ماhow أَحملenduring القَلبthe heart لِلبَلوىunder affliction وَاِصبرهُand how patient it is
ما أَحمل القَلب لِلبَلوى وَاِصبرهُ
لاno بَينَparting إِلّاexcept وَتَلقىand it encounters مِنهُof it أَعسَرهُits harshest part
لا بَينَ إِلّا وَتَلقى مِنهُ أَعسَرهُ
How well the heart bears affliction, and how patient it is!
My heart bears not the test of separation, though I steel it to patience
No parting comes but it faces its harshest trial.
No solace amidst love but the most bitter fruit we reap
قَدindeed فَرَّقhas scattered البينparting مِناamong us كُلevery مُجتَمعgathering
قَد فَرَّق البين مِنا كُل مُجتَمع
مِنof أَبناءthe children of البينparting لقياناًan encounter وَأَخبرهُand informed it
مِن أَبناء البين لقياناً وَأَخبرهُ
Parting has scattered every gathering among us;
Parting has broken all ties that once bound us close
Of parting's children—an encounter, and he informed it [text unclear].
Kinship avails not when love and fate decree we part
لَيتَwould that الَّذيthe one who رَوَّعterrified المضنىthe enfeebled one بِفرقَتِهِwith his parting
لَيتَ الَّذي رَوَّع المضنى بِفرقَتِهِ
بَينَbetween المُنونdeath وَبَينَand between الصَدّrejection حيَّرهُbewildered him
بَينَ المُنون وَبَينَ الصَدّ حيَّرهُ
Would that he who terrified the stricken lover with his parting
Would that he who so torments me with his absence
Had left him wavering between death and rejection.
Confuse the lover from the friend and bewilder them
أَولَيتor would that مِنthe one who كثرتhas multiplied فيناagainst us إِساءَتُهُhis wrongdoing
أَولَيت مِن كثرت فينا إِساءَتُهُ
أَبقىhad left لَناfor us مِنof نَفيسthe precious things of العَيشlife أَيسرَهُits slightest portion
أَبقى لَنا مِن نَفيس العَيش أَيسرَهُ
Or would that the one whose wrongdoing against us has multiplied
Would that he who has wronged me so
Had left us even a little of life's precious joys.
Leave me some comfort in life, however meager
ماnever بتُّI spent the night أَرقبwatching for لَيلاًa night صَجunclear; perhaps 'was certain' مَوعدهits promised meeting
ما بتُّ أَرقب لَيلاً صَج مَوعده
إِلّاexcept وَلِلحَشرand for the Resurrection أَلقاهُI encounter it وَأَنذَرَهُand warned it
إِلّا وَلِلحَشر أَلقاهُ وَأَنذَرَهُ
Never did I keep vigil through a night whose tryst was certain [word uncertain],
No night have I kept vigil, wakeful for his promised coming
But I encountered it for the Resurrection and warned it [text unclear].
But to the tryst he sends instead warning of our parting
غَضtender البَنانthe fingertips رَخيمsoft الدَلcoquettish charm طَلَعتُهُhis countenance
غَض البَنان رَخيم الدَل طَلَعتُهُ
حَوَتcontains مِنof الحُسنbeauty أَبهاهُits most splendid part وَأَنضَرهُand its freshest part
حَوَت مِن الحُسن أَبهاهُ وَأَنضَرهُ
Tender-fingered and softly coy, his countenance
A sapling, soft branch and tender leaf
Embraces beauty at its brightest and freshest.
Exquisite in beauty, in the bloom of youth
تَباًwoe لِمَنto anyone whom بِهِلالwith the crescent of الأُفقthe horizon تَنبههُyou alert him
تَباً لِمَن بِهِلال الأُفق تَنبههُ
أَوor بِالكَثيبto a dune وَبالخَطيّand to a Khatti spear تَنظرهُyou compare him
أَو بِالكَثيب وَبالخَطيّ تَنظرهُ
Woe to anyone whom you alert with the horizon's crescent [wording unclear],
Curse the one who wakes at dawn’s crescent
Or compare to a dune and a Khatti spear.
Or watches the sands for what fate they portend
ياO مَنyou who وَهَبتُI gave لَهُto him قَلبيmy heart فَانكرنيthen disowned me
يا مَن وَهَبتُ لَهُ قَلبي فَانكرني
مِنfrom بَعدafter مَعرِفَتيknowing me ظُلماًunjustly وَانكرهُand disowned it
مِن بَعد مَعرِفَتي ظُلماً وَانكرهُ
O you to whom I gave my heart, who then disowned me
You who once owned my heart then denied me wrongfully
After knowing me, unjustly—and disowned it too.
After having known me - how you disavowed our bond
لَكَfor you الفِداءُthe ransom شَبابيmy youth أَنّindeed بيwithin me لَجوىsurely a burning grief
لَكَ الفِداءُ شَبابي أَنّ بي لَجوى
تَخشىfears المَنيةDeath أَدناهُits least degree وَأَنذرهُand its most ominous part
تَخشى المَنية أَدناهُ وَأَنذرهُ
My youth be your ransom! Indeed, a burning anguish is within me,
For you, the sacrifice of my youth; though shielded
Whose least and most ominous pangs even Death fears.
You fear the approach of death and keep warning
ماليwhat have I وَلِلدَهرand with Time لاnot أَبغيI seek بِهِin it طَلَباًa goal
مالي وَلِلدَهر لا أَبغي بِهِ طَلَباً
إِلّاexcept وَضيقand constriction ماwhat أَرجوI hope for وَعُسرَهُand its hardship
إِلّا وَضيق ما أَرجو وَعُسرَهُ
What have I to do with Time? I never seek a goal in it
No desire have I in this life sought
Without my hopes meeting constriction and hardship.
But that the attainment prove difficult and elusive
وَلاand not اِقتَضَتdemanded; wording uncertain بِإِشراكwith the snares of المُنىdesires رَشأa young gazelle
وَلا اِقتَضَت بِإِشراك المُنى رَشأ
إِلّاexcept وَصادَفَهُand met it حَظيmy luck فَنَفَرهُthen frightened it away
إِلّا وَصادَفَهُ حَظي فَنَفَرهُ
Nor was a young gazelle sought with the snares of desire [wording uncertain],
No lucky star governed my destiny
But my luck met it and frightened it away.
But that fortune always my hopes evade
كَمhow many جاهلan ignorant man غَلطthe error of الأَيامthe days قدمهُadvanced him
كَم جاهل غَلط الأَيام قدمهُ
وَذوand the possessor of الفَضائلvirtues أَقصاهُbanished him وَأَخرَهُand held him back
وَذو الفَضائل أَقصاهُ وَأَخرَهُ
How many an ignorant man the days' error has advanced,
How many a fool’s steps have led him ahead
While banishing the man of virtues and holding him back!
While the virtuous man is spurned and cast out
لَكنماbut الفَضلexcellence مَحمودpraiseworthy عَواقبهُits outcomes
لَكنما الفَضل مَحمود عَواقبهُ
لَنwill not يَهجوrevile الدَهرTime إِنسانa person وَيَهجرهُand forsake it
لَن يَهجو الدَهر إِنسان وَيَهجرهُ
Yet excellence has praiseworthy consequences;
Yet merit, in the end, is its own reward
No person will revile Time and forsake it.
No man of worth does time itself abandon
يَكفيsuffices الزَمانTime عَلىdespite ماwhat فيهِis in it مِنof عوجcrookedness
يَكفي الزَمان عَلى ما فيهِ مِن عوج
فَخراًas a boast بِنجلof the son of عَليّAli حينَwhen أُبصرهُI behold him
فَخراً بِنجل عَليّ حينَ أُبصرهُ
Despite its crookedness, it is enough for Time
Enough that this age is crooked in its course
To boast of Ali's son, when I behold him:
Glory to the son of Ali, since his light we behold
القارويُّal-Qarawi الَّذيwho أَدناthe least of مَناقِبُهُhis merits
القارويُّ الَّذي أَدنا مَناقِبُهُ
أَعياbaffled أَولىthe possessors of العلمlearning وَصفاًin description أَنto يُررهُunclear verb referring to it
أَعيا أَولى العلم وَصفاً أَن يُررهُ
Al-Qarawi, the least of whose merits
Al-Qarawi, whose virtues approach so closely
Has baffled the learned who try to describe it [final word unclear].
The foremost of knowledge - how can minds comprehend?
مُباركblessed الوَجهof face ماnever لاحَتappeared بَشاشَتهُhis cheerfulness
مُبارك الوَجه ما لاحَت بَشاشَتهُ
لِلأَمرupon a matter إِلّاexcept وَبَعدand after العُسرhardship يُسرهُits ease
لِلأَمر إِلّا وَبَعد العُسر يُسرهُ
Blessed of face: whenever his cheerfulness appears
Blessed his countenance, radiating joy
Upon an affair, ease follows its hardship.
In every matter, through sorrow, an ease he renders
رَدdrove back الضَلالerror عَلىonto الأَعقابthe heels مُنتَهكاًdishonored
رَد الضَلال عَلى الأَعقاب مُنتَهكاً
لَماwhen اِنتَضاهُunsheathed it الهَوىcaprice عَضباًas a keen sword وَأَشهَرَهُand brandished it
لَما اِنتَضاهُ الهَوى عَضباً وَأَشهَرَهُ
He drove error back on its heels, disgraced,
He turned unbelief back on its heels
When caprice unsheathed it as a keen sword and brandished it.
When passion drew the sword of violence against him
وَأَوضَحand made clear الحَقtruth وَالأَيامwhile the days داجيةwere dark
وَأَوضَح الحَق وَالأَيام داجية
وَمَقعَدand the seat of العَدلjustice فيthrough الآفاقthe horizons سَيرهُhe made it travel
وَمَقعَد العَدل في الآفاق سَيرهُ
He made truth clear while the days were dark,
The truth he made clear, though the world be darkened
And made the seat of justice travel through the horizons.
Just leadership throughout the land his legacy
كَمhow often باتَspent the night يَطلبهُseeking him الشَرعsacred law القَويمupright لَهُfor itself
كَم باتَ يَطلبهُ الشَرع القَويم لَهُ
عَوناًas help مِنfrom اللَهِGod فيماin what اللَهُGod قَدّرهُordained it
عَوناً مِن اللَهِ فيما اللَهُ قَدّرهُ
How often upright sacred law has spent the night seeking him for itself,
How often he prayed, seeking from his Lord
As help from God in what God has ordained.
Succor in what his Lord alone determines
لَوif أَنthat قسّاًQuss رَأىsaw ماwhat ضَمَّenfolded أَبرُدهُhis robes
لَو أَن قسّاً رَأى ما ضَمَّ أَبرُدهُ
مِنof الفَصاحةeloquence إِجلالاًin reverence لِوقرهُwould surely honor him
مِن الفَصاحة إِجلالاً لِوقرهُ
Had Quss seen what his robes enfolded
If a priest but glimpsed what his eloquence contains
Of eloquence, he would have honored him in reverence.
Of reverence - it would humble his arrogance
أَوor رامَsought أَدراكto grasp وَصفa description مِنof مَآثرهhis glorious deeds
أَو رامَ أَدراك وَصف مِن مَآثره
هَذاthis الزَمانage لاعياهwould surely exhaust it وَحيرهand bewilder it
هَذا الزَمان لاعياه وَحيره
Or, should it try to grasp a description of his glorious deeds,
Or if he hoped to grasp the import of his deeds
This age would be exhausted and bewildered.
This age would weary and confound him
يَهديoffers إِلَيكto you ثِمارfruits الفَضلof excellence يانِعةripe
يَهدي إِلَيك ثِمار الفَضل يانِعة
مِنfrom كُلِevery سَطرline بِرَوضin the garden of الطُرسthe page حررهُhe wrote it
مِن كُلِ سَطر بِرَوض الطُرس حررهُ
He offers you the ripe fruits of excellence
To you the fruits of merit come to bloom
From every line he wrote in the garden of the page.
In every line his pen etched upon the parchment
ماno عَزّproved difficult مِنof مُشكلa problem إِلّاexcept وَبَينَهُand he clarified it
ما عَزّ مِن مُشكل إِلّا وَبَينَهُ
وَلاand no طَغىraged حادثa crisis إِلّاexcept وَدَبَرهُand he managed it
وَلا طَغى حادث إِلّا وَدَبَرهُ
No problem proved intractable but he made it clear,
No tangled knot but he makes plain
Nor did any crisis rage but he brought it under control.
No rising crisis but he resolves
وَلاand no أَتىcame شادِنٌa young gazelle يَشكوcomplaining سَطاattacked أَسدa lion
وَلا أَتى شادِنٌ يَشكو سَطا أَسد
إِلّاexcept وَحُكمَهُand empowered it فيهِover it وَظَفَرهُand granted it victory
إِلّا وَحُكمَهُ فيهِ وَظَفَرهُ
Nor did a young gazelle come complaining of a lion's assault,
No lion complaining of the tyranny of a wolf
But he gave it authority over the lion and granted it victory.
Whose case before him does not meet with victory
مِنfrom أُسرةa family مَلَكواthey possessed رَقَthe parchment of الفَخارglory وَقَدand indeed
مِن أُسرة مَلَكوا رَقَ الفَخار وَقَد
حازواthey won مِنof الفَضلexcellence دونَbeyond الناسother people أَوفَرَهُits fullest share
حازوا مِن الفَضل دونَ الناس أَوفَرَهُ
From a family who possess glory's parchment, and have indeed
Of a family who gained supremacy
Won the fullest share of excellence, beyond all others.
And in merit surpassed all other men
قامواthey upheld بِدينthe religion of إِلَهthe God of العَرشthe Throne وَاِنتَصَرواand championed
قاموا بِدين إِلَه العَرش وَاِنتَصَروا
ِماwhat بِهِwith it جاءَناcame to us الهاديthe Guide وَقَرَرَهُand established it
ِما بِهِ جاءَنا الهادي وَقَرَرَهُ
They upheld the religion of the God of the Throne and championed
They upheld the faith of the Lord of the Throne
What the Guide brought us and established.
As the Guide commanded, they carried out his decree
دامواmay they endure وَدامَand may he endure مُقيماًdwelling تَحتَbeneath ظِلَهُمtheir shade الthe
داموا وَدامَ مُقيماً تَحتَ ظِلَهُم ال
صافيSafi فيin النَعيمbliss الَّذيwhich بُلِغَتI attained; vocalization uncertain أَكثَرَهُmost of it
صافي في النَعيم الَّذي بُلِغَت أَكثَرَهُ
May they endure, and may there ever dwell beneath their shade al-
May they endure, and endure perpetual
Safi, in the bliss of which I have attained the greater part.
In the blessing they attained in such abundance
Sol 6.1