سائقdriver الظَعنthe departing caravan بِالحدوجwith the camel litters تَأَنّىgo slowly
سائق الظَعن بِالحدوج تَأَنّى
وَاِقطَعand cross البيدthe deserts وَالسَباسبand the open plains وَهناin the still of night
وَاِقطَع البيد وَالسَباسب وَهنا
Driver of the caravan with its camel litters, go slowly,
The driver of camels was slow in the sands
And cross the deserts and open plains in the still of night.
And cut through wastelands and brambles hither
لَيسَdoes not يَشفيsoothe لَكَfor you الوَجيفthe rapid trot غَليلاًa burning longing
لَيسَ يَشفي لَكَ الوَجيف غَليلاً
أَسلَمتُهُshe consigned it (vocalized: I consigned it) إِلىto فوادكyour heart لبنىLubna
أَسلَمتُهُ إِلى فوادك لبنى
No hurried trot will soothe your burning longing,
No carrion would quench your heart's thirst
Which Lubna has consigned to your heart.
I surrendered it to your affection sincerely
ذاتpossessing صَدrejection يُذيبthat melts كُلevery جَليدٍsteadfast person
ذات صَد يُذيب كُل جَليدٍ
وَجَفاءٍand harsh estrangement لَوif عَنَّit befell لِلصَخرto rock أَنّىit would groan
وَجَفاءٍ لَو عَنَّ لِلصَخر أَنّى
Her rejection melts every steadfast soul,
Of a bosom that melts all ice
And her harshness, if it befell rock, would make it groan.
And dryness, had it hardened rocks, would soften
ماnot ثَناهاbent her العِتابreproach يَوماًever لِعَطفٍtoward affection
ما ثَناها العِتاب يَوماً لِعَطفٍ
وَهِيَwhile she فيin العَينthe eye بانةa ban-tree تَنثنيsways
وَهِيَ في العَين بانة تَنثني
Reproach never bent her toward affection,
No admonishing ever dissuaded it from kindness
Though to the eye she is a swaying ban-tree.
Evident in eyes, it bends and sways
أَودَعتَنيyou left in me لَدىat الوَداعfarewell إِلتِهاباًa blaze
أَودَعتَني لَدى الوَداع إِلتِهاباً
وَذرتand streamed أَدمُعيmy tears فِرادىsingly وَمَثنىand in pairs
وَذرت أَدمُعي فِرادى وَمَثنى
At farewell you left a blaze within me,
When we parted, you left me in fervor
And my tears streamed, singly and in pairs.
My tears flowed singly and in pairs
ياO! سقتmay they water دارَهاher dwelling السَحائبthe clouds عَنيon my behalf
يا سقت دارَها السَحائب عَني
إِنَّindeed هَذاthis البُكاءِweeping لِلدَمعfor tears أَفنىexhausts
إِنَّ هَذا البُكاءِ لِلدَمع أَفنى
Oh, may the clouds water her dwelling on my behalf,
O clouds, water her abode in my stead
For this weeping has exhausted my tears.
For this weeping has exhausted my tears
طالَماoften قَدindeed خَلستI stole لَذةthe pleasure of عَيشٍliving
طالَما قَد خَلست لَذة عَيشٍ
فيin ذراهاits shelter وَنِلتand I attained ماwhat أَتمَنىI wish for
في ذراها وَنِلت ما أَتمَنى
How often I stole the pleasure of living
Long has the joy of life
Within its shelter, and gained what I wished for.
Stolen amidst her homes, and I attained what I wished
وَلَثمتand I kissed الثَغورthe lips فيهاwithin it أَقاحاًdaisies
وَلَثمت الثَغور فيها أَقاحاً
وَهَصرتand I clasped القُدودthe slender figures غُصناًa branch فَغُصناthen another branch
وَهَصرت القُدود غُصناً فَغُصنا
And there kissed lips like daisies,
I kissed the lips among them till sated
And clasped slender figures, branch after branch.
And plucked the branches, branch after branch
لَهفthe anguish of قَلبيmy heart عَلىover مَضيthe passing of لَيالٍnights
لَهف قَلبي عَلى مَضي لَيالٍ
فيin دُجاهاtheir darkness نَبهتI roused كاساًa wine-cup وَدَنّاand a wine-jar
في دُجاها نَبهت كاساً وَدَنّا
How my heart grieves for nights gone by,
My heart yearned for nights gone by
In whose darkness I roused cup and wine-jar,
In their darkness, I roused a cup and drew nearer
وَيَفضand interrupts الحَديثthe conversation فيهنَّduring them شادٍa singer
وَيَفض الحَديث فيهنَّ شادٍ
يَستَفزunsettles النُهىreason إِذاwhen ماever (emphasis) تَغَنىhe sings
يَستَفز النُهى إِذا ما تَغَنى
While a singer interrupted the talk on those nights,
Conversation flowed unrestrained
Unsettling reason whenever he sang.
Inciting censure when it sang
لَستُI do not أَرضىaccept لَهاfor them بَديلاًa substitute وَلَكنbut
لَستُ أَرضى لَها بَديلاً وَلَكن
مَدحpraising هَذاthis الأَميرemir عَنهنَّinstead of them أَغناhas sufficed
مَدح هَذا الأَمير عَنهنَّ أَغنا
I would accept no substitute for those nights, yet
I find no substitute satisfactory, but
Praising this emir has made me need them no longer.
Praising this prince distracts me from them
ماجhe surged بَحراًas a sea وَجالَand roamed لَيثa lion عَرينٍof a lair
ماج بَحراً وَجالَ لَيث عَرينٍ
وَسَطاand struck صارِماًas a keen sword وَأَقبَلand advanced لَدُناas a supple lance
وَسَطا صارِماً وَأَقبَل لَدُنا
He surged, a sea, and roamed, a lion of the lair,
He surged like a raging sea and roared like a lion in its den
And struck, a keen sword, and advanced, a supple lance.
Brandishing a blade, he approached us
راقياًrising above بِالفَخارin glory كُلevery عَليٍّexalted one
راقياً بِالفَخار كُل عَليٍّ
ساحِباًtrailing فَوقَabove هامةthe heads of الشُهبthe stars ردناa sleeve
ساحِباً فَوقَ هامة الشُهب ردنا
Rising in glory above every exalted one,
Nobler than any Ali in pride
Trailing his sleeve above the heads of the stars.
Raising above the gray-haired a banner
ياO مُفيدgiver to الأَنامhumankind رَفداًof bounty وَفَضلاًand grace
يا مُفيد الأَنام رَفداً وَفَضلاً
وَمُعيرand lender to البُدورthe full moons نوراًof light وَحُسناand beauty
وَمُعير البُدور نوراً وَحُسنا
O giver of bounty and grace to humankind,
O benefactor of mankind, with bounty and favor
And lender of light and beauty to full moons,
And illuminator of full moons with light and beauty
قَدindeed هَززناكَwe brandished you فيin المَكارمnoble deeds عَضباًas a keen sword
قَد هَززناكَ في المَكارم عَضباً
وَاِستَلمناكَand we clasped you فيin النَوائبcalamities رُكناas a pillar
وَاِستَلمناكَ في النَوائب رُكنا
We have brandished you as a keen sword in noble deeds,
We have tested you with wrath in virtues
And clasped you as a pillar amid calamities.
And found you a pillar in adversities
وَوَجدناكَand we found you أَرأفmost compassionate الناسof people بِالناtoward peo-
وَوَجدناكَ أَرأف الناس بِالنا
س-ple (word continuation) حَنوّاًin tenderness وَأَكثَرand most abundant الناسof people حُسناin goodness
س حَنوّاً وَأَكثَر الناس حُسنا
And found you the most compassionate of all toward peo-
We found you the most compassionate of men in sympathy
ple in tenderness, and the richest of all in goodness.
And the best of men in goodness
فتَّyou surpassed طائيهمtheir Ta'i عَطاءًin giving وَمَبنىًand stature
فتَّ طائيهم عَطاءً وَمَبنىً
وَبِطيبand in the sweetness of الثَناpraise جدَّكyour forebear مَعناMa'n
وَبِطيب الثَنا جدَّك مَعنا
You surpassed their Ta'i in giving and stature,
So pitch to them a tent of generosity and care
And your forebear Ma'n in sweet renown.
And with a sweet tongue, endear yourself to us
وَسَموَتand you surpassed العبادthe people عَدلاًin justice وَحُلماًand forbearance
وَسَموَت العباد عَدلاً وَحُلماً
وَمَلَكتُand you ruled (vocalized: and I ruled) البَلادthe lands سَهلاًlevel ground وَحُزناand rugged terrain
وَمَلَكتُ البَلاد سَهلاً وَحُزنا
You rose above all people in justice and forbearance,
You exalted people with justice and forbearance
And ruled the lands, both plain and rugged.
And ruled lands with ease and care
وَهَديتand you guided الكُهولmen of mature years مِنfrom كُلِevery قُطرregion
وَهَديت الكُهول مِن كُلِ قُطر
لِلمَعاليto high distinction وَأَنتَwhile you أَصغَرُare younger سِنّاin years
لِلمَعالي وَأَنتَ أَصغَرُ سِنّا
And guided men of mature years from every region
You guided elders from every region
To high distinction, though younger in years.
To the heights, while you are the youngest
لَوif وَزَنّاwe weighed بِكَagainst you المُلوكthe kings اِمتِحاناًas a test
لَو وَزَنّا بِكَ المُلوك اِمتِحاناً
فيin العَطاياgifts لَكُنتَyou would surely be أَرجَحweightier وَزناin weight
في العَطايا لَكُنتَ أَرجَح وَزنا
Were we to weigh kings against you as a test
If we weighed kings against you in a test
In generosity, you would prove the weightier.
Of generosity, you would be heaviest in weight
مَنwho يَقيسcompares بِكَwith you الشُموسthe suns بَهاءًin splendor
مَن يَقيس بِكَ الشُموس بَهاءً
حاشَfar be it! لِلّهto God أَنتَyou أَبهىmore splendid وَأَسناand more radiant
حاشَ لِلّه أَنتَ أَبهى وَأَسنا
Who would compare the suns with you in splendor?
Who can compare suns to you in splendor?
God forbid! You are more splendid and more radiant.
God forbid, you are the most brilliant and lofty
قَسَماًan oath بِاِبتِهاجby the joy of وَجهِكَyour face فيin الحَرbat-
قَسَماً بِاِبتِهاج وَجهِكَ في الحَر
ب-tle (word continuation) وَبيضand the bright الظِباsword-edges إِذاwhen النَقعthe battle-dust جَنّاveils
ب وَبيض الظِبا إِذا النَقع جَنّا
I swear by the joy of your face in bat-
I swear by the joy in your face in war
tle, and by bright sword-edges when battle-dust veils all:
And by the white antelopes when they glanced askance
ماnot نُفوسthe lives of العِداةthe enemies عِندَكَto you إِلّاexcept
ما نُفوس العِداة عِندَكَ إِلّا
زَهراتflowers بِحَدّwith the edge of سَيفِكَyour sword تَجناare plucked
زَهرات بِحَدّ سَيفِكَ تَجنا
To you, the lives of enemies are nothing but
The souls of foes are but
Flowers plucked by the edge of your sword.
Flowers severed by the blade of your sword
وَإِذاand when ماever (emphasis) امرِءٌa man تَغاضيتyou overlook عَنهُhim
وَإِذا ما امرِءٌ تَغاضيت عَنهُ
غادَرَتهُleave him الخُطوبmisfortunes فيin التربthe dust رَهناa hostage
غادَرَتهُ الخُطوب في الترب رَهنا
And whenever you overlook a man,
When you pardon a man
Misfortunes leave him a hostage in the dust.
Misfortunes leave him be, indebted
لِيَI have قَلبٌa heart لَديكwith you أَقربnearest شَيءa thing
لِيَ قَلبٌ لَديك أَقرب شَيء
وَخُلوصand sincere devotion إِذاif تَباعَدتyou grow distant عَناfrom us
وَخُلوص إِذا تَباعَدت عَنا
My heart is with you, nearer than anything,
My heart is closest to you
And my devotion is pure, even when you are far from us.
And my loyalty, though we are distanced
أَنتَyou are ماءَthe water of الأَمانيhopes أَخصَبhas grown fertile وَاديهِits valley
أَنتَ ماءَ الأَماني أَخصَب وَاديهِ
وَرَقَتand grew lush رِياضَهُits gardens فَالتَجَأناso we sought refuge
وَرَقَت رِياضَهُ فَالتَجَأنا
You are the water of hopes: its valley has grown fertile,
You are the most fertile valley of hopes
And its gardens have grown lush; so we sought refuge.
And its meadows have flourished, so we sought refuge
كَيفَhow نَرميare we assailed مِنby الزَمانtime بُروعwith terror
كَيفَ نَرمي مِن الزَمان بُروع
وَلَناwhile we have فيin ظلالthe shade of جاهِكَyour standing سَكنىa dwelling
وَلَنا في ظلال جاهِكَ سَكنى
How could time assail us with terror,
How can we fear adversity
When we dwell in the shade of your standing?
When we reside in the shade of your glory?
لاmay ... never وَهِيَweaken رُكنَكyour pillar الَّذيwhich صارَhas become لِلناfor peo-
لا وَهِيَ رُكنَك الَّذي صارَ لِلنا
س-ple (word continuation) مَلاذاًa refuge وَلاand may ... not عَفاbe effaced لَكfor you مَغناa dwelling
س مَلاذاً وَلا عَفا لَك مَغنا
May your pillar never weaken, which has become for peo-
No, it is your pillar which has become
ple a refuge; nor may your dwelling fall into ruin.
A refuge for people, may you have no deficiency
Sol 6.1