حَليفُa companion of غرامٍpassionate love عزَّproved unattainable منهfor him اِصطبارهُhis patience
حَليفُ غرامٍ عزَّ منه اِصطبارهُ
غَداةَthe morning تولّتturned away هندُهُhis Hind ونوارهُand his Nawār
غَداةَ تولّت هندُهُ ونوارهُ
A companion of passion, whose patience eluded him,
The ally of passion, his patience was more difficult than it
the morning his Hind and his Nawār turned away.
When his beloved Hindi and light turned away from him
تَذكّرhe remembered ودّاًaffection للأحبّةِfor the beloved واثقاًsure; confident
تَذكّر ودّاً للأحبّةِ واثقاً
منَamong البهكناتِfull-bodied women الناعماتsoft and delicate جوارهُhis neighborhood
منَ البهكناتِ الناعمات جوارهُ
He recalled a sure affection for the beloved,
He remembered affectionately the loved ones confident
among the soft, full-bodied women of his neighborhood.
Of the gentle whispers around him
تذكّرhe remembered عهداًa covenant للأحبّةِwith the beloved ماضياًbygone
تذكّر عهداً للأحبّةِ ماضياً
فَهاجَso stirred لَهُfor him وهجthe blaze of الغرامِpassionate love اِدّكارهُhis recollection
فَهاجَ لَهُ وهج الغرامِ اِدّكارهُ
He recalled a bygone covenant with the beloved,
He remembered a covenant with the loved ones of the past
and his remembrance stirred passion's blaze within him.
So the ardour of love stirred for him its recollection
وَلمّاand when أرادَhe sought الصبرَpatience أسبلlet stream جفنهhis eyelid
وَلمّا أرادَ الصبرَ أسبل جفنه
بدمعٍwith tears تمادىcontinued جريهُits flow واِنهمارهُand its downpour
بدمعٍ تمادى جريهُ واِنهمارهُ
And when he sought patience, he let his eyelid stream
And when he wanted patience, he lowered his eyelids
with tears whose flow and downpour continued.
With tears that overflowed continuously in streams
إِذاwhenever فاضَoverflowed مِنfrom مزنِthe rainclouds of المدامعِtears ماؤهhis water
إِذا فاضَ مِن مزنِ المدامعِ ماؤه
تَلظّتblazed لهfor him بينَbetween الأضالعthe ribs نارهُhis fire
تَلظّت له بينَ الأضالع نارهُ
Whenever his water overflowed from the rainclouds of tears,
When water overflowed from the skin of tears
his fire blazed between his ribs.
Its fire clung in his ribs
وَأَغيدand a graceful youth ماnever اِستدنيتهُI sought his nearness ودعوتهُand I called him
وَأَغيد ما اِستدنيتهُ ودعوتهُ
إِلىto صِلتيcloseness with me إِلّاexcept وشطّand grew distant مزارهُhis place of visitation
إِلى صِلتي إِلّا وشطّ مزارهُ
And a graceful youth: never did I seek his nearness or call him
And I called him, brought him near and invited him
to join me without his place of visitation growing distant.
To my company, but he refused and avoided his tomb
تقضّيended عزاءconsolation فيin هواهاlove for her وماand did not اِنقضىend
تقضّي عزاء في هواها وما اِنقضى
لِطولِthrough the length of اللياليthe nights هجرهُhis estrangement واِزورارهُand his turning away
لِطولِ الليالي هجرهُ واِزورارهُ
Consolation ended in loving her, yet there was no end,
To console for his love, but it was not yet over
through the long nights, to his desertion and aversion.
Due to prolonged nights of his isolation and bonding
حبيبٌa beloved تَرىyou see فيin وجههِhis face الوردthe rose رائقاًradiant
حبيبٌ تَرى في وجههِ الورد رائقاً
يُضاحكهsmiles back at it فيin خدّهِhis cheek جلّنارهُhis pomegranate blossom
يُضاحكه في خدّهِ جلّنارهُ
A beloved in whose face you see the rose in its splendor,
A beloved whose face the rose appears radiant
his cheek's pomegranate blossom smiling back at it.
And the moles on his cheek make him smile
تلوحُshe gleams كمثلِlike الشمسthe sun خلفَbehind غمامةٍa cloud
تلوحُ كمثلِ الشمس خلفَ غمامةٍ
إِذاwhen لاثَwound around مَسدولاًhanging down عليهover him خمارهُhis veil
إِذا لاثَ مَسدولاً عليه خمارهُ
Gleaming like the sun behind a cloud,
Appearing like the sun behind clouds
when his veil is wound about him and hangs down.
When his turban hangs loosely over it
وَتسحرُand she enchants لبّاتthe cores of القلوبhearts بناظرٍwith an eye
وَتسحرُ لبّات القلوب بناظرٍ
جَرىflowed السحرmagic منهfrom it حسنهits beauty واِحورارهُand its black-and-white contrast
جَرى السحر منه حسنه واِحورارهُ
And bewitching the cores of hearts with an eye
And he captivates the hearts of admirers with a look
from which magic flows through its beauty and its black-and-white contrast.
From which his beauty and fascination emanated
يظلّremains اِحمرارُthe redness of الخدّthe cheek عندduring عتابهِreproach of him
يظلّ اِحمرارُ الخدّ عند عتابهِ
يُطاردهُpursues it توريدهُits rosy flush واِصفرارهُand its pallor
يُطاردهُ توريدهُ واِصفرارهُ
The redness of his cheek, whenever he is reproached,
The redness of his cheek remains during his reproach
is continually pursued by its rosy flush and its pallor.
Chased by his paleness and yellowing
خَلاخلهُhis anklets غصّتwere choked بفاعمِby the fullness of ساقهِhis calf
خَلاخلهُ غصّت بفاعمِ ساقهِ
وَضاقَand was tight بِماaround what تحتَbeneath الإزارthe waistcloth إزارهُhis waistcloth
وَضاقَ بِما تحتَ الإزار إزارهُ
His anklets are choked by the fullness of his calf,
His anklets were stuffed with the slenderness of his legs
and his waistcloth is tight around what lies beneath it.
And his waist-wrap was tight with what was under his waist-wrap
شَكاcomplained of ضَمأًthirst منهfrom him الوشاحthe sash كماjust as شكاcomplained of
شَكا ضَمأً منه الوشاح كما شكا
بهِwith him شبعاًsatiety خلخالهُhis anklet وسوارهُand his bracelet
بهِ شبعاً خلخالهُ وسوارهُ
His sash complained of thirst for him, just as
His scarf complained of thirst from it, just as
his anklet and bracelet complained of being sated with him.
His bangles and bracelet complained of satiety from it
كأنَّas though ثناياهُhis front teeth إقاحةchamomile blossoms روضةٍof a meadow
كأنَّ ثناياهُ إقاحة روضةٍ
سَقاهاwatered it الحياrain مدرارهits abundant downpour وقطارهُand its droplets
سَقاها الحيا مدراره وقطارهُ
His front teeth are like the chamomile blossoms of a meadow
It was as if its folds were the irrigation of a garden
watered by the rain's downpours and droplets.
Watered by the serene flow of its springs and rain
تَشابهresembled one another درّpearls الثغرِthe mouth منهof him ودرّهُand his pearls
تَشابه درّ الثغرِ منه ودرّهُ
وَريقتهand his saliva فيin رشفهاsipping it وعقارهُand his wine
وَريقته في رشفها وعقارهُ
The pearls of his mouth and his pearls are alike,
The pearls of his mouth and his saliva resembled
as are his saliva, when sipped, and his wine.
And his spittle in its drivel and its drink
توقّbeware عدوّاًan enemy كنتyou had أضعفتهweakened him ولاand do not
توقّ عدوّاً كنت أضعفته ولا
يغرّكdeceive you منهfrom him ضعفهhis weakness واِحتقارهُand contempt for him
يغرّك منه ضعفه واِحتقارهُ
Beware an enemy whom you have weakened, and do not
Be wary of an enemy I had weakened, and do not
let his weakness and your contempt for him deceive you.
Be fooled by his weakness and insignificance
فإنّfor indeed ضرامَthe blaze of النارِfire يخرجbrings forth سقطهits spark
فإنّ ضرامَ النارِ يخرج سقطه
إِلىto الزندthe fire-drill منهfrom it مرخهits markh wood وغفارهُand its ghafār wood (reading uncertain)
إِلى الزند منه مرخه وغفارهُ
For the blaze of fire has its spark drawn forth
For the sparks of fire come out of its ashes
into the fire-drill from its markh and ghafār wood.
To the kindling wood from it its cinder and dust
وبلقيسand Bilqīs لمdid not يوشِinform بهاagainst her غيرother than هدهدٍa hoopoe
وبلقيس لم يوشِ بها غير هدهدٍ
وسدّand the dam of سباSabaʾ فيin أسّهِits foundation عاثwreaked havoc فارهُits mouse
وسدّ سبا في أسّهِ عاث فارهُ
And none but a hoopoe informed against Bilqīs,
And Sheba was not tempted but by a hoopoe
and Sabaʾ's dam—its mouse ravaged its foundations.
And it blocked lions' mouths, dwelling in their lairs
وربّand many a حسامٍsword لاdoes not يسرّكplease you منظراًin appearance
وربّ حسامٍ لا يسرّك منظراً
وَيرضيكَand pleases you فعلاًin action فيupon الجسومbodies عرارهُits cutting edge
وَيرضيكَ فعلاً في الجسوم عرارهُ
Many a sword does not please you in appearance,
And many a sword whose sight does not please you
yet its cutting edge pleases you in its work upon bodies.
Yet its actions in the bodies satisfy you
إِذاwhen بَلَغreaches الراقيthe climber إِلىto رأسthe summit of ماwhat اِرتقىhe climbed
إِذا بَلَغ الراقي إِلى رأس ما اِرتقى
تأمّلconsider قريباًsoon أنthat يكونَwill be اِنحدارهُhis descent
تأمّل قريباً أن يكونَ اِنحدارهُ
When the climber reaches the top of what he climbed,
When the climber reaches the top of what was climbed
reflect that his descent may soon follow.
Consider closely that soon will be his descent
أَلاtake heed كلّevery جارٍneighbor سوفَwill تلقىyou encounter مفاجئاًunexpectedly
أَلا كلّ جارٍ سوفَ تلقى مفاجئاً
كَماjust as قَدalready تلقّىencountered منfrom حادثِa calamity of الدهرtime جارهُhis neighbor
كَما قَد تلقّى من حادثِ الدهر جارهُ
Take heed: you will find every neighbor struck suddenly,
Beware, every running one will suddenly meet
as his neighbor has already met a calamity of time.
As it met the incidents of fate, its running mate
هوit is القدرُfate الجاريpassing علىover الخلقِcreation كائنbound to occur
هو القدرُ الجاري على الخلقِ كائن
وَلاand not ينفعbenefits الإنسانa person منهfrom it فرارهُhis flight
وَلا ينفع الإنسان منه فرارهُ
It is fate, passing over all creation, certain to happen,
It is fate running over creation however it may be
and a person's flight from it avails him nothing.
And man cannot escape from it by his flight
وَأَعيسand a pale camel مثلlike الحرفa lean, hardy she-camel منfrom نسلthe stock of شدكمٍShadkam
وَأَعيس مثل الحرف من نسل شدكمٍ
طَوَتwore away نحصهhis flesh عيطانهhis uplands (reading uncertain) وقفارهُand his deserts
طَوَت نحصه عيطانه وقفارهُ
And a pale camel, like a lean, hardy she-camel, of Shadkam's stock,
And I am like the letter of your ancestral line Shadkam
whose uplands and deserts have worn away his flesh.
Its twists coiled its plains and deserts
يظلُّcontinues يجوبُtraversing المجهلاتtrackless wastes بحاذقٍwith a skillful rider
يظلُّ يجوبُ المجهلات بحاذقٍ
إِذاwhenever ماever (emphatic) شاءhe wills لاnot يعتريهovertakes him عثارهُhis stumbling
إِذا ما شاء لا يعتريه عثارهُ
He keeps crossing trackless wastes with a skillful rider;
It continues roaming the wastelands with a guide
whenever he wills, no stumble overtakes him.
When it wishes, its blindness does not bother it
تَيمّمهhe sought him منof جودthe generosity of كهلانKahlān كعبهُhis Kaaba (sanctuary)
تَيمّمه من جود كهلان كعبهُ
يكونُis made إِليهاto it حجّهhis pilgrimage واِعتمارهُand his lesser pilgrimage
يكونُ إِليها حجّه واِعتمارهُ
He sought him, his Kaaba of Kahlān's bounty,
It sought it for generosity like the old men of Kaaba
to which he makes his pilgrimage and lesser pilgrimage.
Making it his pilgrimage and frequenting
مَليكٌa king يُضاهيrivals الشمسthe sun فيin درجاتهاits heights
مَليكٌ يُضاهي الشمس في درجاتها
وَفيand in نورهاits radiance إجلالُهhis majesty وفخارهُand his glory
وَفي نورها إجلالُه وفخارهُ
A king who rivals the sun in its heights,
A sovereign equaling the sun in its risings
and in its radiance, with his majesty and glory.
And in its light, his supremacy and pride
وَيعلوand rise عَلىabove أَفلاكهاits spheres ومدارهاand its orbit
وَيعلو عَلى أَفلاكها ومدارها
لَدىduring جريهاits movement أفلاكهhis spheres ومدارهُand his orbit
لَدى جريها أفلاكه ومدارهُ
And above its spheres and its orbit soar
And rising above its orbit and circle
his spheres and orbit as it runs its course.
Despite its motion, its orbit and circle
فتىًa young man قطُّever لَمdid not تهزلgrow lean رجاءُthe hope of وفودهِhis visiting delegations
فتىً قطُّ لَم تهزل رجاءُ وفودهِ
وَلَمand did not يرنيsee me إلّاexcept as يتيماًan orphan جوارهُhis neighborhood
وَلَم يرني إلّا يتيماً جوارهُ
A young man whose visitors' hope has never grown lean,
A youth whose hopes for delegations never declined
and his neighborhood saw me only as an orphan.
And none hosted me except as a neighbour hosts an orphan
رَقىhe ascended مَنزلاًto a dwelling فيin سمكهِits height متقاعساًfar withdrawn
رَقى مَنزلاً في سمكهِ متقاعساً
يَسوقُpresses onward عَلىabove نجمِthe star السماكal-Simāk منارهُhis tower
يَسوقُ عَلى نجمِ السماك منارهُ
He ascended to a dwelling, lofty and far withdrawn,
He reached a position in its elevation while being lazy
his tower pressing above the star al-Simāk.
Moving above the star of Sirius his minaret
وَلوand if أنّthat فوقَabove السبعthe seven heavens للإنسِfor humankind مسكناًa dwelling
وَلو أنّ فوقَ السبع للإنسِ مسكناً
لَنافتwould surely rise إِلىto أعلىthe highest of السمواتthe heavens دارهُhis dwelling
لَنافت إِلى أعلى السموات دارهُ
And were there a dwelling for humankind above the seven heavens,
And if above the seven heavens there was a dwelling for man
his house would tower to the highest heavens.
His house would have risen to the highest of heavens
أساحبI trail ذيلَthe hem of الفخرِpride فيin فخرهِhis pride ومنand one who
أساحب ذيلَ الفخرِ في فخرهِ ومن
أَحاطَencompassed البراياall creatures عفوُهُhis pardon واِقتدارهُand his power
أَحاطَ البرايا عفوُهُ واِقتدارهُ
I trail the hem of pride in his glory, and in one whose
The tails of pride trail in his pride, and who
pardon and power encompass all creation,
Surrounded people with his forgiveness and power
وَمَنand one who لَمhas not يَزلceased فيin كلّevery نهجpath وقبلةٍand direction
وَمَن لَم يَزل في كلّ نهج وقبلةٍ
بتاجwith the crown of أياديهhis favors ويحميand guards ذمارهُhis honor and dependents
بتاج أياديه ويحمي ذمارهُ
and in one who has always, on every path and in every direction,
And who was never without the crown of his hands in any approach or prayer
worn the crown of his favors and guarded his honor.
Protecting his ordinances
إِليكَtoward you تَمطَّيتI took as my mount الرَّجاءhope ولمand not يكنwas it
إِليكَ تَمطَّيت الرَّجاء ولم يكن
لغيركfor anyone but you فيin تهجيرهits noon journeying وابتكارهُand its early-morning departures
لغيرك في تهجيره وابتكارهُ
Toward you I took hope as my mount; never was it meant
To you I rode the steed of hope, and none other
for anyone else, in its noon journeys or dawn departures.
Had in its journey and creation
Sol 6.1