مَرحَباًwelcome بِالخَيالِto the phantom مِنكَfrom you المُطيفِvisiting at night
مَرحَباً بِالخَيالِ مِنكَ المُطيفِ
فيamong شُموسٍsuns لَمnot تَتَّصِلbe joined بِكُسوفِto an eclipse
في شُموسٍ لَم تَتَّصِل بِكُسوفِ
Welcome to the night-visiting phantom from you,
Welcome, oh imagination, your gentle breeze
among suns untouched by eclipse.
In suns not touched by eclipse
وَظِباءٍand gazelles هيفٍslender تَجِلُّare too exalted عَنِfor التَشبيcomparison (first part)
وَظِباءٍ هيفٍ تَجِلُّ عَنِ التَشبي
هِcomparison (completion) فيin الحُسنِbeauty بِالظِباءِwith the gazelles الهيفِthe slender
هِ في الحُسنِ بِالظِباءِ الهيفِ
And slender gazelles, too exalted for comparison
And smooth, delicate gazelles distinguished from plain ones
in beauty with slender gazelles.
By their elegance despite their plainness
كَيفَhow زُرتُمyou visited وَدونَكُمand between us and you رَملُthe sands of يَبريYabrin (first part)
كَيفَ زُرتُم وَدونَكُم رَملُ يَبري
نَYabrin (completion) فَفَلجٌthen Falaj وَالحَيُّand the tribe غَيرُnot خُلوفِabsent
نَ فَفَلجٌ وَالحَيُّ غَيرُ خُلوفِ
How did you visit, with Yabrin's sands between us,
How did you come when the sands around you are desolate
then Falaj, while the tribe was not away?
With no oasis, and life is not eternal?
وَرِداءُand the mantle of الظَلماءِdarkness فيin صِبغِهِits dye الأَسblack (first part)
وَرِداءُ الظَلماءِ في صِبغِهِ الأَس
وَدِblack (completion) وَالصُبحُand dawn مِنfrom وَراءِbehind سُجوفِcurtains
وَدِ وَالصُبحُ مِن وَراءِ سُجوفِ
And darkness's mantle was dyed black,
The cloak of darkness in its black dye
while dawn remained behind curtains.
And dawn behind the curtains
زَورَةٌa visit سَكَّنَتsoothed غَليلاًburning longing وَقَدand already هاstirred (first part)
زَورَةٌ سَكَّنَت غَليلاً وَقَد ها
جَتstirred (completion) غَليلاًburning longing مِنin هائِمِa distraught lover مَشعوفِconsumed by love
جَت غَليلاً مِن هائِمِ مَشعوفِ
A visit that soothed a burning longing, yet stirred
A bouquet rested a tired one, and attracted
a burning longing in one distraught and consumed by love.
A tired one with its fluttering intoxication
قِفstop بِرَبعٍat a dwelling لَهُمof theirs عَفاهُeffaced it رَبيعٌspring
قِف بِرَبعٍ لَهُم عَفاهُ رَبيعٌ
وَمَصيفٍand a summer dwelling مَحاهُerased it مَرُّthe passing of مَصيفِa summer
وَمَصيفٍ مَحاهُ مَرُّ مَصيفِ
Stop at a dwelling of theirs that spring has effaced,
Stop at an encampment time has pardoned
and a summer dwelling erased by a summer's passing.
And a summer erased by the passing of summer
وَإِعصِand disobey هَذاthis الرَكبَriding party الوُقوفَby stopping وَإِنeven if أَفthey pronounce to you (first part)
وَإِعصِ هَذا الرَكبَ الوُقوفَ وَإِن أَف
تَوكَthey pronounce to you (completion) لَوماًblame فيfor فَرطِthe excessiveness of ذاكَthat الوُقوفِstopping
تَوكَ لَوماً في فَرطِ ذاكَ الوُقوفِ
Defy these riders by stopping, even if they pronounce
Restrain this group from moving on though you blame it
blame upon you for lingering so long.
For its excessive hesitation
فَقَليلٌfor little فيماbeside what يُلاقيهِthey endure it أَهلُthe people of الthe
فَقَليلٌ فيما يُلاقيهِ أَهلُ ال
حُبِّlove طولُthe length of المَلامِblame وَالتَعنيفِand rebuke
حُبِّ طولُ المَلامِ وَالتَعنيفِ
For little, beside what the people of
Little care lovers give to long blame
love endure, is prolonged blame and rebuke.
And rebuke
وَخَليلٍand a friend لاnot أَرهَبُI fear الدَهرَtime ماas long as
وَخَليلٍ لا أَرهَبُ الدَهرَ ما
دُمتُI continue أَراهُI see him وَالدَهرُand time جَمُّfull of الصُروفِreversals
دُمتُ أَراهُ وَالدَهرُ جَمُّ الصُروفِ
And a friend: I do not fear time so long
A friend I do not fear time as long
as I see him, though time abounds in reversals.
As I see him, though time brings many changes
أَوجَدَتنيهِit enabled me to find him هِمَّةٌresolve خَرَقَتtraversed بيwith me
أَوجَدَتنيهِ هِمَّةٌ خَرَقَت بي
كُلَّevery خَرقٍwilderness مِنof البِلادِthe lands مَخوفِfearsome
كُلَّ خَرقٍ مِن البِلادِ مَخوفِ
Resolve enabled me to find him, carrying me through
An ambition carried me through
every fearsome wilderness of the lands.
Every rough pass in fearful lands
لايُفيدُdoes not acquire الصَديقَa friend مَنwhoever لايُفيدُdoes not give الthe
لايُفيدُ الصَديقَ مَن لايُفيدُ ال
عيسَpale camels حَظّاًa share مِنَof الوَجاfoot-soreness وَالوَجيفِand swift trotting
عيسَ حَظّاً مِنَ الوَجا وَالوَجيفِ
No one wins a friend who does not give
A friend is no use to one who gains
the pale camels their share of sore feet and swift trotting.
No livelihood or food
وَتِلادُand old stock الإِخوانِof friends تُخلِقُهُwears it out البِذfamiliar use (first part)
وَتِلادُ الإِخوانِ تُخلِقُهُ البِذ
لَةُfamiliar use (completion) مالَمunless تُغِبَّهُyou give it respite بِالطَريفِwith newly acquired stock
لَةُ مالَم تُغِبَّهُ بِالطَريفِ
And an old stock of friends is worn out by familiarity,
True brothers are created by
unless you give it respite with new friends.
Generosity unless marred by meanness
أَناI راضٍcontent وَواثِقٌand confident مِنof أَبيAbu, father of الفَضal-Fadl (first part)
أَنا راضٍ وَواثِقٌ مِن أَبي الفَض
لِal-Fadl (completion) بِفِعلٍin conduct عَلىto النَدىgenerosity مَوقوفِdevoted
لِ بِفِعلٍ عَلى النَدى مَوقوفِ
I am content, and sure of Abu al-Fadl's
I am content and confident in my noble father
conduct, devoted to generosity.
For an act built on munificence
سَبَبٌa bond بَينَناbetween us مِنَof الأَدَبِlearning and literary culture المَحpure (first part)
سَبَبٌ بَينَنا مِنَ الأَدَبِ المَح
ضِpure (completion) قَوِيُّstrong in الأَسبابِits ties غَيرُnot ضَعيفِweak
ضِ قَوِيُّ الأَسبابِ غَيرُ ضَعيفِ
A bond of pure learning lies between us,
A link between us of refined manners
strong in its strands, not weak.
The strongest of links, nothing weak
وَحَليفيand my ally عَلىagainst الزَمانِtime سَماحٌgenerosity
وَحَليفي عَلى الزَمانِ سَماحٌ
مِنfrom كَريمٍa noble, generous man لِلمَكرُماتِto noble deeds حَليفِa sworn ally
مِن كَريمٍ لِلمَكرُماتِ حَليفِ
And my ally against time is generosity
My ally against time is generosity
from a noble man allied to noble deeds.
From a noble one, ally to the noble
مَدَّhe extended مِنsome of ظِلِّهِhis shade عَلَيَّover me وَبَوّاand lodged (first part)
مَدَّ مِن ظِلِّهِ عَلَيَّ وَبَوّا
نِيَme (verb ending) رَبعاًa dwelling فيin رَبعِهِhis dwelling المَألوفِthe familiar
نِيَ رَبعاً في رَبعِهِ المَألوفِ
He spread some of his shade over me and lodged
He extended his shade over me and settled me
me in a dwelling within his familiar abode.
In his familiar land
عِندَamid جَزلٍabundance مِنَof النَوالِbounty وَوَعدٍand a promise
عِندَ جَزلٍ مِنَ النَوالِ وَوَعدٍ
لاnot يُرَجّىis put off بِالمَطلِby stalling وَالتَسويفِand postponement
لا يُرَجّى بِالمَطلِ وَالتَسويفِ
Amid abundant bounty and a promise
With ample gifts and promises
never put off by stalling and postponement.
Not hoped for vainly or delayed
وَمُرَدّىًand cloaked بِالبِشرِin cheerfulness يَبسُطُhe presents لِلزُوّاto the visitors (first part)
وَمُرَدّىً بِالبِشرِ يَبسُطُ لِلزُوّا
رِvisitors (completion) وَجهاًa face مِثلَlike الهِلالِthe crescent الموفيnearing fullness
رِ وَجهاً مِثلَ الهِلالِ الموفي
And, cloaked in cheerfulness, he offers visitors
And a refuge for visitors, his face
a face like the crescent nearing fullness.
Like the full moon, ever replenished
أَريَحِيٌّmagnanimous لَهُhe has عَلىtoward مُجتَديهِthose seeking his bounty
أَريَحِيٌّ لَهُ عَلى مُجتَديهِ
رِقَّةُthe tenderness of الوالِدِthe father الرَحيمِthe merciful الرَؤوفِthe compassionate
رِقَّةُ الوالِدِ الرَحيمِ الرَؤوفِ
Magnanimous, he has for those seeking his gifts
Tender to those who come to him
the tenderness of a merciful, compassionate father.
With a parent’s kindness and compassion
يَتَرقّىhe ascends إِلىto المَعاليthe heights مِنَof الأَمaffairs (first part)
يَتَرقّى إِلى المَعالي مِنَ الأَم
رِaffairs (completion) بِنَفسٍwith a soul عَنِaway from الدَناياbase deeds عَزوفِaverse
رِ بِنَفسٍ عَنِ الدَنايا عَزوفِ
He ascends to the heights of endeavor,
He rises to the heights by a soul
with a soul averse to base deeds.
Aloof from this lowly world
يَصرَعُfells الخَطبَcalamity وَهوَwhile it is صَعبٌformidable جَليلٌgrave
يَصرَعُ الخَطبَ وَهوَ صَعبٌ جَليلٌ
حُسنُthe excellence of تَدبيرِهِhis planning الخَفِيِّthe subtle اللَطيفِthe deft
حُسنُ تَدبيرِهِ الخَفِيِّ اللَطيفِ
Calamity, though formidable and grave, is felled
He overcomes calamities, exalted and difficult
by the excellence of his subtle, deft planning.
By his subtle, hidden wisdom
رائِحٌgoing out at evening مُغتَدٍsetting out at dawn بِحِلمٍwith forbearance ثَقيلٍweighty
رائِحٌ مُغتَدٍ بِحِلمٍ ثَقيلٍ
راجِحٍpreponderant وَزنُهُits weight وَفَهمٍand understanding خَفيفِnimble
راجِحٍ وَزنُهُ وَفَهمٍ خَفيفِ
Out at evening and dawn, with weighty forbearance,
Deliberate with heavy forbearance
whose weight prevails, and nimble understanding.
And judgment weighing as light as perception
قُلَّبِيٌّresourceful يَكادُhe almost يَخرُجُescapes مِنfrom وَهyour imagination (first part)
قُلَّبِيٌّ يَكادُ يَخرُجُ مِن وَه
مِكَyour imagination (completion) فيin شَكلِهِhis form الرَشيقِthe graceful الظَريفِthe elegant
مِكَ في شَكلِهِ الرَشيقِ الظَريفِ
Resourceful, he almost eludes your imagination
Like a palm tree, he almost sways
in his graceful, elegant form.
With his slender, delicate form
وَكَأَنَّand as though الشَليلَthe tunic beneath armor وَالنَثرَةَand the coat of mail الحَصtightly wrought (first part)
وَكَأَنَّ الشَليلَ وَالنَثرَةَ الحَص
داءَtightly wrought (completion) مِنهُof his عَلىupon سَليلِa son of غَريفِa thicket
داءَ مِنهُ عَلى سَليلِ غَريفِ
And it is as though the armor-tunic and tightly wrought mail
As if the pendant and the gazelle
upon him were on a son of the thicket.
Took their elegance from his elegant swaying
صاحِبُmaster of الحَملَةِthe charge الَّتيthat تَنقُضُbreaks الزَحthe advancing host (first part)
صاحِبُ الحَملَةِ الَّتي تَنقُضُ الزَح
فَthe advancing host (completion) بِحَملِby heaping الصُفوفِthe ranks فَوقَupon الصُفوفِthe ranks
فَ بِحَملِ الصُفوفِ فَوقَ الصُفوفِ
He is master of the charge that breaks the advancing host
The leader whose attack breaks the battle lines
by heaping ranks upon ranks.
With wave after wave of ranks
يَتَخَطّىhe strides over الرَدىdeath فَيَملَأُand so fills صَدرَthe breast of السَيthe sword (first part)
يَتَخَطّى الرَدى فَيَملَأُ صَدرَ السَي
فِthe sword (completion) مِنfrom جانِبِthe flank of الخَميسِthe army الكَثيفِthe densely massed
فِ مِن جانِبِ الخَميسِ الكَثيفِ
He strides over death, filling the sword's breast
He crosses the frayed shreds and fills
from the flank of the densely massed army.
The swords with his dense, Thursday thrust
حَيثُwhere لاnot يَهتَديfinds a way الجَبانُthe coward إِلىto الفَرflight (first part)
حَيثُ لا يَهتَدي الجَبانُ إِلى الفَر
رِflight (completion) وَحَيثُand where النُفوسُthe souls نَصبَtargets for الحُتوفِdeadly fates
رِ وَحَيثُ النُفوسُ نَصبَ الحُتوفِ
Where the coward finds no way to flee,
Where the coward cannot find his escape
and where souls are targets for deadly fates.
And souls are the butt of the blades
فيamid لَفيفٍa throng مِنَof المَناياdeaths يُمَزِّقthey tear apart (first part)
في لَفيفٍ مِنَ المَنايا يُمَزِّق
نَthey (feminine-plural ending) غَداةَthe morning of الهَيجاءِbattle كُلَّevery لَفيفِthrong
نَ غَداةَ الهَيجاءِ كُلَّ لَفيفِ
Amid a throng of deaths that tear apart
In a fold of death tearing apart
every throng on the morning of battle.
At dawn all its folds
وَمَقامٍand a station بَينَamid الأَسِنَّةِthe spearpoints ضَنكٍcramped
وَمَقامٍ بَينَ الأَسِنَّةِ ضَنكٍ
وَهَشيمٍand splinters مِنَof الظُباthe sword-edges مَرصوفِdensely packed
وَهَشيمٍ مِنَ الظُبا مَرصوفِ
And a cramped station amid spearpoints
A position amid the swords, narrow
and densely packed splinters of sword-edges
And shreds of armor arranged
مَدَّit spread لَيلاًa night عَلىover الكُماةِthe armored warriors فَماso not يَمthey walk (first part)
مَدَّ لَيلاً عَلى الكُماةِ فَما يَم
شونَthey walk (completion) فيهِin it إِلّاexcept بِضَوءِby the light of السُيوفِthe swords
شونَ فيهِ إِلّا بِضَوءِ السُيوفِ
spread a night over the armored warriors, so they walked
He stretched the night over the assailants so they
in it only by the light of swords.
Could not walk but by the light of swords
ياO أَباAbu, father of الفَضلِal-Fadl قَدindeed تَناهىhas reached its limit بُلوغُthe attainment of الthe
يا أَبا الفَضلِ قَد تَناهى بُلوغُ ال
فَضلِexcellence مِنfrom دونِshort of فَضلِكَyour excellence المَوصوفِthe celebrated
فَضلِ مِن دونِ فَضلِكَ المَوصوفِ
O Abu al-Fadl, the utmost reach of excellence stops
Oh Abu Fadl, perfection of merit
short of your celebrated excellence.
Is unmatched except by your famed merit
مَجدُthe glory of سَهلٍSahl وَالفَضلِand al-Fadl وَالحَسَنِand al-Hasan الإِحbeneficence (first part)
مَجدُ سَهلٍ وَالفَضلِ وَالحَسَنِ الإِح
سانِbeneficence (completion) فيin مَجدِكَyour glory الرَفيعِthe lofty الشَريفِthe noble
سانِ في مَجدِكَ الرَفيعِ الشَريفِ
The glory of Sahl, al-Fadl, and al-Hasan the beneficent
Majesty of the open-handed, the virtuous and the humane
lies in your lofty, noble glory.
Is in your high, noble majesty
كِسرَوِيّونَKhosrowian أَوَّلِيّونَof ancient standing فيin السُؤlordship (first part)
كِسرَوِيّونَ أَوَّلِيّونَ في السُؤ
دُدِlordship (completion) بيضُwhite الوُجوهِthe faces شُمُّhigh الأُنوفِthe noses
دُدِ بيضُ الوُجوهِ شُمُّ الأُنوفِ
Khosrowian, of ancient standing in lordship,
Kisrawi lords from early days
white of face, high of nose.
Pale faces, slender noses
سُدتَyou became chief فيin سِنِّكَyour age الحديثِthe youthful وَماand is not النَجvalor (first part)
سُدتَ في سِنِّكَ الحديثِ وَما النَج
دَةُvalor (completion) إِلّاexcept لِلأَجدَلِfor the falcon الغِطريفِthe noble
دَةُ إِلّا لِلأَجدَلِ الغِطريفِ
You became a chief in your youthful years, and valor
You excelled in your youth, and maturity
belongs only to the noble falcon.
Is only for the unripe and crude
وَإِذاand when أُنكِرَis disowned البَخيلُthe miser مِنَamong القَوthe people (first part)
وَإِذا أُنكِرَ البَخيلُ مِنَ القَو
مِthe people (completion) فَأَنتَthen you are المَعروفُthe one known بِالمَعروفِfor kindness
مِ فَأَنتَ المَعروفُ بِالمَعروفِ
And when the miser among the people is disowned,
When the miser among the people denies it
you are the one known for kindness.
You are known for your benevolence
Sol 6.1