أُثَيلُlittle tamarisks of العَقيقِal-‘Aqiq إِلىas far as بانِهِits bān trees
أُثَيلُ العَقيقِ إِلى بانِهِ
فَعُفرِthen the pale parts of رُباهُits hills فَقيعانِهِthen its level plains
فَعُفرِ رُباهُ فَقيعانِهِ
The little tamarisks of al-‘Aqiq, as far as its bān trees,
The antelope yearns for its meadow,
then its pale hills, then its level plains—
So its keeper takes care of its grazing lands.
مَغانٍhaunts لِوَحشٍfor wild creatures تَصيدُhunt القُلوhearts (first part)
مَغانٍ لِوَحشٍ تَصيدُ القُلو
بَ(completes 'hearts') عُيونُeyes of مَهاهُits oryx وَغِزلانِهِand its gazelles
بَ عُيونُ مَهاهُ وَغِزلانِهِ
haunts of wild creatures, where hearts are hunted
There are pleasures for the hunter who seeks hearts,
by the eyes of its oryx and gazelles.
With its beautiful eyes and gazelles.
صَباgrew lovesick بَعدَafter إِخلاسِmingling in of شَيبِgray hair القَذاthe nape (first part)
صَبا بَعدَ إِخلاسِ شَيبِ القَذا
لِ(completes 'nape') وَبَعدَand after اِختِلافاتِchanges in أَلوانِهِits colors
لِ وَبَعدَ اِختِلافاتِ أَلوانِهِ
My heart grew lovesick after gray had mingled with the hair at my nape,
Youthfulness returns after the sincerity of old age,
and after the changes in its colors,
And after the changes of its colors.
وَفِقدانِand the loss of إِلفٍa beloved جَفَوتُI forsook الكَرىsleep
وَفِقدانِ إِلفٍ جَفَوتُ الكَرى
وَعِفتُand I loathed السُرورَjoy لِفِقدانِهِbecause of losing him
وَعِفتُ السُرورَ لِفِقدانِهِ
and after losing a beloved; I forsook sleep
And after losing a friend, hearts became estranged.
and loathed joy because I had lost him.
I concealed joy due to losing it.
أَطاعَhe obeyed الوُشاةَthe slanderers عَلىdespite كُرهِهِhis reluctance
أَطاعَ الوُشاةَ عَلى كُرهِهِ
بِهَجرِby forsaking المَشوقِthe yearning lover وَعِصيانِهِand disobeying him
بِهَجرِ المَشوقِ وَعِصيانِهِ
He obeyed the slanderers against his will,
He obeyed the wicked against his will,
forsaking the yearning lover and disobeying him.
By avoiding the yearned and disobeying it.
وَلَوand if وَكَلوهُthey left him إِلىto رَأيِهِhis judgment
وَلَو وَكَلوهُ إِلى رَأيِهِ
أَتىwould have come وَصلُهُhis union قَبلَbefore هِجرانِهِhis estrangement
أَتى وَصلُهُ قَبلَ هِجرانِهِ
Had they left him to his own judgment,
If they had entrusted him to his opinion,
his union would have come before his estrangement.
His connection would have come before estrangement.
كَتَمتُI concealed الهَوىlove ثُمَّthen أَعلَنتُهُI proclaimed it
كَتَمتُ الهَوى ثُمَّ أَعلَنتُهُ
وَسِرُّand the secrecy of الهَوىlove قَبلَbefore إِعلانِهِits proclamation
وَسِرُّ الهَوى قَبلَ إِعلانِهِ
I concealed love, then proclaimed it;
I concealed passion, then declared it,
and love is secret before it is proclaimed.
And the secret of passion before declaring it.
أُخَلّيI let go عَنِof الشَيءِthe thing فيduring فَوتِهِits passing out of reach
أُخَلّي عَنِ الشَيءِ في فَوتِهِ
وَأَطلُبُهُand I seek it عِندَat إِمكانِهِits attainability
وَأَطلُبُهُ عِندَ إِمكانِهِ
I let a thing go when it slips beyond my reach,
I give up on something when I miss it,
and seek it when it is attainable.
And seek it when I can attain it.
وَآمُلُand I hope مِنfrom حَسَنٍHasan رَجعَةًa return
وَآمُلُ مِن حَسَنٍ رَجعَةً
بِعَدلِthrough the justice of الوَزيرِthe minister وَإِحسانِهِand his beneficence
بِعَدلِ الوَزيرِ وَإِحسانِهِ
And I hope for a return from Hasan,
I hope for a good return
through the minister's justice and beneficence.
With the justice of the minister and his benevolence.
إِذاwhen هَمَّhe resolves أَمضىputs into effect شَباthe keen edge of عَزمِهِhis resolve
إِذا هَمَّ أَمضى شَبا عَزمِهِ
وَكانَand was التَوَرُّدُboldly plunging in مِنamong شانِهِhis ways
وَكانَ التَوَرُّدُ مِن شانِهِ
When he resolves, he brings resolve's keen edge to bear,
When he intends, he executes the determination of youth,
and plunging boldly forward is his way.
And hesitation was never his trait.
وَلَمand did not يَتَوَقَّفpause عَلىover شَكِّهِhis doubt
وَلَم يَتَوَقَّف عَلى شَكِّهِ
فَيَمنَعهُand so keep him from تَنفيذَputting into effect إيقانِهِhis certainty
فَيَمنَعهُ تَنفيذَ إيقانِهِ
He does not linger over doubt
He does not hesitate to execute his certainty,
and so let it keep him from acting on his certainty.
Events reveal his precedence in opinion.
صَليبٌsteadfast تُكَشِّفُlay bare عَنabout سَبقِهِhis precedence
صَليبٌ تُكَشِّفُ عَن سَبقِهِ
إِلىto الرَأيِjudgment أَحداثُevents of أَزمانِهِhis times
إِلى الرَأيِ أَحداثُ أَزمانِهِ
He is steadfast; his precedence is laid bare
The thickness of scribes prevented
in judgment, by the events of his times.
The flow from the spring by the strength of its knots.
وَقَدand indeed حاجَزَتkept back عاجِماتِthe probing bites of الخُطوcalamities (first part)
وَقَد حاجَزَت عاجِماتِ الخُطو
بِ(completes 'calamities') عَنِfrom النَبعِthe nab‘ tree شِدَّةُthe hardness of عيدانِهِits boughs
بِ عَنِ النَبعِ شِدَّةُ عيدانِهِ
And calamities' probing bites have been held back
The distinguished learned from his excellence,
from the nab‘ tree by the hardness of its boughs.
So they flowed in the manner of his field.
تَعَلَّمَlearned مِنfrom فَضلِهِhis bounty المُفضِلوthe benefactors (first part)
تَعَلَّمَ مِن فَضلِهِ المُفضِلو
نَ(completes 'the benefactors') فَأَجرَواso they raced عَلىalong نَهجِthe course of مَيدانِهِhis arena
نَ فَأَجرَوا عَلى نَهجِ مَيدانِهِ
The benefactors learned from his bounty,
His aid in turmoil goes out morning and evening
and so raced along his arena's course.
Training the aid of his horsemen.
وَيَغدوand he goes forth وَنَجدَتُهُand his valor فيin الوَغىbattle
وَيَغدو وَنَجدَتُهُ في الوَغى
تُدَرِّبُschools نَجداتِvalorous deeds of فُرسانِهِhis horsemen
تُدَرِّبُ نَجداتِ فُرسانِهِ
And he goes forth, his valor in battle
The enemy dread his seriousness in donning
schooling the valor of his horsemen.
The shirt of iron and their bodies.
يَهولُterrifies العِدىthe foes جِدُّهُhis earnestness فيin اِدِّخاstockpiling (first part)
يَهولُ العِدى جِدُّهُ في اِدِّخا
رِ(completes 'stockpiling') قُمصِshirts of الحَديدِiron وَأَبدانِهِand its cuirasses
رِ قُمصِ الحَديدِ وَأَبدانِهِ
His foes are terrified by his zeal in stockpiling
If their rebellion increases his anger
iron mail-shirts and cuirasses.
And you deny the appearance of his knowledge.
إِذاif زادَincreases فيin غَيظِهِhis anger بَغيُهُمtheir aggression
إِذا زادَ في غَيظِهِ بَغيُهُم
وَأَنكَرتَand you find unfamiliar ظاهِرَthe outward show of عِرفانِهِhis kindness
وَأَنكَرتَ ظاهِرَ عِرفانِهِ
If their aggression increases his anger,
Then in the sword, if his pardon does not return,
and you no longer recognize his outward kindness,
Is the remedy for the pains of his grudges.
فَفيthen in السَيفِthe sword إِنif لَمnot يَعُدreturns عَفوُهُhis pardon
فَفي السَيفِ إِن لَم يَعُد عَفوُهُ
شِفاءُa cure for مُمِضّاتِthe stinging pangs of أَضغانِهِhis grudges
شِفاءُ مُمِضّاتِ أَضغانِهِ
then in the sword, if his pardon does not return,
He treats his subjects fairly
lies a cure for the stinging pains of his rancor.
And fulfills the advice of his sultan.
تَلافىrescued رَعِيَّتَهُhis subjects مُنصِفاًacting justly
تَلافى رَعِيَّتَهُ مُنصِفاً
وَوَفّىand gave in full نَصيحَةَloyal counsel to سُلطانِهِhis sovereign
وَوَفّى نَصيحَةَ سُلطانِهِ
He came to his subjects' rescue, dealing fairly,
His competence stood against what
and gave his sovereign loyal counsel in full.
The envious hoped for out of their hatred.
وَقامَتand stood كِفايَتُهُhis competence دونَin the way of ماwhat
وَقامَت كِفايَتُهُ دونَ ما
رَجاهُhoped for it الحَسودُthe envious man بِشَنآنِهِout of his hatred
رَجاهُ الحَسودُ بِشَنآنِهِ
His competence stood in the way of what
Neither weakness is a method for his management,
the envious man hoped for out of his hatred.
Nor incapacity a house for his demons.
فَماso not الوَهنُweakness نَهجاًa path لِتَدبيرِهِfor his governance
فَما الوَهنُ نَهجاً لِتَدبيرِهِ
وَلاnor العَجزُincapacity داراًa dwelling لِإيطانِهِfor his residence
وَلا العَجزُ داراً لِإيطانِهِ
So weakness is no path for his governance,
When he promises, his palm expands
nor is incapacity a home for him to inhabit.
To accomplish it without depriving it.
إِذاwhen وَعَدَhe promises اِتَّسَعَتwidens كَفُّهُhis hand
إِذا وَعَدَ اِتَّسَعَت كَفُّهُ
لِإِنجاحِهِto fulfill it دونَrather than حِرمانِهِdeny it
لِإِنجاحِهِ دونَ حِرمانِهِ
When he promises, his hand opens wide
Our hopes are fulfilled through him
to fulfill it, not to deny it.
With smooth attainment and haste.
تُصَدِّقُmake true آمالَناour hopes عِندَهُwith him
تُصَدِّقُ آمالَنا عِندَهُ
لَدىwith سَلِسِeasy in النَيلِgiving عَجلانِهِswift in it
لَدى سَلِسِ النَيلِ عَجلانِهِ
Our hopes in him are borne out,
Generosities the like of which
where bounty is readily attained and swiftly given,
Their benefactor will not construct on the day of its building.
مَكارِمُnoble deeds لاnot يَبتَنيbuilds مِثلَهاtheir like
مَكارِمُ لا يَبتَني مِثلَها
مُشَفِّقُهُمtheir apprehensive one يَومَon the day of بُنيانِهِhis building
مُشَفِّقُهُم يَومَ بُنيانِهِ
by noble deeds whose like cannot be built
Rhymes flow with their news
by their timid man on the day he builds.
Like the walking of the mounted with their riders.
تَسيرُtravel القَوافيrhymes بِأَنبائِهاwith news of them
تَسيرُ القَوافي بِأَنبائِها
مَسيرَthe travel of المَطِيِّriding camels بِرُكبانِهِwith their riders
مَسيرَ المَطِيِّ بِرُكبانِهِ
Rhymes travel with news of them,
Good tidings of the skillful in glory, empowered
as riding camels travel with their riders.
Over the people in raising their prices.
شَرىbought بارِعَthe finest of المَجدِglory مُستَظهِراًgaining the upper hand
شَرى بارِعَ المَجدِ مُستَظهِراً
عَلىover القَومِthe others فيin رَفعِraising أَثمانِهِits prices
عَلى القَومِ في رَفعِ أَثمانِهِ
He bought the finest glory, gaining the upper hand
When they oppose him with hardships,
over the others in bidding up its price.
The star rises in the distance of his determination.
إِذاif طاوَلوهُthey rival him إِلىfor سُؤدُدٍeminence
إِذا طاوَلوهُ إِلى سُؤدُدٍ
عَلاrises above النَجمَthe star فيin بُعدِthe distance of إِمعانِهِhis advance
عَلا النَجمَ في بُعدِ إِمعانِهِ
If they vie with him for eminence,
If we extended the need,
he soars beyond the star in his far-reaching advance.
We limited its extent through his youth.
إِذاif ماemphasis اِستَطَلناwe deem too long مَدىthe span of حاجَةٍa need
إِذا ما اِستَطَلنا مَدى حاجَةٍ
قَصَرناwe shorten مَداهاits span بِفِتيانِهِthrough his young men
قَصَرنا مَداها بِفِتيانِهِ
Whenever fulfilling a need seems a long way off,
With flowers as if the clouds borrowed
we shorten the distance through his young men:
From their generosity the overflowing of its scattering.
بِزُهرٍthrough radiant men كَأَنَّas though السَحابَthe cloud اِستَعاborrowed (first part)
بِزُهرٍ كَأَنَّ السَحابَ اِستَعا
رَ(completes 'borrowed') مِنfrom جودِهِمtheir generosity فَيضَthe torrent of تَهتانِهِits downpour
رَ مِن جودِهِم فَيضَ تَهتانِهِ
through radiant men, as though the cloud had borrowed
You see praise gathered in its integrity
from their generosity the torrent of its downpour.
For Ahmad ibn Sulayman.
تَرىyou see الحَمدَpraise مُجتَمِعاًgathered شَملُهُall its parts
تَرى الحَمدَ مُجتَمِعاً شَملُهُ
لِأَحمَدِهِfor his Ahmad بنِson of سُلَيمانِهِhis Sulayman
لِأَحمَدِهِ بنِ سُلَيمانِهِ
You see praise gathered in all its fullness
For the white one elevated by the kinship of the minister
for his Ahmad, son of his Sulayman,
Above the status of the minister in his old age.
لِأَبيَضَfor a fair man يَعلوrises بِقُربىthrough kinship with الوَزيthe minister (first part)
لِأَبيَضَ يَعلو بِقُربى الوَزي
رِ(completes 'the minister') عُلُوَّthe rising of الوَزيرِthe minister بِشَيبانِهِthrough his Shayban
رِ عُلُوَّ الوَزيرِ بِشَيبانِهِ
for a fair man, who rises through kinship with the minister,
The clothes of his blessings remind us
as the minister rises through his Shayban.
Of the clothes of youth and its prime.
يُذَكِرُناreminds us لُبسُthe attire of نَعمانِهِhis Nu‘man
يُذَكِرُنا لُبسُ نَعمانِهِ
لِباسِthe garb of الشَبابِyouth وَرَيعانِهِand its first bloom
لِباسِ الشَبابِ وَرَيعانِهِ
His Nu‘man's attire reminds us
of the garb of youth and its first bloom.
Partial English translation: 62 of 64 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1