لَمdid not يسقطِfall اللوىal-Liwa (sand-bend) والمحناand al-Mahna (the bend) طللa ruined trace
لَم يسقطِ اللوى والمحنا طلل
كأنّهas though it were وشمa tattoo رندٍof laurel لاحappeared أوor خللُgaps
كأنّه وشم رندٍ لاح أو خللُ
No ruined trace at al-Liwa and al-Mahna has fallen away;
The passion and afflictions did not subside,
As though it were a laurel tattoo showing, or gaps.
As if it were a tattoo that shone brightly or stood out
وَقفتُI stood أنشدُI seek مغناهits abode وأسألهُand I question it
وَقفتُ أنشدُ مغناه وأسألهُ
عنabout الأحبّةthe loved ones يومthe day البينof parting ماwhat فعلواthey did
عن الأحبّة يوم البين ما فعلوا
I stood seeking its abode and questioning it
I stood reciting its melody and asked it
About the loved ones—what became of them on the day of parting?
About my loved ones, what did they do on the day we parted
ربعٌa dwelling جآذرهُits wild-ox calves فيهin it وعزلتهand its solitude
ربعٌ جآذرهُ فيه وعزلته
مِنfrom عزلةِthe absence الإنسof people فيهاin it والمهاand the oryx بدلُa replacement
مِن عزلةِ الإنس فيها والمها بدلُ
A dwelling with its wild-ox calves within; its solitude
A quarter of it lingered within along with its isolation
Comes from the absence of people there, with oryx in their place.
From the isolation of mankind in it and the replacements changed
كَمhow often ظلتI stayed فيهin it علىunder حكمِthe rule الهوىof love كلفاًinfatuated
كَم ظلت فيه على حكمِ الهوى كلفاً
أقضيI fulfill الفرائضَthe prescribed duties عنout of وجدٍlonging وأنتقلُand I move on
أقضي الفرائضَ عن وجدٍ وأنتقلُ
How often I stayed there, infatuated, under love’s rule,
How long did it remain under the rule of passion, burdened
Fulfilling my prescribed duties out of longing, and moving on.
I perform obligations of fervor and move on
ياO صاحِبيmy companion هلdo تَرىyou see ظعنthe departing caravan الخليطof the companions وقدand already
يا صاحِبي هل تَرى ظعن الخليط وقد
شفّتbecame translucent بنورwith the radiance الحسانِof the beauties الجرّدunclothed الكللُthe canopies
شفّت بنور الحسانِ الجرّد الكللُ
O my friend, do you see the companions’ caravan, now that
My friend, do you see the radiance of the valley's mixture when
The canopies shine translucent with the light of unclothed beauties?
Its bare ruggedness is healed by the light of beauty
وَفيand in الحدوجِthe camel-litters فتورlanguor اللحظof the gaze ِبهكنةa full-figured woman
وَفي الحدوجِ فتور اللحظ ِبهكنة
يكادُnearly يُقعدهاmakes her sit إنif قامتshe stands الكفلُthe haunches
يكادُ يُقعدها إن قامت الكفلُ
And in the camel-litters is a full-figured woman with languid eyes,
And in the valleys the gazes are weary with somberness
Whose hips almost make her sit whenever she stands.
That nearly makes the eyelids droop if they were to rise
ماno جالَroamed فيover وجههاher face لحظٌa glance يُخالسهاlooking furtively at her
ما جالَ في وجهها لحظٌ يُخالسها
إلّاexcept وضرّجهand reddened it التوريدrosiness والخجلُand shyness
إلّا وضرّجه التوريد والخجلُ
No furtive glance ever roamed across her face
No glance flashed through her face
Without rosiness and shyness coloring it red.
Except it was stained by shyness and bashfulness
مَعسولةُhoney-sweet الثغرِof mouth يشفيheals ريقُthe saliva مبسمهاof her smiling mouth
مَعسولةُ الثغرِ يشفي ريقُ مبسمها
ماwhat أثرتleft its marks فيin الحشاthe heart ألحاظهاher glances النجلُwide-eyed
ما أثرت في الحشا ألحاظها النجلُ
Honey-sweet of mouth, the saliva of her smiling lips heals
Her sweet lipped smile's saliva heals
The hurt her wide-eyed glances have left within the heart.
What her glances stirred in hearts, did the fleeting eyes
لمdid not يدرِknow راشفa sipper مزجthe mixture الريقِof saliva منfrom فمهاher mouth
لم يدرِ راشف مزج الريقِ من فمها
أَريقُهاwhether her saliva عندهto him أحلىis sweeter أمِor العسلُhoney
أَريقُها عنده أحلى أمِ العسلُ
One who sipped the mingled saliva from her mouth could not tell
He who sipped the mingling of saliva from her mouth does not know
Whether her saliva was sweeter to him, or honey.
Whether her saliva or honey is sweeter
ماnot الناسُpeople مِنof وصلِهاunion with her يوماًever مجىunclear as written طمعىmy hope
ما الناسُ مِن وصلِها يوماً مجى طمعى
إلّاexcept وجدّدهand renewed it منfrom دلّهاher coquetry عملُan act
إلّا وجدّده من دلّها عملُ
Never did people [verb unclear] my hope of union with her,
People have never from joining with her a day my hopes were realized
Without some act of her coquetry renewing it.
Except it was renewed by her coquettishness
لَمdid not يَنقضيelapse أجلاan appointed time منهاfrom her بماfor what وعدتshe promised
لَم يَنقضي أجلا منها بما وعدت
إلّاexcept أتىcame بعدهafter it منfrom وعدهاher promise أجلُan appointed time
إلّا أتى بعده من وعدها أجلُ
No appointed time for what she promised ever passed,
Never has a term from her passed in what she promised
Without another appointed time from her promise following it.
Except another came after it of her pledges
وربّماand sometimes رقرقmade tremble التوديعُfarewell عبرتهاher tear
وربّما رقرق التوديعُ عبرتها
فيon الخدِّthe cheek يومthe day النوىof separation والركبُand the caravan مرتحلُwas departing
في الخدِّ يوم النوى والركبُ مرتحلُ
And sometimes farewell made her tear tremble
And sometimes the farewells make her teary eyes flow
On her cheek on the day of separation, as the caravan set out.
On the day of departure while the caravan gets ready to leave
فقمتُso I rose أَلثمهاI kiss her حبّاًout of love يكادnearly لهbecause of it
فقمتُ أَلثمها حبّاً يكاد له
نارthe fire الجوىof heartache بينناbetween us والوجدand longing يشتعلُblazes
نار الجوى بيننا والوجد يشتعلُ
So I rose to kiss her lovingly, with a love that nearly set
So I stood kissing her lovingly, almost
The fire of heartache and longing blazing between us.
Making the fires of passion between us blaze and fervor ignite
وكادَand nearly منfrom حرّthe heat وجديof my longing فيin طراوتهاher tenderness
وكادَ من حرّ وجدي في طراوتها
يذيبُmelts وجنتهاher cheek الأنفاسthe breaths والقبلُand kisses
يذيبُ وجنتها الأنفاس والقبلُ
And, from my longing’s heat upon her tender flesh, nearly
And from the heat of my fervor in her freshness
Did my breaths and kisses melt her cheek.
It almost melted her cheeks and the kisses
ياO عاذِليmy reprover فيfor الهوىlove رفقاًbe gentle بمكتئبٍwith a sorrowful man
يا عاذِلي في الهوى رفقاً بمكتئبٍ
واِصرفand turn away ملامكَyour reproach إنّيindeed I عنكaway from you مشتغلُam preoccupied
واِصرف ملامكَ إنّي عنك مشتغلُ
O you who reproach me for love, be gentle with a sorrowful man;
Oh you who blame me for passion, be gentle with a grieved one
And turn your reproach away: I am too occupied for you.
And turn your blame away, I am preoccupied with you
فَيin حوضthe pool أهلِof the people الهوىof love قيسQays وعروةand Urwah بلindeed, even
فَي حوض أهلِ الهوى قيس وعروة بل
غيلانGhaylan ميّةMayyah كمhow often علّواthey drank again وكمand how often نهلواthey took a first draught
غيلان ميّة كم علّوا وكم نهلوا
In the lovers’ pool, Qays and Urwah—and even
In the basin of those who love are Qais and Urwa
Mayyah’s Ghaylan—how often they drank again and took their first draughts!
And how many languished and how many drew
إنّيindeed I العليلُthe ailing one ولكنّيbut I اِمرؤٌa man عذبتgrew sweet
إنّي العليلُ ولكنّي اِمرؤٌ عذبت
لهfor him وساغتand became palatable فيin قلبهhis heart العللُthe ailments
له وساغت في قلبه العللُ
Indeed I am the ailing one, yet I am a man to whom
I am the sick one, but I am a man who
Ailments have grown sweet and palatable within his heart.
Was tempted by it and in his heart sickness was palatable
وَماand no مذاهبُdoctrines صبٍّof a lovesick man فيin هواهhis passion مضىwent on
وَما مذاهبُ صبٍّ في هواه مضى
وَلاand no لهfor him فيهin it أديانٌreligions ولاnor مللُcreeds
وَلا له فيه أديانٌ ولا مللُ
And a lovesick man who pursues his passion has no doctrines,
The pursuits of a passionate lover in his love are endless
Nor, in it, does he have religions or creeds.
He has no creeds or religions in it
وَفيand on صحيفةِthe page قلبيof my heart أسطرٌlines كُتِبتwere written
وَفي صحيفةِ قلبي أسطرٌ كُتِبت
منَby الهوىlove ليسdoes not يمحوerase شرحهاtheir meaning عذلُreproach
منَ الهوى ليس يمحو شرحها عذلُ
And on the page of my heart, lines have been written
On the page of my heart are lines written
By love; no reproach can erase their meaning.
Of passion no time will erase the composition
ماwhat ليhave I وللناسِand with people اِستَسمحتهمI asked them for generosity أبداًever
ما لي وللناسِ اِستَسمحتهم أبداً
فيماregarding what أؤمّلهI hope for it إلّاexcept وقدand already بخلواthey were miserly
فيما أؤمّله إلّا وقد بخلوا
What have I to do with people? Never did I ask them for generosity
I have never asked people's permission
In what I hoped for without finding them miserly.
In what I hope for, except they were stingy
لاnot يفقَهونَthey understand لهاfor it فوّقتI aimed منof حكمٍwise sayings
لا يفقَهونَ لها فوّقت من حكمٍ
فيin الشعرpoetry والناسُand people أعداءٌare enemies لماof what جهلواthey did not know
في الشعر والناسُ أعداءٌ لما جهلوا
They do not grasp the wise sayings I have aimed for it
They do not understand it, so I rose above a judgment
In poetry; people are enemies of what they do not know.
About poetry and people are enemies of what they do not know
ياO نفسsoul لاdo not تحسديهمenvy them يسرهمtheir prosperity فهمُfor they are
يا نفس لا تحسديهم يسرهم فهمُ
قومٌa people لماto what ملكتpossessed أيمانهمtheir right hands خولُservants
قومٌ لما ملكت أيمانهم خولُ
O soul, do not envy them their prosperity, for they are
Oh self, do not envy them their ease, they are
People who are servants to what their right hands possess.
A people who when they owned it lost glory
فغرّةfor the bright face الشمسِof the sun لمdid not تحسنseem beautiful لدىto رمدٍone with sore eyes
فغرّة الشمسِ لم تحسن لدى رمدٍ
ورائقُand the loveliness الوردِof the rose لمdid not يأنسfind delight بهin it الجعلُthe dung beetle
ورائقُ الوردِ لم يأنس به الجعلُ
For the sun’s bright face does not seem fair to sore eyes,
The shining of sun was not beautiful to bleary eyes
And the dung beetle finds no delight in the rose’s loveliness.
And the fragrance of roses was not endearing to a wound
وليسَand it is not مِنof عجبٍwonder إنif عشتI lived بينهمamong them
وليسَ مِن عجبٍ إن عشت بينهم
فرداًalone ولمand did not تسعmake room ليfor me منfrom عندهمwith them سبلُpaths
فرداً ولم تسع لي من عندهم سبلُ
And it is no wonder if I live among them
It is no wonder I lived among them
Alone, with none of their paths open to me.
Alone and no paths to me were wide enough for them
إِنif خابَfailed ليfor me أملٌa hope فيamong الأرذلينَthe basest فماthen not
إِن خابَ لي أملٌ في الأرذلينَ فما
عندwith المظفّرal-Muzaffar يوماًever خابfailed ليfor me أملُa hope
عند المظفّر يوماً خاب لي أملُ
If a hope of mine has failed among the basest, never
If my hopes in the lowly failed, never
Has any hope of mine ever failed with al-Muzaffar.
With the victorious did my hopes fail
كَمhow many نلتُI gained منof رتبةٍa rank منهfrom him وموهبةand a gift
كَم نلتُ من رتبةٍ منه وموهبة
منهfrom him وكمand how often غفرتwere forgiven ليfor me عندهbefore him الزللُthe lapses
منه وكم غفرت لي عنده الزللُ
How many a rank have I gained from him, and a gift
How much position and gift I got from him
From him; and how often my lapses were forgiven before him!
And how much he forgave my mistakes
فيin كلِّevery يومٍday لهfor him فيin بيتthe house طارفهhis newly acquired wealth
في كلِّ يومٍ له في بيت طارفه
وَفيand in جيوشthe armies الأعاديof the enemies حادثٌan event جللُmomentous
وَفي جيوش الأعادي حادثٌ جللُ
Each day brings him, in the house of his newfound wealth,
Every day for him in the house of its forelock
And in the armies of his foes, a momentous event.
And in the armies of enemies events majestic
تَلقاهyou meet him مُقتبلاًyouthful فيin زيّthe guise مكتهلٍof a mature man
تَلقاه مُقتبلاً في زيّ مكتهلٍ
فالزِيُّso the guise مكتهلٌmature والسنُّand the age مقتبلُyouthful
فالزِيُّ مكتهلٌ والسنُّ مقتبلُ
You meet him youthful, in the guise of a mature man;
You meet him advancing in adorned attire
His guise is mature, while his age is young.
While the attire adorned and the years are advancing
كأنّهُas though he were الشمسُthe sun فيin الإقبالthe approach باسطةspreading
كأنّهُ الشمسُ في الإقبال باسطة
نورهاits light فيin المظفرal-Muzaffar وهوand he كالزحلlike Saturn
نورها في المظفر وهو كالزحل
As though he were the approaching sun, spreading
As if he were the sun rising spreading
Its light in al-Muzaffar, and he is like Saturn.
Its light in triumph and he like Saturn
كأنّهas though he were الشمسُthe sun فيamong الأفلاكthe celestial spheres طالعةrising
كأنّه الشمسُ في الأفلاك طالعة
كأنَّهas though he were البدرthe full moon بالأنوارwith light مكتحلُwearing kohl
كأنَّه البدر بالأنوار مكتحلُ
As though he were the sun rising among the celestial spheres,
As if he were the sun ascending the orbits
As though he were the full moon, wearing light as kohl.
As if he were the full moon adorned with lights
مكارمٌnoble virtues وأيادٍand benefactions ماnot توازنهاmatch them الدthe… (word fragment)
مكارمٌ وأيادٍ ما توازنها الد
دُنياworld قدindeed اِجتمعتhave gathered يسعىgoes forth بهاwith them رجلُa man
دُنيا قد اِجتمعت يسعى بها رجلُ
Noble virtues and benefactions unmatched by the
Virtues and generosity that cannot be matched
World have gathered together; a man goes forth bearing them.
By the world gathered, sought by a man
ياO عارضاًrain-cloud هطلاًpouring بالجودwith generosity منبجساًbursting forth
يا عارضاً هطلاً بالجود منبجساً
إِليهto him دانَsubmitted وذلّand humbled himself الفارسُthe horseman البطلُthe valiant one
إِليه دانَ وذلّ الفارسُ البطلُ
O rain-cloud, pouring down, bursting forth with generosity,
Oh you who pour heavy rain of generosity
To him the valiant horseman submits and humbles himself.
To him yielded and humbled the brave knight
وَمَنand one who إِذاwhenever خاضwades into بحرَthe sea الحربِof war منغمساًimmersed
وَمَن إِذا خاض بحرَ الحربِ منغمساً
إِليهِto him دانَsubmitted وذلّand humbled himself الفارسُthe horseman البطلُthe valiant one
إِليهِ دانَ وذلّ الفارسُ البطلُ
And one who, whenever he plunges deep into the sea of war—
And who if he plunged into the sea of war submerged
To him the valiant horseman submits and humbles himself.
To him yielded and humbled the brave knight
ياO عارضاًrain-cloud هطلاًpouring بالجودِwith generosity منبجساًbursting forth
يا عارضاً هطلاً بالجودِ منبجساً
منfrom دونهِbelow him فيin الغياثِgiving relief العارضthe rain-cloud الهطلُpouring
من دونهِ في الغياثِ العارض الهطلُ
O rain-cloud, pouring down, bursting forth with generosity,
Oh you who pour heavy rain of generosity
The downpouring cloud falls short of him in giving relief.
Without him in saving the pouring rain
كَمhow many وقعةٍa battle لكَfor you فيagainst أعداكyour foes شافيةhealing
كَم وقعةٍ لكَ في أعداك شافية
مِنfrom دونهاbelow them أحداًUhud فيamong الناسpeople والجملُand the Camel
مِن دونها أحداً في الناس والجملُ
How many healing battles have you fought against your foes,
How many decisive battles you have
Beneath which, among men, are Uhud and the Camel.
Without equal among people and camels
أَنتَyou الخطيبُthe orator لدىamong أهلِthe people العلومof learning وفيand on
أَنتَ الخطيبُ لدى أهلِ العلوم وفي
شَوامخِthe lofty heights المجدِof glory أنتyou الحاذقthe skilled one الوقلُthe agile climber
شَوامخِ المجدِ أنت الحاذق الوقلُ
You are the orator among men of learning, and on
You are the eloquent among people of knowledge and in
The lofty heights of glory you are the skilled, agile climber.
The summits of glory, you are the guide of guides
وهاكهاand take it مِنfrom بديعwondrous الشعرِpoetry مُحكمةfinely wrought
وهاكها مِن بديع الشعرِ مُحكمة
درّيةpearl-like راقَwas delightful منهاfrom it المدحpraise والغزلُand love poetry
درّية راقَ منها المدح والغزلُ
And take it—a finely wrought piece of wondrous verse,
And here it is—of the masterpieces of poetry composed
Pearl-like, delightful in its praise and love poetry.
Precious, from it flowed panegyric and lyricism
Sol 6.1