أماindeed وَالْهَوىby love يَوْمَon the day اسْتَقَلَّdeparted فَرِيقُهاher company
أما وَالْهَوى يَوْمَ اسْتَقَلَّ فَرِيقُها
لَقَدْindeed حَمَّلَتْنِيshe burdened me لَوْعَةًَburning anguish لاnot أُطِيقُهاI can bear it
لَقَدْ حَمَّلَتْنِي لَوْعَةًَ لا أُطِيقُها
Indeed, by love, on the day her company departed,
she surely burdened me with a burning anguish I cannot bear.
تَعَجَّبُshe marvels مِنْat شَوْقِيmy longing وَماthough not طالَgrew long نَأْيُهاher absence
تَعَجَّبُ مِنْ شَوْقِي وَما طالَ نَأْيُها
وغَيْرُand not حَبِيبِthe beloved of النَّفْسِthe soul مَنْone who لاnot يَشُوقُهاstirs its longing
وغَيْرُ حَبِيبِ النَّفْسِ مَنْ لا يَشُوقُها
She marvels at my longing, though her absence has not been long;
and one who stirs no longing in the soul is not its beloved.
فَلاso may not شَفَّهاwaste her ماwhat شَفَّنِيwasted me يَوْمَthe day أَعْرَضَتْshe turned away
فَلا شَفَّها ما شَفَّنِي يَوْمَ أَعْرَضَتْ
صُدُوداًin rejection وَزُمَّتْand were haltered لِلتَّرَحُّلِfor departure نُوقُهاher she-camels
صُدُوداً وَزُمَّتْ لِلتَّرَحُّلِ نُوقُها
May she never be wasted by what wasted me the day she turned away,
in rejection, and her she-camels were haltered for departure.
أَهَجْراًestrangement? وَبَيْناًand separation شَدَّhow greatly ماemphatic particle ضَمِنَguaranteed الْجَوىburning sorrow
أَهَجْراً وَبَيْناً شَدَّ ما ضَمِنَ الْجَوى
لِقَلْبِيَto my heart دانِيnear-at-hand صَبْوةٍpassion وَسَحِيقُهاand its distant reach
لِقَلْبِيَ دانِي صَبْوةٍ وَسَحِيقُها
Estrangement and parting? How bitter the anguish pledged
to my heart by passion, near at hand and far away!
وَكُنْتُand I used to إِذاwhenever اشْتَقْتُI yearned عَوَّلْتُI relied فيin الْبُكاweeping
وَكُنْتُ إِذا اشْتَقْتُ عَوَّلْتُ في الْبُكا
عَلَىon لُجَّةٍa deep sea إِنْسانُthe pupil of عَيْنِيmy eye غَرِيقُهاits drowned one
عَلَى لُجَّةٍ إِنْسانُ عَيْنِي غَرِيقُها
And whenever I yearned, in my weeping I relied
on a deep sea in which the pupil of my eye drowned.
فَلَمْso did not يَبْقَremain مِنْof ذاthis الدَّمْعِtears إِلاَّexcept نَشيجُهُtheir sobbing
فَلَمْ يَبْقَ مِنْ ذا الدَّمْعِ إِلاَّ نَشيجُهُ
وَمِنْand of كَبِدِthe liver of الْمُشْتاقِthe yearning lover إِلاَّexcept خُفُوقُهاits throbbing
وَمِنْ كَبِدِ الْمُشْتاقِ إِلاَّ خُفُوقُها
So nothing remained of these tears but their sobbing,
and of the yearning lover's liver, only its throbbing.
فَياoh, then لَيْتَنِيI wish أَبْقىhad left لِيَfor me الْهَجْرُestrangement عَبْرَةًa tear
فَيا لَيْتَنِي أَبْقى لِيَ الْهَجْرُ عَبْرَةً
فَأَقْضِيso I might pay بِهاwith it حَقَّthe due of النَّوىparting وَأُرِيقُهاand shed it
فَأَقْضِي بِها حَقَّ النَّوى وَأُرِيقُها
Oh, if only estrangement had left me a tear,
so I could pay parting its due with it and shed it.
وَإِنِّيand I indeed لآَبىsurely refuse الْبِرَّkindness مِنْfrom وَصْلِunion with خُلَّةٍa beloved
وَإِنِّي لآَبى الْبِرَّ مِنْ وَصْلِ خُلَّةٍ
وَيُعْجِبُنِيand delights me مِنْin حُبِّlove for أُخْرىanother woman عُقُوقُهاher cruelty
وَيُعْجِبُنِي مِنْ حُبِّ أُخْرى عُقُوقُها
Indeed, I spurn the kindness of closeness with one beloved,
yet in loving another, her cruelty delights me.
وَأُعْرِضُand I turn away عَنْfrom مَحْضَpure الْمَوَدَّةِaffection باذِلٍone offering
وَأُعْرِضُ عَنْ مَحْضَ الْمَوَدَّةِ باذِلٍ
وَقَدْthough already عَزَّنِيeluded me مِمَّنْfrom one whom أَوَدُّI love مَذِيقُهاits diluted form
وَقَدْ عَزَّنِي مِمَّنْ أَوَدُّ مَذِيقُها
And I turn away from one offering pure affection,
though even diluted affection from the one I love has eluded me.
كَذلِكَthus هَمِّيmy inclination وَالنُّفُوسُand souls يَقُودُهاleads them
كَذلِكَ هَمِّي وَالنُّفُوسُ يَقُودُها
هَواهاtheir desire إِلىtoward أَوْطارِهاtheir aims وَيَسُوقُهاand drives them
هَواها إِلى أَوْطارِها وَيَسُوقُها
Such is my inclination; souls are led
by their desire toward their aims, and it drives them.
فَلَوْso if سَأَلَتْshe asked ذاتُthe wearer of الْوِشاحَيْنِthe two sashes شِيمَتِيmy character
فَلَوْ سَأَلَتْ ذاتُ الْوِشاحَيْنِ شِيمَتِي
لَخَبَّرَهاwould surely tell her عَنِّيabout me الْيَقِينَthe certain truth صَدُوقُهاher truthful informant
لَخَبَّرَها عَنِّي الْيَقِينَ صَدُوقُها
So if the wearer of the two sashes inquired into my character,
her truthful informant would tell her the certain truth about me.
وَماand why نَكِرَتْshe found strange مِنْamong حادِثاتٍcalamities بَرَيْنَنِيwore me down
وَما نَكِرَتْ مِنْ حادِثاتٍ بَرَيْنَنِي
وقَدْwhen already عَلِقَتْseized قَبْلِيbefore me الرِّجالَmen عَلُوقُهاtheir clinging affliction
وقَدْ عَلِقَتْ قَبْلِي الرِّجالَ عَلُوقُها
And why should she find strange the calamities that wore me down,
when their relentless affliction had seized men before me?
فَإِمَّاso if تَرَيْنِيyou see me ياO ابْنَةَdaughter of الْقَومِthe people ناحِلاًwasted and thin
فَإِمَّا تَرَيْنِي يا ابْنَةَ الْقَومِ ناحِلاً
فَأَعْلىfor the highest أَنابِيبِshaft-sections of الْرِّمَاحِspears دَقِيقُهاtheir slender ones
فَأَعْلى أَنابِيبِ الْرِّمَاحِ دَقِيقُها
So if you see me, daughter of the people, wasted and thin,
the uppermost sections of spears are their slender ones.
وَكُلُّand all سُيُوفِthe swords of الْهِنْدِIndia لِلْقَطْعِfor cutting آلَةٌan instrument
وَكُلُّ سُيُوفِ الْهِنْدِ لِلْقَطْعِ آلَةٌ
وَأَقْطَعُهاand their keenest cutter يَوْمَon the day of الْجِلادِcombat رَقيقهُاtheir thin one
وَأَقْطَعُها يَوْمَ الْجِلادِ رَقيقهُا
And all the swords of India are instruments for cutting,
and their keenest cutter in battle is their thin one.
وَماand not خانَنِيfailed me مِنْany هِمَّةِaspiration تَأْمُلُhoping for الْعُلىlofty rank
وَما خانَنِي مِنْ هِمَّةِ تَأْمُلُ الْعُلى
سِوىexcept أَنَّthat أَسْبابَthe workings of الْقَضَاءِdestiny تَعُوقُهاhinder it
سِوى أَنَّ أَسْبابَ الْقَضَاءِ تَعُوقُها
And no aspiration seeking lofty rank has failed me,
except that the workings of destiny hinder it.
سَأَجْعَلُI shall make هَمِّيmy concern فِيin الشَّدائِدِhardships هِمَّتِيmy resolve
سَأَجْعَلُ هَمِّي فِي الشَّدائِدِ هِمَّتِي
فَكَمْfor how many كرْبَةٍa distress بِالْهَمِّthrough purposeful effort فُرِّجَwas relieved ضِيقُهاits constriction
فَكَمْ كرْبَةٍ بِالْهَمِّ فُرِّجَ ضِيقُها
In hardships I shall turn my care into resolve,
for many a distress has had its straits relieved through determination.
وَخَرْقٍand many a wilderness كَأَنَّas though ألْيَمَّthe sea مَوْجُthe waves of سَرابِهِits mirage
وَخَرْقٍ كَأَنَّ ألْيَمَّ مَوْجُ سَرابِهِ
تَرامَتstretched far بِناwith us أَجْوازُهُits central expanses وَخُرُوقُهاand their wastes
تَرامَت بِنا أَجْوازُهُ وَخُرُوقُها
And many a wilderness whose mirage-waves seemed the sea—
its central expanses and their wastes carried us far.
كَأَنَّاas though we عَلَىon سُفْنٍships مِنَof الْعِيسِpale camels فُوْقَهُabove it
كَأَنَّا عَلَى سُفْنٍ مِنَ الْعِيسِ فُوْقَهُ
مَجادِيفُهاtheir oars أَيْدِيthe forelegs of الْمَطِيِّthe riding camels وَسُوقُهاand their shanks
مَجادِيفُها أَيْدِي الْمَطِيِّ وَسُوقُها
It was as though we rode ships of pale camels above it,
their oars the mounts' forelegs and shanks.
نُرَجِّيwe hope for الْحَياrain مِنْfrom راحَةِthe palm of ابْنِthe son of مُحَمَّدٍMuhammad
نُرَجِّي الْحَيا مِنْ راحَةِ ابْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ
وَأَيُّand which سَماءٍsky لاnot تُشَامُis watched بُرُوقُهاits lightning flashes
وَأَيُّ سَماءٍ لا تُشَامُ بُرُوقُها
We hope for rain from the palm of Ibn Muhammad,
and what sky is there whose lightning is not watched?
فَماso not نُوِّخَتْthey were made to kneel حَتّىuntil أَسَوْناwe healed بِجُودِهِwith his bounty
فَما نُوِّخَتْ حَتّى أَسَوْنا بِجُودِهِ
جِراحَthe wounds of الْخُطُوبِcalamities الْمُنْهَراتِgaping wide فُتُوقُهاtheir rents
جِراحَ الْخُطُوبِ الْمُنْهَراتِ فُتُوقُها
They had scarcely been made to kneel when, through his bounty, we healed
the wounds of calamities whose rents gaped wide.
وَإِنَّand indeed بُلُوغَthe arrival of الْوَفْدِthe delegation ساحَةَthe courtyard of مِثْلِهِone like him
وَإِنَّ بُلُوغَ الْوَفْدِ ساحَةَ مِثْلِهِ
يَدٌa favor لِلْمَطاياfor the riding camels لاnot تُؤَدّىcan be repaid حُقُوقُهاtheir dues
يَدٌ لِلْمَطايا لا تُؤَدّى حُقُوقُها
And the delegation's arrival at the court of one like him
is a favor from the mounts, whose dues cannot be repaid.
عَلَوْنَthey rose بِآفَاقِacross the horizons of الْبِلادِthe lands يَحِدْنَturning aside عَنْfrom
عَلَوْنَ بِآفَاقِ الْبِلادِ يَحِدْنَ عَنْ
مُلُوكِthe kings of بَنِيthe sons of الدُّنْياthis world إِلىtoward مَنْone who يَفُوقُهاsurpasses them
مُلُوكِ بَنِي الدُّنْيا إِلى مَنْ يَفُوقُها
They rose across the lands' horizons, turning away from
the kings of the sons of this world, toward one who surpasses them.
إِلىto مَلِكٍa king لَوْif أَنَّthat نُورَthe light of جَبِينِهِhis brow
إِلى مَلِكٍ لَوْ أَنَّ نُورَ جَبِينِهِ
ومَاand not يُدْرِكُattains الْغاياتِthe goals إِلاَّexcept سَبُوقُهاtheir foremost racer
ومَا يُدْرِكُ الْغاياتِ إِلاَّ سَبُوقُها
To a king, if the light of his brow...
And none reaches the goals but the one who races ahead to them.
هُمامٌa high-spirited man إِذاwhenever ماemphatic particle هَمَّhe resolves سَلَّhe draws اعْتِزامَهُhis determination
هُمامٌ إِذا ما هَمَّ سَلَّ اعْتِزامَهُ
كَماjust as سُلَّis drawn ماضِيkeen الشَّفْرَتَيْنِon both edges ذَلِيقُهاtheir sharp blade
كَما سُلَّ ماضِي الشَّفْرَتَيْنِ ذَلِيقُها
A man of high purpose: whenever he resolves, he draws his determination,
as a keen blade, sharp on both edges, is drawn.
يَطُولُit reaches far إِذاwhen غالَdefeated الْذَّوابِلَthe supple spears قَصْرُهاtheir shortness
يَطُولُ إِذا غالَ الْذَّوابِلَ قَصْرُها
وَيَمْضِيand pierces إِذاwhen أَعْياthwarted السِّهامَthe arrows مُرُوقُهاtheir passing through
وَيَمْضِي إِذا أَعْيا السِّهامَ مُرُوقُها
It reaches far when shortness defeats the supple spears,
and pierces when arrows fail to pass through.
نَهىrestrained سَيْفُهُhis sword الأَعْداءَthe enemies حتّىuntil تَناذَرَتْthey warned one another
نَهى سَيْفُهُ الأَعْداءَ حتّى تَناذَرَتْ
وَوُقِّرَand was sobered مِنْfrom بَعْدِafter الْجِماحِheadstrong defiance نُزُوقُهاtheir recklessness
وَوُقِّرَ مِنْ بَعْدِ الْجِماحِ نُزُوقُها
His sword restrained the enemies until they warned one another,
and their recklessness was sobered after headstrong defiance.
وَماand not يُتَحامىis avoided اللَّيْثُthe lion لَوْلاwere it not for صِيالُهُits attacks
وَما يُتَحامى اللَّيْثُ لَوْلا صِيالُهُ
وَلاnor تُتَوقّىis guarded against النَّارُfire لَوْلاwere it not for حَرِيقُهاits burning
وَلا تُتَوقّى النَّارُ لَوْلا حَرِيقُها
The lion would not be shunned but for its attacks,
nor would fire be guarded against but for its burning.
وَقىmay protect اللهُGod فِيكَin you الدِّينَreligion وَالْبأْسَand valor وَالنَّدىand generosity
وَقى اللهُ فِيكَ الدِّينَ وَالْبأْسَ وَالنَّدى
عُيُونَthe eyes of الْعِدىenemies ماas long as جاوَرadjoins الْعَيْنَthe eye مُوقُهاits inner corner
عُيُونَ الْعِدى ما جاوَر الْعَيْنَ مُوقُها
May God protect in you religion, valor, and generosity
from enemies' eyes, as long as an eye's inner corner adjoins it.
عزَفْتَyou turned away عَنِfrom الدُّنْياthe world فَلَوْso even if أَنَّthat مُلْكَهاits dominion
عزَفْتَ عَنِ الدُّنْيا فَلَوْ أَنَّ مُلْكَها
لِمُلْكِكَof your dominion بَعْضٌa part ماnot اطَّباكَwould entice you أَنِيقُهاits beauty
لِمُلْكِكَ بَعْضٌ ما اطَّباكَ أَنِيقُها
You turned away from the world; even if its dominion
were part of yours, its beauty would not entice you.
خُشُوعٌhumility وَإِيمانٌand faith وَعَدْلٌand justice وَرَأْفَةٌand compassion
خُشُوعٌ وَإِيمانٌ وَعَدْلٌ وَرَأْفَةٌ
فَقَدْso indeed حُقَّwas deemed worthy بِالنَّعْماءِof bounty مِنْكَfrom you حَقِيقُهاone deserving it
فَقَدْ حُقَّ بِالنَّعْماءِ مِنْكَ حَقِيقُها
Humility, faith, justice, and compassion—
so the deserving have rightly been accorded your bounty.
عَلَوْتَyou rose high فَلَمْyet did not تَبْعُدْgrow distant عَلَىto طالِبٍone seeking نَدىًbounty
عَلَوْتَ فَلَمْ تَبْعُدْ عَلَى طالِبٍ نَدىً
كَمُثْمِرَةٍlike a fruit-bearing tree يَحْمِيguards جَناهاits fruit بُسُوقُهاits tallness
كَمُثْمِرَةٍ يَحْمِي جَناها بُسُوقُها
You rose high, yet remained within a bounty-seeker's reach,
unlike a fruit-bearing tree whose height guards its fruit.
فَلاso may not تَعْدَمِlack الآمالُhopes رَبْعَكَyour dwelling مَوْئِلاًas a refuge
فَلا تَعْدَمِ الآمالُ رَبْعَكَ مَوْئِلاً
بِهِat it فُكَّwas freed عانِيهاtheir captive وَعَزَّand gained honor طَلِيقُهاtheir free one
بِهِ فُكَّ عانِيها وَعَزَّ طَلِيقُها
May hopes never lack your dwelling as a refuge,
where their captive is freed and their free man honored.
سَبَقْتَyou raced ahead إِلىto غاياتِthe ends of كُلِّevery خَفِيَّةٍhidden matter
سَبَقْتَ إِلى غاياتِ كُلِّ خَفِيَّةٍ
وَماand not يُدْرِكُattains الْغاياتِthe goals إِلاَّexcept سَبُوقُهاtheir foremost racer
وَما يُدْرِكُ الْغاياتِ إِلاَّ سَبُوقُها
You were first to reach the ends of every hidden matter,
And none reaches the goals but the one who races ahead to them.
وَلَمَّاand when أَغَرْتَyou made jealous الْباتِراتِthe cleaving swords مُخَنْدِقاًdigging trenches
وَلَمَّا أَغَرْتَ الْباتِراتِ مُخَنْدِقاً
تَوَجَّعَached ماضِيهاtheir keen blade وَسِيءَand was distressed ذَلُوقُهاtheir sharp blade
تَوَجَّعَ ماضِيها وَسِيءَ ذَلُوقُها
When you made the cleaving swords jealous by digging trenches,
their keen blade ached, and their sharp blade was aggrieved.
وَيُغْنِكَand would spare you عَنْfrom حَفْرِdigging الْخَنادِقِtrenches مِثْلُهاtheir like
وَيُغْنِكَ عَنْ حَفْرِ الْخَنادِقِ مِثْلُها
مِنَfrom الضَّرْبِsword-blows إِمَّاwhenever قامَarose لِلْحَرْبِfor war سُوقُهاits market
مِنَ الضَّرْبِ إِمَّا قامَ لِلْحَرْبِ سُوقُها
And their like would spare you digging trenches,
made by sword-blows, whenever war's market is set up.
وَلكِنَّهاbut they فِيin مَذْهبِthe way of الْحَزْمِprudence سُنَّةٌan established practice
وَلكِنَّها فِي مَذْهبِ الْحَزْمِ سُنَّةٌ
يَفُلُblunts بِهاwith them كَيْدَthe scheming of الْعَدُوِّthe enemy صَدِيقُهاtheir friend
يَفُلُ بِها كَيْدَ الْعَدُوِّ صَدِيقُها
But in the way of prudence they are an established practice;
their friend blunts the enemy's scheming with them.
لَناfor us كُلَّevery يَوْمٍday مِنْكَfrom you عِيدٌa festival مُجَدَّدٌrenewed
لَنا كُلَّ يَوْمٍ مِنْكَ عِيدٌ مُجَدَّدٌ
صَبُوحُa morning draught of التَّهانِيcongratulations عِنْدَهُat it وَغَبُوقُهاand their evening draught
صَبُوحُ التَّهانِي عِنْدَهُ وَغَبُوقُها
Every day we have from you a renewed festival,
with morning and evening draughts of congratulations.
فَنَحْنُso we بِهِthrough it مِنْfrom فَيْضِthe overflow of سَيْبِكَyour bounty فِيin غِنىًplenty
فَنَحْنُ بِهِ مِنْ فَيْضِ سَيْبِكَ فِي غِنىً
وَفِيand in نَشَواتٍraptures لَمْnot يُحَرَّمْhas been forbidden رَحِيقُهاtheir pure wine
وَفِي نَشَواتٍ لَمْ يُحَرَّمْ رَحِيقُها
So through it, from the overflow of your bounty, we enjoy plenty,
and raptures whose pure wine is not forbidden.
وَقَفْتُI devoted الْقَوافِيthe rhymes ذَراكَto your shelter فَلَمْso not يَكُنْwas
وَقَفْتُ الْقَوافِي ذَراكَ فَلَمْ يَكُنْ
سِواكَother than you مِنَamong الأَمْلاكِsovereigns مَلْكٌa king يرُوقُهاdelights them
سِواكَ مِنَ الأَمْلاكِ مَلْكٌ يرُوقُها
I devoted my rhymes to your shelter; there was
no king but you among sovereigns to delight them.
مُعَطَّلَةًunused إِلاَّexcept لَديْكَwith you حِياضُهاtheir pools
مُعَطَّلَةً إِلاَّ لَديْكَ حِياضُها
وَمَهْجُورَةًand deserted إِلاَّexcept إِلَيْكَtoward you طَرِيقُهاtheir path
وَمَهْجُورَةً إِلاَّ إِلَيْكَ طَرِيقُها
Their pools lie idle except with you,
and their path is deserted except toward you.
وَمالِيَand why should I لاnot أُهْدِيI offer الثَّناءَpraise لأَهْلِهِto its worthy recipients
وَمالِيَ لا أُهْدِي الثَّناءَ لأَهْلِهِ
وَلِيand I have مَنْطِقٌspeech حُلْوُsweet الْمَعانِيin meaning رَشِيقُهاgraceful in them
وَلِي مَنْطِقٌ حُلْوُ الْمَعانِي رَشِيقُها
And why should I not offer praise to those deserving it,
when I have speech whose meanings are sweet and graceful?
وَإِنْand even if تَكُare أَصْنافُthe varieties of الْقَلائِدnecklaces جَمَّةًmany
وَإِنْ تَكُ أَصْنافُ الْقَلائِد جَمَّةً
فَماyet not يَتَساوىare equal دُرُّهاtheir pearls وَعَقِيقُهاand their agates
فَما يَتَساوى دُرُّها وَعَقِيقُها
And though the varieties of necklaces may be many,
their pearls and agates are not equal.
Sol 6.1