حَشاfilled قلبهُhis heart مِنwith لاعجِthe burning pangs of الشوقِlonging ماas much as حشاit filled
حَشا قلبهُ مِن لاعجِ الشوقِ ما حشا
غداةَthat morning غَدتdeparted أظعانthe caravans of طاويةone slender of الحشاwaist
غداةَ غَدت أظعان طاوية الحشا
His heart was filled with untold burning longing,
His heart was filled with intense longing when it parted,
That morning the slender-waisted woman's caravans departed,
On the morning when the camel litters departed and bid farewell -
غَداةَthat morning غَدتshe departed فيamong الظاعنينَthose departing وودّعتand bade farewell
غَداةَ غَدت في الظاعنينَ وودّعت
وَداعاًa farewell أطاشَmade reel القلبَthe heart منّيwithin me وأَدهشاand bewildered
وَداعاً أطاشَ القلبَ منّي وأَدهشا
The morning she left among those departing and bade farewell—
A farewell that made my heart quiver and astonished it.
A farewell that made my heart reel and left it stunned;
A farewell over pretending to be stoic and sorrowful -
وَداعاًa farewell علىdespite كونِthe presence of التجلُّدfortitude والأسىand sorrow
وَداعاً على كونِ التجلُّد والأسى
أَلانَsoftened قلوباًhearts بِالغرامِwith passionate love وهشّشاand made tender
أَلانَ قلوباً بِالغرامِ وهشّشا
A farewell that, despite fortitude and sorrow,
It made hearts tender with love and softened them.
Softened hearts with passionate love and made them tender.
It was nothing but a grief that had taken control,
وَماand not هيَit إلّاexcept لوعةٌa burning anguish قَدalready تحكّمتtaken control
وَما هيَ إلّا لوعةٌ قَد تحكّمت
وسرٌّand a secret عظيمٌgreat بعدَafter كتمانهِits concealment فشاspread abroad
وسرٌّ عظيمٌ بعدَ كتمانهِ فشا
It was nothing but a burning anguish that had taken command,
And a great secret after its concealment had spread.
And a great secret that spread after its concealment.
Our shadows went around the glance and the distance ruled it,
ظَلَلناwe kept نديرُturning اللحظَthe gaze والبينand separation حكمهits decree
ظَلَلنا نديرُ اللحظَ والبين حكمه
يرينَmakes seem الضُحىthe morning جنحاًa wing منof الليلِnight مُغطشاpitch-dark
يرينَ الضُحى جنحاً من الليلِ مُغطشا
We kept turning our gaze, while separation's decree
The morning showed a wing of night covering it.
Made the morning seem a pitch-dark wing of night.
So I wish I knew - did my love for her make the journey easier
فَياso, oh ليتَwould that شِعريmy knowledge كانwas هَلwhether وَجديmy ardent longing بهاfor her
فَيا ليتَ شِعري كان هَل وَجدي بها
تسهّلgrew easier فيon المسرىthe night journey بِهاwith her أمor تنعّشاrevived
تسهّل في المسرى بِها أم تنعّشا
Would that I knew: did my longing for her
Or did it give more life when the veils were lifted from her face?
Ease as she journeyed by night, or revive?
Life clothed her with the luster of its water when the eggs departed from her face.
منَamong البيضthe fair women إنif زايلتshe removed عنfrom وجهِهاher face الغشاthe veil
منَ البيض إن زايلت عن وجهِها الغشا
كَساهاclothed her الحَياmodesty مِنfrom ماءِthe moisture of رونقهِits lustre عشاa haze
كَساها الحَيا مِن ماءِ رونقهِ عشا
One of the fair women—if she removes the veil from her face,
Fluttering, she throws hearts when she moans
Modesty clothes her in a haze of its fresh lustre.
With an arrow shot from the bow of my gaze scattered.
مُهفهفةslender-waisted تَرميshe shoots at القلوبَhearts إِذاwhen رَنَتshe gazes
مُهفهفة تَرمي القلوبَ إِذا رَنَت
بِسهمٍwith an arrow رمىshot عنfrom قوسِthe bow of ناظرتيthe two eyes of رشاa gazelle fawn
بِسهمٍ رمى عن قوسِ ناظرتي رشا
Slender-waisted, she shoots at hearts when she gazes,
She shows you daytime with night falling on it
With an arrow shot from the bow of a fawn's two eyes.
And a branch on a palm trunk that grew tall.
تُريكshe shows you نهاراًdaylight فوقهabove it الليلthe night دامساًpitch-dark
تُريك نهاراً فوقه الليل دامساً
وَغصناًand a branch عَلىupon دعصٍa mound منَof الرملِsand قدalready نشاhas grown
وَغصناً عَلى دعصٍ منَ الرملِ قد نشا
She shows you daylight with pitch-dark night above it,
The love for her dwelt nurturing the meadow of my heart
And a branch grown upon a mound of sand.
And nested in the blackness of my heart and built a nest.
رَعىgrazed روضthe meadow of قلبيmy heart حبّهاlove of her متوطّناًsettling there
رَعى روض قلبي حبّها متوطّناً
وَأفرخَand hatched young فيin سوداءِthe dark core of قلبيmy heart وعشّشاand nested
وَأفرخَ في سوداءِ قلبي وعشّشا
Love of her grazed my heart's meadow and made its home there,
I hunger for her, then thirst - and love
And hatched its brood in my heart's dark core and nested there.
Overcomes me so I hunger and thirst.
أَجوعُI hunger إِليهاfor her ثمّthen أعطشُI thirst والهوىand desire
أَجوعُ إِليها ثمّ أعطشُ والهوى
يُغالبُنيwrestles with me كيماso that أجوعَI hunger وأعطشاand thirst
يُغالبُني كيما أجوعَ وأعطشا
I hunger for her, then thirst, while desire
The moaning of doves at dawn troubles me
Wrestles with me so that I hunger and thirst.
When they coo - so compose for the palm branches.
وَيُطرِبُنيand moves me نوحُthe lament of الحمائمthe doves بالضُحىat midmorning
وَيُطرِبُني نوحُ الحمائم بالضُحى
إِذاwhen سجعتthey coo فاِشدواso sing, all of you علىupon سعفthe fronds of الأشاthe ashā palms
إِذا سجعت فاِشدوا على سعف الأشا
The doves' lament moves me at midmorning,
And the best of thoughts came with the inspiration
When they coo—sing, then, upon the ashā palms' fronds!
Showing you an increase in its wording and fine embroidery.
وَبكرand a maiden منَamong الأفكارِthoughts جاءَcame بهاwith it الحجاreason
وَبكر منَ الأفكارِ جاءَ بها الحجا
يريكَshows you زياداًZiyād لفظهاits wording والمرقّشاand al-Muraqqish
يريكَ زياداً لفظها والمرقّشا
And a maiden thought that reason brought forth—
With it I set out seeking my aim, heading
Its wording shows you Ziyād and al-Muraqqish.
To the best one who walked upon the ground with shoes.
قَصدتُI sought بِهاwith it فيin مَطلبيmy quest متوجّهاًdirecting myself
قَصدتُ بِها في مَطلبي متوجّهاً
إِلىto خيرِthe best of مَنthose who بالنعلِin sandals فَوقupon الثرىthe earth مشىwalked
إِلى خيرِ مَن بالنعلِ فَوق الثرى مشى
With it I pursued my aim, directing myself
To the most glorious, brilliant youth - to a young man
To the best of those who have walked in sandals upon the earth:
Whose ranks are higher than branch and feather.
إِلىto الأمجدِthe most glorious الزاكيthe pure فلاحFalāḥ إلىto فتىًa noble youth
إِلى الأمجدِ الزاكي فلاح إلى فتىً
مَراتبهُhis ranks تعلوrise علىabove الفرعِal-Farʿ والرشاand al-Rishā
مَراتبهُ تعلو على الفرعِ والرشا
To the most glorious, pure Falāḥ, to a noble youth
A king - if you seek his aid in time of peril,
Whose ranks rise above al-Farʿ and al-Rishā.
He answers and gives you joy and revives you.
مَليكٌa king إِذاwhen اِستَسعَيتهyou seek his aid فيin ملمّةٍa calamity
مَليكٌ إِذا اِستَسعَيته في ملمّةٍ
أَجابَhe answers وَأولاكand grants you السرورَjoy وأنعشاand revives
أَجابَ وَأولاك السرورَ وأنعشا
A king who, when you seek his aid in a calamity,
He manages the affairs of kingship, managing his rule,
Answers, grants you joy, and revives you.
And does among them what he wills and desires.
يدبِّرhe governs فيamong الأملاكِkings تَدبيرَwith the direction of حكمهhis judgment
يدبِّر في الأملاكِ تَدبيرَ حكمه
وَيفعلُand does فيهمamong them ماwhatever يريدُhe wants وَماand whatever يشاhe wishes
وَيفعلُ فيهم ما يريدُ وَما يشا
He orders affairs among kings according to his judgment,
He established the limits of justice among the people of his kingdom,
And does among them whatever he wants and wishes.
And befriended and sheltered in God, not fearing.
أَقامhe established حدودَthe bounds of العدلِjustice فيamong أهلِthe people of ملكهِhis realm
أَقام حدودَ العدلِ في أهلِ ملكهِ
وَعادىand showed enmity وأَولىand bestowed favors فيfor the sake of الإلهGod وماand did not اِختشىfear
وَعادى وأَولى في الإله وما اِختشى
He established justice's bounds among the people of his realm,
And he surpassed in battle Kisra and Caesar,
And showed enmity and bestowed favors for God's sake, unafraid.
As well as Amr ibn Hisham, Al-Jalinda and Mar'ash.
وَعقّبand followed after فيin الميدانِthe arena كسرىKisrā وقيصراand Qayṣar
وَعقّب في الميدانِ كسرى وقيصرا
وَعمروand ʿAmr بنson of هندHind والجلنداand al-Julanda ومرعشاand Marʿash
وَعمرو بن هند والجلندا ومرعشا
And in the arena he followed after Kisrā and Qayṣar,
Were it not for the generosity of his hands, the bier
And ʿAmr ibn Hind, al-Julanda, and Marʿash.
Would be carried to the belly of the tomb alive.
وَلَولاand were it not for أياديthe beneficent hands of جودهِhis generosity أصبحَwould have become النداbounty
وَلَولا أيادي جودهِ أصبحَ الندا
حميلاًa carried burden إِلىinto بطنِthe depths of الضريحِthe grave منعّشاborne on a bier
حميلاً إِلى بطنِ الضريحِ منعّشا
But for the beneficent hands of his generosity, bounty would have been
For that one, apart from all people, I count him
Carried on a bier into the depths of the grave.
My refuge - in him I do not meet refusal.
فَذاكَso that is الّذيthe one whom دونabove all الأنامِmankind أعدُّهI count
فَذاكَ الّذي دون الأنامِ أعدُّه
مَلاذيmy refuge وفيهand concerning him لمnot أكُنI was أقبلُaccepting الرشاbribes
مَلاذي وفيه لم أكُن أقبلُ الرشا
That is the one whom, above all mankind, I count
My refuge, when fate shows me its fangs
My refuge; concerning him, I have never accepted bribes.
To tear the flesh of my body and gnaw it.
مَلاذيmy refuge إِذاwhen أَبدىbares ليَto me الدهرTime نابهُits fang
مَلاذي إِذا أَبدى ليَ الدهر نابهُ
لِيعرقto gnaw away لحمthe flesh of العضوthe limb منّيfrom me وَيَنهَشاand tear with teeth
لِيعرق لحم العضو منّي وَيَنهَشا
My refuge when Time bares its fang at me,
When my eye is overcast, I see nothing for it
To gnaw the flesh from my limb and tear it with its teeth.
Except the dust of his shoes, a cure for anguish.
إِذاwhen غَشيتbecomes clouded عينيmy eye فلستُthen I do not أرىsee لهاfor it
إِذا غَشيت عيني فلستُ أرى لها
سِوىexcept تربِthe dust of نعليهِhis two sandals دواءًa remedy منfor العشاdim sight
سِوى تربِ نعليهِ دواءً من العشا
When my eye is clouded, I see for it
And here is a reproach, O Ibn Nabhan, that has come
No remedy for dim sight but the dust of his sandals.
To uncover the hidden of the conscience and search it out.
وَهاكand take عتاباًa reproach ياO اِبنson of نبهانNabhān قدalready أَتىhas come
وَهاك عتاباً يا اِبن نبهان قد أَتى
لِيكشفَto uncover عَنfrom خافيwhat is hidden in الضميرِthe inner heart ويَنبشاand unearth
لِيكشفَ عَن خافي الضميرِ ويَنبشا
And take this reproach, son of Nabhān; it has come
A gentle reproach, crafted by an understanding one,
To uncover the heart's hidden thoughts and unearth them.
Who poised well the arrow of perception and feathered it.
عِتابٌa reproach لطيفٌgentle صاغهُfashioned it متفقّهٌa learned man
عِتابٌ لطيفٌ صاغهُ متفقّهٌ
وفوَّقَand nocked سهمَthe arrow of الرأيِjudgment منهfrom it وريّشاand feathered
وفوَّقَ سهمَ الرأيِ منه وريّشا
A gentle reproach, fashioned by a learned man,
It came from a loving, loyal one whose affection for you
Who nocked its arrow of judgment and feathered it.
Sees even the slightest thing that could be and the most shameful.
أَتَىit came مِنfrom محبٍّone who loves مخلصٍsincerely devoting لكto you ودَّهُhis affection
أَتَى مِن محبٍّ مخلصٍ لك ودَّهُ
يَرىdeems أقلىmost hateful ماwhat لاnot يكونbe وأَفحشاand most shameful
يَرى أقلى ما لا يكون وأَفحشا
It came from one who sincerely devotes his love to you,
He counts you, apart from all creation, a stronghold -
Who deems what should not be most hateful and most shameful.
If fate becomes hostile and turbulent against it.
يعدّكَhe counts you مِنfrom دونِapart from البريّةmankind معقلاًa stronghold
يعدّكَ مِن دونِ البريّة معقلاً
إِذاwhen ماever عليهِagainst him الدهرُTime ذالَswaggered وجيّشاand mustered troops
إِذا ما عليهِ الدهرُ ذالَ وجيّشا
He counts you alone among mankind his stronghold,
So if you are one who keeps his own vow to himself,
When Time swaggers against him and musters its armies.
Then do not listen to a whisperer whispering about his person.
فَإِنso if كنتَyou are ممّنamong those who يلزمmakes binding العهدَthe pledge نفسهon himself
فَإِن كنتَ ممّن يلزم العهدَ نفسه
فَلاthen do not تَسمعنever heed فيabout ذاتهِhis person واشياًa slanderer وشىwho spread tales
فَلا تَسمعن في ذاتهِ واشياً وشى
If you are one who binds himself to his pledge,
The people did not envy him except that
Then heed no slanderer who spreads tales about him.
He gained your bounty and enjoyed luxury.
وَماand not حسدتهُenvied him الناسpeople إلّاexcept لأنّهbecause he
وَما حسدتهُ الناس إلّا لأنّه
تلحَّفhe wrapped himself مِنin نعماكمُyour blessings وتفرّشاand used them as bedding
تلحَّف مِن نعماكمُ وتفرّشا
People have envied him only because
And when I drew gently from your sea with complaint,
He has wrapped himself in your blessings and made them his bedding.
I cast aside the bucket of the pool and pardon and feather.
وَلمّاand when اِغترفتُI scooped ألانnow بحركyour sea بالإناwith a vessel
وَلمّا اِغترفتُ ألان بحرك بالإنا
نبذتُI discarded عناجَthe supporting cord of الدلوthe bucket والعفوand the surplus والرشاand the drawing-rope
نبذتُ عناجَ الدلو والعفو والرشا
And now that I have scooped from your sea with a vessel,
And the life of people is not gloomy while your suns
I cast aside the bucket's supporting cord, the surplus, and the drawing-rope.
Cover the world, nor is the land desolate.
وَعشand live سايساًgoverning للناسِfor the people لاmay not اِنكسَفَتbe eclipsed لكمfor you
وَعش سايساً للناسِ لا اِنكسَفَت لكم
شموسٌsuns مَدىfor the duration of الدُنياthe world ولاnor الربعthe abode أوحشاgrow desolate
شموسٌ مَدى الدُنيا ولا الربع أوحشا
Live on, governing the people; may your
Suns never be eclipsed while the world endures, nor your abode grow desolate.
Partial English translation: 60 of 62 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1