كَلِفٌa love-stricken man شَجتهُgrieved him معالمtraces of الأطلالِthe ruins
كَلِفٌ شَجتهُ معالم الأطلالِ
لمّاwhen عَفتfaded away وخلتand became empty منof النزالِthe dwellers
لمّا عَفت وخلت من النزالِ
A love-stricken man whom the traces of ruins have grieved,
The relics of ruins have afflicted its trunk,
when they faded and stood empty of dwellers.
When it was abandoned and emptied of strife.
بعثتstirred لهُin him الشوقlonging المبرّحَtormenting والجَوىand love's anguish
بعثت لهُ الشوق المبرّحَ والجَوى
دمنٌcampsite remnants منَof الحيّthe tribe النزولthat camped خوالِdeserted
دمنٌ منَ الحيّ النزول خوالِ
They stirred in him tormenting longing and love's anguish—
It inspired in him passionate yearning and love,
deserted traces of the tribe that once camped there.
The tent-dweller descending in the lively valley.
وَمرتّلand a melodious chanter التغريدِof birdsong يصدحُsings aloud بالضُحىin the forenoon
وَمرتّل التغريدِ يصدحُ بالضُحى
مِنfrom فوقِabove فرعٍa branch منamong فروعِthe branches of الضالِthe wild lote-tree
مِن فوقِ فرعٍ من فروعِ الضالِ
And a melodious songster sings aloud in the forenoon,
And the warbler with melodious trilling proclaims at dawn,
from atop a branch among the wild lote-tree's boughs.
From the branch of branches of misguidance.
غنّىsang فذكّرناand so reminded us بعهدٍof a time سالفٍbygone
غنّى فذكّرنا بعهدٍ سالفٍ
مِنfrom مدّةٍa period سلفتthat passed منَof الأحوالِcircumstances
مِن مدّةٍ سلفت منَ الأحوالِ
It sang, reminding us of a bygone time,
It sang, reminding us of a bygone era,
from a period of circumstances long past.
Of an age long past of changing fortunes.
ماwhat بالُis the matter with عمرةʿAmra لَمnot تَجدbestow generously لمتيّمٍon one enslaved by love
ما بالُ عمرة لَم تَجد لمتيّمٍ
مِنهاfrom her علىdespite اِستِحقاقهِhis deserving it بوصالِwith union
مِنها على اِستِحقاقهِ بوصالِ
Why has ʿAmra not bestowed on one enslaved by love
How is it that a life did not find for the lovelorn
union with her, though he deserves it?
Therein what was deserved in reunion?
خودٌa tender maiden تمازجmingles وصلهاher union بصدودهاwith her rebuffs
خودٌ تمازج وصلها بصدودها
فيin زيِّthe guise of مشغوفٍone love-struck وهجرةand the estrangement of صالِone who shuns
في زيِّ مشغوفٍ وهجرة صالِ
A tender maiden mingles her union with her rebuffs,
Intimacy mingled with its firmness
in a lover's guise, yet with a shunner's estrangement.
In the garb of an ardent lover and harmonious estrangement.
تَنأىdraws away وتقربُand draws near للمحبِّto the lover وهكذاand thus
تَنأى وتقربُ للمحبِّ وهكذا
طبعthe nature of الخرادmodest maidens البيضthe fair-skinned فيin الإذلالِhumbling
طبع الخراد البيض في الإذلالِ
She draws away and draws near to her lover; such
It draws near and comes close to the lover, and so is
is the nature of fair, modest maidens in humbling lovers.
The nature of the white partridge in humiliation.
وَلربّماand sometimes قَدindeed جادَgranted generously ليto me بوصالِهاunion with her
وَلربّما قَد جادَ لي بوصالِها
منهاof her عَلىdespite الهجرانِestrangement طيفa visiting phantom خيالِa dream-image
منها عَلى الهجرانِ طيف خيالِ
And sometimes I have been granted union with her
And perhaps sincere union with her
by a dream-phantom of her, despite her estrangement.
Would provide me from her some illusion after estrangement.
بذلoffered الخيالthe phantom لناto us رخيصاًcheaply وصلهاher union
بذل الخيال لنا رخيصاً وصلها
مِنfrom بعدِafter طولِthe length of الهجرestrangement وهوand it is الغالِprecious
مِن بعدِ طولِ الهجر وهو الغالِ
The phantom offered us her union cheaply,
The imagination provided cheaply her union
after long estrangement, though it is so dear.
After prolonged separation, which is most precious.
ريَّاfull-fleshed السواعدِin the forearms رخصةsoft أطرافهاher fingertips
ريَّا السواعدِ رخصة أطرافها
ظَمياslender الموشّحat the girdle فعمةfull-fleshed الخلخالِat the anklet
ظَميا الموشّح فعمة الخلخالِ
Full in her forearms, soft in her fingertips,
Its arms are too short to reach her hands,
slender at her girdle, full where her anklet rests.
And the sleeves do not attain her bracelets.
غصّتchoked خلاخلُهاher anklets بفاعمِwith the fullness of ساقهاher calf
غصّت خلاخلُها بفاعمِ ساقها
وَشَكتand complained مآزرُهاher waist-wraps منof الأكفالِthe buttocks
وَشَكت مآزرُها من الأكفالِ
Her anklets choked on her full-fleshed calf,
Her anklets were distressed by her delicate feet,
and her waist-wraps complained of her buttocks.
And her girdles complained of her wrists.
وَتَرىand you see الحياءَmodesty عَلىupon محاسنthe beauties of وجههاher face
وَتَرى الحياءَ عَلى محاسن وجهها
يَحويenfolds بريقthe gleam of مائهِits water السلسالِclear-flowing
يَحوي بريق مائهِ السلسالِ
And you see modesty upon her lovely face,
And you see modesty upon her beautiful face
enfolding the gleam of its clear-flowing water.
Containing the glitter of its chain.
مثلlike الغزالةِthe sun إِنif بَدتshe appears وَإِذاand when رَنَتshe gazes
مثل الغزالةِ إِن بَدت وَإِذا رَنَت
بِلِحاظِهاwith her sidelong glances ترنوshe gazes بعينwith the eye of غزالِa gazelle
بِلِحاظِها ترنو بعين غزالِ
She is like the sun when she appears; and when she gazes,
Like a gazelle, when she appeared, and when she glanced
with her sidelong glances, she looks with a gazelle's eye.
With her eyes, she looked towards a gazelle.
ياO أيّهاyou (vocative) الناسpeople اِفهمواunderstand ليfrom me ماwhat أناI
يا أيّها الناس اِفهموا لي ما أنا
مستنسخٌam transcribing مِنfrom محكماتwell-wrought expressions of مقالِspeech
مستنسخٌ مِن محكمات مقالِ
O people, understand from me what I
O people, understand me for what I am -
am transcribing from firmly wrought sayings.
A copier of the established sayings.
أَناI لستُI am not بالراضيcontent علىwith ناسpeople أرىI see
أَنا لستُ بالراضي على ناس أرى
أَحوالهمtheir ways ماnot وافقتaccorded with أحواليmy ways
أَحوالهم ما وافقت أحوالي
I am not pleased with people when I see
I am not content with people whose state
that their ways do not accord with mine.
Does not match my own.
بذَلواthey squandered مدىthroughout أيّامهمtheir days عرضيmy honor وماand not
بذَلوا مدى أيّامهم عرضي وما
أَناI لهمto them ماas long as عشتI live بالبذّالِone who squanders freely
أَنا لهم ما عشت بالبذّالِ
They squandered my honor throughout their days, but
They wasted the length of their days slighting me, and I
I will not squander theirs as long as I live.
For them, while I lived, was no spendthrift.
قارَبتُهمI drew near them فَتباعدواso they drew away باعدتهمI drew away from them
قارَبتُهم فَتباعدوا باعدتهم
قَربواthey drew near بطبعٍwith a nature خادعٍdeceitful ختّالِtreacherous
قَربوا بطبعٍ خادعٍ ختّالِ
I drew near them, and they withdrew; I drew away,
I drew close to them but they grew distant.
and they came near, with a deceitful, treacherous nature.
They approached with a deceitful, pretentious nature.
لاno غروَwonder إِنif حسدواthey envied بماfor what قَدindeed عاينواthey witnessed
لا غروَ إِن حسدوا بما قَد عاينوا
ماwhat نلتI attained مِنof كرمٍhonor ومنand of أفضالِfavors
ما نلت مِن كرمٍ ومن أفضالِ
No wonder they envied me for what they witnessed:
Do not be surprised if they envied what they witnessed of
the honor and favors I have gained.
The generosity and favors I attained.
فَلَقدfor indeed تعمّدdeliberately did ذاكthat إخوةُthe brothers of يوسفYūsuf
فَلَقد تعمّد ذاك إخوةُ يوسف
مِنfrom قبلُbefore فيin الزمنthe time القديمancient الخاليbygone
مِن قبلُ في الزمن القديم الخالي
For Yūsuf's brothers deliberately did just that
Verily, the brothers of Joseph intended that
long before, in ancient times now gone.
Beforehand, in ancient times of yore.
فَوحقّso, by the sanctity of مَنHim who قَدindeed كانَhad صوّرfashioned آدماًAdam
فَوحقّ مَن قَد كانَ صوّر آدماً
فيin الخلقِcreation منfrom حمأٍdark mud ومنand from صلصالِringing dry clay
في الخلقِ من حمأٍ ومن صلصالِ
So, by the sanctity of Him who fashioned Adam
By the right of Him who created Adam
in creation, from dark mud and ringing clay,
From clay and minerals!
لأجدّI shall surely strive فيin إصلاحِreforming سعيthe endeavor of النفسthe soul إنif
لأجدّ في إصلاحِ سعي النفس إن
أَذنَpermits الإلهGod بصالحfor righteous الأعمالِdeeds
أَذنَ الإله بصالح الأعمالِ
I shall strive earnestly to set my soul's endeavor right, if
I will find in reforming the self's endeavor, if
God grants leave for righteous deeds.
God permits, righteous deeds.
إنّيindeed I am اِمرؤٌa man لاnot أَرتضيam content بمحلّةin a dwelling-place
إنّي اِمرؤٌ لا أَرتضي بمحلّة
فيهاin it يُساوىis equated الحرُّthe freeborn man بالأنذالِwith the base
فيها يُساوى الحرُّ بالأنذالِ
I am a man who will not be content in a place
I am a man who will not accept residence
where a freeborn man is equated with the base.
Where the free man is equal to the base.
لاnot يبلغattains المجدَglory اِمرؤٌa man إلّاexcept إِذاwhen اِسbeginning of 'rides'
لا يبلغ المجدَ اِمرؤٌ إلّا إِذا اِس
تَمطىcompletion of 'rides' بجانبbeside شدّةthe severity of الأهوالِthe terrors
تَمطى بجانب شدّة الأهوالِ
No man attains glory unless he
A man attains no glory unless he
rides beside the fiercest terrors.
Endures by the side of formidable tribulations.
وَالمرءُand a man مَنis one who يسموrises بمفخرِthrough the glory of نفسهِhis own self
وَالمرءُ مَن يسمو بمفخرِ نفسهِ
لاnot مفخرِthe glory of الأعمامِpaternal uncles والأخوالِand maternal uncles
لا مفخرِ الأعمامِ والأخوالِ
And a true man rises through his own glory,
And man's glory is what makes his soul sublime,
not the glory of paternal and maternal uncles.
Not the glory of uncles and in-laws.
وَمفازةand a desert عطشىparched الفلاthe wastes مجهولةunknown
وَمفازة عطشى الفلا مجهولة
جاوزتهاI crossed it بجلالةٍon a large she-camel شملالِswift
جاوزتها بجلالةٍ شملالِ
And an unknown desert, its wastes athirst,
And the destination of thirsty wanderer is unknown,
I crossed upon a mighty, swift she-camel.
Having traversed it with lofty mounts.
يَسريtravels by night بمضطرمcarrying one ablaze with العزيمةِresolve جاهلignorant of
يَسري بمضطرم العزيمةِ جاهل
حكماًwisdom منَof الآدابmanners والآمالِand aspirations
حكماً منَ الآداب والآمالِ
It carries one of blazing resolve by night, ignorant
An ignorant man proceeds with burning resolve,
of wisdom in manners and aspirations,
Lacking wisdom, manners or hopes.
وَتشيمand she watches for مِنfrom جَدوىthe bounty of فلاحٍFalāḥ بارقاًa lightning flash
وَتشيم مِن جَدوى فلاحٍ بارقاً
تُزريputs to shame بكلِّevery مجلجلٍthundering cloud هطّالِpouring rain
تُزري بكلِّ مجلجلٍ هطّالِ
and watches for a lightning flash from Falāḥ's bounty,
And you adorn from the benefit of thriving conspicuously
which puts every thundering, pouring cloud to shame.
Every completely armed knight.
اليجشبيّal-Yajshubī الأمجدthe most glorious الملكthe king الّذيwho
اليجشبيّ الأمجد الملك الّذي
أَفنتexhausted مَواهبهُhis gifts جزيلimmense amounts of المالِwealth
أَفنت مَواهبهُ جزيل المالِ
Al-Yajshubī, the most glorious king, whose
Al-Mujāhid Al-ʾAmjad, the glorious king who
gifts have exhausted immense wealth.
Squandered his gifts, bountiful and grand.
غيثٌrain غداةat the time of تنقّلmoving about وتفضّلٍand generous giving
غيثٌ غداة تنقّل وتفضّلٍ
ليثُa lion غداةat the time of تدعّسspear-thrusting ونزالِand combat
ليثُ غداة تدعّس ونزالِ
Rain when he moves about and grants favors,
A rain one day, pleasant and generous,
a lion on days of spear-thrusting and combat.
A lion the next day, sullen and contentious.
طعّانُa fierce piercer of فرسانِthe horsemen of الخميسِthe army وإنّهand indeed he
طعّانُ فرسانِ الخميسِ وإنّه
يومَon the day of المغارمِfinancial obligations حاملُa bearer of الأثقالِheavy burdens
يومَ المغارمِ حاملُ الأثقالِ
A fierce piercer of the army's horsemen; and he,
Spearhead of the horsemen of Thursday, he is
on days of debts, carries the burdens.
The bearer of burdens on the day of trials.
جلّتare exalted معاليهِhis lofty qualities وعظمتهand his greatness عنbeyond التthe (word continues)
جلّت معاليهِ وعظمته عن الت
تَكييفِdescription والأندادِand peers والأشكالِand likenesses
تَكييفِ والأندادِ والأشكالِ
His lofty qualities and greatness transcend
His glories and greatness were too lofty for
description, peers, and likenesses.
Categorization, match or forms.
ياO أيُّهاyou (vocative) الملكking الّذيwho حَرسَguarded العلاglory
يا أيُّها الملك الّذي حَرسَ العلا
بِشوازبٍwith lean steeds وقواضبٍand cleaving swords وعوالِand lofty spears
بِشوازبٍ وقواضبٍ وعوالِ
O king who has guarded the heights of glory
O king who protected the heights
with lean steeds, cleaving swords, and lofty spears,
With officers and guards and soldiers.
اِسمَعhear مقالةَthe words of مُخلصٍone sincerely devoted لكَto you لمnot يَزَلhas ceased
اِسمَع مقالةَ مُخلصٍ لكَ لم يَزَل
مِنby جودِthe generosity of كفّكyour palm موثقاًbound بعقالِwith a tether
مِن جودِ كفّك موثقاً بعقالِ
hear the words of one devoted to you, who has ever remained
Hear the words of a loyal one, who has not ceased
bound by a tether of your hand's generosity.
To be bound by your palm's bounty.
أَسميتyou raised فيماin what يرتجىis hoped for آمالهhis hopes
أَسميت فيما يرتجى آماله
بِذُرىto the summits of يديكyour two hands فهنّso they are غيرnot هزالِfeeble
بِذُرى يديك فهنّ غير هزالِ
You have raised his hopes, in all he longs for,
I named the hopes of what is wished for
to the summits of your hands, so they are not meager.
The progeny of your hands, for they are no lean years.
وَلتهنَand may you rejoice بالعيدِin the Eid الّذيthat قدindeed أتىhas come
وَلتهنَ بالعيدِ الّذي قد أتى
لكَto you بالسرورِwith joy معاًtogether وبالإقبالِand with good fortune
لكَ بالسرورِ معاً وبالإقبالِ
And may you rejoice in the Eid that has come
And may you be congratulated on the feast day
to you with joy and good fortune together.
Which came to you with joy and grace.
عيدٌan Eid بهِwith which خُتمَwas ended الصيامfasting وإنّهand indeed it
عيدٌ بهِ خُتمَ الصيام وإنّه
لمبشّرٌsurely a herald بالفطرِof fast-breaking منfrom شوّالِShawwāl
لمبشّرٌ بالفطرِ من شوّالِ
An Eid with which the fast was ended, and indeed it
A feast in which fasting concludes, and it is
heralds fast-breaking in Shawwāl.
A harbinger of breakfasting in Shawwal.
أَضحىhas become بدولتكthrough your reign الغداةthis morning ونصرهاand its victory
أَضحى بدولتك الغداة ونصرها
مستحسنlovely الإبكارِthe early morning والآصالِand the late afternoons
مستحسن الإبكارِ والآصالِ
This morning, through your reign and its victory, it has become
Your state shone in the morning and its victory
lovely at daybreak and in the late afternoons.
Appreciating promptness and hospitality.
وافىarrived وقَدand indeed بذلَoffered السلامgreetings لوجهكto your face الthe
وافى وقَد بذلَ السلام لوجهك ال
محجوبveiled بالإكرامِin honor والإجلالِand reverence
محجوب بالإكرامِ والإجلالِ
It arrived and offered greetings to your face,
It arrived conveying greetings to your face, not
veiled in honor and reverence.
Concealed by honor and majesty.
وَاِفترّand parted in a smile مبسمهاher smiling mouth بوجهٍupon a face مشرقٍradiant
وَاِفترّ مبسمها بوجهٍ مشرقٍ
لمّاwhen اِشتهرتyou appeared openly لهُto it بأنعمِin the happiest بالِstate of mind
لمّا اِشتهرت لهُ بأنعمِ بالِ
And her smiling mouth parted upon a radiant face,
And its smile beamed with a radiant face
when you appeared to it in the happiest state of mind.
When it became renowned for its blessings.
لاnever زالَmay cease هَذاthis العيدُEid يأتيcomes زائراًas a visitor
لا زالَ هَذا العيدُ يأتي زائراً
مُستقبلاًwelcoming لكَyou أيّماthe finest اِستقبالِwelcome
مُستقبلاً لكَ أيّما اِستقبالِ
May this Eid never cease to come as a visitor,
This feast continues to come as a visitor,
welcoming you with the finest of welcomes.
Welcoming you in any manner of welcoming.
إنّيindeed I عَجبتُmarveled لكَat you الغداةَthis morning وأنتَwhile you are فيon
إنّي عَجبتُ لكَ الغداةَ وأنتَ في
تختِthe throne of الممالكِthe kingdoms للرعيّةover the subjects والِa ruler
تختِ الممالكِ للرعيّة والِ
I marveled at you this morning, while you were on
I wondered at you this morning, while you were
the throne of kingdoms, a ruler over your subjects.
On the throne of kingdoms for the flock and family.
والناسُand the people يَزدحمونَthrong toward جودكyour bounty كلّهمall of them
والناسُ يَزدحمونَ جودك كلّهم
شوقاًlonging لرؤيةto see وجهكyour face المفضالِlavishly generous
شوقاً لرؤية وجهك المفضالِ
And all the people thronged toward your bounty,
And people crowded your generosity, all of them
longing to see your generous face.
Yearning to see your favored face.
لَمّاwhen رأوكَthey saw you وأنتَwhile you were وسطin the middle of الدستِthe royal dais منfrom
لَمّا رأوكَ وأنتَ وسط الدستِ من
بينِamong الجنودِthe troops معاًtogether وبينand among الآلِthe household
بينِ الجنودِ معاً وبين الآلِ
When they saw you at the center of the dais, among
When they saw you in the center of the retinue
the troops and your household together,
Amongst the soldiers and the family.
خرّواthey fell down لتقبيلِto kiss البساطِthe carpet جميعهمall of them
خرّوا لتقبيلِ البساطِ جميعهم
مِنfrom قبلةٍthe front أوor يمنةthe right وشمالِand the left
مِن قبلةٍ أو يمنة وشمالِ
they all fell down to kiss the carpet,
They all bowed to kiss the carpet
from the front, or from right and left.
Whether from the front, right or left.
حقٌّfitting لهذاfor this الدستthrone يهديto send as a gift تربَهits dust
حقٌّ لهذا الدست يهدي تربَه
طيباًas perfume إِلىto الأملاكkings والأقيالِand princes
طيباً إِلى الأملاك والأقيالِ
It is fitting for this throne to send its dust
This palm deserves to donate its soil,
as perfume to kings and princes.
Aroma to realms and thrones.
وَتزورهُand visit it الأطيارُthe birds معalong with وحشِthe wild beasts of الفلاthe desert
وَتزورهُ الأطيارُ مع وحشِ الفلا
مِنof كلّevery يعفورٍfawn ومنand of رئبالِlion
مِن كلّ يعفورٍ ومن رئبالِ
And birds visit it, along with the beasts of the wastes,
And the birds and beasts of the wild
every fawn and every lion.
Visit it, of every deer and fox.
بكthrough you زيّنadorned اللّهGod البلادَthe land فأَصبحتso it became
بك زيّن اللّه البلادَ فأَصبحت
كالبكرِlike a maiden تسحبtrails فضلةthe excess length of الأذيالِthe hems
كالبكرِ تسحب فضلة الأذيالِ
Through you God adorned the land, so it has become
Through you God beautified the lands, so they became
like a maiden trailing her ample skirts.
Like a virgin trailing the edges of her gown.
فلكso yours are الزعامةِleadership والرِياسةِand sovereignty والعلاand glory
فلك الزعامةِ والرِياسةِ والعلا
ولكَand yours is المحلّthe station السامكlofty المتعالِexalted
ولكَ المحلّ السامك المتعالِ
Yours, then, are leadership, sovereignty, and glory,
Yours are the leadership, governance and heights,
and yours the lofty, exalted station.
And yours is the lofty, sublime abode.
Sol 6.1