تَعاطَtake up الصَبابَةَardent longing أَوor عانِهاsuffer it
تَعاطَ الصَبابَةَ أَو عانِها
لِتَعذِرَso you may excuse فيin بَرحِthe torment of أَشجانِهاits sorrows
لِتَعذِرَ في بَرحِ أَشجانِها
Experience ardent longing, or suffer it,
so you may make allowance for the torment of its sorrows.
وَماand not نَقَلَتaltered لَوعَتيmy burning passion لِمَّةٌlocks of hair
وَما نَقَلَت لَوعَتي لِمَّةٌ
تَنَقَّلُchanges فيthrough حُدثِthe newness of أَلوانِهاits colors
تَنَقَّلُ في حُدثِ أَلوانِها
Nor have locks of hair altered my burning passion,
though they shift through newly appearing colors.
أَوائِلُthe first signs of شَيبٍgray hair يُشيرُpoints العَذوthe reproacher (first part)
أَوائِلُ شَيبٍ يُشيرُ العَذو
لُend of 'reproacher' إِلَيهاto them وَيُكبِرُand magnifies مِنof شانِهاtheir importance
لُ إِلَيها وَيُكبِرُ مِن شانِها
The first gray hairs, at which the reproacher
points, making much of their importance.
إِذاif حَرَّمَhe forbids اللَهوَpleasure مِنbecause of أَجلِهاthem
إِذا حَرَّمَ اللَهوَ مِن أَجلِها
غَلاhe exaggerates فيin مَقاديرِthe measures of أَوزانِهاtheir weights
غَلا في مَقاديرِ أَوزانِها
If he forbids pleasure on their account,
he assigns them far too much weight.
وَإِلّاand if not تَجِدنيyou find me مُطيعاًobedient لَهاto them
وَإِلّا تَجِدني مُطيعاً لَها
فَلَمyet did not أَعصِهاI disobey them كُلَّall عِصيانِهاdisobedience to them
فَلَم أَعصِها كُلَّ عِصيانِها
And if you do not find me obedient to them,
I have not defied them in every way.
مَتىwhenever جِئتُI commit بائِقَةًa misdeed فيin الهَوىlove
مَتى جِئتُ بائِقَةً في الهَوى
فَإِسرارُهاthen concealing it دونَrather than إِعلانِهاannouncing it
فَإِسرارُها دونَ إِعلانِها
Whenever I commit a misdeed in love,
I conceal it rather than proclaim it.
تَغاضىturned a blind eye رِجالٌmen عَنِto المَكرُماتِnoble deeds
تَغاضى رِجالٌ عَنِ المَكرُماتِ
وَقَدalthough already مَثَلَتthey stood نُصبَbefore أَعيانِهاtheir eyes
وَقَد مَثَلَت نُصبَ أَعيانِها
Men have turned a blind eye to noble deeds,
though they stood before their eyes.
وَلَمand not تَلتَفِتthey paid heed لِوُجوبِto the obligation of الحُقوrights (first part)
وَلَم تَلتَفِت لِوُجوبِ الحُقو
قِend of 'rights' وَواجِبُهاand their duty خَلفَbehind آذانِهاtheir ears
قِ وَواجِبُها خَلفَ آذانِها
And they paid no heed to the obligation of rights,
with their duty left behind their ears.
فَتَحتُI opened يَديmy hand ثانِيَturning العِطفِthe shoulder عَنaway from
فَتَحتُ يَدي ثانِيَ العِطفِ عَن
كَذوبِone deceitful in المَوَدَّةِaffection خَوّانِهاever betraying it
كَذوبِ المَوَدَّةِ خَوّانِها
I opened my hand, turning my shoulder away
from one false in affection, ever betraying it.
وَقَدand already عَلِمَتhas learned خُلَّتيmy close companion أَنَّنيthat I
وَقَد عَلِمَت خُلَّتي أَنَّني
أُفارِقُهاI leave her عِندَupon هِجرانِهاher forsaking me
أُفارِقُها عِندَ هِجرانِها
And my close companion has already learned
that I leave her when she forsakes me.
وَإِنّيand indeed I لَأَسكُنُsurely grow calm جَأشاًin heart إِلىin
وَإِنّي لَأَسكُنُ جَأشاً إِلى
رِباعِthe dwellings of الكِرامِthe noble وَأَوطانِهاand their homelands
رِباعِ الكِرامِ وَأَوطانِها
And I indeed find peace of heart in
the dwellings of the noble and their homelands.
وَتَعتَدُّand counts نَفسِيَmy soul مِنas part of مالِهاits wealth
وَتَعتَدُّ نَفسِيَ مِن مالِها
وَماand not أَبعَدَتhas it strayed مالَthe wealth of إِخوانِهاits brethren
وَما أَبعَدَت مالَ إِخوانِها
My soul counts as part of its own wealth—
and not wrongly—the wealth of its brethren.
يَظَلُّkeeps حُمولَةُHumula يَبنيbuilding العُلاglory
يَظَلُّ حُمولَةُ يَبني العُلا
وَتَعلوand rise المَعاليlofty honors بِبُنيانِهاthrough their construction
وَتَعلو المَعالي بِبُنيانِها
Humula keeps building glory,
and lofty honors rise as he builds them.
يَكادُalmost التَرَفُّعُlofty aspiration مِنfrom هَمِّهِhis resolve
يَكادُ التَرَفُّعُ مِن هَمِّهِ
يَكُوِّنُهاbrings them into being قَبلَbefore أَكوانِهاtheir existence
يَكُوِّنُها قَبلَ أَكوانِها
The loftiness of his resolve almost
brings them into being before they exist.
رَضيتُI have chosen خَليلِmy friend أَباAbu غالِبٍGhalib
رَضيتُ خَليلِ أَبا غالِبٍ
لِكَسرِto break الخُطوبِcalamities وإيهانِهاand weaken them
لِكَسرِ الخُطوبِ وإيهانِها
I have chosen, my friend, Abu Ghalib,
to break calamities and weaken them.
تَعُدُّreckons لَهُfor him فارِسٌPersia قُربَةًkinship
تَعُدُّ لَهُ فارِسٌ قُربَةً
وَزُلفىand closeness بِكِسرىthrough Kisra اِبنِson of ساسانِهاher Sasan
وَزُلفى بِكِسرى اِبنِ ساسانِها
Persia claims for him kinship
and closeness through Kisra, son of her Sasan.
إِذاwhen سُئِلَتshe is asked عَنهُabout him عِندَin الفَخارِboasting
إِذا سُئِلَت عَنهُ عِندَ الفَخارِ
قالَتshe says بِأَصدَقِwith the truest عِرفانِهاher knowledge
قالَت بِأَصدَقِ عِرفانِها
When she is asked about him in boasting,
she speaks from her truest knowledge:
يَطولونَthey gain stature مِنهُthrough him بِإِنسانِهِمthrough their own man
يَطولونَ مِنهُ بِإِنسانِهِم
وَلِلعَينِand the eye has طولٌstature بِإِنسانِهاthrough its pupil
وَلِلعَينِ طولٌ بِإِنسانِها
They gain stature through him, their own man,
and an eye gains stature through its pupil.
تَروكٌever-forsaking لِماof what لاnot يَزالُceases الشَريthe nobleman (first part)
تَروكٌ لِما لا يَزالُ الشَري
فُend of 'nobleman' يُفيدُgains اِعتِلاءًelevation بِتِركانِهاby forsaking them
فُ يُفيدُ اِعتِلاءً بِتِركانِها
He readily forsakes what a nobleman
continually gains stature by forsaking.
هَتَكناwe tore إِلَيهِtoward him حِجابَthe veil of الدُجىdarkness
هَتَكنا إِلَيهِ حِجابَ الدُجى
بِخَوصٍon narrow-eyed camels تَبارىrace one another بِرُكبانِهاwith their riders
بِخَوصٍ تَبارى بِرُكبانِها
We tore through the veil of darkness toward him,
on narrow-eyed camels racing with their riders aboard.
يُكَلِّفُناmakes us undertake إِلتِزامُsteadfast adherence to النِزاعِlonging
يُكَلِّفُنا إِلتِزامُ النِزاعِ
مَسافَةَthe distance of قُمٍّQumm وَقاسانِهاand its Qasan
مَسافَةَ قُمٍّ وَقاسانِها
Our steadfast longing makes us traverse
the distance of Qumm and its Qasan,
وَسِنِّand Sinn سُمَيرَةَSumayra نَعتِthe likeness of الفَتاةِthe maiden
وَسِنِّ سُمَيرَةَ نَعتِ الفَتاةِ
تَبسِمُsmiling عَنrevealing ظَلمِthe lustre of أَسنانِهاher teeth
تَبسِمُ عَن ظَلمِ أَسنانِها
and Sinn Sumayra, like a maiden
smiling to reveal the lustre of her teeth.
إِذاwhen اِستَشرَفَتrise into view لَمَعاتِthe gleams of الثُلوجِsnow
إِذا اِستَشرَفَت لَمَعاتِ الثُلوجِ
أَطاعَتthey obey لَهُhim قَبلَbefore إِبّانِهاtheir season
أَطاعَت لَهُ قَبلَ إِبّانِها
When the gleams of snow rise into view,
they obey him before their season.
تَبيتُspend the night المَطاياthe mounts تُراقيclimbing toward النُجومَthe stars
تَبيتُ المَطايا تُراقي النُجومَ
فيon مُشمَخَرَّةِthe towering heights of مُصدانِهاits Musdan
في مُشمَخَرَّةِ مُصدانِها
The mounts spend the night climbing toward the stars
on the towering heights of its Musdan.
مَواكِبُهُits escorts الطَيرُthe birds فيin جَوِّهِنَّtheir sky
مَواكِبُهُ الطَيرُ في جَوِّهِنَّ
فَوقَabove السَحابِthe clouds وَأَعنانِهاand their reaches
فَوقَ السَحابِ وَأَعنانِها
Its escorts are birds in their sky,
above the clouds and their reaches.
إِلىto مَلِكٍa king غَلِقَتbecame pledged عِندَهُin his keeping
إِلى مَلِكٍ غَلِقَت عِندَهُ
رِقابُthe necks of المَديحِpraise بِأَثمانِهاfor their prices
رِقابُ المَديحِ بِأَثمانِها
To a king in whose keeping lie
the necks of praise, pledged for their price.
تَبوخُdie down المَعاليglories إِذاif لَمnot يَكُنthere is
تَبوخُ المَعالي إِذا لَم يَكُن
بِكَفَّيكَby your two hands إِذكاءُthe kindling of نيرانِهاtheir fires
بِكَفَّيكَ إِذكاءُ نيرانِها
Glories die down unless
your two hands kindle their fires.
وَقيتَmay you be shielded from الحِمامَdeath بِمَثنىby pairs of النُفوسِsouls
وَقيتَ الحِمامَ بِمَثنى النُفوسِ
مِنَfrom among الحاسِدينَthe envious وَوُحدانِهاand their single souls
مِنَ الحاسِدينَ وَوُحدانِها
May you be shielded from death by souls in pairs
from among the envious, and by their single souls.
وَتَخلَدُand may you live forever فيamong القَومِthe people حَتّىuntil يَكونَbecome
وَتَخلَدُ في القَومِ حَتّى يَكونَ
فَعالُكَyour deeds أَنجَدَthe bravest of أَعوانِهاtheir helpers
فَعالُكَ أَنجَدَ أَعوانِها
And may you live forever among the people, until
your deeds become the bravest of their helpers.
حَمَتprotected قُضُبَthe branches of النَبعِthe nabʿ tree مِنfrom أَنthat يَكونَthey become
حَمَت قُضُبَ النَبعِ مِن أَن يَكونَ
صِلاءًfirewood صَلابَةُthe hardness of عيدانِهاtheir stems
صِلاءً صَلابَةُ عيدانِها
The branches of the nabʿ tree are guarded from becoming
firewood by the hardness of their stems.
وَعادَتand opposed بِكَthrough you الذَمَّblame نَفسٌa soul جَرَتraced
وَعادَت بِكَ الذَمَّ نَفسٌ جَرَت
إِلىtoward الحَمدِpraise فيalong طولِthe length of مَيدانِهاits course
إِلى الحَمدِ في طولِ مَيدانِها
And through you a soul has opposed blame, racing
toward praise down the length of its course.
أَخَذتَyou took up العَطاياgifts بِتَكرارِهاby repeating them
أَخَذتَ العَطايا بِتَكرارِها
وَإِبداءَand displaying طولٍbounty بِثُنيانِهاby giving them again
وَإِبداءَ طولٍ بِثُنيانِها
You have made a practice of giving gifts repeatedly,
and of displaying bounty by bestowing them anew.
أَرىI consider بَذلَهاgiving them عِندَduring إِعوازِهاtheir scarcity
أَرى بَذلَها عِندَ إِعوازِها
سِوىunlike بَذلِهاgiving them عِندَduring إِمكانِهاtheir availability
سِوى بَذلِها عِندَ إِمكانِها
I see giving them when they are scarce
as unlike giving them when means allow.
وَأَحسَنُand the finest مَأثُرَةٍhonorable deed لِلكِرامِof the generous
وَأَحسَنُ مَأثُرَةٍ لِلكِرامِ
إِحسانُهاtheir kindness بَعدَafter إِحسانِهاtheir kindness
إِحسانُها بَعدَ إِحسانِها
And the noblest distinction of the generous
is their kindness following kindness.
وَماand not يَتَنَمّىclaims affiliation إِلىwith المَكرُماتِnoble deeds
وَما يَتَنَمّى إِلى المَكرُماتِ
فَيَفزَعُهاthen rushes to their aid غَيرُexcept فُرسانِهاtheir knights
فَيَفزَعُها غَيرُ فُرسانِها
None lays claim to noble deeds
and rushes to their aid except their knights.
لَئِنif indeed عادَhas brought بَعدِيَmy remoteness عَنfrom ساحَتيtwo courtyards
لَئِن عادَ بَعدِيَ عَن ساحَتي
كَyour بِنَقصِwith a decrease in حُظوظيmy fortunes وَخُسرانِهاand their loss
كَ بِنَقصِ حُظوظي وَخُسرانِها
If indeed my distance from your two courtyards has brought
diminished fortunes and their loss,
وَكانَand was اِجتِنابَيكَmy avoiding you إِحدىone of الذُنوthe sins (first part)
وَكانَ اِجتِنابَيكَ إِحدى الذُنو
بِend of 'sins' وَقَصديكَand my seeking you أَوَّلَthe beginning of غُفرانِهاtheir forgiveness
بِ وَقَصديكَ أَوَّلَ غُفرانِها
and my avoiding you was one of my sins,
and my seeking you was the beginning of their forgiveness.
وَماand not عوقِبَتwas punished عُصبَةٌa band آمَنَتbelieved
وَما عوقِبَت عُصبَةٌ آمَنَت
عَلىfor كُفرِهاits unbelief بَعدَafter إيمانِهاits faith
عَلى كُفرِها بَعدَ إيمانِها
And no band that came to believe was punished
for its unbelief after embracing faith.
فَإِنَّfor indeed خَواتيمَthe endings of أَعمالِthe deeds of مَنwhoever
فَإِنَّ خَواتيمَ أَعمالِ مَن
تَراهُyou see him جَوامِعُthe summations of أَديانِهاtheir beliefs
تَراهُ جَوامِعُ أَديانِها
For the final deeds of those
you see sum up their beliefs.
Sol 6.1