برقُlightning الحِمىthe sanctuary لاحَflashed مُجتازاًpassing across علىover الكثُبthe dunes
برقُ الحِمى لاحَ مُجتازاً على الكثُب
وَراحَand went يَسحبُdragging أَذيالاًskirts مِنof السُحبِthe clouds
وَراحَ يَسحبُ أَذيالاً مِن السُحبِ
The sanctuary's lightning flashed, passing over the dunes,
The lightning of passion flashed over the sand dunes
and went trailing skirts of cloud.
And it began to drag tails of clouds
أَضاءَit shone وَاللَيلُwhile night قدalready مُدَّتwas spread غياهبُهits deep darkness
أَضاءَ وَاللَيلُ قد مُدَّت غياهبُه
فاِنجابَso it parted عَنto reveal لهبٍa flame يَذكوblazes وعنand to reveal ذَهبِgold
فاِنجابَ عَن لهبٍ يَذكو وعن ذَهبِ
It shone while night's deep darkness lay outspread,
It shone and the night had extended its darkness
and the darkness parted to reveal a blazing flame and gold.
So it responded with a flame that flickers and with gold
فَماand no sooner تحدَّرَstreamed down دَمعُtears المزنِthe rain clouds منfrom فَرَقٍfear
فَما تحدَّرَ دَمعُ المزنِ من فَرَقٍ
حتّىthan تبسَّمsmiled ثغرُthe mouth of الرَوضِthe garden منfrom طربِdelight
حتّى تبسَّم ثغرُ الرَوضِ من طربِ
No sooner did the rain clouds' tears stream down in fear
The tear of sadness had not rolled down a cheek
than the garden's mouth smiled with delight.
Until the meadow's lip smiled with joy
وَغَنَّتand sang الورقُthe gray doves فيamong الأَفنانthe boughs مُطربةًstirring delight
وَغَنَّت الورقُ في الأَفنان مُطربةً
وَهَزَّتand shook الريحُthe wind أَعطافاًlimbs منof القُضبِthe branches
وَهَزَّت الريحُ أَعطافاً من القُضبِ
And the gray doves sang among the boughs, stirring delight,
And the leaves in the branches sang cheerfully
and the wind swayed the branches' limbs.
And the wind shook the boughs of the sedges
وَالصبحُand dawn خيَّمencamped فيacross الآفاقthe horizons عَسكرُهُits army
وَالصبحُ خيَّم في الآفاق عَسكرُهُ
وَاللَيلُand night أَزمعَresolved منfrom خَوفٍfear علىto الهَربِflight
وَاللَيلُ أَزمعَ من خَوفٍ على الهَربِ
And dawn's army encamped across the horizons,
And the morning pitched its army's tent on the horizons
and night resolved to flee in fear.
And the night crept away in fear of defeat
فَقُلتُso I said للصَحبto the companions قومواrise للصَبوحfor the morning wine بناwith us
فَقُلتُ للصَحب قوموا للصَبوح بنا
ياoh طيبَdelightfulness مُصطَبحmorning drinking فيهthere وَمُصطَحَبِand companionship
يا طيبَ مُصطَبح فيه وَمُصطَحَبِ
So I told my companions: Rise with us for the morning wine!
So I said to my companions, arise for the dawn with me
How sweet the morning drinking there, and the company!
O the fragrance of a beautiful morning and friends
واِستَضحكواand make laugh الدَهرTime عَنthrough لَهوٍrevelry فقدfor already ضحكتhas laughed
واِستَضحكوا الدَهر عَن لَهوٍ فقد ضحكت
كأَسُthe cup of المُدامةwine عَنrevealing ثَغرٍa mouth منof الحَبَبِbubbles
كأَسُ المُدامة عَن ثَغرٍ من الحَبَبِ
And make Time smile with revelry, for it has smiled—
And laugh at fate for you have laughed
the cup of wine, revealing a mouth of bubbles.
As the cup of wine laughed from a lip of loved one
فَقامthen rose يَسعىhurrying بهاwith it الساقيthe cupbearer مُشَعشَعةًlightly diluted
فَقام يَسعى بها الساقي مُشَعشَعةً
كأَنَّهاas though it were حَلَبُmilk drawn from العُتّابthe reproachers (as written) لاnot العِنَبِthe grapes
كأَنَّها حَلَبُ العُتّاب لا العِنَبِ
Then the cupbearer rose and hurried with the lightly diluted wine,
So the cupbearer came rushing with it glittering
as though it were milk drawn from the reproachers, not grapes.
As if it were the milk of the Pleiades not grapes
حَمراءُred تسطعُradiates نوراًlight فيin زجاجَتهاits glass
حَمراءُ تسطعُ نوراً في زجاجَتها
كالشَمسِlike the sun فيin البَدرthe full moon تَجلوdispels ظُلمةthe darkness of الكُربِsorrows
كالشَمسِ في البَدر تَجلو ظُلمة الكُربِ
Red, it radiates light within its glass,
Red, radiating light in its glass
like the sun within the full moon, dispelling sorrow's darkness.
Like the sun in the full moon dispelling the gloom of sorrows
وَراحَand began يثنيbending قَواماًa figure زانَهadorned it هَيَفٌa slender waist
وَراحَ يثني قَواماً زانَه هَيَفٌ
بمعطفٍwith a curving flank منfrom قضيبa slender shoot البانِthe bān tree مُقتَضَبِcut
بمعطفٍ من قضيب البانِ مُقتَضَبِ
And he swayed a figure graced with a slender waist,
And he swayed gracefully, adorned with a loose outer garment
with a curving flank cut from a bān-tree shoot.
Of striped fabric of the make of a well-tailored robe
فيamong فتيةٍyoung men يَتَجلّىhe shines forth بينهمamong them مَرَحاًmerrily
في فتيةٍ يَتَجلّى بينهم مَرَحاً
كأَنَّهas though he were البَدرُthe full moon بينamong الأَنجمthe stars الشُهبِbrilliant
كأَنَّه البَدرُ بين الأَنجم الشُهبِ
Among young men he shines forth in merriment,
Amongst youth in whom cheerfulness was manifest
as though he were the full moon among brilliant stars.
As if he were the full moon among shooting stars
مُهفهفُslender القدِّof stature مَعسولُhoney-sweet اللَمىdark lips ثَمِلٌtipsy
مُهفهفُ القدِّ مَعسولُ اللَمى ثَمِلٌ
يَتيهُhe struts بالحُسنِin beauty منfrom عُجبconceit ومنand from عَجَبِwonder
يَتيهُ بالحُسنِ من عُجب ومن عَجَبِ
Slender of stature, with honey-sweet dark lips, tipsy,
With swaying gait, sweet of gesture, plump
he struts in beauty, out of conceit and wonder.
Wandering in beauty and vanity and conceit
لاnot يَمزجُhe mixes الكأسَthe cup الّاexcept منfrom مَراشفِهhis lips
لا يَمزجُ الكأسَ الّا من مَراشفِه
فاِطربso rejoice لماin whatever شِئتَyou wish منof خمرٍwine ومنand of ضَرَبِwhite honey
فاِطرب لما شِئتَ من خمرٍ ومن ضَرَبِ
He mixes the cup with nothing but what comes from his lips;
He mixes the wine only from his casket
so delight in whatever you wish of wine and white honey.
So enjoy as much as you wish of wine and music
قَدindeed أَمكنتhave become available فُرَصُopportunities for اللذّاتpleasures فاِقضِso make up بهاthrough them
قَد أَمكنت فُرَصُ اللذّات فاِقضِ بها
ماwhat فاتَwas missed منكby you وَبادرand hasten to seize نُهزَةَthe opportunity for الغَلَبِvictory
ما فاتَ منك وَبادر نُهزَةَ الغَلَبِ
Opportunities for pleasure are at hand; use them to make up
The opportunities for pleasures are available so seize them
what you have missed, and seize the opportunity for victory.
And make up for what you missed and anticipate the common fate
واِغنَمand seize زمانَكَyour time ماwhile صَافاكَit favors you مُنتهِباًsnatching
واِغنَم زمانَكَ ما صَافاكَ مُنتهِباً
أَيّامَthe days of صَفوِكَyour serenity نَهباًas plunder منfrom يَدِthe hand of النوَبِcalamities
أَيّامَ صَفوِكَ نَهباً من يَدِ النوَبِ
And seize your time while it favors you, snatching
And utilize your time while it passes you by plundering
your days of serenity as plunder from calamity's hand.
The days of your prime plundered by the claws of time
ولاand do not تَشُبtaint مَورِداًa spring للأنسof joy فزتَyou succeeded بهin attaining it
ولا تَشُب مَورِداً للأنس فزتَ به
بِذكرِby recalling ماwhat قَدalready قَضىpassed فيin سالفbygone الحُقبِages
بِذكرِ ما قَد قَضى في سالف الحُقبِ
And do not taint a spring of joy that you have gained
And do not water at a place of companionship and so go early
by recalling what has passed in bygone ages.
With the memory of what has passed in previous eras
أَنَّthat الزَمانَtime علىin الحالينِboth states مُنقلِبٌchanging
أَنَّ الزَمانَ على الحالينِ مُنقلِبٌ
وَهَلand have رأَيتَyou seen زَماناًa time غَيرَnot مُنقلِبِchanging
وَهَل رأَيتَ زَماناً غَيرَ مُنقلِبِ
Time is changeable in either state;
That time turns back and forth on the two conditions
and have you ever seen a time that does not change?
And have you seen a time other than fickle?
وإنَّماand only المَرءُa man مَنone who وفَّتهgranted him in full همَّتُهُhis resolve
وإنَّما المَرءُ مَن وفَّته همَّتُهُ
حظَّيهِhis two shares فيin الدَهرِlife مِنof جِدٍّearnestness ومنand of لَعبِplay
حظَّيهِ في الدَهرِ مِن جِدٍّ ومن لَعبِ
A man is only he whose resolve grants him in full
But man is only given what his resolve grants him
his two shares in life: earnestness and play.
As his fortune in fate, of seriousness and of play
كَمhow often قلَّبتنيtossed me about اللَياليthe nights فيin تصرُّفهاtheir turnings
كَم قلَّبتني اللَيالي في تصرُّفها
فَكُنتُand I was قُرَّةَthe delight of عَينِthe eye of الفَضلِexcellence والأَدبِand letters
فَكُنتُ قُرَّةَ عَينِ الفَضلِ والأَدبِ
How often the nights have tossed me about in their turnings,
How the nights have tossed me around in their procession
and I was the delight of the eye of excellence and letters.
And I was the delight of merit and propriety
تَزيدُنيenhance me نوبُvicissitudes الأَيّامthe days مكرُمةًhonor
تَزيدُني نوبُ الأَيّام مكرُمةً
كأَنَّنيas though I were الذَهبُgold الإبريزpure فيin اللَهبِthe flame
كأَنَّني الذَهبُ الإبريز في اللَهبِ
The vicissitudes of the days increase my honor,
The days increase me in honor and favor
as though I were pure gold in the flame.
As if I were Indian gold in the flames
لاnot أَستَريبُI doubt بعينِabout the essence of الحقِّtruth أَدفعُهI reject it
لا أَستَريبُ بعينِ الحقِّ أَدفعُه
ولاand not أُرابُam I made doubtful بغَينby the haze of الشَكِّdoubt والريبِand misgiving
ولا أُرابُ بغَين الشَكِّ والريبِ
I do not doubt truth itself so as to reject it,
I do not avert the truth even if it hurts
nor am I unsettled by the haze of doubt and misgiving.
Nor do I doubt with the eye of suspicion and doubt
لَقَدindeed طَلبتُI sought العُلىthe heights حتّىuntil اِنتهيتُI reached إِلىto
لَقَد طَلبتُ العُلى حتّى اِنتهيتُ إِلى
ماwhat لاnot يُنالُcan be attained فَكانَتso it was مُنتهىthe utmost of أَرَبيmy desire
ما لا يُنالُ فَكانَت مُنتهى أَرَبي
I sought the heights until I reached
I have sought the sublime until I attained
what cannot be attained, and that was my desire's utmost end.
That which cannot be attained, so it was the limit of my hopes
حسبيsufficient for me منof الشَرفhonor العلياloftiest أَرومَتهُits root
حسبي من الشَرف العليا أَرومَتهُ
أَنthat أَنتَميI trace my lineage لِنظامto Nizam الدينal-Din فيin حَسبيmy noble ancestry
أَن أَنتَمي لِنظام الدين في حَسبي
The loftiest root of honor is enough for me:
It sufficed me of honor, I aspired for the highest
that my noble lineage traces back to Nizam al-Din.
That I belong to the order of faith in my lineage
هَذاthis أَبيmy father حينwhen يُعزىis traced سيِّدٌa noble لأبٍto a father
هَذا أَبي حين يُعزى سيِّدٌ لأبٍ
هَيهاتfar from it ماnot لِلوَرىfor humankind ياO دَهرُTime مثلthe like of أَبيmy father
هَيهات ما لِلوَرى يا دَهرُ مثل أَبي
This is my father, when a noble is traced to a father.
This is my father when a master is consoled for a father
Never! O Time, mankind has none like my father.
Alas! The world, o fate, has no one like my father
قُطبٌan axis عليهon it رَحىthe mill of العَلياءglory دائِرَةٌturning
قُطبٌ عليه رَحى العَلياء دائِرَةٌ
وَهَلand does تَدورُturn الرَحىthe mill الّاexcept عَلىon القُطُبِthe axis
وَهَل تَدورُ الرَحى الّا عَلى القُطُبِ
An axis around which the mill of glory turns—
A pole around whom the millstone of the eminent rotates
and does a mill turn on anything but its axis?
Does the millstone rotate except around a pole?
كاللَيثِlike the lion والغَيثِand the rain فيin عَزمٍresolve وفيand in كَرَمٍgenerosity
كاللَيثِ والغَيثِ في عَزمٍ وفي كَرَمٍ
وَالزَهرِand flowers والدَهرِand Time فيin بِشرcheerfulness وفيand in غَضَبِanger
وَالزَهرِ والدَهرِ في بِشر وفي غَضَبِ
Like the lion and the rain in resolve and generosity,
Like a lion and rain in determination and in generosity
and like flowers and Time in cheerfulness and anger.
And flowers and time in cheer and anger
مُملَّكٌa sovereign تَهَبُgives الآلافَthousands راحتُهhis palm
مُملَّكٌ تَهَبُ الآلافَ راحتُه
فَكَمand how often أَغاثَتit relieved بجَدواهاwith its bounty منfrom التَعَبِdistress
فَكَم أَغاثَت بجَدواها من التَعَبِ
A sovereign whose palm gives thousands,
A ruler whom thousands repose comfortably in his care
how often its bounty has brought rescue from distress!
So how much distress has his struggle relieved?
أَضحَتbecame بهthrough him الهِندُIndia للأَلبابِof minds سالبةًa ravisher
أَضحَت به الهِندُ للأَلبابِ سالبةً
كأَنَّهاas though she were هِندُHind ذاتُpossessed of الدلِّcoquetry والشَنَبِand pearly teeth
كأَنَّها هِندُ ذاتُ الدلِّ والشَنَبِ
Through him India has become a ravisher of minds,
By him India seemed to the wise
as though she were Hind, with coy charm and pearly teeth.
Like an India with sagacity and glory
مولىًa lord إِذاwhen حَلَّarrives مُحتاجٌa needy person بساحتِهat his courtyard
مولىً إِذا حَلَّ مُحتاجٌ بساحتِه
أَغناهُmakes him self-sufficient نائلهُhis bounty عَنwithout need of وابِلٍa downpour سَرِبِfreely flowing
أَغناهُ نائلهُ عَن وابِلٍ سَرِبِ
A lord: when a needy person enters his courtyard,
A master - if one in need resides in his abode
his bounty frees him from need of a streaming downpour.
He enriches and fulfils him without a pouring rain
تَرىyou see مَدىthroughout الدَهرtime منfrom أفضالهhis favors عجباًwonders
تَرى مَدى الدَهر من أفضاله عجباً
فَنَحنُso we كُلَّall شهورِthe months of الدَهرtime فيin رَجَبِRajab
فَنَحنُ كُلَّ شهورِ الدَهر في رَجَبِ
Throughout time you see wonders from his favors,
You see the extent of time in wonders from his virtues
so in every month of time we live in Rajab.
While we are in all the months of time in spring
رَقىhe ascended مِنof الذِروةالعَلياءِthe loftiest summit شامخَهاits towering peak
رَقى مِن الذِروةالعَلياءِ شامخَها
وحلَّand settled مِنamong هاشِمٍHashim فيin أَرفَعthe highest الرُتَبِranks
وحلَّ مِن هاشِمٍ في أَرفَع الرُتَبِ
He scaled the towering crest of the loftiest summit,
He ascended the highest pinnacle
and took the highest rank in Hashim's line.
And settled from Hashim at the highest rank
حاميdefender الحَقيقةِhonor مِنfrom قَومٍa people نوالهُمُtheir bounty
حامي الحَقيقةِ مِن قَومٍ نوالهُمُ
يَسعىhastens الىto مُعتقيهthose who set it free سَعيwith the striving of مُكتسِبِa seeker of gain
يَسعى الى مُعتقيه سَعي مُكتسِبِ
A defender of honor, from a people whose bounty
Defender of the truth from a people whose habit
hastens to those who set it free, like a seeker of gain.
Is to strive to their protector with earning effort
الباسمُsmiling الثَغرِof mouth والأَبصارُwhile eyes خاشعةٌlowered in awe
الباسمُ الثَغرِ والأَبصارُ خاشعةٌ
والحَربand war تُعولُwails والفُرسانُand the horsemen بالحَرَبِin fury
والحَرب تُعولُ والفُرسانُ بالحَرَبِ
Smiling of mouth while eyes are lowered in awe,
The smiling lip and the downcast eyes
and war wails while the horsemen seethe with fury,
And war howls and the horsemen with war
يَقومُhe stands فيin حَومةthe thick of الهَيجاءِbattle مُنفرداًalone
يَقومُ في حَومة الهَيجاءِ مُنفرداً
يَومَon the day of الكِفاحcombat مَقامin the place of العَسكرthe army اللَجِبِclamorous
يَومَ الكِفاح مَقام العَسكر اللَجِبِ
he stands alone in the thick of battle,
He stands alone in the fury of battle
on the day of combat, taking the place of a clamorous army.
On the day of struggle, in the position of the solid battalion
لَوif قابَلتهfaced him أُسودُthe lions of الغابthe forest مُشبلةًwith cubs
لَو قابَلته أُسودُ الغاب مُشبلةً
لأَدبرَتthey would surely retreat نادِماتٍregretful كَيفَhow لمdid not تَغِبِstay away
لأَدبرَت نادِماتٍ كَيفَ لم تَغِبِ
Were the forest lions, with their cubs, to confront him,
If lionesses of the forest met him baring fangs
they would flee, regretting that they had not stayed away.
They would turn away regretting they had not fled
يَفنىruns out المَقالُspeech وَلاbut not تَفنىrun out مدائحهُhis praises
يَفنى المَقالُ وَلا تَفنى مدائحهُ
نظماًin verse ونثراًand prose منin الأَشعارpoems والخُطَبِand orations
نظماً ونثراً من الأَشعار والخُطَبِ
Speech runs out, but his praises never run out,
Poetry falls short, his praises do not fade
in verse and prose, in poems and orations.
In prose or verse, of poems and sermons
لاnot زالَcease to be غَوثاًsuccor لِمَلهوفٍfor the distressed ومُعتَصماًand a refuge
لا زالَ غَوثاً لِمَلهوفٍ ومُعتَصماً
لخائِفٍfor the fearful وَنجاةَand salvation for الهالِكِthe doomed العَطِبِthe ruined
لخائِفٍ وَنجاةَ الهالِكِ العَطِبِ
May he never cease to be succor for the distressed and a refuge
He remains a succor to the anguished, and a protection
for the fearful, and salvation for the doomed and ruined,
For the frightened, and safety for the stricken
ماas long as رَنَّحتswayed نَسماتُthe breezes of الريحthe wind غصنَa bough on رُبىًthe hills
ما رَنَّحت نَسماتُ الريح غصنَ رُبىً
وأومضَand flashed البَرقُlightning مُجتازاًpassing across علىover الكُثُبِthe dunes
وأومضَ البَرقُ مُجتازاً على الكُثُبِ
as long as the wind's breezes sway a hillside bough
The breezes of the wind have not fluttered a branch of basil
and lightning flashes, passing over the dunes.
And the lightning did not flash over the sand dunes
Sol 6.1