أَنّىhow اِهتَدىfound the way طَيفُphantom الحَبيبِthe beloved لِمَرقَديto my sleeping-place
أَنّى اِهتَدى طَيفُ الحَبيبِ لِمَرقَدي
وَاللَيلُand the night مَكحولُdarkened with kohl الجُفونِthe eyelids بِإِثمِدِwith antimony
وَاللَيلُ مَكحولُ الجُفونِ بِإِثمِدِ
How did the beloved's phantom find its way to my bed,
How did the phantom of my beloved find its way to my tomb
while night's eyelids were darkened with antimony kohl?
While the night has veiled my eyelids with sin
وافىcame to دِمَشقَDamascus إِلَيَّto me لَيلاًat night مُسئِداًtraveling by night
وافى دِمَشقَ إِلَيَّ لَيلاً مُسئِداً
مِنfrom حاجِرٍHajir أَهلاًwelcome بِهِto it مِنas a مُسئِدِnight-traveler
مِن حاجِرٍ أَهلاً بِهِ مِن مُسئِدِ
It came to me in Damascus at night, a night-traveler,
He came to Damascus at night, reclining
from Hajir—welcome to such a night-traveler!
From a chamber, greeting it from another reclining place
يَخطوsteps over أَفاحيصَnesting scrapes القَطاsandgrouse وَيَدوسُand treads أُدstart of 'nesting hollow'
يَخطو أَفاحيصَ القَطا وَيَدوسُ أُد
حِيَّend of 'nesting hollow' النَعامِostriches عَلىupon مُتونِridges الفَدفَدِthe desert plain
حِيَّ النَعامِ عَلى مُتونِ الفَدفَدِ
It steps over sandgrouse nests and treads
He strides the sand dunes and tramples
ostrich nesting hollows on the ridges of the desert plain,
The nests of ostriches upon the backs of oryxes
وَيُرَوِّعُand startles الرّيلانَostrich chicks وَهيَwhile they are جَواثِمٌcrouching
وَيُرَوِّعُ الرّيلانَ وَهيَ جَواثِمٌ
بِالدَّوِّin the wilderness بَينَbetween نَعامَةٍa hen-ostrich وَخَفَيدَدِand a swift cock-ostrich
بِالدَّوِّ بَينَ نَعامَةٍ وَخَفَيدَدِ
and startles the ostrich chicks as they crouch
And startles the ostriches while they are all asleep
in the wilderness, between a hen-ostrich and a swift cock-ostrich.
With his voice between a female ostrich and her little ones
واهاًah! لِطَيفٍfor a phantom مُطمَئِنٍّtranquil زارَنيthat visited me
واهاً لِطَيفٍ مُطمَئِنٍّ زارَني
وَالخَوفُand fear قَدalready أَلقىlaid عَلىupon كَبِديmy liver يَديmy hand
وَالخَوفُ قَد أَلقى عَلى كَبِدي يَدي
Ah, for the tranquil phantom that visited me,
Alas for a composed phantom that visited me
while fear had laid my hand upon my liver!
While fear had cast its hand upon my liver
إِبّانَat the time أَيُّwhat عَزيمَةٍresolve لَمdid not تَنتَقِضcome undone
إِبّانَ أَيُّ عَزيمَةٍ لَم تَنتَقِض
فيهِthen وَأَيُّand what فَريصَةٍflank muscle لَمwas not تُرعَدِmade to tremble
فيهِ وَأَيُّ فَريصَةٍ لَم تُرعَدِ
At that time, what resolve did not come undone,
When has any determination not crumbled away?
and what flank was not set trembling then?
When has any prey not been terrified?
وَعَساكِرُand the armies المصرِيِّof the Egyptian مُحدِقَةٌencircling بِناaround us
وَعَساكِرُ المصرِيِّ مُحدِقَةٌ بِنا
أَطلابُهاtheir battalions كَأَجيجِlike the blaze نارِof fire المَوقِدِthe hearth
أَطلابُها كَأَجيجِ نارِ المَوقِدِ
And the Egyptian's armies were encircling us,
The Egyptian armies threaten us
their battalions like the blaze of a hearth-fire.
Their vanguards like the sparks of ignited firewood
نارٌa fire أَتَتcame مِنfrom مِصرَEgypt أَذكَتهاkindled it لَناfor us
نارٌ أَتَت مِن مِصرَ أَذكَتها لَنا
إِحَنٌgrudges أُثيرَwas roused كَمينُهاtheir hidden rancor مِنfrom صَرخَدِSarkhad
إِحَنٌ أُثيرَ كَمينُها مِن صَرخَدِ
A fire came from Egypt, kindled for us by
A fire that came to us from Egypt fueled it
grudges whose hidden rancor was roused from Sarkhad.
The kindling of its ambush from Sarkhad
وَالطَّعنُand spear-thrusting منof سُلكىa straight thrust وَمِنand of مَخلوجَةٍan oblique thrust
وَالطَّعنُ من سُلكى وَمِن مَخلوجَةٍ
خلساًin snatches كَوَلغِlike the lapping الذّيبِof the wolf مَزؤوداًfrightened صَديthirsty
خلساً كَوَلغِ الذّيبِ مَزؤوداً صَدي
And the thrusts, both straight and oblique,
And the stabbing from Suluk and Makhlujah
came in snatches, like a frightened, thirsty wolf's lapping.
Secretly like the plunge of a marauding wolf
هُمthey أَطلَقواunleashed طِرفَthe steed الغَلاءِof high prices فَجاءَناand it came to us
هُم أَطلَقوا طِرفَ الغَلاءِ فَجاءَنا
عَنin place of طِرفِthe steed رُخصٍof low prices بِالفَلاةِin the wilderness مُقَيَّدِfettered
عَن طِرفِ رُخصٍ بِالفَلاةِ مُقَيَّدِ
They loosed the steed of high prices, and it came to us,
They unleashed the price of living, so it came upon us
in place of the steed of low prices, fettered in the wilderness.
While they enjoy cheapness in the wasteland
ماnot بَينَbetween جَدبٍscarcity نَحنُwe فيهِin it وَرُخصِهِمand their low prices
ما بَينَ جَدبٍ نَحنُ فيهِ وَرُخصِهِم
إِلّاexcept كَغَلوَةِlike the range سَهمof an arrow رامof an archer جَيِّدِskilled
إِلّا كَغَلوَةِ سَهم رام جَيِّدِ
Between the scarcity we endure and their low prices
Except for the difference between our famine
lies only the distance of a skilled archer's arrow-shot.
And their cheapness like the deviation of a good archer’s arrow
حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen جارَstrayed الخَيالُthe phantom كَأَنَّماas though
حَتّى إِذا جارَ الخَيالُ كَأَنَّما
أَولاهُgranted it سَلَّةَan unsheathing بَعضِof part سَيفٍof a sword مُغمَدِsheathed
أَولاهُ سَلَّةَ بَعضِ سَيفٍ مُغمَدِ
Until, when the phantom strayed my way—as though
Until the steed charged as if
it had been granted the drawing of part of a sheathed sword—
Its owner had unsheathed part of a scabbarded sword
جادَgave generously الخَيالُthe phantom بِماwith what بِهِwith it ضَنَّwithheld الَّذيthe one whom
جادَ الخَيالُ بِما بِهِ ضَنَّ الَّذي
أَهوىI love وَلَمand did not تَكُbe زَورَةًa visit عَنby مَوعِدِan appointment
أَهوى وَلَم تَكُ زَورَةً عَن مَوعِدِ
the phantom freely gave what was withheld by the one
The steed charged with what its owner desired
I love; the visit was not by appointment.
And the tryst was not missed from the appointment
ياoh! حُسنَهاits beauty مِنwhat a لَيلَةٍnight مُبيَضَّةٍmade white
يا حُسنَها مِن لَيلَةٍ مُبيَضَّةٍ
بِالحُسنِby beauty تَحتَbeneath أَديمِthe skin ليلٍof night أَسوَدِblack
بِالحُسنِ تَحتَ أَديمِ ليلٍ أَسوَدِ
Oh, how beautiful a night, made white
Oh beauty of a whitened night
by beauty beneath the skin of a black night!
With beauty under the skin of a dark night
لَولاwere it not for حَديثُthe musings نُفوسِناof our souls ماnot اِصطادَتِcaught by hunting الthe (article fragment)
لَولا حَديثُ نُفوسِنا ما اِصطادَتِ ال
أَحلامُdreams لَيلاًby night طَيفَthe phantom مَنof one who لَمwas not يُصطَدِcaught
أَحلامُ لَيلاً طَيفَ مَن لَم يُصطَدِ
Were it not for our souls' musings, never would
Were it not for the conversation of our souls, dreams would not have hunted
dreams catch by night the phantom of one never caught.
At night the phantom of one not hunted
لَمّاwhen رَأَيتُI saw الناسَthe people هَرّواloathed فِتنَةًcivil strife
لَمّا رَأَيتُ الناسَ هَرّوا فِتنَةً
ضَبَثَتclutched بَراثِنُهاits claws بِكُلِّat every مُوَحِّدِmonotheist
ضَبَثَت بَراثِنُها بِكُلِّ مُوَحِّدِ
When I saw the people loathing civil strife,
When I saw people confused by strife
whose claws had seized every monotheist,
Whose claws were spread among all believers
فَالشِركُso polytheism فيin عَيشٍa life رَفيغٍabundant أَرغَدِmost comfortable
فَالشِركُ في عَيشٍ رَفيغٍ أَرغَدِ
وَالسِلمُand Islam فيin طَيشٍturmoil وَحالٍand a condition أَنكَدِmost wretched
وَالسِلمُ في طَيشٍ وَحالٍ أَنكَدِ
with polytheism living in lavish, abundant comfort,
Polytheism was in comfortable living, most fertile
and Islam in turmoil and a wretched plight,
While Islam was nervous and most distressed
وَتَفَرَّقواand they split صِنفَينِinto two groups سُنِّيّاًSunni وَشيand Shi- (word fragment)
وَتَفَرَّقوا صِنفَينِ سُنِّيّاً وَشي
عِيّاً'i (completes Shi'i) وَكُلٌّand each one قائِلٌsaying أَناI مُهتَدِrightly guided
عِيّاً وَكُلٌّ قائِلٌ أَنا مُهتَدِ
and they had split into two groups, Sunni and
And they split into two sects, Sunnis and Shiites
Shi'i, each saying, "I am rightly guided,"
Each claiming, “I am the guided one”
هَذاthis one يَميلُinclines إِلىtoward أَبيAbu (in Abu Bakr) بَكرٍBakr وَذاand that one
هَذا يَميلُ إِلى أَبي بَكرٍ وَذا
يَبغيseeks عَلِيّاًAli مُخلِصاًsincerely بِتَوَدُّدِwith affection
يَبغي عَلِيّاً مُخلِصاً بِتَوَدُّدِ
this one inclining toward Abu Bakr, while that one
This one inclined towards Abu Bakr
sought Ali, sincere in his affection,
And that one sought Ali with affection
وَسَقَتهُمand made them drink الأَهواءُthe passions كَأساًa cup لَمdid not تَدَعleave
وَسَقَتهُم الأَهواءُ كَأساً لَم تَدَع
ذاone possessing مُسكَةٍsense فيamong الناسِthe people غَيرَother than مُعَربِدِa drunken brawler
ذا مُسكَةٍ في الناسِ غَيرَ مُعَربِدِ
and passions had made them drink a cup that left
And desires made them drink a cup that left
no person of sense among the people free of drunken brawling,
No coherence among people except confusion
نادَيتُI cried out ماnot لِيَfor me فيin زَمانيmy time غَيرُother than سَعstart of Sa'd
نادَيتُ ما لِيَ في زَماني غَيرُ سَع
دِend of Sa'd الدِّينِal-Din ('of the faith') مَسعودٍMas'ud إِذَنthen منany مُسعِدِhelper
دِ الدِّينِ مَسعودٍ إِذَن من مُسعِدِ
I cried: "In my time I have none but Sa'd
I called out, what is left for me in my time
al-Din Mas'ud, then, to lend me aid."
Except to pursue happy religion with the aid of the Creator?
كَمhow many نِعمَةٍa favor أَولىhe bestowed وَكَمand how many مِنof نِعمَةٍa blessing
كَم نِعمَةٍ أَولى وَكَم مِن نِعمَةٍ
مَشهورَةٍrenowned أَسدىhe conferred إِلَيَّupon me وَكَمand how many يَدِa helping hand
مَشهورَةٍ أَسدى إِلَيَّ وَكَم يَدِ
How many favors he bestowed, and how many blessings
How much grace did He first bestow and how much
of renown he granted me, and how many helping hands!
Well-known grace has He given me, and how many hands!
فَلَهُso may he have الهَناءُhappiness بِكُلِّwith every حَولٍyear حائِلٍpassing
فَلَهُ الهَناءُ بِكُلِّ حَولٍ حائِلٍ
أَبَداًforever عَلَيهِupon him فيunder طَوالِعِrising stars أَسعَدِmost auspicious
أَبَداً عَلَيهِ في طَوالِعِ أَسعَدِ
So may he have happiness with every passing year,
So for Him be praise every fortuitous year
ever coming upon him under the most auspicious rising stars.
Upon Him forever at the rise of auspicious stars
وَمُهَفهَفِand a slender one الأَعطافِthe flanks مَهضومِslim الحَشاthe belly
وَمُهَفهَفِ الأَعطافِ مَهضومِ الحَشا
كَالغُصنِlike a branch فيon حِقفِthe curve النَقاof the sand dune المُتَأَوِّدِbending
كَالغُصنِ في حِقفِ النَقا المُتَأَوِّدِ
And a slender-flanked, slim-waisted one,
My branches trembling, my pride broken
like a bending branch on the curve of a sand dune,
Like a branch in the twisting of the bending sand dune
عاطَيتُهُI shared with him كَأساًa cup نِظامُthe string حَبابِهاof its bubbles
عاطَيتُهُ كَأساً نِظامُ حَبابِها
شَملُthe gathering الهُمومِof cares بِهِthrough it حَليفُallied with تَبَدُّدِdispersal
شَملُ الهُمومِ بِهِ حَليفُ تَبَدُّدِ
I shared with him a cup, its bubbles strung together;
I gave him a cup whose drafts
through it, the gathering of cares was bound to scatter.
Contain concerns, a boon companion of dissolution
فيin رَوضَةٍa meadow مِسكِيَّةِmusk-scented النَفَحاتِbreezes كَالسَlike the— (word fragment)
في رَوضَةٍ مِسكِيَّةِ النَفَحاتِ كَالسَ
سَيراءِstriped silk (word completion) ضاحِكَةٍsmiling عَنِrevealing الزَهرِthe blossoms النَديdewy
سَيراءِ ضاحِكَةٍ عَنِ الزَهرِ النَدي
In a meadow of musk-scented breezes, like
In a sweet-smelling garden whose breezes
striped silk, smiling to reveal its dewy blossoms,
Are like a laughing plain above blossoming flowers
فيهاin it غَديرٌa pool غادَرَتleft أَيديthe hands الصَباof the east wind
فيها غَديرٌ غادَرَت أَيدي الصَبا
فيon مَتنِهِits surface نَقشاًan engraving كَنَقشِlike the markings المِبرَدِof a file
في مَتنِهِ نَقشاً كَنَقشِ المِبرَدِ
there is a pool; the east wind's hands have left
In it is a pool whose edges the morning
on its surface an engraving like a file's markings,
Has engraved like the engraving of Damascus steel
أَوor مَتنِthe surface سابِغَةٍof a full coat of mail إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle اِجتَابَهاhe donned it
أَو مَتنِ سابِغَةٍ إِذا ما اِجتَابَها
فيamid الرَوعِterror سَعدُSa'd الدينِal-Din ('of the faith') رَبُّlord السُؤدَدِof eminence
في الرَوعِ سَعدُ الدينِ رَبُّ السُؤدَدِ
or the surface of a full coat of mail, when donned
Or the blade of Saad al-Din, Lord of gifts
amid battle's terror by Sa'd al-Din, lord of eminence,
If thoughts of the religion visit him in fervor
مُرديfelling الفَوارِسِthe horsemen مِنfrom سروجِsaddles جِيادِهاtheir steeds
مُردي الفَوارِسِ مِن سروجِ جِيادِها
يَومَon the day الوَغىof battle بِمُثَقَّفٍwith a straightened spear وَمُهَنَّدِand an Indian-steel sword
يَومَ الوَغى بِمُثَقَّفٍ وَمُهَنَّدِ
felling horsemen from the saddles of their steeds
Who casts horsemen down from the saddles of their steeds
on the day of battle, with a straightened spear and an Indian blade.
On the day of battle with sharpened swords
أَرضَتpleased خَلائِقُهُhis virtues الخَلائِقَthe creatures كُلَّهاall of them
أَرضَت خَلائِقُهُ الخَلائِقَ كُلَّها
وَأَطاعَand he obeyed خالِقَهُhis Creator بِحُبِّthrough love مُحَمَّدِMuhammad
وَأَطاعَ خالِقَهُ بِحُبِّ مُحَمَّدِ
His virtues have pleased all creation,
His morals have pleased all creatures
and he has obeyed his Creator through love of Muhammad.
And he obeyed his Creator in love of Muhammad
ذوpossessing هِمَّةٍaspiration فيamong الناسِthe people عالِيَةٍlofty لَهاit has
ذو هِمَّةٍ في الناسِ عالِيَةٍ لَها
قَدرٌrank تَعالىrose high فَوقَabove فَرقِthe crown الفَرقَدِFarqad (a star)
قَدرٌ تَعالى فَوقَ فَرقِ الفَرقَدِ
He has an aspiration lofty among men; its
A man of lofty ambition among people
rank has risen above the crown of the Farqad star.
Of esteem transcending the distinction of distinction
لاmay he not زالَcease فيamid نِعَمٍblessings لَدَيهِwith him مُقيمَةٍabiding
لا زالَ في نِعَمٍ لَدَيهِ مُقيمَةٍ
مَحروسَةٍguarded مِنfrom رَيبِvicissitudes دَهرtime مُفَنِّدِenfeebling
مَحروسَةٍ مِن رَيبِ دَهر مُفَنِّدِ
May he ever remain amid blessings abiding with him,
He remains in continuous blessings
guarded from the vicissitudes of enfeebling time.
Protected from the evil of the toppling fate
Sol 6.1