ماhow أَعجَبَwondrous الحُبَّlove فيin مَذاهِبِهits ways
ما أَعجَبَ الحُبَّ في مَذاهِبِه
ماnot يَنقَضيcomes to an end القَولُtalk فيabout عَجائِبِهits marvels
ما يَنقَضي القَولُ في عَجائِبِه
How wondrous love is in its ways!
How wondrous is love in its ways!
Talk of its marvels never ends.
Speech falls short of describing its wonders.
يُفسِدُcorrupts ذاone with الدّينِreligion بَعدَafter عِفَّتِهhis chastity
يُفسِدُ ذا الدّينِ بَعدَ عِفَّتِه
وَيُذهِلُand distracts المَرءَa person عَنfrom مَآرِبِهhis aims
وَيُذهِلُ المَرءَ عَن مَآرِبِه
It corrupts the devout man after his chastity,
It corrupts the pious after their devoutness,
and distracts a man from his aims.
And distracts a person from their pursuits.
الحُبُّlove نارٌa fire وَلاand no خُمودٌdying down لَهاfor it
الحُبُّ نارٌ وَلا خُمودٌ لَها
تَترُكُleaves ذاone with اللُّبِّreason جدّutterly عازِبِهbereft of it
تَترُكُ ذا اللُّبِّ جدّ عازِبِه
Love is a fire that never dies down;
Love is a fire that knows no dying down,
it leaves the man of reason utterly bereft of it.
Leaving the lover utterly confounded.
ثُمَّتَthen تَرفَضُّspreads فيthrough مَفاصِلِهhis joints
ثُمَّتَ تَرفَضُّ في مَفاصِلِه
فَتُشعِلُand kindles السُّقمَsickness فيin جَوانِبِهhis sides
فَتُشعِلُ السُّقمَ في جَوانِبِه
Then it spreads through his joints,
Then it abandons the joints of the lover,
and kindles sickness in his sides.
Igniting sickness throughout their body.
لَيسَis not أَخوa brother of الحُبِّlove مَنone who يَمَلُّtires وَلاnor
لَيسَ أَخو الحُبِّ مَن يَمَلُّ وَلا
مَنone who يَطرَحُcasts الحَبلَthe rope فَوقَover غارِبِهhis withers
مَن يَطرَحُ الحَبلَ فَوقَ غارِبِه
No true lover is one who tires, nor
No friend of love is one bored by it,
one who casts the rope over his withers,
Or who casts off the rope above the well.
يَأخُذُtakes مِنهُfrom it الَّذيwhat يَطيبُis pleasant لَهto him
يَأخُذُ مِنهُ الَّذي يَطيبُ لَه
غَيرَnot صَبورٍpatient عَلىwith نَوايِبِهits misfortunes
غَيرَ صَبورٍ عَلى نَوايِبِه
taking from it whatever pleases him,
One takes from it what appeals to them,
without patience for its misfortunes.
Without patience for its tribulations.
لَمnot أَرَI have seen داءًan ailment وَلاnor دَواءَa remedy لَهfor it
لَم أَرَ داءً وَلا دَواءَ لَه
إِلَّاexcept وَفيand in الحُبِّlove ماsomething يُقاسُis compared بِهwith it
إِلَّا وَفي الحُبِّ ما يُقاسُ بِه
I have seen no ailment, nor any remedy for it,
I’ve seen no malady or remedy for it,
but that love contains something comparable to it.
Except what can be measured against love.
سائِلask عَنِabout الحُبِّlove منone who تَضَمَّنَهhas harbored it
سائِل عَنِ الحُبِّ من تَضَمَّنَه
ماnot شاهِدُa witness to الأَمرِthe matter مِثلُlike غايِبِهone absent from it
ما شاهِدُ الأَمرِ مِثلُ غايِبِه
Ask about love one who has harbored it:
Asking about love one enveloped by it,
a witness to a matter is not like one absent from it.
Is not like an eyewitness’s account.
ماnot جَرَّبَhas tried الحُبَّlove فَوقَهاabove her أَحَدٌanyone
ما جَرَّبَ الحُبَّ فَوقَها أَحَدٌ
إِلَّاexcept رَأىsaw المَوتَdeath فيin تَجارِبِهhis trials
إِلَّا رَأى المَوتَ في تَجارِبِه
No one has tried love above her
None who have tried love and transcended it,
without seeing death in his trials.
Except saw death in their trials.
وَلاnor رَأىsaw المَوتَdeath فيin تَجارِبِهhis trials
وَلا رَأى المَوتَ في تَجارِبِه
إِلَّاexcept فَتىًa young man مُخلِصٌdevoted لِصاحِبِهto his companion
إِلَّا فَتىً مُخلِصٌ لِصاحِبِه
Nor has anyone seen death in his trials
And none who saw death in their trials,
except a young man devoted to his companion.
Except a loyal friend to their beloved.
انظُرlook إِلىat المُؤمِنِthe believer الَّذيwho اِجتَمَعَتhave united
انظُر إِلى المُؤمِنِ الَّذي اِجتَمَعَت
أَلسِنَةُthe tongues of النَّاسِpeople فيin مَناقِبِهhis virtues
أَلسِنَةُ النَّاسِ في مَناقِبِه
Look at the believer, for whom have united
Look to the pious believer who all people’s
the tongues of people in praise of his virtues,
Tongues speak of their virtues.
مِنfrom بَعدِafter سجَّادةa prostration mark مرَكَّبَةٍaffixed
مِن بَعدِ سجَّادة مرَكَّبَةٍ
تَلوحُappears لِلعَينِto the eye فَوقَabove حاجِبِهhis eyebrow
تَلوحُ لِلعَينِ فَوقَ حاجِبِه
after acquiring a firmly set mark of prostration
After the prayer mat laid out,
visible to the eye above his eyebrow,
Gleaming to the eye above their brow.
وَلِحيَةٍand a beard كَالمِجَنِّlike a shield وافِرَةٍfull
وَلِحيَةٍ كَالمِجَنِّ وافِرَةٍ
أَليقُmost fitting شَيءٍthing بِحُفِّfor trimming شارِبِهhis mustache
أَليقُ شَيءٍ بِحُفِّ شارِبِه
and a full beard like a shield,
With a beard like a grove, so full,
the perfect match for his clipped mustache.
Most befitting the curve of their chin.
لاnot يَرفَعُraises الطَّرفَthe gaze فيtoward السَّماءِheaven منout of الthe
لا يَرفَعُ الطَّرفَ في السَّماءِ من ال
إِشفاقِdread وَالخَوفِand fear منof مُحاسِبِهhis reckoner
إِشفاقِ وَالخَوفِ من مُحاسِبِه
He does not lift his gaze toward heaven, out of
They do not raise their gaze to the heavens,
dread and fear of his Reckoner.
For fear and awe of their Reckoner.
أُتيحwas allotted لِلحَينِfor doom وَالقَضاءِand destiny لَهُto him
أُتيح لِلحَينِ وَالقَضاءِ لَهُ
مَنone whom قَصَّرَتfell short عَنهُof him كفُّthe hand of طالِبِهhis seeker
مَن قَصَّرَت عَنهُ كفُّ طالِبِه
For doom and destiny, there was allotted to him
What their reaching hand fell short of,
one beyond the reach of his seeker's hand.
Was granted to fate and destiny.
اِنسَكَبَpoured forth الحَسنُbeauty فَوقَover جَبهَتِهhis forehead
اِنسَكَبَ الحَسنُ فَوقَ جَبهَتِه
فَمَرَّthen passed يَجريflowing إِلىto ترايِبِهhis breastbones
فَمَرَّ يَجري إِلى ترايِبِه
Beauty poured over his forehead,
Beauty flowed over their brow,
then ran streaming to his breastbones.
Coursing to their temples.
ثُمَّthen تَوافىreached إِلىto أَظافِرِهhis nails
ثُمَّ تَوافى إِلى أَظافِرِه
فَاِنطَمَسَتand was blinded ثمَّthere عَينُthe eye of عايِبِهhis faultfinder
فَاِنطَمَسَت ثمَّ عَينُ عايِبِه
Then it reached his nails,
Then it converged on their nails,
and there his faultfinder's eye was blinded.
Vanishing before the critic’s eye.
ثُمَّthen أَعادَتrepeated عَلَيهِupon him ثانِيَةًa second time
ثُمَّ أَعادَت عَلَيهِ ثانِيَةً
فَثَبَّتَand set firmly الحُسنَbeauty كَفُّthe hand of ساكِبِهits pourer
فَثَبَّتَ الحُسنَ كَفُّ ساكِبِه
Then it poured over him a second time,
Then restored it twofold,
and its pourer's hand set beauty firmly in place.
The pouring hand fixed their beauty.
فَالحُسنُso beauty فيهِin him مُضاعَفdoubled وَلَهُand he has
فَالحُسنُ فيهِ مُضاعَف وَلَهُ
شيمَةُa disposition of بُخلstinginess عَلىtoward مطالِبِهhis suitor
شيمَةُ بُخل عَلى مطالِبِه
Thus his beauty is doubled, and he has
So beauty in them is double, and their
a stingy nature toward his suitor.
Nature is miserly towards seekers.
لَمdid not يَخلِقِcreate اللَّهُGod مِثلَهُlike him أَحَداًanyone
لَم يَخلِقِ اللَّهُ مِثلَهُ أَحَداً
فيin مَشرِقِthe east of الأَرضِthe earth أَوor مَغارِبِهits western reaches
في مَشرِقِ الأَرضِ أَو مَغارِبِه
God has created no one like him
God created none other like them,
in the earth's east or its western reaches.
In the east or west of the world.
كَأَنَّهُas though he were دُميَةٌan idol مُصَوَّرَةٌfashioned
كَأَنَّهُ دُميَةٌ مُصَوَّرَةٌ
يَعبُدُهاworships it القَسُّthe priest فيin مَحارِبِهhis sanctuaries
يَعبُدُها القَسُّ في مَحارِبِه
He is like a fashioned idol,
As if they are an idol depicted,
which the priest worships in his sanctuaries.
Worshipped by the priest in battle.
صَوَّرَهاfashioned it راهِبٌa monk وَزَخرَفَهاand embellished it
صَوَّرَها راهِبٌ وَزَخرَفَها
فَاِبتَزَّهاthen seized it القَسُّthe priest دونَto the exclusion of راهِبِهhis monk
فَاِبتَزَّها القَسُّ دونَ راهِبِه
A monk fashioned it and embellished it,
Depicted by a monk and adorned,
then the priest seized it to the exclusion of his monk.
Then seized by the priest from the monk.
تَنازَعاهاthe two disputed over it كِلاهُماboth of them حَنِقٌfurious
تَنازَعاها كِلاهُما حَنِقٌ
يَفقَأgouges out بِالسِّنِّwith a tooth عَينَthe eye of صاحِبِهhis companion
يَفقَأ بِالسِّنِّ عَينَ صاحِبِه
They disputed over it, both furious,
Both contested it bitterly,
each gouging his companion's eye with a tooth.
Each gouging out the eye of the other.
وَأَجلَبَand rallied القسُّthe priest أَهلَthe people of بيعَتِهhis church
وَأَجلَبَ القسُّ أَهلَ بيعَتِه
وَجاءَand came يَختالُswaggering فيamong كتايِبِهhis battalions
وَجاءَ يَختالُ في كتايِبِه
And the priest rallied the people of his church,
And the priest rallied his followers,
and came swaggering among his battalions.
Strutting in his scripture.
فَصانَهاso protected it دونَin preference to ماwhat حَوَتheld يَدُهhis hand
فَصانَها دونَ ما حَوَت يَدُه
مِنof جُلِّthe bulk of مالٍwealth وَمِنand of رَغايِبِهhis prized possessions
مِن جُلِّ مالٍ وَمِن رَغايِبِه
So he guarded it in preference to all his hand held,
He protected it beyond what his hand,
including the bulk of his wealth and his prized possessions.
Contained of possessions and desires.
يَسطوassails عَلىupon أَهلِthe people of بيعَتِهhis church
يَسطو عَلى أَهلِ بيعَتِه
كَسَطوِlike the assault of كِسرىKisra عَلىupon مَرازِبِهhis governors
كَسَطوِ كِسرى عَلى مَرازِبِه
He assails the people of his church
Raiding his followers,
as Kisra assails his governors.
Like Kisra’s raids on his neighbors.
تَبكيyou weep for اِبنson of عَبَّادAbbad إِنَّindeed لَهhe has
تَبكي اِبن عَبَّاد إِنَّ لَه
فَضلاًa merit سَأُبدِيهُI shall reveal it غَيرwithout كاذِبِهlying about it
فَضلاً سَأُبدِيهُ غَير كاذِبِه
You weep for Ibn Abbad; indeed, he has
Ibn Abbad weeps, he indeed
a merit I shall reveal, without lying about it.
Has virtues I will relate, no liar.
فيin لَفظِهِhis speech غنَّةٌa nasal resonance يخالُone imagines بِهاthrough it
في لَفظِهِ غنَّةٌ يخالُ بِها
دُراًpearls جَرىflowed مِنfrom سُلوكِthe threads of ثاقِبِةa piercer
دُراً جَرى مِن سُلوكِ ثاقِبِة
His speech has a nasal resonance through which one imagines
In his words a melody that rivals
pearls flowing from a piercer's threads.
The flowing of piercing pearls.
إِذاwhen عَلاmounts مَوضِعthe place of الحقابِthe girdle وَقَدand having
إِذا عَلا مَوضِع الحقابِ وَقَد
ضَمَّclasped يَدَيهِhis two hands عَلىupon مَناكِبِهhis shoulders
ضَمَّ يَدَيهِ عَلى مَناكِبِه
When he mounts where the girdle lies, having
When he takes the pulpit, hands
clasped his hands upon his shoulders—
Folded at his sides.
واهاًah! لَهُfor him مركباًas a mount لِراكِبِهfor his rider
واهاً لَهُ مركباً لِراكِبِه
لاmay not خَيَّبَfrustrate اللَّهُGod سَعيَthe efforts of جالِبِهhis bringer
لا خَيَّبَ اللَّهُ سَعيَ جالِبِه
ah, what a mount he is for his rider!
Woe to him, a mount to its rider!
May God not frustrate his bringer's efforts.
God will not disappoint his pursuits.
Sol 6.1