ألفٌAlif ألاah انعمbe blissful بالمحبةin love حالاin one's condition
ألفٌ ألا انعم بالمحبة حالا
واجررْand trail لأبرادfor the mantles المنىdesire أذيالاhems
واجررْ لأبراد المنى أذيالا
Alif—ah, enjoy a blissful state in love,
A thousand no's, enjoy the affection now
And trail the hems of desire's mantles.
And pull the train of wishes' tails
باءBāʾ بداappeared شفقthe twilight glow المغيبsunset وأوقدتand were kindled
باء بدا شفق المغيب وأوقدت
سرجlamps النجومthe stars فعاطنيso pass me الجريالاthe red wine
سرج النجوم فعاطني الجريالا
Bāʾ—the sunset glow appeared, and there were kindled
B The sunset glow began to fade
The lamps of the stars; so pass me the red wine.
And the stars' lamps lit up, so the darkness pulled me
تاءTāʾ تلوتI recited محاسنthe charms of البيضthe fair ones الدمىthe statues
تاء تلوت محاسن البيض الدمى
سوراًas sacred chapters وجدتI found بهاthrough them الرحيقpure wine حلالاlawful
سوراً وجدت بها الرحيق حلالا
Tāʾ—I recited the charms of the fair idols
T I recited the charms of the pretty ones
As sacred chapters, through which I found pure wine lawful.
And found its essence to be pure honey
ثاءThāʾ ثويناwe stayed نجتنيwe pluck زَهَرَthe blossoms of المنىdesire
ثاء ثوينا نجتني زَهَرَ المنى
منfrom كلevery غصنbough فيin نقاa sandhill قدalready مالاbent
من كل غصن في نقا قد مالا
Thāʾ—we lingered, plucking the blossoms of desire
Th We picked the flowers of wishes
From every bough upon a sandhill that had bent.
From every branch tilted towards us
جيمJīm جرتcoursed أفلاكthe spheres of بدريmy full moon أقمراmore moon-bright
جيم جرت أفلاك بدري أقمرا
مماthan those that تدورrevolve بأنجمwith stars تتلالاglitter
مما تدور بأنجم تتلالا
Jīm—the spheres of my full moon coursed more brightly
J The moon's orbit flowed
Than those revolving with glittering stars.
Amongst the stars glittering
حاءḤāʾ حبانيfavored me منthe one who حبيتI was favored بوصلهwith his union
حاء حباني من حبيت بوصله
برضابهwith his saliva فرشفتso I sipped منهfrom it زلالاlimpid water
برضابه فرشفت منه زلالا
Ḥāʾ—he whose union I was granted favored me
H He who I loved blessed me
With his lips' dew, so I sipped from it limpid water.
With his acceptance, so I sipped fresh water
خاءKhāʾ خلالamid الروضthe garden وهوwhile it was ممسكmusk-scented
خاء خلال الروض وهو ممسك
بتناwe spent the night نباريwe rival الفرقدينthe two Farqad stars وصالاin union
بتنا نباري الفرقدين وصالا
Khāʾ—amid the garden, scented with musk,
Kh Through the garden, as he held
We spent the night rivaling the two Farqad stars in closeness.
Our hand, we competed in affection
دالDāl دنتdrew near بيbringing me منهto him رحماin affection زورةa visit
دال دنت بي منه رحما زورة
فظننتهاso I thought it مماbecause of how ازدهيتI was elated خيالاa dream-vision
فظننتها مما ازدهيت خيالا
Dāl—a visit drew me close to him in affection;
D She approached me with tender mercy
So, in my rapture, I thought it a dream-vision.
And I thought it was just my imagination
ذالDhāl ذؤابةthe tress of منthe one whom هويتI loved زمردemerald
ذال ذؤابة من هويت زمرد
لوif طاولit rivaled المسكthe musk الأحمjet-black لطالاit would surely surpass
لو طاول المسك الأحم لطالا
Dhāl—the tress of the one I love is emerald;
Th Like an emerald doe I loved
Were it to rival jet-black musk, it would surpass it.
Had musk always lingered, it would have lasted
راءRāʾ رناhe gazed ظبياًlike a gazelle وغنىand sang أورقاًlike a gray dove
راء رنا ظبياً وغنى أورقاً
ومشىand walked قضيبa slender bough نَقاa sandhill ولاحand shone هلالاa crescent moon
ومشى قضيب نَقا ولاح هلالا
Rāʾ—he gazed like a gazelle and sang like a gray dove,
R The gazelle sang and the blossoms chimed
And walked like a bough upon a sandhill, and shone like a crescent.
And the crescent moon's staff shone
زاءZāy زعمتمyou claimed بالنصالabout arrowheads فطرفهyet his glance
زاء زعمتم بالنصال فطرفه
أَصمىslew outright الفؤادthe heart وماand did not أعدhe readied نبالاarrows
أَصمى الفؤاد وما أعد نبالا
Zāy—you spoke of arrowheads, yet his glance
Z You claimed with your swords, but his
Slew the heart outright, though he had readied no arrows.
Heart is deaf and has not prepared any arrows
طاءṬāʾ طوىfolded الهيمانthe lovesick one طيَّthe folding of وشاحهhis sash
طاء طوى الهيمان طيَّ وشاحه
بمخصرaround a slender waist فتوشحthen girdled himself with الخلخالاthe anklet
بمخصر فتوشح الخلخالا
Ṭāʾ—the lovesick one folded his sash
T He folded his sleeve, tucked it
Around a slender waist, then girdled himself with an anklet.
With his belt, and the bangles adorned
ظاءẒāʾ ظللناwe lingered تحتbeneath ظلِّthe shade of مودةaffection
ظاء ظللنا تحت ظلِّ مودة
فيin روضa garden of أنسintimacy نجتنيwe pluck الآمالاhopes
في روض أنس نجتني الآمالا
Ẓāʾ—we lingered beneath affection's shade,
Th We were shaded under affection’s shadow
In a garden of intimacy, plucking hopes.
In a garden of intimacy that brought me hopes
كافKāf كساهclothed it الحسنbeauty غرةthe radiant brow of جعفرJaʿfar
كاف كساه الحسن غرة جعفر
فاهتزَّso it swayed منfrom طربdelight وفاقand excelled جمالاin beauty
فاهتزَّ من طرب وفاق جمالا
Kāf—Jaʿfar's radiant brow clothed it in beauty;
K Beauty clothed him in a Jafar-like charm
So it swayed with delight and excelled in loveliness.
So he swayed with the harmony of perfection
لامLām لواءthe banner of المجدِglory تحتbeneath يمينهhis right hand
لام لواء المجدِ تحت يمينه
ولجامُand the bridle of طِرْفِthe steed of العزhonor منهfrom him مالاhung down
ولجامُ طِرْفِ العز منه مالا
Lām—the banner of glory lies beneath his right hand,
L The flag of glory under his right hand
And from him hangs the bridle of honor's steed.
And the bridle of honor leaned towards him
نونNūn نبيلa noble man إنif تناولhe takes up رقعةa writing sheet
نون نبيل إن تناول رقعة
خلتI would take اليراعةthe reed pen أسمراًa brown lance عسالاquivering
خلت اليراعة أسمراً عسالا
Nūn—a noble man: if he takes up a sheet,
N Noble, if he wrote on a paper
I would take his reed pen for a brown, quivering lance.
Eloquence turned it to honey
صادṢād صدقتI spoke truly لقدindeed بلوتI tested فلمand did not أجدI find
صاد صدقت لقد بلوت فلم أجد
فيin المجدglory لابنfor Ibn (son of) أبيAbī (father of) الربيعal-Rabīʿ مثالاan equal
في المجد لابن أبي الربيع مثالا
Ṣād—I spoke truly: I have tested him and found no
S Indeed, I have tested, and found
Equal in glory to Ibn Abī al-Rabīʿ.
No peer for the son of Abu Al-Rabee’ in glory
ضادḌād ضمنتI guaranteed لمنto whoever أناخencamped بظلهin his shade
ضاد ضمنت لمن أناخ بظله
إلاexcept أنthat يحطhe sets down علىupon الخطوبcalamities رحالاbaggage
إلا أن يحط على الخطوب رحالا
Ḍād—I promised whoever encamped in his shade
D I guaranteed shelter for whoever stops
Anything but laying his baggage down amid calamities.
In his shade, unless saddlebags unload
عينʿAyn عفاfaded رسمthe trace of الوفاءloyalty فجددتbut renewed
عين عفا رسم الوفاء فجددت
منهfrom him سوابغthe abundant gifts of فضلهhis bounty أَطلالاruined remains
منه سوابغ فضله أَطلالا
ʿAyn—the trace of loyalty faded, but renewal came
‘ I pardoned the code of loyalty, so I renewed
To its ruins from his overflowing bounty.
From it his perfections' remains
غينGhayn غدتbecame مناfrom us اللحاظthe glances كأنماas though
غين غدت منا اللحاظ كأنما
نرعىwe behold بهin him بدرthe full moon التمامfullness كمالاin perfection
نرعى به بدر التمام كمالا
Ghayn—we came to gaze as though
Gh My glances have become as though
We beheld in him the full moon in its perfection.
We shepherd the full moon’s perfection
فاءFāʾ فريدpeerless الحسنbeauty منهin him يزيدهincreases it
فاء فريد الحسن منه يزيده
باللحظthrough gazing تكريرrepetition by العيونthe eyes صقالاpolish
باللحظ تكرير العيون صقالا
Fāʾ—his peerless beauty grows more
F Unique in beauty, a glance from him
Polished by the eyes' repeated gazing.
Increases by repeating the eyes' polish
قافQāf قُدِlead العلياءhigh glory ياO قطبaxis of النهىreason
قاف قُدِ العلياء يا قطب النهى
واجعلand make لهاfor it كرمnobility of الخلالcharacter traits عقالاa tether
واجعل لها كرم الخلال عقالا
Qāf—lead high glory, O axis of reason,
Q Rise, pillar of the highborn, O axis of prohibition
And make nobility of character its tether.
And make the vine of beauty cages for them
سينSīn سموتyou rose high وقدand indeed نمتكَbrought you forth عصابةa clan
سين سموت وقد نمتكَ عصابة
مَلأَتْfilled صدوراًhearts هيبةawe وجمالاand beauty
مَلأَتْ صدوراً هيبة وجمالا
Sīn—you rose high, born of a clan
S You have transcended after a group raised you
That filled hearts with awe and beauty.
And filled chests with awe and beauty
شينShīn شآبيبshowers of الندىbounty بأكفهمin their palms
شين شآبيب الندى بأكفهم
عندin times of الشدائدhardships تطردdrive away الأمحالاdroughts
عند الشدائد تطرد الأمحالا
Shīn—the showers of bounty in their palms
Sh The dew's youths in their palms
Drive away droughts in times of hardship.
Repel adversities in times of hardship
هاءHāʾ همthey الغرthe radiant ones الكرامthe noble ones وإنand if عرواthey attack
هاء هم الغر الكرام وإن عروا
أردواthey slew علىupon الغرthe white-blazed steeds الكرامthe noble ones رجالاmen
أردوا على الغر الكرام رجالا
Hāʾ—they are the radiant nobles; and if they attack,
H They are noble stars, and if bare
On noble, white-blazed steeds they slay men.
They seek clothing for the noble stars
واوWāw وعندهمand with them حمامthe doom of عدوهمtheir enemy
واو وعندهم حمام عدوهم
منfrom قبلbefore أنthat ينضواthey draw عليهagainst him نصالالblades
من قبل أن ينضوا عليه نصالال
Wāw—and with them lies their enemy's doom
W And with them are their enemies’ doves
Before they draw blades against him.
Before swords are unsheathed against them
ياءYāʾ يُلاقيencounters ذكرهمthe mention of them لفؤادهfor his heart
ياء يُلاقي ذكرهم لفؤاده
جزعاًpanic كماas يلقىencounters النسيمthe breeze ذبالاlampwicks
جزعاً كما يلقى النسيم ذبالا
Yāʾ—the mention of them encounters in his heart
Y The mention of them makes his heart
Panic, as a breeze encounters lampwicks.
Shudder with sorrow, as the breeze shakes the branches
Sol 6.1