قِفاstop, you two فيin مَغانيhaunts of الدارِthe dwelling نَسأَلlet us ask طُلولَهاits ruins
قِفا في مَغاني الدارِ نَسأَل طُلولَها
عَنِabout الأُنَّسِthe familiar companions المَفقودِlost كانواthey were حُلولَهاits residents
عَنِ الأُنَّسِ المَفقودِ كانوا حُلولَها
Stop, you two, among the dwelling's haunts; let us question its ruins
Stand awhile amidst the dwellings and ask the deserted abodes
about the lost companions who once dwelt there.
About the vanished intimacy that once filled their halls
مَتىwhenever أَجمَعَتresolved upon سُعدىSu‘da رَحيلاًdeparture فَإِنَّهُfor indeed it
مَتى أَجمَعَت سُعدى رَحيلاً فَإِنَّهُ
قَليلٌlittle لِسُعدىfor Su‘da أَنthat تُخشىbe feared رَحيلَهاher departure
قَليلٌ لِسُعدى أَن تُخشى رَحيلَها
Whenever Su‘da resolves to depart, indeed it matters
When will my happiness gather its burden and depart?
little to Su‘da that her departure is feared.
For brief is the happiness that fears its own leaving
وَلَوand if آذَنَتناshe had informed us بِالتَحَمُّلِof setting forth غُدوَةًone morning
وَلَو آذَنَتنا بِالتَحَمُّلِ غُدوَةً
لَشَيَّعَwould have escorted رَكبٌa company of riders بِالدُموعِwith tears حُمولَهاher laden camels
لَشَيَّعَ رَكبٌ بِالدُموعِ حُمولَها
Had she informed us one morning of her departure,
Had it warned us of bearing it at morn
a company of riders would have escorted her laden camels with tears.
A caravan with tears would have escorted its baggage
شَنِئتُI hated الصَباthe east wind أَنbecause قيلَit was said وَجَّهنَthey, the women, headed نَحوَهاtoward it
شَنِئتُ الصَبا أَن قيلَ وَجَّهنَ نَحوَها
وَعادَيتُand I was hostile to مِنfrom بَينِamong الرِياحِthe winds قَبولَهاtheir east wind
وَعادَيتُ مِن بَينِ الرِياحِ قَبولَها
I hated the east wind because it was said the women had headed toward it,
I blamed youth that it was said to be heading towards it
and, among all the winds, made the easterly my enemy.
And became hostile to the zephyrs for blowing to it
وَلَوand if ساعَدَتhad aided سُعدىSu‘da عَلىin الحُبِّlove ذاone possessed of هَوىpassion
وَلَو ساعَدَت سُعدى عَلى الحُبِّ ذا هَوى
أَبَتshe would have rejected قَولَthe words of واشيهاher slanderer وَعاصَتand disobeyed عَذولَهاher reproacher
أَبَت قَولَ واشيها وَعاصَت عَذولَها
Had Su‘da aided a passionate lover in love,
Even if my happiness had aided me in love of passion
she would have rejected her slanderer's words and defied her reproacher.
Its inclination refused saying and disobeyed its whims
إِذاwhenever أَرسَلَتshe sent طَيفاًa dream-phantom يُذَكِّرُنيreminding me of الجَوىburning heartache
إِذا أَرسَلَت طَيفاً يُذَكِّرُني الجَوى
رَدَدتُI sent back إِلَيهاto her بِالنَجاحِwith success رَسولَهاher messenger
رَدَدتُ إِلَيها بِالنَجاحِ رَسولَها
Whenever she sent a dream-phantom reminding me of burning heartache,
When it sent a specter to remind me of the pastures
I sent her messenger back to her with its mission fulfilled.
I sent back to it with success its messenger
أَجِدَّin earnest الغَوانيthe fair women ماnot تَزالُcease مُجِدَّةًrenewing
أَجِدَّ الغَواني ما تَزالُ مُجِدَّةً
تَباريحَagonies of شَجوٍgrief ماnot بَرَدتُI have cooled غَليلَهاtheir burning thirst
تَباريحَ شَجوٍ ما بَرَدتُ غَليلَها
Truly, fair women, still renewing
I experience passion whose embers are ever glowing
the pangs of grief whose burning thirst I have not cooled
Sorrow whose flames I never quenched
نَواظِرُeyes of مُعتَلٍّan ailing man يُصَرِّفُhe turns لَحظَهاtheir gaze
نَواظِرُ مُعتَلٍّ يُصَرِّفُ لَحظَها
وَإِنeven if أَغفَلَneglect العُوّادُvisitors to the sick سَهواًheedlessly غَليلَهاtheir burning thirst
وَإِن أَغفَلَ العُوّادُ سَهواً غَليلَها
are an ailing man's eyes, whose gaze he keeps turning,
The gaze of a sick person who turns his eyes
even if his visitors heedlessly neglect their burning thirst.
Though the visitor forgot in his oblivion his sickness
تَعَلَّقcling بِأَسبابِto the cords of الوَزيرِthe minister وَلاand do not تُبِلcare
تَعَلَّق بِأَسبابِ الوَزيرِ وَلا تُبِل
أَمُبرَمَهاwhether their tightly twisted one عُلِّقتَهُyou were attached to it أَمor سَحيلَهاtheir single-stranded one
أَمُبرَمَها عُلِّقتَهُ أَم سَحيلَها
Cling to the minister's cords, and do not mind
Do not blame the minister's power and do not be misled
whether you are attached to their tightly twisted strand or their single one.
By whether you hang on to him or his protection
مُضيءٌradiant وَأَبهىand most splendid of المَشرَفِيّاتِthe Mashrafi swords أَنthat تَرىyou see
مُضيءٌ وَأَبهى المَشرَفِيّاتِ أَن تَرى
مُؤَثِّرَهاtheir wound-dealing one عُلِّقتَهُyou were attached to it أَمor سَحيلَهاtheir single-stranded one
مُؤَثِّرَها عُلِّقتَهُ أَم سَحيلَها
He is radiant; and the greatest splendor of Mashrafi swords is to see
Shining and the noblest of nobles that you see
their wound-dealing one—you were attached to it, or their single-stranded one [wording unclear].
His patron or his client to whom he clings
عَظيمُmighty in كَراديسِbattalions of المَواكِبِthe marching hosts قادِرٌable
عَظيمُ كَراديسِ المَواكِبِ قادِرٌ
عَلىover الدِرعِthe coat of mail أَنto يَغتالَcut away عَنهُfrom himself فُضولَهاits excess
عَلى الدِرعِ أَن يَغتالَ عَنهُ فُضولَها
Mighty in the battalions of marching hosts, he is able
The leader of the army's cavalcade has power
to shear from himself the excess of his coat of mail.
To ambush it and take away its redundancies
إِذاwhen قَلَّبَhe weighed الآراءَthe opinions أَلغىhe discarded خَسيسَهاtheir basest
إِذا قَلَّبَ الآراءَ أَلغى خَسيسَها
وَأَزلَفَand brought near مُختاراًby choice إِلَيهِto himself أَصيلَهاtheir soundest
وَأَزلَفَ مُختاراً إِلَيهِ أَصيلَها
When he weighs opinions, he discards their basest
When he weighs up the views he annuls the inferior
and draws their soundest close to himself, choosing them.
And moves the excellent closer to him
إِذاwhen أَوطَأَhe made tread الشُقرَthe chestnut horses الدِماءَblood مُشايِحاًfighting fiercely
إِذا أَوطَأَ الشُقرَ الدِماءَ مُشايِحاً
أَعادَhe returned إِلىto تِلكَthose الشِياتِcoat colors حُجولَهاtheir white fetlock markings
أَعادَ إِلى تِلكَ الشِياتِ حُجولَها
When, fighting fiercely, he makes the chestnut horses tread blood,
When he firmly places his feet in blood running
he returns their white fetlock markings to those coat colors.
He returns those fiends back to their dens
يُؤَمَّلُis hoped for جَدواهُhis bounty وَمَرجُوُّand hoped-for نَيلِهِhis giving
يُؤَمَّلُ جَدواهُ وَمَرجُوُّ نَيلِهِ
كَماas غَنِيَتhas lived مِصرٌEgypt تُؤَمِّلُhoping for نيلَهاher Nile
كَما غَنِيَت مِصرٌ تُؤَمِّلُ نيلَها
His bounty is hoped for, his giving awaited,
His efforts are hoped for and his attaining is wished
as Egypt has lived in hope of her Nile.
Like Egypt is hoped for to fill up with its Nile
لُهاًgifts سَوَّدَتهُmade him a leader دونَabove قَومٍother men وَلَمand did not يَدَعallow
لُهاً سَوَّدَتهُ دونَ قَومٍ وَلَم يَدَع
جَوادُthe generous one of الرِجالِmen أَنto يَسودَgain mastery بِخَيلَهاtheir miser
جَوادُ الرِجالِ أَن يَسودَ بِخَيلَها
Gifts made him master above his fellows; nor did
To him belongs a sword blackened for a people and he did not prevent
the generous man allow their miser to take the lead.
The generosity of men to blacken with their horses
تَراحُrejoice الغَواديthe morning rainclouds أَنto تُشاهِدَsee عِندَهُwith him
تَراحُ الغَوادي أَن تُشاهِدَ عِندَهُ
شَبائِهَهاtheir likenesses مِنfrom سيبِهِhis bounty وَشُكولَهاand their counterparts
شَبائِهَها مِن سيبِهِ وَشُكولَها
The morning rainclouds rejoice to see beside him
The meadows desire to witness in his presence
their likenesses and counterparts in his flowing bounty.
Their cubs from his sword and his flocks
تَقَرّىhe ranged through جُنوبَthe regions of الأَرضِthe earth جوداًwith generosity وَنائِلاًand gifts
تَقَرّى جُنوبَ الأَرضِ جوداً وَنائِلاً
وَطَبَّقَand covered عَدلاًwith justice حُزنَهاits rugged land وَسُهولَهاand its plains
وَطَبَّقَ عَدلاً حُزنَها وَسُهولَها
He ranged through the earth's regions with generosity and gifts,
He surveyed the lands of south with munificence and gaining
and covered its rugged ground and plains with justice.
And clasped in his sorrow their mountains and valleys
وَلَوand if سيقَتِwere brought الدُنياthe world إِلَيهِto him بِأَسرِهاin its entirety
وَلَو سيقَتِ الدُنيا إِلَيهِ بِأَسرِها
وَلَمand did not يَتلُهاfollow it حَمدٌpraise لَعافَhe would disdain قَبولَهاaccepting it
وَلَم يَتلُها حَمدٌ لَعافَ قَبولَها
Were the whole world brought to him,
Even if the whole world were driven to him
and no praise followed it, he would disdain to accept it.
No praise would touch him but he would spurn it
بَقيتَmay you endure فَكائِنand how many جِئتَyou came بادِئَinitiating نِعمَةٍa favor
بَقيتَ فَكائِن جِئتَ بادِئَ نِعمَةٍ
يَفِلُّfalls short السَحابُthe clouds أَنto يَجيءَcome as رَسيلَهاits equal
يَفِلُّ السَحابُ أَن يَجيءَ رَسيلَها
May you endure! How many a favor have you initiated
You remain forever the same since you began with favor
that the clouds are too feeble to come as its equal!
The clouds disdain to come with their showers
وَأَعطَيتَand you gave طُلّابَthe seekers of النَوافِلِextra gifts سُؤلَهُمtheir wish
وَأَعطَيتَ طُلّابَ النَوافِلِ سُؤلَهُم
فَمِنso from أَينَwhere لاnot تُعطيyou give القَصائِدَthe poems سولَهاtheir wish
فَمِن أَينَ لا تُعطي القَصائِدَ سولَها
You have granted the seekers of gifts their wish;
You gave the worshippers of extra deeds their request
how, then, can you deny the poems their wish?
Then why do not You give to poems their wish?
وَوَلَّيتَand you appointed عُمّالَthe administrators of السَوادِal-Sawad فَوَلِّنيso appoint me to
وَوَلَّيتَ عُمّالَ السَوادِ فَوَلِّني
قَرارَةَthe settled haven of بَيتيmy home مُدَّةًfor a time لَنwill not أُطيلَهاI prolong it
قَرارَةَ بَيتي مُدَّةً لَن أُطيلَها
You have appointed the administrators of al-Sawad; so appoint me
You appointed workers over the lands so appoint me
to the quiet of my home for a term I shall not prolong.
The steadiness of my house for a time I will not prolong
قَصَرتُI shortened مَسافاتِthe spans of المَدائِحِpraises عامِداًdeliberately
قَصَرتُ مَسافاتِ المَدائِحِ عامِداً
وَحَقُّكَand it is your right أَنto تُعطىbe given بِجَدواكَfor your bounty طولَهاtheir full length
وَحَقُّكَ أَن تُعطى بِجَدواكَ طولَها
I deliberately shortened the spans of praise,
I intended to shorten the distance of praises
though your bounty entitles you to receive their full length.
While Your right is to be given for Your generosity their fullness
حَبَستُI held back القَوافيthe rhymes عَنكَfrom you وَهيَwhile they نَوازِعٌstrain forward
حَبَستُ القَوافي عَنكَ وَهيَ نَوازِعٌ
تُجاذِبُtug at مِنout of شَوقٍlonging إِلَيكَfor you كُبولَهاtheir fetters
تُجاذِبُ مِن شَوقٍ إِلَيكَ كُبولَها
I held the rhymes back from you, though they strain forward,
I withheld the rhymes from You though they vie
tugging at their fetters out of longing for you.
To reach You pulling their reins out of yearning
فَهاso here أَناI am إِنif تُطلِقyou free سَبيليmy way مُيَسَّراًmade easy
فَها أَنا إِن تُطلِق سَبيلي مُيَسَّراً
إِلىto بَلَديmy homeland أُطلِقI shall free لَدَيكَbefore you سَبيلَهاtheir way
إِلى بَلَدي أُطلِق لَدَيكَ سَبيلَها
So here I am: if you grant me an easy passage
To my country I will release to You their release
to my homeland, I shall give them free passage before you.
And none thanked the benefactor as I thank
وَماand not شَكَرَthanked النَعماءَthe blessings مِثلِيَlike me شاكِرٌa grateful person
وَما شَكَرَ النَعماءَ مِثلِيَ شاكِرٌ
إِذاwhen قائِلُthe poet of الأَقوامِthe peoples جازىrepays فَعولَهاtheir bestower
إِذا قائِلُ الأَقوامِ جازى فَعولَها
No grateful person has thanked blessings as I have,
When the speaker of people rewards their actions
when a people's poet repays their bestower.
How can You see me act in its plenty
فَكَيفَso how تَرانيdo you see me صانِعاًacting فيfor كَثيرِهاtheir abundance
فَكَيفَ تَراني صانِعاً في كَثيرِها
إِذاwhen كُنتُI am أُجزىI repay بِالكَثيرِwith much قَليلَهاtheir little
إِذا كُنتُ أُجزى بِالكَثيرِ قَليلَها
How, then, do you think I would act for abundant favors,
When I am rewarded for plenty with little
when I repay even their least with so much?
Partial English translation: 51 of 52 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1