لَولاwere it not for حَيائيmy shyness منbefore عُيونِthe eyes of النَّرجِسthe narcissus flowers
لَولا حَيائي من عُيونِ النَّرجِس
للَثمْتُI would surely have kissed خَدَّthe cheek of الوَرْدِthe rose بينamid السُّندُسِfine silk
للَثمْتُ خَدَّ الوَرْدِ بين السُّندُسِ
Were it not for my shyness before the narcissi's eyes,
I would have kissed the rose's cheek amid fine silk,
وَرَشَفْتُand I would have sipped منfrom ثَغْرthe mouth of الأَقاحةِthe daisy ريقَهاher saliva
وَرَشَفْتُ من ثَغْر الأَقاحةِ ريقَها
وضَمَمْتُand I would have clasped أعْطافَthe flanks of الغُصونِthe boughs المُيَّسِthe swaying ones
وضَمَمْتُ أعْطافَ الغُصونِ المُيَّسِ
and sipped her saliva from the daisy's mouth,
and clasped the flanks of the swaying boughs,
وهَتكتُand I would have torn away أستارَthe veils of الوَقارdignity ولَمْand did not أُبَلcare
وهَتكتُ أستارَ الوَقار ولَمْ أُبَل
للباقِلاfor the broad bean plant تَلْحظit watches بطرفٍwith an eye أَشْوسِscowling
للباقِلا تَلْحظ بطرفٍ أَشْوسِ
and torn away dignity's veils, and cared nothing
for the broad bean plant, watching with a scowling eye.
ماليwhat have I to do وصَهباءand with tawny wine الدِّنانthe wine jars مُطارحاًexchanging
مالي وصَهباء الدِّنان مُطارحاً
سجعَthe trills of القِيانthe songstresses مُكاشِفاًlaying bare وَجْهَthe face of المُسِيthe wrongdoer
سجعَ القِيان مُكاشِفاً وَجْهَ المُسِي
What have I to do with tawny wine from jars, exchanging
trills with songstresses, laying bare the sinner's face?
شَتَّانَhow far apart بينbetween مُظاهرone who reinforces ومُخاتلٍand one who deceives
شَتَّانَ بين مُظاهر ومُخاتلٍ
ثَوْبَthe robe of الحجاreason ومطهِّرٍand one who purifies ومدَنِّسِand one who defiles
ثَوْبَ الحجا ومطهِّرٍ ومدَنِّسِ
How far apart are one who upholds and one who betrays
reason's robe, one who purifies and one who defiles!
ومُجَمْجِمٍand a mutterer بالعَذْلwith reproach باكرنيcame to me early بهِwith it
ومُجَمْجِمٍ بالعَذْل باكرني بهِ
والطيرand the birds أفصحُthe most eloquent مُسعدٍa comforting companion بتَأنُّسِwith friendliness
والطير أفصحُ مُسعدٍ بتَأنُّسِ
And a mutterer of reproach came early to me with it,
while the birds were the most eloquent companions in fellowship.
نَزَّهتُI kept free سمعيmy hearing عنfrom سَفاهةِthe foolishness of نُطْقهhis speech
نَزَّهتُ سمعي عن سَفاهةِ نُطْقه
وأعَرْتُهand I lent it صَوْتاًa voice رَخيمَsoft المَلْمَسِto the touch
وأعَرْتُه صَوْتاً رَخيمَ المَلْمَسِ
I kept my hearing free of the foolishness of his speech,
and lent my ear to a voice soft to the touch.
سُفِّهتُmay I be deemed foolish فيamong العُشَّاقthe lovers يوماًone day إنif أكنI should be
سُفِّهتُ في العُشَّاق يوماً إن أكن
ذاكَthat one الذيwho يَدَعُleaves الفَصيحَthe eloquent one لأَخْرَسِfor a mute one
ذاكَ الذي يَدَعُ الفَصيحَ لأَخْرَسِ
May I be deemed a fool among lovers, should I ever be
the one who leaves the eloquent for the mute.
أَعَذولَO reproacher وَجْديof my passion لَيْسَthis is not عُشّكِyour nest فادْرُجيso move along
أَعَذولَ وَجْدي لَيْسَ عُشّكِ فادْرُجي
ونَصيحَand O counselor رُشْديof my sound judgment بانhas become clear نصحكَyour advice فاجْلِسِso sit down
ونَصيحَ رُشْدي بان نصحكَ فاجْلِسِ
O reproacher of my passion, this is not your nest; move along!
And counselor of my sound judgment, your advice is clear; sit down.
هلdo تُبصرyou see الأشجارُthe trees والأطيارُand the birds والand the
هل تُبصر الأشجارُ والأطيارُ وال
أزهارُflowers تِلْكَthose الخافِضاتِlowering الأرؤسِthe heads
أزهارُ تِلْكَ الخافِضاتِ الأرؤسِ
Do you see the trees, the birds, and the
flowers there, those that lower their heads?
تاللهِby God وهوَand He أَلِيَّتيmy oath وكَفَىand suffices بهِHe
تاللهِ وهوَ أَلِيَّتي وكَفَى بهِ
قَسَماًas an oath يُفَدَّىis ransomed بَرُّهits faithful keeping بالأنْفُسِwith lives
قَسَماً يُفَدَّى بَرُّه بالأنْفُسِ
By God—He is my oath, and He suffices
as an oath whose faithful keeping is ransomed with lives:
ماnot ذاكَthat منfrom سُكرٍdrunkenness ولاnor لِخَلاعَةٍfor debauchery
ما ذاكَ من سُكرٍ ولا لِخَلاعَةٍ
لكنْbut سجودُthe prostration of مُسَبِّحٍone who glorifies ومُقَدِّسِand one who sanctifies
لكنْ سجودُ مُسَبِّحٍ ومُقَدِّسِ
that is not from drunkenness, nor for debauchery,
but the prostration of one who glorifies and sanctifies,
شُكراًin thanks لمنto Him who بَرأcreated الوجودَexistence بُجودهthrough His generosity
شُكراً لمن بَرأ الوجودَ بُجوده
فثَنىso turned اليهtoward Him الكلُّall وجهَthe face of المُفْلِسِthe destitute one
فثَنى اليه الكلُّ وجهَ المُفْلِسِ
in thanks to Him who created existence through His generosity,
so all turned a pauper's face toward Him.
رفعHe raised السَّماthe sky سَقْفاًas a roof يَروقُdelights رُواؤُهits splendor
رفع السَّما سَقْفاً يَروقُ رُواؤُه
ودَحاand He spread بسيطَthe expanse of الأرضthe earth أوْثَرthe softest مَجْلسِseat
ودَحا بسيطَ الأرض أوْثَر مَجْلسِ
He raised the sky as a roof whose splendor delights,
and spread the earth's expanse as the softest place to sit,
ووَشىand He embroidered بأنواعwith varieties of المحاسِنِbeauties هذهِthis one
ووَشى بأنواع المحاسِنِ هذهِ
وأنارَand He illuminated هذيthis one بالجَواريwith the coursing stars الكُنَّسِthat hide away
وأنارَ هذي بالجَواري الكُنَّسِ
and embroidered this earth with varieties of beauty,
and lit this sky with the coursing stars that hide away,
وأدَرَّand He made flow أخْلافthe teats of العَطاءِbounty تَطوُّلاًas a gracious favor
وأدَرَّ أخْلاف العَطاءِ تَطوُّلاً
وأنالَand He bestowed فَضْلاًfavor مَنْon whoever يُطيعُobeys ومنand whoever يُسِيdoes wrong
وأنالَ فَضْلاً مَنْ يُطيعُ ومن يُسِي
and made the teats of bounty flow in gracious generosity,
and granted favor to those who obey and those who do wrong.
حتَّىuntil إذاwhen انتظمَwas harmoniously arranged الوُجودexistence بنسْبَةٍin due proportion
حتَّى إذا انتظمَ الوُجود بنسْبَةٍ
وكسَاهُand He clothed it ثَوْبَيْthe two robes of نُورهِits light والحِنْدِسِand deep darkness
وكسَاهُ ثَوْبَيْ نُورهِ والحِنْدِسِ
Until, when existence was arranged in due proportion,
and He clothed it in the two robes of its light and deep darkness,
واستكملتْand attained كلُّall النفوسthe souls كمالَهاtheir fullness
واستكملتْ كلُّ النفوس كمالَها
شَفعَHe supplemented العطاياthe gifts بالعَطاءwith the gift الأنْفَسِmost precious
شَفعَ العطايا بالعَطاء الأنْفَسِ
and every soul had attained its fullness,
He supplemented His gifts with the most precious gift:
بأجلِّwith the most exalted هادٍguide للخلائِقِfor all creatures مُرْشدٍrightly guiding
بأجلِّ هادٍ للخلائِقِ مُرْشدٍ
وأتمِّand the most complete نورٍlight للْخَلائقِfor all creatures مُقْبسِgiving illumination
وأتمِّ نورٍ للْخَلائقِ مُقْبسِ
with the most exalted guide, directing all creatures,
and the fullest light, giving illumination to all creatures,
بالمُصطفيwith the Chosen One المُهديbestowed إليناupon us رَحْمَةًas mercy
بالمُصطفي المُهدي إلينا رَحْمَةً
مَرْمَىthe goal of الرجاءِhope ومسْكَةand the support of المُتَيَئِّسِthe despairing person
مَرْمَى الرجاءِ ومسْكَة المُتَيَئِّسِ
with al-Mustafa, bestowed upon us as a mercy,
the goal of hope and the despairing one's support.
نِعَمٌblessings يضيقُfalls short الوَصْفُdescription عنof إحْصائِهاenumerating them
نِعَمٌ يضيقُ الوَصْفُ عن إحْصائِها
فَلَّblunted الخطيبُthe orator بهاwith them لِسانَthe tongue of الأوْجَسِthe apprehensive one
فَلَّ الخطيبُ بها لِسانَ الأوْجَسِ
Blessings too many for description to enumerate—
with these, the orator blunted the apprehensive one's tongue.
إيهٍgo on فحدثنيthen tell me حَديثَthe tale of هَواهُمُtheir love
إيهٍ فحدثني حَديثَ هَواهُمُ
ماhow أبْعَدَfar السُّلوانconsolation عنfrom قَلْبِthe heart of الأسيthe sorrowful one
ما أبْعَدَ السُّلوان عن قَلْبِ الأسي
Go on, then tell me the tale of their love;
how far consolation lies from the sorrowful heart!
إنif كنتُI was قدalready أحْسَنْتُdid well نعتَthe description of جَمالِهِمtheir beauty
إن كنتُ قد أحْسَنْتُ نعتَ جَمالِهِم
فَلَقَدْthen indeed سَهاwas heedless عَنِّيof me العَذُولُthe reproacher وقدand indeed نسيhas forgotten
فَلَقَدْ سَها عَنِّي العَذُولُ وقد نسي
If I have described their beauty well,
then the reproacher has overlooked me, and forgotten.
ماnot إنnegative emphasis دَعَوْكَthey called you بِبُلبلٍas a nightingale إِلّاexcept لِماbecause of what
ما إن دَعَوْكَ بِبُلبلٍ إِلّا لِما
قَدْindeed هِجْتَyou stirred منof بَلْبالِturmoil هذيthese الأنْفُسِsouls
قَدْ هِجْتَ من بَلْبالِ هذي الأنْفُسِ
They called you a nightingale only for the
turmoil you have stirred in these souls.
سُبْحانَglory to منHim who صَدَعproclaimed openly الجميعُall بِحَمْدِهِwith His praise
سُبْحانَ من صَدَع الجميعُ بِحَمْدِهِ
وبِشُكرهand with thanks to Him منwhether ناطقٍspeaking أوor أخْرسِmute
وبِشُكره من ناطقٍ أو أخْرسِ
Glory to Him—all proclaim His praise,
and give Him thanks, whether speaking or mute.
وامتدَّتِand stretched out الأطلالُthe ruins ساجدَةًprostrate لهbefore Him
وامتدَّتِ الأطلالُ ساجدَةً له
بجِبالِهاwith their mountains منwhether قائِمٍupright أوْor أقْعَسِbent backward
بجِبالِها من قائِمٍ أوْ أقْعَسِ
And the ruins stretched out, prostrate before Him,
with their mountains, upright or bent backward.
فإذاthen when تَراجَعَتِdrew back الطيورُthe birds وزايلتْand left
فإذا تَراجَعَتِ الطيورُ وزايلتْ
أَغْصانَهاtheir boughs بانَbecame distinct المُطيعُthe obedient one منfrom المُسيthe wrongdoer
أَغْصانَها بانَ المُطيعُ من المُسي
Then, when the birds draw back and leave
their boughs, the obedient is distinguished from the wrongdoer.
فيقولُso says ذاthis one سَكِرتْthey grew drunk لنغمةِat the melody of مُنْشِدٍa singer
فيقولُ ذا سَكِرتْ لنغمةِ مُنْشِدٍ
ويَقولُand says ذاthis one سَجَدتthey prostrated themselves لِذِكْرِat the invocation of مُقَدِّسِone who sanctifies
ويَقولُ ذا سَجَدت لِذِكْرِ مُقَدِّسِ
One says, 'They grew drunk on a singer's melody,'
and another says, 'They bowed down at a worshipper's invocation.'
كُلٌّeach يفُوهُspeaks بِذَوْقِهِaccording to his taste والحَقُّbut the truth لاdoes not
كُلٌّ يفُوهُ بِذَوْقِهِ والحَقُّ لا
يَخْفىremain hidden عَلىfrom نَظرِthe gaze of اللَّبيبِthe discerning person الأكْيَسِthe most sagacious
يَخْفى عَلى نَظرِ اللَّبيبِ الأكْيَسِ
Each speaks according to his own taste, but the truth does not
remain hidden from the gaze of the wise and most discerning.
Sol 6.1