خَفضbe gentle عَليكwith yourself فَماfor ... not الفُؤادthe heart بِساليat all forgetful
خَفض عَليك فَما الفُؤاد بِسالي
وَقفdevoted الدُموعthe tears لِدارسto the faded الأَطلالِruins
وَقف الدُموع لِدارس الأَطلالِ
Be gentle with yourself; the heart has not forgotten.
My heart is not tranquil over you, so tears stand still for the dweller of ruins
The tears are devoted to the faded ruins.
Sense of crying has built up in its yards, our sights from other than it with reason
دِمَنٌruins عَلىupon عَرصاتِهاtheir courtyards عَقلtethered البُكاweeping
دِمَنٌ عَلى عَرصاتِها عَقل البُكا
أَبصارُناour eyes عَنaway from غَيرِهاother than them بِعقالwith a tether
أَبصارُنا عَن غَيرِها بِعقال
Ruins—upon their courtyards, weeping has tethered
Its nights have gone with their splendor after they were a tent of freshness and beauty
our eyes with a tether, keeping them from all else.
And without my patience near me after the separation, nor is my mind focused
ذَهَبَتcarried away بِرَونَقِهاwith their splendor اللَياليthe nights بَعدَماafter
ذَهَبَت بِرَونَقِها اللَيالي بَعدَما
كانَتthey were مُخَيمan encampment نَضارةfreshness وَجَمالand beauty
كانَت مُخَيم نَضارة وَجَمال
The nights carried away their splendor, after
I did not expect before the day they left, that destiny would befall with terms
they were an encampment of freshness and beauty.
They left so every brother who loved and was youthful, stood remembering and questioning
وَبَلايَand my affliction ماnot صَبريmy patience لَدَيّwith me بِقاطنat all dwelling
وَبَلايَ ما صَبري لَدَيّ بِقاطن
بَعدَafter الخَليطthe companions وَلاand not هَوايَmy passion بِباليat all faded
بَعدَ الخَليط وَلا هَوايَ بِبالي
And my affliction is this: patience no longer dwells with me
And it was hard to remember for the pacts and injuries, fluttering of the sand grouse and breeze of the myrtles
after the companions' departure, nor has my passion faded.
It preoccupied my heart with futilities since I wore his blood so they are my anklets
ماnot كُنتُI was أَحسَبthink قَبلbefore يَومthe day of فِراقهمtheir parting
ما كُنتُ أَحسَب قَبل يَوم فِراقهم
أَنthat النَوىseparation ضَربa kind مِنof الآجالdeaths
أَن النَوى ضَرب مِن الآجال
I had not thought, before the day of their parting,
Beauties emerge in the star clusters, and branches appeared in the volumes of traveled mounts
that separation was a kind of death.
From every alluring doe of the thicket, a gorgeous and deer-like one winks at me
ظَعنواthey departed فَكُلُso every أَخيman of هَوىlove وَصَبابةand yearning
ظَعنوا فَكُلُ أَخي هَوى وَصَبابة
وَقفdevoted عَلىto التِذكارremembrance وَالتَسئالand repeated inquiry
وَقف عَلى التِذكار وَالتَسئال
They departed; every man of love and longing
Whose fairness the youth watered and dressed their mantles in company of coquetry
is bound to remembrance and inquiry.
The glances do not stumble under it unless with whiteness or brownness of gazelles
وَلهانdistraught تَذكرُهُremind him of المَعاهدthe familiar haunts وَالدُمىand statue-like beauties
وَلهان تَذكرُهُ المَعاهد وَالدُمى
وُرقgray doves of الأَراكthe arak trees وَنَسمةand the breeze of الآصالlate afternoons
وُرق الأَراك وَنَسمة الآصال
Distraught, he is reminded of familiar haunts and statue-like beauties
The emaciations display flirtation so the doting guardian thinks it is emaciations of boredom
by the gray doves of the arak trees and the evening breeze.
Tell the blamer over craze in passion, “Leave me for you have no part in love and what is mine”
شغلwas engrossed الفُؤادthe heart بِعاطِلاتwith unadorned women خرَّدbashful maidens
شغل الفُؤاد بِعاطِلات خرَّد
مُذsince قَلدتthey were necklaced بِدماهُwith its blood فَهِيَso they are جَواليunveiled
مُذ قَلدت بِدماهُ فَهِيَ جَوالي
The heart is engrossed in unadorned, bashful maidens;
That I lean for the beauties with nature, like the son of mynah to bestowals
since they were necklaced with its blood, they stand unveiled.
My master but master of time and one whose traces became examples of examples
يَطلَعنَthey rise فيin فُلكthe spheres of الحدوجthe camel litters أَهلةcrescent moons
يَطلَعنَ في فُلك الحدوج أَهلة
وَغُصونand boughs of بانَbān trees فيon مُتونthe backs of رحالsaddles
وَغُصون بانَ في مُتون رحال
They rise as crescent moons in the spheres of the camel litters,
Abdul Latif, the composer and ink which its remoteness blackened it from forms
and as bān-tree boughs upon the backs of saddles.
To merit, his hands planted orchards so he harvested with it ripe fruits and grand values
مِنof كُلevery مخطفةslender الحَشاthe waist فَتانةenchanting
مِن كُل مخطفة الحَشا فَتانة
تَرنوshe gazes بِعَينيwith the two eyes of جُؤذرan oryx calf وَغَزالand a gazelle
تَرنو بِعَيني جُؤذر وَغَزال
Each of them a slender-waisted enchantress,
This whom without his sublimity, our times would not be blessed fortuity
gazing with the eyes of an oryx calf and a gazelle.
This whom clouds of his palm give on the day of bestowal with pouring heavy rain
رودtender سَقاهاgave her to drink الحُسنbeauty ماءthe water of شَبيبةyouth
رود سَقاها الحُسن ماء شَبيبة
وَكَساand clothed مَعاطفهاher curves برودmantles of دَلالcoquetry
وَكَسا مَعاطفها برود دَلال
Tender, beauty gave her the water of youth to drink,
He takes pains and merits making gear, and protection for honor not for money
and clothed her curves in mantles of coquetry.
How much verses of piety were written on the cheek of the fool from proof and example
لاnot تَعثرstumble upon اللَحظاتthe glances دونbefore كناسهاher lair
لا تَعثر اللَحظات دون كناسها
إِلّاexcept بِبيضupon bright swords أَوor بِسُمرupon brown spears عَواليtall
إِلّا بِبيض أَو بِسُمر عَوالي
No glances, before reaching her lair, encounter
No breeze in the two valleys if it blew among gardens in a night of trains
anything but bright swords or tall, brown spears.
Hypocrisy spent the night maybe towards life until it became aromatic from the mounts
تُبديshe shows الصُدودaversion تَلاعُباًplayfully فَيظنهُso he thinks it
تُبدي الصُدود تَلاعُباً فَيظنهُ
مِنfrom جَهلِهِhis ignorance الواشيthe tale-bearer صُدودaversion of مَلالweariness
مِن جَهلِهِ الواشي صُدود مَلال
She shows aversion playfully, yet it is taken
A day with most fragrant of his traits which pour out generosity and beauty of morals
by the tale-bearer, in his ignorance, for aversion born of weariness.
O son of the most righteous, the emaciation of poverty was not but they are its shadiest shadows
قُلsay لِلعذولto the reprover عَلىfor الغِوايةgoing astray فيin الهَوىlove
قُل لِلعذول عَلى الغِواية في الهَوى
دَعنيleave me فَمالكso what is yours فيin الغَرامpassion وَماليand what is mine
دَعني فَمالك في الغَرام وَمالي
Tell him who reproaches me for going astray in love:
With your arrival, Damascus cheered and its spaces turned narrow valleys to burdens
Leave me: what is your share in passion, and what is mine?
And with you days became full moons after their joy erased with erasing crescent
أَنيindeed I لَأَصبواsurely yearn لِلحسانfor beautiful women سَجيةby nature
أَني لَأَصبوا لِلحسان سَجية
مثلlike اِبنIbn مِنقارMinqar إِلىtoward الإِفضالgenerosity
مثل اِبن مِنقار إِلى الإِفضال
Truly, I yearn for beautiful women by nature,
And time’s sullen face smiled and breezes of blessing opened flower of hopes
as Ibn Minqar inclines toward generosity.
By God if it were not for generosity of your glory in the world, there would not be attainable bestowal
مَولايَmy lord بَلrather مَولىthe lord of الزَمانthe age وَمَنand he who غَدَتbecame
مَولايَ بَل مَولى الزَمان وَمَن غَدَت
آثارُهُhis deeds مَثَلاًa proverb مِنamong الأَمثالproverbs
آثارُهُ مَثَلاً مِن الأَمثال
My lord—rather, lord of the age—and he whose
deeds have become a proverb among proverbs.
عَبدAbd اللَطيفal-Latif النَدبthe noble-hearted وَالحبرand the learned man الَّذيwho
عَبد اللَطيف النَدب وَالحبر الَّذي
أَقصاهُset him apart سوددهُhis eminence عَنfrom الأَشكالpeers
أَقصاهُ سوددهُ عَن الأَشكال
Abd al-Latif, the noble, learned man whom
his eminence has set far beyond his peers.
لِلفَضلfor excellence قَدindeed غَرَسَتplanted يَداهُhis two hands مَغارِساًplantings
لِلفَضل قَد غَرَسَت يَداهُ مَغارِساً
فَجَنىso he reaped بِهاthrough them ثَمَريthe two fruits of عَلاًeminence وَمَعاليand high attainments
فَجَنى بِها ثَمَري عَلاً وَمَعالي
His hands have planted shoots of excellence,
and he reaped from them the twin fruits of eminence and high attainments.
هَذاthis is الَّذيhe who لَولاwere it not for عُلاهُhis eminence لَمnot تَكُنbe
هَذا الَّذي لَولا عُلاهُ لَم تَكُن
أَوقاتُناour times مَيمونةauspicious الإِقبالtheir coming
أَوقاتُنا مَيمونة الإِقبال
This is he without whose eminence
our times would not have been auspicious in their coming.
هَذاthis is الَّذيhe who تَذريscatter سَحائبthe clouds of كَفِهِhis palm
هَذا الَّذي تَذري سَحائب كَفِهِ
يَومthe day of النَوالbounty بِعارضwith a rain-cloud هطالpouring rain
يَوم النَوال بِعارض هطال
This is he whose palm's clouds shower down,
on the day of bounty, in a rain-cloud's downpour.
تَخذhe took المَساعيworthy endeavors وَالفَضائلand virtues عدّةas provision
تَخذ المَساعي وَالفَضائل عدّة
وَصِيانةand a safeguard لِلعَرضfor honor لاnot لِلمالfor wealth
وَصِيانة لِلعَرض لا لِلمال
He took worthy endeavors and virtues as his provision,
and as a safeguard for honor, not for wealth.
كَمhow many لِلغَبيfor the dull-witted عَلىupon أُسرَّةthe lines of وَجهِهِhis face
كَم لِلغَبي عَلى أُسرَّة وَجهِهِ
كُتبbooks of التُقىpiety مِنof شاهدa witness وَمِثالand an example
كُتب التُقى مِن شاهد وَمِثال
How many, even for the dull-witted, are found on the lines of his face:
books of piety, bearing witness and setting an example!
ماno نسمةa breeze بِالواديينin the two valleys إِذاwhen سَرَتit drifts by night
ما نسمة بِالواديين إِذا سَرَت
بَينَamong الرِياضthe gardens بِلَيلةmoist الأَذيالthe trailing hems
بَينَ الرِياض بِلَيلة الأَذيال
No breeze in the two valleys, when it drifts by night
among the gardens with moist trailing hems,
ريّاءُsated with moisture باتَspent the night لَعَلَهاto water it again صَوبthe downpour of الحَياrain
ريّاءُ باتَ لَعَلَها صَوب الحَيا
حَتّىuntil اِغتَدَتit reached morning نَشوىintoxicated مِنfrom الجريالred wine
حَتّى اِغتَدَت نَشوى مِن الجريال
sated with moisture, replenished all night by the rain's downpour,
until it reaches morning drunk on red wine,
يَوماًever بِأَطيبat all sweeter مِنthan خَلائِقِهِhis character الَّتيwhich
يَوماً بِأَطيب مِن خَلائِقِهِ الَّتي
تَفتَرُّsmiles عَنrevealing كَرمgenerosity وَحُسنand goodness of خلالcharacter traits
تَفتَرُّ عَن كَرم وَحُسن خلال
is ever sweeter than his character, which
smiles to reveal generosity and fine qualities.
يابنO son of الأَولىthose who ماnever كانَthere was قَيظscorching heat of نَحوفةleanness
يابن الأَولى ما كانَ قَيظ نَحوفة
إِلّاexcept وَكانواand they were هُمthey themselves أَتَمthe fullest ظَلالshade
إِلّا وَكانوا هُم أَتَم ظَلال
O son of those who, whenever the scorching heat of want arose,
were themselves the fullest shade.
بِقِدومكat your arrival اِبتَهَجَتrejoiced دِمَشقDamascus وَبَدَلَتand substituted
بِقِدومك اِبتَهَجَت دِمَشق وَبَدَلَت
أَرجاؤُهاits regions الأَمراعfertility بِالأَمحالfor barrenness
أَرجاؤُها الأَمراع بِالأَمحال
At your arrival Damascus rejoiced, and
its regions put fertility in place of barrenness.
وَغَدَتand became بِكَthrough you الأَيّامthe days بَدراًa full moon بَعدَماafter
وَغَدَت بِكَ الأَيّام بَدراً بَعدَما
مَحقتdwindled بَشاشَتهاtheir cheer محاقthe waning of هِلالa crescent moon
مَحقت بَشاشَتها محاق هِلال
And through you the days became a full moon, after
their cheer had waned as a crescent dwindles away.
وَتَبَسمand smiled الزَمَنtime العَبوسgrim وَفَتَحَتand opened
وَتَبَسم الزَمَن العَبوس وَفَتَحَت
نَسَماتُthe breezes of بَركyour kindness زَهرةَthe flower of الآمالhopes
نَسَماتُ بَرك زَهرةَ الآمال
And grim time smiled, and opened
by the breezes of your kindness was the flower of hope.
تَاللَهِby God لَولاwere it not for جودthe generosity of مَجدكyour glory فيamong الوَرىhumankind
تَاللَهِ لَولا جود مَجدك في الوَرى
ماnot كانَwould be فيin الدُنياthe world مَنالattainment of نَوالbounty
ما كانَ في الدُنيا مَنال نَوال
By God, were it not for the bounty of your glory among mankind,
no bounty could be attained in this world.
Partial English translation: 30 of 60 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1