وَسارِيَةٍand a night-roaming raincloud تَرتادُseeks أَرضاًland تَجودُهاdrenches it
وَسارِيَةٍ تَرتادُ أَرضاً تَجودُها
شَغَلتُI occupied بِهاwith her عَيناًan eye قَليلاًlittle هُجودُهاits sleep
شَغَلتُ بِها عَيناً قَليلاً هُجودُها
And a night-roaming cloud seeking land to drench—
I watched her with an eye that knew little sleep.
أَتَتناcame to us بِهاwith her ريحُthe wind الصَباthe east wind وَكَأَنَّهاand as though she
أَتَتنا بِها ريحُ الصَبا وَكَأَنَّها
فَتاةٌa maiden تُزَجّيهاurges her onward عَجوزٌan old woman تَقودُهاleads her
فَتاةٌ تُزَجّيها عَجوزٌ تَقودُها
The east wind brought her to us, as though she were
a maiden urged onward by an old woman who led her.
تَميسُsways بِهاwith her مَيساًwith a sway فَلاso neither هِيَshe إِنif وَنَتshe flags
تَميسُ بِها مَيساً فَلا هِيَ إِن وَنَت
نَهَتهاshe rebukes her وَلاnor إِنif أَسرَعَتshe hastens تَستَعيدُهاshe calls her back
نَهَتها وَلا إِن أَسرَعَت تَستَعيدُها
She sways along with her; she neither, if she flags,
rebukes her, nor, if she hastens, calls her back.
إِذاif فارَقَتهاshe parts from her ساعَةًfor an hour وَلِهَتshe pines بِهاfor her
إِذا فارَقَتها ساعَةً وَلِهَت بِها
كَأُمِّlike a mother وَليدٍof an infant غابَvanished عَنهاfrom her وَليدُهاher infant
كَأُمِّ وَليدٍ غابَ عَنها وَليدُها
If parted from her for an hour, she pines for her,
like an infant's mother whose child has vanished from her.
فَلَمّاthen when أَضَرَّتcaused harm بِالعُيونِto the eyes بُروقُهاher lightning flashes
فَلَمّا أَضَرَّت بِالعُيونِ بُروقُها
وَكادَتand nearly تُصِمُّdeafens السامِعينَthe listeners رُعودُهاher thunderclaps
وَكادَت تُصِمُّ السامِعينَ رُعودُها
Then, when her lightning had hurt the eyes,
and her thunder had almost deafened those who heard,
وَكادَتand nearly تَميسُsways الأَرضُthe earth إِمّاeither تَلَهُّفاًin yearning
وَكادَت تَميسُ الأَرضُ إِمّا تَلَهُّفاً
وَإِمّاor else حِذاراًin fear أَنthat يَضيعَbe lost مُريدُهاone seeking her
وَإِمّا حِذاراً أَن يَضيعَ مُريدُها
and the earth had almost swayed, whether in yearning
or in fear that the one seeking her might be lost,
فَلَمّاthen when رَأَتshe saw حُرَّthe choicest الثَرىsoil مُتَعَقِّداًclumping together
فَلَمّا رَأَت حُرَّ الثَرى مُتَعَقِّداً
بِماwith what زَلَّfell مِنهاfrom her وَالرُبىand the hills تَستَزيدُهاask her for more
بِما زَلَّ مِنها وَالرُبى تَستَزيدُها
when she saw the choicest soil clumping together
with what had fallen from her, while the hills begged her for more,
وَأَنَّand that أَقاليمَthe provinces العِراقِof Iraq فَقيرَةٌare in need
وَأَنَّ أَقاليمَ العِراقِ فَقيرَةٌ
إِلَيهاof her أَقامَتshe stayed بِالعِراقِin Iraq تَجودُهاdrenches it
إِلَيها أَقامَت بِالعِراقِ تَجودُها
and that the provinces of Iraq were in need
of her, she stayed in Iraq, drenching it.
فَماso not بَرِحَتdid she leave بَغدادُBaghdad حَتّىuntil تَفَجَّرَتit burst forth
فَما بَرِحَت بَغدادُ حَتّى تَفَجَّرَت
بِأَودِيَةٍwith valleys ماnot تَستَفيقُsubside مُدودُهاtheir floods
بِأَودِيَةٍ ما تَستَفيقُ مُدودُها
She did not leave Baghdad until it burst forth
with valleys whose floods never abated,
وَحَتّىand until رَأَيناwe saw الطَيرَthe birds فيin جَنَباتِهاits environs
وَحَتّى رَأَينا الطَيرَ في جَنَباتِها
تَكادُalmost أَكُفُّthe hands الغانِياتِof beautiful women تَصيدُهاcatch them
تَكادُ أَكُفُّ الغانِياتِ تَصيدُها
and until we saw birds along its sides,
almost within the grasp of beautiful women's hands,
وَحَتّىand until اِكتَسَتit clothed itself مِنin كُلِّevery نَورٍblossom كَأَنَّهاas though it were
وَحَتّى اِكتَسَت مِن كُلِّ نَورٍ كَأَنَّها
عَروسٌa bride زَهاهاmade her splendid وَشيُهاher embroidery وَبُرودُهاand her striped robes
عَروسٌ زَهاها وَشيُها وَبُرودُها
and until it clothed itself in every blossom, as though it were
a bride made splendid by her embroidery and striped robes.
دَعَتهاshe called her إِلىto حَلِّloosening النِطاقِthe girdle فَأَرعَشَتso she quivered
دَعَتها إِلى حَلِّ النِطاقِ فَأَرعَشَت
إِلَيهاtoward her وَجَرَّتand trailed سِمطُهاher necklace وَفَريدُهاand her precious pearl
إِلَيها وَجَرَّت سِمطُها وَفَريدُها
She called her to loosen her girdle; she quivered
toward her, trailing her necklace and her precious pearl.
وَدِجلَةُand the Tigris كَالدِرعِlike a coat of mail المُضاعَفِdoubled نَسجُهاits weave
وَدِجلَةُ كَالدِرعِ المُضاعَفِ نَسجُها
لَهاit has حَلَقٌrings يَبدوappears وَيَخفىand disappears حَديدُهاits iron
لَها حَلَقٌ يَبدو وَيَخفى حَديدُها
And the Tigris was like a coat of mail, its weave doubled,
with rings whose iron now appeared, now vanished.
فَلَمّاthen when قَضَتshe fulfilled حَقَّthe due العِراقِof Iraq وَأَهلِهِand its people
فَلَمّا قَضَت حَقَّ العِراقِ وَأَهلِهِ
أَتاهاcame to her مِنَfrom الريحِthe wind الشَمالِthe north wind بَريدُهاits courier
أَتاها مِنَ الريحِ الشَمالِ بَريدُها
When she had paid Iraq and its people their due,
a courier from the north wind came to her.
فَمَرَّتso she passed تَفوتُoutstrips الطَرفَthe eye سَبقاًin speed كَأَنَّماas though
فَمَرَّت تَفوتُ الطَرفَ سَبقاً كَأَنَّما
جُنودُthe troops عُبَيدِUbayd اللَهِAllah وَلَّتturned in flight بُنودُهاtheir banners
جُنودُ عُبَيدِ اللَهِ وَلَّت بُنودُها
She sped away, outstripping the eye, as though
the banners of Ubayd Allah's troops had turned in flight,
وَخَلَّتand left أَميرَthe Commander المُؤمِنينَof the Faithful مُجَدَّلاًfelled
وَخَلَّت أَميرَ المُؤمِنينَ مُجَدَّلاً
شَهيداًa martyr وَمِنand among خَيرِthe best المُلوكِof kings شَهيدُهاtheir martyr
شَهيداً وَمِن خَيرِ المُلوكِ شَهيدُها
leaving the Commander of the Faithful struck down,
a martyr—and their martyr was among the finest kings.
وَكانَand he had أَضاعَneglected الحَزمَprudence وَاِتَّبَعَand followed الهَوىdesire
وَكانَ أَضاعَ الحَزمَ وَاِتَّبَعَ الهَوى
وَوَكَّلَand appointed غِرّاًa novice بِالجُيوشِover the armies يَقودُهاto lead them
وَوَكَّلَ غِرّاً بِالجُيوشِ يَقودُها
He had neglected prudence and followed desire,
and put a novice in charge of the armies, to lead them.
كَأَنَّهُمُas though they لَمdid not يَعلَمواknow أَنَّthat بَيعَةًa pledge of allegiance
كَأَنَّهُمُ لَم يَعلَموا أَنَّ بَيعَةً
أَحاطَتencircled بِأَعناقِaround the necks of الرِجالِthe men عُقودُهاits bonds
أَحاطَت بِأَعناقِ الرِجالِ عُقودُها
As though they had not known that a pledge of allegiance
had fastened its bonds around men's necks.
فَلَمّاthen when اِقتَضاهاhe demanded of them لَيلَةَon the night الرَوعِof terror حَقَّهُhis due
فَلَمّا اِقتَضاها لَيلَةَ الرَوعِ حَقَّهُ
جَرَتran سُنُحاًlike passing game ساداتُهاtheir masters وَمَسودُهاand their subjects
جَرَت سُنُحاً ساداتُها وَمَسودُها
When he demanded his due from them on the night of terror,
their masters and subjects ran off like passing game.
وَباتَتand spent the night خَباياhidden away كَالبَغاياlike harlots جُنودُهُhis troops
وَباتَت خَبايا كَالبَغايا جُنودُهُ
وَفيand in زَورَقِthe skiff الصَيّادِof the fisherman باتَspent the night عَميدُهاtheir commander
وَفي زَورَقِ الصَيّادِ باتَ عَميدُها
His troops spent the night hidden away like harlots,
and their commander spent it in a fisherman's skiff.
بَلىyet وَقَفَstood الفَتحُal-Fath بنُson of خاقانَKhaqan وَقفَةًa stand
بَلى وَقَفَ الفَتحُ بنُ خاقانَ وَقفَةً
فَأَعذَرَso he did his utmost مَولىthe client هاشِمٍof Hashim وَتَليدُهاand its longstanding retainer
فَأَعذَرَ مَولى هاشِمٍ وَتَليدُها
Yet al-Fath ibn Khaqan made a stand,
so Hashim's client and longstanding retainer did his utmost.
وَجادَand gave freely بِنَفسٍa soul حُرَّةٍnoble سَهَّلَتmade easy لَهُfor him
وَجادَ بِنَفسٍ حُرَّةٍ سَهَّلَت لَهُ
وُرودَmeeting المَناياdeath حَيثُwhere يَخشىhe fears وَرودُهاmeeting it
وُرودَ المَنايا حَيثُ يَخشى وَرودُها
He freely gave a noble soul that made it easy for him
to meet death where he feared to meet it.
وَفَرَّand fled عُبيدُUbayd اللَهِAllah فيمَنamong those who أَطاعَهُobeyed him
وَفَرَّ عُبيدُ اللَهِ فيمَن أَطاعَهُ
إِلىto سَقَرِSaqar (Hell) اللَهِof God البَطيءِslow خُمودُهاits dying down
إِلى سَقَرِ اللَهِ البَطيءِ خُمودُها
But Ubayd Allah fled among those who obeyed him,
to God's Saqar, slow to burn out.
وَلَمand did not تَحضُرِattend الساداتُthe lords مِنfrom آلِthe house of مُصعَبٍMus'ab
وَلَم تَحضُرِ الساداتُ مِن آلِ مُصعَبٍ
فَيُغنِيَso might avail عَنهُhim وَعدُهاtheir promise وَوَعيدُهاand their threat
فَيُغنِيَ عَنهُ وَعدُها وَوَعيدُها
The lords of the house of Mus'ab were not there
to aid him with their promises and threats.
وَلَوand had حَضَرَتهُbeen at his side عُصبَةٌa band طاهِرِيَّةٌTahirid
وَلَو حَضَرَتهُ عُصبَةٌ طاهِرِيَّةٌ
مُكَرَّمَةٌhonored آباؤُهاtheir fathers وَجُدودُهاand their forefathers
مُكَرَّمَةٌ آباؤُها وَجُدودُها
Had a Tahirid band been at his side,
whose fathers and forefathers were honored,
لَعَزَّit would have been hard عَلىfor أَيديthe hands of المَنونِDeath اِختِرامُهُto cut him down
لَعَزَّ عَلى أَيدي المَنونِ اِختِرامُهُ
وَإِنeven if كانَit was مَحتوماًdecreed عَلَيهِfor him وُرودُهاmeeting her
وَإِن كانَ مَحتوماً عَلَيهِ وُرودُها
the hands of Death would have found it hard to cut him down,
though meeting her was decreed for him.
أولئِكَthose أَركانُthe pillars الخِلافَةِof the caliphate إِنَّماonly
أولئِكَ أَركانُ الخِلافَةِ إِنَّما
بِهِمthrough them ثَبَتَتwere secured أَطنابُهاits tent ropes وَعَمودُهاand its pole
بِهِم ثَبَتَت أَطنابُها وَعَمودُها
Those are the pillars of the caliphate; only
through them were its tent ropes and central pole secured.
مَواهِبُهاtheir gifts لَذّاتُهاits delights وَسُيوفُهاand their swords
مَواهِبُها لَذّاتُها وَسُيوفُها
مَعاقِلُهاits strongholds وَالمُسلِمونَand the Muslims شُهودُهاits witnesses
مَعاقِلُها وَالمُسلِمونَ شُهودُها
Their gifts are its delights, and their swords
its strongholds; the Muslims bear witness.
فَياalas لِجُنودٍfor armies ضَيَّعَتهاneglected them مُلوكُهاtheir kings
فَيا لِجُنودٍ ضَيَّعَتها مُلوكُها
وَياand alas لِمُلوكٍfor kings أَسلَمَتهاabandoned them جُنودُهاtheir armies
وَيا لِمُلوكٍ أَسلَمَتها جُنودُها
Alas for armies neglected by their kings,
and alas for kings abandoned by their armies!
أَيُقتَلُis he slain? فيin دارِthe seat الخِلافَةِof the caliphate جَعفَرٌJa'far
أَيُقتَلُ في دارِ الخِلافَةِ جَعفَرٌ
عَلىamid فُرقَةٍdisunity صَبراًas a captive وَأَنتُمwhile you شُهودُهاits witnesses
عَلى فُرقَةٍ صَبراً وَأَنتُم شُهودُها
Is Ja'far slain in the seat of the caliphate,
amid disunity, a captive, while you stand witness?
فَلاso no طالِبٌseeker لِلثَّأرِof vengeance مِنfrom بِعدِafter مَوتِهِhis death
فَلا طالِبٌ لِلثَّأرِ مِن بِعدِ مَوتِهِ
وَلاand no دافِعٌone to ward off عَنfrom نَفسِهِhis life مَنwhoever يُريدُهاseeks it
وَلا دافِعٌ عَن نَفسِهِ مَن يُريدُها
With none to seek vengeance after his death,
and none to shield his life from those intent on taking it?
بَنوthe sons هاشِمٍof Hashim مِثلُlike النُجومِthe stars وَإِنَّماand indeed
بَنو هاشِمٍ مِثلُ النُجومِ وَإِنَّما
مُلوكُthe kings بَنيof the sons of العَبّاسِal-Abbas مِنهاamong them سُعودُهاtheir auspicious stars
مُلوكُ بَني العَبّاسِ مِنها سُعودُها
The sons of Hashim are like the stars, and indeed
the kings of the sons of al-Abbas are their auspicious stars.
بَنيO sons هاشِمٍof Hashim صَبراًpatience فَكُلُّfor every مُصيبَةٍcalamity
بَني هاشِمٍ صَبراً فَكُلُّ مُصيبَةٍ
سَيَبلىwill wear away عَلىover طولِthe length الزَمانِof time جِديدُهاits freshness
سَيَبلى عَلى طولِ الزَمانِ جِديدُها
Sons of Hashim, be patient, for every calamity's
freshness will wear away with the passage of time.
عَزيزٌpainful عَلَيناto us أَنthat نَرىwe see سَرَواتِكُمyour nobles
عَزيزٌ عَلَينا أَن نَرى سَرَواتِكُم
تُفَرّىare torn بِأَيديby the hands of الناكِثينَoath-breakers جُلودُهاtheir skins
تُفَرّى بِأَيدي الناكِثينَ جُلودُها
It pains us to see your nobles,
their skins torn by the hands of oath-breakers.
وَلكِنbut بِأَيديكُمby your own hands تُراقُis shed دِماؤُكُمyour blood
وَلكِن بِأَيديكُم تُراقُ دِماؤُكُم
وَيَحكُمُand rules فيover أَرحامِكُمyour kin مَنwhoever يَكيدُهاplots against them
وَيَحكُمُ في أَرحامِكُم مَن يَكيدُها
Yet your blood is shed by your own hands,
and one who plots against your kin rules over them.
أَلَهفاًalas وَماand what يُغنيavails التَلَهُّفُlamentation بَعدَماafter
أَلَهفاً وَما يُغني التَلَهُّفُ بَعدَما
أُذِلَّتwere humbled لِضِبعانِbefore the male hyena الفَلاةِof the wilderness أُسودُهاits lions
أُذِلَّت لِضِبعانِ الفَلاةِ أُسودُها
Alas! Yet what use is lamentation once
the desert's lions have been humbled before its male hyena?
عَبيدُthe slaves أَميرِof the Commander المُؤمِنينَof the Faithful قَتَلنَهُkilled him
عَبيدُ أَميرِ المُؤمِنينَ قَتَلنَهُ
وَأَعظَمُand the greatest آفاتِscourges المُلوكِof kings عَبيدُهاtheir slaves
وَأَعظَمُ آفاتِ المُلوكِ عَبيدُها
The Commander of the Faithful's slaves killed him,
and kings' greatest scourge is their slaves.
أَماindeed وَالمناياby death's dooms ماnever عَمَرنَthey have filled بِمِثلِهِwith his like الthe
أَما وَالمنايا ما عَمَرنَ بِمِثلِهِ ال
قُبورَgraves وَماnor ضُمَّتwere closed عَلَيهِover him لُحودُهاtheir burial niches
قُبورَ وَما ضُمَّت عَلَيهِ لُحودُها
By death's dooms, never have they filled with his like the
graves, nor have their burial niches closed over one like him.
أَتَتناcame to us القَوافيthe rhymes صارِخاتٍcrying out لِفَقدِهِfor his loss
أَتَتنا القَوافي صارِخاتٍ لِفَقدِهِ
مُصَلَّمَةًmutilated أَرجازُهاtheir rajaz verses وَقَصيدُهاand their odes
مُصَلَّمَةً أَرجازُها وَقَصيدُها
Rhymes came to us crying out at his loss,
their rajaz verses and odes mutilated.
فَقُلتُso I said اِرجِعيreturn مَوفورَةًintact لاdo not تَمَهَّليlinger
فَقُلتُ اِرجِعي مَوفورَةً لا تَمَهَّلي
مَعانِيَmeanings أَعياhas wearied الطالِبينَthe seekers وُجودُهاfinding them
مَعانِيَ أَعيا الطالِبينَ وُجودُها
I said, 'Return intact; do not linger
over meanings whose discovery has wearied seekers.'
وَلَوand had شِئتُI wished لَمnot يَصعُبbe difficult عَلَيَّfor me مَرامُهاattaining them
وَلَو شِئتُ لَم يَصعُب عَلَيَّ مَرامُها
لِبُعدٍbecause of remoteness وَلَمand not يَشرُدescape عَلَيَّfrom me شَريدُهاtheir stray verse
لِبُعدٍ وَلَم يَشرُد عَلَيَّ شَريدُها
Had I wished, attaining them would not have been hard for me
because of distance, nor would their stray verse have eluded me.
وَلَوand had شِئتُI wished أَشعَلتُI set ablaze القُلوبَthe hearts بِشُرَّدٍwith far-ranging verses
وَلَو شِئتُ أَشعَلتُ القُلوبَ بِشُرَّدٍ
مِنof الشِعرِpoetry أَفلاذُpieces القُلوبِof hearts وَقودُهاtheir fuel
مِن الشِعرِ أَفلاذُ القُلوبِ وَقودُها
Had I wished, I would have set hearts ablaze with far-ranging verses
of poetry, their fuel the pieces of hearts.
فَياso O ناصِرَdefender الإِسلامِof Islam غَرَّكَdeceived you عُصبَةٌa band
فَيا ناصِرَ الإِسلامِ غَرَّكَ عُصبَةٌ
زَنادِقَةٌheretics قَدindeed كُنتُI used to قَبلُformerly أَذودُهاdrive them away
زَنادِقَةٌ قَد كُنتُ قَبلُ أَذودُها
O defender of Islam, a band deceived you—
heretics whom I once used to drive away.
وَكُنتَand you used to إِذاwhenever أَشهَدتَهاyou summoned them بِيَwith me مَشهَداًto an assembly
وَكُنتَ إِذا أَشهَدتَها بِيَ مَشهَداً
تَطَأمَنَcowered عاديهاtheir aggressor وَذَلَّand was humbled عَنيدُهاtheir obstinate one
تَطَأمَنَ عاديها وَذَلَّ عَنيدُها
Whenever you summoned them to an assembly with me,
their aggressor cowered and their obstinate one was humbled.
فَلَمّاthen when نَأَتbecame distant داريmy dwelling وَمالَand inclined بِكَyou الهَوىdesire
فَلَمّا نَأَت داري وَمالَ بِكَ الهَوى
إِلَيهاtoward them وَلَمand not يَسكُنfelt at ease إِلَيكَwith you رَشيدُهاtheir wise man
إِلَيها وَلَم يَسكُن إِلَيكَ رَشيدُها
But when my home lay far away, and desire inclined you
toward them, while their wise man felt no trust in you,
أَشاعَspread وَزيرُthe minister السوءِof evil عَنكَabout you عَجائِباًstrange tales
أَشاعَ وَزيرُ السوءِ عَنكَ عَجائِباً
يُشيدُproclaims بِهاof them فيin كُلِّevery أَرضٍland مُشيدُهاtheir herald
يُشيدُ بِها في كُلِّ أَرضٍ مُشيدُها
the evil minister spread strange tales about you,
which their herald proclaimed in every land.
وَباعَدَand kept far أَهلَpeople of النُصحِsincere counsel عَنكَfrom you وَأوغِرَتand were inflamed
وَباعَدَ أَهلَ النُصحِ عَنكَ وَأوغِرَت
صُدورُthe breasts المَواليof the retainers وَاِستَسَرَّتand lay hidden حُقودُهاtheir grudges
صُدورُ المَوالي وَاِستَسَرَّت حُقودُها
He kept sincere advisers far from you, and inflamed
were the retainers' breasts, while their grudges lay concealed.
فَطُلَّso went unavenged دَمٌblood ماnot طُلَّwent unavenged فيon الأَرضِthe earth مِثلُهُits like
فَطُلَّ دَمٌ ما طُلَّ في الأَرضِ مِثلُهُ
وَكانَتand there were أُمورٌthings لَيسَnot مِثليone like me يُعيدُهاrecounts them
وَكانَت أُمورٌ لَيسَ مِثلي يُعيدُها
So blood went unavenged, whose like had never gone unavenged on earth,
and things occurred that one like me will not recount.
Sol 6.1