أَياO بصريmy sight خالِفdiffer from عيونthe eyes الفَراقِدِthe Faraqid stars
أَيا بصري خالِف عيون الفَراقِدِ
فَذوfor one with السهدsleeplessness وَجداًfrom longing لاnot يَكُنbe إِلفa companion of راقِدِa sleeper
فَذو السهد وَجداً لا يَكُن إِلف راقِدِ
O my sight, differ from the eyes of the Faraqid stars;
My eyes, unlike the eyes of other sleepers,
For one sleepless with longing must not be a sleeper's companion.
The sleepless lover finds no rest or peace.
وَياand O قَلبِmy heart لاdo not تَقبلaccept شَهادَةthe testimony لائِميof my reproacher
وَيا قَلبِ لا تَقبل شَهادَة لائِمي
فَماfor never قلتI spoke يَوماًon any day فيof هَوايَmy love بِشاهِدِwith a witness
فَما قلت يَوماً في هَوايَ بِشاهِدِ
And, O my heart, do not accept my reproacher's testimony;
My heart, do not accept the blame of critics,
For I have never spoken of my love with a witness present.
For never have I spoken ill of my love.
وَياand O أَيّهاyou الأَحبابbeloved ones سَقياًmay rain fall لِعَهدِكمupon your remembered days
وَيا أَيّها الأَحباب سَقياً لِعَهدِكم
بِعَهدٍwith rain قَريبrecent العَهدِin time غَيرnot مُباعدِfar removed
بِعَهدٍ قَريب العَهدِ غَير مُباعدِ
And, O beloved ones, may rain bless your remembered days,
O friends, let's drink to keep our pact intact,
With fresh-fallen rain, not far removed.
A binding pact, not one we soon forsake.
وَحَيّاand may it bless الحياthe rain حيّاًa settlement لناof ours وَمعاهداًand familiar haunts
وَحَيّا الحيا حيّاً لنا وَمعاهداً
وَلاand may not زالَcease ذاكthat الحيّsettlement حيّalive المعاهدِin its haunts
وَلا زالَ ذاك الحيّ حيّ المعاهدِ
And may the rain bless our settlement and familiar haunts,
Greet Life with joy, who greeted us with concord,
And may that settlement's haunts ever remain alive.
While Life remains, that greeter stays awake.
بدينby the faith الهَوىof love هَلdo تَذكُرونَyou remember لَيالياًnights
بدين الهَوى هَل تَذكُرونَ لَيالياً
لَناfor us سلَفَتpassed لَمdid not نَخشَwe fear سَعيthe scheming الحَواسدِof the envious
لَنا سلَفَت لَم نَخشَ سَعي الحَواسدِ
By the faith of love, do you remember nights
Recall the nights when, loving, we feared no envier,
That passed for us, when we feared no scheming by the envious?
Repaid our love-debts, heedless of dawn's break.
وَداعيand the herald الرضىof contentment نادىcalled بِحيَّwith 'come' عَلىto اللّقاthe meeting
وَداعي الرضى نادى بِحيَّ عَلى اللّقا
وَأَوجهُكُمand your faces كانَتwere ضياءthe light المَشاهدِof the gatherings
وَأَوجهُكُم كانَت ضياء المَشاهدِ
And the herald of contentment cried, 'Come to the meeting!'
The callers to grace called out "Greetings!" at our meet,
And your faces were the light of the gatherings.
Your faces were the bright stars daybreak makes.
لَقَدindeed ضعُفَتwas weakened بالبينby separation حاليmy condition فَماso what لَكُمis with you
لَقَد ضعُفَت بالبين حالي فَما لَكُم
قَطَعتُمyou cut off صِلاتيmy gifts منكمfrom you وَعوائِديand my customary favors
قَطَعتُم صِلاتي منكم وَعوائِدي
Separation has indeed left me weak; why is it that you
My bond with you was weakened by our parting;
Have cut off the gifts and customary favors I received from you?
You broke with me, though I kept faith intact.
أَبيتI spend the night أراعيwatching الأفقَthe horizon أحسبُI imagine أَنَّكُمthat you
أَبيت أراعي الأفقَ أحسبُ أَنَّكُم
كَواكِبُهُits stars لَوif كُنَّthey were غيرَother than جَوامدِlifeless
كَواكِبُهُ لَو كُنَّ غيرَ جَوامدِ
I spend the night watching the horizon, imagining you
I watched the horizon, thinking you were stars there,
To be its stars, were those stars not lifeless.
Had you but moved, not stationary like rocks.
فَقدتكُمُI lost you وَالوَجدُand longing أَصبحhas become لازميmy constant companion
فَقدتكُمُ وَالوَجدُ أَصبح لازمي
فَياoh, then عجباًwhat wonder مِنat واجدone who longs غَيرnot واجِدِone who finds
فَيا عجباً مِن واجد غَير واجِدِ
I have lost you, and longing has become my constant companion.
Now lost to me, my yearning is ceaseless,
How strange: one full of longing, yet finding nothing!
Strange that the longing's mine, yet you don't ache!
وَأَطلقتمُand you unleashed بِالبينthrough separation أَلسُنَthe tongues عذّليof my reproachers
وَأَطلقتمُ بِالبين أَلسُنَ عذّلي
وَماand not عاذليmy reproacher فيin حبّكُمmy love for you غيرother than حاسديmy envier
وَما عاذلي في حبّكُم غير حاسدي
Through separation you have unleashed my reproachers' tongues;
You blamed me when we parted, though I'm guiltless,
And anyone reproaching my love for you only envies me.
None envies me but those who envy make.
أَعاذِلتيO my female reproacher هَلwill تَقبلينyou accept بِرأفةwith compassion
أَعاذِلتي هَل تَقبلين بِرأفة
معاذِرَthe excuses صبّof a lovelorn man فيin زَمانan age معاندِhostile
معاذِرَ صبّ في زَمان معاندِ
O woman who reproaches me, will you compassionately accept
My love, will you accept, though doom is harsh,
A lovelorn man's excuses in a hostile age?
My long defence? — in days where trust is wrecked.
أَبثُّكِI confide to you أَنّيthat I بالتَجلّدin forced endurance وَالبُكىand weeping
أَبثُّكِ أَنّي بالتَجلّد وَالبُكى
وَبالبثّand in lamentation مَعwith فقدloss الكرىof sleep فيin شَدائِدِhardships
وَبالبثّ مَع فقد الكرى في شَدائِدِ
I confide to you that, in forced endurance and weeping,
I tell you my endurance and my weeping
And in lamentation, deprived of sleep, I suffer hardships.
Have not sufficed with loss's wounds unstaunched.
فَإِنso if تَرحميyou pity شَكوايَmy complaint والحالُand the condition بيّنis plain
فَإِن تَرحمي شَكوايَ والحالُ بيّن
أَعينيhelp me وَكونيand be ليfor me يمينيmy right hand وَساعديand my supporting arm
أَعيني وَكوني لي يميني وَساعدي
If you pity my complaint—my condition is plain—
Take pity on my plaint, now fate is bitter.
Help me; be my right hand and my supporting arm.
Be my support, give me your hand outstretched.
وَليand I have فيin اِنتظارِawaiting اليسرِease مِنfrom بعدafter عُسرَةٍhardship
وَلي في اِنتظارِ اليسرِ مِن بعد عُسرَةٍ
مِنَfrom اللَهGod وَعدa promise وَهوَand He is أَصدقthe truest واعِدِpromiser
مِنَ اللَه وَعد وَهوَ أَصدق واعِدِ
And, as I await ease after hardship, I have
Awaiting ease after hardship, God has promised me,
A promise from God—and He is the truest of those who promise.
His word is truest pledge that can be pledged.
وَإِنand if جَلَّgrows grave خَطبٌa calamity قلتI say ذاthis is جَللٌa small matter إِذاwhen
وَإِن جَلَّ خَطبٌ قلت ذا جَللٌ إِذا
تذكّرتI remember فعلthe deeds الحبّof love معto غيرmore than واحِدِone
تذكّرت فعل الحبّ مع غير واحِدِ
Though a calamity grows grave, I call it slight when
If doom looms long, I say: such greatness comes
I remember what love has done to more than one.
With love, as all who love in time detect.
فَهاso here أَناI am قَلبيmy heart فيamid التجلّدendurance والأَسىand grief
فَها أَنا قَلبي في التجلّد والأَسى
وَلَكِنّbut طرفيmy eyes فيamid الأَسىgrief وَالتَجالدِand struggle
وَلَكِنّ طرفي في الأَسى وَالتَجالدِ
So here I am, my heart amid fortitude and grief,
My heart bears grief and pain but overflows with anguish,
But my eyes amid grief and struggle.
My eyes weep even as my hands attack.
أحرّكُI stir حظّاًa fortune بِالنَوىthrough separation فيin تسافلdecline
أحرّكُ حظّاً بِالنَوى في تسافل
أَسكّنI calm نَفساًa soul بالبُكاwith weeping فيin تَصاعدِascent
أَسكّن نَفساً بالبُكا في تَصاعدِ
I stir a fortune sinking through separation;
I stir good fortune with intent, though low;
I calm with weeping a soul that rises.
Calm my soul, though lofty cares distract.
مُجاهِدُstruggling against نَفسيmy soul لاnot أَرىI see متفضّلاًa benefactor
مُجاهِدُ نَفسي لا أَرى متفضّلاً
سوىexcept الأَشرفal-Ashraf بنson of الأَفضلal-Afdal بنson of المجاهِدِal-Mujahid
سوى الأَشرف بن الأَفضل بن المجاهِدِ
Struggling against my soul, I see no benefactor
No helper I see, saving my lord,
Except al-Ashraf, son of al-Afdal, son of al-Mujahid.
Noblest branch of root most noble, of stock
مَليكa king نداهhis bounty فَجَّرَmade gush الصخرَthe rock أَعيُناًas springs
مَليك نداه فَجَّرَ الصخرَ أَعيُناً
كَماjust as بأسُهُhis might قَدindeed هَدَّshattered صَعبَthe toughest الجَلامدِboulders
كَما بأسُهُ قَد هَدَّ صَعبَ الجَلامدِ
A king whose bounty has made springs gush from rock,
Whose fame gushed forth, and made hard rock weep water,
Just as his might has shattered the toughest boulders.
As his might smashed all obstacles counterfeit.
أَضافhe added إِلىto البشرcheerfulness المهابةmajesty وَالنَدىand generosity
أَضاف إِلى البشر المهابة وَالنَدى
لغيثtruly a rainstorm هَمىpoured مَعwith برقهits lightning وَالرَواعدِand thunderclaps
لغيث هَمى مَع برقه وَالرَواعدِ
He joined majesty and bounty to a welcoming smile—
He brought awe and glory to mankind, like pouring rain
Truly a rainstorm pouring with its lightning and thunder.
With lightning raging, and loud thunder's blast.
وَمدّand he extended يَدthe hand الجَدوىof bounty لمثنٍto a praiser وَجاحِدٍand an ingrate
وَمدّ يَد الجَدوى لمثنٍ وَجاحِدٍ
فقصّرso fell short عَنهُof him فيin النَدىgenerosity كلّevery جائِدِgiver
فقصّر عَنهُ في النَدى كلّ جائِدِ
And he extended bounty's hand to praiser and ingrate,
He stretched his generous hand to each mean detractor,
So every generous giver fell short of him in bounty.
Yet his sublime glory made each critic fall short.
وَلاand no عَيبflaw فيin إِحسانهhis beneficence غيرexcept أَنَّهthat he
وَلا عَيب في إِحسانه غير أَنَّه
يسلسلhe chains أَعناقthe necks الوَرىof humankind بِالقَلائِدِwith necklaces
يسلسل أَعناق الوَرى بِالقَلائِدِ
And his beneficence has no flaw, except that
No flaw in his generosity, save binding necks
He chains humankind's necks with necklaces.
Of all humanity with necklaces he passed.
تنظِّمstring together أَفرادthe unique elements المَعانيof meaning صِفاتهhis qualities
تنظِّم أَفراد المَعاني صِفاته
وَجمعand gathering المَعاليlofty virtues نظمis stringing تِلكَthose الفَرائِدِpeerless pearls
وَجمع المَعالي نظم تِلكَ الفَرائِدِ
His qualities string together unique meanings,
Ordering meaning's pearls to form his attributes,
And gathering lofty virtues is stringing those peerless pearls.
And gathering glories into strands amassed.
حَماسةُthe valor قَيسٍof Qays فيwithin سَماحةthe generosity حاتِمٍof Hatim
حَماسةُ قَيسٍ في سَماحة حاتِمٍ
وَحلمُand the forbearance اِبنof the son of قَيسQays فيwithin شَجاعَةthe bravery خالِدِof Khalid
وَحلمُ اِبن قَيس في شَجاعَة خالِدِ
The valor of Qays within the generosity of Hatim,
Qais's passion in Hatem's mildness combined,
And Ibn Qays's forbearance within Khalid's bravery.
Patience of Son of Qais in Khalid's courage clasped.
وَيَرفَعُand he raises للعلياtoward the heights قَواعِدthe foundations بيتهof his house
وَيَرفَعُ للعليا قَواعِد بيته
وَمنand among شأنِthe ways of إِسماعيلَIsma'il رفعُraising القَواعِدِthe foundations
وَمن شأنِ إِسماعيلَ رفعُ القَواعِدِ
And he raises his house's foundations toward highest glory;
He builds his household on the highest principles,
And raising foundations is Isma'il's way.
As did Ismail when he laid down the foundations.
لَهُhe has قَلَمٌa pen فيin مدَّةa stroke مِنof مدادهits ink
لَهُ قَلَمٌ في مدَّة مِن مداده
غنىwealth الدهرfor all time أَوor قمعُcrushing العَدوّthe enemy المكايدِthe scheming
غنى الدهر أَو قمعُ العَدوّ المكايدِ
He has a pen: in one stroke of its ink lie
His pen, with its ink aplenty, enriches Time
Wealth for all time, or the crushing of a scheming enemy.
Or quells the enemy's deceitful plots forecast.
يَفوحُit gives fragrance وَيُجنىand is harvested يُطرِبُit delights الصحبَthe companions يَطعَنُit pierces الthe
يَفوحُ وَيُجنى يُطرِبُ الصحبَ يَطعَنُ ال
عدىfoes فَهوَso it is عودwood فيin جَميعall المَشاهدsettings
عدى فَهوَ عود في جَميع المَشاهد
It gives fragrance, is harvested, delights companions, and pierces the
It exhales its scent, is plucked, makes hearts dance, spears
Foes: thus it is wood in every setting.
The foe — a stick whose every aspect casts amazement.
لأسمرهfor his brown spear فيin القَلبthe heart أَثبَتُthe firmest راكِزlodging
لأسمره في القَلب أَثبَتُ راكِز
لأبيضهfor his bright sword فيin الجفنthe eyelid أَحسنthe finest غامِدِsheath
لأبيضه في الجفن أَحسن غامِدِ
His brown spear has its firmest lodging in the heart;
For his brown beauty residing in my heart I fixed
His bright sword has its finest sheath in the eyelid.
My gaze; for his bright beauty I made my eyelids fast.
لَقَدindeed صدقتناproved true to us بالنوالthrough gifts وعودُهhis promises
لَقَد صدقتنا بالنوال وعودُه
وَعادَةand the custom إِسماعيلof Isma'il صدقُfulfillment المَواعدِof promises
وَعادَة إِسماعيل صدقُ المَواعدِ
His promises have indeed proved true to us through his gifts;
True were the promises his gifts made us;
And keeping promises is Isma'il's custom.
Ismail's wont is to keep vows forecast.
وأسعدَand he gladdened فيat أَبوابِهِhis gates أَلفa thousand رائِدٍseekers
وأسعدَ في أَبوابِهِ أَلف رائِدٍ
بِلَفظwith words كأَمثالlike specimens of اللآليpearls الفَرائِدِpeerless
بِلَفظ كأَمثال اللآلي الفَرائِدِ
And at his gates he gladdened a thousand seekers,
A thousand seeking hands were blessed at his doors
With words like peerless pearls.
With words like scintillating stars amassed.
وَقَلَّand dwindled مُلوكُthe kings الأَرضof the earth فيin العينthe eye بعدهُafter him
وَقَلَّ مُلوكُ الأَرض في العين بعدهُ
وَرأيُand the regard الصُقورof falcons مَزدرٍscornful بِالهَداهِدِof hoopoes
وَرأيُ الصُقور مَزدرٍ بِالهَداهِدِ
After him, the kings of the earth seemed small to the eye;
After him, earth's kings were belittled;
And falcons look with scorn upon hoopoes.
To hawks, prey seemed not worth the chase.
إِلَيكَto you أَميرَO Emir المُسلمينof the Muslims بعثتهاI sent it
إِلَيكَ أَميرَ المُسلمين بعثتها
تَضَمَّنُit contains شُكريmy thanks مِنfor طَريفٍthe new وَتالدِand the old
تَضَمَّنُ شُكري مِن طَريفٍ وَتالدِ
To you, Emir of the Muslims, I have sent this poem;
To you, O Prince of Muslims, I send these verses,
It bears my thanks for gifts both new and old.
Weaving my gratitude through twining threads entwined.
فَكَمhow many, then مِنof أَيادfavors مِنكَfrom you هُنَّthey are مَرافِقيmy supporting elbows
فَكَم مِن أَياد مِنكَ هُنَّ مَرافِقي
عَلىagainst الدهرtime إِنif يَسطوit attacks وَهنّand they are سَواعِديmy forearms
عَلى الدهر إِن يَسطو وَهنّ سَواعِدي
How many favors from you are my supporting elbows
For many a gift I've had from your auspices,
Against time when it attacks—and are my forearms!
When fate assaulted me and my hands dropped down weak.
قصرتI confined عَلىto ممدودهنّtheir outstretched bounty مَمادحيmy praises
قصرت عَلى ممدودهنّ مَمادحي
وَطوّلتand I lengthened فيin عَليائهنّtheir lofty heights مَحامديmy commendations
وَطوّلت في عَليائهنّ مَحامدي
I confined my praises to their outstretched bounty,
My praises fell short of their stretching limits,
And prolonged my commendations of their lofty heights.
While my eulogies exaggerated their towering height.
فَإِنso if أَجملَتare concise أَوor إِنif أَخَلَّتfall short قَصائِديmy poems
فَإِن أَجملَت أَو إِن أَخَلَّت قَصائِدي
فَكُنthen be ليto me عَلىin الحالينboth cases أَجمَلthe kindest ناقِدِcritic
فَكُن لي عَلى الحالين أَجمَل ناقِدِ
If my poems are concise, or if they fall short,
Whether excellent or faulty my poems may be,
In either case, be my most gracious critic.
Be for me, in both cases, the best of all critics.
وَياand O سَنَديmy support العاليexalted الَّذيwho قَدindeed رويتI transmitted عَنfrom
وَيا سَنَدي العالي الَّذي قَد رويت عَن
ثِقاتthe trustworthy ones عَطاياهof his gifts صِحاحَauthentic المَسانِدِchains of transmission
ثِقات عَطاياه صِحاحَ المَسانِدِ
And O my exalted support, from whose authority I have transmitted
O my supreme pillar, of whom I've heard
Authentic chains of narration through his trustworthy gifts.
From trusted sources, gifts like buttresses;
وَحَدَّثتُand I narrated فيon يَوميهhis two days فيof البأسmight وَالنَدىand generosity
وَحَدَّثتُ في يَوميه في البأس وَالنَدى
صَحيحَan authentic حَديثٍreport عَنfrom عَطا'Ata' وَمجاهدِand Mujahid
صَحيحَ حَديثٍ عَن عَطا وَمجاهدِ
And on his two days of might and bounty I have narrated
Of might in war I've related truthful accounts,
An authentic report from 'Ata' and Mujahid.
From a generous, intrepid man whose help avails.
وَزالand vanished الَّذيwhat أَشكوهُI complain of منذsince اِمتَدحتهُI praised him
وَزال الَّذي أَشكوهُ منذ اِمتَدحتهُ
فَكَمhow many, then صِلَةٍgifts منهfrom him لديI have وَعائِدِand renewed favors
فَكَم صِلَةٍ منه لدي وَعائِدِ
What I complained of has vanished since I praised him;
My plaint has ceased since I began praising you;
How many gifts and renewed favors from him I possess!
For many a gift awaits me from your hand outheld.
أحاشيI deem above نَوالاًbounty منكfrom you يَطلبseeks نولهits bestowal
أحاشي نَوالاً منك يَطلب نوله
وَأَنتَand you are المَليكthe king الفردpeerless أَشرَفthe noblest ماجِدِof the noble
وَأَنتَ المَليك الفرد أَشرَف ماجِدِ
I deem your bounty above requests for its bestowal,
Let your gifts rain on one who seeks their rainfall,
And you are the peerless king, noblest of the noble.
While you're the singular king, of glorious stock.
فَدمso remain مَلِكاًa king للدّينfor the faith خيرthe best ممهّدone who prepares the way
فَدم مَلِكاً للدّين خير ممهّد
بِحلمwith forbearance لِمولىtoward a follower أَوor سُطاًforce لمعاندِagainst an opponent
بِحلم لِمولى أَو سُطاً لمعاندِ
So remain a king, best at making firm the faith,
Live as protector of the faith, best smoother
With forbearance toward a follower, or force against an opponent.
Of the way for God or foe of the obstinate.
بَقيتmay you remain لِتَحصينto fortify العلاglory خَيرthe best شائِدbuilder
بَقيت لِتَحصين العلا خَير شائِد
وَدمتand may you endure لَتَحسينto beautify الحَلاbeauty خَيرthe best سائِدِlord
وَدمت لَتَحسين الحَلا خَير سائِدِ
May you endure, the finest builder fortifying glory,
You remain to defend the lofty, excellent champion,
And may you endure, the finest lord enhancing beauty.
You endure to refine the beautiful, most graceful guide.
Sol 6.1