صَبٌّa lovesick man يُخاطِبُaddresses مُفحِماتِunanswering طُلولِruins
صَبٌّ يُخاطِبُ مُفحِماتِ طُلولِ
مِنof سائِلٍa questioner باكٍweeping وَمِنand of مَسؤولِone questioned
مِن سائِلٍ باكٍ وَمِن مَسؤولِ
A lovesick man addresses unanswering ruins—
a weeping questioner, and those questioned.
حَمَلَتhave borne مَعالِمُهُنَّtheir landmarks أَعباءَthe burdens of البِلىdecay
حَمَلَت مَعالِمُهُنَّ أَعباءَ البِلى
حَتّىuntil كَأَنَّas though نُحولُهُنَّtheir wasting نُحوليmy wasting
حَتّى كَأَنَّ نُحولُهُنَّ نُحولي
Their landmarks have borne the burdens of decay,
until their wasting seemed my own.
ياO وَهبُWahb هَبgrant لِأَخيكَto your brother وَقفَةَa pause مُسعِدٍa sympathizer
يا وَهبُ هَب لِأَخيكَ وَقفَةَ مُسعِدٍ
يُعطيgives الأَسىsorrow مِنsome of دَمعِهِhis tears المَبذولِfreely shed
يُعطي الأَسى مِن دَمعِهِ المَبذولِ
O Wahb, grant your brother a sympathizer's pause,
offering sorrow some of his freely shed tears.
أَوor ماnot تَرىyou see الدِمَنَthe dwelling-traces المُحيلَةَweathered تَشتَكيcomplaining
أَو ما تَرى الدِمَنَ المُحيلَةَ تَشتَكي
غَدَراتِthe betrayals of عَهدٍa covenant لِلزَمانِof Time مُحيلِfaithless
غَدَراتِ عَهدٍ لِلزَمانِ مُحيلِ
Or do you not see the weathered dwelling-traces complain
of the betrayals of Time's faithless covenant?
إِنif كُنتَyou are تُنكِرُهاfailing to recognize them فَقَدthen indeed عَرَفَhas known البِلىdecay
إِن كُنتَ تُنكِرُها فَقَد عَرَفَ البِلى
قِدماًlong ago مَعارِفَthe landmarks of رَبعِهاher dwelling المَجهولِunknown
قِدماً مَعارِفَ رَبعِها المَجهولِ
If you fail to recognize them, decay has known
long since the landmarks of her unknown abode.
تِلكَthat woman الَّتيwhom لَمnever يَعدُهاpass beyond her قَصدُthe aim of الهَوىlove
تِلكَ الَّتي لَم يَعدُها قَصدُ الهَوى
مالَتshe inclined مَعَwith الواشينَthe slanderers كُلَّevery مَميلِinclination
مالَت مَعَ الواشينَ كُلَّ مَميلِ
She beyond whom love's aim never strayed
sided with the slanderers in every way.
عَجِلَتshe hastened إِلىto فَضلِthe loose end of الخِمارِthe veil فَآثَرَتand favored
عَجِلَت إِلى فَضلِ الخِمارِ فَآثَرَت
عَذَباتِهِits fringes بِمَواضِعِwith the places of التَقبيلِkissing
عَذَباتِهِ بِمَواضِعِ التَقبيلِ
She hastened to her veil's loose end, granting
its fringes the places meant for kisses.
وَتَبَسَّمَتand she smiled عِندَat الوَداعِfarewell فَأَشرَقَتand she shone
وَتَبَسَّمَت عِندَ الوَداعِ فَأَشرَقَت
إِشراقَةًa radiance عَنfrom عارِضٍa row of teeth مَصقولِpolished
إِشراقَةً عَن عارِضٍ مَصقولِ
And she smiled at parting, flashing
a radiance from a polished row of teeth.
أَأَخيبُshall I fail? عِندَكِwith you وَالصِباwhile youthful ardor لِيَfor me شافِعٌis an intercessor
أَأَخيبُ عِندَكِ وَالصِبا لِيَ شافِعٌ
وَأُرَدُّand am I turned back دونَكِbefore reaching you وَالشَبابُwhile youth رَسوليis my envoy
وَأُرَدُّ دونَكِ وَالشَبابُ رَسولي
Shall I find no favor with you, when youthful ardor pleads for me,
and be kept from you, when youth is my envoy?
وَلَقَدand indeed تَأَمَّلتُI considered الفِراقَparting فَلَمand did not أَجِدfind
وَلَقَد تَأَمَّلتُ الفِراقَ فَلَم أَجِد
يَومَthe day of الفِراقِparting عَلىfor اِمرِئٍany person بِطَويلِat all long
يَومَ الفِراقِ عَلى اِمرِئٍ بِطَويلِ
And I have indeed considered parting, and have not found
the day of parting long for any man.
قَصُرَتwas short مَسافَتُهُits span عَلىfor مُتَزَوِّرٍone turning away
قَصُرَت مَسافَتُهُ عَلى مُتَزَوِّرٍ
مِنهُfrom it لِدَهرِtoward a lifetime of صَبابَةٍlonging وَعَويلِand lament
مِنهُ لِدَهرِ صَبابَةٍ وَعَويلِ
Its span was short for one turning away
from it toward a lifetime of longing and lament.
وَإِذاand when الكِرامُthe noble تَنازَعواthey contend over أُكرومَةًa distinction
وَإِذا الكِرامُ تَنازَعوا أُكرومَةً
فَالفَضلُthen preeminence لِلفَضلِbelongs to al-Fadl بنِson of إِسماعيلِIsmail
فَالفَضلُ لِلفَضلِ بنِ إِسماعيلِ
And when noble men contend for a distinction,
preeminence belongs to al-Fadl ibn Ismail—
لِلأَروَعِto the splendid man البُهلولِthe noble lord ثابَhas gathered بِهِin him النَدىgenerosity
لِلأَروَعِ البُهلولِ ثابَ بِهِ النَدى
مِنfrom كُلِّevery أَروَعَsplendid man مِنهُمُamong them بُهلولِnoble lord
مِن كُلِّ أَروَعَ مِنهُمُ بُهلولِ
to the splendid, noble lord in whom bounty has gathered
from every splendid, noble lord among them.
قُسِمواthey were ranked عَلىaccording to أَخلاقِهِمtheir virtues فَتَفاوَتواand they differed
قُسِموا عَلى أَخلاقِهِم فَتَفاوَتوا
فيهِنَّin them قِسمَةَlike the apportionment of غُرَّةٍa forehead-blaze وَحُجولِand white leg-markings
فيهِنَّ قِسمَةَ غُرَّةٍ وَحُجولِ
They were ranked by their virtues, and differed
in these as a forehead-blaze differs from white leg-markings.
فيin كُلِّevery مَكرُمَةٍnoble deed يَدٌa hand مَبسوطَةٌoutstretched
في كُلِّ مَكرُمَةٍ يَدٌ مَبسوطَةٌ
مِنfrom فاضِلٍone more distinguished مِنهُمamong them وَمِنand from مَفضولِone less distinguished
مِن فاضِلٍ مِنهُم وَمِن مَفضولِ
In every noble deed there is an outstretched hand,
from both the foremost among them and the less distinguished.
لاdo not تَطلُبَنَّever seek لَهُfor him الشَبيهَan equal فَإِنَّهُfor he is
لا تَطلُبَنَّ لَهُ الشَبيهَ فَإِنَّهُ
قَمَرُthe moon of التَأَمُّلِcontemplation مُزنَةُthe raincloud of التَأميلِhope
قَمَرُ التَأَمُّلِ مُزنَةُ التَأميلِ
Never seek his equal, for he is
the moon of contemplation, the raincloud of hope.
جازَhe surpassed المَدىthe limit فَرَمىthen he shot بِغَيرِwithout مُناضِلٍan archery rival
جازَ المَدى فَرَمى بِغَيرِ مُناضِلٍ
فيin سُؤدُدٍnobility وَجَرىand he raced بِغَيرِwithout رَسيلِa fellow racer
في سُؤدُدٍ وَجَرى بِغَيرِ رَسيلِ
He passed the limit, shooting without a rival
in nobility, and racing without a peer.
فَمَتىso whenever سَمَتrises عَينُthe eye of الحَسودِthe envious man لِفَخرِهِtoward his glory
فَمَتى سَمَت عَينُ الحَسودِ لِفَخرِهِ
رَجَعَتit returns بِطَرفٍwith a gaze عَنfrom عُلاهُhis heights كَليلِweary
رَجَعَت بِطَرفٍ عَن عُلاهُ كَليلِ
So whenever the envious eye rises toward his glory,
it returns from his heights with a wearied gaze.
يَدَعُleave المُلوكُthe kings المُترَفونَpampered عَتادَهُمtheir resources
يَدَعُ المُلوكُ المُترَفونَ عَتادَهُم
لِأَغَرَّto an illustrious man عَنaway from أَشغالِهِمtheir pursuits مَشغولِpreoccupied
لِأَغَرَّ عَن أَشغالِهِم مَشغولِ
The pampered kings yield their resources
to an illustrious man too busy for their pursuits,
مُستَأثِرٍclaiming exclusively بِالمَكرُماتِthe noble deeds تَعودُهُvisit him
مُستَأثِرٍ بِالمَكرُماتِ تَعودُهُ
فيهاin them خَلائِقُthe traits of حاسِدٍan envier وَبَخيلِand a miser
فيها خَلائِقُ حاسِدٍ وَبَخيلِ
monopolizing noble deeds, visited
in these by the traits of an envier and a miser.
وَمَتىand whenever عَرَضتَyou undertake لِشُكرِهِto thank him فَالبُرجُthen the tower مِنfrom
وَمَتى عَرَضتَ لِشُكرِهِ فَالبُرجُ مِن
تُبَلٍTubal عَلىupon ثَبَجِthe back of الثَناءِpraise ثَقيلِheavy
تُبَلٍ عَلى ثَبَجِ الثَناءِ ثَقيلِ
Whenever you undertake to thank him, the tower from
Tubal weighs heavily on the back of praise.
وَمِنَand among الصَنائِعِbenefactions ماare some that يُؤَكَّدُare reinforced بِاللُهىwith lavish gifts
وَمِنَ الصَنائِعِ ما يُؤَكَّدُ بِاللُهى
فَيَنوءُso staggers حامِلُهُits bearer بِعِبءِunder the burden of الفيلِthe elephant
فَيَنوءُ حامِلُهُ بِعِبءِ الفيلِ
And some benefactions are reinforced with lavish gifts,
so their bearer staggers beneath an elephant's burden.
مُتَمَكِّنٌfirmly established مِنamong هاشِمٍHashim فيin رُتبَةٍa rank
مُتَمَكِّنٌ مِن هاشِمٍ في رُتبَةٍ
عَلياءَlofty بَينَbetween الغَفرِal-Ghafr وَالإِكليلِand al-Iklil
عَلياءَ بَينَ الغَفرِ وَالإِكليلِ
He stands firm among Hashim in a rank
lofty, between al-Ghafr and al-Iklil.
قَومٌa people إِذاwhen عَرَضَassails الجَهولُthe fool لِمَجدِهِمtheir glory
قَومٌ إِذا عَرَضَ الجَهولُ لِمَجدِهِم
عَطَفَتturn عَلَيهِagainst him قَوارِعُthe crushing rebukes of التَنزيلِRevelation
عَطَفَت عَلَيهِ قَوارِعُ التَنزيلِ
A people—when a fool assails their glory,
Revelation's crushing rebukes turn upon him.
وَإِذاand when حَلَلتَyou alight in فِناءَهُمtheir courtyard مُتَوَسِّطاًtaking your place amid
وَإِذا حَلَلتَ فِناءَهُم مُتَوَسِّطاً
فيهِمamong them فَماthen not اِسمُthe name of النيلِbounty غَيرُother than جَزيلِabundant
فيهِم فَما اِسمُ النيلِ غَيرُ جَزيلِ
And when you alight in their courtyard, taking your place
among them, their bounty's only name is 'abundant.'
يَتَغَوَّلُoverwhelms المُدّاحَthe panegyrists أَدنىthe least of سَعيِهِhis efforts
يَتَغَوَّلُ المُدّاحَ أَدنى سَعيِهِ
بِمَكارِمٍwith noble deeds مِثلِlike النُجومِthe stars مُثولِstanding plainly visible
بِمَكارِمٍ مِثلِ النُجومِ مُثولِ
His smallest effort overwhelms the panegyrists
with noble deeds standing forth like stars.
فَالدَهرَso forever يَعقِرُfalter بِالقَوافيwith their rhymes أَهلُهاtheir masters
فَالدَهرَ يَعقِرُ بِالقَوافي أَهلُها
فيin العَرضِthe breadth مِنof آلائِهِhis favors وَالطولِand length
في العَرضِ مِن آلائِهِ وَالطولِ
So forever poets falter with their rhymes
amid the breadth and length of his favors.
ياO فَضلُFadl جاءَcame بِكَwith you الزَمانُTime مُجَرِّراًtrailing
يا فَضلُ جاءَ بِكَ الزَمانُ مُجَرِّراً
كَرَماًgenerosity كَبُردِlike a mantle of اليُمنَةِYemeni cloth المَسدولِloosely draped
كَرَماً كَبُردِ اليُمنَةِ المَسدولِ
O Fadl, Time has brought you, trailing
generosity like a loosely draped Yemeni cloak.
أَوضَحتَyou disclosed عَنabout خُلُقٍa character أَضاءَgrew bright لَهُthrough it الدُجىthe darkness
أَوضَحتَ عَن خُلُقٍ أَضاءَ لَهُ الدُجى
وَأَخوwhile the brother of الغَزالَةِthe sun آذِنٌgives warning بِأُفولِof setting
وَأَخو الغَزالَةِ آذِنٌ بِأُفولِ
You revealed a character that made darkness shine—
while the sun's brother announced his setting—
وَشَمائِلٌand qualities كَالماءِlike water صُفِّقَwas mingled بُردُهُits coolness
وَشَمائِلٌ كَالماءِ صُفِّقَ بُردُهُ
بِرُضابِwith the nectar of صافِيَةِpure الرُضابِin nectar شَمولِwine
بِرُضابِ صافِيَةِ الرُضابِ شَمولِ
and qualities like water whose coolness is mingled
with the nectar of a wine of purest savor.
نَدعوكَwe call you لِلخَطبِfor a crisis الجَليلِmomentous بِسَيِّدٍas master
نَدعوكَ لِلخَطبِ الجَليلِ بِسَيِّدٍ
وَأَخٍand brother لِقُربِكَbecause of your closeness تارَةًat times وَخَليلِand intimate friend
وَأَخٍ لِقُربِكَ تارَةً وَخَليلِ
We call you 'lord' in a momentous crisis,
and, for your closeness, at times 'brother' and 'friend.'
وَكَذاكَand likewise أَنتَyou البَحرُthe sea ثُمَّyet تَكونُyou are فيin
وَكَذاكَ أَنتَ البَحرُ ثُمَّ تَكونُ في
كَرَمِthe nobility of العُذوبَةِsweetness مُشبِهاًsimilar لِلنيلِto the Nile
كَرَمِ العُذوبَةِ مُشبِهاً لِلنيلِ
And so you are the sea, yet you are, in
your generous sweetness, like the Nile.
Sol 6.1