زارَتكَshe visited you بَعدَafter الكَرىslumber زُوراًfalsely وَتَمويهاand deceptively
زارَتكَ بَعدَ الكَرى زُوراً وَتَمويها
ماhow كانَwas أَقرَبَهاher nearness لَولاbut for تَنائيهاher remoteness
ما كانَ أَقرَبَها لَولا تَنائيها
She visited you after slumber, in illusion and deception.
After the caravan had departed, she paid you short, fleeting visits,
How near she was, but for her remoteness!
How much closer they would have been, were it not for her aloofness!
زارَتshe visited وَجُنحُwhile the wing الدُجىdarkness يَحكيresembles ذَوائِبَهاher tresses
زارَت وَجُنحُ الدُجى يَحكي ذَوائِبَها
وَوَدَّعَتand she bade farewell وَضِياءُwhile the radiance الصُبحِdawn يَحكيهاresembles her
وَوَدَّعَت وَضِياءُ الصُبحِ يَحكيها
She came while the wing of darkness resembled her tresses,
She visited while the wings of night recounted her tale,
and bade farewell while dawn's radiance resembled her.
And the dawn light bid her farewell, telling of her.
كَيفَhow اِهتَدَتshe found her way وَظَلامُwhile the darkness اللَيلِnight معتكرthick
كَيفَ اِهتَدَت وَظَلامُ اللَيلِ معتكر
لَولاbut for سَناradiance وَجهِهاher face فيin اللَيلِthe night يَهديهاguides her
لَولا سَنا وَجهِها في اللَيلِ يَهديها
How did she find her way, with night's darkness so thick,
How did she find her way when the night was dark?
but for her face's radiance guiding her through the night?
Were it not for the radiance of her face guiding her in the night.
تَبَرقَعَتshe veiled her face فيin الدُجىdarkness تُخفيshe conceals مَحاسِنَهاher charms
تَبَرقَعَت في الدُجى تُخفي مَحاسِنَها
فَلَمyet did not تَكَدalmost سُدَفُveils الظَلماءِthe darkness تُخفيهاhide her
فَلَم تَكَد سُدَفُ الظَلماءِ تُخفيها
She veiled her face in the darkness to hide her charms,
She was veiled in the darkness, hiding her beauty,
yet the veils of darkness could scarcely hide her.
Yet hardly had the cloak of darkness hidden her.
رُوحيmy soul فِدىًransom لَكَfor you مِنas طَيفٍan apparition نَعِمتُI delighted بِهِin it
رُوحي فِدىً لَكَ مِن طَيفٍ نَعِمتُ بِهِ
وَلَيلَةٍand a night بَلَّغَتbrought نَفسيmy soul أَمانيهاits wishes
وَلَيلَةٍ بَلَّغَت نَفسي أَمانيها
My soul be your ransom, you apparition in which I delighted,
My soul is ransom for you, for an apparition I enjoyed,
and for a night that fulfilled my soul's wishes.
And a night that fulfilled my soul’s wishes.
ماhow كانَwas أَطيبَهاits sweetness لَولاbut for تَصَرُّمُهاits ending
ما كانَ أَطيبَها لَولا تَصَرُّمُها
عَنّاfrom us وَأَعجَبَهاand its wondrousness لَولاbut for تَقَضِّيهاits passing
عَنّا وَأَعجَبَها لَولا تَقَضِّيها
How sweet it was, but for its departure
How much sweeter it would have been, were it not for her reluctance
from us; and how wondrous, but for its passing!
To visit us, how much more wondrous, were it not for her leaving.
دَعleave ذاthat وَرُبّand many a شَطُونِfar-reaching البِيدِthe deserts نازِحةٍremote
دَع ذا وَرُبّ شَطُونِ البِيدِ نازِحةٍ
غُبرٍdust-grey مَعالِمُهاits landmarks طُمسٍfeatureless مَوامِيهاits wastes
غُبرٍ مَعالِمُها طُمسٍ مَوامِيها
Leave that; many a far-reaching, remote desert,
Leave this be, like the slopes of a sand dune shifted
its landmarks dust-grey, its wastes featureless,
By a dusty wind, its features blurred, its paths obscured.
كَأَنَّهاas though it وَالسَرابُwhile the mirage الضَحلُshallow يَرفَعُهاlifts it
كَأَنَّها وَالسَرابُ الضَحلُ يَرفَعُها
بَحرٌa sea مِنَof الآلِthe mirage طامٍswelling مَوجُهُits waves فِيهاwithin it
بَحرٌ مِنَ الآلِ طامٍ مَوجُهُ فِيها
as though, with the shallow mirage lifting it,
As though it and the insubstantial mirage that lifts it
it were a sea of mirage, its waves swelling within it—
Were a sea of flags with waves surging inside it.
قَطَعتُI crossed أَجوازَهاits expanses فيon ظَهرِthe back سَلهَبَةٍa long-bodied mare
قَطَعتُ أَجوازَها في ظَهرِ سَلهَبَةٍ
حُمٍّblack شَوامِتُهاher legs صُمٍّsolid خَوافِيهاher hooves
حُمٍّ شَوامِتُها صُمٍّ خَوافِيها
I crossed its expanses on the back of a tall, long-bodied mare,
I traversed its slopes in the evening gloom,
black of limb and solid of hoof.
Its whispered conversations hushed, its paths unclear.
طالَتgrew long سَبائِلُهاher flowing hair وَامتَدَّand stretched out حالِبُهاher flank
طالَت سَبائِلُها وَامتَدَّ حالِبُها
وَنافَand rose high غارِبُهاher withers وَاِنقادَand stretched forward هاديهاher neck
وَنافَ غارِبُها وَاِنقادَ هاديها
Her flowing hair was long, her flank stretched out,
Her tresses flowed long, her braid extended,
and her withers rose high, and her neck stretched forward,
Her setting hid them, her guide led the way.
مِثلُlike العُقابِthe eagle رَأَتshe saw صيداًprey بِشاهِقَةٍon a lofty height
مِثلُ العُقابِ رَأَت صيداً بِشاهِقَةٍ
مِنَamong الذُرىthe peaks فَتَدَلَّتthen she swooped مِنfrom أَعاليهاtheir heights
مِنَ الذُرى فَتَدَلَّت مِن أَعاليها
like an eagle that saw prey on a lofty height
Like an eagle who saw elevated prey,
among the peaks, then swooped down from their heights,
She swooped down from the heights in a steep dive,
إِلىtoward ثِمالٍThimal فَتىthe noble youth الدُنياthe world الَّذيwho يَدُهُhis hand
إِلى ثِمالٍ فَتى الدُنيا الَّذي يَدُهُ
مِثلُlike السَحابِthe clouds إِذاwhen اِنهلّتpour freely عَزالِيهاtheir spouts
مِثلُ السَحابِ إِذا اِنهلّت عَزالِيها
toward Thimal, the world's noble youth, whose hand
To a young hero whom the world saw his hand
is like clouds when their spouts pour freely.
Rain down like clouds when they unleash their burdens.
المُدركيِّal-Mudriki الحُميديِّal-Humaydi الَّذيwho شَهِدَتbore witness
المُدركيِّ الحُميديِّ الَّذي شَهِدَت
لَهُfor him البَرِيَّةُcreation قاصِيهاits distant ones وَدانِيهاand its near ones
لَهُ البَرِيَّةُ قاصِيها وَدانِيها
Al-Mudriki, al-Humaydi, for whom witness was borne
Al-Mudarrisi Al-Humaydi whom the wilderness acknowledged,
by all creation, far and near.
Both far and near.
إِذاif رَأَيتُمyou see لَناfor us فيin المَجدِglory شاهِقَةًa lofty tower
إِذا رَأَيتُم لَنا في المَجدِ شاهِقَةً
مَبنِيَّةًbuilt فَأَبوthen Abu العُلوانِal-Ulwan بانِيهاits builder
مَبنِيَّةً فَأَبو العُلوانِ بانِيها
If you see for us a lofty tower of glory,
When you see our glory rising high,
built up, then Abu al-Ulwan is its builder.
With strong architecture, know that Abu Al-Ulwan built it.
رُوحيmy soul وَماand whatever مَلَكَتpossesses كَفِّيmy hand فِدىransom مَلِكٍa king
رُوحي وَما مَلَكَت كَفِّي فِدى مَلِكٍ
يَختالُstruts proudly شِعريmy verse بِهِthrough him فيin مَنطِقيmy speech تيهاin pride
يَختالُ شِعري بِهِ في مَنطِقي تيها
My soul and all my hand possesses be ransom for a king
My soul and all that my hands possess are ransom for a king
through whom my verse struts proudly in my speech:
Whose fame my poetry spreads in my recitals, besotted.
فَتىًa noble youth يَهُونُcomes easily عَلَيهِto him حينَwhen يَسأَلُهُasks him
فَتىً يَهُونُ عَلَيهِ حينَ يَسأَلُهُ
عافيهِhis petitioner أَنto يَهَبَgive الدُنياthe world بِماwith whatever فيهاis in it
عافيهِ أَن يَهَبَ الدُنيا بِما فيها
a noble youth who finds it easy, when he is asked
A man who considers it trivial, when asked for bounty,
by one seeking his bounty, to give the world with all it holds.
To grant the world and all that is in it.
لاnot يَكنِزُhoards المالَwealth إِلّاexcept بِالعَطاءِby giving لَهُof it
لا يَكنِزُ المالَ إِلّا بِالعَطاءِ لَهُ
وَخَيرُand the best مَنof those who كَنَزَhoard الأَموالwealth مُعطِيهاone who gives it
وَخَيرُ مَن كَنَزَ الأَموال مُعطِيها
He hoards wealth only by giving it away,
He hoards wealth only through giving it away,
and the best hoarder of wealth is the one who gives it.
And the best treasures are those he distributes.
سَقىmay water الحَياrain الرَحبَةَal-Rahba الفَيحاءَspacious مَسكَنَهُhis dwelling
سَقى الحَيا الرَحبَةَ الفَيحاءَ مَسكَنَهُ
فَقَصرَهاthen its palace فَمُصَلّاهاthen its prayer ground فَضاحِيهاthen its outskirts
فَقَصرَها فَمُصَلّاها فَضاحِيها
May rain water spacious al-Rahba, his dwelling,
He irrigated the vast and fragrant plain where he dwells,
then its palace, its prayer ground, and its outskirts,
Transforming it into a home with courtyards and meadows.
إِلىto السُرىal-Sura حَيثُwhere تَنقادُyield الجِبالُthe mountains لَهُto him
إِلى السُرى حَيثُ تَنقادُ الجِبالُ لَهُ
مِنfrom دَيرِهاits monastery فَالأَعاليthen the heights مِنof رَوابيهاits hills
مِن دَيرِها فَالأَعالي مِن رَوابيها
as far as al-Sura, where the mountains bow to him,
To Sura where mountains are tamed for him,
from its monastery on to the heights of its hills;
From its monasteries to its lofty watchtowers,
إِلىto المُلَيحَةَal-Mulayha حَيثُwhere العَينُthe spring جارِيَةٌflowing
إِلى المُلَيحَةَ حَيثُ العَينُ جارِيَةٌ
مِنَfrom الصَباحِal-Sabah إِلىto جَلهَاتِthe sides وادِيهاits valley
مِنَ الصَباحِ إِلى جَلهَاتِ وادِيها
as far as al-Mulayha, where the spring flows
To Mulayha where springs flow
from al-Sabah to the sides of its valley.
From the morn to the wadis of its valleys.
ذادَdrove back العِدىthe enemies بَأسُهُhis might عَنهاfrom it وَشَرَّدَهُمand scattered them
ذادَ العِدى بَأسُهُ عَنها وَشَرَّدَهُم
حَتّىeven الأُسودَthe lions العَواديmarauding مِنfrom نَواحيهاits environs
حَتّى الأُسودَ العَوادي مِن نَواحيها
His might drove the enemies away from it and scattered them,
His might protected it from enemies and scattered them,
even the marauding lions from its environs.
Even the fierce beasts in its outskirts and environs.
ياO منyou whose تَبِيتُspend the night الرَعاياthe subjects وَهِيَwhile they شارِعَةٌdrink
يا من تَبِيتُ الرَعايا وَهِيَ شارِعَةٌ
مِنfrom فَضلِهِhis bounty بَعدَafter فَضلِthe bounty اللَهِGod بارِيهاtheir Creator
مِن فَضلِهِ بَعدَ فَضلِ اللَهِ بارِيها
O you whose subjects spend the night drinking
O you whom the subjects spend the night praising
from his bounty, after the bounty of God, their Creator,
After the grace of God, their Creator.
تَزيدُincreases فَخراًpride بِكَthrough you الدُنياthe world إِذاwhen نَظَرَتit looks
تَزيدُ فَخراً بِكَ الدُنيا إِذا نَظَرَت
إِلَيكَat you أَنَّكَthat you are فيهاwithin it بَعضُone of أَهليهاits people
إِلَيكَ أَنَّكَ فيها بَعضُ أَهليها
the world grows prouder through you when it looks
The world gains more pride in you when it looks upon you,
at you as one of the people within it.
For you are part of its family.
وَماand not دَرَتit knew أَنَّهاthat it وَالخَلقَand creation واحِدَةٌone entity
وَما دَرَت أَنَّها وَالخَلقَ واحِدَةٌ
وَأَنتَand you ياO كُلَّall of خَلقِthe creation اللَهِGod ثانيهاits second
وَأَنتَ يا كُلَّ خَلقِ اللَهِ ثانيها
Yet it does not know that it and creation are one,
It knows not that it and creation are one,
and you, O all God's creation, are its second.
And you, O all of God's creation, are its second.
كَمhow many مِنَّةٍa favor لَكَof yours عِنديtoward me لَستُI do not أَكفُرُهاdeny it
كَم مِنَّةٍ لَكَ عِندي لَستُ أَكفُرُها
وَنِعمَةٍand a blessing أَنتَyou بَعدَafter اللَهِGod مُولِيهاits bestower
وَنِعمَةٍ أَنتَ بَعدَ اللَهِ مُولِيها
How many a favor you have done me that I do not deny,
How many favors I owe you that I cannot repay,
and a blessing whose bestower, after God, you are!
And blessings you bestowed after God, their Granter.
وَكَمand how many نَظَمتُI strung لَكَfor you الأَوصافَdescriptions مُحكَمَةًfinely wrought
وَكَم نَظَمتُ لَكَ الأَوصافَ مُحكَمَةً
كَأَنَّهاas though they الدُرُّpearls تَمثيلاًin likeness وَتَشبيهاand comparison
كَأَنَّها الدُرُّ تَمثيلاً وَتَشبيها
And how many finely wrought praises I have strung for you,
How many eulogies I composed for you, solidly structured,
as though they were pearls, in likeness and comparison!
As if they were pearls in their depiction and detail.
تَسيرُthey travel شَرقاًeastward وَغَرباًand westward وَهِيَwhile they ثابِتَةٌremain fixed
تَسيرُ شَرقاً وَغَرباً وَهِيَ ثابِتَةٌ
يَفنىperishes الزَمانُtime وَتَبقىand they endure لَيسَdoes not يُفنيهاdestroy them
يَفنى الزَمانُ وَتَبقى لَيسَ يُفنيها
They travel east and west, yet remain fixed;
They travel east and west while remaining steadfast,
Time perishes, yet they endure; it does not destroy them.
Time passes yet they endure, nothing makes them perish.
Sol 6.1