ماwhy لِلدموعِwith the tears تسيلُthey flow سيلَthe flowing of الواديthe valley
ما لِلدموعِ تسيلُ سيلَ الوادي
أَحَدىdid ... urge onward with song? بِرَكبِwith the caravan of العامِرِيَّةِthe ʿAmiriyya حاديa camel-driver
أَحَدى بِرَكبِ العامِرِيَّةِ حادي
Why do the tears flow like a valley's torrent?
Has a camel-driver urged the ʿAmiriyya's caravan onward with song?
نِعمَyes اِستغَلّواthey took advantage ظاعِنينَdeparting وخَلَّفواand they left behind
نِعمَ اِستغَلّوا ظاعِنينَ وخَلَّفوا
ناراًa fire لهاit has فيin القَلبِthe heart قدَحُstriking sparks زِنادِfire-steels
ناراً لها في القَلبِ قدَحُ زِنادِ
Yes, they took advantage as they departed, and left behind
a fire kindled within the heart by striking fire-steel.
ماhow! كانwas أَطيَبَsweetest لِلوداعِat farewell عِناقَناour embrace
ما كان أَطيَبَ لِلوداعِ عِناقَنا
لَوif لَمnot يَكُنhad been مِنّاbetween us عِناقُan embrace بِعادِof separation
لَو لَم يَكُن مِنّا عِناقُ بِعادِ
How sweet our farewell embrace would have been,
had our embrace not been one of separation.
ليI have بالعَقيقِat al-ʿAqiq سَقىmay ... water العَقيقُal-ʿAqiq غَمامَةًa cloud
لي بالعَقيقِ سَقى العَقيقُ غَمامَةً
قَلبٌa heart أَسيرٌcaptive ماnot لَهُit has مِنany فادِransomer
قَلبٌ أَسيرٌ ما لَهُ مِن فادِ
At al-ʿAqiq—may a cloud water al-ʿAqiq—I have
a captive heart with no one to ransom it.
سَلَبتهُstole it مِنّيfrom me يَومَon the day of راحَةrest مُقلَةٌan eye
سَلَبتهُ مِنّي يَومَ راحَة مُقلَةٌ
مَكحولَةٌkohl-darkened أَجفانهاits eyelids بِسَوادِwith blackness
مَكحولَةٌ أَجفانها بِسَوادِ
An eye stole it from me on a day of repose,
its eyelids darkened with black kohl.
ياO سائِقَdriver of الوَجناءِthe sturdy she-camel غيرَnot مُقَصِّرٍfalling short
يا سائِقَ الوَجناءِ غيرَ مُقَصِّرٍ
يَطويhe traverses المَفاوِزَthe deserts مِنof رُبىhills وَوهادِand hollows
يَطوي المَفاوِزَ مِن رُبى وَوهادِ
O tireless driver of the sturdy she-camel,
who traverses the deserts, their hills and hollows,
ماnot ليI have إِلَيكَof you سِوىexcept التَحِيَّةthe greeting حاجَةa request
ما لي إِلَيكَ سِوى التَحِيَّة حاجَة
تَلقىyou meet سُعادَSuʿad بِهاwith it وَدارَand the dwelling of سُعادِSuʿad
تَلقى سُعادَ بِها وَدارَ سُعادِ
I have no request of you but a greeting
with which to greet Suʿad and Suʿad's dwelling.
عرِّجturn aside بِرامَةَto Rama إِنَّindeed رامَةَRama مُنتَهىthe utmost reach of
عرِّج بِرامَةَ إِنَّ رامَةَ مُنتَهى
أَمَليmy hope وَغايَةَand the goal of بُغيَتيmy quest وَمُراديand my desire
أَمَلي وَغايَةَ بُغيَتي وَمُرادي
Turn aside to Rama, for Rama is the utmost reach
of my hope, the goal of my quest and my desire.
لِلَهِto God (exclamation) صَبٌّa lovesick lover بِالعِراقِin Iraq مُتَيَّمٌenslaved by love
لِلَهِ صَبٌّ بِالعِراقِ مُتَيَّمٌ
ظامٍthirsting إِلىfor ماءِthe water of المُحَصَّبِal-Muhassab صاديparched
ظامٍ إِلى ماءِ المُحَصَّبِ صادي
God help a lovesick man in Iraq, enslaved by love,
thirsting for the water of al-Muhassab, parched.
يَشتاقُhe longs for مِنfrom بَغدادَBaghdad بانَmoringa trees طُوَيلِعٍTuwayliʿ
يَشتاقُ مِن بَغدادَ بانَ طُوَيلِعٍ
هَيهاتَfar indeed! اِبنَthe son of البانthe moringa tree مِنfrom بَغدادِBaghdad
هَيهاتَ اِبنَ البان مِن بَغدادِ
From Baghdad he longs for Tuwayliʿ's bān-trees;
how far the bān-tree's son is from Baghdad!
كُلُّall المَنازِلِthe dwellings وَالبِلادِand the lands عَزيزَةٌare dear
كُلُّ المَنازِلِ وَالبِلادِ عَزيزَةٌ
عِنديto me وَلاbut not كَمواطِنيlike my homelands وَبِلاديand my land
عِندي وَلا كَمواطِني وَبِلادي
Every dwelling and every land is dear
to me, but none like my own homes and land.
وَمرَنَّحِand swaying الأَعطافِof limb تَحسُدُهُenvy him القَناthe spears
وَمرَنَّحِ الأَعطافِ تَحسُدُهُ القَنا
عِندَat اِهتِزازِthe swaying of قَوامِهِhis stature المَيّادِsupple and swaying
عِندَ اِهتِزازِ قَوامِهِ المَيّادِ
And a swaying-limbed beloved, whom the spears envy
when his supple figure sways—
صَنَمٌan idol أَباحَmade lawful لِيَfor me الضَلالَةَstraying وَجهُهُhis face
صَنَمٌ أَباحَ لِيَ الضَلالَةَ وَجهُهُ
وَمِنَand among العَجائِبِthe marvels أَنthat يضلَّshould lead astray الهاديthe guide
وَمِنَ العَجائِبِ أَن يضلَّ الهادي
an idol whose face made straying lawful for me;
among marvels is that the guide should lead astray.
لَولاهُbut for him ماnot عُرِفَwould be known السُهّادُsleeplessness وَلَمnor أَبِتwould I pass the night
لَولاهُ ما عُرِفَ السُهّادُ وَلَم أَبِت
وَالشَوقُand longing حُشوthe filling of حُشاَinmost soul (word fragment) شَتيmy (completion of preceding word) وَوِساديand my pillow
وَالشَوقُ حُشو حُشاَ شَتي وَوِسادي
But for him, sleeplessness would be unknown, nor would I pass the night
with longing filling my inmost soul and my pillow.
ياO أَيُّهاyou الرَشَأُthe fawn الَّذيwho بِلِحاظِهِin his glances
يا أَيُّها الرَشَأُ الَّذي بِلِحاظِهِ
دَعَجٌdeep blackness يَصولُhe charges بِهِwith it عَلىagainst الآسادِthe lions
دَعَجٌ يَصولُ بِهِ عَلى الآسادِ
O fawn, in whose glances
lies a deep darkness with which he assails lions,
وَطَبيبُand physician of أَسقاميmy ailments إِذاwhen ماemphasis أَصبَحَتthey begin
وَطَبيبُ أَسقامي إِذا ما أَصبَحَت
تَبكيto weep عَلَيَّover me مِنَbecause of الضَنىwasting illness عُوّاديmy sickbed visitors
تَبكي عَلَيَّ مِنَ الضَنى عُوّادي
and physician of my ailments, when
my visitors begin to weep over me from my wasting illness—
اللَهَGod! (an appeal) فيconcerning كَبِديmy liver الَّتيwhich أَحرَقتَهاyou have burned it
اللَهَ في كَبِدي الَّتي أَحرَقتَها
عَبَثاًwantonly بِجَمرَةِwith the ember of خَدِّكَyour cheek الوَقّادِblazing
عَبَثاً بِجَمرَةِ خَدِّكَ الوَقّادِ
for God's sake, spare my liver, which you have burned
wantonly with the ember of your blazing cheek!
ماwhat ليhave I وَلِلأَيّامِand with the days ونَجَunclear in the supplied text صُروفُهاtheir vicissitudes
ما لي وَلِلأَيّامِ ونَجَ صُروفُها
أَبَداًforever تُلاحِظُنيthey watch me بِعَينِwith an eye of عِنادِhostility
أَبَداً تُلاحِظُني بِعَينِ عِنادِ
What have I to do with the days—[unclear word]—whose vicissitudes
forever watch me with a hostile eye?
لاno مُسعِدٌhelper يُرجىto be hoped for وَلاnor متَوَجَّعُsympathizer
لا مُسعِدٌ يُرجى وَلا متَوَجَّعُ
تَشكيyou complain إِلَيهِto him حَرارَةَthe burning of الأَكبادِthe livers
تَشكي إِلَيهِ حَرارَةَ الأَكبادِ
No helper to hope for, nor any sympathizer
to whom you can complain of the livers' burning.
وَمِنَand among العَجائِبِthe marvels أَنthat أضيقَI should feel straitened بأربِلin Erbil
وَمِنَ العَجائِبِ أَن أضيقَ بأربِل
ذَرعاًin endurance وَرُكنُand Rukn الدينِal-Din رَحبُspacious الناديthe assembly hall
ذَرعاً وَرُكنُ الدينِ رَحبُ النادي
And it is a marvel that I should feel straitened in Erbil,
beyond endurance, while Rukn al-Din's hall is spacious.
اللَهُGod أَكبَرُis greatest كمhow many لِأَحمَدَbelonging to Ahmad نِعمَةٌa favor
اللَهُ أَكبَرُ كم لِأَحمَدَ نِعمَةٌ
تُجلىare displayed كَماlike الأَطواقthe necklaces فيupon الأَجيادِthe necks
تُجلى كَما الأَطواق في الأَجيادِ
God is greatest! How many favors Ahmad has bestowed,
displayed like necklaces upon necks!
كَالفَجرِlike the dawn يَومَon the day نَباhe rose وَكَالجَوزاءِand like the constellation al-Jawzaʾ يَوday (first fragment)
كَالفَجرِ يَومَ نَبا وَكَالجَوزاءِ يَو
مَday (final fragment) عَلاhe rose high وَكَالضِرغامand like the lion يَومَon the day of طِرادِcharging into battle
مَ عَلا وَكَالضِرغام يَومَ طِرادِ
Like dawn when he rose, and like al-Jawzaʾ on the
day he rose high, and like a lion on the day of combat.
لاno غَروَwonder إِنif كانَhe is الجَوادُthe generous one بِكُلّماwith all that
لا غَروَ إِن كانَ الجَوادُ بِكُلّما
تَحويhold يَداهُhis two hands فَهوَfor he is نَجلُthe son of جَوادِa generous man
تَحوي يَداهُ فَهوَ نَجلُ جَوادِ
No wonder if he is generous with all that
his hands hold, for he is a generous man's son.
إِنif شِئتَyou wish تَسأَلُto ask عَنabout عُلاهُhis eminence فَسَلthen ask
إِن شِئتَ تَسأَلُ عَن عُلاهُ فَسَل
بَيضاwhite swords مُهَنَّدَةًIndian-forged وَسُمرand brown صَعادِlance-shafts
بَيضا مُهَنَّدَةً وَسُمر صَعادِ
If you wish to ask about his eminence, ask
white Indian-forged swords and brown lance-shafts.
هَذاthis الَّذيis he who غَدَتِhave become اللَياليthe nights مِنهُthrough him كالlike the
هَذا الَّذي غَدَتِ اللَيالي مِنهُ كال
أَيّامِdays وَالأَيّامُand the days كَالأَعيادِlike festivals
أَيّامِ وَالأَيّامُ كَالأَعيادِ
This is he through whom the nights have become like the
days, and the days like festivals.
بِالسَيفِwith the sword أَحسَنthe finest ضارِبٍstriker وَالمالand with wealth أَكmost generous (first fragment)
بِالسَيفِ أَحسَن ضارِبٍ وَالمال أَك
رَمmost generous (completion) واهِبٍgiver وَالعِلمِand with knowledge أَوضَحُthe clearest هادِguide
رَم واهِبٍ وَالعِلمِ أَوضَحُ هادِ
With the sword, the finest striker; with wealth, the most
generous giver; with knowledge, the clearest guide.
ياO طالِبَseeker of الآمالِhopes يَختَرِقُwho crosses الفَلاthe wastelands
يا طالِبَ الآمالِ يَختَرِقُ الفَلا
ماthe span بَينَbetween اِتِّهامٍentering Tihama إِلىto اِنجادِentering Najd
ما بَينَ اِتِّهامٍ إِلى اِنجادِ
O seeker of hopes, who crosses the wastelands
from entering Tihama to entering Najd,
هَجِرَhe forsook الهَجيرُthe noonday heat مُهاجِراًmigrating عَنfrom أَرضِهِhis land
هَجِرَ الهَجيرُ مُهاجِراً عَن أَرضِهِ
يَدنوdraws near لَهُto him وادٍa valley وَيَبعُدُand grows distant واديa valley
يَدنو لَهُ وادٍ وَيَبعُدُ وادي
forsaking the noonday heat, migrating from his land,
one valley draws near him, while another recedes.
يَبغيhe seeks الكِرامthe generous الغرّthe illustrious أَربابlords of العُلاeminence
يَبغي الكِرام الغرّ أَرباب العُلا
المُحسِنينthe benefactors المُطعِمينَthose who feed الزادِprovisions
المُحسِنين المُطعِمينَ الزادِ
He seeks illustrious generous men, lords of eminence,
the benefactors who feed others with provisions.
عَرِّجturn aside بِأَحمَدَto Ahmad تَلقَyou will find عِزّاًglory باذِخاًtowering
عَرِّج بِأَحمَدَ تَلقَ عِزّاً باذِخاً
وَبَلوغand fulfillment of آمالٍhopes وَنَيلand attainment of مُرادِdesire
وَبَلوغ آمالٍ وَنَيل مُرادِ
Turn aside to Ahmad: you will find towering glory,
hopes fulfilled and desire attained.
ياأَيُّهاO you المَولىthe master الَّذيwho عَنfrom كَفِّهِhis hand
ياأَيُّها المَولى الَّذي عَن كَفِّهِ
يُروىis narrated حَديثُthe tradition of الجودِgenerosity بِالإِسنادِwith a chain of transmission
يُروى حَديثُ الجودِ بِالإِسنادِ
O master, from whose hand
the tradition of generosity is narrated with its chain of transmission,
أَشكوكَI complain to you حالاًof a plight لاmay you not رَمَيتَbe struck بِمِثلِهاwith its like
أَشكوكَ حالاً لا رَمَيتَ بِمِثلِها
لاmay you not تَبتَليbe tried بِشَهامَةِby the boldness of الحُسّادِthe envious
لا تَبتَلي بِشَهامَةِ الحُسّادِ
I complain to you of a plight—may you never be struck by its like,
never tried by the boldness of the envious.
حاشاfar be it from سَجيَّتَكَyour nature الكَريمَةnoble أَنthat تَحِدit should stray
حاشا سَجيَّتَكَ الكَريمَة أَن تَحِد
عَنfrom مَنهَجِthe path of الإِسعافِassistance وَالإِسعادِand bringing happiness
عَن مَنهَجِ الإِسعافِ وَالإِسعادِ
Far be it from your noble nature to stray
from the path of assistance and happiness.
فَبِفَضلِكَso through your bounty المَحروسِsafeguarded أَصبَحَthere has come to be ليfor me عُلاًeminence
فَبِفَضلِكَ المَحروسِ أَصبَحَ لي عُلاً
تَرنوgaze إِلَيهِat it أَعيُنُthe eyes of الأَضدادِthe adversaries
تَرنو إِلَيهِ أَعيُنُ الأَضدادِ
Thus, through your safeguarded bounty, I have attained eminence
at which the eyes of adversaries gaze.
أَنتَyou الَّذيare he who لَولاbut for سَماحَةُthe generosity of كَفِّهِhis hand
أَنتَ الَّذي لَولا سَماحَةُ كَفِّهِ
لَمnot أُمسِwould I have become رَبَّmaster of مَطارِفٍfine cloaks وَتَلادِand inherited wealth
لَم أُمسِ رَبَّ مَطارِفٍ وَتَلادِ
You are he, but for the generosity of whose hand
I would not have become master of fine cloaks and inherited wealth.
بِالأَبلَجِby the radiant one الأَوضاحِof shining features بَلrather بِالفارِسِby the knight الthe
بِالأَبلَجِ الأَوضاحِ بَل بِالفارِسِ ال
حَجّاجِHajjaj يَومَon a day of نَدىbounty وَيَومَand on a day of جَلّادِcombat
حَجّاجِ يَومَ نَدى وَيَومَ جَلّادِ
By the radiant, bright-featured one—rather, by the knight,
al-Hajjaj, on days of bounty and days of combat,
حاميprotector of النَزيلِthe guest فَتىَman of الجَميلِgood deeds مَبلَغِfulfiller of الthe
حامي النَزيلِ فَتىَ الجَميلِ مَبلَغِ ال
أَمَلِhope الطَويلِfar-reaching مُجيبanswerer of كُلevery مُنادِcaller
أَمَلِ الطَويلِ مُجيب كُل مُنادِ
protector of the guest, man of good deeds, fulfiller of
far-reaching hope, answerer of every caller.
Sol 6.1