فُكَّrelease حُرّاًa free man لِلوَجدِfor grief قَيدَthe fetter of البُكاءِweeping
فُكَّ حُرّاً لِلوَجدِ قَيدَ البُكاءِ
فَاِعذُرينيso excuse me أَولاor not فَموتيfor my death بِدائيfrom my ailment
فَاِعذُريني أَولا فَموتي بِدائي
Release a free man from grief's fetter of weeping.
Relieve the bonds of weeping for fervent love,
So excuse me—or do not—for my death comes from my ailment.
Excuse me first, then let my malady kill me.
لَوif أَطَعناwe obeyed لِلصَبرِto patience عِندَamid الرَزاياcalamities
لَو أَطَعنا لِلصَبرِ عِندَ الرَزايا
ماwould not عَرَفناهُwe knew it شِدَّةًhardship مِنfrom رَخاءِease
ما عَرَفناهُ شِدَّةً مِن رَخاءِ
If we obeyed patience amid calamities,
If we had obeyed patience in times of woe,
we would not have distinguished hardship from ease.
We would not have known it to be kind in times of comfort.
أَسرَعَhastened الشَيبُgray hair مُغرِياًinciting ليfor me بِهَمٍّwith a sorrow
أَسرَعَ الشَيبُ مُغرِياً لي بِهَمٍّ
كانَwas يَدعوهُsummoning it مِنamong أَحَبِّthe dearest of الدُعاءِcalls
كانَ يَدعوهُ مِن أَحَبِّ الدُعاءِ
Gray hair came swiftly, stirring sorrow in me,
Old age hastily enticed me with worries,
a sorrow that had summoned it with the dearest of calls.
It used to call upon it from the most beloved prayers.
ماwhat لِهَذاfor this المَساءِevening لاnot يَتَجَلّىshines forth
ما لِهَذا المَساءِ لا يَتَجَلّى
أَحَياءًout of shame? مِنهُbefore it سِراجَO lamp of السَماءِheaven
أَحَياءً مِنهُ سِراجَ السَماءِ
What ails this evening, that it will not shine forth—
Why doesn't this evening shine,
is it shame before it, O lamp of heaven?
Reviving in it the lamp of the sky?
قَرِّباbring near, you two قَرِّباbring near, you two عِقالَthe hobbles of المَطاياthe mounts
قَرِّبا قَرِّبا عِقالَ المَطايا
وَاِحلُلاand untie, you two غِبهاafter that عِقالَthe fetter of الثَواءِstaying
وَاِحلُلا غِبها عِقالَ الثَواءِ
Bring near, you two, bring near the mounts' hobbles,
Bring closer the reins of the mounts,
and afterward untie the fetter of staying.
And unbridle their freedom of wandering.
تُسعِدَنَّshall surely aid الأَقدارُthe fates جُهديmy striving وَإِلّاand if not
تُسعِدَنَّ الأَقدارُ جُهدي وَإِلّا
لَمnot أَمُتI die فيamong ذاthis الحَيَّtribe مَوتَthe death of النِساءِwomen
لَم أَمُت في ذا الحَيَّ مَوتَ النِساءِ
The fates shall surely aid my striving; otherwise,
If fates make me happy, otherwise,
I shall not die among this tribe the death of women.
I shall not die the death of women in this life.
حُرَّةٌa noble she-camel قَدmay يَستَرعِفُmake bleed المَرءُa man مِنهاfrom her
حُرَّةٌ قَد يَستَرعِفُ المَرءُ مِنها
مَنسِماًa footpad أَوor مُستَنعِلاًa shod hoof بِالنَجاءِby swift running
مَنسِماً أَو مُستَنعِلاً بِالنَجاءِ
A noble she-camel: a man may draw blood from her—
Free is she whom a man may scorn,
from a footpad or a shod hoof—by swift running.
Whispering or showing guile openly.
أُنفِذَتshe was sent forth فيin لَيلِthe night of التَمامِfull length وَحَنَّتand she moaned
أُنفِذَت في لَيلِ التَمامِ وَحَنَّت
كَحَنينٍlike the lament لِلصَبِّof a lovesick lover يَومَon the day of التَنائيseparation
كَحَنينٍ لِلصَبِّ يَومَ التَنائي
She was sent forth in the longest night, and moaned
They were fulfilled in the night of perfection and yearned
like a lovesick lover's lament on the day of separation.
Like the yearning of love on the day of parting.
وَالدُجىand the darkness قَدalready يَنهَضُrises الصُبحُthe dawn فيهِwithin it
وَالدُجى قَد يَنهَضُ الصُبحُ فيهِ
قائِماًstanding يَنشُرُspreading ثَوبَthe robe of الضِياءِlight
قائِماً يَنشُرُ ثَوبَ الضِياءِ
And in the darkness dawn was already rising,
Darkness in which the dawn may rise up
standing, spreading the robe of light.
Standing, spreading the garment of light.
مَنwho لِهَمٍّfor a sorrow قَدhas باتَspent the night يُشجيgrieving فُؤاديmy heart
مَن لِهَمٍّ قَد باتَ يُشجي فُؤادي
ماnot لَهُfor it حالُthe state of دَمعَتيmy tear مِنany خَفاءِconcealment
ما لَهُ حالُ دَمعَتي مِن خَفاءِ
Who will relieve a sorrow that spent the night grieving my heart?
Who has worries that kept my heart awake all night?
The state of my tears leaves it no concealment.
What is the state of my tear from hiding?
إِخوَةٌbrothers ليof mine قَدhave فَرَّقَتهُمscattered them خُطوبٌcalamities
إِخوَةٌ لي قَد فَرَّقَتهُم خُطوبٌ
عَلَّمَتtaught مُقلَتيmy eye طَويلَprolonged البُكاءِweeping
عَلَّمَت مُقلَتي طَويلَ البُكاءِ
Brothers of mine have been scattered by calamities
Brothers of mine whom misfortunes have scattered,
that taught my eye prolonged weeping.
My eyelids taught long weeping.
إِنif أَهاجواthey stirred up بِآلِagainst the house of أَحمَدَAhmad حَرباًa war
إِن أَهاجوا بِآلِ أَحمَدَ حَرباً
بِبَنيكُمwith your sons لاdo not تَحلُبواyou milk فيinto إِنائيmy vessel
بِبَنيكُم لا تَحلُبوا في إِنائي
If they stirred up war against the house of Ahmad,
If they stirred Ahmad's family to war,
do not, with your sons, milk into my vessel.
Do not milk in my vessels.
وَتَحَلّواand adorn yourselves عِقدَthe necklace of التَمَلُّكِsovereignty مِنكُمfrom among you
وَتَحَلّوا عِقدَ التَمَلُّكِ مِنكُم
بِأَكُفٍّwith palms قَدhave خُضِّبَتbeen dyed بِالدِماءِwith blood
بِأَكُفٍّ قَد خُضِّبَت بِالدِماءِ
And adorn yourselves with the necklace of your sovereignty,
Take off the necklace of rule among you
with palms that have been dyed with blood.
With hands dyed with blood.
وَخَليلٍand a dear friend قَدhad كانَbeen مَرعىa pasture for الأَمانيhopes
وَخَليلٍ قَد كانَ مَرعى الأَماني
وَرِضىand the contentment of أَنفُسٍsouls وَحَسبِand the sufficiency of الإِخاءِbrotherhood
وَرِضى أَنفُسٍ وَحَسبِ الإِخاءِ
And a dear friend who was a pasture for hopes,
A friend who was once the pasture of wishes
and souls' contentment, all one needs in brotherhood.
And the contentment of souls and kinship.
غَرَّقَتنيit drowned me فيin لُجَّةِthe deep waters of البَينِseparation عَنهُfrom him
غَرَّقَتني في لُجَّةِ البَينِ عَنهُ
فَتَعَلَّقتُso I clung فيin حِبالِthe ropes of الرَجاءِhope
فَتَعَلَّقتُ في حِبالِ الرَجاءِ
It drowned me in the deep waters of separation from him,
It drowned me in the deep sea of separation from him,
so I clung to the ropes of hope.
So I held on to the ropes of hope.
غَيرَyet أَنّاthat we مِنَthrough النَوىdistance فيin اِفتِراقٍseparation
غَيرَ أَنّا مِنَ النَوى في اِفتِراقٍ
وَلِقاءٍand reunion لِذِكرِناfor our remembrance فيin البَقاءِendurance
وَلِقاءٍ لِذِكرِنا في البَقاءِ
Yet through distance we remain apart,
Only we differ in determination during separation
and united in remembrance that endures.
And meeting in the remembrance of us in survival.
وَفُراقُand parting from الخَليلِa dear friend قَرحٌa wound مُمِضٌّsearing
وَفُراقُ الخَليلِ قَرحٌ مُمِضٌّ
وَبِهِand through it يَعرِفونَthey recognize أَهلَpeople of الوَفاءِfaithfulness
وَبِهِ يَعرِفونَ أَهلَ الوَفاءِ
And parting from a dear friend is a searing wound,
Parting from a friend is a burning wound
by which they recognize the faithful.
By which the people of loyalty are known.
حاذِقُskilled in الوُدِّaffection ليtoward me بِماin what سَرَّdelighted نَفسيmy soul
حاذِقُ الوُدِّ لي بِما سَرَّ نَفسي
كانَhe was طَبّاًa skilled physician وَعالِماًand knowledgeable بِالشِفاءِabout healing
كانَ طَبّاً وَعالِماً بِالشِفاءِ
Skilled in affection toward me, in what delighted my soul,
The connoisseur of love for me by what delighted my soul
he was a physician, versed in healing.
Was a remedy and knew healing.
مُرسِلُdispensing الجودَgenerosity مِنهُfrom him فيin كُلِّevery سُؤلٍrequest
مُرسِلُ الجودَ مِنهُ في كُلِّ سُؤلٍ
يَكلَأُhe guards المَجدَglory بَينَamid عَينِthe wellspring of السَخاءِgenerosity
يَكلَأُ المَجدَ بَينَ عَينِ السَخاءِ
He dispensed his generosity for every request,
The sender of generosity from him for every request
guarding glory at generosity's wellspring.
Reaps glory between the eyes of generosity.
يَعرِفَنَّhe surely recognizes المَعروفَgoodness طَبعاًby nature وَيُثنيand bends
يَعرِفَنَّ المَعروفَ طَبعاً وَيُثني
بِيَدِwith the hand of الجودِgenerosity فيin عِنانِthe reins of الثَناءِpraise
بِيَدِ الجودِ في عِنانِ الثَناءِ
He surely knows goodness by nature, and bends
He knows favors naturally and praises
the reins of praise with the hand of generosity.
With the hand of generosity at the bridle of praise.
يَخفِرَنhe surely guards عَزمَهُhis resolve بِقَلبٍwith a heart مُصيبٍdiscerning
يَخفِرَن عَزمَهُ بِقَلبٍ مُصيبٍ
يَتَلَظّىblazes مَنone who فيهِwithin him نارُthe fire of الذَكاءِintelligence
يَتَلَظّى مَن فيهِ نارُ الذَكاءِ
He surely guards his resolve with a discerning heart;
His resolve is guarded by an accurate heart
he in whom the fire of intelligence burns is ablaze.
In which burns the fire of intelligence.
يَكتُمَنَّhe surely conceals الأَسرارَsecrets مِنهُfrom him وَفيهِand within him
يَكتُمَنَّ الأَسرارَ مِنهُ وَفيهِ
كَكُمونٍlike the concealment لِلعودِof wood تَحتَbeneath اللِحاءِthe bark
كَكُمونٍ لِلعودِ تَحتَ اللِحاءِ
He keeps secrets concealed, his own and those within him,
He conceals secrets from and in him
as wood lies hidden beneath bark.
Like embers under ashes.
وَتُفَلُّand are blunted الخُطوبُcalamities مِنهُfrom him بِرَأيٍby a judgment
وَتُفَلُّ الخُطوبُ مِنهُ بِرَأيٍ
قَدindeed جَلاهُhe polished it بِالعَزمِwith resolve أَيَّthe utmost جَلاءِpolishing
قَد جَلاهُ بِالعَزمِ أَيَّ جَلاءِ
And calamities are blunted by a judgment of his,
Misfortunes are repelled from him by opinion
which he has polished with resolve to perfect clarity.
Which he armored with determination against any refuge.
إِنif يَحُلsettles مِنfrom بَينيbetween me وَبَينِكَand between you بَينٌa separation
إِن يَحُل مِن بَيني وَبَينِكَ بَينٌ
فَلَكَمthen how many مِنof نَأيٍa distance سَريعِswift in اللِقاءِreunion
فَلَكَم مِن نَأيٍ سَريعِ اللِقاءِ
If separation should settle between me and you,
If separation comes between me and you
how many a distance is followed by swift reunion!
Then how quick is the meeting after remoteness!
رُدَّturn away عَنّيfrom me تَفويقَthe nocking of سَهمِكَyour arrow حَسبيenough for me
رُدَّ عَنّي تَفويقَ سَهمِكَ حَسبي
فيكَin you أَقصِرcease تَفويقَthe nocking of سَهمِthe arrow of الدُعاءِsupplication
فيكَ أَقصِر تَفويقَ سَهمِ الدُعاءِ
Keep from me the nocking of your arrow; enough for me
Repel from me the hitting of your arrow, it suffices me,
is what I have in you—cease nocking the arrow of supplication.
In you lies the quickest response to prayer.
فَبِهاfor through it يُستَحَثُّare urged forth دُرُّthe pearls of الأَمانيhopes
فَبِها يُستَحَثُّ دُرُّ الأَماني
وَبِهاand through it يُطلَقَنَّis surely released كَيدُthe guile of العَناءِsuffering
وَبِها يُطلَقَنَّ كَيدُ العَناءِ
For through it the pearls of hopes are urged forth,
By it the pearls of wishes are urged
and through it suffering's guile is set loose.
And by it the plots of adversity are released.
رُبَّmany a يَومٍday بِعامِرِwith a brimming الكَأسِcup ظَلناwe spent the day
رُبَّ يَومٍ بِعامِرِ الكَأسِ ظَلنا
نُفرِغَنَّwe surely poured out المُدامَwine فيهِduring it بِماءِwith water
نُفرِغَنَّ المُدامَ فيهِ بِماءِ
Many a day we spent with a brimming cup,
Many a day with a overflowing cup we spent
pouring out wine with water that day,
Emptying the wine in it with water.
فيin دُجىthe darkness of لَيلِناour night وَطَيِّand the folding of الحَواشيthe margins
في دُجى لَيلِنا وَطَيِّ الحَواشي
مُدنَفُlanguishing الريحِthe wind فيin قَصيرِa brief span of النَقاءِclearness
مُدنَفُ الريحِ في قَصيرِ النَقاءِ
in our night's darkness and its folded margins,
In the darkness of our night and folds of meadows
its wind languishing in a brief span of clearness.
Wind-blown in brief purity.
تَسقُطَنَّsurely fall الأَمطارُthe rains حَتّىuntil تَثَنّىbends الthe
تَسقُطَنَّ الأَمطارُ حَتّى تَثَنّى ال
نورُblossom وَاِبتَلَّand grows wet فيin جَناحِthe wing of الهَواءِthe air
نورُ وَاِبتَلَّ في جَناحِ الهَواءِ
The rains kept falling until it bent—the
The rain falls until it bends the light
blossom—and grew wet in the wing of the air.
And mixes in the wing of the air.
فَتَرىthen you see لِلغُدرانِfor the pools فيin كُلِّevery خَفضٍhollow
فَتَرى لِلغُدرانِ في كُلِّ خَفضٍ
مُستَقِرّاًa resting place كَمُزنَةٍlike a rain-cloud فيin سَماءِa sky
مُستَقِرّاً كَمُزنَةٍ في سَماءِ
Then in every hollow you see the pools
So you see for the sneak in every depression
settled like a rain-cloud in the sky.
Settled like a weight in the sky.
زَمَنٌa time مَرَّpassed قَدhas مَضىgone by بِنَعيمٍin bliss
زَمَنٌ مَرَّ قَد مَضى بِنَعيمٍ
وَصَباحٌand a morning أَسَرَّناgladdened us فيin مَساءِan evening
وَصَباحٌ أَسَرَّنا في مَساءِ
A time has passed, gone by in bliss,
An era passed with bliss
and a morning gladdened us amid an evening.
And a morn that delighted us in the evening.
وَاِجتَمَعناand we gathered بَعدَafter التَنائيseparation وَلَكِنbut
وَاِجتَمَعنا بَعدَ التَنائي وَلَكِن
لاnot يُريit shows العالَمينَmankind عَينَthe very essence of الرَخاءِease
لا يُري العالَمينَ عَينَ الرَخاءِ
And we met after separation, but
We gathered after the separation but
it does not show mankind ease itself.
The eyes of comfort do not show the two worlds.
أَناI مُذsince غِبتَyou went away قَدindeed أَروحُI go at evening وَأَغدوand I go at morning
أَنا مُذ غِبتَ قَد أَروحُ وَأَغدو
مِنof سُرورِthe joy of الدُنياthe world بِوُدٍّwith affection خَلاءِempty
مِن سُرورِ الدُنيا بِوُدٍّ خَلاءِ
Since you went away, I go at evening and at dawn,
Since you left, I wander and travel
with an affection empty of the world's joy.
From the bliss of life in barren love.
لاnot أَرىI see فيamong الأَنامِmankind جَمعَa union of وَفِيٍّa faithful person
لا أَرى في الأَنامِ جَمعَ وَفِيٍّ
وَغُرورٍand deceit مُخاتِلٍtreacherous فيin وَفاءِfaithfulness
وَغُرورٍ مُخاتِلٍ في وَفاءِ
I see no union, among mankind, of a loyal soul
I do not see in people a band of devoted loyalists
and treacherous deceit within loyalty.
And the arrogance of pretentious loyalty.
فَضَمانيso my pledge إِلَيكَto you ذِكرٌremembrance وَشُكرٌand gratitude
فَضَماني إِلَيكَ ذِكرٌ وَشُكرٌ
وَعَلىand upon رَبِّthe Lord of العَرشِthe Throne حُسنُthe goodness of الجَزاءِrecompense
وَعَلى رَبِّ العَرشِ حُسنُ الجَزاءِ
My pledge to you, then, is remembrance and gratitude,
So my pledge to you is remembrance and thankfulness
and gracious recompense rests with the Lord of the Throne.
And to the Lord of the Throne, excellent recompense.
Sol 6.1