شِعْرِيmy poetry وجودُكَand your generosity ياO أَباAbu; father of العبَّاسِal-Abbas
شِعْرِي وجودُكَ يا أَبا العبَّاسِ
مَثَلانِtwo proverbial examples قدindeed ساراhave circulated, both بناbearing us فيamong النَّاسِthe people
مَثَلانِ قد سارا بنا في النَّاسِ
My poetry and your generosity, O Abu al-Abbas,
My poetry, your existence, O Abu al-Abbas
Are two proverbial examples that have carried our names among the people.
Are two examples that have circulated among the people
أدنىbrought near سماحُكyour generosity كلَّevery شأوٍgoal نازحٍdistant
أدنى سماحُك كلَّ شأوٍ نازحٍ
وأَلانَand softened شعريmy poetry كلَّevery قلبٍheart قاسhard
وأَلانَ شعري كلَّ قلبٍ قاس
Your generosity brought every distant goal near,
The least of your generosity defeats all hostility
And my poetry softened every hardened heart.
And the softness of my poetry melts every hardened heart
فإذاso when التقيناwe meet مَتَّclaimed a connection طُلاَّبُseekers of العُلاَglory
فإذا التقينا مَتَّ طُلاَّبُ العُلاَ
بأواصرٍthrough strong bonds وَبَنَوْاand built علىupon آساسfoundations
بأواصرٍ وَبَنَوْا على آساس
When we meet, seekers of glory claim connection
So if we meet, ambitious students
Through strong bonds, and build on firm foundations.
Will unite with stronger bonds and build on firm foundations
وإذاand when افترقناwe part لمdid not يزلْcease ماwhat بينناbetween us
وإذا افترقنا لم يزلْ ما بيننا
أَرِجَfragrant المهبِّthe blowing breeze مُعَطَّرَperfumed الأنفاسthe breaths
أَرِجَ المهبِّ مُعَطَّرَ الأنفاس
And when we part, what lies between us remains
And if we part, what remains between us
Fragrant in its breeze, perfumed in its breaths.
Is the fragrant breath of affection’s ember
كمhow many an نهضةٍendeavor لكof yours بالمعاليtoward high honors أَطْلَعَتْcaused to rise
كم نهضةٍ لك بالمعالي أَطْلَعَتْ
نُوْرَthe light of الرجاءِhope علىover ظَلاَمِthe darkness of الياسdespair
نُوْرَ الرجاءِ على ظَلاَمِ الياس
How many an endeavor of yours toward greatness has raised
How many triumphs for you have unveiled
The light of hope over the darkness of despair.
The light of hope upon the darkness of despair
وإشارةٍand a gesture لكof yours فيin المكارمnoble deeds زاحمتْpressed back
وإشارةٍ لك في المكارم زاحمتْ
ضَيْقَthe constriction of الهمومِcares بِفُرْجَةِwith the relief of الإيناسreassurance
ضَيْقَ الهمومِ بِفُرْجَةِ الإيناس
And many a gesture of yours in noble deeds has countered
And gestures from you in generosity have squeezed
The constriction of cares with the relief of reassurance.
The narrowness of worries with the relief of intimacy
أنتyou الصباحُthe morning فماso no يضرُّharms مؤَمّلٌone who hopes
أنت الصباحُ فما يضرُّ مؤَمّلٌ
أَلاnot to يقيسَmeasure سناكَyour radiance بالنبراسagainst a lamp
أَلا يقيسَ سناكَ بالنبراس
You are the morning; no harm comes to one who hopes
You are the morning, so what does a hopeful care
From not measuring your radiance against a lamp.
If your brilliance is not weighed against the saw
ونوالُكضand your bounty (apparent typo) الفرجُrelief القريبُnear at hand وإنeven though رَنَتْgazed
ونوالُكض الفرجُ القريبُ وإن رَنَتْ
بعضُsome of العيونِthe eyes إلىtoward الحياthe rain البجَّاسgushing
بعضُ العيونِ إلى الحيا البجَّاس
And your bounty is relief at hand, though
And your victory is the near deliverance, even if
Some eyes gaze toward the gushing rain.
Some eyes still shout for the live coal
أذللتَyou subdued صَرْفَthe adversity of الدهرِtime بَعْدَafter تَخَمُّطٍraging arrogance
أذللتَ صَرْفَ الدهرِ بَعْدَ تَخَمُّطٍ
وَأَلَنْتَهُand you softened it منfrom بعدِafter طولِa long period of شِماسunruliness
وَأَلَنْتَهُ من بعدِ طولِ شِماس
You subdued time's adversity after its raging,
You have subjugated the turns of fate after writhing
And tamed it after long unruliness.
And softened them after the long persistence
وحذوتَand you followed حَذْوَthe example of أبيكَyour father تَرْمِيyou strike بالندىwith generosity
وحذوتَ حَذْوَ أبيكَ تَرْمِي بالندى
صَرْفَthe adversity of الزمانtime وَتَتَّقيand protect yourself بالباسwith valor
صَرْفَ الزمان وَتَتَّقي بالباس
You followed your father's example, striking with generosity
And you followed in your father’s footsteps, pelting generosity
At time's adversity, and shielding yourself with valor.
And dodging time’s twists by being steadfast
شِيَمٌvirtues بَهْرتَyou surpassed بهاthrough them الغمامَthe clouds مواطراًrain-bearing
شِيَمٌ بَهْرتَ بها الغمامَ مواطراً
والشهبَand the stars زهراًshining والجبالَand the mountains رواسيfirmly rooted
والشهبَ زهراً والجبالَ رواسي
Virtues with which you surpassed the rain-bearing clouds,
Traits you have watered the clouds with as a downpour
The shining stars and the firmly rooted mountains.
And embers as flowers and mountains as firm roots
حَزْمِيّةٌHazmi; of Hazm ماnot ضرَّهاharmed them إنif لمdid not تَكُنْbe
حَزْمِيّةٌ ما ضرَّها إن لم تَكُنْ
قطَعَplots of الرياضِgardens برملةِin the sands of الميعاسal-Mi'as
قطَعَ الرياضِ برملةِ الميعاس
Hazmi virtues—no harm to them if they are not
A resoluteness that does not harm it if it does not
Garden plots in the sands of al-Mi'as.
Cut through meadows with the blade of a drawn sword
مشهورةٌcelebrated بينamong المكارمِnoble deeds والعُلاَand high honors
مشهورةٌ بين المكارمِ والعُلاَ
تأْسُوyou heal بهاthrough them أَدْواءَهَاtheir ailments وتواسيand console
تأْسُو بها أَدْواءَهَا وتواسي
Celebrated among noble deeds and high honors,
Well known among all noble deeds and glories
With them you heal their ailments and offer solace.
Curing their ailments and consoling them
سبقتْthey preceded إليَّto me الحادثاتِcalamities فأمسكتْand so held back
سبقتْ إليَّ الحادثاتِ فأمسكتْ
عنيfrom me بأيديby the hands of الذلِّhumiliation والأبلاسand despair
عني بأيدي الذلِّ والأبلاس
They reached me before calamities, and held back
They have spared me from the occurrences so they held
From me the hands of humiliation and despair.
Me back with hands of disgrace and trials
فاليومso today أُعْرِيهاI bare them فهبنيso suppose that I لمdid not أكنْI was
فاليوم أُعْرِيها فهبني لم أكنْ
لظهورهاupon their backs حلساصa saddlecloth (apparent typo) منamong الأحلاسthe saddlecloths
لظهورها حلساص من الأحلاس
So today I bare them; suppose I had not been
Today I strip it bare, so grant me, I have not been
A saddlecloth among saddlecloths upon their backs.
For its exposure, a deficient fabricator of trials
أَعْلَىraised أبوAbu; father of مروانMarwan منهاthrough them رُتْبَتِيmy rank
أَعْلَى أبو مروان منها رُتْبَتِي
وَحَمَىand protected بهاthrough them سِرْبيmy household أبوAbu; father of العباسal-Abbas
وَحَمَى بها سِرْبي أبو العباس
Abu Marwan raised my rank through them,
Abu Marwan has raised my status above it
And Abu al-Abbas protected my household with them.
And protected my flock, O Abu al-Abbas
إنسانُthe pupil عينthe eye of المجدِglory سَمَّوْهُthey called him بهby it
إنسانُ عين المجدِ سَمَّوْهُ به
لاnot أنَّهthat he is ناسٍforgetful ولاnor متناسpretending to forget
لا أنَّه ناسٍ ولا متناس
The pupil of glory's eye—they called him that,
A human exemplar of glory, they have named him as such
Not because he forgets or pretends to forget.
Not because he is people or forgetful of people
عاجَتْturned aside عُلاهُhis greatness علىtoward القوافيthe rhymes عَوْجَةًa turning
عاجَتْ عُلاهُ على القوافي عَوْجَةً
نَفَضَتْshook رِمامَcrumbling remnants of رسُوْمِهاtheir traces الأدْرَاسworn-out
نَفَضَتْ رِمامَ رسُوْمِها الأدْرَاس
His greatness turned toward the rhymes with a turn
His glories have bent rhymes’ running course
That stirred the crumbling remnants of their faded traces.
Shaking off the bridles of its conventions
فيin حيثُwhere أوْحَشَهاleft them desolate الزمانُtime وأهْلُهُand its people
في حيثُ أوْحَشَها الزمانُ وأهْلُهُ
فاستعجمتْso they fell mute مِنْfrom غربةٍestrangement وتناسيand neglect
فاستعجمتْ مِنْ غربةٍ وتناسي
Where time and its people had left them desolate,
Where time and its people have frightened it
So they fell mute from estrangement and neglect.
So it recoiled from strangeness and neglect
ومحاand erased بَشَاشَتهاtheir brightness الخمولُobscurity فَأْطَرقَتْso they bowed their heads
ومحا بَشَاشَتها الخمولُ فَأْطَرقَتْ
وكأنهاand as though they were آناءُthe hours of ليلٍa night غاسِdarkening
وكأنها آناءُ ليلٍ غاسِ
Obscurity erased their brightness, and they bowed their heads,
And its cheer was erased by inactivity, so it fell silent
As though they were the hours of a darkening night.
As if it were vessels of a dark night
مَوْتَىdead ones أجَنَّتْهَاburied them الصدورُthe breasts وربماand sometimes
مَوْتَى أجَنَّتْهَا الصدورُ وربما
رَجَعَreturned النشورُresurrection بهاwith them علىto الوسواسinward whispering
رَجَعَ النشورُ بها على الوسواس
Dead, buried within breasts; and sometimes
Deadened in breasts, and maybe
Resurrection brought them back as whispered thoughts.
Restoration will return to it by constant doubts
إيهٍmore! أباAbu; father of العبّاسِal-Abbas دعوةَthe appeal of آملٍa hopeful person
إيهٍ أبا العبّاسِ دعوةَ آملٍ
عنfrom صِدْقِthe sincerity of تقليدٍtrusting acceptance وَحُسْنِand the soundness of قياسreasoning by analogy
عن صِدْقِ تقليدٍ وَحُسْنِ قياس
Give more, Abu al-Abbas—a hopeful man's plea,
Alas O Abu al-Abbas the wish of a hopeful
From sincere trust and sound reasoning by analogy.
Of sincere conformity and excellent proportion
ياO حافظَkeeper of الأحباسthe endowments إنindeed وسائليmy means of appeal
يا حافظَ الأحباس إن وسائلي
قدindeed ضِعْنَhave been lost فاحفظهاso preserve them معwith الأْحبَاسthe endowments
قد ضِعْنَ فاحفظها مع الأْحبَاس
O keeper of the endowments, my means of appeal
O keeper of prisoners, if my means are weak
Have been lost; preserve them with the endowments.
Then preserve them among the prisoners
لعبتْtoyed صروفُthe vicissitudes of الدهرِtime بيwith me وبهمتيand with my resolve
لعبتْ صروفُ الدهرِ بي وبهمتي
منfrom بعدِafter تجربتيmy experience لهاof them ومراسيand my grappling
من بعدِ تجربتي لها ومراسي
Time's vicissitudes have toyed with me and my resolve,
The turns of fate have toyed with me and my concerns
After my experience of them and my grappling with them.
After my trials with them and milestones
كالكاسِlike the cup طافwent around بهاwith it المديرُthe cupbearer فلمso did not يكنْbe
كالكاسِ طاف بها المديرُ فلم يكنْ
ليَfor me ظئرهاits foster-nurse وغداًand tomorrow صريعَfelled by الكاسthe cup
ليَ ظئرها وغداً صريعَ الكاس
Like the cup the cupbearer passed around; I did not have
Like a cup time’s turner circled round but was not
Its foster-nurse—and tomorrow, felled by the cup [wording unclear].
For me its periphery or tomorrow’s cup fragment
أدعوكI call upon you بينbetween صعودِهاits ascent وصَبُوand descent (word fragment) بِهاits (split-word ending)
أدعوك بين صعودِها وصَبُو بِها
كالعِشْقِlike love بينbetween الشَّيبِgray hair والإفلاسand poverty
كالعِشْقِ بين الشَّيبِ والإفلاس
I call upon you between its rising and its falling,
I call you between its ascent and nightfall
Like love between gray hair and poverty.
Like love between graying and bankruptcy
أُدْليI appeal بمجدكَthrough your glory أوor أُدِلُّI take liberties فإنماfor only
أُدْلي بمجدكَ أو أُدِلُّ فإنما
أَضَعُI place الحنيَّةthe bow فيin يدِthe hand of القوّاسthe archer
أَضَعُ الحنيَّة في يدِ القوّاس
I appeal through your glory, or take liberties; I merely
I submit to your glory or I submit, for I only
Place the bow in the archer's hand.
Place affection in the hand of an archer
وأزفُّand I bring as a bride منfrom شعريmy poetry إليكَto you عقيلةًa noble lady
وأزفُّ من شعري إليكَ عقيلةً
أحظيتُهاI have favored her منwith a share of حليةٍadornment ولباسand attire
أحظيتُها من حليةٍ ولباس
And I bring you, from my poetry, a noble bride,
And I send to you from my poetry a bride
Whom I have favored with adornment and attire.
I gained from its adornment and dress
ذهبتْshe carried away بحسنِwith the beauty of الوردِthe rose إلاexcept أنهاthat she
ذهبتْ بحسنِ الوردِ إلا أنها
قامتْundertook عُلاكَyour greatness لهاfor her بعمرِwith the lifespan of الآسthe myrtle
قامتْ عُلاكَ لها بعمرِ الآس
She has carried off the rose's beauty, except that
She left with the beauty of roses, except she
Your greatness has ensured her the myrtle's lifespan.
Stood for your glories, aged as myrhh
Sol 6.1