بيI am smitten with غادَةٌa graceful maiden سَمراءُdusky مِثلُlike الأَسمَرِthe tawny lance
بي غادَةٌ سَمراءُ مِثلُ الأَسمَرِ
تَهتَزُّshe sways فيon مَتنِthe back of الكَثيبِthe sand dune الأَعفَرِdust-colored
تَهتَزُّ في مَتنِ الكَثيبِ الأَعفَرِ
I am smitten with a dusky maiden, like a tawny lance;
She sways upon the back of a dust-colored dune.
مِلءُfilling الإِزارِthe waist-wrap ثَقيلَةٌheavy أَردافُهاher buttocks
مِلءُ الإِزارِ ثَقيلَةٌ أَردافُها
جاذَبنَthey tugged at خَصراًa waist ناحِلاًslender كَالخِنصَرِlike the little finger
جاذَبنَ خَصراً ناحِلاً كَالخِنصَرِ
Her buttocks are heavy, filling her waist-wrap,
Tugging at a waist as slender as a little finger.
تُصبيshe makes lovesick الحَليمَthe sober man بِهَزَّةٍwith a sway فيin عِزَّةٍproud dignity
تُصبي الحَليمَ بِهَزَّةٍ في عِزَّةٍ
وَتَميسُand she sways gracefully فيamid وَرَقِthe foliage of الشَّبابِyouth الأَخضَرِgreen
وَتَميسُ في وَرَقِ الشَّبابِ الأَخضَرِ
She makes the sober man lovesick with a proud, dignified sway,
And sways gracefully amid the green foliage of youth.
وَمَتىand whenever نَضَتshe removed عَنهاfrom herself اللِثامَthe face-veil تَبَسَّمَتshe smiled
وَمَتى نَضَت عَنها اللِثامَ تَبَسَّمَت
فَأَتىso came تَبَسُّمُهاher smile بِسِمطَيwith two strands of جَوهَرِjewels
فَأَتى تَبَسُّمُها بِسِمطَي جَوهَرِ
Whenever she draws off her face-veil, she smiles,
And her smile brings forth two strands of jewels.
إِنّيindeed I قُتِلتُwas slain وَقاتِليand my killer مَنone who لَمdid not يَشِمdraw
إِنّي قُتِلتُ وَقاتِلي مَن لَم يَشِم
سَيفاًa sword سِوىexcept الطَرفِthe eye الكَحيلِkohl-dark الأَحوَرِwith dark pupils and clear whites
سَيفاً سِوى الطَرفِ الكَحيلِ الأَحوَرِ
I have been slain; my killer is one who never drew
A sword but her kohl-dark eye, with its deep black and clear white.
وَمِنَand among العَجائِبِthe marvels أَنthat يُرىis seen لَيثُthe lion of الشَرىal-Shara
وَمِنَ العَجائِبِ أَن يُرى لَيثُ الشَرى
فيin الغيلِthe thicket مَقتولاًslain بِلَحظِby the glance of الجُؤذَرِthe wild-cow calf
في الغيلِ مَقتولاً بِلَحظِ الجُؤذَرِ
And it is a marvel to see the lion of al-Shara
Slain in the thicket by a wild-cow calf's glance.
تَحميshe guards بِأَسهُمِwith the arrows of مُقلَتَيهاher two eyes ثَغرَهاher mouth/frontier
تَحمي بِأَسهُمِ مُقلَتَيها ثَغرَها
فَالثَغرُfor the mouth/frontier لَيسَis not يَرومُهُseeks it مِنany عَسكَرِarmy
فَالثَغرُ لَيسَ يَرومُهُ مِن عَسكَرِ
She guards her mouth with the arrows of her two eyes;
No army seeks that frontier,
إِلّاexcept خَميسٌan army كامِلِيٌّof al-Kamil قادَهُhe led it الal- (the, split name prefix)
إِلّا خَميسٌ كامِلِيٌّ قادَهُ ال
أقسيسُAqsis يَسريhe travels by night فيthrough اليَبابِthe wasteland المَقفِرِdesolate
أقسيسُ يَسري في اليَبابِ المَقفِرِ
Except an army of al-Kamil, led by al-
Aqsis, traveling by night through the desolate waste.
خاضَhe braved الهَواجِرَthe midday heats فَاِستَظَلَّthen took shade بِدَوحَةٍbeneath a great tree
خاضَ الهَواجِرَ فَاِستَظَلَّ بِدَوحَةٍ
فاءَتspread its shade عَلىover المَلِكِthe king الأَعَزِّmightiest الأَكبَرِgreatest
فاءَت عَلى المَلِكِ الأَعَزِّ الأَكبَرِ
He braved the midday heats, then took shade beneath a great tree
That spread its shade over the mightiest, greatest king.
بِاليُمنِwith good fortune حازَhe gained مَمالِكَthe kingdoms of اليَمَنِYemen الَّتيwhich
بِاليُمنِ حازَ مَمالِكَ اليَمَنِ الَّتي
سَمَقَتrose high إِلىto سَعدِthe most auspicious of السُعودِthe auspicious stars المُشتَريJupiter
سَمَقَت إِلى سَعدِ السُعودِ المُشتَري
With good fortune he gained the kingdoms of Yemen, which
Rose to Jupiter, the most auspicious of stars.
وَأَشاحَand he pressed on مُمتَطِياًriding إِلَيهاtoward them عَزمَةًa resolve
وَأَشاحَ مُمتَطِياً إِلَيها عَزمَةً
عَنهاin comparison with it تُقَصِّرُfalls short عَزمَةُthe resolve of الإِسكَندَرِAlexander
عَنها تُقَصِّرُ عَزمَةُ الإِسكَندَرِ
And he pressed toward them, riding a resolve
Beside which Alexander's resolve falls short.
وَأَتىand he came to الصَلاحَSalah الكامِلِيَّal-Kamili مُبَشِّراًbearing glad tidings
وَأَتى الصَلاحَ الكامِلِيَّ مُبَشِّراً
بِالفَتحِof victory مِنfrom مَلكٍa king بِهِin it مُستَبشِرِrejoicing
بِالفَتحِ مِن مَلكٍ بِهِ مُستَبشِرِ
And he came to Salah al-Kamili, bearing glad tidings
Of victory from a king rejoicing in it.
فَالفَألُso the omen أَخبَرَforetold عَنof صَلاحٍwell-being كامِلٍcomplete
فَالفَألُ أَخبَرَ عَن صَلاحٍ كامِلٍ
لِلعالَمينَfor all the worlds وَذاكَand that أَصدَقُthe truest مَخبَرِreport
لِلعالَمينَ وَذاكَ أَصدَقُ مَخبَرِ
The omen foretold complete well-being
For all the worlds—and that is the truest report.
بِالكامِلِthrough al-Kamil انتَظَمَتwere set in order أُمورُthe affairs of الدينِreligion وَالدand the (start of 'world')
بِالكامِلِ انتَظَمَت أُمورُ الدينِ وَالد
دُنياworld (word completion) بِأَحسَنِwith the finest مَنظَرٍoutward appearance وَبِمَخبَرِand with inward character
دُنيا بِأَحسَنِ مَنظَرٍ وَبِمَخبَرِ
Through al-Kamil, affairs are set in order—of religion and the
World—in the finest outward appearance and inward character.
وَلَدَيهِand at his side أَحمَدُAhmad كالنَبِيِّlike the Prophet مُحَمَّدٍMuhammad
وَلَدَيهِ أَحمَدُ كالنَبِيِّ مُحَمَّدٍ
فيin فَتحِthe conquest of مَكَّةَMecca بَعدَafter فَتحَةِthe conquest of خَيبَرِKhaybar
في فَتحِ مَكَّةَ بَعدَ فَتحَةِ خَيبَرِ
And at his side is Ahmad, like the Prophet Muhammad
In conquering Mecca after the conquest of Khaybar.
مِنfrom آلِthe house of شاديShadi شادَhe built مُلكاًa kingdom باذِخاًlofty
مِن آلِ شادي شادَ مُلكاً باذِخاً
كَمhow many a جامِعٍcongregational mosque يُعليhe raises وَكَمand how many مِنof مِنبَرِa pulpit
كَم جامِعٍ يُعلي وَكَم مِن مِنبَرِ
From the house of Shadi, he built a lofty kingdom;
How many a congregational mosque he raises, and how many a pulpit!
هُوَhe is كاسِرٌthe breaker of كِسرىKisra وَمُتبِعُand pursuing with تُبَّعٍTubba'
هُوَ كاسِرٌ كِسرى وَمُتبِعُ تُبَّعٍ
ذُلاًhumiliation أَحاطَsurrounded بِهِhim وَقاسِرُand the subduer of قَيصَرِCaesar
ذُلاً أَحاطَ بِهِ وَقاسِرُ قَيصَرِ
He shatters Kisra and pursues Tubba' with
Humiliation that surrounds him, and subdues Caesar.
إِنif كانَhe is أَوحَدَpeerless فيin الزَمانِthe age فِإِنَّهُthen indeed he
إِن كانَ أَوحَدَ في الزَمانِ فِإِنَّهُ
مُتَضَمِّنٌembodying مَعنىthe worth of العَديدِthe multitude الأَكثَرِmost numerous
مُتَضَمِّنٌ مَعنى العَديدِ الأَكثَرِ
Though he is peerless in his age, he nevertheless
Embodies the worth of the greatest multitude.
لاmay not زالَcease يَضحَكُsmiling ثَغرُthe mouth of نَصرٍvictory ناصِعٌgleaming white
لا زالَ يَضحَكُ ثَغرُ نَصرٍ ناصِعٌ
مِمَّنat those who عَصاهُdefied him بِسَيلِwith a torrent of دَمعِthe tears of السَمهَريthe stout lance
مِمَّن عَصاهُ بِسَيلِ دَمعِ السَمهَري
May the gleaming mouth of victory ever smile
At those who defy him, with a torrent of the stout lance's tears.
فَإِلَيكَso to you ياO مَلِكَking of المُلوكِkings أَلوكَةًa message
فَإِلَيكَ يا مَلِكَ المُلوكِ أَلوكَةً
مِنfrom شاعِرٍa poet مِنthrough ضَعفِهِhis weakness لَمdid not يَشعُرِperceive
مِن شاعِرٍ مِن ضَعفِهِ لَم يَشعُرِ
So to you, O king of kings, a message
From a poet who, in his weakness, did not discern.
بِالعَدلِwith justice آثَرَكَHe favored you المَليكُthe Sovereign عَلَيهِمُover them
بِالعَدلِ آثَرَكَ المَليكُ عَلَيهِمُ
ياO مُؤثِراًselfless giver أوزِعتَmay you be inspired to شُكرَgive thanks to المُؤثِرِthe One who favors
يا مُؤثِراً أوزِعتَ شُكرَ المُؤثِرِ
In justice, the Sovereign has favored you over them.
O selfless giver, may you be inspired to thank the One who favors you.
فَلَئِنfor if indeed أَصَبتُI hit the mark بِسَعدِthrough the good fortune of جَدِّكَyour luck ذاthis وَإِنand if
فَلَئِن أَصَبتُ بِسَعدِ جَدِّكَ ذا وَإِن
أُخطِئI miss فَذاكَthen that لِسوءِbecause of the badness of حَظّيmy luck المُدبِرِturning away
أُخطِئ فَذاكَ لِسوءِ حَظّي المُدبِرِ
For if I have hit the mark in this, it is through your happy fortune; and if
I miss, it is through my ill luck, turning its back.
فُتَّyou surpassed المَدائِحَpanegyrics ياO اِبنَson of سَيفِSayf الدينِal-Din فَاعso (start of 'apologized')
فُتَّ المَدائِحَ يا اِبنَ سَيفِ الدينِ فَاع
تَذَرَapologized (word completion) المُبَرِّزُthe foremost master فيin الفَصاحَةِeloquence فَاِعذُرِso pardon
تَذَرَ المُبَرِّزُ في الفَصاحَةِ فَاِعذُرِ
You have surpassed panegyrics, O son of Sayf al-Din; so
The master of eloquence has apologized—grant him pardon.
فيمَto what العُفاةُthe bounty-seekers يُشَبِّهونَكَthey liken you فيin النَدىgenerosity
فيمَ العُفاةُ يُشَبِّهونَكَ في النَدى
وَالبَأسِand valor حارَتwas bewildered فِكرَةُthe thought of المُتَفَكِّرِthe thinker
وَالبَأسِ حارَت فِكرَةُ المُتَفَكِّرِ
To what can seekers of your bounty liken you in generosity
And valor? The thinker's thought is bewildered.
أَنتَyou الَّذيthe one who هُوَhe is مِلءُthe fullness of سَمعِthe hearing of المُتَّقيthe devout
أَنتَ الَّذي هُوَ مِلءُ سَمعِ المُتَّقي
حُرَّthe noblest of الكَلامِspeech وَمِلءُand the fullness of عَينِthe eye of المُبصِرِthe beholder
حُرَّ الكَلامِ وَمِلءُ عَينِ المُبصِرِ
You are the one who fills the ear of the devout
With noble speech, and fills the eye of the beholder.
لاmay not زِلتَyou cease فيin الفَتحِvictory المُبينِmanifest مُهَنَّأًcongratulated
لا زِلتَ في الفَتحِ المُبينِ مُهَنَّأً
مِنfrom ذيthe Possessor of المَعارِجِthe ways of ascent بِالعَطاءِwith bounty الكَوثَرِabundant
مِن ذي المَعارِجِ بِالعَطاءِ الكَوثَرِ
May you ever be congratulated on manifest victory
By the Lord of the Ways of Ascent, with abundant bounty,
ماas long as أَشرَقَتshone زُهرُthe bright ones of النُجومِthe stars وَماand as long as بَداappeared
ما أَشرَقَت زُهرُ النُجومِ وَما بَدا
لِمُسافِرٍto a traveler وَجهُthe face of الصَباحِmorning المُسفِرِradiant
لِمُسافِرٍ وَجهُ الصَباحِ المُسفِرِ
As long as the bright stars shine, and there appears
To a traveler the face of radiant morning.
Sol 6.1