سلامٌpeace عَلَىupon مُسْتَوْدَعthe refuge of الرُّوحِthe spirit والنَّفْسِand the soul
سلامٌ عَلَى مُسْتَوْدَع الرُّوحِ والنَّفْسِ
وذُخْرِand the treasure of غَديmy tomorrow مِمَّاfrom what انْتَحَبْتُI lamented لَهُfor it أَمْسِyesterday
وذُخْرِ غَدي مِمَّا انْتَحَبْتُ لَهُ أَمْسِ
Peace upon the refuge of spirit and soul,
Greetings to the repository of the soul and the spirit,
And my treasure for tomorrow against what I lamented yesterday;
And the provision for my tomorrow from what I harvested yesterday,
بِحَيْثُwhere تَخَطَّيْتُI stepped beyond المناياdeath's perils إِلَىtoward المُنىdesires
بِحَيْثُ تَخَطَّيْتُ المنايا إِلَى المُنى
وآنَسَand soothed وَحْشِيmy loneliness بالفَلاin the wilderness كَرَمُthe generosity of الأُنْسِcompanionship
وآنَسَ وَحْشِي بالفَلا كَرَمُ الأُنْسِ
Where I stepped beyond death's perils toward my desires,
Where I transcended deaths to reach my wishes,
And gracious companionship soothed my loneliness in the wilderness;
And my loneliness was delighted by the generosity of company,
وحيثُand where اعْتَلىrose بِالمُعْتَلِيwith the exalted one صَوْتُthe voice of رائِدِيmy scout
وحيثُ اعْتَلى بِالمُعْتَلِي صَوْتُ رائِدِي
مُهِلّاًcalling aloud إِلَىto خِمْسِيmy five-day watering interval بأَنْمُلِهِwith his fingertips الخَمْسِfive
مُهِلّاً إِلَى خِمْسِي بأَنْمُلِهِ الخَمْسِ
And where my scout's voice rose to hail the exalted one,
Where the voice of my guide ascended with the ascendant,
Calling to my five-day thirst with his five fingers;
Stretching slowly to my fifth decade with his five fingers,
وحَيْثُand where سَقىwatered يَحْيىYahya حياتيmy life فأَيْنَعَتْand so ripened
وحَيْثُ سَقى يَحْيى حياتي فأَيْنَعَتْ
لَهُfor him منfrom ثَنائِيmy praise زَهْرَةُthe flower of الجِنِّthe jinn والإِنْسِand humankind
لَهُ من ثَنائِي زَهْرَةُ الجِنِّ والإِنْسِ
And where Yahya watered my life, so there ripened
Where Yahya watered my life, so it flourished,
For him, from my praise, the flower of jinn and humankind.
With my praise being a flower of jinn and humans for him,
فمِنْso from يَدِthe hand of أَنفاسِيmy breaths إِلَىto مُنْتَهىthe farthest reaches of الدُّناthe worlds
فمِنْ يَدِ أَنفاسِي إِلَى مُنْتَهى الدُّنا
ومنand from خَطِّthe strokes of أقلاميmy pens إِلَىto مَطْلَعِthe rising-place of الشَّمْسِthe sun
ومن خَطِّ أقلامي إِلَى مَطْلَعِ الشَّمْسِ
So, from the hand of my breaths to the world's farthest reaches,
So from my breaths to the ends of the world,
And from the strokes of my pens to the place of sunrise,
And from my pen's path to the rising of the sun,
شوارِدُroaming verses لَوْلاwere it not for حِلْمُthe forbearance of يَحْيىYahya دَناdrew near بِهَاwith them
شوارِدُ لَوْلا حِلْمُ يَحْيى دَنا بِهَا
لَجَلَّتْwould have risen above أَدَانِيهاthe nearest of them عَنِbeyond الشَّمِّsmell واللَّمْسِand touch
لَجَلَّتْ أَدَانِيها عَنِ الشَّمِّ واللَّمْسِ
Roam verses that, had Yahya's forbearance not drawn them near,
Thoughts that were it not for Yahya's patience drawing them near,
Even their nearest would have been beyond scent and touch.
Their harm would have kept them from good and touch,
فكَيْفَso how بأَنْby the act of أُزرِيI debase بِهَاthem فأَبِيعَهاand then sell them
فكَيْفَ بأَنْ أُزرِي بِهَا فأَبِيعَها
كَمَاas زَعَمَclaimed الواشُونَthe slanderers بالثَّمَنِfor a price البَخْسِpaltry
كَمَا زَعَمَ الواشُونَ بالثَّمَنِ البَخْسِ
So how could I debase them and sell them,
So how could I burden him with them and sell them
As the slanderers claimed, for a paltry price?
As the slanderers claimed for a paltry price?
وكَمْand how many فَتَّقَتْthey opened فِيin الأَرضِthe earth منof وَقْرِthe deafness of مَسْمَعٍan ear
وكَمْ فَتَّقَتْ فِي الأَرضِ من وَقْرِ مَسْمَعٍ
وكمand how many أَنْطَقَتْthey made speak بِالحَمْدِwith praise منof أَلْسُنِtongues خُرْسِmute
وكم أَنْطَقَتْ بِالحَمْدِ من أَلْسُنِ خُرْسِ
And how many deaf ears have they opened across the earth,
How many deaf ears did they rupture in the land?
And how many mute tongues have they made speak praise!
And how many mute tongues did they loosen in praise?
ثناءٌpraise عَلَىfor مَنْhim who رَدَّrestored رُوحيmy spirit رَوْحُهُhis comfort
ثناءٌ عَلَى مَنْ رَدَّ رُوحي رَوْحُهُ
وَقَرَّبَand brought near أَنفاسَthe breaths of الحياةِlife منto النَّفْسِthe soul
وَقَرَّبَ أَنفاسَ الحياةِ من النَّفْسِ
Praise for him whose comfort restored my spirit,
Praise to the one whose spirit revived my spirit,
And brought the breaths of life close to the soul.
And brought the breaths of life closer to the soul,
فهلْso would أناI مُسدٍweaving لُبْسَa garment of هَجْوِيmy satire لِمُنْعِمٍfor a benefactor
فهلْ أنا مُسدٍ لُبْسَ هَجْوِي لِمُنْعِمٍ
كسانيclothed me فَسَدّىthen laid the warp منfrom هِجاءِthe letters of اسْمِهِhis name لِبْسِيmy garment
كساني فَسَدّى من هِجاءِ اسْمِهِ لِبْسِي
Would I then weave a garment of my satire for a benefactor
So am I an ungrateful wearer of his vitriol as a garment,
Who clothed me, weaving my garment from the letters of his name?
When he clothed me, so my garb was saturated with criticizing his name?
فأَصبحتُso I came to be مِنْهُfrom him فِيin حُلىًadornments لَوْif أَفَكْتُهاI turned them to falsehood
فأَصبحتُ مِنْهُ فِي حُلىً لَوْ أَفَكْتُها
لَطُفْتُI would roam بِهَاwith them فِيthrough الأَرْضِthe earth تَنْضَحُoozing بِالرِّجْسِwith defilement
لَطُفْتُ بِهَا فِي الأَرْضِ تَنْضَحُ بِالرِّجْسِ
Thus I wore adornments from him; if I turned them to falsehood,
Thus I came to wear ornaments that if I took them off,
I would roam the earth in them, oozing defilement.
I would gently spread evil on earth,
وهلand would أَناI عَنِّيfrom myself خالِعٌcasting off تاجَthe crown of عُرْفِهِhis kindness
وهل أَنا عَنِّي خالِعٌ تاجَ عُرْفِهِ
فأَهْوِيand then plunge بِهِwith it فِيinto هُوَّةِthe abyss of الخَسفِabasement والنَّكْسِand downfall
فأَهْوِي بِهِ فِي هُوَّةِ الخَسفِ والنَّكْسِ
Would I cast off from myself the crown of his kindness,
And am I one who took off the crown of his convention,
And plunge with it into the abyss of abasement and downfall?
To toss it into the abyss of devastation and defeat?
كَأَنِّيَas though I قَدْhad أنهَجْتُworn out لبسِيmy garment منof الهُدىguidance
كَأَنِّيَ قَدْ أنهَجْتُ لبسِي من الهُدى
وأَصْبَحْتُand become منconcerning مِنْهاجِthe path of جَدِّكَyour grandfather فِيin لَبْسِconfusion
وأَصْبَحْتُ من مِنْهاجِ جَدِّكَ فِي لَبْسِ
As though I had worn out my garment of guidance,
As if I tailored my dress from misguidance,
And become confused about your grandfather's path,
And came to follow your approach in dress,
وأَنْكَرْتُand denied حَقَّthe due of اللهِGod فيكُمْconcerning you all مَوَدَّةًlove
وأَنْكَرْتُ حَقَّ اللهِ فيكُمْ مَوَدَّةً
عَلَىincumbent upon كلِّevery مَنْone who أَمْسىhas come to evening عَلَىupon الأَرْضِthe earth أَوْor يُمْسِيwill come to evening
عَلَى كلِّ مَنْ أَمْسى عَلَى الأَرْضِ أَوْ يُمْسِي
And denied God's due concerning you: love owed
And rejected God's right to your affection,
By all who have passed an evening on earth or ever will,
For every being who spent the evening or will spend it on earth,
وحَطِّيَand my setting down رَحْلِيmy saddle مِنْكَfrom you بَيْنَamid مَكارِمٍnoble gifts
وحَطِّيَ رَحْلِي مِنْكَ بَيْنَ مَكارِمٍ
يُمَزِّقْنَthey tear away عَنِّيfrom me راكِدَthe stagnant mass of الظُّلَمِdarkness الطُّمْسِblinding
يُمَزِّقْنَ عَنِّي راكِدَ الظُّلَمِ الطُّمْسِ
And my setting down my saddle amid noble gifts from you,
And pitched my encampment away from your virtues,
Which tear from me the stagnant, blinding darkness.
Which tear away the sediments of deep darkness,
وبحْرُكَand your sea ليfor me يختالُstruts بالخَيْلِwith horses والمَهاand oryx
وبحْرُكَ لي يختالُ بالخَيْلِ والمَها
وبَرُّكَand your land ليfor me ينهلُّpours forth بالبِرِّwith kindness والأُنْسِand companionship
وبَرُّكَ لي ينهلُّ بالبِرِّ والأُنْسِ
And your sea struts for me with horses and oryx,
Your sea proudly undulates with horses and waves,
And your land showers me with kindness and companionship.
And your land serenely undulates with righteousness and companionship,
فَمنْwho then ذاis this الَّذِيwho مِنْfrom بُعْدِthe distance of أَرْضِيmy land ومَشْهَدِيand my presence
فَمنْ ذا الَّذِي مِنْ بُعْدِ أَرْضِي ومَشْهَدِي
تَخَبَّطَهُhas convulsed him شيطانُthe demon of ضِغْنيhatred of me منthrough المَسِّpossession
تَخَبَّطَهُ شيطانُ ضِغْني من المَسِّ
Who then, far from my land and presence,
So who is it after my land and my spectacle,
Has been convulsed by the demon of hatred for me, through possession,
Whom the devil of malice confused with temptation?
فدبَّand crept about بماwith what لَوْif سامَنيdemanded of me الخوفُfear ذِكْرَهُmentioning it
فدبَّ بما لَوْ سامَني الخوفُ ذِكْرَهُ
لَماwould not جالَhave roamed فِيin وَهْمِيmy imagination ولاnor دَبَّcrept منfrom حِسِّيmy senses
لَما جالَ فِي وَهْمِي ولا دَبَّ من حِسِّي
And crept about with what, had fear demanded I mention it,
He crept with what, had fear made me heed its mention,
Would never have roamed my thoughts or stirred in my senses?
Would neither have stirred in my imagination nor crawled in my senses,
ولوand even if رُدَّwere restored فِيَّwithin me الرُّوحُthe spirit منafter قَتْلِthe killing by قاتِلٍa killer
ولو رُدَّ فِيَّ الرُّوحُ من قَتْلِ قاتِلٍ
لماwould not باتَspend the night منbecause of ذمِّيmy censure وعَتْبيand my reproach عَلَىin وَجْسِdread
لما باتَ من ذمِّي وعَتْبي عَلَى وَجْسِ
Even if my spirit were restored after a killer had slain me,
Had the soul within me been returned from the murder of a murderer,
He would not spend the night in dread of my censure and reproach.
No blame or reproach of mine would have lasted the night on an unjust one,
وكيفَand how بكُفْرِيwith my ingratitude to منhim who هَدىguided وابْنُand the son of مَنْhim who هَدىguided
وكيفَ بكُفْرِي من هَدى وابْنُ مَنْ هَدى
أَبُوكَyour father ويُمْناكَand your right hand الَّتِيwhich أَثمَرَتْmade bear fruit غَرْسِيmy planting
أَبُوكَ ويُمْناكَ الَّتِي أَثمَرَتْ غَرْسِي
How could I be ungrateful to him who guided, when the son of him who guided
How could I disbelieve, when you are guided and the son of one who guided,
Is your father, and your right hand is what made my planting bear fruit?
Your father brought you blessings which produced my plantation,
وهَبْنيand suppose that I ذَمَمْتُreviled العالَمِينَall creation فكيفَthen how ليcould I
وهَبْني ذَمَمْتُ العالَمِينَ فكيفَ لي
بذَمِّيَby my reviling منhim whom أَوْدَعْتُI entrusted راحَتَهُhis palm نَفْسِيmy soul
بذَمِّيَ من أَوْدَعْتُ راحَتَهُ نَفْسِي
And suppose I reviled all creation—how could I
I blamed the worlds, so how can I blame,
Revile him in whose palm I entrusted my soul?
Whom I placed the comfort of my soul in?
وإِنَّand indeed اختِلاقَfabricating الغدرِtreachery عَنِّيabout me لِحَاسِدٍfor an envier
وإِنَّ اختِلاقَ الغدرِ عَنِّي لِحَاسِدٍ
لأَدْنَىsurely easier لَهُfor him أَنto يَصْبِغَdye الشمسَthe sun بالنِّقْسِwith ink
لأَدْنَى لَهُ أَن يَصْبِغَ الشمسَ بالنِّقْسِ
Indeed, for an envier to invent treachery on my part—
Verily, contriving betrayal is from an envier,
It would be easier for him to dye the sun with ink.
To whom it is more trivial to dye the sun with blemish,
وإِنَّand indeed أخاthe brother of غَسّانَGhassan عِنديin my eyes لَذوsurely a possessor of يَدٍa benefaction
وإِنَّ أخا غَسّانَ عِندي لَذو يَدٍ
بِكَthrough you ابْتاعَbought مِنِّيfrom me شُكْرَهاgratitude for it غَيْرَnot ذِيhaving وَكْسِloss
بِكَ ابْتاعَ مِنِّي شُكْرَها غَيْرَ ذِي وَكْسِ
And Ghassan's brother is indeed a benefactor in my eyes,
And verily, brother Ghassan to me is open handed,
Through you he bought my thanks for it, without loss;
Through you he bought my gratitude without deficiency,
غداةَon the morning when تَجَلَّىhe appeared ليto me بذكرِكَby mentioning you فاجْتلىand beheld
غداةَ تَجَلَّى لي بذكرِكَ فاجْتلى
عَرُوسَthe bride of ثنائيmy praise فيكَof you مشهودَةَwitnessed العُرْسِthe wedding
عَرُوسَ ثنائي فيكَ مشهودَةَ العُرْسِ
The morning he appeared to me with mention of you and beheld
On the morn when your mention appeared to me and thus manifested,
The bride of my praise of you, whose wedding had witnesses.
My ode's bride in you was witnessed at the wedding,
فلمso did not يُلْفِhe find صدرِيmy breast خامداًextinguished نارُthe fire of شَوْقِهِits longing
فلم يُلْفِ صدرِي خامداً نارُ شَوْقِهِ
إِلَيْكَfor you ولكِنْbut rather ضَمَّhe joined قَبْساًa firebrand إِلَىto قَبْسِa firebrand
إِلَيْكَ ولكِنْ ضَمَّ قَبْساً إِلَى قَبْسِ
He did not find the fire of longing in my breast extinguished
So my breast was not kindled by the quenched fire of longing,
For you; rather, he added one firebrand to another.
For you, but it embraced a spark next to a spark,
ولاnor زادَنيdid he increase me فِيin حفظِkeeping عهدِكَyour covenant بَسْطَةًcapacity
ولا زادَني فِي حفظِ عهدِكَ بَسْطَةً
سِوىexcept أَنَّthat حفظَretaining العِلْمِknowledge أَثْبَتُis firmer بالدَّرْسِthrough study
سِوى أَنَّ حفظَ العِلْمِ أَثْبَتُ بالدَّرْسِ
Nor did he increase my capacity to keep your covenant,
And your spreading of knowledge did not increase me,
Save that retaining knowledge is surer through study.
Except that preserving knowledge is most proven by study,
وطِيبُand the sweetness of حديثيmy speech عنكَabout you صادَفَfound مُصْغِياًan attentive listener
وطِيبُ حديثي عنكَ صادَفَ مُصْغِياً
لأَفْصَحِfor the most eloquent مُقتصٍّnarrator وأَرْبَحِand most successful مُقْتَسِّseeker
لأَفْصَحِ مُقتصٍّ وأَرْبَحِ مُقْتَسِّ
And the sweetness of my talk of you found an attentive ear
And my good words about you met a listener,
For the most eloquent narrator and most successful seeker.
To the most eloquent bargain-maker and profitable bargainer,
فراسلَso answered in kind نَشْريmy spreading praise عنكabout you شدواًsong بشَدْوِهِwith his song
فراسلَ نَشْري عنك شدواً بشَدْوِهِ
ونادَمَand caroused with حَمْدِيmy praise فيكَof you كأْساًa cup إِلَىbeside كَأْسِa cup
ونادَمَ حَمْدِي فيكَ كأْساً إِلَى كَأْسِ
So he answered the praise I spread of you, song with his song,
So he corresponded spreading my writings in song with his chants,
And caroused with my praise of you, cup beside cup.
And he entertained my praise of you cup after cup,
أَياديكَyour favors فِيin أُولىthe earliest days of الزَّمانِtime وإِنَّهاand indeed they
أَياديكَ فِي أُولى الزَّمانِ وإِنَّها
لأَدْنىsurely nearer إِلَىto ذكرِيmy memory ونشريَand my recounting منthan أَمْسِيmy yesterday
لأَدْنى إِلَى ذكرِي ونشريَ من أَمْسِي
Your favors are from time's earliest days, and yet they
Your hands are foremost in time and they,
Are nearer to my memory and recounting than my yesterday:
Are closest to my remembrance and spreading than my evenings,
لَياليَnights فِيin مأْواكَyour refuge أَمْنيmy safety منَfrom الرَّدىdeath
لَياليَ فِي مأْواكَ أَمْني منَ الرَّدى
وَفِيand in ظِلِّكَyour shade الممدودِoutspread نشْرِيmy resurrection منfrom الرَّمْسِthe grave
وَفِي ظِلِّكَ الممدودِ نشْرِي من الرَّمْسِ
Nights when, in your refuge, I was safe from death,
Nights in your abode are my wishes safe from evil,
And in your outspread shade, I rose from the grave;
And in your extended shade, my proliferation from spears,
ومَضْجَعُand a bed for طِيبِthe sweetness of النَّومِsleep فِيat أَمَدِthe limit of السُّرىnight travel
ومَضْجَعُ طِيبِ النَّومِ فِي أَمَدِ السُّرى
ومشرَبُand a drinking place for عَذْبِsweet الماءِwater فِيat مُنْتهىthe end of الخِمْسِthe five-day watering interval
ومشرَبُ عَذْبِ الماءِ فِي مُنْتهى الخِمْسِ
And a bed for sweet sleep at the limit of night travel,
A bed of good sleep in the time of travel,
And a place to drink sweet water at the end of the five-day thirst.
And a drink of fresh water at the edge of thirst,
فلاso may not زالَcease دينُthe religion of اللهِGod منكَthrough you بِمَعْقِلٍin a stronghold
فلا زالَ دينُ اللهِ منكَ بِمَعْقِلٍ
منيعٍimpregnable وسَمْكُand the edifice of الحقِّtruth منكَthrough you عَلَىupon أُسِّa foundation
منيعٍ وسَمْكُ الحقِّ منكَ عَلَى أُسِّ
May God's religion ever find in you a stronghold,
So God's faith in you remains in an impregnable refuge,
Impregnable, and truth's edifice through you stand upon a foundation.
And the fish of truth in you is on a strong lead,
ولاand may not رَمَتِshoot at الأَقدارُthe fates عنكَon your behalf مُعَانِداًan adversary
ولا رَمَتِ الأَقدارُ عنكَ مُعَانِداً
بأَفْوَقَwith a broken-nocked arrow مفلُولِblunted الغِرارِat the edges ولاnor نِكْسِa reversed arrow
بأَفْوَقَ مفلُولِ الغِرارِ ولا نِكْسِ
Nor may the fates shoot at an adversary on your behalf
Destinies have not cast an adversary at you,
With a broken-nocked, blunt-edged arrow or a reversed shaft;
With overwhelming vanquished delusions and defeat,
ولاand may not ماتَdie منanyone who والاكَis loyal to you منfrom غُرْبَةthe exile of النَّوىseparation
ولا ماتَ من والاكَ من غُرْبَة النَّوى
ولاand may not عاشَsurvive منanyone who عاداكَis hostile to you منafter عَثْرَةِthe stumbling of التَّعْسِruin
ولا عاشَ من عاداكَ من عَثْرَةِ التَّعْسِ
Nor may anyone loyal to you die from the exile of separation,
None who followed you died of the estrangement of resolves,
Nor may anyone hostile to you survive the stumbling fall of ruin.
Nor did any who opposed you live from the stumbling of misery,
Sol 6.1