أَشاقَكَhas it stirred your longing? مِنfrom عُلياthe heights of دِمَشقَDamascus قُصورُهاits palaces
أَشاقَكَ مِن عُليا دِمَشقَ قُصورُها
وَولدانُand the youths رَوضِthe garden of النَيربينِal-Nayrabayn وَحورُهاand its fair-eyed maidens
وَولدانُ رَوضِ النَيربينِ وَحورُها
Have the palaces on Damascus's heights stirred your longing,
The palaces of lofty Damascus enchanted me,
and the youths and fair-eyed maidens of al-Nayrabayn's garden,
And the lads of Rawda al-Nayribin and its maidens.
وَمُنبَجِسٌand a gushing spring فيin ظِلّthe shade of أَحوىdark-green foliage كَأَنَّهُas though it were
وَمُنبَجِسٌ في ظِلّ أَحوى كَأَنَّهُ
ثِيابُthe garments of عَروسٍa bride فاحَwafted مِنهاfrom them عَبيرُهاher perfume
ثِيابُ عَروسٍ فاحَ مِنها عَبيرُها
and a spring gushing in dark-green shade, as though it were
And Munbajis in the shade of love as though it were
a bride's garments, from which her perfume wafts?
The clothes of a bride exuding her perfume.
مَنازِلُabodes of أُنسٍdelight ماnot أَمَحَّتhave faded وَلاnor اِمَّحَتbeen effaced
مَنازِلُ أُنسٍ ما أَمَحَّت وَلا اِمَّحَت
بِمَرِّthrough the passing of الغَواديthe morning rains وَالسَواريand the night rains سُطورُهاtheir lines
بِمَرِّ الغَوادي وَالسَواري سُطورُها
Abodes of delight—neither faded nor effaced
Abodes of intimacy - they did not fade or disappear -
are their lines by the passing of morning and night rains.
With the passing of valleys and plains throughout its expanse.
كَأَنَّas though عَلَيهاupon them عَبقَرِيَّwondrously fine مَطارِفٍfringed cloaks
كَأَنَّ عَلَيها عَبقَرِيَّ مَطارِفٍ
مِنَof الوَشيbrocade يُسديهاlays their warp الحَياthe rain وَيُنيرُهاand patterns them
مِنَ الوَشي يُسديها الحَيا وَيُنيرُها
As though wondrous fringed cloaks lay upon them,
As if there were wafting on it an aromatic breeze
of brocade, whose warp the rain lays and whose pattern it weaves.
From the oleander, vivifying and illuminating it.
تَزيدُthey increase عَلىwith الأَيّامِthe days نوراًin radiance وَبَهجَةًand in splendor
تَزيدُ عَلى الأَيّامِ نوراً وَبَهجَةً
وَتَذويand wither اللَياليthe nights وَهيَwhile they are غَضٌّfresh حَبيرُهاtheir brocade
وَتَذوي اللَيالي وَهيَ غَضٌّ حَبيرُها
They grow in radiance and splendor as the days pass,
It surpasses days in light and delight,
and nights wither, while their brocade stays fresh.
And nights melt while still juicy and plump.
إِذاwhen الريحُthe wind مَرَّتpassed فيthrough رُباهاtheir hills كَريهَةًfoul
إِذا الريحُ مَرَّت في رُباها كَريهَةً
حَباهاendowed it بِطيبِwith the sweetness of النَشرِfragrance فيهاwithin them مُرورُهاits passing
حَباها بِطيبِ النَشرِ فيها مُرورُها
When a foul wind passes over their hills,
When the wind passes through its meadows loathsomely,
its passage through them endows it with sweet fragrance.
It scents it with the fragrance of blossoms in its passing.
سَقىmay water اللَهُGod دَوحَthe great trees of الغُوطَتَينِthe two Ghoutas وَلاand may not اِرتَوىdrink its fill
سَقى اللَهُ دَوحَ الغُوطَتَينِ وَلا اِرتَوى
مِنَof الموصِلِMosul الحَدباءِal-Hadba (the Hunchbacked) إِلاexcept قُبورُهاits graves
مِنَ الموصِلِ الحَدباءِ إِلا قُبورُها
May God water the great trees of the two Ghoutas, and may nothing drink its fill
God watered the plains of Ghouta but they were not sated
in Mosul al-Hadba except its graves.
Except for the bumpy roads from Mosul - only their tombs.
فَياso, O صاحِبيmy two companions نَجوايَmy private confidences بِاللَهِby God خَبّراtell, you two
فَيا صاحِبي نَجوايَ بِاللَهِ خَبّرا
رَهينَa captive of صَباباتٍardent yearnings عَسيرٌdifficult يَسيرُهاtheir lightest
رَهينَ صَباباتٍ عَسيرٌ يَسيرُها
So, O my two confidants, by God, tell
So my friend, give me news, by God do enlighten,
a captive of yearnings whose lightest are burdensome:
A prisoner of maidens - hardship facilitates its journey.
أَمنwas it from مَرَحٍmerriment مادَتswayed قُدودُthe slender forms of غُصونِهاtheir branches
أَمن مَرَحٍ مادَت قُدودُ غُصونِها
بِبَهجَتِهاin their beauty أَمor أَطرَبَتهاstirred them to rapture طُيورُهاtheir birds
بِبَهجَتِها أَم أَطرَبَتها طُيورُها
Did their branches' slender forms sway from delight
Did its bending branches dance from joy?
in their beauty, or did their birds stir them to rapture?
Or did its birds make it dance?
خَليلَيَّmy two friends إِنَّindeed البَينَseparation أَفنىexhausted مَدامِعيmy tears
خَليلَيَّ إِنَّ البَينَ أَفنى مَدامِعي
فَهَلso, is there لَكُماfor you two مِنany عَبرَةٍa tear أَستَعيرُهاI might borrow it
فَهَل لَكُما مِن عَبرَةٍ أَستَعيرُها
My two friends, separation has exhausted my tears;
My two friends, separation has exhausted my tears,
so do you two have a tear that I may borrow?
Do you both have any left that I might borrow?
لَقَدindeed أُنسِيَتhas been made to forget نَفسيmy soul المَسراتِjoys بَعدكُمafter you
لَقَد أُنسِيَت نَفسي المَسراتِ بَعدكُم
فَإِنso, if عادَreturns عيدُthe festival of الوَصلِreunion عادَreturns سُرورُهاits joy
فَإِن عادَ عيدُ الوَصلِ عادَ سُرورُها
My soul has indeed been made to forget joys since you left;
My soul forgot joy after you,
if the festival of reunion returns, so will its joy.
but if the feast of reunion comes, so will its happiness.
عَلىdespite أَنَّthe fact that ليI have تَحتَbeneath الجَوانِحِthe ribs غِلَّةًa burning thirst
عَلى أَنَّ لي تَحتَ الجَوانِحِ غِلَّةً
إِذاwhenever جادَهاshowers it دَمعٌtears تَلَظّىflares سَعيرُهاits blaze
إِذا جادَها دَمعٌ تَلَظّى سَعيرُها
Yet beneath my ribs I have a burning thirst,
Though in my heart I harbor a glowing ember,
whose blaze flares whenever tears shower it.
when a tear flows, its flames blaze.
وَقاسَمتُمانيand you two swore to me أَنthat تُعيناyou two would help عَلىagainst النَوىseparation
وَقاسَمتُماني أَن تُعينا عَلى النَوى
إِذاwhen نَزواتُthe sudden fits of البَينِseparation سارَadvanced سُؤوَرُهاtheir onrush
إِذا نَزواتُ البَينِ سارَ سُؤوَرُها
And you two swore to help me bear separation
And you both promised to help me endure passion’s caprice,
when the onrush of separation's sudden fits advanced.
when the woes of separation march, its suffering strays.
فَفيمَwhy, then تَماديكُمyour continued delay وَقَدwhen already جَدَّgrew intense جدُّهاits seriousness
فَفيمَ تَماديكُم وَقَد جَدَّ جدُّها
كَماas تَرَيانِyou two see وَاِستَمَرَّand has grown taut مَريرُهاits tightly twisted cord
كَما تَرَيانِ وَاِستَمَرَّ مَريرُها
Why, then, do you delay, when it has grown so grave,
So why do you continue when its agony persists intensely
as you both see, and its twisted cord is pulled taut?
as you can see, and its bitterness endures?
وَأَصعَبُand the hardest ماthat which يلقىencounters المُحِبُّthe lover مِنَfrom الهَوىlove
وَأَصعَبُ ما يلقى المُحِبُّ مِنَ الهَوى
تَدانيthe nearness of النَوىseparation مِنfrom خُلَّةٍa beloved woman لاnot يَزورُهاhe visits her
تَداني النَوى مِن خُلَّةٍ لا يَزورُها
And the hardest thing a lover meets in love
The hardest thing the lover faces from fervent love,
is separation from a beloved close at hand, whom he does not visit.
is the nearness of passion from a beauty he never visits.
فَياso, ah لَيتَwould that شِعريmy knowledge الآنَnow دَعleave ذِكرَmention of ماwhat مَضىhas passed
فَيا لَيتَ شِعري الآنَ دَع ذِكرَ ما مَضى
أَوائِلُthe first أَيّامِdays of النَوىseparation أَمor أَخيرُهاits last
أَوائِلُ أَيّامِ النَوى أَم أَخيرُها
Ah, if only I knew—now leave talk of the past—
Oh, would that I knew! Are these the first days of passion?
are these the first days of separation, or its last?
Or are they its last?
مَتىwhen أَناI فيin رَكبٍa caravan يَؤُمُّheads toward بِناwith us الحِمىthe protected domain
مَتى أَنا في رَكبٍ يَؤُمُّ بِنا الحِمى
خِفافٌlight-footed ثِقالٌheavy بِالأَمانيwith hopes ظُهورُهاtheir backs
خِفافٌ ثِقالٌ بِالأَماني ظُهورُها
When shall I be in a caravan bearing us toward the cherished haven,
When will I be in a party escorted by resolve,
on nimble mounts whose backs are heavy with hopes?
whose steeds are wishes, desire their saddlebags?
حروفٌlean she-camels بِأَفعالٍwith deeds لَهُنَّfor them نَواصِبٌsources of fatigue
حروفٌ بِأَفعالٍ لَهُنَّ نَواصِبٌ
إِذاwhen آنَسَتthey sense خَفضاًa slackened pace فَرفعٌthen a quickened pace مَسيرُهاtheir gait
إِذا آنَسَت خَفضاً فَرفعٌ مَسيرُها
Lean she-camels, whose deeds set them straining;
They are letters with verbs that have prefixes,
whenever they sense a slackening, their gait quickens.
if they detect subjective, their rise objective guides.
تَظُنُّthey take for ذُرىthe peaks of لُبنانَLebanon وَاللَيلُwhile the night عاكِفٌlingers
تَظُنُّ ذُرى لُبنانَ وَاللَيلُ عاكِفٌ
صَديعَthe breaking light of صَباحٍdawn مِنfrom سُراهاtheir night travel يُجيرُهاprotects them
صَديعَ صَباحٍ مِن سُراها يُجيرُها
They take Lebanon's peaks, while night still lingers,
You'd think the groves of Lebanon at night enclosing,
for the break of dawn that would spare them their night march.
the daybreak of morning within its fence it hides.
وَقَدand already خَلَّفَتthey have left رَعنَthe mountain spur of المَداخِلِal-Madakhil خَلفَهاbehind them
وَقَد خَلَّفَت رَعنَ المَداخِلِ خَلفَها
وَنَكَّبَand turned aside عَنهاaway from them مِنon يَمينِthe right سَنيرُهاtheir Sanir
وَنَكَّبَ عَنها مِن يَمينِ سَنيرُها
They have left the spur of al-Madakhil behind them,
It left behind the lovers at the entrances,
and Sanir has turned aside from them on their right.
and turned away from it the gazes of those on its right.
فَيَفرَحَso that he may rejoice مَحزونٌa grieving man وَيَكبتَand may be humbled حاسِدٌan envier
فَيَفرَحَ مَحزونٌ وَيَكبتَ حاسِدٌ
وَتَبرُدَand may cool أَكبادٌlivers ذَكِيٌّfierce سَعيرُهاtheir blaze
وَتَبرُدَ أَكبادٌ ذَكِيٌّ سَعيرُها
Then may a grieving man rejoice and an envier be humbled,
So a dejected soul delights, and an envious one is vexed,
and livers whose blaze burns fiercely may cool.
and insightful livers - its flames cool.
وَقَدand already ماتَتِhave died الآمالُhopes عِنديwithin me وَإِنَّماand only
وَقَد ماتَتِ الآمالُ عِندي وَإِنَّما
إِلىin turning to شَرَفِSharaf (honor) الدينِal-Din (the faith) المَليكِthe king نُشورُهاtheir resurrection
إِلى شَرَفِ الدينِ المَليكِ نُشورُها
My hopes have died within me, and only
For me hopes have died but to the majesty of noble religion
in turning to King Sharaf al-Din will they rise again.
and its honored enterprise their rise is owed.
مَليكٌa king تَحَلّىadorned itself المُلكُkingship مِنهُfrom him بِعَزمَةٍwith a resolve
مَليكٌ تَحَلّى المُلكُ مِنهُ بِعَزمَةٍ
بِهاthrough it طالَgrew taller مِنthan رُمحِthe spear of السِماكِal-Simak قَصيرُهاits short spear
بِها طالَ مِن رُمحِ السِماكِ قَصيرُها
A king whose resolve has adorned kingship,
A magnificent king who the kingdom was adorned by his resolve
by which even its short spear overtops al-Simak's spear.
by which the spearwood grew long from its shortened state.
يُلاقيhe meets بَنيthe sons of الآمالِhopes طَلقاًwith a cheerful face فَبِشرُهُso his smiling welcome
يُلاقي بَني الآمالِ طَلقاً فَبِشرُهُ
بِماof what أَمَّلَتهُthey hoped for it مِنof نَجاحٍsuccess بَشيرُهاtheir herald
بِما أَمَّلَتهُ مِن نَجاحٍ بَشيرُها
He meets the sons of hope with a cheerful face; his smile
Meet the children of hopes cheerfully and give glad tidings
is their herald of the success they have hoped for.
of what their aspirations hoped for from your good news.
فَماfor no نِعمَةٌblessing مَشكورَةٌdeserving thanks لاnot يَبُثُّهاhe bestows it
فَما نِعمَةٌ مَشكورَةٌ لا يَبُثُّها
وَماand no سيرَةٌcourse of conduct مَحمودَةٌpraiseworthy لاnot يَسيرُهاhe follows it
وَما سيرَةٌ مَحمودَةٌ لا يَسيرُها
For there is no blessing deserving thanks that he does not bestow,
For every grace thanked, spreads,
and no praiseworthy course that he does not follow.
and every lauded conduct flows.
همامٌa valiant lord تَظَلُّremains الشَمسُthe sun مِنbecause of عَزماتِهِhis resolves
همامٌ تَظَلُّ الشَمسُ مِن عَزماتِهِ
مُحَجَّبةًveiled نَقعُthe dust of المَذاكيfull-grown steeds سُتورُهاits curtains
مُحَجَّبةً نَقعُ المَذاكي سُتورُها
A valiant lord, through whose resolves the sun remains
A protector whose resolve the sun shields from
veiled, the dust of full-grown steeds its curtains.
veiled by the ruddy glow of afternoons fading away.
مهيبٌawe-inspiring فَلَوso, were he to لاقىface الكَواكِبَthe stars عابِساًfrowning
مهيبٌ فَلَو لاقى الكَواكِبَ عابِساً
تَساقَطَتِwould tumble down الجَوزاal-Jawza وَخَرَّتand would fall عَبورُهاits Sirius
تَساقَطَتِ الجَوزا وَخَرَّت عَبورُها
Awe-inspiring: were he to face the stars with a frown,
Majestic - if facing the stars frowning,
al-Jawza would tumble down, and its Sirius would fall.
Virgo would fall, and Aquarius flow away.
وَلَوand if آنَسَتsensed مِنهُfrom him الأَهِلَّةُthe crescent moons غَضبَةًa fit of anger
وَلَو آنَسَت مِنهُ الأَهِلَّةُ غَضبَةً
نَهاهاwould forbid them سُطاهُhis might أَنto تَتِمَّbecome complete بُدورُهاtheir full moons
نَهاها سُطاهُ أَن تَتِمَّ بُدورُها
And were the crescent moons to sense anger from him,
If the new moons sensed his anger,
his might would forbid their moons to become full.
his authority would stop their rounds.
تُشرَّفُare honored أَندىthe most bountiful السُحبِclouds إِنif قالَsays قائِلٌa speaker
تُشرَّفُ أَندى السُحبِ إِن قالَ قائِلٌ
لِأَدنىof the slightest نَوالٍgift مِنهُfrom him هذاthis نَظيرُهاtheir equal
لِأَدنى نَوالٍ مِنهُ هذا نَظيرُها
The most bountiful clouds are honored if someone says
The dew of clouds is ennobled if it's said:
of his slightest gift, 'This is their equal.'
“This is its like” to the least of his bounty.
حَلَفتُI swore بِماby what ضَمَتembraced أَباطِحُthe broad valley beds of مَكَّةٍMecca
حَلَفتُ بِما ضَمَت أَباطِحُ مَكَّةٍ
غَداةَon the morning of مِنىًMina وَالبُدنُwhile the sacrificial camels تَدمىbleed نُحورُهاtheir throats
غَداةَ مِنىً وَالبُدنُ تَدمى نُحورُها
I swear by what Mecca's broad valleys embrace,
I swear by what Mecca’s plains embraced,
on the morning at Mina, as the sacrificial camels' throats bleed:
the day after Mina, as camels bleed at their necks.
لَقَدindeed فازَhas prospered بِالمُلكِunder kingship المُعَظَّمِexalted أُمَّةٌa people
لَقَد فازَ بِالمُلكِ المُعَظَّمِ أُمَّةٌ
إِلىto عَدلِهِhis justice المَشهورِrenowned رُدَّتwere referred أُمورُهاits affairs
إِلى عَدلِهِ المَشهورِ رُدَّت أُمورُها
a people has indeed prospered under exalted rule,
A nation has indeed won a revered kingdom,
its affairs entrusted to his renowned justice.
to his famed justice their affairs returned.
Sol 6.1