مألفٌa familiar haunt موحشٌdesolate منof الألافcompanions
مألفٌ موحشٌ من الألاف
هاجstirred عافيهits faded traces ليin me جوىًburning anguish غيرَnot عافِfading
هاج عافيه لي جوىً غيرَ عافِ
A familiar haunt, bereft of companions.
A lonely author among thousands
Its faded traces stirred in me an unfading anguish.
Whose passion set my heart aflame, nothing else could soothe me
أَحَرامٌis it forbidden صَفْوُthe serenity اللياليof nights لصبٍّto a lovesick man
أَحَرامٌ صَفْوُ الليالي لصبٍّ
ذكَّرَتْهُreminded him الطلولُthe ruins عهدَthe time التصافيof mutual devotion
ذكَّرَتْهُ الطلولُ عهدَ التصافي
Is the serenity of nights forbidden to a lovesick man
A sacred time, the essence of nights for a ardently loving youth
whom the ruins reminded of the days of mutual devotion?
The long nights reminded him of the time of intimacy
عادreturned يَمْحُوto efface بعضَsome الصَّبابةِof longing ماwhat lies بيamid (continued)
عاد يَمْحُو بعضَ الصَّبابةِ ما بي
نcompletion of 'amid' مغانٍdwellings ممْحُوَّةٍobliterated وأثافيand hearthstones
ن مغانٍ ممْحُوَّةٍ وأثافي
Again, some longing is effaced by what lies amid
He came to erase some of the youthfulness that was in me
obliterated dwellings and hearthstones.
From cups wiped clean and widely spaced
سحبتdragged فوقهاover them السحابُthe clouds ذيولاًtrailing skirts
سحبت فوقها السحابُ ذيولاً
وسَفَتْand swept away تُرْبَهاtheir soil أكفُّthe palms السوافيof dust-bearing winds
وسَفَتْ تُرْبَها أكفُّ السوافي
The clouds dragged their skirts across them,
The clouds drew their tails over them
and the palms of dust-bearing winds swept away their soil.
And spilt their soil, the palms of the rain-clouds
أَيُرىis it seen شَملُthe company أَهلِهاof its people فيin افتراقٍdispersion
أَيُرى شَملُ أَهلِها في افتراقٍ
وَيُرىand is seen شملُthe company أدمعيof my tears فيin ائتلافunion
وَيُرى شملُ أدمعي في ائتلاف
Is the company of its people seen scattered,
Will the gathering of its people see separation?
while the company of my tears is seen united?
And will the gathering of my tears see unity?
لاno وماand by what اهتزَّswayed منof ذُرىthe summits أفنانٍof branches
لا وما اهتزَّ من ذُرى أفنانٍ
فوقabove ماwhat ارتجَّtrembled منof نقاsand ridges أَحقافof curving dunes
فوق ما ارتجَّ من نقا أَحقاف
No, by the swaying summits of branches
No, and nothing shook from the motes of tents
above the trembling ridges of curving dunes,
Above what shook from the groaning camel-litters
لاnot صَرَفناwe turned away عنهُfrom it التشوقَthe yearning أوuntil تؤnotifies (continued)
لا صَرَفنا عنهُ التشوقَ أو تؤ
ذنَناnotifies us (completion) غُربةُthe exile النوىof separation بانصرافof departure
ذنَنا غُربةُ النوى بانصراف
we shall not turn our yearning from it until
We did not turn our longing from it
the exile of separation gives us notice to depart.
Nor did the strangeness of intention deafen us to return
وفلاةٍand a wilderness كأنماas though نشرspread الليthe night (continued)
وفلاةٍ كأنما نشر اللي
لُcompletion of 'the night' علىover ركبهاits caravan جُناحَيْthe two wings غُدافof a raven
لُ على ركبها جُناحَيْ غُداف
And a wilderness, as though night had spread
A wilderness as if the night had spread
a raven's two wings over its caravan:
Its wings over its riding-beasts
قستmeasured سيرهاits course المطاياthe mounts بناwith us شطtwo parts (continued)
قست سيرها المطايا بنا شط
رينcompletion of 'two parts' بينbetween الإرقالa swift trot والإيجافand a rapid gallop
رين بين الإرقال والإيجاف
the mounts measured its course with us in two parts,
The milestones of its travel were hard for us
between a swift trot and a rapid gallop,
Between stumbling and exertion
مهدياتٍbearing gifts حَلْيَthe ornaments القريضof poetry إلىto مَنone who
مهدياتٍ حَلْيَ القريض إلى مَن
ألبستهclothed him الأيامُthe days حَلْيَin the ornaments العفافof chastity
ألبسته الأيامُ حَلْيَ العفاف
bearing the ornaments of poetry as gifts to one
Bestowals whose poetry adorned the one
whom the days have clothed in the ornaments of chastity.
Whom the days had adorned with the jewels of chastity
بحرُan ocean جودٍof generosity تضحيbecome البحارُthe seas إذاwhen قيmeasured (continued)
بحرُ جودٍ تضحي البحارُ إذا قي
ستcompletion of 'measured' بهagainst him كالثِّمادِlike scant pools أوor كالنطافlike drops
ست به كالثِّمادِ أو كالنطاف
An ocean of generosity: the seas, when measured
A sea of generosity by which the seas seem
against him, become scant pools or mere drops.
Like gravel or pebbles when measured against it
قُلَّبيُّversatile الآراءِin judgment يُفرَجُis opened عنthrough تدplanning (continued)
قُلَّبيُّ الآراءِ يُفرَجُ عن تد
بيرهhis planning (completion) بابُthe door كلِّof every خطبٍcrisis مُجافshut
بيره بابُ كلِّ خطبٍ مُجاف
Resourceful in judgment; through his planning is opened
He who examines opinions, a door is opened
the shut door of every crisis.
To his consideration from every solemn discourse
رابطُsteadfast الجأشof heart ليسnot يصبوhe yearns إلىfor وصunion (continued)
رابطُ الجأش ليس يصبو إلى وص
لcompletion of 'union' الغزالthe gazelle المخضَّبdyed الأطرافat the extremities
ل الغزال المخضَّب الأطراف
Steadfast of heart, he does not yearn for union with
The ties of valor do not flinch from reaching
the gazelle with dyed extremities.
The ruddy gazelle with crimson extremities
كلَّevery يومٍday يظلُّthere continues للوفرِupon the wealth منهfrom him
كلَّ يومٍ يظلُّ للوفرِ منه
وقعةٌan onslaught مثلُlike وقعةِthe onslaught الجحَّافof al-Jahhaf
وقعةٌ مثلُ وقعةِ الجحَّاف
Each day his wealth endures at his hands
Every day there remains for abundance from it
an onslaught like the onslaught of al-Jahhaf.
An event like the event of Al-Jiḥḥāf
لوif أمالhe turned الأقلامَthe pens فيupon فَيْلَقٍan army قاthey would take (continued)
لو أمال الأقلامَ في فَيْلَقٍ قا
مَتْcompletion of 'they would take' مقامَthe place الأرماحِof spears والأسيافand swords
مَتْ مقامَ الأرماحِ والأسياف
If he turned his pens upon an army, they would take
If pens were inclined for a moment
the place of spears and swords.
They would take the place of spears and swords
مشرباتٍmaking drink منهاfrom them الطروسُthe sheets لُعاباًsaliva
مشرباتٍ منها الطروسُ لُعاباً
بينbetween أريٍhoney وبينand between سمٍّpoison ذُعافswiftly lethal
بين أريٍ وبين سمٍّ ذُعاف
The sheets are made to drink saliva from them,
Drinks from which the turtle-doves sip
between honey and swiftly lethal poison,
Between an open space and a rugged, waterless desert
فيin معانٍmeanings مفصَّلاتٍfinely expounded بلفظٍin words
في معانٍ مفصَّلاتٍ بلفظٍ
عَجَزَتْwere powerless عنهbefore it أَلْسُنُthe tongues الوُصّافof master describers
عَجَزَتْ عنه أَلْسُنُ الوُصّاف
with meanings finely expounded in words
With meanings intricately woven in words
that the tongues of master describers cannot match;
Which the tongues of describers fall short of
ونظامٍand verse كأنماas though اشتقّwas drawn منْfrom نُوْradiance (continued)
ونظامٍ كأنما اشتقّ منْ نُوْ
رِcompletion of 'radiance' رياضgardens مُخْضَرَّةِgreen الأكنافat the borders
رِ رياض مُخْضَرَّةِ الأكناف
and verse as though drawn from the radiance
And a system as if derived from the light
of gardens green at their borders.
Of gardens with green enclosures
قلsay لِتِربِto the peer النَّدىof generosity أبيAbu (father of) الحسنal-Hasan العاthe knower (continued)
قل لِتِربِ النَّدى أبي الحسن العا
رفِcompletion of 'the knower' فَضَلthe merit الأرفادof gifts والإسعافand aid
رفِ فَضَل الأرفاد والإسعاف
Say to generosity's peer, Abu al-Hasan, who knows
Say to Abu al-Ḥusayn, the soil of dew, outstanding
the merit of gifts and aid:
In noble deeds and granting aid
مذsince رأيناكwe saw you بينناamong us كعبةَthe Kaaba الجوof generosity (continued)
مذ رأيناك بيننا كعبةَ الجو
دِcompletion of 'generosity' صَرفناwe directed إليكtoward you حجَّthe pilgrimage القوافيof rhymes
دِ صَرفنا إليك حجَّ القوافي
Since we saw you among us as generosity's Kaaba,
Since we saw you as the Kaaba of generosity
we have directed the pilgrimage of rhymes toward you.
We have directed our pilgrimage of rhymed prose to you
قدindeed صَفَتْgrew clear ليfor me مشاربُthe draughts اللهوِof pleasure مذsince ألقيcast off (continued)
قد صَفَتْ لي مشاربُ اللهوِ مذ ألقي
تَyou (verb completion) عنfrom منكبيَّmy two shoulders ثقلَthe burden الصوافيof the crown estates
تَ عن منكبيَّ ثقلَ الصوافي
Pleasure's draughts have grown clear for me since you lifted
The diversions of frivolity have been pure for me
from my shoulders the burden of the crown estates.
Since I cast off from my shoulders the burden of rhymes
ذدتَyou drove away عنيِّfrom me طوارقَthe visitations الهمِّof sorrow لمّاwhen
ذدتَ عنيِّ طوارقَ الهمِّ لمّا
حُلْنَthey intervened بينbetween الحشاthe inward breast وبينand between الشِّغافthe heart's membrane
حُلْنَ بين الحشا وبين الشِّغاف
You drove away from me the visitations of sorrow, when
You have warded from me the plunderers of cares
they stood between my breast and my heart's membrane;
When they descended between ardor and infatuation
منجزاًfulfilling ماwhat وعدتyou promised لاnot كأناسٍlike people
منجزاً ما وعدت لا كأناسٍ
أَلْبسواclothed الوعدَthe promise حُلَّةَin the robe الإخلافof promise-breaking
أَلْبسوا الوعدَ حُلَّةَ الإخلاف
fulfilling what you promised, unlike people
Fulfilling what you promised, not like people
who clothed their promise in the robe of broken faith.
Who clothed their promises in the garb of betrayal
وأرانيand I see myself شَرُفتُennobled مذsince صيّmade (continued)
وأراني شَرُفتُ مذ صيّ
رتُI (verb completion) شعريmy poetry وقفاًan endowment علىfor الأشرافthe nobles
رتُ شعري وقفاً على الأشراف
And I see myself ennobled since I made
And you made me eminent when I cast
my poetry an endowment for the nobles.
My poetry as a wreath upon the noblest
سَلَفٌforebears كانwere فيهمُamong them منof ملوكٍkings
سَلَفٌ كان فيهمُ من ملوكٍ
ورثواinherited مُلْكَهمtheir dominion عنfrom الأسلافthe ancestors
ورثوا مُلْكَهم عن الأسلاف
Among them were forebears who were kings,
An ancestry among whom were kings
who inherited their dominion from their ancestors.
Who inherited their reign from their forefathers
ماnot عداwent beyond أنthat أنافrose higher فضلُهُمُtheir excellence لمwhen (continued)
ما عدا أن أناف فضلُهُمُ لم
اcompletion of 'when' أقرُّواthey acknowledged لفضلthe excellence of عبدAbd (servant of) منافManaf
ا أقرُّوا لفضل عبد مناف
Their excellence only rose higher when
Except that the superiority of their merit
they acknowledged the excellence of Abd Manaf.
They did not acknowledge the merit of an Abd Manaf's servant
سلask بهمabout them إنif سألتَyou question ذاthe lord of الحَضْرِal-Hadr إذwhen ساmarched (continued)
سل بهم إن سألتَ ذا الحَضْرِ إذ سا
رcompletion of 'marched' إليهagainst him سابورُShapur ذوpossessor of الأكتافthe shoulders
ر إليه سابورُ ذو الأكتاف
Ask about them, if you question the lord of al-Hadr, when
Ask them, if you inquire of this lineage
Shapur, 'He of the Shoulders,' marched against him,
When Sabur of broad shoulders traveled to it
فيamong حُماةٍdefenders خفَّتsped بهمwith them أَعوجياAwaj-bred mares (continued)
في حُماةٍ خفَّت بهم أَعوجيا
تٌcompletion of 'Awaj-bred mares' تجوبُtraverse الملاthe open plains بِعوجِon curved legs خِفافlight
تٌ تجوبُ الملا بِعوجِ خِفاف
among defenders borne swiftly by Awaj-bred mares
In defenders who humility lessened through them
that cross the open plains on light, curved legs;
Crookedness that roams the stretch with slender crookedness
وتميماًand Tamim إِذwhen أعطتِit gave القوسَthe bow كسرىKisra
وتميماً إِذ أعطتِ القوسَ كسرى
إِبتغاءًseeking للعدلfor justice والإنصافand fair dealing
إِبتغاءً للعدل والإنصاف
and Tamim, when it gave Kisra the bow,
And Tamim when it gave bows to Chosroes
seeking justice and fair dealing.
Seeking justice and equity
وكذاكand likewise النعمانal-Nu'man ماnot زالhe ceased حتىuntil
وكذاك النعمان ما زال حتى
تركوهthey left him زادَas food النسورfor vultures العوافيseeking food
تركوه زادَ النسور العوافي
And likewise al-Nu'man, who went on until
And likewise al-Nu'man remained so
they left him food for the foraging vultures.
Until they left him provision for the wide-extending vultures
وقديماًand long ago ماindeed قُطِّعتwere severed لبنيfrom Banu الأصal-Asfar (continued)
وقديماً ما قُطِّعت لبني الأص
فرِcompletion of 'al-Asfar' أيدٍhands وأرجلٌand feet منon خِلافopposite sides
فرِ أيدٍ وأرجلٌ من خِلاف
And long ago there were severed from Banu al-Asfar
And long ago no hands and feet were cut
hands and feet on opposite sides.
For the Banu Asfar due to disagreement
ليَto me فيكمamong you خؤولةٌmaternal kinship أوجَبَتْmade due ليto me
ليَ فيكم خؤولةٌ أوجَبَتْ لي
إِنتياشيmy being uplifted بمجدكمby your glory واكتنافيand my being sheltered
إِنتياشي بمجدكم واكتنافي
I have maternal kinship among you, which entitles me
I have among you a protectiveness that allowed
to be uplifted by your glory and sheltered.
My rejoicing in your glory and sheltering in you
إنindeed شكريmy thanks إِياكَto you شُكرُthe thanks بنيof Banu ضبَّDabba (continued)
إن شكري إِياكَ شُكرُ بني ضبَّ
ةcompletion of 'Dabba' منof ناعلa shod person هناكthere وحافيand a barefoot one
ة من ناعل هناك وحافي
My thanks to you are the thanks of Banu Dabba,
If my gratitude to you is the gratitude of Banu Ḍabba
of everyone there, shod and barefoot.
From a barefoot shod there in sandals
هبْgrant ليَto me الآنnow منكfrom you حظاًa share كحظِّيlike my share
هبْ ليَ الآن منك حظاً كحظِّي
منfrom أخيكyour brother البَرِّthe kind الودودthe loving المصافيthe sincerely devoted
من أخيك البَرِّ الودود المصافي
Give me now a share from you like my share
Bestow on me now from you a share like my share
from your kind, loving, devoted brother.
From your brother of righteous conduct, the reconciler
أنتماyou two فيin السماحliberality والجودand generosity شكلاtwo alike (continued)
أنتما في السماح والجود شكلا
نِcompletion of 'two alike' وليسand are not الأشكالُthose alike بالأخيافof different kinds
نِ وليس الأشكالُ بالأخياف
You two are alike in liberality and generosity,
You two are equal in generosity and munificence
and those alike are not of different kinds.
And forms are not distinguished by delusions
قَلَّsmall قدرُthe worth الدنياof the world لديكto you فماso not تنفyou cease (continued)
قَلَّ قدرُ الدنيا لديك فما تنف
كُّcompletion of 'you cease' بينbetween الإِنفاقspending والإتلافand squandering
كُّ بين الإِنفاق والإتلاف
The world is worth little to you, so you are always
The worth of the world is little to you
between spending and squandering.
So you do not distinguish between spending and wasting
غيرexcept أنَّthat الإسرافَextravagance يُكرَهُis disliked والإسand extravagance (continued)
غير أنَّ الإسرافَ يُكرَهُ والإس
رافُcompletion of 'extravagance' فيin المجدِglory ليسis not بالإسرافextravagance
رافُ في المجدِ ليس بالإسراف
Yet extravagance is disliked; and extravagance
Except that extravagance is disliked
in glory is not extravagance.
And extravagance in glory is not extravagance
Sol 6.1