بِعَينَيكِbefore your eyes إِعواليmy wailing وَطولُand the length of شَهيقيmy sobbing breaths
بِعَينَيكِ إِعوالي وَطولُ شَهيقي
وَإِخفاقُand deprivation عَينيmy eye مِنof كَرىًsleep وَخُفوقيand my heart's fluttering
وَإِخفاقُ عَيني مِن كَرىً وَخُفوقي
Before your eyes are my wailing and my long-drawn sobs,
With your eyes my ruin and my sigh's length,
And my eye's loss of sleep, and my heart's fluttering.
And my eyes' defeat by infatuation and passion.
عَلىyet أَنَّthat تَهويماًa brief doze إِذاwhen عارَضَarose اِطَّبىit enticed
عَلى أَنَّ تَهويماً إِذا عارَضَ اِطَّبى
سُرىnight travel طارِقٍa nocturnal visitor فيat غَيرِother than وَقتِthe time of طُروقِnight visiting
سُرى طارِقٍ في غَيرِ وَقتِ طُروقِ
Yet a passing doze, when it comes, draws to me
Yet fanciful thoughts, if they appear,
A visitor traveling by night, outside the hour for visits.
Will pass like a night visitor at the wrong time.
سَرىhe traveled by night جائِباًcrossing لِلخَرقِacross the wilderness يَخشىfearing وَلَمand not يَكُنhe was
سَرى جائِباً لِلخَرقِ يَخشى وَلَم يَكُن
مَلِيّاًcapable بِإِسراءٍof nighttime travel وَجَوبِand traversing خُروقِvast deserts
مَلِيّاً بِإِسراءٍ وَجَوبِ خُروقِ
He traveled by night, crossing the wilderness in fear, though he was not
They came bent on wrongdoing though fearing not
Capable of night journeys and crossing vast deserts.
Being caught red-handed in the act.
فَباتَso he spent the night يُعاطينيexchanging with me عَلىunder رِقبَةِthe watch of العِدىthe enemies
فَباتَ يُعاطيني عَلى رِقبَةِ العِدى
وَيَمزُجُand he mingles ريقاًsaliva مِنfrom جَناهُhis fruit بِريقيwith my saliva
وَيَمزُجُ ريقاً مِن جَناهُ بِريقي
So he spent the night exchanging kisses with me under our foes' watch,
So they set upon me at the neck of enmity
And mingling the saliva from his fruit with mine.
Mixing my spittle with their spittle.
وَبِتُّand I spent the night أَهابُfearing المِسكَthe musk مِنهُfrom him وَأَتَّقيand guarding against
وَبِتُّ أَهابُ المِسكَ مِنهُ وَأَتَّقي
رُداعِstains عَبيرٍblended perfume صائِكٍclinging وَخَلوقِand saffron perfume
رُداعِ عَبيرٍ صائِكٍ وَخَلوقِ
And I spent the night fearing his musk and guarding against
I felt the perfume’s intense heat from them
The stains of clinging perfume and saffron fragrance.
And the burning of a penetrating fragrance.
أَرىI regard كَذِبَthe falsehood of الأَحلامِdreams صِدقاًas truth وَكَمand how often صَغَتinclined
أَرى كَذِبَ الأَحلامِ صِدقاً وَكَم صَغَت
إِلىtoward خَبَرٍa report أُذنايَmy ears غَيرِnot صَدوقِtruthful
إِلى خَبَرٍ أُذنايَ غَيرِ صَدوقِ
I take dreams' falsehood for truth; how often have
I see dreams’ lies as truth, and how often
My ears inclined toward an untruthful report!
Have my ears listened to unreliable news.
وَماand whatever كانَwas مِنof حَقٍّtruth وَبُطلٍand falsehood فَقَدthen indeed شَفىsoothed
وَما كانَ مِن حَقٍّ وَبُطلٍ فَقَد شَفى
حَرارَةَthe fever of مَتبولٍa love-stricken man وَخَبلَand the madness of مَشوقِa yearning lover
حَرارَةَ مَتبولٍ وَخَبلَ مَشوقِ
And whatever there was of truth and falsehood has soothed
Whatever was right or wrong, it has healed
A love-stricken man's fever and a yearning lover's madness.
The fever of a urinator and the yearning of an enamored one.
سَلاask, you two نُوَبَthe vicissitudes of الأَيّامِthe days ماwhat بالَهاails them أَبَتthey refused
سَلا نُوَبَ الأَيّامِ ما بالَها أَبَت
تَعَمَّدُto aim at إِلّاanything but جَفوَتيharshness toward me وَعُقوقيand disloyalty to me
تَعَمَّدُ إِلّا جَفوَتي وَعُقوقي
Ask, you two, the turns of the days why they refuse
Why have the days’ turns insisted
To aim at anything but harshness and disloyalty toward me,
On only my aloofness and filial disobedience?
مُزَيِّلَةٌseparating شَعبيmy circle وَشَعبَand the circle of أَصادِقيmy friends
مُزَيِّلَةٌ شَعبي وَشَعبَ أَصادِقي
وَداخِلَةٌand intruding بَينيbetween me وَبَينَand between شَقيقيmy full brother
وَداخِلَةٌ بَيني وَبَينَ شَقيقي
Dividing my circle from the circle of my friends,
Separating me from my people and my friends
And intruding between me and my full brother.
And coming between me and my intimate companion.
أَراناI see us عُناةًcaptives فيin يَدِthe hand of الدَهرِTime نَشتَكيwe complain
أَرانا عُناةً في يَدِ الدَهرِ نَشتَكي
تَأَكُّدَthe tightening of عَقدٍa knot مِنamong عُراهُits bonds وَثيقِfirm
تَأَكُّدَ عَقدٍ مِن عُراهُ وَثيقِ
I see us captive in Time's hand, complaining of
We see ourselves obstinately in the days’ hands complaining
The tightening of a firm knot among its bonds.
Of a strengthened knot in its bareness and tightness.
وَلَيسَand is not طَليقُthe free man of اليَومِtoday مَنone who رَجَعَتreturned لَهُupon him
وَلَيسَ طَليقُ اليَومِ مَن رَجَعَت لَهُ
صُروفُthe reversals of اللَياليthe nights فيon غَدٍtomorrow بِطَليقِfree
صُروفُ اللَيالي في غَدٍ بِطَليقِ
Nor will today's free man, when there return upon him
Today's free man is not he for whom
The turns of the nights tomorrow, remain free.
The nights’ turns will be free tomorrow.
تَفاوَتَتِdiffered الأَفسامُallotted shares (uncertain spelling) فيناamong us فَأَفطَرَتthen broke their fast
تَفاوَتَتِ الأَفسامُ فينا فَأَفطَرَت
بِظَمآنَon a thirsty man بادٍplain لَوحُهُhis parching thirst وَغَريقِand a drowned man
بِظَمآنَ بادٍ لَوحُهُ وَغَريقِ
Our allotted shares differed, then broke their fast
Misfortunes have differed for us, so they broke
On a thirsty man, visibly parched, and on one drowned.
The fast with the thirst of one shipwrecked and drowned.
وَكُنتُand I was إِذاwhen ماever (emphatic) الحادِثاتُcalamities أَصَبنَنيstruck me
وَكُنتُ إِذا ما الحادِثاتُ أَصَبنَني
بِهائِضَةٍwith a shattering blow صُمَّsolid العِظامِbones دَقوقِpulverizing
بِهائِضَةٍ صُمَّ العِظامِ دَقوقِ
And whenever calamities struck me
Whenever disasters struck me
With a shattering blow that crushed the solid bones,
With loud unbroken bones and piercing pangs,
شَمَختُI stood proud فَلَمso not أُبدِI showed اِختِناءًsubmission لِشامِتٍto a gloater
شَمَختُ فَلَم أُبدِ اِختِناءً لِشامِتٍ
وَلَمand not أَبتَعِثI sent forth شَكوىa complaint لِغَيرِto anyone other than شَفيقِa compassionate person
وَلَم أَبتَعِث شَكوى لِغَيرِ شَفيقِ
I stood proud and showed no submission to a gloater,
I held myself tall, showed no fawning to any gloating enemy,
And sent no complaint to anyone without compassion.
Nor sent any complaint to other than a sympathetic friend.
أَرىI deem كُلَّevery مُؤذٍtormentor عاجِزاًincapable عَنof أَذِيَّتيharming me
أَرى كُلَّ مُؤذٍ عاجِزاً عَن أَذِيَّتي
إِذاif هُوَhe لَمnot يُنصَرis aided عَلَيَّagainst me بِموقِby folly
إِذا هُوَ لَم يُنصَر عَلَيَّ بِموقِ
I deem every tormentor incapable of harming me
I see every hurter powerless to hurt me
If folly gives him no help against me.
If he is not supported against me by appointment.
وَلَولاand were it not for غُلُوُّthe excess of الجَهلِignorance ماnot عُدَّwould be deemed هَيِّناًeasy
وَلَولا غُلُوُّ الجَهلِ ما عُدَّ هَيِّناً
تَكَبُّدُenduring سِخطيmy wrath وَاِصطِلاءُand being scorched by حَريقيmy fire
تَكَبُّدُ سِخطي وَاِصطِلاءُ حَريقي
Were it not for excessive ignorance, it would not seem easy
Were it not for ignorance’ extreme, it would not be thought slight
To bear my wrath and be scorched by my fire.
To endure my disfavor and the burning of my pyre.
تَشِفُّshow through أَقاصيthe farthest reaches of الأَمرِthe matter فيin بَدَآتِهِits beginnings
تَشِفُّ أَقاصي الأَمرِ في بَدَآتِهِ
لِعَينيto my eye وَسِترُand the veil of الغَيبِthe unseen غَيرُnot رَقيقِthin
لِعَيني وَسِترُ الغَيبِ غَيرُ رَقيقِ
A matter's farthest outcomes show through its beginnings
The furthest consequences show themselves to me in their beginnings,
To my eye, though the veil of the unseen is not thin.
For my eye, and the unseen's veil is not thin.
وَمازِلتُand I have continued أَخشىto fear مُذsince تَبَدّىappeared اِبنُthe son of يَلبَخٍYalbakh
وَمازِلتُ أَخشى مُذ تَبَدّى اِبنُ يَلبَخٍ
عَلىfor سَعَةٍease مِنlest أَنthat تُدالَit be replaced بِضيقِby hardship
عَلى سَعَةٍ مِن أَن تُدالَ بِضيقِ
And ever since Ibn Yalbakh appeared, I have kept fearing
I still fear, since the son of Bilbak appeared,
For my ease, lest it be replaced by hardship.
Lest breadth become straitened.
وَماand not كانَwas ماليmy wealth غَيرَanything but حَسوَةِa sip taken by طائِرٍa bird
وَما كانَ مالي غَيرَ حَسوَةِ طائِرٍ
أُضيفَwas added إِلىto بَحرٍa sea بِمِصرَin Egypt عَميقِdeep
أُضيفَ إِلى بَحرٍ بِمِصرَ عَميقِ
And my wealth was no more than a bird's sip,
I had no property but a bird’s daring,
Added to a deep sea in Egypt.
Added to the deep sea by Egypt.
لَئِنeven if فاتَwas lost وَفريmy wealth فيamong اللِئامِthe base فَلَمand not أُطِقI could manage
لَئِن فاتَ وَفري في اللِئامِ فَلَم أُطِق
تَلافِيَهُrecovering it مُستَرجِعاًseeking its return بِلُحوقِby pursuit
تَلافِيَهُ مُستَرجِعاً بِلُحوقِ
Though my wealth slipped away among the base, and I could not
If I missed my goal among the scoundrels, I could not
Make good its loss, seeking to reclaim it by pursuit,
Retrieve it by catching up.
فَلَستُso I am not أَلومُblaming النَفسَmyself فيfor فَوتِmissing بِغيَةٍa desired goal
فَلَستُ أَلومُ النَفسَ في فَوتِ بِغيَةٍ
إِذاif لَمnot يَكُنis عَصريmy age لَهاfor it بِخَليقِsuited
إِذا لَم يَكُن عَصري لَها بِخَليقِ
So I do not blame myself for a desired goal left unfulfilled
So I do not blame the soul for losing an object
When my age is not suited to it.
Of desire, if my time was not suited to it.
أَماwas it not? كانَwas بَذلُgranting العَدلِjustice أَيسَرَthe easiest of واجِبيwhat is owed me
أَما كانَ بَذلُ العَدلِ أَيسَرَ واجِبي
عَلىby المُتَعَدّيthe aggressor أَوor أَقَلَّthe least of حُقوقيmy rights
عَلى المُتَعَدّي أَو أَقَلَّ حُقوقي
Was granting justice not the easiest duty owed me
Was it not easier to fulfill the duty of justice
By the aggressor, or the least of my rights?
For the aggressor, or lighten my rights?
إِذاwhen ماever (emphatic) طَلَبناwe sought خُطَّةَa course of النِصفِfairness رَدَّهاhe rejected it
إِذا ما طَلَبنا خُطَّةَ النِصفِ رَدَّها
عَلَيناupon us اِبنُa son of خُبثٍwickedness فاحِشٍoutrageous وَفُسوقِand debauchery
عَلَينا اِبنُ خُبثٍ فاحِشٍ وَفُسوقِ
Whenever we sought a course of fairness, he thrust it back
When we sought the plan of halves, the son of gross, manifest immorality and corruption
Upon us—a son of outrageous wickedness and debauchery,
Rejected it for us.
وَعاهِرَةٍand a whore أَدَّتpassed on إِلىto شَرِّthe vilest عاهِرٍfornicator
وَعاهِرَةٍ أَدَّت إِلى شَرِّ عاهِرٍ
مَشابِهَthe features of كَلبٍa dog فيamong الكِلابِdogs عَريقِpurebred
مَشابِهَ كَلبٍ في الكِلابِ عَريقِ
And of a whore who passed to the vilest fornicator
And of a whore who led to the evil of a fellow whore
The features of a dog, purebred among dogs.
Resembling a dog among dogs of pure breed.
لِيَلبَخَto Yalbakh أَوor طولونَTulun يُعزىhe is ascribed فَقَدfor indeed حَوَتshe held
لِيَلبَخَ أَو طولونَ يُعزى فَقَد حَوَت
عَلىin her keeping اِثنَينِtwo زَوجٍa husband مِنهُماone of them وَعَشيقِand a lover
عَلى اِثنَينِ زَوجٍ مِنهُما وَعَشيقِ
He is ascribed to Yalbakh or Tulun, for she had
Whether it is Bilbak or Tulun, it is excused, for it comprised
Two men—one a husband, the other a lover.
Both of them as man and lover.
فَأَيَّهُماso whichever of them أَدّاةُbegot him (uncertain reading) فَهوَthen he مُؤَخَّرٌis relegated
فَأَيَّهُما أَدّاةُ فَهوَ مُؤَخَّرٌ
إِلىto ضَعَةٍbaseness مِنin شَخصِهِhis person وَلُصوقِand spurious kinship
إِلى ضَعَةٍ مِن شَخصِهِ وَلُصوقِ
Whichever of the two begot him, he is relegated
So whichever of them is the tool, he is relegated
To baseness of person and spurious kinship.
To weakness of person and theft.
فَقُلthen tell لِأَبيto Abu إِسحاقَIshaq إِمّاif ever عَلِقتَهُyou encounter him
فَقُل لِأَبي إِسحاقَ إِمّا عَلِقتَهُ
وَأَينَand where? بِناءٍwith one far away (uncertain reading) فيin العِراقِIraq سَحيقِdistant
وَأَينَ بِناءٍ في العِراقِ سَحيقِ
Then tell Abu Ishaq, if you encounter him—
Say to Abu Ishaq, where did you hang him
But where, with him far away in distant Iraq?—
And where is a building in Iraq solid?
لَقَدindeed جَلَّhas grown great ماwhat بَينيis between me وَبَينَكَand you إِنَّناwe indeed
لَقَد جَلَّ ما بَيني وَبَينَكَ إِنَّنا
عَلىon سَنَنٍa course مِنof حَربِهِwar against him وَطَريقِand a path
عَلى سَنَنٍ مِن حَربِهِ وَطَريقِ
Great indeed is what binds me to you; we are
Much distance lies between me and you, we are indeed
On a common course and path in war against him.
On divergent paths of his war and road.
وَإِنَّand indeed أَحَقَّthe most deserving of الناسَpeople مِنّيfrom me بِخُلَّةٍof friendship
وَإِنَّ أَحَقَّ الناسَ مِنّي بِخُلَّةٍ
عَدُوُّthe enemy of عَدُوّيmy enemy أَوor صَديقُthe friend of صَديقيmy friend
عَدُوُّ عَدُوّي أَو صَديقُ صَديقي
And the person most deserving of my friendship is
And the most deserving people of my disdain
My enemy's enemy, or my friend's friend.
Are my enemy’s enemy or my friend’s friend.
Sol 6.1