سَلِask المَنزِلَthe dwelling الغَورِيَّin the Ghawr أَينَwhere خَرائِدُهits secluded maidens
سَلِ المَنزِلَ الغَورِيَّ أَينَ خَرائِدُه
وَأَينَand where تَوَلّىhas gone away بدرُهits full moon وَفَراقِدُهand its Farqad stars
وَأَينَ تَوَلّى بدرُه وَفَراقِدُه
Ask the dwelling in the Ghawr where its secluded maidens are,
Ask the abode of Ghawr, where are its gazelles
and where its full moon and Farqad stars have gone.
And where did its full moon set, and where do its pleiades sleep?
وَإِنand indeed كانَhas been ذاكَthat الرَبعُdwelling مُذsince بانَdeparted أَهلُهُits people
وَإِن كانَ ذاكَ الرَبعُ مُذ بانَ أَهلُهُ
لِيَعتادُهُsurely haunts it الوَجدُthe grief الَّذيthat أَناI واجِدُهam feeling it
لِيَعتادُهُ الوَجدُ الَّذي أَنا واجِدُه
And indeed that dwelling, since its people departed,
Since the day its people departed,
has been haunted by the grief I myself feel;
Sorrow has become accustomed to my lament.
وَلَكِنَّهُbut it مُثنٍgiving praise عَلىfor ماwhat يَنُوبُهُbefalls it
وَلَكِنَّهُ مُثنٍ عَلى ما يَنُوبُهُ
شَدِيدُmighty القُوىin strength وَالدَهرُand time جَمٌّabundant شَدائِدُهits hardships
شَدِيدُ القُوى وَالدَهرُ جَمٌّ شَدائِدُه
yet it gives praise for whatever befalls it,
But that place, though afflicted with what has befallen it,
mighty in strength, though time's hardships are many.
Is firm, and time is violent in its calamities.
وَبِيand in me لَوعَةٌburning grief مِنbecause of أَهلِهِits people لَوif شَكَوتُهاI complained of it
وَبِي لَوعَةٌ مِن أَهلِهِ لَو شَكَوتُها
إِلَيهِto it للانَتwould surely soften وَهيَthough they are صُمٌّsolid جَلامِدُهits boulders
إِلَيهِ للانَت وَهيَ صُمٌّ جَلامِدُه
And I burn with grief for its people; were I to complain of it
I have such anguish for its people, if I complained of it
to the dwelling, its boulders would soften, unyielding though they are.
To them, they would sympathize, though they are silent stones.
وَقَفناwe halted بِهِat it فَاستَمطَرَتthen called forth rain from كُلَّevery مُقلَةٍeye
وَقَفنا بِهِ فَاستَمطَرَت كُلَّ مُقلَةٍ
عِهادَrenewed showers البُكاof weeping آياتُهُits traces وَمَعاهِدُهand its familiar haunts
عِهادَ البُكا آياتُهُ وَمَعاهِدُه
We halted there; from every eye were called forth
We stopped at it, and every weeping eye
renewed showers of weeping by its traces and familiar haunts.
Rained the covenants of tears and their promises.
وَأَنبَتَand brought forth مِنfrom سُحبِclouds الدُمُوعِof tears تُرابُهُits soil
وَأَنبَتَ مِن سُحبِ الدُمُوعِ تُرابُهُ
حَياًverdure بَشَّرَbrought glad tidings to النُجّاعَthe pasture-seekers بِالخِصبِof abundance رائِدُهits scout
حَياً بَشَّرَ النُجّاعَ بِالخِصبِ رائِدُه
From clouds of tears its soil brought forth
And its soil grew plants from the cloud's tears
verdure whose scout heralded abundance to pasture-seekers.
Which gave life to the valley, a guide to its torrents.
فَهَلso does يَحمَدُpraise الحَيُّthe tribe الحِلالُencamped برَبعِهِin its dwelling
فَهَل يَحمَدُ الحَيُّ الحِلالُ برَبعِهِ
حَياthe rain عَبرَتِيof my tears أَمor يَحمَدُpraise الغَيثَthe rain حامِدُهits praiser
حَيا عَبرَتِي أَم يَحمَدُ الغَيثَ حامِدُه
So does the tribe encamped in its dwelling praise
Can the living man be praised for my elegy,
the rain of my tears, or does its praiser praise the rain?
Or should the rain that lamented with me be praised?
لَعَمرُby the life of البِلىdecay ماnot صابَpoured down فيin الدارِthe dwelling وابِلٌa downpour
لَعَمرُ البِلى ما صابَ في الدارِ وابِلٌ
سِواهُother than it وَلَكِنَّbut الزَفيرَsighing رَواعِدُهits thunderclaps
سِواهُ وَلَكِنَّ الزَفيرَ رَواعِدُه
By the life of decay, no downpour fell within the dwelling
No, but by the passage of time, no downpour struck the abode
except that rain; but its thunderclaps are sighs.
Except his death rattle, and its panting sighs.
وَلَيلٍand many a night أَقضَّmade uneasy الشَوقُlonging بِيfor me فيهِduring it مَرقَديmy bed
وَلَيلٍ أَقضَّ الشَوقُ بِي فيهِ مَرقَدي
وَأَيُّand which مَشُوقٍyearning lover لاnot تُقَضُّare disturbed مَراقِدُهhis resting places
وَأَيُّ مَشُوقٍ لا تُقَضُّ مَراقِدُه
Many a night longing made my bed uneasy,
By a night during which my passion made my resting place its grave
and what yearning lover has undisturbed resting places?
And what passionate one's resting place are not his tombs?
وَبِتُّand I spent the night مَبِيتَthe night-rest of الظَبيِthe gazelle أَحكَمَmade tight شَدَّهُits bonds
وَبِتُّ مَبِيتَ الظَبيِ أَحكَمَ شَدَّهُ
بِمَمرُورَةٍwith a twisted cord مِنof يابِسِdried القِدِّrawhide صائِدُهits hunter
بِمَمرُورَةٍ مِن يابِسِ القِدِّ صائِدُه
I spent the night like a gazelle whose bonds were drawn tight
I passed the night like a frightened gazelle, strengthening its bonds
by its hunter with a twisted cord of dried rawhide.
With a noose of dry sinew its hunter set up.
خَلِيلَيَّmy two friends هَلىis there لِيfor me مِنكُماfrom you two اليَومَtoday مُسعِدٌa comforter
خَلِيلَيَّ هَلى لِي مِنكُما اليَومَ مُسعِدٌ
وَإِنand even if لَمdoes not يَجِدfind ذُوone possessed of لَوعَةٍburning grief مَنsomeone who يُساعِدُهhelps him
وَإِن لَم يَجِد ذُو لَوعَةٍ مَن يُساعِدُه
My two friends, is either of you a comforter to me today?
My two friends, is there any favorer for me among you today
Even if a grief-stricken man finds no one to aid him
When the anguished finds none to solace him?
عَلىagainst زَمَنٍan age قَدalready عَلَّمَtaught الغَدرَtreachery أَهلَهُits people
عَلى زَمَنٍ قَد عَلَّمَ الغَدرَ أَهلَهُ
فَلاso do not تَعتَمِدrely مِنهُمamong them عَلىon مَنone whom تُعاقِدُهyou make a pact with him
فَلا تَعتَمِد مِنهُم عَلى مَن تُعاقِدُه
against an age that has taught its people treachery,
In an age that taught betrayal to its people
do not rely on anyone among them with whom you make a pact.
So do not depend on one whose pact you tie.
فَكَمso how many مِنof صَدِيقٍa friend عادَbecame لِيto me بَعدَafter بُرهَةٍa while
فَكَم مِن صَدِيقٍ عادَ لِي بَعدَ بُرهَةٍ
عَدُوّاًan enemy وَدَبَّتand crept تَحتَbeneath جَنبِيmy side أَساوِدُهhis black serpents
عَدُوّاً وَدَبَّت تَحتَ جَنبِي أَساوِدُه
How many a friend, after a while, became for me
How many a friend, after absence, returned to me an enemy
an enemy—and his black serpents crept beneath my side!
And lions stalked beneath my ribs, hiding.
وَرَكبٍand many a caravan طَوَواtraversed عَرضَthe breadth الفَلاof the desert وَطَوَتهُمُand it enfolded them
وَرَكبٍ طَوَوا عَرضَ الفَلا وَطَوَتهُمُ
وَأَنضاهُمُand exhausted them غِيطانُهُits hollows وَفَدافِدُهand its uplands
وَأَنضاهُمُ غِيطانُهُ وَفَدافِدُه
And many a caravan crossed the desert's breadth, while it enfolded them;
They rode the steeds of glory, and glory carried them
and its hollows and uplands wore them out.
And drove them, and the talk of nations and their gossip.
إِذاif جارَstrayed مِنهُمamong them قاصِدٌa traveler عَنfrom سَبِيلِهِhis path
إِذا جارَ مِنهُم قاصِدٌ عَن سَبِيلِهِ
هَداهُguided him سَناthe radiance وَجهِof the face الَّذيthe one whom هُوَhe قاصِدُهis seeking him
هَداهُ سَنا وَجهِ الَّذي هُوَ قاصِدُه
If a traveler among them strayed from his path,
When one turned away from his path to them
the radiance of the face of the man he sought would guide him.
Glory guided them rightly to their intended destination.
أَقُولُI say لَهُمto them وَالعِيسُand the pale camels تَظماthirst كُبُودُهاtheir livers
أَقُولُ لَهُم وَالعِيسُ تَظما كُبُودُها
وَأَكبادُناand our livers فيin البِيدِthe deserts مِمّاfrom what نُكابِدُهwe endure it
وَأَكبادُنا في البِيدِ مِمّا نُكابِدُه
I say to them, while the pale camels' livers thirst,
I say to them, while my ribs are broken with tuberculosis
and our livers too, in the wastes, from what we endure:
And our livers suffer from what we are forced to endure:
أَقِيمُواset straight صُدورَthe breasts اليَعمَلاتِof the hardy she-camels فَإِنَّهاfor they
أَقِيمُوا صُدورَ اليَعمَلاتِ فَإِنَّها
عَوامِدُbound for مَنone لاnot يَرهَبُfears الفَقرَpoverty عامِدُهhis seeker
عَوامِدُ مَن لا يَرهَبُ الفَقرَ عامِدُه
Set the breasts of the hardy she-camels straight, for they
Set upright the shoulders of the orphans, for they
are bound for one whose seeker has no fear of poverty.
Are pillars for him whom poverty does not frighten off.
فَبِالرَّقَةِfor in Raqqa البَيضاءِthe White مَلكٌa king كَأَنَّماas though
فَبِالرَّقَةِ البَيضاءِ مَلكٌ كَأَنَّما
مَوارِدُthe watering places أَفواهِof the mouths القِرابِof waterskins مَوارِدُهhis watering places
مَوارِدُ أَفواهِ القِرابِ مَوارِدُه
For in White Raqqa is a king, as though
By the white, tender one, whose lands are like
the watering places of waterskin-mouths were his own.
The mouths of drinking vessels and their streams.
أَشَمٌّhigh-nosed حُمَيدِيُّHamidi النِجارِin lineage بَنىbuilt لَناfor us
أَشَمٌّ حُمَيدِيُّ النِجارِ بَنى لَنا
فُخُوراًglories بَناهاhe built them قَبلَهُbefore him النَدبُthe gallant man والِدُهhis father
فُخُوراً بَناها قَبلَهُ النَدبُ والِدُه
High-nosed, of Hamidi stock, he built for us
The perfumes are Alexandrian and built for us
glories his gallant father had built before him.
A lofty palace which his ambition and his hands built.
فلاso no سِنخَroot إِلّاexcept سِنخُهُhis root وَنِجارُهُand his lineage
فلا سِنخَ إِلّا سِنخُهُ وَنِجارُهُ
وَلاand no فَرعَbranch إِلّاexcept فَرعُهُhis branch وَمَحاتِدُهand his ancestral roots
وَلا فَرعَ إِلّا فَرعُهُ وَمَحاتِدُه
Thus no root exists but his root and lineage,
No trees but his trees, no carpenter but he
and no branch but his branch and ancestral roots.
No branches but his branches and his reclining places.
وَلاand no حَمدَpraise إِلّاexcept لِلمُعِزِّfor al-Mu'izz بنِson of صالِحٍSalih
وَلا حَمدَ إِلّا لِلمُعِزِّ بنِ صالِحٍ
إِذاwhen عُدِّدتare counted آلاؤُهُhis bounties وَمَحامِدُهand his merits
إِذا عُدِّدت آلاؤُهُ وَمَحامِدُه
And no praise is due except to al-Mu'izz ibn Salih,
No praise but to al-Muʿizz ibn Sāliḥ
when his bounties and merits are counted.
When his favors and praiseworthy acts are counted.
أَحَدُّsharper مِنَthan العَضبِthe keen sword اليَمانِيِّYemeni عَزمُهُhis resolve
أَحَدُّ مِنَ العَضبِ اليَمانِيِّ عَزمُهُ
وَأَقطَعُand more cutting مِنthan كَيدِthe wiles الزَمانِof time مَكائِدُهhis stratagems
وَأَقطَعُ مِن كَيدِ الزَمانِ مَكائِدُه
His resolve is sharper than the keen Yemeni sword,
More decisive than the blade of a Yemeni sword his resolve
and his stratagems cut deeper than the wiles of time.
And his schemes cut sharper than the trials of time.
يَزِيدُincreases الرَجاhope وَالبُؤسُand misery مَهماwhenever تَبَيَّنَتbecome apparent
يَزِيدُ الرَجا وَالبُؤسُ مَهما تَبَيَّنَت
عُقُوبَتُهُhis punishment فيin وَجهِهِhis face وَفَوَائِدُهand his gifts
عُقُوبَتُهُ في وَجهِهِ وَفَوَائِدُه
Hope and misery increase whenever
Greed and misery grow more
his punishment and gifts are evident upon his face.
However much the punishment in his face and his hands increase
وَقَدand indeed قِيلَit has been said فيin الأَمثالِproverbs كَعبٌKa'b وَحاتِمٌand Hatim
وَقَد قِيلَ في الأَمثالِ كَعبٌ وَحاتِمٌ
وَلاand no حاتِمٌHatim إِلّاexcept الَّذيthe one whom أَنتَyou واجِدُهfind him
وَلا حاتِمٌ إِلّا الَّذي أَنتَ واجِدُه
Ka'b and Hatim have indeed been named in proverbs,
And it is said in proverbs, Kaʿb and Ḥātim
yet there is no Hatim but the one you find.
And no Ḥātim but you are the one I find.
وَوَاعَجَباand oh, how strange نُثنِيwe give praise عَلىto فَضلِthe excellence of غائِبٍan absent man
وَوَاعَجَبا نُثنِي عَلى فَضلِ غائِبٍ
وَنَترُكُand neglect أَنto نُثِنيgive praise عَلىto مَنthe one whom نُشاهِدُهwe see him
وَنَترُكُ أَن نُثِني عَلى مَن نُشاهِدُه
How strange! We praise the excellence of an absent man,
And how strange we praise the merit of an absent one
and neglect to praise the one we see.
And neglect to praise one whom we witness!
إِذاif شِئتَyou wish طَردَthe banishment of الفَقرِpoverty فاحلُلthen settle بِرَبعِهِin his dwelling
إِذا شِئتَ طَردَ الفَقرِ فاحلُل بِرَبعِهِ
فَإِنَّfor indeed مُعِزَّMu'izz الدَولَةِal-Dawla القَيلَthe prince طارِدُهits banisher
فَإِنَّ مُعِزَّ الدَولَةِ القَيلَ طارِدُه
If you wish to banish poverty, settle in his dwelling,
If you wish to banish poverty, reside in his abode
for Mu'izz al-Dawla, the prince, is its banisher.
For the protector of the state banishes it entirely.
أَخُوa man of كَرَمٍgenerosity لَمhas not يَدنَسِsullied اللَهُGod عِرضَهُhis honor
أَخُو كَرَمٍ لَم يَدنَسِ اللَهُ عِرضَهُ
بِلُؤمٍwith baseness وَلَمand have not تُخلَطbeen mixed بِخُلفٍwith broken faith مَواعِدُهhis promises
بِلُؤمٍ وَلَم تُخلَط بِخُلفٍ مَواعِدُه
A man of generosity, whose honor God has not sullied
The brother of generosity, God did not stain his honor
with baseness, nor have his promises been marred by broken faith.
With any disgrace, nor did deceit mix with his pacts.
شَرائِعُهُhis watering places شَتّىvaried فَإِمّاso either يَمِينُهُhis right hand
شَرائِعُهُ شَتّى فَإِمّا يَمِينُهُ
وَإِمّاor else بَواطِيهِhis wine-bowls وَإِمّاor else مَوائِدُهhis tables
وَإِمّا بَواطِيهِ وَإِمّا مَوائِدُه
His watering places are varied: either his right hand,
His laws manifold, either his right hand
or his wine-bowls, or his tables.
Or his hospitality, or his banquets.
إِذwhen قُلتَyou recite شِعراًverse فَاحتَرِزthen beware مِنهُof him إِنَّهُindeed he
إِذ قُلتَ شِعراً فَاحتَرِز مِنهُ إِنَّهُ
خَبِيرٌan expert إِذاwhen لَمdoes not يَنقُدِjudge الشِعرَthe verse ناقِدُهits critic
خَبِيرٌ إِذا لَم يَنقُدِ الشِعرَ ناقِدُه
When you recite verse, be wary of him, for he
When you say poetry, beware of it, for verily he
is discerning when poetry's own critic does not judge it.
Is an expert, if the critic does not criticize poetry.
فَماso not قُلتُI recited شِعراًverse قَطُّever إِلّاexcept وَهِبتُهُand I feared him
فَما قُلتُ شِعراً قَطُّ إِلّا وَهِبتُهُ
وَإِنّيand indeed I لِجَنِّيُّsurely the jinni القَريضِof verse وَمارِدُهand its rebellious demon
وَإِنّي لِجَنِّيُّ القَريضِ وَمارِدُه
So I have never recited verse without fearing him,
Never have I said any poetry but I gifted it,
though I am the jinni of verse and its rebellious demon.
For I am the Jinnī of poetry and its contriver.
وَماand not هُوَhe إِلّاexcept واحِدٌunique فيin زَمانِهِhis age
وَما هُوَ إِلّا واحِدٌ في زَمانِهِ
نَظَمتُI strung لَهُfor him الدُرَّthe pearls الَّذيthat أَناI واجِدُهpossess them
نَظَمتُ لَهُ الدُرَّ الَّذي أَنا واجِدُه
And he is unique in his age;
It is solely his, unique in his time,
I strung for him the pearls that I possess.
I composed the pearl which I found for him.
فَلاso may not زالَcease to be مُرتاعَfrightened الفُؤادِat heart عَدُوُّهُhis enemy
فَلا زالَ مُرتاعَ الفُؤادِ عَدُوُّهُ
وَمُلتَهِبَand burning الأَحشاءِin the entrails بِالغَيظِwith rage حاسِدُهhis envier
وَمُلتَهِبَ الأَحشاءِ بِالغَيظِ حاسِدُه
May his enemy remain forever fearful at heart,
So his enemy did not cease agitating his heart
and his envier's entrails aflame with rage.
And hatred blazed in his entrails against his envious rival.
Sol 6.1