أَرِحْrest يَمِينَكَyour right hand مِمَّاfrom what أَنْتَyou مُعْتَقِلُare holding
أَرِحْ يَمِينَكَ مِمَّا أَنْتَ مُعْتَقِلُ
أَمْضَىthe keenest of الأَسِنَّةِspearheads ماthat which فُولاذُهُits steel الكَحَلُthe eyes' natural darkness
أَمْضَى الأَسِنَّةِ ما فُولاذُهُ الكَحَلُ
Rest your right hand from what you hold;
The keenest spearheads are those whose steel is kohl.
يَاO مَنْyou who يُرِينيshows me المَنَايَاdeaths وَاسْمُهَاand their name is نَظَرٌa glance
يَا مَنْ يُرِيني المَنَايَا وَاسْمُهَا نَظَرٌ
مِنَfrom السُّيوفِswords المَواضِيkeen-edged وَاسْمُهَاand their name is مُقَلُeyes
مِنَ السُّيوفِ المَواضِي وَاسْمُهَا مُقَلُ
O you who show me deaths, though their name is a glance,
From keen-edged swords, though their name is eyes.
ماwhat بالُis the matter with أَلحاظكَyour glances المَرْضَىlanguid تُحارِبُنيwage war on me
ما بالُ أَلحاظكَ المَرْضَى تُحارِبُني
كَأَنَّماas though كُلُّevery لَحْظٍglance فَارِسٌa knight بَطلُheroic
كَأَنَّما كُلُّ لَحْظٍ فَارِسٌ بَطلُ
Why do your languid glances wage war on me,
As though every glance were a heroic knight?
وَمَاand what لِقَوْمِكَwith your people سَاءَتْhave turned ill بِيof me ظُنُونُهُمtheir suspicions
وَمَا لِقَوْمِكَ سَاءَتْ بِي ظُنُونُهُم
فَلَيْتَهُمْso if only they عَلِمُواknew مِنِّيabout me الَّذيwhat جَهِلُواthey did not know
فَلَيْتَهُمْ عَلِمُوا مِنِّي الَّذي جَهِلُوا
And what ails your people, that they think ill of me?
If only they knew of me what they do not know!
فيin ذِمّةِthe protection of اللَّهِGod ناءٍone far away حُسْنُهhis beauty أَمَمٌnear
في ذِمّةِ اللَّهِ ناءٍ حُسْنُه أَمَمٌ
وَفَارِغُand free القَلْبِof heart فيin قَلْبِيmy heart بِهِwith him شُغلُpreoccupation
وَفَارِغُ القَلْبِ في قَلْبِي بِهِ شُغلُ
In God's keeping is one far away, whose beauty is near,
And one whose heart is free, while mine is preoccupied with him.
مِنْfrom دُونِهِbefore him كُثُبٌdunes مِنْfrom دُونِهَاbefore them حَرَسٌguards
مِنْ دُونِهِ كُثُبٌ مِنْ دُونِهَا حَرَسٌ
مِنْfrom دُونِهِbefore him قُضُبٌslender boughs مِنْfrom دُونِهَاbefore them الأَسَلُspears
مِنْ دُونِهِ قُضُبٌ مِنْ دُونِهَا الأَسَلُ
Before him lie dunes, and before them guards;
Before him are slender boughs, and before them spears.
وَمَعْشَرٍand many a band لَمْnot تَزَلْhave ceased فيin الحَرْبِbattle بِيضُهُمُtheir bright swords
وَمَعْشَرٍ لَمْ تَزَلْ في الحَرْبِ بِيضُهُمُ
حُمْرَred الخُدودِof cheek وَمَاand not مِنْof شَأنِهَاtheir nature الخَجَلُbashfulness
حُمْرَ الخُدودِ وَمَا مِنْ شَأنِهَا الخَجَلُ
And many a band has bright swords that in battle have always been
Red-cheeked, though bashfulness is not their nature.
إِذَاwhen انْتَضَوْهَاthey unsheathe them بُروقاًas lightning رَدَّهَاturns them سُحُباًinto clouds
إِذَا انْتَضَوْهَا بُروقاً رَدَّهَا سُحُباً
بِهَاupon them دَمٌblood سَالَstreamed مِنْهَاfrom them عارِضٌa rain-cloud هَطِلُpouring
بِهَا دَمٌ سَالَ مِنْهَا عارِضٌ هَطِلُ
When they draw them as lightning, they are turned to clouds
By blood upon them; from them a rain-cloud pours.
يُثْنِيbends حَديثُtalk of الوَغَىbattle أَعْطافَهُمْtheir sides طَرَباًwith delight
يُثْنِي حَديثُ الوَغَى أَعْطافَهُمْ طَرَباً
كَأَنَّas though ذِكْرَmention of المَنَاياdeaths بَيْنَهُمْamong them غَزَلُlove poetry
كَأَنَّ ذِكْرَ المَنَايا بَيْنَهُمْ غَزَلُ
Talk of battle makes their bodies sway with delight,
As though the mention of death among them were love poetry.
كَمْhow many a نَارِfire of حَرْبٍwar بِهِمْthrough them شَبَّتْhas blazed وَهُمْthough they are سُحبٌclouds
كَمْ نَارِ حَرْبٍ بِهِمْ شَبَّتْ وَهُمْ سُحبٌ
وَأَرْضِand a land of قَوْمٍa people بِهِمْthrough them فَاضَتْhas flooded وَهُمْthough they are شُعَلُflames
وَأَرْضِ قَوْمٍ بِهِمْ فَاضَتْ وَهُمْ شُعَلُ
How many a fire of war has blazed through them, though they are clouds,
And many a people's land has flooded because of them, though they are flames!
مِنْof كُلِّevery ذِيone with طُرَّةٍa forelock سَوْدَاءَblack يَلْبَسُهَاwears it
مِنْ كُلِّ ذِي طُرَّةٍ سَوْدَاءَ يَلْبَسُهَا
غَيْمٌa cloud بِهَاto it مِنْof عُبابِbillows of النَّقْعِbattle-dust مُتَّصِلُjoined
غَيْمٌ بِهَا مِنْ عُبابِ النَّقْعِ مُتَّصِلُ
Each with a black forelock, which is worn
By a cloud of surging battle-dust that clings to it.
ضَاءَتْshone بِحُسْنِهِمwith their beauty تِلْكَthose الخِيامُtents كَمَاjust as
ضَاءَتْ بِحُسْنِهِم تِلْكَ الخِيامُ كَمَا
ضَاءتْshone بِوَجْهِwith the face of ابنIbn (son of) عَبْدِAbd (servant of) الظَّاهِرal-Zahir (the Manifest) الدُّوَلُthe realms
ضَاءتْ بِوَجْهِ ابن عَبْدِ الظَّاهِر الدُّوَلُ
Those tents shone with their beauty, just as
The realms shone with the face of Ibn Abd al-Zahir.
كَأَنَّماas though كَفُّthe palm of فَتْحِFath (victory of) الدِّينal-Din (the faith) وَجْنتُهُhis cheek
كَأَنَّما كَفُّ فَتْحِ الدِّين وَجْنتُهُ
لِذَاكَfor that reason يَحْسُنare lovely فيupon سَاحَاتِهَاits expanses القُبَلُkisses
لِذَاكَ يَحْسُن في سَاحَاتِهَا القُبَلُ
It is as though Fath al-Din's palm were his cheek;
That is why kisses are lovely upon its expanse.
أَغرُّa radiant one ماnot أَبْدَتِhave shown السُّحْبُthe clouds الحَياrain (echoing shame) لِسِوَىfor anything but
أَغرُّ ما أَبْدَتِ السُّحْبُ الحَيا لِسِوَى
تَقْصِيرِهَاtheir falling short عَنْof نَداهُhis bounty حِينَwhen يَنْهَمِلُit pours
تَقْصِيرِهَا عَنْ نَداهُ حِينَ يَنْهَمِلُ
Radiant! The clouds shed rain only in shame
At falling short of his bounty when it pours.
إِنْif قُلْتُI say يُمْنَاهُhis right hand مِثْلُlike البَحْرِthe sea صَدَّقنيbears me out
إِنْ قُلْتُ يُمْنَاهُ مِثْلُ البَحْرِ صَدَّقني
بِهَاupon it مَناهِلُwatering places مِنْهَاfrom them تَشْرَبُdrink القُبُلُkisses
بِهَا مَناهِلُ مِنْهَا تَشْرَبُ القُبُلُ
If I say his right hand is like the sea, my words are confirmed
By watering places upon it, from which kisses drink.
يَدٌa hand لَهَاit has كَمْhow many يدٍa favor مِنْfrom قَبْلِهاbefore it سَبَقَتْhas preceded
يَدٌ لَهَا كَمْ يدٍ مِنْ قَبْلِها سَبَقَتْ
يَدٌa favor وَكَمْand how many مِنْof يَدٍa favor مِنْfrom بَعْدِهَاafter it تَصِلُarrives
يَدٌ وَكَمْ مِنْ يَدٍ مِنْ بَعْدِهَا تَصِلُ
A hand with favors—how many a favor has been preceded
By another favor, and how many a favor comes after it!
تُوحيreveals إلىto كلّevery قِرطاسٍsheet of paper بَلاَغَتُهُhis eloquence
تُوحي إلى كلّ قِرطاسٍ بَلاَغَتُهُ
سِحْرُthe magic of البيانِexpression وَمِنْand from أَقْلاَمِهِhis pens الرُّسُلُthe messengers
سِحْرُ البيانِ وَمِنْ أَقْلاَمِهِ الرُّسُلُ
His eloquence reveals to every sheet
The magic of expression, and from his pens come messengers.
سُمْرٌbrown ones تَرُوقُكَdelight you رَأْيَin the sight of العَيْنِthe eye عَارِيةًbare
سُمْرٌ تَرُوقُكَ رَأْيَ العَيْنِ عَارِيةً
وَمِنْand from بَديعِthe wondrous مَعانيهِhis meanings لَهَاthey have حُلَلُrobes
وَمِنْ بَديعِ مَعانيهِ لَهَا حُلَلُ
Brown pens that delight your eyes when bare,
Yet they have robes of his wondrous meanings.
مِنَamong الأَسنَّةِspearheads فِيin أَطْرافِهَاtheir tips سِنَةٌslumber
مِنَ الأَسنَّةِ فِي أَطْرافِهَا سِنَةٌ
لَوْلاbut for النَّضارَةِfreshness قُلْنَاwe would say إِنَّهَاthey are ذَبلُwithered
لَوْلا النَّضارَةِ قُلْنَا إِنَّهَا ذَبلُ
They are spearheads, with slumber in their tips;
But for their freshness, we would call them withered.
مِنْof كُلّevery مُعْتَدِلٍstraight one كَالمِيلِlike a kohl-stick إِنْif رَمَدَتْgrows inflamed
مِنْ كُلّ مُعْتَدِلٍ كَالمِيلِ إِنْ رَمَدَتْ
عَيْنُthe eye of المَعالِيglory فَفِيهاthen in it نَقْسُهhis ink كَحَلُkohl
عَيْنُ المَعالِي فَفِيها نَقْسُه كَحَلُ
Each straight as a kohl-stick; if soreness afflicts
The eye of glory, his ink is its kohl.
فَللعِدَاةِso for enemies لَدَيْهِwith him كُلّall ماthat حَذِرُواthey feared
فَللعِدَاةِ لَدَيْهِ كُلّ ما حَذِرُوا
وَلِلْعُفَاةِand for petitioners عَلْيِهdue from him كُلّall مَاthat سَأَلُواthey asked for
وَلِلْعُفَاةِ عَلْيِه كُلّ مَا سَأَلُوا
So for his enemies, he holds all they have feared;
And petitioners have a claim on him for all they ask.
أَضْحَتْhave become يَداهُhis two hands لِعِقْدِfor the necklace of الجُودِgenerosity وَاسِطةًthe central jewel
أَضْحَتْ يَداهُ لِعِقْدِ الجُودِ وَاسِطةً
فَلَيْسَso not يُدْرَىis known لِجُودٍfor bounty بَعْدَهَاafter it عَطَلُlack of adornment
فَلَيْسَ يُدْرَى لِجُودٍ بَعْدَهَا عَطَلُ
His two hands have become the central jewel of bounty's necklace;
So thereafter bounty is never known unadorned.
يَجُودُhe gives generously حَتّىuntil يَملَّgrow weary of النّاسُpeople أَنْعُمَهُhis favors
يَجُودُ حَتّى يَملَّ النّاسُ أَنْعُمَهُ
وَلَيْسَyet not يُدْرِكُهovertakes him مِنْfrom بَذْلِهَاbestowing them مَلَلُweariness
وَلَيْسَ يُدْرِكُه مِنْ بَذْلِهَا مَلَلُ
He gives until people tire of his favors,
Yet no weariness overtakes him in bestowing them.
سَادَتْthey have prevailed وَسَارَتْand traveled بِهَاwith them الأَفْواهُmouths مُعْلِنةًproclaiming openly
سَادَتْ وَسَارَتْ بِهَا الأَفْواهُ مُعْلِنةً
فَقَدْfor indeed غَدَتْthey have become مَثَلاًa proverb يَغْدُوgoes forth بِهَاthrough them المَثَلُthe proverb
فَقَدْ غَدَتْ مَثَلاً يَغْدُو بِهَا المَثَلُ
They reign supreme; mouths spread word of them openly,
For they have become a proverb; through them the proverb goes forth.
بَنَىhe built لأَبْنَائِهِfor his sons بَيْتَthe house of العُلَىeminence وَثَوَىand dwelt
بَنَى لأَبْنَائِهِ بَيْتَ العُلَى وَثَوَى
فِيماin what بَناهُbuilt it لَهُfor him آباؤُهُhis fathers الأُوَلُof old
فِيما بَناهُ لَهُ آباؤُهُ الأُوَلُ
He built his sons a house of eminence, and dwelt
In what his fathers of old had built for him.
كَانواthey were أَتمَّthe most perfect of الوَرَىhumankind جُوداًin generosity وإِنْand even if صَمَتُواthey were silent
كَانوا أَتمَّ الوَرَى جُوداً وإِنْ صَمَتُوا
وَأَعْظَمَand the greatest of النَّاسِpeople أَحْلاماًin forbearance وَإِنْand even if جَهِلُواthey acted rashly
وَأَعْظَمَ النَّاسِ أَحْلاماً وَإِنْ جَهِلُوا
They were the most perfect of mankind in bounty, even when silent,
And greatest of men in forbearance, even when they acted rashly.
زَالُواthey passed away فأُوْدِعَso was lodged فيin الأَسْمَاعthe ears ذِكْرُهُمُtheir memory
زَالُوا فأُوْدِعَ في الأَسْمَاع ذِكْرُهُمُ
مَحَاسِناًas beauties أُوْدِعتهاwere entrusted with them قَبْلَهَاbefore them المُقَلُthe eyes
مَحَاسِناً أُوْدِعتها قَبْلَهَا المُقَلُ
They passed away; their memory was lodged in ears,
As beauties entrusted to the eyes before the ears.
امْدَحْpraise وَقُلْand speak فيof مَعَانيهِhis qualities فَقَدْfor indeed كَرُمَتْthey are noble
امْدَحْ وَقُلْ في مَعَانيهِ فَقَدْ كَرُمَتْ
لاnot يَحْسُنُis beautiful القَوْلُspeech حَتَّىuntil يَحْسُنُis beautiful العَمَلُaction
لا يَحْسُنُ القَوْلُ حَتَّى يَحْسُنُ العَمَلُ
Praise him, and speak of his qualities, for they are noble;
Words are not beautiful until deeds are beautiful.
يَاO مَعْدِنَwellspring of الجُودِgenerosity لاnot أَبْغِيI seek سِوَاكَanyone but you وَلَوْand if
يَا مَعْدِنَ الجُودِ لا أَبْغِي سِوَاكَ وَلَوْ
فَعَلْتُI did ذَلِكَthat سُدَّتwould be barred عَنِّيَto me السُّبُلُthe roads
فَعَلْتُ ذَلِكَ سُدَّت عَنِّيَ السُّبُلُ
O wellspring of bounty, I seek none but you; and if
I did so, all roads would be barred to me.
إِنindeed ابْنَthe son of بابِكَyour gate مَحْسُوبٌreckoned عَلَيكَas yours وَلِيand I have
إِن ابْنَ بابِكَ مَحْسُوبٌ عَلَيكَ وَلِي
حَقُّthe claim of العبودةservitude مَشْفُوعٌsupported بِهِby it الأَمَلُhope
حَقُّ العبودة مَشْفُوعٌ بِهِ الأَمَلُ
Indeed, the son of your gate is reckoned yours; and I have
The claim of servitude, with hope supported by it.
Sol 6.1