لِمَنwhose العيسُthe pale camels لهاthey have فيin البيدthe deserts نفحُa swift rush
لِمَن العيسُ لها في البيد نفحُ
شَفَّهاwore them thin التأويبُdaylong travel وَالشَوقُand longing الملحُّinsistent
شَفَّها التأويبُ وَالشَوقُ الملحُّ
Whose are the pale camels, surging through the deserts?
For whom is the beauty whose fragrance wafts in the desert?
Daylong travel and insistent longing have worn them thin.
Whose lips are moistened by yearning and ardent longing,
ضُمَّرٌlean camels تمرحُprance شَوقاًwith longing فيin البُرىthe nose-rings
ضُمَّرٌ تمرحُ شَوقاً في البُرى
وَبهاand in them منfrom لاعجthe searing fire الأَشواقِof longings برحُtorment
وَبها من لاعج الأَشواقِ برحُ
Lean, they prance with longing in their nose-rings,
Who roams ardently in the wilderness, consumed by desire,
And the searing fire of yearning torments them.
And who plunges into the sea of passions without fatigue?
تقطعُcross الأَرضَthe earth وِهاداًhollows ورُبىand hills
تقطعُ الأَرضَ وِهاداً ورُبى
وَلَهاand they have فيin لجِّthe depths بَحرof the sea الآلِof mirage سَبحُswimming
وَلَها في لجِّ بَحر الآلِ سَبحُ
They cross the earth, through hollows and hills,
She traverses the land gently and at ease
And swim through the depths of the sea of mirage.
And swims in the deep waters effortlessly.
وإذاand when ماemphatic particle لاحَflashes بَرقٌlightning بالحِمىat the protected grounds
وإذا ما لاحَ بَرقٌ بالحِمى
وَهيand they تَعدوrun مَرَحاًjoyfully كادَتnearly تُلحُّbalk
وَهي تَعدو مَرَحاً كادَت تُلحُّ
And whenever lightning flashes over the protected grounds,
When lightning flashes in the darkness,
Running joyfully, they nearly balk.
And she trots playfully, almost flying.
ماwhat علىupon منthose who حَمَّلوهاthey loaded them قَمَراًa moon
ما على من حَمَّلوها قَمَراً
يَهتَديfinds its way الرَكبُthe caravan بهby it إِنif جَنَّenvelops جُنحُnight's darkness
يَهتَدي الرَكبُ به إِن جَنَّ جُنحُ
What would it cost those who set a moon upon them—
They likened her to the moon guiding lost travelers,
By which the caravan is guided when night's darkness falls—
If shadows crept and the darkness thickened.
لوif أَصاخواthey listened attentively للمُعَنّىto the tormented lover ساعةًfor a while
لو أَصاخوا للمُعَنّى ساعةً
يَشرحexplains الوَجدَpassion وهلand is there لِلوَجدِfor passion شَرحُan explanation
يَشرح الوَجدَ وهل لِلوَجدِ شَرحُ
To listen awhile to the tormented lover,
If they were to pause and contemplate the meaning,
Explaining his passion—yet can passion be explained?
It would relieve the passion, though passion has no relief.
خلَّفوهُthey left him behind عانياًcaptive لاnot يُفتَدىis ransomed
خلَّفوهُ عانياً لا يُفتَدى
منfrom هَواهhis love وَعليلاًand sick لاnot يَصِحُّrecovers
من هَواه وَعليلاً لا يَصِحُّ
They left him captive, never to be ransomed
They left him suffering, beyond ransom,
From his love, and sick, never to recover.
Enslaved by his love, beyond cure.
كَيفَhow يَقفوfollows إِثرَthe trail of منthose who قدalready ظعنواthey departed
كَيفَ يَقفو إِثرَ من قد ظعنوا
تابعاًin pursuit وَالدَمعُand tears للآثارthe tracks يَمحوerase
تابعاً وَالدَمعُ للآثار يَمحو
How can he follow the trail of those who have departed,
How can he follow those who have forsaken him,
In pursuit, while tears wipe out their tracks?
While tears erase their traces?
وَمَتىand when يَرجوhopes for التَسَلّيsolace مُغرَمٌa love-stricken man
وَمَتى يَرجو التَسَلّي مُغرَمٌ
يَنطَويfolds منهof him علىaround الأَحزانthe sorrows كَشحُa flank
يَنطَوي منه على الأَحزان كَشحُ
And when can a love-stricken man hope for solace,
When can the broken-hearted find consolation,
Whose flank enfolds his sorrows?
As sorrows fold around him like a bag?
كُلَّماwhenever حنَّyearned إِلىtoward السَفحthe slope هوىًout of love
كُلَّما حنَّ إِلى السَفح هوىً
بلَّdrenched ردنَيهhis two cuffs منfrom الأَجفانthe eyelids سَفحُa pouring flood
بلَّ ردنَيه من الأَجفان سَفحُ
Whenever love makes him yearn toward the slope,
Whenever he inclines toward the stream,
A flood from his eyelids drenches both his cuffs.
His tears hold him back from the eyelids' rim.
ماwhat لِوَرقاءِwith the gray dove الحِمىof the protected grounds لاmay she not صَدَحَتsing
ما لِوَرقاءِ الحِمى لا صَدَحَت
أَناI أَهوىI love وَهيَand she بالشَكوىin lamenting تلحُّpersists
أَنا أَهوى وَهيَ بالشَكوى تلحُّ
What ails the gray dove of the protected grounds—may she never sing!
Why are the gazelles of the sanctuary silent?
I am in love, while she persists in lamenting.
I yearn while she complains endlessly.
أَينَwhere مِنfrom شَوقيmy longing وَرقاءُthe gray dove الحِمىof the protected grounds
أَينَ مِن شَوقي وَرقاءُ الحِمى
للحِشاfor the heart صدعٌa rift وَلِلوَرقاءِand for the gray dove صَدحُa song
للحِشا صدعٌ وَلِلوَرقاءِ صَدحُ
How can the gray dove of the protected grounds match my longing?
Where is my passion, gazelles of the sanctuary?
The heart has a rift; the gray dove has a song.
The groves echo the deer while the gazelles resound.
وَدَفينُand the hidden part الشَوقof longing يُبديهreveals it الجَوىheartache
وَدَفينُ الشَوق يُبديه الجَوى
مِثلُlike سِرِّthe secret الزَندof the fire-stick إذwhen يوريهkindles it قَدحُa strike
مِثلُ سِرِّ الزَند إذ يوريه قَدحُ
And heartache reveals the buried longing,
Buried passion is revealed through the wounds
Like the fire-stick's secret, which a strike brings to flame.
As the spark reveals the secret essence of flint.
آهِah منat ذِكرىthe memory لُييلاتِlittle nights اللِوىal-Liwa
آهِ من ذِكرى لُييلاتِ اللِوى
حيثwhere أَهليmy people جيرَةٌneighbors وَالدَهرُand time صُلحُat peace
حيث أَهلي جيرَةٌ وَالدَهرُ صُلحُ
Ah, the memory of the little nights at al-Liwa,
Ah, the memory of nights of desire and bliss!
Where my people were neighbors and time was at peace!
While my people were neighbors and fate was kind.
هَكَذاthus تفدحُweigh heavily أَيّامُthe days النَوىof separation
هَكَذا تفدحُ أَيّامُ النَوى
كَمhow much لأَيّامfor the days النوىof separation بالبينthrough parting فَدحُcrushing burden
كَم لأَيّام النوى بالبين فَدحُ
Thus the days of separation weigh us down;
Such are the days of pining that flee,
How crushing the burden of parting in separation's days!
How many joys have vanished with separation!
وَعَناءٌand suffering فيin تَصاريفthe vicissitudes الهَوىof love
وَعَناءٌ في تَصاريف الهَوى
عاذِلٌa reproacher يَلحوscolds وأَشواقٌand longings تُلحُّinsist
عاذِلٌ يَلحو وأَشواقٌ تُلحُّ
And suffering lies in love's vicissitudes:
Torment comes with the course of passion,
A reproacher scolds, and longings persist.
Reproaching and longing persistently call.
ياO خَليليَّmy two friends اِبذلاoffer, you two نُصحَكماthe counsel of you both
يا خَليليَّ اِبذلا نُصحَكما
إِنif يكنthere is عندَكماwith you both للخلِّfor the friend نُصحُcounsel
إِن يكن عندَكما للخلِّ نُصحُ
My two friends, offer your counsel,
My two friends, offer sincere advice,
If you have any counsel for your friend.
If sincerity to the confidant can be found.
هَلhas قَضىfulfilled حقَّthe due التَصابيof youthful dalliance كَلِفٌan enamored man
هَل قَضى حقَّ التَصابي كَلِفٌ
هوhe بالروحwith his soul وحقِّand by the truth of اللَهِGod سَمحُgenerous
هو بالروح وحقِّ اللَهِ سَمحُ
Has a lovesick man given youthful dalliance its due—
Has the loyal fulfiller of promises been just?
One who, by God's truth, freely gives his soul?
By God, he is most generous and kind.
جدَّgrew earnest فيin الحُبِّlove بيَwith me الوَجدُpassion وقدand already
جدَّ في الحُبِّ بيَ الوَجدُ وقد
كانَwas ظَنّيmy belief أَنَّthat جدَّthe earnestness الحبّof love مَزحُjest
كانَ ظَنّي أَنَّ جدَّ الحبّ مَزحُ
Passion has grown earnest with me in love, though
Passion overwhelmed me, though I thought
I had thought love's earnestness was a jest.
The depths of love were jest and play.
وَالهَوىand love صَعبٌdifficult علىdespite عِلّاتهits ailments
وَالهَوى صَعبٌ على عِلّاته
وَقُصارىand the final outcome الحبِّof love إِكداءٌfailure وكَدحُand toil
وَقُصارى الحبِّ إِكداءٌ وكَدحُ
And love is hard, for all its ailments,
For passion's heat is hard to endure,
And love's final outcome is failure and toil.
And the utmost of love is toil and struggle.
غيرexcept أَنّيthat I بأَحاديثthrough tales الصِباof youth
غير أَنّي بأَحاديث الصِبا
نَحوَtoward لذّاتthe pleasures الصِباof youth وَاللَهوand diversion أَنحوI turn
نَحوَ لذّات الصِبا وَاللَهو أَنحو
Yet, through tales of youth, I
Yet I incline toward the pleasures of youth
Turn toward youth's pleasures and diversion.
And the enjoyments and games of boyhood.
لَستُI do not أَشكوI complain of لَفحَthe scorching نيرانof the fires الجَوىof heartache
لَستُ أَشكو لَفحَ نيران الجَوى
إِنif يكنthere is ليfor me منfrom رَسولthe Messenger اللَهof God نَفحُa waft of grace
إِن يكن لي من رَسول اللَه نَفحُ
I do not complain of the scorching fires of heartache,
I do not complain of the fires of passion
If I have a waft of grace from the Messenger of God.
If I can obtain the breath of God's Messenger.
سَيَّدُmaster الكونَينof the two worlds والمَولىand the patron الَّذيwho
سَيَّدُ الكونَين والمَولى الَّذي
غَمرَflooded الخلقَcreation لهhis are مَنٌّfavor ومَنحُand gifts
غَمرَ الخلقَ له مَنٌّ ومَنحُ
Master of the two worlds, and the patron whose
The Master of Both Worlds, the Guardian
Favor and gifts have flooded creation.
Who has immersed creation in His blessings.
بهرتdazzled آياتُهhis signs إِذwhen ظهرَتappeared
بهرت آياتُه إِذ ظهرَت
فَلَهاso they have بالسَعدwith good fortune إِشراقٌradiance ولَمحُand gleam
فَلَها بالسَعد إِشراقٌ ولَمحُ
His signs dazzled when they appeared;
His signs shone brilliantly when they appeared,
So they have an auspicious radiance and gleam.
Illuminating the horizon gloriously.
قامَrose يَجلوdispels ظُلَمَthe darknesses الكفرof unbelief بهاwith them
قامَ يَجلو ظُلَمَ الكفر بها
مثلماjust as يَجلوdispels ظَلامَthe darkness اللَيلِof night صُبحُdawn
مثلما يَجلو ظَلامَ اللَيلِ صُبحُ
He rose to dispel with them the darknesses of unbelief,
He dispelled the darkness of disbelief through them
As dawn dispels the darkness of night.
As the dawn dispels the blackness of night.
وَفَرىand slashed الشِركَidolatry بماضيهِwith his keen blade فَلَمso did not
وَفَرى الشِركَ بماضيهِ فَلَم
يُرأمُbe healed الدَهرَever لهof it مِنfrom بَعدafterward جُرحُa wound
يُرأمُ الدَهرَ له مِن بَعد جُرحُ
And he slashed idolatry with his keen blade, so
So polytheism saw its past faults and since then
Its wound has never healed in all the time since.
No wounds have touched it throughout time.
رجَحَoutweighed الخلقَcreation كمالاًin perfection فَلَهso his are
رجَحَ الخلقَ كمالاً فَلَه
النُهىthe intellect الأَرجَحُthe weightiest وَالقَولُand speech الأَصحُّthe soundest
النُهى الأَرجَحُ وَالقَولُ الأَصحُّ
He outweighed creation in perfection; thus his are
He brought Creation to perfection so He holds
The weightiest intellect and the soundest speech.
The most weighty prohibition and wisest word.
ولهand his is القِدحُthe lot-arrow المُعَلّىthe highest-valued فيin العُلىglory
وله القِدحُ المُعَلّى في العُلى
كلَّماwhenever فازَwins لذيfor one possessing العلياءِlofty rank قِدحُa lot-arrow
كلَّما فازَ لذي العلياءِ قِدحُ
And his is the highest lot-arrow in glory,
To Him belongs the sublime chalice in the Highest,
Whenever a lot-arrow wins for one of lofty rank.
Whenever the Most High attains victory, He drinks.
كَمhow many وَكَمand how many مِنof نِعمَةٍa blessing وَشَّحَهاhe draped it
كَم وَكَم مِن نِعمَةٍ وَشَّحَها
عاتقُthe shoulder الدهرof time بكفٍّwith a hand لاnot تَشحُّstints
عاتقُ الدهر بكفٍّ لا تَشحُّ
How many, how many blessings he has draped
How much grace has He bestowed bountifully,
Over time's shoulder, with a hand that never stints!
With an open palm that never withholds!
وَشَفىand he healed قَرحاًa wound بأسنىwith the loftiest هِمَّةٍresolve
وَشَفى قَرحاً بأسنى هِمَّةٍ
منfrom عُلاهُhis greatness حينwhen مَسَّtouched القومَthe people قَرحُinjury
من عُلاهُ حين مَسَّ القومَ قَرحُ
And he healed a wound with the loftiest resolve,
He healed the deepest wound with His noble resolve
Born of his greatness, when injury touched the people.
When affliction struck the people with its sting.
وإِذاand if خابَfailed لراجٍfor a hopeful man أَملٌa hope
وإِذا خابَ لراجٍ أَملٌ
فَلَهso he has عندwith رَسولthe Messenger اللَهِof God نُجحُsuccess
فَلَه عند رَسول اللَهِ نُجحُ
And if a hopeful man's hope fails,
And when hope fails for one who hopes,
So he finds success with the Messenger of God.
Salvation lies with the Messenger of God.
سَيِّدٌa master أَدنىthe least of مَزاياهُhis distinctions العُلىloftiness
سَيِّدٌ أَدنى مَزاياهُ العُلى
وأَقلُّand the least النَيلwhat is received منfrom جَدواهhis bounty سَحُّa downpour
وأَقلُّ النَيل من جَدواه سَحُّ
A master whose least distinction is loftiness,
A Master whose least trait is sublimity,
And the least one receives of his bounty is a downpour.
And the least gained from His bounty is plenty.
ياO رَسولَMessenger اللَهof God ياO مَنone who لمhas not يَزَلceased
يا رَسولَ اللَه يا مَن لم يَزَل
للوَرىfor humankind منfrom فَضلِهِhis bounty كسبٌgain وربحُand profit
للوَرى من فَضلِهِ كسبٌ وربحُ
O Messenger of God, O you through whom, forever,
O Messenger of God! You whose nobility
Humankind gains and profits from your bounty.
Has always brought the world gain and profit.
أَنتَyou أَنتَyou المُرتَجىthe one hoped for إِنif سَنحَتarises
أَنتَ أَنتَ المُرتَجى إِن سَنحَت
كُربَةٌdistress أَوor أَعوزَis lacking to الإِقبالَgood fortune سُنحُan auspicious omen
كُربَةٌ أَو أَعوزَ الإِقبالَ سُنحُ
You, you are the hope when there arises
You are the one hoped for if distress comes
Distress, or good fortune lacks a favorable omen.
Or the roads to success are blocked.
هبgrant لراجيكto one hoping in you وهَبهُand suppose him عاصياa sinner
هب لراجيك وهَبهُ عاصيا
أَينَwhere منكَfrom you اليومَtoday إِغضاءٌforbearance وَصَفحُand forgiveness
أَينَ منكَ اليومَ إِغضاءٌ وَصَفحُ
Give to one who hopes in you, even supposing him a sinner;
Show clemency to your errant supplicant
Where are your forbearance and forgiveness today?
Where today is your pardoning and forgiving?
واِنتقِدهُand free him منfrom يدthe hand البَينof separation الَّذيwhich
واِنتقِدهُ من يد البَين الَّذي
لَمhas not يَزَلceased يَشذبُهُpruning him جَوراًunjustly وَيَلحوand stripping bark
لَم يَزَل يَشذبُهُ جَوراً وَيَلحو
And free him from the hand of separation, which
Save him from the hands of separation that
Has kept unjustly pruning him and stripping his bark.
Has ceaselessly severed him ruthlessly.
أَدنِهِbring him near منكَto you جِواراًas a neighbor فَلَقَدfor indeed
أَدنِهِ منكَ جِواراً فَلَقَد
ضاقَnarrowed وَاللَهby God بهfor him فيin الهِندIndia فَسحُspaciousness
ضاقَ وَاللَه به في الهِند فَسحُ
Bring him near to dwell beside you, for truly
Bring him near to You in sanctuary, for
By God, India's wide spaces have grown cramped for him.
The vastness of India has straitened him.
وَقوافٍand rhymes قُدتُهاI led them طوعَobedient to يَديmy hand
وَقوافٍ قُدتُها طوعَ يَدي
بعدafter أَنthat أَعياhad wearied الوَرىhumankind منهنَّfrom them جَمحُwild bolting
بعد أَن أَعيا الوَرى منهنَّ جَمحُ
And rhymes I have led, obedient to my hand,
Destinies I can control through my hands
After their wild bolting had wearied humankind.
After the world was worn out by their tyranny.
يَحسدُenvies الروضُthe garden لآليthe pearls نَظمِهاof their stringing
يَحسدُ الروضُ لآلي نَظمِها
إِذas حَكاهاimitated them منfrom سَقيطthe falling drops الطَلِّof dew رشحُa sprinkling
إِذ حَكاها من سَقيط الطَلِّ رشحُ
The garden envies their strung pearls,
The garden envies their subtle composition,
As droplets of falling dew imitate them.
As soft rain describes them dripping from branches.
وَتَوَدُّand wishes الخودُthe young beauty إذwhen تُصغيlistens لهاto them
وَتَوَدُّ الخودُ إذ تُصغي لها
أَنَّهاthat they were فيon جيدِهاher neck طَوقٌa necklace ووشحُand sashes
أَنَّها في جيدِها طَوقٌ ووشحُ
And the young beauty, when she listens to them, wishes
The cheek wishes, as it listens to them,
They were a necklace and sashes about her neck.
That it were the necklace encircling his neck.
كُلُّevery غَرّاءَradiant verse اذاwhen ماemphatic particle أنشِدَتis recited
كُلُّ غَرّاءَ اذا ما أنشِدَت
زانَهاadorns it فيabout شيَمthe virtues المُختارof the Chosen One مَدحُpraise
زانَها في شيَم المُختار مَدحُ
Every radiant verse, whenever recited,
Every coquettish woman, when she recites them,
Is adorned by praise of the Chosen One's virtues.
Is adorned by the virtues of the chosen elite.
Sol 6.1