أَنْضَيْتُI wore out خَيْلِيmy horses فِيin الهوىlove وَرِكَابِيand my riding camels
أَنْضَيْتُ خَيْلِي فِي الهوى وَرِكَابِي
وَعَمَرْتُand I filled كَأْسَthe cup of صِباًyouthful passion بِكَأْسِwith a cup of نِصابِstrife (sense uncertain)
وَعَمَرْتُ كَأْسَ صِباً بِكَأْسِ نِصابِ
I wore out my horses and riding camels in love,
And filled the cup of youthful passion with a cup of strife.
وَعُنيتُand I was engrossed مُغْرىًbeguiled بالغوانيby lovely women وَالصِّباand youthful passion
وَعُنيتُ مُغْرىً بالغواني وَالصِّبا
وَاللَّهْوِand diversion وَاللَذَّاتُand pleasures قَدْindeed تُغْرىare enamored بيof me
وَاللَّهْوِ وَاللَذَّاتُ قَدْ تُغْرى بي
And I was engrossed, beguiled by lovely women and youthful passion,
And diversion, while pleasures themselves were enamored of me,
فِيin غَمرَةٍintoxication لاnot تنقضيcease نَشَواتُهاits ecstasies
فِي غَمرَةٍ لا تنقضي نَشَواتُها
منfrom صَرْفِunmixed wine from كأْسٍa cup أَوْor جُفونِthe eyelids of كَعَابِa budding maiden
من صَرْفِ كأْسٍ أَوْ جُفونِ كَعَابِ
In an intoxication whose ecstasies never ended,
From an unmixed cup or a budding maiden's eyelids.
أَيَّامَdays when لاnot تَرْتَاعُyou take fright منat صَرْفِthe vicissitudes of النَّوَىseparation
أَيَّامَ لا تَرْتَاعُ من صَرْفِ النَّوَى
أَمْناًin safety ولاand not نُصْغِيwe listen لِنَعْبِto the croaking of غُرَابِa raven
أَمْناً ولا نُصْغِي لِنَعْبِ غُرَابِ
Days when you feared no turn of separation,
Secure, and we heeded no raven's croak;
أَيَّامَdays when وَجْهُthe face of الدهرTime نحويtoward me مُشْرِقٌradiant
أَيَّامَ وَجْهُ الدهر نحوي مُشْرِقٌ
وَمحاسِنُand the beauties of الدُّنياthe world بَغَيْرِwithout نِقَابِa veil
وَمحاسِنُ الدُّنيا بَغَيْرِ نِقَابِ
Days when Time's face was radiant toward me,
And the world's beauties wore no veil.
ولقدand indeed أَضاءَlit up الشَّيْبُgray hair ليfor me سنَنَthe paths of الهُدَىguidance
ولقد أَضاءَ الشَّيْبُ لي سنَنَ الهُدَى
فَثَنَىso it turned back سِنِيthe years of دَدَنيmy play عَلَىon الأَعْقَابِthe heels
فَثَنَى سِنِي دَدَني عَلَى الأَعْقَابِ
And gray hair has indeed lit for me the paths of guidance,
So it turned my years of play back on their heels.
ورأَيتُand I saw أَرْدِيَةَthe robes of النُّهَىwisdom منشورةًspread out
ورأَيتُ أَرْدِيَةَ النُّهَى منشورةً
تسعىhastening بِجَدَّتهاin their newness إِلَىtoward أَتْرَابِيmy peers
تسعى بِجَدَّتها إِلَى أَتْرَابِي
And I saw the robes of wisdom spread out,
Hastening in their newness toward my peers.
وَرَأْيتُand I saw دارَthe dwelling of اللَّهوِdiversion أَقْوَىbecame deserted ربعُهاits quarter
وَرَأْيتُ دارَ اللَّهوِ أَقْوَى ربعُها
وَخَلَتْand became empty معاهِدُهاits familiar haunts منَof الأَحبابِloved ones
وَخَلَتْ معاهِدُها منَ الأَحبابِ
And I saw pleasure's dwelling, its quarter deserted,
And its familiar haunts emptied of loved ones.
وَخَلَتْand were alone بِيَwith me النَّكَبَاتُcalamities ترمِيshooting at ناظِريmy eye
وَخَلَتْ بِيَ النَّكَبَاتُ ترمِي ناظِري
وخواطريand my thoughts بنوافِذِwith piercing النُّشَابِarrows
وخواطري بنوافِذِ النُّشَابِ
And calamities had me to themselves, shooting at my eye
And my thoughts with piercing arrows.
وَلَكَمْand how often أَصابتْنِيstruck me الخطوبُdisasters بِشَكَّةٍwith a stab
وَلَكَمْ أَصابتْنِي الخطوبُ بِشَكَّةٍ
تُعْيِيdefeats التجلُّدَendurance واحْتَسَبْتُand I sought divine reward for مُصابِيmy affliction
تُعْيِي التجلُّدَ واحْتَسَبْتُ مُصابِي
And how often disasters struck me with a stab
That defeated endurance; I bore my affliction seeking divine reward,
حِفْظاًin preservation لِعلمٍof knowledge حازhad acquired صَدْرِيmy breast حفظهits retention
حِفْظاً لِعلمٍ حاز صَدْرِي حفظه
أَلَّاlest أَخِيسَI betray بحُرْمَةِthe sanctity of الآدابِcultivated manners
أَلَّا أَخِيسَ بحُرْمَةِ الآدابِ
To guard the knowledge my breast had committed to memory,
Lest I betray the sanctity of cultivated manners.
حَتَّىuntil تركتُI left الدهرTime وَهْوَwhile it لِمَاto what بِهِis in it
حَتَّى تركتُ الدهر وَهْوَ لِمَا بِهِ
صَبْراًpatiently وغادرنيand left me السقامُsickness لِمَاto what بيis in me
صَبْراً وغادرني السقامُ لِمَا بي
Until I left Time to its own condition,
Patiently, and sickness left me to mine.
وصرفتُand I turned away عنfrom صرفِthe vicissitudes of الزمانtime ملامتيmy blame
وصرفتُ عن صرفِ الزمان ملامتي
وَكففتand I withheld عنfrom سَعْيِthe efforts of الحسودِthe envious one عتابيmy reproach
وَكففت عن سَعْيِ الحسودِ عتابي
And I turned my blame away from time's vicissitudes,
And withheld my reproach against the envious one's efforts,
علماًknowing بأَنthat الحِرْصَavid striving لَيْسَis not بزائدٍincreasing
علماً بأَن الحِرْصَ لَيْسَ بزائدٍ
حَظّاًan allotted share وَأَنَّand that الدهرَTime غيرُnot مُحَابِpartial
حَظّاً وَأَنَّ الدهرَ غيرُ مُحَابِ
Knowing that avid striving cannot increase
One's allotted share, and that Time shows no favor.
هِممُthe ambitions of الفتىthe young man نُكْبٌcrosswinds تُبَرِّحwreak havoc بالمُنىon hopes
هِممُ الفتى نُكْبٌ تُبَرِّح بالمُنى
أَبداًalways إِذَاwhen عَمَّprevails over all القضاءُdestiny الآبيunyielding
أَبداً إِذَا عَمَّ القضاءُ الآبي
A young man's ambitions are crosswinds that torment hopes
Always, when unyielding destiny holds sway.
فقطعتُso I cut away يَاO منصورُMansur نحوَكَtoward you نَازِعاًyearning
فقطعتُ يَا منصورُ نحوَكَ نَازِعاً
خُدَعَthe deceits of المنىhopes وعلائقَand attachments to الأَسبابِworldly means
خُدَعَ المنى وعلائقَ الأَسبابِ
So, Mansur, yearning toward you, I cut away
The deceits of hopes and attachments to worldly means.
فرِضَاكَfor your favor تأْميليmy hope وقربُكَand nearness to you هِمَّتِيmy ambition
فرِضَاكَ تأْميلي وقربُكَ هِمَّتِي
ونداكَand your bounty مَحْيائِيmy life وحمدُكَand praising you دَابِيmy constant practice
ونداكَ مَحْيائِي وحمدُكَ دَابِي
For your favor is my hope, and nearness to you my ambition;
And your bounty is my life, and praising you my constant practice.
وقدand indeed احتلَلْتُI took up residence لديكَwith you أَمْنَعَthe most impregnable مَعْقِلٍa stronghold
وقد احتلَلْتُ لديكَ أَمْنَعَ مَعْقِلٍ
وَحَطَطْتُand I set down رحليmy saddle فِيin أَعَزِّthe most honored جَنَابِa precinct
وَحَطَطْتُ رحلي فِي أَعَزِّ جَنَابِ
And I have lodged with you in the most impregnable stronghold,
And set down my saddle in the most honored precinct,
فيin ذِمَّةِthe protection of المَلِكِthe king الَّذِيwho آمالُنَاour hopes
في ذِمَّةِ المَلِكِ الَّذِي آمالُنَا
منfrom راحَتَيْهِhis two palms تَحْتَbeneath صَوْبِthe downpour of سحابِclouds
من راحَتَيْهِ تَحْتَ صَوْبِ سحابِ
Under the king's protection, where our hopes
Lie beneath a cloudburst from his two palms.
قَمَرٌa moon توسَّطَtook the central place منamong مناسِبِthe lineages of يَعْرُبٍYa'rub
قَمَرٌ توسَّطَ من مناسِبِ يَعْرُبٍ
قِمَمَthe peaks of السَّنَاءِsplendor وَذِرْوَةَand the summit of الأَنْسابِancestry
قِمَمَ السَّنَاءِ وَذِرْوَةَ الأَنْسابِ
A moon that stands, among Ya'rub's lineages, amid
The peaks of splendor and the summit of ancestry.
صَدَقَتْproved true بِهِthrough him فِيfor اللهِGod عزمةُthe resolve of مُخْلِصٍa sincere devotee
صَدَقَتْ بِهِ فِي اللهِ عزمةُ مُخْلِصٍ
تركَتleft ذَمَاءَthe last remnant of life of الشِّرْكِpolytheism رَهْنَpledged to ذَهَابِextinction
تركَت ذَمَاءَ الشِّرْكِ رَهْنَ ذَهَابِ
Through him, a sincere man's resolve for God proved true,
Leaving polytheism's last flicker of life pledged to extinction,
بِكَتَائِبٍwith battalions عَزَّتْgrew mighty بِهَاthrough them سُبُلُthe paths of الهُدَىguidance
بِكَتَائِبٍ عَزَّتْ بِهَا سُبُلُ الهُدَى
ومَحَتْand erased رُسُومَthe traces of الكفرِunbelief مَحْوَthe erasure of كِتَابِwriting
ومَحَتْ رُسُومَ الكفرِ مَحْوَ كِتَابِ
With battalions by which the paths of guidance grew mighty,
And which erased unbelief's traces as writing is erased.
غادَرْنَthey left أَرْضَهُمُtheir land كَأَنَّas though فضاءهَاits open expanse
غادَرْنَ أَرْضَهُمُ كَأَنَّ فضاءهَا
أَغوالُtrackless reaches of قَفْرٍwilderness أَوْor سُهُوبُopen plains of يَبَابِdesolation
أَغوالُ قَفْرٍ أَوْ سُهُوبُ يَبَابِ
They left their land as though its open expanse
Were trackless wastes or desolate steppes.
تَحْتَثُّurges onward سالِكَهاits traveler بغيرِwithout هدايةٍguidance
تَحْتَثُّ سالِكَها بغيرِ هدايةٍ
وتجيبُand answers سائلَهاits questioner بغَيرِwithout جَوَابِan answer
وتجيبُ سائلَها بغَيرِ جَوَابِ
It urges its traveler on without guidance,
And answers its questioner without an answer.
ياO أَيُّهَاyou (vocative) المَلِكُthe king الَّذِيwhose عَزَمَاتهُhis resolves
يا أَيُّهَا المَلِكُ الَّذِي عَزَمَاتهُ
فِيin الدِّينِreligion أَعظَمُthe greatest of أَنْعُمِthe blessings of الوَهَّابِthe Bestower
فِي الدِّينِ أَعظَمُ أَنْعُمِ الوَهَّابِ
O king, whose steadfast resolves
In religion are the Bestower's greatest blessings,
وَصَلَmay prolong الإلهُGod لديكَfor you عُمْراًa lifetime يَقْتَضِيclaiming
وَصَلَ الإلهُ لديكَ عُمْراً يَقْتَضِي
أَمَدَthe span of السنينَyears وَمُدَّةَand the duration of الأحقابِages
أَمَدَ السنينَ وَمُدَّةَ الأحقابِ
May God prolong for you a life that claims
The span of years and the duration of ages.
ولكand yours السرورُjoy مضاعِفاًmultiplying أَيَّامَهُits days
ولك السرورُ مضاعِفاً أَيَّامَهُ
ولَكَand yours النعيمُbliss مُجدَّدَwith renewed الأَثْوابِgarments
ولَكَ النعيمُ مُجدَّدَ الأَثْوابِ
And may joy be yours, multiplying its days,
And bliss be yours, with ever-renewed robes.
وليَهْنِكَand may it gladden you الأَضحىEid al-Adha الَّذِيwhich أَضحىhas become بِهِthrough it
وليَهْنِكَ الأَضحى الَّذِي أَضحى بِهِ
صُنْعُthe beneficence of الإِلهِGod مُفَتَّحَwith opened الأَبوابِdoors
صُنْعُ الإِلهِ مُفَتَّحَ الأَبوابِ
And may Eid al-Adha gladden you, for through it
God's beneficence now stands with its doors thrown open.
واسْلَمand remain safe لِسِبْطَيْكfor your two scions اللَّذِينِthe two who تَمَلَّكَاboth took possession of
واسْلَم لِسِبْطَيْك اللَّذِينِ تَمَلَّكَا
رِقَّthe servitude of السناءِsplendor تملُّكَthe possession of الأَرْبَابِlords
رِقَّ السناءِ تملُّكَ الأَرْبَابِ
And remain safe for your two scions, who have mastered
Splendor's servitude with the mastery of lords,
السابِقِيْنِthe two foremost إِلَىto مَقَامَاتِthe stations of العُلاَeminence
السابِقِيْنِ إِلَى مَقَامَاتِ العُلاَ
ذاthis one فِيin الحروبِwars وذاكand that one فِيin المِحْرَابِthe prayer niche
ذا فِي الحروبِ وذاك فِي المِحْرَابِ
The two foremost in attaining the stations of eminence,
This one in wars, and that one in the prayer niche.
الحاجبُthe chamberlain الأَعلىthe supreme الَّذِيwho زُهِيتْwere made proud بِهِthrough him
الحاجبُ الأَعلى الَّذِي زُهِيتْ بِهِ
رُتَبُthe ranks of العُلاeminence ومفاخرُand the glories of الأحسابِancestral honor
رُتَبُ العُلا ومفاخرُ الأحسابِ
The supreme chamberlain, in whom take pride
The ranks of eminence and the glories of ancestral honor.
فَلَكَمْfor how often تَدَانَىdrew close فِيin مَكَرٍّa charge للوغىinto battle
فَلَكَمْ تَدَانَى فِي مَكَرٍّ للوغى
كالشمسlike the sun فِيamid كِسَفِmasses of العَجَاجِthick dust الهابيrising
كالشمس فِي كِسَفِ العَجَاجِ الهابي
For how often he drew close in a charge into battle,
Like the sun amid masses of rising dust.
وبِرَأْيِand by the sight of عَيْنِيmy eye منهof him يومَon the day of قُلُنْيَةٍQulunya
وبِرَأْيِ عَيْنِي منه يومَ قُلُنْيَةٍ
منهfrom him شهابٌa meteor خاطفٌsnatching لشهابِat a meteor
منه شهابٌ خاطفٌ لشهابِ
And I saw him with my own eyes on the day of Qulunya:
From him, a meteor snatching at another meteor:
سيفُthe sword of الإلهGod وحزبُهُand His host المُفْنِيwho annihilates بِهِthrough him
سيفُ الإله وحزبُهُ المُفْنِي بِهِ
شِيَعَthe factions of الضَّلالِerror وفِرْقَةَand the band of الأَحزابِconfederates
شِيَعَ الضَّلالِ وفِرْقَةَ الأَحزابِ
God's sword and His host, through whom He annihilates
The factions of error and the band of confederates.
Sol 6.1