قِفُواStop, all of you ماwhat harm عليكمupon you منfrom وقوفthe halting of الرَّكائبِthe riding camels
قِفُوا ما عليكم من وقوف الرَّكائبِ
لِنَبْذِلَso that we may expend مذخورَthe stored supply of الدُّموعِtears السَّواكبِstreaming
لِنَبْذِلَ مذخورَ الدُّموعِ السَّواكبِ
Stop! What harm is there in halting the riding camels,
Stop here whatever horses may stop,
so we may pour out our store of streaming tears?
Let us shed tears suppressed till now.
وإلاand if not فَدُلُّونيthen guide me عَلَىto الصَّبرِpatience إِننيindeed I
وإلا فَدُلُّوني عَلَى الصَّبرِ إِنني
رأَيتُI found اصطِباريmy patient endurance مِنamong أَعَزِّthe hardest to attain المَطالبِthings sought
رأَيتُ اصطِباري مِن أَعَزِّ المَطالبِ
Otherwise, show me the way to patience, for I
Unless you show me patience - for I see
have found my endurance among the hardest things to attain.
My patience gone, my sternest demand.
كأَنَّas though جُفونيmy eyelids يومَon the day of مُنْعَرَجِthe bend of اللِّوىal-Liwa
كأَنَّ جُفوني يومَ مُنْعَرَجِ اللِّوى
ملاعِبهُمْtheir playgrounds ماwhat lies بَينَbetween تلكَthose المَلاعبِthe playgrounds
ملاعِبهُمْ ما بَينَ تلكَ المَلاعبِ
As though my eyelids, that day at the bend of al-Liwa,
My eyelids, when the caravan of love
were their playgrounds among those playgrounds.
Departed, toys of tears then were they,
تُلِحُّimportune عليناupon us بالدُّموعwith tears كأَنَّهاas though it were
تُلِحُّ علينا بالدُّموع كأَنَّها
لجاجةُthe obstinacy of معتوبٍone reproached عَلَىat عتبthe reproach of عاتبِa reproacher
لجاجةُ معتوبٍ عَلَى عتب عاتبِ
They importune us with tears, as though this were
Urging me on insistently to weep,
a reproached one's obstinacy at a reproacher's reproach.
Like a protesting victim, hurt, complaining.
منازلُdwellings لمdid not ينزلalight بهاin them ركبُa caravan of أَدْمعٍtears
منازلُ لم ينزل بها ركبُ أَدْمعٍ
فيقلعَand then depart إلاexcept عنfrom قلوبٍhearts ذواهبِwasting away
فيقلعَ إلا عن قلوبٍ ذواهبِ
Dwellings where no caravan of tears has alighted
Stages where no tears' riders ever halted,
and then departed, save from hearts wasting away.
Except from hearts forsaken and alone.
تعشَّقَfell in love with دمعيmy tears رسْمَهاtheir trace فَكأَنَّهاso it is as though they
تعشَّقَ دمعي رسْمَها فَكأَنَّها
تَظَلُّremain عَلَىon رسْمa fixed tribute منof الدمْعِtears واجبِobligatory
تَظَلُّ عَلَى رسْم من الدمْعِ واجبِ
My tears fell in love with their trace, so those dwellings seem
My tears so loved their traces it was like
to be forever owed a fixed tribute of tears.
They owed those traces flowing tears.
تليدُlong-held هوىًlove فيin الرسمِthe trace حَتَّىuntil كأَنَّماas though
تليدُ هوىً في الرسمِ حَتَّى كأَنَّما
هوit is الرسْمُthe trace إِلاَّexcept أَنَّهُthat it غيرُnot ذاهبِpassing away
هو الرسْمُ إِلاَّ أَنَّهُ غيرُ ذاهبِ
An age-old love within the trace, until it seems
They harbored love for the trace till it was as
the trace itself, except that it does not fade.
If the trace itself but going nowhere.
وإِنّيand indeed I لمسلوبٌam surely robbed of عليكover you تجلُّديmy fortitude
وإِنّي لمسلوبٌ عليك تجلُّدي
إِذاwhen كانis صبريmy patience شاهداًpresent مثلlike غائبِone absent
إِذا كان صبري شاهداً مثل غائبِ
And truly, over you I am stripped of my fortitude,
Of resignation my composure's proof is robbed
when my patience is present like one absent.
If my patience my witness is, like one absent.
وَلَمَّاand when وقفناwe stood ساحةthe open ground of الحيِّthe tribe لمnot نُطِقْwe could manage
وَلَمَّا وقفنا ساحة الحيِّ لم نُطِقْ
كلاماًspeech تناجَيْناwe whispered to one another بكسرby bending الحواجبِthe eyebrows
كلاماً تناجَيْنا بكسر الحواجبِ
And when we stood at the tribe's encampment, we could not manage
When we stopped in the quarter of the living, no
speech; we whispered to one another by bending our brows.
Words we uttered - brows did we communicate.
نُناجيwe commune with بِإضمارِthrough concealing الهَوىlove ظاهرَthe outward show of الهَوىlove
نُناجي بِإضمارِ الهَوى ظاهرَ الهَوى
بِأَطيبَmore sweetly منthan نجوىthe whisperings of الأَمانيhopes الكَواذبِfalse
بِأَطيبَ من نجوى الأَماني الكَواذبِ
Through hidden love we commune with love made manifest,
With implied, not spoken, love, we whispered of love
more sweetly than the whisperings of false hopes:
Far sweeter than whispers of liars' wishes.
عقائلَnoble ladies منfrom عُلياthe noblest of عُقَيْلUqayl درجْنَthey advanced ليtoward me
عقائلَ من عُليا عُقَيْل درجْنَ لي
بحلوwith the sweetness of الرضىfavor فيamid السخطdispleasure درجthe gradual advance of العَواقبِoutcomes
بحلو الرضى في السخط درج العَواقبِ
noble ladies of Uqayl's highborn, who advanced toward me
Ladies of high station brought low forelocks for me,
with sweet favor amid displeasure, as outcomes unfold.
With sweet consent in wrath climbing tribulation's stairs.
إِذاwhen أَسبلتْshe let down زهواًproudly غدائِرَthe braids of شعرهاher hair
إِذا أَسبلتْ زهواً غدائِرَ شعرها
تَوَشَّحْنَهاthey wore them as sashes منbecause of طولِهاtheir length بِالمَناكبِover the shoulders
تَوَشَّحْنَها من طولِها بِالمَناكبِ
When she proudly lets down the braids of her hair,
When their heavy tresses flow, arrogantly they don
they wear them as sashes over their shoulders, so long are they.
Them over their shoulders with the sand grouse.
وَخالفْنَهاand they crossed them لماwhen استجرنَthey sought shelter لناfor us بهاin them
وَخالفْنَها لما استجرنَ لنا بها
كماas خالفتْcrossed فيin لا'lā' ('no') أَنامِلُthe fingertips of كاتبِa scribe
كما خالفتْ في لا أَنامِلُ كاتبِ
And they cross them when they seek shelter for us in them,
And when they plaited them for us, they worked against us
as a scribe's fingertips cross in writing 'lā' ('no').
As the fingers that betray in not writing words told them.
يُقِمْنَthey set up لناfor us برقَthe lightning of الثغورِthe smiling mouths أَدِلَّةًas guides
يُقِمْنَ لنا برقَ الثغورِ أَدِلَّةً
إِذاwhen ماever ضللناwe lost our way فيin ظلامِthe darkness of الذَوائبِthe tresses
إِذا ما ضللنا في ظلامِ الذَوائبِ
They set the lightning of their smiling mouths as guides for us,
They set for us the Pleiades of their dwellings, guides
whenever we lose our way in the darkness of their tresses.
When we stray into darkness' confused labyrinths;
شُموسٌsuns متىwhenever تبدوthey appear تُضيءُthey illuminate لناfor us الدُّجىthe darkness
شُموسٌ متى تبدو تُضيءُ لنا الدُّجى
فمشْرِقُهاso their rising فيهin it بغيرِwithout مَغَاربِsettings
فمشْرِقُها فيه بغيرِ مَغَاربِ
Suns that, whenever they appear, light the darkness for us;
Suns, when appearing, give light to our darkness,
so their rising there knows no setting.
With dawns in that gloom, no settings.
متىwhenever قَدِمَتْarrived منfrom سفرةِa journey of الهجرestrangement عيسُهمtheir pale camels
متى قَدِمَتْ من سفرةِ الهجر عيسُهم
تلقيتُهاI welcomed them بِالوَصلِwith reunion منfrom كلِّevery جانبِside
تلقيتُها بِالوَصلِ من كلِّ جانبِ
Whenever their pale camels arrive from a journey of estrangement,
Whenever their caravan returns from separation
I welcome them with reunion from every side.
I find it, joining it from every side.
وَصيَّرتُand I made أَجْفانيmy eyelids وِطاءًa soft bed لِوَطْئِهاfor their tread
وَصيَّرتُ أَجْفاني وِطاءً لِوَطْئِها
حذاراًout of fear عليهاfor them منof صروفthe twists of النوائبِcalamities
حذاراً عليها من صروف النوائبِ
And I make my eyelids a soft bed for their tread,
I made my eyelids litter where they stepped,
fearing for them the twists of calamity.
Lest strokes of fate should touch them.
وعلقتهاand I became attached to her بالشوقِwith longing فيin الملعبِthe playground الذيwhich
وعلقتها بالشوقِ في الملعبِ الذي
بهِin it لعبتْplayed أَيديthe hands of البلىdecay بِملاعبِwith playgrounds
بهِ لعبتْ أَيدي البلى بِملاعبِ
And I grew attached to her with longing in the playground where
I held them fast with yearning in the playground
the hands of decay played with playgrounds.
Where hands of time with games played havoc with their games.
وليلٍand many a night طويلٍlong كانَwas لمَّاwhen قَرَنْتُهُI coupled it
وليلٍ طويلٍ كانَ لمَّا قَرَنْتُهُ
بِرؤيةِwith seeing منthe one whom أهوىI love قصيرَshort الجوانبِthe bounds
بِرؤيةِ من أهوى قصيرَ الجوانبِ
And many a long night was, when I coupled it
A long night - when I compared it
with seeing the one I love, brief in its span:
To seeing her I love, of slender shape -
كخفقةِlike a beat of قلبٍa heart أَوor كقُبْلَةِlike a kiss of عاشقٍa lover
كخفقةِ قلبٍ أَو كقُبْلَةِ عاشقٍ
عَلَىon حَذَرٍguard أَوor رَدِّthe return of طرْفِthe gaze of المراقبِthe watcher
عَلَى حَذَرٍ أَو رَدِّ طرْفِ المراقبِ
like a heartbeat, or the kiss of a lover
Was like the heartbeat, like a furtive lover's kiss,
on his guard, or the return of a watcher's glance.
A glance of caution, barring of a spying eye.
كواكِبُهits stars تبكيweep عليهover it كأَنَّماas though
كواكِبُه تبكي عليه كأَنَّما
ثَكِلْنَthey were bereaved of الدُّجىthe darkness أَوْor ذُقْنَthey tasted هجرَthe estrangement of الحبائبِbeloved women
ثَكِلْنَ الدُّجى أَوْ ذُقْنَ هجرَ الحبائبِ
Its stars weep over it, as though
Its planets wept for it as though the gloom
they had been bereaved of darkness, or tasted separation from beloveds.
Were bereaved of it or the loved ones parted.
يبرّحُtorments بيme وَجديmy yearning إذاwhen لاحَappeared كوكبٌa star
يبرّحُ بي وَجدي إذا لاحَ كوكبٌ
كَأَنَّas though بهwithin it وَجداًlonging ببعضِfor one of الكواكبِthe stars
كَأَنَّ به وَجداً ببعضِ الكواكبِ
My yearning torments me whenever a star appears,
My anguish cheers me when a planet appears
as though it bore longing for one of the stars.
As if it shared my pain with other planets.
سَأَهْبطُI shall descend منfrom بَحرِthe sea of اللياليthe nights مذاهباًpaths
سَأَهْبطُ من بَحرِ الليالي مذاهباً
متىwhenever قصرتْfell short بيfor me فيin هواهُlove for him مَذاهِبيmy paths
متى قصرتْ بي في هواهُ مَذاهِبي
I shall descend from the sea of nights by paths,
I shall alight from the sea of nights in channels
whenever my paths fail me in my devotion to him.
If its waves restrict me, my channels barred.
وأَسْحبُand I trail ذيلَthe hem of العزمِresolve فيthrough أرضِa land of هِمَّةٍaspiration
وأَسْحبُ ذيلَ العزمِ في أرضِ هِمَّةٍ
إِلىtoward واهبٍone who gives أَموالَهhis wealth للمَواهبِfor gifts
إِلى واهبٍ أَموالَه للمَواهبِ
And I trail the hem of resolve through a land of aspiration,
I shall drag the train of resolve in a land of ambition
toward a giver who bestows his wealth as gifts.
To a giver who gives his wealth to the gifted;
إِلىto منone whom يظلُّkeeps الجُودُgenerosity يُقسمُswearing أَنَّهthat he
إِلى من يظلُّ الجُودُ يُقسمُ أَنَّه
هوhe is الجودُgenerosity موقوفاًset apart عَلَىfor كلِّevery طالبِseeker
هو الجودُ موقوفاً عَلَى كلِّ طالبِ
To one of whom generosity keeps swearing that he
To Him shade of munificence incessantly swears
is generosity itself, set apart for every seeker.
It is itself suspended for every seeker.
هوhe is السيفُthe sword إِلاَّexcept أَنَّهthat he ليسis not نابياًfailing to cut
هو السيفُ إِلاَّ أَنَّه ليس نابياً
إِذاwhen عاقَهholds him back المقدورُfate عنfrom كلِّevery ضاربِwielder
إِذا عاقَه المقدورُ عن كلِّ ضاربِ
He is the sword, except that he never fails to cut,
It is the sword - but not so wrathful
when fate holds him back from every wielder.
If destiny spares it striking every striker.
إذاwhen شاجروهُthey clashed with him بالرماحِwith spears تشاجرتْclashed
إذا شاجروهُ بالرماحِ تشاجرتْ
نفوسُthe souls of المناياdeaths فيwithin نفوسِthe souls of الكَتائبِthe battalions
نفوسُ المنايا في نفوسِ الكَتائبِ
When they clash with him with spears, there clash
When lances contend with it, souls of death
the souls of death within the souls of the battalions.
Quarrel in the souls of armed squadrons.
وتصبُغُand dye أَيديthe hands of النقعdust أَيديthe forelegs of خيولِهِhis horses
وتصبُغُ أَيدي النقع أَيدي خيولِهِ
بِمُحْمَرِّwith reddened تُرْبٍearth منfrom نجيعthe gore of الترائبِthe chest bones
بِمُحْمَرِّ تُرْبٍ من نجيع الترائبِ
And the hands of dust dye his horses' forelegs
The blades of its horses dye the hands of heroes
with earth reddened by gore from breastbones.
With red earth - the blood of hosts of victims.
وكمand how often خاضhe plunged through نقعاًbattle-dust يُمْطِرُrains down الهامَheads وقْعُهُits impact
وكم خاض نقعاً يُمْطِرُ الهامَ وقْعُهُ
إِلىtoward المَوتِdeath فيamid صَفَّيْtwo ranks of قَناًspears وقواضبِand cutting swords
إِلى المَوتِ في صَفَّيْ قَناً وقواضبِ
And how often he plunged through battle-dust whose impact rains down heads,
And how often it splashed carnage, its impact raining
toward death, amid two ranks of spears and cutting swords.
Death on ranks of lancers and archers!
إِذاif شئتَyou wish for عوناًhelp لاnot يذلُّyields لِحادثٍto a misfortune
إِذا شئتَ عوناً لا يذلُّ لِحادثٍ
فنادِthen call علىin اسمِthe name of اللَهِGod ياO سَيفَsword of غالبِGhalib
فنادِ على اسمِ اللَهِ يا سَيفَ غالبِ
If you wish for help that yields to no misfortune,
When you wish help that yields to no misfortune,
then call, in God's name: 'O sword of Ghalib!'
Cry "O God!" - O victorious sword!
Sol 6.1