لِمَنْwhose? كَلِمٌwords كَاللؤْلُؤِlike pearls المُتَنَاسِقِharmoniously strung
لِمَنْ كَلِمٌ كَاللؤْلُؤِ المُتَنَاسِقِ
لَهاthey possess فَضْلُthe excellence of مَوْصوفَاتِهِنَّthe things they describe البَواسِقِthe lofty ones
لَها فَضْلُ مَوْصوفَاتِهِنَّ البَواسِقِ
Whose are these words, like pearls harmoniously strung?
Theirs is the excellence of the lofty things they describe.
نَفَائِسُprecious treasures كالأَعْلاقِlike prized possessions تَجْتَذِبُdraw النُّهَىminds
نَفَائِسُ كالأَعْلاقِ تَجْتَذِبُ النُّهَى
لِفِتْنَتِهاto their enchantment مِنْfrom حُسْنِهاtheir beauty بِعَلائِقِwith bonds
لِفِتْنَتِها مِنْ حُسْنِها بِعَلائِقِ
Treasures, like prized possessions, draw minds
into their enchantment with bonds arising from their beauty.
جَلائِلُmajestic things أَلْفَاظٍexpressions إِذَاwhen ماemphatic particle قَرَأْتَهاyou read them
جَلائِلُ أَلْفَاظٍ إِذَا ما قَرَأْتَها
قَريتyou were regaled with مَعِيناًflowing water مِنْfrom مَعَانٍmeanings دَقَائِقِsubtle
قَريت مَعِيناً مِنْ مَعَانٍ دَقَائِقِ
Majestic expressions: whenever you read them,
you are regaled with a flowing spring of subtle meanings.
يَجِيشُsurges بِهاthrough them بَحْرٌa sea مِنَof العِلْمِlearning وَالنَّدَىand bounty
يَجِيشُ بِها بَحْرٌ مِنَ العِلْمِ وَالنَّدَى
حَبَاbestowed كُلَّevery أُفْقٍhorizon مِنْfrom حُلاهُits adornments بفَائِقِwith something peerless
حَبَا كُلَّ أُفْقٍ مِنْ حُلاهُ بفَائِقِ
A sea of learning and bounty surges through them,
having graced every horizon with the finest of its adornments.
مَلاكِيَّةٌangelic سِيقَتْwere conveyed لِتَشْريفِto honor سُوقَةٍcommon folk
مَلاكِيَّةٌ سِيقَتْ لِتَشْريفِ سُوقَةٍ
وَحَسْبُand sufficient for الأَمَانِيwishes مِنْin مَسُوقٍwhat is conveyed وَسائِقِand its bearer
وَحَسْبُ الأَمَانِي مِنْ مَسُوقٍ وَسائِقِ
Angelic words, conveyed to honor common folk—
what is borne and its bearer are all that wishes could desire.
مُطَهَّرَةُpurified الأَعْراقِin lineage لَيْسَthere is no لِمَعْبَدٍfor Ma'bad
مُطَهَّرَةُ الأَعْراقِ لَيْسَ لِمَعْبَدٍ
بِأَبْيَاتِهاin their verses شَدْوٌsinging وَلاnor لِمُخَارِقِfor Mukhariq
بِأَبْيَاتِها شَدْوٌ وَلا لِمُخَارِقِ
Pure of lineage: Ma'bad has no
song in their verses, nor has Mukhariq.
نَمَتْهاnurtured them المَعَالِيhigh virtues وَالهِدَايَةُand guidance والتُّقَىand piety
نَمَتْها المَعَالِي وَالهِدَايَةُ والتُّقَى
فَجَاءَتْso they came لِعَادَاتِto the conventions of القَرِيضِpoetry بِخَارِقِwith something convention-breaking
فَجَاءَتْ لِعَادَاتِ القَرِيضِ بِخَارِقِ
High virtues, guidance, and piety nurtured them,
so they came with something that broke poetry's conventions.
أَلاah! بِأَبِيmy father as ransom مِنْهاamong them هَدِيُّa bride بَلاغَةٍeloquence
أَلا بِأَبِي مِنْها هَدِيُّ بَلاغَةٍ
تُنَاغِيcoos to المَهَىthe white oryxes مَحْجوبَةٌveiled فِيin الْمَهَارِقِthe parchment sheets
تُنَاغِي المَهَى مَحْجوبَةٌ فِي الْمَهَارِقِ
Ah, my father be ransom for their bride of eloquence,
cooing to the white oryxes, veiled within parchment sheets.
شَقِيقَةُsister to رَوْضِa meadow الحَزْنِthe rugged uplands باكَرَهُvisited it early الْحَيَاthe rain
شَقِيقَةُ رَوْضِ الحَزْنِ باكَرَهُ الْحَيَا
فَحَيَّاand greeted بِغَضَّيْwith the two tender growths of نَرْجسٍnarcissus وشَقائِقِand anemones
فَحَيَّا بِغَضَّيْ نَرْجسٍ وشَقائِقِ
Sister to an upland meadow visited early by rain,
which greeted it with fresh narcissus and anemones.
أُطالِعُI behold مِنْfrom قِرطَاسِهاits paper كُلَّevery غارِبٍsetting sun
أُطالِعُ مِنْ قِرطَاسِها كُلَّ غارِبٍ
مَحَاسِنَbeauties تَلْقَانِيgreet me بِطَلْعَةِwith the countenance of شارِقِa rising sun
مَحَاسِنَ تَلْقَانِي بِطَلْعَةِ شارِقِ
At every sunset I behold upon its paper
beauties that greet me with a rising sun's countenance.
وأَلثُمُand I kiss مِنْfrom أَسطارِهاits lines كُلevery فَائِنperhaps 'charmer'; reading unclear
وأَلثُمُ مِنْ أَسطارِها كُل فَائِن
بِمَاthrough what يَجتَلِىbeholds مِنfrom رَقمِهاits script كلevery رامِقِgazer
بِمَا يَجتَلِى مِن رَقمِها كل رامِقِ
And from its lines I kiss every charmer—an uncertain reading—
through what every gazer beholds of its script.
وَلوعاًenamored بِيُمنَىof a right hand نَمْنَمَتْهاembellished it حَدِيقَةٌa garden
وَلوعاً بِيُمنَى نَمْنَمَتْها حَدِيقَةٌ
نَزْهَدُwe lose interest أَحْدَاقthe eyes of الوَرَىhumankind فِيin الحَدَائِقِgardens
نَزْهَدُ أَحْدَاق الوَرَى فِي الحَدَائِقِ
Enamored of the right hand that embellished it—a garden—
we, the eyes of humankind, lose interest in gardens.
كَأَنِّيas though I مِنهاfrom it فِيamid نَسيمِa breeze نَوافِحٍwafting gusts
كَأَنِّي مِنها فِي نَسيمِ نَوافِحٍ
تَهبُّblow أَصِيلاًin late afternoon أَوor شَمِيمthe fragrance of نَوَافِقِmusk-pods
تَهبُّ أَصِيلاً أَو شَمِيم نَوَافِقِ
It is as though I am amid its wafting breezes,
blowing in late afternoon, or the fragrance of musk-pods.
تَدانَتْit drew near رَحِيباًbroad شَأْوهَاits reach وتَباعَدَتْand grew distant
تَدانَتْ رَحِيباً شَأْوهَا وتَباعَدَتْ
فَضَاقَso became narrow نِطاقاin scope عِندهاbefore it كُلevery ناطِقِspeaker
فَضَاقَ نِطاقا عِندها كُل ناطِقِ
It came close, broad in its reach, yet grew distant,
so every speaker's scope narrowed before it.
رَشَفْتُI sipped بِهاfrom it مِثلlike الثُّغورِlips عذوبَةًsweetness
رَشَفْتُ بِها مِثل الثُّغورِ عذوبَةً
فأَقْصَرْتُso I ceased عَنfrom ذِكْرِmentioning العُذَيْبِal-'Udhayb وَبارِقِand Bariq
فأَقْصَرْتُ عَن ذِكْرِ العُذَيْبِ وَبارِقِ
I sipped from it a sweetness like that of lips,
so I ceased to speak of al-'Udhayb and Bariq.
وَمِلْتُand I turned إِلَيهَاtoward it وَالفَصَاحَةُand eloquence مِلؤُهاits fullness
وَمِلْتُ إِلَيهَا وَالفَصَاحَةُ مِلؤُها
صَحِيفَةa letter ضَخْمِone great in السَّرْوِnobility وَضَخْمِand great in السُّرادِقِpavilion
صَحِيفَة ضَخْمِ السَّرْوِ وَضَخْمِ السُّرادِقِ
And I turned toward it, filled with eloquence:
the letter of one great in nobility and great in pavilion.
يُشَقِّقُunfolds أَطرافَthe facets of الكَلامِspeech لِسَانُهُhis tongue
يُشَقِّقُ أَطرافَ الكَلامِ لِسَانُهُ
فَيَثْنِيso it turns back الفُحُولthe masters اللُّسْنِthe eloquent خُرْسmute الشقائِقِperhaps 'mouths'; reading unclear
فَيَثْنِي الفُحُول اللُّسْنِ خُرْس الشقائِقِ
His tongue unfolds every facet of speech,
turning the eloquent masters back, their mouths struck dumb.
وَقُورٌdignified فَإِنbut if هَزَّتْهُstirred him نغمَةthe melody of صادِحa singer
وَقُورٌ فَإِن هَزَّتْهُ نغمَة صادِح
رَأَيْتَyou saw قَضِيباa slender bough مِنْهُin him أَثناءَamid the folds of شاهِقِa towering mountain
رَأَيْتَ قَضِيبا مِنْهُ أَثناءَ شاهِقِ
Dignified; yet if a singer's melody stirs him,
you see in him a slender bough within a towering mountain's folds.
سَمَاraised high بِأَبِيهِhis father حِينَwhen سَمَّوْهُthey named him باسْمِهِwith his name
سَمَا بِأَبِيهِ حِينَ سَمَّوْهُ باسْمِهِ
فاللَّهِso, by God مِنْwhat a سامِيlofty in المَراتِبِranks سامِقِtowering
فاللَّهِ مِنْ سامِي المَراتِبِ سامِقِ
He raised his father high when they named him by his name;
by God, what a towering man of lofty rank!
مُيَمَّمُintent on مَرْضَاةِthe approval of الإِمامِthe imam بِسَيْفِهِwith his sword
مُيَمَّمُ مَرْضَاةِ الإِمامِ بِسَيْفِهِ
وَمُوضِحُand revealing خَافِيwhat is hidden of الهدْيِguidance فِيin كُلِّevery خافِقِhorizon
وَمُوضِحُ خَافِي الهدْيِ فِي كُلِّ خافِقِ
Intent on the imam's approval through his sword,
and unveiling hidden guidance on every horizon.
سَمِيُّnamesake of الذِيthe one who اسْتَسْقَىsought rain بِعَمِّthrough the uncle of نَبِيِّهِhis prophet
سَمِيُّ الذِي اسْتَسْقَى بِعَمِّ نَبِيِّهِ
فَأَخْمَدَso quenched بَرْدُthe coolness of الوَدقِrain حَرَّthe heat of الوَدَائِقِscorching noons
فَأَخْمَدَ بَرْدُ الوَدقِ حَرَّ الوَدَائِقِ
Namesake of him who sought rain through his prophet's uncle,
so the rain's coolness quenched the blaze of scorching noons.
وَوَافَقَand agreed with فِيin عَهدِthe era of الرِّسالَةِthe Message رَبَّهhis Lord
وَوَافَقَ فِي عَهدِ الرِّسالَةِ رَبَّه
وَناهِيكَand sufficient for you مِنis تَوْفِيقِdivinely granted success ذاكَthat الموَافِقِone in accord
وَناهِيكَ مِن تَوْفِيقِ ذاكَ الموَافِقِ
And in the age of the Message he agreed with his Lord;
the divine favor of that man in accord is praise enough.
مِنof الصَّفْوةِthe elect الأَبْرارthe righteous صِيغُواthey were cast وَصُوِّرُواand fashioned
مِن الصَّفْوةِ الأَبْرار صِيغُوا وَصُوِّرُوا
لِمَوتِfor the death of أَعِادٍenemies أَوor حَياةِthe life of أَصَادِقِfriends
لِمَوتِ أَعِادٍ أَو حَياةِ أَصَادِقِ
Of the righteous elect, who were cast and fashioned
to bring enemies death, or friends life.
إِذاwhen حَقtook hold أَوor حاقَenveloped اضطِهادٌoppression بِأُمَّةupon a people
إِذا حَق أَو حاقَ اضطِهادٌ بِأُمَّة
تُخلّصُهاdelivers it مِنْهُمfrom them حُماةُdefenders of الحَقائِقِinviolable rights
تُخلّصُها مِنْهُم حُماةُ الحَقائِقِ
When oppression takes hold of a people or encircles them,
defenders of inviolable rights deliver them from their oppressors.
أَمَوْلايَO my lord إِغْضَاءًindulgence فَلِلفِكْرِfor thought has نَبْوَةٌa lapse
أَمَوْلايَ إِغْضَاءً فَلِلفِكْرِ نَبْوَةٌ
وَلاand no نَبْوَfaltering إِلاexcept لاِعْتِرَاضِbecause of the intervention of العَوائِقِobstacles
وَلا نَبْوَ إِلا لاِعْتِرَاضِ العَوائِقِ
O my lord, be indulgent: thought has its lapses,
and falters only when obstacles intervene.
عَلَىyet أَنَّهاthat they are الغاياتthe ultimate goals أَعْيَاdefeated all effort لِحاقُهاattaining them
عَلَى أَنَّها الغايات أَعْيَا لِحاقُها
فَلاso no سَبْقَprecedence فيهاin them للوَجيهِfor al-Wajih وَلاحِقِand Lahiq
فَلا سَبْقَ فيها للوَجيهِ وَلاحِقِ
Yet these are ultimate goals whose attainment defeats all effort,
where neither al-Wajih nor Lahiq can take the lead.
إِلَىtoward العَجْزِinability يَلْوِيhe turns بَعدafter لأيhardship عنانهhis rein
إِلَى العَجْزِ يَلْوِي بَعد لأي عنانه
وَإنْeven if عُدَّhe is reckoned صَدْراًforemost فِيamong العِتَاقِthe noble steeds السوابِقِthe leading racers
وَإنْ عُدَّ صَدْراً فِي العِتَاقِ السوابِقِ
After long toil he turns his rein toward defeat,
though counted foremost among the noble racing steeds.
وَأَنَّىand how could لِمِثلِيone like me أَنْto يُساوِفَcome near مِثلَهاits like
وَأَنَّى لِمِثلِي أَنْ يُساوِفَ مِثلَها
وَمَاand there is no فِيamong البَرايَاcreated beings مِنany مُساوٍequal مُساوِقِkeeping pace
وَمَا فِي البَرايَا مِن مُساوٍ مُساوِقِ
And how could one like me come near anything like it,
when no created being is an equal able to keep pace?
وَلَكِنَّنِيbut I فيهاin it عَلَىon نَهْجِthe path of خِدْمَةٍservice
وَلَكِنَّنِي فيها عَلَى نَهْجِ خِدْمَةٍ
لأَنْعَمَso I may enjoy مِنfrom أَرْفَاقِهاits favors بِمَرافِقِwith comforts
لأَنْعَمَ مِن أَرْفَاقِها بِمَرافِقِ
Yet in this I follow a path of service,
to enjoy the comforts afforded by its favors.
سَلامٌpeace عَلَيهاupon it ساحَةًa court مَوْلَوِيَّةًlordly
سَلامٌ عَلَيها ساحَةً مَوْلَوِيَّةً
مُلِمٌّvisiting لُهَاهَاits gifts البِيضthe white ones غَيرُnot مُفارِقِdeparting
مُلِمٌّ لُهَاهَا البِيض غَيرُ مُفارِقِ
Peace upon it, a lordly court—
a greeting visiting its white gifts, never departing.
تَجُودُgives generously بِوَضْعِby remitting الدِّينِdebt (contextual reading) مِنْfrom سعَةِthe abundance of النَّدىbounty
تَجُودُ بِوَضْعِ الدِّينِ مِنْ سعَةِ النَّدى
وَتَضْرِبُand it turns صَفْحاًaside عَنfrom تَقاضِيdemanding payment المَضَائِقِstraits
وَتَضْرِبُ صَفْحاً عَن تَقاضِي المَضَائِقِ
It generously remits debt out of abundant bounty,
and turns away from demanding payment amid hardship.
Sol 6.1