لَجَّpersisted بَرقُthe lightning الأَحَصِّof al-Ahass فيin لَمَعانِهِits flashing
لَجَّ بَرقُ الأَحَصِّ في لَمَعانِهِ
فَتَذكَّرتُso I remembered مَنthose وَراءَbeyond رِعانِهُits mountain spurs
فَتَذكَّرتُ مَن وَراءَ رِعانِهُ
Al-Ahass's lightning persisted in its flashing,
and I remembered those beyond its mountain spurs.
فَسَقىso may it water الغَيثُthe rain حَيثُwhere يَنقَطِعُends الأَوthe sandy tract (start)
فَسَقى الغَيثُ حَيثُ يَنقَطِعُ الأَو
عَسُsandy tract (end) مِنamong رَندِهِits laurels وَمَنبَتِand the growing-place بانِهof its moringa
عَسُ مِن رَندِهِ وَمَنبَتِ بانِه
So may rain water where the sandy tract ends,
among its laurels and the places its moringa grows.
أَوor تَرىyou see النَورَthe blossoms مِثلَlike ماwhat يُنشَرis spread البُرthe mantle (start)
أَو تَرى النَورَ مِثلَ ما يُنشَر البُر
دُmantle (end) حَواليaround هِضابِهِits hills وَقُنانِهُand its summits
دُ حَوالي هِضابِهِ وَقُنانِهُ
Or where you see blossoms like a mantle spread
around its hills and summits.
تَجلِبُbrings الرِيحُthe wind فيهِin it أَذكىmore fragrant مِنَthan المِسthe musk (start)
تَجلِبُ الرِيحُ فيهِ أَذكى مِنَ المِس
كmusk (end) إِذاwhen مَرَّتِpasses الصَباthe east wind بِمَكانِهthrough its grounds
ك إِذا مَرَّتِ الصَبا بِمَكانِه
There the wind brings a scent sweeter than musk
when the east wind passes through its grounds.
صاحِfriend هَلdid شاقَكَstir your longing العَشِيَّةَthis evening بِالوَعساءِat al-Wa‘sa
صاحِ هَل شاقَكَ العَشِيَّةَ بِالوَعساءِ
بَرقٌlightning يَشِبُّblazes فيin لَمَعانِهِits flashing
بَرقٌ يَشِبُّ في لَمَعانِهِ
Friend, were you stirred to longing this evening at al-Wa‘sa
by lightning blazing as it flashes?
لاحَshone فيin حِندِسِthe pitch-blackness الظَلامِof darkness كَماas لاshone (start)
لاحَ في حِندِسِ الظَلامِ كَما لا
حَshone (end) سَناthe glow الوَقدِof the fire بارِزاًemerging مِنfrom دُخانِهِits smoke
حَ سَنا الوَقدِ بارِزاً مِن دُخانِهِ
It shone in deepest darkness, as shines
a fire's glow emerging from its smoke.
مُستَطيراًflashing widely كَأَنَّهُas though it were الأَسمَرُthe brown spear الماthe supple (start)
مُستَطيراً كَأَنَّهُ الأَسمَرُ الما
رِنُsupple (end) فيin لِينِهِits pliancy وَفيand in عَسَلانِهِits swaying
رِنُ في لِينِهِ وَفي عَسَلانِهِ
Flashing far and wide, like a supple brown spear
in its pliancy and its swaying.
أَوor كَماas يَشهَدُattends الوَغاthe battle أَسوَدُthe black one الخَيلِamong horses
أَو كَما يَشهَدُ الوَغا أَسوَدُ الخَيلِ
فَتَدمىand bleed كُلومُهُits wounds فيon لَبانِهits breast
فَتَدمى كُلومُهُ في لَبانِه
Or like a black horse entering battle,
its wounds bleeding upon its breast.
ياO خَليلّيmy two friends عَرّجاturn aside, you two نَسألِlet us ask المَسكَنَthe dwelling
يا خَليلّي عَرّجا نَسألِ المَسكَنَ
عَمَّنabout those whom نُحِبُّwe love مِنamong سُكّانِهits inhabitants
عَمَّن نُحِبُّ مِن سُكّانِه
My two friends, turn aside; let us ask the dwelling
about those of its inhabitants whom we love.
أَنحَلَتهwasted it حَوادِثُthe misfortunes الدَهرِof time حَتّىuntil
أَنحَلَته حَوادِثُ الدَهرِ حَتّى
صارَbecame يَخفىhidden نُحولُهُits wasting عَنfrom عِيانِهseeing it
صارَ يَخفى نُحولُهُ عَن عِيانِه
Time's misfortunes have wasted it until
its very wasting has vanished from sight.
أَذكَرَتناreminded us رَيّاهُits fragrance رَيّاthe fragrance خُزاماof lavender
أَذكَرَتنا رَيّاهُ رَيّا خُزاما
هُits وَرَيّاand the fragrance النَسيمِof the breeze مِنfrom حَوذانِهits buttercups
هُ وَرَيّا النَسيمِ مِن حَوذانِه
Its fragrance was recalled to us by the scent of its lavender
and the breeze's scent from its buttercups.
كُلَّماwhenever هَبَّتِblew الصَباthe east wind نَثَرَتit scattered فيهِin it
كُلَّما هَبَّتِ الصَبا نَثَرَت فيهِ
شَبيهاًsomething similar بِالوَردِto roses مِنfrom ايهَقانِهits wild rocket
شَبيهاً بِالوَردِ مِن ايهَقانِه
Whenever the east wind blew, it scattered there
rose-like flowers from its wild rocket.
مَنزِلٌa dwelling كُلَّماwhenever نَزَلناwe alighted بِمَغناin the abode
مَنزِلٌ كُلَّما نَزَلنا بِمَغنا
هُits نَعِمناwe delighted بِحُورِهِin its dark-eyed beauties فيwithin جِنابِهits grounds
هُ نَعِمنا بِحُورِهِ في جِنابِه
A dwelling: whenever we alighted within its precincts,
we delighted in its dark-eyed beauties within its grounds.
حَبَّذاhow lovely العَيشُlife فيهِin it لَوif only دامَhad lasted ذاكَthat العَيشُlife
حَبَّذا العَيشُ فيهِ لَو دامَ ذاكَ العَيشُ
فيهِin it وَالعُمرُand life فيin عُنفُوانِهits prime
فيهِ وَالعُمرُ في عُنفُوانِه
How sweet was life there—if only that life had lasted
there, with life still in its prime.
قَبلَbefore أَنthat يَنهَجَgrew weary الشَبابُthe youth الَّذيthat وَلّىdeparted
قَبلَ أَن يَنهَجَ الشَبابُ الَّذي وَلّى
وَيَذويand withered الرَطيبُthe tender growth مِنof أَغصانِهits branches
وَيَذوي الرَطيبُ مِن أَغصانِه
Before the youth now gone grew weary
and the tender growth of its branches withered.
عَيَّرتَنيtaunted me المَشيبَgray hair أَسماءُAsma وَالخَطّيُّyet the Khatti lance
عَيَّرتَني المَشيبَ أَسماءُ وَالخَطّيُّ
ماnot شانَهُmarred it بَياضُthe whiteness سِنانِهof its spearhead
ما شانَهُ بَياضُ سِنانِه
Asma taunted me for gray hair; yet a Khatti lance
is not marred by the whiteness of its point.
وَالدُجىand darkness حُسنُهits beauty النُجومُthe stars وَحُسنُand the beauty الرof the meadow (start)
وَالدُجى حُسنُه النُجومُ وَحُسنُ الر
روضmeadow (end) حُسنُthe beauty البَياضِof whiteness فيin أُقحُوانِهits daisies
روض حُسنُ البَياضِ في أُقحُوانِه
Darkness is adorned by stars; a meadow's beauty
is the lovely whiteness of its daisies.
وَرِكابٌand riding camels تَجفُوshun المَبارِكَthe kneeling places فيin البَيْthe wilderness (start)
وَرِكابٌ تَجفُو المَبارِكَ في البَيْ
داءwilderness (end) وَاللَيلُwhile night بارِكٌis kneeling بِجِرانِهon its neck's underside
داء وَاللَيلُ بارِكٌ بِجِرانِه
And riding camels shun resting places in the desert,
while night kneels with its neck laid low.
كُلَّماwhenever داسَتِthey tread الحَصاthe gravel خَضَبَتهُthey stain it
كُلَّما داسَتِ الحَصا خَضَبَتهُ
فَتَساوىso became equal عَقيقُهُits agate بِجُمانِهto its pearls
فَتَساوى عَقيقُهُ بِجُمانِه
Whenever they tread the gravel, they stain it,
so its agate and its pearls become alike.
حامِلاتٍbearing غَرائِبَrarities الأَدَبِof literature المَرغُوthe sought-after (start)
حامِلاتٍ غَرائِبَ الأَدَبِ المَرغُو
بِsought-after (end) فيهِin it إِلىto غَريبِthe peerless one زَمانِهof his age
بِ فيهِ إِلى غَريبِ زَمانِه
Bearing rare treasures of sought-after literature
to the peerless man of his age,
عَلَمِ‘Alam (banner) الدَولَةِal-Dawla (of the state) الَّذيwho غَرَّقflooded العاthe world (start)
عَلَمِ الدَولَةِ الَّذي غَرَّق العا
لَمworld (end) فيin فَضلِهِhis bounty وَفيand in إِحسانِهhis beneficence
لَم في فَضلِهِ وَفي إِحسانِه
‘Alam al-Dawla, who flooded the world
with his bounty and his beneficence.
مَلِكٌa king ضاقَwas too narrow وُسعُthe expanse ماof what تَقطَعُtraverse العِيthe pale camels (start)
مَلِكٌ ضاقَ وُسعُ ما تَقطَعُ العِي
سُpale camels (end) إِلَيهِto him عَنcompared with وُسعِthe breadth ماof what فيin جَنانِهhis heart
سُ إِلَيهِ عَن وُسعِ ما في جَنانِه
A king: too narrow is the expanse the pale camels cross
to reach him, beside the vastness within his heart.
مُدرِكيُّMudriki النِجارِin lineage يَنفَحُwafts نَشرُthe fragrance الthe
مُدرِكيُّ النِجارِ يَنفَحُ نَشرُ ال
مِسكmusk مِنfrom عِرضِهِhis honor وَمِنand from أَردانِهhis sleeves
مِسك مِن عِرضِهِ وَمِن أَردانِه
Mudriki by lineage: musk's fragrance wafts
from his honor and his sleeves.
خَيرُthe best أَثوابِهِof his garments العَفافُchastity وَأَسنىand the loftiest الذِكrenown (start)
خَيرُ أَثوابِهِ العَفافُ وَأَسنى الذِك
رrenown (end) أَسنىthe loftiest ماof what صِيغَwas fashioned مِنamong تيجانِهhis crowns
ر أَسنى ما صِيغَ مِن تيجانِه
His finest garment is chastity; his noblest renown
is the noblest of the crowns fashioned for him.
يَخزِنُstores المالَwealth فيin صَنائِعهhis benefactions الغُرthe radiant (start)
يَخزِنُ المالَ في صَنائِعه الغُر
رradiant (end) وَيُفنيand exhausts ماwhat فيin حُوىthe coffers خُزّانِهُof his treasurers
ر وَيُفني ما في حُوى خُزّانِهُ
He stores wealth in his radiant benefactions,
and exhausts what his treasurers' coffers hold.
وَإِذاand if كانَis طَبعُهُhis nature كَرَمُthe generosity النَفيِof the noble one (start)
وَإِذا كانَ طَبعُهُ كَرَمُ النَفيِ
سnoble one (end) فَمَنthen who ذاis it that يُحيلُهُcould turn him عَنfrom كِيانِهhis essence
س فَمَن ذا يُحيلُهُ عَن كِيانِه
And if his nature is the generosity of the noble,
who could turn him from his very essence?
لَوif وَزنّاهُwe weighed him بِالَّذيagainst what تَحمِلُbears الأَرthe earth (start)
لَو وَزنّاهُ بِالَّذي تَحمِلُ الأَر
ضُearth (end) عَلَيهاupon it لَمالَhe would tip فيin ميزانِهhis balance
ضُ عَلَيها لَمالَ في ميزانِه
If we weighed him against all that the earth bears
upon it, his weight would tip the balance.
يَدَّعيclaim الناسُthe people فَضلَهُhis excellence وَيَبينُand becomes clear الthe
يَدَّعي الناسُ فَضلَهُ وَيَبينُ ال
حقُّtruth عِندَupon اِمتِحانِهِمtheir testing وَامتِحانِهand his testing
حقُّ عِندَ اِمتِحانِهِم وَامتِحانِه
People claim his excellence, yet truth becomes clear
when they and he are put to the test.
بَحرُa sea جُودٍof generosity إِذاwhen طَماoverflows جُودُthe bounty كَفَّيهِof his two hands
بَحرُ جُودٍ إِذا طَما جُودُ كَفَّيهِ
رَأَيناwe see البِحارَthe seas مِنamong خُلجانِهhis inlets
رَأَينا البِحارَ مِن خُلجانِه
A sea of bounty: when his hands' generosity overflows,
we see the seas as inlets of his.
لَوif جرىflowed ماwhat يُنيلُهhe bestows لاحتَقَرناwe would deem small
لَو جرى ما يُنيلُه لاحتَقَرنا
عَصرَthe age نُوحٍof Noah وَالفَيضَand the floodwaters مِنof طُوفانِهhis deluge
عَصرَ نُوحٍ وَالفَيضَ مِن طُوفانِه
If what he bestows were to flow, we would think little of
Noah's age and the waters of his deluge.
طالَhe towered حَتّىuntil رَأَيتَyou saw كَيوانَSaturn مِنهُin relation to him
طالَ حَتّى رَأَيتَ كَيوانَ مِنهُ
مِثلَهlike him بِالقِياسِby comparison مَعwith كِيوانِهُhis Saturn
مِثلَه بِالقِياسِ مَع كِيوانِهُ
He towered until Saturn seemed, in relation to him,
as he himself would seem beside his own Saturn.
وَعَلاand rose قَدرُهُhis rank فَكُلُّso every مَكانٍstation
وَعَلا قَدرُهُ فَكُلُّ مَكانٍ
دُونَbelow باريهِhis Maker دُونَهُbelow him فيin مَكانِهِhis station
دُونَ باريهِ دُونَهُ في مَكانِهِ
His rank rose, so every station
beneath his Maker is beneath him in rank.
لَمَسَتtouched كَفُّهُhis palm العِنانَthe reins فَكادَso nearly العُشبُthe grass
لَمَسَت كَفُّهُ العِنانَ فَكادَ العُشبُ
يُلفىis found مِنfrom لَمسِهِhis touch فيon عِنانِهhis reins
يُلفى مِن لَمسِهِ في عِنانِه
His palm touched the reins, and grass could almost
be found on his reins from that touch.
وَمَشىand walked تَحتَهbeneath him الجَوادُthe steed فَكانَand there was الماءُwater
وَمَشى تَحتَه الجَوادُ فَكانَ الماءُ
يَجريflowing مِنfrom تَحتِbeneath وَطءِthe tread حِصانِهof his stallion
يَجري مِن تَحتِ وَطءِ حِصانِه
The steed walked beneath him, and water
flowed from beneath his stallion's tread.
دائِمُconstant النَصرِin victory لاnot يُريدُseeks عَلىagainst الأَعداءِthe enemies
دائِمُ النَصرِ لا يُريدُ عَلى الأَعداءِ
عَوناًhelp وَاللَهُand God مِنamong أَعوانِهhis helpers
عَوناً وَاللَهُ مِن أَعوانِه
Ever victorious, he does not seek against his enemies
any aid, while God is among his helpers.
وَرِثَinherited الفَخرَglory عَنfrom أَبيهِhis father وَمَيراثَand the legacy
وَرِثَ الفَخرَ عَن أَبيهِ وَمَيراثَ
العُلىof greatness عَنfrom ضِرابِهِhis sword blows وَطِعانِهand his lance thrusts
العُلى عَن ضِرابِهِ وَطِعانِه
He inherited glory from his father, and the legacy
of greatness from his sword blows and lance thrusts.
وَبَنىand built القَصرَthe palace بَعدَafter ماthat عَجِبَmarveled العاthe marveler (start)
وَبَنى القَصرَ بَعدَ ما عَجِبَ العا
جِبُmarveler (end) مِنat هَدمِهِits demolition وَمِنand at بُنيانِهits construction
جِبُ مِن هَدمِهِ وَمِن بُنيانِه
And he built the palace after the beholder had marveled
at its demolition and its construction.
وَرَأَيناهُand we saw him فيin الإِوانِthe iwan فَخِلناso we imagined
وَرَأَيناهُ في الإِوانِ فَخِلنا
أَنَّthat كِسرىChosroes ممثَّلاًembodied فيin إِوانِهhis iwan
أَنَّ كِسرى ممثَّلاً في إِوانِه
We saw him in the iwan and imagined
that Chosroes was embodied in his iwan.
أَمِنَtrusted الدَهرُTime عَدلَهُhis justice فَغَداso became الدَهرُTime
أَمِنَ الدَهرُ عَدلَهُ فَغَدا الدَهرُ
وَمَنand whoever فيهِis in it آمِناًsecure فيin أَمانِهhis protection
وَمَن فيهِ آمِناً في أَمانِه
Time trusted his justice, and so Time
and all within it became safe in his protection.
شَرَفاًwhat nobility يَزحَمُjostles النُجومَthe stars وَعِزّاًand what might
شَرَفاً يَزحَمُ النُجومَ وَعِزّاً
أَمَّنَmade secure اللَهُGod أَهَلُهits people مِنfrom هَوانِهits humiliation
أَمَّنَ اللَهُ أَهَلُه مِن هَوانِه
What nobility, jostling the stars, and what might—
God has kept its people safe from humiliation.
قَدindeed شَكَرناwe thanked زَمانَناour age وَأَمِنّاand became secure
قَد شَكَرنا زَمانَنا وَأَمِنّا
بِالفَتىthrough the youth المُدرِكيّthe Mudriki مِنfrom حَدَثانِهits calamities
بِالفَتى المُدرِكيّ مِن حَدَثانِه
We have thanked our age and grown secure
through the Mudriki youth against its calamities.
زادَincreased قَدريmy rank بَقَدرِهِthrough his rank وَعَلاand rose عِندَamong
زادَ قَدري بَقَدرِهِ وَعَلا عِندَ
مُلوكِthe kings البِلادِof the lands شانيmy standing بِشانِهthrough his standing
مُلوكِ البِلادِ شاني بِشانِه
My rank increased through his, and among
the kings of the lands my standing rose through his.
تَحسَبُyou deem الطَودَthe mountain ذَرَّةًa mote مِنof حِجاهُhis wisdom
تَحسَبُ الطَودَ ذَرَّةً مِن حِجاهُ
وَتَرىand you see البَحرَthe sea قَطرَةًa drop مِنfrom بَنانِهhis fingers
وَتَرى البَحرَ قَطرَةً مِن بَنانِه
You would count a mountain a mote of his wisdom,
and see the sea as a drop from his fingers.
أَيُّهاO العادِلُjust one الَّذيwho أَمِنَare safe الأُسدُthe lions
أَيُّها العادِلُ الَّذي أَمِنَ الأُسدُ
مِنfrom جَورِهِhis injustice وَمِنand from عُدوانِهhis aggression
مِن جَورِهِ وَمِن عُدوانِه
O just man, even lions are safe
from your oppression and your aggression.
صُنعتُI fashioned صِدقَthe truth الكَلامِof speech فيكَabout you فَماso I do not
صُنعتُ صِدقَ الكَلامِ فيكَ فَما
أَخجَلُfeel ashamed مِنof زُورِهِits falsehood وَمِنand of بُهتانِهits slander
أَخجَلُ مِن زُورِهِ وَمِن بُهتانِه
I crafted truthful words about you, so I do not
blush at falsehood or slander in them.
إِنَّماonly أَنتَyou غايَةُthe summit الكَرَمِof generosity المَنthe described (start)
إِنَّما أَنتَ غايَةُ الكَرَمِ المَن
عوتِdescribed (end) فيin قَيسِهِits Qays وَفيand in قَحطانِهits Qahtan
عوتِ في قَيسِهِ وَفي قَحطانِه
You alone are the pinnacle of the generosity extolled
in Qays and in Qahtan.
لَيسَthere is not فيin ناظِرِthe eye المَكارِمِof noble deeds إِنساa person (start)
لَيسَ في ناظِرِ المَكارِمِ إِنسا
نٌperson (end) يَراهُit sees him كَأنتَlike you فيin إِنسانِهits pupil
نٌ يَراهُ كَأنتَ في إِنسانِه
In the eye of noble deeds there is no other man
seen as you are within its pupil.
ياO ابنَson of أَعلىthe loftiest المُلوكِof kings ذِكراًin renown وَياand O أَكthe noblest (start)
يا ابنَ أَعلى المُلوكِ ذِكراً وَيا أَك
رَمَnoblest (end) مَنof those who فيin زَمانِهِhis age وَأَوانِهand his time
رَمَ مَن في زَمانِهِ وَأَوانِه
O son of the most renowned of kings, O noblest
of all in your age and time.
دُونَكَtake الحَمدَpraise خالِداًeverlasting مِنfrom مُحِبٍّa lover
دُونَكَ الحَمدَ خالِداً مِن مُحِبٍّ
لَكَof you فيin سِرِّهِhis privacy وَفيand in إِعلانِهhis open avowal
لَكَ في سِرِّهِ وَفي إِعلانِه
Take everlasting praise from one who loves
you in private and in public.
أَنتَyou طَوَّلتَraised قَدرَهُhis standing وَتَطوَّلand showed favor (start)
أَنتَ طَوَّلتَ قَدرَهُ وَتَطوَّل
تَyou (verb ending) عَلَيهِupon him فَطالَso grew long شُكرُgratitude زَمانِهfor his age
تَ عَلَيهِ فَطالَ شُكرُ زَمانِه
You raised his rank and bestowed
favors upon him, so he has long thanked his times.
ياO تَقِيّاًpious one فيin فِعلِهِhis conduct وَنَقِيَّand pure الthe
يا تَقِيّاً في فِعلِهِ وَنَقِيَّ ال
فِعلِdeed فيin فِطرِهِhis breaking of the fast وَفيand in رَمَضانِهhis Ramadan
فِعلِ في فِطرِهِ وَفي رَمَضانِه
O pious in conduct, and pure
in deed, when breaking the fast and during Ramadan.
ضَمِنَpledged الدَهرُTime أَنto يَمُدَّprolong لَكَfor you العُمlife (start)
ضَمِنَ الدَهرُ أَن يَمُدَّ لَكَ العُم
رَlife (end) فَلاso may it not زالَcease وافياًfaithful بِضَمانِهto its pledge
رَ فَلا زالَ وافياً بِضَمانِه
Time has pledged to prolong your life;
may it ever remain faithful to its pledge.
فَلَقَدfor indeed حَسَّنَتhave adorned مِناقِبُكَyour virtues الدَهTime (start)
فَلَقَد حَسَّنَت مِناقِبُكَ الدَه
رَTime (end) فَأَغنَتso sufficed سِخابُهُits scented necklaces عَنin place of جُمانِهits pearls
رَ فَأَغنَت سِخابُهُ عَن جُمانِه
For your virtues have so adorned Time
that its scented necklaces need no pearls.
Sol 6.1