خليليَّmy two friends مِنْof قَيْسِQays بنِson of عَيْلاَنَ‘Aylan خَلِّيَاyou two, let
خليليَّ مِنْ قَيْسِ بنِ عَيْلاَنَ خَلِّيَا
رِكابيmy riding camels تُعَرِّجْturn aside نَحْوَtoward مُنْعَرَجَاتِهاher winding paths
رِكابي تُعَرِّجْ نَحْوَ مُنْعَرَجَاتِها
My two friends of Qays ibn ‘Aylan, let
My beloved from Qays ibn Aylan is my confidante
my riding camels turn toward her winding paths.
My mount, head towards its winding paths
بِعَيْشِكُمَاby both your lives ذاتِthe side of اليمينِthe right فإنَّنيfor indeed I
بِعَيْشِكُمَا ذاتِ اليمينِ فإنَّني
أَرَاحٌeager لِشَمِّto smell الرَّوْحِthe breeze مِنْfrom عَقَدَاتِهاher knolls
أَرَاحٌ لِشَمِّ الرَّوْحِ مِنْ عَقَدَاتِها
By your lives, to the right! For I
By your life, O one of happy auspice, I am
am eager to inhale the breeze from her knolls.
At ease with the scent of spirit from its knots undone
أَمَاbehold إنَّهاindeed those are الأَعْلامُthe landmark peaks مِنْof هَضَبَاتِهاher uplands
أَمَا إنَّها الأَعْلامُ مِنْ هَضَبَاتِها
فكيفso how تَكُفُّrefrains العَيْنُthe eye عَنْfrom عَبَرَاتِهاits tears
فكيف تَكُفُّ العَيْنُ عَنْ عَبَرَاتِها
Behold, those are the landmark peaks of her uplands;
Behold, it is the landmarks from its highlands
so how can the eye hold back its tears?
How can the eye refrain from its flowing tears?
ذَرَانِيyou two, leave me وإذْرَاءُand scattering الدُّمُوْعِtears لَعَلَّهُperhaps it
ذَرَانِي وإذْرَاءُ الدُّمُوْعِ لَعَلَّهُ
يُسَكّنُquiets ماwhat قدalready هاجَstirred مِنْfrom ذُكُرَاتِهاmemories of her
يُسَكّنُ ما قد هاجَ مِنْ ذُكُرَاتِها
Leave me to scatter tears; perhaps this
Leave me be, and the shedding of tears, perhaps
will quiet what memories of her have stirred.
It will soothe what has been stirred of its memories
فَقَدْfor indeed عَبِقَتْbecame fragrant رِيْحُwind النُّعَامَىthe southerly breeze كأنَّماas though
فَقَدْ عَبِقَتْ رِيْحُ النُّعَامَى كأنَّما
سَلامُthe greeting of سُلَيْمَىSulayma رَاحَwent forth فيin نَفَحَاتِهاits breaths
سَلامُ سُلَيْمَى رَاحَ في نَفَحَاتِها
For the south wind has grown fragrant, as though
For the scent of the wild cows has wafted as though
Sulayma's greeting were carried in its breaths.
The greeting of Sulayma has blown in its breaths
وتَيْمَاءُand Tayma للقَلْبِfor the heart المُتَيَّمِlove-enslaved مَنْزِلٌa dwelling
وتَيْمَاءُ للقَلْبِ المُتَيَّمِ مَنْزِلٌ
فَعُوْجَاso you two, turn aside بتسليمٍwith a greeting علىto سَلَمَاتِهاher salam trees
فَعُوْجَا بتسليمٍ على سَلَمَاتِها
And Tayma is a dwelling for the love-enslaved heart;
And Taima is for the heart that yearns a place to lodge
so turn aside with a greeting to her salam trees.
So head with surrender to its stairways
وإنْand if تُسْعِدَاyou two comfort مَنْone whom أَسْلَمَforsook الصَّبْرُpatience قَلْبَهُhis heart
وإنْ تُسْعِدَا مَنْ أَسْلَمَ الصَّبْرُ قَلْبَهُ
يُعَرِّسْwill halt to rest بدوحِamong the spreading trees البَانِthe ban trees مِنْin عَرَصَاتِهاher open grounds
يُعَرِّسْ بدوحِ البَانِ مِنْ عَرَصَاتِها
And if you both comfort one whose heart patience has forsaken,
And if you bring joy to one whose heart is patient
he will camp among the spreading ban trees in her open grounds.
He will wed the pasture of dunes from its expanses
فَبَانَتُهاfor her ban tree الغَيْنَاءُleafy مَأْلَفُthe haunt of بَانَةٍa ban tree (a beauty)
فَبَانَتُها الغَيْنَاءُ مَأْلَفُ بَانَةٍ
جَنَيْتُI reaped الغَرَامَpassion البَرْحَtormenting مِنْfrom ثَمَرَاتِهاher fruits
جَنَيْتُ الغَرَامَ البَرْحَ مِنْ ثَمَرَاتِها
For her leafy ban tree is the haunt of a ban-like beauty,
Its open country of loss is a familiar open country
from whose fruits I reaped tormenting passion.
I have plucked passion’s fruit from its produce
ورَوْضَتُهاand her garden الغَنَّاءُlush مَسْرَحُthe playground of رَوْضَةٍa garden (a beauty)
ورَوْضَتُها الغَنَّاءُ مَسْرَحُ رَوْضَةٍ
تَبَخْتَرُstruts فيin المَوْشِيِّthe embroidered fabric مِنْof حَبَرَاتِهاher striped robes
تَبَخْتَرُ في المَوْشِيِّ مِنْ حَبَرَاتِها
And her lush garden is the playground of a garden-like beauty,
Its garden of song is a theatre garden
who struts in the embroidered fabric of her striped robes.
Strolling through it intoxicated by its script
هنالكthere خُوْطٌa supple shoot فيin مَنَابِتِthe growing grounds of عَزَّةٍ‘Azza
هنالك خُوْطٌ في مَنَابِتِ عَزَّةٍ
تَخَالُyou would think القَنَاthe spear-shafts الخَطِّيَّfrom al-Khatt بَعْضَpart of نَبَاتِهاher growth
تَخَالُ القَنَا الخَطِّيَّ بَعْضَ نَبَاتِها
There is a supple shoot in ‘Azza's growing grounds;
There are lines in the roots of glory
you would think the Khatti spear-shafts part of her growth.
Resembling the straight reed some of its growth
مَشَاعِرُsacred stations تَهْيَامٍinfatuation وكعبةُand a Kaaba فِتْنَةٍenchantment
مَشَاعِرُ تَهْيَامٍ وكعبةُ فِتْنَةٍ
فؤاديَmy heart مِنْamong حُجَّاجِهاher pilgrims ودُعَاتِهاand her heralds
فؤاديَ مِنْ حُجَّاجِها ودُعَاتِها
Sacred stations of infatuation, and a Kaaba of enchantment—
Feelings of love’s madness and shrine of charm
my heart is among her pilgrims and her heralds.
My heart by its pilgrims and supplicants
فكمfor how often صافَحَتْنِيclasped my hand فيin مِنَاهَاher Mina يَدُthe hand of المُنَىwishes
فكم صافَحَتْنِي في مِنَاهَا يَدُ المُنَى
وكمand how often هَبَّwafted عَرْفُthe fragrance of اللَّهْوِpleasure مِنْfrom عَرَفَاتِهاher Arafat
وكم هَبَّ عَرْفُ اللَّهْوِ مِنْ عَرَفَاتِها
For how often the hand of wishes clasped mine in her Mina,
So often has the hand of wishes met me there
and how often the fragrance of pleasure wafted from her Arafat!
And how much the spirit of joy has blown from its heights
عَهِدْتُI knew بهاin her domain أَصْنامَidols of حُسْنٍbeauty عَهِدْنَنِيthey knew me
عَهِدْتُ بها أَصْنامَ حُسْنٍ عَهِدْنَنِي
هَوىًin love عَبْدَa slave of عُزَّاهَاher ‘Uzza وعَبْدَand a slave of مَنَاتِهاher Manat
هَوىً عَبْدَ عُزَّاهَا وعَبْدَ مَنَاتِها
There I knew idols of beauty, who knew me
I knew it as idols of beauty, I knew them
in love, a slave of her ‘Uzza and a slave of her Manat.
Passionate for its pride and its patron
أُهِلُّI raise the pilgrimage cry بأشواقِيwith my longings إليهاtoward her وأَتَّقِيand I revere
أُهِلُّ بأشواقِي إليها وأَتَّقِي
شَرَائِعَهاher laws فيin الحُبِّlove حَقَّthe full due of تُقَاتِهاreverence for her
شَرَائِعَها في الحُبِّ حَقَّ تُقَاتِها
I raise the pilgrim's cry with my longings for her, and revere
I make my longing for it lawful and am wary
her laws of love with the reverence truly due to her.
Of its laws in love, truly fearing its severity
غَرَامٌpassion كإقدامِlike the daring of ابنِIbn مَعْنٍMa‘n ومَغْرَمٌand a debt
غَرَامٌ كإقدامِ ابنِ مَعْنٍ ومَغْرَمٌ
كإنْعَامِهِlike his bounty والأرضُand the earth فيin أَزَمَاتِهاits hardships
كإنْعَامِهِ والأرضُ في أَزَمَاتِها
A passion like Ibn Ma‘n's daring, and a debt
A love like Ibn Ma’n’s valiance and a passion
like his bounty when the earth is in distress.
Like his munificence, and the land in its crises
فَتَىa noble man of البَأْسِvalor والجُوْدِand bounty اللَّذيْنِthe two which تَبَارَيَاraced each other
فَتَى البَأْسِ والجُوْدِ اللَّذيْنِ تَبَارَيَا
إلىtoward غايةٍa goal حَازَاthey both won لهfor him قَصَبَاتِهاits victory-reeds
إلى غايةٍ حَازَا له قَصَبَاتِها
A man of valor and bounty, which raced each other
The knight of determination and generosity who vied
toward a goal whose victory-reeds they won for him.
To the utmost attaining its reeds
تَدِيْنُprofess يَدَاهُhis two hands دِيْنَthe creed of كَعْبٍKa‘b وحاتِمٍand Hatim
تَدِيْنُ يَدَاهُ دِيْنَ كَعْبٍ وحاتِمٍ
فَحَتْمٌso it is obligatory عليهاupon them الدَّهْرُforever وَصْلُcontinuing صِلاَتِهاtheir gifts
فَحَتْمٌ عليها الدَّهْرُ وَصْلُ صِلاَتِها
His two hands profess the creed of Ka‘b and Hatim,
His hands owe a debt like Ka’b and Hatim
so they are bound forever to keep their gifts flowing.
So the ages are destined to join in his prayers
يُجَاهِدُwages war فيin ذَاتِthe cause of النَّدَىgenerosity بَيْتُthe house of مالِهاtheir wealth
يُجَاهِدُ في ذَاتِ النَّدَى بَيْتُ مالِها
ولاand no جَيْشَarmy إلاَّexcept مِنْof أَكُفِّthe palms of عُفَاتِهاtheir petitioners
ولا جَيْشَ إلاَّ مِنْ أَكُفِّ عُفَاتِها
Their treasury wages war in the cause of generosity,
He wages war for the essence of dew with his wealth
and has no army but the palms of their petitioners.
And no army but that of his palms’ blades
إذاwhen البِدَرُthe coin-purses انثالتْpoured down عليهمْupon them تَخَالُهاyou would think them
إذا البِدَرُ انثالتْ عليهمْ تَخَالُها
بأَيْدِيin the hands of مَوَالِيْهَاtheir retainers رؤوسَthe heads of عُدَاتِهاtheir foes
بأَيْدِي مَوَالِيْهَا رؤوسَ عُدَاتِها
When purses of coin pour down upon them, you would think them,
When the full moon hangs over them its crescents
in their retainers' hands, the heads of their foes.
At the hands of its loyalists the heads of its foes
وكَمْand how many قدْalready رَأَتْheld رَأْيَthe view of الخوارِجِthe Kharijites فِرْقَةٌa faction
وكَمْ قدْ رَأَتْ رَأْيَ الخوارِجِ فِرْقَةٌ
فَكُنْتَso you were عَلِيَّاًan ‘Ali فيin حُرُوبِwars شُرَاتِهاits Shurat warriors
فَكُنْتَ عَلِيَّاً في حُرُوبِ شُرَاتِها
And how many a faction has embraced the Kharijites' view,
And how many a band has seen the view of dissenters
so you were an ‘Ali in the wars against its Shurat.
Yet you were Ali in the wars of its leagues
بِعَزْمِwith a resolve أَبِيٍّunyielding لاnot يُرَدُّis checked مَضَاؤُهits driving force
بِعَزْمِ أَبِيٍّ لا يُرَدُّ مَضَاؤُه
وهلand can تُمْلَكُbe restrained الأفْلاكُthe celestial spheres عَنْfrom حَرَكَاتِهاtheir motions
وهل تُمْلَكُ الأفْلاكُ عَنْ حَرَكَاتِها
With an unyielding resolve whose force cannot be checked—
With the resolve of one whose brilliance cannot be repelled
and can the celestial spheres be held back from their motions?
Can the spheres refrain from their rotations?
هوhe الجاعِلُthe one making الهَيْجَاbattle حَشاًa bosom وسِنَانَهُand his spear-point
هو الجاعِلُ الهَيْجَا حَشاً وسِنَانَهُ
هَوىًlove فَهْوَso it لاnot يَعْدُوgoes beyond قُلُوبَthe hearts of كُمَاتِهاits armored champions
هَوىً فَهْوَ لا يَعْدُو قُلُوبَ كُمَاتِها
He makes battle a bosom, and his spear-point
He who makes the excited one calm and his canine tooth
love; so it never goes beyond the hearts of its armored champions.
Passion, so it does not exceed the hearts of the silent
وكمand how often خَطَبَتْنِيcourted me مِصْرُEgypt فيfor نَيْلِattaining نِيْلِهاher Nile
وكم خَطَبَتْنِي مِصْرُ في نَيْلِ نِيْلِها
ورامَتْand sought بناfor us بَغْدادُBaghdad وِرْدَdrinking from فُراتِهاher Euphrates
ورامَتْ بنا بَغْدادُ وِرْدَ فُراتِها
And how often Egypt wooed me to gain her Nile,
And how Egypt on its Nile’s Nile wooed me
and Baghdad wished us to drink from her Euphrates.
And Baghdad longed for me, bouquet of its Euphrates
ولمand did not أَرْضَI accept أَرْضاًany land غيرَother than مبدإthe beginning of نَشْأتيmy upbringing
ولم أَرْضَ أَرْضاً غيرَ مبدإ نَشْأتي
ولوeven if لُحْتُI shone شَمْساًas a sun فيin سماءِthe sky of وُلاتِهَاits rulers
ولو لُحْتُ شَمْساً في سماءِ وُلاتِهَا
Yet I accepted no land but the place where I first grew,
And I was not pleased by any land but the place of my origin
even if I shone as a sun in the sky of its rulers.
And if I met the sun in the sky of its rising
ولِيand I have أَمَلٌa hope إنْif يُسْعِدِfavors السَّعْدُgood fortune نِلْتُهُI shall attain it
ولِي أَمَلٌ إنْ يُسْعِدِ السَّعْدُ نِلْتُهُ
ويُفْهَمُand is understood سِرُّthe secret of النَّفْسِthe soul فيin رَمَزَاتِهاits hints
ويُفْهَمُ سِرُّ النَّفْسِ في رَمَزَاتِها
And I have a hope: if fortune favors me, I shall attain it;
And I have hope that if fortune favours I will attain it
and the soul's secret is understood through its hints.
And the soul’s secret is understood in its symbols
وأَسْنَىand the brightest of المُنىwishes ماwhat نِيْلَwas attained فيin مَيْعَةِthe bloom of الصِّبَاyouth
وأَسْنَى المُنى ما نِيْلَ في مَيْعَةِ الصِّبَا
وهلand can تَحْسُنُbe beautiful الأشياءُthings بعدafter فَواتِهاtheir passing beyond reach
وهل تَحْسُنُ الأشياءُ بعد فَواتِها
And the brightest wish is one fulfilled in the bloom of youth—
The sweetest wish is what I attained in the spring of youth
and can things still be lovely once their time has passed?
And can things improve after their passing?
Sol 6.1