ذَكَرَhe recalled الشَبابَyouth فَهاجَهُso it stirred him التَذكارُremembrance
ذَكَرَ الشَبابَ فَهاجَهُ التَذكارُ
أَسَفاًin sorrow وَعاوَدَand returned to نَفسَهُhis soul اِستِعبارُweeping
أَسَفاً وَعاوَدَ نَفسَهُ اِستِعبارُ
He recalled his youth, and remembrance stirred him
The memory of youth stirred him
to grief, and his soul was moved to tears again.
And he sighed in melancholy, trying to pull himself together
لاno عُذرَexcuse ليfor me عِندَbefore العَذارىthe maidens بَعدَماafter
لا عُذرَ لي عِندَ العَذارى بَعدَما
شابَتturned gray بِرَأسِيon my head لِمَّةٌlocks of hair وَعِذارُand sideburns
شابَت بِرَأسِي لِمَّةٌ وَعِذارُ
I have no excuse before the maidens now that
I have no excuse anymore before the virgins
the locks on my head and my sideburns have turned gray.
Since some gray hairs appeared on my head as a sign of old age
وَالوَقرُand deafness فيin أُذُنِthe ear of الفَتىthe young man أَشهىmore desirable لَهُto him
وَالوَقرُ في أُذُنِ الفَتى أَشهى لَهُ
مِنthan قَولِهِمtheir saying إِنَّthat المَشيبَgray hair وَقارُdignity
مِن قَولِهِم إِنَّ المَشيبَ وَقارُ
And deafness in a young man's ear is dearer to him
Gravity in a young man's ear is more pleasing to him
than their saying that gray hair is dignity.
Than their talk that gray hair brings dignity
لِلّهِfor God (in admiration) أَيّامُthe days of الصِباyouth لَوif only لَمnot تَكُنthey had been
لِلّهِ أَيّامُ الصِبا لَو لَم تَكُن
شَجَراتِtrees غَيٍّfolly ماnot لَهُنَّfor them ثِمارُfruits
شَجَراتِ غَيٍّ ما لَهُنَّ ثِمارُ
How wonderful the days of youth—if only they had not been
By God, the days of youth, if they were not
trees of folly that bear no fruit!
Like fruitless trees, would be fruitless
ماhow كانَwas أَقصَرَهُنَّbrief they were عِنديto me مُدَّةًin duration
ما كانَ أَقصَرَهُنَّ عِندي مُدَّةً
وَكَذاكَand likewise أَيّامُthe days of السُرورِjoy قِصارُshort
وَكَذاكَ أَيّامُ السُرورِ قِصارُ
How brief their duration seemed to me!
None of them seemed short to me
And likewise, the days of joy are short.
And so are the days of happiness, fleeting
مَعَwith كُلُّevery غانِيَةٍbeautiful woman كَأَنَّas though رُضابَهاher saliva
مَعَ كُلُّ غانِيَةٍ كَأَنَّ رُضابَها
عَسَلٌhoney مِنَfrom الأَشَرِserrated teeth العِذابِsweet مُشارُharvested
عَسَلٌ مِنَ الأَشَرِ العِذابِ مُشارُ
With every beauty whose saliva was like
With every singing girl it is as if her tambourine
honey gathered from sweet, serrated teeth.
Is honey sucked from bitter aloe wood
بَيضاءُa fair woman صِيغَwas fashioned مِنَfrom النُجُومِthe stars لِنَحرِهاfor her throat
بَيضاءُ صِيغَ مِنَ النُجُومِ لِنَحرِها
عِقدٌa necklace وَمِنand from قَصَفِa fragment of الهِلالِthe crescent moon سِوارُa bracelet
عِقدٌ وَمِن قَصَفِ الهِلالِ سِوارُ
A fair woman: stars were fashioned for her throat
Her white neck is like a string of stars
into a necklace, and a crescent fragment into a bracelet.
Her wrists adorned with crescent moon bracelets
غَدَرتshe betrayed بِميثاقِagainst the covenant of الوِدادِaffection وَكُلُّand everyone مَنwho
غَدَرت بِميثاقِ الوِدادِ وَكُلُّ مَن
تَهفُوflutters عَلَيهِover him غَديرَةٌa braid غَدّارُtreacherous
تَهفُو عَلَيهِ غَديرَةٌ غَدّارُ
She betrayed the covenant of love; and everyone
She betrayed the pact of love, and whoever
over whom a braid flutters is treacherous.
A deceitful pond flows over, it will deceive in the morning
إِنَّindeed الغَوانيbeautiful women فيin غِنىًindependence عَنfrom مُرمِلٍan impoverished man
إِنَّ الغَواني في غِنىً عَن مُرمِلٍ
نَزَلَdescended القَتِيرُgray hairs عَلَيهِupon him وَالإِقتارُand poverty
نَزَلَ القَتِيرُ عَلَيهِ وَالإِقتارُ
Beautiful women have no need of an impoverished man
Singers have no need of a wrinkled old man
upon whom gray hairs and poverty have descended.
Destitution has befallen him and poverty
أَمّاas for الشَبابُyouth فَماthen not يَعُودُreturns وَرُبَّماand perhaps
أَمّا الشَبابُ فَما يَعُودُ وَرُبَّما
عادَreturns المُعِزُّal-Muʿizz فَعاوَدَthen returns again الإِيسارُaffluence
عادَ المُعِزُّ فَعاوَدَ الإِيسارُ
As for youth, it does not return; yet perhaps
As for youth, it does not return, but sometimes
al-Muʿizz will return, and prosperity come again.
Good fortune returns and prosperity is restored
مَلِكٌa king إِذاwhen مَطَرَتrain سَحائِبُthe clouds of جُودِهِhis generosity
مَلِكٌ إِذا مَطَرَت سَحائِبُ جُودِهِ
لَمnot تُنتَجَعare sought لِبِلادِهِfor his lands الأَمطارُthe rains
لَم تُنتَجَع لِبِلادِهِ الأَمطارُ
A king—when the clouds of his generosity rain,
A king, when the clouds of his generosity rain down
no rain is sought for his lands.
The rains cannot be contained in his lands
تَجِبُpound القُلوبُhearts مَخافَةًin fear مِنof بَأسِهِhis might
تَجِبُ القُلوبُ مَخافَةً مِن بَأسِهِ
وَتُغَضُّand are lowered عَنهُaway from him إِذاwhen بَداhe appears الأَبصارُeyes
وَتُغَضُّ عَنهُ إِذا بَدا الأَبصارُ
Hearts pound in fear of his might,
Hearts shrink in fear of his might
and eyes are averted from him when he appears.
And eyes avert when he appears
نَجَحَprospered الزَمانُthe age بِذِكرِهِthrough his renown وَتَجَمَّلَتand were adorned
نَجَحَ الزَمانُ بِذِكرِهِ وَتَجَمَّلَت
بِحَديثِهِwith tales of him الشُعَراءُthe poets وَالأَشعارُand poems
بِحَديثِهِ الشُعَراءُ وَالأَشعارُ
The age prospered through his renown, and beauty came
Time succeeds through mention of him, and poetry
through tales of him to poets and poems.
And poets are adorned by discourse of him
سَلهُask him وَحاذِرand beware مِنof أَنامِلِthe fingertips of كَفِّهِhis hand
سَلهُ وَحاذِر مِن أَنامِلِ كَفِّهِ
غَرَقاًdrowning فَهُنَّfor they إِذاwhen طَمَينَoverflow بِحارُseas
غَرَقاً فَهُنَّ إِذا طَمَينَ بِحارُ
Ask him, but beware the fingers of his hand,
Ask him for peace and beware of the palms of his hands
lest you drown: when they overflow, they are seas.
Lest you drown, for they are seas when he is calm
تَندىis moist with bounty فَلَوso if لَمَسَتit touched حِجارَةَthe stones of حَرَّةٍa lava field
تَندى فَلَو لَمَسَت حِجارَةَ حَرَّةٍ
لانَتwould soften بِلِينِthrough the softness of بَنانِهِhis fingertips الأَحجارُthe stones
لانَت بِلِينِ بَنانِهِ الأَحجارُ
His hand is moist with bounty; were it to touch a lava field's stones,
His dew, if it touched hot stones
the stones would soften through the softness of his fingertips.
Would melt them with the softness of his fingers
وَكَأَنَّماand as though فيin كُلِّevery عُضوٍpart مُزنَةٌa rain cloud
وَكَأَنَّما في كُلِّ عُضوٍ مُزنَةٌ
مِنof كَفِّهِhis hand أَوor دِيمَةُsteady rain مِدرارُpouring abundantly
مِن كَفِّهِ أَو دِيمَةُ مِدرارُ
And it is as though a rain cloud dwelt in every part
As if each limb has a balance
of his hand—or a steady, copious rain.
From his palm, or a flowing spring
لِلّهِfor God (in admiration) أَيُّwhat سَراةِnoble chiefs of قَومِa people أَصبَحُواthey have become
لِلّهِ أَيُّ سَراةِ قَومِ أَصبَحُوا
وَكَأَنَّماand as though أَوصافُهُمtheir qualities أَسمارُevening tales
وَكَأَنَّما أَوصافُهُم أَسمارُ
What splendid chiefs of a people they have become!
By God, what excellent companions they have become
And their qualities seem like tales told at night.
It is as if their traits themselves are richest
طالُواthey stood tall بِحُسنِthrough the goodness of الذِكرِrenown إِلّاexcept أَنَهُمthat they
طالُوا بِحُسنِ الذِكرِ إِلّا أَنَهُم
عَنfrom نَيلِattaining أَسبابِthe means of القَبيحِbaseness قِصارُshort
عَن نَيلِ أَسبابِ القَبيحِ قِصارُ
They stand tall through good repute, except that they
They have attained glory through good repute
are too short to reach the means of baseness.
But fall short of achieving the causes of disgrace
مِنamong كُلِّevery مَحمُودِone praised for الفَعالِdeeds يَزِيدُهُmakes him more
مِن كُلِّ مَحمُودِ الفَعالِ يَزِيدُهُ
عُسراًdifficult عَلىfor لُوّامِهِhis faultfinders الإِعسارُpoverty
عُسراً عَلى لُوّامِهِ الإِعسارُ
Each man of praiseworthy deeds is made
Every admirable deed makes it harder
by poverty still harder for his faultfinders to censure.
For its critic to disparage it
قَدindeed أَكثَرَhe multiplied الفِعلَaction الجَميلَnoble فَواحِدٌso the same
قَد أَكثَرَ الفِعلَ الجَميلَ فَواحِدٌ
فيin نَفسِهِhis mind الإِقلالُhaving little وَالإِكثارُand having much
في نَفسِهِ الإِقلالُ وَالإِكثارُ
He has done many noble deeds; it is all one
He has done many good acts, so that one man
to him whether he has little or much.
Contains both scarcity and abundance
صاحَبتُهُمI kept their company فَغَرِقتُso I drowned فيin إِحسانِهِمtheir kindness
صاحَبتُهُم فَغَرِقتُ في إِحسانِهِم
غَرَقَthe drowning of القَذاةِa speck of debris دَحاswept بِهاit along التَيّارُthe current
غَرَقَ القَذاةِ دَحا بِها التَيّارُ
I kept their company and drowned in their kindness,
I associated with them, so I drowned in their benevolence
as a speck of debris drowns, swept along by the current.
As the flood carries off a straw
وَعَرَفتُهُمand I knew them فَعَرفتُthen I knew أَنّيthat I مِنهُمُone of them
وَعَرَفتُهُم فَعَرفتُ أَنّي مِنهُمُ
لاnot بِيof me وَلاnor بِجَميلِهِمof their kindness إِنكارُdenial
لا بِي وَلا بِجَميلِهِم إِنكارُ
I came to know them, and knew that I was one of them;
And I recognized them, so I recognized that I
they do not disown me, nor do I deny their kindness.
Cannot disavow either them or their kindness
ياO أَيُّهاyou المَلِكُking الَّذيwho عَزَماتُهُhis firm resolves
يا أَيُّها المَلِكُ الَّذي عَزَماتُهُ
يَفعَلنَthey do مالاwhat ... not تَفعَلُdo الأَقدارُthe fates
يَفعَلنَ مالا تَفعَلُ الأَقدارُ
O king, whose firm resolves
O king, whose resolves
accomplish what the fates do not.
Accomplish what destiny does not
لِلّهِfor God (in admiration) فِعلُكَyour deed فيtoward ابنِthe son of عَمِّكَyour paternal uncle إِنَّهُindeed it is
لِلّهِ فِعلُكَ في ابنِ عَمِّكَ إِنَّهُ
فِعلٌa deed عَلَيهِupon it مِنَof السُعُودِgood fortune أَمارُa sign
فِعلٌ عَلَيهِ مِنَ السُعُودِ أَمارُ
How splendid your deed toward your cousin! It is
By God, your treatment of your cousin
a deed bearing a sign of good fortune.
Bears signs of good fortune for him
أَصبَحتُماyou two now are فيin بَلدَةٍa town مَأَنُوسَةٍcongenial
أَصبَحتُما في بَلدَةٍ مَأَنُوسَةٍ
فازَprospers المُقِيمُthe dweller بِهاin it وَعَزَّand is honored الجارُthe neighbor
فازَ المُقِيمُ بِها وَعَزَّ الجارُ
You two now dwell in a congenial town;
You have come to live in a familiar abode
the dweller there prospers, and the neighbor is honored.
So the resident prospers and the neighbor thrives
لِمَwhy لاnot نَزِيدُwe exceed عَلىover الأَعاديthe enemies قُوَّةًin strength
لِمَ لا نَزِيدُ عَلى الأَعادي قُوَّةً
وَلَناand we have يَمينٌa right hand مِنكُمُfrom you وَيَسارُand a left hand
وَلَنا يَمينٌ مِنكُمُ وَيَسارُ
Why should we not surpass our enemies in strength,
Why do we not increase in strength over enemies
when we have in you a right hand and a left?
When we have your right hand and left?
لَوif نابَناbefell us خَطبٌa calamity لَقِيناwe would find مِنكُماfrom you two
لَو نابَنا خَطبٌ لَقِينا مِنكُما
وَزَراًa refuge تَحَطُّfall away بِقُربِهِnear it الأَوزارُburdens
وَزَراً تَحَطُّ بِقُربِهِ الأَوزارُ
If a calamity befell us, we would find in you two
If we sought help, we would find from both of you
a refuge near which burdens fall away.
A burden the likes of which burdens cannot bear
عُمِّرتُماmay you both live long لِلمَكرُماتِfor noble deeds وَدُمتُماand may you both endure
عُمِّرتُما لِلمَكرُماتِ وَدُمتُما
ماas long as دامَendures لَيلٌnight مُظلِمٌdark وَنَهارُand day
ما دامَ لَيلٌ مُظلِمٌ وَنَهارُ
May you both be granted long lives for noble deeds, and endure
May you both live long, for favors
as long as dark night and day endure.
As long as there is gloomy night and shining day
Sol 6.1