أَهلاًwelcome بِطَيفِto the phantom of خَيالِهاher image المُتَأَوِّبِreturning by night
أَهلاً بِطَيفِ خَيالِها المُتَأَوِّبِ
وَاللَيلُand night تَحتَbeneath رِواقِهِits canopy لَمnot yet يَضرِبِhad pitched
وَاللَيلُ تَحتَ رِواقِهِ لَم يَضرِبِ
Welcome to the returning phantom of her image,
while night had not yet spread its canopy overhead.
طَيفٌa phantom تَرَحَّلَjourneyed زائِراًas a visitor مِنfrom مَشرِقٍthe east
طَيفٌ تَرَحَّلَ زائِراً مِن مَشرِقٍ
كَلِفَbecame enamored الفُؤادُthe heart بِحُبِّهِwith love for it مِنfrom مَغرِبِthe west
كَلِفَ الفُؤادُ بِحُبِّهِ مِن مَغرِبِ
A phantom journeyed as a visitor from the east;
a heart in the west was consumed with love for it.
عَجَباًhow wondrous لَهُat it وافىit arrived وَكَمand how many مِنon دُونِهِthis side of it
عَجَباً لَهُ وافى وَكَم مِن دُونِهِ
مِنof مَهمَهٍtrackless desert قَفرٍbarren وَمَرتٍand desolate land سَبسَبِwide and level
مِن مَهمَهٍ قَفرٍ وَمَرتٍ سَبسَبِ
How wondrous that it came, though between us lay so many
trackless, barren deserts and empty, level wastes!
أَحبِبhow dear إِلَيَّto me بِزَينَبٍZaynab وَبِزائِرٍand a visitor
أَحبِب إِلَيَّ بِزَينَبٍ وَبِزائِرٍ
وافىcame إِلَيَّto me مَعَwith الكَرىslumber مِنfrom زَينَبِZaynab
وافى إِلَيَّ مَعَ الكَرى مِن زَينَبِ
How dear to me are Zaynab and the visitor
who came to me with slumber, from Zaynab!
بَيضاءَfair-skinned واضِحَةِbright التَرائِبِthe upper breast طَفلَةٍtender
بَيضاءَ واضِحَةِ التَرائِبِ طَفلَةٍ
جَيداءَlong-necked مُغزِلَةٍa gazelle with a fawn عَقيلِةِthe choicest female of رَبرَبِa wild herd
جَيداءَ مُغزِلَةٍ عَقيلِةِ رَبرَبِ
Fair-skinned, bright-breasted, tender,
long-necked, a gazelle with her fawn, the wild herd's prized beauty.
ياah حَبَّذاhow lovely مِنّيto me الدِيارُthe dwellings قَريبَةًnearby
يا حَبَّذا مِنّي الدِيارُ قَريبَةً
بِالشِعبِin the ravine حينَwhen الشَملُthe united company لَمnot يَتَشَعَّبِhad scattered
بِالشِعبِ حينَ الشَملُ لَم يَتَشَعَّبِ
Ah, how lovely were the dwellings, close to me,
in the ravine, before our company had scattered!
وَلَقَدand indeed جَرَيتُI traveled بِكُلِّthrough every أَرضٍland مَجهَلٍunknown
وَلَقَد جَرَيتُ بِكُلِّ أَرضٍ مَجهَلٍ
وَقَطَعتُand I crossed غارِبَةَthe remotest reaches of البِلادِthe lands الغُرَّبِfar-distant
وَقَطَعتُ غارِبَةَ البِلادِ الغُرَّبِ
I have indeed traveled through every unknown land,
and crossed the remotest reaches of far-distant lands.
وَوَرَدتُand I came to آجِنَةَstagnant المِياهِwaters مُهَتِّكاًtearing away
وَوَرَدتُ آجِنَةَ المِياهِ مُهَتِّكاً
عَنهُنَّfrom them أَصحابيmy companions سُتورَthe veils of الطُحلُبِalgae
عَنهُنَّ أَصحابي سُتورَ الطُحلُبِ
I came to stagnant waters, stripped
of their veils of algae by my companions.
وَأَعَدتُand I rendered بادِنَةَplump القِلاصِyoung she-camels رَذِيَّةًworn-out
وَأَعَدتُ بادِنَةَ القِلاصِ رَذِيَّةً
مِنof كُلِّevery مُشرِفَةِhigh in الغَوارِبِthe withers ذِعلِبِswift she-camel
مِن كُلِّ مُشرِفَةِ الغَوارِبِ ذِعلِبِ
I wore plump young she-camels down to exhaustion,
each a swift beast with lofty withers,
حَتّىuntil وَصَلتُI came إِلَيكَto you ياO بَحرَsea of النَدىgenerosity
حَتّى وَصَلتُ إِلَيكَ يا بَحرَ النَدى
ياO بنَson of الكِرامِthe noble ذَويpossessors of الفِعالَdeeds الأَنجَبِmost noble
يا بنَ الكِرامِ ذَوي الفِعالَ الأَنجَبِ
until I reached you, O sea of generosity,
O son of noble men, masters of the noblest deeds.
يابنَO son of المُلوكِkings السابِقينَthose foremost إِلىtoward العلىglory
يابنَ المُلوكِ السابِقينَ إِلى العلى
وَالواهِبينَand givers of جَزيلَabundant amounts of ماwhat لَمnot يوهَبِhad been given
وَالواهِبينَ جَزيلَ ما لَم يوهَبِ
O son of kings, foremost in attaining glory,
givers of lavish gifts never given before,
وَالطاعِنينَand those who thrust بِكُلِّwith every أَسمَرَbrown lance ذابِلٍslender
وَالطاعِنينَ بِكُلِّ أَسمَرَ ذابِلٍ
وَالضارِبينَand those who strike بِكُلِّwith every أَبيَضَwhite sword مِقضَبِkeen-cutting
وَالضارِبينَ بِكُلِّ أَبيَضَ مِقضَبِ
who thrust with every slender, dusky lance,
and strike with every keen, white sword,
وَالخائِضِينَand those who plunge into غِمارَthe depths of كُلِّevery كَريهَةٍdreadful battle
وَالخائِضِينَ غِمارَ كُلِّ كَريهَةٍ
فيon ظَهرِthe back of كُلِّevery أَقبّlean-flanked steed أَجرَدَsleek-coated سَلهَبِlong-limbed
في ظَهرِ كُلِّ أَقبّ أَجرَدَ سَلهَبِ
and plunge into the depths of every dreadful battle
on the back of every lean-flanked, sleek, long-limbed steed,
وَالنازِلينَand those who alight بِقُورِon the hills of كُلِّevery ثَنِيَّةٍmountain pass
وَالنازِلينَ بِقُورِ كُلِّ ثَنِيَّةٍ
لِلمَكرُماتِfor noble deeds وَكُلِّand every فَجٍّmountain gorge مُخصِبِfertile
لِلمَكرُماتِ وَكُلِّ فَجٍّ مُخصِبِ
and alight on the hills of every mountain pass,
for noble deeds, and in every fertile gorge:
أَولادِsons of مِردادسِMirdādis الَّذينَwho أَكُفُّهمtheir hands
أَولادِ مِردادسِ الَّذينَ أَكُفُّهم
مِثلُlike السَحائِبِrainclouds فيin الزَمانِthe time المُجدِبِdrought-stricken
مِثلُ السَحائِبِ في الزَمانِ المُجدِبِ
the sons of Mirdādis, whose hands
are like rainclouds in a time of drought.
شُمُّlofty الأُنوفِnoses مِنَamong المُلوكِkings أَعِزَّةٌmighty
شُمُّ الأُنوفِ مِنَ المُلوكِ أَعِزَّةٌ
كَسَبواthey achieved مِنَin المَعروفِbenevolence ماwhat لَمnot يُكسَبِhad been achieved
كَسَبوا مِنَ المَعروفِ ما لَم يُكسَبِ
Proud-nosed, mighty among kings,
they achieved in generosity what none had achieved before.
وَلَقَدand indeed بَنىbuilt لَهُمُfor them ثِمالٌThimāl فيin العُلىglory's heights
وَلَقَد بَنى لَهُمُ ثِمالٌ في العُلى
عَيطاءَa lofty edifice لاحِقَةَreaching الذُرىits summits بِالكَوكَبِto the star
عَيطاءَ لاحِقَةَ الذُرى بِالكَوكَبِ
Thimāl has indeed built for them in the heights of glory
a lofty edifice whose summits touch the stars.
مَلِكٌa king بِرَحبَةِat Rahbat مالِكٍMālik وَحَديثُهُand talk of him
مَلِكٌ بِرَحبَةِ مالِكٍ وَحَديثُهُ
فيin مُشرِقِthe east وَصِفاتُهُand his qualities فيin مَغرِبِthe west
في مُشرِقِ وَصِفاتُهُ في مَغرِبِ
A king at Rahbat Mālik, with talk of him
in the east, and accounts of his virtues in the west.
زُرهُvisit him تَزُرyou will visit مَلِكاًa king تُوافيyou find عِندَهُwith him
زُرهُ تَزُر مَلِكاً تُوافي عِندَهُ
ماwhatever شِئتَyou wish مِنof أَهلِwelcome لَدَيهِin his presence وَمَرحَبِand warm greeting
ما شِئتَ مِن أَهلِ لَدَيهِ وَمَرحَبِ
Visit him: you visit a king in whose presence you find
all the welcome and warm greetings you could wish.
وَإِذاand when رَأَيتَyou look رَأَيتَهُyou see him فيon دَستِهِhis throne
وَإِذا رَأَيتَ رَأَيتَهُ في دَستِهِ
قَمَراًa moon وَلَيثاًand a lion قَسوراmighty فيin مَوكِبِa procession
قَمَراً وَلَيثاً قَسورا في مَوكِبِ
And when you look, you see him on his throne,
a moon, and a mighty lion in his cavalcade.
وُلِدَwas born المعِزُّal-Muʿizz وَصالِحٌand Ṣāliḥ مِنfrom طِينةٍclay
وُلِدَ المعِزُّ وَصالِحٌ مِن طِينةٍ
وَكَذاكَand thus يُولَدُis born طَيِّبٌa good man مِنfrom طَيّبِa good man
وَكَذاكَ يُولَدُ طَيِّبٌ مِن طَيّبِ
Al-Muʿizz and Ṣāliḥ were born of a single clay;
thus is a good man born of a good man.
ياO أَيُّهاyou المُلِكُking الَّذيwho إِحسانُهُhis beneficence
يا أَيُّها المُلِكُ الَّذي إِحسانُهُ
يَهميpours down عَلَيناupon us مِنfrom نَداهُhis bounty بِصَيِّبِin a downpour
يَهمي عَلَينا مِن نَداهُ بِصَيِّبِ
O king, whose beneficence
rains upon us in a downpour of his bounty!
لِلّهِto God دَرُّكَyour excellence وَالأُسُودُand the lions عَوابِسٌscowling
لِلّهِ دَرُّكَ وَالأُسُودُ عَوابِسٌ
تَختالُstrut فيin حُلَلِrobes of العَجاجِswirling dust الأَصهَبِtawny
تَختالُ في حُلَلِ العَجاجِ الأَصهَبِ
God bless your prowess, as the scowling lions
strutted in robes of tawny dust,
لَمّاwhen طَلَعتَyou appeared عَلىupon سَمَندٍa dun steed سابِحٍswimming in its gallop
لَمّا طَلَعتَ عَلى سَمَندٍ سابِحٍ
فيin لَونِthe color of حَليِthe ornaments of لِجامِهِits bridle وَالمَركَبِand saddle
في لَونِ حَليِ لِجامِهِ وَالمَركَبِ
when you appeared on a dun steed with a swimmer's stride,
the color of the ornaments on its bridle and saddle.
سُودٌblack قَوائِمُهُits legs وَلَكنbut جِسمُهits body
سُودٌ قَوائِمُهُ وَلَكن جِسمُه
لَولاbut for السَبائبthe flowing hair كَالقَميصِlike a tunic المُذهَبِgilded
لَولا السَبائب كَالقَميصِ المُذهَبِ
Its legs were black, but its body—
apart from its flowing locks—was like a gilded tunic.
نَهَدَتswelled مَراكِلُهُits flanks وَأَشرَفَand rose high مَتنُهُits back
نَهَدَت مَراكِلُهُ وَأَشرَفَ مَتنُهُ
وَعَلَتand rose مَناكِبُهُits shoulders عُلُوَّthe height of المرقَبِa lookout tower
وَعَلَت مَناكِبُهُ عُلُوَّ المرقَبِ
Its flanks swelled, and its back rose high;
its shoulders towered as high as a lookout.
وَكَأَنَّماand as though خاضَit waded through الدُجىdarkness فَتَسَربَلَتthen became clothed
وَكَأَنَّما خاضَ الدُجى فَتَسَربَلَت
مِنهُfrom it شَوامِتُهُits legs بِمِثلِin the likeness of الغَيهَبِpitch-black night
مِنهُ شَوامِتُهُ بِمِثلِ الغَيهَبِ
As though it had waded through darkness and dressed
its legs in a blackness like the deepest night.
سَلِسُeasy القِيادِto guide كَأَنَّas though فَضلَthe slack of عِنانِهِits rein
سَلِسُ القِيادِ كَأَنَّ فَضلَ عِنانِهِ
مِمّاfrom how يَلينُit yields مُرَكَّبٌfitted فيin لَولَبٍa swivel
مِمّا يَلينُ مُرَكَّبٌ في لَولَبٍ
Easy to guide, as though the slack of its rein
were fitted to a swivel, so readily does it yield.
فَطَعَنتَthen you thrust وَالفُرسانُwhile the horsemen حَولَكَaround you شُزَّبٌlean
فَطَعَنتَ وَالفُرسانُ حَولَكَ شُزَّبٌ
بِالرُمحِwith the spear طَعنَةَa thrust صالِحيِّof Ṣāliḥ's المَنصِبِlineage
بِالرُمحِ طَعنَةَ صالِحيِّ المَنصِبِ
Then you thrust, with lean horsemen all around you,
with the spear, the thrust of one of Ṣāliḥ's line.
وَرَأَتand saw حُماتُكyour defenders مِنكَin you لَيثَa lion of كَريهَةٍbattle
وَرَأَت حُماتُك مِنكَ لَيثَ كَريهَةٍ
يُوفيtowers عَلىover لَيثِthe lion of العَرينِthe lair المُغضَبِenraged
يُوفي عَلى لَيثِ العَرينِ المُغضَبِ
Your defenders saw in you a lion of battle,
surpassing the enraged lion of the den,
عُريانَnaked فيin رَهَجthe dust of الوَغىbattle وَكَأَنَّهُand as though it were
عُريانَ في رَهَج الوَغى وَكَأَنَّهُ
شاكيfully equipped with السِلاحِweapons بِنابِهِwith its fang وَالمخلَبِand claw
شاكي السِلاحِ بِنابِهِ وَالمخلَبِ
bare amid battle's dust, yet seemingly
fully armed with its fang and claw.
فَتَرَكتَهُso you left it جَزَرَmeat for السُيوفِthe swords تنُوشُهُassailing it
فَتَرَكتَهُ جَزَرَ السُيوفِ تنُوشُهُ
وَكَذاand likewise فَعَالُكَyour deeds فيamong رَعيلِthe ranks of المِقنَبِthe cavalry troop
وَكَذا فَعَالُكَ في رَعيلِ المِقنَبِ
So you left it meat for the swords that tore at it,
and such are your deeds amid the ranks of cavalry.
ياO مَنthe one عَلَيهِon him مِنَamong المُلوكِkings مُعَوَّليmy reliance
يا مَن عَلَيهِ مِنَ المُلوكِ مُعَوَّلي
وَإِلَيهِand to him مِنfrom صَرفِthe turns of الحَوادِثِevents مَهرَبيmy refuge
وَإِلَيهِ مِن صَرفِ الحَوادِثِ مَهرَبي
O you, on whom, among kings, I rely,
and to whom I flee from fortune's turns,
وافَيتُI came نَحوَكَtoward you مِنfrom بِلادٍlands مَطعَميmy food
وافَيتُ نَحوَكَ مِن بِلادٍ مَطعَمي
مِنfrom فَيضِthe overflow of فَضلِكَyour bounty مُذsince عُرِفتُI was known وَمَشرَبيand my drink
مِن فَيضِ فَضلِكَ مُذ عُرِفتُ وَمَشرَبي
I have come to you from lands where my food
and drink, since I became known, have come from your overflowing bounty.
وَعَجِبتُand I wondered كَيفَhow صَبَرتI endured عَنكَaway from you وَإَِنَّماwhen only
وَعَجِبتُ كَيفَ صَبَرت عَنكَ وَإَِنَّما
بِكَthrough you فيin البِلادِthe lands تَصَرُّفيmy activity وَتَقَلُّبيand my travels
بِكَ في البِلادِ تَصَرُّفي وَتَقَلُّبي
And I wondered how I bore being away from you, when
only through you do I make my way and travel through the lands.
لَكِنbut مَرِضتI fell ill كَماas عَلِمتَyou knew وَلَمand not تَكُنthere was
لَكِن مَرِضت كَما عَلِمتَ وَلَم تَكُن
لِيfor me مُنّةٌstrength فيfor جِيئَةٍcoming أَوor مَذهَبِgoing
لِي مُنّةٌ في جِيئَةٍ أَو مَذهَبِ
But I fell ill, as you know, and had no
strength to come or go.
فابسُطso grant ليَme العُذرَthe excuse الَّذيwhich أَوضَحتُهُI explained
فابسُط ليَ العُذرَ الَّذي أَوضَحتُهُ
وَاستَوصِand take care بيof me خَيراًkindly وَدَنِّand draw me near وَقَرِّبِand bring me close
وَاستَوصِ بي خَيراً وَدَنِّ وَقَرِّبِ
So accept the excuse I have explained,
and treat me kindly; draw me near and bring me close.
فَإِذاfor if سَلِمتَyou are safe فَكُلُّthen every صَعبٍhardship هَيِّنٌis easy
فَإِذا سَلِمتَ فَكُلُّ صَعبٍ هَيِّنٌ
عِنديto me وَمَنand whoever سالَمتَهُyou make peace with لَمnot يَعطَبِwill perish
عِندي وَمَن سالَمتَهُ لَم يَعطَبِ
For if you are safe, every hardship is easy
to me, and whoever you make peace with will not perish.
Sol 6.1