قُمrise وَانظُرand behold البَدرthe full moon المُنيرradiant المُسفِراshining forth
قُم وَانظُر البَدر المُنير المُسفِرا
تَجدyou will find الجَمالbeauty مُشكلاgiven shape ومصوراand embodied
تَجد الجَمال مُشكلا ومصورا
Rise and behold the radiant full moon, unveiled in splendor.
Rise and behold the radiant, shining full moon;
You will find beauty embodied and portrayed.
you will find beauty given shape and form.
وَاحفظand guard فُؤادكyour heart كُلماwhenever عاينتyou gaze فيinto
وَاحفظ فُؤادك كُلما عاينت في
تِلكَthose العُيونeyes الناعِساتdrowsy مِنfrom الكَرىsleep
تِلكَ العُيون الناعِسات مِن الكَرى
Guard your heart whenever you behold, within
And guard your heart whenever you gaze into
those drowsy eyes, languid with sleep.
those eyes, drowsy with sleep.
أَلقىcast بِهاinto them هاروتHarut مِنfrom نَفثاتهhis incantatory breaths
أَلقى بِها هاروت مِن نَفثاته
سحراًa spell تُباعare sold بِهِby it القُلوبhearts وَتشترىand are bought
سحراً تُباع بِهِ القُلوب وَتشترى
Through them Hārūt cast some of his incantations—
Harut has cast into them, from his incantatory breaths,
a magic by which hearts are bought and sold.
a spell by which hearts are sold and bought.
قُلsay لِلغَزالةto the doe إِنif أَتيتyou reach رُبىthe heights of النَقاthe sand dune
قُل لِلغَزالة إِن أَتيت رُبى النَقا
فَتَأمليthen contemplate هَذاthis الغَزالgazelle الأَحوراdark-eyed
فَتَأملي هَذا الغَزال الأَحورا
Tell the gazelle, if you come to the hills of al-Naqā:
Tell the doe, if you reach the sandy heights:
“Contemplate this dark-eyed gazelle.”
then contemplate this dark-eyed gazelle.
رَشأa fawn لَهُhe has عَينthe eye of الغَزالthe gazelle وَجيدهand its neck
رَشأ لَهُ عَين الغَزال وَجيده
لَكنهُbut he كَالغُصنlike a branch أَصبَحhas become مُثمِراfruit-bearing
لَكنهُ كَالغُصن أَصبَح مُثمِرا
A fawn with a gazelle’s eyes and graceful neck,
A fawn, with a gazelle's eye and neck,
yet, like a branch, he has grown fruitful.
yet he has become like a fruit-bearing branch.
يحكيresembles قَضيبa shoot of البانthe bān tree غُصنthe bough of قوامهhis stature
يحكي قَضيب البان غُصن قوامه
لَماwhen كَساهclothed him الحُسنbeauty بَرداًa mantle أَخضَراgreen
لَما كَساه الحُسن بَرداً أَخضَرا
The bough of his figure resembles a supple bān-tree wand
The bough of his stature resembles a bān-tree shoot,
when beauty clothes it in a green mantle.
when beauty clothed him in a green mantle.
وَبِمُهجَتيand with my lifeblood ذاكَthat الرضابsweet saliva فَقَدfor indeed حَوىit contains
وَبِمُهجَتي ذاكَ الرضاب فَقَد حَوى
مسكاًmusk يُدارis passed around بِمرشفيهat his two lips وَكَوثَراand Kawthar
مسكاً يُدار بِمرشفيه وَكَوثَرا
By my soul, that nectar of his mouth contained
And I would ransom that sweet saliva with my lifeblood, for it holds
musk passed around at his sipping lips—and Kawthar.
musk passed round at his lips, and Kawthar.
عَينthe spring of الحَياةlife شَربتهاI drank it فَنَشَرتand was revived مِنfrom
عَين الحَياة شَربتها فَنَشَرت مِن
بَعدafter المَماتdeath وَحقand it was fitting ليfor me أَنto أنشراbe revived
بَعد المَمات وَحق لي أَن أنشرا
I drank from it the Water of Life and was revived
The spring of life—I drank it and rose again
after death; well might I rise again.
after death—and rightly did I rise.
فَظفرتso I gained مِنهاfrom it بِالجمانpearls مرصعاًset with jewels
فَظفرت مِنها بِالجمان مرصعاً
لَماwhen لثمتI kissed بِهاthere العَقيقthe agate الأَحمَراred
لَما لثمت بِها العَقيق الأَحمَرا
From him I won a string of inset pearls
So from it I gained pearls in their setting,
when I kissed the crimson carnelian of his lips.
when there I kissed the crimson agate.
جاذبتهI tugged at him فَتوردتand turned rose-red وَجناتهhis cheeks
جاذبته فَتوردت وَجناته
خَجلاًwith shyness وَكانَتand they had been قَبلbefore ذَلِكthat جَوهَراjewels
خَجلاً وَكانَت قَبل ذَلِك جَوهَرا
I drew him close, and his cheeks bloomed rose-red
I tugged at him, and his cheeks turned rose-red
with shyness, though before that they were pearl-white.
with shyness, though before that they had been jewels.
وَشَمَمتand I smelled نُقطةa speck of عَنبرambergris رقمتwas inscribed عَلىupon
وَشَمَمت نُقطة عَنبر رقمت عَلى
خَدa cheek بِماءwith the dew of شَبابهhis youth شَرقchoked الوَرىall mankind
خَد بِماء شَبابه شَرق الوَرى
And I inhaled a dot of ambergris traced upon
And I smelled a speck of ambergris inscribed upon
a cheek whose youthful bloom dazzled all mankind.
a cheek on whose youthful dew all mankind choked.
لِلّهhow wondrous أَيامthe days of الوِصالunion وَطيبهاand their sweetness
لِلّه أَيام الوِصال وَطيبها
لَوif only أنَّهاthat they بِالعُمرwith one's lifetime كانَتwere تشترىbought
لَو أنَّها بِالعُمر كانَت تشترى
How sweet were the days of union—
How wondrous the days of union and their sweetness—
if only they could be purchased with a lifetime!
if only they could be bought with life itself!
زَمَنa time بِهِin which قَدindeed كانَwas غُصنthe bough of شَبيبَتيmy youth
زَمَن بِهِ قَد كانَ غُصن شَبيبَتي
أَبهىmore beautiful مِنthan الغُصنthe branch الرَطيبtender وَأَنضَراand fresher
أَبهى مِن الغُصن الرَطيب وَأَنضَرا
A time when the branch of my youth
A time when the bough of my youth was
was fairer than the tender bough, and fresher;
lovelier than a tender branch, and fresher.
أَيامdays of أَعراسweddings حَكَتresembled بِجمالهاin their beauty
أَيام أَعراس حَكَت بِجمالها
عُرساًa wedding لإسماعيلfor Isma'il مَرفوعraised high الذرىthe summits
عُرساً لإسماعيل مَرفوع الذرى
days of wedding festivities whose beauty resembled
Wedding days whose beauty rivaled
a wedding for Ismāʿīl, exalted in rank.
Isma'il's wedding, its summits raised on high.
أَكرمhow noble بِهِhe is مِنas a فاضلman of merit متضلعdeeply versed
أَكرم بِهِ مِن فاضل متضلع
بِمَعارفin learning مِنهاfrom which وردناwe came to drink أَبحراseas
بِمَعارف مِنها وردنا أَبحرا
How noble he is—a man of merit aspiring
How noble he is, a man of merit deeply versed
to fields of learning, drawing oceans near.
in learning, from whose oceans we have come to drink.
وَرثhe inherited الرِياسةleadership عَنfrom أَبيهhis father وَجدهand his grandfather
وَرث الرِياسة عَن أَبيه وَجده
وَحَوىand encompassed الفخارglory معجزاًin its ending وَمصدراand its beginning
وَحَوى الفخار معجزاً وَمصدرا
He inherited leadership from his father and grandfather
He inherited leadership from his father and grandfather,
and encompassed glory, surpassing and preeminent.
and encompassed glory, in its ending and beginning.
وَقَدand indeed اقتضىrequired رَأيthe judgment of الوَزيرthe vizier وَحلمهand his forbearance
وَقَد اقتضى رَأي الوَزير وَحلمه
لَماwhen رآهhe saw him بدرa moon تمat the full نيراradiant
لَما رآه بدر تم نيرا
The vizier’s wise and forbearing judgment required—
The vizier's judgment and forbearance decreed,
when he saw him as a radiant full moon—
when he saw him as a radiant moon at the full,
أَنthat يَجعلhe should make الفَتوىthe office of fatwa قلادةa necklace of جَوهرjewels
أَن يَجعل الفَتوى قلادة جَوهر
فيaround جيدهhis neck فَتنالso it might gain حَظاًa share أَوفَراmore abundant
في جيده فَتنال حَظاً أَوفَرا
that he make the issuing of fatwas a jeweled necklace
that he should make the office of fatwa a jeweled necklace
upon his neck, so it might gain a fuller share of honor.
around his neck, so that it might enjoy greater fortune.
فَجلاso he dispelled ظَلامthe darkness of المُشكلاتdifficult questions بِرَأيهwith his judgment
فَجلا ظَلام المُشكلات بِرَأيه
حَتّىuntil غَداbecame لَيلthe night of الجَهالةignorance مقمراmoonlit
حَتّى غَدا لَيل الجَهالة مقمرا
By his judgment he dispelled the darkness of hard questions
Thus he dispelled the darkness of difficult questions with his judgment,
until the night of ignorance became moonlit.
until the night of ignorance became moonlit.
وَحَكىand he resembled لَناfor us الصديقal-Siddiq فيin عَزماتهhis firm resolves
وَحَكى لَنا الصديق في عَزماته
لَماwhen غَداhad become الإِسلامIslam منحلunraveled in العرىits bonds
لَما غَدا الإِسلام منحل العرى
In his resolve he recalled al-Ṣiddīq to us
And in his firm resolves he brought al-Siddiq to mind,
when Islam’s bonds had come undone.
when Islam's bonds had come undone.
وَفرىand he cut through الأُمورaffairs بِصارمwith a keen blade مِنfrom عَقلهhis intellect
وَفرى الأُمور بِصارم مِن عَقله
أَمضىsharper منthan السَيفthe sword الحسامkeen-edged وَأَوقَراand weightier
أَمضى من السَيف الحسام وَأَوقَرا
With the keen blade of his mind he cleft through affairs—
And he cut through affairs with a blade of his intellect,
keener than the tempered sword, yet more deliberate.
sharper than a keen-edged sword, and weightier.
وَجَرىand he ran بمضمارin the racecourse of الكَمالperfection مقدماin the lead
وَجَرى بمضمار الكَمال مقدما
فَأَنافso he towered فيهِthere مقدماًfirst وَمُؤَخراand last
فَأَناف فيهِ مقدماً وَمُؤَخرا
He ran the racecourse of perfection at the fore
And he ran, foremost, in the racecourse of perfection,
and towered there above predecessors and successors.
so he stood supreme there, first and last.
حَتّىuntil تصدرhe took the foremost seat مفرداًalone فَتَراجَعَتand withdrew
حَتّى تصدر مفرداً فَتَراجَعَت
أَهلthe people of الفَضائلvirtues عَنهُfrom him تَمشيwalking القهقرىbackward
أَهل الفَضائل عَنهُ تَمشي القهقرى
Until he took the foremost seat alone, and all
Until he alone presided, and there withdrew
the people of merit withdrew from him backward.
the men of merit, walking backward from him.
هُوَhe مِنis from كِرامgenerous men أَشرَقَتshone أَبياتهمtheir houses
هُوَ مِن كِرام أَشرَقَت أَبياتهم
مُذsince أَوقَدواthey kindled مِنfrom فَوقِهاabove them نارthe fire of القرىhospitality
مُذ أَوقَدوا مِن فَوقِها نار القرى
He comes from noble houses whose lineages shone
He comes from generous men whose houses shone
when their forebears lit the fire of hospitality above them.
since they kindled the fire of hospitality above them.
صَعدواthey ascended مِنfrom العَلياءthe heights مَجداًto glory باذخاًtowering
صَعدوا مِن العَلياء مَجداً باذخاً
فَتطاولواso they rose high قَدراًin rank وَراقواand delighted مَنظَراin appearance
فَتطاولوا قَدراً وَراقوا مَنظَرا
They climbed the heights to a glory proud and lofty,
From lofty heights they climbed to towering glory,
surpassing all in rank and splendid to behold.
so they towered in rank and delighted the eye.
أَيقنتI became certain أَنthat رباعهمtheir abodes مِنare from جنةParadise
أَيقنت أَن رباعهم مِن جنة
لَماwhen شَرِبتI drank بِهاthere الزلالthe clear water الكَوثَراKawthar
لَما شَرِبت بِها الزلال الكَوثَرا
I knew their dwellings must belong to Paradise
I knew for certain that their abodes were of Paradise
when there I drank the pure water of Kawthar:
when I drank there the clear water of Kawthar.
الضارِبينthose who pitch عَلىupon السَخاءgenerosity قبابهمtheir pavilions
الضارِبين عَلى السَخاء قبابهم
وَالباذلينand those who lavish بِهاin them النضارgold الأَصفَراyellow
وَالباذلين بِها النضار الأَصفَرا
they who pitch their tents upon generosity
Those who pitch their pavilions upon generosity,
and freely give away the gleaming yellow gold.
and give away yellow gold within them.
لاno غروwonder أَنthat حيزتwere gathered مكارمهمtheir noble qualities لَهُfor him
لا غرو أَن حيزت مكارمهم لَهُ
إِذsince صحproved true كُلall الصَيدthe game فيin جَوفthe belly of الفرىthe wild ass
إِذ صح كُل الصَيد في جَوف الفرى
No wonder every noble virtue has been gathered in him:
No wonder their noble qualities were gathered in him,
all game, as the proverb says, lies in the wild ass’s belly.
since the saying holds: 'All game is in the wild ass's belly.'
عَرفتrecognized نُفوسthe souls of الطالِبينseekers نَوالهhis bounty
عَرفت نُفوس الطالِبين نَواله
فَطوواso they traversed لَهُfor him براًland وَخاضواand crossed أَبحُراseas
فَطووا لَهُ براً وَخاضوا أَبحُرا
The souls of those who seek his bounty knew it,
The souls of seekers recognized his bounty,
so for him they crossed the land and braved the seas.
so for him they traversed land and crossed seas.
مَولىa patron إِذاwhen حَوَتholds اليَراعةthe reed pen كَفهhis palm
مَولى إِذا حَوَت اليَراعة كَفه
قامتit takes مقامthe place of الجَيشan army إِنif خطبa calamity عراbefalls
قامت مقام الجَيش إِن خطب عرا
A lord whose palm, whenever it encloses the reed pen,
A patron—when his palm holds the reed pen,
makes it stand in for an army when calamity strikes.
it takes an army's place should calamity strike.
يلقيhe casts علىupon وجهthe face of الصحيفةthe page حكمةwisdom
يلقي على وجه الصحيفة حكمة
فيحلthus he solves مشكلةa difficulty ويدفعand repels منكراwrongdoing
فيحل مشكلة ويدفع منكرا
Upon the face of the page he casts forth wisdom
He casts wisdom upon the face of the page,
that solves a problem and repels an evil.
thus solving a difficulty and warding off wrongdoing.
أضحتhave come to مكارمهhis generous deeds تروحgo forth at evening وتغتديand go forth at dawn
أضحت مكارمه تروح وتغتدي
كالغيثlike rain جاءit came مجدداًanew ومكرراand repeatedly
كالغيث جاء مجدداً ومكررا
His noble deeds go forth in the evening and the morning,
His generous deeds now go forth at evening and at dawn,
like rain returning fresh, time and again.
like rain arriving anew, again and again.
يلقىhe welcomes الضُيوفguests وَوَجههwhile his face متبلجis beaming
يلقى الضُيوف وَوَجهه متبلج
كَالرَوضlike a garden يَنتَظرawaiting السَحابclouds المُمطِراrain-bearing
كَالرَوض يَنتَظر السَحاب المُمطِرا
He meets his guests with a beaming face,
He welcomes guests with a beaming face,
like a meadow awaiting the rain-laden cloud.
like a garden awaiting rain-bearing clouds.
يهنيهmay it gladden him عرسa wedding زالَvanished غبafter نُزولهits arrival
يهنيه عرس زالَ غب نُزوله
عسرhardship وَصادفand he found فيهِin it عَيشاًa life أَخضراgreen and flourishing
عسر وَصادف فيهِ عَيشاً أَخضرا
May this wedding gladden him: at its arrival there vanished
May he rejoice in a wedding whose coming banished
hardship, and in it he found life verdant.
hardship, and in which he found a verdant life.
زفتwas led as bride لَهُto him مِنfrom بَحرa sea of مَجدglory درةa pearl
زفت لَهُ مِن بَحر مَجد درة
مَكنونةhidden فيin الخدرthe secluded chamber أَكرمthe noblest منof those تَرىyou see
مَكنونة في الخدر أَكرم من تَرى
To him was conducted, from the sea of glory, a pearl
From a sea of glory, a pearl was led to him as bride,
treasured in the bridal chamber—the noblest one may see.
hidden in her chamber, the noblest you might behold.
وَسرتand she journeyed إِلَيهto him كَماjust as سرتjourneyed شَمسthe sun of الضُحىthe forenoon
وَسرت إِلَيه كَما سرت شَمس الضُحى
دَعهاlet her تَسيرtravel وَلاand do not تَملtire مِنof السرىnight travel
دَعها تَسير وَلا تَمل مِن السرى
She journeyed by night to him as the morning sun journeys;
And she journeyed to him as the forenoon sun journeys;
let her journey on, never wearying of the night-road.
let her travel, and do not tire of the night journey.
يمنgood fortune وَإقبالand prosperity وَنوءand a shower of سَعادةhappiness
يمن وَإقبال وَنوء سَعادة
وَقرىand hospitality بِهِof which قَدindeed بشرتwas given glad tidings أُمMother of القُرىthe Towns
وَقرى بِهِ قَد بشرت أُم القُرى
Good fortune, prosperity, and an auspicious star of happiness;
Good fortune, prosperity, and a shower of happiness,
and a feast whose tidings have gladdened the Mother of Cities.
and hospitality whose tidings gladdened Umm al-Qura.
وَبِناءand an edifice of عزhonor قَدindeed بَنىhe built بَينamong الوَرىmankind
وَبِناء عز قَد بَنى بَين الوَرى
قَصراًa palace وَشيدand erected لِلمَكارمfor noble deeds مِنبَراa pulpit
قَصراً وَشيد لِلمَكارم مِنبَرا
An edifice of honor has indeed been built among mankind:
And an edifice of honor: among mankind he has built
a palace, and a pulpit raised for noble deeds.
a palace, and raised a pulpit for noble deeds.
وَبشارةand glad tidings ترويrelating السُرورjoy مُسلسلاًin an unbroken chain
وَبشارة تروي السُرور مُسلسلاً
ماnot إنهاindeed it فيناamong us حَديثاًa tale يُفتَرىfabricated
ما إنها فينا حَديثاً يُفتَرى
Glad tidings transmit joy in an unbroken chain—
And glad tidings recounting joy in an unbroken chain—
no, among us this is no fabricated report.
among us it is no fabricated tale.
فاهنأso rejoice بِهاin her ياO ابنson of الأَكارمthe noblest إِنَّهاindeed she
فاهنأ بِها يا ابن الأَكارم إِنَّها
طابَتwere pure عَناصرهاher origins فَفاحَتso she gave off fragrance عَنبَراambergris
طابَت عَناصرها فَفاحَت عَنبَرا
Rejoice in her, O son of the noble: indeed she
So rejoice in her, O son of the noblest; indeed,
is pure in origin and breathes forth ambergris.
her origins are pure, and she wafts ambergris.
وَبَدَتand she appeared كَبَدرlike the moon of التمfullness فيin تاريخهاher chronogram
وَبَدَت كَبَدر التم في تاريخها
وَرنتand she gazed لإسماعيلtoward Isma'il عقداًas a necklace جَوهَراof jewels
وَرنت لإسماعيل عقداً جَوهَرا
She appeared like the full moon in her chronogram
And she appeared like the full moon in her chronogram,
and yearned toward Ismāʿīl—a necklace of jewels.
and as a necklace of jewels she gazed toward Isma'il.
Sol 6.1