مَنwho ركَّبَmounted البدرَthe full moon فيin صدْرthe breast of الرُّدَيْنيِّthe Rudayni lance
مَن ركَّبَ البدرَ في صدْر الرُّدَيْنيِّ
ومَوَّهand inlaid السِّحْرَenchantment فيin حَدِّthe edge of اليَمَانيِّthe Yemeni sword
ومَوَّه السِّحْرَ في حَدِّ اليَمَانيِّ
Who set the full moon on the breast of a Rudayni lance,
Who mounted the full moon in the chest of the gazelle
and inlaid enchantment in a Yemeni blade's edge,
And disguised magic in the edge of the curved blade,
وأنزلand brought down النَّيِّرَthe luminary الأعلىhighest إلىto فَلَكٍa celestial sphere
وأنزل النَّيِّرَ الأعلى إلى فَلَكٍ
مَدَارُهُits orbit فيin القبَاءِthe coat الخُسرُوانيِّKhusrau-style
مَدَارُهُ في القبَاءِ الخُسرُوانيِّ
and brought the highest luminary down into a sphere
And brought down the bright star to revolve
whose orbit lies within a Khusrau-style coat?
In a circuit through the dense black night?
طَرْفٌan eye رَناgazed intently أَمْor قِرابٌa scabbard سُلَّwas drawn صارِمُهُits keen sword
طَرْفٌ رَنا أَمْ قِرابٌ سُلَّ صارِمُهُ
وأَغْيَدٌand a supple youth مَاسَswayed أَمْor أَعْطَافُthe bends of خَطِّيِّa Khatti lance
وأَغْيَدٌ مَاسَ أَمْ أَعْطَافُ خَطِّيِّ
An eye that gazed—or a scabbard whose keen sword was drawn?
A glance that pierces, or a sharp arrow let loose,
And a supple youth swaying—or the curves of a Khatti lance?
A naked blade, or plaited locks?
وبَرْقُand lightning from غادِيَةٍa morning raincloud أَمْor بَرْقُthe gleam of مُبْتَسِمٍone smiling
وبَرْقُ غادِيَةٍ أَمْ بَرْقُ مُبْتَسِمٍ
يَفْتَرُّopens in a smile منthrough خلَلِthe gaps in الصُّدْغِthe sidelock الدَّجوجِيِّnight-dark
يَفْتَرُّ من خلَلِ الصُّدْغِ الدَّجوجِيِّ
And lightning from a morning raincloud—or a smiling one's gleam,
Lightning laughing, or lightning smiling
breaking through the gaps in his night-dark sidelocks?
That flashes through a gap between soft cheeks?
وَيْلاهُalas for me منbecause of فارسِيِّPersian النَّحْرthe throat مُفْتَرِسٍa predator
وَيْلاهُ من فارسِيِّ النَّحْر مُفْتَرِسٍ
بفاترٍwith a languid gaze أَسدِيِّlionlike in الفَتْكslaying رِيميِّgazellelike
بفاترٍ أَسدِيِّ الفَتْك رِيميِّ
Alas for me, before that Persian-throated predator,
Woe to him, death to the knight with the slaughtering sword
with a languid, gazellelike gaze, lionlike in its killing.
With languid movements, a lion of valiant onslaught,
يُكِنُّconceals ناظرُهُhis eye ماwhat فيin كِنَانتِهhis quiver
يُكِنُّ ناظرُهُ ما في كِنَانتِه
فَلَيسَso it is not يَنْفَكُّceasing مِنfrom إِقصادِkilling outright مَرْميِّone struck by a shot
فَلَيسَ يَنْفَكُّ مِن إِقصادِ مَرْميِّ
His eye conceals what his quiver holds,
Whose gaze reveals what is hidden in his soul
so it never ceases to kill outright those it strikes.
So that he never misses his target.
أذَلَّنيhe humbled me بعدafter عزٍّhonor والهَوَىand love أَبَداًalways
أذَلَّني بعد عزٍّ والهَوَى أَبَداً
يستعبِدُenslaves اللَّيْثَthe lion للظَّبْيِto the gazelle الكِنَاسيِّdwelling in a covert
يستعبِدُ اللَّيْثَ للظَّبْيِ الكِنَاسيِّ
He humbled me after honor; love forever
He made me his slave after glory, for passion
enslaves the lion to the gazelle dwelling in its covert.
Will forever enslave the lion to the delicate fawn.
ماnot مانlied مانيُّMani لولاbut for ليلُthe night-darkness of عارضِهِhis cheek
ما مان مانيُّ لولا ليلُ عارضِهِ
ماnot شَدَّtethered خَيْلَthe steeds of المَنَاياdeath بالأمانيِّwith wishes
ما شَدَّ خَيْلَ المَنَايا بالأمانيِّ
Mani would not have lied, but for the night upon his cheek;
If not for the night of his cheek, my wish
nor have tethered the steeds of death with wishes.
Would not have yoked the steeds of death with hopes.
تكنَّفsurrounded الحُسْنُbeauty منهin him وجْهَthe face of مُشْتمِلٍone combining
تكنَّف الحُسْنُ منه وجْهَ مُشْتمِلٍ
نِفارَthe skittishness of أَحْوَرَa dark-eyed gazelle فيin تأنيسthe friendliness of حُورِيِّa houri-like being
نِفارَ أَحْوَرَ في تأنيس حُورِيِّ
Beauty enfolded his face, combining
Beauty took cover in his perfect face
a dark-eyed gazelle's skittishness with a houri's friendliness.
Like the timid black-eyed gazelle among the does.
أماindeed وذائبِby molten مِسْكٍmusk منfrom ذوائِبِهِhis tresses
أما وذائبِ مِسْكٍ من ذوائِبِهِ
علىupon أعاليthe uppermost parts of القضيبِthe slender stem الخَيْزُرانيِّbamboo-like
على أعالي القضيبِ الخَيْزُرانيِّ
Ah, by the molten musk from his tresses,
By the gazelle’s dangling curls that tease and entice
upon the upper reaches of his bamboo-like stem,
On his erect, slender, sapling-like form!
وماand by what يُجنُّconceals عَقيقيُّagate-red الشِّفاهِthe lips مِنَof الرstart of “the saliva”
وما يُجنُّ عَقيقيُّ الشِّفاهِ مِنَ الر
ريقِsaliva (completion) الرَّحيقيّnectar-like والثغرand the front teeth الجُمَانيِّpearl-like
ريقِ الرَّحيقيّ والثغر الجُمَانيِّ
and by what his agate-red lips conceal—
By his pomegranate-red lips and the pure
nectar-like saliva and pearl-like teeth—
Clear wine, the sweet saliva of his mouth!
لوif قيلit were said للبدرto the full moon مَنwhom فيon الأرضearth تحسُدُهُyou envy him
لو قيل للبدر مَن في الأرض تحسُدُهُ
إذاwhen تَجَلَّىshone forth لقالit would say ابْنُthe son of الفلانيِّso-and-so
إذا تَجَلَّى لقال ابْنُ الفلانيِّ
if the full moon were asked: whom on earth do you envy?
If the full moon were asked, “Whom do you envy
when it shone forth, it would say: the son of so-and-so.
When you rise?” it would say: the son of so-and-so!
أَرْبَىsurpassed عَلَيَّover me بشتَّىwith varied kinds منof مَحَاسِنِهhis charms
أَرْبَى عَلَيَّ بشتَّى من مَحَاسِنِه
تألَّفَتْcombined بينbetween مسمُوعٍwhat is heard ومَرْئيِّand what is seen
تألَّفَتْ بين مسمُوعٍ ومَرْئيِّ
He surpasses me with manifold charms
He surpasses me in every aspect of his beauty,
that unite what is heard with what is seen:
Both visible and imagined.
إِباءُthe pride of فارسَPersia معwith لِينِthe gentleness of الشآمal-Sham مَعَwith الظstart of “the wit”
إِباءُ فارسَ مع لِينِ الشآم مَعَ الظ
ظَرْفِwit (completion) العِراقيّthe Iraqi فيin النُّطْقِspeech الحِجازيِّHijazi
ظَرْفِ العِراقيّ في النُّطْقِ الحِجازيِّ
Persian pride with the gentleness of al-Sham, and
The chivalry of a Persian prince, the softness of a Shami,
an Iraqi's wit in Hijazi speech.
The culture of an Iraqi, the diction of a Hijazi!
وماand not المُدَامَةُwine بالألبابwith minds أَلْعَبُmore playful منthan
وما المُدَامَةُ بالألباب أَلْعَبُ من
فصاحةِthe eloquence of البدْوthe Bedouins فيin ألفاظِthe words of تُرْكيِّa Turk
فصاحةِ البدْو في ألفاظِ تُرْكيِّ
Nor does wine toy with minds more than
Witty repartee is no more entertaining than
Bedouin eloquence in a Turk's words.
The eloquence of nomads in Turkish phrases.
أَشبَهتهI likened him ببُعَادِيto Buʿādī ثمَّthen كانَthere was لَهُfor him
أَشبَهته ببُعَادِي ثمَّ كانَ لَهُ
مَزِيَّةُthe superiority of الخَلْقform والأخلاقand character والزِّيِّand attire
مَزِيَّةُ الخَلْق والأخلاق والزِّيِّ
I likened him to Buʿādī, yet he held
I thought him a full moon, but he
the advantage in form, character, and attire.
Has the superior nature, morals, and garb.
مِنfrom أَينَwhere ليfor me لَهبٌa flame يَجريflows علىover ذَهَبٍgold
مِن أَينَ لي لَهبٌ يَجري على ذَهَبٍ
فيin صحنِa basin أبيضَwhite صافيclear in الماءwater فضِّيِّsilvery
في صحنِ أبيضَ صافي الماء فضِّيِّ
Where can I find a flame coursing over gold,
Where can I get a flame that flows over gold
in a white, silvery basin of limpid water,
In a white bowl of pure, gleaming silver,
ورَوْضَةٌand a garden لمnot تَحُكْهَاhas woven it كَفُّthe hand of ساريةٍa night raincloud
ورَوْضَةٌ لم تَحُكْهَا كَفُّ ساريةٍ
ولاand not شَكَاcomplained خَدُّهاits cheek مِنof لُئْمِthe stinginess of وَسْميِّan autumn rain
ولا شَكَا خَدُّها مِن لُئْمِ وَسْميِّ
and a garden no night-rain's hand has woven,
And a garden never touched by the hand of a withdrawal
whose cheek has never complained of stingy autumn rain,
Or a cheek complaining of blame and slander,
يحُفُّهاsurrounds it سوْسَنٌirises غَضّfresh يُغازِلُهhe woos it
يحُفُّها سوْسَنٌ غَضّ يُغازِلُه
بنَرْجِسwith a narcissus بِنِطَافِwith droplets of السِّحرmagic مَوْليِّwatered
بنَرْجِس بِنِطَافِ السِّحر مَوْليِّ
fringed by fresh irises, which he woos
Surrounded by lilies so new they flirt
with a narcissus watered by droplets of enchantment?
With narcissi, in the magic of eve?
مَنwho مُنْقِذيmy rescuer أوor مُجيريmy protector منfrom هوىlove of رشأٍa fawn
مَن مُنْقِذي أو مُجيري من هوى رشأٍ
أفتىmore valiant وأفتكُand more deadly منthan عَمروʿAmr بنson of مَعَديِّMaʿdī
أفتى وأفتكُ من عَمرو بن مَعَديِّ
Who will rescue me, or shelter me, from loving a fawn
Who can save me or protect me from the passion
more valiant and more lethal than ʿAmr ibn Maʿdī?
Of one who gives legal opinions and conquers like Amr ibn Ma’di?
لاnot يعشقloves الدَّهْرُever إلّاexcept ذِكْرَmention of مَعركةٍa battle
لا يعشق الدَّهْرُ إلّا ذِكْرَ مَعركةٍ
أوor خَوْضَplunging into مَهْلَكَةٍmortal peril أوor ضربَstriking with هنديِّan Indian sword
أو خَوْضَ مَهْلَكَةٍ أو ضربَ هنديِّ
He never loves anything but talk of a battle,
Time loves nothing but the tale of battle,
or plunging into mortal danger, or striking with an Indian sword.
Plunging into ruin, or an Indian sword stroke;
وَلاand not يُحدِّثُspeaks إلّاexcept عنabout رِبابَتِهِhis stock
وَلا يُحدِّثُ إلّا عن رِبابَتِهِ
منof المِهَارthe foals العَوَاليtall والمَهَاريِّand Mahri camels
من المِهَار العَوَالي والمَهَاريِّ
And he speaks only of his stock
It speaks of nothing but his musical talents
of tall colts and Mahri camels,
For difficult, sublime, and skilful modulations;
والصَّافِناتُand poised steeds ولُبْسُand wearing الضَّافياتِample coats of mail وَشُرand drinking (first part)
والصَّافِناتُ ولُبْسُ الضَّافياتِ وَشُر
بُdrinking (completion) الصَّافِياتِpure wines وإطْرابُand the delight of الأغانيِّsongs
بُ الصَّافِياتِ وإطْرابُ الأغانيِّ
and poised steeds, and wearing ample mail, and drinking
The pure-toned lute players and the dress
pure wines, and the rapture of songs.
Of singers and drinking of singers and disturbing songs.
أَشْهىmore desirable إليهto him منthan الدَّوْحِgreat trees الظَّليلِshady علىover الرstart of “the spirit”
أَشْهى إليه من الدَّوْحِ الظَّليلِ على الر
رُوحِspirit (completion) العليلِailing وَتَغريدِand the cooing of القَمَارِيِّturtle-doves
رُوحِ العليلِ وَتَغريدِ القَمَارِيِّ
Dearer to him than great shade trees over
I long for these more than for cool shade on a sultry day,
an ailing spirit, and the cooing of turtle-doves, are
On an ailing spirit, and the warbling of a gambler;
شَدُّharnessing الجِيادِsteeds لأيّامfor the days of الجِلادِcombat وإرْand directing (first part)
شَدُّ الجِيادِ لأيّام الجِلادِ وإرْ
شادُdirecting (completion) الصِّعادِstraight spears إلىtoward طَعْنpiercing الأناسيِّpeople
شادُ الصِّعادِ إلى طَعْن الأناسيِّ
harnessing steeds for days of combat, and aiming
More than yoking steeds on days of combat and marching
straight spears to pierce men,
Infantrymen to the stabbing of men.
وحَثُّand urging بازٍa goshawk علىtoward نأْيdistance وحَمْلُand the attack of قَطَاa falcon (first part)
وحَثُّ بازٍ على نأْي وحَمْلُ قَطَا
مِيٍّfalcon (completion) تَكَدَّرbecame troubled منهbecause of it عَيْشُthe life of كُدْرِيِّa dusky sandgrouse
مِيٍّ تَكَدَّر منه عَيْشُ كُدْرِيِّ
and urging a goshawk far afield, and a falcon's charge
And urging on a hunting falcon, my joy marred
that makes life bitter for a dusky sandgrouse;
By him, and a coat of mail whose rust vexes me;
فيamong غِلْمةٍyoung men كَغُصونlike branches of البانthe ban tree يحملُهَاbear them
في غِلْمةٍ كَغُصون البان يحملُهَا
كُثْبانُdunes of بُرْدٍstriped cloth علىupon غاداتtender shoots of بَرْدِيِّpapyrus
كُثْبانُ بُرْدٍ على غادات بَرْدِيِّ
among youths like branches of the ban tree, borne
Than a boy with limbs like boughs of acacia that bears
by dunes of striped cloth upon tender papyrus stalks.
Sand dunes on sheltered, tender body parts,
يمشُونthey walk فيin الوَشْيِbrocade أَسْراباًin flocks فَتَحْسَبُهُمْso you take them for
يمشُون في الوَشْيِ أَسْراباً فَتَحْسَبُهُمْ
رَوْضَthe gardens of الربيعspring علىupon بَيْضِthe eggs of الأَدَاحِيِّostrich nests
رَوْضَ الربيع على بَيْضِ الأَدَاحِيِّ
They walk in brocade in flocks, and you take them for
Walking proudly robed, so you’d think them
spring gardens upon the eggs of ostrich nests.
A meadow in spring over mounds of white adahh.
والسَّاحِرُand the enchanter السَّاخرُthe mocker الغَرَّارُthe deceiver بينهمamong them
والسَّاحِرُ السَّاخرُ الغَرَّارُ بينهم
كالشَّمْسlike the sun تكْسِفeclipses أنوارَthe lights of الدَّرارِيِّbrilliant stars
كالشَّمْس تكْسِف أنوارَ الدَّرارِيِّ
And the enchanting, mocking deceiver among them
The mocking, mocking sorcerer glides among them
is like the sun, eclipsing the light of brilliant stars.
Like a sun whose lights outshine planets.
مُهَفْهَفُslender in القَدِّstature سَهْلُsmooth in الخَدِّcheek أغربmore wondrous فيin الthe
مُهَفْهَفُ القَدِّ سَهْلُ الخَدِّ أغرب في ال
جَمالِbeauty منthan لُثْغَةٍa lisp فيin لفظthe speech of نَجْدِيِّa Najdi
جَمالِ من لُثْغَةٍ في لفظ نَجْدِيِّ
Slender of stature, smooth of cheek, more wondrous in
Smooth of forehead and cheek, most strange in beauty
beauty than a lisp in a Najdi's speech.
As a slip of the tongue in a Najdi phrase.
يُلْهِيهِdistracts him عنfrom كُتُبٍbooks تُرْوَىhanded down ونُصْرَتِهِand his championing
يُلْهِيهِ عن كُتُبٍ تُرْوَى ونُصْرَتِهِ
لشافعيٍّfor a Shafiʿi فقيهٍjurist أوor حنيفيِّa Hanafi
لشافعيٍّ فقيهٍ أو حنيفيِّ
He is distracted from books handed down, and from championing
He distracts me from books narrated and helping
a Shafiʿi jurist or a Hanafi,
A jurist of Shafi’i or Hanifi doctrine.
عُوجُthe curves of القِسيِّbows وقُبُّand lean الأعْوَجيَّةِAʿwaji steeds والشstart of “and the gray”
عُوجُ القِسيِّ وقُبُّ الأعْوَجيَّةِ والش
شُهبُgray (completion) الهماليجambling horses تُرْبَىare raised فيin الأواريِّstalls
شُهبُ الهماليج تُرْبَى في الأواريِّ
by curved bows, lean Aʿwaji steeds, and
The bending staff and the crooked crookedness are nurtured
gray, ambling horses raised in stalls.
In the caves, and poetry in wind-blown verse
والشِّعْرُand poetry فيabout الشَّعرhair الدّاجيnight-dark علىupon الغَنجthe coquettish one السstart of “the tranquil”
والشِّعْرُ في الشَّعر الدّاجي على الغَنج الس
سَاجيtranquil (completion) يُلَيِّنُsoftens منهwithin him قلْبَthe heart of حُوشيِّa wild creature
سَاجي يُلَيِّنُ منه قلْبَ حُوشيِّ
And verse about night-dark hair upon that coquettish,
Softening the heart of the love-sick, wandering poet
tranquil youth softens the savage heart within him.
More than a bite in the diction of Najd.
فلوso if بَصْرتَyou saw بهhim يصغيlistening وأنشدهُwhile I recite to him
فلو بَصْرتَ به يصغي وأنشدهُ
قلتyou would say النواسِيّal-Nuwasi يَشجوstirs قَلبَthe heart of عذريِّan ʿUdhri
قلت النواسِيّ يَشجو قَلبَ عذريِّ
If you saw him listening while I recited to him,
If you saw him listening as I recited,
you would say: al-Nuwasi stirs an ʿUdhri's heart,
You'd say the composer sings to a chaste heart,
أوor صائدُa hunter of الإِنْسِhumans قدhas already أَلْقَىcast حَبائلَهhis snares
أو صائدُ الإِنْسِ قد أَلْقَى حَبائلَه
ليلاًat night فأوقَعَso he caught فيهاin them صَيْدَgame وَحْشِيِّwild
ليلاً فأوقَعَ فيها صَيْدَ وَحْشِيِّ
or a hunter of men has laid his snares
Or the hunter of humans who has laid his snares
at night, catching wild game within them.
And at night has snared wild game.
أَغْراهُenticed him بيtoward me بعدماafter جَدَّgrew strong النِّفارُaversion لهin him
أَغْراهُ بي بعدما جَدَّ النِّفارُ له
شَدْوُthe singing of القَرِيضpoetry وألحانُand the melodies of السُّرَيْجِيِّal-Surayji
شَدْوُ القَرِيض وألحانُ السُّرَيْجِيِّ
What lured him to me, after his aversion had grown strong,
After the caravan moved on, he tempted me
was the singing of poetry and the melodies of al-Surayji.
With the melody and airs of Surayj.
فصارso he became أَطْوَعَmore obedient ليto me منهthan he was لمُقْلَتِهِto his eye
فصار أَطْوَعَ لي منه لمُقْلَتِهِ
وَصِرْتُand I became أُعْرَفُI am known فيهregarding him بالعَزِيزيِّas al-ʿAzizi
وَصِرْتُ أُعْرَفُ فيه بالعَزِيزيِّ
So he became more obedient to me than to his own eye,
So he is more obedient to me than to his own wish
and, where he was concerned, I became known as al-ʿAzizi.
And I am better known to him as his beloved.
Sol 6.1