أَجِرنيprotect me مِنَfrom الواشيthe tale-bearer الَّذيwho جارَacted unjustly وَاِعتَدىand transgressed
أَجِرني مِنَ الواشي الَّذي جارَ وَاِعتَدى
وَغابِرِand lingering شَوقٍlonging غارَwent into the lowlands بيwith me ثُمَّthen أَنجَداclimbed the highlands
وَغابِرِ شَوقٍ غارَ بي ثُمَّ أَنجَدا
Protect me from the tale-bearer who wronged me and transgressed,
Save me from the slanderer who abused and transgressed,
And from lingering longing that took me through lowlands, then highlands.
And from burning desire which overwhelmed me and then assisted.
وَإِلّاand if not فَأَسعِدنيthen console me بِدَمعِكَwith your tears إِنَّهُindeed it
وَإِلّا فَأَسعِدني بِدَمعِكَ إِنَّهُ
يُهَوِّنُeases ماwhat بيafflicts me أَنthat أَرىI see لِيَfor me مُسعِداa consoler
يُهَوِّنُ ما بي أَن أَرى لِيَ مُسعِدا
Otherwise, share my grief with your tears; for
Or else make me happy with your tears, they
Seeing someone share my sorrow eases what I suffer.
Ease what is in me, that I see you sympathizing.
سَقىmay water الغَيثُthe rain أَجراعاًsandy tracts عَهِدتُI once knew بِجَوِّهاin their open expanse
سَقى الغَيثُ أَجراعاً عَهِدتُ بِجَوِّها
غَزالاًa gazelle تُراعيهِwatch him الجَآذِرُthe young oryx أَغيَداlissome
غَزالاً تُراعيهِ الجَآذِرُ أَغيَدا
May rain water the sandy tracts where, in their open expanse, I once knew
The rain watered meadows which I knew in their prosperity
A lissome gazelle watched by the young oryx.
A gazelle grazing, protected by the foliage.
إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle الكَرىsleep أَهدىbrought إِلَيَّto me خَيالَهُhis phantom
إِذا ما الكَرى أَهدى إِلَيَّ خَيالَهُ
شَفىhealed قُربُهُhis nearness التَبريحَtorment أَوor نَقَعَquenched الصَدىthirst
شَفى قُربُهُ التَبريحَ أَو نَقَعَ الصَدى
When sleep brings me his phantom,
When fate brought his image to me
His nearness heals my torment or quenches my thirst.
His nearness cured my sickness or the echo subsided.
إِذاwhen اِنتَزَعَتهُsnatched him away مِنfrom يَدَيَّmy two hands اِنتِباهَةٌan awakening
إِذا اِنتَزَعَتهُ مِن يَدَيَّ اِنتِباهَةٌ
عَدَدتُI reckoned حَبيباًa beloved راحَleft at evening مِنِّيَfrom me أَوor غَداleft at dawn
عَدَدتُ حَبيباً راحَ مِنِّيَ أَو غَدا
When an awakening snatches him from my hands,
When an awakening snatched him from my hands
I reckon him a beloved who left me at evening or at dawn.
I counted him a lover who had left me or became absent.
وَلَمand did not أَرَI see مِثلَيناtwo like us وَلاnor مِثلَthe like of شَأنِناour plight
وَلَم أَرَ مِثلَينا وَلا مِثلَ شَأنِنا
تُعَذَّبُyou are tormented أَيقاظاًawake وَنَنعَمُand we enjoy bliss هُجَّداasleep
تُعَذَّبُ أَيقاظاً وَنَنعَمُ هُجَّدا
I have never seen two like us, nor a plight like ours:
And I did not see any two like us or any story like ours
You are tormented awake, while we enjoy bliss asleep.
Suffering while awake and blissful while dreaming.
تَصعَدُrise أَنفاسيmy breaths جَوىًwith heartache وَتَشَوُّقاًand yearning
تَصعَدُ أَنفاسي جَوىً وَتَشَوُّقاً
إِذاwhen البَرقُthe lightning مِنfrom غَربِيِّthe western side of دِجلَةَthe Tigris أَصعَداrose
إِذا البَرقُ مِن غَربِيِّ دِجلَةَ أَصعَدا
My breaths rise in heartache and longing
My breath ascends in ardour and yearning
When lightning rises from the western side of the Tigris.
When the lightning rises from my Euphrates in the west.
وَماand not ذاكَthat إِلّاexcept لَوعَةٌa burning longing لَكَfor you زادُهاincreased it
وَما ذاكَ إِلّا لَوعَةٌ لَكَ زادُها
تَنائيthe remoteness of الدِيارَthe homes جِدَّةًfreshness وَتَوَقُّداand burning intensity
تَنائي الدِيارَ جِدَّةً وَتَوَقُّدا
This is only a burning longing for you, which
And that is only because I long for you, increased
The distance between our homes makes fresher and fiercer.
By the remoteness of home and kindling.
فَمَنso whoever غابَwent away يَنويintends نِيَّةًseparation عَنfrom حَبيبِهِhis beloved
فَمَن غابَ يَنوي نِيَّةً عَن حَبيبِهِ
وَهَجراًand estrangement فَإِنّيyet indeed I غِبتُI went away عَنكَfrom you لِأَشهَداto be present
وَهَجراً فَإِنّي غِبتُ عَنكَ لِأَشهَدا
Whoever departs intending separation from his beloved
So whoever is absent with intention from his beloved
And estrangement—I left you only to be present.
And estranged, I was absent from you in order to witness.
وَماand not القُربُnearness فيin بَعضِsome المَواطِنِcircumstances لِلَّذيfor one who
وَما القُربُ في بَعضِ المَواطِنِ لِلَّذي
يَرىrecognizes الحَزمَprudence إِلّاexcept أَنto يَشِطَّgo far off وَيَبعُداand be distant
يَرى الحَزمَ إِلّا أَن يَشِطَّ وَيَبعُدا
In some circumstances, nearness—for one who
And closeness in some places is not for one
Recognizes prudence—means only to go far off and be distant.
Who sees wisdom only in caution and distance.
إِلىto ابنِthe son of أَميرِthe Commander of المُؤمِنينَthe Faithful تَناهَبَتvied in devouring
إِلى ابنِ أَميرِ المُؤمِنينَ تَناهَبَت
بِناwith us العيسُthe pale camels دَيجوراًpitch darkness مِنَof اللَيلِthe night أَسوَداblack
بِنا العيسُ دَيجوراً مِنَ اللَيلِ أَسوَدا
Toward the son of the Commander of the Faithful, they vied in devouring
To the son of the Commander of the Faithful, the wild beasts shared us
The night's black darkness—the pale camels bearing us.
A pitch-black night, intensely dark.
إِلىto مُنعِمٍa benefactor لاnot الجودُgenerosity عَنهُfrom him بِعازِبٍfar away
إِلى مُنعِمٍ لا الجودُ عَنهُ بِعازِبٍ
بَطيءٍslow وَلاnor المَعروفُkindness مِنهُfrom him بِأَنكَداgrudging
بَطيءٍ وَلا المَعروفُ مِنهُ بِأَنكَدا
To a benefactor whose generosity is never far away
To a benefactor whose generosity is not withheld by meanness
Or slow, and whose kindness is never grudging.
Nor kindness by him withheld and made bitter.
رَأَيناwe saw بَنيthe sons of الأَمجادِthe illustrious فيin كُلِّevery مَعشَرٍcommunity
رَأَينا بَني الأَمجادِ في كُلِّ مَعشَرٍ
فَكانواso they were لِعَبدِto Abd اللَهِAllah فيin المَجدِglory أَعبَداservants
فَكانوا لِعَبدِ اللَهِ في المَجدِ أَعبَدا
We have seen the sons of the illustrious in every community;
We saw the sons of glory in every group
In glory they were servants to Abdallah.
Yet to Abdullah they were most glorious in glory.
عَلَيهِupon him مِنَfrom المُعتَزِّal-Mu'tazz بِاللَهِBillah بَهجَةٌsplendor
عَلَيهِ مِنَ المُعتَزِّ بِاللَهِ بَهجَةٌ
أَضاءَتshone فَلَوand if يَسريtravels by night بِهاby it الرَكبُthe caravan لَاهتَدىit would surely find its way
أَضاءَت فَلَو يَسري بِها الرَكبُ لَاهتَدى
Upon him rests a splendor from al-Mu'tazz Billah
Upon him from the Proud of God is delight
That shines: were a caravan to travel by it at night, it would find its way.
Which illuminated, so if the riders travelled by it they would be guided.
إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle اِنتَمىtraces his ancestry ناصىrivals المَجَرَّةَthe Milky Way وَاِعتَزىand claims descent
إِذا ما اِنتَمى ناصى المَجَرَّةَ وَاِعتَزى
إِلىfrom أَنجُمٍstars ماnever زِلنَceased to be لِلمُلكِfor kingship أَسعُداauspicious
إِلى أَنجُمٍ ما زِلنَ لِلمُلكِ أَسعُدا
When he traces his ancestry, he rivals the Milky Way and claims descent
When the summit of the galaxy claimed descent
From stars that have always been auspicious to kingship.
From stars which did not cease to bring good fortune to kingship.
إِلىfrom خُلَفاءِcaliphs of سُنَّةٍthe Sunna قَدindeed تَنافَسواhave vied
إِلى خُلَفاءِ سُنَّةٍ قَد تَنافَسوا
لِتَثقُلَso it may weigh heavily فيupon أَعناقِهِمtheir necks وَتُرَدَّداand be passed on
لِتَثقُلَ في أَعناقِهِم وَتُرَدَّدا
From caliphs of the Sunna, who have vied
To the successors of a Sunnah who vied
For it to weigh upon their necks and be passed among them.
That it weigh heavy on their necks and be reiterated.
يَروقُdelights العُيونَthe eyes الناظِراتِthat look بِطَلعَةٍwith a countenance
يَروقُ العُيونَ الناظِراتِ بِطَلعَةٍ
مِنَof الحُسنِbeauty لَوif وافىmet بِهاwith it البَدرَthe full moon باعَداoutdistanced
مِنَ الحُسنِ لَو وافى بِها البَدرَ باعَدا
He delights the watching eyes with a countenance
It pleases gazing eyes with an appearance
So beautiful that, were he to meet the full moon with it, he would leave it far behind.
Of beauty, if the full moon contended with it from afar.
لَهُhe has فيin قُلوبِthe hearts of الأَولِياءِthe supporters مَحَبَّةٌlove
لَهُ في قُلوبِ الأَولِياءِ مَحَبَّةٌ
تَعُدُّreckon بِهاthrough it الأَعداءُthe enemies جُنداًan army مُجَنَّداfully mustered
تَعُدُّ بِها الأَعداءُ جُنداً مُجَنَّدا
He has a love in the hearts of his supporters;
For him in the hearts of the loyal there is love
His enemies see in it a fully mustered army.
By which the enemies count armies fully armed.
تَأَمَّلconsider أَمينَO trustee of اللَهِGod فَرطَthe abundance of جَلالَةٍmajesty
تَأَمَّل أَمينَ اللَهِ فَرطَ جَلالَةٍ
وَأُبَّهَةٍand grandeur تَبدوappears عَلَيهِupon him إِذاwhen بَداhe appears
وَأُبَّهَةٍ تَبدو عَلَيهِ إِذا بَدا
Consider, O God's trustee, the surpassing majesty
Contemplate the trustee of God overflowing with majesty
And grandeur apparent upon him whenever he appears.
And brilliance which appears on him when he presents himself.
إِذاif أَعجَبَتكَdelights you اليَومَtoday مِنهُfrom him خَليقَةٌa quality
إِذا أَعجَبَتكَ اليَومَ مِنهُ خَليقَةٌ
مُهَذَّبَةٌrefined أَعطاكَhe gives you أَمثالَهاothers like it غَداtomorrow
مُهَذَّبَةٌ أَعطاكَ أَمثالَها غَدا
If some quality of his delights you today,
If today his created nature has astonished you,
Refined as it is, he will give you others like it tomorrow.
Refined, tomorrow it would grant you the like of it.
طُلوبٌan ardent seeker لِأَقصىof the utmost غايَةٍgoal بَعدَafter غايَةٍgoal
طُلوبٌ لِأَقصى غايَةٍ بَعدَ غايَةٍ
إِذاif قُلتَyou say يَوماًone day قَدalready تَناهىreached the limit تَزَيَّداwent further
إِذا قُلتَ يَوماً قَد تَناهى تَزَيَّدا
An ardent seeker of the utmost goal, one goal after another:
Sought after to the furthest extent after extent
If one day you say, 'He has reached the limit,' he goes further.
If you were to say one day he has reached his limit, he would increase.
سُرِرناwe rejoiced بِأَنthat أَمَّرتَهُyou appointed him commander وَنَصَبتَهُand raised him
سُرِرنا بِأَن أَمَّرتَهُ وَنَصَبتَهُ
لَناfor us عَلَماًa banner نَأويwe take refuge إِلىin ظِلِّهِhis shade غَداtomorrow
لَنا عَلَماً نَأوي إِلى ظِلِّهِ غَدا
We rejoiced that you appointed him to command and raised him
It delights us that you have appointed him and established him
As our banner, beneath whose shade we shall shelter tomorrow.
As a flag for us, we take shelter in its shade tomorrow.
وَأَبهَجَناand gladdened us ضَربُthe striking of الدَنانيرِdinars بِاسمِهِin his name
وَأَبهَجَنا ضَربُ الدَنانيرِ بِاسمِهِ
وَتَقليدُهُand his investiture مِنof أَمرِناour affairs ماwhat تَقَلَّداhe assumed
وَتَقليدُهُ مِن أَمرِنا ما تَقَلَّدا
The striking of dinars in his name gladdened us,
And the striking of dinars with his name gladdened us
And his investiture with the charge of our affairs that he assumed.
As did his assumption from our authority of that which he assumed.
وَلِمand why لاnot يُرىbe seen ثانيكَyour second فيin السُلطَةِthe authority الَّتيwhich
وَلِم لا يُرى ثانيكَ في السُلطَةِ الَّتي
خُصِصتَyou were singled out بِهاwith it ثانيكَyour second فيin الجودِgenerosity وَالنَدىand bounty
خُصِصتَ بِها ثانيكَ في الجودِ وَالنَدى
Why should he not be seen as your second in the authority
Why then is his equal not seen in the authority
Reserved for you—your second in generosity and bounty?
You were specialized with, his equal in generosity and dew?
حَقيقٌworthy بِأَنthat تَرميyou dispatch بِهِwith him الجانِبَthe quarter الَّذيwhich
حَقيقٌ بِأَن تَرمي بِهِ الجانِبَ الَّذي
يَهُمُّconcerns وَأَنand that تُفضيyou confide إِلَيهِin him وَتَعهَداand give charge
يَهُمُّ وَأَن تُفضي إِلَيهِ وَتَعهَدا
He is worthy of your sending him to the quarter that
He is worthy that you cast at him the side
Concerns you, and of your confiding in him and giving him charge.
Which schemes and that you yield to him and make firm.
وَمِثلُكَand one like you حاطَprotected المُسلِمينَthe Muslims بِمِثلِهِthrough one like him
وَمِثلُكَ حاطَ المُسلِمينَ بِمِثلِهِ
سَداداًwith sound judgment وَلَمand did not يُهمِلneglect رَعِيَّتَهُhis subjects سُدىuntended
سَداداً وَلَم يُهمِل رَعِيَّتَهُ سُدى
And one like you safeguards the Muslims through one like him,
And the likes of you have surrounded the Muslims with the likes of him
With sound judgment, never leaving his subjects adrift.
Correctly and he did not neglect his subjects in vain.
فَلَوso if دامَendured شَيءٌanything آخِرُto the end of الدَهرِtime سَرَّناit would please us
فَلَو دامَ شَيءٌ آخِرُ الدَهرِ سَرَّنا
غِنىًfreedom from need عَنهُof him مَوجودٌpresent وَدُمتَand may you endure مُخَلَّداimmortal
غِنىً عَنهُ مَوجودٌ وَدُمتَ مُخَلَّدا
If anything could endure to time's end, we would rejoice
So if something else lasted until the end of time, we would be
In our present freedom from needing him, with you living forever.
Content with him present and you remained immortalized.
أَبِنmake plain فَضلَهُhis merit وَاِشهَرand proclaim نَباهَةَthe eminence of قَدرِهِhis rank
أَبِن فَضلَهُ وَاِشهَر نَباهَةَ قَدرِهِ
وَأَبقِand preserve لَهُfor him فيamong الناسِthe people ذِكراًa remembrance مُجَدَّداrenewed
وَأَبقِ لَهُ في الناسِ ذِكراً مُجَدَّدا
Make his merit plain and proclaim his lofty rank,
Clarify his excellence and publicize the brilliance of his worth
And keep his remembrance ever renewed among the people.
And keep for him amongst people a renewed recollection.
فَلَلسَيفُfor indeed the sword مَسلولاًdrawn أَشَدُّgreater in مَهابَةًawe
فَلَلسَيفُ مَسلولاً أَشَدُّ مَهابَةً
وَأَظهَرَand clearer in إِفرِنداًwatered blade-pattern مِنَthan السَيفِthe sword مُغمَداsheathed
وَأَظهَرَ إِفرِنداً مِنَ السَيفِ مُغمَدا
For a drawn sword inspires greater awe
For indeed the unsheathed sword inspires greater awe
And shows its watered pattern more clearly than a sheathed sword.
And shows more sharpness than the sheathed sword.
بَقيتَmay you endure تُرَجّيهِgiving him hope وَعاشَand may he live مُؤَمَّلاًa source of hope
بَقيتَ تُرَجّيهِ وَعاشَ مُؤَمَّلاً
يُراعيwatching for اِتِّصالاًcontinuance مِنof حَياتِكَyour life سَرمَداeverlasting
يُراعي اِتِّصالاً مِن حَياتِكَ سَرمَدا
May you live on, giving him hope, and may he live as a source of hope,
You continued hoping for him and he lived full of promise
Watching for your life to continue forever.
Observing connection from your eternal life.
لَقَدindeed ساوَرَتassailed خَيلَthe cavalry of المُساوِرِal-Musawir عُصبَةًa band
لَقَد ساوَرَت خَيلَ المُساوِرِ عُصبَةً
أَفاءَتbrought عَلَيهِupon him الطَعنَspear-thrusts غَضّاًfresh مُجَدَّداrenewed
أَفاءَت عَلَيهِ الطَعنَ غَضّاً مُجَدَّدا
A band has indeed assailed al-Musawir's cavalry,
The bands of horsemen were indeed flanked
Bringing upon him spear-thrusts, fresh and renewed.
By a troop which renewed the charge angrily.
حَمَوهُbarred him from سُهولَthe plains of الأَرضِthe earth مِنfrom كُلِّevery جانِبٍside
حَمَوهُ سُهولَ الأَرضِ مِن كُلِّ جانِبٍ
فَظَلَّso he remained شَريداًa fugitive فيin الجِبالِthe mountains مُطَرَّداdriven away
فَظَلَّ شَريداً في الجِبالِ مُطَرَّدا
They barred him from the plains on every side,
They protected him from all sides on the plains of the land
So he remained a fugitive in the mountains, hounded away.
So he remained roaming in the mountains, expelled.
عُلوجٌforeign louts وَأَعرابٌand Bedouins يُرَجّونَplace their hopes in حائِناًa doomed man
عُلوجٌ وَأَعرابٌ يُرَجّونَ حائِناً
أَضاعَdiscarded الحِجىreason حَتّىuntil طَغىtransgressed وَتَمَرَّداand rebelled
أَضاعَ الحِجى حَتّى طَغى وَتَمَرَّدا
Foreign louts and Bedouins place their hopes in a doomed man
Rascals and bedouins hoping for his defeat
Who cast reason aside until he overstepped all bounds and rebelled.
Lost direction until he rebelled and transgressed.
يُسَمّونَهُthey call him بِاِسمِby the name of الخَليفَةِthe caliph بَعدَafter ماhaving
يُسَمّونَهُ بِاِسمِ الخَليفَةِ بَعدَ ما
رَعىtended الضَأنَsheep فيهِمamong them ذاwith مَشيبٍgray hair وَأَمرَداand beardless
رَعى الضَأنَ فيهِم ذا مَشيبٍ وَأَمرَدا
They call him by the caliph's title, after
They appoint him caliph after he herded sheep among them
He tended sheep among them, in gray-haired age and beardless youth.
An old man who is weak.
فَلِمso why لَمdid not تَزَعهُrestrain him الوازِعاتُthe deterrents وَيَجتَنِبand shun
فَلِم لَم تَزَعهُ الوازِعاتُ وَيَجتَنِب
عَداوَةَenmity toward مَنصورِone victorious in اليَدَينِboth hands عَلىover العِدىthe foes
عَداوَةَ مَنصورِ اليَدَينِ عَلى العِدى
Why did restraints not check him, so that he might shun
Why then did deterrents not prevent him and avoid
Enmity with one whose two hands triumph over foes?
Hostility to Mansur the Oppressor in transgression?
وَلَوand had شاوَرَconsulted الأَيّامَthe days قَبلَbefore خُروجِهِhis revolt
وَلَو شاوَرَ الأَيّامَ قَبلَ خُروجِهِ
نَهَينَthey would have forbidden اِبنَthe son of أُمِّthe mother of الكَلبِthe dog أَنto يَتَوَرَّداplunge in
نَهَينَ اِبنَ أُمِّ الكَلبِ أَن يَتَوَرَّدا
Had he consulted the days before his revolt,
Had he consulted the days before his rebellion
They would have forbidden the son of the dog's mother to plunge in.
Ibn Umm Al-Kalb's son would have forbidden him to attack.
كَأَنّيas though I بِهِwith him إِمّاeither قَتيلاًslain مُضَرَّجاًdrenched in blood
كَأَنّي بِهِ إِمّا قَتيلاً مُضَرَّجاً
بِأَيديat the hands of المَوالىthe retainers أَوor أَسيراًa captive مُقَيَّداfettered
بِأَيدي المَوالى أَو أَسيراً مُقَيَّدا
I can almost see him, either slain and drenched in blood
It is as if I see him either slain, blood-stained
At the retainers' hands, or a captive in chains.
At the hands of slaves or a prisoner, shackled.
Sol 6.1