وَمِيضُa flash البَرْقِof lightning أَمْor ثَغْرٌa mouth يَلُوحُgleams
وَمِيضُ البَرْقِ أَمْ ثَغْرٌ يَلُوحُ
وَنَشْرُand the fragrance المِسْكِof musk أَمْor شَنَبٌsweet freshness of the teeth يَفوحُwafts its scent
وَنَشْرُ المِسْكِ أَمْ شَنَبٌ يَفوحُ
A flash of lightning, or a mouth that gleams?
The flash of lightning or a smile that shines,
And musk's fragrance, or sweet breath wafting?
The waft of musk or a bloom that scents divine.
أعَاذِلُO reproacher قَدْindeed نَصَحْتَyou have advised وَلَيْسَand is not وَجْدِيmy passion
أعَاذِلُ قَدْ نَصَحْتَ وَلَيْسَ وَجْدِي
بِوَجْدٍa passion at all يُسْتَشَارُis consulted لَهُfor it نَصِيحُa counselor
بِوَجْدٍ يُسْتَشَارُ لَهُ نَصِيحُ
O reproacher, you have advised me, but my passion is not
My censurer, though your counsel was sincere,
A passion for which a counselor is consulted.
No heart have I that takes advice as mine.
أَيَخْرِقُcan it pierce? خَدَّهَاher cheek مِنّيfrom me خَيَالاًa phantom
أَيَخْرِقُ خَدَّهَا مِنّي خَيَالاً
كَلِيمَwounded القَلْبِin the heart نَاظِرُهُits eye الذَّبِيحُslaughtered
كَلِيمَ القَلْبِ نَاظِرُهُ الذَّبِيحُ
Can her cheek be pierced by a phantom of me,
Do my dreams rend her cheek that seems so clear
Heart-wounded, with its slaughtered eye?
To this sad victim, slain, his blood like wine?
مَذَقْتُI mixed الدَّمعَtears بِالدَّمwith blood فيin هَواهاlove for her
مَذَقْتُ الدَّمعَ بِالدَّم في هَواها
وَخَلْفَand behind مَدَامِعِىmy tear ducts وِدٌّaffection صَرِيحُsincere
وَخَلْفَ مَدَامِعِى وِدٌّ صَرِيحُ
I mixed tears with blood in loving her,
For love of her, I've drunk tears mixed with gore;
And behind my tearful eyes lies sincere affection.
Behind my flowing tears, a love condign.
وَلَسْتُand I am not أَعَافُI shun وِرْدَthe draught الموتِof death فيهاin loving her
وَلَسْتُ أَعَافُ وِرْدَ الموتِ فيها
وَمَعْرُوفُand the kindness ابنson of عِيسَىIsa ليto me مَسِيحُa Messiah
وَمَعْرُوفُ ابن عِيسَى لي مَسِيحُ
Nor do I shun the draught of death for her,
No life there is whose doom I do not brave,
And Ibn Isa's kindness is a Messiah to me.
And well I know my Jesus' ways benign.
إذاif اسْتَنجَدْتَyou seek help مِقْداماًMiqdam لأَمْرٍfor an affair
إذا اسْتَنجَدْتَ مِقْداماً لأَمْرٍ
فَنَمْthen sleep والخَطْبُwhile calamity نَاظِرُهُits eye طَمُوحُgazing high
فَنَمْ والخَطْبُ نَاظِرُهُ طَمُوحُ
If you seek Miqdam's help in some affair,
When you take arms for some high cause, beware;
Then sleep, though calamity's gaze is lifted high.
Sleep, while events watch on heights unseen!
يُعَاقِبُhe punishes مَالَهُhis wealth مِنfor غَيْرِno جُرْمٍoffense
يُعَاقِبُ مَالَهُ مِن غَيْرِ جُرْمٍ
وَعَمَّاand for what يَجْرِمُcommits wrongfully الجَانيthe offender صَفُوحُever-forgiving
وَعَمَّا يَجْرِمُ الجَاني صَفُوحُ
He punishes his wealth for no offense,
He chastens wealth, no crime has been confest;
Yet pardons whatever wrong the offender commits.
But over sins he casts his cloak, serene.
فَحَرْسُso the safeguarding المَالِof wealth يَشكيcomplains مِنof يَدَيهِhis two hands
فَحَرْسُ المَالِ يَشكي مِن يَدَيهِ
وَلاand no عَتْبٌblame علَىupon شَاكٍa complainant يَصيِحُcries out
وَلا عَتْبٌ علَى شَاكٍ يَصيِحُ
So wealth's safekeeping complains of his hands,
His treasure plainly cries against his hand,
And no blame falls on a complainant who cries out.
Yet no reproach is meet for one who's clean.
لِعزِّfor Izz (glory) الدِّينِal-Din (the faith) مِقْدامِMiqdam بنِson of عِيسىIsa
لِعزِّ الدِّينِ مِقْدامِ بنِ عِيسى
خَلائِقُcharacter traits كُلُّهاall of them حَسَنٌfair مَلِيحُlovely
خَلائِقُ كُلُّها حَسَنٌ مَلِيحُ
Izz al-Din Miqdam ibn Isa possesses
All virtue in Miqdam of Jesus' line,
Traits that are all fair and lovely:
For Isa's noble son is pearl pristine.
سُكُونٌcomposure يَرْجَحُoutweighs الأجبالَthe mountains وَزْناًin weight
سُكُونٌ يَرْجَحُ الأجبالَ وَزْناً
وَمَيَّادٌand swaying إذاwhen تُلِيَis recited المَدِيحُpraise
وَمَيَّادٌ إذا تُلِيَ المَدِيحُ
A composure that outweighs the mountains,
Calm that can outweigh hills, eloquence bright
Yet he sways when praise is recited.
When into praise it flows as streamy sheen.
غداhe became تَعِباًweary بِأَعْباءِwith the burdens المَعَاليof lofty attainments
غدا تَعِباً بِأَعْباءِ المَعَالي
وَمَاand not حَمَلَhas borne المَعَاليlofty attainments مُسْتَرِيحُone at ease
وَمَا حَمَلَ المَعَالي مُسْتَرِيحُ
He has grown weary beneath the burdens of greatness,
To-morrow by high thoughts is wearied out;
And no one at ease has borne greatness.
Who'd carry nobleness is never keen.
يَشِحُّhe is miserly بِعِرضهِwith his honor ويَدُرُّand pours forth جُوداًgenerosity
يَشِحُّ بِعِرضهِ ويَدُرُّ جُوداً
أَلاah! يَاO! حَبَّذاhow admirable السَّمْحُthe generous one الشَّحِيحُthe miserly one
أَلا يَا حَبَّذا السَّمْحُ الشَّحِيحُ
He guards his honor jealously, yet pours forth bounty.
He's sparing of his name, yet lavish in gifts;
Ah, how splendid is the generous miser!
O happy he, close-fisted yet serene!
Sol 6.1