أَناI بِالغِزلانِwith gazelles وَبِالغَزَلِand with love verse
أَنا بِالغِزلانِ وَبِالغَزَلِ
عَنaway from عَذلِthe reproach of العاذِلِthe censurer فيin شُغُلِpreoccupation
عَن عَذلِ العاذِلِ في شُغُلِ
I am taken up with gazelles and love verse,
too busy for the censurer's reproach.
ماnot تَفعَلُdo بيضُthe white blades of الهِندِIndia بِناto us
ما تَفعَلُ بيضُ الهِندِ بِنا
ماwhat تَفعَلُهُthey do سودُthe black pupils of المُقَلِthe eyes
ما تَفعَلُهُ سودُ المُقَلِ
India's bright blades do not do to us
what dark pupils do.
بِأَبيmy father be his ransom وَسنانُdrowsy أَغَنُّnasal-voiced كَحيkohl-dark (beginning)
بِأَبي وَسنانُ أَغَنُّ كَحي
لُkohl-dark (completion) الطَرفِof eye غَنِيٌّhaving no need عَنof كَحَلِkohl
لُ الطَرفِ غَنِيٌّ عَن كَحَلِ
My father be his ransom: drowsy, nasal-voiced, kohl-dark
of eye, needing no kohl.
وَثَناياand the front teeth of أَحوىa dusky one أَلعَسَdark-lipped ليto me
وَثَنايا أَحوى أَلعَسَ لي
جادَتgave generously بِالخَمرِwine وبِالعَسَلِand honey
جادَت بِالخَمرِ وبِالعَسَلِ
And for me, the teeth of a dusky, dark-lipped beloved
have poured forth wine and honey.
يَمشيhe walks فَيَكادُand almost يَقُدُّcleaves الخَصthe waist (beginning)
يَمشي فَيَكادُ يَقُدُّ الخَص
رَthe waist (completion) لِدِقَّتِهِbecause of its slenderness ثِقلُthe weight of الكَفَلِthe hips
رَ لِدِقَّتِهِ ثِقلُ الكَفَلِ
He walks, and his waist is almost split,
so slender it is, by the weight of his hips.
مَنone whose كانَis الخَمرُwine جَنىthe fruit of فَمِهِhis mouth
مَن كانَ الخَمرُ جَنى فَمِهِ
لِمَwhy لاnot يَمشيhe walks مَشيَthe gait of الثَّمِلِthe drunken one
لِمَ لا يَمشي مَشيَ الثَّمِلِ
One whose mouth has wine for its fruit—
why should he not walk with a drunkard's gait?
تَجنيpluck مِنfrom وَجنَتِهِhis cheek لَحَظاglances (beginning)
تَجني مِن وَجنَتِهِ لَحَظا
تُglances (completion) العاشِقِof the lover تُفّاحَthe apples of الخَجَلِbashfulness
تُ العاشِقِ تُفّاحَ الخَجَلِ
From his cheek the lover's glances pluck
the apples of bashfulness.
هاروتُHarut وَماروتٌand Marut فيin باBabylon (beginning)
هاروتُ وَماروتٌ في با
بِلَBabylon (completion) مِنbecause of جَفنَيهِhis two eyelids عَلىin وَجَلِfear
بِلَ مِن جَفنَيهِ عَلى وَجَلِ
Harut and Marut, in Babylon,
tremble in fear of his eyelids.
فيin الحَربِwar سِهامُthe arrows of لَواحِظِهِhis glances
في الحَربِ سِهامُ لَواحِظِهِ
يَهجُمنَthey assail عَلىupon قَلبِthe heart of البَطَلِthe hero
يَهجُمنَ عَلى قَلبِ البَطَلِ
In war, the arrows of his glances
assail the hero's heart.
وَثِمارُand the fruits of عُقودِnecklaces of الدُرِّpearls إِذاwhen
وَثِمارُ عُقودِ الدُرِّ إِذا
ماever (emphasis) اِفتَرَّhe smiles عَنِrevealing الثَغرِthe mouth الرَتِلِwith well-set teeth
ما اِفتَرَّ عَنِ الثَغرِ الرَتِلِ
And the fruits of pearl-strung necklaces, whenever
his smile reveals his well-set teeth—
أَتَقاضاهُI demand payment from him فَيُماطِلُنيbut he puts me off
أَتَقاضاهُ فَيُماطِلُني
ظُلماًunjustly بِذُنوبيfor my sins وَهوَthough he is مَليsolvent
ظُلماً بِذُنوبي وَهوَ مَلي
I claim them from him, but he puts me off,
unjustly, for my sins, though he can pay.
تَبّاًperdition لِرَقيبيto my watcher بَلrather رُمِيَتmay be struck
تَبّاً لِرَقيبي بَل رُمِيَت
يَدُthe hand of كُلِّevery رَقيبٍwatcher بِالشَلَلِwith paralysis
يَدُ كُلِّ رَقيبٍ بِالشَلَلِ
A curse on my watcher! Rather, may
every watcher's hand be struck with palsy.
لَولاهُbut for him رَعَتwould have grazed شَفَتايَmy two lips مِنَfrom الthe
لَولاهُ رَعَت شَفَتايَ مِنَ ال
مَعشوقِbeloved حِمىthe guarded domain of رَوضِthe garden of القُبَلِkisses
مَعشوقِ حِمى رَوضِ القُبَلِ
But for him, my lips would have grazed in
the beloved's guarded garden of kisses.
بيI am lovesick for أَسمَرُa dusky one إِنif يَتَثَنَّhe sways يَبِنthere appears
بي أَسمَرُ إِن يَتَثَنَّ يَبِن
خَجَلٌshame بِالسُمرِin the tawny ones مِنَamong الأَسَلِthe spears
خَجَلٌ بِالسُمرِ مِنَ الأَسَلِ
I pine for a dusky one; if he sways, there appears
shame in the tawny shafts of spears.
أَغمِدsheathe فيin الحَربِwar السَيفَthe sword فَمِنfor from
أَغمِد في الحَربِ السَيفَ فَمِن
لَحَظاتِكَyour glances يُشهَرُis unsheathed سَيفُthe sword of عَليAli
لَحَظاتِكَ يُشهَرُ سَيفُ عَلي
Sheathe your sword in war, for from
your glances Ali's sword is drawn.
لاnot تَبلُغُreach عِدَّةَthe number of مَنthose whom قَتَلَتthey slew
لا تَبلُغُ عِدَّةَ مَن قَتَلَت
قَتلىthe slain of صِفّينَSiffin وَلاnor الجَمَلِthe Camel
قَتلى صِفّينَ وَلا الجَمَلِ
The number slain by your glances is not matched
by Siffin's dead, nor the Camel's.
سَأُؤَذِّنُI shall sound the call فيin حُبّيكَmy love for you جِهاaloud (beginning)
سَأُؤَذِّنُ في حُبّيكَ جِها
راًaloud (completion) حَيّcome! علىto خَيرِthe best of العَمَلِdeeds
راً حَيّ على خَيرِ العَمَلِ
I shall sound the call in my love for you, aloud:
'Come to the best of deeds!'
ياO جائِرُunjust one حينَwhen عَلَيَّover me وَليhe ruled
يا جائِرُ حينَ عَلَيَّ وَلي
هَلّاwhy not أَصبَحتَyou became عَلَيَّtoward me وَليa friend
هَلّا أَصبَحتَ عَلَيَّ وَلي
O tyrant, when you took power over me,
why did you not become my friend?
ياO بَدرَfull moon تَمامٍcompleteness مَطلِعُهُits rising place
يا بَدرَ تَمامٍ مَطلِعُهُ
بِسَوادِin the dark core of القَلبِthe heart فَلَمand so did not يَغِلِharbor rancor
بِسَوادِ القَلبِ فَلَم يَغِلِ
O full moon whose rising place
is the heart's dark core, which harbors no rancor.
سُلطانُthe sultan جَمالِكَof your beauty دَولَتُهُhis dominion
سُلطانُ جَمالِكَ دَولَتُهُ
تَنقادُsubmit لَهاto it كُلُّall الدُوَلِthe kingdoms
تَنقادُ لَها كُلُّ الدُوَلِ
The sultan of your beauty has a kingdom
to which all kingdoms submit.
آهاًalas! مِنbecause of هَجرِكَyour desertion وَالإِعراand aversion (beginning)
آهاً مِن هَجرِكَ وَالإِعرا
ضِaversion (completion) وَطولِand the length of صُدودِكَyour estrangement وَالمَلَلِand weariness
ضِ وَطولِ صُدودِكَ وَالمَلَلِ
Ah, your desertion and aversion,
your long estrangement and weariness!
لاno بَلrather واهاًhow splendid! لِسَجاياfor the virtues of المَلthe king (beginning)
لا بَل واهاً لِسَجايا المَل
كِthe king (completion) الأَفضَلِal-Afdal نورِNur (Light) الدينِal-Din (of the Faith) عَليAli
كِ الأَفضَلِ نورِ الدينِ عَلي
No—rather, how splendid the virtues of King
al-Afdal, Nur al-Din Ali!
مَلكٌa king نَصَرَsupported الإِسلامَIslam بِبيwith white blades (beginning)
مَلكٌ نَصَرَ الإِسلامَ بِبي
ضِwhite blades (completion) الهِندِof India وَبِالسُّمرِand with tawny spears الذُّبُلِslender
ضِ الهِندِ وَبِالسُّمرِ الذُّبُلِ
A king who upheld Islam with the bright
blades of India and slender tawny spears.
بِمقانِبِهِwith his cavalry squadrons وَمناقِبِهِand his noble deeds
بِمقانِبِهِ وَمناقِبِهِ
فيin الدَهرِtime حَوىhe attained أَقصىthe utmost of الأَمَلِhope
في الدَهرِ حَوى أَقصى الأَمَلِ
With his cavalry squadrons and noble deeds,
he attained in this world the highest hopes.
جَلّىhe dispelled الغَمَراتِthe perils بِغُرَّتِهِwith his radiant brow
جَلّى الغَمَراتِ بِغُرَّتِهِ
كَأَبيهِlike his father فَجَلّاand both were exalted عَنbeyond مَثَلِan equal
كَأَبيهِ فَجَلّا عَن مَثَلِ
He dispelled the terrors with his radiant brow,
like his father; both are beyond compare.
وَرَمىand he cast الأَقيالَthe princes عَلىon الصَهَواthe horses' backs (beginning)
وَرَمى الأَقيالَ عَلى الصَهَوا
تhorses' backs (completion) إِلىto الأَقتابِthe pack-saddles عَلىon الإِبِلِthe camels
ت إِلى الأَقتابِ عَلى الإِبِلِ
He flung the princes from their horses' backs
onto pack-saddles on camels.
فَالخَيلُso the horses تَعَثَّرُstumble بِالتيجاover the crowns (beginning)
فَالخَيلُ تَعَثَّرُ بِالتيجا
نِcrowns (completion) وَبِالأَشلاءِand over severed limbs وَبِالقُلَلِand over heads
نِ وَبِالأَشلاءِ وَبِالقُلَلِ
So horses stumbled over crowns,
over severed limbs and heads.
أَجرىhe caused to flow بِالساحِلِalong the coast بَحرَa sea دَمof blood
أَجرى بِالساحِلِ بَحرَ دَم
فَالبَحرُso the sea لَدَيهِbeside it كَالوَشَلِlike a trickle
فَالبَحرُ لَدَيهِ كَالوَشَلِ
He made a sea of blood flow along the coast;
beside it, the sea is but a trickle.
وَسَطاand pounced التَأييدُsupport بِأَظفارٍwith talons
وَسَطا التَأييدُ بِأَظفارٍ
حُجنٍhooked وَبِأَنيابٍand with fangs عُصُلِcrooked
حُجنٍ وَبِأَنيابٍ عُصُلِ
And succor pounced with talons,
hooked, and with crooked fangs.
فَالشِركُso polytheism مُذالٌabased مُنخَذِلٌdefeated
فَالشِركُ مُذالٌ مُنخَذِلٌ
وَالسِّلمُand peace مُدالٌgranted ascendancy ذوpossessing جَدَلِstrength
وَالسِّلمُ مُدالٌ ذو جَدَلِ
So polytheism is humbled and defeated,
while peace holds sway, endowed with strength.
ياO لَلأَقوامِpeoples! لِمَلحَمَةٍwhat a great battle!
يا لَلأَقوامِ لِمَلحَمَةٍ
أَزرَتcast shame بِأُوليupon the lords of الدُوَلِthe empires الأُوَلِof old
أَزرَت بِأُولي الدُوَلِ الأُوَلِ
O peoples, what a battle,
putting the lords of ancient empires to shame!
تَرَكَleft الإِخبارَthe reporting الخُبرُfirsthand knowledge بِهاof it
تَرَكَ الإِخبارَ الخُبرُ بِها
كَالذَّرَّةِlike a speck جيبَتhewn out مِنfrom جَبَلِa mountain
كَالذَّرَّةِ جيبَت مِن جَبَلِ
Firsthand knowledge of it left mere reports
like a speck hewn from a mountain.
مَلِكٌa king فيin العِلمِknowledge لَهُhe has قَدَمٌa footing
مَلِكٌ في العِلمِ لَهُ قَدَمٌ
رَسَخَتbecame firmly rooted لَمdid not يَخشَhe fear مِنَof الذَّلَلِabasement
رَسَخَت لَم يَخشَ مِنَ الذَّلَلِ
A king whose footing in learning
is firmly planted; he fears no abasement.
أَهلُthe people of الآدابِletters لَدَيهِbeside him بُغاweak birds (beginning)
أَهلُ الآدابِ لَدَيهِ بُغا
ثٌweak birds (completion) وَهوَwhile he is الأَجدَلُthe falcon فيin الجَدَلِdebate
ثٌ وَهوَ الأَجدَلُ في الجَدَلِ
Men of letters beside him are lesser birds;
he is the falcon in debate.
لَوif زادَrose البَحرُthe sea فَغَطّىand covered السَّهthe plain (beginning)
لَو زادَ البَحرُ فَغَطّى السَّه
لَthe plain (completion) مِنَof الأَرضينthe lands مَعَalong with الجَبَلِthe mountain
لَ مِنَ الأَرضين مَعَ الجَبَلِ
Were the sea to swell and cover the plains
of the lands, along with the mountains,
لَثَناهُwould turn it back جودُthe generosity of أَنامِلِهِhis fingertips
لَثَناهُ جودُ أَنامِلِهِ
لاnot يَرفَعُit raises رَأساًa head مِنfrom خَجَلِshame
لا يَرفَعُ رَأساً مِن خَجَلِ
the bounty of his fingertips would turn it back,
too ashamed to lift its head.
نورَLight of الدُنياthe world وَالدينِand the Faith أَصِخgive ear!
نورَ الدُنيا وَالدينِ أَصِخ
لِقَريضٍto poetry لَيسَis not بِمُنتَحَلِplagiarized
لِقَريضٍ لَيسَ بِمُنتَحَلِ
Light of the World and the Faith, give ear
to verse that is not plagiarized.
كَالنورِlike blossoms يَروقُكَdelights you مَنظَرُهُits appearance
كَالنورِ يَروقُكَ مَنظَرُهُ
فيin الرَوضَةِthe garden غِبَّafter حَياًrain هَطِلِpouring
في الرَوضَةِ غِبَّ حَياً هَطِلِ
Like blossoms whose sight delights you
in the garden after pouring rain.
فيهِin it مِنfrom ذِكرِكَmention of you طيبُsweetness of نَثاًfragrance
فيهِ مِن ذِكرِكَ طيبُ نَثاً
كَالمِسكِlike musk يَضوعُwafts مِنَfrom الحُلَلِthe robes
كَالمِسكِ يَضوعُ مِنَ الحُلَلِ
In it, the mention of you lends a sweet fragrance,
like musk wafting from robes.
صاغَتهُshaped it قَريحَةُthe poetic gift of ذيone possessing نَهَلa first draught
صاغَتهُ قَريحَةُ ذي نَهَل
مِنof جَورِthe tyranny الدَهرِof time وَذيand possessing عَلَلِa second draught
مِن جَورِ الدَهرِ وَذي عَلَلِ
It was shaped by the poetic gift of one who drank a first draught
of time's tyranny, then a second.
لَولاbut for غَدرُthe betrayal الأَيّامِof the days بِهِtoward him
لَولا غَدرُ الأَيّامِ بِهِ
لَمnot يُهدِhe would send as a gift المَدحَthe praise مَعَwith الرُسُلِthe messengers
لَم يُهدِ المَدحَ مَعَ الرُسُلِ
But for the days' betrayal of him,
he would not have sent his praise with messengers,
وَأَقامَand he would have stayed بِحَيثُwhere يُفَضِّلُhe prefers بُرthe mansion (beginning)
وَأَقامَ بِحَيثُ يُفَضِّلُ بُر
جَmansion (completion) الشَمسِof the sun عَلىabove بُرجِthe mansion of الحَمَلِAries
جَ الشَمسِ عَلى بُرجِ الحَمَلِ
and would have stayed where he preferred the mansion
of the sun to the mansion of Aries.
لاmay it not زالَتcease دَولَتُكُمyour dominion تَسموrise
لا زالَت دَولَتُكُم تَسمو
بِالنَصرِin victory عَلىabove كُلِّall الدُّوَلِthe dominions
بِالنَصرِ عَلى كُلِّ الدُّوَلِ
May your dominion ever rise
in triumph above all dominions,
ماas long as لاحَshone صَباحٌmorning وَاِنتَزَحَتand drew away
ما لاحَ صَباحٌ وَاِنتَزَحَت
أَوقاتُthe hours of ضُحاهُits forenoon عَنِfrom الأُصُلِthe late afternoons
أَوقاتُ ضُحاهُ عَنِ الأُصُلِ
as long as morning gleams and
its forenoon hours lie far from evening.
Sol 6.1