بَكَىwept المحبُّthe lover وَأيْدِيand the hands of الشّوْقِlonging تُقْلِقُهُunsettle him
بَكَى المحبُّ وَأيْدِي الشّوْقِ تُقْلِقُهُ
أصَابَهُafflicted him خَرَسٌmuteness فالدمعُso tears مُنْطِقُهُgive him speech
أصَابَهُ خَرَسٌ فالدمعُ مُنْطِقُهُ
The lover wept, and longing's hands unsettled him.
The lover wept, his hands shaken by yearning,
Muteness struck him, so tears gave him speech.
Mute, with tears as his speech;
ماnot عندهwith him غيرُother than قلبٍa heart ماتَhas died أكثرُهُmost of it
ما عنده غيرُ قلبٍ ماتَ أكثرُهُ
وماand not تَبَقّىremained لهُfor him إلاexcept تَعَلُّقهhis attachment
وما تَبَقّى لهُ إلا تَعَلُّقه
He has nothing but a heart, most of it dead.
No heart left but mostly dead,
And nothing remains to him but his attachment.
Nothing remaining but his attachment.
وماand not كفاهsufficed him الهوىlove حتىuntil يُطالِبَهُpursues him
وما كفاه الهوى حتى يُطالِبَهُ
دَهْرٌfate إلىtoward كلِّevery سُلْوانٍconsolation يُشَوِّقُهmakes him yearn
دَهْرٌ إلى كلِّ سُلْوانٍ يُشَوِّقُه
Nor was love enough for him: he is pursued as well
Passion was not enough till it claimed him,
By a fate that makes him yearn for every consolation.
An age enticing him to every radiance.
دهرٌa fate يفوِّقُnocks نبلاًarrows منfrom كِنانَتِهِits quiver
دهرٌ يفوِّقُ نبلاً من كِنانَتِهِ
رمىshot بهاwith them جَلِداًa steadfast man ماnot زالَceased يَرْشُقُهpelts him
رمى بها جَلِداً ما زالَ يَرْشُقُه
A fate that nocks arrows from its quiver;
An age excelling in throwing him down,
It shot them at a steadfast man and keeps pelting him.
Tearing him apart without ceasing.
مناقضٌan adversary لمnot يَزَلْceased شمليmy unity يُفَرِّقُهُsunders it
مناقضٌ لم يَزَلْ شملي يُفَرِّقُهُ
وليتand would that أنthat الأسىgrief شملاًa union يُفَرِّقُهit sunders
وليت أن الأسى شملاً يُفَرِّقُه
An adversary, ever sundering my unity;
An adversary who never stopped dividing my unity,
And would that grief were a union it could sunder!
Would that sorrow could unite what it divides!
بنتُdaughter of المروءةِnobility منيfrom me طالقٌdivorced أبداًforever
بنتُ المروءةِ مني طالقٌ أبداً
إنif لمnot أكُنْI am بجميلِwith good الظنِّexpectation أسبقُهُoutpace it
إن لم أكُنْ بجميلِ الظنِّ أسبقُهُ
Nobility's daughter is divorced from me forever,
I hereby divorce nobility’s daughter
If I do not outpace it with hopeful expectation.
If ahead of sweet supposition I don’t race to it.
ثَكَلْتُmay I be bereaved إنif لمnot تكنْbe تُعْزَىascribed القناعةُcontentment ليto me
ثَكَلْتُ إن لم تكنْ تُعْزَى القناعةُ لي
فحرُّfor the dignity of وجْهِيَmy face ثوبٌa robe لستُI am not أُخْلِقُهwearing it out
فحرُّ وجْهِيَ ثوبٌ لستُ أُخْلِقُه
May I be bereaved if contentment is not ascribed to me;
Woe if contentment is not solace for me,
For my face's dignity is a robe I will not wear out.
So my face’s shame is a garment I can’t wear.
فَمَنso who لقلبيfor my heart بتسكينٍwith soothing يُثَبّتُهُsteadies it
فَمَن لقلبي بتسكينٍ يُثَبّتُهُ
ومَنْand who لجفنيfor my eyelid بتغميضٍwith closing فأُطْبِقُهso I may shut it
ومَنْ لجفني بتغميضٍ فأُطْبِقُه
Who, then, can soothe my heart and steady it?
Who will steady my heart with tranquility,
And who can lull my eyelid, so I may close it?
And close my eyelids so I shut them?
لهفيmy anguish علىfor قَمَرٍa moon تَمَّتْwere perfected محاسِنُهُhis beauties
لهفي على قَمَرٍ تَمَّتْ محاسِنُهُ
منfrom جانبِthe side of الأفُقِthe horizon الغربيwestern مشْرِقهhis rising-place
من جانبِ الأفُقِ الغربي مشْرِقه
Alas for a moon whose beauties are complete,
I crave a moon whose perfection is complete
Whose rising-place lies on the horizon's western side.
Rising from the west’s edge radiantly.
إذاwhen تَبَسَّمَhe smiles والظلماءُand the darkness عاكفةٌlingering
إذا تَبَسَّمَ والظلماءُ عاكفةٌ
فالبرقُthen lightning منfrom ثَغْرِهِhis mouth يبدوappears تأَلُّقُهits brilliance
فالبرقُ من ثَغْرِهِ يبدو تأَلُّقُه
When he smiles while darkness lingers,
When he smiles and darkness still persists
Then lightning's brilliance shines from his mouth.
Lightning flashes from his mouth sparkling.
ليتwould that الخيالَthe apparition الذيthat قدonce كانَused to يَطْرُقُنيvisit me by night
ليت الخيالَ الذي قد كانَ يَطْرُقُني
يكونُwould be ليfor me بَدلاًa substitute منهfor him أُعَنّقهI embrace it
يكونُ لي بَدلاً منه أُعَنّقه
Would that the apparition that once visited me by night
Would that the fantasies that used to haunt me
Could stand in his place for me, so I might embrace it.
Became, instead of them, bodies I embrace.
ياO صاحبيَّmy two companions نداءa call منfrom عليلكماyour ailing friend
يا صاحبيَّ نداء من عليلكما
فقدfor indeed تَناهَىhas reached its limit بمثواهُin his dwelling تشَوُّقُهُhis longing
فقد تَناهَى بمثواهُ تشَوُّقُهُ
O my two companions, a call from your ailing friend!
My ailing friends, a call from you —
For his longing has reached its utmost where he dwells.
For far has your yearning taken you.
رُدُّواturn back إلىtoward الجانبِthe side الغربيِّwestern عيسَهُمُtheir white camels
رُدُّوا إلى الجانبِ الغربيِّ عيسَهُمُ
عسَىperhaps نسيمُthe breeze of الذيthe one whom يَهْوىhe loves سَيَنْشُقُهhe will inhale it
عسَى نسيمُ الذي يَهْوى سَيَنْشُقُه
Turn their white camels back toward the western side,
Take them back toward the west, perhaps
Perhaps he will inhale the breeze of the one he loves.
The breeze that blows will rend what blocks it.
ماnot فيin الحياةِlife لِنَفْسِيfor my soul بَعْدَهُمْafter them طَمَعٌany desire
ما في الحياةِ لِنَفْسِي بَعْدَهُمْ طَمَعٌ
آهاًalas علىfor حُسْنِthe beauty of وجهٍa face حالَhas changed رَوْنَقُهُits luster
آهاً على حُسْنِ وجهٍ حالَ رَوْنَقُهُ
My soul has no desire for life after them.
After them, no hope left for my soul in life,
Alas for the beauty of a face whose luster has faded!
Alas for the charm of a face now lusterless!
وفيand in أبيAbu القاسمِal-Qasim المأمولِthe hoped-for one ليfor me أمَلٌhope
وفي أبي القاسمِ المأمولِ لي أمَلٌ
وَإنْand even if تَبَاعَدَgrows distant منّيfrom me سوفَwill ألْحَقُهreach him
وَإنْ تَبَاعَدَ منّي سوفَ ألْحَقُه
And in Abu al-Qasim, on whom hopes are set, I have hope,
Yet in Abu l-Qasim I’ve hope,
And even if he grows distant from me, I shall reach him.
And if far, I will seek & unite with him.
وقدand indeed جرىhas passed فيinto ضميريmy heart منfrom إشارتهhis gesture
وقد جرى في ضميري من إشارته
فيconcerning جانبيmy standing وَقَبوليand my acceptance ماsomething أُصَدِّقهI believe it
في جانبي وَقَبولي ما أُصَدِّقه
And from his gesture there has passed into my heart
From his gesture has flowed in my conscience
Something I believe concerning my standing and acceptance.
At my side & acceptance what I verify.
وإنand if لجأتُI seek refuge إليهwith him ليسnot يَطْرقنيvisits me
وإن لجأتُ إليه ليس يَطْرقني
هَمٌّworry وَإنّيَand indeed I بالإيناسِwith comforting familiarity أطْرُقُهvisit him
هَمٌّ وَإنّيَ بالإيناسِ أطْرُقُه
And if I seek refuge with him, I am not visited
If I take refuge in him, no care shadows me,
By worry; indeed, I visit him with friendly ease.
With companionship I meet & comfort him.
منone who لمnot يزلْceased بخلالٍwith virtues منهُof his سادَrose to eminence بهاthrough them
من لم يزلْ بخلالٍ منهُ سادَ بها
لكلِّfor every قلبheart نأىis distant عنهfrom him تُخَلّقُهperfume it
لكلِّ قلب نأى عنه تُخَلّقُه
One ever endowed with virtues through which he rose to eminence,
One who always led, thanks to his traits,
Perfuming every heart far removed from him.
Every heart far from him finds formed by him.
طَلْقٌcheerful-faced رأىsaw فيin الدجىthe darkness الأعمىthe blind man مَحاسِنُهhis beauties
طَلْقٌ رأى في الدجى الأعمى مَحاسِنُه
وكلُّand every أبْكَمَmute person بالإحْسَانِthrough kindness يُنْطِقُهhe makes him speak
وكلُّ أبْكَمَ بالإحْسَانِ يُنْطِقُه
Cheerful-faced—the blind man saw his beauties in the dark,
A natural born, though in night’s darkness, saw his perfections,
And through kindness he gives every mute a voice.
And every mute by his benevolence finds speech.
تَخَلَّقَtook shape المجدُglory خلقاًa form فيهin him يُشْبِهُهُresembles him
تَخَلَّقَ المجدُ خلقاً فيه يُشْبِهُهُ
والدرُّand the pearl ماءٌwater وفيand in ماءٍwater تَخَلُّقُهits formation
والدرُّ ماءٌ وفي ماءٍ تَخَلُّقُه
Glory took shape within him in a form resembling him;
Glory took shape in a form resembling him,
And the pearl is water, and in water it takes shape.
And pearls are water, taking shape in water.
والسمتand bearing فيin طَبْعِهِhis nature شيءٌsomething يعودُreturns بهwith him
والسمت في طَبْعِهِ شيءٌ يعودُ به
إلىto البيانِeloquence الذيwhose قدnow حانَhas come مَنْطِقُهits utterance
إلى البيانِ الذي قد حانَ مَنْطِقُه
And his innate bearing is something that brings him back
Inborn disposition is something in him returning
To eloquence, whose time to speak has now arrived.
To eloquence whose time to speak has come.
ياO ناظرَwatcher of الدَّهْرِtime أُنْظُرْbehold حُسْنthe beauty of أحْرُفِهِhis letters
يا ناظرَ الدَّهْرِ أُنْظُرْ حُسْن أحْرُفِهِ
فسوفthen will يُنسِبْكَmove you to sing of love ماwhen أبصرتَyou behold مُهْرَقُهhis parchment
فسوف يُنسِبْكَ ما أبصرتَ مُهْرَقُه
O watcher of time, behold the beauty of his letters;
O you who behold the ages, look on his letters’ beauty,
His parchment, when you behold it, will inspire you to sing of love.
What you observe will relate you to its scattered threads.
فلاso let not يكنْbe أحدٌanyone يَرْقَىascend مكانَتَهhis station
فلا يكنْ أحدٌ يَرْقَى مكانَتَه
فماfor not يُسَاوَىis equated برأْسِwith the summit of الطّوْدِthe mountain خَنْدَقُهits trench
فما يُسَاوَى برأْسِ الطّوْدِ خَنْدَقُه
So let no one climb to his station;
Let no one aspire to his rank,
For the mountain's trench is no equal to its summit.
As the pit’s top equals not the mountain’s peak.
ماnot عندناamong us كبنيlike the sons of حمدينَHamdin فيin شرفٍnobility
ما عندنا كبني حمدينَ في شرفٍ
لوif كانَit were نجماًa star لكانَthen would be النجمُthe star يَعشَقُهenamored of it
لو كانَ نجماً لكانَ النجمُ يَعشَقُه
None among us match the Banu Hamdin in nobility,
None like the Hamdanids in honor —
Were that nobility a star, the stars would love it.
Had he been a star, the stars would love him!
كواكبٌstars فيin سماءِthe heaven of العزِّmight قدindeed طَلَعَتْhave risen
كواكبٌ في سماءِ العزِّ قد طَلَعَتْ
منfrom السنَّاbrilliance فيin شُعاعٍa ray لستُI am not أَرْمُقُهُgazing upon it
من السنَّا في شُعاعٍ لستُ أَرْمُقُهُ
Stars that have risen in the heaven of might,
Planets in the sky of glory rose
In a beam of radiance upon which I do not gaze.
From glowing youth not glimpsed by me.
أعلامُbanners of علمlearning وآدابٍٍand letters فكلُّso every فتىًyoung man
أعلامُ علم وآدابٍٍ فكلُّ فتىً
منهمْamong them إذاwhen ماever جرىraces لأخَلْقَsurely worthy يسبِقهoutstrips him
منهمْ إذا ما جرى لأخَلْقَ يسبِقه
Banners of learning and letters; each young man
Standards of knowledge and literature — each lad
Among them, whenever he races, is surely fit to outstrip him.
Among them when decent excels him.
وفيand in أبيAbu القاسمal-Qasim الأعْلىthe exalted ولاand no فندٌfalsehood
وفي أبي القاسم الأعْلى ولا فندٌ
سيادةٌlordship هِيَit تاجٌa crown وَهْوَand he مَفْرِقُهits head's parting
سيادةٌ هِيَ تاجٌ وَهْوَ مَفْرِقُه
And in the exalted Abu al-Qasim—and this is no falsehood—
In Abu l-Qasim the highest, peerless,
Is lordship, a crown—and he the head that bears it.
A supremacy that is a crown whose circlet he unties.
وإنَّهُand indeed he ابنson of أبيهhis father فيin سياستهِhis governance
وإنَّهُ ابن أبيه في سياستهِ
وفيand in اكتسابِacquiring معاليهhis lofty distinctions تأنُّقُهhis refinement
وفي اكتسابِ معاليه تأنُّقُه
And indeed he is his father's son in his governance,
He is his father’s son in governance,
And in acquiring his lofty distinctions lies his refinement.
And in gaining the lofty, his excellence.
والفرعُand the branch كالأصْلِlike the root لفظٌa saying قدindeed جرىhas circulated مثلاًas a proverb
والفرعُ كالأصْلِ لفظٌ قد جرى مثلاً
وكالذِّراعand like the forearm إذاwhen ماever قِسْتَyou measure مِرْفَقُهits elbow
وكالذِّراع إذا ما قِسْتَ مِرْفَقُه
And 'the branch is like the root' is a saying now proverbial;
Branch and origin are bywords become,
And its elbow, whenever you measure, is like the forearm.
As when the forearm’s measured by its elbow.
فياso O سراجَlamp of بنيthe sons of حمدينَHamdin دعوةَthe plea of مَنْone who
فيا سراجَ بني حمدينَ دعوةَ مَنْ
أَصابَهُafflicted him وصبٌsickness مازالَhas not ceased يطْرقهvisiting him
أَصابَهُ وصبٌ مازالَ يطْرقه
O lamp of the Banu Hamdin, hear the plea of one
O Hamdanids’ lamp, prayer of one
Afflicted by sickness that never ceases to visit him.
Shadowed by a cloud that still darkens him.
بداappeared بأُفْقِكَon your horizon بَدرٌa full moon منهfrom him قابَلَهُconfronted it
بدا بأُفْقِكَ بَدرٌ منه قابَلَهُ
غيْمٌa cloud منَof العُدْمِpoverty يُخْفِيهِhides it ويَمْحَقُهand blots it out
غيْمٌ منَ العُدْمِ يُخْفِيهِ ويَمْحَقُه
A full moon from him appeared on your horizon, confronted
The full moon rose in your horizon, then a
By a cloud of poverty that hides it and blots it out.
Cloud from nothingness concealed and destroyed it.
أهْدَىoffered as a gift إليْكَto you نفيسَprecious القولِspeech عِلْقُa treasure of عُلاeminence
أهْدَى إليْكَ نفيسَ القولِ عِلْقُ عُلا
كالدرِّlike pearls يَنْظِمُهُhe strings it والمِسْكِand musk يَفْتُقُهhe unseals it
كالدرِّ يَنْظِمُهُ والمِسْكِ يَفْتُقُه
A treasure of eminence has offered you precious speech,
To you my precious poetry’s necklace I dedicate,
Which he strings like pearls and unseals like musk.
As pearls threaded, and musk set free.
فانْظُرْso look وَقِسْand compare وانتقدْand appraise فالنَّقْدُfor appraisal أنتَyou لهfor it
فانْظُرْ وَقِسْ وانتقدْ فالنَّقْدُ أنتَ له
وليسand not كالتّاجِlike a crown لابنfor the son of المجدِglory بُخْنُقَهhis headscarf
وليس كالتّاجِ لابن المجدِ بُخْنُقَه
So look, compare, and appraise: appraisal is your province.
So look, weigh, critique — for critique you are suited,
And his headscarf is no crown for the son of glory.
Not like the crown for the house of glory squeezed.
ودُمand remain شِهاباًa meteor بأفْقِon the horizon of السّعْدِgood fortune مُتَّقِداًblazing
ودُم شِهاباً بأفْقِ السّعْدِ مُتَّقِداً
إذاwhen رقىascends مُسْترِقُّa stealer of السمْعِhearing يَحرِقُهit burns him
إذا رقى مُسْترِقُّ السمْعِ يَحرِقُه
And remain a blazing meteor on the horizon of good fortune;
With the auspicious horizon afire, dam
When an eavesdropper ascends, it burns him.
Eavesdroppers so the spark burns them!
Sol 6.1