بِعَينَيكَbefore your two eyes ضَوءُthe radiance الأُقحُوانِof the daisy المُفَلَّجِgap-toothed
بِعَينَيكَ ضَوءُ الأُقحُوانِ المُفَلَّجِ
وَأَلحاظُand the glances عَينَيof the two eyes of ساحِرِan enchanter of اللَحظِthe gaze أَدعَجِdark-eyed
وَأَلحاظُ عَينَي ساحِرِ اللَحظِ أَدعَجِ
Before your eyes is the gleam of the gap-toothed daisy,
In your eyes the gleam of delirious stars,
and the glances of a dark-eyed enchanter's eyes.
And glimpses of my eyes, the sorcerer of fleeting glances.
شَجىًheartache مِنfrom هَوىًlove زادَincreased الغَليلَthe burning thirst تَوَقُّداًin burning
شَجىً مِن هَوىً زادَ الغَليلَ تَوَقُّداً
وَكانَand was الهَوىlove أَلباًan allied force عَلىagainst المُغرَمِthe passionate lover الشَجِيthe sorrow-stricken
وَكانَ الهَوى أَلباً عَلى المُغرَمِ الشَجِي
Heartache from love that made burning thirst flare higher,
Yearning of passion increased my torment,
and love was a league arrayed against the sorrow-stricken lover.
And passion was testing for the lovesick and troubled one.
يُهَيِّجُstirs ليin me طَيفُthe phantom الخَيالِof the vision صَبابَةًyearning
يُهَيِّجُ لي طَيفُ الخَيالِ صَبابَةً
فَلِلَّهِso, by God ماhow طَيفُthe phantom الخَيالِof the vision المُهَيِّجِthat stirs longing
فَلِلَّهِ ما طَيفُ الخَيالِ المُهَيِّجِ
A phantom vision stirs yearning in me;
The specter of fantasy stirs youthfulness in me,
by God, how stirring that phantom vision is!
By Allah! How stirring is the specter of imagination!
تَأَمَّلتُI contemplated أَشخاصَthe forms الخَطوبِof calamities فَلَمand did not أُرَعfeel terror
تَأَمَّلتُ أَشخاصَ الخَطوبِ فَلَم أُرَع
بِأَفظَعِby anything more dreadful مِنthan فَقدِthe loss الأَليفِof a dear companion وَأَسمَجِand more hideous
بِأَفظَعِ مِن فَقدِ الأَليفِ وَأَسمَجِ
I contemplated the forms of calamities and was never frightened
I observed the forms of misfortunes, but found nothing,
by anything more dreadful than losing a dear companion, or more hideous.
More dreadful than the loss of the dear and intimate one.
وَماand not حَسَنٌHasan وَهوَwhile he is القَريبُnearby مَحَلَّةًin dwelling
وَما حَسَنٌ وَهوَ القَريبُ مَحَلَّةً
بِأَقرَبِany nearer مِنthan وَفرٍwealth مَنالاًin reach وَزِبرَجِand finery
بِأَقرَبِ مِن وَفرٍ مَنالاً وَزِبرَجِ
And Hasan, though his dwelling is near, is not
No goodness when the dear one is close,
more easily reached than wealth and finery.
More vile than aloofness after nearness and intimacy.
أَيَظلِمُنيdo they wrong me? المُستَضعَفونَthose deemed weak وَقَدalthough already رَأَواthey have seen
أَيَظلِمُني المُستَضعَفونَ وَقَد رَأَوا
تَهَجُّمَthe onslaught ظَلّامٍof a ruthless wrongdoer مَتىwhenever يَكوِhe brands يُنضِجِhe burns thoroughly
تَهَجُّمَ ظَلّامٍ مَتى يَكوِ يُنضِجِ
Do those deemed weak wrong me, though they have seen
Do the weak oppress me, after they had seen,
the onslaught of a ruthless man who, whenever he brands, burns through?
The assault of injustice whenever it ripens?
أَرومُI seek اِنتِصاراًredress ثُمَّthen يَثنيturns aside عَزيمَتيmy resolve
أَرومُ اِنتِصاراً ثُمَّ يَثني عَزيمَتي
تُقايَmy piety الَّذيwhich يَعتاقُنيholds me back وَتَحَرُّجيand my scruples
تُقايَ الَّذي يَعتاقُني وَتَحَرُّجي
I seek redress, but then my resolve is turned aside
I intend victory, then my determination wavers,
by my piety, which holds me back, and my scruples.
Restrained by that which emancipates me and my dignity.
هُماthe two of them حَجَزاrestrained شَغبيmy unruliness وَكَفّاand curbed شَكيمَتيmy fierceness
هُما حَجَزا شَغبي وَكَفّا شَكيمَتي
فَلَمso I did not أَتَوَعَّرtake a rugged course فيalong وَشيعَةِthe open stretch مَنهَجيof my path
فَلَم أَتَوَعَّر في وَشيعَةِ مَنهَجي
The two restrained my unruliness and curbed my fierceness,
They both curbed my audacity and bridled my resolve.
so I took no rugged turn along the open stretch of my path.
So I did not go astray in the path of my approach.
وَلَمand I did not أَسرِcreep by night فيthrough أَعراضِthe honor قَومٍof a people أَعِزَّةٍnoble
وَلَم أَسرِ في أَعراضِ قَومٍ أَعِزَّةٍ
سُرىlike the spreading النارِof fire شُبَّتwas kindled فيamong أَلاءٍala shrubs وَعَرفَجِand arfaj shrubs
سُرى النارِ شُبَّت في أَلاءٍ وَعَرفَجِ
Nor did I creep through the honor of noble people
Nor did I jeopardize the honor of a proud people,
as fire spreads when kindled among ala and arfaj shrubs.
The heat of fire was kindled in the family and home.
وَقَدand sometimes يُتَّقىis guarded against فَتكُthe deadly violence الحَليمِof the forbearing man إِذاwhen رَأىhe sees
وَقَد يُتَّقى فَتكُ الحَليمِ إِذا رَأى
ضَرورَةَthe compulsion مَدلولٍof one led عَلىtoward الفَتكِdeadly violence مُحرَجِhard pressed
ضَرورَةَ مَدلولٍ عَلى الفَتكِ مُحرَجِ
And a forbearing man's deadly violence may be feared when he sees
Yet the forbearance of the calm could be guarded against,
the plight of one driven to violence and hard pressed.
When dire need demands violence however regrettable.
تَهَضَّمَنيhas wronged me مَنsomeone who لَوif أَشاءُI wish اِهتِضامَهُto wrong him
تَهَضَّمَني مَن لَو أَشاءُ اِهتِضامَهُ
لَأَدرَكَهُwould surely reach him تَحتَunder الخُمولِobscurity تَوَلُّجيmy stealthy approach
لَأَدرَكَهُ تَحتَ الخُمولِ تَوَلُّجي
Someone has wronged me; were I to wish to wrong him,
I was attacked by one whom had I wished to attack,
my approach under cover of obscurity would surely reach him.
I would have reached him in his slumber and laziness.
وَمِنand of عادَتيmy habit وَالعَجزُand helplessness مِنof غَيرِother than عادَتيmy habit
وَمِن عادَتي وَالعَجزُ مِن غَيرِ عادَتي
مَتىwhenever لاnot أَرُحI depart at evening عَنfrom حَضرَةِthe presence الذُلِّof humiliation أُدلِجِI depart by night
مَتى لا أَرُح عَن حَضرَةِ الذُلِّ أُدلِجِ
And this is my habit—helplessness is no habit of mine:
It is my habit, and weakness is not my habit,
when I do not leave humiliation's presence by evening, I depart by night.
That I do not depart from the presence of humiliation.
فَلَولاso, were it not for الأَميرُthe prince اِبنِson of الأَميرِthe prince وَوَعدُهُand his promise
فَلَولا الأَميرُ اِبنِ الأَميرِ وَوَعدُهُ
لَقَلَّwould be infrequent عَلىamong أَهلِthe people of العِراقِIraq مُعَرَّجيmy stopping over
لَقَلَّ عَلى أَهلِ العِراقِ مُعَرَّجي
Were it not for the prince, son of the prince, and his promise,
Were it not for the Emir, son of the Emir and his promise,
I would make few stops among the people of Iraq.
Those in Iraq would have few places for me to take refuge.
أَخوa man of العَزمِresolution لَمdid not تَصدُرcome forth صَريمَةُthe settled purpose عَزمِهِof his resolve
أَخو العَزمِ لَم تَصدُر صَريمَةُ عَزمِهِ
بِمُقتَضَبٍas a hasty impulse مِنfrom عاثِرِfaltering الرَيِjudgment مُخدَجِhalf-formed
بِمُقتَضَبٍ مِن عاثِرِ الرَيِ مُخدَجِ
A man of resolve: his settled purpose never came forth
The brother of determination, the neigh of his determination,
as a hasty impulse from faltering, half-formed judgment.
Does not issue from one stumbling over snares.
وَعِندَand with الأَميرِthe prince نُصرَةٌsupport إِنif أُهِبI call بِهاfor it
وَعِندَ الأَميرِ نُصرَةٌ إِن أُهِب بِها
أُضَلِّلI refute أَساطيرَthe fabrications الخَؤُونِof the treacherous man المُبَهرَجِthe fraudulent one
أُضَلِّل أَساطيرَ الخَؤُونِ المُبَهرَجِ
And the prince has support: if I call upon it,
With the Emir there is support, if called upon with it,
I shall refute the fabrications of the treacherous fraud.
I will bewilder the legendary sorrows that confuse.
عَتاديmy resource الَّذيwhom آوىI take refuge إِلَيهِwith him وَعُدَّتيand my provision
عَتادي الَّذي آوى إِلَيهِ وَعُدَّتي
لِماfor what أَختَشيI fear مِنof صَرفِthe reversals دَهريof my time وَأَرتَجيand I hope for
لِما أَختَشي مِن صَرفِ دَهري وَأَرتَجي
He is my resource, in whom I take refuge, and my provision
My gear which I resorted to and my weaponry,
against what I fear of my time's reversals, and for what I hope.
For what I fear from the caprice of fate and shed tears over.
سَيُثلِجُwill cool صَدريmy breast اليَأسُdespair وَاليَأسُand despair مَنهَلٌa watering place
سَيُثلِجُ صَدري اليَأسُ وَاليَأسُ مَنهَلٌ
مَتىwhenever تَغتَرِفdraw water مِنهُfrom it الجَوانِحُthe ribs تَثلَجِgrow cool
مَتى تَغتَرِف مِنهُ الجَوانِحُ تَثلَجِ
Despair will cool my breast; despair is a watering place:
Despair will chill my heart, and despair is a spring,
whenever the ribs draw from it, they grow cool.
Whence the souls draw chilliness when they scoop from it.
قَنِعتُI acquiesced عَلىwith كَرهٍreluctance وَطَأطَأتُand I lowered ناظِريmy gaze
قَنِعتُ عَلى كَرهٍ وَطَأطَأتُ ناظِري
إِلىtoward رَنقِmurky water مَطروقٍmuch-frequented مِنَof العَيشِlife حَشرَجِstony
إِلى رَنقِ مَطروقٍ مِنَ العَيشِ حَشرَجِ
I acquiesced unwillingly and lowered my gaze
I resigned myself unwillingly and lowered my gaze,
to life's murky, much-frequented, stony waters.
To the choking livelihood, distressed and woeful.
وَلَجلَجتُand I faltered فيin قَوليmy speech وَكُنتُthough I used to مَتىwhenever أَقُلI spoke
وَلَجلَجتُ في قَولي وَكُنتُ مَتى أَقُل
بِمُسمِعَةٍan audible utterance فيin مَجمَعٍan assembly لاnot أُلَجلِجِI falter
بِمُسمِعَةٍ في مَجمَعٍ لا أُلَجلِجِ
And I faltered in my speech, though once, whenever I spoke
And I faltered in my words and if I speak,
words meant to be heard in an assembly, I did not falter.
In an assembly I do not falter.
يَظُنُّthink العِدىthe enemies أَنّيthat I فَنيتُhave perished وَإِنماbut only
يَظُنُّ العِدى أَنّي فَنيتُ وَإِنما
هِيَit is السِنُّage فيin بُردٍa mantle مِنَof الشَيبِgray hair مُتهَجِthreadbare
هِيَ السِنُّ في بُردٍ مِنَ الشَيبِ مُتهَجِ
My enemies think I am finished, but it is only
The foe thinks that I am finished, but nay,
age in a threadbare mantle of gray hair.
It is old age in the chill of white hair.
نَضَوتُI shed الصِباyouth نَضوَlike shedding الرِداءِthe cloak وَساءَنيand saddened me
نَضَوتُ الصِبا نَضوَ الرِداءِ وَساءَني
مُضِيُّthe passing أَخيof a companion أُنسٍin fellowship مَتىwhenever يَمضِhe goes لاnot يَجيhe returns
مُضِيُّ أَخي أُنسٍ مَتى يَمضِ لا يَجي
I shed youth as one sheds a cloak, and was saddened
I outgrew youth like outgrowing a cloak, and it saddened me—
by the passing of a dear companion who, once gone, never returns.
The passing of the brother of intimacy, when will he pass by!
فَمَنthen who مُبلِغٌwill convey عَنّيon my behalf الثُمالِيَّto al-Thumali أَنَّهُthat he
فَمَن مُبلِغٌ عَنّي الثُمالِيَّ أَنَّهُ
مَكانُthe refuge اِشتِكائيfor my complaint خالِياًwhen alone وَتَفَرُّجيand my relief
مَكانُ اِشتِكائي خالِياً وَتَفَرُّجي
Who, then, will tell al-Thumali on my behalf that he
Who will convey on my behalf to the water-skin carrier that,
is my refuge for private complaint and relief?
My place of complaint is vacant and my recreation.
مَتىwhenever يَأتِهِreach him الرُكبانُthe riders يوصِلdelivers زَعيمُهُمtheir leader
مَتى يَأتِهِ الرُكبانُ يوصِل زَعيمُهُم
رِسالَةَthe message مَطرودٍof one banished عَنِfrom اللَهوِpleasure مُزعَجِdriven away
رِسالَةَ مَطرودٍ عَنِ اللَهوِ مُزعَجِ
Whenever riders reach him, their leader shall deliver
When will the caravans come and their guide convey,
the message of one banished from pleasure and driven away.
A message from one expelled from frivolity, annoyed?
أَراناI see us وَقيذىstricken كَبرَةٍby old age وَتَكاوُسٍand stooping
أَرانا وَقيذى كَبرَةٍ وَتَكاوُسٍ
عَلىat مُلتَقىًa crossroads مِنin مَطلَبِthe pursuit of الحاجِneeds أَعوَجِcrooked
عَلى مُلتَقىً مِن مَطلَبِ الحاجِ أَعوَجِ
I see us stricken by old age and stooping,
We are but the rubbish of a water-skin and old vessels,
at a crooked crossroads in the pursuit of our needs.
At the crossroads of the pilgrim’s pursuit, twisted.
بَعيدينَfar away لاnot نُدنىwe are drawn near لِأُنسِfor fellowship فَنُجتَبىand so we are chosen
بَعيدينَ لا نُدنى لِأُنسِ فَنُجتَبى
عَلَيهِfor it وَلاnor نُدعىwe are summoned لِخَطبٍfor a grave affair فَنَنتَجىand so we confer privately
عَلَيهِ وَلا نُدعى لِخَطبٍ فَنَنتَجى
Distant, we are not drawn near for fellowship and singled out
Far apart, never to be drawn near for the intimacy;
for it, nor summoned for a grave affair to confer in private.
To be chosen over it or invited to a discourse and avoid it.
مَضىpassed away جَعفَرٌJa'far وَالفَتحُand al-Fath بَينَbetween مُرَمَّلِone blood-smeared
مَضى جَعفَرٌ وَالفَتحُ بَينَ مُرَمَّلِ
وَبَينَand between صَبيغٍone dyed فيin الدِماءِblood مُضَرَّجِblood-drenched
وَبَينَ صَبيغٍ في الدِماءِ مُضَرَّجِ
Ja'far and al-Fath have gone—one blood-smeared,
Jaʿfar has gone and the Opening between Murammal,
the other stained and drenched in blood.
And Sabīgh lies in blood, immersed.
أَأَطلُبُshall I seek? أَنصاراًallies عَلىagainst الدَهرِtime بَعدَماafter
أَأَطلُبُ أَنصاراً عَلى الدَهرِ بَعدَما
ثَوىhas come to rest مِنهُماof those two فيin التُربِthe dust أَوسىan Awsi وَخَزرَجيand a Khazraji
ثَوى مِنهُما في التُربِ أَوسى وَخَزرَجي
Shall I seek allies against time, after
Shall I seek supporters against fate after,
those two—an Awsi and a Khazraji—have come to rest in the dust?
Aus and Khazraj took abode in the soil?
أُولَئِكَthose ساداتيmy lords الَّذينَwho بِفَضلِهِمthrough their bounty
أُولَئِكَ ساداتي الَّذينَ بِفَضلِهِم
حَلَبتُI milked أَفاويقَsuccessive milk-yields الرَبيعِof spring المُثَجَّجِpouring abundantly
حَلَبتُ أَفاويقَ الرَبيعِ المُثَجَّجِ
Those were my lords, through whose bounty
They were my masters whom through their merit,
I milked successive yields of the copiously pouring spring.
I milked the prime of flourishing spring.
مَضَواthey departed أَمَماًstraight ahead قَصداًon a direct course وَخُلِّفتُand I was left behind بَعدَهُمafter them
مَضَوا أَمَماً قَصداً وَخُلِّفتُ بَعدَهُم
أُخاطِبُI address بِالتَأميرِwith the title 'Emir' والِيَthe governor of مَنبِجِManbij
أُخاطِبُ بِالتَأميرِ والِيَ مَنبِجِ
They went onward on a straight course, and I was left behind them,
They passed away as fate intended, and after them I was left,
addressing the governor of Manbij as 'Emir'.
Addressing with authority the governor of Manbij.
Sol 6.1