ماwhat عَلىupon الرَكبِthe caravan مِنfrom وُقوفِhalting الرِكابِthe riding camels
ما عَلى الرَكبِ مِن وُقوفِ الرِكابِ
فيat مَغانيhaunts of الصِباyouth وَرَسمِand traces of التَصابيyouthful dalliance
في مَغاني الصِبا وَرَسمِ التَصابي
What harm is there to the caravan in halting its mounts
at youth's haunts and the traces of youthful dalliance?
أَينَwhere أَهلُdwellers of القِبابِthe domed tents بِالأَجرَعِon the bare sandy rise الفَرthe solitary (continued)
أَينَ أَهلُ القِبابِ بِالأَجرَعِ الفَر
دِsolitary (ending) تَوَلَّواthey departed لاno أَينَwhere أَهلُdwellers of القِبابِthe domed tents
دِ تَوَلَّوا لا أَينَ أَهلُ القِبابِ
Where are the dwellers of the domed tents on the solitary sandy rise?
They have departed—no, where are the tent-dwellers?
سَقَمٌsickness دونَbefore أَعيُنٍeyes ذاتِpossessing سُقمٍlanguor
سَقَمٌ دونَ أَعيُنٍ ذاتِ سُقمٍ
وَعَذابٌand torment دونَbefore الثَناياthe front teeth العِذابِsweet
وَعَذابٌ دونَ الثَنايا العِذابِ
Sickness lies before eyes languid with sickness,
and torment before those sweet front teeth.
عَرِّجواturn aside فَالدُموعُfor the tears إِنif أَبكِI weep فيin الرَبـthe dwelling (continued)
عَرِّجوا فَالدُموعُ إِن أَبكِ في الرَبـ
ـعِdwelling (ending) دُموعيmy tears وَالإِكتِئابُand the sorrow اِكتِئابيmy sorrow
ـعِ دُموعي وَالإِكتِئابُ اِكتِئابي
Turn aside: the tears, if I weep in the dwelling,
are my tears, and the sorrow is my sorrow.
وَكَمِثلِand like الأَحبابِthe loved ones لَوif only يَعلَمُknows العاthe reproacher (continued)
وَكَمِثلِ الأَحبابِ لَو يَعلَمُ العا
ذِلُreproacher (ending) عِنديto me مَنازِلُdwellings of الأَحبابِthe loved ones
ذِلُ عِندي مَنازِلُ الأَحبابِ
And like my loved ones—if the reproacher only knew—
are my loved ones' dwelling places to me.
فَإِذاso when ماever السَحابُthe clouds كانَwere رُكاماًheaped masses
فَإِذا ما السَحابُ كانَ رُكاماً
فَسَقىthen may it water بِالرَبابِwith white clouds دارَthe dwelling of الرَبابِRabab
فَسَقى بِالرَبابِ دارَ الرَبابِ
So when the clouds are heaped in masses,
may they water Rabab's dwelling with white clouds.
وَإِذاand when هَبَّتِblew الجَنوبُthe south wind نَسيماًa gentle breeze
وَإِذا هَبَّتِ الجَنوبُ نَسيماً
فَعَلىthen over رَسمِtraces of دارِهاher dwelling وَالجَنابِand the precincts
فَعَلى رَسمِ دارِها وَالجَنابِ
And when the south wind blows as a gentle breeze,
let it pass over her dwelling's traces and its precincts.
عَيَّرَتنيshe reproached me for المَشيبَgray hair وَهيَthough she بَدَتهُshe brought it on
عَيَّرَتني المَشيبَ وَهيَ بَدَتهُ
فيin عِذاريmy sideburns بِالصَدِّthrough rejection وَالاِجتِنابِand avoidance
في عِذاري بِالصَدِّ وَالاِجتِنابِ
She reproached me for gray hair, though she brought it on
in my sideburns through rejection and avoidance.
لاdo not تَرَيهِregard it عاراًa disgrace فَماfor ... not هُوَit بِالـwith the
لا تَرَيهِ عاراً فَما هُوَ بِالـ
ـشَيبِgray hair وَلَكِنَّهُand yet it جِلاءُthe polish of الشَبابِyouth
ـشَيبِ وَلَكِنَّهُ جِلاءُ الشَبابِ
Do not deem it a disgrace: it is not
gray hair, but the bright polish of youth.
وَبَياضُand the whiteness of البازِيّthe hawk أَصدَقُtruer حُسناًin beauty
وَبَياضُ البازِيّ أَصدَقُ حُسناً
إِنif تَأَمَّلتَyou consider مِنthan سَوادِthe blackness of الغُرابِthe crow
إِن تَأَمَّلتَ مِن سَوادِ الغُرابِ
And the hawk's whiteness is more truly beautiful,
if you consider it, than the crow's blackness.
عَذَلَتنيshe reproached me فيconcerning قَومِهاher people وَاِستَرابَتand distrusted
عَذَلَتني في قَومِها وَاِستَرابَت
جَيئَتيmy coming فيamong سِواهُمُothers besides them وَذَهابيand my going
جَيئَتي في سِواهُمُ وَذَهابي
She reproached me over her people, and distrusted
my coming among others and my going.
وَرَأَتand she saw عِندَamong غَيرِهِمothers besides them مِنof مَديحيmy praise
وَرَأَت عِندَ غَيرِهِم مِن مَديحي
مِثلَthe like of ماwhat كانَwas عِندَهُمamong them مِنof عِتابيmy reproach
مِثلَ ما كانَ عِندَهُم مِن عِتابي
And she saw that my praise of others
matched the reproaches I had offered her people.
لَيسَit is not مِنfrom غَضبَةٍanger عَلَيهِمagainst them وَلَكِنbut
لَيسَ مِن غَضبَةٍ عَلَيهِم وَلَكِن
هوَit نَجمٌa star يَعلوrises مَعَwith الكُتّابِthe scribes
هوَ نَجمٌ يَعلو مَعَ الكُتّابِ
It is not out of anger at them; rather,
it is a star that rises with the scribes.
شيعَةُpartisans of السُؤدُدِnobility الغَريبِrare وَإِخواand brothers (continued)
شيعَةُ السُؤدُدِ الغَريبِ وَإِخوا
نُbrothers (ending) التَصافيsincere mutual affection وَأُسرَةُand a family of الآدابِletters and refinement
نُ التَصافي وَأُسرَةُ الآدابِ
Partisans of rare nobility, and brothers
in sincere affection, and a family of letters.
هُمthey أُولوpossessors of المَجدِglory إِنif سَأَلتَyou ask فَإِنthen if كاyou vie in numbers (continued)
هُم أُولو المَجدِ إِن سَأَلتَ فَإِن كا
ثَرتَvie in numbers (ending) كانواthey were هُمُthey أُوليpossessors of الأَلبابِunderstanding
ثَرتَ كانوا هُمُ أُولي الأَلبابِ
They are men of glory, if you ask; and if you
vie in numbers, they are men of understanding.
وَمَتىand whenever كُنتُI was صاحِباًa companion لِذَويto possessors of السُؤnobility (continued)
وَمَتى كُنتُ صاحِباً لِذَوي السُؤ
دُدِnobility (ending) يَوماًone day فَإِنَّهُمthen they أَصحابيmy companions
دُدِ يَوماً فَإِنَّهُم أَصحابي
And whenever I am a companion to men of nobility,
for a day, they are my companions.
وَكَفانيand sufficed me إِذاwhen الحَوادِثُcalamities أَظلَمـgrew dark (continued)
وَكَفاني إِذا الحَوادِثُ أَظلَمـ
ـنَthey (verb ending) شِهاباًa meteor بِغُرَّةِin the radiant brow of اِبنِIbn (son of) شِهابِShihab
ـنَ شِهاباً بِغُرَّةِ اِبنِ شِهابِ
And when calamities darkened, enough for me was
a meteor in Ibn Shihab's radiant brow.
سَبَبٌa means أَوَّلٌfirst عَلىto جودِthe generosity of إِسماIsma'il (continued)
سَبَبٌ أَوَّلٌ عَلى جودِ إِسما
عيلَIsma'il (ending) أَغنىmade needless عَنin place of سائِرِall other الأَسبابِmeans
عيلَ أَغنى عَن سائِرِ الأَسبابِ
A first recourse to Isma'il's bounty
spared me every other recourse.
لَاِستَهَلَّتindeed poured forth سَماؤُهُhis sky فَمُطِرناso we were showered
لَاِستَهَلَّت سَماؤُهُ فَمُطِرنا
ذَهَباًgold فيin اِنهِلالِthe pouring of تِلكَthose الذِهابِshowers
ذَهَباً في اِنهِلالِ تِلكَ الذِهابِ
His sky indeed poured forth, and we were showered
with gold in the outpouring of those showers.
لاnot يَزورُhe visits الوَفاءَfaithfulness غِبّاًon alternate days وَلاnor يَعشَـhe loves (continued)
لا يَزورُ الوَفاءَ غِبّاً وَلا يَعشَـ
ـقُlove (ending) غَدرَthe treachery of الفَعالِdeeds عِشقَpassionate love of الكَعابِnubile maidens
ـقُ غَدرَ الفَعالِ عِشقَ الكَعابِ
He does not visit faithfulness only now and then, nor love
treacherous deeds as one loves nubile maidens.
مُستَعيدٌrepeating عَلىthrough اِختِلافِthe changes of اللَياليthe nights
مُستَعيدٌ عَلى اِختِلافِ اللَيالي
نَسَقاًan ordered sequence مِنof خَلائِقٍcharacter traits أَترابِmatched in worth
نَسَقاً مِن خَلائِقٍ أَترابِ
He repeats, through the changing nights,
an ordered array of virtues, all alike.
عادَhe returned مِنهاof them لَمّاto what بَداهُhe began it إِلىuntil أَنthat
عادَ مِنها لَمّا بَداهُ إِلى أَن
خِلتُهُI thought him يَستَمِلُّهاtaking them by dictation مِنfrom كِتابِa book
خِلتُهُ يَستَمِلُّها مِن كِتابِ
He returned to what he had first begun of them, until
I thought he was taking them down by dictation from a book.
فَهوَso he غَيثٌlife-giving rain وَالغَيثُand the rain مُحتَفِلُteeming with الوَدthe rain (continued)
فَهوَ غَيثٌ وَالغَيثُ مُحتَفِلُ الوَد
قِrain (ending) وَبَحرٌand a sea وَالبَحرُand the sea طاميsurging with العُبابِbillows
قِ وَبَحرٌ وَالبَحرُ طامي العُبابِ
He is rain, rain brimming with showers,
and a sea, a sea whose billows surge high.
شَمَّرَhe tucked up الذَيلَthe hem لِلمَحامِدِfor praiseworthy deeds حَتّىuntil
شَمَّرَ الذَيلَ لِلمَحامِدِ حَتّى
جاءَhe came فيهاamong them مَجرورَةَtrailing الهُدّابِthe fringes
جاءَ فيها مَجرورَةَ الهُدّابِ
He tucked up his hem for praiseworthy deeds, until
he came among them with the fringes trailing.
عَزَماتٌresolves يُضِئنَthey illuminate داجِيَةَthe darkness of الخَطـcalamity (continued)
عَزَماتٌ يُضِئنَ داجِيَةَ الخَطـ
ـبِcalamity (ending) وَلَوand even if كانَit was مِنfrom وَراءِbehind حِجابِa veil
ـبِ وَلَو كانَ مِن وَراءِ حِجابِ
Resolves that light calamity's darkness,
even if it lies behind a veil.
يَتَوَقَّدنَthey blaze وَالكَواكِبُwhile the stars مُطفاquenched (continued)
يَتَوَقَّدنَ وَالكَواكِبُ مُطفا
ةٌquenched (ending) وَيَقطَعنَand they cut وَالسُيوفُwhile the swords نَوابيfailing to cut
ةٌ وَيَقطَعنَ وَالسُيوفُ نَوابي
They blaze while the stars are quenched,
and cut while the swords fail to bite.
تَرَكَhe left الخَفضَease لِلدَنيءِto the base man وَقاسىand endured
تَرَكَ الخَفضَ لِلدَنيءِ وَقاسى
صَعبَةَthe hardship of العَيشِlife فيin المَساعيpursuits الصِعابِdifficult
صَعبَةَ العَيشِ في المَساعي الصِعابِ
He left ease to the base, and endured
life's hardship in difficult pursuits.
سامَhe bid بِالمَجدِfor glory فَاشتَراهُthen bought it وَقَدand already باspent the night (continued)
سامَ بِالمَجدِ فَاشتَراهُ وَقَد با
تَspent the night (ending) عَلَيهِfor it مُزايِداًoutbidding لِلسَحابِagainst the clouds
تَ عَلَيهِ مُزايِداً لِلسَحابِ
He bid for glory and bought it, having
spent the night outbidding the clouds for it.
واحِدُsingle القَصدِin purpose طَرفُهُhis gaze فيin اِرتِفاعٍascent
واحِدُ القَصدِ طَرفُهُ في اِرتِفاعٍ
مِنfrom سُمُوٍّloftiness وَكَفُّهُand his palm فيin اِنصِبابِpouring down
مِن سُمُوٍّ وَكَفُّهُ في اِنصِبابِ
Single-minded, his gaze is lifted
in loftiness, and his palm pours down.
ثَرَّةٌcopious مِنfrom أَنامِلٍfingertips ظَلنَthey kept يَجريـflow (continued)
ثَرَّةٌ مِن أَنامِلٍ ظَلنَ يَجريـ
ـنَthey (verb ending) عَلىupon الخابِطينَthose seeking gifts جَريَthe flow of الشِعابِravines
ـنَ عَلى الخابِطينَ جَريَ الشِعابِ
Copious, from fingertips that keep streaming
over those seeking gifts, as ravines stream.
وَسَمِيُّand a namesake لَهُof his تَمَنّىwished for مَعاليـlofty honors
وَسَمِيُّ لَهُ تَمَنّى مَعاليـ
ـهِhis وَكَلبٌand kalb (dog) مُشتَقَّةٌderived مِنfrom كِلابِkilab (dogs)
ـهِ وَكَلبٌ مُشتَقَّةٌ مِن كِلابِ
And a namesake of his aspired to his lofty honors;
yet kalb ('dog') is derived from kilab ('dogs').
وَإِذاand when الأَنفُسُsouls اختَلَفنَthey differed فَماthen what يُغـavails (continued)
وَإِذا الأَنفُسُ اختَلَفنَ فَما يُغـ
ـنيavails (ending) اِتِّفاقُagreement of الأَسماءِnames وَالأَلقابِand titles
ـني اِتِّفاقُ الأَسماءِ وَالأَلقابِ
And when souls differ, what use is
agreement in names and titles?
ياO أَباAbu (father of) القاسِمِal-Qasim اِقتِسامُsharing of عَطاءٍgifts
يا أَبا القاسِمِ اِقتِسامُ عَطاءٍ
ماwhat نَراهُwe see it أَمِor اِقتِسامُsharing of نِهابِplunder
ما نَراهُ أَمِ اِقتِسامُ نِهابِ
O Abu al-Qasim, is it a sharing of gifts
that we see, or a sharing of plunder?
خُذtake لِسانيmy tongue إِلَيكَto you فَالمِلكُfor ownership لِلأَلـof tongues (continued)
خُذ لِساني إِلَيكَ فَالمِلكُ لِلأَلـ
ـسُنِtongues (ending) فيin الحُكمِjudgment عِدلُequal to مِلكِownership of الرِقابِnecks
ـسُنِ في الحُكمِ عِدلُ مِلكِ الرِقابِ
Take my tongue as yours, for ownership of tongues
is, in judgment, equal to ownership of necks.
صُنتَنيyou shielded me عَنfrom مَعاشِرٍgroups of people لاnot يُسَمّىis named
صُنتَني عَن مَعاشِرٍ لا يُسَمّى
أَوَّلوهُمtheir foremost إِلّاexcept غَداةَon a morning of سِبابِinsults
أَوَّلوهُم إِلّا غَداةَ سِبابِ
You shielded me from people whose foremost are never named
except on a morning of insults.
مِنof جِعادِclenched الأَكُفِّpalms غَيرِnot جِعادٍcurly-haired
مِن جِعادِ الأَكُفِّ غَيرِ جِعادٍ
وَغِضابِand angry الوُجوهِfaces غَيرِnot غِضابِangry
وَغِضابِ الوُجوهِ غَيرِ غِضابِ
Men with clenched palms, though not curly-haired,
and angry faces, though not angry.
خَطَرواthey passed خَطرَةَa passing like الجَهامِrainless clouds وَسارواand traveled
خَطَروا خَطرَةَ الجَهامِ وَساروا
فيin نَواحيregions of الظُنونِconjectures سَيرَthe movement of السَحابِclouds
في نَواحي الظُنونِ سَيرَ السَحابِ
They swept by like rainless clouds, and traveled
through the realms of surmise as clouds travel.
أَخطَأواthey missed المَكرُماتِnoble deeds وَالتَمَسواand sought قاhighway (continued)
أَخطَأوا المَكرُماتِ وَالتَمَسوا قا
رِعَةَhighway (ending) المَجدِglory فيon غَداةِa morning of ضَبابِfog
رِعَةَ المَجدِ في غَداةِ ضَبابِ
They missed noble deeds, and sought the highway
of glory on a foggy morning.
Sol 6.1