عَهديmy recollection بِرَبعِكَof your dwelling مُثَّلاًstanding upright آرامُهُits gazelles
عَهدي بِرَبعِكَ مُثَّلاً آرامُهُ
يُجلىis dispelled بَضَوءِby the light of خُدودِهِنَّtheir cheeks ظَلامُهُits darkness
يُجلى بَضَوءِ خُدودِهِنَّ ظَلامُهُ
I remember your dwelling, its gazelles standing there,
My pledge to you is serenity,
its darkness dispelled by the light of their cheeks.
Its darkness dispelled by their radiant cheeks.
إِلمامَةًa brief visit بِالدارِto the dwelling إِنَّindeed مُتَيَّماًa lovesick man
إِلمامَةً بِالدارِ إِنَّ مُتَيَّماً
يَكفيهِsuffices him أَكثَرَmost of شَوقِهِhis longing إِلمامُهُhis brief visit
يَكفيهِ أَكثَرَ شَوقِهِ إِلمامُهُ
A brief visit to the dwelling! For a lovesick man
As guide in my house, my longing for you
finds a brief visit enough to ease most of his longing.
Suffices me, greater than all other desire.
أَمسىat evening يُضَرِّمُkindles فيwithin جَوانِحِهِhis breast الجَوىburning longing
أَمسى يُضَرِّمُ في جَوانِحِهِ الجَوى
بَرقٌlightning يَشُبُّflares up مَعَwith العَشِيِّthe evening ضِرامُهُits blaze
بَرقٌ يَشُبُّ مَعَ العَشِيِّ ضِرامُهُ
At evening, longing within his breast is kindled
In his breast at night kindles a flame
by lightning whose blaze flares up at dusk.
That flares as darkness gathers.
لَيلٌa night يُصادِفُنيmeets me وَمُرهَفَةَand a slender woman الحَشاof waist
لَيلٌ يُصادِفُني وَمُرهَفَةَ الحَشا
ضِدَّينِtwo opposites أَسهَرُهُI spend it awake لَهاfor her وَتَنامُهُand she sleeps through it
ضِدَّينِ أَسهَرُهُ لَها وَتَنامُهُ
Night finds me and a slender-waisted woman
A night that finds me sleepless, while my love
as opposites: I stay awake through it for her, while she sleeps it away.
Slumbers, my wakefulness her lullaby.
مَحجوبَةٌveiled فَإِذاand when بَدَتshe appears فَكَأَنَّهاthen as though she were
مَحجوبَةٌ فَإِذا بَدَت فَكَأَنَّها
بَدرُthe full moon of السَماءِheaven تَمامُهُits fullness وَمُرامُهُand its being sought
بَدرُ السَماءِ تَمامُهُ وَمُرامُهُ
Veiled from sight; but when she appears, she seems
Veiled, she seems the full moon in sky
heaven's full moon, perfect and longed for.
At its peak, its perfection complete.
وَلَقَدand indeed لَقيتُI met فَماbut not اِنتَفَعتُI benefited ضَحِيَّةًat midmorning
وَلَقَد لَقيتُ فَما اِنتَفَعتُ ضَحِيَّةً
بِلِقاءِfrom meeting مَنsomeone لاnot يُستَطاعُis possible كَلامُهُhis speech
بِلِقاءِ مَن لا يُستَطاعُ كَلامُهُ
I met her at midmorning, yet gained nothing
I met her, but no use was my sacrifice,
from meeting one with whom I could not speak.
For her words cannot be comprehended.
وَمُسَلِّمٍand a greeter يَومَon the day of الوَضاعِparting (apparently intended) شِفاؤُهُhis cure
وَمُسَلِّمٍ يَومَ الوَضاعِ شِفاؤُهُ
مِمّاfrom what يُعانيhe suffers أَنthat يُرَدَّbe returned سَلامُهُhis greeting
مِمّا يُعاني أَن يُرَدَّ سَلامُهُ
And many a greeter on the day of parting finds his cure
A greeter, his cure the day we part
for what he suffers in having his greeting returned.
Is that his greeting be returned.
سُقيَmay be watered اللِوىal-Liwa حَوذانُهُits buttercups وَعَرارُهُand its yellow daisies
سُقيَ اللِوى حَوذانُهُ وَعَرارُهُ
وَسَيالُهُand its acacias وَأَراكُهُand its arak trees وَبَشامُهُand its balsam trees
وَسَيالُهُ وَأَراكُهُ وَبَشامُهُ
May al-Liwa be watered—its buttercups and yellow daisies,
The valley's streams were watered, Harran and Sail
its acacias, arak trees, and balsam trees.
And Arak, Bisham too, were sated.
فَلَرُبَّfor many a عَيشٍlife بِاللِوىat al-Liwa لَمnot تُستَرَدwere restored
فَلَرُبَّ عَيشٍ بِاللِوى لَم تُستَرَد
حُسناًin beauty لَياليهِits nights وَلاnor أَيّامُهُits days
حُسناً لَياليهِ وَلا أَيّامُهُ
For many a life at al-Liwa, there was no restoring
Yet many who reveled in passion
its nights in their beauty, nor its days.
Saw not their nights or days improved.
مَنwho مُبلِغٌwill convey عَنّيon my behalf الوَزيرَto the vizier وَإِنeven if أَتىcomes
مَن مُبلِغٌ عَنّي الوَزيرَ وَإِن أَتى
مِنfrom دونِهِbefore him خَرقٌa vast wasteland يَمورُsurges ظَلامُهُits darkness
مِن دونِهِ خَرقٌ يَمورُ ظَلامُهُ
Who will tell the vizier on my behalf, though there lies
Who will convey from me to the minister,
between us a vast waste whose darkness churns,
Though veiled in darkness his abode,
أَنَّthat الوَفاءَloyalty كَعَهدِهِas he knew it لَمnot يُنتَقَضbe broken
أَنَّ الوَفاءَ كَعَهدِهِ لَم يُنتَقَض
وَالشُكرَand gratitude وافِيَةٌcomplete لَهُto him أَقسامُهُits portions
وَالشُكرَ وافِيَةٌ لَهُ أَقسامُهُ
that loyalty remains as he knew it, unbroken,
That loyalty to him remains unbroken,
and every portion of gratitude is paid to him in full?
Gratitude encompassing its parts,
أَجمَمتُI let rest نائِلَهُhis bounty وَلَيسَand is not بِزائِدٍadding
أَجمَمتُ نائِلَهُ وَلَيسَ بِزائِدٍ
فيto نَحرِthe breast of دِجلَةَthe Tigris إِذwhen طَماit overflowed إِجمامُهُits being spared
في نَحرِ دِجلَةَ إِذ طَما إِجمامُهُ
I let his bounty rest; but letting it rest adds nothing
I gathered its obtainment and exceeded not
to the Tigris's breast when it overflows.
The Tigris, though it brimmed over.
وَلَبِثتُand I stayed عَنهُaway from him لَبثَthe stay of مُؤثِرِone preferring راحَةٍrest
وَلَبِثتُ عَنهُ لَبثَ مُؤثِرِ راحَةٍ
لَقيَتهُmet him مِنfrom بَعدِafter العِراقِIraq شَآمُهُhis Syria
لَقيَتهُ مِن بَعدِ العِراقِ شَآمُهُ
I stayed away from him like one who prefers rest,
I left him for a time of rest
whom his Syria welcomed after Iraq.
And found him after, his destination Sham.
وَنوافِلٌand gifts مِنfrom أَحمَدَAhmad بنِson of مُحَمَّدٍMuhammad
وَنوافِلٌ مِن أَحمَدَ بنِ مُحَمَّدٍ
أَعتامُI choose مِنهُنَّfrom them الَّذيthat which أَعتامُهُI choose it
أَعتامُ مِنهُنَّ الَّذي أَعتامُهُ
And gifts from Ahmad ibn Muhammad—
Supererogations from Ahmad ibn Muhammad
I choose from them whatever I please.
Whose authenticity was proven.
خَلَفَتsucceeded يَدَيكَyour two hands يَضاهُhis two hands (apparently intended) فِيَّfor me وَإِنَّماand only
خَلَفَت يَدَيكَ يَضاهُ فِيَّ وَإِنَّما
هُوَhe وَبلُهُits downpour وَرَذاذُهُand its drizzle وَرِهامُهُand its fine rain
هُوَ وَبلُهُ وَرَذاذُهُ وَرِهامُهُ
His two hands have replaced yours for me; he is only
Your gifts to me contend and yet
its downpour, its drizzle, and its gentle rain.
They, and the showers and spears preceding,
مُغلَmaking costly رِقابَthe necks of المَكرُماتِnoble deeds بِسُؤدَدٍwith eminence
مُغلَ رِقابَ المَكرُماتِ بِسُؤدَدٍ
يَبتاعُهُhe purchases it أَوor سُؤدَدٍeminence يَستامُهُhe bids for it
يَبتاعُهُ أَو سُؤدَدٍ يَستامُهُ
He makes the necks of noble deeds costly with eminence
Adorn the necks of the honored with necklaces,
that he purchases, or eminence for which he bids.
Bought or gifted that he endows.
كافٍcapable إِذاwhen أَلقىhe confronts المُهِمَّa grave affair بِرَأيِهِwith his judgment
كافٍ إِذا أَلقى المُهِمَّ بِرَأيِهِ
بَدءًat the outset سَواءٌalike عَزمُهُhis resolve وَحُسامُهُand his sword
بَدءً سَواءٌ عَزمُهُ وَحُسامُهُ
Capable when he confronts a grave affair with his judgment;
When faced with matters weighty, his resolve
from the outset, his resolve and his sword are alike.
Suffices, his determination a sword.
وَوَلِيُّand master of مَأثُرَتَينِtwo glories لاnot أَرماحُهُhis spears
وَوَلِيُّ مَأثُرَتَينِ لا أَرماحُهُ
طاشَتmissed عَوامِلُهاtheir points وَلاnor أَقلامُهُhis pens
طاشَت عَوامِلُها وَلا أَقلامُهُ
Master of two glories: neither his spears
The guardian of two glories, neither lances
have missed with their points, nor have his pens.
Nor pens surpassed his agents.
بَدآتُهُhis unprompted acts بِنَوالِهِwith his gifts إِغناؤُناenriching us
بَدآتُهُ بِنَوالِهِ إِغناؤُنا
مِنfrom عُدمِناour poverty وَسُؤالُناand our asking إِعدامُهُhis impoverishment
مِن عُدمِنا وَسُؤالُنا إِعدامُهُ
His unprompted giving enriches us
From poverty he enriched us,
out of poverty; our asking impoverishes him.
Our need and asking but to praise him.
مُلقٍsetting يَدَيهِhis two hands إِلىto ابتِناءِbuilding مَكارِمٍnoble deeds
مُلقٍ يَدَيهِ إِلى ابتِناءِ مَكارِمٍ
تَنسىyou forget وَتَذكُرُand you remember ماwhat بَنىbuilt بِسِطامُهُhis Bistam
تَنسى وَتَذكُرُ ما بَنى بِسِطامُهُ
He sets both hands to building noble deeds;
Extending his hands to virtuous works,
you forget and recall what his Bistam built.
His foundations forget and remember.
وَبَديهَةٍand a sudden favor مِنfrom طَولِهِhis bounty لَمnot تُرتَقَبwas anticipated
وَبَديهَةٍ مِن طَولِهِ لَم تُرتَقَب
وافاكَcame to you مُبتَدِئاًtaking the initiative بِهاwith it إِنعامُهُhis beneficence
وافاكَ مُبتَدِئاً بِها إِنعامُهُ
And many an unforeseen kindness from his bounty—
Expected without warning was his favor,
his generosity brought it to you of its own accord.
His gift only a beginning.
كَالسَيلِlike a flood أَصبَحَcame at morning فيat ذُراكَyour heights أَتِيُّهُits oncoming waters
كَالسَيلِ أَصبَحَ في ذُراكَ أَتِيُّهُ
وَالصُبحُand the morning مُصحٍclear ماnot يُحَسُّis perceived غَمامُهُits cloud
وَالصُبحُ مُصحٍ ما يُحَسُّ غَمامُهُ
Like a flood whose rushing waters reach your heights at dawn,
It came like a torrent in your valleys,
while morning is clear, with no cloud to be perceived.
Dawn dispersing the clouds' veil.
أَرضاهُI am pleased with him كُفؤُa match for مُلِمَّةٍa calamity تَعطوreaches out لَهاtoward it
أَرضاهُ كُفؤُ مُلِمَّةٍ تَعطو لَها
يَدُهُhis hand وَيَهتِكُand tears apart هَولَهاits terror إِقدامُهُhis courage
يَدُهُ وَيَهتِكُ هَولَها إِقدامُهُ
I am pleased with him, a match for the calamity toward which
Pleasing him was matching a violent lion,
his hand reaches, and whose terror his courage tears apart.
His hand subduing its fury.
وَإِذاand when الصَديقُthe friend نَباturns away عَلَيَّfrom me تَلَوِّياًtwisting aside
وَإِذا الصَديقُ نَبا عَلَيَّ تَلَوِّياً
لَمnot يَنبُwavers مُعتَدِلُstraight الطَريقِthe path مُقامُهُhis stance
لَم يَنبُ مُعتَدِلُ الطَريقِ مُقامُهُ
And when a friend turns away from me, twisting aside,
When the friend curved toward me crookedly,
his stance on the straight path does not waver.
He proceeded upright, halting not.
وَلَقَدand indeed أَرادَintended بِيَagainst me العَدُوُّthe enemy تَهَضُّماًoppression
وَلَقَد أَرادَ بِيَ العَدُوُّ تَهَضُّماً
فَأَباهُso he refused it آبيone refusing الضَيمِoppression حينَwhen يُسامُهُit is imposed on him
فَأَباهُ آبي الضَيمِ حينَ يُسامُهُ
The enemy did intend to wrong me,
The enemy wished to wrong me,
but the man who refuses oppression when it is imposed rejected it.
But my protector from injustice refused.
أَنساهُI forget him إِذwhen أَلقىcast الزَمانُTime بِساحَتيinto my courtyard
أَنساهُ إِذ أَلقى الزَمانُ بِساحَتي
خَطباًa calamity يُخافُis feared تَمامُهُits culmination وَدَوامُهُand its continuance
خَطباً يُخافُ تَمامُهُ وَدَوامُهُ
Could I forget him, when Time cast into my courtyard
He made me forget when time
a calamity whose culmination and continuance were feared?
Brought fears, lasting, persisting.
وَقِيامُهُand his stand دونيin my defense إِذاwhen اِلتَقَتِgathered العِدىthe foes
وَقِيامُهُ دوني إِذا اِلتَقَتِ العِدى
قَصديagainst me وَإِذand when لَجَإِrefuge (text unclear) الحَريزُimpregnable قِيامُهُhis stand
قَصدي وَإِذ لَجَإِ الحَريزُ قِيامُهُ
His stand in my defense, when foes joined forces
His standing by me when enemies approached,
against me, when his stand was an impregnable refuge,
My goal, and when shelter was his stance.
أَمرٌa deed تَوَلّىundertook حَمدُهُhis praise وَثَناؤُهُand his commendation
أَمرٌ تَوَلّى حَمدُهُ وَثَناؤُهُ
وَأَبَذَّand overtook قَوماًsome men ذَمُّهُits blame وَأَثامُهُand its guilt
وَأَبَذَّ قَوماً ذَمُّهُ وَأَثامُهُ
was a deed that won him praise and commendation,
A matter whose praise and thanks
while its blame and guilt overtook other men.
Some blamed while others found fault.
مُتَبَيِّنٌdiscerning لِلحَقِّwhat is due قَبلَbefore وُقوعِهِits occurrence
مُتَبَيِّنٌ لِلحَقِّ قَبلَ وُقوعِهِ
هَضّامُconstantly diminishing جانِبِthe flank of مالِهِhis wealth ظَلّامُهُits relentless oppressor
هَضّامُ جانِبِ مالِهِ ظَلّامُهُ
He recognizes what is due before its occasion comes,
Evident of truth before its occurrence,
wearing down his wealth's flank, relentlessly wronging it.
Dispelling the darkness of his doubter's side.
وَرَأَيتُand I have seen مَعروفَthe kindness of الكَريمِthe generous man يَزينُهُadorns it
وَرَأَيتُ مَعروفَ الكَريمِ يَزينُهُ
تَعجيلُهُhastening it عَنahead of وَقتِهِits time وَتَمامُهُand its completion
تَعجيلُهُ عَن وَقتِهِ وَتَمامُهُ
I have seen a generous man's kindness adorned
And I saw the beautiful in one adorned
by being hastened ahead of its time and given in full.
By haste, not waiting to perfect.
وَدَليلُand the sign of عامِthe year of الخَصبِfertility عِندَto مُجَرِّبٍan experienced man
وَدَليلُ عامِ الخَصبِ عِندَ مُجَرِّبٍ
تَبكيرُthe early coming of أَوَّلِthe first of زَهرِهِits blossoms وَتُؤامُهُand its twin blossoms
تَبكيرُ أَوَّلِ زَهرِهِ وَتُؤامُهُ
The sign of a fertile year, to an experienced man,
And a sign of a fertile year to one experienced
is the early coming of its first blossoms and their twins.
Is the early bloom of its first flower.
Sol 6.1