أُنزِلتُI was brought down مِنfrom لَيلٍa night كَظِلِّlike the shadow of حَصاةِa pebble
أُنزِلتُ مِن لَيلٍ كَظِلِّ حَصاةِ
لَيلاًa night كَظِلِّlike the shadow of الرُمحِthe spear وَهوَand it مُؤاتِfavorable
لَيلاً كَظِلِّ الرُمحِ وَهوَ مُؤاتِ
I was brought from a night like a pebble's shadow
I descended from a night like the shadow of pebbles,
into a night like a spear's shadow, and it was favorable.
A night like the shadow of a lance when it is thrust.
وَتُحارِبُand wages war on الإِنسانَman عِدَّةُthe preparations of عَقلِهِhis mind
وَتُحارِبُ الإِنسانَ عِدَّةُ عَقلِهِ
لِحَوادِثِfor the calamities of الدَهرِtime الَّذيwhich هُوَit آتِis coming
لِحَوادِثِ الدَهرِ الَّذي هُوَ آتِ
And a man's mental preparations wage war on him
And man's reason battles the events of fate
for the calamities of the time that is to come.
That are to come.
وَلَقَدand indeed عَلِمتُI have learned بِأَنَّthat شُربَdrinking ثَلاثَةٍthree
وَلَقَد عَلِمتُ بِأَنَّ شُربَ ثَلاثَةٍ
دِرياقُan antidote to هَمٍّgrief مُسرِعٍhastening بِنَجاةِwith deliverance
دِرياقُ هَمٍّ مُسرِعٍ بِنَجاةِ
And I have learned that drinking three cups
And I knew well that drinking three cups
is an antidote to grief, bringing swift deliverance.
Is an antidote to urgent anxiety and grief.
فَاِشرَبso drink عَلىupon قَرنِthe horn of الزَمانِtime وَلاand do not تَمُتdie
فَاِشرَب عَلى قَرنِ الزَمانِ وَلا تَمُت
أَسَفاًin sorrow عَلَيهِover it دائِمَconstant in الحَسَراتِregrets
أَسَفاً عَلَيهِ دائِمَ الحَسَراتِ
So drink upon Time's horn, and do not die
So drink to the horn of time, and do not die
grieving over it, forever full of regrets.
In endless regret over it.
وَاِنظُرand look إِلىat دُنياa world of رَبيعٍspring أَقبَلَتhas come forth
وَاِنظُر إِلى دُنيا رَبيعٍ أَقبَلَت
مِثلَlike النِساءِwomen تَبَرَّجَتdisplayed its beauty لِزُناةِfor adulterers
مِثلَ النِساءِ تَبَرَّجَت لِزُناةِ
And look at a springtime world that has come forth,
And look upon a springtime world that has come
like women, flaunting its beauty for adulterers.
Like women displaying themselves for adulterers.
وَإِذاand when تَعَرّىstripped itself الصُبحُdawn مِنof كافورِهِits camphor
وَإِذا تَعَرّى الصُبحُ مِن كافورِهِ
نَطَقَتspoke صُنوفُthe varieties of طُيورِهاits birds بِلُغاتِin tongues
نَطَقَت صُنوفُ طُيورِها بِلُغاتِ
And when dawn strips off its camphor,
And when dawn disrobes itself of its camphor,
its various birds speak in tongues.
The kinds of birds speak in tongues.
وَالوَردُand the roses يَضحَكُlaugh مِنat نَواظِرِthe eyes of نَرجِسٍnarcissi
وَالوَردُ يَضحَكُ مِن نَواظِرِ نَرجِسٍ
فُدِيَتmay they be ransomed وَآذَنَand gave warning حُبُّهاlove of them بِمَماتِof death
فُدِيَت وَآذَنَ حُبُّها بِمَماتِ
And the roses laugh at the eyes of narcissi—
And the roses laugh from narcissus glances.
may they be ransomed! And loving them heralds death.
Ransomed, their love proclaimed death.
فَتَتَوَّجَso crowned itself الزَرعُthe crop السَنِيُّsplendid بِسُنبُلٍwith ears of grain
فَتَتَوَّجَ الزَرعُ السَنِيُّ بِسُنبُلٍ
غَضِّtender الكَمائِمِthe sheaths أَخضَرِgreen الشَعراتِthe hairs
غَضِّ الكَمائِمِ أَخضَرِ الشَعراتِ
So the splendid crop crowned itself with ears of grain,
So the old vegetation is crowned with wheat ears
tender-sheathed and green-haired.
With tender green spikes.
وَالكَمأَةُand the truffle الصَفراءُyellow بادٍvisible حَجمُهاits bulk
وَالكَمأَةُ الصَفراءُ بادٍ حَجمُها
فَبِكُلِّso in every أَرضٍland مَوسِمٌa season لِحَياةِfor life
فَبِكُلِّ أَرضٍ مَوسِمٌ لِحَياةِ
And the yellow truffle's bulk is visible,
And the yellow truffles as large as forces,
so every land has a season for life.
So for every land there is a season for life.
فَكَأَنَّso it is as though أَيديهِمtheir hands وَقَدand already بَلَغَhas arrived الدُجىdarkness
فَكَأَنَّ أَيديهِم وَقَد بَلَغَ الدُجى
يَفحَصنَthey dig about فيat الميقاتِthe appointed time عَنfor هاماتِheads
يَفحَصنَ في الميقاتِ عَن هاماتِ
So it is as though their hands, once darkness has fallen,
Thus their hands when night falls
are digging at the appointed hour for heads.
Probe the appointed time for turbans.
وَتَظَلُّand remain غِربانُthe ravens of الفَلاthe wilderness فيماin what اِدَّعَتthey have claimed
وَتَظَلُّ غِربانُ الفَلا فيما اِدَّعَت
يَأكُلنَthey eat لَحمَthe flesh of الأَرضِthe earth مُبتَدِراتِracing to be first
يَأكُلنَ لَحمَ الأَرضِ مُبتَدِراتِ
And the wilderness ravens remain in what they have claimed,
And the ravens of decadence in what they pretended
eating the earth's flesh, racing to be first.
Eat the flesh of the land in haste.
وَالغَيثُand the rain يُهديoffers الدَمعَtears كُلَّevery عَشِيَّةٍevening
وَالغَيثُ يُهدي الدَمعَ كُلَّ عَشِيَّةٍ
لِغُيومِto the clouds of يَومٍa day لَمnot يُحَطbe encircled بِنَباتِby vegetation
لِغُيومِ يَومٍ لَم يُحَط بِنَباتِ
And the rain offers tears every evening
And the rain sheds tears every evening
to the clouds of a day not encircled by vegetation.
For clouds of a day not girded with any blessing.
وَتَرىand you see الرِياحَthe winds إِذاwhen مَسَحنَthey stroked غَديرَهits pool
وَتَرى الرِياحَ إِذا مَسَحنَ غَديرَه
صَقَّلنَهُthey polished it وَنَفَينَand they swept away كُلَّevery قَذاةِspeck of debris
صَقَّلنَهُ وَنَفَينَ كُلَّ قَذاةِ
And you see the winds, when they stroke its pool,
And you see the winds when they erase its pond
polish it and sweep away every speck of debris.
They rendered it smooth and swept away every mote.
ماnot إِنat all (emphatic) يَزالُceases عَلَيهِat it ظَبيٌa gazelle كارِعٌdrinking
ما إِن يَزالُ عَلَيهِ ظَبيٌ كارِعٌ
كَتَطَلُّعِlike the gaze of الحَسناءِa beautiful woman فيinto المِرآةِthe mirror
كَتَطَلُّعِ الحَسناءِ في المِرآةِ
A gazelle is ever drinking at it,
There remains on it a raging gazelle
like a beautiful woman gazing into a mirror.
Like a lovely woman's looking in the mirror.
وَسَوابِخٌand waterfowl يَجذِفنَthey paddle فيهِin it بِأَرجُلٍwith feet
وَسَوابِخٌ يَجذِفنَ فيهِ بِأَرجُلٍ
سَكَنَتbecame still عَلَيهِupon it بِكَثرَةِthrough many الحَرَكاتِmovements
سَكَنَت عَلَيهِ بِكَثرَةِ الحَرَكاتِ
And waterfowl paddle in it with their feet,
And herons rowing on it with feet
staying still upon it through their many movements.
That alighted on it with repeated motions.
فَتَخالِهُنَّso you imagine them كَرَوضَةٍlike a meadow فيin لُجَّةٍdeep water
فَتَخالِهُنَّ كَرَوضَةٍ في لُجَّةٍ
وَكَأَنَّماand as though يَصفِرنَthey whistle مِنfrom قَصَباتِreed pipes
وَكَأَنَّما يَصفِرنَ مِن قَصَباتِ
So you would imagine them a meadow amid deep water,
You would think them a pasture amidst still water,
and it is as though they whistle through reed pipes.
As if they were whistling with reeds.
وَيُغَرِّدُand warbles المُكّاءُthe lark فيin صَحرائِهِits desert
وَيُغَرِّدُ المُكّاءُ في صَحرائِهِ
طَرَباًjoyfully لِتَرنيحٍfor swaying مِنَfrom النَشَواتِecstasies
طَرَباً لِتَرنيحٍ مِنَ النَشَواتِ
And the lark warbles in its desert,
And the nightingale sings merrily in its plains
joyfully, swaying with ecstasy.
From the melodious trilling of youth.
ياO صاحِfriend غادِdrink at dawn الخَندَريسَthe aged wine فَقَدfor already بَداhas appeared
يا صاحِ غادِ الخَندَريسَ فَقَد بَدا
شِمراخُa slender branch of صُبحٍdawn لاحَshone فيin الظُلُماتِthe darkness
شِمراخُ صُبحٍ لاحَ في الظُلُماتِ
O friend, drink aged wine at dawn, for there has appeared
O companion, dawn has appeared so pass the wine,
a branch of dawn, shining in the darkness.
The redness of morning shone in the darknesses.
وَالريحُand the wind قَدhas باحَتrevealed بِأَسرارِthe secrets of النَدىthe dew
وَالريحُ قَد باحَت بِأَسرارِ النَدى
وَتَنَفَّسَand breathed الرَيحانُbasil بِالجَنّاتِin the gardens
وَتَنَفَّسَ الرَيحانُ بِالجَنّاتِ
And the wind has revealed the secrets of the dew,
And the wind made love at the secrets of the dew,
and basil has breathed in the gardens.
And the basil breathed in the gardens.
شَفِّعlet intercede يَدَthe hand of الساقيthe cupbearer وَطيبَةَand the sweetness of مائِهِhis water
شَفِّع يَدَ الساقي وَطيبَةَ مائِهِ
فيin السُكرِintoxication كُلَّevery عَشِيَّةٍevening وَغَداةِand morning
في السُكرِ كُلَّ عَشِيَّةٍ وَغَداةِ
Let the cupbearer's hand and the sweetness of his water intercede
Intercede with the cupbearer’s hand and goodness of his water
in intoxication every evening and morning.
At dusk and dawn intoxicated.
وَمُعَشَّقِand one enchanting in الحَرَكاتِmovements يَحلوis sweet كُلُّهُall of him
وَمُعَشَّقِ الحَرَكاتِ يَحلو كُلُّهُ
عَذبٌdelicious إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle ذيقَis tasted فيin الخَلَواتِseclusion
عَذبٌ إِذا ما ذيقَ في الخَلَواتِ
And one with enchanting movements is wholly sweet,
And the lover of motions is all sweetness
delicious when tasted in private.
When savored in trysts that were among the separated.
ماnot إِنat all (emphatic) يَزالُceases إِذاwhen مَشىhe walks مُتَمَنطِقاًgirded
ما إِن يَزالُ إِذا مَشى مُتَمَنطِقاً
بِمَناطِقٍwith belts مِنof فِضَّةٍsilver قَلِقاتِjingling
بِمَناطِقٍ مِن فِضَّةٍ قَلِقاتِ
Whenever he walks, he is always girded
He still walks swaying
with jingling belts of silver;
With sashes of tinkling silver.
فَكَأَنَّهُso it is as though he مُستَصحِباًtakes along صِنّاجَةًa cymbal-player
فَكَأَنَّهُ مُستَصحِباً صِنّاجَةً
فيat حَضرَةٍa gathering مِنbecause of كَثرَةِthe abundance of الجَلَباتِclamor
في حَضرَةٍ مِن كَثرَةِ الجَلَباتِ
so it is as though he has a cymbal-player with him
As if bearing a chiming tambourine
at a gathering, so great is the clamor.
At a refined party of constant rapture.
طالَبتُهُI pressed him بِمَواعِدٍfor promises فَوَفىso he fulfilled بِهاthem
طالَبتُهُ بِمَواعِدٍ فَوَفى بِها
فيin زَورَةٍa visit كانَتwas مِنَamong الفَلَتاتِchance occurrences
في زَورَةٍ كانَت مِنَ الفَلَتاتِ
I pressed him for promises, and he fulfilled them
I asked him for promises, and he kept them,
in a visit that was one of those chance occurrences.
At a visit that was one of the wasted.
Sol 6.1