أَرَجٌa fragrance لِرَيّاof Rayyā طَلَّةٌdew-fresh رَيّاهُits scent
أَرَجٌ لِرَيّا طَلَّةٌ رَيّاهُ
لايَبعَدِmay it not go far الطَيفُthe dream-vision الَّذيthat أَهداهُbrought it
لايَبعَدِ الطَيفُ الَّذي أَهداهُ
A fragrance of Rayyā—its scent fresh with dew.
A lover's soliloquy in sleepless longing for his beloved
May the dream-vision that brought it never go far.
The phantom that inspired his love will not depart,
وَمُسَهَّدٍand a sleepless one لَوif عادَreturned أَهلُthe people of كَرىًsleep إِلىto
وَمُسَهَّدٍ لَو عادَ أَهلُ كَرىً إِلى
مُحتَلِّهِمtheir dwelling مِنهُwithin him لَعادَwould surely return كَراهُhis sleep
مُحتَلِّهِم مِنهُ لَعادَ كَراهُ
And a sleepless man—if the folk of sleep returned to
And were the tribe to return to their abode of yore
their dwelling within him, his slumber would return.
He would abhor it, so enthralled is he.
يَهواكِhe loves you لاnot إِنَّbecause الغَرامَpassion أَطاعَهُobeyed him
يَهواكِ لا إِنَّ الغَرامَ أَطاعَهُ
عَفواًspontaneously وَلاnor أَنَّbecause السُلُوَّforgetfulness عَصاهُdefied him
عَفواً وَلا أَنَّ السُلُوَّ عَصاهُ
He loves you, not because passion obeyed him
You are his desire, for love has mastered him,
unbidden, nor because forgetfulness defied him.
Not pardon, nor has composure restrained him.
مُتَخَيِّرٌdiscerning in choice أَلفاكِfound you خيرَةَthe chosen one of نَفسِهِhis soul
مُتَخَيِّرٌ أَلفاكِ خيرَةَ نَفسِهِ
مِمَّنamong those whom نَآهُkept him distant الوُدُّaffection أَوor أَدناهُbrought him near
مِمَّن نَآهُ الوُدُّ أَو أَدناهُ
Discerning in his choice, he found you his soul's chosen one
He chose you, finest of all he surveyed,
among those whom affection kept far away or brought near.
Of those drawn near or kept apart by love.
قَدalready كانَwas مُمتَنِعَresistant to الدُموعِtears فَلَمbut did not تَزَلcease
قَد كانَ مُمتَنِعَ الدُموعِ فَلَم تَزَل
عَيناكِyour eyes حَتّىuntil استَعبَرَتwept عَيناهُhis eyes
عَيناكِ حَتّى استَعبَرَت عَيناهُ
He had been proof against tears; yet they never relented—
Once miserly of tears, your eyes insisted
your eyes—until his own eyes wept.
Until they moistened eyes holding them back.
طَلَبَتshe sought عَذابَthe torment of الصَبِّthe lovelorn one مِنbecause of كَلَفٍinfatuation بِهاwith her
طَلَبَت عَذابَ الصَبِّ مِن كَلَفٍ بِها
وَلَوَتand withheld بِنُجحِwith the fulfillment of الوَعدِthe promise حينَwhen أَتاهُhe came for it
وَلَوَت بِنُجحِ الوَعدِ حينَ أَتاهُ
She sought the lover's torment for his infatuation with her,
From a shackled heart you sought the pain of passion
and withheld fulfillment of the promise when he came for it.
And shone when fulfilling the promise you came to make.
فَانظُرso look إِلىat الحُكمَينِthe two judgments يَختَلِفانِare at odds بيover me
فَانظُر إِلى الحُكمَينِ يَختَلِفانِ بي
فيin الدَينِthe debt أَقضيهِI repay it وَلاbut not أُقضاهُam I repaid it
في الدَينِ أَقضيهِ وَلا أُقضاهُ
Look, then, at the two judgments at odds over me
Behold, two rulers dispute over me,
in debt: I repay it, yet it is not repaid to me.
I judge yet am judged in faith’s domain.
عَيشٌa life لَناfor us بِالأَبرَقَينِat al-Abraqayn تَأَبَّدَتgrew desolate
عَيشٌ لَنا بِالأَبرَقَينِ تَأَبَّدَت
أَيّامُهُits days وَتَجَدَّدَتand was renewed ذِكراهُits memory
أَيّامُهُ وَتَجَدَّدَت ذِكراهُ
A life we had at al-Abraqayn—desolate have grown
We lived between two flashes, days
its days, while its memory was renewed.
Renewing, memories persisting still.
وَالعَيشُand life مافارَقتَهُwhat you parted from فَذَكَرتَهُthen remembered it
وَالعَيشُ مافارَقتَهُ فَذَكَرتَهُ
لَهَفاًlongingly وَلَيسَand is not العَيشُlife ماتَنساهُwhat you forget
لَهَفاً وَلَيسَ العَيشُ ماتَنساهُ
And life is what you have left behind and remember
Not life, when left, inspires remembrance
with longing; life is not what you forget.
And yearning – absence keeps life unforgot.
وَلَوَand if أَنَّنيthat I أُعطيgive التَجارِبَexperiences حَقَّهاtheir due
وَلَوَ أَنَّني أُعطي التَجارِبَ حَقَّها
فيماin what أَرَتthey showed لَرَجَوتُI would hope for ماwhat أَخشاهُI fear it
فيما أَرَت لَرَجَوتُ ما أَخشاهُ
And if I gave experience its due
Had I granted experience its due
for what it has shown, I would hope for what I fear.
In what was shown me I might hope and fear both.
وَالشَيءُand the thing تُمنَعُهُyou are denied it يَكونُis بِفَوتِهِthrough missing it
وَالشَيءُ تُمنَعُهُ يَكونُ بِفَوتِهِ
أَجدىmore beneficial مِنَthan الشَيءِthe thing الَّذيwhich تُعطاهُyou are given it
أَجدى مِنَ الشَيءِ الَّذي تُعطاهُ
And a thing denied you proves, through your missing it,
To forbid is more worthwhile than to grant
more beneficial than the thing you are given.
That which you give. So restrain
خَفِّضlessen أَسىًgrief عَمّاover what شَآكَoutstripped you طِلابُهُseeking it
خَفِّض أَسىً عَمّا شَآكَ طِلابُهُ
ماكُلُّnot every شائِمِwatcher of بارِقٍlightning يُسقاهُreceives its rain
ماكُلُّ شائِمِ بارِقٍ يُسقاهُ
Ease your grief over what eluded your pursuit;
Your sorrow for suspicions,
not every watcher of lightning is watered by its rain.
Each cloud has showers, and each lightning quenches thirst.
لاnot أَدَّعيI claim لِأَبيfor Abū العَلاءِal-ʿAlāʾ فَضيلَةًa virtue
لا أَدَّعي لِأَبي العَلاءِ فَضيلَةً
حَتّىuntil يُسَلِّمَهاconcede it إِلَيهِto him عِداهُhis enemies
حَتّى يُسَلِّمَها إِلَيهِ عِداهُ
I claim no virtue for Abū al-ʿAlāʾ
For Abu al-‘Ala I claim no special merit
until his enemies concede it to him.
Unless foes concede it, to their shame.
ماّلمَرءُthe man is not تُخبَرُyou are told عَنabout حَقيقَةِthe truth of سَروِهِhis nobility
ماّلمَرءُ تُخبَرُ عَن حَقيقَةِ سَروِهِ
كَالمَرءِlike the man تَخبُرُyou know firsthand سَروَهُhis nobility وَتَراهُand see him
كَالمَرءِ تَخبُرُ سَروَهُ وَتَراهُ
A man whose true nobility is reported to you is not
A man whose secret the palm tree tells
like a man whose nobility you know firsthand and whom you see.
Is not like one whose secret and palm are seen.
طَمَحَتlooked upward عُيونُthe eyes of الكاشِحينَthe spiteful فَغَضَّهاbut lowered them
طَمَحَت عُيونُ الكاشِحينَ فَغَضَّها
شَرَفٌnobility بَناهُbuilt it اللَهُGod حَيثُwhere بَناهُbuilt it
شَرَفٌ بَناهُ اللَهُ حَيثُ بَناهُ
The eyes of the spiteful looked upward, but were cast down by
Ambitious eyes looked up but were abased
a nobility God built where He built it.
By the nobility God built up where He willed.
كَمhow often بُكِّتواthey were rebuked بِصَنيعَةٍby a benefaction مِنfrom طَولِهِhis bounty
كَم بُكِّتوا بِصَنيعَةٍ مِن طَولِهِ
تُخزىare disgraced وُجوهُهُمtheir faces بِهاby it وَتُشاهُand disfigured
تُخزى وُجوهُهُم بِها وَتُشاهُ
How often they were rebuked by a favor from his bounty,
How they were brought to shame by his making,
by which their faces were disgraced and marred!
Their faces darkened by his works exposed!
عادَتopposed مَكارِمَهُhis noble deeds اللِئامُthe base وَجاهِلٌand ignorant
عادَت مَكارِمَهُ اللِئامُ وَجاهِلٌ
بِمُبينِof the evident فَضلِexcellence of الشَيءِthe thing مَنwhoever عاداهُopposes it
بِمُبينِ فَضلِ الشَيءِ مَن عاداهُ
The base opposed his noble deeds; and ignorant
To the base his virtues seem vices; fools decry
of a thing's manifest excellence is whoever opposes it.
The obvious excellence of one they hate.
مُستَظهِرٌsupported بِكَتيبَةٍby a battalion يَلقىhe meets بِهاwith it
مُستَظهِرٌ بِكَتيبَةٍ يَلقى بِها
زَحفَthe advance of العِدىthe enemies وَكَتيبَةٍand a battalion تَلقاهُmeets him
زَحفَ العِدى وَكَتيبَةٍ تَلقاهُ
Supported by a battalion with which he meets
Backed by a troop with whom he charged the foe,
the enemies' advance, and a battalion that meets him.
And met their charge with his troop at his side.
صُبِغَتwere dyed بِتُربَةِwith the soil of أَرضِهِhis land راياتُهُhis banners
صُبِغَت بِتُربَةِ أَرضِهِ راياتُهُ
وَقَناand reddened بِمُحمَرِّwith the crimson of الدِماءِblood قَناهُhis spears
وَقَنا بِمُحمَرِّ الدِماءِ قَناهُ
His banners were dyed with the soil of his land,
Their banners dyed by his country’s dust
and his spears reddened with the crimson of blood.
And their lance-shafts tinged by his blood.
أَلوىlaid waste بِنَهرِto the river of أَبيAbū الخَصيبِal-Khaṣīb وَلَمand not يَكُنwas
أَلوى بِنَهرِ أَبي الخَصيبِ وَلَم يَكُن
يُلويlays waste بِنَهرِto the river of أَبيAbū الخَصيبِal-Khaṣīb سِواهُanyone but him
يُلوي بِنَهرِ أَبي الخَصيبِ سِواهُ
He laid waste to the river of Abū al-Khaṣīb; no one
He bent the course of father-of-wisdom’s stream;
but he laid waste to the river of Abū al-Khaṣīb.
None but he could bend father-of-wisdom’s course.
أَسَدٌa lion إِذاwhen فَرَسَتmauled يَداهُhis hands أَخيذَةًprey
أَسَدٌ إِذا فَرَسَت يَداهُ أَخيذَةً
لِلمَجدِfor glory زاوَلَtackled مِثلَهاits like شِبلاهُhis two cubs
لِلمَجدِ زاوَلَ مِثلَها شِبلاهُ
A lion—when his hands bring down a quarry
A lion, when his hands pounced aggressively
for glory, his two cubs tackle the like of it.
To seize glory, his cubs emulated him.
مَنwhoever كانَhas been يَسأَلُasking بيabout me الرِفاقَthe traveling companions فَإِنَّنيthen indeed I
مَن كانَ يَسأَلُ بي الرِفاقَ فَإِنَّني
جارٌa protected guest لِمَذحِجَof Madhḥij أَكرَمَتhonored مَثواهُhis lodging
جارٌ لِمَذحِجَ أَكرَمَت مَثواهُ
Whoever asks the traveling companions about me: I am
When asked of me: describe his bosom friends,
a guest under Madhḥij's protection, my lodging honored by them.
I say: I border Majhij, abode of the honored dead.
حَسبيenough for me إِذاif عَلِقَتclung يَديmy hand ابنَيthe two sons of صاعِدٍṢāʿid
حَسبي إِذا عَلِقَت يَدي ابنَي صاعِدٍ
لِلمَكرُماتِfor noble favors وَصاعِداًand Ṣāʿid وَأَخاهُand his brother
لِلمَكرُماتِ وَصاعِداً وَأَخاهُ
It suffices me if my hand grasps the two sons of Ṣāʿid,
I ask no more, when I see my sons ascend,
for noble favors, and Ṣāʿid and his brother.
Seeking and attaining the glorious heights.
أَرضاهُمُthose most receptive among them لِلحَقِّto truth أَغشاهُمI visit them بِهِwith it
أَرضاهُمُ لِلحَقِّ أَغشاهُم بِهِ
وَأَقَلُّand few مَنof those whom تَغشاهُyou visit him مَنthose whom تَرضاهُyou approve of him
وَأَقَلُّ مَن تَغشاهُ مَن تَرضاهُ
I bring truth to those among them who welcome it most;
Those I pleased for truth’s sake I shielded with it,
and few of those you approach are those you esteem.
And fewer are shielded by what they are pleased by.
لاno عُذرَexcuse لِلشَجَرِfor the tree الَّذيwhose طابَتwere good لَهُfor it
لا عُذرَ لِلشَجَرِ الَّذي طابَت لَهُ
أَعراقُهُits roots أَلّاthat not يَطيبَbe good جَناهُits fruit
أَعراقُهُ أَلّا يَطيبَ جَناهُ
There is no excuse for a tree with good
No excuse for a tree whose roots thrived
roots, if its fruit is not good.
Yet whose fruit failed to thrive.
قالواthey said أَبوAbū عيسىʿĪsā تَضَمَّنَundertook to cover أَسوَماthe worst of what
قالوا أَبو عيسى تَضَمَّنَ أَسوَما
جَنَتِinflicted الخُطوبُcalamities عَلَيكَupon you قُلتُI said عَساهُmay he do so
جَنَتِ الخُطوبُ عَلَيكَ قُلتُ عَساهُ
They said, 'Abū ʿĪsā has pledged to cover the worst that
They said: Abu ‘Isa exaggerated his metaphors,
calamities have inflicted on you.' I said, 'I hope he will.'
I said: may his speech rise yet further!
سَمَّتهُnamed him أُسرَتُهُhis family العَلاءَal-ʿAlāʾ (loftiness) وَإِنَّماand only
سَمَّتهُ أُسرَتُهُ العَلاءَ وَإِنَّما
قَصَدواthey intended بِذَلِكَby that أَنthat تَتِمَّbe complete عُلاهُhis loftiness
قَصَدوا بِذَلِكَ أَن تَتِمَّ عُلاهُ
His family named him al-ʿAlāʾ—Loftiness—and they only
His lineage aimed him for the heights, intending
intended by that for his loftiness to be complete.
His summit be completed, his distinction assured.
كُلُّeverything الَّذيthat تَبغيseek الرِجالُmen تُصيبُهُyou attain it
كُلُّ الَّذي تَبغي الرِجالُ تُصيبُهُ
حَتّىuntil تَبَغّىyou seek أَنthat تُرىbe seen شَرواهُhis equal
حَتّى تَبَغّى أَن تُرى شَرواهُ
Everything that men seek you may attain,
Men obtain all they desire, until desiring
until you seek to behold his equal.
To behold their most noble principles.
سِيّانِalike بادِئُthe first of فِعلِهِhis action وَتَلِيُّهُand its sequel
سِيّانِ بادِئُ فِعلِهِ وَتَلِيُّهُ
كَالبَحرِlike the sea أَقصاهُits farthest part أَخوa brother to أَدناهُits nearest part
كَالبَحرِ أَقصاهُ أَخو أَدناهُ
His first deed and the one following it are alike,
It matters not if an act begins or ends it,
like the sea, whose farthest part is brother to its nearest.
Like the sea – the furthest and nearest are one.
أَحمىbarred عَلَيهِto him الفاحِشاتِshameful acts حَياؤُهُhis sense of shame
أَحمى عَلَيهِ الفاحِشاتِ حَياؤُهُ
مِنfrom أَنthat يَراهُsee him اللَهُGod حَيثُwhere نَهاهُHe forbade him
مِن أَن يَراهُ اللَهُ حَيثُ نَهاهُ
His sense of shame has barred him from shameful acts,
Modesty restrained him from vices
lest God see him where He forbade him to be.
More than fear God sees where He prohibited.
يُلغيhe rejects الدَنِيَّةَvile talk أَنlest يَروحَgo away مُؤَثِّراًrecounting
يُلغي الدَنِيَّةَ أَن يَروحَ مُؤَثِّراً
بِسَماعِهاafter hearing it المُتَعَبِّدُthe devout worshipper الأَوّاهُthe much-sighing one
بِسَماعِها المُتَعَبِّدُ الأَوّاهُ
He rejects vile talk, lest it be repeated abroad
Meekness cancels lowliness when the devout
by the devout, sighing worshipper who hears it.
Gladly overhear and obey its call.
لاnot أَرتَضيI approve of دُنياthe worldly life of الشَريفِthe nobleman وَدينَهُand his religion
لا أَرتَضي دُنيا الشَريفِ وَدينَهُ
حَتّىuntil يُزَيِّنَadorns دينُهُhis religion دُنياهُhis worldly life
حَتّى يُزَيِّنَ دينُهُ دُنياهُ
I do not approve a nobleman's worldly life and religion
I refuse the noble his worldly success unless
until his religion adorns his worldly life.
His conduct beautifies his success.
مازالَhas always been مُنقَطِعَwithout القَرينِa peer وَقَدand yet أَرىI see
مازالَ مُنقَطِعَ القَرينِ وَقَد أَرى
مَنone who لايَزالُkeeps being مُشاكِلاًan equal يَلقاهُmeets him
مَن لايَزالُ مُشاكِلاً يَلقاهُ
He has always stood without a peer; yet I see
Long bereft of a peer, though I see
one who keeps meeting him as an equal.
He who always contends shall meet his match.
لَيسَis not التَوَحُّدُbeing alone بِالسِيادَةِin leadership عِندَهُمin their view
لَيسَ التَوَحُّدُ بِالسِيادَةِ عِندَهُم
أَنthat يوجَدَbe found الضُرَباءُpeers وَالأَشباهُand equals
أَن يوجَدَ الضُرَباءُ وَالأَشباهُ
In their eyes, leadership is not unrivaled
To them supremacy is not uniqueness –
when peers and equals can be found.
Rivals and carbon-copies abound!
ماnot الطَرفُthe glance تَرجِعُهُyou turn it back بِأَقصَرَany shorter مِنthan مَدىthe span of
ما الطَرفُ تَرجِعُهُ بِأَقصَرَ مِن مَدى
أُكرومَةٍa noble deed طالَتstretched إِلَيهِtoward it خُطاهُhis strides
أُكرومَةٍ طالَت إِلَيهِ خُطاهُ
The glance you turn back is no shorter than the span
No glance returns in less than the expanse
of a noble deed toward which his strides have stretched.
Of a vast desert horizon stretching endlessly wide.
نَحويtoward me بِسُؤدُدِهِthrough his nobility الحُظوظَgood fortune فَتارَةًso, sometimes
نَحوي بِسُؤدُدِهِ الحُظوظَ فَتارَةً
جودٌgenerosity يَطوعُyields لَناto us وَطَوراًand at other times جاهُinfluence
جودٌ يَطوعُ لَنا وَطَوراً جاهُ
Through his nobility, good fortune comes my way: sometimes
My poetic expertise gives luck capriciously –
generosity serves us, and sometimes influence.
Sometimes generosity, then status pays heed.
كَالغَيثِlike rain مايَنفَكُّnever ceases يَعتَقِدوbinds together الثَرىthe soil
كَالغَيثِ مايَنفَكُّ يَعتَقِدو الثَرى
خَلفٌthe rear لِمُعظَمِof the main mass of مُزنِهِits rainclouds وَتُجاهُand the front
خَلفٌ لِمُعظَمِ مُزنِهِ وَتُجاهُ
Like rain, the soil is ceaselessly bound together
Like rain relentlessly watering the land –
by the rear and front of its massed rainclouds.
Rivals succeeding but my supremacy confirmed.
Sol 6.1