شَطَّhas grown distant مِنfrom ساكِنِthe dweller of الغُوَيرِal-Ghuwayr مَزارُهhis place of visitation
شَطَّ مِن ساكِنِ الغُوَيرِ مَزارُه
وَطَوَتهُand enfolded him البِلادُthe lands فَاللَهُso God جارُهhis protector
وَطَوَتهُ البِلادُ فَاللَهُ جارُه
Far away lies the dwelling of al-Ghuwayr's inhabitant,
and the lands have enfolded him; may God be his protector.
كُلَّevery يَومٍday عَنfrom ذيDhu (place-name element) الأَراكِal-Arak خَليطٌa company of companions
كُلَّ يَومٍ عَن ذي الأَراكِ خَليطٌ
يَلتَويturns away وَصلُهُits bond وَتَعفوand fade away دِيارُهits dwellings
يَلتَوي وَصلُهُ وَتَعفو دِيارُه
Each day a company departs Dhu al-Arak,
its ties faltering, its dwellings fading.
فَسَقاهُمso may it water them وَإِنand even if أَطالَتhas prolonged نَواهُمtheir separation
فَسَقاهُم وَإِن أَطالَت نَواهُم
خِلفَةَthe succession of الدَهرِtime لَيلُهُits night وَنَهارُهand its day
خِلفَةَ الدَهرِ لَيلُهُ وَنَهارُه
May they be watered, though their separation lingers
through time's succession of night and day,
كُلُّevery جَونٍdark raincloud إِذاwhen اِرتَقىrises البَرقُthe lightning فيهِwithin it
كُلُّ جَونٍ إِذا اِرتَقى البَرقُ فيهِ
أوقِدَتis kindled لِلعُيونِfor the eyes بِالماءِwith water نارُهits fire
أوقِدَت لِلعُيونِ بِالماءِ نارُه
by every dark cloud where, as lightning rises,
its fire is kindled with water before the eyes.
إِنif أَقامَit stays اِرتَوىdrink their fill الظِماءُthe thirsty وَإِنand if ساtravels (first part)
إِن أَقامَ اِرتَوى الظِماءُ وَإِن سا
رَcompletion of 'travels' أَقامَتremain أَنيقَةًbeautiful آثارُهits traces
رَ أَقامَت أَنيقَةً آثارُه
If it stays, the thirsty drink their fill; and if it moves on,
its beautiful traces remain,
بِاِتِّفاقٍwith harmony مِنof خُضرَةِthe greenness of الرَوضِthe meadow نَضرٍfresh
بِاِتِّفاقٍ مِن خُضرَةِ الرَوضِ نَضرٍ
وَاِختِلافٍand diversity يُجِدُّهُrenews it نُوّارُهits blossoms
وَاِختِلافٍ يُجِدُّهُ نُوّارُه
with fresh harmony in the meadow's green
and diversity renewed by its blossoms,
كَسُفورِlike the unveiling الفَتاةِof a maiden عَنof حُرِّa noble وَجهٍface
كَسُفورِ الفَتاةِ عَن حُرِّ وَجهٍ
يَتَكافاare evenly matched اِبيِضاضُهُits whiteness وَاِحمِرارُهand its redness
يَتَكافا اِبيِضاضُهُ وَاِحمِرارُه
like a maiden unveiling a noble face,
its whiteness and redness evenly balanced.
عيلَis exhausted صَبرُthe patience of المُحِبِّthe lover مِمّاby what يُلاقيhe encounters
عيلَ صَبرُ المُحِبِّ مِمّا يُلاقي
هِit وَلاand no غَروَwonder أَنthat يُعالَbe exhausted اِصطِبارُهhis endurance
هِ وَلا غَروَ أَن يُعالَ اِصطِبارُه
The lover's patience is exhausted by what he suffers;
and no wonder his endurance should give out.
يَبتَغيseeks المَرءُa person وَقفَةَconstancy of العَيشِlife وَالعَيand life (first part)
يَبتَغي المَرءُ وَقفَةَ العَيشِ وَالعَي
شُcompletion of 'life' سِجالٌalternating fortunes كَثيرَةٌmany أَطوارُهits phases
شُ سِجالٌ كَثيرَةٌ أَطوارُه
A man seeks constancy in life, yet life
is turn and turn about, its phases many.
لاdo not يَهِمَّنَّكَlet it trouble you اِلتِماسَكَyour seeking مِنfrom رَأcounsel (first part)
لا يَهِمَّنَّكَ اِلتِماسَكَ مِن رَأ
يِcompletion of 'counsel' مُعَنّىًone tormented قَصارُهُhis utmost end إِقصارُهhis desisting
يِ مُعَنّىً قَصارُهُ إِقصارُه
Do not trouble yourself seeking the counsel
of one tormented, whose utmost is to desist.
قَدmay يَحولُturn away المُشتاقُthe yearning man عَنfrom مُبرِحِthe agony of الشَوlonging (first part)
قَد يَحولُ المُشتاقُ عَن مُبرِحِ الشَو
قِcompletion of 'longing' وَيَنزاحُand recedes شَجوُهُhis sorrow وَاِدِّكارُهand his remembrance
قِ وَيَنزاحُ شَجوُهُ وَاِدِّكارُه
The yearning man may turn from agonizing longing,
and his sorrow and remembrance recede.
لَيتَwould that شِعريmy knowing عَنِabout اللَئيمِthe base man إِذاwhen ليis blamed (first part)
لَيتَ شِعري عَنِ اللَئيمِ إِذا لي
مَcompletion of 'is blamed' عَلىfor فَرطِthe excess of بُخلِهِhis stinginess ماwhat اِعتِذارُهhis excuse
مَ عَلى فَرطِ بُخلِهِ ما اِعتِذارُه
Would that I knew, when a base man is reproached
for his excessive stinginess, what excuse he makes!
وَالجَوادُand the generous man المَوصوفُrenowned لَوif لَمnot يَعِبهُmar him
وَالجَوادُ المَوصوفُ لَو لَم يَعِبهُ
شُحُّهُhis stinginess بِالفَعالِwith noble deeds وَاِستِئثارُهand his monopolizing them
شُحُّهُ بِالفَعالِ وَاِستِئثارُه
And the man famed for bounty—if only he were not marred
by his jealous hoarding of noble deeds, claiming them alone!
عَوَّلَتled بيme عَلىto rely on عَلِيٍّAli خِلالٌvirtues
عَوَّلَت بي عَلى عَلِيٍّ خِلالٌ
فيهِin him مِنهاamong them عُلُوُّهُhis eminence وَفَخارُهand his glory
فيهِ مِنها عُلُوُّهُ وَفَخارُه
Virtues led me to place my trust in Ali;
among those in him are his eminence and glory.
طَلَبَتsought سَعيَهُhis striving الرِجالُmen وَيَأبىand refuses الthe (joined to 'sea')
طَلَبَت سَعيَهُ الرِجالُ وَيَأبى ال
بَحرُsea إِلّاexcept أَلّاthat not يُخاضَbe waded غِمارُهits depths
بَحرُ إِلّا أَلّا يُخاضَ غِمارُه
Men sought to match his striving, but
the sea refuses to let its depths be waded through.
يَدُهُhis hand أَوor لِسانُهُhis tongue شُغلُthe concern of الحاthe crisis (first part)
يَدُهُ أَو لِسانُهُ شُغلُ الحا
دِثِcompletion of 'the crisis' وَالسَيفُand the sword مَتنُهُits flat أَوor غِرارُهits cutting edge
دِثِ وَالسَيفُ مَتنُهُ أَو غِرارُه
His hand or tongue deals with each crisis—
a sword, whether its flat or its cutting edge.
المُرَجّىhoped for نَوالُهُhis bounty وَالمُعَلّىand exalted
المُرَجّى نَوالُهُ وَالمُعَلّى
بَيتُهُhis house وَالكَريمُand noble عِتقاًin noble birth نِجارُهhis lineage
بَيتُهُ وَالكَريمُ عِتقاً نِجارُه
His bounty is hoped for; exalted
is his house, his lineage pure and noble.
أَنجَبَتهُbegot him أَحرارُthe nobles of فارِسَPersia حُرَّnoble in النَفsoul (first part)
أَنجَبَتهُ أَحرارُ فارِسَ حُرَّ النَف
سِcompletion of 'soul' وَالبَيتُand the house خَيرُهُits best أَحرارُهits nobles
سِ وَالبَيتُ خَيرُهُ أَحرارُه
The nobles of Persia begot him noble of soul;
and the best of a house are its nobles.
لَهُمthey have رَغبَةٌa longing تُساقُis drawn إِلَيهِtoward him
لَهُم رَغبَةٌ تُساقُ إِلَيهِ
وَرِضىًand satisfaction حينَwhen تُبتَلىare tested أَخبارُهreports of him
وَرِضىً حينَ تُبتَلى أَخبارُه
Their longing is drawn toward him,
and they are pleased when reports of him are tested.
وَمَدارٌand an orbit عَلَيهِaround him وَالفَلَكُand the celestial sphere الضَخvast (first part)
وَمَدارٌ عَلَيهِ وَالفَلَكُ الضَخ
مُcompletion of 'vast' عَلىaround كَوكَبِthe star السِماكِal-Simak مَدارُهits orbit
مُ عَلى كَوكَبِ السِماكِ مَدارُه
They revolve around him; the vast celestial sphere
revolves around the star al-Simak.
أَفرَصَتهُgave him opportunity العُلاhigh honors فَأَصبَحَso he began يَختاchoosing (first part)
أَفرَصَتهُ العُلا فَأَصبَحَ يَختا
رُcompletion of 'choosing' اِصطِفاءًby selection مِنهاfrom them الَّذيthat which يَختارُهhe chooses it
رُ اِصطِفاءً مِنها الَّذي يَختارُه
High honors gave him his chance, and he began choosing
from them, selecting whatever he desired.
لَمnot يَكُنwas وَسمُهُنَّtheir branding قَرضاًa loan يُؤَدّيhe repays (first part)
لَم يَكُن وَسمُهُنَّ قَرضاً يُؤَدّي
هِit وَلاand not رِقُّهُنَّtheir bondage عِلقاًa prized possession يُعارُهlent to him
هِ وَلا رِقُّهُنَّ عِلقاً يُعارُه
Their branding was no loan he must repay,
nor their bondage a treasure lent to him.
غُرَّwere deluded مِنهُabout him الجُهّالُthe ignorant حَتّىuntil تَرَدّواthey fell to ruin
غُرَّ مِنهُ الجُهّالُ حَتّى تَرَدّوا
وَقَديماًand long since أَردىbrought to ruin الجَهولَthe fool اِغتِرارُهhis self-delusion
وَقَديماً أَردى الجَهولَ اِغتِرارُه
Fools were deluded about him until they fell to ruin;
and long has self-delusion brought the fool to ruin.
بَدَأواthey began غَفلَةًa heedless act وَثَنّواand followed up بِأُخرىwith another
بَدَأوا غَفلَةً وَثَنّوا بِأُخرى
وَاِنصِداعُand the cracking of الزُجاجِglass ثُمَّthen اِنكِسارُهits shattering
وَاِنصِداعُ الزُجاجِ ثُمَّ اِنكِسارُه
They began with one heedless act, then followed with another;
glass cracks, and then it shatters.
يَتَقَصّىfully pursues ضَمانُهُhis guarantee دَرَكَredress of الخَطcalamity (first part)
يَتَقَصّى ضَمانُهُ دَرَكَ الخَط
بِcompletion of 'calamity' وَيُعديand grants redress عَلىagainst الزَمانِTime جِوارُهhis protection
بِ وَيُعدي عَلى الزَمانِ جِوارُه
His pledge secures full remedy for calamity,
and his protection grants redress against Time.
نِعمَhow excellent باديan initiator of الفَعالِdeeds يُرجىis hoped for جَداهُhis bounty
نِعمَ بادي الفَعالِ يُرجى جَداهُ
وَرِباطُand a bond of التَدبيرِgovernance يُخشىis feared اِنتِشارُهits unravelling
وَرِباطُ التَدبيرِ يُخشى اِنتِشارُه
What a fine initiator of deeds, whose bounty is hoped for,
and a bond of governance whose unravelling is feared!
فَمَتىso whenever فاضَoverflows مِنfrom أَكُفِّthe palms of بَنيthe sons of الفَياal-Fayyad (first part)
فَمَتى فاضَ مِن أَكُفِّ بَني الفَيا
ضِcompletion of 'al-Fayyad' نَيلٌa gift فَالنَيلُthen the Nile وَاِستِبحارُهand its sea-like fullness
ضِ نَيلٌ فَالنَيلُ وَاِستِبحارُه
Whenever from the palms of Banu al-Fayyad there overflows
a bounty—it is the Nile in its sea-like fullness.
يَحتَويencompasses نَشرَهُمtheir scattered company وَقَدand already مَلَأواthey have filled الأَرthe earth (first part)
يَحتَوي نَشرَهُم وَقَد مَلَأوا الأَر
ضَcompletion of 'the earth' نُجودُthe uplands of العاقولِal-Aqul أَوor أَغوارُهits lowlands
ضَ نُجودُ العاقولِ أَو أَغوارُه
Their scattered company, though they have filled the earth, is encompassed
by al-Aqul's uplands or its lowlands.
أَنزَلَتهُمsettled them فيهِthere دِيارَthe dwellings of إِيادٍIyad
أَنزَلَتهُم فيهِ دِيارَ إِيادٍ
وَقَعاتُblows of الصَفيحِthe broad blade تَدمىbleed شِفارُهits edges
وَقَعاتُ الصَفيحِ تَدمى شِفارُه
They were settled there in the dwellings of Iyad
by blows of sword-blades, their edges bleeding.
مَنزِلٌa dwelling لاتَزالُnever cease تَسريtravel by night إِلَيهِtoward it
مَنزِلٌ لاتَزالُ تَسري إِلَيهِ
طُرُقُthe paths of الرُغبِdesire قائِماتٍstanding مَنارُهits beacons
طُرُقُ الرُغبِ قائِماتٍ مَنارُه
A dwelling toward which there ever run by night
the paths of desire, its beacons standing.
كَمhow many أَضافواthey hosted خَليفَةًa caliph فيهِin it فَخماًmajestic
كَم أَضافوا خَليفَةً فيهِ فَخماً
وَأَميراًand an emir ضَخماًmighty يُخافُis feared حِوارُهhis encounter
وَأَميراً ضَخماً يُخافُ حِوارُه
How many a majestic caliph they have hosted there,
and a mighty emir whose encounter is feared!
وَإِذاand when النَهرَوانُthe Nahrawan ساحَflows عَلَيهِمover them
وَإِذا النَهرَوانُ ساحَ عَلَيهِم
وَتَقَرَّتand seek out رِباعَهُمtheir homesteads أَنهارُهits streams
وَتَقَرَّت رِباعَهُم أَنهارُه
And when the Nahrawan spreads over them,
and its streams seek out their homesteads,
راحَbecomes عَنهُfrom it الزَيتونُthe olive trees مُتَّسِعَspreading wide in الأَفshade (first part)
راحَ عَنهُ الزَيتونُ مُتَّسِعَ الأَف
ياءِcompletion of 'shade' وَالنَخلُand the palms باسِقاًrising high جُمّارُهits palm-hearts
ياءِ وَالنَخلُ باسِقاً جُمّارُه
the olive trees grow from it with spreading shade,
and the palms, their hearts rising high.
أَكمَلَmay perfect اللَهُGod فيin أَباAbu ('father of') الحَسَنِal-Hasan الحُسgoodness (first part)
أَكمَلَ اللَهُ في أَبا الحَسَنِ الحُس
نىcompletion of 'goodness' الَّتيwhich أُغرِيَتare enthralled بِهاby it أَوطارُهhis desires
نى الَّتي أُغرِيَت بِها أَوطارُه
May God perfect in Abu al-Hasan the goodness
to which his desires are devoted.
سَيِّدٌa lord دَأبُهُhis constant practice لَناfor us الدَهرَthrough all time وَفرٌabundance
سَيِّدٌ دَأبُهُ لَنا الدَهرَ وَفرٌ
مِنهُfrom it إِنفاقُthe spending of مُجتَدٍa seeker of bounty وَاِدِّخارُهand his saving
مِنهُ إِنفاقُ مُجتَدٍ وَاِدِّخارُه
A lord whose constant practice brings us lasting plenty,
from which a seeker of bounty spends and saves.
لايَزَلmay ever remain رائِدُthe scout of الحَوادِثِcalamities مُلغىًturned away
لايَزَل رائِدُ الحَوادِثِ مُلغىً
عَنكَfrom you يَعدوكَpasses you by رَيبُهُits ill turns وَعِثارُهand its stumbling
عَنكَ يَعدوكَ رَيبُهُ وَعِثارُه
May the scout of calamities always be turned
away from you; may its perils and pitfalls pass you by.
كَمhow many فَقيدٍa lost one مِنَof التِلادِancestral possessions إِذاwhen نَقinquiry is made (first part)
كَم فَقيدٍ مِنَ التِلادِ إِذا نَق
قَبَcompletion of 'inquiry is made' عَنinto شَأنِهِits condition فَعِندَكَthen with you ثارُهits vengeance
قَبَ عَن شَأنِهِ فَعِندَكَ ثارُه
How many a lost ancestral possession—when inquiry
is made into its fate—has its vengeance in your hands!
أَثَرٌa legacy عَنfrom مُحَمَّدٍMuhammad يَأثُرُhands down المَجglory (first part)
أَثَرٌ عَن مُحَمَّدٍ يَأثُرُ المَج
دَcompletion of 'glory' عَلَيكَto you اِقتِفاؤُهُfollowing it وَاِفتِقارُهand tracing it
دَ عَلَيكَ اِقتِفاؤُهُ وَاِفتِقارُه
A legacy from Muhammad: glory is handed down
to you by following it and tracing its path.
قَدindeed تَطَوَّلتَyou have bestowed generously بِالكَثيرِwith much وَنَقصٌand a failing
قَد تَطَوَّلتَ بِالكَثيرِ وَنَقصٌ
بيin me إِذsince كُنتَyou are فَوقَهُabove it اِستِكثارُهdeeming it abundant
بي إِذ كُنتَ فَوقَهُ اِستِكثارُه
You have indeed bestowed much; it is a failing
in me to deem it much, since you stand above it.
فَإِبقَso remain أُنساًa comfort لَناto us فَماfor never ضَحِكَhas smiled الدَهTime (first part)
فَإِبقَ أُنساً لَنا فَما ضَحِكَ الدَه
رُcompletion of 'Time' إِلَيناupon us إِلّاexcept وَعَنكَand from you اِفتِرارُهits breaking into a smile
رُ إِلَينا إِلّا وَعَنكَ اِفتِرارُه
So remain a comfort to us: Time has never smiled
upon us without revealing you in its smile.
Sol 6.1