قِفاhalt, you two بالرسومِby the traces الخواليdeserted القفارِdesolate
قِفا بالرسومِ الخوالي القفارِ
لِتنضحهاto sprinkle them بالدُموعِwith tears الغرارِflowing
لِتنضحها بالدُموعِ الغرارِ
Halt, you two, by the deserted, desolate traces,
Stop at the deserted ruins
to sprinkle them with flowing tears.
To moisten them with flowing tears
ديارٌdwellings منَof الحيِّthe tribe أَقوتbecame deserted وكمand how many فيin
ديارٌ منَ الحيِّ أَقوت وكم في
فُؤاديmy heart لهاfor them (the dwellings) ولهمand for them (the people) منof ديارِdwellings
فُؤادي لها ولهم من ديارِ
Dwellings of the tribe, now deserted—how many, in
How dear a dwelling my heart holds
my heart, are homes for them and their people!
For those abodes and their former dwellers
فَكمso how often قَدindeed سحبتُI trailed ذيولَthe skirts of التصابيyouthful dalliance
فَكم قَد سحبتُ ذيولَ التصابي
بِهاin them وخلعتُand I cast off ذيولَthe skirts of الوقارِdignity
بِها وخلعتُ ذيولَ الوقارِ
How often I trailed the skirts of youthful dalliance
How often have I dragged the train
there, and cast off the skirts of dignity!
Of my cloak over them and doffed dignity
وَكَمand how often قَدindeed لهوتُI sported ببيضٍwith fair women حسانٍbeautiful
وَكَم قَد لهوتُ ببيضٍ حسانٍ
بِهاin them فيduring ليلاتهنّtheir nights القصارِshort
بِها في ليلاتهنّ القصارِ
And how often I sported with fair, beautiful women
And frolicked in their bright nights
there, during their short nights!
Those short nights of revelry
وَأَجريتُand I set running خيلَthe horses of الغوايةِwaywardness طلقاunrestrained
وَأَجريتُ خيلَ الغوايةِ طلقا
فَشاspread far and wide والملاهيand diversions خليعhaving cast off العذارِthe bridle
فَشا والملاهي خليع العذارِ
And I sent the horses of waywardness running free,
And raced the steeds of passion, freely
far and wide, unbridled amid diversions.
Frolicking and flirting with the coquettish
وَلَمand did not أنسَI forget عهداًa bond مَضىpassed منfrom أميمUmaym
وَلَم أنسَ عهداً مَضى من أميم
بِأطيبwith the finest عيشٍliving وأحلىand the sweetest شعارِintimacy
بِأطيب عيشٍ وأحلى شعارِ
Nor have I forgotten a bygone bond with Umaym,
Nor have I forgotten the bygone days
with the finest living and sweetest intimacy.
Of joyous living and fortunes fair
زَمانٌa time بهِin it لمnot نطاوعwe obeyed عذولاًa reproacher
زَمانٌ بهِ لم نطاوع عذولاً
وَلاnor مِنany رقيبٍwatcher حسودٍenvious ندارِwe would humor
وَلا مِن رقيبٍ حسودٍ ندارِ
A time when we obeyed no reproacher,
An era where we bent not for censors
nor did we humor any envious watcher.
Nor from envious chiding took care
وَإِذand when ناءَgrew distant طلقbright المحيّاthe countenance نجديa Najdi
وَإِذ ناءَ طلق المحيّا نجدي
ماءthe water of الصباyouth والنضارةand freshness جارِflowing
ماء الصبا والنضارة جارِ
And when the bright-faced Najdi grew distant,
And when the prime of youth flowed free
the water of youth and freshness was flowing.
Pristine water of youth did flow
فَكَمso how often بتُّI spent the night أَقطفُplucking مِنfrom وَجنَتيهاher two cheeks
فَكَم بتُّ أَقطفُ مِن وَجنَتيها
بلثميwith my kisses جنىthe harvest of الوردِroses والجلّنارِand pomegranate blossoms
بلثمي جنى الوردِ والجلّنارِ
How often I spent the night plucking from her cheeks,
How oft plucked I from its branches
with my kisses, the harvest of roses and pomegranate blossoms!
With my kisses, fruits and fragrant flowers
وَإِذand when أَناI قبّلتُهاkissed her خالseemed (uncertain reading) فيon الخدthe cheek (continued)
وَإِذ أَنا قبّلتُها خال في الخد
دِcompletion of 'cheek' مِنهاof hers اِصفرارٌa yellow pallor بداappeared فيamid اِحمرارِredness
دِ مِنها اِصفرارٌ بدا في اِحمرارِ
And when I kissed her, there seemed to be on her cheek
When kissed, her cheek would mottle
a yellow pallor appearing amid redness.
Paler midst the blush that rose
نَأَتshe grew distant عَنfrom شزاريmy sidelong gaze وشطّتand went far away مزاراin visiting distance
نَأَت عَن شزاري وشطّت مزارا
وَلَمand did not أحظَI gain منهاfrom her بقربwith nearness to المزارِthe visiting-place
وَلَم أحظَ منها بقرب المزارِ
She drew far from my sidelong gaze, her abode remote,
She turned from my embrace in coyness
and I gained no nearness to her abode.
And kissed not at the tryst she chose
وَكَيفand how أرجوI hope لِقلبيfor my heart سُلوّاًforgetfulness
وَكَيف أرجو لِقلبي سُلوّاً
وَقَدand already صارَit became مِنthrough حبّهاlove of her فيin أسارِcaptivity
وَقَد صارَ مِن حبّها في أسارِ
And how can I hope that my heart will forget,
How can I hope my heart will solace find
when love of her has put it in captivity?
When bound by passion's pining throes
كأنَّas though المجاجةَthe spittle منfrom ريقthe saliva of فيهاher mouth
كأنَّ المجاجةَ من ريق فيها
زلالٌpure water مشابٌmixed بشهدٍwith honey مشارِdrawn from the comb
زلالٌ مشابٌ بشهدٍ مشارِ
The moisture issuing from her mouth seems
As if the wine from her lips a draft
pure water blended with honey drawn from the comb.
Pure, with honey sweetness, flows
منَamong البيضِthe fair women ظمياslender الموشّحat the girdled waist ريّاfull السthe fore- (fragment)
منَ البيضِ ظميا الموشّح ريّا الس
سواعدarms (word completion) والردفُand the buttocks ملءُfilling الإزارِthe waist-wrap
سواعد والردفُ ملءُ الإزارِ
Among fair women, slender at the waist, full in the
In pearl white dresses, rolled up sleeves
forearms, and her buttocks fill her wrap.
And ample waists the sashes enclose
تُريكَshe shows you منَin الفرعِthe hair والوجهِand the face منهاof hers
تُريكَ منَ الفرعِ والوجهِ منها
دجىًdarkness حالكاًpitch-black فوقabove شمسthe sun of النهارِday
دجىً حالكاً فوق شمس النهارِ
She shows you, in her hair and face,
You see, as if from a bough, her face
pitch-black night above the sun of day.
Veiled in the noonday sun's bright glows
تثنّتshe swayed كخوطٍlike a twig منof البانِthe ban tree ليناًsupple
تثنّت كخوطٍ من البانِ ليناً
وَلاحتand appeared قضيباًas a slender rod لناto us منof نضارِgold
وَلاحت قضيباً لنا من نضارِ
She swayed, supple as a twig of the ban tree,
She sways as gently as the pliant lines
and appeared to us as a slender rod of gold.
Of script, vitality and grace she shows
يزينُgains beauty السوارthe bracelet بِهاthrough her حيثُsince أَضحتshe became
يزينُ السوار بِها حيثُ أَضحت
سوارُa bracelet مَحاسنهاher charms وللسوارِand for the bracelet
سوارُ مَحاسنها وللسوارِ
The bracelet gains beauty from her, for she has become
The bracelets grace her wrists and they
a bracelet of her beauty, and an adornment for the bracelet itself.
Adorn her lovely wrists just so
يشفُّlets show through الخمارُthe veil بماwhat is beneath تحتهُbeneath it منof
يشفُّ الخمارُ بما تحتهُ من
ضياءٍradiance منَfrom الوجهِthe face خلفbehind الخمارِthe veil
ضياءٍ منَ الوجهِ خلف الخمارِ
The veil reveals what lies beneath it:
The head-veil shades the effulgence of
radiance from the face behind the veil.
Her visage behind its veil that flows
فَليسَfor ... is not الفرزدقُal-Farazdaq أكثرmore منّيthan I
فَليسَ الفرزدقُ أكثر منّي
هوىin passion فيin كآبتهhis grief منbecause of نوارِNawar
هوى في كآبته من نوارِ
For al-Farazdaq had no more passion than I,
No more than I, al-Farazdaq pined
in his sorrow over Nawar.
In his yearning from love's deep woes
أَلاlisten! ياO مجيدَone skilled in القوافيrhymes قريضاًverse
أَلا يا مجيدَ القوافي قريضاً
يزيدُincreases بهاthrough them اليسرprosperity بعدafter اِفتقارِpoverty
يزيدُ بها اليسر بعد اِفتقارِ
O you who excel in rhymed verse,
Come now, O peerless composer of verse
through which prosperity grows after poverty,
With more that's facile yet splendid in its flow
فَلاso do not تَمنحِbestow الشعرَpoetry إلّاexcept on مهنّاMuhanna
فَلا تَمنحِ الشعرَ إلّا مهنّا
سليلthe scion of محمّدMuhammad محضthe pure essence of البحارِthe seas
سليل محمّد محض البحارِ
bestow your poetry on none but Muhanna,
Only confer on poetry, high station
Muhammad's scion, the pure essence of the seas.
If a scion of Muhammad's line, it knows
جوادٌa generous man رقاascended منبرَthe pulpit of الجودِgenerosity طفلاًas a child
جوادٌ رقا منبرَ الجودِ طفلاً
وَلمand had not يَبدُappeared فيon الخدِّthe cheek شعرthe hair of العذارِthe sideburn
وَلم يَبدُ في الخدِّ شعر العذارِ
A generous man, he mounted generosity's pulpit as a child,
A lord, still soft, though the tribune of munificence he chose
while no sideburn hair had yet appeared upon his cheek.
No down on his cheek, though in virtues maturity he shows
وَشيّدand he built بالمَكرُماتwith noble deeds مناراًa beacon
وَشيّد بالمَكرُمات مناراً
منَof المجدِglory والحمدand praise أعلىthe highest منارِbeacon
منَ المجدِ والحمد أعلى منارِ
And with noble deeds he raised a beacon,
With your virtues, build a minaret
of glory and praise—the highest beacon.
Of glory and praise, loftier than all minarets rose
عَفيفٌvirtuous منَin الحمدpraise والفخرِand pride كاسٍclothed
عَفيفٌ منَ الحمد والفخرِ كاسٍ
وَمِنand of حلّةthe robe of الذمّblame والعارand shame عارِbare
وَمِن حلّة الذمّ والعار عارِ
Virtuous, clothed in praise and pride,
Modest in praise and vaunts, disdaining
and bare of the robe of blame and shame.
Any garb of blame or shame that shows
فَيُمناهso his right hand باليمنِwith blessings تَسعىhastens إِلَيناtoward us
فَيُمناه باليمنِ تَسعى إِلَينا
وَيُسراهُand his left hand تَسعىhastens لناfor us باليسارِwith prosperity
وَيُسراهُ تَسعى لنا باليسارِ
So his right hand hastens to us with blessings,
With auspices blest, all eagerly come to you
and his left hastens for us with prosperity.
Whether right or left of you their path goes
غمامٌa rain cloud إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle تبعّقpours forth أزرىputs to shame
غمامٌ إِذا ما تبعّق أزرى
بِمُنبعقِthe downpour of المعصراتrain-heavy clouds السوارِcoursing by night
بِمُنبعقِ المعصرات السوارِ
A rain cloud that, when it pours, puts to shame
A cloud, when gathered, trailed
the downpour of rain-heavy clouds coursing by night.
By the trains of twisting bracelets that enclose
وَبحرٌand a sea خضمٌّvast and deep يفيضُoverflows ويعلوand rises
وَبحرٌ خضمٌّ يفيضُ ويعلو
عَلىabove لججِthe deep waters of الزاخراتِthe swelling البحارِseas
عَلى لججِ الزاخراتِ البحارِ
And a vast sea that overflows and rises
A tumultuous sea that surges and swells
above the deep waters of the swelling seas.
High above the billows' crash as they rose
يُحيطُsurrounds بهaround him الفخرُglory منfrom عنthe side of أمامin front
يُحيطُ به الفخرُ من عن أمام
وَمِنand from عنthe side of يمينٍthe right ومنand from عنthe side of يسارِthe left
وَمِن عن يمينٍ ومن عن يسارِ
Glory surrounds him from in front,
Girt by glory before and behind
and from the right and from the left.
And to right and left of you it flows
وَتخدمهand serve him فيin القضاءِjudgment اللياليthe nights
وَتخدمه في القضاءِ الليالي
وَخنّسهاand their retreating stars الكانساتthe hiding ones الجوارِthe coursing ones
وَخنّسها الكانسات الجوارِ
And the nights serve him in judgment,
The nights serve you in your judgments
and their retreating stars, which hide and run their courses.
As do the folded carpets on which it reposes
كأنّيَas though I أبصرتُbeheld مصراًEgypt ويوسفand Yusuf
كأنّيَ أبصرتُ مصراً ويوسف
غداواتon the mornings أبصرتهI beheld him فيin صحارِSohar
غداوات أبصرته في صحارِ
It is as though I beheld Egypt and Yusuf
As if I saw Joseph in Egypt revealed
on the mornings when I beheld him in Sohar.
When I saw you in the desert exposed
أَرثّheir (uncertain reading) المعاليlofty virtues ومَنand one whom قدindeed كساهُclothed him
أَرثّ المعالي ومَن قد كساهُ
إِلهُthe God of البريّةcreation ثوبthe robe of الفخارِglory
إِلهُ البريّة ثوب الفخارِ
Heir [uncertain reading] to lofty virtues, and one whom
Most high, an heirloom clad by He
the God of creation has clothed in the robe of glory.
Who clad the desert sands in lowly robes
بِعَدلكَthrough your justice فيin الملكِrule أضحتhas become صحارSohar
بِعَدلكَ في الملكِ أضحت صحار
تُشادُare raised مَحاريبهاits sanctuaries بالعمارِby builders
تُشادُ مَحاريبها بالعمارِ
Through your justice in rule, Sohar has come to see
By your justice, the arid wastes
its sanctuaries raised by builders.
Are now built up by peopled settlements that arose
وَطالَتand it towered بِفضلكthrough your excellence عزّاًin honor وفخراًand pride
وَطالَت بِفضلك عزّاً وفخراً
عَلىabove مصرَEgypt أوor حلبAleppo أوor ظفارِDhofar
عَلى مصرَ أو حلب أو ظفارِ
And through your excellence it has towered in honor and pride
By your grace, more honour and pride
above Egypt, Aleppo, or Dhofar.
Than Egypt or Aleppo or Zafar knows
وَدُمand remain ياO مهنّاMuhanna مهنّاblessed بماin what قدalready
وَدُم يا مهنّا مهنّا بما قد
تملّيتَyou have enjoyed مِنof بسطةٍabundance واِقتدارِand power
تملّيتَ مِن بسطةٍ واِقتدارِ
And remain, O Muhanna, blessed in what you have
Blood of Prophet, dispense your bounty's rain
enjoyed of abundance and power.
For the greatness and might that you dispose
فَباعكَfor your reach فيin المجدِglory أطولthe longest باعٍreach
فَباعكَ في المجدِ أطول باعٍ
وَجاركَand your neighbor فيin المنعِprotection أمنعthe most secure جارِneighbor
وَجاركَ في المنعِ أمنع جارِ
For your reach in glory is the longest reach,
None can match the lofty station you claim
and your neighbor is the best protected of neighbors.
Or the magnanimity that you disclose
Sol 6.1