ياO صاحِfriend قُمrise فَاِسقِنيso give me drink بِالكَأسِfrom the cup إِعراباunmixed
يا صاحِ قُم فَاِسقِني بِالكَأسِ إِعرابا
وَلاand do not تُطِعheed عاقِباًa reprover فيناconcerning us وَعَقّاباand a harsh chastiser
وَلا تُطِع عاقِباً فينا وَعَقّابا
O friend, rise and give me unmixed wine from the cup.
O friend, arise and pour me a cup to set me free,
And heed neither one who reproves us nor a harsh chastiser.
And heed not the blamer or the watcher scornfully.
إِنَّindeed الهَوىlove حَسَنٌgood حَتّىuntil تُدَنِّسَهُyou sully it
إِنَّ الهَوى حَسَنٌ حَتّى تُدَنِّسَهُ
فَاِطلُبso seek هَواكَyour love سَتيراًdiscreetly وَاِرعَand care for أَحباباloved ones
فَاِطلُب هَواكَ سَتيراً وَاِرعَ أَحبابا
Love is good until you sully it.
Passion is sweet until it is profaned;
So seek your love discreetly, and cherish your loved ones.
Then seek it discreetly and fence those you love tenderly.
وَاِحفَظand guard لِسانَكَyour tongue فيamong الواشينَthe tale-bearers إِنَّindeed لَهُمthey have
وَاِحفَظ لِسانَكَ في الواشينَ إِنَّ لَهُم
عَيناًan eye تَرودُroams وَتَنفيراًand causing estrangement وَإِلهاباand inflaming
عَيناً تَرودُ وَتَنفيراً وَإِلهابا
And guard your tongue among tale-bearers, for they have
Guard your tongue from the talebearers for slanderers have
An eye that roams, and the power to estrange and inflame.
Keen ears to hear, rancor to spread and rage to fan.
لاdo not تُفشِdivulge سِرَّthe secret of فَتاةٍa maiden كُنتَyou were تَألَفُهاcherishing her
لا تُفشِ سِرَّ فَتاةٍ كُنتَ تَألَفُها
إِنَّindeed الكَريمَthe noble man لَهاfor her راعٍa guardian وَإِنand even if تاباhe repents
إِنَّ الكَريمَ لَها راعٍ وَإِن تابا
Do not divulge the secret of a maiden you once cherished.
Betray no girl’s secret if her love you shared;
The noble man protects her, even if he repents.
The noble soul keeps faith though the other may defame it angrily.
وَاِسعَدand take joy بِماin what قالَhe said فيabout الحِلمِforbearance اِبنُson ذيpossessor of يَزَنٍYazan
وَاِسعَد بِما قالَ في الحِلمِ اِبنُ ذي يَزَنٍ
يَلهوrevel الكِرامُthe noble وَلاand do not يَنسَونَforget أَحساباancestral honor
يَلهو الكِرامُ وَلا يَنسَونَ أَحسابا
And delight in what Ibn Dhi Yazan said of forbearance:
Rejoice in the maxim on tolerance from Zi Yazan’s wise son:
The noble revel, but do not forget their ancestral honor.
“The noble make merry but forget not their dignity.”
جَدُّgood fortune اِمرِئٍof a man جارَهُprotected him مِنfrom كُلِّevery فاضِحَةٍdisgrace
جَدُّ اِمرِئٍ جارَهُ مِن كُلِّ فاضِحَةٍ
فَاِنهَضso rise بِجَدٍّwith good fortune تَنَلyou attain جاهاًstatus وَإِكساباand gain
فَاِنهَض بِجَدٍّ تَنَل جاهاً وَإِكسابا
A man's good fortune guards him from every disgrace.
Shield your neighbor’s honor from each shameless tongue,
So rise with good fortune, and gain status and profit.
And you shall rise in esteem and gain prosperity.
قَدindeed شَفَّنيhas wasted me حَزَنٌsorrow ضاقَgrew constricted الفُؤادُthe heart بِهِby it
قَد شَفَّني حَزَنٌ ضاقَ الفُؤادُ بِهِ
وَسَرَّنيand gladdened me زائِرٌa visitor فيin النَومِsleep مُنتاباreturning to visit
وَسَرَّني زائِرٌ في النَومِ مُنتابا
Sorrow has wasted me, constricting my heart.
Grief has overwhelmed me and anguish fills my heart,
And a visitor gladdened me, returning in my sleep.
Yet a visitor came in my dream to console me tenderly.
باتَتshe spent the night عَروساًa bride وَبِتناand we spent the night مُعرِسينَwedded بِهاto her
باتَت عَروساً وَبِتنا مُعرِسينَ بِها
حَتّىuntil رَأَيناwe saw بَياضَthe whiteness of الصُبحِdawn مُنجاباunveiled
حَتّى رَأَينا بَياضَ الصُبحِ مُنجابا
She spent the night a bride, and we spent it wedded to her,
A bride she was when we lay down but ere morn rose
Until we saw the whiteness of dawn unveiled.
We saw the first light of day break clear brilliantly.
وَقائِلٍand a speaker نامَhe slept عَنaway from أَسماءَAsma شاكِيَةًcomplaining
وَقائِلٍ نامَ عَن أَسماءَ شاكِيَةً
لاmay not نَوَّمَتshe lull to sleep عَينَهُhis eye إِنif كانَhe was كَذّاباa liar
لا نَوَّمَت عَينَهُ إِن كانَ كَذّابا
And someone said, 'He slept, neglecting Asma while she complained.'
And if the slanderer slept denying Asma’s name,
May she not lull his eye to sleep if he is a liar!
No sleep weighed down his eyes if he lied outrageously.
ماnot زِلتُI ceased فيin الغَمِّgrief مِنfrom وِردٍa bout of fever يُقَلِّبُهاtosses her about
ما زِلتُ في الغَمِّ مِن وِردٍ يُقَلِّبُها
كَأَنَّنيas though I فيهِin it لاnot أَلقىI find لَهُfor it باباa door
كَأَنَّني فيهِ لا أَلقى لَهُ بابا
I have remained in grief over a fever that tosses her about,
Long have I remained in grief, ceaselessly turning it over,
As though I could find no doorway out of it.
As though no egress from it can I possibly see.
بَلbut كَيفَhow أُسقىam I given drink عَلىupon الرَيحانِsweet basil مُتَّكِئاًreclining
بَل كَيفَ أُسقى عَلى الرَيحانِ مُتَّكِئاً
وَقَدand already تَعَلَّقتُI clung مِنfrom أَسماءَAsma أَسباباbonds
وَقَد تَعَلَّقتُ مِن أَسماءَ أَسبابا
But how can I be served drink, reclining on sweet basil,
How can I recline on sweet basil when still I cling
When I have clung to bonds with Asma?
To the train of Asma’s dress so desperately?
عادَreturned الهَوىlove بِلِقاءِthrough meeting الغُرِّthe radiant women مِنof جُشَمٍJusham
عادَ الهَوى بِلِقاءِ الغُرِّ مِن جُشَمٍ
يَمشينَthey walk تَحتَbeneath الغَمامِthe clouds الغُرِّwhite أَتراباequal in age
يَمشينَ تَحتَ الغَمامِ الغُرِّ أَترابا
Love returned on meeting the radiant women of Jusham,
Passion returns with the cheeks’ soft sheen of Judham girls
Walking beneath white clouds, all of an age.
Who walk beneath the clouds, their veils fluttering wantonly.
عُلِّقتُI was enamored مِنهُنَّamong them شَمسَthe sun of الدَجنِclouded skies أَوor قَمَراًa moon
عُلِّقتُ مِنهُنَّ شَمسَ الدَجنِ أَو قَمَراً
غَداappeared لَناbefore us لابِساًwearing دِرعاًa shift وَجِلباباand a cloak
غَدا لَنا لابِساً دِرعاً وَجِلبابا
Among them I fell in love with the sun of clouded skies—or a moon
For one like the sun or moon in Djinn’s valley I’m lost
That appeared before us wearing a shift and a cloak.
Though tomorrow he don armor or robe Arabianly.
لاnot أَشتَهيI desire بِهَواهُin exchange for its love جَنَّةًa paradise أُنُفاًuntouched
لا أَشتَهي بِهَواهُ جَنَّةً أُنُفاً
وَلَوand even if تَدَلَّتit hung down لَناfor us تيناًfigs وَأَعناباand grapes
وَلَو تَدَلَّت لَنا تيناً وَأَعنابا
I would not trade love of that moon for an untouched paradise,
I want not by passion a reluctant paradise
Even if its figs and grapes hung down for us.
Though grapes and figs should hang above conveniently.
لِلَّهِto God دَرُّexcellence فَتاةٍof a maiden مِنfrom بَنيthe sons of جُشَمٍJusham
لِلَّهِ دَرُّ فَتاةٍ مِن بَني جُشَمٍ
ماhow أَحسَنَbeautiful العَينَthe eye وَالخَدَّينِand the two cheeks وَالناباand the canine tooth
ما أَحسَنَ العَينَ وَالخَدَّينِ وَالنابا
God bless the maiden of Banu Jusham!
Praiseworthy is a Juasham girl with beautiful eyes
How lovely her eye, her two cheeks, and her canine tooth!
And cheeks and mouth perfect harmoniously.
تُريكَshe shows you فيin القَولِspeech جَشّاباًjashshab (unclear) وَإِنand if ضَحِكَتshe laughs
تُريكَ في القَولِ جَشّاباً وَإِن ضَحِكَت
أَرَتكَshe showed you مِنfrom ثَغرِهاher mouth المَثلوجِsnow-white جَشّاباjashshab (unclear)
أَرَتكَ مِن ثَغرِها المَثلوجِ جَشّابا
She shows you 'jashshab' in speech [meaning unclear], and if she laughs,
Her talk shows you a pert coquette; if she but smiled
She shows you 'jashshab' from her snow-white mouth [meaning unclear].
Her brilliant teeth appeared in order charmingly.
بَداappeared لَناto us مَنظَرٌa sight مِنهاof her اِعتَبَرتُI reflected بِهِon it
بَدا لَنا مَنظَرٌ مِنها اِعتَبَرتُ بِهِ
وَشاهِدُand testimony المِسكَof musk يَلقيbrings الأَنفَthe nose ماwhat غَاباwas hidden
وَشاهِدُ المِسكَ يَلقي الأَنفَ ما غَابا
A glimpse of her appeared before us, and I reflected on it.
A scene she made me contemplate and learn from;
And musk's testimony brings the nose what lay hidden.
To look on musk the nostrils gladly yield effusively.
قَدindeed زُيِّنَتshe was adorned بِالمُحَيّاby the countenance صورَةًin form عَجَباًwondrous
قَد زُيِّنَت بِالمُحَيّا صورَةً عَجَباً
وَزانَهاand adorned her كَفَلٌa rump رابٍample وَماand did not عاباmar
وَزانَها كَفَلٌ رابٍ وَما عابا
She has been adorned with a face of wondrous beauty,
With kohl she adorned herself, a marvelous picture,
And her ample rump adorns her, rather than marring her.
While manners enhanced her, no fault diminishing womanly.
إِذاwhen رَآهاthey see her نِساءُthe women of الحَيِّthe clan قُلنَthey say لَهاto her
إِذا رَآها نِساءُ الحَيِّ قُلنَ لَها
سُبحانَglory be to مَنthe One who صاغَهاfashioned her يُغرِقنَthey go to excess إِطناباin lavish praise
سُبحانَ مَن صاغَها يُغرِقنَ إِطنابا
When the women of the clan see her, they say to her,
When the women of the tribe saw her, they cried:
'Glory to Him who fashioned her!'—lavishing extravagant praise.
“Glory to Him who molded her extravagantly!”
كَأَنَّماas though خُلِقَتshe was created مِنfrom جِلدِthe skin of لُؤلُؤَةٍa pearl
كَأَنَّما خُلِقَت مِن جِلدِ لُؤلُؤَةٍ
نَفساًa breath مِنَof العِطرِperfume إِنif حَرَّكتَهاyou stir her ثاباit returns
نَفساً مِنَ العِطرِ إِن حَرَّكتَها ثابا
As though she were made from the skin of a pearl,
As if she was made of a pearl’s fragile substance,
A breath of perfume that returns whenever you stir her.
Her breath all perfume should she stir it daintily.
يَطيبُgrows sweet مِسواكُهاher tooth-cleaning twig مِنfrom طيبِthe sweetness of ريقَتِهاher saliva
يَطيبُ مِسواكُها مِن طيبِ ريقَتِها
وَإِنand if أَلَمَّtouched بِجِلدٍupon skin جِلدُهاher skin طاباit grew fragrant
وَإِن أَلَمَّ بِجِلدٍ جِلدُها طابا
Her tooth-cleaning twig grows sweet from her sweet saliva,
The scent of her gums is the scent of her saliva
And if her skin touches any skin, that skin grows fragrant.
And where her skin touches, the touch is fragrant heavenly.
تِلكَthat woman الَّتيwho أَرجَلَتنيunhorsed me بِالهَوىthrough love سَنَةًfor a year
تِلكَ الَّتي أَرجَلَتني بِالهَوى سَنَةً
وَكُنتُand I was لِلمُهرَةِof the filly الحَسناءِthe lovely رَكاباa rider
وَكُنتُ لِلمُهرَةِ الحَسناءِ رَكابا
She is the one who unhorsed me through love for a year,
She who enthralled me with love one year
And I had been a rider of the lovely filly.
When for the lovely brunette I was wont to wait patiently.
لَمdid not أَنسَهاI forget her طالَعَتshe peered out مِنfrom تَحتِbeneath كِلَّتِهاher bed-curtain
لَم أَنسَها طالَعَت مِن تَحتِ كِلَّتِها
فَأَعلَقَتso she enamored عامِرِيّاًan Amirite بَعدَafter ماhe had شاباgrown gray
فَأَعلَقَت عامِرِيّاً بَعدَ ما شابا
I have not forgotten her peering out beneath her bed-curtain,
I'll ne’er forget when from beneath her mantle
Thus ensnaring an Amirite after he had grown gray.
She looked, enslaving Amir after he turned gray staidly.
ياO أَسمُAsm (Asma) جوديbe generous بِمَعروفٍwith kindness نَعيشُwe live بِهِby it
يا أَسمُ جودي بِمَعروفٍ نَعيشُ بِهِ
وَلاand do not تَكونيbe لَناto us حَرباًwar وَأَوصاباand afflictions
وَلا تَكوني لَنا حَرباً وَأَوصابا
O Asma, bestow a kindness by which we may live,
O goodness of Judd, be kind and we'll live virtuously;
And do not be war and affliction to us.
And be no enemy of ours, no hardship forcing wrathfully.
وَاللَهِby God أَنساكِI forget you ياO أَسماءُAsma ماas long as طَرَفَتblinks
وَاللَهِ أَنساكِ يا أَسماءُ ما طَرَفَت
عَينيmy eye وَماand as long as قَرقَرَcoos القُمرِيُّthe turtledove إِطراباgiving delight
عَيني وَما قَرقَرَ القُمرِيُّ إِطرابا
By God, I shall not forget you, Asma, so long as
By God, Asma, I've not forgotten you since my eye espied you
My eye blinks, and the turtledove coos delightfully.
And the full moon rose scintillating ecstatically.
Sol 6.1