مَاليwhat is it with me وماand what للأعْيُنِwith the eyes النُّجْلِwide; large
مَالي وما للأعْيُنِ النُّجْلِ
أَجْمَعْنَthey have resolved عُدْواناًin hostility علىupon قَتْليkilling me
أَجْمَعْنَ عُدْواناً على قَتْلي
What have I to do with those wide eyes?
What is it to me or to the eyes of parting
They have resolved, in hostility, to kill me.
That they have all agreed to kill me
وماand what لقلبيwith my heart يتصدَّىexposes itself لهاto them
وما لقلبي يتصدَّى لها
بَيْنَbetween ألِيمِpainful الشَّوْقِlonging والخَبْلand madness
بَيْنَ ألِيمِ الشَّوْقِ والخَبْل
And why does my heart expose itself to them,
And what is it to my heart that confronts them
between agonizing longing and madness?
Between the pain of longing and confusion
منfrom لَحَظاتٍglances لمnot يَزَلْhas ceased غُنْجُهاtheir coquetry
من لَحَظاتٍ لم يَزَلْ غُنْجُها
يَحْكُمُrules; judges بالجوْرِwith injustice علىover العَدْلjustice
يَحْكُمُ بالجوْرِ على العَدْل
From glances whose coquetry has never ceased
Moments that have not ceased charming
to rule by injustice over justice.
To rule unjustly over justice
ضعيفةُweak المكرِguile ولكنَّهاbut they
ضعيفةُ المكرِ ولكنَّها
تَقْتُلُkill بينbetween الجِدِّearnestness والهزلand jest
تَقْتُلُ بين الجِدِّ والهزل
Weak in guile, yet they
Weak in cunning, yet they
kill alike in earnest and in jest.
Kill between earnestness and jest
للهby God كمhow much يُطْمِعُarouses hope تَفْتِيرُهاtheir languor
لله كم يُطْمِعُ تَفْتِيرُها
لوif only أنهاthey تَسْمحwould consent بالبَذْلto giving
لو أنها تَسْمح بالبَذْل
By God, how their languor kindles hope,
My God, how much hope their coquetry awakens
if only they would consent to give!
If only they would be kind enough to give
باخلةٌmiserly قدindeed كِدْتُI almost مِنْbecause of بخلهاtheir miserliness
باخلةٌ قد كِدْتُ مِنْ بخلها
وعِشْقِهاand love for them أَكْلَفُI become enamored بالبُخْلof miserliness
وعِشْقِها أَكْلَفُ بالبُخْل
Miserly! Their miserliness has almost made me,
Stingy, I have almost perished from their stinginess
through my love for them, enamored of miserliness.
And their love leaves me destitute
ماnot عابَهاblemished them إذwhen بَخِلتْthey withheld بُخْلُهاtheir miserliness
ما عابَها إذ بَخِلتْ بُخْلُها
لوif لمnot تَشِنْهاdisgraced them خُلَّةُthe habit of المَطْلِdelay
لو لم تَشِنْها خُلَّةُ المَطْلِ
Their miserliness would not have marred them when they withheld,
Nothing was wrong with their stinginess when they were stingy
had the habit of delay not disgraced them.
If only the stain of waiting did not dishonor them
أَيُّwhat شِفارٍblades طَبَعَتْهَاforged them يدُthe hand of
أَيُّ شِفارٍ طَبَعَتْهَا يدُ
التفتيرِlanguor فاسْتَغْنَتْso they dispensed عنwith الصقْلpolishing
التفتيرِ فاسْتَغْنَتْ عن الصقْل
What blades were forged by the hand
What engraving has marked them, making them suffice
of languor, needing no polish!
Without the need for polishing
مُحْتَكِمَاتٌruling at will فيover دماءِthe blood of الورىmortals
مُحْتَكِمَاتٌ في دماءِ الورى
كأنَّهاas though they منregarding ذاكَthat فيin حِلِّfreedom from guilt
كأنَّها من ذاكَ في حِلِّ
Ruling at will over the blood of mortals,
Arbiters in the blood of mortals
as though they had leave to do so.
As if they were of that lineage
واهاًah لهاfor them كمhow many منof فؤادٍa heart شجٍgrief-stricken
واهاً لها كم من فؤادٍ شجٍ
أُسْلِمَwas surrendered مِنْهَاby them فيinto يَدَيْthe two hands of عَدْلʿAdl; idiomatically, doom
أُسْلِمَ مِنْهَا في يَدَيْ عَدْل
Ah for them! How many a grief-stricken heart
Woe to them, how many aching hearts
was delivered by them into the hands of doom.
Were handed over to justice by them
ضلَّlost the way دليليmy guide فيon سبيلِthe path of الهوىlove
ضلَّ دليلي في سبيلِ الهوى
بينbetween الدَّلالcoquetry الرَّحْبِample والدلِّand coy charm
بين الدَّلال الرَّحْبِ والدلِّ
My guide has lost the way on love's road,
My guide was lost in the path of passion
amid abundant coquetry and coy charm.
Between the vast valley and the gorge
كمhow many وقعةa battle ليI have فيin ميادينهits battlefields
كم وقعة لي في ميادينه
أصَبْتُI struck فيهاin it مَقْتَلَthe fatal spot of العَذْلreproach
أصَبْتُ فيها مَقْتَلَ العَذْل
How many battles I have fought on its fields,
How many battles I had in their fields
in which I struck reproach a mortal blow!
Where I was dealt the most painful of blows
غيٌّfolly لوif أنthat الرشدَright reason ليto me مُنصفٌfair
غيٌّ لو أن الرشدَ لي مُنصفٌ
لمnot يَنْهَwould forbid عنfrom أَمثالِهِthe likes of it مِثْليsomeone like me
لم يَنْهَ عن أَمثالِهِ مِثْلي
Folly! If right reason were fair to me,
It was absentminded of me, had reason been fair to me
it would not forbid such folly to one like me.
It would not have allowed the likes of me to desire the likes of them
شَرَّدَdrove away عنfrom جَفْنِيmy eyelid لذيذَthe sweetness of الكَرَىslumber
شَرَّدَ عن جَفْنِي لذيذَ الكَرَى
ظبيٌa gazelle شرودٌskittish شارِدُelusive in الوَصْلunion
ظبيٌ شرودٌ شارِدُ الوَصْل
Sweet slumber was driven from my eyelid
It has evicted the sweet dreams from my eyelids
by a skittish gazelle, elusive in union.
A gazelle, whose connection is lost, wandering
وسنانُdrowsy ناهيكَenough for you بأَجفانِهِare his eyelids
وسنانُ ناهيكَ بأَجفانِهِ
علىconcerning الهوىlove منْas شاهِدَيtwo witnesses of عدلuprightness
على الهوى منْ شاهِدَي عدل
Drowsy—his eyelids suffice for you
And their teeth - no need to mention their eyelashes -
as two trustworthy witnesses to love.
Are witnesses of justice against my passion
سالتْflowed علىover ألحاظِهِhis glances كُحلةٌkohl-darkness
سالتْ على ألحاظِهِ كُحلةٌ
واخَجْلتيoh, my shame منat خَجْلضةِunclear; likely 'embarrassment of' الكُحلkohl
واخَجْلتي من خَجْلضةِ الكُحل
Kohl-darkness flowed over his glances;
Kohl has flowed over their glances
oh, my shame at the kohl's [embarrassment]!
And I was too shy by the application of kohl
إذاwhen أدراتunclear form; apparently 'circulated' بينناamong us خَمْرَهاits wine
إذا أدرات بيننا خَمْرَها
قامتْsupplied; stood in for لناfor us خدَّاهُhis two cheeks بالنُّقْلas fruit and nuts with wine
قامتْ لنا خدَّاهُ بالنُّقْل
When it [circulated] its wine among us,
When she shows us her wine between us
his two cheeks supplied the accompanying fruit.
Her cheeks serve it to us
غصنa bough سقتهwatered it ريةa full watering by أدمعيmy tears
غصن سقته رية أدمعي
أغنتهmade it independent عنof طلdew وعنand of دبلmanure; fertilizer
أغنته عن طل وعن دبل
A bough watered to the full by my tears,
A branch I watered with my tears
making dew and fertilizer needless for it.
My weeping made it needless of rain or buckets
واأسفيalas, my grief منat رمنٍunclear; likely 'time' باخلٍmiserly
واأسفي من رمنٍ باخلٍ
يُمِرُّmakes bitter للمرءِfor a man ولاand does not يُحْليmake sweet
يُمِرُّ للمرءِ ولا يُحْلي
Alas for a miserly [age],
Woe is me from a withholding palm tree
that gives a man bitterness, but never sweetness!
That ripens for man but does not sweeten
ماnot زالَceased مُذْsince ماthe time when صَفرتْbecame empty كَفُّهُhis palm
ما زالَ مُذْ ما صَفرتْ كَفُّهُ
يَطْويfolds; harbors لهagainst him كَشْحاًa flank علىupon غِلِّrancor
يَطْوي له كَشْحاً على غِلِّ
Since his palm became empty, it has never ceased
It has not ceased since its palms turned yellow
to harbor rancor against him.
To fold greed upon greed for it
ويَاand alas لَذَرْعيfor my capacity ضَاقَhas grown too narrow عنfor هِمَّةِan ambition
ويَا لَذَرْعي ضَاقَ عن هِمَّةِ
مُعْلَمَةٍmarked; distinguished فيin زَمَنan age غُفْلunmarked; undistinguished
مُعْلَمَةٍ في زَمَن غُفْل
And alas for my strength, too narrow for an ambition
Woe to my means, too narrow for the aspirations
distinguished in an undistinguished age!
Of an instructor in times of ignorance
حسبيenough for me بهاfor it عُلْياlofty eminence عليʿAlī عُلاًheights; eminence
حسبي بها عُلْيا علي عُلاً
فلمfor he has not يَزَلْceased يُعْليto exalt وَيَسْتَعْليand to rise high
فلم يَزَلْ يُعْلي وَيَسْتَعْلي
ʿAlī's lofty eminence suffices me for it [wording uncertain];
Suffice it as a most high against me, continuously
for he has never ceased to exalt and rise high.
Elevating itself and aggrandizing
منof a; such a أريحيٍّgenerous-hearted man بينamong بيضِwhite; gleaming الظُّبَاsword-edges
من أريحيٍّ بين بيضِ الظُّبَا
يومَon the day of الوغىbattle والسُّمُرِand brown spears الذُّبْلslender
يومَ الوغى والسُّمُرِ الذُّبْل
A generous-hearted man amid gleaming sword-edges
A wholesome doe between the white gazelles
and slender brown spears on the day of battle;
On a day of commotion and the fading vegetation
مُبتَسِمٌsmiling حيثُwhere; while المناياdeaths بهaround him
مُبتَسِمٌ حيثُ المنايا به
تكْشِرُbare عنexposing أنْيابِهاtheir fangs العُصْلcrooked
تكْشِرُ عن أنْيابِها العُصْل
smiling, while deaths around him
Smiling while deaths unto him
bare their crooked fangs.
Bare their fangs
أروعُawe-inspiring ثَبْتُsteadfast in العَزْمِresolve لاnot طائشٌrash
أروعُ ثَبْتُ العَزْمِ لا طائشٌ
والهامُand heads يَحْكيresemble طائشَthe straying of النَّبلarrows
والهامُ يَحْكي طائشَ النَّبل
Awe-inspiring, firm in resolve, never rash,
Of firmest resolve, not fickle
while heads resemble arrows flying astray.
And enthusiasm tells of the erratic arrow
ليثُa lion of شرىًSharā مُفتَرِسٌravening باسِلٌvaliant
ليثُ شرىً مُفتَرِسٌ باسِلٌ
يذودُdefends عنon behalf of غِيلٍa thicket وعَنْand on behalf of شِبْلa lion cub
يذودُ عن غِيلٍ وعَنْ شِبْل
A lion of Sharā, ravening and valiant,
A fearless lion hunting prey
guarding his thicket and his cub.
Protecting from dishonor and cubs
ماضٍkeen; resolute كنَصْلِlike the blade of السَّيْفِthe sword لاnot يَنْثَنيbends; turns back
ماضٍ كنَصْلِ السَّيْفِ لا يَنْثَني
مُصَمّمٌresolute فيin الحادثِcalamity الجَزْلِgrave; great
مُصَمّمٌ في الحادثِ الجَزْلِ
Keen as a sword's blade, never bending,
Unwavering like a sword blade, not bending
resolute amid grave calamity.
Determined in fateful matters
ناهيكenough for you منهin him حَوَّلاًresourceful قُلَّباًversatile
ناهيك منه حَوَّلاً قُلَّباً
والموتُwhile death قدalready قامَhas stood علىupon رِجْلa foot; leg
والموتُ قد قامَ على رِجْل
What a resourceful, versatile man he is,
Undaunted he turns and tosses
while death has risen to its feet!
While death stands on its feet
أغَرُّradiant طَلقُopen; cheerful الوجهِthe face وضَّاحُهُbright in his face
أغَرُّ طَلقُ الوجهِ وضَّاحُهُ
يَصْلىburns in; endures جحيمَthe inferno of الحربِwar أوor يُصْليmakes others burn
يَصْلى جحيمَ الحربِ أو يُصْلي
Radiant, open-faced, bright of countenance,
Dazzling fair of face and smile
whether burning in war's inferno or making others burn.
Whether he prays the hell of war or makes it pray
هَشٌّeager إلىtoward داعيthe summons of النَّدىgenerosity مُسْرِعٌhastening
هَشٌّ إلى داعي النَّدى مُسْرِعٌ
يَسبِقُoutstrips وفْدَthe delegation of القولِspeech بالفعْلwith action
يَسبِقُ وفْدَ القولِ بالفعْل
Eager, hastening toward generosity's call,
Delicate toward the caller of dew, hastening
outstripping the envoys of speech with action.
His action precedes the delegation of words
دُونَكَhere before you رَبْعَthe abode of المجدِglory خَيّمْpitch your tent بهin it
دُونَكَ رَبْعَ المجدِ خَيّمْ به
وَحُطَّand alight بينbetween الماءِwater والظلِّand shade
وَحُطَّ بين الماءِ والظلِّ
Here is glory's abode: pitch your tent in it,
Beneath you lies a quarter of glory, camp in it
and alight amid water and shade.
And alight between water and shade
نَحلُلْlet us settle جَنَاباًin a domain مُمْرِعاًlush; fertile آمِناًsafe
نَحلُلْ جَنَاباً مُمْرِعاً آمِناً
فيهin it المنىhopes جامعةُuniting الشَّملthe company
فيه المنى جامعةُ الشَّمل
Let us settle in a lush and safe domain,
We covet a rested, fulfilled, safe side
where hopes bring reunion.
In which wishes are united
غنْunclear; likely 'if' بَذَلَتْbestowed راحتُهُhis palm نائلاًa gift
غنْ بَذَلَتْ راحتُهُ نائلاً
لمnot تَرْضَwas content بِالبَعْضِwith a part منَof الكُلِّthe whole
لم تَرْضَ بِالبَعْضِ منَ الكُلِّ
[If] his palm bestows a gift,
If his ease has been granted in full
it will not settle for a part of the whole.
It would not accept just a portion of the whole
أناملٌfingers جَانَسَmade akin; matched أقلامَهاtheir pens
أناملٌ جَانَسَ أقلامَها
مِدَادُهُنَّtheir ink الغيثَrain بالمحلin drought
مِدَادُهُنَّ الغيثَ بالمحل
Fingers whose pens are made akin,
Fingers harmonized with their pens
by their ink, to rain in drought.
Their ink is the rain in torrents
إيهٍmore; go on وهلْand is حُكْمُكَyour judgment ليto me مُنْصِفٌfair; just
إيهٍ وهلْ حُكْمُكَ لي مُنْصِفٌ
وطالبٌand seeking ماwhat فاتَhas passed منof ذَحْلa grievance; vengeance
وطالبٌ ما فاتَ من ذَحْل
More! Will your judgment do me justice,
Oh woe, is your rule fair to me
and claim revenge for bygone wrongs?
And seeking what was lost of rights?
ومنهضيand my uplifter مُضْطَلِعٌable to bear بيme فَكمْso how many
ومنهضي مُضْطَلِعٌ بي فَكمْ
حَمَلتَyou have carried منof عِبءٍa burden ومنْand of ثِقْلِa heavy load
حَمَلتَ من عِبءٍ ومنْ ثِقْلِ
And my uplifter has strength to bear me—how many
My undertakings burdened with me, so how much
burdens and heavy loads you have carried!
Have you carried of weight and heaviness?
خُذْهاtake it فقدfor indeed ساعدنيaided me مِقْوَلٌan eloquent tongue
خُذْها فقد ساعدني مِقْوَلٌ
كالنّصْلِlike a blade أوor كالأَرْقَمِlike a speckled snake الصِلّthe venomous viper
كالنّصْلِ أو كالأَرْقَمِ الصِلّ
Take it, for a tongue has come to my aid,
Take it, for rhymed prose has aided me
like a blade, or a speckled, venomous viper.
Like a blade or straight, slender palm trunk
وَاصْغِand listen إليهto it مُغْرِباًbringing marvels منتجاًproductive; fruitful
وَاصْغِ إليه مُغْرِباً منتجاً
يملأُfills سَمْعَthe ear of الدَّهْرِTime إذas يُمْليit dictates
يملأُ سَمْعَ الدَّهْرِ إذ يُمْلي
And listen to it, wondrous and fruitful,
And listen to it melodiously innovating
filling the ear of Time as it dictates.
Filling the hearing of time as it dictates
وهاكَand take شكريmy thanks مَنْهلاًa watering-place سائغاًpleasant to drink
وهاكَ شكري مَنْهلاً سائغاً
فَرِدْهَso come to it بَيْنَbetween العَلِّthe second draught والنَّهْلِand the first draught
فَرِدْهَ بَيْنَ العَلِّ والنَّهْلِ
And take my thanks, a pleasant watering-place;
And here is my gratitude, a delicious spring
so come to it for your first drink and your second.
Dispense it between elevation and streams
Sol 6.1