تذَكّرتُI remembered مصلتَةًa slender woman كالقُضُبْlike swordblades
تذَكّرتُ مصلتَةً كالقُضُبْ
علىupon صَهَواتِthe backs of القِلاصِyoung she-camels النُّجُبْthe noble ones
على صَهَواتِ القِلاصِ النُّجُبْ
I remembered a slender woman, like swordblades,
upon the backs of noble young she-camels,
ووَقْعَتَهاand their settling down بعدَafter طولِthe long duration of السُّرىnight travel
ووَقْعَتَها بعدَ طولِ السُّرى
تَسانَدُlean against one another أعناقُهاtheir necks والركبْand the riders
تَسانَدُ أعناقُها والركبْ
and their settling down after long night travel,
their necks and the riders leaning against one another,
كحلِّlike the untying of الحُبىknee-binding wraps يومَthe day روّعتَهاyou startled them
كحلِّ الحُبى يومَ روّعتَها
وقدand already رفعَraised الفجرُdawn بيضَwhite ones العَذَبْstreamers
وقد رفعَ الفجرُ بيضَ العَذَبْ
like the loosening of knee-wraps the day you startled them,
when dawn had raised its white streamers,
ولاحتْand appeared تباشيرُهits first gleams فيin الدُجىdarkness
ولاحتْ تباشيرُه في الدُجى
كماjust as لاحَappeared غِبّafter دُخانٍsmoke لهَبْa flame
كما لاحَ غِبّ دُخانٍ لهَبْ
and its first gleams appeared in the darkness,
as flame appears in the wake of smoke.
وقدand indeed ضَحِكَlaughed الليلُthe night عنrevealing صُبْحِهِits dawn
وقد ضَحِكَ الليلُ عن صُبْحِهِ
كماjust as افترّsmiled عنrevealing ثغْرِهِhis teeth المكتئِبْthe sorrowful one
كما افترّ عن ثغْرِهِ المكتئِبْ
Night laughed, revealing its dawn,
as a sorrowful man reveals his teeth in a smile.
وحَلّand unfastened عنfrom الفجرِdawn أزْرارَهُits buttons
وحَلّ عن الفجرِ أزْرارَهُ
وشمّرَand tucked up أذيالَهُits skirts للهربْto flee
وشمّرَ أذيالَهُ للهربْ
It undid its buttons, uncovering dawn,
and tucked up its skirts to flee.
وماand not الرزقُsustenance إلاّexcept لمُستأسِدٍfor one lionlike
وما الرزقُ إلاّ لمُستأسِدٍ
علىin pursuit of الطَلباتِaims وَقاحbrazen الدأبْpersistence
على الطَلباتِ وَقاح الدأبْ
Sustenance belongs only to one lionlike
in pursuing his aims, brazenly persistent.
بكلِّfor every مرامٍgoal لهhe has حِرفَةٌa craft
بكلِّ مرامٍ له حِرفَةٌ
وفيand in كلِّevery أرضٍland لهhe has مُضْطَرَبْa field of endeavor
وفي كلِّ أرضٍ له مُضْطَرَبْ
For every goal he has a craft,
and in every land a field of endeavor.
تمنيتُI longed for قربَnearness to مليكِthe King of الملوthe kings (continued)
تمنيتُ قربَ مليكِ الملو
كِcompletes 'kings' حباًout of love لرؤيتهِto see him لاnot النَّشَبْwealth
كِ حباً لرؤيتهِ لا النَّشَبْ
I longed to be near the King of kings,
out of love for seeing him, not for wealth.
وكنتُand I was وكَرْمانُand Kirman ماwhat lay بينناbetween us
وكنتُ وكَرْمانُ ما بيننا
وكُرْدُفَنّاخَسرُand Kurd Fannakhasr ذاتُpossessing الطربْdelight
وكُرْدُفَنّاخَسرُ ذاتُ الطربْ
And I, with Kirman lying between us,
and joyous Kurd Fannakhasr,
أؤمِّلُI hope for جولةَthe ranging of أفكارِهِhis thoughts
أؤمِّلُ جولةَ أفكارِهِ
ودولةَand the sway of أيّامِهِhis days والعُقَبْand those to follow
ودولةَ أيّامِهِ والعُقَبْ
hoped for the sweep of his thoughts
and the sway of his days and those to come.
وأعلمand I know أنّthat لهُhe has عَزْمَةًa resolve
وأعلم أنّ لهُ عَزْمَةً
تُصَدِّقُvindicates ظَنّيmy trust بهin him فيin النُوَبْcalamities
تُصَدِّقُ ظَنّي به في النُوَبْ
And I know that he has a resolve
that vindicates my trust in him amid calamities.
سعىhe strove تائقَeager الهمِّin purpose لمdid not يستملwin over (continued)
سعى تائقَ الهمِّ لم يستمل
هhim (attached suffix) عنaway from سورةِthe ardor of الجدِّearnest striving خفضthe ease of اللَّعِبْplay
ه عن سورةِ الجدِّ خفض اللَّعِبْ
He strove with eager purpose, never lured
from earnestness's ardor by the ease of play.
فكابدَand he struggled حتىuntil استباحَseized البلاthe lands (continued)
فكابدَ حتى استباحَ البلا
دَcompletes 'lands' قسراًby force ونالَand won المُنىwishes بالطّلَبْthrough striving
دَ قسراً ونالَ المُنى بالطّلَبْ
He struggled until he seized the lands
by force, and won his wishes through striving.
وبالقولِand by speech يَجْنَبُهُhe spares him بالفَعاthrough deeds (continued)
وبالقولِ يَجْنَبُهُ بالفَعا
لِcompletes 'deeds' مصّsucking الثمادِscant water ولسَّand licking العُشُبْgrass
لِ مصّ الثمادِ ولسَّ العُشُبْ
And by word, through deeds, he spares him
the sucking of scant water and licking of grass.
لهاfor them نَشطَةُa snatched bite of الشيحِwormwood منfrom رَعْيِهاtheir grazing
لها نَشطَةُ الشيحِ من رَعْيِها
ومنand from وِرْدِهاtheir watering نَهْلَةُthe draught of المُسْتَلِبْthe snatcher
ومن وِرْدِها نَهْلَةُ المُسْتَلِبْ
Their grazing is a snatched bite of wormwood,
and their watering a snatcher's gulp.
فهنّso they علىthrough الليلِthe night عينُthe eye of الصّباdawn (continued)
فهنّ على الليلِ عينُ الصّبا
حِcompletes 'dawn' ماnot يَستَرِحْنَthey find rest بغيرِin anything but التعبْweariness
حِ ما يَستَرِحْنَ بغيرِ التعبْ
Through the night they are the very eye of dawn;
they find no rest but weariness.
أطالَhe lengthened لهاfor them قصباتِthe courses of الرهاthe race (continued)
أطالَ لها قصباتِ الرها
نِcompletes 'race' دونَbefore سوالِفِهاtheir necks والقَتَبْand the pack-saddle
نِ دونَ سوالِفِها والقَتَبْ
He lengthened the racing courses for them,
before their necks and the pack-saddle.
وحامٍand one heated منby الركضِgalloping بعدَafter المَلاweariness (continued)
وحامٍ من الركضِ بعدَ المَلا
لِcompletes 'weariness' يقدحُstrikes sparks from تَقريبَهاtheir canter بالخَبَبْwith a trot
لِ يقدحُ تَقريبَها بالخَبَبْ
And one heated by galloping, even after weariness,
strikes sparks from their canter with a trot.
رَدَىthe death of كلِّevery معتركٍbattlefield ضيقٍnarrow
رَدَى كلِّ معتركٍ ضيقٍ
وآفةُand the bane of كلِّevery خميسٍarmy لَجِبْclamorous
وآفةُ كلِّ خميسٍ لَجِبْ
Death in every narrow battlefield,
and the bane of every clamorous army.
إذاwhen نكَصَتْrecoiled عنهُfrom him صُمُّsolid ones among القَناthe lances
إذا نكَصَتْ عنهُ صُمُّ القَنا
فإنّthen indeed السيوفَthe swords عليهِupon him تَثِبْleap
فإنّ السيوفَ عليهِ تَثِبْ
When solid spears draw back from him,
the swords leap upon him.
سجيةُthe nature of مُضْطَلِعٍone who shoulders بالخُطوcalamities (continued)
سجيةُ مُضْطَلِعٍ بالخُطو
بِcompletes 'calamities' ماضيfirm in العَزيمةِresolve ساميlofty in الأرَبْaspiration
بِ ماضي العَزيمةِ سامي الأرَبْ
Such is the nature of one who shoulders calamities,
firm in resolve, lofty in aspiration.
لهbefore him الفرسُthe Persians والتركُand the Turks بينَamid السماthe ranks (continued)
له الفرسُ والتركُ بينَ السما
طِcompletes 'ranks' والرومُand the Byzantines ساجدةٌprostrate والعَربْand the Arabs
طِ والرومُ ساجدةٌ والعَربْ
Before him, Persians and Turks amid the ranks,
and Byzantines and Arabs, lie prostrate.
تدورُrevolve علىaround مجدِهhis glory المكرُماnoble deeds (continued)
تدورُ على مجدِه المكرُما
تُcompletes 'noble deeds' دورَthe turning of الكواكبِthe stars حولَaround القُطُبْthe pole
تُ دورَ الكواكبِ حولَ القُطُبْ
Noble deeds revolve around his glory,
as the stars revolve around the pole.
ولمand did not ينجُescape منهfrom him أبوAbu (father of) تَغلِبٍTaghlib
ولم ينجُ منه أبو تَغلِبٍ
أمينsure of الفِرارِflight إذاwhenever ماemphatic particle طَلَبْpursued
أمين الفِرارِ إذا ما طَلَبْ
Nor did Abu Taghlib escape him,
sure of escape whenever pursued.
حقيبتُهُhis rump سرجُهhis saddle واللّجاand the bridle (continued)
حقيبتُهُ سرجُه واللّجا
مُcompletes 'bridle' ساقاهhis two legs والسّاعدانِand the forearms اللّبَبْthe breast-strap
مُ ساقاه والسّاعدانِ اللّبَبْ
His rump was his saddle, and the bridle
his legs; his forearms were the breast-strap.
نأتْwas distant عنfrom قَواضِبِهhis cutting swords دارُهُhis abode
نأتْ عن قَواضِبِه دارُهُ
فأهْدىso he sent لهto him حتفَهhis death فيin الكتبْletters
فأهْدى له حتفَه في الكتبْ
His abode lay far beyond his cutting swords,
so he sent him his death in letters.
وقدand indeed ظنّhe thought أنّthat بلادَthe lands of الشّاSyria (continued)
وقد ظنّ أنّ بلادَ الشّا
مِcompletes 'Syria' لاnot يتخطّىreaches إليهاto them العَطَبْdestruction
مِ لا يتخطّى إليها العَطَبْ
He had thought the lands of Syria
could not be reached by destruction.
تَمطتْstretched out بهwith him الفوتُthe fleet mare مذعورةterrified
تَمطتْ به الفوتُ مذعورة
ينهنهُrestrains منfrom شَدّهاher headlong running الملتَهِبْthe fiery one
ينهنهُ من شَدّها الملتَهِبْ
The fleet mare stretched away with him in terror,
the fiery one checking her headlong rush.
لهاshe has حينَwhen يَشْتَجِرُclashes السمهرthe stout lances (continued)
لها حينَ يَشْتَجِرُ السمهر
يُّcompletes 'stout lances' سنطلةُthe slinking gait of الثعلبِthe fox المُنْسَرِبْslipping away
يُّ سنطلةُ الثعلبِ المُنْسَرِبْ
When the stout lances clash, she has
the slinking gait of a fox slipping away,
وظِلُand the shadow of أويسٍUways (a wolf-name) رأىsaw مَطْمَعاًa prize
وظِلُ أويسٍ رأى مَطْمَعاً
وأبصرَand saw فُرصَتَهُhis opportunity منfrom كَثَبْclose by
وأبصرَ فُرصَتَهُ من كَثَبْ
and the shadow of Uways, who spied a prize
and saw his opportunity close at hand.
سَلِمتَmay you stay safe علىamid عثراتِthe stumblings of الزّماtime (continued)
سَلِمتَ على عثراتِ الزّما
نِcompletes 'time' ياO عضدَAdud (arm) الدولةِal-Dawla (the state) المنتجَبْthe chosen one
نِ يا عضدَ الدولةِ المنتجَبْ
May you stay safe amid time's stumblings,
O chosen Adud al-Dawla!
ولاand may you not زلتَcease ترفعُexalt منof دولةٍa state
ولا زلتَ ترفعُ من دولةٍ
تواضعتَyou humbled yourself فيهاwithin it بهذاwith this اللّقَبْtitle
تواضعتَ فيها بهذا اللّقَبْ
And may you ever exalt a state
within which you humbled yourself with this title.
فلولاكَbut for you ماnot منعتْit defended سَرحَهاits grazing herds
فلولاكَ ما منعتْ سَرحَها
ولاnor نوّهَتْit proclaimed باسمِهاits name فيin الخُطبْsermons
ولا نوّهَتْ باسمِها في الخُطبْ
But for you, it could not defend its grazing herds,
nor proclaim its name in sermons.
قسمتَyou divided زمانَكَyour time بينَbetween الهموcares (continued)
قسمتَ زمانَكَ بينَ الهمو
مِcompletes 'cares' تَنْعَمُyou delight فيهاin them وبينَand between الدّأَبْtoil
مِ تَنْعَمُ فيها وبينَ الدّأَبْ
You divided your time between cares
in which you delight, and unremitting toil.
فيوماًso one day تُمِيرُyou provision عفاةَsupplicants among النّسورِthe vultures
فيوماً تُمِيرُ عفاةَ النّسورِ
ويوماًand one day تُميرُyou provision عفاةَsupplicants of الأدَبْletters
ويوماً تُميرُ عفاةَ الأدَبْ
One day you provision the supplicant vultures,
and another, the supplicants of letters.
إذاwhen ماemphatic particle الإلهُGod قَضىdecreed أمرَهHis command
إذا ما الإلهُ قَضى أمرَه
فأنتَthen you إلىtoward ماwhat قَضاهُHe decreed it السّبَبْthe means
فأنتَ إلى ما قَضاهُ السّبَبْ
When God decrees His command,
you are the means to what He decrees.
دعِleave البيضَthe bright swords طامعةًeager فيfor الذيthose who (continued)
دعِ البيضَ طامعةً في الذي
نَcompletes 'those who' أعدّواthey prepared الدّروعَmail armor لهاagainst them واليَلَبْand hide armor
نَ أعدّوا الدّروعَ لها واليَلَبْ
Leave the bright blades eager for those
who prepared mail and hide armor against them.
فإنfor indeed قوائِمَهاtheir hilts والأكُفَّand the hands
فإن قوائِمَها والأكُفَّ
علىover ماwhat يريكَHe shows you لاnot تَصْطَخِبْraise a clamor
على ما يريكَ لا تَصْطَخِبْ
For their hilts and the hands
raise no clamor over what He shows you.
ورأيٌand a plan يُدبرهُdevises it المُبرموthe resolute planners (continued)
ورأيٌ يُدبرهُ المُبرمو
نَcompletes 'planners' عطَّلَهُrendered it useless رأيُكَyour judgment المُقْتَضَبْimpromptu
نَ عطَّلَهُ رأيُكَ المُقْتَضَبْ
A scheme the resolute planners contrive
is undone by your impromptu judgment.
وتَبْغَضُand you hate فيin القولِspeech عيَّthe faltering of افَتىa young man
وتَبْغَضُ في القولِ عيَّ افَتى
وأبغضُand more hateful منهthan it إليكَto you الكَذِبْlying
وأبغضُ منه إليكَ الكَذِبْ
You hate a young man's faltering in speech,
but still more hateful to you is lying.
فيوركَso blessed be (apparent typo) مولدُكَyour birthday المُجْتَبىthe chosen
فيوركَ مولدُكَ المُجْتَبى
وتَحويلُهُand its return فيin بَقاياthe remainder of الحِقَبْthe ages
وتَحويلُهُ في بَقايا الحِقَبْ
So blessed be your chosen birthday,
and its return through the ages yet to come.
هوit اليومَthe day توسَعُare lavished فيهِin it الذّنوsins (continued)
هو اليومَ توسَعُ فيهِ الذّنو
بُcompletes 'sins' عفواًpardon وتُكْشَفُand are dispelled فيهin it الكُرَبْsorrows
بُ عفواً وتُكْشَفُ فيه الكُرَبْ
It is the day on which sins are granted
abundant pardon, and sorrows are dispelled.
بهِby it عَرَفَتْrecognized ثاقباتُpiercing ones among النّجومthe stars
بهِ عَرَفَتْ ثاقباتُ النّجوم
عورةَthe flaw in تدبيرهاtheir governance المضطرِبْunsettled
عورةَ تدبيرها المضطرِبْ
By it the piercing stars recognized
the flaw in their unsettled governance.
فأقلعَso ceased كَيوانُKaywan (Saturn) عنfrom كيدهِhis plotting
فأقلعَ كَيوانُ عن كيدهِ
وبضهْرامُand Bahram (Mars) عنfrom فتكهِhis violence والشَّغَبْand strife
وبضهْرامُ عن فتكهِ والشَّغَبْ
So Kaywan gave up his plotting,
and Bahram his violence and strife.
وثابتْand returned علىat يَدِكَyour hand السّائراتُthe wandering stars
وثابتْ على يَدِكَ السّائراتُ
ذواتُthose bearing ذَوائِبِهاtheir tresses والشّهُبْand the meteors
ذواتُ ذَوائِبِها والشّهُبْ
And at your hand the wandering stars returned,
those with streaming tresses, and the meteors.
منof الحظِّfortune يُرزَقُهُis granted it وادعٌone at ease
من الحظِّ يُرزَقُهُ وادعٌ
ويُحرمُهُand is denied it جاهدٌone striving بالنَّصَبْwith exhaustion
ويُحرمُهُ جاهدٌ بالنَّصَبْ
Some fortune is granted to one at ease
and denied to one who labors in exhaustion.
وهَبْتَyou bestowed لهاon them خطرةًa passing thought منfrom نُهاintellect (continued)
وهَبْتَ لها خطرةً من نُها
كَyour (attached suffix) يُبرئُcures فيهاin them الهَناءُtar الجَرَبْmange
كَ يُبرئُ فيها الهَناءُ الجَرَبْ
You bestowed upon them a passing thought from your mind,
through which tar cures the mange.
وكلٌّand each بطاعَتِهِin obedience to him مُذْعِنٌsubmissive
وكلٌّ بطاعَتِهِ مُذْعِنٌ
وكلٌّand each علىover طَبْعِهِits nature قدindeed غَلَبْhas prevailed
وكلٌّ على طَبْعِهِ قد غَلَبْ
And each submits in obedience to him,
and each has overcome its nature.
Sol 6.1