لابِسٌclad مِنin شَبيبَةٍyouth أَمor ناضِstripped
لابِسٌ مِن شَبيبَةٍ أَم ناضِ
وَمَليحٌand fearful مِنof شَيبَةٍgrayness أَمor راضِcontent
وَمَليحٌ مِن شَيبَةٍ أَم راضِ
Clad in youth, or stripped of it?
And fearful of gray hair, or content with it?
وَإِذاand whenever ماan emphatic particle اِمتَعَضتُI resented مِنat وَلَعِthe fondness of الشَيgray hair (beginning)
وَإِذا ما اِمتَعَضتُ مِن وَلَعِ الشَي
بِgray hair (completion) بِرَأسيfor my head لَمnot يَثنِchecks مِنهُany of it اِمتِعاضيmy resentment
بِ بِرَأسي لَم يَثنِ مِنهُ اِمتِعاضي
And whenever I resent gray hair's fondness
for my head, my resentment never checks it.
لَيسَnot يَرضىis pleased عَنِwith الزَمانِTime مُرَوٍّone who reflects
لَيسَ يَرضى عَنِ الزَمانِ مُرَوٍّ
فيهِon it إِلّاexcept عَنthrough غَفلَةٍheedlessness أَوor تَغاضِdeliberate overlooking
فيهِ إِلّا عَن غَفلَةٍ أَو تَغاضِ
No one who reflects on Time is content with it,
save through heedlessness or deliberate disregard.
وَالبَواقيand what remains عَلىthrough اللَياليthe nights وَإِنand though خاdiffer (beginning)
وَالبَواقي عَلى اللَيالي وَإِن خا
لَفنَthey differ (completion) شَيئاًsomewhat فَمُشبِهاتُthen resembling المَواضيwhat has passed
لَفنَ شَيئاً فَمُشبِهاتُ المَواضي
And what remains as nights pass, though it differs
somewhat, resembles what has gone before.
ناكَرَتbecame estranged لِمَّتيmy locks وَناكَرتُand I disowned مِنهاin them
ناكَرَت لِمَّتي وَناكَرتُ مِنها
سوءَthe badness of هَذاthese الأَخلافِsuccessors وَالأَعواضِand replacements
سوءَ هَذا الأَخلافِ وَالأَعواضِ
My locks disown me, and I reject in them
these wretched successors and replacements.
شَعَراتٌa few hairs أَقُصُّهُنَّI clip them وَيَرجِعand they return (beginning)
شَعَراتٌ أَقُصُّهُنَّ وَيَرجِع
نَfeminine plural ending رُجوعَthe return of السِهامِarrows فيinto الأَغراضِthe targets
نَ رُجوعَ السِهامِ في الأَغراضِ
A few hairs I clip, yet they return,
as arrows return to their targets.
وَأَبَتand refused تَركِيَto leave me الغُدَيّاتُthe early mornings وَالآand the late afternoons (beginning)
وَأَبَت تَركِيَ الغُدَيّاتُ وَالآ
صالُlate afternoons (completion) حَتّىuntil خَضَبتُI dyed بِالمِقراضِwith shears
صالُ حَتّى خَضَبتُ بِالمِقراضِ
Mornings and late afternoons refused to leave me,
until I dyed my hair with shears.
غَيرَwithout نَفعٍbenefit إِلّاexcept التَعَلُّلُseeking solace مِنfrom شَخa person (beginning)
غَيرَ نَفعٍ إِلّا التَعَلُّلُ مِن شَخ
صِa person (completion) عَدُوٍّan enemy لَمnot يَعدُهُpass him by إِبغاضيmy hatred
صِ عَدُوٍّ لَم يَعدُهُ إِبغاضي
To no avail, save the solace of dealing with
an enemy my hatred has never spared.
وَوَراءُand the appearance (uncertain reading) المَشيبِof gray hair كَالبَخصِlike gouging فيin عَيeye (beginning)
وَوَراءُ المَشيبِ كَالبَخصِ في عَي
نيmy eye (completion) فَقُلso consider فيهِit فيin العُيونِthe eyes المَراضِlanguid
ني فَقُل فيهِ في العُيونِ المَراضِ
The sight of gray hair is like a gouge in my eye—
imagine, then, how it looks to languid eyes.
طِبتُI became content نَفساًin spirit عَنِto relinquish الشَبابِyouth وَماand what سُwas blackened (beginning)
طِبتُ نَفساً عَنِ الشَبابِ وَما سُ
وِّدَwas blackened (completion) مِنby صِبغِthe dye of بُردِهِits mantle الفَضفاضِample
وِّدَ مِن صِبغِ بُردِهِ الفَضفاضِ
I have willingly let youth go, and the blackness
imparted by the dye of its ample mantle.
فَهَلِso will الحادِثاتُthe blows of fate ياِبنَO son of عُوَيفٍʿUwayf
فَهَلِ الحادِثاتُ ياِبنَ عُوَيفٍ
تارِكاتيleave me وَلُبسَand the wearing of هَذاthis البَياضِwhiteness
تارِكاتي وَلُبسَ هَذا البَياضِ
Will the blows of fate, O son of ʿUwayf,
leave me to wear this whiteness?
يَكثُرُabounds الحَظُّgood fortune فيamong أُناسٍsome people وَإِنand though قَلis scarce (beginning)
يَكثُرُ الحَظُّ في أُناسٍ وَإِن قَل
لَis scarce (completion) التَأَسّيemulation بِكَيسِهِمof their shrewdness وَالتراضيand approval
لَ التَأَسّي بِكَيسِهِم وَالتراضي
Fortune abounds among some, though little
emulation or approval attends their wit.
ماقَضىhas not decreed اللَهُGod لِلجَهولِfor the fool بِسِترٍa covering
ماقَضى اللَهُ لِلجَهولِ بِسِترٍ
يَتَلافاهُthat rescues him مِثلَlike حَتفٍa death قاضِdecisive
يَتَلافاهُ مِثلَ حَتفٍ قاضِ
God has decreed no veil for the fool
that shelters him like an all-ending death.
أَفرَطَتbecame excessive لوثَةُthe madness of اِبنِthe son of أَيوبَAyyub وَالشاand the widespread (beginning)
أَفرَطَت لوثَةُ اِبنِ أَيوبَ وَالشا
ئِعُwidespread (completion) مِنof أَفنِthe feebleness of رَأيِهِhis judgment المُستَفاضِwidely reported
ئِعُ مِن أَفنِ رَأيِهِ المُستَفاضِ
Ibn Ayyub's madness is excessive, as is the notorious
feebleness of his judgment, spread far and wide.
جامِحٌheadstrong فيagainst العِنانِthe rein لايَسمَعُhe does not heed الزَجrebuke (beginning)
جامِحٌ في العِنانِ لايَسمَعُ الزَج
رَrebuke (completion) وَلاand not يَنثَنيyields إِلىto الرُوّاضِthe trainers
رَ وَلا يَنثَني إِلى الرُوّاضِ
Headstrong against the rein, he heeds no rebuke
and will not yield to the trainers.
زاعِمٌclaiming أَنَّthat طَيفَthe dream-phantom of بِدعَةَBidʿa قَدindeed أَنscarred (beginning)
زاعِمٌ أَنَّ طَيفَ بِدعَةَ قَد أَن
دَبَscarred (completion) بِالنَهسِwith nipping جِلدَهُhis skin وَالعِضاضِand biting
دَبَ بِالنَهسِ جِلدَهُ وَالعِضاضِ
He claims that Bidʿa's dream-phantom has scarred
his skin with nipping and biting.
أَخَيالاتُare these phantoms خُرَّدٍof shy maidens أَمor خَيالاphantoms (beginning)
أَخَيالاتُ خُرَّدٍ أَم خَيالا
تُphantoms (completion) سِباعٍof beasts of prey وَحشِيَةٍwild فيin غِياضِthickets
تُ سِباعٍ وَحشِيَةٍ في غِياضِ
Are these phantoms of shy maidens, or phantoms
of wild beasts of prey in thickets?
حَرَضٌa wasted wretch هالِكُruined الرَوِّيَةِin judgment مَغروdeluded (beginning)
حَرَضٌ هالِكُ الرَوِّيَةِ مَغرو
رٌdeluded (completion) بِهَلكيby doomed men مِنfrom جَمِهِhis throng أَحراضِwasted wretches
رٌ بِهَلكي مِن جَمِهِ أَحراضِ
A wasted wretch, his judgment ruined, deluded
by doomed men from his throng, all wasted wretches.
أَجلَبواthey mustered noisily تَحتَbeneath غابَةٍa forest مِنof قَناspears الal- (the)
أَجلَبوا تَحتَ غابَةٍ مِن قَنا ال
خَطِّKhatt وَزَعفٍand supple mail مِنَof الحَديدِiron مُفاضِample and flowing
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 breach
مُدَّةً ثُمَّ أَقشَعوا لِإِنخِراقٍ
فاحِشٍgaping مِنin جُموعِهِمtheir ranks وَاِنفِضاضِand dispersal
فاحِشٍ مِن جُموعِهِم وَاِنفِضاضِ
For a time; then they dispersed because of a breach
gaping in their ranks, and a rout.
بَعدَafter ماthat إِستَغرَقواthey exhausted النِهايَةَthe utmost limit فيin النَزdrawing the bow (beginning)
بَعدَ ما إِستَغرَقوا النِهايَةَ في النَز
عِdrawing the bow (completion) وَأَفنواand exhausted مَذخورَthe stored supply ماof what فيwas in الوِفاضِthe quivers
عِ وَأَفنوا مَذخورَ ما في الوِفاضِ
After they had drawn their bows to the utmost
and exhausted the stores within their quivers.
غَلَبَتهُمovercame them آراءُthe counsels of أَغلَبَa thick-necked lion فَبّاseizer (uncertain reading; beginning)
غَلَبَتهُم آراءُ أَغلَبَ فَبّا
ضِseizer (completion) العَشِيّاتِat evenings مِنfrom بَنيthe sons of الفَيّاضِal-Fayyad
ضِ العَشِيّاتِ مِن بَني الفَيّاضِ
They were bested by the counsels of a lion, a hunter
at evening, from Banu al-Fayyad.
سَدَّclosed off تَدبيرُهُhis planning الفَضاءَthe open space عَلَيهِمagainst them
سَدَّ تَدبيرُهُ الفَضاءَ عَلَيهِم
بَعدَafter شَغبٍtumult مِنfrom دَرئِهِمtheir resistance وَاِعتِراضِand obstruction
بَعدَ شَغبٍ مِن دَرئِهِم وَاِعتِراضِ
His planning closed the open space against them,
after their noisy resistance and obstruction.
دَهيُthe cunning of عودٍan old camel ماnot إِنan emphatic particle يَزالُceases يُغَوّىbeing lured
دَهيُ عودٍ ما إِن يَزالُ يُغَوّى
غَمرَةًa depth ماnot يَخوضُهاhe wades into it اِبنُa son of مَخاضِa pregnant she-camel
غَمرَةً ما يَخوضُها اِبنُ مَخاضِ
The cunning of an old camel, ever drawn into
a depth no yearling camel can wade.
إِنif تَعاطَواthey undertake تِلكَthose المَكايِدِstratagems ضاعواthey become lost
إِن تَعاطَوا تِلكَ المَكايِدِ ضاعوا
فيin مَسافاتِهاtheir expanses الطِوالِlong العِراضِwide
في مَسافاتِها الطِوالِ العِراضِ
If they attempt those stratagems, they lose their way
in their long and wide expanses.
لَيسَhe is not مِنof عُصبَةٍa band إِذاwhen اِستَأنَفواthey begin anew السَعstriving (beginning)
لَيسَ مِن عُصبَةٍ إِذا اِستَأنَفوا السَع
يَstriving (completion) فيin تَسافُلٍlowliness وَاِنخِفاضِand abasement
يَ في تَسافُلٍ وَاِنخِفاضِ
He is not of a band who, when they begin
their striving, sink into lowliness and abasement,
أَوor تَوَخّواthey seek صِيانَةًsafekeeping كانَتِwas الأَمwealth (beginning)
أَو تَوَخّوا صِيانَةً كانَتِ الأَم
والُwealth (completion) أَولىmore deserving بِهاof it مِنَthan الأَعراضِhonor
والُ أَولى بِها مِنَ الأَعراضِ
Or, when seeking to safeguard something, hold their wealth
more deserving of protection than their honor.
مابَرِحناwe have never ceased نَرجوto hope for عُلُوَّthe rise of عَلِيٍّʿAli
مابَرِحنا نَرجو عُلُوَّ عَلِيٍّ
لِإِجتِبارِto restore المُطَلَّحِthe exhausted المُنهاضِthe broken
لِإِجتِبارِ المُطَلَّحِ المُنهاضِ
We have never ceased to hope for ʿAli's rise,
to restore the exhausted, broken man,
وَأَيادٍand favors مُبيَضَّةٍmade white وَالأَياديand favors
وَأَيادٍ مُبيَضَّةٍ وَالأَيادي
فَضلُهاtheir merit أَنthat تَكونَthey be ذاتَpossessing اِبيِضاضِwhiteness
فَضلُها أَن تَكونَ ذاتَ اِبيِضاضِ
And for favors shining white—for favors
have their excellence in being white—
وَدُيونٍand debts مَضمونَةٍguaranteed مِنfrom عِداتٍpromises
وَدُيونٍ مَضمونَةٍ مِن عِداتٍ
كَضَمانِlike the guarantee of الأَعدادِperennial springs مِلءَthe filling of الحِياضِthe pools
كَضَمانِ الأَعدادِ مِلءَ الحِياضِ
And for debts guaranteed by promises,
as perennial springs guarantee the filling of pools.
فَاِلتَهَنّيso enjoyment بِهِنَّof them قَبلَbefore التَعَزّيseeking consolation
فَاِلتَهَنّي بِهِنَّ قَبلَ التَعَزّي
راهِنٌis assured وَالقَضاءُand payment قَبلَbefore التَقاضيdemanding payment
راهِنٌ وَالقَضاءُ قَبلَ التَقاضي
So enjoyment of them, before any need for consolation,
is assured, and payment comes before demand.
بِأَبيmy father be your ransom أَنتَyou أَوَّلُthe first مَنwho حَوturned (beginning)
بِأَبي أَنتَ أَوَّلُ مَن حَو
وَلَنيturned me (completion) عَنaway from تَحَشُّميmy bashfulness وَاِنقِباضيand my reserve
وَلَني عَن تَحَشُّمي وَاِنقِباضي
My father be your ransom! You are the first to turn
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
Generosity in any but you is only a tale
of people long gone and deeds of the past.
قَدindeed تَلافىrescued القَريضَpoetry جودُكَyour bounty فَإِرand was borne away wounded (beginning)
قَد تَلافى القَريضَ جودُكَ فَإِر
تُثَّwas borne away wounded (completion) لَقىًa castaway مُشفِياًon the verge عَلىof الإِنقِراضِextinction
تُثَّ لَقىً مُشفِياً عَلى الإِنقِراضِ
Your bounty has rescued poetry and borne it away—
a wounded castaway on the brink of extinction.
نِعَمٌgifts أَبدَتِrevealed المَصونَwhat was guarded المُغَطّىthe covered
نِعَمٌ أَبدَتِ المَصونَ المُغَطّى
مِنهُwithin it تَحتَunder الخُفوتِsilence وَالإِغماضِand neglect
مِنهُ تَحتَ الخُفوتِ وَالإِغماضِ
Gifts that revealed what lay guarded and covered
within it, beneath silence and neglect,
كَالغَواديlike morning rains أَظهَرنَthey brought forth كُلَّevery جَنِيٍّripe fruit
كَالغَوادي أَظهَرنَ كُلَّ جَنِيٍّ
مُستَسِرٍّhidden فيin زاهِراتِthe flowering parts of الرِياضِthe gardens
مُستَسِرٍّ في زاهِراتِ الرِياضِ
Like morning rains that bring forth every ripe fruit
hidden in the flowering gardens.
Sol 6.1