لاNo وَأعطَافِby the curves of الغُصُونthe boughs المُيَّسِswaying
لا وَأعطَافِ الغُصُون المُيَّسِ
وَالصَّبَاand by the east wind تُزجِيwafts عَلِيلَgentle النَّفسِbreath
وَالصَّبَا تُزجِي عَلِيلَ النَّفسِ
No, by the curves of the swaying boughs,
No, not the bending boughs and gentle breeze
And the east wind wafting a gentle breath,
That soothe the weary soul and bring it ease,
وَابتِسَامِand by the smile of الرَّوضِthe garden لِلطِّلِّat the dew وقدwhile it has
وَابتِسَامِ الرَّوضِ لِلطِّلِّ وقد
رَقرَقَmade shimmer الدَّمعthe tears بجَفنِon the eyelid of النَّرجِسِthe narcissus
رَقرَقَ الدَّمع بجَفنِ النَّرجِسِ
And the garden's smile at the dew, which has
Nor smile of meadow at the dawn's first light
Made tears shimmer on the narcissus's eyelid—
When glittering dew drops grace narcissus bright.
مَاnot رَأينَاwe saw يَومَa day of أنسٍdelight مِثلهُlike it
مَا رَأينَا يَومَ أنسٍ مِثلهُ
كانَwas أسنَىmost splendid بُغيَةِthe desire of المُلتَمِسِthe seeker
كانَ أسنَى بُغيَةِ المُلتَمِسِ
We have never seen a day of delight like it;
A day of joy we've never seen before,
It was the most splendid object of a seeker's desire.
Where every wish is granted and much more.
وَتَلتهُand followed it ليلةٌa night صَفحتُهاits face
وَتَلتهُ ليلةٌ صَفحتُها
ألفَتunited شَملَthe entirety of اقِترَاحِthe desires of الأنفُسِthe souls
ألفَت شَملَ اقِترَاحِ الأنفُسِ
And a night followed it, whose face
The night it heralded fulfilled desire,
Gathered together all the souls' desires.
And souls embraced in warmth by firelight.
أضحَكَmade smile اللَّهوُmerriment بَنَاfor us ثَغرَthe mouth of المنىwishes
أضحَكَ اللَّهوُ بَنَا ثَغرَ المنى
فبَدَتso appeared سُمرَتُهاits duskiness كاللعَسِlike the dark tint of lips
فبَدَت سُمرَتُها كاللعَسِ
Merriment made the mouth of hope smile for us,
With laughter destiny our wishes crowned,
So its duskiness seemed like the dark tint of lips.
And in those smiles, ecstasy was found.
جُمِعَتwere brought together أطرافُهاits ends مِنbecause of قِصَرٍbrevity
جُمِعَت أطرافُها مِن قِصَرٍ
لِلفَتَىto the young man مَغرِبُهاits sunset كالغَلسِlike predawn gloom
لِلفَتَى مَغرِبُها كالغَلسِ
Its ends were drawn together by its brevity;
That palace drew together far and wide
To the young man, its sunset seemed like predawn gloom.
To that young man it was an eventide.
وَسَمَتand rose زُهرُthe radiant ones of اللَّيالِيthe nights حِليَةadornment
وَسَمَت زُهرُ اللَّيالِي حِليَة
فَتَحَلَّتso they adorned themselves بِنُجُومِwith the stars of الأكؤُسِthe winecups
فَتَحَلَّت بِنُجُومِ الأكؤُسِ
And the radiant nights rose in splendor,
The flowers of night their jewelry put on
So they adorned themselves with the stars of winecups.
And shone like stars arranged in diadem.
وَابنَةand the daughter of الكَرمِthe vine عَرُوسa bride تُجتَلىis unveiled
وَابنَة الكَرمِ عَرُوس تُجتَلى
فَتَخَيَّلso imagine حُسنَthe beauty of ذاكَthat المَعرَسِthe wedding feast
فَتَخَيَّل حُسنَ ذاكَ المَعرَسِ
And the vine's daughter was a bride unveiled;
The vintner's daughter, a bridal vision,
So imagine the beauty of that wedding feast.
Revealed the beauty of that celebration.
نُزهَةٌa delightful outing قادَتled إليهَاto it زَورةٌa visit
نُزهَةٌ قادَت إليهَا زَورةٌ
فاغتَنِمهَاso seize it نَظرَةَa glance of المُختَلِسِone who steals a look
فاغتَنِمهَا نَظرَةَ المُختَلِسِ
A delightful outing to which a visit led—
An outing led by chance right to this spot,
So seize it like a furtive glance.
That furtive glance left ne'er to be forgot.
يَاoh لهُfor it مِنof مَجلِسِa gathering فُزتُI gained بِهِwith it
يَا لهُ مِن مَجلِسِ فُزتُ بِهِ
مِنfrom فَتًىa young man شَرَّفَennobled صَدرَthe place of honor in المَجلِسِthe gathering
مِن فَتًى شَرَّفَ صَدرَ المَجلِسِ
Oh, what a gathering I had the good fortune to enjoy,
Oh what a majlis where I found success!
From a young man who graced the gathering's place of honor!
Graced by a noble youth none could impress.
عِلقُa jewel of مَجدٍglory جَادَgave generously مِنfrom خلَّتِهhis friendship
عِلقُ مَجدٍ جَادَ مِن خلَّتِه
بالعَلَقِwith the treasure الخَطيرشof great worth الأنفَسِmost precious
بالعَلَقِ الخَطيرش الأنفَسِ
A jewel of glory, who gave out of his friendship
His glory flowed from his scabbard fine,
A treasure of great worth, most precious.
More precious than all gems or gold that shine.
لأبيto Abu عَمروAmr بنson of مَرتينَMartin عُلاًlofty distinctions
لأبي عَمرو بن مَرتينَ عُلاً
أنطَقَتmade speak بالمدحِin praise أهلَthe people of الخَرَسِmuteness
أنطَقَت بالمدحِ أهلَ الخَرَسِ
Abu Amr ibn Martin has lofty distinctions
High praise to Abu Amr Ibn Murtada!
That made the mute speak his praises.
His eloquence made even mutes applaud.
أروَعُa splendid man يُطلِعُمِنbrings forth from آدابِهِhis refined learning
أروَعُ يُطلِعُمِن آدابِهِ
شُهُباًshooting stars تَجلُوdispel دَيَاجِيthe darkness of الحِندسِdeep night
شُهُباً تَجلُو دَيَاجِي الحِندسِ
A splendid man, who brings forth from his learning
Noble in upbringing, knowledge and thought,
Shooting stars that dispel the darkness of deepest night.
His manners all sublime virtues have wrought.
ذُوpossessed of بَنانٍfingers مِثلَlike شُؤبُوبِa downpour of الحَيَاrain
ذُو بَنانٍ مِثلَ شُؤبُوبِ الحَيَا
وَذَكَاءٍand intelligence كَاشتِعَالِlike the blazing of القَبَسِthe firebrand
وَذَكَاءٍ كَاشتِعَالِ القَبَسِ
Possessed of fingers like a downpour of rain,
Keen as a child yet wise as the aged,
And intellect like the blaze of a firebrand.
His intellect like sparks from flint engaged.
مَنwhoever يُسَابِقُهُraces him إِلىtoward مَعلُوةٍan exalted rank
مَن يُسَابِقُهُ إِلى مَعلُوةٍ
رَامَsought بِالعيرِwith a donkey سِبَاقَoutpacing الفَرَسِthe horse
رَامَ بِالعيرِ سِبَاقَ الفَرَسِ
Whoever races him toward an exalted rank
If you vie with him in a race to glory,
Tries to outrun a horse with a donkey.
Like steeds you'll find he has outpaced your story.
Sol 6.1