بِلاwithout غَيْبَةٍbackbiting لِلبَدْرِof the full moon وَجْهُكَyour face أَجْمَلُlovelier
بِلا غَيْبَةٍ لِلبَدْرِ وَجْهُكَ أَجْمَلُ
وَمَاand not أَناI فِيماin what قُلتُهُI said it مُتَجَمِّلُbeing flattering
وَمَا أَنا فِيما قُلتُهُ مُتَجَمِّلُ
Without disparaging the full moon, your face is lovelier.
Without absence for the moon your face is more beautiful
Nor am I merely flattering you in what I have said.
And I am not pretentious in what I say
وَلاَand no عَيْبَfault عِنْدِيin my view فِيكَin you لَوْلاwere it not for صِيانةٌguarded modesty
وَلاَ عَيْبَ عِنْدِي فِيكَ لَوْلا صِيانةٌ
لَدَيْكَwith you بِهَاthrough it كلُّevery امْرِئٍperson يَتبذَّلُabases himself
لَدَيْكَ بِهَا كلُّ امْرِئٍ يَتبذَّلُ
And I find no fault in you, save a guarded modesty
And I see no fault in you, if it were not for chastity
you possess, before which every man abases himself.
With which every dignified man acts modestly
وَحَجْبُكَand your seclusion حَتّىso much that لَوْif عَنِfrom الحُجْبِthe veils تَتَّقيyou shield yourself
وَحَجْبُكَ حَتّى لَوْ عَنِ الحُجْبِ تَتَّقي
حِجاباًa veil فلاso not تَبْدُوyou appear لَهَاto them كُنْتَyou would تَفْعَلُdo so
حِجاباً فلا تَبْدُو لَهَا كُنْتَ تَفْعَلُ
And your seclusion—so deep that, if you could hide even from veils
Your veil, even if you avoid veils
behind a veil, never appearing to them, you would do so.
If you put on a veil, you would not appear wearing it
لِحاظُكَyour glances أَسْيافٌswords ذكورٌmale فَمَاso what لَهاwith them
لِحاظُكَ أَسْيافٌ ذكورٌ فَمَا لَها
كَمَاas زَعَمُواthey claimed مِثْلُlike الأَرامِلِwidows تَغْزِلُthey spin yarn
كَمَا زَعَمُوا مِثْلُ الأَرامِلِ تَغْزِلُ
Your glances are male swords—why, then, do they,
Your glances are penetrating swords, so why
as people claim, spin like widows?
Are they, as they claim, like spinning widows?
وَمَاand what بالُthe matter بُرْهانthe proof العِذارِof the cheek-down مُسلَّماًaccepted
وَمَا بالُ بُرْهان العِذارِ مُسلَّماً
وَيلْزمهand it entails دَوْرٌcircular reasoning وفيهِand in it تَسَلْسُلُan infinite regress
وَيلْزمه دَوْرٌ وفيهِ تَسَلْسُلُ
And why is the proof of your cheek-down accepted,
And why is the proof of coyness assumed
though it entails circular reasoning and an infinite regress?
And it necessitates going in circles and sequence
وَعَهْدِيand my recollection أَنَّthat الشَّمْسthe sun بالصَّحْوِof sobriety آذَنَتْgave notice
وَعَهْدِي أَنَّ الشَّمْس بالصَّحْوِ آذَنَتْ
فماso what بالُthe matter سُكْرِيmy intoxication مِنْfrom مُحَيَّاكَyour countenance يُقْبِلُcomes on
فما بالُ سُكْرِي مِنْ مُحَيَّاكَ يُقْبِلُ
And I have known the sun to herald sobriety;
And my promise is that the sun at dawn announced
so why does my intoxication arise from your face?
So why does my intoxication with your life return?
كأَنَّكَas though you لَمْnot تُخْلَقْwere created لِغَيْرِfor other than نَواظرٍeyes
كأَنَّكَ لَمْ تُخْلَقْ لِغَيْرِ نَواظرٍ
تُسهِّدهاyou keep them sleepless وَجْداًwith longing وقلبٍand a heart تُعَلِّلُyou soothe
تُسهِّدها وَجْداً وقلبٍ تُعَلِّلُ
It is as though you were created only for eyes
It is as if you were not created but for gazes
you keep sleepless with longing, and a heart you soothe.
To seduce them, and a heart to make yearn
عَليَّupon me ضَمانٌa guarantee أَنَّthat طَرْفكَyour gaze لاnot يَرىsees
عَليَّ ضَمانٌ أَنَّ طَرْفكَ لا يَرى
مِنَof الحُسْنِbeauty شيئاًanything عِنْدَin غَيْرِكَanyone but you يَجْمُلُlooks fair
مِنَ الحُسْنِ شيئاً عِنْدَ غَيْرِكَ يَجْمُلُ
I guarantee that your gaze will never see
I guarantee that your glance does not see
any beauty that looks fair in anyone but you.
Among beauty anything with others that is beautiful
وَإِنَّand indeed قُلوبَthe hearts العاشِقينَof lovers وإِنْand even if تَجُرْyou wrong
وَإِنَّ قُلوبَ العاشِقينَ وإِنْ تَجُرْ
عَلَيْهَاagainst them إِلىtoward سُلْوانهاtheir consolation لَيسَdo not تَعْدِلُturn aside
عَلَيْهَا إِلى سُلْوانها لَيسَ تَعْدِلُ
And lovers' hearts, even if you wrong
And that the hearts of lovers, even if they are drawn
them, do not turn to the solace of forgetting.
To their wishes, do not compromise
حَبيبيmy beloved لِيهْنَmay it rejoice الحُسْنُbeauty أَنَّكthat you حُزْتَهُyou have won it
حَبيبي لِيهْنَ الحُسْنُ أَنَّك حُزْتَهُ
وَيهْنَand may it rejoice فُؤاديmy heart أَنَّهthat it لَكَfor you مَنْزِلُa dwelling
وَيهْنَ فُؤادي أَنَّه لَكَ مَنْزِلُ
My beloved, may beauty rejoice that you have won it,
My beloved, may beauty be softened that you have taken it
and may my heart rejoice that it is a home for you.
And may my heart be softened that it is your dwelling
إِذَاif كُنْتَyou are ذاpossessed of ودٍّaffection صحيحِsincere فَلَمْthen did not يَكْنbe
إِذَا كُنْتَ ذا ودٍّ صحيحِ فَلَمْ يَكْن
يَضرُّharm بِيَme العُذَّالُthe reproachers حَيْثُwhen تَقَوَّلواthey fabricated tales
يَضرُّ بِيَ العُذَّالُ حَيْثُ تَقَوَّلوا
If you bear sincere affection, then never could
If you are truly affectionate, then the slanderers
the reproachers harm me when they fabricated their tales.
Cannot harm me wherever they prattle
رَأَواthey saw مِنْكَfrom you حَظِّيmy share فيin المَحبَّةِlove وافراًabundant
رَأَوا مِنْكَ حَظِّي في المَحبَّةِ وافراً
لِذاtherefore حرَّفواthey distorted عَنِّيabout me الحديثَthe account وأَوَّلواand they misconstrued
لِذا حرَّفوا عَنِّي الحديثَ وأَوَّلوا
They saw that my share of your love was abundant,
They saw my share of love for you abundant
so they distorted the account of me and misconstrued it.
Thus they distorted the words about me and interpreted
وَيهْنَand may it rejoice امْتِداحيmy praise ابْنَson of الأثيرِal-Athir فَمدْحُهُfor praise of him
وَيهْنَ امْتِداحي ابْنَ الأثيرِ فَمدْحُهُ
يُشرِّفهُennobles it مُمْدوحُهُthe one it praises ويُجمِّلُand adorns
يُشرِّفهُ مُمْدوحُهُ ويُجمِّلُ
And may my praise of Ibn al-Athir rejoice, for praise of him
And may my praise of Ibn al-Athir be softened, for his praise
is ennobled and adorned by the man it praises.
His praised one ennobles it and makes it beautiful
وَبُشْرَىand glad tidings لآماليto my hopes الصَّواديthe thirsty فإِنَّهاfor they
وَبُشْرَى لآمالي الصَّوادي فإِنَّها
لَدَيْهِin his presence مِنَfrom النُعْمَىbounty تُعَلُّreceive a second draught وَتُنْهَلُand receive a first draught
لَدَيْهِ مِنَ النُعْمَى تُعَلُّ وَتُنْهَلُ
And glad tidings to my thirsty hopes, for they
And good news to my high hopes, for with him
receive draught after draught of bounty in his presence.
From bounty they rise, flow and are drawn
فَتىًa youth لمdid not يَفُتْهُelude him فيin المَكارِمِnoble deeds مَنْزِلٌa station
فَتىً لم يَفُتْهُ في المَكارِمِ مَنْزِلٌ
وَلاnor شَذَّescaped فيin وِرْدِseeking water العُلىthe heights عَنْهُfrom him مَنْهَلُa watering place
وَلا شَذَّ في وِرْدِ العُلى عَنْهُ مَنْهَلُ
A youth who has missed no station among noble deeds,
A young man who no rank in generosity escaped him
nor any watering place in his quest for the heights.
And no source of the sublime was diverted from him
وَلاnor رَامَsought مَرْمَىthe reach جُودِهof his generosity مُتَطاوِلٌan ambitious rival
وَلا رَامَ مَرْمَى جُودِه مُتَطاوِلٌ
ولاnor حَازَattained أَدْنىthe least مَجْدِهِof his glory مُتَطوِّلُa benefactor
ولا حَازَ أَدْنى مَجْدِهِ مُتَطوِّلُ
Nor has any ambitious rival aimed to match his generosity's reach,
And no aspiring one reached his generosity's goal
nor has any benefactor attained the least of his glory.
Nor did any coveting gain his lowest glory
ولاnor شَكَّdoubted فيin إِحْسانِهِhis beneficence مُتأَوِّلٌan interpreter
ولا شَكَّ في إِحْسانِهِ مُتأَوِّلٌ
وَلاnor ارتابَdoubted فيin حُسْنٍbeauty لَهُof his مُتَأَمِّلُan observer
وَلا ارتابَ في حُسْنٍ لَهُ مُتَأَمِّلُ
Nor has any interpreter doubted his beneficence,
And no skeptic doubted his benevolence
nor has any observer doubted the beauty he possesses.
Nor did any contemplator suspect any merit of his
أَيادٍfavors يُراعُis awed الجُودُgenerosity مِنْby فَيْضِthe overflow نَيْلِهاof their bounty
أَيادٍ يُراعُ الجُودُ مِنْ فَيْضِ نَيْلِها
وَأَيدٍand hands يَراعُthe reed-pen الجُودِof generosity عَنْهُنَّfrom them يَنْقِلُcopies
وَأَيدٍ يَراعُ الجُودِ عَنْهُنَّ يَنْقِلُ
Favors whose overflowing bounty strikes generosity with awe,
Hands where generosity regards the overflow of their rain
and hands from which generosity's reed-pen copies.
And hands where generosity from them transfers and carries
يُنَوِّلُbestows جانٍa gatherer تَمْرَهُنَّtheir dates فَيَجْتَنِيand so he harvests
يُنَوِّلُ جانٍ تَمْرَهُنَّ فَيَجْتَنِي
وَيُمْهَلُand is granted respite جَانٍa wrongdoer عِنْدَهُنُّin their presence وَيُهْمَلُand is left alone
وَيُمْهَلُ جَانٍ عِنْدَهُنُّ وَيُهْمَلُ
A gatherer is given their dates, and he harvests them;
He hands out his fruits to some thus he gains
and a wrongdoer is granted respite in their presence and left alone.
And delays with others, neglecting and ignoring
لَهُhe has دُرُّpearls ألفاظٍof words وَدَرُّand an outpouring مَواهَبٍof gifts
لَهُ دُرُّ ألفاظٍ وَدَرُّ مَواهَبٍ
يُحدِّثُspeaks عَنْهَاof them الفاضِلُthe virtuous one المُتفضِّلُthe gracious giver
يُحدِّثُ عَنْهَا الفاضِلُ المُتفضِّلُ
His are pearls of speech and an outpouring of gifts,
He has the jewels of eloquent words and the jewels of gifts
of which the virtuous benefactor speaks.
The meritorious and generous speak of them
أَقَمْتُI spent زَماناًa while لَسْتُI am not أَنْظِمُcomposing مِدْحَةًan ode of praise
أَقَمْتُ زَماناً لَسْتُ أَنْظِمُ مِدْحَةً
وَلاnor لِيَfor me هَمٌّa desire أَنَّنيthat I أَتَغَزَّلُcompose love verse
وَلا لِيَ هَمٌّ أَنَّني أَتَغَزَّلُ
I spent a while composing no ode of praise,
I lived a time when I did not compose a panegyric
nor did I have any wish to write love verse.
Nor was it my concern that I be amorous in verse
وَمَاand not النَّاسُpeople غَيْرُother than اثْنَيْنِtwo عَاشٍa bounty-seeker وَعَاشِقٍand a lover
وَمَا النَّاسُ غَيْرُ اثْنَيْنِ عَاشٍ وَعَاشِقٍ
مَعَalongside اثْنَيْنِtwo ذاthis one يَجْنِيreaps وَذَاand that one يَتَقبَّلُaccepts
مَعَ اثْنَيْنِ ذا يَجْنِي وَذَا يَتَقبَّلُ
People are only two kinds: a seeker of bounty and a lover,
And people are none other than two, one living and one lover
alongside two more: this one reaps, and that one accepts.
Along with two, one who gains and one who accepts
فَلَمَّاthen when تَراءَىappeared بارِقُthe lightning-flash الجُودِof generosity أُنْشِئَتْwere formed
فَلَمَّا تَراءَى بارِقُ الجُودِ أُنْشِئَتْ
سَحائِبُclouds إِنْعامٍof favor بهاthrough them الغَيْثُthe rain مُسْهَلُfreely released
سَحائِبُ إِنْعامٍ بها الغَيْثُ مُسْهَلُ
Then, when generosity's lightning appeared, there arose
So when the lightning of your generosity flashed
clouds of favor, through which rain was freely released.
The clouds of favor were composed, and the rain poured heavily
تَعَرَّضْتُI came forward بِالمَدْحِwith praise الَّذيwhich أَناI عالِمٌam versed
تَعَرَّضْتُ بِالمَدْحِ الَّذي أَنا عالِمٌ
بِتَصْريفِهِin shaping it إذْwhen كَانَit was فيamong النّاسِpeople يُبْهَلُleft untended
بِتَصْريفِهِ إذْ كَانَ في النّاسِ يُبْهَلُ
I came forward with praise, which I know
I presented with the praise which I, knowledgeable
how to fashion, when it lay neglected among people.
In its style, when among people it dazzled
فَصُنْتُso I protected مَديحيmy praise عنfrom سُؤالٍbegging فَبَحْرُهُfor its sea (poetic meter)
فَصُنْتُ مَديحي عن سُؤالٍ فَبَحْرُهُ
لِبَحْرِfor the sea نَداكَof your bounty اليَوْمَtoday ياO حِبْرُscholar مُبْدِلُexchanging
لِبَحْرِ نَداكَ اليَوْمَ يا حِبْرُ مُبْدِلُ
So I kept my praise free of begging, for its sea of verse
Thus I protected my praise from begging, for its sea
is exchanged today, O scholar, for the sea of your bounty.
To your endless sea today, O ink that floods!
Sol 6.1