أَرانيI find myself مَتىwhenever أَبغِI seek الصَبابَةَardent longing أَقدِرُI am able
أَراني مَتى أَبغِ الصَبابَةَ أَقدِرُ
وَإِنand if أَطلُبِI seek الأَشجانَsorrows لاnot تَتَعَذَّرِprove elusive
وَإِن أَطلُبِ الأَشجانَ لا تَتَعَذَّرِ
Whenever I seek ardent longing, I find it;
I find that whenever I seek ardent longing, I can attain it.
and if I seek sorrows, they are never hard to find.
And if I seek sorrows, they do not prove elusive.
أَعُدُّI count سِنِيَّmy years فارِحاًrejoicing بِمُرورِهاat their passing
أَعُدُّ سِنِيَّ فارِحاً بِمُرورِها
وَمَأتىand the coming of المَناياdeaths مِنfrom سِنِيَّmy years وَأَشهُريand my months
وَمَأتى المَنايا مِن سِنِيَّ وَأَشهُري
I count my years, rejoicing even in their bitterness,
I count my years, rejoicing as they pass,
though a hundred deaths lie within my years and months.
And death comes by way of my years and months.
وَأَهوىand I desire اِمتِدادَthe lengthening of العُمرِlife ماas long as اِمتَدَّextends حَبلُهُits cord
وَأَهوى اِمتِدادَ العُمرِ ما اِمتَدَّ حَبلُهُ
وَماand not قيضَwas allotted لِلأَحزانِto sorrows قَيضَlike المُعَمَّرِthe long-lived
وَما قيضَ لِلأَحزانِ قَيضَ المُعَمَّرِ
I desire life to stretch as long as its rope extends,
And I long for life's lengthening as long as its cord extends,
yet none is consigned to sorrows like the long-lived.
And none is allotted to sorrow like the long-lived.
وَماand not خِلتُI thought تُبكىwould be mourned بَعدَafter قَيصَرَQaysar خُلَّةٌa close friendship
وَما خِلتُ تُبكى بَعدَ قَيصَرَ خُلَّةٌ
لِكُلِّfor every مُحِبٍّlover قَيصَرٌQaysar مِثلَlike قَيصَريmy Qaysar
لِكُلِّ مُحِبٍّ قَيصَرٌ مِثلَ قَيصَري
Never did I think a beloved would be mourned after Qaysar—
And I never thought a friendship would be mourned after Qaysar;
yet every lover has a Qaysar like my own.
Every lover has a Qaysar like my own.
نَعَمyes فيin اِبنِIbn بُسطامَBustam وَزِبرِجَand Zibrij أُسوَةٌconsolation
نَعَم في اِبنِ بُسطامَ وَزِبرِجَ أُسوَةٌ
وَوَفرٍand Wafr عَلىagainst الأَيّامِthe days وَاِبنِand Ibn المُدَبِّرِal-Mudabbir
وَوَفرٍ عَلى الأَيّامِ وَاِبنِ المُدَبِّرِ
Indeed, in Ibn Bistam and Zibraj there is consolation,
Yes, there is consolation in Ibn Bustam and Zibrij,
and in Wafr—despite Time—and Ibn al-Mudabbir.
And Wafr, in the face of time, and Ibn al-Mudabbir.
وَبَرَّحَand tormented بيme فيover زِبرِجٍZibrij أَنَّthat يَومَهُhis day
وَبَرَّحَ بي في زِبرِجٍ أَنَّ يَومَهُ
تَعَجَّلَhastened لَمdid not يُمهِلgrant respite وَلَمand did not يَتَنَظَّرِwait
تَعَجَّلَ لَم يُمهِل وَلَم يَتَنَظَّرِ
Yet what has sorely afflicted me in Zibraj's case is that his appointed day
And what tormented me over Zibrij was that his day
hastened upon him, granting no respite and refusing to wait.
Hastened, granting no respite and making no delay.
مَتاعٌa delight مِنَfrom الدُنياthe world حَظِيٌّcherished وَمَنand whoever يَفُتloses
مَتاعٌ مِنَ الدُنيا حَظِيٌّ وَمَن يَفُت
حَظِيّاًa cherished one مِنَfrom الدُنياthe world فَيَحزُنهُand so it saddens him يُعذَرِis excused
حَظِيّاً مِنَ الدُنيا فَيَحزُنهُ يُعذَرِ
A favored man is one of this world's delights; whoever loses
A cherished delight of this world—and whoever loses
such a favored man from the world and grieves for him is excused.
A cherished one of this world and is saddened by the loss is excused.
أَصيتُsonorous لِمَولاهُfor his master عَلىwith حُسنِbeauty of مَسمَعٍsound
أَصيتُ لِمَولاهُ عَلى حُسنِ مَسمَعٍ
خَليقٍworthy بِشَغلِof engrossing السامِعِنَlisteners وَمَنظَرِand appearance
خَليقٍ بِشَغلِ السامِعِنَ وَمَنظَرِ
I commended him to his master for the beauty of a voice
A ringing voice for his master, lovely to hear,
fit to captivate listeners—and a face worth beholding:
Fit to engross listeners, and a lovely sight.
مُضيءٌradiant تَظَلُّkeeps العَينُthe eye تَصبُغُtinting خَدَّهُhis cheek
مُضيءٌ تَظَلُّ العَينُ تَصبُغُ خَدَّهُ
مَتىwhenever تُثنَis turned فيهِupon him لَحظَةًa glance تَتَعَصفَرِtakes on safflower color
مَتى تُثنَ فيهِ لَحظَةً تَتَعَصفَرِ
radiant, beguiling the eye, his cheek suffused with color;
Radiant: the eye keeps tinting his cheek;
whenever you turned a glance toward him, it came away saffron-dyed.
Whenever a glance is turned upon him, it takes on safflower's hue.
كَأَنَّas though النُجومَthe stars الزُهرَbright أَدَّتهُhad delivered him خالِصاًpure
كَأَنَّ النُجومَ الزُهرَ أَدَّتهُ خالِصاً
لِزُهرَةِto Venus صُبحٍof morning قَدalready تَعَلَّتhad risen high وَمُشتَريand Jupiter
لِزُهرَةِ صُبحٍ قَد تَعَلَّت وَمُشتَري
It was as though the radiant stars had delivered him, pure,
As though the bright stars had delivered him, pure,
to morning Venus—already risen—and to Jupiter.
To morning Venus, already risen high, and Jupiter.
يُشيدُgives voice بِحاجاتِto the desires of النُفوسِsouls إِذاwhen اِعتَزىclaims affiliation
يُشيدُ بِحاجاتِ النُفوسِ إِذا اِعتَزى
إِلىwith اِبنِIbn سُرَيجٍSurayj أَوor حَكىimitates اِبنَIbn مُحَزَّرِMuhazzar
إِلى اِبنِ سُرَيجٍ أَو حَكى اِبنَ مُحَزَّرِ
He gave voice to souls' desires whenever he traced his art
He gives voice to souls' desires whenever he aligns himself
to Ibn Surayj, or imitated Ibn Muhriz.
With Ibn Surayj, or imitates Ibn Muhazzar.
لَنِعمَindeed excellent is شَريكُa partner to الراحِwine فيin لُبِّthe mind of ذيone possessing الحِجىreason
لَنِعمَ شَريكُ الراحِ في لُبِّ ذي الحِجى
إِذاwhen اِستَهلَكَتهُit consumes him بَينَbetween نايٍa flute وَمِزهَرِand a lute
إِذا اِستَهلَكَتهُ بَينَ نايٍ وَمِزهَرِ
What an excellent companion to wine, in the judgment of one
What a fine partner he is to wine in a discerning man's mind,
endowed with reason, when wine overwhelmed him amid flute and lute—
When it consumes him between flute and lute.
وَمُغتالُand a slayer of طولِthe length of اللَيلِthe night حَتّىuntil يُقيمُناhe brings us
وَمُغتالُ طولِ اللَيلِ حَتّى يُقيمُنا
عَلىto ساطِعٍa gleam مِنfrom طُرَّةِthe fringe of الفَجرِdawn أَحمَرِred
عَلى ساطِعٍ مِن طُرَّةِ الفَجرِ أَحمَرِ
one who stole away the long night until he brought us
And he slays the long night, until he brings us
before a red glow along the brow of dawn.
To a red gleam from the fringe of dawn.
غَريرٌan innocent youth مَتىwhenever تُخلَطis mingled بِهِwith him النَفسُthe soul تَبَهِجrejoices
غَريرٌ مَتى تُخلَط بِهِ النَفسُ تَبَهِج
لَهُin him وَمَتىand whenever يُقرَنis joined بِهِwith him العَيشُlife يَقصُرِgrows short
لَهُ وَمَتى يُقرَن بِهِ العَيشُ يَقصُرِ
Young and guileless: whenever the soul mingled with him, it rejoiced
An innocent youth: whenever the soul mingles with him, it rejoices
in him; whenever life was joined to him, it seemed too short.
In him; and whenever life is joined to him, it grows short.
إِذاwhen ماever تَراءَتهُbehold him العُيونُthe eyes تَحَدَّثَتspeak
إِذا ما تَراءَتهُ العُيونُ تَحَدَّثَت
بِكُلِّof every مُسَرٍّsecret مِنamong حَواهاtheir contents وَمُضمَرِand hidden thought
بِكُلِّ مُسَرٍّ مِن حَواها وَمُضمَرِ
Whenever eyes beheld him, they spoke
Whenever eyes behold him, they speak
of every delight he held, disclosed or concealed.
Of every secret within them and every hidden thought.
يَقولونَthey say لَمdid not يَكبُرgrow older فَيَشتَدَّso would become grievous رُزؤُهُhis loss
يَقولونَ لَم يَكبُر فَيَشتَدَّ رُزؤُهُ
وَكانَand was الهَوىlove نُحلاًa gift لِأَصغَرَto one smaller أَصغَرِsmaller still
وَكانَ الهَوى نُحلاً لِأَصغَرَ أَصغَرِ
They say, “He had not grown old, that his loss should grieve so sorely”;
They say, 'He had not grown enough for his loss to be so grievous.'
yet love is a freely bestowed gift even to the youngest of the young.
Yet love was a gift to the smallest of the small.
وَأَعتَدَand I reckon إِبهاميmy thumb أَشَدَّthe strongest of أَصابِعيmy fingers
وَأَعتَدَ إِبهامي أَشَدَّ أَصابِعي
وَلَمand did not يَتَحَمَّلbear خاتِميmy ring حِملَthe bearing of خِنصَريmy little finger
وَلَم يَتَحَمَّل خاتِمي حِملَ خِنصَري
I reckon my thumb the strongest of my fingers,
And I reckon my thumb the strongest of my fingers,
though it never bore my ring's burden as my little finger did.
Yet it has not borne my ring as my little finger has.
أَوَعكُis the fever of مَنوناManuna صارَbecame لِلمَوتِfor death مَورِداًa watering place
أَوَعكُ مَنونا صارَ لِلمَوتِ مَورِداً
وَكانَand was اِرتِقابُfear of المَوتِdeath مِنfrom وَعكِthe fever of خَيبَرِKhaybar
وَكانَ اِرتِقابُ المَوتِ مِن وَعكِ خَيبَرِ
Did the fever of Manuna become a pathway to death,
Has Manuna's fever become a watering place for death,
though death had been expected from the fever of Khaybar?
Though death had been feared from the fever of Khaybar?
وَمِنand among نَكَدِthe miseries of الأَيّامِthe days إيباءُpestilence afflicting حِلَّةٍa settlement
وَمِن نَكَدِ الأَيّامِ إيباءُ حِلَّةٍ
عَذاةِwholesome النَواحيthe surroundings بَينَbetween كوثىKutha وَصَرصَرِand Sarsar
عَذاةِ النَواحي بَينَ كوثى وَصَرصَرِ
Among Time's perversities is that an entire encampment is left alive,
And one of the days' miseries is pestilence in a settlement
bare on every side between Kutha and Sarsar.
Wholesome in its surroundings, between Kutha and Sarsar.
فَلَوso if كانَhad ماتَdied اللَوغَبَردِيُّal-Lawghabardi قَبلَهُbefore him
فَلَو كانَ ماتَ اللَوغَبَردِيُّ قَبلَهُ
وَأُخِّرَand was delayed فيamong الباقينَthe survivors مَنthe one who لَمwas not يُؤَخَّرِdelayed
وَأُخِّرَ في الباقينَ مَن لَم يُؤَخَّرِ
If only al-Lawghabardi had died before him,
If only al-Lawghabardi had died before him,
and the man denied delay had instead remained among the living,
And the one not granted delay had remained among the living,
إِذاًthen لَأَسَغناwe would have swallowed الحادِثاتِthe calamities الَّذيwhat جَنَتthey wrought
إِذاً لَأَسَغنا الحادِثاتِ الَّذي جَنَت
وَلَمand would not نَتَّبِعهاpursue them بِالمَلامِwith blame فَنُكثِرِand so multiply it
وَلَم نَتَّبِعها بِالمَلامِ فَنُكثِرِ
then we would have swallowed the calamities that had wrought the deed
Then we would have swallowed what calamities had wrought,
and not pursued them with reproach, multiplying our complaints.
And would not have pursued them with so much blame.
يُطَيَّبُis perfumed بِالكافورِwith camphor مَنone who كانَwas نَشرُهُhis fragrance
يُطَيَّبُ بِالكافورِ مَن كانَ نَشرُهُ
أَطَلَّsweeter-scented مِنَthan الكافورِcamphor إِذwhen لَمnot yet يُكَفَّرِwas shrouded
أَطَلَّ مِنَ الكافورِ إِذ لَم يُكَفَّرِ
They perfume with camphor one whose own fragrance
With camphor they perfume one whose own fragrance
was sweeter than camphor before he was shrouded.
Was sweeter than camphor when he was not yet shrouded.
وَتُدرَجُand is wrapped فيin البُردِthe mantle المُحَبَّرِpatterned صورَةٌa figure
وَتُدرَجُ في البُردِ المُحَبَّرِ صورَةٌ
كَتَوشِيَةِlike the embroidery of البُردِthe mantle الصَنيعِfinely made المُحَبَّرِpatterned
كَتَوشِيَةِ البُردِ الصَنيعِ المُحَبَّرِ
A form is wrapped in an embroidered mantle,
And in a patterned mantle is wrapped a figure
like the adornment of that finely wrought, embroidered robe.
Like the embroidery of a finely made, patterned mantle.
قَسَتhas hardened كَبِدٌa liver لَمdid not تَعتَلِلsicken لِفِراقِهِat his parting
قَسَت كَبِدٌ لَم تَعتَلِل لِفِراقِهِ
وَقَلبٌand a heart إِلىat ذِكراهُhis remembrance لَمdid not يَتَفَطَّرِshatter
وَقَلبٌ إِلى ذِكراهُ لَم يَتَفَطَّرِ
My liver has hardened: it did not sicken at his parting,
Hard is the liver that did not sicken at his parting,
nor did my heart break apart at the remembrance of him.
And the heart that did not shatter at his memory.
عَلَيكَyou must hold أَباO Abu العَبّاسِal-Abbas بِالصَبرِto patience طَيِّعاًyielding
عَلَيكَ أَبا العَبّاسِ بِالصَبرِ طَيِّعاً
فَإِنand if لَمnot تَجِدهُyou find it طَيِّعاًyielding فَتَصَبَّرِthen make yourself patient
فَإِن لَم تَجِدهُ طَيِّعاً فَتَصَبَّرِ
Abu al-Abbas, you must submit willingly to patience;
Abu al-Abbas, hold to patience when it comes readily;
and if you do not find it compliant, compel yourself to endure.
And if you do not find it yielding, make yourself patient.
وَلاand no بُدَّescape أَنthat يُهراقَbe shed دَمعٌtears فَإِنَّماfor only
وَلا بُدَّ أَن يُهراقَ دَمعٌ فَإِنَّما
يُرَجّىis hoped for اِرتِقاءُthe subsiding of الدَمعِtears بَعدَafter التَحَدُّرِflowing down
يُرَجّى اِرتِقاءُ الدَمعِ بَعدَ التَحَدُّرِ
Tears must inevitably be poured forth—for only
And tears must be shed, for only
after tears have streamed down may one hope they will cease.
After they flow down can their subsiding be hoped for.
إِذاif أَنتَyou لَمdo not تَنضَحmoisten جَواكَyour burning grief بِعِبرَةٍwith a tear
إِذا أَنتَ لَم تَنضَح جَواكَ بِعِبرَةٍ
غَلاit boils فيin التَماديpersistence أَوor قَضىkills فيin التَسَعُّرِblazing
غَلا في التَمادي أَو قَضى في التَسَعُّرِ
If you do not sprinkle your burning inward grief with a tear,
If you do not moisten your burning grief with a tear,
it will boil on through persistence, or destroy you in its blaze.
It will boil as it lingers, or kill you in its blaze.
Sol 6.1