هيَit is الصّبابةُardent longing منْof بادٍmanifest ومُكْتَمِنِand concealed
هيَ الصّبابةُ منْ بادٍ ومُكْتَمِنِ
طَوىfolded لَهاfor it الوَجْدُpassion أحشائيmy entrails علىaround شَجَنِgrief
طَوى لَها الوَجْدُ أحشائي على شَجَنِ
It is yearning, manifest and concealed;
for it, passion has folded my entrails around grief
وحَنَّةٍand a yearning moan كأُوارِlike the blaze of النّارِfire يُضْرِمُهاkindles it
وحَنَّةٍ كأُوارِ النّارِ يُضْرِمُها
قَلبٌa heart تمَلّكَhas taken possession of رِقَّthe bondage of المَدْمَعِthe tear duct الهَتِنِfreely streaming
قَلبٌ تمَلّكَ رِقَّ المَدْمَعِ الهَتِنِ
and a yearning moan like fire's blaze, kindled by
a heart that holds the ever-streaming eye in thrall.
ناوَلْتُهُI offered it طَرَفَa fragment of الذّكْرىremembrance فأقْلَقهُthen unsettled it
ناوَلْتُهُ طَرَفَ الذّكْرى فأقْلَقهُ
شوْقٌlonging يُصَرِّحُspeaks openly عنهُof it لَوْعَةُthe burning anguish of الحَزَنِsorrow
شوْقٌ يُصَرِّحُ عنهُ لَوْعَةُ الحَزَنِ
I offered it a fragment of remembrance, and it was troubled by
a longing that sorrow's burning anguish openly declares.
فحَنَّso it yearned والوَجْدُand passion يستشريspreads unchecked عَلَيهِover it كَماjust as
فحَنَّ والوَجْدُ يستشري عَلَيهِ كَما
حَنّyearned الأعاريبُthe Bedouins منْfrom نَجْدٍNajd إِلىfor الوَطَنِthe homeland
حَنّ الأعاريبُ منْ نَجْدٍ إِلى الوَطَنِ
So it yearned, as passion spread through it, just as
the Bedouins yearned from Najd for their homeland.
تُذْريscatters دُموعَهُمُtheir tears الذِّكرىremembrance إذاwhen خَطَرَتْstirs
تُذْري دُموعَهُمُ الذِّكرى إذا خَطَرَتْ
رُوَيْحَةُa little breeze الحَزْنِthe rugged uplands تَمريmilks دِرّةَthe abundant flow of المُزُنِthe rainclouds
رُوَيْحَةُ الحَزْنِ تَمري دِرّةَ المُزُنِ
Memory scatters their tears whenever there stirs
a little breeze from the rugged uplands, milking the rainclouds' flow.
فلاso may not اسْتَمالَsway الهَوىlove عَينيmy eye وإنْand even if جَمَحَتْit strays
فلا اسْتَمالَ الهَوى عَيني وإنْ جَمَحَتْ
عنْهاfrom her ولاnor افْتَرَشَmade his bed in الواشيthe slanderer بِهاagainst her أذُنيmy ear
عنْها ولا افْتَرَشَ الواشي بِها أذُني
So may love never sway my eye, even if it should stray
from her; nor may a slanderer make my ear his bed against her.
هَيفاءُslender-waisted تُخْجِلُshames غُصْنَthe branch of البانِthe bān-tree منْin هَيَفٍslenderness
هَيفاءُ تُخْجِلُ غُصْنَ البانِ منْ هَيَفٍ
عَيْناءُlarge-eyed تَهزَأُscoffs بالغِزْلانِat the gazelles منْin عَيَنِlargeness of eyes
عَيْناءُ تَهزَأُ بالغِزْلانِ منْ عَيَنِ
Slender-waisted, she shames the bān-tree's branch with her slimness;
wide-eyed, she mocks the gazelles with her great eyes.
إذاwhen مَشَتْshe walks دَبَّcreeps فيthrough أعطافِهاher curves مَرَحٌplayfulness
إذا مَشَتْ دَبَّ في أعطافِها مَرَحٌ
كَماjust as هفَتْfluttered نَسَماتُthe breezes of الرّيحِthe wind بالغُصُنِthrough the branches
كَما هفَتْ نَسَماتُ الرّيحِ بالغُصُنِ
When she walks, playfulness creeps through her curves,
as the wind's soft breaths flutter through the branches.
وإنْand if سَرىtravels by night بارِقٌa lightning flash منْfrom أرضِهاher land طَمَحَتْlooks upward
وإنْ سَرى بارِقٌ منْ أرضِها طَمَحَتْ
عَيْنٌan eye تُقَلِّصُdraws back جَفْنَيْهاits two eyelids عنِfrom الوَسَنِdrowsiness
عَيْنٌ تُقَلِّصُ جَفْنَيْها عنِ الوَسَنِ
And if lightning travels by night from her land, upward turns
an eye that draws its lids back from drowsiness.
وأسْتَمِلُّand I ask to be told إذاwhen ريحُthe wind الصَّباthe east wind نَسَمَتْbreathes gently
وأسْتَمِلُّ إذا ريحُ الصَّبا نَسَمَتْ
حَديثَthe tale of نَعْمانَNaʿmān والأنْباءَand the tidings عنof حَضَنِḤaḍan
حَديثَ نَعْمانَ والأنْباءَ عن حَضَنِ
And when the east wind breathes, I ask to hear
the tale of Naʿmān and the tidings of Ḥaḍan.
وأحْبِسُand I halt الرَّكْبَthe caravan ياO ظَمْياءَẒamyāʾ إنْif بَرَقَتْflashes with lightning
وأحْبِسُ الرَّكْبَ يا ظَمْياءَ إنْ بَرَقَتْ
غَمامةٌa cloud وشَدَتْand sings وَرْقاءُa grey dove فيon فَنَنِa bough
غَمامةٌ وشَدَتْ وَرْقاءُ في فَنَنِ
And I halt the caravan, O Ẓamyāʾ, if there flashes
a cloud, and a grey dove sings upon a bough,
علىupon رَوازِحَexhausted camels يَخْضِبْنَthey dye السّريحَthe foot-binding straps دَماًwith blood
على رَوازِحَ يَخْضِبْنَ السّريحَ دَماً
كادَتْthey almost تَمَسُّtouch أديمَthe skin of الأرضِthe earth بالثّفَنِwith the calloused pads
كادَتْ تَمَسُّ أديمَ الأرضِ بالثّفَنِ
upon exhausted camels that dye their foot-straps with blood,
almost touching the earth's skin with their calloused pads.
إنif خانَbetrays سِرَّكِyour secret طَرْفيmy glance فالهَوىthen love عَلِقٌclings
إن خانَ سِرَّكِ طَرْفي فالهَوى عَلِقٌ
منّيwithin me بقَلْبٍto a heart علىwith الأسرارِthe secrets مُؤْتَمَنِentrusted
منّي بقَلْبٍ على الأسرارِ مُؤْتَمَنِ
If my glance betrays your secret, love clings
to a heart within me, trusted to keep secrets.
إنّيindeed I لأُرضيكِsurely please you والحيّانِwhile both tribes فيin سَخَطٍanger
إنّي لأُرضيكِ والحيّانِ في سَخَطٍ
بَثّاboth spread عَداوةَthe hostility of مَوْتورٍone seeking vengeance ومُضْطَغِنِand a grudge-bearer
بَثّا عَداوةَ مَوْتورٍ ومُضْطَغِنِ
Indeed I please you, though both tribes are enraged,
both spreading the hatred of the vengeance-seeker and the grudge-bearer.
ولسْتُand I do not أحْفِلُcare بالغَيْرانِabout the jealous rival ماas long as صَحِبَتْhas accompanied
ولسْتُ أحْفِلُ بالغَيْرانِ ما صَحِبَتْ
كَفّيmy hand أنابيبَshaft-sections للعَسّالَةِof the quivering spears اللُّدُنِsupple
كَفّي أنابيبَ للعَسّالَةِ اللُّدُنِ
And I heed no jealous rival, so long as
my hand keeps company with the supple shafts of quivering spears.
لاأبتَغِيI do not seek العِزَّglory إلاّexcept منfrom أسِنَّتِهاtheir spearheads
لاأبتَغِي العِزَّ إلاّ من أسِنَّتِها
والموتُand death يَنزِلُdescends والأرواحُand souls فيin ظَعنِdeparture
والموتُ يَنزِلُ والأرواحُ في ظَعنِ
I seek glory only from their spearheads,
as death descends and souls depart.
وألبسand I wear الخِلَّthe close friend تَعرَىare stripped bare ليto me شَمائِلُهُhis character traits
وألبس الخِلَّ تَعرَى لي شَمائِلُهُ
منَof الخَنىbaseness حَذَرَwith the fear of الكاسيthe clothed man منَof الدَّرَنِgrime
منَ الخَنى حَذَرَ الكاسي منَ الدَّرَنِ
And I wear as my garb a friend whose traits I find free
of baseness, with a clothed man's fear of grime.
وأنفُضُand I shake free اليَدَthe hand منْof مالٍwealth إذاif انْبَسَطَتْit reaches out
وأنفُضُ اليَدَ منْ مالٍ إذا انْبَسَطَتْ
إليهِtoward it عادَتْit returns بعِرْضٍwith honor عنهُbecause of it مُمتَهَنِdebased
إليهِ عادَتْ بعِرْضٍ عنهُ مُمتَهَنِ
And I shake my hand free of wealth if, once extended
toward it, it returns with my honor debased because of it.
لاno رَغبَةًdesire ليَfor me فيfor النُّعْمىbounty إذاwhen نُسِبَتْit is attributed
لا رَغبَةً ليَ في النُّعْمى إذا نُسِبَتْ
لمْnot تتّصِلْis linked بغِياثِto Ghiyāth الدّولَةِal-Dawla الحَسَنِal-Ḥasan
لمْ تتّصِلْ بغِياثِ الدّولَةِ الحَسَنِ
I desire no bounty if, when its origin is traced,
it has no link to Ghiyāth al-Dawla, al-Ḥasan.
أغَرُّradiant يَحْتَمِلُcarry العافونَthe petitioners نائِلَهُhis bounty
أغَرُّ يَحْتَمِلُ العافونَ نائِلَهُ
علىupon كَواهِلَshoulders لمْnot يُثْقَلْنَhave been burdened بالمِنَنِby reminders of favors
على كَواهِلَ لمْ يُثْقَلْنَ بالمِنَنِ
A radiant man, whose bounty petitioners carry
on shoulders unburdened by reminders of favors.
ويَمْتَرونَand they draw forth سِجالَbuckets of العُرْفِgenerosity مُتْرَعَةًbrimming
ويَمْتَرونَ سِجالَ العُرْفِ مُتْرَعَةً
هذيthese المَكارِمُnoble deeds لاnot قَعْبانِtwo bowls منْof لَبَنِmilk
هذي المَكارِمُ لا قَعْبانِ منْ لَبَنِ
And they draw brimming buckets of generosity:
these are noble deeds, not two bowls of milk.
يأْوونَthey take refuge منهُfrom him إِلىto سَهْلٍone approachable مَباءَتُهُhis abode
يأْوونَ منهُ إِلى سَهْلٍ مَباءَتُهُ
يَرميhe assails صَفاةَthe rock of العِداthe enemies عَنْfrom جانِبٍa flank خَشِنِrugged
يَرمي صَفاةَ العِدا عَنْ جانِبٍ خَشِنِ
They find refuge in him, whose abode is welcoming;
he assails the enemy's rock from a rugged flank.
إذاwhen المُنىhopes نَزَلَتْalight هِيماًthirsting بِساحَتِهِin his courtyard
إذا المُنى نَزَلَتْ هِيماً بِساحَتِهِ
ظَلَلْنَthey spend the day يَمْرَحْنَfrolicking بَيْنَbetween الماءِthe water والعَطَنِand the camels' resting-place
ظَلَلْنَ يَمْرَحْنَ بَيْنَ الماءِ والعَطَنِ
When hopes alight, thirsting, in his courtyard,
they spend the day frolicking between the water and the camels' resting-place.
أدعوكَI call upon you ياO بْنَson of عَليٍّʿAlī والخُطوبُwhile calamities غَدَتْhave come to
أدعوكَ يا بْنَ عَليٍّ والخُطوبُ غَدَتْ
تَلفُّنيbind me وبَناتِand the daughters of الدّهْرِTime فيin قَرَنِone tether
تَلفُّني وبَناتِ الدّهْرِ في قَرَنِ
I call on you, O son of ʿAlī, as calamities have come
to bind me and Time's daughters in a single tether.
كمْhow many a مَوقِفٍposition كغِرارِlike the edge of السّيفِa sword قُمتُI stood بهِin it
كمْ مَوقِفٍ كغِرارِ السّيفِ قُمتُ بهِ
والقِرْنُwhile the adversary مُشتَمِلٌis wrapped فيهthere علىin إحَنِgrudges
والقِرْنُ مُشتَمِلٌ فيه على إحَنِ
How many a position like a sword's edge I have stood in,
with the adversary there wrapped in grudges.
ومِدْحَةٍand a praise-poem ذَهَبَتْwent فيthrough الأرضِthe earth شاردَةًwandering
ومِدْحَةٍ ذَهَبَتْ في الأرضِ شاردَةً
تُهديsends مَعَدُّMaʿadd قَوافيهاits rhymes إِلىto اليَمَنِYemen
تُهدي مَعَدُّ قَوافيها إِلى اليَمَنِ
And many a praise-poem has wandered through the earth,
Maʿadd sending its rhymes to Yemen.
فانْظُرْso look إليّat me بَعيْنَيْwith the two eyes of ناقِدٍa critic يَقِظٍalert
فانْظُرْ إليّ بَعيْنَيْ ناقِدٍ يَقِظٍ
تَجْذِبْyou will draw إليكَtoward you بضَبْعَيby the two upper arms of شاعِرٍa poet فَطِنِdiscerning
تَجْذِبْ إليكَ بضَبْعَي شاعِرٍ فَطِنِ
So look upon me with an alert critic's eyes;
you will draw a discerning poet toward you by both arms.
ماnot كُلُّeveryone منْwho قالspoke شِعْراًverse فيكَabout you سَيَّرَهُsent it abroad
ما كُلُّ منْ قال شِعْراً فيكَ سَيَّرَهُ
وليسَand not كلُّevery كَلامٍutterance جيبَis hewn عَنfrom لَسَنِeloquence
وليسَ كلُّ كَلامٍ جيبَ عَن لَسَنِ
Not everyone who has spoken verse of you has sent it far,
nor is every utterance hewn from eloquence.
إذاwhen مَسَحْتَyou stroke جِباهَthe foreheads of الخَيلِthe horses سابِقَةًleading the race
إذا مَسَحْتَ جِباهَ الخَيلِ سابِقَةً
فَفيthen in يَديَّmy two hands عِنانُthe rein of السّابِحِthe swimming-gaited steed الأرِنِhigh-spirited
فَفي يَديَّ عِنانُ السّابِحِ الأرِنِ
When you stroke the foreheads of the winning steeds,
then in my hands is the rein of the spirited, swimming-gaited steed.
إنّindeed المَكارِمَnoble deeds لاnot تَرضىconsent لمِثْلِكَfor one like you أنthat
إنّ المَكارِمَ لا تَرضى لمِثْلِكَ أن
أُعْزَىI am affiliated إليهwith him وأسْتَعديand I seek aid علىagainst الزّمَنِTime
أُعْزَى إليه وأسْتَعدي على الزّمَنِ
Noble deeds will not consent, for one like you, that
I be known as his, yet plead for aid against Time.
Sol 6.1