لابِسٌclad مِنin شَبيبَةٍyouth أَمor ناضِcasting it off
لابِسٌ مِن شَبيبَةٍ أَم ناضِ
وَمَليحٌand fearful مِنof شَيبَةٍgray hair أَمor راضِcontent
وَمَليحٌ مِن شَيبَةٍ أَم راضِ
Clad in youth, or casting it off?
And fearful of gray hair, or content with it?
وَإِذاand when ماemphatic particle اِمتَعَضتُI resented مِنat وَلَعِthe fixation of الشَيgray hair (start)
وَإِذا ما اِمتَعَضتُ مِن وَلَعِ الشَي
بِgray hair (end) بِرَأسيon my head لَمdid not يَثنِturn back مِنهُof it اِمتِعاضيmy resentment
بِ بِرَأسي لَم يَثنِ مِنهُ اِمتِعاضي
And when I resent gray hair's fixation
on my head, my resentment does not turn it back.
لَيسَnot يَرضىis content عَنِwith الزَمانِtime مُرَوٍّone who reflects
لَيسَ يَرضى عَنِ الزَمانِ مُرَوٍّ
فيهِon it إِلّاexcept عَنthrough غَفلَةٍheedlessness أَوor تَغاضِdeliberate disregard
فيهِ إِلّا عَن غَفلَةٍ أَو تَغاضِ
No one is content with time who reflects
upon it—except through heedlessness or willful disregard.
وَالبَواقيand what remains عَلىthrough اللَياليthe nights وَإِنeven if خاthey differ (start)
وَالبَواقي عَلى اللَيالي وَإِن خا
لَفنَthey differ (end) شَيئاًsomewhat فَمُشبِهاتُthen resembling المَواضيwhat has passed
لَفنَ شَيئاً فَمُشبِهاتُ المَواضي
And what remains through the nights, though differing
somewhat, resembles what has gone before.
ناكَرَتbecame estranged لِمَّتيmy locks وَناكَرتُand I disowned مِنهاin them
ناكَرَت لِمَّتي وَناكَرتُ مِنها
سوءَthe ugliness of هَذاthis الأَخلافِreplacements وَالأَعواضِand substitutes
سوءَ هَذا الأَخلافِ وَالأَعواضِ
My locks disowned me, and I disowned in them
the ugliness of these replacements and substitutes.
شَعَراتٌa few hairs أَقُصُّهُنَّI clip them وَيَرجِعand they return (start)
شَعَراتٌ أَقُصُّهُنَّ وَيَرجِع
نَfeminine-plural ending رُجوعَthe return of السِهامِarrows فيto الأَغراضِthe targets
نَ رُجوعَ السِهامِ في الأَغراضِ
A few hairs: I clip them, and they return
as arrows return to their targets.
وَأَبَتand refused تَركِيَto leave me الغُدَيّاتُthe mornings وَالآand evenings (start)
وَأَبَت تَركِيَ الغُدَيّاتُ وَالآ
صالُevenings (end) حَتّىuntil خَضَبتُI dyed بِالمِقراضِwith the shears
صالُ حَتّى خَضَبتُ بِالمِقراضِ
Mornings refused to leave me, and so did
evenings, until I dyed my hair with the shears.
غَيرَwithout نَفعٍbenefit إِلّاexcept التَعَلُّلُtaking solace مِنfrom شَخa person (start)
غَيرَ نَفعٍ إِلّا التَعَلُّلُ مِن شَخ
صِa person (end) عَدُوٍّan enemy لَمdid not يَعدُهُpass him by إِبغاضيmy hatred
صِ عَدُوٍّ لَم يَعدُهُ إِبغاضي
To no avail, save a little solace against the presence
of an enemy whom my loathing has never spared.
وَوَراءُand what lies beyond المَشيبِgray hair كَالبَخصِlike eye-gouging فيin عَيeye (start)
وَوَراءُ المَشيبِ كَالبَخصِ في عَي
نيmy eye (end) فَقُلthen say فيهِof it فيin العُيونِthe eyes المَراضِlanguid
ني فَقُل فيهِ في العُيونِ المَراضِ
And what lies beyond gray hair is like a gouge in my
eye—imagine it, then, in languid eyes.
طِبتُI became content نَفساًin spirit عَنِto forgo الشَبابِyouth وَماand what سُwas blackened (start)
طِبتُ نَفساً عَنِ الشَبابِ وَما سُ
وِّدَwas blackened (end) مِنfrom صِبغِthe dye of بُردِهِits cloak الفَضفاضِample
وِّدَ مِن صِبغِ بُردِهِ الفَضفاضِ
I am content to forgo youth, and whatever was
blackened by the dye of its ample cloak.
فَهَلِso will الحادِثاتُcalamities ياِبنَO son of عُوَيفٍʿUwayf
فَهَلِ الحادِثاتُ ياِبنَ عُوَيفٍ
تارِكاتيleave me وَلُبسَand the wearing of هَذاthis البَياضِwhiteness
تارِكاتي وَلُبسَ هَذا البَياضِ
Will calamities, O son of ʿUwayf,
leave me alone to wear this whiteness?
يَكثُرُabounds الحَظُّgood fortune فيamong أُناسٍpeople وَإِنeven if قَلis scant (start)
يَكثُرُ الحَظُّ في أُناسٍ وَإِن قَل
لَis scant (end) التَأَسّيemulation بِكَيسِهِمof their shrewdness وَالتراضيand mutual approval
لَ التَأَسّي بِكَيسِهِم وَالتراضي
Some people have abundant luck, however little
their shrewdness invites emulation or approval.
ماقَضىhas not decreed اللَهُGod لِلجَهولِfor the fool بِسِترٍwith a veil
ماقَضى اللَهُ لِلجَهولِ بِسِترٍ
يَتَلافاهُthat rescues him مِثلَlike حَتفٍdeath قاضِmaking an end
يَتَلافاهُ مِثلَ حَتفٍ قاضِ
God has decreed no veil for the fool
to shelter him like a death that makes an end.
أَفرَطَتgrew excessive لوثَةُthe madness of اِبنِson of أَيوبَAyyub وَالشاand what circulates (start)
أَفرَطَت لوثَةُ اِبنِ أَيوبَ وَالشا
ئِعُwhat circulates (end) مِنof أَفنِthe feebleness of رَأيِهِhis judgment المُستَفاضِwidely disseminated
ئِعُ مِن أَفنِ رَأيِهِ المُستَفاضِ
Ibn Ayyub's madness has grown excessive, and so has the report
of his feeble judgment, spread far and wide.
جامِحٌunruly فيagainst العِنانِthe reins لايَسمَعُhe does not hear الزَجrebuke (start)
جامِحٌ في العِنانِ لايَسمَعُ الزَج
رَrebuke (end) وَلاand does not يَنثَنيyield إِلىto الرُوّاضِthe trainers
رَ وَلا يَنثَني إِلى الرُوّاضِ
Unruly against the reins, he will not hear
rebuke, nor yield to trainers.
زاعِمٌclaiming أَنَّthat طَيفَthe phantom of بِدعَةَBidʿa قَدalready أَنscarred (start)
زاعِمٌ أَنَّ طَيفَ بِدعَةَ قَد أَن
دَبَscarred (end) بِالنَهسِwith nipping جِلدَهُhis skin وَالعِضاضِand biting
دَبَ بِالنَهسِ جِلدَهُ وَالعِضاضِ
He claims that Bidʿa's phantom has scarred
his skin with nips and bites.
أَخَيالاتُare these visions of خُرَّدٍshy maidens أَمor خَيالاvisions (start)
أَخَيالاتُ خُرَّدٍ أَم خَيالا
تُvisions (plural ending) سِباعٍpredatory beasts وَحشِيَةٍwild فيin غِياضِthickets
تُ سِباعٍ وَحشِيَةٍ في غِياضِ
Are these visions of shy maidens, or visions
of savage beasts in forest thickets?
حَرَضٌa wasted wretch هالِكُruined الرَوِّيَةِin judgment مَغروdeceived (start)
حَرَضٌ هالِكُ الرَوِّيَةِ مَغرو
رٌdeceived (end) بِهَلكيby doomed men مِنfrom جَمِهِhis throng أَحراضِwasted wretches
رٌ بِهَلكي مِن جَمِهِ أَحراضِ
A wasted wretch, ruined in judgment, deceived
by doomed men of his throng, themselves wasted wretches.
أَجلَبواthey mustered تَحتَbeneath غابَةٍa forest مِنof قَناspears الthe (article of al-Khatt)
أَجلَبوا تَحتَ غابَةٍ مِن قَنا ال
خَطِّKhatt وَزَعفٍand supple mail مِنَof الحَديدِiron مُفاضِample
خَطِّ وَزَعفٍ مِنَ الحَديدِ مُفاضِ
They mustered beneath a forest of spears from
al-Khatt, and ample, supple coats of iron mail.
مُدَّةًfor a time ثُمَّthen أَقشَعواthey dispersed لِإِنخِراقٍbecause of a rupture
مُدَّةً ثُمَّ أَقشَعوا لِإِنخِراقٍ
فاحِشٍgaping مِنin جُموعِهِمtheir forces وَاِنفِضاضِand dispersal
فاحِشٍ مِن جُموعِهِم وَاِنفِضاضِ
For a time; then they vanished, as a breach
tore wide their ranks and scattered them.
بَعدَafter ماthat إِستَغرَقواthey exhausted النِهايَةَthe utmost فيin النَزdrawing the bow (start)
بَعدَ ما إِستَغرَقوا النِهايَةَ في النَز
عِdrawing the bow (end) وَأَفنواand they exhausted مَذخورَthe stored supply of ماwhat فيin الوِفاضِthe quivers
عِ وَأَفنوا مَذخورَ ما في الوِفاضِ
After they had gone to the utmost in drawing
their bows, and exhausted what was stored in their quivers.
غَلَبَتهُمovercame them آراءُthe counsels of أَغلَبَa mighty lion فَبّاseizer (uncertain; start)
غَلَبَتهُم آراءُ أَغلَبَ فَبّا
ضِseizer (uncertain; end) العَشِيّاتِthe evenings مِنfrom بَنيthe sons of الفَيّاضِal-Fayyad
ضِ العَشِيّاتِ مِن بَني الفَيّاضِ
A mighty lion's counsels overcame them—a seizer [reading uncertain]
at evening, from the sons of al-Fayyad.
سَدَّclosed off تَدبيرُهُhis strategy الفَضاءَthe open space عَلَيهِمagainst them
سَدَّ تَدبيرُهُ الفَضاءَ عَلَيهِم
بَعدَafter شَغبٍtumult مِنfrom دَرئِهِمtheir resistance وَاِعتِراضِand obstruction
بَعدَ شَغبٍ مِن دَرئِهِم وَاِعتِراضِ
His strategy closed every open space to them,
after their clamorous resistance and obstruction.
دَهيُthe cunning of عودٍan old camel ماnot إِنemphatic particle يَزالُceases يُغَوّىis lured
دَهيُ عودٍ ما إِن يَزالُ يُغَوّى
غَمرَةًa deep flood ماnot يَخوضُهاhe wades through it اِبنُson of مَخاضِpregnant she-camels
غَمرَةً ما يَخوضُها اِبنُ مَخاضِ
An old camel's cunning, ever drawn
into a deep flood no yearling camel can wade.
إِنif تَعاطَواthey undertake تِلكَthose المَكايِدِstratagems ضاعواthey are lost
إِن تَعاطَوا تِلكَ المَكايِدِ ضاعوا
فيin مَسافاتِهاtheir reaches الطِوالِlong العِراضِbroad
في مَسافاتِها الطِوالِ العِراضِ
If they attempt those stratagems, they are lost
in their long, broad reaches.
لَيسَhe is not مِنof عُصبَةٍa band إِذاwhen اِستَأنَفواthey resume السَعstriving (start)
لَيسَ مِن عُصبَةٍ إِذا اِستَأنَفوا السَع
يَstriving (end) فيin تَسافُلٍabasement وَاِنخِفاضِand decline
يَ في تَسافُلٍ وَاِنخِفاضِ
He is not of a band who, when they renew their striving,
sink into abasement and decline.
أَوor تَوَخّواthey seek صِيانَةًsafekeeping كانَتِwas الأَمwealth (start)
أَو تَوَخّوا صِيانَةً كانَتِ الأَم
والُwealth (end) أَولىmore deserving بِهاof it مِنَthan الأَعراضِhonor
والُ أَولى بِها مِنَ الأَعراضِ
Or, when they seek safekeeping, their wealth
takes precedence over their honor.
مابَرِحناwe have never ceased نَرجوto hope for عُلُوَّthe rise of عَلِيٍّʿAli
مابَرِحنا نَرجو عُلُوَّ عَلِيٍّ
لِإِجتِبارِfor restoring المُطَلَّحِthe exhausted المُنهاضِthe broken
لِإِجتِبارِ المُطَلَّحِ المُنهاضِ
We have never ceased to hope for ʿAli's rise,
to restore the exhausted and broken.
وَأَيادٍand favors مُبيَضَّةٍmade white وَالأَياديand favors
وَأَيادٍ مُبيَضَّةٍ وَالأَيادي
فَضلُهاtheir merit أَنthat تَكونَthey be ذاتَpossessing اِبيِضاضِwhiteness
فَضلُها أَن تَكونَ ذاتَ اِبيِضاضِ
And shining-white favors—for favors
have their merit in being white.
وَدُيونٍand debts مَضمونَةٍguaranteed مِنarising from عِداتٍpromises
وَدُيونٍ مَضمونَةٍ مِن عِداتٍ
كَضَمانِlike the guarantee by الأَعدادِperennial springs مِلءَthe filling of الحِياضِthe pools
كَضَمانِ الأَعدادِ مِلءَ الحِياضِ
And guaranteed debts born of promises,
as perennial springs guarantee the filling of pools.
فَاِلتَهَنّيso enjoyment بِهِنَّof them قَبلَbefore التَعَزّيseeking consolation
فَاِلتَهَنّي بِهِنَّ قَبلَ التَعَزّي
راهِنٌassured وَالقَضاءُand repayment قَبلَbefore التَقاضيdemanding payment
راهِنٌ وَالقَضاءُ قَبلَ التَقاضي
So enjoyment of them, before consolation is needed,
is assured; repayment comes before demands.
بِأَبيmy father be your ransom أَنتَyou أَوَّلُthe first مَنwho حَوturned (start)
بِأَبي أَنتَ أَوَّلُ مَن حَو
وَلَنيturned me (end) عَنfrom تَحَشُّميmy diffidence وَاِنقِباضيand my reserve
وَلَني عَن تَحَشُّمي وَاِنقِباضي
My father be your ransom! You are the first who turned
me from my diffidence and reserve.
ماnot لِنَدىfor generosity فيin سِواكَanyone but you غَيرُother than حَديثٍa tale
ما لِنَدى في سِواكَ غَيرُ حَديثٍ
مِنof أُناسٍpeople بادواwho have perished وَفِعلٍand a deed ماضِpast
مِن أُناسٍ بادوا وَفِعلٍ ماضِ
Beyond you, generosity is but a tale
of people long vanished, and a deed of the past.
قَدindeed تَلافىrescued القَريضَverse جودُكَyour bounty فَإِرso borne off half-alive (start)
قَد تَلافى القَريضَ جودُكَ فَإِر
تُثَّborne off half-alive (end) لَقىًa castoff مُشفِياًon the brink عَلىof الإِنقِراضِextinction
تُثَّ لَقىً مُشفِياً عَلى الإِنقِراضِ
Your bounty rescued verse, lifting it half-alive,
a castoff, hovering on the brink of extinction.
نِعَمٌfavors أَبدَتِrevealed المَصونَwhat was treasured المُغَطّىthe concealed
نِعَمٌ أَبدَتِ المَصونَ المُغَطّى
مِنهُof it تَحتَbeneath الخُفوتِsilence وَالإِغماضِand neglect
مِنهُ تَحتَ الخُفوتِ وَالإِغماضِ
Favors that revealed what was treasured and concealed
of it beneath silence and neglect.
كَالغَواديlike morning showers أَظهَرنَthey brought forth كُلَّevery جَنِيٍّripe fruit
كَالغَوادي أَظهَرنَ كُلَّ جَنِيٍّ
مُستَسِرٍّhidden فيin زاهِراتِblooming الرِياضِthe gardens
مُستَسِرٍّ في زاهِراتِ الرِياضِ
Like morning showers that brought forth every ripe fruit
lying hidden in the flowering gardens.
Sol 6.1