سَفَرتshe unveiled her face فكادَand nearly تألّقradiance الأنوارِthe lights
سَفَرت فكادَ تألّق الأنوارِ
ياO صاحِfriend يذهبُtakes away منكfrom you بِالأبصارِthe eyesight
يا صاحِ يذهبُ منك بِالأبصارِ
She unveiled her face, and the radiance of the lights nearly—
She unveiled her face; the lights' radiance almost
—carried away your sight, my friend.
robbed you of your sight, my friend.
وَتَخطّرتand she sauntered فيin بردِthe mantle of ريعانِthe first bloom of الصِباyouth
وَتَخطّرت في بردِ ريعانِ الصِبا
بِقَوامِهاwith her figure المتمايلswaying الخطّارِgracefully strutting
بِقَوامِها المتمايل الخطّارِ
She strutted in the mantle of youth’s first bloom,
And she sauntered in the mantle of youth's first bloom,
her figure swaying with a proud, graceful stride.
with her swaying, gracefully strutting figure.
وَرَنتand she gazed مخالسةًfurtively إليَّtoward me بِلَحظهاwith her glance
وَرَنت مخالسةً إليَّ بِلَحظها
فَحسستُso I felt فيin أحشاءِthe entrails لذعةa sting نارِof fire
فَحسستُ في أحشاءِ لذعة نارِ
She stole a glance at me from the corner of her eye,
And she stole a sidelong glance at me,
and I felt a fiery sting within my entrails.
so I felt in my entrails the sting of fire.
ماnot كنتُI had قدماًformerly قبلَbefore رؤيةِseeing وَجهِهاher face
ما كنتُ قدماً قبلَ رؤيةِ وَجهِها
أَبصرتُI saw شَمساًa sun لفّعتwas wrapped بخمارِin a veil
أَبصرتُ شَمساً لفّعت بخمارِ
Never before beholding her face
Never before seeing her face had I
had I seen a sun enfolded in a veil.
seen a sun wrapped in a veil.
شمسٌa sun بَدَتappeared مِنfrom فوقِabove غصنٍa bough ماسَswayed فيin
شمسٌ بَدَت مِن فوقِ غصنٍ ماسَ في
حقفٍa curving sand dune منَamong الأحقافِthe dunes حشوfilling إِزارِa waist-wrap
حقفٍ منَ الأحقافِ حشو إِزارِ
A sun appeared above a swaying bough,
A sun appeared above a bough that swayed in
upon a rounded dune beneath a sash.
a curving dune among dunes, filling a waist-wrap.
وَكأنّand as though ريقَتَهاher saliva غديرُa pool غمامةٍof a raincloud
وَكأنّ ريقَتَها غديرُ غمامةٍ
شيبَتwere mingled مشاربهits draughts بمزجِwith a blending of عقارِwine
شيبَت مشاربه بمزجِ عقارِ
Her mouth’s nectar seemed a rain cloud’s pool,
And her saliva is like a raincloud's pool,
its draughts mingled with an admixture of wine.
whose draughts were mingled with wine.
فَالخدُّso the cheek مثلُlike الوردِthe rose صافيpure اللونin color فيin
فَالخدُّ مثلُ الوردِ صافي اللون في
صَفَحاتهِits surfaces ماءُthe water of النضارةِfreshness جاريflowing
صَفَحاتهِ ماءُ النضارةِ جاري
Her cheek is like the rose, pure in hue, while
So her cheek is like a rose, pure in hue; across
across its smooth planes the water of freshness flows.
its surfaces the water of freshness flows.
تَحكيshe resembles رياضَgardens of الوردِroses فالنفحاتُso the fragrances كالنlike the …
تَحكي رياضَ الوردِ فالنفحاتُ كالن
نَفَحاتfragrances وَالأزهارand the blossoms كالأزهارِlike the blossoms
نَفَحات وَالأزهار كالأزهارِ
It resembles gardens of roses: its fragrances are like the—
She mirrors rose gardens: her fragrances are like their
—fragrances, and its blossoms like the blossoms.
fragrances, and her blossoms like their blossoms.
ريمٌa white gazelle منamong الآرامِthe gazelles بلrather صنمٌan idol منamong الthe …
ريمٌ من الآرامِ بل صنمٌ من ال
أصنامِidols بَلrather قمرٌa moon منamong الأقمارِthe moons
أصنامِ بَل قمرٌ من الأقمارِ
A gazelle among gazelles—no, an idol among the—
A white gazelle among gazelles; rather, an idol among the
—idols—no, a moon among moons.
idols; rather, a moon among moons.
ياO لائِميyou who reproach me إنif بعتُI sold روحيmy soul بالهوىfor love
يا لائِمي إن بعتُ روحي بالهوى
قطعاًirrevocably إِليهاto her ليسَit is not بيعa sale خيارِan option to withdraw
قطعاً إِليها ليسَ بيع خيارِ
O you who blame me if I have sold my soul for love,
O you who reproach me, if I sold my soul for love,
wholly to her—such a choice is no marvel.
outright to her, it is no sale with an option to withdraw.
كَيفَhow التسلّيforgetting عنfrom هَواهاlove for her بعدَماafter
كَيفَ التسلّي عن هَواها بعدَما
قَدalready صارَhas become سرّيmy secret عندهاin her keeping وجهارِand my open life
قَد صارَ سرّي عندها وجهارِ
How could I find consolation apart from loving her, now that
How can I forget my love for her, now that
my secret and my open avowal are both in her keeping?
my secret and my open life have come into her keeping?
أَناI لمnot أَزلI cease بالنفسِwith the soul فيin حبّيmy love لهاfor her
أَنا لم أَزل بالنفسِ في حبّي لها
أَبداًforever أُبايعُI sell فيin الهوىlove وأشاريand I buy
أَبداً أُبايعُ في الهوى وأشاري
With my very soul, I have never ceased to love her,
I have never ceased, with my soul, in my love for her,
forever pledging myself to passion and bargaining in it.
to sell and buy forever in love.
وَبهيجةand a lovely garden غنّاءluxuriant رفّههاrefreshed it الحياthe rain
وَبهيجة غنّاء رفّهها الحيا
بِالواكفِwith pouring rain المتساجلِfalling in succession المدرارِcopious
بِالواكفِ المتساجلِ المدرارِ
And in a lush meadow made luxuriant by the rain,
And a lovely, luxuriant garden was refreshed by rain
with copious, answering, unceasing downpours,
with pouring, successive, abundant showers,
ماranging بينَbetween غادٍmorning rain يستهلّpours forth ورائحand evening rain
ما بينَ غادٍ يستهلّ ورائح
تَهميstreams down بشؤبوبِin a burst of الرذاذِdrizzle وسارِand night rain
تَهمي بشؤبوبِ الرذاذِ وسارِ
between a morning cloud bursting into rain and an evening one,
between morning rain pouring forth and evening rain,
pouring streaming showers, drizzle, and steady rain,
streaming in a burst of drizzle, and rain by night.
حتّىuntil إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle الجوُّthe sky أَصبحَbecame ساجياًstill
حتّى إِذا ما الجوُّ أَصبحَ ساجياً
مِنfrom بعدِafter طولthe length of إقامةthe lingering of الأمطارِthe rains
مِن بعدِ طول إقامة الأمطارِ
until, when the sky at last grew calm
At last, when the sky grew still
after the rains had lingered long,
after the rains had lingered long,
أَضحَتit became تروقُdelights the eye بلؤلؤwith pearls لمّاwhen بداappeared
أَضحَت تروقُ بلؤلؤ لمّا بدا
زهرthe blossoms of الكمامthe bud-sheaths وخضرةand the greenery of الأشجارِthe trees
زهر الكمام وخضرة الأشجارِ
it dazzled with sparkling brilliance as there appeared
it delighted the eye with pearls when there appeared
the bloom of unopened buds and the green of trees.
the blossoms from their buds and the greenery of the trees.
أَبصرتُهاI saw it فَحسِبتُهاso I thought it أبدتit revealed لناto us
أَبصرتُها فَحسِبتُها أبدت لنا
عَنof لؤلؤٍpearls أوor فضّةٍsilver ونضارِand pure gold
عَن لؤلؤٍ أو فضّةٍ ونضارِ
I beheld it and thought it had displayed to us
I saw it and thought it had revealed to us
pearls, or silver and gold.
pearls, or silver and pure gold.
وَعرارهاand its ʿarār flowers فيهاwithin it يفوحُwafts fragrance كأنّهas though it were
وَعرارها فيها يفوحُ كأنّه
أَخلاقthe virtues of محمودpraiseworthy الخلاقin character عرارِʿArār
أَخلاق محمود الخلاق عرارِ
Its arar blossoms breathed fragrance there, as though
And its ʿarār flowers waft fragrance there, as though they were
the virtues of one praised for his character were arar blossoms.
the virtues of ʿArār, whose character is praised.
صَمدa lord براهُfashioned him اللّهGod مِنfrom شرفٍhonor ومنand from
صَمد براهُ اللّه مِن شرفٍ ومن
كرمٍnobility ومِنand from جودٍgenerosity معاًtogether وفخارِand glory
كرمٍ ومِن جودٍ معاً وفخارِ
A lord whom God fashioned out of honor and
A lord whom God fashioned from honor and
generosity, munificence together, and glory;
nobility, from generosity and glory together.
كاسٍclad منَin الحمدِpraise الجزيلabundant وإنّهand indeed he
كاسٍ منَ الحمدِ الجزيل وإنّه
فيamong الناسِpeople عارٍbare منof لباسthe garment of العارِshame
في الناسِ عارٍ من لباس العارِ
arrayed in abundant praise—and indeed he is
Clad in abundant praise, yet he is
among mankind stripped of every garment of disgrace.
among men bare of the garment of shame.
فيin تاجِهِhis crown قمرٌa moon وباطنand the hollow of كفّهِhis palm
في تاجِهِ قمرٌ وباطن كفّهِ
بحرٌa sea وبطنُand the interior of الدرعthe armor ليثٌa lion ضارِravening
بحرٌ وبطنُ الدرع ليثٌ ضارِ
A moon crowns his head; within his palm
In his crown is a moon, and the hollow of his palm
is a sea; within his armor, a fierce lion.
is a sea; within his armor is a ravening lion.
لَمnot تجرِran فيacross القرطاسِpaper أقلامٌpens لهof his
لَم تجرِ في القرطاسِ أقلامٌ له
إلّاexcept عَلىaccording to قَدرٍa decree منof الأقدارِfate's decrees
إلّا عَلى قَدرٍ من الأقدارِ
Pens have never run over parchment for him
His pens never ran across paper
except by a decree among the decrees of Fate.
except in accord with a decree of fate.
وَتُطيعهand obey him الأيّامُthe days وَالأفلاكand the celestial spheres فيin
وَتُطيعه الأيّامُ وَالأفلاك في
ماwhat يَبتغيهِhe seeks it وَالقضاءand destiny الجارِunfolding
ما يَبتغيهِ وَالقضاء الجارِ
The days and heavenly spheres obey him in
The days and the celestial spheres obey him in
all he seeks, as does Fate coursing onward.
whatever he seeks, as does destiny in its course.
مَلكٌa king يدبِّرadministers حكمهhis rule فيin ملكهِhis kingdom
مَلكٌ يدبِّر حكمه في ملكهِ
مِنfrom بابِthe gate of قلهاتٍQalhat إِلىto جلفارِJulfar
مِن بابِ قلهاتٍ إِلى جلفارِ
A king who governs his realm by his judgment,
A king who administers his rule within his realm,
from Qalhāt’s gate as far as Julfār.
from the gate of Qalhat to Julfar.
وَيكرّand he charges فيthrough رهجِthe dust of الخميسِthe army كأنّهُas though he were
وَيكرّ في رهجِ الخميسِ كأنّهُ
ضرغامa lion ينشبsinks in ناشبgripping الأظفارِclaws
ضرغام ينشب ناشب الأظفارِ
He wheels to the charge amid the army’s dust as though
And he charges through the army's dust as though he were
a lion sinking its gripping claws.
a lion sinking its gripping claws.
ماnever قابَلَتهconfronted him الخيلُthe cavalry منof أعدائهِhis enemies
ما قابَلَته الخيلُ من أعدائهِ
إلّاexcept وَقدand already نكصتrecoiled علىupon الأدبارِthe backs
إلّا وَقد نكصت على الأدبارِ
No cavalry of his enemies has ever faced him
His enemies' cavalry never confronted him
but that it has already turned in retreat.
without recoiling and turning back.
وَتَراهand you see him يَخطفsweeps away بالكماةِthe armored warriors إِذاwhen اِبترىhe charges forth
وَتَراه يَخطف بالكماةِ إِذا اِبترى
فيon ظهرِthe back of أجردa sleek steed مشرقgleaming الأقطارِthe sides
في ظهرِ أجرد مشرق الأقطارِ
You see him snatch away armored champions when he strikes,
And you see him sweep armored warriors away when he charges forth
astride a sleek steed commanding every horizon.
on the back of a sleek steed, gleaming on every side.
ياO خَيرَbest منof those غنّتsang بسجعِin the rhyme of مديحهِhis praise الرthe …
يا خَيرَ من غنّت بسجعِ مديحهِ الر
رُكبانُriders فيin الأنجادِthe highlands والركبانِand the riders
رُكبانُ في الأنجادِ والركبانِ
O best of those whose praise, in measured cadence, the—
O best of those whose praise has been sung in rhyme by the
—riders sing in the highlands and among the caravans.
riders, in the highlands and among the riding bands.
أنتَyou الوحيدُthe peerless one وحيدُpeerless عصركyour age لمnot يكنthere was
أنتَ الوحيدُ وحيدُ عصرك لم يكن
لكَfor you مِنany مجادٍrival فيin العلاeminence ومجارِand a competitor
لكَ مِن مجادٍ في العلا ومجارِ
You are the peerless one, unique in your age; never has there been
You are peerless, peerless in your age; there has been
any rival to keep pace with you in loftiness or vie with you.
no rival to you in eminence, nor anyone to match you.
جاريتَyou raced أَربابَthe masters of المفاخرِglorious deeds والعلاand eminence
جاريتَ أَربابَ المفاخرِ والعلا
فَسَبقتهمso you outstripped them فيin حلبةِthe arena of المضمارِthe racecourse
فَسَبقتهم في حلبةِ المضمارِ
You raced the masters of proud deeds and exalted rank,
You raced the masters of glorious deeds and eminence,
then outstripped them in the racecourse arena.
and so outstripped them in the racing arena.
Sol 6.1