إِلىto أَيِّwhich سِرٍّsecret فيin الهَوىlove لَمnot أُخالِفِI steal away
إِلى أَيِّ سِرٍّ في الهَوى لَم أُخالِفِ
وَأَيُّand what غَرامٍpassion عِندَهُthere, with it لَمnot أُصادِفِI encounter
وَأَيُّ غَرامٍ عِندَهُ لَم أُصادِفِ
To what secret of love have I not stolen away?
To what secrets of passion have I not been true?
And what passion have I not encountered there?
What love has been there I did not go through?
وَليand I have هَفَواتٌlapses باعِثاتٌarousing لِيَin me الجَوىlove's anguish
وَلي هَفَواتٌ باعِثاتٌ لِيَ الجَوى
يُعَرِّضنَنيthey expose me مِنthrough بَرحِهِits torment لِلمَتالِفِto mortal perils
يُعَرِّضنَني مِن بَرحِهِ لِلمَتالِفِ
And I have lapses that stir love's anguish in me;
I have lapses that make me grieve,
They expose me, through its torment, to mortal perils.
Exposing me when away from him to one unlike me.
كَأَنَّas though العُيونَthe eyes الفاتِناتِbeguiling تَعاوَنَتjoined forces
كَأَنَّ العُيونَ الفاتِناتِ تَعاوَنَت
عَلىover تِرَةٍa grievance عِندَheld against العُيونِthe eyes الذَوارِفِtear-shedding
عَلى تِرَةٍ عِندَ العُيونِ الذَوارِفِ
As though the beguiling eyes had joined forces
As though the lovely eyes conspired
To avenge a grievance they held against the weeping eyes.
Against me among eyes that pierce.
فَإِنso if أَسلُI forget أُلّافَthe companions الصِباof youth فَبِعَقبِthen after ماthe time when
فَإِن أَسلُ أُلّافَ الصِبا فَبِعَقبِ ما
غَنيتُI dwelt وَساحاتُand the courts الصِباof youth مِنamong مَآلِفيmy familiar haunts
غَنيتُ وَساحاتُ الصِبا مِن مَآلِفي
So if I forget youth's companions, it is only after
When I ask the thousands of youth about the past,
I dwelt with youth's courts among my familiar haunts.
After I had sung, the meadows of youth not matching it.
أَرىI see ثِقَةَthe confidence الراجيof one hoping مُواصَلَةَfor union with المَهاthe oryx (beautiful women)
أَرى ثِقَةَ الراجي مُواصَلَةَ المَها
تَكاءَدَهاoppressed it أَوor آدَهاburdened it شَكُّthe doubt خائِفِof one afraid
تَكاءَدَها أَو آدَها شَكُّ خائِفِ
I see the confidence of one hoping for union with the oryx-eyed beauties
I see the confidence of the hopeful, conversing
Oppressed or weighed down by a fearful man's doubt.
With doubt, each strengthening and encouraging the other.
كَأَنَّas though النَوىseparation يَكذِبنَهُthey disappoint him نَحبُa pledge ناذِرٍof one who vows
كَأَنَّ النَوى يَكذِبنَهُ نَحبُ ناذِرٍ
يُقَضّينَthey discharge مِنهُof it أَوor أَلِيَّةُan oath حالِفِof one who swears
يُقَضّينَ مِنهُ أَو أَلِيَّةُ حالِفِ
As though the parting with which they disappoint him were a vow-maker's pledge,
As though destiny belies him, the promise of one who warns,
Which they discharge, or a swearer's oath.
Fulfilled or the treachery of a confidante.
إِذاwhen ما(emphasis) لَقَيناهُنَّwe meet them وَالشَيبُand gray hair شَفعُناour companion
إِذا ما لَقَيناهُنَّ وَالشَيبُ شَفعُنا
تَغابَينَthey feign ignorance أَوor كَلَّمنَناthey speak to us بِالسَوالِفِof bygone days
تَغابَينَ أَو كَلَّمنَنا بِالسَوالِفِ
When we meet them, gray hair our companion,
When we meet them and old age intercedes,
They feign ignorance, or speak to us of bygone days.
They are playful or they address us intimately.
لَئِنeven if صَدَفَتshe turned away عَنّاfrom us فَرُبَّةَyet many أَنفُسٍsouls
لَئِن صَدَفَت عَنّا فَرُبَّةَ أَنفُسٍ
صَوادٍthirsting إِلىfor تِلكَthose الخُدودِthe cheeks الصَوادِفِturned away
صَوادٍ إِلى تِلكَ الخُدودِ الصَوادِفِ
Even if she has turned away from us, many are the souls
If they ignore us, how many gentle souls,
Thirsting for those averted cheeks.
Hunt those cheeks, so artful in hunting!
فَلَيتَso, would that لُباناتِthe longings المُحِبِّof the lover رُدِدنَthey were returned فيinto
فَلَيتَ لُباناتِ المُحِبِّ رُدِدنَ في
جَوانِحِهِhis inner ribs أَوor كُنَّthey were عِندَwith مُساعِفِa willing helper
جَوانِحِهِ أَو كُنَّ عِندَ مُساعِفِ
Would that the lover's longings were sent back into
Would that the desires of a lover were echoed
His breast, or placed with one willing to fulfill them.
In his innermost being, or with one who duplicates!
وَماand ... is not شَعَفُburning passion المَشعوفِof the love-stricken إِلّاexcept بَلِيَّةٌan affliction
وَما شَعَفُ المَشعوفِ إِلّا بَلِيَّةٌ
عَلَيهِupon him إِذاif لَمnot يُعطَhe is given تَنويلَthe favor شاعِفِof the one inflaming his love
عَلَيهِ إِذا لَم يُعطَ تَنويلَ شاعِفِ
And the burning passion of the love-stricken is nothing but an affliction
The longing of the enamored is but anguish to him
Upon him, if he is denied the favor of the one who inflames his love.
If he is not allowed the interpretation of one who comprehends.
بَدَأتُI began بِحَقِّwith the claims الأَصدِقاءِof friends وَلَمand not أَكُنI was
بَدَأتُ بِحَقِّ الأَصدِقاءِ وَلَم أَكُن
لِأَجعَلَهُto make it لِفقاًan equal counterpart لِحَقِّto the claims المَعارِفِof acquaintances
لِأَجعَلَهُ لِفقاً لِحَقِّ المَعارِفِ
I began with the claims of friends, and would not
I began with the right of friends and did not
Make them equal to the claims of acquaintances.
Make it a duty like the right of acquaintances.
وَساوَيتُand I treated equally بَينَbetween القَومِthe people فيin شُكرِthanks for سَيبِهِمtheir bounty
وَساوَيتُ بَينَ القَومِ في شُكرِ سَيبِهِم
وَهُمthough they are دَرَجٌranks مِنfrom سوقَةٍcommoners وَخَلائِفِand caliphs
وَهُم دَرَجٌ مِن سوقَةٍ وَخَلائِفِ
And I treated people equally in thanking them for their bounty,
I equalized the people in thanking those who preceded them,
Though their ranks range from commoners to caliphs.
Though they range from market inspectors to successors.
أَعُدُّI count بِإِنصافِin the fairness الخَليلِof a friend تَفَضُّلاًa gracious favor
أَعُدُّ بِإِنصافِ الخَليلِ تَفَضُّلاً
وَإِنَّand indeed مِنَamong الإِفضالِacts of generosity بَعضَsome التَناصُفِmutual fairness
وَإِنَّ مِنَ الإِفضالِ بَعضَ التَناصُفِ
I count a friend's fairness as a gracious favor,
I count obliging a friend exceeding bounty
And indeed, some mutual fairness is a form of generosity.
Though bounty itself is a form of sharing.
وَكَمand how many مِنof أُناسٍpeople عِفتُI loathed أَوor عِبتُI blamed زارِياًreproaching
وَكَم مِن أُناسٍ عِفتُ أَو عِبتُ زارِياً
عَلىfor عُنجُهِيّاتٍarrogant airs لَهُمof theirs وَعَجارِفِand haughtiness
عَلى عُنجُهِيّاتٍ لَهُم وَعَجارِفِ
And how many people I have loathed or blamed, condemning
How many have I censured or scorned behind their backs
Their arrogance and haughty airs!
For their disgraceful acts and wicked ways!
يُرَونَthey are seen as بِساعاتِat the times العَطاياof gifts تَفاقَدواmay they lose one another!
يُرَونَ بِساعاتِ العَطايا تَفاقَدوا
مَخايِلَportents ساعاتِof the hours المَناياof death الحَواتِفِlife-snatching
مَخايِلَ ساعاتِ المَنايا الحَواتِفِ
They seem, at times of giving—may they lose one another!—
They perceive in the moments of gifts; they never sensed
Like portents of the hours of life-snatching death.
In the moments of death the circling fates.
إِذاif طُوِيَare hidden الفِتيانُthe young men عَنكَfrom you فَأَشكَلَتso grew unclear
إِذا طُوِيَ الفِتيانُ عَنكَ فَأَشكَلَت
مَقاديرُهُمtheir worth فَاِعرِفهُمُthen know them بِالعَوارِفِby acts of kindness
مَقاديرُهُم فَاِعرِفهُمُ بِالعَوارِفِ
If young men are hidden from you, obscuring
When the youths disappear from you and their measures
Their worth, then know them by their generous deeds.
Become confused, know them by the refined ways.
قَضَيتُI judged لِإِسحاقَin Ishaq's favor بنِson of يَعقوبَYaqub بِالنَدىfor generosity
قَضَيتُ لِإِسحاقَ بنِ يَعقوبَ بِالنَدى
قَضِيَّةَa judgment لاnot الغاليof an exaggerator وَلاnor المُتَجانِفِof one biased
قَضِيَّةَ لا الغالي وَلا المُتَجانِفِ
I have judged Ishaq ibn Yaqub to be generous,
I decided for Isaac ibn Yaʿqub fairly,
With the judgment of neither an exaggerator nor a biased man.
A case where there is neither too much nor too little.
أَبِيٌّunyielding إِذاwhen حامَتhovered يَداهُhis two hands عَلىover العُلاthe heights of honor
أَبِيٌّ إِذا حامَت يَداهُ عَلى العُلا
تَبَيَّنتَهُyou discern him فيهاin them نَبيهَdistinguished المَواقِفِin his deeds
تَبَيَّنتَهُ فيها نَبيهَ المَواقِفِ
Proud and unyielding, when his hands hover over the heights,
A father whose hands overflow with elevation
You discern him there, distinguished in his deeds.
And in them his finesse in difficult situations is clear.
يُبادِرُhe races toward غاياتٍgoals مِنَof المَجدِglory طَوَّحَتhave hurled
يُبادِرُ غاياتٍ مِنَ المَجدِ طَوَّحَت
بِهِhim خَلفَbeyond غاياتِthe limits الرِياحِof the winds العَواصِفِtempestuous
بِهِ خَلفَ غاياتِ الرِياحِ العَواصِفِ
He races toward goals of glory that have hurled
He reaches the furthest goals of glory which
Him beyond the utmost reach of tempestuous winds.
Left behind the goals of raging winds.
إِذاwhen قيلَit is said لِلقَومِto the people اِقدُروهاestimate them بِظَنِّكُمby your conjecture
إِذا قيلَ لِلقَومِ اِقدُروها بِظَنِّكُم
أَلاحواthey grow fearful مِنِof اِستِئنافِsetting out anew تِلكَthose التَنائِفِwastelands
أَلاحوا مِنِ اِستِئنافِ تِلكَ التَنائِفِ
When the people are told, "Estimate them by your conjecture,"
When people are told: “Estimate it as you think,”
They shrink from setting out anew across those wastelands.
They refrain from renewing those disputes.
يُؤَدّيhe achieves إِلىto بُعدِthe far extent المَدىof the course سَبقَthe lead بالِغٍof one who arrives
يُؤَدّي إِلى بُعدِ المَدى سَبقَ بالِغٍ
إِذاwhen اِستَشرَفواthey anticipate مِنهُfrom him دُنُوَّthe approach مُشارِفِof one drawing near
إِذا اِستَشرَفوا مِنهُ دُنُوَّ مُشارِفِ
He arrives first at the farthest goal,
It leads to the greatest span, preceded by one
When they expect from him only the approach of one drawing near.
Who perceives from it the nearing of its edges.
بِأَقصىto the utmost of رِضاناour satisfaction أَنthat يَعَضَّhe bites حَسودُهُhis envier
بِأَقصى رِضانا أَن يَعَضَّ حَسودُهُ
عَلىin رَغَمٍhumiliation فيinto كَفِّthe palm غَضبانَof an angry man آسِفِaggrieved
عَلى رَغَمٍ في كَفِّ غَضبانَ آسِفِ
Our greatest delight is that his envier should bite
To fully please him, his envier might burst
His own palm in humiliation, angry and aggrieved.
With vexation in the grip of a rueful tyrant.
وَماand ... do not تُلُدُlongstanding stores المَعروفِof kindness بِالمُغنَياتِهِsufficient for him
وَما تُلُدُ المَعروفِ بِالمُغنَياتِهِ
عَنِfrom المَجدِglory أَنto يَزدادَهُgain more of it بِالطَوارِفِthrough new acquisitions
عَنِ المَجدِ أَن يَزدادَهُ بِالطَوارِفِ
Nor do his longstanding deeds of kindness excuse him
Beneficence does not diminish glory by its generosities;
From gaining more glory through fresh ones.
Rather it increases it with its diverse virtues.
وَأَينَand where لَهاfor them بِالهَضبِagainst the rocky heights تَسموrise high فُروعُهُits peaks
وَأَينَ لَها بِالهَضبِ تَسمو فُروعُهُ
قَراراتُthe low-lying floors قيعانِof the plains الصَريمِof the sandy waste الصَفاصِفِflat and bare
قَراراتُ قيعانِ الصَريمِ الصَفاصِفِ
And how could they rival the rocky heights, whose peaks soar—
Where on the desolate plateau can its branches attain
The low-lying floors of the sandy waste's level plains?
Tranquility, in the barren valleys full of pebbles?
جَمَعتُI gathered بِهِin him شَملَthe whole الرَجاءِof hope وَلَمand not أَمِلI turned
جَمَعتُ بِهِ شَملَ الرَجاءِ وَلَم أَمِل
إِلىtoward بَدَدٍscattered groups مُرفَضَّةٍdispersed وَطَوائِفِand factions
إِلى بَدَدٍ مُرفَضَّةٍ وَطَوائِفِ
I gathered my hopes together in him, and did not turn
I gathered in it hopes and did not hope
Toward scattered, dispersed groups and factions.
For dispersal in scattered groups and bands.
وَأَوقَعتُand I forged حِلفاًan alliance بَينَbetween شِعريmy poetry وُجودِهِand his generosity
وَأَوقَعتُ حِلفاً بَينَ شِعري وُجودِهِ
إِذاif لَمnot تُناسِبyou share kinship فيin الثَراءِwealth فَحالِفِthen form an alliance
إِذا لَم تُناسِب في الثَراءِ فَحالِفِ
And I forged an alliance between my poetry and his generosity:
I made a pact between my poetry and his existence,
If you are not kin in wealth, then forge an alliance.
That if it does not match his wealth, it has its own virtues.
طَرائِفَrarities مِنof حُرِّnoble القَريضِverse يَرُدُّهاhe repays them
طَرائِفَ مِن حُرِّ القَريضِ يَرُدُّها
مُقابَلَةًin exchange مِنfrom رِفدِهِhis bounty بِالطَرائِفِwith rarities
مُقابَلَةً مِن رِفدِهِ بِالطَرائِفِ
Rare pieces of noble verse he repays
Refined poetry whose threading is exquisite comes to us
In exchange with rarities from his bounty.
In a unique threading from the looms of Sūs, place of fine textiles.
إِذاwhen ما(emphasis) طِرازُthe embroidered fabric الشِعرِof verse وافاهُreaches him جاءَناcomes to us
إِذا ما طِرازُ الشِعرِ وافاهُ جاءَنا
غَريبُrare طِرازِembroidered cloth السوسِof Sūs سَبطَsmooth-flowing الرَفارِفِin its fringes
غَريبُ طِرازِ السوسِ سَبطَ الرَفارِفِ
Whenever the embroidered fabric of verse reaches him, there comes to us
We sell cheap merchandise for expensive
Rare embroidered cloth from Sūs, with smoothly trailing fringes.
And buy thin fabrics with thick and coarse ones.
نُكَرِّرُwe repeat بَيعَselling الوَشيِbrocade بِالخَزِّfor silk-and-wool cloth مُثمِناًfetching a price
نُكَرِّرُ بَيعَ الوَشيِ بِالخَزِّ مُثمِناً
وَقَيضَand bartering البُرودِstriped robes عِندَناamong us بِالمَطارِفِfor bordered cloaks
وَقَيضَ البُرودِ عِندَنا بِالمَطارِفِ
We keep selling brocade for silk-and-wool, receiving its price,
If there were in the land of servants, throngs
And barter striped robes here for bordered cloaks.
Of fine discriminators and clever girls,
وَلَوand if كانَhe were فيin أَرضِthe land الرَقيقِof slaves أَمارَناhe would supply us
وَلَو كانَ في أَرضِ الرَقيقِ أَمارَنا
مِنَof الوُصَفاءِslave-boys كَثرَةًan abundance وَالوَصائِفِand slave-girls
مِنَ الوُصَفاءِ كَثرَةً وَالوَصائِفِ
And were he in the land of slaves, he would supply us
The work of a hand in generosity wherever directed
With an abundance of slave-boys and slave-girls.
Would see in its duplications a wondrous skill.
صَناعَdeft يَدٍof hand فيin الجودِgenerosity حَيثُwherever تَوَجَّهَتit turns
صَناعَ يَدٍ في الجودِ حَيثُ تَوَجَّهَت
أَرَتit shows عَجَباًa marvel مِنof حُسنِهاits beauty المُتَضاعِفِever-multiplying
أَرَت عَجَباً مِن حُسنِها المُتَضاعِفِ
Deft of hand in generosity: wherever it turns,
It shows a marvel of its ever-multiplying beauty.
Partial English translation: 60 of 62 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1