سَريرَةُthe secret شَوقٍof yearning فيin الهَوىlove منwho أَذاعَهاrevealed it
سَريرَةُ شَوقٍ في الهَوى من أَذاعَها
وَمهجةُand the heart صبٍّof a lovesick lover بالنَّوىthrough separation منwho أَضاعَهاsquandered it
وَمهجةُ صبٍّ بالنَّوى من أَضاعَها
Who has revealed the secret of yearning in love?
The secret longing in passion, for whoever divulged it,
And who has squandered a lovesick heart through separation?
And the fervent love in purpose, for whoever wasted it.
أَفيis there in كُلِّevery يَومٍday للبعادِof separation ملمَّةٌa calamity
أَفي كُلِّ يَومٍ للبعادِ ملمَّةٌ
تُلمُّbefalls بناus لاnot نَستَطيعُwe can دفاعَهاwarding it off
تُلمُّ بنا لا نَستَطيعُ دفاعَها
Does every day bring a calamity of separation
Does separation assault us daily
that befalls us and that we cannot ward off?
Afflicting us, while we cannot defend against it?
فَلِلَّهso, to God جمعٌa company فرَّقscattered البينُparting شملَهits unity
فَلِلَّه جمعٌ فرَّق البينُ شملَه
وإِلفةُand the fellowship صَحبٍof companions قدalready أَبادdestroyed اِجتماعَهاits togetherness
وإِلفةُ صَحبٍ قد أَباد اِجتماعَها
By God, that company whose unity parting scattered,
So for God is the gathering He dispersed,
and that fellowship of companions whose gathering it destroyed,
And the fellowship of companions He made perish.
وَساعاتُand hours أُنسٍof intimacy كانwas لَهواًamusement حديثُهاtheir conversation
وَساعاتُ أُنسٍ كان لَهواً حديثُها
سَقىmay ... water اللَهGod هاتيكthose اللَياليnights وَساعَهاand their hours
سَقى اللَه هاتيك اللَيالي وَساعَها
and those hours of intimacy whose talk was delight!
And hours of intimacy, while its discourse was distraction,
May God water those nights and their hours.
May God water those nights and ordain its hours.
ولاand no مثلَone like لَيلىLayla إِنif تبدَّتshe appeared عشيَّةًat dusk
ولا مثلَ لَيلى إِن تبدَّت عشيَّةً
مددتُI stretched لهاtoward her كفّيmy palm أُريدُI seek وداعَهاher farewell
مددتُ لها كفّي أُريدُ وداعَها
And none was like Layla when she appeared at dusk;
And none compares to Layla, if she appears at nightfall,
I stretched my hand toward her, seeking to bid her farewell.
I extend my palms desiring to bid her farewell.
وَقَدand already أَقبلَتshe approached تُذريshe sheds الدموعَtears تلهُّفاًin anguish
وَقَد أَقبلَت تُذري الدموعَ تلهُّفاً
إِذاwhen هتفَcried out الداعيthe caller إِلىfor البينparting راعَهاfrightened her
إِذا هتفَ الداعي إِلى البين راعَها
She had come forward, shedding tears in anguish;
And she came, shedding tears profusely,
when the caller cried for parting, he frightened her.
When the caller calls to separation, awakening its clamor.
أَشاعَتscattered بناus abroad أَيديthe hands of الفراقseparation فأَصبحتso they began
أَشاعَت بنا أَيدي الفراق فأَصبحت
تؤمُّmake for بناwith us شُمَّlofty الذُرىsummits وَتلاعَهاand their hills
تؤمُّ بنا شُمَّ الذُرى وَتلاعَها
The hands of separation scattered us, then began
The hands of estrangement have dispersed us, so we wake
to lead us toward towering peaks and their hills.
To the smell of camphor and its dispersion.
نجوبُwe traverse قِفاراًwastes ماnot وقفناwe halted بقاعِهاon their plains
نجوبُ قِفاراً ما وقفنا بقاعِها
وَنقطعُand we cross بيداًdeserts ماnot حلَلناwe camped بقاعهاon their flats
وَنقطعُ بيداً ما حلَلنا بقاعها
We traverse wastes on whose plains we have not halted,
We traverse the barrens whose regions we never stood,
and cross deserts on whose flats we have not camped.
And cross the deserts whose grounds we never trod.
تَميلُsway بناwith us الأَكوارُcamel-saddles لَيلاًat night كأَنَّناas though we
تَميلُ بنا الأَكوارُ لَيلاً كأَنَّنا
نَشاوىdrunk سُلافٍon pure wine قدalready أَدَمناwe kept up اِرتضاعَهاsuckling it
نَشاوى سُلافٍ قد أَدَمنا اِرتضاعَها
At night the camel-saddles sway with us, as though we were
The horizons incline us at night as though we
drunk on pure wine we had kept on suckling.
Were suckling infants who persisted in suckling.
إِذاwhen نفحتناbreathed upon us نسمةٌa breeze حاجريَّةٌfrom Hajir
إِذا نفحتنا نسمةٌ حاجريَّةٌ
أَجدَّتrenewed وَهاجَتand roused للنُفوسِin the souls اِلتياعَهاtheir burning anguish
أَجدَّت وَهاجَت للنُفوسِ اِلتياعَها
Whenever a breeze from Hajir breathes upon us,
When the morning breeze blows,
it renews and rouses the souls' burning anguish.
It excites and rages, appeasing our souls.
فَمِنso among مهجةٍa heart لاnot يتسقرُّbecomes settled قرارُهاits rest
فَمِن مهجةٍ لا يتسقرُّ قرارُها
ومنand among كبدٍa liver نَخشىwe fear عليهاfor it اِنصداعَهاits splitting apart
ومن كبدٍ نَخشى عليها اِنصداعَها
Some hearts find no settled rest,
Of a fervor that knows no peace,
and some livers we fear will split apart.
And a heart we fear will shatter.
تجاذبُناtug against us for فضلَthe slack of الأَزمَّةِthe reins ضُمَّرٌlean camels
تجاذبُنا فضلَ الأَزمَّةِ ضُمَّرٌ
أَهاجroused نزاعthe pull of البينparting وجداًwith longing نزاعَهاtheir tugging
أَهاج نزاع البين وجداً نزاعَها
Lean camels contend with us for the slack of the reins;
The excess of affliction contends us,
parting's pull has roused their tugging with longing.
Inciting the pain of estrangement and its ardour.
نَقيسُwe measure بهاwith them طولَthe length of الفلاةthe wilderness وَعَرضَهاand its breadth
نَقيسُ بها طولَ الفلاة وَعَرضَها
عشيّاًat dusk إِذاwhen مدَّتthey stretch لخَطوٍfor a stride ذراعَهاtheir forelegs
عشيّاً إِذا مدَّت لخَطوٍ ذراعَها
With them we measure the wilderness's length and breadth,
By it we measure the length and breadth of desolation
at dusk, when they stretch their forelegs for a stride.
At night, when it extends its steps an arm’s length.
يَقولsay أصَيحابيmy dear companions وقدand already جدَّتgrew strenuous السُرىnight travel
يَقول أصَيحابي وقد جدَّت السُرى
وأوفتهمand gave them in full أَيديthe forelegs of الركائِبthe camels صاعَهاtheir measure
وأوفتهم أَيدي الركائِب صاعَها
My dear companions say, as night travel grows strenuous,
My companions say, when the journey was harsh
and the camels' forelegs have given them their full measure:
And the hands of mounts had burdened them,
أَفيقواcome to your senses فقدfor already شطَّhas grown distant المَرامُthe goal ولاand not نَرىwe see
أَفيقوا فقد شطَّ المَرامُ ولا نَرى
سوىexcept تَلَعاتٍhills قدalready سَئِمناwe have tired of اِفتراعَهاclimbing them
سوى تَلَعاتٍ قد سَئِمنا اِفتراعَها
Come to your senses! The goal is far away, and we see
“Awaken, for the goal had fled, and we only see
only hills we have grown weary of climbing.
Worn-out camels we have tired of driving.”
فَقُلتُso I said لهمto them سيرواtravel سِراعاًswiftly وَقلقِلواand set in motion
فَقُلتُ لهم سيروا سِراعاً وَقلقِلوا
عِرابَthe purebred ones of المَطاياthe mounts واِستحثّواand urge on سِراعَهاtheir swift ones
عِرابَ المَطايا واِستحثّوا سِراعَها
So I told them: Travel swiftly, and set in motion
So I said, “Hasten, agitate the camels’ gear
the purebred mounts; urge on their swift ones,
And quicken their pace.”
لِنَحظىso we may gain منfrom الدُنياthe world بأَوفرwith the fullest حظِّهاits share
لِنَحظى من الدُنيا بأَوفر حظِّها
وَنشهدَand we witness أَوصافاًqualities عَشِقناwe loved اِستماعَهاhearing of them
وَنشهدَ أَوصافاً عَشِقنا اِستماعَها
so that we may gain the world's fullest share,
That we may gain the most of life,
and behold qualities whose telling we have loved,
And hear descriptions we yearned to hear.
وَننزلَand we dismount عنfrom أَيديthe forelegs of الركابthe riding camels نُريحهاwe give them rest
وَننزلَ عن أَيدي الركاب نُريحها
وَنشكرَand we thank فيناtoward us ماas long as بقيناwe remain alive اِصطناعَهاtheir kindness
وَنشكرَ فينا ما بقينا اِصطناعَها
and dismount, giving the camels' forelegs rest,
And dismount, giving our rides rest,
and thank them for their kindness to us as long as we live,
Thanking what remains of our making.
بأَرحبin the broadest أَرضٍland لاnot يُسامىis rivaled عَلاؤُهاits eminence
بأَرحب أَرضٍ لا يُسامى عَلاؤُها
وَأَسمىand the loftiest ربوعٍabodes لاnot نَملُّwe tire of اِرتباعَهاdwelling in them
وَأَسمى ربوعٍ لا نَملُّ اِرتباعَها
in the broadest land, whose eminence none can rival,
To the most expansive land whose heights are peerless,
and the loftiest abodes, where we never tire of dwelling—
And the loftiest meadows whose breadth we never tire exploring.
بسوحin the courts of نِظامNizam الدينal-Din (the faith) واِبنand the son of نظامِهhis Nizam
بسوح نِظام الدين واِبن نظامِه
كَريمٌa generous man بهthrough him مدَّتstretched يَدُthe hand of المجدglory باعَهاits armspan
كَريمٌ به مدَّت يَدُ المجد باعَها
in the courts of Nizam al-Din and the son of his Nizam—
In the plains of governance and its heir apparent
a generous man through whom glory's hand has stretched its span,
A generous one, through whom the hand of glory extended its reach.
همامa valiant man إِليهto him الدَهرTime أَلقىcast زمامَهits reins
همام إِليه الدَهر أَلقى زمامَه
إِذاwhen عُصيare defied الأَقوامُpeoples كانhe was مُطاعَهاthe one they obey
إِذا عُصي الأَقوامُ كان مُطاعَها
a valiant man to whom Time has cast its reins;
The reins of fate are handed over to him
when men are defied, he is the one they obey.
When people disobey, it is he they obey.
أَنارَتshone شُموسُthe suns of المَكرُماتnoble deeds بأفقهon his horizon
أَنارَت شُموسُ المَكرُمات بأفقه
فأَلقَتso they cast علىupon كُلِّall الأَنامhumankind شُعاعَهاtheir rays
فأَلقَت على كُلِّ الأَنام شُعاعَها
The suns of noble deeds have shone on his horizon,
The suns of favors rise on his horizon,
and cast their rays upon all humankind.
Shedding their rays on all mankind.
لهhe has يدُa hand of فَضلٍbounty لاnot تُبارىis rivaled سَماحةًin generosity
له يدُ فَضلٍ لا تُبارى سَماحةً
إِذاwhen ماever نَباfailed غيثٌrain رجونwe hope for اِندفاعَهاits outpouring
إِذا ما نَبا غيثٌ رجون اِندفاعَها
His is a hand of bounty unmatched in generosity;
He has a hand of excellence that is unmatched in generosity
when rain fails, we hope for that hand's outpouring.
Whenever heavy rain pours, they wish for its downpour.
مواهبُgifts لاnot تنفكُّcease تَحدوdrive on مَواهِباًfurther gifts
مواهبُ لا تنفكُّ تَحدو مَواهِباً
تَنالُgain غمارُthe depths of البحرthe sea منّاfrom us اتِّساعَهاtheir vastness
تَنالُ غمارُ البحر منّا اتِّساعَها
Gifts never cease to drive on further gifts;
Unending gifts that vie to outdo gifts,
the sea's depths gain their vastness from us.
We seek from the sea the breadth of its flow.
إِذاif اِنقطَعتcease يَوماًone day شآبيبُthe showers of مزنةٍa raincloud
إِذا اِنقطَعت يَوماً شآبيبُ مزنةٍ
فأَيديthen the hands of نَداهhis bounty لاnot تخافyou fear اِنقطاعَهاtheir ceasing
فأَيدي نَداه لا تخاف اِنقطاعَها
If one day a raincloud's showers cease,
If one day the rainclouds of munificence recede,
you need not fear the hands of his bounty ceasing.
The hands of his bounty have no fear of receding.
بهthrough him أَينعَتripened روضُthe gardens of المَكارِمnoble virtues والنَدىand bounty
به أَينعَت روضُ المَكارِم والنَدى
وَشادَتand raised مَبانيthe structures of كلِّevery عِزٍّglory رباعَهاtheir abodes
وَشادَت مَباني كلِّ عِزٍّ رباعَها
Through him the gardens of virtues and bounty have ripened,
Through him the meadows of chivalry and dew flourished,
and the structures of every glory have raised their abodes.
And the structures of glory and might fortified their foundations.
أَعزّexalted ذَويthose possessing الإِفضالgenerosity والبأسand valor فضلُهhis excellence
أَعزّ ذَوي الإِفضال والبأس فضلُه
فقلso tell للّياليthe nights لاnot to تغرَّdelude رَعاعَهاtheir rabble
فقل للّيالي لا تغرَّ رَعاعَها
His excellence has exalted those endowed with bounty and valor;
His excellence ennobles the excellent of merit and courage,
so tell the nights not to delude their rabble.
So say to the nights, “Do not delude with your brews.”
لهto him أذعَنَتsubmitted شمسُthe unruly ones among العُداةthe enemies مهابَةًin awe
له أذعَنَت شمسُ العُداة مهابَةً
وَلَمand did not يَخشَhe fear لَوeven if لَمnot تستذلَّthey were subdued اِمتناعهاtheir resistance
وَلَم يَخشَ لَو لَم تستذلَّ اِمتناعها
The unruly among his foes have submitted to him in awe,
To him the refractory sun yields in awe,
and he would not fear their resistance even were they not subdued.
Unafraid even if it disdained to submit.
وَذَلَّتand bowed لهto him الدُنياthe world فأَلقَتso it cast down قيادَهاits reins
وَذَلَّت له الدُنيا فأَلقَت قيادَها
لطاعَتِهِin obedience to him حتّىuntil أَمِنّاwe were safe from خِداعَهاits deceit
لطاعَتِهِ حتّى أَمِنّا خِداعَها
The world bowed to him and cast down its reins
The world yielded to him, handing him its reins,
in obedience to him, until we were safe from its deceit.
Until we felt safe from its deceit.
تباريrival النجومَthe stars الزُهرَbrilliant زُهرُthe gleaming ones of نصالِهhis blades
تباري النجومَ الزُهرَ زُهرُ نصالِه
إِذاwhen راحَhe went forth يَحميhe kindles وقعَهاtheir strokes وَقِراعَهاand their clashes
إِذا راحَ يَحمي وقعَها وَقِراعَها
His gleaming blades rival the brilliant stars
The stars vie with the blossoms of his sword
when he goes forth, kindling their strokes and clashes.
When it sets out to protect them with its clanking reverberations.
وَتهزأand mock بالخَطّيِّat Khatti spears أَقلامُthe pens of خطِّهhis handwriting
وَتهزأ بالخَطّيِّ أَقلامُ خطِّه
إِذاwhen ماever حَوَتheld يُمناهhis right hand يَوماًone day يَراعهاtheir reed-pen
إِذا ما حَوَت يُمناه يَوماً يَراعها
His writing-pens scoff at Khatti spears
And his pen mocks the transcriber’s
when his right hand takes up their reed-pen one day.
If his right hand encompasses transcribing it one day.
أَربَّO lord of النَدىbounty وَالفضلand excellence والمجدand glory والحجاand wisdom
أَربَّ النَدى وَالفضل والمجد والحجا
وَناظمَand arranger of أَشتاتِthe scattered parts of العُلىeminence وَجِماعَهاand its whole
وَناظمَ أَشتاتِ العُلى وَجِماعَها
O lord of bounty, excellence, glory, and wisdom,
He compiled generosity, glory, honor and eminence,
and arranger of honor's scattered parts and its whole,
And arranged the dispersed pearls of the sublime and their collection.
لأَنتَsurely you الَّذيwho أَحرزتَyou attained فيamong الخَلقcreation رتبةًa rank
لأَنتَ الَّذي أَحرزتَ في الخَلق رتبةً
تودُّwish الدراريthe brilliant stars لَوthat تَنالthey could reach اِرتفاعَهاits height
تودُّ الدراري لَو تَنال اِرتفاعَها
you are indeed the one who has attained among creation a rank
You are the one who attained the highest rank among mankind,
whose height the brilliant stars wish they could reach.
Which the magnificent wish they could attain.
إِليكtoward you حَثَثناwe urged on كلَّevery كَوماءhigh-humped she-camel بازلٍfull-grown
إِليك حَثَثنا كلَّ كَوماء بازلٍ
وَجُبناand we traversed القفارwastes البيدَdesolate نبسرُwe cross قاعَهاtheir level ground
وَجُبنا القفار البيدَ نبسرُ قاعَها
Toward you we urged every high-humped, full-grown she-camel,
To you we hurried every wavering, faltering mass,
and crossed desolate wastes, traversing their plains.
And traversed the expansive deserts, ravaging its regions.
فَلاso no غروwonder فالآمالُfor hopes أَنتyou محطُّهاtheir resting-place
فَلا غرو فالآمالُ أَنت محطُّها
وَنحوَكَand toward you أَزجتthey have directed عزمَهاtheir resolve وزماعَهاand their determination
وَنحوَكَ أَزجت عزمَها وزماعَها
No wonder: you are the resting-place of hopes,
No wonder, for you are the landing of hopes,
and toward you they have directed their resolve and determination.
And you roused their resolve and driving impetus.
وَفيكand about you حكيناwe emulated الدرَّpearls نظماًin verse فهاكَهاso take her
وَفيك حكينا الدرَّ نظماً فهاكَها
خَريدةَa maiden of فكرٍthought قدalready أَمطتُI removed قِناعَهاher veil
خَريدةَ فكرٍ قد أَمطتُ قِناعَها
In your praise we have emulated strung pearls in verse—take her:
And in you we recounted virtues in prose, so take them,
a maiden of thought whose veil I have lifted.
The produce of a mind whose mask I removed.
بمدحِكby praising you قدalready نضَّدتُI arranged جوهرthe jewels of عِقدِهاher necklace
بمدحِك قد نضَّدتُ جوهر عِقدِها
وأَبدعتُand I excelled فيin فنِّthe art of القريضpoetry اِبتداعَهاcreating her
وأَبدعتُ في فنِّ القريض اِبتداعَها
By praising you I have arranged the jewels of her necklace,
In your praise I strung the pearls of its composition,
and made her creation a marvel in the art of verse.
And was creative in the art of poetry and its innovation.
فمنthen who لاِبنِfor Ibn هانيHani لوif يُهنّىhe were congratulated بمثلهاon her like
فمن لاِبنِ هاني لو يُهنّى بمثلها
وَهَيهاتand far from it لَوif أَنthat رامَهاhe sought her ماnot اِستَطاعَهاhe could attain her
وَهَيهات لَو أَن رامَها ما اِستَطاعَها
Who could help Ibn Hani be congratulated on her like?
What can the likes of Ibn Hani do if he is contented with the likes?
Far from it! Had he sought her, he could not have attained her.
Alas, if he envisaged it, he could not accomplish it.
إذاwhen ماever حَداchanted الحاديthe camel-driver بهاwith her قالsaid قائِلٌsomeone
إذا ما حَدا الحادي بها قال قائِلٌ
أَلاah فاِشكراهاso thank her, you two نَغمةًas a melody وَسَماعَهاand hearing her
أَلا فاِشكراها نَغمةً وَسَماعَها
When the camel-driver chants her, someone says:
When the reciter recites it, a speaker says,
Ah, you two, praise her as a melody, and praise hearing her!
“Be grateful for it, a melodious listening.”
Sol 6.1