دَمعٌtears هَوىfell سِلكاهُits two strands عَنfrom جَلدٍfortitude وَهَىweakened
دَمعٌ هَوى سِلكاهُ عَن جَلدٍ وَهَى
وَجَوٍand a lovesick man أُصيبَwas stricken فُؤادُهُhis heart فَتَأَوَّهاso he sighed
وَجَوٍ أُصيبَ فُؤادُهُ فَتَأَوَّها
Tears whose two strands fell from a fortitude grown frail,
Tears flowed down his cheeks though he tried to restrain them,
And a lovesick man whose heart was struck, so he sighed.
His heart was stricken with passion and softly sighed.
نَهنَهتُI restrained مِنsome of دَمعيmy tears فَأَقبَلَbut they surged forth عاصِياًrebelliously
نَهنَهتُ مِن دَمعي فَأَقبَلَ عاصِياً
وَالدَمعُand tears أَعصىmost disobedient ماwhen يَكونُthey are مُنَهنَهاrestrained
وَالدَمعُ أَعصى ما يَكونُ مُنَهنَها
I restrained some of my tears, but they surged forth rebelliously;
I tried to stop my tears but they flowed on stubbornly,
And tears are most disobedient when restrained.
Tears are stubborn when one tries to hold them back.
ياO مودِعاًone lodging جَفنيmy eyelid السُهادَsleeplessness مُوَدِّعاًbidding farewell
يا مودِعاً جَفني السُهادَ مُوَدِّعاً
وَمُوَلِّياًand turning away تَركَleft الفُؤادَthe heart مُوَلَّهاlove-distraught
وَمُوَلِّياً تَركَ الفُؤادَ مُوَلَّها
O you who lodged sleeplessness in my eyelid while bidding farewell,
Farewell my eyes that sleep takes, farewell,
And turned away, leaving the heart distraught with love!
While you leave my heart forlorn and distressed.
قَدindeed كانَwas عَيشيmy life بِالدُنُوِّthrough nearness وَخَفضِهِand its ease
قَد كانَ عَيشي بِالدُنُوِّ وَخَفضِهِ
سِنَةًa drowse غَداbecame كَلَفيmy passion بِهاfor her مُتَنَبِّهاawakened
سِنَةً غَدا كَلَفي بِها مُتَنَبِّها
My life, through nearness and its ease, had been
My life was lowly and humble for a year
A drowse; my passion for her has now awakened.
Until suddenly it was overturned and awakened.
حَجَبواthey concealed الأَهِلَّةَthe crescent moons فيin الأَكِلَّةthe canopies وَاِنثَنَواand turned away
حَجَبوا الأَهِلَّةَ في الأَكِلَّة وَاِنثَنَوا
فَثَوىso he remained كَئيباًsorrowful بِالوَداعِat farewell مُتَوَّهاmade to sigh
فَثَوى كَئيباً بِالوَداعِ مُتَوَّها
They hid the crescent moons within canopies and turned away;
The new moon was veiled by the crescent, and they bent,
So he remained, saddened by farewell and driven to sigh.
So it sadly departed with farewells.
هَزَّswayed الدَلالُcoquetry قُدودَهُنَّtheir figures وَغِبطَةًand in admiring envy
هَزَّ الدَلالُ قُدودَهُنَّ وَغِبطَةً
هَزَّshook الأَراكُthe arak tree غُصونَهُits branches مُتَشَبِّهاin imitation
هَزَّ الأَراكُ غُصونَهُ مُتَشَبِّها
Coquetry swayed their figures; and in admiring envy,
The guide shook the rein and the camel driver
The arak tree shook its branches in imitation.
Shook the camels’ necks likewise.
وَلَقَدand indeed بَعَثنَthey sent إِلىto الغُصونِthe branches مَلامِحاًfeatures
وَلَقَد بَعَثنَ إِلى الغُصونِ مَلامِحاً
مِنهاof them وَمِنand from لَحظِthe glance of العُيونِthe eyes إِلىto المَهاthe oryx
مِنها وَمِن لَحظِ العُيونِ إِلى المَها
And indeed, they sent the branches features
They sent their glances to the branches
Of their own, and the oryx their eyes' glances.
And from the gaze of their eyes to the stretch of horizon.
يَبدونَthey appear كَالشَمسِlike the sun المُنيرَةِshining حُسَّراًunveiled
يَبدونَ كَالشَمسِ المُنيرَةِ حُسَّراً
وَمُلَثَّمينَand veiled وَكَالأَهِلَّةِand like crescent moons أَوجُهاin countenance
وَمُلَثَّمينَ وَكَالأَهِلَّةِ أَوجُها
Unveiled, they appear like the shining sun;
They appear unveiled like the shining sun,
And veiled, their faces are like crescent moons.
Veiled and like the new crescent their faces.
وَمُنَزَّهٍand one free عَنof مُشبِهٍan equal فيin حُسنِهِhis beauty
وَمُنَزَّهٍ عَن مُشبِهٍ في حُسنِهِ
أَصبَحتُI became فيهِin loving him عَنfrom السُلُوِّforgetting love مُنَزَّهاfree
أَصبَحتُ فيهِ عَن السُلُوِّ مُنَزَّها
And one whose beauty is beyond comparison—
Free from any likeness in its beauty,
For him, I have become incapable of forgetting.
I became free of any fault through it.
مَنَحَhe bestowed القِلىaversion وَنَهىand forbade الجُفونَthe eyelids عَنِfrom الكَرىsleep
مَنَحَ القِلى وَنَهى الجُفونَ عَنِ الكَرى
أَهلاًwelcome بِماto what مَنَحَbestowed الحَبيبُthe beloved وَماand what نَهىhe forbade
أَهلاً بِما مَنَحَ الحَبيبُ وَما نَهى
He bestowed aversion and forbade the eyelids sleep;
It granted wishes and forbade crying,
Welcome what the beloved bestowed and what he forbade!
Greetings for what the beloved granted and forbade!
كَيفَhow السَبيلُthe way إِلىto القِلىaversion وَشَفيعُهُand his intercessor
كَيفَ السَبيلُ إِلى القِلى وَشَفيعُهُ
وُجهٌa face وَجيهُweighty in الحُكمِjudgment كَيفَhowever تَوَجَّهاit turns
وُجهٌ وَجيهُ الحُكمِ كَيفَ تَوَجَّها
What path leads to aversion, when his intercessor
How can one reach wishes with it as intercessor
Is a face whose verdict carries weight, whichever way it turns?
When its noble countenance rules?
أَلحاظُهُhis glances أَسيافُهُhis swords وَسِنانُهُand his spearhead
أَلحاظُهُ أَسيافُهُ وَسِنانُهُ
وَسنانُهُhis drowsy gaze إِنwhether جَدَّhe is earnest فيناwith us أَوor لَهاhe plays
وَسنانُهُ إِن جَدَّ فينا أَو لَها
His glances are his swords, and his spearhead
Its glances are its swords, and its teeth
Is his drowsy gaze, whether he is earnest with us or plays.
And its teeth, if they judged against us or for us.
وَلَكَمand how often بُليتُI was afflicted بِلائِمٍby a reproacher فيover حُبِّهِlove of him
وَلَكَم بُليتُ بِلائِمٍ في حُبِّهِ
أَضحىbecame أَلداًfiercely contentious فيin الخِصامِdispute مُفَوَّهاeloquent
أَضحى أَلداً في الخِصامِ مُفَوَّها
And how often I was plagued by a reproacher of my love for him,
How much did I suffer from a blamer in his love
Fiercely contentious and eloquent in dispute!
Who became most stubborn in dispute, confused.
كانَwas المُفَوَّهُthe eloquent man جاهِداًstriving hard فَرَدَدتُهُso I sent him back
كانَ المُفَوَّهُ جاهِداً فَرَدَدتُهُ
مُثنَىturned back العِنانِthe rein عَنِfrom الملامِreproach مُفَهَّهاtongue-tied
مُثنَى العِنانِ عَنِ الملامِ مُفَهَّها
The eloquent man strove hard, but I sent him back,
The confused one struggled so I restrained him,
His rein turned away from reproach, tongue-tied.
Pulling the reins back from blame, bewildered.
ياO كَمhow often زَجَرتُI rebuked المُستَهامَthe love-crazed one فَماbut not اِرعَوىhe desisted
يا كَم زَجَرتُ المُستَهامَ فَما اِرعَوى
وَنَهَيتُهُand I forbade him كَيso that يَستَفيقَhe might recover his senses فَماbut not اِنتَهىhe stopped
وَنَهَيتُهُ كَي يَستَفيقَ فَما اِنتَهى
Oh, how often I rebuked the love-crazed one, but he did not desist!
How much did I deter the reckless one but he did not understand,
And I forbade him so he might recover his senses, but he did not stop.
And I forbade him to awaken but he did not stop!
إِنّيindeed I أَلَذّrelish وَأَشتَهيand desire سَقَميmy sickness بِهِbecause of him
إِنّي أَلَذّ وَأَشتَهي سَقَمي بِهِ
وَمِنَand among الشَقاوَةِmisery ماthat which يَلَذُّis delightful وَيُشتَهىand is desired
وَمِنَ الشَقاوَةِ ما يَلَذُّ وَيُشتَهى
I relish and desire my sickness for him;
Truly, I find my sickness with him most delicious,
And some misery is delightful and desired.
And from misfortune what is delicious and craved.
وَتَنوفَةٍand a wilderness مَجهولَةٍunknown جاوَرتُهاI skirted it
وَتَنوفَةٍ مَجهولَةٍ جاوَرتُها
بِنَجيبَةٍon a noble she-camel تُطوىshe is drawn thin فَتَطويso she folds up المَهمَهاthe wasteland
بِنَجيبَةٍ تُطوى فَتَطوي المَهمَها
And an unknown wilderness I skirted
I dwelled by an unknown ridge
On a noble she-camel, drawn lean as she folded up the wasteland.
That folds up the confused thoughts.
فَأَرَيتُهاso I showed her أَوضاحَهاits white patches فيon لَيلَةٍa night
فَأَرَيتُها أَوضاحَها في لَيلَةٍ
بَدرُthe full moon التَمامِfullness بِأُفقِهاon its horizon مِثلُlike السُهاSuha
بَدرُ التَمامِ بِأُفقِها مِثلُ السُها
So I showed her its white patches on a night
I saw it bare its light in the night,
When the full moon on its horizon was like Suha.
The full moon rose on its horizon like a torch.
جَلَبَتit brought سَحابَتَهاits cloud بِلامِعِwith the flash of بَرقِهاits lightning
جَلَبَت سَحابَتَها بِلامِعِ بَرقِها
وَحياًand rain بَكىwept طَرَباًin delight لِرَعدٍat thunder قَهقَهاthat laughed aloud
وَحياً بَكى طَرَباً لِرَعدٍ قَهقَها
It brought its cloud with its lightning's flash,
It brought its clouds with its flashing lightning,
And rain that wept for joy at thunder laughing aloud.
And the living cried out in rapture at its rumbling roar.
تُزجىshe is urged onward إِلىtoward البَحرِthe ocean المُحيطِencircling مُحَمَّدٍMuhammad
تُزجى إِلى البَحرِ المُحيطِ مُحَمَّدٍ
ذاكَthat one الَّذيwho فَتَحَopened اللَهاmouths بِيَدِwith the hand of اللهاlargesse
ذاكَ الَّذي فَتَحَ اللَها بِيَدِ اللها
She is urged toward the encircling ocean, Muhammad,
You are carried to the endless sea, O Muhammad,
The one who opened mouths with the hand of bounty.
He who, by God’s hand, opened doors to success.
بِالكامِلِfor al-Kamil بنِson of العادِلِal-Adil المَنصورِal-Mansur قَدindeed
بِالكامِلِ بنِ العادِلِ المَنصورِ قَد
نادىcalled out النَدىgenerosity لماwhen دَعاهُhe summoned it مُؤَبِّهاproclaiming honor
نادى النَدى لما دَعاهُ مُؤَبِّها
For al-Kamil, son of al-Adil al-Mansur, indeed,
By Al-Kamil bin Al-Adil Al-Mansur he called,
Generosity called out when he summoned it, proclaiming his worth.
When he called him, the call echoed joyfully.
ياO أَيُّهاyou (vocative) المَلكُthe king الَّذيwho لَولاهُwere it not for him لَمnot
يا أَيُّها المَلكُ الَّذي لَولاهُ لَم
يَكُwould be فيamong الوَرىhumankind لأَبيهِto his father خَلقٌanyone مُشبِهاresembling
يَكُ في الوَرى لأَبيهِ خَلقٌ مُشبِها
O king, without whom there would not
O king, without whom in the world
Be anyone among mankind resembling his father!
None would resemble his father in creation.
بَجَحَتboasted دِمَشقُDamascus عَلىover البِلادِthe lands مُنيفَةًlofty
بَجَحَت دِمَشقُ عَلى البِلادِ مُنيفَةً
بِمُحَمَّدٍin Muhammad تَزهوshe shines كَأَحسَنlike the finest of ماwhat زَهاshone
بِمُحَمَّدٍ تَزهو كَأَحسَن ما زَها
Damascus, lofty, boasted over the lands;
Damascus boasted over the lands gracefully
In Muhammad she shines like the finest thing that ever shone,
With Muhammad in its prime of beauty.
كمُحمَّدٍlike Muhammad إذwhen جاءَhe came يَثرِبَto Yathrib قادِماًarriving
كمُحمَّدٍ إذ جاءَ يَثرِبَ قادِماً
وَمُهاجِراًand emigrating وَمُنَوّلاًand bestowing gifts وَمُنَوَّهاand acclaimed
وَمُهاجِراً وَمُنَوّلاً وَمُنَوَّها
Like Muhammad when he arrived at Yathrib,
Like when Muhammad came to Yathrib arriving,
Emigrating, bestowing gifts, and acclaimed.
An emigrant hosted, and hosted in turn.
أَضحىbecame السَعيدُthe fortunate one الكامِلُperfect in الأَوصافِqualities مِثlike (first fragment)
أَضحى السَعيدُ الكامِلُ الأَوصافِ مِث
لَcompletion of 'like' الشَمسِthe sun حَلَّتsettled at أَوجَهاits zenith بَلrather أَوجَهاmore illustrious
لَ الشَمسِ حَلَّت أَوجَها بَل أَوجَها
The fortunate one, perfect in his qualities, has become like
He came perfect in character like the sun
The sun at its zenith—nay, more illustrious still.
That rises fully - no, more than fully risen!
مُستَيقِظٌwatchful لِلمُلكِover the kingdom رَآّبُa mender of الثَأىbreaches
مُستَيقِظٌ لِلمُلكِ رَآّبُ الثَأى
ماnot زالَceased فيهِwithin it مُنبِهاًdistinguished وَمُنَبِّهاand awakening others
ما زالَ فيهِ مُنبِهاً وَمُنَبِّها
Watchful over the kingdom, a mender of breaches,
The rider of desolation keeps him awake for the realm,
Ever distinguished within it, and rousing others.
Never ceasing to awaken and arouse him.
وافَتهُcame to him بِاليَمَنِin Yemen الأَمانيwishes ماnot وَنىslackened الthe (prefix)
وافَتهُ بِاليَمَنِ الأَماني ما وَنى ال
إِقسيسُsagacious chief فيماin what جَدَّhe pursued earnestly فيهِin it وَلاand not وَهىweakened
إِقسيسُ فيما جَدَّ فيهِ وَلا وَهى
His wishes came to him in Yemen; never did the
Good fortune met him in Yemen - hopes were not vain
Sagacious chief slacken in his endeavor, nor grow weak.
Nor did the priest struggle in what he judged or became weary.
فَأَتىso brought بِهِhim فَتحُthe victory of الفُتوحِvictories مُبَيَّضاًwhitened
فَأَتى بِهِ فَتحُ الفُتوحِ مُبَيَّضاً
لَكِنbut مِنَamong الأَعداءِthe enemies سَوَّدَit blackened أَوجُهاfaces
لَكِن مِنَ الأَعداءِ سَوَّدَ أَوجُها
So the victory of victories brought him, his face whitened,
With him came the opening of all conquests, whitened,
Yet blackened faces among the enemies.
Though from the enemies it blackened faces.
بِمُشَتّتِwith a scatterer of العَزَماتِresolves مَرهوبَfeared for الشباsharp blades
بِمُشَتّتِ العَزَماتِ مَرهوبَ الشبا
مُتَشاغِلٌoccupied بِالجِدِّwith earnest effort عَنهُfrom him ماnot لَهاhe dallied
مُتَشاغِلٌ بِالجِدِّ عَنهُ ما لَها
With a breaker of resolves, fearsome of blade,
With weakened resolves, the youth terrified,
He is absorbed in earnest effort, never distracted from him.
Busy with seriousness, distracted from anything else.
فَاِنهَدso rise إِلَيهِagainst him بِعَزمَةٍwith a resolve شاذِيَّةٍShadhian
فَاِنهَد إِلَيهِ بِعَزمَةٍ شاذِيَّةٍ
فَبِهاso through it ينالُhe gains مِنَfrom الأَعاديthe enemies ماwhat اِشتَهىhe desires
فَبِها ينالُ مِنَ الأَعادي ما اِشتَهى
So rise against him with a Shadhian resolve;
So incline to him with rare determination
Through it he gains from the enemies whatever he desires.
Through which from enemies you obtain what you desire.
إِنَّindeed المَمالِكَthe kingdoms صِرنَhave become فيin أَيديكُمُyour hands
إِنَّ المَمالِكَ صِرنَ في أَيديكُمُ
وَقفاًan endowment عَلَيكُمfor you مِثلَlike آمِدَAmid وَالرُهاand al-Ruha
وَقفاً عَلَيكُم مِثلَ آمِدَ وَالرُها
Indeed, the kingdoms have become, in your hands,
Kingdoms have certainly become, in your hands,
An endowment reserved for you, like Amid and al-Ruha.
Stopping because of you, like the high seat and howdah.
كُلُّall المَمالِكِthe kingdoms جَنَّةٌa garden بَلrather سِدرَةٌa lote tree
كُلُّ المَمالِكِ جَنَّةٌ بَل سِدرَةٌ
وَلَدَيكُمُand with you المَأوىthe refuge لَهاfor it وَالمُنتَهىand the furthest limit
وَلَدَيكُمُ المَأوى لَها وَالمُنتَهى
All kingdoms are a garden—rather, a lote tree;
All the kingdoms are gardens - no, lotus trees -
And with you are its refuge and its furthest bound.
And with you is the refuge for it and the end.
أَنتُمyou شُموسٌsuns بَلrather بُدورٌfull moons طُلَّعٌrising
أَنتُم شُموسٌ بَل بُدورٌ طُلَّعٌ
وَسِواكُمُand others than you مِثلُlike الثُرَيّاthe Pleiades وَالسُهاand Suha
وَسِواكُمُ مِثلُ الثُرَيّا وَالسُها
You are suns—rather, rising full moons;
You are suns - no, shining planets -
And all others are like the Pleiades and Suha.
While others are like the Pleiades and Suhail.
صَدَقاتُكُمyour alms أَبقَتpreserved عَلَيكُمfor you مُلكَكُمyour kingdom
صَدَقاتُكُم أَبقَت عَلَيكُم مُلكَكُم
ماnot فيكُمُamong you مَنanyone who ساعَةًfor an hour عَنهاfrom them لَهاwas distracted
ما فيكُمُ مَن ساعَةً عَنها لَها
Your alms have preserved your kingdom for you;
Your charities have maintained your kingdom;
None among you has been distracted from them for an hour.
Among you none for an hour refrained from them.
ماnot ضَيغَمٌa lion فيin الغيلِthe thicket يكشِرُbares his teeth قالِصاًdrawing back his lips
ما ضَيغَمٌ في الغيلِ يكشِرُ قالِصاً
عَنfrom ناجِذَيهِhis two fangs مُهَجهِجاًroaring وَمُجَهجِهاand growling
عَن ناجِذَيهِ مُهَجهِجاً وَمُجَهجِها
No lion in the thicket, snarling and drawing his lips back
No wretched cheat bares his teeth in a grin
From his fangs, roaring and growling,
From his prominent jaw, gurgling and choking.
يَوماًever بِأَعظَمَgreater in فَتكَةferocity مِنهُthan he إِذاwhen
يَوماً بِأَعظَمَ فَتكَة مِنهُ إِذا
ماan emphatic particle الصافِناتُthe poised steeds نَكَصنَrecoiled عَنهُfrom him فُرَّهاspirited
ما الصافِناتُ نَكَصنَ عَنهُ فُرَّها
Ever strikes more savagely than he, when
One day with a greater massacre than him, when
The spirited, poised steeds recoil from him.
The drawn swords will not turn back from him in flight.
يَعِدُhe promises الجَوائِزَrewards موفِياًbeing faithful بِوُعودِهِto his promises
يَعِدُ الجَوائِزَ موفِياً بِوُعودِهِ
لَمnot يَألُhe fell short فيin دَرءِrepelling الخُطوبِcalamities المِدرَهاthe champion
لَم يَألُ في دَرءِ الخُطوبِ المِدرَها
He promises rewards, fulfilling his promises;
He promises rewards, fulfilling his promises,
The champion spares no effort in warding off calamities.
Never stinting to repel catastrophes and calamities.
خُذهاtake it مُكَمَّلَةَperfected in الحِجىwisdom مِنfrom أَفوَهٍan eloquent man
خُذها مُكَمَّلَةَ الحِجى مِن أَفوَهٍ
قَدindeed فاقَsurpassed فيin حُسنِbeauty of المَقالِspeech الأَفوَهاal-Afwah
قَد فاقَ في حُسنِ المَقالِ الأَفوَها
Take it, perfected in wisdom, from an eloquent man
Take them completed in argument from mouths
Who has surpassed al-Afwah in beauty of speech.
That have surpassed in eloquence of speech all mouths.
مَدحٌpraise لَوِif الحَجَرُthe stone الأَصَمُّdeaf غَداcame to be لَهُfor it
مَدحٌ لَوِ الحَجَرُ الأَصَمُّ غَدا لَهُ
سَمعٌhearing وَأُنشِدَand were recited بَيتَهاa verse of it لتَدَهدَهاit would surely roll about
سَمعٌ وَأُنشِدَ بَيتَها لتَدَهدَها
A praise-song: if the deaf stone came to have
Praise which if deaf rock heard
Hearing and were recited a verse of it, it would roll about.
It would gain hearing and chant its verses, singing them.
وَإِذاand when المُعيدُthe reciter شَداsang بَهاit فيin مَجلِسٍa gathering
وَإِذا المُعيدُ شَدا بَها في مَجلِسٍ
طَرِبَdelighted الجَمادُthe inanimate فَلَوand if أَطاقَit were able لَزَهزَهاit would surely quiver
طَرِبَ الجَمادُ فَلَو أَطاقَ لَزَهزَها
And when the reciter sings it in a gathering,
When the repeating minstrel sings it in an assembly
Lifeless things thrill; if they could, they would quiver.
Inanimate things would stir - if they could - and shudder.
Sol 6.1