لاnot أَسأَلُI ask الركبانَthe riders عَنكِabout you تَوَقُّعاًin anticipation
لا أَسأَلُ الركبانَ عَنكِ تَوَقُّعاً
حَسبيenough for me وحَسبُكِand enough for you ظبيُa gazelle ذاكِthat المضمَرِthe concealed
حَسبي وحَسبُكِ ظبيُ ذاكِ المضمَرِ
I do not ask the riders about you in anticipation.
Enough for me and you is the gazelle of that concealed thing.
وَلَقَدand indeed أَحيدُI turn aside عَنِfrom السُرورjoy وربماand sometimes
وَلَقَد أَحيدُ عَنِ السُرور وربما
وقفَstood البشيرُthe bearer of glad tidings بهwith it وُقوفَthe stance of المُنذِرِthe warner
وقفَ البشيرُ به وُقوفَ المُنذِرِ
Indeed, I turn aside from joy, and sometimes
Its bearer of glad tidings stands as a warner stands.
لَمdid not يلقَfind ليfor me أمنٌsecurity فقدfor indeed غادرتنِيyou left me
لَم يلقَ لي أمنٌ فقد غادرتنِي
أرتابُI doubt منfrom حذرٍfear بماof what لمdid not أحذَرI fear
أرتابُ من حذرٍ بما لم أحذَر
No security has found me, for you have left me
Doubting, in my dread, what I had never feared.
ياO نبأةa report وَلَجَتentered عليَّupon me مسامِعيmy ears
يا نبأة وَلَجَت عليَّ مسامِعي
رُفِعَwas lifted الحَجابُthe veil وإذنُهُand his permission فَتَسوَّريso scale the wall
رُفِعَ الحَجابُ وإذنُهُ فَتَسوَّري
O report that has entered my ears,
The veil is lifted, and his leave is yours: scale the wall.
سِيَّانalike أنتِyou لدىto الفؤادِthe heart وطعنةٌand a thrust
سِيَّان أنتِ لدى الفؤادِ وطعنةٌ
خلصتreached إليهto it منfrom الكميِّthe armored warrior المغتريthe ambusher
خلصت إليه من الكميِّ المغتري
You and a thrust are alike to the heart—
One reaching it from an ambushing, armored warrior.
قدindeed كنتُI was آنفُdisdaining منof حَدِيثٍa tale مُفتَرىfabricated
قد كنتُ آنفُ من حَدِيثٍ مُفتَرى
فوددتso I wished أنَّكِthat you منamong حَديثِthe tales of المفتَريthe fabricator
فوددت أنَّكِ من حَديثِ المفتَري
I once disdained a fabricated tale,
Yet I wished you were among the fabricator's tales.
أَولَيتَكِor would that you استوطَنتِhad settled برزخَa limbo ظنَّةٍof suspicion
أَولَيتَكِ استوطَنتِ برزخَ ظنَّةٍ
بينَbetween اليَقينِcertainty وبَينand between شكِّthe doubt of الممتَريthe doubter
بينَ اليَقينِ وبَين شكِّ الممتَري
Or would that you had settled in a limbo of suspicion,
Between certainty and the doubter's doubt.
وإذاand when وجدتَyou found تمتّعاًenjoyment فيin باطِلٍfalsehood
وإذا وجدتَ تمتّعاً في باطِلٍ
جاءتكcame to you كلُّevery حقيقةٍtruth فيin عَسكَرِan army
جاءتك كلُّ حقيقةٍ في عَسكَرِ
And when you find enjoyment in falsehood,
Every truth comes to you in an army.
سكنَinhabited الفضاءَthe open expanse وأَسفرَتand revealed عَزماتُهُhis resolves
سكنَ الفضاءَ وأَسفرَت عَزماتُهُ
عنabout مصرعِthe downfall of الدُّنياthe world وثُكلِand the bereavement of الأَدهُرِthe ages
عن مصرعِ الدُّنيا وثُكلِ الأَدهُرِ
He occupied the open expanse, and his resolves revealed
The world's downfall and the ages' bereavement.
قادَled الجيادَthe steeds إلىto الجيادِthe steeds وإنَّماbut in truth
قادَ الجيادَ إلى الجيادِ وإنَّما
قادَled النفوسَthe souls إلىto الحِمامِdeath المحضَرbrought near
قادَ النفوسَ إلى الحِمامِ المحضَر
He led the steeds against the steeds, but in truth
He led souls to death brought near.
فتكشَّفَتthen parted هَبَواتُهاtheir dust clouds لعيونِناbefore our eyes
فتكشَّفَت هَبَواتُها لعيونِنا
عنrevealing واضحٍa fair man طلقِunclouded الأَسرَّةِthe brow-lines أَزهَرِradiant
عن واضحٍ طلقِ الأَسرَّةِ أَزهَرِ
Then their dust clouds parted before our eyes,
Revealing a fair, radiant man with an unclouded brow.
بَطَشَstruck fiercely الرَّدىdeath منهfrom him بِمُغتالِat the slayer of الرَّدىdeath
بَطَشَ الرَّدى منه بِمُغتالِ الرَّدى
فأُدِيلَso was granted victory عَدلاًfairly قَسوَرٌa lion منover قسوَرِa lion
فأُدِيلَ عَدلاً قَسوَرٌ من قسوَرِ
Death struck down in him a slayer of death,
And one lion was fairly granted victory over another.
قَدَرٌa fate رَمىshot قَدَراًa fate وكلٌّand each صائبٌhitting the mark
قَدَرٌ رَمى قَدَراً وكلٌّ صائبٌ
إنindeed السهامthe arrows إلىtoward السهامthe arrows لتنبريsurely rise to meet
إن السهام إلى السهام لتنبري
One fate shot another fate, and each hit its mark;
Indeed, arrows rise to meet arrows.
أنيhow يَحيدُturns aside الموتُdeath عنfrom مُتعَرِّضٍone exposing himself
أني يَحيدُ الموتُ عن مُتعَرِّضٍ
للموتِto death مفتضحِlaid bare الشُّعاعradiance مشهَّرconspicuous
للموتِ مفتضحِ الشُّعاع مشهَّر
How can death turn aside from one exposed
To death, his radiance laid bare, conspicuous to all?
حَسرَstripped off الدِّلاصَthe polished mail وفوقهُand over him منfrom بأسِهِhis valor
حَسرَ الدِّلاصَ وفوقهُ من بأسِهِ
حَصدَاءُclose-woven mail موثَّقةُfirmly secured العرىthe fastenings لَمnot تُحسَرِwas stripped off
حَصدَاءُ موثَّقةُ العرى لَم تُحسَرِ
He stripped off his polished mail; yet over him, from his valor,
Lay close-woven mail, its fastenings firm, never stripped away.
هَاتاthis one لِداوودٍbelongs to David وتِلكَand that one لِرَبِّهِbelongs to his Lord
هَاتا لِداوودٍ وتِلكَ لِرَبِّهِ
فاختارَهاso he chose it وَسضخاand freely relinquished (text corrupt) بذاكَwith that المِغفرِthe mail helmet
فاختارَها وَسضخا بذاكَ المِغفرِ
This was David's, and that his Lord's;
He chose that one and [apparently freely relinquished] that helmet.
إيهٍspeak on أباAbu (father of) يحيىYahya وأنتَand you عُطاردٌMercury
إيهٍ أبا يحيى وأنتَ عُطاردٌ
إلاif not تكُنهُyou are he فأنتُماthen you two منof عُنصُرِone substance
إلا تكُنهُ فأنتُما من عُنصُرِ
Speak on, Abu Yahya—you are Mercury;
If you are not he, you two are of one substance.
أَنفِسhow precious بنفسٍis a soul فيin الحِفاظِguarding honor كريمةٍnoble
أَنفِس بنفسٍ في الحِفاظِ كريمةٍ
أَمسَيتَyou have become بائِعَهاits seller وربُّكَand your Lord مُشتَرِa buyer
أَمسَيتَ بائِعَها وربُّكَ مُشتَرِ
How precious a soul, noble in guarding honor!
You came to sell it, your Lord the buyer.
أَحييتَهاyou gave it life فأَمَتَّهاthen you made it die مُتطهراًpurified
أَحييتَها فأَمَتَّها مُتطهراً
صلَّىmay He bless الإلهُGod عليكَupon you مِنas a مُتَطهِّرِpurified man
صلَّى الإلهُ عليكَ مِن مُتَطهِّرِ
You gave it life, then put it to death, purified;
May God bless you, purified one!
أَنتَyou الخَبيرُthe one who knows عنabout الجِنانِthe Gardens of Paradise وإنَّهُand indeed it is
أَنتَ الخَبيرُ عن الجِنانِ وإنَّهُ
لولاwere it not for المهابَةُawe قُلتُI would say شَوقاًin longing خَبِّرtell
لولا المهابَةُ قُلتُ شَوقاً خَبِّر
You know the Gardens of Paradise, and indeed,
But for awe, I would say in longing: 'Tell me!'
إلاif not تُخَبِّرنِيyou tell me فإنَّthen indeed براءةًBara'ah (Disavowal)
إلا تُخَبِّرنِي فإنَّ براءةً
قَدindeed أَخبَرَتhas told واللَهُand God أَصدَقُthe truest مُخبِرِteller
قَد أَخبَرَت واللَهُ أَصدَقُ مُخبِرِ
If you do not tell me, then Bara'ah
Has told me, and God is the truest teller.
قدindeed فُزتَyou have won بالحُسنىwith the finest reward وثَمَّand there زيادةٌmore
قد فُزتَ بالحُسنى وثَمَّ زيادةٌ
قدindeed أبهمتwas left unspecified لكfor you فاقترحso request واستفسِرِand inquire
قد أبهمت لك فاقترح واستفسِرِ
You have won the finest reward, and there is more
Left undefined for you: ask and inquire.
قدindeed كانتِwas الدنياthe world تضيقُtoo narrow بهمةٍfor an aspiration
قد كانتِ الدنيا تضيقُ بهمةٍ
لكof yours لمdid not تجدyou find منfrom فوقهاabove it منany مظهَرِplace to rise
لك لم تجد من فوقها من مظهَرِ
The world had been too narrow for an aspiration
Of yours; above it you found no height to climb.
فالآنَso now قدindeed غَصَّتhas choked بأولِon the first نفحةٍbreath
فالآنَ قد غَصَّت بأولِ نفحةٍ
بهرَتdazzled مُناكَyour hopes بمُجمَلٍin summary ومُفَسَّرِand in detail
بهرَت مُناكَ بمُجمَلٍ ومُفَسَّرِ
Now it is overwhelmed by the very first breath
That dazzled your hopes, in sum and in detail.
أماas for عِدَاكyour enemies فإنَّهمindeed they قدindeed سَلَّمواhave yielded
أما عِدَاك فإنَّهم قد سَلَّموا
منincluding كافِرٍan unbeliever حَنِقٍwrathful ومَنand whoever لمdid not يَكفرdisbelieve
من كافِرٍ حَنِقٍ ومَن لم يَكفر
As for your foes, they have yielded,
Both wrathful unbelievers and those who do not disbelieve.
مَالَتbore down عليهمupon them مَعلواتُكَyour lofty merits مَيلَةًa sweep
مَالَت عليهم مَعلواتُكَ مَيلَةً
خَضعُواthey bowed لهاto them لَيسَis not الصَّباحُdaylight بمُنكَرdeniable
خَضعُوا لها لَيسَ الصَّباحُ بمُنكَر
Your lofty merits swept down upon them;
They bowed to them: daylight cannot be denied.
أَتراهُمُdo you think they يَرجُونَhope منكَfrom you تطوُّلاbounty
أَتراهُمُ يَرجُونَ منكَ تطوُّلا
أمor يَحذَرُونَdo they fear ومَنand whoever يَمُتdies لاdoes not يَحذَرِfear
أم يَحذَرُونَ ومَن يَمُت لا يَحذَرِ
Do you think they hope for bounty from you,
Or fear you? Whoever dies no longer fears.
لاno بَلrather هُوَit is الإجماعُunanimity منwhoever يتعدَّهُgoes against it
لا بَل هُوَ الإجماعُ من يتعدَّهُ
فكأنَّماthen as though استهواهُlured him astray خَبلٌmadness مُعترِafflicting
فكأنَّما استهواهُ خَبلٌ مُعترِ
No: it is unanimity; whoever goes against it
Seems lured astray by an afflicting madness.
ولقدand indeed ذكرتُكَI remembered you والهُمومُwhile sorrows تُنوشنيclaw at me
ولقد ذكرتُكَ والهُمومُ تُنوشني
سَهَراًin sleeplessness يُذكِّرُنيreminding me بوَقعِof the strike of السَّمهَرِيthe hard-shafted spear
سَهَراً يُذكِّرُني بوَقعِ السَّمهَرِي
Indeed, I remembered you while sorrows clawed at me,
In sleeplessness recalling the strike of a hard-shafted spear.
واللّيلُand the night قدindeed لَبسَput on الحِدادmourning black كأنَّماas though
واللّيلُ قد لَبسَ الحِداد كأنَّما
دَهَمتهُhad overtaken it حادِثَةٌa calamity بفَقدِwith the loss of المشتَريJupiter
دَهَمتهُ حادِثَةٌ بفَقدِ المشتَري
And night had donned mourning black, as though
A calamity had struck it with the loss of Jupiter.
وكأَنَّماand as though فَطرَfashioned المسامعَears أَعيُناًinto eyes
وكأَنَّما فَطرَ المسامعَ أَعيُناً
بظلامِهِthrough its darkness فالأُذنُso the ear عَينُthe eye of المبصِرِthe seeing man
بظلامِهِ فالأُذنُ عَينُ المبصِرِ
As though it had fashioned ears into eyes
Through its darkness: the ear was the seeing man's eye.
وكَأَنَّنيand as though I منfrom جِنحِهِits dark wing فيin زاخِرٍa swelling sea
وكَأَنَّني من جِنحِهِ في زاخِرٍ
أَخشىI fear الرَّدىdeath منfrom مَوجهِits waves المتَنَمِّرِtigerishly fierce
أَخشى الرَّدى من مَوجهِ المتَنَمِّرِ
As though beneath its dark wing I were in a swelling sea,
Fearing death from its tigerish waves.
يَبدوappears بهِon it حَبَبُthe foam of النُجومِthe stars وتارةًand at times
يَبدو بهِ حَبَبُ النُجومِ وتارةً
يَخفىvanishes بمضطربِin the turmoil of الدَّياجيthe deep darkness أَكدَرِturbid
يَخفى بمضطربِ الدَّياجي أَكدَرِ
The stars' foam appears upon it, and at times
Is lost in the turbid turmoil of deep darkness.
وكأَنَّand as though شَخصكyour form فيin الضّميرthe mind سريرةٌa hidden thought
وكأَنَّ شَخصك في الضّمير سريرةٌ
أَوor مُنيَةٌa wish تأبىdefies علىfor المتصوِّرِthe imagining mind
أَو مُنيَةٌ تأبى على المتصوِّرِ
As though your form within my mind were a hidden thought
Or a wish that eludes the imagining mind.
يَدنيهbrings it near قُربُthe nearness of العَهدِthe last encounter حتىuntil رُبَّماat times
يَدنيه قُربُ العَهدِ حتى رُبَّما
ناجيتُهI confided to it تَرحاًin sorrow بماwith what فيin مُضمَريmy hidden thoughts
ناجيتُه تَرحاً بما في مُضمَري
The recency of our meeting draws it near, until at times
I confide to it, grieving, what lies hidden in me.
لوif حَلَّwere lawful ليfor me ذاكَthat النَّجيعُfresh blood ذَخرتُهُI would treasure it
لو حَلَّ لي ذاكَ النَّجيعُ ذَخرتُهُ
متمسكاًclinging منهfrom it بمسكto musk أَذفَرِpiercingly fragrant
متمسكاً منه بمسك أَذفَرِ
Had that fresh blood been lawful for me, I would have treasured it,
Clinging to its pungently fragrant musk.
وكفىand it suffices بقبرِكَfor your grave أنَّthat تربَةَthe soil of أرضِهِits earth
وكفى بقبرِكَ أنَّ تربَةَ أرضِهِ
مَفتوقَةٌblended منfrom مِسكَةٍa morsel of musk أَوor عَنبَرِambergris
مَفتوقَةٌ من مِسكَةٍ أَو عَنبَرِ
It is enough for your grave that the soil of its earth
Is blended from musk or ambergris.
ياO غَيثُrain يمِّمhead toward راشداًrightly guided سَرَقُسطَةًZaragoza
يا غَيثُ يمِّم راشداً سَرَقُسطَةً
واسكُبand pour دموعيmy tears فيinto السِّحابthe clouds الممطرِrain-bearing
واسكُب دموعي في السِّحاب الممطرِ
O rain, make your way rightly toward Zaragoza,
And pour my tears into the rain-bearing clouds.
وانثُرand scatter علىover أُفُقِthe horizon of المصَلّىthe prayer ground رحمةًmercy
وانثُر على أُفُقِ المصَلّى رحمةً
واجرُرand trail بهاwith it ذَيلَthe hem of الربيعِspring الأَخضَرِgreen
واجرُر بها ذَيلَ الربيعِ الأَخضَرِ
And scatter mercy over the prayer ground's horizon,
And with it trail the hem of green spring.
فَهُناكَfor there لوif تَديyou knew (reading uncertain) أخّa brother لكof yours بلrather أبٌa father
فَهُناكَ لو تَدي أخّ لك بل أبٌ
إنَّindeed الغَمامَclouds لمُعرِقٌare surely deep-rooted فيin الأَبحُرthe seas
إنَّ الغَمامَ لمُعرِقٌ في الأَبحُر
For there, if you knew, is a brother of yours—rather, a father;
Indeed, clouds have deep roots in the seas.
لاdo not تُنكرdeny النُّعمىthe favor كلاناwe both ثاكلٌbereaved
لا تُنكر النُّعمى كلانا ثاكلٌ
فتعالَso come أُعذِرI do my utmost فيin البُكاءِweeping وتُعذِرِand you do yours
فتعالَ أُعذِر في البُكاءِ وتُعذِرِ
Do not deny the favor: we are both bereaved.
Come: let me weep to the utmost, and you do likewise.
لكَfor you فيin دُموعِthe tears of العالمينَall people ذخيرةٌa store
لكَ في دُموعِ العالمينَ ذخيرةٌ
وبكلِّand in every عَينٍeye ديمةٌa steady rain فاستَغزِرso draw abundantly
وبكلِّ عَينٍ ديمةٌ فاستَغزِر
In all people's tears you have a store,
And in every eye a steady rain: draw it abundantly.
وإذاand when تناوَحَتِwailed together الرّياحُthe winds فعندناthen we have
وإذا تناوَحَتِ الرّياحُ فعندنا
نَوحٌa lament يُفرِّقscatters شَملَهُنَّtheir gathering ويَمتَرِيand milks
نَوحٌ يُفرِّق شَملَهُنَّ ويَمتَرِي
And when the winds wail together, we have
A lament that scatters their ranks and milks them for rain.
وَإذاand when نَفَرنَthey flee ففيthen in الصُّدورthe breasts ضَمائرٌhidden thoughts
وَإذا نَفَرنَ ففي الصُّدور ضَمائرٌ
وعلامَand why نُضمِرُهاdo we conceal them إذاif لمdo not تُظهِرَyou reveal
وعلامَ نُضمِرُها إذا لم تُظهِرَ
And when they flee, hidden thoughts lie within our breasts;
Why conceal them if you do not reveal them?
كنbe ياO فؤاديmy heart رَحمَةًmercy منmade of عَبرةٍa tear
كن يا فؤادي رَحمَةً من عَبرةٍ
تَدمَىbleeds ولاand do not تكُbe قسوةًhardness منmade of جَوهَرِa gemstone
تَدمَى ولا تكُ قسوةً من جَوهَرِ
Be, my heart, a mercy made of a tear
That bleeds, not hardness made of a gemstone.
فاللَهfor God قَدindeed ذَمَّcondemned الذينthose whose قَسَتgrew hard قُلوhearts (word begins here)
فاللَه قَد ذَمَّ الذين قَسَت قُلو
بهمtheir (completes 'their hearts') وماand what يذممis condemned بمقليةٍof hatred حَرِdeserving
بهم وما يذمم بمقليةٍ حَرِ
For God has condemned those whose hearts grew hard,
And what is condemned deserves hatred.
أوَلستَand are you not مِمَّاamong what أَنبَتَتmade grow آلاؤُهُhis blessings
أوَلستَ مِمَّا أَنبَتَت آلاؤُهُ
فأَثِبso repay صَنائعَهُhis favors ثوابَwith the recompense of المثمِرِthe fruit-bearing tree
فأَثِب صَنائعَهُ ثوابَ المثمِرِ
Are you not among what his blessings caused to grow?
Then repay his favors as a fruit-bearing tree repays.
كمhow many نعمةٍa blessing هبَّتblew عليكover you نَسيمُهاits breeze
كم نعمةٍ هبَّت عليك نَسيمُها
أَسرىmore night-roaming وألطَفَand more delicate منthan خَيالِthe phantom of البُحتُرِيal-Buhturi
أَسرى وألطَفَ من خَيالِ البُحتُرِي
How many a blessing has wafted its breeze over you,
More night-roaming, more delicate than al-Buhturi's phantom!
وخلائقand virtues رزقsustenance النطافِthe clear waters وردتَهاyou came to drink from them
وخلائق رزق النطافِ وردتَها
أَصفىclearer وابردand cooler منthan مَعينٍa flowing spring كَوثَرِabundant
أَصفى وابرد من مَعينٍ كَوثَرِ
And virtues—sustenance of clear waters—from which you drank,
Clearer and cooler than an abundant, flowing spring.
ياO مَورِداًwatering place ولّىdeparted وأعقبand left behind غُلَّةًburning thirst
يا مَورِداً ولّى وأعقب غُلَّةً
فيin الصدرthe breast مُنذُsince وردتهاI came to drink from it لمhave not أصدُرdeparted
في الصدر مُنذُ وردتها لم أصدُر
O watering place that departed, leaving a burning thirst
In my breast: since I drank there, I have not left.
أَستودعُI entrust الرحمنthe Merciful منكَfrom you ذخيرةًa treasure
أَستودعُ الرحمن منكَ ذخيرةً
قبضَclosed الزَّمانtime بهاwith it يَديmy hand مُستأثرclaiming sole possession
قبضَ الزَّمان بها يَدي مُستأثر
I entrust to the Merciful a treasure from you,
Time closed my hand upon it, claiming it for itself.
Sol 6.1