أَرُسومُare these traces of دارٍa dwelling أَمor سُطورُlines of كِتابِa book
أَرُسومُ دارٍ أَم سُطورُ كِتابِ
دَرَسَتfaded بَشاشَتِهاits freshness مَعَwith الأَحقابِthe ages
دَرَسَت بَشاشَتِها مَعَ الأَحقابِ
Are these traces of a dwelling, or lines of a book?
Its freshness has faded with the ages.
يَجتازُpasses through زائِرُهاits visitor بِغَيرِwithout لُبانَةٍa wish
يَجتازُ زائِرُها بِغَيرِ لُبانَةٍ
وَيُرَدُّand is turned away سائِلُهاits questioner بِغَيرِwithout جَوابِan answer
وَيُرَدُّ سائِلُها بِغَيرِ جَوابِ
Its visitor passes by with no wish fulfilled,
and its questioner is turned away without an answer.
وَلَرُبَّماand often كانَwas الزَمانُtime مُحَبَّباًbeloved
وَلَرُبَّما كانَ الزَمانُ مُحَبَّباً
فيناamong us بِمَنbecause of those فيهِwithin it مِنَamong الأَحبابِthe loved ones
فينا بِمَن فيهِ مِنَ الأَحبابِ
And often time was dear
to us, for the loved ones it contained.
أَيّامَin the days when رَوضِthe garden of العَيشِlife أَخضَرُgreen وَالهَوىand love
أَيّامَ رَوضِ العَيشِ أَخضَرُ وَالهَوى
تِربٌan age-mate لِأُدمِto the pale-coated ظِبائِهاits gazelles الأَترابِof equal age
تِربٌ لِأُدمِ ظِبائِها الأَترابِ
In days when life's garden was green, and love
was a peer to its pale gazelles, all of one age.
بيضٌfair women كَواعِبُfull-breasted maidens يَشتَبِهنَresemble one another غَرارَةًin innocence
بيضٌ كَواعِبُ يَشتَبِهنَ غَرارَةً
وَيَبِنَّand differ عَنfrom نَشوىdrunken الجُفونِeyelids كَعابِa full-breasted maiden
وَيَبِنَّ عَن نَشوى الجُفونِ كَعابِ
Fair, full-breasted maidens, alike in innocence,
yet differing from one full-breasted maiden with drunken eyelids.
تَرنوshe gazes فَتَنقَلِبُand so become القُلوبُhearts لِلَحظِهاat her glance
تَرنو فَتَنقَلِبُ القُلوبُ لِلَحظِها
مَرضىsick السُلُوِّforgetting love صَحائِحَhealthy الأَوصابِafflictions
مَرضى السُلُوِّ صَحائِحَ الأَوصابِ
She gazes, and at her glance hearts become
sick in forgetfulness, sound in suffering.
رَفَعَتshe lifted مِنَpart of السِجفِthe curtain المُنيفِlofty وَسَلَّمَتand greeted
رَفَعَت مِنَ السِجفِ المُنيفِ وَسَلَّمَت
بِأَنامِلٍwith fingertips فيهِنَّon them دَرسُfaded traces of خِضابِdye
بِأَنامِلٍ فيهِنَّ دَرسُ خِضابِ
She lifted part of the lofty curtain and greeted me
with fingertips bearing traces of faded dye.
وَتَعَجَّبَتand she wondered مِنat لَوعَتيmy anguish فَتَبَسَّمَتthen she smiled
وَتَعَجَّبَت مِن لَوعَتي فَتَبَسَّمَت
عَنrevealing واضِحاتٍgleaming teeth لَوif لُثِمنَthey were kissed عِذابِsweet
عَن واضِحاتٍ لَو لُثِمنَ عِذابِ
She wondered at my anguish, then smiled,
revealing bright teeth that would be sweet to kiss.
لَوif تُسعِفينَyou would oblige me وَماسَأَلتُand I have not asked مَشَقَّةًhardship
لَو تُسعِفينَ وَماسَأَلتُ مَشَقَّةً
لَعَدَلتِyou would surely temper حَرَّthe heat of هَوىًlove بِبَردِwith the coolness of رُضابِsaliva
لَعَدَلتِ حَرَّ هَوىً بِبَردِ رُضابِ
If you would oblige me—and I have asked no hardship—
you would temper love's heat with the coolness of your saliva.
وَلَئِنand if شَكَوتُI complained ظَمايَmy thirst إِنَّكِindeed you are لِلَّتيindeed the one who
وَلَئِن شَكَوتُ ظَمايَ إِنَّكِ لِلَّتي
قِدماًlong ago جَعَلتِyou made مِنَfrom السَرابِthe mirage شَرابيmy drink
قِدماً جَعَلتِ مِنَ السَرابِ شَرابي
And if I complain of my thirst, you are indeed the one who
long ago made the mirage my drink.
وَعَتَبتِand you reproached me مِنfor حُبّيكِmy love for you حَتّىso much that إِنَّنيindeed I
وَعَتَبتِ مِن حُبّيكِ حَتّى إِنَّني
أَخشىI fear مَلامَكِyour reproach أَنto أَبُثَّكِI confide to you مابيwhat ails me
أَخشى مَلامَكِ أَن أَبُثَّكِ مابي
And you chided me for loving you, so much that I
fear your reproach if I confide to you what ails me.
وَلَقَدand indeed عَلِمتُI have known وَلِلمُحِبِّand a lover has جَهالَةٌfolly
وَلَقَد عَلِمتُ وَلِلمُحِبِّ جَهالَةٌ
أَنَّthat الصِباyouthful passion بَعدَafter المَشيبِgray hair تَصابِfeigning youth
أَنَّ الصِبا بَعدَ المَشيبِ تَصابِ
And I know full well—though a lover has his folly—
that youthful passion after gray hair is merely feigning youth.
وَأَماand indeed لَوَif انَّthat الغَدرَbetrayal يَجمُلُis becoming فيin الهَوىlove
وَأَما لَوَ انَّ الغَدرَ يَجمُلُ في الهَوى
لَسَلَوتُI would surely forget عَنكِfrom you وَفِيَّand in me بَعضُsome of شَبابيmy youth
لَسَلَوتُ عَنكِ وَفِيَّ بَعضُ شَبابي
Yet if betrayal were becoming in love,
I would have forgotten you, with some of my youth still in me.
لاتَغلُdo not go to extremes فيabout شَمسِShams بنِson of أَكلُبَAklub إِنَّهاindeed it is
لاتَغلُ في شَمسِ بنِ أَكلُبَ إِنَّها
ظُفريmy claw فَرَيتُI tore بِهاwith it العَدُوَّthe enemy وَنابيand my fang
ظُفري فَرَيتُ بِها العَدُوَّ وَنابي
Do not go to extremes about Shams ibn Aklub: they are
my claw, with which I tore the foe, and my fang.
وَدَعِand leave الخُطوبَcalamities فَإِنَّهُfor indeed he يَكفيكَهاwards them off for you
وَدَعِ الخُطوبَ فَإِنَّهُ يَكفيكَها
مِنfrom حَيثُwhere واجَهَهاhe faced them أَبوfather of الخَطّابِal-Khattab
مِن حَيثُ واجَهَها أَبو الخَطّابِ
Leave calamities be, for he will ward them off for you,
wherever Abu al-Khattab confronts them.
خِرقٌa resourceful man إِذاwhen بَلَغَreached الزَمانُTime فِناءَهُhis courtyard
خِرقٌ إِذا بَلَغَ الزَمانُ فِناءَهُ
نَكَصَتretreated عَواقِبُهُits consequences عَلىupon الأَعقابِthe heels
نَكَصَت عَواقِبُهُ عَلى الأَعقابِ
A resourceful man: when Time reaches his courtyard,
its consequences recoil upon their heels.
نَصَرَhe championed السَماحَgenerosity عَلىover التِلادِancestral wealth وَلَمand did not يَقِفpause
نَصَرَ السَماحَ عَلى التِلادِ وَلَم يَقِف
دونَshort of المَكارِمِnoble deeds وَقفَةَthe pause of المُرتابِthe doubter
دونَ المَكارِمِ وَقفَةَ المُرتابِ
He championed generosity over ancestral wealth, and did not pause
short of noble deeds with a doubter's hesitation.
لَيسَis not السَحابُthe clouds بِبالِغٍattaining فيهِin his case الرِضاsatisfaction
لَيسَ السَحابُ بِبالِغٍ فيهِ الرِضا
فَأَقولَso I could say إِنَّthat نَداهُhis bounty صَوبُthe downpour of سَحابِa cloud
فَأَقولَ إِنَّ نَداهُ صَوبُ سَحابِ
No cloud is a worthy comparison for him,
that I should call his bounty a cloud's downpour.
وَلَئِنand if طَلَبتُI sought شَبيهَهُhis equal إِنّيindeed I إِذاًthen
وَلَئِن طَلَبتُ شَبيهَهُ إِنّي إِذاً
لَمُكَلِّفٌsurely burdening طَلَبَthe search for المُحالِthe impossible رِكابيmy riding camels
لَمُكَلِّفٌ طَلَبَ المُحالِ رِكابي
And if I sought his equal, I would then
surely burden my camels with a search for the impossible.
صاحَبتُI kept company with مِنهُin him خَلائِقاًqualities لَمdid not تَدنُcome near مِنto
صاحَبتُ مِنهُ خَلائِقاً لَم تَدنُ مِن
ذَمٍّblame وَكُنتُand I was مُهَذَّبَwith refined الأَصحابِcompanions
ذَمٍّ وَكُنتُ مُهَذَّبَ الأَصحابِ
In his company I knew qualities that never approached
blame, and my companions were free of blemish.
وَاختَرتُهُand I chose him عَضبَkeen-edged المَهَزِّin the swing وَلَمand not أَكُنI was
وَاختَرتُهُ عَضبَ المَهَزِّ وَلَم أَكُن
أَتَقَلَّدُI gird on السَيفَthe sword الكَهامَblunt النابيglancing off
أَتَقَلَّدُ السَيفَ الكَهامَ النابي
I chose him as a blade keen in the swing, and I was not
one to gird on a blunt sword that glances off.
وُصِلَتwere linked بَنوthe sons of عِمرانَImran يَومَon the day of فَخارِهِhis glory
وُصِلَت بَنو عِمرانَ يَومَ فَخارِهِ
بِمَناقِبٍwith noble deeds طائِيَّةِof Tayy الأَنسابِlineage
بِمَناقِبٍ طائِيَّةِ الأَنسابِ
On the day of his glory, the sons of Imran were linked
with noble deeds of Tayy lineage.
قَومٌa people يَضيمونَwho humble الجِبالَthe mountains وَقَدthough already رَسَتstood firm
قَومٌ يَضيمونَ الجِبالَ وَقَد رَسَت
أَعلامُهاtheir peaks بِرَجاحَةَthrough the weight of الأَلبابِminds
أَعلامُها بِرَجاحَةَ الأَلبابِ
A people who humble the mountains, firmly rooted though
their peaks are, through the weight of their minds.
سَحَبواthey trailed حَواشيthe hems of الأَتحَمِيِّAthami cloth وَإِنَّماand it is only
سَحَبوا حَواشي الأَتحَمِيِّ وَإِنَّما
وَشيُthe embroidery of البُرودِmantles عَلىupon أُسودِlions of الغابِthe forest
وَشيُ البُرودِ عَلى أُسودِ الغابِ
They trailed the hems of Athami cloth; it was only
embroidered cloaks upon lions of the forest.
نَزَلواthey settled مِنَamong الجَبَلَينِthe Two Mountains حَيثُwhere تَعَلَّقَتclung
نَزَلوا مِنَ الجَبَلَينِ حَيثُ تَعَلَّقَت
غُرُّthe white السَحائِبِclouds مِنfrom رُباًhills وَهِضابِand plateaus
غُرُّ السَحائِبِ مِن رُباً وَهِضابِ
They settled amid the Two Mountains, where hang
white clouds from hills and plateaus.
مُتَمَسِّكينَholding fast بِأَوَّلِيَّةِto the antiquity of سُؤدُدٍnobility
مُتَمَسِّكينَ بِأَوَّلِيَّةِ سُؤدُدٍ
وَبِمَنصِبٍand to a lineage فيin أَسوَدانَAswadan لُبابِpure and choice
وَبِمَنصِبٍ في أَسوَدانَ لُبابِ
Holding fast to the antiquity of their nobility,
and to a pure, choice lineage in Aswadan.
يَستَحدِثونَthey create anew مَكارِماًnoble deeds قَدalready أَحسَرواthey exhausted
يَستَحدِثونَ مَكارِماً قَد أَحسَروا
فيهاin them نُفوسَهُمُthemselves مِنَthrough الإِتعابِtoil
فيها نُفوسَهُمُ مِنَ الإِتعابِ
They create new noble deeds, having exhausted
themselves in them through arduous toil.
وَكَأَنَّماand as though سَبَقواthey raced ahead إِلىto قِدَمِthe antiquity of العُلاglory
وَكَأَنَّما سَبَقوا إِلى قِدَمِ العُلا
فيin القُربِnearness أَوor غَلَبواthey gained mastery عَلىover الأَحسابِancestral honors
في القُربِ أَو غَلَبوا عَلى الأَحسابِ
As though they had been first to ancient glory,
in nearness to it, or had won mastery over ancestral honor.
أَلقَواthey entrusted إِلىto الحَسَنِal-Hasan الأُمورَaffairs وَأَصحَبواand yielded
أَلقَوا إِلى الحَسَنِ الأُمورَ وَأَصحَبوا
لِمُباعِدٍto one who shuns عِندَwhen faced with الدَنِيَّةِbaseness آبِrefusing
لِمُباعِدٍ عِندَ الدَنِيَّةِ آبِ
They entrusted affairs to al-Hasan and yielded
to one who shuns baseness and refuses it.
يَغدوhe goes forth وَأُبَّهَةُand the pomp of المُلوكِkings تُريكَهُshows him to you
يَغدو وَأُبَّهَةُ المُلوكِ تُريكَهُ
مُستَعلِياًexalted وَجَلالَةُand the majesty of الكُتّابِscribes
مُستَعلِياً وَجَلالَةُ الكُتّابِ
He goes forth; the pomp of kings shows him to you
exalted, as does the majesty of scribes.
فاتَhe surpassed الرِجالَmen وَفيand among الرِجالِmen تَفاوُتٌdifferences in worth
فاتَ الرِجالَ وَفي الرِجالِ تَفاوُتٌ
بِخَصائِصِthrough distinctive qualities of الأَخلاقِcharacter وَالآدابِand refinement
بِخَصائِصِ الأَخلاقِ وَالآدابِ
He surpassed men—and men differ in worth—
through distinctive qualities of character and refinement.
فَكَأَنَّماso it is as though البَحرُthe sea اِستَجاشَenlisted for aid يَمينَهُhis right hand
فَكَأَنَّما البَحرُ اِستَجاشَ يَمينَهُ
فَقَضىand so fulfilled بِهاthrough it أَرَباًa desire مِنَamong الآرابِdesires
فَقَضى بِها أَرَباً مِنَ الآرابِ
It is as though the sea had enlisted his right hand,
and through it fulfilled one of its desires.
وَالمَكرُماتِand noble deeds مَواهِبٌgifts مَمنوعَةٌwithheld
وَالمَكرُماتِ مَواهِبٌ مَمنوعَةٌ
إِلّاexcept مِنَfrom المُتَكَرِّمِthe generous one الوَهّابِthe lavish giver
إِلّا مِنَ المُتَكَرِّمِ الوَهّابِ
And noble deeds are gifts withheld
except from the generous, lavish giver.
بِكَthrough you ياO أَباfather of الخَطابِal-Khattab أَسهَلَbecame easy مَطلَبيmy quest
بِكَ يا أَبا الخَطابِ أَسهَلَ مَطلَبي
وَأَضاءَand shone فيin ظُلَمِthe darkness of الخُطوبِcalamities شِهابيmy firebrand
وَأَضاءَ في ظُلَمِ الخُطوبِ شِهابي
Through you, O Abu al-Khattab, my quest became easy,
and my firebrand shone in the darkness of calamities.
وَلَئِنand if تَوَلَّتنيcared for me يَداكَyour two hands بِنائِلٍwith a gift
وَلَئِن تَوَلَّتني يَداكَ بِنائِلٍ
جَزلٍlavish وَأَمرَعَand grew lush مِنfrom نَداكَyour bounty جَنابيmy surroundings
جَزلٍ وَأَمرَعَ مِن نَداكَ جَنابي
And if your two hands have favored me with a gift
lavish, and my surroundings have grown lush from your bounty,
فَأَناthen I am ابنُthe son of عَمِّكَyour paternal uncle وَالمَوَدَّةُand affection بَينَناbetween us
فَأَنا ابنُ عَمِّكَ وَالمَوَدَّةُ بَينَنا
ثُمَّthen القَوافيrhymes سائِرُthe rest of الأَنسابِkinship ties
ثُمَّ القَوافي سائِرُ الأَنسابِ
then I am your cousin, and affection lies between us;
then rhymes are the rest of our kinship.
Sol 6.1