خلاstood empty مِنَof القومِthe people مصطافa summer abode ومرتبعُand a spring abode
خلا مِنَ القومِ مصطاف ومرتبعُ
فليسso there is no فيin راحةٍcomfort مِنfrom بعدهمْafter them طَمَعُhope
فليس في راحةٍ مِن بعدهمْ طَمَعُ
The summer haunt and spring abode stand empty of the people.
Al-Mutanabbī departed from his people, lonely and aloof,
So there is no hope of comfort after them.
So after them is no hope for comfort or rest.
سارواthey departed فكلُّso every سرورٍjoy بعدَafter بينهمُtheir parting
ساروا فكلُّ سرورٍ بعدَ بينهمُ
ولذَّةٍand pleasure لتنائيto the remoteness of دارهمْtheir dwelling تَبَعُa follower
ولذَّةٍ لتنائي دارهمْ تَبَعُ
They departed; every joy after their parting,
They journeyed away, and all joy between us is gone,
and every pleasure, has followed their home into the distance.
Only longing remains for the home they left behind.
تلكَthose الديارُthe dwellings فماso what ضرَّwould harm الذينthose who نأواwent far away
تلكَ الديارُ فما ضرَّ الذين نأوا
عنهاfrom them بحكمِby the decree of النوىseparation لوif أنَّهمthat they رجَعُواreturned
عنها بحكمِ النوى لو أنَّهم رجَعُوا
Those are the dwellings: what harm would it do those who went far
That home - those who departed from it unharmed
from them by separation's decree, if they returned?
By fate's decree would return to it if they could.
ماnot زلتُI ceased بعدَafter نوىthe departure of الأحبابِthe loved ones ذاhaving جَزَعٍanguish
ما زلتُ بعدَ نوى الأحبابِ ذا جَزَعٍ
علىover الربوعِthe dwellings وماذاand what ينفعُdoes it avail الجَزَعُanguish
على الربوعِ وماذا ينفعُ الجَزَعُ
Since my loved ones' departure, I have never ceased grieving
Since the departure of loved ones, I remain in sadness
over the dwellings—but what use is grief?
Over the pastures - but what can sadness avail?
بانواthey departed فأصبحتُso I came to أشكوlament بعدماafter رحلواthey left
بانوا فأصبحتُ أشكو بعدما رحلوا
قبيحَthe ugliness of ماwhat صنعَdid الحاديthe camel-driver وماand what صنعواthey did
قبيحَ ما صنعَ الحادي وما صنعوا
They departed, and after they left I began to lament
They were here, and now I complain, after they traveled on,
the cruel things the camel-driver did, and what they did.
Of the ugly deeds of fate, and what fate has done.
مَنْwho ليfor me بلمياءَwith a dark-lipped beloved لوif only يدنوdraws near المزارُthe visiting-place بهاto her
مَنْ لي بلمياءَ لو يدنو المزارُ بها
بعدَafter الفراقِseparation فأشكوهso I might lament it وتستمعُand she listens
بعدَ الفراقِ فأشكوه وتستمعُ
Who will bring me the dark-lipped beloved, were she near enough to visit,
If only a bosom friend would draw near, so I can complain
after our parting, so I could lament it while she listens—
After our separation - pour out my soul, and he, listen.
شكوىa lament تكادُalmost لهاat it صُمُّsolid الصَفاhard rocks جَزَعاًin anguish
شكوى تكادُ لها صُمُّ الصَفا جَزَعاً
كماas تصدَّعَsplit قلبيmy heart منهfrom it تَنصَدِعُsplit apart
كما تصدَّعَ قلبي منه تَنصَدِعُ
a lament at which the solid rocks almost, in anguish,
My plaints could make even the deaf rocks weep
split apart, as my heart has split from it.
As my heart splits with the pain within it.
لكنَّهbut it is الوجدُyearning ماwhat أشناهI loathe it فيهin it مَلهunclear in the supplied text
لكنَّه الوجدُ ما أشناه فيه مَله
نحويtoward me انطياعٌwilling compliance وماand what أهواهI love it يمتنعُholds back
نحوي انطياعٌ وما أهواه يمتنعُ
Yet such is yearning: what I loathe in it [text unclear]
But the one I love does not love me, though to him
yields willingly toward me, while what I love holds back.
I am humble - he wants not what I desire.
والحبُّand love أسبابهُits causes شتىvarious ومعظمُهاand the chief among them
والحبُّ أسبابهُ شتى ومعظمُها
فيماin what رأيناهwe have seen of it منهاamong them العينُthe eye والولعُand infatuation
فيما رأيناه منها العينُ والولعُ
Love has various causes, and the chief among them,
Love has many causes, most of which are found
from what we have observed, are the eye and infatuation.
In what the eye sees, and passion.
ياO منزلاًdwelling بانَdeparted أهلوهits inhabitants وغيَّرَهُand altered it
يا منزلاً بانَ أهلوه وغيَّرَهُ
طولُthe length of الزمانِtime فدمعيso my tears فوقهover it دُفَعُtorrents
طولُ الزمانِ فدمعي فوقه دُفَعُ
O dwelling whose people departed, and which
O dwelling forsaken when its people left,
long years have altered—my tears pour over it in torrents.
Changed by time - my tears fall upon it ceaselessly.
أبكيكَI weep for you حزناًin sorrow وأبكيand I weep for مَنْthose who نأىwent far away أسفاًin grief
أبكيكَ حزناً وأبكي مَنْ نأى أسفاً
عنكَfrom you الغداةَthat morning فمَنْso whom أبكيshall I mourn ومَنْand whom أدعُshall I leave
عنكَ الغداةَ فمَنْ أبكي ومَنْ أدعُ
I weep for you in sorrow, and mourn in grief those who went far
I weep for it in sorrow, and for those who went away
from you that morning—whom should I mourn, and whom leave?
From it one morning - for whom shall I weep, and whom shall I call?
لوif أنthat قلبيmy heart علىas ماwhat كنتُI used to أعهدُهknow it
لو أن قلبي على ما كنتُ أعهدُه
ماnot كانwould be يَصْدُفُturn aside أحياناًsometimes وينخدعُand be deceived
ما كان يَصْدُفُ أحياناً وينخدعُ
Were my heart still as I used to know it,
If my heart were as it once was,
it would not sometimes turn aside and be deceived.
It would not crack or break at times.
ياO قلبُheart لاnot بالتجنيthrough unjust cruelty عنaway from محبتَّهِمْlove for them
يا قلبُ لا بالتجني عن محبتَّهِمْ
يُفيقُwakes منهاfrom it ولاnor بالهجرِthrough abandonment يَرْتَدِعُis deterred
يُفيقُ منها ولا بالهجرِ يَرْتَدِعُ
O heart, neither cruelty frees you from loving them;
O heart, do not wake from love of them,
you do not wake from that love, nor are you checked by abandonment.
Nor recoil or retreat from their estrangement.
فيamong الناسِpeople عمنin place of one whom ترىyou see فيin ودَّهhis affection مَلَقاًflattery
في الناسِ عمن ترى في ودَّه مَلَقاً
أعواضُreplacements خيرٍbetter وفيand in الأهواءِthe affections مُتَّسَعُample room
أعواضُ خيرٍ وفي الأهواءِ مُتَّسَعُ
Among people, in place of one whose affection you find mere flattery,
Among people, you will find in his affection a substitute
there are better substitutes, and ample room in love.
For the good things lost; among desires, expanse.
ياO برقُlightning نارُكَyour fire مِنfrom وجديmy yearning ومِنand from حُرَقيmy burning grief
يا برقُ نارُكَ مِن وجدي ومِن حُرَقي
مضرومةٌkindled فيin عِراصِthe open grounds of الربعِthe dwelling تَمْتَصِعُflashes
مضرومةٌ في عِراصِ الربعِ تَمْتَصِعُ
O lightning, your fire, from my yearning and burning grief,
O lightning, your fire comes from my passion and my burning -
is kindled, flashing in the dwelling's open grounds.
Smoldering among the dunes, ever blazing.
كأنَّهاas though it were زفراتيmy sighs عندَماwhen كَرَبتْwere on the verge
كأنَّها زفراتي عندَما كَرَبتْ
تلكَthose الحمولُladen camels عنaway from الجرعاءِal-Jarʿaʾ; gravelly sands ترتفعُrise away
تلكَ الحمولُ عن الجرعاءِ ترتفعُ
As though it were my sighs, when, on the point of departure,
As if my sighs when adversity overwhelmed me,
those laden camels rose away from al-Jarʿaʾ.
Those heavy burdens, rising from my breast.
تسريtravel by night بهنَّwith them المطاياthe riding camels وهيwhile they are لاغبةٌweary
تسري بهنَّ المطايا وهي لاغبةٌ
هِيمٌparched تَراقلُlope بالأحبابِwith the loved ones أوor تَضَعُrun swiftly
هِيمٌ تَراقلُ بالأحبابِ أو تَضَعُ
The riding camels travel by night with them, weary,
The camel litters carry them while they are distracted -
parched, loping with my loved ones or speeding onward.
Wandering, speaking of loved ones, or silent.
اِذاwhen تبدَّتْappeared لهاbefore them الكثبانُthe dunes وانكشفتْand moved clear
اِذا تبدَّتْ لها الكثبانُ وانكشفتْ
بالوخدِat a swift gait عنهاaway from them تراءىcame into view السَّقطُthe sandbanks والجَرَعُand gravelly sands
بالوخدِ عنها تراءى السَّقطُ والجَرَعُ
When the dunes appear before them and they move clear
When the sand dunes appear and uncover for them
of them at a swift pace, sandbanks and gravelly sands come into view.
The plains, the rain pools appear.
فيin مهمهٍa wilderness يتساوىare equal فيin مجاهلِهits trackless reaches
في مهمهٍ يتساوى في مجاهلِه
خِرَّبتُهits expert guide; uncertain reading فَرَقاًin terror والعاجزُand the helpless one الضَّرِعُthe weak
خِرَّبتُه فَرَقاً والعاجزُ الضَّرِعُ
Through a wilderness in whose trackless reaches
In ignorant chaos all is equal -
its seasoned guide [uncertain reading], in terror, is no better than the helpless weakling.
My ruin, and the helpless supplicant.
حيثwhere الاِكامُthe hills إذاwhen عاينتَهنَّyou behold them بهاin it
حيث الاِكامُ إذا عاينتَهنَّ بها
عاينتهنَّyou behold them بضافيin an ample covering of الآلِmirage تَلْتَفِعُwrap themselves
عاينتهنَّ بضافي الآلِ تَلْتَفِعُ
Where, whenever you behold the hills there,
When you see them by the thorn trees, you see them
you behold them wrapped in a spreading mirage.
Gathering brush with the cantles of camels’ humps.
أحبابَناour loved ones أنif نأيتمْyou have gone far عنfrom دياركمُyour dwellings
أحبابَنا أن نأيتمْ عن دياركمُ
وأصبحَand has become الصبرُpatience عنكمwithout you وهوwhile it is ممتنعُimpossible
وأصبحَ الصبرُ عنكم وهو ممتنعُ
Our loved ones, if you have gone far from your dwellings,
Our loved ones, though you left your lands,
and patience without you has become impossible,
And patience at your loss became impossible,
لاdo not تحسبونيsuppose me إذاwhen ماemphatic particle الدهرُtime باعدكمْhas set you far away
لا تحسبوني إذا ما الدهرُ باعدكمْ
بالعيشِfrom life
بالعيشِ
do not think, when time has distanced you, that I
Think not that when fate has parted you from me,
from life—
That life remains for me -
لاmay there not كانbe ذاكَthat العيشُlife
لا كان ذاكَ العيشُ
أنتفعُI benefit
أنتفعُ
may that life never be!—
That life is of no use to me.
derive any benefit.
Blessing, would that the days of passion could return!
طوبىblessedness! وليتand if only! ولهفيand alas for me! غيرُnot واحدةٍjust one
طوبى وليت ولهفي غيرُ واحدةٍ
علىfor زمانِthe days of الحمىal-Hima; protected pasture لوif only كانit could be يُرتجَعُbrought back
على زمانِ الحمى لو كان يُرتجَعُ
Many a cry of “Bliss!”, “If only!”, and “Alas for me!”
I weep when a dove moans sadly in the thickets,
for the days at al-Hima, if only they could be restored!
And time keeps the nesting place far from the valley.
أبكيI weep إذاwhen سجعتْcooed فيin الأيكِthe thicket صادحةٌa singing bird
أبكي إذا سجعتْ في الأيكِ صادحةٌ
والدهرُwhile time عنfrom قربِthe nearness of جيرانِthe neighbors of النقاal-Naqa; sand dune يَزَعُkeeps away
والدهرُ عن قربِ جيرانِ النقا يَزَعُ
I weep when a songbird coos in the thicket,
With tears that flow each time the clouds pour down,
while time bars me from the nearness of al-Naqa's neighbors,
We have no fear though the vine deny its yield.
بأدمعٍwith tears كلَّماwhenever جادتْpoured generously سحائبُهاtheir clouds
بأدمعٍ كلَّما جادتْ سحائبُها
فماso not نخافُwe fear إذاif ماemphatic particle أخلفَfailed الكَرَعُpooled rainwater
فما نخافُ إذا ما أخلفَ الكَرَعُ
with tears—whenever their clouds pour generously,
My love kindles violent sparks in every lightning bolt
we have no fear if the rain-pools fail.
That spends the night flashing among the clouds.
وجديmy yearning يثيرُstirs up لظاهُits blaze كلُّevery بارقةٍlightning flash
وجدي يثيرُ لظاهُ كلُّ بارقةٍ
تبيتُspends the night بينamong سواريَnight-traveling السحبِclouds تلتمعُglitters
تبيتُ بين سواريَ السحبِ تلتمعُ
My yearning's blaze is stirred by every lightning flash
My tears flow over it whenever the ode’s meter encourages
that spends the night glittering among the night-traveling clouds.
My sorrow to pour itself into sublime cadences.
ودمعُand tears of عَيْنِيَmy eye تَمرِيهِdraws them forth متىwhenever شجعتْcalled out; uncertain reading
ودمعُ عَيْنِيَ تَمرِيهِ متى شجعتْ
علىupon صوامِعهاtheir towers الحنّانَةُthe plaintive birds السُّجُعُthe cooing ones
على صوامِعها الحنّانَةُ السُّجُعُ
And tears are drawn from my eye whenever they call—
How much has my heart borne, and what is its capacity,
the plaintive, cooing birds upon their towers.
That it can bear more than its fill of them?
كمِhow vast الفؤادُthe heart وكمand how great مقدارُthe measure of قدرتهِits capacity
كمِ الفؤادُ وكم مقدارُ قدرتهِ
حتىthat تحمَّلَit has borne منهمfrom them فوقَbeyond ماwhat يَسَعُit can hold
حتى تحمَّلَ منهم فوقَ ما يَسَعُ
How vast is the heart, and how great its capacity,
How much is led to those who rebel against
that it should bear from them more than it can hold?
What patience remains in him - so he follows them?
وكمand how often يُقادُis it led إلىto مَنْthose who يعنفونَare cruel علىdespite
وكم يُقادُ إلى مَنْ يعنفونَ على
ماwhat عندهُit has منof تجنَّهمْtheir unjust treatment فيتَّبِعُand then it follows
ما عندهُ من تجنَّهمْ فيتَّبِعُ
And how often is it led to those who are cruel, despite
After their departure from al-‘Uqayq, how great is my patience,
all their unjust treatment it has suffered—and still follows!
And how little I am content with apparitions!
وكمand how long يكونwill be اصطباريmy endurance بعدafter رحلتهمْtheir departure
وكم يكون اصطباري بعد رحلتهمْ
عنِfrom العقيقِal-ʿAqiq وكمand how long بالطيفِwith the dream-vision اقتنعُshall I be content
عنِ العقيقِ وكم بالطيفِ اقتنعُ
And how long shall my endurance last after their departure
Have I not a body that passion has destroyed?
from al-ʿAqiq, and how long shall I be content with a dream-vision?
How then can it bear estrangement and separation?
أليسis there not ليfor me جسدٌa body أودىbrought ruin الغرامُpassion بهupon it
أليس لي جسدٌ أودى الغرامُ به
فكيفso how بالبينِwith separation أوor بالهجرِwith abandonment يضطلعُcan it bear
فكيف بالبينِ أو بالهجرِ يضطلعُ
Do I not have a body that passion has laid waste?
O poetry! I have been tempted by you, and I
How, then, can it bear separation or abandonment?
Have expressed - though the truth is beyond expression -
ياO أيُّهاyou النظمُpoetry قدindeed أغريتُI was captivated فيكَby you وقدand indeed
يا أيُّها النظمُ قد أغريتُ فيكَ وقد
أعربتُI spoke clearly والحقُّand truth شيءٌa thing ليسis not يندفَعُdismissed
أعربتُ والحقُّ شيءٌ ليس يندفَعُ
O poetry, I have been captivated by you, and have
Were it not for you, lovers would not know their way,
spoken plainly; truth is a thing that cannot be dismissed.
Nor would they have embarked on love as they have embarked.
لولاكَwere it not for you ماnot عرفَwould have known العشاقُthe lovers مذهبَهمْtheir way
لولاكَ ما عرفَ العشاقُ مذهبَهمْ
فيهin it ولاnor شرعواthey prescribed فيin الحبَّlove ماwhat شرعواthey prescribed
فيه ولا شرعوا في الحبَّ ما شرعوا
Without you, lovers would not have known their way
I do not say this idly. Where is the composer, and who
within it, nor laid down in love what they laid down.
Has excelled in its composition? Where are the masters
ولاnor أقولُdo I say الذيwhat قدalready قلتُهI said it عبثاًin vain
ولا أقولُ الذي قد قلتُه عبثاً
أينwhere النظيمُwell-wrought verse ومنand those who فيin سبكهِits casting برعواexcelled
أين النظيمُ ومن في سبكهِ برعوا
Nor do I say what I have said in vain:
Of this art who have stood firm though factions and dissent assail them?
where is well-wrought verse, and those who excelled in its casting?
This is a poem that when narrated by the transmitters,
وأينand where مِنamong أهلِthe masters of هذاthis الفنَّart مَنْone who وقفتْhave halted
وأين مِن أهلِ هذا الفنَّ مَنْ وقفتْ
مِنon دونِthis side of حلبتهِhis arena الأضدادُthe adversaries والشَّيَعُand the factions
مِن دونِ حلبتهِ الأضدادُ والشَّيَعُ
And where among the masters of this art is one
Will fly far on the wings of passion.
before whose arena adversaries and factions have halted?
It was preceded by the steeds of poetry, which cannot
هذاthis قريضٌverse إذاwhen فاهuttered الرواةُthe reciters بهit
هذا قريضٌ إذا فاه الرواةُ به
وطارَand flew فَهْوَthen it علىupon سِرَّthe secret of الهوىlove يقعُalights
وطارَ فَهْوَ على سِرَّ الهوى يقعُ
This is verse: when the reciters utter it
Catch up with it in its swift race.
and it takes wing, it alights upon love's secret.
وسُبَّقٍand front-runners مِنamong جيادِthe thoroughbreds of الشَّعرpoetry قدalready عجزتْhave failed
وسُبَّقٍ مِن جيادِ الشَّعر قد عجزتْ
عنto الَّلحاقِcatch up بهنَّwith them الشُّرَّبُthe spirited steeds; uncertain reading المِزَعُthe fleet-footed ones
عن الَّلحاقِ بهنَّ الشُّرَّبُ المِزَعُ
And front-runners among poetry's thoroughbreds have left
the spirited, fleet-footed steeds unable to catch them.
Partial English translation: 73 of 76 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1