عَرَفَrecognized الدارَthe dwelling فَحَيّاthen greeted وَناحاand lamented
عَرَفَ الدارَ فَحَيّا وَناحا
بَعدَماafter كانَhad صَحاsobered up وَاِستَراحاand found rest
بَعدَما كانَ صَحا وَاِستَراحا
He recognized the dwelling, greeted it, and lamented,
He recognized the house, so he greeted and cried
after he had sobered up and found rest.
After being awake and taking rest
ظَلَّkept يَلحاهُrebuking him العَذولُthe reproacher وَيَأبىand he refuses
ظَلَّ يَلحاهُ العَذولُ وَيَأبى
فيunder عِنانِthe bridle العَذلِreproach إِلّاexcept جِماحاbolting
في عِنانِ العَذلِ إِلّا جِماحا
The reproacher kept chiding him, yet he refused
He insisted on visiting it while it refused
anything but bolting against reproach's bridle.
Except to spread its wings to fly
عَلِّمونِteach me كَيفَhow أَسلوI forget my love وَإِلّاand if not
عَلِّمونِ كَيفَ أَسلو وَإِلّا
فَخُذواthen take عَنaway from مُقلَتَيَّmy two eyes المِلاحاthe beauties
فَخُذوا عَن مُقلَتَيَّ المِلاحا
Teach me how to forget my love; otherwise,
Teach me how to travel, else
take the beauties away from my eyes.
Take from my eyelashes the salt
مَنwho رَأىhas seen بَرقاًlightning يُضيءُshines اِلتِماحاin brief flashes
مَن رَأى بَرقاً يُضيءُ اِلتِماحا
ثَقَبَpierced اللَيلَthe night سَناهُits radiance فَلاحاand so it gleamed
ثَقَبَ اللَيلَ سَناهُ فَلاحا
Who has seen lightning shine in fleeting flashes,
Who saw lightning illuminating the darkness
its radiance piercing the night, then gleaming forth?
His sharp teeth pierced the night shining
فَكَأَنَّso it is as though البَرقَthe lightning مُصحَفُa copy of the Qur'an قارٍa reader
فَكَأَنَّ البَرقَ مُصحَفُ قارٍ
فَاِنطِباقاًthen closing مَرَّةًat one moment وَاِنفِتاحاand opening
فَاِنطِباقاً مَرَّةً وَاِنفِتاحا
So the lightning seemed a reader's Qur'an,
It was as if the lightning was an open Quran
now closing, now opening,
Folding and unfolding at times
فيin رُكامٍa mass of clouds ضاقَgrew straitened بِالماءِby water ذَرعاًin endurance
في رُكامٍ ضاقَ بِالماءِ ذَرعاً
حَيثُماwherever مالَتswayed بِهِwith it الريحُthe wind ساحاit poured
حَيثُما مالَت بِهِ الريحُ ساحا
in a mass of clouds overburdened with water;
In abundant rainwater that was too narrow
wherever the wind swayed it, it poured.
Wherever the wind took it, it flowed
لَمdid not يَزَلcease يَلمَعُflashing بِاللَيلِin the night حَتّىuntil
لَم يَزَل يَلمَعُ بِاللَيلِ حَتّى
خِلتُهُI thought it نَبَّهَhad awakened فيهِwithin it صَباحاa dawn
خِلتُهُ نَبَّهَ فيهِ صَباحا
It kept flashing through the night until
It kept flashing in the night until
I thought it had awakened a dawn within the night.
Its loneliness woke up the morning in it
وَكَأَنَّand as though الرَعدَthe thunder فَحلُa bull camel لِقاحٍmilch camels
وَكَأَنَّ الرَعدَ فَحلُ لِقاحٍ
كُلَّماwhenever يُعجِبُهُpleases it البَرقُthe lightning صاحاit bellowed
كُلَّما يُعجِبُهُ البَرقُ صاحا
And the thunder seemed a bull camel among milch camels:
As if thunder is the wedding of clouds
whenever the lightning pleased it, it bellowed.
Whenever lightning pleases it, it shouts
لَمdid not يَدَعleave أَرضاًany land مِنَof المَحلِdrought إِلّاexcept
لَم يَدَع أَرضاً مِنَ المَحلِ إِلّا
جادَrained abundantly أَوor مَدَّspread عَلَيهاover it جَناحاa wing
جادَ أَو مَدَّ عَلَيها جَناحا
It left no drought-stricken land without
It left no land of the country
lavishing rain upon it or spreading a wing over it.
Without being generous or spreading its wing over it
وَسَقىand watered أَطلالَthe ruins هِندٍHind فَأَضحَتso they became
وَسَقى أَطلالَ هِندٍ فَأَضحَت
يَمرَحُfrolics القَطرُthe rain عَلَيهاover them مِراحاjoyfully
يَمرَحُ القَطرُ عَلَيها مِراحا
And it watered Hind's ruins, which now lay
And watered the ruins of India, so
with rain frolicking merrily over them:
The drops frolicked over it
دِيَماًgentle, lasting rains فيon كُلِّevery يَومٍday وَوَبلاًand downpours
دِيَماً في كُلِّ يَومٍ وَوَبلاً
وَاِغتِباقاًand evening draughts لِلنَدىof dew وَاِصطِباحاand morning draughts
وَاِغتِباقاً لِلنَدى وَاِصطِباحا
steady rains every day, and downpours,
Continuously, every day, raining
and evening draughts of dew, and morning draughts.
And hugging the dew and waking up early
كُلُّall مَنwho يَنأىgoes far away مِنَamong الناسِthe people عَنهاfrom it
كُلُّ مَن يَنأى مِنَ الناسِ عَنها
فَهوَthen he يَرتاحُyearns إِلَيهاtoward it اِرتِياحاwith deep longing
فَهوَ يَرتاحُ إِلَيها اِرتِياحا
Everyone among the people who goes far from it
Everyone who distances himself from people
feels a deep yearning for it.
Finds peace and comfort in it
لاnot أَرىI see مِثلَكِlike you ماas long as عِشتُI live داراًa dwelling
لا أَرى مِثلَكِ ما عِشتُ داراً
رَبوَةًa hill مُخضَرَّةًverdant أَوor بِطاحاbroad plains
رَبوَةً مُخضَرَّةً أَو بِطاحا
I shall see no dwelling like you as long as I live,
I have not seen any house like you
whether a verdant hill or broad, level plains.
Lush greenery or swamp lands
لَوif حَلَلناwe dwelt وَسطَin the midst of جَنَّةِthe Garden عَدنٍEden
لَو حَلَلنا وَسطَ جَنَّةِ عَدنٍ
لَاِقتَرَحناكَwe would surely choose you عَلَيهاover it اِقتِراحاa deliberate choice
لَاِقتَرَحناكَ عَلَيها اِقتِراحا
Were we to dwell in the midst of the Garden of Eden,
If we entered the Garden of Eden
we would surely choose you over it.
We would suggest it be replaced with you
وَإِذاand when ماemphatic particle ذَرَّتِrose الشَمسُthe sun فيهاthere
وَإِذا ما ذَرَّتِ الشَمسُ فيها
فَتَّحَتopened wide أَعيُنَthe eyes رَوضٍa meadow مِلاحاlovely
فَتَّحَت أَعيُنَ رَوضٍ مِلاحا
And whenever the sun rises there,
When the sun sprinkled it
it opens wide the meadow's lovely eyes,
It opened the eyes of the garden's flowers
فيin ثَرىًmoist earth كَالمِسكِlike musk شيبَwas mingled بِراحٍwith wine
في ثَرىً كَالمِسكِ شيبَ بِراحٍ
كُلَّماwhenever أَنبَتَهُmade it grow القَطرُthe rain لاحاit gleamed
كُلَّما أَنبَتَهُ القَطرُ لاحا
in moist earth like musk mingled with wine;
In soil like musk made white by wind
whenever the rain makes it grow, it gleams.
Whenever the drops made it bloom
جُمِعَwas gathered الحَقُّtruth لَناfor us فيin إِمامٍan imam
جُمِعَ الحَقُّ لَنا في إِمامٍ
قَتَلَslew البُخلَmiserliness وَأَحياand revived السَماحاgenerosity
قَتَلَ البُخلَ وَأَحيا السَماحا
Truth was embodied for us in an imam,
The truth was united for us in an Imam
who slew miserliness and revived generosity.
Who killed stinginess and brought life to generosity
أَلِفَwas accustomed to الهَيجاءَbattle طِفلاًas a child وَكَهلاًand as a mature man
أَلِفَ الهَيجاءَ طِفلاً وَكَهلاً
تَحسَبُyou would think السَيفَthe sword عَلَيهِupon him وِشاحاa sash
تَحسَبُ السَيفَ عَلَيهِ وِشاحا
He was accustomed to battle, as a child and as a mature man;
He made the valiant love him as a child and old man
you would take the sword upon him for a sash.
You'd think the sword was his scarf
وَلَهُand he has مِنfrom رَأيِهِhis judgment عَزَماتٌfirm resolves
وَلَهُ مِن رَأيِهِ عَزَماتٌ
وَصَلَjoined اللَهُGod ضِمنَهُنَّwithin them نَجاحاsuccess
وَصَلَ اللَهُ ضِمنَهُنَّ نَجاحا
And he has firm resolves born of his judgment,
And he has resolves from his opinion
within which God has bound success.
May God make them successful
يَجعَلُmakes الجَيشَthe army إِذاwhen صارَit becomes ذَيلاًa tail
يَجعَلُ الجَيشَ إِذا صارَ ذَيلاً
جُرأَةًcourage فيهِwithin it وَبَأساًand martial might صُراحاunalloyed
جُرأَةً فيهِ وَبَأساً صُراحا
He makes the army, when it becomes a tail,
He makes the army, when it becomes a tail,
an embodiment of courage and unalloyed might.
Boldness and striking strength in it
فَرَجُrespite الأَعداءِthe enemies بِالسِلمِthrough peace مِنهُfrom him
فَرَجُ الأَعداءِ بِالسِلمِ مِنهُ
وَهوَwhile he فيin السِلمِpeace يُعِدُّreadies السِلاحاthe weapons
وَهوَ في السِلمِ يُعِدُّ السِلاحا
The enemies gain respite from him through peace,
The enemies' relief is in peace from him
while in peace he readies his weapons.
While he in peace prepares the weapons
فَرَّقَتdistributed أَيديهِمُtheir hands المالَthe wealth كُرهاًunwillingly
فَرَّقَت أَيديهِمُ المالَ كُرهاً
وَلَقَدand indeed كانواthey had been عَلَيهاwith it شِحاحاmiserly
وَلَقَد كانوا عَلَيها شِحاحا
Their hands distributed wealth unwillingly,
His hands generously fragmented their wealth
though they had been miserly with it.
And they had been stingy about it
خاطَsewed shut أَفواهَهُمtheir mouths وَقَديماًand formerly
خاطَ أَفواهَهُم وَقَديماً
مَزَّقوهاthey tore them ضَحِكاًwith laughter وَمُزاحاand jest
مَزَّقوها ضَحِكاً وَمُزاحا
He sewed their mouths shut, though once
He sewed up their mouths, and long ago
they had torn them wide with laughter and jest.
They tore them open, laughing and joking
وَوَعواand they took in شُكريmy thanks إِلَيهِto him وَكانواand they had
وَوَعوا شُكري إِلَيهِ وَكانوا
مَلَأواfilled دورَthe houses المُلوكِkings نِباحاwith barking
مَلَأوا دورَ المُلوكِ نِباحا
And they took in my thanks to him, though they had
And they promised him gratitude, while they
filled the kings' houses with barking.
Filled the royal palaces with barking
أَيقَنواwere certain مِنهُfrom him بِحَربٍof a war عَوانٍrenewed
أَيقَنوا مِنهُ بِحَربٍ عَوانٍ
وَرِجالٍand men يَخضِبونَdye الرِماحاthe spears
وَرِجالٍ يَخضِبونَ الرِماحا
They were certain of renewed war from him,
They despaired of him with a wrongful war
and men who dye their spears,
And men whose spears are bloody
وَبَخيلٍand of horses تَأكُلُdevour الأَرضَthe earth شَدّاًat a gallop
وَبَخيلٍ تَأكُلُ الأَرضَ شَدّاً
مُلجَماتٍbridled يَبتَدِرنَrushing toward الصِياحاthe cries
مُلجَماتٍ يَبتَدِرنَ الصِياحا
and horses that devour the earth at a gallop,
And stingy whose severity makes the earth eat
bridled, racing toward the shouts,
Tongue-tied, they start screaming
قاصِداتٍheading for كُلَّevery شَرقٍeast وَغَربٍand west
قاصِداتٍ كُلَّ شَرقٍ وَغَربٍ
ناطِقاتٍspeaking بِالصَهيلِwith neighing فِصاحاeloquent
ناطِقاتٍ بِالصَهيلِ فِصاحا
bound for every east and west,
Seeking every east and west
speaking eloquently through their neighing.
Speaking with the neighing eloquence
حَمَلَتcarried أُسداًlions مِنَfrom among الناسِpeople غُلباًthick-necked
حَمَلَت أُسداً مِنَ الناسِ غُلباً
وَكِباشاًand rams لاnot تَمَلُّtire of النِطاحاbutting
وَكِباشاً لا تَمَلُّ النِطاحا
They bore thick-necked lions from among men,
It carried a lion from the people by force
and rams that never tire of butting.
And rams that never stop butting
إِنif أَغِبI am absent عَنكَfrom you فَماthen not غابَis absent شُكرٌgratitude
إِن أَغِب عَنكَ فَما غابَ شُكرٌ
دَعوَةٌa prayer جاهِدَةٌearnest وَاِمتِداحاand praise
دَعوَةٌ جاهِدَةٌ وَاِمتِداحا
If I am absent from you, my gratitude is not absent:
If I am absent from you, gratitude is not absent
an earnest prayer and praise.
An earnest prayer and praise
ياO أَمينَtrusted one اللَهِGod أَيَّدتَyou strengthened مُلكاًa kingdom
يا أَمينَ اللَهِ أَيَّدتَ مُلكاً
كانَwas مِنfrom قَبلِكَbefore you نَهباًplunder مُباحاfree for the taking
كانَ مِن قَبلِكَ نَهباً مُباحا
O God's trusted one, you have strengthened a kingdom
O trustee of God, you supported a kingdom
that before you was plunder free for the taking.
Which before you was permitted plunder
Sol 6.1