfor it
وَالرّأي أَجمَع في الَّذي تَنوي لَها
أَوor تَهتَديfind guidance لِرَشادِهاto its right course أَلبابُهاits intellects
أَو تَهتَدي لِرَشادِها أَلبابُها
All judgment lies in what you intend for it,
or in the right course its understanding discovers.
Sol 6.1