قُمْrise هاتِهاbring it منfrom كفّthe hand of ذاتِthe woman wearing الوِشاحْthe sash
قُمْ هاتِها من كفّ ذاتِ الوِشاحْ
فقَدfor indeed نَعىannounced the death of اللّيلَthe night بشيرُthe herald of الصّباحdawn
فقَد نَعى اللّيلَ بشيرُ الصّباح
Rise; bring it from the hand of the sash-wearing woman,
Arise, give me this cup from the hand of she who wears a veil,
for the herald of dawn has announced the death of night.
For the harbinger of dawn has announced the night's demise,
واحللْand loosen عُرَىthe bonds of نومكَyour sleep عنfrom مُقلَةٍan eye
واحللْ عُرَى نومكَ عن مُقلَةٍ
تَمْقُلُgazes at أحداقاًeyes مِراضاًailing صحاحhealthy
تَمْقُلُ أحداقاً مِراضاً صحاح
And loosen your sleep's bonds from an eye
And remove the bonds of your slumber from the eyes
that gazes at eyes ailing yet sound.
That have become heavy with drowsiness and pain.
خَلِّleave الكرَىsleep عَنكَaway from you وخُذْand take قَهْوَةًwine
خَلِّ الكرَى عَنكَ وخُذْ قَهْوَةً
تُهديbrings إلىto الرّوحِthe spirit نسيمَa breeze of ارتياحrelief
تُهدي إلى الرّوحِ نسيمَ ارتياح
Leave sleep behind, and take wine
Set aside your worries, take some coffee
that brings the spirit a breeze of relief.
That sends a refreshing breeze to the soul,
هذاthis صَبُوحٌmorning wine وَصَبَاحٌand morning فماso what
هذا صَبُوحٌ وَصَبَاحٌ فما
عُذْرُكَyour excuse فيfor تَرْكِforsaking صَبُوحthe morning draught of الصّباحdawn
عُذْرُكَ في تَرْكِ صَبُوح الصّباح
Here is morning wine, and morning—so what
This is morning and dawn, so what
excuse have you for neglecting the morning draught at dawn?
Excuse is there for you to miss the dawn?
باكِرْgo early إلىto اللّذّاتِpleasures وارْكَبْand ride لهاtoward them
باكِرْ إلى اللّذّاتِ وارْكَبْ لها
سَوابقَswift steeds اللّهوِplay ذواتِpossessing المِراحhigh spirits
سَوابقَ اللّهوِ ذواتِ المِراح
Go early to pleasures, and ride toward them
Hasten to pleasures, and race towards them
the swift steeds of play, full of frolic,
On the steeds of frivolity and delight,
منfrom قبلbefore أنْthat ترشُفَsips شمسُthe sun of الضّحىmidmorning
من قبل أنْ ترشُفَ شمسُ الضّحى
ريقَthe saliva of الغواديmorning rainclouds منfrom ثُغُورٍthe mouths of الأقاحdaisies
ريقَ الغوادي من ثُغُورٍ الأقاح
before the midmorning sun sips
Before the sun of morning drinks
the morning showers' saliva from the daisies' mouths;
The saliva of the dark hills from the springs,
أوor يطويَfolds up الظلُّthe shade بساطاًa carpet إذاwhen
أو يطويَ الظلُّ بساطاً إذا
ماever بَرِحَdeparted الطلّthe dew لهbelonging to it عنْfrom بَرَاحopen ground
ما بَرِحَ الطلّ له عنْ بَرَاح
or the shade folds up a carpet, when
Or the shadow folds its carpet when
the dew has left its open ground.
The shining sun does not cease its brilliance.
ياoh حَبّذاhow lovely ماwhat تبصرُsees العينُthe eye مِنْof
يا حَبّذا ما تبصرُ العينُ مِنْ
أنْجُمٍstars راحٍwine فوقَabove أفلاكِthe orbits of راحpalms
أنْجُمٍ راحٍ فوقَ أفلاكِ راح
Oh, how lovely what the eye beholds—
How excellent is what the eye perceives
stars of wine above the orbits of palms!
Of stars set at ease above the heavens at rest,
فيin روضةٍa garden غنّاءَlush غنّتْsang بهاin it
في روضةٍ غنّاءَ غنّتْ بها
فيon قُضُبِthe boughs of الأوْراقِleaves وُرْقٌgray doves فِصَاحeloquent
في قُضُبِ الأوْراقِ وُرْقٌ فِصَاح
In a lush garden where there sing
In a verdant garden where branches sang
on leafy boughs eloquent gray doves.
Songs in the thin rods and delicate leaves.
لاnot يعرفُdistinguishes النّاظرُthe beholder أغصانَهاits branches
لا يعرفُ النّاظرُ أغصانَها
إذاwhen تثنتْthey sway منfrom قدودِthe figures of الملاحbeauties
إذا تثنتْ من قدودِ الملاح
The beholder cannot distinguish its branches,
The onlooker knows not its boughs
when they sway, from the figures of beauties.
When they bend with the salt's prodding,
كَأنّas though مفتوتَcrushed عبيرٍperfume بهاin it
كَأنّ مفتوتَ عبيرٍ بها
مُطَيّبٌscented منهby it هُبوبُthe blowing of الرّياحwinds
مُطَيّبٌ منه هُبوبُ الرّياح
As though crushed perfume lay there,
As if its melting fragrance is perfumed
scenting the gusts of wind.
By the wafting of the winds.
منamong كلّevery مقصورٍone confined علىto رنّةٍa ringing note
من كلّ مقصورٍ على رنّةٍ
لوif دمَعَتْshed tears عَينٌan eye لهof its قلتَyou would say ناحit mourned
لو دمَعَتْ عَينٌ له قلتَ ناح
Among them, each bird confined to a single note—
From each enclosed pavilion comes a tone,
if its eye shed tears, you would say it mourned—
At which, if an eye wept, you would say it wails,
أوor ساجعٍa warbler تحسَبُyou think ألحانَهُits melodies
أو ساجعٍ تحسَبُ ألحانَهُ
مِنfrom كُلّevery نَدمانٍdrinking companion عَلَيهِof it اقتراحa request
مِن كُلّ نَدمانٍ عَلَيهِ اقتراح
or a warbler whose melodies you think
Or a lover, whose melodies you'd think
were requested of it by every drinking companion.
Were proposals of regret from every reproachful companion.
إنْif قيلit was said بَدّلْchange it بُدّلَتْwas changed نَغْمَةٌa melody
إنْ قيل بَدّلْ بُدّلَتْ نَغْمَةٌ
منهfrom it كأنّas though الجِدّearnestness منهاin it مُزاحjesting
منه كأنّ الجِدّ منها مُزاح
If told, 'Change it,' a melody is changed
If it were said, change! An altered melody
by it, as though its earnestness were jest.
Would come from it, as if jesting in earnest.
ياO صاحِfriend لاdo not تصحُsober up فكمْfor how many a لذّةٍpleasure
يا صاحِ لا تصحُ فكمْ لذّةٍ
فيin السكرِdrunkenness لمhas not يَدْرِknown بهاof it عيشُthe life of صاحa sober person
في السكرِ لم يَدْرِ بها عيشُ صاح
Friend, do not sober up: how many a pleasure
O morning cup, do not call to wakefulness, for what pleasure
in drunkenness a sober life has never known!
Is in sobriety that life's drunkenness does not know?
وأَركبْand ride زماناًan age لاno جماحٌwildness لهُin it
وأَركبْ زماناً لا جماحٌ لهُ
منfrom قبْلِbefore أنْthat يحدثَarises فيهin it الجماحwildness
من قبْلِ أنْ يحدثَ فيه الجماح
And ride an age that does not yet run wild,
And set out a time that has no obstacles
before wildness arises in it.
Before obstacles arise in it.
قلتُI said لحاديناto our camel-driver وكأسُand the cup of السرىnight travel
قلتُ لحادينا وكأسُ السرى
دائِرَةٌpassing round منfrom كَفّthe hand of عَزْمٍresolve صُرَاحunalloyed
دائِرَةٌ من كَفّ عَزْمٍ صُرَاح
I told our camel-driver, while the cup of night travel
I said to our guide, and the circulating cup
was passing round from the hand of pure resolve,
Of pure wine in the grip of resolute hands,
والعيسُand the pale camels فيin شِرّةِfierce vigor إرقالهاtheir swift trotting
والعيسُ في شِرّةِ إرقالها
تلطِمُslap بالأيديwith their forelegs خدودَthe cheeks of البطاحthe plains
تلطِمُ بالأيدي خدودَ البطاح
and the pale camels, in the frenzy of their swift trotting,
As the cupbearer strikes her cheeks
slapped the cheeks of the plains with their forelegs:
With it at the drinking sessions.
لاdo not تُطْمِعِgive hope to الأنضاءَthe worn-out camels فيof راحةٍrest
لا تُطْمِعِ الأنضاءَ في راحةٍ
وإنeven if وصلناwe joined بغدوٍّwith a morning march رواحan evening march
وإن وصلنا بغدوٍّ رواح
Do not let the worn-out camels hope for rest,
Do not harbor hopes of rest in the gazelles,
even if we join an evening march to a morning one.
Even if we arrive at pastures in the early dew.
منamong كلّeach مثلlike الغَرْبِthe large water-bucket مَمْلُوءَةٍfilled
من كلّ مثل الغَرْبِ مَمْلُوءَةٍ
أيناًwith exhaustion فماand so not تَنْشَطُstirs briskly عندَwhen امتِياحdrawing up water
أيناً فما تَنْشَطُ عندَ امتِياح
Each is like a great bucket, filled
For they are fully sated, even devoid
with exhaustion, not stirring briskly when drawn up.
Of the little given them by a miserly hand.
فهيso they are سخيّاتٌgenerous وإنْeven if خلتهاyou thought them
فهي سخيّاتٌ وإنْ خلتها
بماin what أنالَتْthey have given منof ذميلٍgentle trotting شحاحstingy
بما أنالَتْ من ذميلٍ شحاح
Yet they are generous, though you may think them
They rub their eyelids against the cedars
stingy with the gentle trotting they have given.
To the rightly-guided king, the asked for sovereign,
تمتحُyou draw out بالأَرسانِwith the reins أرْماقَهَاtheir remaining life-breaths
تمتحُ بالأَرسانِ أرْماقَهَا
إِلىtoward الرَشيدِal-Rashid المَلِكِthe king المُستَماحwhose bounty is sought
إِلى الرَشيدِ المَلِكِ المُستَماح
You draw out their last breaths with the reins
Indeed the servants of God gained might through him,
toward al-Rashid, the king whose bounty is sought.
The right hand of leniency, the right hand of power,
إنّindeed عُبَيدَUbayd اللَّهAllah منهfrom him انتَضَتhas unsheathed
إنّ عُبَيدَ اللَّه منه انتَضَت
يمانيَa Yemeni blade البأسِmight يمينُthe right hand of السّماحbounty
يمانيَ البأسِ يمينُ السّماح
Indeed, from Ubayd Allah has been unsheathed
A king whose ring seals the eminent
valor's Yemeni blade, by bounty's right hand.
Whenever he appears, beginning with his father,
مَلْكٌa king بهwith him تُخْتَمُare sealed أهْلُthe people of العُلَىeminence
مَلْكٌ به تُخْتَمُ أهْلُ العُلَى
إِذاwhen بداhe appears فَبِأَبيهِthen with his father افتِتاحthe beginning
إِذا بدا فَبِأَبيهِ افتِتاح
A king who seals the line of the exalted;
And through him humiliation spread among the lowly
when he appears, its beginning is with his father.
And honor spread among the righteous.
وعمّand spread منهُfrom him الذلُّhumiliation أهلَthe people of الخنىbaseness
وعمّ منهُ الذلُّ أهلَ الخنى
وعمَّand spread منْهُfrom him العزُّhonor أهلَthe people of الصّلاحrighteousness
وعمَّ منْهُ العزُّ أهلَ الصّلاح
Through him humiliation has spread among the vile,
Seeking good, generous, protected in dignity
and through him honor has spread among the righteous.
And praised in speech.
مستَهدِفُaiming at المعروفِgood deeds سمحٌgenerous لهُhe has
مستَهدِفُ المعروفِ سمحٌ لهُ
عِرْضٌhonor مَصُونٌprotected وثناءٌand praise مباحfreely available
عِرْضٌ مَصُونٌ وثناءٌ مباح
Taking good deeds as his aim, generous, he has
He lowers in his rule the wing of eminence
an honor kept inviolate and praise freely shared.
As lowering a wing does not raise worth.
يخفضُlowers فيin المُلْكِkingship جنَاحَthe wing of العُلىeminence
يخفضُ في المُلْكِ جنَاحَ العُلى
لمnot يَرْفَعِraise القَدْرَrank كخفضِlike lowering الجَناحthe wing
لم يَرْفَعِ القَدْرَ كخفضِ الجَناح
In kingship he lowers the wing of eminence;
His white swords blind the enemies’ souls
nothing has raised rank like lowering the wing.
Whenever they desire war and combat.
تمهرُgive as bride-price أرواحَsouls العدىthe enemies بيْضُهُhis bright swords
تمهرُ أرواحَ العدى بيْضُهُ
إذاwhen أرادتْthey sought منfrom حروبٍwars نكاحmarriage
إذا أرادتْ من حروبٍ نكاح
His bright swords pay his foes' souls as bride-price
So whenever they sing his praise in their gathering,
when they seek a marriage with war.
They leave behind, after their singing, only wailing.
فكلّماso whenever غَنّتْهُthey sang for him فيamong هامهمtheir heads
فكلّما غَنّتْهُ في هامهم
أبْقَتْthey left علىin إثْرِthe wake of الغناءِsinging النّياحlamentation
أبْقَتْ على إثْرِ الغناءِ النّياح
Whenever they sing for him among their heads,
How many nights shone at the darkness’s edge
they leave lamentation in the wake of singing.
With the green of the army at dawn’s first light,
كَمْhow many a ليلَةٍnight أشرَقَshone فيin جُنحِهاits darkness
كَمْ ليلَةٍ أشرَقَ في جُنحِها
بخضرمِin the vast sea of الجَيشِthe army إلالMount Ilal الصّباحdawn
بخضرمِ الجَيشِ إلال الصّباح
On how many a night there shone within its darkness
His standards’ hawks flying guided
dawn's Mount Ilal amid the army's ocean!
By the stars of spears.
تسريtravel by night بهاthrough it عقبانُeagles راياتِهِhis banners
تسري بها عقبانُ راياتِهِ
مهتَدياتٍguided بنُجومِby the stars of الرّماحspears
مهتَدياتٍ بنُجومِ الرّماح
Through it the eagles of his banners travel by night,
Ships you’d think were, on the horizon,
guided by the stars of spears,
The Milky Way a water-hole,
حوائِماًcircling تحسبُthey mistake فيin أُفْقِهِhis horizon
حوائِماً تحسبُ في أُفْقِهِ
مَجَرّةَthe Milky Way of الخَضراءِthe green sky ماءًwater قراحpure
مَجَرّةَ الخَضراءِ ماءً قراح
circling, they mistake upon his horizon
As if the wind blew them along with
the green sky's Milky Way for pure water.
The hearts of your enemies on the day of struggle.
كأنّهاas though they were والرّيحُwhile the wind تَهفُوblows gently بهَاover them
كأنّها والرّيحُ تَهفُو بهَا
قلوبُhearts أعدائِكَyour enemies يومَthe day of الكِفاحbattle
قلوبُ أعدائِكَ يومَ الكِفاح
As though, while the wind flutters them,
How many desperate straits has its lion produced
they were your enemies' hearts on the day of battle.
Red blood from the nostrils and lips of the foe
كَمْhow many a مأزِقٍbattle-strait أصدرتْthey sent back عنfrom أُسْدِهِits lions
كَمْ مأزِقٍ أصدرتْ عن أُسْدِهِ
حُمْراًred خَياشيمَnostrils القناspears والصفاحand broad blades
حُمْراً خَياشيمَ القنا والصفاح
From how many a battle-strait did they bring back, from its lions,
Opening in the joining of their skulls
the reddened nostrils of spears and broad blades!
The violet of blades and the red of wounds.
يَفتَحopens فيin سَوْسَانِthe lilies of لَبّاتِهِمtheir upper chests
يَفتَح في سَوْسَانِ لَبّاتِهِم
بنفسجُthe violet of الزّرْقِblue spearheads شقيقَthe anemones of الجراحwounds
بنفسجُ الزّرْقِ شقيقَ الجراح
Within the lilies of their breasts are opened
As if the scattered parts of their skulls
the anemones of wounds by the violet of blue spears.
Were eggs split above the brains.
كأنّas though أطرافَthe tips of الظُّبَىsword-blades بينَهُمْamong them
كأنّ أطرافَ الظُّبَى بينَهُمْ
تفلقُsplit فوقَabove الهامِheads بيضَthe eggs of الأداحostrich nests
تفلقُ فوقَ الهامِ بيضَ الأداح
As though the sword-blades' tips among them
You met them, each a dignitary
split ostrich-nest eggs above their heads.
Whose lifetime is narrowed by ample steps.
أقبلتَهُمْyou confronted them with كلّevery وجيهيَّةٍWajih-bred mare
أقبلتَهُمْ كلّ وجيهيَّةٍ
تضيّقُnarrows العُمْرَlife's span خطاهاher strides الفساحbroad
تضيّقُ العُمْرَ خطاها الفساح
You faced them with every Wajih-bred mare,
As if their sights were streaming down
whose broad strides narrow life's span,
With what they had fed on from the striking of cheekbones.
كأنّماas though ترشَحُooze أبصارُهَاher eyes
كأنّما ترشَحُ أبصارُهَا
بماwith what اغتَذَتْهُshe had fed on منof ضَريبِmixed milk اللّقاحmilch-camels
بما اغتَذَتْهُ من ضَريبِ اللّقاح
as though her eyes were dripping
Were it not for you, son of glory unparalleled,
with the blended milk of milch-camels on which she had fed.
No hopes would attain the door of success,
لولاكbut for you ياO ابنson of العزّglory منfrom يَعْرُبٍYa'rub
لولاك يا ابن العزّ من يَعْرُبٍ
لمwould not تَلجِenter الآمالُhopes بابَthe gate of النّجاحsuccess
لم تَلجِ الآمالُ بابَ النّجاح
But for you, O son of glory from Ya'rub,
Nor would good fortune meet those who equaled you
hopes would not enter the gate of success;
Among the noble poets in the lofty ode.
ولاnor تَلَقّىreceive الفَوزَvictory إذwhen سوهمواthey were assigned lots
ولا تَلَقّى الفَوزَ إذ سوهموا
بنوthe sons of القوافيrhymes منfrom مُعَلّىMu'alla, the highest winning lot القداحthe lot-arrows
بنو القوافي من مُعَلّى القداح
nor, when they were assigned lots, would victory be received
So enjoy a celebration that has come to you
by the sons of rhyme from the Mu'alla lot-arrow.
With every tongue praising you.
فانْعمْso rejoice بعيدٍin a feast-day قدindeed أتىhas come ناظماًcomposing verse
فانْعمْ بعيدٍ قد أتى ناظماً
كلُّevery لسانٍtongue لكfor you فيهin it امتداحpraise
كلُّ لسانٍ لك فيه امتداح
So rejoice in a feast-day that has come composing verse:
For you have shown us in the spreading of amusements
every tongue has praise for you in it.
Your hand restraining the acts of excess and profligacy.
فقدfor indeed أرتناhas shown us فيin ابتذالِlavishing اللّهَىgifts
فقد أرتنا في ابتذالِ اللّهَى
كفُّكَyour hand أفعالَthe deeds of المُدَىknives فيupon الأضاحsacrificial beasts
كفُّكَ أفعالَ المُدَى في الأضاح
For in lavishing gifts, we have been shown
by your hand what knives do to sacrificial beasts.
Partial English translation: 82 of 84 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1