لِيfor me فيin دَهِستانَDehistan لاmay not جادَrain generously الغَمامthe clouds لَهاupon it
لِي في دَهِستانَ لا جادَ الغَمام لَها
اِلّاexcept صَواعِقَthunderbolts تَرميhurl النارَfire وَالشُهُباand shooting stars
اِلّا صَواعِقَ تَرمي النارَ وَالشُهُبا
I have in Dehistan—may the clouds never water it
In my country, no clouds bring rain,
save with thunderbolts hurling fire and shooting stars—
Only lightning that casts fire and meteors.
ثاوٍone laid to rest ثَوىsettled مِنهُfrom him فيin قَلبيmy heart جَوىanguish ضَرمblazing
ثاوٍ ثَوى مِنهُ في قَلبي جَوى ضَرم
يَشبُّblazes up كَالسَيفِlike a sword حَداًedge وَالسِنانand the spearhead شَباpoint
يَشبُّ كَالسَيفِ حَداً وَالسِنان شَبا
one laid to rest, whose loss lodged blazing anguish in my heart,
Passion kindled in my heart a blazing fire,
flaring, sharp as a sword's edge and a spearhead's point.
Sharp like a sword, with biting flames.
دَعاهُcalled him داعيthe summoner of المَناياdeaths غَيرnot مُحتَسِبٍexpecting it
دَعاهُ داعي المَنايا غَير مُحتَسِبٍ
فَراحَso he departed يَرفَلُwalks in splendor عِندَin the presence of اللَهِGod مُحتَسِباhoping for divine reward
فَراحَ يَرفَلُ عِندَ اللَهِ مُحتَسِبا
The herald of death called him, all unsuspecting;
Death called him though he was not ready,
so he went, walking in splendor before God, hoping for His reward.
So he went to meet God, prepared.
هِلالُa crescent حُسنٍbeauty بَداappeared فيin خوطِa supple shoot أَسحلَةٍan asḥalah tree
هِلالُ حُسنٍ بَدا في خوطِ أَسحلَةٍ
قَدindeed كادَwas about to يَقمرُbecome a full moon لَولاwere it not أَنهُthat he غَرباhad set
قَد كادَ يَقمرُ لَولا أَنهُ غَربا
A crescent of beauty appeared upon a tender asḥalah shoot;
A crescent of beauty shone in smooth cheeks,
he would soon have become a full moon, had he not set.
He almost glowed like the moon before setting.
لَوif يَقبلُaccepts المَوتُdeath عَنهُfor him فِديَةًa ransom سَمَحَتwould give freely
لَو يَقبلُ المَوتُ عَنهُ فِديَةً سَمَحَت
نَفسيmy soul بِأَنفسِwith the most precious ذُخرٍtreasure دونَin place of ماwhat سَلَباit stole
نَفسي بِأَنفسِ ذُخرٍ دونَ ما سَلَبا
Had death accepted a ransom for him, gladly would
If death would accept a ransom,
my soul have given its dearest treasure in place of what it stole.
I would ransom him with my dearest possession.
لَكِنbut أَبىrefused الدَهرُTime أَنthat تَرزاtake away فَجائِعُهُits calamities
لَكِن أَبى الدَهرُ أَن تَرزا فَجائِعُهُ
إِلّاexcept عَقائِلُthe most prized things ماwhat نَحويهِwe possess it وَالنُخُباand the choicest
إِلّا عَقائِلُ ما نَحويهِ وَالنُخُبا
But Time will not let its calamities seize
But fate refused to be appeased,
anything but our most prized possessions and our choicest treasures.
Except with the best, the finest offerings.
تَراهُyou see it قَدalready نَشَبَتbecame embedded فيناin us مَخالِبُهُits claws
تَراهُ قَد نَشَبَت فينا مَخالِبُهُ
فَلَيسَso not يَبقىremains لَناfor us عَلقاًa prized possession وَلاnor نَشَباproperty
فَلَيسَ يَبقى لَنا عَلقاً وَلا نَشَبا
You see how its claws have sunk into us;
Its claws sank into us,
so neither prized possessions nor property remain to us.
Leaving nothing intact or unharmed.
لَئِنeven if أَناخَencamped عَلىupon وَفريmy wealth بِنَكبَتِهِwith its calamity
لَئِن أَناخَ عَلى وَفري بِنَكبَتِهِ
فَالدينُyet faith وَالعِرضُand honor مَوفُورانboth intact ماnot نَكَباit harmed them
فَالدينُ وَالعِرضُ مَوفُوران ما نَكَبا
Though it has encamped upon my wealth with its calamity,
If it rests on my ample fortune,
yet my faith and honor remain intact; it has not harmed them.
Faith and honor will remain intact.
أُقابلُI meet المُرَّthe bitterness مِنof أَحكامِهِits decrees جَلِداًsteadfast
أُقابلُ المُرَّ مِن أَحكامِهِ جَلِداً
بِالحِلمِwith forbearance وَالصَبرِand patience حَتّىuntil يَقضِيَexhausts العَجَباwonder
بِالحِلمِ وَالصَبرِ حَتّى يَقضِيَ العَجَبا
I meet the bitterness of its decrees with fortitude,
I meet its bitter decrees
with forbearance and patience, until it has had its fill of wonder.
With patience and restraint until the wonder passes.
Sol 6.1