شَرخُthe prime of الشَبابِyouth أَخوthe brother of الصِباboyhood وَأَليفُهُand its companion
شَرخُ الشَبابِ أَخو الصِبا وَأَليفُهُ
وَالشَيبُand gray hair تَزجِيَةُslow passing الهَوىdesire وَخُفوقُهُand its fading
وَالشَيبُ تَزجِيَةُ الهَوى وَخُفوقُهُ
The prime of youth is boyhood's brother and companion;
And gray hair is desire's slow passing and fading.
وَأَراكَand I see you تَعجَبُmarvel مِنat صَبابَةِthe ardor of مُغرَمٍa lovesick man
وَأَراكَ تَعجَبُ مِن صَبابَةِ مُغرَمٍ
أَسيانَgrief-stricken طالَgrew prolonged عَلىbefore الدِيارِthe dwellings وُقوفُهُhis standing
أَسيانَ طالَ عَلى الدِيارِ وُقوفُهُ
And I see you marvel at a lovesick man's ardor,
Grief-stricken, long standing before the dwellings.
صَرَفَhe turned المَسامِعَthe ears عَنaway from مَلامَةِthe blame of عاذِلٍa reproacher
صَرَفَ المَسامِعَ عَن مَلامَةِ عاذِلٍ
لاnot لَومُهُhis blame أَجدىavailed وَلاnor تَعنيفُهُhis harsh rebuke
لا لَومُهُ أَجدى وَلا تَعنيفُهُ
He turned his ears from a reproacher's blame:
Neither his censure nor his harsh rebuke availed.
وَأَبيand by the father of الظَعائِنِthe women in litters يَومَthe day رُحنَthey departed لَقَدindeed مَضىthere went
وَأَبي الظَعائِنِ يَومَ رُحنَ لَقَد مَضى
فيهِنَّamong them مَجدولَsupple القَوامِof build قَضيفُهُslender in its build
فيهِنَّ مَجدولَ القَوامِ قَضيفُهُ
By the father of the women in their litters, on the day they left, there departed
Among them one of supple, slender build:
شَمسٌa sun تَأَلَّقَshone وَالفِراقُand separation غُروبُهاher setting
شَمسٌ تَأَلَّقَ وَالفِراقُ غُروبُها
عَنّاaway from us وَبَدرٌand a full moon وَالصُدودُand aversion كُسوفُهُits eclipse
عَنّا وَبَدرٌ وَالصُدودُ كُسوفُهُ
A sun that shone—separation is her setting
Away from us; and a full moon whose eclipse is aversion.
فَإِذاso when تَحَمَّلَset forth مِنfrom تُهامَةَTihamah بارِقٌa lightning cloud
فَإِذا تَحَمَّلَ مِن تُهامَةَ بارِقٌ
لَجِبٌthunderous تَسيرُadvance مَعَwith الجَنوبِthe south wind زُحوفُهُits marching hosts
لَجِبٌ تَسيرُ مَعَ الجَنوبِ زُحوفُهُ
So when a lightning cloud sets forth from Tihamah,
Thunderous, its hosts advancing with the south wind,
صَخِبُclamorous العَشِيِّat dusk إِذاwhen تَأَلَّقَflashed بَرقُهُits lightning
صَخِبُ العَشِيِّ إِذا تَأَلَّقَ بَرقُهُ
ذَعَرَfrightened الأَجادِلَthe falcons فيin السَماءِthe sky حَفيفُهُits rushing sound
ذَعَرَ الأَجادِلَ في السَماءِ حَفيفُهُ
Clamorous at dusk—when its lightning flashes,
Its rushing sound frightens the falcons in the sky—
فَسَقىso may it water اللِوىal-Liwa لابَلno, rather سَقىmay it water عَهدَthe bygone days of اللِوىal-Liwa
فَسَقى اللِوى لابَل سَقى عَهدَ اللِوى
أَيّامَthe days when نَرتَبِعُwe spend spring in اللِوىal-Liwa وَنَصيفُهُand spend summer there
أَيّامَ نَرتَبِعُ اللِوى وَنَصيفُهُ
Then may it water al-Liwa—no, rather, al-Liwa's bygone days,
When we spent our springs and summers in al-Liwa.
حَنَّتpined رِكابيmy riding camels بِالعِراقِin Iraq وَشاقَهاand stirred their longing
حَنَّت رِكابي بِالعِراقِ وَشاقَها
فيin ناجِرٍNajir, a hot-season month بَردُthe coolness of الشَآمِSyria وَريفُهُand its fertile countryside
في ناجِرٍ بَردُ الشَآمِ وَريفُهُ
My mounts pined in Iraq, drawn with longing
In Najir by Syria's coolness and fertile countryside,
وَمَدافِعُand the watercourses of الساجورِthe Sajur حَيثُwhere تَقابَلَتfaced one another
وَمَدافِعُ الساجورِ حَيثُ تَقابَلَت
فيon ضِفَّتَيهِits two banks تِلاعُهُits ravines وَكُهوفُهُand its caves
في ضِفَّتَيهِ تِلاعُهُ وَكُهوفُهُ
And the Sajur's watercourses, where, facing one another,
On its two banks lie its ravines and caves.
وَيَهيجُنيand stirs me أَلّاthat it does not يَزالَcease يَزورُنيvisit me
وَيَهيجُني أَلّا يَزالَ يَزورُني
مِنهاfrom there خَيالٌa vision ماnot يُغَبُّskips a day مُطيفُهُits nightly visitor
مِنها خَيالٌ ما يُغَبُّ مُطيفُهُ
And it stirs me that there never ceases to visit me
A vision from there, whose nightly visitor never skips a night.
وَشِفاءُand the cure for ماwhat تَجِدُfeel الضُلوعُthe ribs مِنَof الجَوىburning grief
وَشِفاءُ ما تَجِدُ الضُلوعُ مِنَ الجَوى
سَيرٌa journey يَشُقُّtaxes عَلىupon الهَدانِthe sluggish man وَجيفُهُits swift pace
سَيرٌ يَشُقُّ عَلى الهَدانِ وَجيفُهُ
And the cure for the anguish my ribs feel
Is a journey whose swift pace taxes the sluggish.
إِنif لَمnot يُرَيثَناdelays us الجَوازُthe crossing عَنِfrom الَّتيthe one whom
إِن لَم يُرَيثَنا الجَوازُ عَنِ الَّتي
نَهوىwe love وَيَمنَعُناand prevents us النُفوذُpassage رَفيفُهُits shimmer
نَهوى وَيَمنَعُنا النُفوذُ رَفيفُهُ
If the crossing does not delay us from the one
We love, and its shimmer does not bar our passage,
أَوor نائِلُthe bounty of الفَتحِal-Fath بنِson of خاقانَKhaqan الَّذيwhose
أَو نائِلُ الفَتحِ بنِ خاقانَ الَّذي
لِلمَكرُماتِfor noble deeds تَليدُهُhis inherited wealth وَطَريفُهُand his newly gained wealth
لِلمَكرُماتِ تَليدُهُ وَطَريفُهُ
Nor the bounty of al-Fath ibn Khaqan, whose
Inherited and newly gained wealth serves noble deeds.
مِلكٌa lord (reading مَلِك) بِعالِيَةِin the upper part of العِراقِIraq قِبابُهُhis pavilions
مِلكٌ بِعالِيَةِ العِراقِ قِبابُهُ
يَقريentertains البُدورَthe full moons بِهاin them وَنَحنُand we ضُيوفُهُhis guests
يَقري البُدورَ بِها وَنَحنُ ضُيوفُهُ
A lord whose pavilions stand in Upper Iraq,
He entertains full moons there, and we are his guests.
لَمnot أَلقَهُmeet him حَتّىuntil لَقيتُI met عَطاءَهُhis bounty
لَم أَلقَهُ حَتّى لَقيتُ عَطاءَهُ
جَزلاًlavish وَعَرَّفَنيand made me know الغِنىprosperity مَعروفُهُhis kindness
جَزلاً وَعَرَّفَني الغِنى مَعروفُهُ
I had not met him before I met his bounty,
Lavish indeed; his kindness made me know prosperity.
فَتَفَتَّحَتthen opened بِالإِذنِwith permission ليfor me أَبوابُهُhis doors
فَتَفَتَّحَت بِالإِذنِ لي أَبوابُهُ
وَتَرَفَّعَتand rose عَنّيaway from me إِلَيهِtoward him سُجوفُهُhis curtains
وَتَرَفَّعَت عَنّي إِلَيهِ سُجوفُهُ
Then his doors opened to me with permission,
And his curtains rose before me, admitting me to him.
عَطَفَتturned عَليَّtoward me عِنايَةٌcare مِنfrom وُدِّهِhis affection
عَطَفَت عَليَّ عِنايَةٌ مِن وُدِّهِ
وَتَتابَعَتand followed successively جُمَلاًin batches إِلَيَّto me أُلوفُهُhis thousands
وَتَتابَعَت جُمَلاً إِلَيَّ أُلوفُهُ
Care born of his affection turned toward me,
And his thousands reached me, batch upon batch.
عاليexalted in المَحَلِّstation أَنالَنيgranted me بِنَوالِهِthrough his bounty
عالي المَحَلِّ أَنالَني بِنَوالِهِ
شَرَفاًan honor أَطَلَّlooked down عَلىupon النُجومِthe stars مُنيفُهُits lofty height
شَرَفاً أَطَلَّ عَلى النُجومِ مُنيفُهُ
Exalted in station, through his bounty he granted me
An honor whose lofty height looked down upon the stars.
أَيُّwhich اليَدَينِof the two hands (favors) أَجَلُّgreater عِنديin my eyes نِعمَةًin blessing
أَيُّ اليَدَينِ أَجَلُّ عِندي نِعمَةً
إِغناؤُهُhis enriching إِيّايَme أَمor تَشريفُهُhis honoring
إِغناؤُهُ إِيّايَ أَم تَشريفُهُ
Which of the two hands bestows the greater blessing on me:
His enriching me, or his honoring me?
غَيثٌrain تَدَفَّقَpoured forth وَاللُجَينُand silver رِهامُهُits fine showers
غَيثٌ تَدَفَّقَ وَاللُجَينُ رِهامُهُ
فيناupon us وَلَيثٌand a lion وَالرِماحُand spears غَريفُهُits thicket
فينا وَلَيثٌ وَالرِماحُ غَريفُهُ
A pouring rain, whose fine showers are silver
Upon us; and a lion whose thicket is spears.
وَلِيَgoverned الأُمورَaffairs بِرَأيِهِby his judgment فَسَدادُهُso his right course
وَلِيَ الأُمورَ بِرَأيِهِ فَسَدادُهُ
إِمضاؤُهُhis carrying through بِالحَزمِwith resolve أَوor تَوقيفُهُhis holding back
إِمضاؤُهُ بِالحَزمِ أَو تَوقيفُهُ
He governs affairs by his judgment; his right course is
To act with resolve, or to hold back.
وَثَنىand turned العُداةَthe foes إِلَيهِtoward him عَفوٌpardon لَوif وَنىslackened
وَثَنى العُداةَ إِلَيهِ عَفوٌ لَو وَنى
لَثَنَتهُمُwould surely turn them غَصباًby force إِلَيهِtoward him سُيوفُهُhis swords
لَثَنَتهُمُ غَصباً إِلَيهِ سُيوفُهُ
His pardon turned his foes toward him; had it faltered,
His swords would have turned them toward him by force.
نِعَمٌblessings إِذاwhen ابتَلَّwas drenched الحَسودُthe envious man بِسَيبِهاin their outpouring
نِعَمٌ إِذا ابتَلَّ الحَسودُ بِسَيبِها
أَحيَتهُthey revived him بِالإِفضالِthrough generosity وَهيَand they are حُتوفُهُhis deaths
أَحيَتهُ بِالإِفضالِ وَهيَ حُتوفُهُ
Blessings: when the envious man is drenched in their flood,
They revive him through generosity, though they are his doom.
قُلsay لِلأَميرِto the prince وَأَيُّand what مَجدٍglory ماnot التَقَتmet
قُل لِلأَميرِ وَأَيُّ مَجدٍ ما التَقَت
مِنfrom فَوقِabove أَبنِيَةِthe buildings of الأَميرِthe prince سُقوفُهُits roofs
مِن فَوقِ أَبنِيَةِ الأَميرِ سُقوفُهُ
Tell the prince—and what glory has not had
Its roofs meet above the prince's buildings?—
أَمّاas for السَماحُgenerosity فَإِنَّthen indeed أَوَّلَthe foremost خَلَّةٍquality
أَمّا السَماحُ فَإِنَّ أَوَّلَ خَلَّةٍ
زانَتهُadorned it أَنَّكَthat you صِنوُهُits twin وَحَليفُهُand its ally
زانَتهُ أَنَّكَ صِنوُهُ وَحَليفُهُ
As for generosity, the foremost quality
To adorn it is that you are its twin and ally.
لَمّاwhen لَقيتُI faced بِكَwith you الزَمانَTime تَصَدَّعَتscattered
لَمّا لَقيتُ بِكَ الزَمانَ تَصَدَّعَت
عَنfrom ساحَتيmy courtyard أَحداثُهُits calamities وَصُروفُهُand its reversals
عَن ساحَتي أَحداثُهُ وَصُروفُهُ
When, with you, I faced Time, there scattered
From my courtyard its calamities and reversals.
وَأَمِنتُهُand I felt safe from it وَلَوَand if اَنَّthat غَيرَكَsomeone other than you ضامِنٌa guarantor of
وَأَمِنتُهُ وَلَوَ اَنَّ غَيرَكَ ضامِنٌ
يَومَيهِits two days لَمnot يُؤمَنbe safe عَلَيَّfor me مَخوفُهُits terrors
يَومَيهِ لَم يُؤمَن عَلَيَّ مَخوفُهُ
And I felt safe from it; had anyone but you guaranteed
Its two days, I would not have been safe from its terrors.
فَلَئِنso if indeed جَحَدتُI deny عَظيمَthe greatness of ماwhat أَولَيتَنيyou bestowed on me
فَلَئِن جَحَدتُ عَظيمَ ما أَولَيتَني
إِنّيindeed I إِذاًthen واهيfrail in الوَفاءِfidelity ضَعيفُهُweak in it
إِنّي إِذاً واهي الوَفاءِ ضَعيفُهُ
So if I deny the greatness of what you have bestowed on me,
Then indeed I would be frail and weak in fidelity.
لَمnot يَأتِcome جودُكَyour generosity سابِقاًin the lead فيin سُؤدُدٍnobility
لَم يَأتِ جودُكَ سابِقاً في سُؤدُدٍ
إِلّاexcept وَجاهُكَand your influence لِلعُفاةِfor petitioners رَديفُهُits rider behind
إِلّا وَجاهُكَ لِلعُفاةِ رَديفُهُ
Your generosity has never led the race in nobility
Without your influence riding behind it for petitioners.
غَيزانِtwo rain clouds (likely غيثان) إِنif جَدبٌdrought تَتابَعَpersisted أَقبَلاthey both approached
غَيزانِ إِن جَدبٌ تَتابَعَ أَقبَلا
وَهُماand they both رَبيعُthe spring of مُؤَمِّلٍone who hopes وَخَريفُهُand his autumn
وَهُما رَبيعُ مُؤَمِّلٍ وَخَريفُهُ
Two rain clouds: when drought persists, they arrive,
And they are a hopeful man's spring and autumn.
فَهَلُمَّthen bring forth وَعدَكَyour promise فيconcerning الإِمامِthe Imam فَإِنَّهُfor indeed it is
فَهَلُمَّ وَعدَكَ في الإِمامِ فَإِنَّهُ
فَضلٌan added favor إِلىto جَدوىthe bounty of يَدَيكَyour two hands تُضيفُهُyou add it
فَضلٌ إِلى جَدوى يَدَيكَ تُضيفُهُ
Then fulfill your promise concerning the Imam, for it
Is an added favor you join to the bounty of your hands.
وَهوَand he الخَليفَةُthe Caliph إِنif أَسِرI travel وَعَطاؤُهُand his bounty
وَهوَ الخَليفَةُ إِن أَسِر وَعَطاؤُهُ
خَلفيbehind me فَإِنَّthen indeed نَقيصَةًa failing تَخليفُهُleaving it behind
خَلفي فَإِنَّ نَقيصَةً تَخليفُهُ
And he is the Caliph: if I depart while his bounty lies
Behind me, then leaving it behind is a failing.
Sol 6.1