حَتّامَuntil when? عَنْout of جَهْلٍignorance تَلُومُyou reproach
حَتّامَ عَنْ جَهْلٍ تَلُومُ
مَهْلاًgently فَإنَّfor indeed اللَّومreproach لُومُbaseness
مَهْلاً فَإنَّ اللَّوم لُومُ
How long will you reproach me in ignorance?
Hattam, do not blame in ignorance,
Gently—for reproach is baseness.
Gently, for blame is blame.
طَرْفيmy eye الَّذيthat يَشْكُوcomplains of السُّهادَsleeplessness
طَرْفي الَّذي يَشْكُو السُّهادَ
وقَلْبيَand my heart المضْنَىworn out الْكَليمُwounded
وقَلْبيَ المضْنَى الْكَليمُ
My eye is the one that laments sleeplessness,
My eyes that lament sleeplessness
and my heart is worn out and wounded.
And my grieving, suffering heart.
إنَّindeed الشَّقاsuffering فيin الحُبٍّlove عِنْto (first part of عند)
إنَّ الشَّقا في الحُبٍّ عِنْ
دَ(completes عند: to) العَاشِقينَlovers هُوَit النعيمُbliss
دَ العَاشِقينَ هُوَ النعيمُ
Indeed, suffering in love, to
Verily, in love is bliss
lovers, is bliss.
For lovers, that is delight.
مَاnot الحُبُّlove إلأَّexcept مُقْلَةٌan eye
مَا الحُبُّ إلأَّ مُقْلَةٌ
عَبْراءُtearful أوor جِسْمُa body سَقيمُailing
عَبْراءُ أو جِسْمُ سَقيمُ
Love is nothing but an eye,
What is love but a poor heart
tearful, or an ailing body,
Weeping, or a frail body?
وبَلاَبلٌand torments بَينَbetween الجوانحِthe ribs
وبَلاَبلٌ بَينَ الجوانحِ
لاnot تَنَامُsleep ولاnor تُنيمُlet sleep
لا تَنَامُ ولا تُنيمُ
and torments between the ribs
And nightingales between my ribs
that neither sleep nor let one sleep.
That neither sleep nor make sleep.
ياO مَنْone whom أُكَتِّمُI conceal حبَّهlove for him
يا مَنْ أُكَتِّمُ حبَّه
واللهُand God بيof me وبهand of him عليمُall-knowing
واللهُ بي وبه عليمُ
O you for whom I hide my love,
O you whom I conceal my love,
while God knows both me and him.
Yet God knows of me and him.
ماwhat ليto me وماand what لِلوائِميto my reproachers
ما لي وما لِلوائِمي
أَعَليكَover you? ذُوpossessor of عَقْلٍreason يلومُreproaches
أَعَليكَ ذُو عَقْلٍ يلومُ
What have I to do with my reproachers?
What business have I, what business have my critics,
Would anyone of sound mind reproach me over you?
Does one of reason blame me?
ياah هَلْdo تُراهyou think it يَعُودُreturns ليto me
يا هَلْ تُراه يَعُودُ لي
بكَwith you ذلكَthat الزَّمنtime القديمُold
بكَ ذلكَ الزَّمن القديمُ
Ah, do you think it will return to me—
O would that he return to me
with you, that time of old,
That bygone time.
وهَنيُّand pleasant عَيْشٍliving بالِلَوىat al-Liwa
وهَنيُّ عَيْشٍ بالِلَوى
لَوْif only أنَّthat عَيْشَliving هنيًpleasant يَدوُمُlasts
لَوْ أنَّ عَيْشَ هنيً يَدوُمُ
and pleasant living at al-Liwa?
And the soft life with passion
If only pleasant living would endure!
If only a soft life would last.
وبِرَامةٍand at Rama إذwhen نِلْتُI attained مِنْfrom
وبِرَامةٍ إذ نِلْتُ مِنْ
وَصْلِunion with الأحبّةِloved ones مَاwhat أَرومُI seek
وَصْلِ الأحبّةِ مَا أَرومُ
And at Rama, when I gained from
And with tranquility when I attained
union with loved ones all I sought.
The company of loved ones I desire.
ياah حبّذاhow dear تِلكَthose الرّبوعdwelling places
يا حبّذا تِلكَ الرّبوع
وحبّذاand how dear تِلكَthose الرسومُtraces of dwellings
وحبّذا تِلكَ الرسومُ
Ah, how dear those dwelling places are,
Oh, happy were those meadows
and how dear those traces!
And happy were those dwellings.
ياO تَاركينَyou who left بمهجتيin my heart
يا تَاركينَ بمهجتي
شرراًsparks يذُوبُmelts لَهbefore it الجحيمُHell
شرراً يذُوبُ لَه الجحيمُ
O you who left within my heart
O you who left in my mind
sparks before which Hell melts.
Sparks that melt hell itself.
طَالَgrew long المِطالَthe delay ولمand did not يهبّblow
طَالَ المِطالَ ولم يهبّ
لِصِدْقِfor the fulfillment of وعدِكمُyour promise نَسيمُa breeze
لِصِدْقِ وعدِكمُ نَسيمُ
The delay has dragged on, and there has not blown
The waiting has been long but
a breeze of fulfillment for your promise.
No breeze came true to your promise.
مَطْلputting off الغَنِيّthe wealthy man غريمَهُhis creditor
مَطْل الغَنِيّ غريمَهُ
حاشاكمُfar be it from you خُلقٌa trait ذميمُblameworthy
حاشاكمُ خُلقٌ ذميمُ
A wealthy man's delaying his creditor—
Delay of the wealthy is offensive,
far be it from you—is a shameful trait.
Far from you, a vile trait.
أَيَخاَفُdoes he fear? طُولَlength of المطْلِdelay مَنْone who
أَيَخاَفُ طُولَ المطْلِ مَنْ
أهْلُthe people of الغَريّal-Ghari لَهُto him غَريمُa debtor
أهْلُ الغَريّ لَهُ غَريمُ
Should one fear a long delay, when
Does one whose loved ones wrong him
the people of al-Ghari are his debtors?
Fear prolonging the wait?
بأبيwith my father as ransom وبيْand with myself as ransom ذاكَthat المحلُّabode
بأبي وبيْ ذاكَ المحلُّ
ومَنْand whoever بتُربَتِهِin its earth مُقيمُdwells
ومَنْ بتُربَتِهِ مُقيمُ
May my father and I be ransom for that abode,
By my father and by that place
and whoever dwells within its earth.
And he who lies in its dust.
ياah ليتَwould that شعريmy knowledge هَلْwhether إلىto
يا ليتَ شعري هَلْ إلى
تلكَthose المواطنplaces ليfor me قدومُa coming
تلكَ المواطن لي قدومُ
Ah, would that I knew whether to
Oh would that I know, will I
those places I shall ever come.
To those lands have a return?
ومَتىand when أنالُI obtain بهنّin them مِنْfrom
ومَتى أنالُ بهنّ مِنْ
تَعْفيرrubbing in dust خدّيmy cheek ماwhat أرومُI seek
تَعْفير خدّي ما أرومُ
And when shall I obtain there, from
And when will I gain from
rubbing my cheek in dust, what I seek?
Kissing its earth what I wish?
ومَتَىand when أرَانيI see myself خادِماًa servant
ومَتَى أرَاني خادِماً
بإزاءِbefore تُربتِهhis grave أقومُI stand
بإزاءِ تُربتِه أقومُ
And when shall I see myself a servant,
And when will I see myself serving
standing before his grave?
By the side of its dust I stand?
حيَّاكmay it greet you قبراًO grave بالغَريّin al-Ghari
حيَّاك قبراً بالغَريّ
مِنof الحياrain هطلٌa downpour سَجومُstreaming
مِن الحيا هطلٌ سَجومُ
May you be greeted, O grave in al-Ghari,
Greetings O grave in the meadow
by a downpour of streaming rain.
From the living, pouring rain.
ياO قبرُgrave فيكwithin you المرتضَىal-Murtada (the approved one)
يا قبرُ فيك المرتضَى
والسَيّدُand the lord السَّندُthe mainstay الكريمُnoble
والسَيّدُ السَّندُ الكريمُ
O grave, within you lies al-Murtada,
O grave in you is the Chosen One
and the noble lord, the mainstay.
The Master, the Noble, the Generous.
فيكَwithin you الوصيُّthe appointed successor أخوbrother of النَبيthe Prophet
فيكَ الوصيُّ أخو النَبي
المخْتَارthe Chosen One والنَّبَأُand the tiding العظيمُmighty
المخْتَار والنَّبَأُ العظيمُ
Within you lies the appointed successor, brother of the Prophet,
In you is the Trustee, the Prophet's brother
the Chosen One, and the mighty tiding.
The Selected, the Great News.
فيكَwithin you النَّجاةُdeliverance منfrom الرَّدىperdition
فيكَ النَّجاةُ من الرَّدى
فيكَwithin you الصِّراطِthe path المستْقَيمُstraight
فيكَ الصِّراطِ المستْقَيمُ
Within you is deliverance from perdition;
In you is salvation from evil
within you is the straight path.
In you is the Straight Path.
فيكَwithin you الموازرُthe supporter والمواخِيand the brother in fellowship
فيكَ الموازرُ والمواخِي
والمواسيand the comforter والحَميمُand the intimate friend
والمواسي والحَميمُ
Within you lies the supporter and brother in fellowship,
In you is the helper, the sympathizer
and the comforter and intimate friend.
The comforter, the intimate.
فيكَwithin you الشَجاعةُcourage والنِّدَىand generosity
فيكَ الشَجاعةُ والنِّدَى
والعِلْمُand knowledge والدّينُand religion القَويمُupright
والعِلْمُ والدّينُ القَويمُ
Within you are courage and generosity,
In you is valor, faithfulness
and knowledge and upright faith.
Knowledge, upright religion.
فِيكَwithin you المكَارمُnoble virtues والعُلاَand eminence
فِيكَ المكَارمُ والعُلاَ
والمجدُand glory والشرفُand honor الصميمُunalloyed
والمجدُ والشرفُ الصميمُ
Within you are noble virtues and eminence,
In you are nobility and prestige
and glory and unalloyed honor.
Glory and true honor.
فيكَwithin you الإمامةُthe imamate والزَّعامةُand leadership
فيكَ الإمامةُ والزَّعامةُ
والكرامةand dignity لاnot تَريمُdeparts
والكرامة لا تَريمُ
Within you are the imamate and leadership,
In you is the Imamate and leadership
and dignity that never departs.
And prestige that knows no peer.
فيكَwithin you الذيhe who يُشفيheals بتُربِwith the dust of
فيكَ الذي يُشفي بتُربِ
نِعالِهhis sandals الطَّرفُthe eye السَّقِيمُailing
نِعالِه الطَّرفُ السَّقِيمُ
Within you lies he who heals with the dust of
In you is he who cures with the dust
his sandals the ailing eye.
Of his sandals the ailing eye.
فيكَwithin you الذيhe who لَوif أنصفَتْthey had been just
فيكَ الذي لَو أنصفَتْ
لهَوتْwould have fallen لِمَصْرعِهِat his slaying النّجومُthe stars
لهَوتْ لِمَصْرعِهِ النّجومُ
Within you lies he for whom, had they been just,
In you is he whom, had justice been done,
the stars would have fallen at his slaying.
The stars would have lamented his death.
فيكَwithin you الّذيhe who كانَتْused to تُحاذرُdread
فيكَ الّذي كانَتْ تُحاذرُ
بأسَهُhis might الصَيدُthe proud القرومُchieftains
بأسَهُ الصَيدُ القرومُ
Within you lies he whose might was dreaded
In you is he who the beasts of prey
by the proud chieftains.
Feared his might.
فيكَwithin you الّذيhe who كانَتused to تخفَgrow unsteady
فيكَ الّذي كانَت تخفَ
لِهولِat the terror of موقفِهِhis stance الحُلومُminds
لِهولِ موقفِهِ الحُلومُ
Within you lies he before whom minds grew unsteady
In you is he at whose terrible stance
at the terror of his stance.
Resolute heros shake in fear.
فيكَwithin you الخصيمُthe advocate عَنِon behalf of المُهَيْمنِthe Guardian
فيكَ الخصيمُ عَنِ المُهَيْمنِ
يومَon the day تجتمعُgather الخصومُthe adversaries
يومَ تجتمعُ الخصومُ
Within you lies the advocate for the Guardian,
In you is the adversary against the Almighty
on the day when the adversaries gather.
When adversaries gather.
لِمُحبِّهِfor one who loves him دارُthe abode of البَقاeternity
لِمُحبِّهِ دارُ البَقا
ولِمَنْand for whoever يُعاديهِopposes him الجحيمُHell
ولِمَنْ يُعاديهِ الجحيمُ
For one who loves him is the everlasting abode,
For those who love him is lasting home
and for one who opposes him, Hell.
And for those who oppose, hellfire.
مَنْwho ذاthis one سواهُother than him لِهَذهِfor this
مَنْ ذا سواهُ لِهَذهِ
وَلِتِلْكَand for that فيin الأخرىthe hereafter قَسِيمُan apportioner
وَلِتِلْكَ في الأخرى قَسِيمُ
Who but he apportions this
Who else but he shall share that
and that in the hereafter?
And this in the hereafter?
صَرَفتهُturned him away أربابthe lords of الشَقَاmisery
صَرَفتهُ أرباب الشَقَا
عَمَّاfrom what حَبَاهُHe bestowed on him بهِwith it العَليمُthe All-Knowing
عَمَّا حَبَاهُ بهِ العَليمُ
The lords of misery turned him away
Evildoers denied him
from what the All-Knowing had bestowed upon him.
What the All-Knowing granted him.
لَمْnot تُرْعَwere respected تِلكَthose المكرماتُnoble virtues
لَمْ تُرْعَ تِلكَ المكرماتُ
وذلكand that السَّبقُprecedence القديمُlong-established
وذلك السَّبقُ القديمُ
Those noble virtues were not honored,
Those virtues were not heeded
nor that precedence of old.
Nor that ancient precedence.
خُذْهاtake it أَميرَCommander of المؤمنينthe Faithful
خُذْها أَميرَ المؤمنين
كماjust as زَهَاshone الدرُّpearls النَّظِيمُstrung together
كما زَهَا الدرُّ النَّظِيمُ
Receive it, Commander of the Faithful,
Take them, Commander of the Faithful,
as radiant as pearls strung together.
As pearls are threaded.
كالرَّوضِlike a garden باكرَهvisited it at dawn الحياrain
كالرَّوضِ باكرَه الحيا
وتَخطّرتْand sauntered فيهِwithin it النّسيمُthe breeze
وتَخطّرتْ فيهِ النّسيمُ
Like a garden that rain visited at dawn,
Like a garden in first bloom
and through which the breeze sauntered.
Stirred by the breeze.
عَذراءa virgin لمnot يَفْتَضَهاdeflowered her
عَذراء لم يَفْتَضَها
أَهْلَthe people of الحجازِthe Hijaz ولاnor تميمُTamim
أَهْلَ الحجازِ ولا تميمُ
A virgin, not deflowered
A maiden whom the people of Hijaz nor Tamim
by the people of the Hijaz, nor by Tamim.
Had taken her virginity.
مِنfrom مُخْلِصٍa sincere devotee لكَto you لمnot تُخالجَهُassailed him
مِن مُخْلِصٍ لكَ لم تُخالجَهُ
الشّكوكُdoubts ولاnor الوهومdelusions
الشّكوكُ ولا الوهوم
From one devoted to you, never assailed
From a loyal one whose doubts never
by doubts or delusions.
Seized him nor misgivings.
واعْذِرْand pardon فَكلَّfor every مُفَوَّهٍeloquent speaker
واعْذِرْ فَكلَّ مُفَوَّهٍ
لَسِنٍfluent بحقّكَto your due لاnot يقومُdoes justice
لَسِنٍ بحقّكَ لا يقومُ
And pardon him, for every eloquent speaker,
Forgive, for every speaker
however fluent, falls short of your due.
With your rights cannot contend.
مَنْwho ذاthis one يَفِيfulfills بعَظيمthe immensity of حَقّكَyour due
مَنْ ذا يَفِي بعَظيم حَقّكَ
إنّهindeed it الحقُّthe due العَظيمُimmense
إنّه الحقُّ العَظيمُ
Who can fulfill your immense due?
Who can fully meet your great rights?
It is indeed a mighty claim.
Indeed, it is a supreme truth.
فأَجِزْهُso reward him واقْبَلْand accept عَذرَهُhis excuse
فأَجِزْهُ واقْبَلْ عَذرَهُ
فالعُذرُfor the excuse يقْبَلُهaccepts it الكريمُthe noble one
فالعُذرُ يقْبَلُه الكريمُ
So reward him and accept his excuse,
So excuse and accept his plea
for the noble accept excuses.
For the noble accept excuse.
واشفعْand intercede لَهُfor him إذْwhen لَيْسَnot يَنْفَعُهُhelps him
واشفعْ لَهُ إذْ لَيْسَ يَنْفَعُهُ
الصَّديقُthe friend ولاnor الحميمُthe intimate companion
الصَّديقُ ولا الحميمُ
And intercede for him, when he has no help from
And intercede for him, as neither
friend or intimate companion.
Friend nor mate can benefit him.
فَعَسَاهso perhaps he may يَظْفَرُattain مِنْfrom رِضىthe favor of
فَعَسَاه يَظْفَرُ مِنْ رِضى
رَبّthe Lord of الأَنامall creatures بماwith what يَرومُhe seeks
رَبّ الأَنام بما يَرومُ
So perhaps he may attain, through the favor of
May he gain by your pleasure
the Lord of creation, what he seeks.
What he hopes from the Lord of Men.
Sol 6.1