ماnot تُقَضّىis fulfilled لُبانَةٌa desire عِندَwith لُبنىLubna
ما تُقَضّى لُبانَةٌ عِندَ لُبنى
وَالمُعَنّىand the tormented one بِالغانِياتِby beautiful women مُعَنّىtormented
وَالمُعَنّى بِالغانِياتِ مُعَنّى
No longing is fulfilled with Lubna,
No sorrow is resolved at the dwellings of sorrow,
and one tormented by fair women remains tormented.
And meaning with songs is given meaning.
هَجَرَتناshe shunned us يَقظىawake وَكادَتand she almost عَلىaccording to عاher habits (start)
هَجَرَتنا يَقظى وَكادَت عَلى عا
داتِهاher habits (end) فيin الصُدودِturning away تَهجُرُshe shuns وَسنىdrowsy
داتِها في الصُدودِ تَهجُرُ وَسنى
She shunned us awake, and almost, true to her
Our separation kept vigil, and all but abandoned
ways of turning away, shunned us half asleep.
Its wont at the rejection of intimacy.
بعدَafter لَأيٍdifficulty وَقَدand indeed تَعَرَّضَappeared مِنهاfrom her
بعدَ لَأيٍ وَقَد تَعَرَّضَ مِنها
طائِفٌa phantom طافَpassed بيby me عَلىamong الرَكبِthe riders وَهناlate at night
طائِفٌ طافَ بي عَلى الرَكبِ وَهنا
After long delay, there appeared from her
After no worth, when a party of them
a phantom that visited me among the riders, late at night.
Passed by me on the road here.
تَتَثَنّىsway حاجاتُdesires نَفسيmy soul إِتِّباعاًin pursuit
تَتَثَنّى حاجاتُ نَفسي إِتِّباعاً
لِقَضيبٍafter a slender branch فيin بُردِهاher mantle يَتَثَنّىsways
لِقَضيبٍ في بُردِها يَتَثَنّى
My soul's desires sway, following
The needs of my soul folded
a slender branch that sways within her mantle.
To a wand, in its coolness bending.
قَدكِenough for you مِنّيof me فَماfor no جَوىanguish السُقمِsickness إِلّاexcept
قَدكِ مِنّي فَما جَوى السُقمِ إِلّا
فيin ضُلوعٍribs عَلىover جَوىanguish الحُبِّlove تُحنىare bent
في ضُلوعٍ عَلى جَوى الحُبِّ تُحنى
Enough of me! The anguish of sickness lies only
Your palm left me so sickness sighed
in ribs bent around the anguish of love.
Only in ribs leaning on love's languor.
لَوif رَأَتshe saw حادِثَthe new onset of الخِضابِdyeing لَأَنَّتshe would have moaned
لَو رَأَت حادِثَ الخِضابِ لَأَنَّت
وَأَرَنَّتand cried aloud مِنat إِحمِرارِredness اليَرَنّاhenna
وَأَرَنَّت مِن إِحمِرارِ اليَرَنّا
Had she seen the fresh dye, she would have moaned
Had she seen the event of the dye
and cried out at the henna's redness.
She'd have cooed and shown softness.
خِلتُI thought جَهلاًin ignorance أَنَّthat الشَبابَyouth عَلىthroughout طوlength (start)
خِلتُ جَهلاً أَنَّ الشَبابَ عَلى طو
لِlength (end) اللَياليthe nights ذَخيرَةٌa treasure لَيسَnot تَفنىruns out
لِ اللَيالي ذَخيرَةٌ لَيسَ تَفنى
I foolishly thought youth, throughout the length
I fool thought youth against the length
of the nights, a treasure that would never run out.
Of nights a provision, not to deplete.
وَأَرىand I see الدَهرَTime مُديناًbringing near (contextual reading) ماwhat تَناءىwas distant
وَأَرى الدَهرَ مُديناً ما تَناءى
لِضِرارٍto cause harm وَمُبعِداًand distancing ماwhat تَدَنّىdrew near
لِضِرارٍ وَمُبعِداً ما تَدَنّى
And I see Time bringing near what was distant
And I see fate indebted, retracting
to cause harm, and distancing what was near.
All that neared, distancing what drew nigh.
كَلَفُinfatuation البيضِthe fair women بِالمُغَمَّرِwith the obscure man قَدراًin standing
كَلَفُ البيضِ بِالمُغَمَّرِ قَدراً
حينَwhen يَكلَفنَthey become infatuated وَالمُصَغَّرِand the younger man سِنّاin age
حينَ يَكلَفنَ وَالمُصَغَّرِ سِنّا
Fair women's infatuation is with the man of little standing,
The chicks in downy feathers reckoned,
when they are infatuated, and with one young in years.
When they reckoned, the small an elder.
يَتَشافَعنَthey intercede for one another بِالغَريرِfor the guileless man المُسَمّىcalled by his name
يَتَشافَعنَ بِالغَريرِ المُسَمّى
مِنbecause of فَتاءٍyouthfulness دونَrather than الجَليلِthe dignitary المُكَنّىcalled by his kunya
مِن فَتاءٍ دونَ الجَليلِ المُكَنّى
They intercede for the guileless man called by his name,
They plead in a fraud given the name
for his youth, rather than the dignitary called by his kunya.
Of a youth, less than the vaunted elder.
كُلُّevery ماضٍbygone thing أَنساهُI forget it غَيرَexcept لَيالٍnights
كُلُّ ماضٍ أَنساهُ غَيرَ لَيالٍ
ماضِياتٍbygone لَناfor us بِبارىat Bara وَبِنّاand Binna
ماضِياتٍ لَنا بِبارى وَبِنّا
I forget all that has passed, except nights
Each bygone I forgot save nights
we once spent at Bara and Binna.
Bygone, with lightning for us and rain.
مُغرَمٌenamored بِالمُدامِof wine أُترِعُI fill to the brim كَأساًa cup
مُغرَمٌ بِالمُدامِ أُترِعُ كَأساً
ساطِعاًshining ضَوءُهاits light وَأَنزِفُand I drain دَنّاa wine jar
ساطِعاً ضَوءُها وَأَنزِفُ دَنّا
Enamored of wine, I fill a cup to the brim,
A wine-worshipper, I clutch a gleaming cup
its light shining, and drain a wine jar.
Its brightness spilling, I spill blood.
حَيثُwhere لاnot أَرهَبُI fear الزَمانَTime وَلاand not أُلI lend (start)
حَيثُ لا أَرهَبُ الزَمانَ وَلا أُل
قيlend (end) إِلىto العاذِلِthe reproacher المُكَثِّرِthe incessant one أُذناan ear
قي إِلى العاذِلِ المُكَثِّرِ أُذنا
Where I do not fear Time, nor lend
Where I fear no time, and lend no ear
an ear to the incessant reproacher.
To the constant sermonizer's ear.
يَزعُمُhe claims البِرَّrighteousness فيin التَشَدُّدِseverity وَالأَسand the more generous (start)
يَزعُمُ البِرَّ في التَشَدُّدِ وَالأَس
مَحُmore generous (end) أَحجىworthier لِأَنto يُبَرَّbe treated kindly وَيُدنىand be brought near
مَحُ أَحجى لِأَن يُبَرَّ وَيُدنى
He claims righteousness lies in severity; yet the more
Professing piety in sternness, the prig's
generous man is worthier of being honored and drawn near.
More benighted that he show righteousness and draw near.
يَختَشيhe fears زَلَّةَa misstep الخِطارِrisk-taking وَأَرجوand I hope
يَختَشي زَلَّةَ الخِطارِ وَأَرجو
عَودَةًa renewed favor مِنamong عَوائِدِaccustomed favors of اللَهِGod تُمنىwished for
عَودَةً مِن عَوائِدِ اللَهِ تُمنى
He fears a misstep in taking risks, while I hope
Fearing the slip of fate, I wish
for a wished-for boon among God's accustomed favors.
A return from God's wont may come to pass.
لَمdid not تَلُمنيyou blame me أَنّيthat I سَمَحتُI was generous وَلَكِنbut
لَم تَلُمني أَنّي سَمَحتُ وَلَكِن
لُمتَyou blamed أَنّيthat I أَحسَنتُI thought well بِاللَهِof God ظَنّاan opinion
لُمتَ أَنّي أَحسَنتُ بِاللَهِ ظَنّا
You did not blame me for being generous, but
You blamed me not for my candor, but blamed
blamed me for thinking well of God.
That I thought well of God, presumed.
إِنif تُعَنِّفyou rebuke عَلىfor السَماحِgenerosity فَلاthen do not تَعpass beyond (start)
إِن تُعَنِّف عَلى السَماحِ فَلا تَع
دُpass beyond (end) عَلِيّاًAli مُسَيِّراًtraveling أَوor مُبِنّاstaying
دُ عَلِيّاً مُسَيِّراً أَو مُبِنّا
If you rebuke generosity, do not pass beyond
If you berate openness, then cease
Ali, whether on the road or staying at home.
To count me guided or rightly-guided.
هُوَhe أَجنىmore culpable بِماfor what يُنَوِّلُhe bestows مِنthan أَنthat
هُوَ أَجنى بِما يُنَوِّلُ مِن أَن
يَتَعَدّىoversteps لاحيهِhis reproacher أَوor يَتَجَنّىinvents accusations
يَتَعَدّى لاحيهِ أَو يَتَجَنّى
He is too culpable in what he bestows for
He is freer in what he parcels out
his reproacher to exaggerate or invent a fault.
Than to exceed his arms' reach, or glean from others.
يَهَبُhe gives النائِلَbounty المُثَنّىdoubled وَلاand does not يَسhe renews (start)
يَهَبُ النائِلَ المُثَنّى وَلا يَس
تَأنِفُrenew (end) الكَيدَscheming فيagainst العَدُوِّthe enemy المُثَنّىbent low
تَأنِفُ الكَيدَ في العَدُوِّ المُثَنّى
He grants doubled bounty, and does not
He grants the dual achiever, wastes no new
renew his scheming against an enemy already bent low.
plots on the dual enemy.
عَمَّembraced all مَعروفُهُhis kindness فَأَلحَقَand thus joined فيناamong us
عَمَّ مَعروفُهُ فَأَلحَقَ فينا
بِعُمومِthrough the breadth of المَعروفِkindness مَنthose who لَيسَare not مِنّاof us
بِعُمومِ المَعروفِ مَن لَيسَ مِنّا
His kindness embraced all, bringing among us,
His goodness being general, he joined in us
through its breadth, those who were not of us.
By the whole of goodness those who aren't ours.
عَبَّدَتهُenslaved him الحُقوقُobligations وَالحُرُّand the free man مَنone who أَصbecome (start)
عَبَّدَتهُ الحُقوقُ وَالحُرُّ مَن أَص
بَحَbecome (end) عَبداًa slave فيin طاعَةِobedience to الجودِgenerosity قِنّاa bondsman
بَحَ عَبداً في طاعَةِ الجودِ قِنّا
Obligations enslaved him; the free man is he who has
Rights enslaved him, and the freeman has woken
become a slave, a bondsman, in obedience to generosity.
A slave in obeying the spring of bounty.
وَتَأَبّىand he refuses مِنfrom أَنthat يُقالَbe said كَريمٌgenerous
وَتَأَبّى مِن أَن يُقالَ كَريمٌ
لِسِواهُof anyone but him إِلّاonly شِحاحاًout of stinginess وَضِنّاand possessiveness
لِسِواهُ إِلّا شِحاحاً وَضِنّا
And he refuses to let 'generous' be said
And refused it be said generous
of anyone else, from nothing but stinginess and possessiveness.
but for him, deeming others tight and mean.
عَزَماتٌresolves إِذاwhen قَسَطنَthey act harshly عَلىupon الدَهTime (start)
عَزَماتٌ إِذا قَسَطنَ عَلى الدَه
رِTime (end) رَآهُsaw him أَوor عَدَّهُreckoned him الدَهرُTime قِرناa rival
رِ رَآهُ أَو عَدَّهُ الدَهرُ قِرنا
His resolves, when they bear down upon
Firm resolutions, if dealt to fate
Time, make Time see him, or reckon him, as its rival.
It deemed him an age-mate, two spans.
يَتَأَنّىhe takes his time بُغىseeking التَعَجُلِhaste وَالأَعand the swiftest (start)
يَتَأَنّى بُغى التَعَجُلِ وَالأَع
جَلُswiftest (end) فيin بَعضِsome of شَأنِهِhis affairs مَنone who تَأَنّىtook his time
جَلُ في بَعضِ شَأنِهِ مَن تَأَنّى
He takes his time, seeking speed; and the
Covetous haste shunned by the deliberate; some
swiftest in some of his affairs is the one who takes his time.
business impatient to the deliberative.
مُدرِكُone who discerns بِالظُنونِby conjectures ماwhat طَلَبوهُthey sought it
مُدرِكُ بِالظُنونِ ما طَلَبوهُ
بِفُنونِthrough varieties of الأَخبارِreports فَنّاًone kind فَفَنّاthen another kind
بِفُنونِ الأَخبارِ فَنّاً فَفَنّا
He discerns by conjecture what they sought
Achieving by conjectures what they sought
through varied reports, one kind after another.
Through crafted news, artist excelling artist.
لاdo not تُرِدseek عِندَfrom مَنone who تَخَيَّرَchose carefully رَأياًan opinion
لا تُرِد عِندَ مَن تَخَيَّرَ رَأياً
وَإِطلُبِand seek الرَأيَthe opinion عِندَfrom مَنone who يَتَظَنّىjudges by conjecture
وَإِطلُبِ الرَأيَ عِندَ مَن يَتَظَنّى
Do not seek an opinion from one who picks and chooses;
Seek not counsel from those who chose an opinion,
and seek an opinion from one who judges by conjecture.
And seek opinion from those who conjecture.
وَدَّwished قَومٌsome people لوthat ساجَلوهُthey rivaled him وَلَوand if سوhe were challenged (start)
وَدَّ قَومٌ لو ساجَلوهُ وَلَو سو
جِلَchallenged (end) قَدindeed خابَfailed جاهِلٌan ignorant man وَتَعَنّىand suffered
جِلَ قَد خابَ جاهِلٌ وَتَعَنّى
Some people wished to rival him; and were he
Some men wished that if contended with he'd contend,
challenged, a fool would surely fail and suffer.
Then a fool is disappointed and chagrined.
مِنamong تَمَنّيthe wishes of الحَصيفِthe prudent man عِندَwhen التَمَنّيwishing
مِن تَمَنّي الحَصيفِ عِندَ التَمَنّي
أَنthat يَكونَthere be الخِيارُthe choice فيماin what تَمَنّىhe wished for
أَن يَكونَ الخِيارُ فيما تَمَنّى
Among the prudent man's wishes, when he wishes,
From the judicious in wishing, while wishing,
is to have the choice in what he has wished for.
That the elect be in what's wished.
رَدَّhe restored مُلكَthe dominion of العِراقِIraq عَفواًwith ease إِلَيهاto her
رَدَّ مُلكَ العِراقِ عَفواً إِلَيها
فَرَساًand so he settled (contextual reading) فيin رِباعِهاher dwellings وَإِطمَأَنّاand he grew secure
فَرَساً في رِباعِها وَإِطمَأَنّا
He restored Iraq's dominion to her with ease,
He gently restored Iraq's rule to it,
and so settled in her dwellings and grew secure.
A steed in its paddocks, gave it rest.
كَمhow many مُعَزّىًone consoled عَنهُover him وَقَدand already سارَdeparted عَنهاfrom her
كَم مُعَزّىً عَنهُ وَقَد سارَ عَنها
عادَbecame again فيat عَودِهِhis return إِلَيهاto her مُهَنّاcongratulated
عادَ في عَودِهِ إِلَيها مُهَنّا
How many, consoled over him when he left her,
How often dissuaded from it, though it left him,
were congratulated instead at his return to her!
Returned in returning, humbled.
يَرذُلُseems paltry البَحرُthe sea فيamong بِحورِthe seas of بَنيthe sons of الفَيal-Fayyad (start)
يَرذُلُ البَحرُ في بِحورِ بَني الفَي
ياضِal-Fayyad (end) إِذwhen جَشنَthey surged بِالنَوالِwith bounty فَفَضناand so they overflowed
ياضِ إِذ جَشنَ بِالنَوالِ فَفَضنا
The sea looks paltry beside the seas of the sons of
The sea runs aground in the shallows of Bani Fayyad,
al-Fayyad, when they surge with bounty and overflow.
When our hands drew it churning and gushing.
واسِطواthose at the center of سُؤدُدٍnobility فَلَيسَand so are not يُنادوthey are summoned (start)
واسِطوا سُؤدُدٍ فَلَيسَ يُنادو
نَsummoned (end) إِلىto المَجدِglory مِنfrom هُناكَthere وَهَنّاand here
نَ إِلى المَجدِ مِن هُناكَ وَهَنّا
They stand at the heart of nobility, and are not summoned
Mediating worthlessness, they summon not
to glory from there and here.
To glory from there, or from here.
تَزَلواthey settled (uncertain reading) رَبوَةَthe upland of العِراقِIraq إِرتِياداًin exploration
تَزَلوا رَبوَةَ العِراقِ إِرتِياداً
أَيُّwhich أَرضٍland أَشَفُّloftier ذِكراًin renown وَأَسنىand more radiant
أَيُّ أَرضٍ أَشَفُّ ذِكراً وَأَسنى
They settled on Iraq's upland, scouting:
They left Iraq's sure ground, exploring -
what land is loftier in renown and more radiant?
What land is kinder recalled or more hale?
بَينَbetween دَيرِthe monastery of العاقولِal-Aqul مُرتَبَعٌa spring retreat يُشlooks out (start)
بَينَ دَيرِ العاقولِ مُرتَبَعٌ يُش
رِفُlooks out (end) مُحتَلُّهُits dwelling-site إِلىtoward دَيرِthe monastery of قُنّىQunna
رِفُ مُحتَلُّهُ إِلى دَيرِ قُنّى
A spring retreat lies between Dayr al-Aqul
Between Dayr al-Aqul, settled, its shaded
and Dayr Qunna, toward which its site looks out.
Occupant gazing toward Dayr Qunna.
حَيثُwhere باتَspent the night الزَيتونُthe olive trees مِنfrom فَوقِهِabove it النَخthe palm trees (start)
حَيثُ باتَ الزَيتونُ مِن فَوقِهِ النَخ
لُpalm trees (end) عَلَيهِupon it وُرقُgray الحَمامِdoves تَغَنّىsing
لُ عَلَيهِ وُرقُ الحَمامِ تَغَنّى
Where the olive trees spend the night beneath the palm
Where the olive overnighted, above it the palm
trees, on which the gray doves sing.
Leaf over it singing its song.
ماnot المَساعيendeavors إِلّاexcept لمَكارِمُindeed noble deeds تُرتاare sought (start)
ما المَساعي إِلّا لمَكارِمُ تُرتا
دُsought (end) وَإِلّاand only مَصانِعُedifices المَجدِglory تُبنىare built
دُ وَإِلّا مَصانِعُ المَجدِ تُبنى
Endeavors are indeed only noble deeds to be
No works but for noble ends pursued,
sought, and monuments of glory to be built.
And works of glory constructed.
وَالكَريمُand the noble man الناميdescended لِأَصلٍfrom a root كَريمٍnoble
وَالكَريمُ النامي لِأَصلٍ كَريمٍ
حَسَنٌfair فيin العُيونِthe eyes يَزدادُincreases حُسناin beauty
حَسَنٌ في العُيونِ يَزدادُ حُسنا
And the noble man sprung from a noble root
The generous scion of generous stock
is fair to the eyes, and grows still fairer.
Is fair in eyes, his fairness enhanced.
Sol 6.1