خَفِّضtake it easy عَلىabout عَقِبِthe outcome of الزَمانِtime العاقِبِto come
خَفِّض عَلى عَقِبِ الزَمانِ العاقِبِ
لَيسَis not النَجاحُsuccess مَعَwith الحَريصِthe eager striver الناصِبِthe toiling one
لَيسَ النَجاحُ مَعَ الحَريصِ الناصِبِ
Be calm about what the time to come will bring;
Success does not accompany the eager toiler.
تَأتيcome to المُقيمَthe one who stays put وَماthough not سَعىhe strove حاجاتُهُhis wishes
تَأتي المُقيمَ وَما سَعى حاجاتُهُ
عَدَدَas numerous as الحَصىthe pebbles وَيَخيبُand fails سَعيُthe striving of الخائِبِthe unsuccessful one
عَدَدَ الحَصى وَيَخيبُ سَعيُ الخائِبِ
His wishes come to the man who stays put, though he has not striven,
As numerous as pebbles, while the hapless man's striving fails.
فَاِترُكso leave off مُشاغَبَةَquarreling with الحَبيبِthe beloved إِذاif أَبىrefuses
فَاِترُك مُشاغَبَةَ الحَبيبِ إِذا أَبى
لَيسَis not المُحِبُّthe lover عَلىtoward الحَبيبِthe beloved بِشاغِبِquarrelsome
لَيسَ المُحِبُّ عَلى الحَبيبِ بِشاغِبِ
So leave off quarreling with the beloved if she refuses;
A lover does not make trouble for the beloved.
غَلَبَتكَshe has conquered you أُمُّUmm (mother of) مُحَمَّدٍMuhammad بِدَلالِهاwith her coquetry
غَلَبَتكَ أُمُّ مُحَمَّدٍ بِدَلالِها
وَالمُلكُand sovereignty يُمهَدُis secured لِلأَعَزِّfor the strongest الغالِبِthe victor
وَالمُلكُ يُمهَدُ لِلأَعَزِّ الغالِبِ
Umm Muhammad has conquered you with her coquetry,
And sovereignty is secured for the strongest victor.
واهاًah, how I long بِأُمِّfor Umm (mother of) مُحَمَّدٍMuhammad وَرَسولِهاand her messenger
واهاً بِأُمِّ مُحَمَّدٍ وَرَسولِها
وَرُقادِand the slumber of قَيِّمِهاher guardian وَسُكرِand the drunkenness of الحاجِبِthe doorkeeper
وَرُقادِ قَيِّمِها وَسُكرِ الحاجِبِ
Ah, for Umm Muhammad and her messenger,
And her guardian's slumber, and the doorkeeper's drunkenness!
لَمdid not أَنسَI forget قَولَتَهاher saying أَراكَI see you مُشَيَّعاًbold
لَم أَنسَ قَولَتَها أَراكَ مُشَيَّعاً
عَبِثَmischievous اليَدَينِwith both hands مُوَلَّعاًinfatuated كَالشارِبِlike a drinker
عَبِثَ اليَدَينِ مُوَلَّعاً كَالشارِبِ
I have not forgotten her words: “I see you bold,
With mischievous hands, besotted like a drinker.
أَحسِنtreat well صَحابَتَناour companionship فَإِنَّكَfor you indeed مُدرِكٌone who attains
أَحسِن صَحابَتَنا فَإِنَّكَ مُدرِكٌ
بَعضَsome of اللُبانَةِthe cherished desire بِاِصطِناعِby cultivating الصاحِبِthe companion
بَعضَ اللُبانَةِ بِاِصطِناعِ الصاحِبِ
Be a good companion to us, for you will gain
Some of what you desire by cultivating your companion.
وَإِذاand if جَفَوتَyou are cold قَطَعتُI will withhold عَنكَfrom you مَنافِعيmy favors
وَإِذا جَفَوتَ قَطَعتُ عَنكَ مَنافِعي
وَالدَرُّand the milk flow يَقطَعُهُcuts it off جَفاءُthe roughness of الحالِبِthe milker
وَالدَرُّ يَقطَعُهُ جَفاءُ الحالِبِ
And if you treat me coldly, I will withhold my favors from you;
A milker's roughness cuts off the flow of milk.”
لِلَّهِto God دَرُّthe excellence (expressing praise) مَجالِسٍgatherings نُغِّصتَهاyou had their pleasure spoiled
لِلَّهِ دَرُّ مَجالِسٍ نُغِّصتَها
بَينَbetween الجُنَينَةِal-Junaynah وَالخَليجِand the canal الناكِبِbending aside
بَينَ الجُنَينَةِ وَالخَليجِ الناكِبِ
How splendid the gatherings whose pleasure was spoiled for you,
Between al-Junaynah and the bending canal.
أَينَwhere الَّذينَthose whom تَزورُyou visit كُلَّevery عَشِيَّةٍevening
أَينَ الَّذينَ تَزورُ كُلَّ عَشِيَّةٍ
يَأتيكَcomes to you آدِبُهُمtheir inviter to a feast وَإِنand even if لَمnot تَأدُبِyou invite to a feast
يَأتيكَ آدِبُهُم وَإِن لَم تَأدُبِ
Where are those you would visit every evening,
Whose host would come to you even if you offered no invitation?
ذَهَبواthey are gone وَأَمسىand is now ماwhat تَذَكَّرُyou recall مِنهُمُof them
ذَهَبوا وَأَمسى ما تَذَكَّرُ مِنهُمُ
هَيهاتَfar away! مَنwhoever قَدalready ماتَhas died لَيسَis not بِذاهِبِgone away
هَيهاتَ مَن قَد ماتَ لَيسَ بِذاهِبِ
They are gone, and what you recall of them is now—
Far away! One who has died is not merely gone.
مَنَعَتكَshe has denied you أُمُّUmm (mother of) مُحَمَّدٍMuhammad مَعروفَهاher favors
مَنَعَتكَ أُمُّ مُحَمَّدٍ مَعروفَها
إِلّاexcept الخَيالَthe dream-phantom وَبِئسَand wretched is حَظُّthe lot of الغائِبِthe absent one
إِلّا الخَيالَ وَبِئسَ حَظُّ الغائِبِ
Umm Muhammad has denied you her favors,
Except her dream-phantom—a wretched portion for the absent!
نَزَلَتshe settled عَلىby بَرَدىBarada وَأَنتَwhile you مُجاوِرٌdwelling beside
نَزَلَت عَلى بَرَدى وَأَنتَ مُجاوِرٌ
حَفرَHafar البُصَيرَةِal-Busayrah كَالغَريبِlike a stranger العاتِبِreproachful
حَفرَ البُصَيرَةِ كَالغَريبِ العاتِبِ
She has settled by the Barada, while you dwell beside
Hafar al-Busayrah, like a reproachful stranger.
لاnot تَشتَهيyou crave طُرَفَrare delights النَعيمِof luxury وَتَشتَهيand you crave
لا تَشتَهي طُرَفَ النَعيمِ وَتَشتَهي
طَيَّtraversing البِلادِthe lands بِأَرحَبِيٍّon an Arhabi camel شاحِبِgaunt
طَيَّ البِلادِ بِأَرحَبِيٍّ شاحِبِ
You crave no rare delights of luxury, but crave
To traverse the lands on a gaunt Arhabi camel.
وَإِذاand when أَرَدتَyou wish طِلاعَto see أُمِّUmm (mother of) مُحَمَّدٍMuhammad
وَإِذا أَرَدتَ طِلاعَ أُمِّ مُحَمَّدٍ
غَلَبَprevails القَضاءُfate وَشُؤمُand the ill omen of عَبدِAbd (servant of) الواهِبِal-Wahib (the Bestower)
غَلَبَ القَضاءُ وَشُؤمُ عَبدِ الواهِبِ
And when you wish to see Umm Muhammad,
Fate prevails, and Abd al-Wahib's ill omen with it.
عِلَلُthe excuses of النِساءِwomen إِذاwhen اِعتَلَلنَthey make excuses كَثيرَةٌare many
عِلَلُ النِساءِ إِذا اِعتَلَلنَ كَثيرَةٌ
وَسَماحُهُنَّand their generosity مِنَamong العَجيبِthe marvelous العاجِبِthe astonishing
وَسَماحُهُنَّ مِنَ العَجيبِ العاجِبِ
Women's excuses, when they make excuses, are many,
And their generosity is a wonder of wonders.
فَاِصبِرso be patient عَلىwith زَمَنٍan age نَباdealt harshly بِكَwith you رَيبُهُits vicissitudes
فَاِصبِر عَلى زَمَنٍ نَبا بِكَ رَيبُهُ
لَيسَis not السُرورُjoy لَناfor us بِحَتمٍa certainty واجِبِobligatory
لَيسَ السُرورُ لَنا بِحَتمٍ واجِبِ
So bear with an age whose vicissitudes have dealt harshly with you;
Joy is not a certainty owed to us.
وَلَقَدand indeed أَزورُI visit عَلىfor الهَوىlove وَيَزورُنيand visits me
وَلَقَد أَزورُ عَلى الهَوى وَيَزورُني
قَمَرُthe moon of المَجَرَّةِthe Milky Way فيin مَجاسِدِgarments worn next to the skin كاعِبِa swelling-breasted maiden
قَمَرُ المَجَرَّةِ في مَجاسِدِ كاعِبِ
And indeed, I would visit for love, and be visited by
The Milky Way's moon in a swelling-breasted maiden's robes,
أَيّامَin the days when أَتَّبِعُI follow الصِباyouthful play وَيَقودُنيand leads me
أَيّامَ أَتَّبِعُ الصِبا وَيَقودُني
صَوتُthe sound of المَزاهِرِthe lutes وَاليَراعِand the reed pipe القاصِبِpiping
صَوتُ المَزاهِرِ وَاليَراعِ القاصِبِ
In the days I followed youthful play and was led
By the sound of lutes and the piping reed.
سَقياًmay rain fall لِأُمِّupon Umm (mother of) مُحَمَّدٍMuhammad سَقياًmay rain fall لَهاupon her
سَقياً لِأُمِّ مُحَمَّدٍ سَقياً لَها
إِذwhen نَحنُwe فيin لَعِبِthe play of الشَبابِyouth اللاعِبِplayful
إِذ نَحنُ في لَعِبِ الشَبابِ اللاعِبِ
May rain bless Umm Muhammad—may rain bless her,
When we were amid the games of playful youth.
بَيضاءَfair-skinned صافِيَةَclear الأَديمِof skin تَرَعرَعَتshe grew up
بَيضاءَ صافِيَةَ الأَديمِ تَرَعرَعَت
فيin جِلدِthe skin of لُؤلُؤَةٍa pearl وَعِفَّةِand the chastity of راهِبِa monk
في جِلدِ لُؤلُؤَةٍ وَعِفَّةِ راهِبِ
Fair, clear of skin, she grew up
In a pearl's skin and a monk's chastity.
فَإِذاso when اِمتَرَيتَyou milk لَبونَthe milch-camel of أُمِّUmm (mother of) مُحَمَّدٍMuhammad
فَإِذا اِمتَرَيتَ لَبونَ أُمِّ مُحَمَّدٍ
رَجَعَتreturns يَمينُكَyour right hand بِالحِلابِwith the milking bowl الخائِبِempty
رَجَعَت يَمينُكَ بِالحِلابِ الخائِبِ
So when you milk Umm Muhammad's milch-camel,
Your right hand returns with an empty milking bowl.
فَاِرجِعso turn back كَماas رَجَعَturned back الكَريمُthe noble man وَلاand do not تَكُنbe
فَاِرجِع كَما رَجَعَ الكَريمُ وَلا تَكُن
كَمُقارِفٍlike one committing ذَنباًa sin وَلَيسَand is not بِتائِبِrepentant
كَمُقارِفٍ ذَنباً وَلَيسَ بِتائِبِ
So turn back as a noble man turns back, and do not be
Like one who commits a sin and does not repent.
وَرَضيتَand you were content مِنafter طولِthe length of الرَجاءِhope بِيَأسِهِwith despair of it
وَرَضيتَ مِن طولِ الرَجاءِ بِيَأسِهِ
وَاليَأسُand despair أَمثَلُbetter مِنthan عِداتِthe promises of الكاذِبِthe liar
وَاليَأسُ أَمثَلُ مِن عِداتِ الكاذِبِ
And after long hope, you have accepted despair of it;
And despair is better than a liar's promises.
Sol 6.1