يَأبىrefuses الخَلِيُّthe man free of love بُكاءَweeping المَنزِلِthe dwelling الخاليthe deserted
يَأبى الخَلِيُّ بُكاءَ المَنزِلِ الخالي
وَالنَوحَand lamentation فيamid أَرسُمٍtraces أَقوَتbecame deserted وَأَطلالِand ruins
وَالنَوحَ في أَرسُمٍ أَقوَت وَأَطلالِ
The man untouched by love refuses to weep for the deserted dwelling,
The deserted house refuses to weep,
And to lament amid abandoned traces and ruins.
Nor will the ruins lament their grief.
وَذوand the one possessed of الصَبابَةِardent longing ماnot يَنفَكُّceases يُنصِبُهُwearies him
وَذو الصَبابَةِ ما يَنفَكُّ يُنصِبُهُ
وَجداًwith longing تَأَبُّدُdesolation آيِtraces الدِمنَةِthe old campsite الباليfaded
وَجداً تَأَبُّدُ آيِ الدِمنَةِ البالي
But the man of yearning is ceaselessly worn down
Yet the youth persists unceasingly
With longing at the desolation of the campsite's faded traces.
To restore the forgotten ruins piece by piece.
كَمhow often قَدindeed صَمِمتُI turned a deaf ear وَأُذنيand my ear جِدُّvery سامِعَةٍhearing
كَم قَد صَمِمتُ وَأُذني جِدُّ سامِعَةٍ
عَنto عاذِلاتِيَmy female reproachers فيconcerning لَيلىLayla وَعُذّاليand my male reproachers
عَن عاذِلاتِيَ في لَيلى وَعُذّالي
How often I have turned a deaf ear, though it heard keenly,
How often have I been determined, with ears unwilling
To the women and men who reproached me over Layla.
To hear my critics reproach me about Layla.
رَدَّتbrought back عَلَيَّupon me أَحاديثُrecollections الصِباyouth حُرَقاًburning pangs
رَدَّت عَلَيَّ أَحاديثُ الصِبا حُرَقاً
وَقَدand already تَقَدَّمَhad passed دَهرٌan age دونَهُbetween me and it خالِgone by
وَقَد تَقَدَّمَ دَهرٌ دونَهُ خالِ
Recollections of youth brought back my burning grief,
The conversations of youth have rekindled my passion,
Though a bygone age had already intervened.
Though time has passed, leaving behind only traces.
وَماand not تَوَهَّمتُنيI imagined myself أُعطيI give الزَمانَTime رِضاًconsent
وَما تَوَهَّمتُني أُعطي الزَمانَ رِضاً
بِأَنfor ... to يَطولَlast long بِذاكَof that العَهدِthe bond إِخلاليmy neglect
بِأَن يَطولَ بِذاكَ العَهدِ إِخلالي
And I never imagined I would give Time leave
Never did I imagine that time would be kind
To prolong my neglect of that old bond.
And leave our love undiminished,
بانَdeparted الشَبابُyouth فَلاso no عَينٌvisible presence وَلاand no أَثَرٌtrace
بانَ الشَبابُ فَلا عَينٌ وَلا أَثَرٌ
إِلّاexcept بَقِيَّةَa remnant بُردٍa mantle مِنهُof it أَسمالِtattered
إِلّا بَقِيَّةَ بُردٍ مِنهُ أَسمالِ
Youth has departed; neither its presence nor its trace remains,
Youth has faded away, nothing remains
Save a remnant of its mantle, worn to rags.
Except traces, like the remnants of a coat.
قَدindeed كِدتُI almost أُخرِجُهُexclude it عَنfrom مُنتَهىthe full total عَدَديmy reckoning
قَد كِدتُ أُخرِجُهُ عَن مُنتَهى عَدَدي
يَأساًin despair وَأُسقِطُهُand drop it إِذwhen فاتَescaped مِنfrom باليmy mind
يَأساً وَأُسقِطُهُ إِذ فاتَ مِن بالي
I had almost left it out of my reckoning altogether,
I had almost crossed the limit of my patience
In despair, and struck it off when it slipped my mind.
In despair, ready to let go of my longing.
أَسواthe worst العَواقِبِoutcomes يَأسٌdespair قَبلَهُbefore it أَمَلٌhope
أَسوا العَواقِبِ يَأسٌ قَبلَهُ أَمَلٌ
وَأَعضَلُand the most intractable الداءِillness نَكسٌa relapse بَعدَafter إِبلالِrecovery
وَأَعضَلُ الداءِ نَكسٌ بَعدَ إِبلالِ
The worst of outcomes is despair preceded by hope,
Despair before hope is the worst consequence,
And the most intractable illness is relapse after recovery.
And the most crippling illness comes after recovery.
وَالمَرءُand man طاعَةُin obedience to أَيّامٍdays تُنَقِّلُهُshift him
وَالمَرءُ طاعَةُ أَيّامٍ تُنَقِّلُهُ
تَنَقُّلَthe shifting الظِلِّthe shadow مِنfrom حالٍa state إِلىto حالِa state
تَنَقُّلَ الظِلِّ مِن حالٍ إِلى حالِ
And man is subject to days that shift him
Man obeys the days as they move him
As a shadow shifts, from one state to another.
Like shadows shifting from state to state.
وَمِنand among غَرائِبِstrange things ماwhat تَأتيcome الخُطوبُlife's trials بِهِwith it
وَمِن غَرائِبِ ما تَأتي الخُطوبُ بِهِ
فيin أَوَّلٍan early one مِنamong صُروفِvicissitudes الدَهرِTime أَوor تالِa later one
في أَوَّلٍ مِن صُروفِ الدَهرِ أَو تالِ
And among the strange things that life's trials bring,
Of the strange events which fate can bring
In an early turn of Time or a later one,
In the early days or in the future.
أُحدوثَةٌa tale عَجَبٌa marvel أُنبيكَI tell you عَنabout خَبَريmy story
أُحدوثَةٌ عَجَبٌ أُنبيكَ عَن خَبَري
فيهاin it وَعَنand about خَبَرِthe story الشاهِal-Shah بنِson of ميكالِMikal
فيها وَعَن خَبَرِ الشاهِ بنِ ميكالِ
Is a wondrous tale: I tell you of my own experience
A wonder that astonishes you from my experience
In it, and of al-Shah ibn Mikal's.
And from the experience of Shah Bin Mikal.
فَرَرتُI fled مِنهُfrom him حَياءًin shame مِنbecause of قُصوريmy falling short عَنof
فَرَرتُ مِنهُ حَياءً مِن قُصوري عَن
جَزاءِrepaying ماwhat زادَhe added فيto جاهيmy standing وَفيand to ماليmy wealth
جَزاءِ ما زادَ في جاهي وَفي مالي
I fled from him, ashamed of falling short of
So I fled from it, shy of my inability
Repaying what he added to my standing and my wealth.
To reward the increase in my status and wealth.
لِمwhy لَمdid not أُعَوِّضهُI repay him شُكراًwith thanks عَنfor تَطَوُّلِهِhis generosity
لِم لَم أُعَوِّضهُ شُكراً عَن تَطَوُّلِهِ
إِذsince لَمdid not أُكايِلهُI match him measure for measure إِفضالاًin bounty بِإِفضالِwith bounty
إِذ لَم أُكايِلهُ إِفضالاً بِإِفضالِ
Why did I not repay him with thanks for his generosity,
Why did I not repay him with gratitude
Since I did not match his bounty with bounty?
When I could not match his generosity with my own?
وَفيand in القَوافيrhymes إِذاwhen سَيَّرتُهاI send them forth عِوَضٌrecompense
وَفي القَوافي إِذا سَيَّرتُها عِوَضٌ
لِأَجوَدينَfor the most generous وَتَنكيلٌand chastisement لِبُخّالِfor misers
لِأَجوَدينَ وَتَنكيلٌ لِبُخّالِ
And in rhymes, when I send them forth, lies recompense
In poetry, when I compose the rhymes artfully,
For the most generous, and chastisement for misers.
It compensates the generous and punishes the stingy.
كَالنورِlike blossoms أَوقَدَهُkindled it طَلُّdew الرَبيعِspring ضُحىًat midmorning
كَالنورِ أَوقَدَهُ طَلُّ الرَبيعِ ضُحىً
فيin عاطِلٍan unadorned one مِنamong رِياضِmeadows الحَزنِthe uplands أَوor حالِan adorned one
في عاطِلٍ مِن رِياضِ الحَزنِ أَو حالِ
Like blossoms kindled by spring's dew at midmorning,
Like a light kindled by the dawn of spring
In an upland meadow, whether bare or adorned.
In a barren garden full of sadness and emptiness.
لَمnot تَغلُwere overpriced وَهيَwhile they were غَداةَon the morning of البَيعِthe sale مُثمِنَةٌvaluable
لَم تَغلُ وَهيَ غَداةَ البَيعِ مُثمِنَةٌ
إِنَّindeed الرَخيصَthe cheap thing الَّذيthat يُلغىis discarded هُوَit is الغاليthe costly one
إِنَّ الرَخيصَ الَّذي يُلغى هُوَ الغالي
They were not overpriced, though valuable on the morning of sale;
The wares did not become expensive after being sold,
For the cheap thing one discards is the truly costly one.
Truly, it is the cheap items that are overpriced.
وَماand not أَبوغانِمٍAbu Ghanim عَمّاregarding what تُهيبُyou call upon بِهِhim
وَما أَبوغانِمٍ عَمّا تُهيبُ بِهِ
إِلَيهِto it بِالمُقتَضيone demanding سَعياًeffort وَلاnor الآليone sparing effort
إِلَيهِ بِالمُقتَضي سَعياً وَلا الآلي
And Abu Ghanim, in what you call upon him
Abu Ghanim is not seeking what he is inspired
To do, demands no effort of you, nor spares his own.
To strive for, neither tools nor equipment.
عَلَيهِupon him سيماa mark مِنَof العَلياءِgreatness بانَhe stood apart بِهاby it
عَلَيهِ سيما مِنَ العَلياءِ بانَ بِها
مِنfrom غافِلينَmen heedless عَنِof العَلياءِgreatness أَغفالِunmarked
مِن غافِلينَ عَنِ العَلياءِ أَغفالِ
He bears a mark of greatness by which he stands apart
He is marked by the noble traits that distinguish
From the unmarked men who are heedless of greatness.
The unaware from the enlightened.
سَأَلتُI asked عَنabout أَصدِقاءِfriends الصِدقِsincerity مُؤتَنِفاًafresh
سَأَلتُ عَن أَصدِقاءِ الصِدقِ مُؤتَنِفاً
وَقَدand indeed تَرىyou see عَدَميmy lack مِنهُمof them وَإِقلاليand my scarcity
وَقَد تَرى عَدَمي مِنهُم وَإِقلالي
I asked afresh about true friends,
I asked about the friends of truth, hoping
And you can see my lack of them, how few I have.
To find them, despite my lack and paucity.
أَشيمُI watch for مِنهُمamong them بُروقَlightning flashes الخُلَّباتِrainless clouds فَهَلso is there
أَشيمُ مِنهُم بُروقَ الخُلَّباتِ فَهَل
شَخصٌsomeone يُخَبِّرُناtells us عَنabout بارِقِthe lightning الخالِthe raincloud
شَخصٌ يُخَبِّرُنا عَن بارِقِ الخالِ
I watch among them the lightning of rainless clouds; is there
I see flashes of sincerity in them, but who
Anyone to tell us of a raincloud's lightning?
Can tell us about the flashes of perfection?
وَالناسُand people كَالشَجَرِlike trees الباديapparent تَفاوُتُهُtheir variation
وَالناسُ كَالشَجَرِ البادي تَفاوُتُهُ
وَقَدand indeed تَرىyou see بُعدَthe vastness بَينِof the separation النَبعِthe nabʿ (bow-wood) tree وَالضالِand the wild lote tree
وَقَد تَرى بُعدَ بَينِ النَبعِ وَالضالِ
And people are like trees, whose differences are plain,
People are like trees, they differ
And you can see the wide gulf between the nabʿ tree and the wild lote.
And you may see the distance between a spring and one who strays.
تَصَرَّمَhas ended الخَيرُgoodness أَمor زالَتhas vanished بَشاشَتُهُits cheerfulness
تَصَرَّمَ الخَيرُ أَم زالَت بَشاشَتُهُ
أَمِor اِضمَحَلَّتfaded away لَياليهِits nights مَعَwith الآلِthe mirage
أَمِ اِضمَحَلَّت لَياليهِ مَعَ الآلِ
Has goodness ended, or has its cheerfulness vanished?
Has kindness withered or has it lost its joy?
Or have its nights faded away with the mirage?
Or have its nights faded away with the family?
لَولاwere it not for خِلالُvirtues مِنَfrom الشاهِal-Shah اِستَبَدَّhe was uniquely endowed بِهاwith them
لَولا خِلالُ مِنَ الشاهِ اِستَبَدَّ بِها
لَأَصبَحَwould have become الجودُgenerosity فيناamong us كاسِفَdowncast البالِin spirit
لَأَصبَحَ الجودُ فينا كاسِفَ البالِ
Were it not for virtues that al-Shah alone possesses,
If not for rare faults from the Shah that took hold,
Generosity among us would be downcast.
Generosity amongst us would be humiliated.
إِذاwhen اِستَقَلَّتهُbore him up جُردُthe sleek ones الخَيلِof the horses أَقدَمَهاhe drove them forward
إِذا اِستَقَلَّتهُ جُردُ الخَيلِ أَقدَمَها
سَبطاًlong-limbed يَفوتُovertops سِنانَthe point الصَعدَةِthe straight spear العاليthe lofty
سَبطاً يَفوتُ سِنانَ الصَعدَةِ العالي
When sleek steeds bear him up, he drives them forward,
When the horse's saddle lowered it, he let it go
Long-limbed, overtopping the straight spear's lofty point.
Galloping, overtaking the lofty summit.
وَإِنand if مَشىhe walks فيin فُضولِthe trailing lengths الدِرعِthe mail coat قَلَّصَهاhe shortens it
وَإِن مَشى في فُضولِ الدِرعِ قَلَّصَها
مُبَجَّلٌmajestic بَينَbetween تَشميرٍhitching up وَإِسبالِand letting trail
مُبَجَّلٌ بَينَ تَشميرٍ وَإِسبالِ
And if he walks in the ample skirts of mail, he shortens it,
If he walked weighted down by his coat of mail, he lessened it -
Majestic, whether his mail is hitched up or left trailing.
Honored between wraps and trails.
غَمرٌbountiful كَفانيhe spared me وَلَمand did not أَخطُبI seek كِفايَتَهُhis aid
غَمرٌ كَفاني وَلَم أَخطُب كِفايَتَهُ
نَصَّdriving hard المَطِيِّthe riding camels عَلىamid أَينٍweariness وَإِعمالِand toil
نَصَّ المَطِيِّ عَلى أَينٍ وَإِعمالِ
Bountiful, he spared me—though I never sought his aid—
It sufficed me though I did not seek sufficiency,
The hard driving of camels through weariness and toil.
The stroke of his riding animal upon the reins and straps.
آمَنَنيhe made me safe غَولَthe ravages أَوجاليof my fears وَجاوَزَand went beyond بيwith me
آمَنَني غَولَ أَوجالي وَجاوَزَ بي
فيin كُلِّevery مُطَّلِبٍpursuit غاياتِthe furthest bounds آماليmy hopes
في كُلِّ مُطَّلِبٍ غاياتِ آمالي
He shielded me from the ravages of my fears and carried me beyond
It secured me from the injustice of foes and exceeded
The furthest bounds of my hopes in every pursuit.
My hopes in every request and aspiration.
وَقَدand indeed عَهِدتُI knew اللَياليthe nights وَهيَwhile they were جاهِدَةٌstriving hard
وَقَد عَهِدتُ اللَيالي وَهيَ جاهِدَةٌ
تَسعىworking عَلَيَّagainst me فَعادَتso they turned وَهيَwhile they are تَسعىworking ليfor me
تَسعى عَلَيَّ فَعادَت وَهيَ تَسعى لي
And I had known the nights striving hard,
I was accustomed to the nights attacking me
Working against me; now they have turned to working for me.
Then returning to attack me again.
Sol 6.1