سَحائِبُclouds مُبرِقاتٌflashing lightning مُرعِداتُthundering
سَحائِبُ مُبرِقاتٌ مُرعِداتُ
لِمُهجَةِto the lifeblood كُلِّof every حَيٍّliving being موعِداتُthreatening
لِمُهجَةِ كُلِّ حَيٍّ موعِداتُ
Clouds flashing lightning and thundering,
Threatening the lifeblood of every living being.
وَكَيفَand how يُقامُcan one rise فيto أَمرٍan undertaking مُهِمٍّimportant
وَكَيفَ يُقامُ في أَمرٍ مُهِمٍّ
لِيُفعَلَto accomplish it وَالمَقادِرُwhile fate's decrees مُقعِداتُkeep one powerless
لِيُفعَلَ وَالمَقادِرُ مُقعِداتُ
How can one rise to an important undertaking
To accomplish it, while fate keeps one powerless?
وَأََنفُسُand the souls هَذِهِof these الأَجسامِbodies طَيرٌare birds
وَأََنفُسُ هَذِهِ الأَجسامِ طَيرٌ
بُزاةُhawks حِمامِهاof their death مُتَصَيِّداتُhunting
بُزاةُ حِمامِها مُتَصَيِّداتُ
The souls within these bodies are birds;
The hawks of their death are hunting them.
فَماso what لَكَhave you وَالهُنودَand women named Hind مُنَعَّماتٍpampered
فَما لَكَ وَالهُنودَ مُنَعَّماتٍ
كَأَنَّas though قُدودَهُنَّtheir figures مُهَنَّداتُwere Indian-forged swords
كَأَنَّ قُدودَهُنَّ مُهَنَّداتُ
What have you to do with pampered women named Hind,
Whose figures seem like Indian-forged swords?
يُفَنِّدنَthey make foolish الحَليمَthe wise man بِغَيرِwithout لُبٍّreason
يُفَنِّدنَ الحَليمَ بِغَيرِ لُبٍّ
وَهُنَّand they وَإِنeven though غَلَبنَthey prevail مُفَنَّداتُare deemed foolish
وَهُنَّ وَإِن غَلَبنَ مُفَنَّداتُ
They confound the wise man, though lacking reason,
And though they triumph, they are themselves deemed foolish.
يُخَلِّدنَthey adorn with earrings الإِماءَthe slave girls نُضارَpure gold صَوغٍof workmanship
يُخَلِّدنَ الإِماءَ نُضارَ صَوغٍ
فَهَلbut are تِلكَthose الشُخوصُfigures مُخَلَّداتُmade immortal
فَهَل تِلكَ الشُخوصُ مُخَلَّداتُ
They hang earrings of pure wrought gold on slave girls;
But are those figures made immortal?
تَقَلَّدتِtook upon their necks المَآثِمَsins بِاِختِيارٍby choice
تَقَلَّدتِ المَآثِمَ بِاِختِيارٍ
أَوانِسُyoung beauties بِالفَريدِwith pearls مُقَلَّداتُnecklaced
أَوانِسُ بِالفَريدِ مُقَلَّداتُ
They willingly hang sins about their necks—
Young beauties necklaced with pearls.
إِذاwhen عوتِبنَthey are reproached فيfor جَنَفٍinjustice وَظُلمٍand oppression
إِذا عوتِبنَ في جَنَفٍ وَظُلمٍ
أَبَتthey refuse إِلّاanything but السُكوتَsilence مُبَلِّداتُplaying dumb
أَبَت إِلّا السُكوتَ مُبَلِّداتُ
When reproached for injustice and oppression,
They insist on silence alone, playing dumb.
يُغادِرنَthey leave الجَليدَthe steadfast man قَرينَa companion of ضَعفٍweakness
يُغادِرنَ الجَليدَ قَرينَ ضَعفٍ
صَوابِرُpatient women لِلنَوىin separation مُتَجَلِّداتُsteadfastly enduring
صَوابِرُ لِلنَوى مُتَجَلِّداتُ
They leave the steadfast man wedded to weakness,
Themselves patient in separation, stoutly enduring.
لَقَدindeed عابَتhave marred أَحاديثَthe tales البَراياof humankind
لَقَد عابَت أَحاديثَ البَرايا
شُكولٌforms فيin الزَمانِtime مُوَلَّداتُnewly engendered
شُكولٌ في الزَمانِ مُوَلَّداتُ
The tales of humankind have indeed been marred
By forms newly engendered through time.
أَتَعبَدُdo they worship? مِنfor fear of إِثامٍsin تَتَّقيهِthey guard against it
أَتَعبَدُ مِن إِثامٍ تَتَّقيهِ
ظَوالِمُwrongdoers بِالأَذىthrough harm مُتَعَبِّداتُpracticing devotion
ظَوالِمُ بِالأَذى مُتَعَبِّداتُ
Do they worship to avoid a sin they fear—
Wrongdoers who make harm their act of worship?
تُريقُshed بِذاكَthrough that فيin قَتلٍslaughter دِماءًblood
تُريقُ بِذاكَ في قَتلٍ دِماءً
رُؤوسٌheads فيamong الحَجيجِthe pilgrims مُلَبَّداتُwith matted hair
رُؤوسٌ في الحَجيجِ مُلَبَّداتُ
Through that, they shed blood in slaughter—
Matted heads among the pilgrims.
تَعالىexalted is اللَهُGod لَمnot تَصفُbecome pure السَجاياinnate natures
تَعالى اللَهُ لَم تَصفُ السَجايا
فَأَفعالُso the deeds المَعاشِرِof human communities مُؤيَداتُare calamitous
فَأَفعالُ المَعاشِرِ مُؤيَداتُ
Exalted is God! Natures have not grown pure,
So the deeds of human communities are calamitous.
إِذاwhen ماever قيلَis spoken حَقٌّa truth فيabout أُناسٍsome people
إِذا ما قيلَ حَقٌّ في أُناسٍ
فَأَوجُهُهُمthen their faces لَهُat it مُتَرَبِّداتُdarken
فَأَوجُهُهُم لَهُ مُتَرَبِّداتُ
Whenever a truth is spoken about some people,
Their faces darken at it.
مَخازيهِمtheir disgraces أَوابِدُenduring wonders فيthrough اللَياليthe nights
مَخازيهِم أَوابِدُ في اللَيالي
فَلاso let not تَهِجِstir up الأَسىgrief مُتَأَبِّداتُenduring things
فَلا تَهِجِ الأَسى مُتَأَبِّداتُ
Their disgraces are prodigies enduring through the nights;
So let those enduring things stir no grief.
وَأَطهَرُand purer مِنthan ضَوارِبَwomen living فيin نَعيمٍluxury
وَأَطهَرُ مِن ضَوارِبَ في نَعيمٍ
نَعامٌostriches بِالفَلاin the wilderness مُتَهَبِّداتُfeeding on colocynth seeds
نَعامٌ بِالفَلا مُتَهَبِّداتُ
And purer than women steeped in luxury
Are ostriches in the wild, feeding on colocynth seeds.
تُقَيِّدُrestrain لَفظَهاtheir speech عَنfrom كُلِّevery بِرٍّkindness
تُقَيِّدُ لَفظَها عَن كُلِّ بِرٍّ
مَواشٍlivestock بِالحُليِّwith jewelry مُقَيَّداتُfettered
مَواشٍ بِالحُليِّ مُقَيَّداتُ
They withhold their words from every kindness—
Livestock fettered with jewelry.
عَجِلنَthey hastened إِلىto مَساءَةِharming مُستَجيرٍone seeking refuge
عَجِلنَ إِلى مَساءَةِ مُستَجيرٍ
لَواهٍfrivolous women فيin الخُطىtheir steps مُتَأَيِّداتُslow and deliberate
لَواهٍ في الخُطى مُتَأَيِّداتُ
They hastened to harm a seeker of refuge—
Frivolous women, unhurried in their steps.
وَتَنقُصُand diminish خَيرَهاtheir goodness أَشَراًin wantonness وَفَتكاًand violence
وَتَنقُصُ خَيرَها أَشَراً وَفَتكاً
صَواحِبُwomen possessing مَنطِقٍspeech مُتَزَيِّداتُgiven to exaggeration
صَواحِبُ مَنطِقٍ مُتَزَيِّداتُ
And they diminish their goodness through wantonness and violence—
Women of words, given to exaggeration.
وَلَسنَand they are not الهادِئاتِthe quiet women وَلاnor النَصارىChristians
وَلَسنَ الهادِئاتِ وَلا النَصارى
وَلَكِنbut فيin المَقالِspeech مُهَوِّداتُchanting soothingly
وَلَكِن في المَقالِ مُهَوِّداتُ
They are neither quiet women nor Christians,
Yet in their speech they chant soothingly.
مَضَتwent on لِعَوائِدِfollowing the habits الكَذِبِof lying المُوَرّىdisguised
مَضَت لِعَوائِدِ الكَذِبِ المُوَرّى
سَوادِكُclinging women بِالخِنىto obscenity مُتَعَوِّداتُaccustomed
سَوادِكُ بِالخِنى مُتَعَوِّداتُ
They have followed the old habits of veiled falsehood—
Clinging to it, habituated to obscenity.
تُؤَوِّدُbend مِنكَof yours عَقلاًa mind فيin سُكونٍrepose
تُؤَوِّدُ مِنكَ عَقلاً في سُكونٍ
غُصونُboughs خَواطِرٍof thoughts مُتَأَوِّداتُswaying
غُصونُ خَواطِرٍ مُتَأَوِّداتُ
They bend your mind even in its repose—
Swaying boughs of passing thoughts.
فَلاso let not يَجلِسsit عَلىalong الصُّعَداتِthe roads لاهٍa heedless man
فَلا يَجلِس عَلى الصُّعَداتِ لاهٍ
فَأَنفاسُfor the sighs الفَتىof the young man مُتَصَعِّداتُare rising
فَأَنفاسُ الفَتى مُتَصَعِّداتُ
Let no heedless man sit along the roads,
For a young man's sighs keep rising.
تَمُرُّpass بِهِby him حَوالِكُdark tresses فَوقَabove بيضٍfair faces
تَمُرُّ بِهِ حَوالِكُ فَوقَ بيضٍ
وَخُضرٍand dusky ones فيin العَقيقِal-ʿAqīq مُسَبَّداتُwith cropped hair
وَخُضرٍ في العَقيقِ مُسَبَّداتُ
Dark tresses pass him above fair faces
And dusky ones, their hair cropped in al-ʿAqīq.
وَمَنand whoever تُخلِقهُwear him out أَيّامٌdays طِوالٌlong
وَمَن تُخلِقهُ أَيّامٌ طِوالٌ
فَإِنَّthen indeed شُجونَهُhis sorrows مُتَجَدِّداتُare ever renewed
فَإِنَّ شُجونَهُ مُتَجَدِّداتُ
And whoever is worn out by long days
Finds his sorrows ever renewed.
وَتَسنَحُand appear بِالضُحىat forenoon ظَبِياتُgazelles مَردٍripe arak berries
وَتَسنَحُ بِالضُحى ظَبِياتُ مَردٍ
بِكُلِّin every عَظيمَةٍmonstrous deed مُتَمَرِّداتُrebellious
بِكُلِّ عَظيمَةٍ مُتَمَرِّداتُ
And gazelles feeding on arak berries appear at forenoon,
Defiant in every monstrous deed.
وَقَدand indeed أُغمِدنَthey were sheathed فيin أُزُرٍwaist-wraps وَلَكِنbut
وَقَد أُغمِدنَ في أُزُرٍ وَلَكِن
سُيوفُthe swords لِحاظِهِنَّof their glances مُجَرَّداتُare unsheathed
سُيوفُ لِحاظِهِنَّ مُجَرَّداتُ
They have been sheathed in waist-wraps, and yet
The swords of their glances are unsheathed.
وَوَرَّدتِand tinted rosy اللِباسَthe clothing بِلَونِwith the hue صِبغٍof dye
وَوَرَّدتِ اللِباسَ بِلَونِ صِبغٍ
خُدودٌcheeks بِالشَبابِby youth مُوَرَّداتُmade rosy
خُدودٌ بِالشَبابِ مُوَرَّداتُ
They tint clothing with the hue of dye—
Cheeks made rosy by youth.
وَمَنand whoever فَقَدhas lost الشَبيبَةَyouth فَالغَوانيthen the beauties
وَمَن فَقَد الشَبيبَةَ فَالغَواني
لَهُto him عِندَat الوُرودِcoming to water مُصَرِّداتُgiving scant drink
لَهُ عِندَ الوُرودِ مُصَرِّداتُ
And for whoever has lost youth, the beauties
Give scant drink when he comes to water.
هَواجِرُshunning women فيin التَيَقُظِwakefulness أَوor عَواصٍunyielding women
هَواجِرُ في التَيَقُظِ أَو عَواصٍ
وَفيand in طَيفِthe dream-phantom الكَرىof sleep مُتَعَهِّداتُfaithfully visiting
وَفي طَيفِ الكَرى مُتَعَهِّداتُ
Aloof or unyielding in wakefulness,
Yet faithful visitors in sleep's dream-visions.
إِذاwhen سَهَّدنَهُthey keep him sleepless بِطَويلِthrough prolonged هَجرٍestrangement
إِذا سَهَّدنَهُ بِطَويلِ هَجرٍ
فَماthen not أَجفانُهُنَّtheir eyelids مُسَهَّداتُkept sleepless
فَما أَجفانُهُنَّ مُسَهَّداتُ
When they keep him sleepless through long estrangement,
Their own eyelids are not kept awake.
خَواطِئُerring women غَيرُother than أَسهُمِهاtheir arrows خَواطٍmissing the mark
خَواطِئُ غَيرُ أَسهُمِها خَواطٍ
لِكُلِّon every كَبيرَةٍgrave sin مُتَعَمِّداتُdeliberately intent
لِكُلِّ كَبيرَةٍ مُتَعَمِّداتُ
They err, though their arrows never miss,
Deliberately intent on every grave sin.
تَخالَفَتِhave differed الغَرائِزُinnate dispositions وَالمَعانيand inward qualities
تَخالَفَتِ الغَرائِزُ وَالمَعاني
فَكَيفَso how تَوافَقُcan agree المُتَجَسِّداتُembodied beings
فَكَيفَ تَوافَقُ المُتَجَسِّداتُ
Innate dispositions and inward qualities differ;
How, then, can embodied beings agree?
فَماfor those بَينَamong المَقابِرِthe graves نادِباتٌare mourning women
فَما بَينَ المَقابِرِ نادِباتٌ
وَماand those بَينَamong الشُروبِthe drinkers مُغَرِّداتُare singing women
وَما بَينَ الشُروبِ مُغَرِّداتُ
For those among the graves are mourners,
And those among the drinkers are singers.
قَدَحنَthey struck sparks زِنادَfire-sticks شَوقٍof longing مِنfrom زُنودٍforearms
قَدَحنَ زِنادَ شَوقٍ مِن زُنودٍ
بِنارِwith the fire حُلِيِّهاof their jewelry مُتَوَقِّداتُablaze
بِنارِ حُلِيِّها مُتَوَقِّداتُ
They struck sparks of longing from forearms
Ablaze with the fire of their jewelry.
وَلَمand did not تُنصِفtreat fairly بَياضَthe whiteness الشَيبِof gray hair أَيدٍhands
وَلَم تُنصِف بَياضَ الشَيبِ أَيدٍ
لِوافِدِat the arrival شَيبِهِنَّof their gray hair مُسَوِّداتُblackening
لِوافِدِ شَيبِهِنَّ مُسَوِّداتُ
Hands have dealt unfairly with the whiteness of age—
Hands that blacken their own arriving gray hair.
تَأَخُّرُbeing left behind أَبيَضِone white in الفَودَينِboth temples ظُلمٌinjustice
تَأَخُّرُ أَبيَضِ الفَودَينِ ظُلمٌ
إِذاwhen شَمِطَhave grayed القَرائِنُcompanions وَاللِداتُand contemporaries
إِذا شَمِطَ القَرائِنُ وَاللِداتُ
For a white-templed man to be left behind is unjust,
When companions and contemporaries have turned gray.
تَحَيَّرَتِhave been bewildered العُقولُminds وَماthough not أَساءَتdid wrong
تَحَيَّرَتِ العُقولُ وَما أَساءَت
دَوائِبُdiligent souls فيin التُقىpiety مُتَهَجِّداتُkeeping night prayer-vigils
دَوائِبُ في التُقى مُتَهَجِّداتُ
Minds are bewildered, though no wrong was done
By souls diligent in piety, keeping night vigils.
وَفيand within مُهَجِthe hearts الأَنيسِof humankind مُثَلِّثاتٌTrinitarians
وَفي مُهَجِ الأَنيسِ مُثَلِّثاتٌ
عَلىdespite عِلّاتِهاtheir failings وَمُوَحِداتُand monotheists
عَلى عِلّاتِها وَمُوَحِداتُ
Within human hearts are believers in the Trinity,
For all their failings, and believers in One God.
فَماthen what عُذريis my excuse وَعِندَand with اللَهِGod عِلميis my knowledge
فَما عُذري وَعِندَ اللَهِ عِلمي
إِذاif كَذَبَتhave lied قَوائِلُspeakers مُسنِداتُciting authorities
إِذا كَذَبَت قَوائِلُ مُسنِداتُ
What is my excuse—my knowledge being with God—
If speakers citing authorities have lied?
فَهَلthen have عَلِمَتknown بِغَيبٍof the unseen مِنamong أُمورٍmatters
فَهَل عَلِمَت بِغَيبٍ مِن أُمورٍ
نُجومٌstars لِلمَغيبِtoward setting مُعَرِّداتُfleeing
نُجومٌ لِلمَغيبِ مُعَرِّداتُ
Have they learned of any unseen matters—
Stars that flee toward their setting?
وَلَيسَتand they are not بِالقَدائِمِeternal beings فيin ضَميريmy belief
وَلَيسَت بِالقَدائِمِ في ضَميري
لَعَمرُكَby your life بَلrather حَوادِثُnewly arisen things مُوجَداتُbrought into existence
لَعَمرُكَ بَل حَوادِثُ مُوجَداتُ
They are not eternal in my belief,
By your life, but newly created things.
فَلَوso had أَمَرَcommanded الَّذيthe One who خَلَقَcreated البَّراياall creatures
فَلَو أَمَرَ الَّذي خَلَقَ البَّرايا
تَهاوَتthey would tumble لِلدُجىinto darkness مُتَسَرِّداتُin close succession
تَهاوَت لِلدُجى مُتَسَرِّداتُ
Had the One who created all creatures commanded,
They would have tumbled into darkness in close succession.
وَأَمسىand would become اللَيثُthe Lion مِنهاamong them لَيثَa lion غابٍof thickets
وَأَمسى اللَيثُ مِنها لَيثَ غابٍ
يُجاذِبُcontending over فَرسَهُhis prey المُتَوَحِّداتُsolitary females
يُجاذِبُ فَرسَهُ المُتَوَحِّداتُ
Their Lion would have become a lion of the thicket,
Contending over his prey with solitary females.
وَآضَand would turn الفَرغُal-Fargh لِلساقينَfor water-bearers فَرغاًa bucket-spout
وَآضَ الفَرغُ لِلساقينَ فَرغاً
تُحاوِلُseeking ماءَهُits water المُتَوَرِّداتُthose coming to drink
تُحاوِلُ ماءَهُ المُتَوَرِّداتُ
And al-Fargh would become a bucket-spout for water-bearers,
Its water sought by those coming to drink.
وَهَبَّand would rise يَرومُseeking سُنبُلَةَthe Ear of Grain السَواريof the night-roamers
وَهَبَّ يَرومُ سُنبُلَةَ السَواري
خَبيرٌa husbandman وَالزَرائِعُwhile the crops مُحصِداتُare ripe for harvest
خَبيرٌ وَالزَرائِعُ مُحصِداتُ
And up would rise, seeking the night-roamers' Ear of Grain,
A husbandman, while the crops stood ripe for harvest.
وَنالَand would reach فَريرَهاtheir lamb بِمَداهُwith his knives فارٍa slaughterer
وَنالَ فَريرَها بِمَداهُ فارٍ
ذُنوبُthe offenses ضُيوفِهِof his guests مُتَغَمَّداتُforgiven
ذُنوبُ ضُيوفِهِ مُتَغَمَّداتُ
And a slaughterer would reach their lamb with his knives,
His guests' offenses forgiven.
كَأَنَّas though نَعامَهاtheir Ostriches وَاللَهُand God قاضٍdecreeing
كَأَنَّ نَعامَها وَاللَهُ قاضٍ
نَعائِمُostriches بِالفَلاةِin the wilderness مُطَرَّداتُdriven along
نَعائِمُ بِالفَلاةِ مُطَرَّداتُ
As though their Ostriches—God decreeing—
Were ostriches driven across the wilderness.
وَقَدand indeed زَعَمواthey claimed بِأَنَّthat لَهاthey possess عُقولاًminds
وَقَد زَعَموا بِأَنَّ لَها عُقولاً
وَأَقضِيَةُand the decrees المَليكِof the Sovereign مُؤَكَّداتُare confirmed
وَأَقضِيَةُ المَليكِ مُؤَكَّداتُ
They have claimed that the stars possess minds,
While the Sovereign's decrees are confirmed,
وَأَنَّand that لِبَعضِهاsome of them have لَفظاًspeech وَفيهاand among them
وَأَنَّ لِبَعضِها لَفظاً وَفيها
حَواسِدُenvious ones مِثلَناlike us وَمُحَسَّداتُand envied ones
حَواسِدُ مِثلَنا وَمُحَسَّداتُ
And that some possess speech, and among them
Are envious ones like us, and envied ones.
أَتَحمِلُنيwill they carry me? إِلىto الغُفرانِforgiveness عيسٌpale she-camels
أَتَحمِلُني إِلى الغُفرانِ عيسٌ
عَلىat نَصِّthe utmost urging الوَجيفِof the swift trot مُؤَجَّداتُstoutly built
عَلى نَصِّ الوَجيفِ مُؤَجَّداتُ
Will pale she-camels carry me to forgiveness,
Stoutly built, urged to their swiftest trot,
وَلاand not تَخشىfearing الخُطوبَcalamities مُسَبِّحاتٌchanting God's praise
وَلا تَخشى الخُطوبَ مُسَبِّحاتٌ
بِعِزَّةِwith the majesty رَبِّهِنَّof their Lord مُمَجِّداتُglorifying
بِعِزَّةِ رَبِّهِنَّ مُمَجِّداتُ
And fearing no calamities, chanting praise,
Extolling the majesty of their Lord?
أَرىI see حُسنَthe goodness الشَمائِلِof character مِنكَin you حَثَّتurged
أَرى حُسنَ الشَمائِلِ مِنكَ حَثَّت
عَلَيهِtoward it الأَيمَنُright hands المُتَوَسِّداتُwomen taking as pillows
عَلَيهِ الأَيمَنُ المُتَوَسِّداتُ
I see your fine character was urged upon you
By women who pillow their heads upon right hands.
فَإِنَّfor indeed الطَبعَinnate nature يَطمَحُruns away بِالمَعاليwith noble qualities
فَإِنَّ الطَبعَ يَطمَحُ بِالمَعالي
وَإِنَّand indeed كِلابَthe hounds شَرِّكَof your evil موَسداتُurged on to hunt
وَإِنَّ كِلابَ شَرِّكَ موَسداتُ
For nature runs away with noble qualities,
And the hounds of your evil are urged on.
Sol 6.1