ونشوانةand a tipsy woman غيداءgraceful and supple ظاميةthirsty الحشاthe inner body
ونشوانة غيداء ظامية الحشا
وقامتُهاand her stature غُصْنٍa branch منof البانِthe bān tree مائدُswaying
وقامتُها غُصْنٍ من البانِ مائدُ
And a tipsy, graceful woman, parched within,
A slender, gazelle-like beauty with darkly alluring eyes,
And her stature is a swaying branch of the bān tree.
Her stature is like a supple bough of acacia wood.
وتَبُدِيand she shows جبنياًa forehead (apparent misspelling) يَفْضَحُputs to shame الشمسَthe sun نورُهُits light
وتَبُدِي جبنياً يَفْضَحُ الشمسَ نورُهُ
وفَرْعاًand tresses زَرَىput to shame بالليلِthe night وهوand it is أساوِدُblack serpents
وفَرْعاً زَرَى بالليلِ وهو أساوِدُ
She shows a forehead whose light puts the sun to shame,
She reveals a radiant cheek that outshines the sun,
And tresses that shame the night: black serpents.
And a delicate branch adorned at night with jet beads.
وواواتand wāw-shaped curls صُدغٍof a temple عندbeside رَوْضٍa garden بخَدّةِon a cheek
وواوات صُدغٍ عند رَوْضٍ بخَدّةِ
تفتَّحhave blossomed فيهin it وردُهُits roses وهوand it is عائدُreturning
تفتَّح فيه وردُهُ وهو عائدُ
And wāw-shaped temple curls beside a garden on her cheek,
Her dimpled cheeks near a meadow with soft down
Where its roses bloom and bloom again.
Where a rose blossoms, freshly returned.
وميمand a mīm-shaped mouth بهin it ماءُwater الحياةِof life تصونهguard it
وميم به ماءُ الحياةِ تصونه
عنfrom الرَّشْفِsipping أسيافٌswords حدادٌsharp نواضدُarrayed in rows
عن الرَّشْفِ أسيافٌ حدادٌ نواضدُ
And a mīm-shaped mouth holds the water of life, guarded
With lips like the water of life, guarded
From sipping by sharp swords arrayed in rows.
Against draining by keen, steadfast swords.
وتزهوand she glories بنحرٍin an upper chest كالسَجنْجَلِlike a mirror نَيِّرٍshining
وتزهو بنحرٍ كالسَجنْجَلِ نَيِّرٍ
تُنَاطare hung عقودٌstrings of jewels فَوْقَهabove it وقلائدُand necklaces
تُنَاط عقودٌ فَوْقَه وقلائدُ
She glories in a shining breast like a mirror,
She blossoms with a throat like a polished necklace,
Above which strings of jewels and necklaces are hung.
Adorned above with necklaces and amulets.
لهاshe has بَشْرةskin كالماءِlike water وهيand it is رهيدةٌdelicately soft
لها بَشْرة كالماءِ وهي رهيدةٌ
ثُؤَثِّرleave marks (apparent misspelling) فيهاupon it رَفْرَفٌfine drapery وَمَجاسدand undergarments
ثُؤَثِّر فيها رَفْرَفٌ وَمَجاسد
She has skin like water, delicate and soft;
Her complexion is like water, she is languorous,
Fine drapery and undergarments leave marks upon it.
Stirred by the fluttering of fans and waving kerchiefs.
تُماطلنيshe puts me off دَيْنيmy due وفيand in المطْلِdelay لذةٌdelight
تُماطلني دَيْني وفي المطْلِ لذةٌ
ولذّتُهand its delight شَهْدٌhoneycomb بهin it السُمُّpoison راصدlurking
ولذّتُه شَهْدٌ به السُمُّ راصد
She delays paying what she owes me, and delay holds delight;
She tantalizes me, prolonging my debt, and in her dallying is bliss,
And its delight is honeycomb, with poison lurking within.
Whose sweetness has poison, with desire lying in wait.
تُحرّمنيshe denies me وصلاunion عليّfor me محلّلاlawful
تُحرّمني وصلا عليّ محلّلا
ولاand not رَاعهاfrightened her واشٍa slanderer لجوجٌpersistent وحاسِدُand an envier
ولا رَاعها واشٍ لجوجٌ وحاسِدُ
She denies me a union lawful for me,
She denies me lawful union, though it is permitted me,
Though neither a persistent slanderer nor an envier has frightened her.
With no concern for the jealous and envious reproacher.
وإنيand I أسيرٌa captive فيin الهوىlove ومُتَيّمٌand love-enslaved
وإني أسيرٌ في الهوى ومُتَيّمٌ
وماليand I have no عليهagainst it فيin الغَرامِpassion مُسَاعِدُhelper
ومالي عليه في الغَرامِ مُسَاعِدُ
And I am a captive in love, utterly enthralled,
I wander lost in love and suffer separation,
And in my passion I have no helper against it.
With none to help me in my passion.
وإنand indeed دموعtears العاشقينof lovers لعبرةsurely teardrops
وإن دموع العاشقين لعبرة
ودمعيand my tears تبرraw gold وهوand it is بالخدon the cheek جامدcongealed
ودمعي تبر وهو بالخد جامد
And lovers' tears are indeed teardrops;
For the tears of lovers are telling,
But my tears are raw gold, congealed upon my cheek.
And my tears sincere though frozen on my cheek.
كماjust as هَطَلتْrained down كفُّthe hand ابنِson of سلطانSultan بالندىwith bounty
كما هَطَلتْ كفُّ ابنِ سلطان بالندى
ويشكيand complains الجَفَاof harsh treatment منهاfrom it طَرِيفٌnewly acquired wealth وتالِدُand inherited wealth
ويشكي الجَفَا منها طَرِيفٌ وتالِدُ
Just as Ibn Sultan's hand has rained down bounty,
As the hand of the noble son of Sultans dripped with dew,
And new and inherited wealth complain of harsh treatment at its hands.
He complained of her aloofness while the gastropod crept slowly.
سعيدSa'id نَمَتْهُbegot him سادةٌlords جَلَّwas great فَخْرُهُمْtheir glory
سعيد نَمَتْهُ سادةٌ جَلَّ فَخْرُهُمْ
وَخَافَand feared سراياهُhis detachments مُقِرّone who acknowledges وجَاحِدُand one who denies
وَخَافَ سراياهُ مُقِرّ وجَاحِدُ
Sa'id, descended from lords whose glory was great,
The nobility raised him, his greatness was manifest,
And acknowledgers and deniers alike feared his detachments.
And his close companions feared both ally and detractor.
إذاwhenever ماemphatic particle سعىhe goes forth والخلقand all people تحتbeneath ركابِهhis stirrups
إذا ما سعى والخلق تحت ركابِه
يسحّpours down لهمfor them منهfrom him جمانpearls ولائدyoung maidens
يسحّ لهم منه جمان ولائد
Whenever he goes forth, with all people beneath his stirrups,
When he marched forth the people were under his feet,
Pearls and young maidens pour down from him upon them.
His generosity raining favors and bounties upon them.
تُقرُّacknowledge لهto him الأعداءُthe enemies بالفضلِexcellence والثَناand praise
تُقرُّ له الأعداءُ بالفضلِ والثَنا
وليسand there is not لهfor him فيin دهرِهhis age قَطُّever حاسدُan envier
وليس له في دهرِه قَطُّ حاسدُ
His enemies acknowledge his excellence and praise,
Even enemies acknowledged his merit and praise,
And never in his age has he an envier.
In his time he had no envious rivals.
ولاand no مَلِكٌking فيin سالِفbygone الدهرtime مثلهlike him
ولا مَلِكٌ في سالِف الدهر مثله
إلىuntil الحَشْرِthe Resurrection لمnot تُنسلbear offspring سواهany other than him الخرائدُfair, modest maidens
إلى الحَشْرِ لم تُنسل سواه الخرائدُ
And no king in bygone times was like him;
No king in ancient times was his equal,
Until the Resurrection, fair maidens will bear no other like him.
Until the end, none were spawned but him.
هوhe المحسنthe beneficent one السلطانthe sultan والسيدand the lord الذيwho
هو المحسن السلطان والسيد الذي
لهfor him النصرvictory كفa hand والمعزةand honor ساعدُa forearm
له النصر كف والمعزة ساعدُ
He is the beneficent sultan and the lord for whom
He is the benefactor, the Sultan, the noble Lord,
Victory is a hand and honor a forearm.
For him is triumph of hand, and honor of arm.
فتىa young man هَزْهَزَshook الدنياءthe world حتىuntil اننشىgrew intoxicated (apparent misspelling) بهاwith it
فتى هَزْهَزَ الدنياء حتى اننشى بها
ويَرْجُفُand trembles منهbefore him بَدْرُهاits full moon والفَراقِدُand the Farqad stars
ويَرْجُفُ منه بَدْرُها والفَراقِدُ
A young man who rocked the world until he grew drunk on it,
He shook the world until it woke anew through him,
And its full moon and the Farqad stars tremble before him.
At his brilliance both moon and stars trembled.
كمّيan armored champion تخافfear الأسدُthe lions عندat لقائهmeeting him
كمّي تخاف الأسدُ عند لقائه
وتَقَصْرُand fall short عنهof him والمدىand the distance مُتباعِدُfar apart
وتَقَصْرُ عنه والمدى مُتباعِدُ
An armored champion whom lions fear to meet,
How the lion fears at the meeting with him,
And they fall short of him, the distance vast.
And falls short though the distance is great between them.
وتَشَوَّقَand he longed for الهيجاbattle إذاwhen حلَّcame ذِكْرُهاits mention
وتَشَوَّقَ الهيجا إذا حلَّ ذِكْرُها
كماas شَوَّقَstirred longing in الصاديthe thirsty man النزيفَexhausted الموارِدُwatering places
كما شَوَّقَ الصادي النزيفَ الموارِدُ
He longed for battle whenever mention of it came,
The restless yearned when his name was mentioned,
As watering places stirred longing in a parched, exhausted man.
As the thirsty yearn for the rain pouring from the clouds.
سَرَىtraveled by night وأتاهاand came to it منfrom ديارِlands بعيدةٍdistant
سَرَى وأتاها من ديارِ بعيدةٍ
وذَلَّتْand were humbled لهbefore him أبطالُهاits champions والقَوائدand commanders
وذَلَّتْ له أبطالُها والقَوائد
He journeyed by night and reached it from distant lands,
He attacked the lands from distant homelands,
And its champions and commanders were humbled before him.
Their warriors bowed down before him, their bands humbled.
ويَجْتَاحُهاand he sweeps through it والكمتand the bay horses فيin الجوِّthe air حُوَّمٌcircling
ويَجْتَاحُها والكمت في الجوِّ حُوَّمٌ
وسمرُand brown القناspear-shafts فيat الدّارعينthe armored men قواصدaiming straight
وسمرُ القنا في الدّارعين قواصد
He sweeps through it while bay horses wheel in the air,
He conquered as the black clouds massed in the firmament,
And brown spear-shafts aim straight at armored men.
And the simoom blazed on the coats of mail.
عَجَاجُdust-clouds الوغىof battle والسيفand the sword سحبclouds وبارقand lightning
عَجَاجُ الوغى والسيف سحب وبارق
وسيلand the torrent الدماof blood والضّربand the blows بحرa sea وراعدand thunder
وسيل الدما والضّرب بحر وراعد
The dust of battle and the sword are clouds and lightning;
The clamor of war, the unsheathed sword lightning,
And the torrent of blood and the blows are a sea and thunder.
The torrent of blood, the blows like thunder and storm.
تَقصُّrecount السريجيّاتُthe Surayji swords أخبارَaccounts فِعلهِof his deed
تَقصُّ السريجيّاتُ أخبارَ فِعلهِ
وترويand relate الوشيجُthe spear-shafts اللّدنُsupple وهيand they are شواهِدُwitnesses
وتروي الوشيجُ اللّدنُ وهي شواهِدُ
The Surayji swords recount the story of his deeds,
The horses tell the tales of his deeds,
And supple spear-shafts relate it, bearing witness.
The chroniclers relate the news, they are witnesses.
شديدٌmighty شديدُmighty البأسِbattle prowess إنif سَلَّhe draws سيفَهhis sword
شديدٌ شديدُ البأسِ إن سَلَّ سيفَه
تفارقpart from أجسامَthe bodies العداof the foes والقماحِدُand the backs of heads
تفارق أجسامَ العدا والقماحِدُ
Mighty, mighty in battle—if he draws his sword,
Fierce, fierce in might, when he unsheathed his sword,
His foes' heads part from their bodies.
The bodies of foes and pretenders were severed.
يُحبhe loves كفاحَclose combat with الدارعينthe armored men لأنَّهbecause he
يُحب كفاحَ الدارعين لأنَّه
تُصاغare forged لهfor him منهfrom it العُلاglory والمحامدُand praises
تُصاغ له منه العُلا والمحامدُ
He loves close combat with armored men, because
He loved the clashing of armored warriors,
Glory and praises are forged for him from it.
For it brought him glory, exaltation and praise.
ولاand no رزقَprovision إلاexcept منfrom بَنانِكyour fingertips يُرْتَجَىis hoped for
ولا رزقَ إلا من بَنانِك يُرْتَجَى
ولاand no وافدvisitor إلاexcept لنحوكtoward you قاصدheading
ولا وافد إلا لنحوك قاصد
And no provision is hoped for except from your fingertips,
The only provision comes from your threshing floors,
And no visitor comes except with you as his goal.
No visitors come but those bound towards you.
ودمand remain سالماًsafe ياO سيدَlord of الخلقِcreation كلّهِall of it
ودم سالماً يا سيدَ الخلقِ كلّهِ
وإنكand indeed you فيin نَهْرthe river المجَرَةِof the Milky Way قاعِدُseated
وإنك في نَهْر المجَرَةِ قاعِدُ
May you remain safe, O lord of all creation,
Peace and safety to you, O Master of all people,
And indeed you sit in the river of the Milky Way.
For you dwell in the river of abundance forever.
ألاtake heed أبلغاyou two, convey عنيfrom me هلاكاًHalak (possibly Hilal) وماand Ma- (part of Majid) جِداً-jid (completing Majid)
ألا أبلغا عني هلاكاً وما جِداً
هماthey both الباذخانِthe two lofty ones الزاكيانِthe two pure ones الأماجداthe most glorious ones
هما الباذخانِ الزاكيانِ الأماجدا
Ho, you two, convey from me to Halak [possibly Hilal] and Majid—
Convey for me ruin and utter loss, O two noble,
Those two lofty, pure, most glorious men—
Radiant, glorious pillars.
سلاماًa greeting يفوحُwafts العِطْرُperfume منfrom طيبِthe sweetness نَشرِهِof its fragrance
سلاماً يفوحُ العِطْرُ من طيبِ نَشرِهِ
ومنظرُهand its appearance فاقَsurpassed الجُمانَthe pearls الولائداthe young maidens
ومنظرُه فاقَ الجُمانَ الولائدا
A greeting whose sweet fragrance sends perfume wafting,
Peace whose sweet fragrance diffuses,
And whose appearance outshines pearls and maidens.
Its aspect surpassed scattered pearls.
قدindeed اتزراboth girded themselves بالمجدِwith glory وارْتَدياand both robed themselves بهin it
قد اتزرا بالمجدِ وارْتَديا به
وصاراand both became ليَfor me فيin الدهرِtime كفاًa hand وساعداand a forearm
وصارا ليَ في الدهرِ كفاً وساعدا
They have girded themselves with glory and robed themselves in it,
They are clothed in glory and honor,
And have become my hand and forearm through life.
For me in time they are helper and supporter.
هماthey both يُسعدانيaid me إنif سَطَتْassails بيme حَبَوْكَرٌa great calamity
هما يُسعداني إن سَطَتْ بي حَبَوْكَرٌ
إذاwhen لمnot يجدfinds فيin العالمينَall the worlds مُساعداa helper
إذا لم يجد في العالمينَ مُساعدا
They both aid me if calamity assails me,
They bring me fortune if misfortune befalls me,
When no helper can be found in all the worlds.
When none can be found in both worlds to give aid.
Sol 6.1