حُلّيloosen سُعادُSu'ad غُروضَthe girths of العيسِthe pale camels أَوor سيريjourney on
حُلّي سُعادُ غُروضَ العيسِ أَو سيري
وَأَنجِديand go to the highlands فيin اِلتِماسِseeking الحَظِّfortune أَوor غوريdescend to the lowlands
وَأَنجِدي في اِلتِماسِ الحَظِّ أَو غوري
Loosen the pale camels' girths, Su'ad, or journey on;
My bliss is happiness in the grove of happiness, whether absent or present,
and seek your fortune in the highlands, or descend to the lowlands.
And my succor is in the pursuit of fortune, whether I penetrate or soar aloft.
كُلُّall الَّذيthat which نَتَرَجّاهُwe hope for it وَنَأمُلُهُand we aspire to it
كُلُّ الَّذي نَتَرَجّاهُ وَنَأمُلُهُ
مُضَمَّنٌcontained فيwithin ضَروراتِthe inevitabilities of المَقاديرِfate's decrees
مُضَمَّنٌ في ضَروراتِ المَقاديرِ
All that we hope for and aspire to
All that we hope for and aspire to
is bound within fate's inexorable decrees.
Is predetermined by the compulsions of destiny.
فَماso not يُقَرِّبُbrings nearer تَقريبيmy bringing near شَواسِعَهاtheir far-off outcomes
فَما يُقَرِّبُ تَقريبي شَواسِعَها
وَلاand not يُباعِدُputs farther away ماwhat أَدنَينَthey have brought near تَأخيريmy delaying
وَلا يُباعِدُ ما أَدنَينَ تَأخيري
So my efforts to draw near do not bring their far-off outcomes closer,
So neither does my striving bring its far goal any nearer,
nor does my delay push away what they have brought near.
Nor does my lingering delay the imminence of its advent.
فَلِمthen why أُكَلِّفُdo I burden نَفسيmyself ماwith what أُكَلِّفُهاI burden her with
فَلِم أُكَلِّفُ نَفسي ما أُكَلِّفُها
مِنِof اِتِّصالاتِunceasing sequences تَغليسيmy predawn travel وَتَهجيريand my midday travel
مِنِ اِتِّصالاتِ تَغليسي وَتَهجيري
Why, then, do I burden myself as I do
Why, then, should I weary myself with communications that deceive and exile me,
with my ceaseless travels before dawn and in the midday heat?
With expectations that entrap and banish me?
تَغدوgo forth الكِلابُthe dogs وَلاand no فَضلٌmerit يُعَدُّis counted لَهاfor them
تَغدو الكِلابُ وَلا فَضلٌ يُعَدُّ لَها
سِوىexcept الَّذيthat which بانَbecame apparent مِنfrom نَقصِthe shortcomings of الخَنازيرِthe swine
سِوى الَّذي بانَ مِن نَقصِ الخَنازيرِ
The dogs go forth, with no merit counted theirs
The dogs awake, and yet no merit accrues to them
except what the shortcomings of swine make plain.
Save that which appears in their contrast with swine.
مَتىwhenever تَصَفَّحyou scrutinize خَفِيّاتِthe hidden aspects of الأُمورِaffairs تَجِدyou find
مَتى تَصَفَّح خَفِيّاتِ الأُمورِ تَجِد
فَضلاًan advantage يُبِرُّthat surpasses عَلىover العُميانِthe blind لِلعورِfor the one-eyed
فَضلاً يُبِرُّ عَلى العُميانِ لِلعورِ
Whenever you examine the hidden sides of affairs, you find
When you look closely into the secrets of things, you find
an advantage that puts the one-eyed above the blind.
A merit that shines even on the blind vis-à-vis the one-eyed.
قَدindeed قُلتُI have said لِلرَخَمِto the vultures المَرذولِdespised مَكسَبُهاtheir livelihood
قَد قُلتُ لِلرَخَمِ المَرذولِ مَكسَبُها
خَسَّis paltry الجَداthe bounty فَقَعيso alight إِنif شِئتِyou wish أَوor طيريfly
خَسَّ الجَدا فَقَعي إِن شِئتِ أَو طيري
I have said to the vultures, whose livelihood is despised:
I said to the vile slanderer, "Her trade is despicable:
'The bounty is paltry; alight if you wish, or fly.'
Squat, if you wish, or fly away, if you prefer!"
أَعدَدتُI have prepared وُدَّthe friendship of أَبيAbu نَصرٍNasr وَنُصرَتَهُand his support
أَعدَدتُ وُدَّ أَبي نَصرٍ وَنُصرَتَهُ
لِشِكَّةِagainst the weaponry of الدَهرِTime مِنof نابٍa fang وَأُظفورِand a claw
لِشِكَّةِ الدَهرِ مِن نابٍ وَأُظفورِ
I have readied Abu Nasr's friendship and his support
I made ready my father Abu Nasr's affection and support
against Time's weaponry—fang and claw.
Against the caprices of Time, both fang and claw.
أَعودُI return فيin كُلِّevery يَومٍday مِنthrough تَطَوُّلِهِhis generosity
أَعودُ في كُلِّ يَومٍ مِن تَطَوُّلِهِ
إِلىto مُعادٍa renewal مِنَof الإِحسانِkindness مَكرورِrepeated
إِلى مُعادٍ مِنَ الإِحسانِ مَكرورِ
Each day, through his generosity, I return
Each day, as it lengthens, I return
to kindness renewed and repeated.
To the beneficence of an oft-repeated ritual.
مُهَذَّبٌa refined man تَغمُرُfloods الأَقوامَthe peoples مَسطَتُهُhis largesse (uncertain sense)
مُهَذَّبٌ تَغمُرُ الأَقوامَ مَسطَتُهُ
وَالناسُand the people مِنwhether غامِرٍone overflowing with bounty سُرّواhave rejoiced وَمَغمورِand one flooded by it
وَالناسُ مِن غامِرٍ سُرّوا وَمَغمورِ
A refined man, whose largesse floods entire peoples;
Refined, his universal charm inundates all people,
and all rejoice, those overflowing with bounty and those flooded by it.
While, immersed, they flow and surge like billows.
تَنازَعَتهُclaimed him jointly مُلوكُthe kings of السُغدِSogd وارِثَةًinheriting
تَنازَعَتهُ مُلوكُ السُغدِ وارِثَةً
عَنfrom شِمرِShimr يَرعَشَYar'ash فَخراًglory جِدَّgreatly مَذكورِcelebrated
عَن شِمرِ يَرعَشَ فَخراً جِدَّ مَذكورِ
The kings of Sogd share a claim to his lineage, inheriting
The kings of Soghdia contested his inheritance,
from Shimr Yar'ash a glory greatly celebrated.
Trembling in awe of a prowess both ancient and extolled.
مِنfrom كُلِّevery أَشوَسَfierce lord لَقَّتهُguided him to أَصالَتَهُhis noble lineage
مِن كُلِّ أَشوَسَ لَقَّتهُ أَصالَتَهُ
مَواقِعَthe proper places of الحَزمِprudence مِنin رَأيٍjudgment وَتَدبيرِand planning
مَواقِعَ الحَزمِ مِن رَأيٍ وَتَدبيرِ
From every fierce lord whose noble lineage showed him
At every valiant warrior his origin made fall
where prudence lies in judgment and planning.
The posts of prudent governance through shrewd generalship.
مُرَدَّدٌpassed down repeatedly فيwithin قَديمٍthe antiquity مِنof نَباهَتِهِمtheir eminence
مُرَدَّدٌ في قَديمٍ مِن نَباهَتِهِم
كَالمُشتَريlike Jupiter لَمnot يَكُنwas مُستَحدَثَnewly endowed with النورِlight
كَالمُشتَري لَم يَكُن مُستَحدَثَ النورِ
He is linked through generations to their ancient eminence,
Hesitating, amid their long-standing sagacity,
like Jupiter, whose light was not newly kindled.
Like a buyer whose eye had never looked on light.
ياO حَمدُHamd ماnothing كانَwas فيin حَمدِHamd بنِson of مُنتَصِرٍMuntasir
يا حَمدُ ما كانَ في حَمدِ بنِ مُنتَصِرٍ
إِلّاexcept كَماlike what فيكَis in you مِنof فَضلٍexcellence وَمِنand of خيرِgoodness
إِلّا كَما فيكَ مِن فَضلٍ وَمِن خيرِ
O Hamd, nothing was found in Hamd ibn Muntasir
O Hamd, nothing was in Hamd ibn Muntasir
but excellence and goodness such as yours.
Save what is found in you of merit and bounty.
فَلِمthen why يَقولُsay أُناسٌsome people إِنَّthat رُتبَتَهُhis rank
فَلِم يَقولُ أُناسٌ إِنَّ رُتبَتَهُ
لاnot تُرتَقىcan be reached وَنَداهُand his bounty غَيرُnot مَعسورِhard to obtain
لا تُرتَقى وَنَداهُ غَيرُ مَعسورِ
Why, then, do some people say that his rank
Why, then, do some claim his station is not sublime,
cannot be reached, and his bounty is not hard to obtain?
And his aspiration falls short of the heights?
وَقَدand already نَقَضتَyou have broken down مَراميthe utmost reaches of الجودِgenerosity حَيثُwherever نَحَتthey headed
وَقَد نَقَضتَ مَرامي الجودِ حَيثُ نَحَت
مُثلىthe finest of سَحائِبِكَyour rainclouds الغُرِّthe bright المَباكيرِthe early-rising
مُثلى سَحائِبِكَ الغُرِّ المَباكيرِ
Yet you have broken through generosity's limits, wherever
When you demolished the edifices of munificence
the finest of your bright, early-rising clouds have turned.
Where the rainclouds of your bursting beneficence pelted down.
ماnot كانَwas حَظُّكَyour share فيin العَلياhigh glory بِمُنتَقَصٍdiminished
ما كانَ حَظُّكَ في العَليا بِمُنتَقَصٍ
وَلاand not مُرَجّيكَthe one hoping in you لِلجَدوىfor bounty بِمَغرورِdeceived
وَلا مُرَجّيكَ لِلجَدوى بِمَغرورِ
Your share in high glory is not diminished,
Neither has your share of the sublime been deficient,
nor is anyone hoping for your bounty deceived.
Nor your striving for efficacy been vainglorious.
إِنَّindeed النَوالَthe bounty وَإِنeven if أَكثَرتَyou make abundant مَبلَغَهُits amount
إِنَّ النَوالَ وَإِن أَكثَرتَ مَبلَغَهُ
يَقِلُّis little فيat جَنبِthe side of إِغرابيmy striking invention وَتَسييريand my spreading it abroad
يَقِلُّ في جَنبِ إِغرابي وَتَسييري
Indeed, bounty, however great you make its amount,
Though you increase the quantity of your donations,
is little beside my striking invention and my sending verse abroad.
They are trifling next to my remoteness and exile.
وَهيَand they are القَوافيthe rhymes إِذاwhen سارَتthey travel هَوىًfell (contextual reading) صُغراinto insignificance
وَهيَ القَوافي إِذا سارَت هَوىً صُغرا
قَدرُthe worth of الدَراهِمِthe dirhams عَنهاcompared with them وَالدَنانيرُand the dinars
قَدرُ الدَراهِمِ عَنها وَالدَنانيرُ
And these are the rhymes: when they travel, into insignificance falls
When inspiration guides them, slender poems
the worth of dirhams and dinars beside them.
Excel dinars and drachmas in value.
ماno مُنعِمٌbenefactor لَمdid not يُضَمِّنenshrine شُكرَthanks for أَنعُمِهِhis gifts
ما مُنعِمٌ لَم يُضَمِّن شُكرَ أَنعُمِهِ
وَإِنeven if أَشادَproclaimed praise بِهاof them مُثنٍa praiser بِمَشكورِtruly thanked
وَإِن أَشادَ بِها مُثنٍ بِمَشكورِ
No benefactor who fails to enshrine thanks for his gifts in verse
No benefactor has memorialized his benevolence in gratitude,
is truly thanked, though a praiser extols them.
However much he was praised for it.
بَلrather إِنَّهاindeed they are البَرقُlightning إِنif جُزنَthey cross الحِمىthe protected grounds فَعَلىthen upon
بَل إِنَّها البَرقُ إِن جُزنَ الحِمى فَعَلى
مَنازِلَdwellings أَقفَرَتbecame deserted بِالحِنوِat al-Hinw أَوor دورِhouses
مَنازِلَ أَقفَرَت بِالحِنوِ أَو دورِ
Rather, they are lightning: if they cross the protected grounds, they flash over
Indeed, it is lightning: if it strikes a tent,
dwellings deserted at al-Hinw, or houses.
It scorches the desolate abodes or homes.
أَلوَتcarried off بِجِدَّتِهاtheir freshness الأَيّامُthe days تُخلِقُهاwearing them out
أَلوَت بِجِدَّتِها الأَيّامُ تُخلِقُها
بِمائِرٍwith a swirling mass مِنof رَبابِlow-lying layers of المُزنِrainclouds أَوor مورِwindblown dust
بِمائِرٍ مِن رَبابِ المُزنِ أَو مورِ
The days have carried off their freshness, wearing them down
Through its intensity, days arouse it,
with swirling layers of rainclouds, or windblown dust.
Now with the melody of the lutes, now the pipes.
وَقَدand perhaps تَكونُthey are مُعاناًa dwelling وَالهَوىand love قَبَلٌnewly begun
وَقَد تَكونُ مُعاناً وَالهَوى قَبَلٌ
لِأُنَّسٍfor gentle companions مِنfrom among ظِباءِgazelles of الإِنسِhumankind أَوor فورِherds of deer
لِأُنَّسٍ مِن ظِباءِ الإِنسِ أَو فورِ
And they may once have been a dwelling, when love was fresh,
And it can inspire intimacy, although passion
for gentle gazelles of humankind, or herds of deer.
Previously shunned the company of humankind.
إِذاwhen بَدَونَthey appear لِلَحظِto the gaze of الناظِرينَthe onlookers فَقُلthen speak
إِذا بَدَونَ لِلَحظِ الناظِرينَ فَقُل
فيof لُؤلُؤٍpearls بِجُنوبِalong the flanks of الرَملِthe sand مَنثورُscattered
في لُؤلُؤٍ بِجُنوبِ الرَملِ مَنثورُ
When they appear to the onlookers' gaze, speak
When it appears to the beholders' eyes, say
of pearls strewn along the flanks of the sand.
It is pearls strewn on the sand's surface.
ماnot الدُرُّthe pearls تُبرِزُهُbring them forth الأَصدافُthe shells أَملَحُlovelier مِنthan
ما الدُرُّ تُبرِزُهُ الأَصدافُ أَملَحُ مِن
دُرٍّpearls يَبيتُspend the night مَصوناًprotected فيin المَقاصيرِsecluded chambers
دُرٍّ يَبيتُ مَصوناً في المَقاصيرِ
Pearls that shells bring forth are no lovelier than
The pearls oysters bring forth are not more lustrous
pearls that spend the night protected in secluded chambers.
Than pearls kept safe in necklaces.
وَماand not تَثالُcease (uncertain reading) دَواعيthe promptings of البَثِّsorrow تَذهَبُcarry away بيme
وَما تَثالُ دَواعي البَثِّ تَذهَبُ بي
إِلىto غَليلٍa burning thirst مِنَfrom الأَشجانِsorrows مَسعورِablaze
إِلى غَليلٍ مِنَ الأَشجانِ مَسعورِ
And sorrow's urgings never cease to carry me
The phantom of probing does not lead me
to a burning thirst, aflame with grief,
To the anguish of passions set aflame.
بِحُمرَةٍby a blush فيin خُدودِthe cheeks of البيضِfair-skinned women مُشرَبَةٍsuffused
بِحُمرَةٍ في خُدودِ البيضِ مُشرَبَةٍ
وَفَترَةٍand by languor فيin جُفونِthe lids of الأَعيُنِthe eyes الحورِwith dark irises and brilliant whites
وَفَترَةٍ في جُفونِ الأَعيُنِ الحورِ
by a blush suffused through fair women's cheeks,
With a blush on the cheeks of the white women
and by languor in the lids of eyes with dark irises and brilliant whites.
And languor in the eyes of the houri.
Sol 6.1