يَكادُalmost يُبديreveals لِسُعدىto Suʿdā غَيبَthe hidden part of ماwhat أَجِدُI feel
يَكادُ يُبدي لِسُعدى غَيبَ ما أَجِدُ
تَحَدُّرٌa streaming down مِنfrom دِراكِa close succession of الدَمعِtears مُطَّرِدُunceasing
تَحَدُّرٌ مِن دِراكِ الدَمعِ مُطَّرِدُ
It nearly reveals to Suʿdā my hidden feelings:
With joy, he almost reveals to Sa'da the unseen that I find,
an unbroken stream of tears, falling one after another.
A constant flow of tears descends from my eyes.
خَبلٌmadness مِنَfrom الحُبِّlove لَمnot يَزجُرhas restrained سَفاهَتَهُits folly
خَبلٌ مِنَ الحُبِّ لَم يَزجُر سَفاهَتَهُ
حِلمٌself-restraint وَلَمand not يَتَدارَكhas remedied غَيَّهُits waywardness رَشَدُsound judgment
حِلمٌ وَلَم يَتَدارَك غَيَّهُ رَشَدُ
A madness born of love, whose folly has not been restrained
The folly of love that did not deter the insanity,
by self-control, nor its waywardness remedied by good sense.
Wisdom that did not mend its waywardness.
ماno one أَنفَقَspent الدَمعَtears إِسرافاًextravagantly كَذيlike one possessed of كَلَفٍpassion
ما أَنفَقَ الدَمعَ إِسرافاً كَذي كَلَفٍ
تَرفَضُّpours forth عَبرَتُهُhis tears مِنfrom لَوعَةٍburning anguish تَقِدُblazes
تَرفَضُّ عَبرَتُهُ مِن لَوعَةٍ تَقِدُ
No one spends tears so lavishly as one consumed by passion,
He did not shed tears wastefully like a heavy burden,
whose tears pour forth from a blazing anguish.
His crying is rejected by intense agony.
إِنif أَخلَقَتwear out حُرُقاتٌburning pangs مِنfrom صَبابَتِهِhis longing
إِن أَخلَقَت حُرُقاتٌ مِن صَبابَتِهِ
تَرادَفَتcome in succession حُرُقاتٌburning pangs بَعدَهاafter them جُدُدُfresh
تَرادَفَت حُرُقاتٌ بَعدَها جُدُدُ
If burning pangs of his longing wear out,
If yearnings were created by his youth,
fresh burning pangs succeed them, one after another.
Yearnings followed them renewed.
أَضحَتhave become مَعاهِدُfamiliar haunts ذاكَthat الحَزنِthe rugged land مُقوِيَةًdeserted
أَضحَت مَعاهِدُ ذاكَ الحَزنِ مُقوِيَةً
وَأَقفَرَتand lay deserted مِنهُمُof them العَلياءُal-ʿAlyāʾ فَالسَنَدُthen al-Sanad
وَأَقفَرَت مِنهُمُ العَلياءُ فَالسَنَدُ
The familiar haunts of that rugged land have become deserted,
The covenants of that sadness became strengthened,
and al-ʿAlyāʾ, then al-Sanad, lie empty of them.
While the eminent abandoned him, he lost all support.
وَحشٌwild beasts تَأَبَّدَhave settled فيin تِلكَthose الطُلولِruins وَقَدand once
وَحشٌ تَأَبَّدَ في تِلكَ الطُلولِ وَقَد
تَكونُused to be أُنّاسَهُنَّtheir inhabitants الأُنَّسُcompanionable الخُرُدُbashful maidens
تَكونُ أُنّاسَهُنَّ الأُنَّسُ الخُرُدُ
Wild beasts have settled in those ruins, though once
Solitude persisted in those hills, though
their inhabitants were companionable, bashful maidens.
Its people could have been intimate company.
لَقَدindeed كَفاناhas spared us اِعتِسافَtrackless crossing of البيدِthe desert wastes أَوبُthe return of فَتىًa young man
لَقَد كَفانا اِعتِسافَ البيدِ أَوبُ فَتىً
جاءَتcame مَطاياهُhis mounts أَرسالاًin successive groups بِهِwith him تَخِدُstride swiftly
جاءَت مَطاياهُ أَرسالاً بِهِ تَخِدُ
A young man's return has indeed spared us crossing the trackless wastes;
The confession of the perishing of the hero was enough for us,
his mounts came in successive groups, striding swiftly with him.
His swift steeds brought him exhausted.
زارَvisited العِراقَIraq فَقالَthen said الآهِلونَthe inhabitants لَهُto him
زارَ العِراقَ فَقالَ الآهِلونَ لَهُ
أَهلاًwelcome وَرَحَّبَand welcomed مِنfrom أُنسٍdelight بِهِin him البَلَدُthe land
أَهلاً وَرَحَّبَ مِن أُنسٍ بِهِ البَلَدُ
He visited Iraq, and its inhabitants said to him,
He visited Iraq, so its inhabitants told him:
'Welcome!' And the land welcomed him, glad of his company.
"Welcome," and the country greeted him affectionately.
زِيارَةٌa visit مِنfrom عَميدٍa chief لَمnot يَزَلceased رَغَباًeagerly
زِيارَةٌ مِن عَميدٍ لَم يَزَل رَغَباً
يُزدارُis visited فيin شَرقِهِhis east الأَقصىthe farthest وَيُعتَمَدُand is relied upon
يُزدارُ في شَرقِهِ الأَقصى وَيُعتَمَدُ
A visit from a chief who has always been eagerly
A visit from a dignitary who was always desirable
visited in his farthest east and relied upon.
In its farthest east, and relied upon.
إِنif ساحَflows فَيضُthe flood of يَدَيهِhis two hands لَمnot يَكُنbe عَجَباًa wonder
إِن ساحَ فَيضُ يَدَيهِ لَم يَكُن عَجَباً
أَنthat يُسرِفَruns to excess الظَنُّexpectation فيهِabout him وَهوَyet it is مُقتَصِدُmoderate
أَن يُسرِفَ الظَنُّ فيهِ وَهوَ مُقتَصِدُ
If the flood from his hands spreads, it is no wonder
If he was generous, it would be no wonder
that expectation of him runs to excess, yet remains modest.
That he would exceed hopes, though he is moderate.
أَوor ضَمِنَpledged اليَومُtoday مِنfrom جَدواهُhis bounty مَرغَبَةًa coveted gift
أَو ضَمِنَ اليَومُ مِن جَدواهُ مَرغَبَةً
كانَwould be الكَفيلَthe guarantor عَلَيهاfor it بِالوَفاءِfor fulfillment غَدُtomorrow
كانَ الكَفيلَ عَلَيها بِالوَفاءِ غَدُ
Or if today pledges a coveted gift from his bounty,
Or if the day promised through his generosity a gift,
tomorrow stands surety for its fulfillment.
The guarantor to fulfill it would be tomorrow.
يَميلُtips وَزنُthe weight of القَوافيrhymes بِالنَوالِagainst largesse وَلَوand even if
يَميلُ وَزنُ القَوافي بِالنَوالِ وَلَو
راحَcomes النَوالُlargesse وَفيand in ميزانِهِits scale أُحُدُMount Uḥud
راحَ النَوالُ وَفي ميزانِهِ أُحُدُ
The weight of rhymes tips the scales against largesse, even if
The weight of rhymes inclines to gift even if
largesse comes with Mount Uḥud upon its scale.
The gift departed while the scale contains only one.
وَالشُكرُand gratitude أَنthat يُخبِرَshould tell الوُرّادُthose coming to drink سائِلَهُمtheir questioner
وَالشُكرُ أَن يُخبِرَ الوُرّادُ سائِلَهُم
عَنabout فَضلِthe excellence of مُختَبَرِthe tested quality of العِدِّthe perennial spring الَّذيwhich وَردواthey came to drink at
عَن فَضلِ مُختَبَرِ العِدِّ الَّذي وَردوا
And gratitude is for those who come to drink to tell whoever asks them
Gratitude is for the hosts to inform their guest
of the proven excellence of the perennial spring they reached.
Of the merits of the one they visited.
يَبينُstand out بِالفَضلِthrough merit أَقوامٌsome men وَيَفضُلُهُمand surpasses them
يَبينُ بِالفَضلِ أَقوامٌ وَيَفضُلُهُم
مُوَحَّدٌa peerless one بِغَريبِin extraordinary الذِكرِrenown مُنفَرِدُstanding alone
مُوَحَّدٌ بِغَريبِ الذِكرِ مُنفَرِدُ
Some men stand out through merit, but they are surpassed by
Through merit, some people excel and surpass them,
a peerless man, alone in his extraordinary renown.
The unique one with the strange mention, singled out.
تَوَحَّدَstands alone القَمَرُthe moon الساريtraveling by night بِشُهرَتِهِin its renown
تَوَحَّدَ القَمَرُ الساري بِشُهرَتِهِ
وَأَنجُمُand the stars of اللَيلِnight نَثرٌstrewn حَولَهُaround it بَدَدُscattered
وَأَنجُمُ اللَيلِ نَثرٌ حَولَهُ بَدَدُ
The night-wandering moon stands alone in its renown,
The passing moon monopolized its fame,
while the stars of night lie strewn around it, scattered.
While the night stars are scattered around it.
أَحيَتrevived خِلالَthe virtues of أَبيAbū (father of) لَيلىLaylā أَباAbū (father of) دُلَفٍDulaf
أَحيَت خِلالَ أَبي لَيلى أَبا دُلَفٍ
وَمِثلُهُand one like him أَوجَدَprovided الأَقوامَpeople ماwhat اِفتَقَدواthey had lost
وَمِثلُهُ أَوجَدَ الأَقوامَ ما اِفتَقَدوا
The virtues of Abū Laylā have revived Abū Dulaf,
It revived through my Abi Layla, Abi Dulaf,
and one like him restores to people what they have lost.
And its like brought what people longed for.
ماnot اِنفَكَّhas ceased صائِبُa falling shower of غُزرٍabundance مِنfrom سَحائِبِهِhis clouds
ما اِنفَكَّ صائِبُ غُزرٍ مِن سَحائِبِهِ
تُضامُare humbled فيهِin it الغَواديthe morning rain clouds ثُمَّthen تُضطَهَدُare overpowered
تُضامُ فيهِ الغَوادي ثُمَّ تُضطَهَدُ
A copious downpour from his clouds has never ceased
The clouds of Sāʾib Ghadhban did not cease,
to humble the morning rain clouds, then overwhelm them.
Where the valleys gather, then are crushed.
نِعمَexcellent is المُفَرِّقُthe cleaver مِنfrom أَعناقِthe necks of مَأسَدَةٍa lion-host
نِعمَ المُفَرِّقُ مِن أَعناقِ مَأسَدَةٍ
قَدindeed اِلتَقَتhas met بِصَفيحِwith broad blades of الهِندِIndia تَجتَلِدُclashes in combat
قَد اِلتَقَت بِصَفيحِ الهِندِ تَجتَلِدُ
Splendid is he who cleaves the necks of a lion-host
What a separator between the necks of a disobedient people
that has met in battle, clashing with India's broad blades,
That clashed with Indian steel, subdued.
وَشاغِلُand the one who occupies الدَهرِTime حينَwhen الدَهرُTime مِنfrom كَلَبٍsavage fury
وَشاغِلُ الدَهرِ حينَ الدَهرُ مِن كَلَبٍ
خَصمٌan adversary لَناto us مَعَهُwith it الإِلطاطُobstinate insistence وَاللَدَدُand stubborn contention
خَصمٌ لَنا مَعَهُ الإِلطاطُ وَاللَدَدُ
and who keeps Time occupied when Time, in its ferocity,
The preoccupier of fate when fate is but a dog,
is our adversary, attended by insistence and stubborn contention.
An opponent to us, with wounding and contention.
مُستَكرِهٌpressing into service لِعُروضِupon the broad sides of البيضِbright swords إِنif قَصُرَتfall short
مُستَكرِهٌ لِعُروضِ البيضِ إِن قَصُرَت
أَطوالُthe lengths of خَطِّيَّةٍKhaṭṭī spears خِرصانُهاtheir shafts قَصَدُbroken pieces
أَطوالُ خَطِّيَّةٍ خِرصانُها قَصَدُ
He presses the broad sides of bright swords into service, if
Disliking the meter of poems if they fell short;
the lengths of Khaṭṭī spears fall short, their shafts splintered.
The long lines of the Khaṭīyah, its purpose lean.
لَمnot يُحصَhas been counted عِدَّةُthe number of ماwhat أَولاهُhe bestowed it مِنof حَسَنٍgoodness
لَم يُحصَ عِدَّةُ ما أَولاهُ مِن حَسَنٍ
وَسَيِّدُand the noblest of النَيلِbounty ماwhat لَمnot يُحصِهِhas counted it العَدَدُnumber
وَسَيِّدُ النَيلِ ما لَم يُحصِهِ العَدَدُ
The number of favors he has bestowed has not been counted,
The number of favors he gave was never counted,
and the noblest bounty is what numbers cannot count.
The lord of the Nile, what number did not encompass.
مَواهِبٌgifts قُسِمَتwere apportioned فيamong الخابِطينَwandering petitioners فَماso not
مَواهِبٌ قُسِمَت في الخابِطينَ فَما
تَخلوare absent الرِفاقُthe traveling companies إِلىto جَمّاتِهاtheir brimming pools تَفِدُcome as visitors
تَخلو الرِفاقُ إِلى جَمّاتِها تَفِدُ
Gifts apportioned among wandering petitioners; never
Gifts were distributed among the stingy, but
do traveling companies cease coming to their brimming pools.
The friends did not lack any share allocated.
يُطالِبُclaims الأَرحَبِيُّthe Arḥabī camel العَودُthe aged one سُهمَتَهُhis share
يُطالِبُ الأَرحَبِيُّ العَودُ سُهمَتَهُ
فيهاin them وَتُرزَؤُهاand draws from them العَيرانَةُthe vigorous she-camel الأُجُدُthe stoutly built one
فيها وَتُرزَؤُها العَيرانَةُ الأُجُدُ
The old Arḥabī camel claims his share
The Arḥabī asks the lute for its portion in it,
in them, and the vigorous, sturdy she-camel draws from them.
While the censorious refutes it, most generous.
عَفوٌeffortless giving مِنَof الجودِgenerosity لَمnot تَكذِبhas proved false مَخيلَتُهُits rain-promising cloud
عَفوٌ مِنَ الجودِ لَم تَكذِب مَخيلَتُهُ
يُقَصِّرُfalls short القَطرُrain عَنهُof it وَهوَthough it is مُجتَهِدُstriving hard
يُقَصِّرُ القَطرُ عَنهُ وَهوَ مُجتَهِدُ
Effortless bounty whose rain-cloud has never deceived—
A pardon from generosity, its imagination did not lie,
rain falls short of it, though striving its utmost.
The rain falls short of it though it is diligent.
إِنif قَصَّرَتfall short هِمَمُthe aspirations of العافينَpetitioners جاشَsurges لَهُمfor them
إِن قَصَّرَت هِمَمُ العافينَ جاشَ لَهُم
جِحافُa sweeping torrent أَغلَبَmighty فيin حافاتِهِits edges الزَبَدُfoam
جِحافُ أَغلَبَ في حافاتِهِ الزَبَدُ
If the petitioners' aspirations fall short, there surges for them
If the ambitions of the healthy fell short, the disadvantage
a mighty, sweeping torrent, foam along its edges.
Overcomes its edges, the foam rises.
لاdo not تَحقِرَنَّever despise صَغيرَa small amount of العُرفِkindness تَبذُلُهُyou bestow it
لا تَحقِرَنَّ صَغيرَ العُرفِ تَبذُلُهُ
فَقَدfor sometimes يُرَوّيquenches غَليلِthe burning thirst of الهائِمِthe thirsty wanderer الثَمَدُa scant pool
فَقَد يُرَوّي غَليلِ الهائِمِ الثَمَدُ
Never scorn a small kindness you bestow,
Do not belittle the lowly gift you give away,
for a scant pool may quench the wanderer's burning thirst.
It may slake the thirst of the roaming thirsty.
وَيَرخَصُand is cheaply won الحَمدُpraise حَتّىto the point أَنَّthat عارِفَةًa kindness
وَيَرخَصُ الحَمدُ حَتّى أَنَّ عارِفَةً
بَذلُoffering السَلامِa greeting فَكَيفَthen how much more الرِفدُgifts وَالصَفَدُand grants
بَذلُ السَلامِ فَكَيفَ الرِفدُ وَالصَفَدُ
And praise is so cheaply won that a kindness may be
Greetings are cheap, even an acquaintance
the offering of a greeting—how much more gifts and grants!
Giving greetings, so what about gifts and presents!
ماnot اِستَغرَبَmarveled at الناسُpeople إِفضالاًbeneficence وَلاnor اِشتَهَرواthey publicized
ما اِستَغرَبَ الناسُ إِفضالاً وَلا اِشتَهَروا
مِنfrom حاتِمٍḤātim غَيرَother than جودٍgenerosity بِالَّذيwith what يَجِدُhe has
مِن حاتِمٍ غَيرَ جودٍ بِالَّذي يَجِدُ
People marveled at no bounty, nor celebrated anything,
People never wondered at generosity, nor gained fame
from Ḥātim except his generosity with what he had.
From a Ḥātim other than his generosity.
كَمhow often قَدindeed عَجِلتَyou hastened إِلىto النَعماءِkindness تَصنَعُهاyou perform it
كَم قَد عَجِلتَ إِلى النَعماءِ تَصنَعُها
مُبادِراًtaking the initiative وَبَخيلُwhile the miser of القَومِthe people مُتَّئِدُslow and deliberate
مُبادِراً وَبَخيلُ القَومِ مُتَّئِدُ
How often you have hastened to perform a kindness,
How quickly you raced to kindness, initiating it,
taking the lead while the people's miser moves slowly.
While the people's stingy one delays.
وَكَمand how often وَعَدتَyou promised وَأَنتَwhile you are الغَيثُthe rain نَعرِفُهُwe know it
وَكَم وَعَدتَ وَأَنتَ الغَيثُ نَعرِفُهُ
مُذsince حالَفَallied itself with الجودَgenerosity يُعطيit gives فَوقَbeyond ماwhat يَعِدُit promises
مُذ حالَفَ الجودَ يُعطي فَوقَ ما يَعِدُ
And how often you have promised—you are the rain we know,
How often you promised, and you are the rain we know
which, since allying itself with bounty, gives more than it promises.
Ever since it swore to be generous, to give beyond promises.
إِنif لَمnot تُعِنّيyou help me عَلىwith رَجعِthe return of الحَبيبِthe beloved فَلَنthen will not
إِن لَم تُعِنّي عَلى رَجعِ الحَبيبِ فَلَن
يُرجىbe looked to لِعَونيfor helping me عَلَيهِwith it مِنهُمُamong them أَحَدُanyone
يُرجى لِعَوني عَلَيهِ مِنهُمُ أَحَدُ
If you do not help me bring the beloved back, then no
If you do not help me regain the beloved, then
one among them can be looked to for help in this.
None of them are hoped to help me gain him.
وَإِنand if مَلَكتَyou gain اِعتِباديmy servitude بِاِرتِجاعَتِهِby bringing him back
وَإِن مَلَكتَ اِعتِبادي بِاِرتِجاعَتِهِ
فَالحُرُّthen the free man يُملَكُis owned بِالنُعمىthrough kindness وَيُعتَبَدُand is enslaved
فَالحُرُّ يُملَكُ بِالنُعمى وَيُعتَبَدُ
And if you gain my servitude by bringing him back,
If you enabled my devotion by regaining him,
then a free man is won by kindness and made a slave.
The free are ruled by blessing, and devote themselves.
وَخَيرُand the better of وَأيَيكَyour two promises إِنif مَيَّلتَyou weigh بَينَهُماbetween them
وَخَيرُ وَأيَيكَ إِن مَيَّلتَ بَينَهُما
ماthat which قيدَwas led عَنهُin fulfillment of it وَوافاناand came to us الوَأىthe sturdy steed العَتِدُthe ready one
ما قيدَ عَنهُ وَوافانا الوَأى العَتِدُ
And the better of your two promises, if you weigh the pair,
The best thing, by God, if you waver between them,
is that for which the sturdy, ready steed was led forth and came to us.
Is what did not hinder him, and remoteness grasped us.
وَالبَغلُand the mule يَنتَزِفُdrains الغاديthe morning traveler عُلالَتَهُits remaining strength
وَالبَغلُ يَنتَزِفُ الغادي عُلالَتَهُ
خِيارُthe choicest of ماwhat يُمتَطىis ridden مِنهاamong them وَيُقتَعَدُand is mounted
خِيارُ ما يُمتَطى مِنها وَيُقتَعَدُ
And the mule, whose remaining strength the morning rider drains,
The mule drips the departure of the traveler,
is the choicest of those ridden and mounted.
The best of what is ridden from it and resided on.
إِنif أَنتَyou أَفقَرتَنيlend me ظَهرَيهِماtheir two backs ظَهَرَتthere will appear
إِن أَنتَ أَفقَرتَني ظَهرَيهِما ظَهَرَت
نَفاسَةٌcovetousness مِنfrom قُلوبِthe hearts of القَومِthe people أَوor حَسَدُenvy
نَفاسَةٌ مِن قُلوبِ القَومِ أَو حَسَدُ
If you lend me both their backs to ride, there will arise
If you impoverished me from both of them, then appeared
covetousness in people's hearts—or envy.
Nobility from the hearts of the people, or envy.
Sol 6.1