أَهدَتbestowed نَجاتُكَyour recovery عوذَةَa protective charm المُتَخَوِّفِthe fearful one
أَهدَت نَجاتُكَ عوذَةَ المُتَخَوِّفِ
وَجَلَتand unveiled إِياتُكَyour radiance بُغيَةَwhat is sought by المُتَشَوِّفِthe eager watcher
وَجَلَت إِياتُكَ بُغيَةَ المُتَشَوِّفِ
Your deliverance bestowed its recompense upon the fearful,
Your recovery bestowed a protective charm on the fearful,
and your signs revealed what the eager watcher sought.
and your radiance revealed what the eager watcher sought.
بَهَجَrejoiced الجَميعُeveryone بِكَin you اِبتِهاجَwith the rejoicing of الأَرضِthe earth فيin
بَهَجَ الجَميعُ بِكَ اِبتِهاجَ الأَرضِ في
مَحلٍdrought بِإِطلاقِat the release of الحَياthe rain المُتَوَقِّفِwithheld
مَحلٍ بِإِطلاقِ الحَيا المُتَوَقِّفِ
All rejoiced in you as the earth rejoices
All rejoiced in you as the earth rejoices in
in drought when the steadily pouring rain is set loose.
drought, when the withheld rain is released.
ياO غُمَّةًanguish أَجلَتcleared away لَناfor us عَنto reveal فَرحَةٍjoy
يا غُمَّةً أَجلَت لَنا عَن فَرحَةٍ
كَالسِجنِlike the prison أَفرَجَopened عَنto reveal إِمارَةِthe rule of يوسُفِJoseph
كَالسِجنِ أَفرَجَ عَن إِمارَةِ يوسُفِ
O cloud of grief that cleared away, unveiling joy for us,
O anguish that lifted to reveal joy to us,
as prison released Joseph into power!
like the prison that gave way to Joseph's rule!
مَرِضَfell ill الوَزيرُthe minister المُرتَضىthe esteemed فَبَدَتand appeared عَلىof
مَرِضَ الوَزيرُ المُرتَضى فَبَدَت عَلى
مَرَضِthe sickness of الوُجودِexistence دَلائِلٌsigns لاnot تَختَفيare hidden
مَرَضِ الوُجودِ دَلائِلٌ لا تَختَفي
The chosen vizier fell ill, and there appeared upon
The esteemed minister fell ill, and there appeared
all existence the signs of an illness none could hide.
unconcealable signs of existence's sickness.
وَلِذَلِكَand for that reason اِعتَلَّfell ill النَسيمُthe breeze وَأُلبِسَتand was clothed
وَلِذَلِكَ اِعتَلَّ النَسيمُ وَأُلبِسَت
شَمسُthe sun of الأَصيلِlate afternoon شُحوبَthe pallor of شاكٍa sufferer مَدنَفِgravely ill
شَمسُ الأَصيلِ شُحوبَ شاكٍ مَدنَفِ
At your departure the breeze fell ill, and
For that reason the breeze fell ill, and
the late-afternoon sun donned the pallor of a wasting patient.
the late-afternoon sun was clothed in a gravely ill sufferer's pallor.
إِنif سَرَّgladdened مَطلِعُهُhis appearance العُيونَthe eyes فَطالَماthen how often
إِن سَرَّ مَطلِعُهُ العُيونَ فَطالَما
نامَتthey slept أَماناًin safety فيin حِماهُhis sanctuary الأَكنَفِall-enfolding
نامَت أَماناً في حِماهُ الأَكنَفِ
If his rising gladdened the eyes, how long have
If his appearance gladdens eyes, how often
they slept secure within his all-sheltering protection.
they have slept safely within his all-enfolding protection!
أَوor مُدَّتِwere stretched out الأَيديthe hands لَهُfor him تَدعوpraying فَكَمthen how often
أَو مُدَّتِ الأَيدي لَهُ تَدعو فَكَم
مُدَّتwere stretched out إِلىtoward إِحسانِهِhis bounty المُتَوَكِّفِever-flowing
مُدَّت إِلى إِحسانِهِ المُتَوَكِّفِ
Or if hands rose to pray for him—how often
Or if hands are raised to pray for him, how often
had they reached toward his ever-pouring beneficence.
have they reached toward his ever-flowing bounty!
ظَلَّremained الزَمانُtime مُحَيِّراًbewildered لِشِكاتِهِby his illness
ظَلَّ الزَمانُ مُحَيِّراً لِشِكاتِهِ
فَلَوthen if أَنَّهُit were عَينٌan eye إِذَنthen لَمnot تَطرَفِit would blink
فَلَو أَنَّهُ عَينٌ إِذَن لَم تَطرَفِ
Time stood bewildered by his illness;
Time stood bewildered by his illness;
were Time an eye, it would never blink.
had it been an eye, it would not have blinked.
عَجَباًhow strange مِنَat الأَيّامِthe days تُسقِمُهُthey make him ill وَماwhile not
عَجَباً مِنَ الأَيّامِ تُسقِمُهُ وَما
زالَتceased بِهِthrough him مِنfrom كُلِّevery سُقمٍsickness تَشتَفيthey find healing
زالَت بِهِ مِن كُلِّ سُقمٍ تَشتَفي
How strange that the days should make him ill, when they
How strange that the days make him ill, when
have never ceased, through him, to recover from every sickness.
through him they have always found healing for every sickness!
ماnot نالَتِtook الآلامُthe pains مِنهُfrom him سِوىexcept الَّذيwhat
ما نالَتِ الآلامُ مِنهُ سِوى الَّذي
نالَtook الصِقالُpolishing مِنَfrom الحُسامِthe sword المُرهَفِkeen-edged
نالَ الصِقالُ مِنَ الحُسامِ المُرهَفِ
Pain gained nothing from him except what
Pain did no more to him than what
polishing gains from a keen-edged sword.
polishing does to a keen-edged sword.
حَفَّتencircled بِنورِaround the radiance of أَبيAbu عَلِيٍّAli عِصمَةٌa safeguard
حَفَّت بِنورِ أَبي عَلِيٍّ عِصمَةٌ
لَوif جاوَرَتit stood beside شَمسَthe sun of الضُحىthe forenoon لَمnot تُكسَفِwould be eclipsed
لَو جاوَرَت شَمسَ الضُحى لَم تُكسَفِ
A safeguard encircled the light of Abu Ali—
A safeguard encircled Abu Ali's radiance:
were the morning sun beside it, that light would not be eclipsed.
were it beside the morning sun, that sun would not be eclipsed.
إِنif غِبتَyou are absent عَنfrom قَومٍa people فَماthen not غابَwas absent الَّذيwhat
إِن غِبتَ عَن قَومٍ فَما غابَ الَّذي
عَوَّدتَهُمyou accustomed them to مِنof نائِلٍbounty وَتَعَطُّفِand kindness
عَوَّدتَهُم مِن نائِلٍ وَتَعَطُّفِ
Though you are absent from a people, absent is not what
Though you are absent from a people, there remains what
you accustomed them to—gifts and gracious favor—
you have accustomed them to: bounty and kindness.
كَالنَبتِlike a plant لاnot يَلقىmeets الغَمامَthe cloud وَإِنand although غَداit becomes
كَالنَبتِ لا يَلقى الغَمامَ وَإِن غَدا
مُتَنَعِّماًliving in delight بِرُضابِهِon its sweet saliva المُتَرَشَّفِgently sipped
مُتَنَعِّماً بِرُضابِهِ المُتَرَشَّفِ
like a plant that never meets the rain cloud, yet grows
Like a plant that never meets the cloud, though it thrives
luxuriant upon the droplets sipped from its mouth.
in delight upon its sweet saliva, gently sipped.
رِفدٌbounty بِصاحِبِهِin its giver نَقاءُpurity of سَريرَةٍinner character
رِفدٌ بِصاحِبِهِ نَقاءُ سَريرَةٍ
وَصفانِtwo qualities مِنfrom وَصفِthe qualities of السَحابِthe cloud الموكَفِrain-pouring
وَصفانِ مِن وَصفِ السَحابِ الموكَفِ
A bounty whose giver possesses purity of heart,
Bounty, and in its giver purity of heart:
and whose purity surpasses that ascribed to the rain-laden cloud.
two qualities of the rain-pouring cloud.
كَرَمٌgenerosity يُؤَيِّدُهُsupports it التَكَرُّمُgenerous conduct قَدindeed حَكىresembled
كَرَمٌ يُؤَيِّدُهُ التَكَرُّمُ قَد حَكى
غَيَدَthe supple grace of الغَزالِthe gazelle مُوَكَّداًreinforced بِتَشَوُّفِby craning to look
غَيَدَ الغَزالِ مُوَكَّداً بِتَشَوُّفِ
A generosity sustained by gracious giving—it has rivaled
Generosity sustained by generous deeds resembles
the gazelle's graceful sway, as yearning gazes attest.
the gazelle's supple grace, heightened as it cranes to look.
حَسَبٌancestral honor صَقيلٌburnished فَوقَabove عِزٍّmight أَشوَسٍfierce
حَسَبٌ صَقيلٌ فَوقَ عِزٍّ أَشوَسٍ
كَسَناlike the gleam of الفِرِندِthe blade's watered pattern عَلىon سَواءِthe flat of المَشرَفيthe Mashrafi sword
كَسَنا الفِرِندِ عَلى سَواءِ المَشرَفي
A polished lineage set above fierce glory,
A burnished lineage above fierce might,
like watered steel's gleam across a Mashrafi blade's midsection.
like the watered pattern's gleam on the flat of a Mashrafi sword.
عزمٌresolve تَأَلَّقَshone فيin نَواحيthe reaches of هِمَّةٍambition
عزمٌ تَأَلَّقَ في نَواحي هِمَّةٍ
كَالنارِlike fire تومِضُflashes بِاليَفاعِon the high ground المُشرِفِcommanding
كَالنارِ تومِضُ بِاليَفاعِ المُشرِفِ
A resolve that flashes through every reach of his ambition,
Resolve shining in the reaches of ambition,
like fire gleaming upon a commanding height.
like fire flashing upon a commanding height.
ماnot فيهِin him مِنof غَيرِanything but التُقىpiety رَهَبٌfear وَلاand not
ما فيهِ مِن غَيرِ التُقى رَهَبٌ وَلا
فيهِin him لِغَيرِfor anything but الجودِgenerosity شيمَةُthe disposition of مُسرِفِa spendthrift
فيهِ لِغَيرِ الجودِ شيمَةُ مُسرِفِ
He has no fear save reverent piety, nor
He harbors no fear save pious awe, nor
any extravagant trait save lavish generosity.
a spendthrift's disposition except in generosity.
لاnot يُبصِرُhe sees الزَلّاتِfaults وَهيَand they are ظَواهِرٌplainly visible
لا يُبصِرُ الزَلّاتِ وَهيَ ظَواهِرٌ
تَبدوappear وَيُبصِرُand he sees مَوضِعَthe place of الفَضلِmerit الخَفيhidden
تَبدو وَيُبصِرُ مَوضِعَ الفَضلِ الخَفي
He overlooks faults though they are plainly visible:
He sees no faults, though they stand plainly
they show themselves, while he sees merit's hidden seat.
revealed, but sees where hidden merit lies.
أَضدادُopposites of مَجدٍglory لاno تَعادِيَhostility بَينَهاbetween them
أَضدادُ مَجدٍ لا تَعادِيَ بَينَها
نارُthe fire of البَروقِlightning flashes بِمائِهاby its water لاnot تَنطَفيis extinguished
نارُ البَروقِ بِمائِها لا تَنطَفي
Glory's contrary qualities do not feud within him:
Contrasting qualities of glory, with no hostility between them:
lightning's fire is not quenched by its own rain.
the fire of lightning is not quenched by its water.
مُتَناسِبٌharmonious فىِin الفَضلِexcellence مُكتَمِلٌcomplete فَلاso no
مُتَناسِبٌ فىِ الفَضلِ مُكتَمِلٌ فَلا
نَقصُthe deficiency of الكَفيفِthe blind one وَلاand no اِختِلافُthe disparity of الأَخيَفِone with mismatched eyes
نَقصُ الكَفيفِ وَلا اِختِلافُ الأَخيَفِ
His virtues are harmonious and complete: there is neither
Harmonious in excellence, complete: neither
the blind man's deficiency nor the mismatch of differently colored eyes.
the blind one's deficiency nor the disparity of mismatched eyes.
موفٍreaching عَلىabove العَلياthe highest rank بِأَيسَرِwith the least of سَعيِهِhis effort
موفٍ عَلى العَليا بِأَيسَرِ سَعيِهِ
نَيلَthe attainment of البَليغِthe eloquent speaker مُرادَهُhis aim فيin أَحرُفِletters
نَيلَ البَليغِ مُرادَهُ في أَحرُفِ
He overtops the heights with the slightest effort,
He reaches the highest rank with his slightest effort,
as an eloquent man attains his aim in a few words.
as an eloquent speaker achieves his aim in a few letters.
سَعيٌstriving خَلاصِيُّunalloyed قَدِindeed اِستَصفىhas singled out العُلاlofty honor
سَعيٌ خَلاصِيُّ قَدِ اِستَصفى العُلا
وَلَقَدand indeed تُتاحُis granted لَهُto him وَلَوand even if لَمnot يَصطَفِhe chooses
وَلَقَد تُتاحُ لَهُ وَلَو لَم يَصطَفِ
A striving pure in purpose has chosen the heights,
Unalloyed striving has singled out lofty honor,
though they would offer themselves to him even without his choosing.
and it is indeed granted him even if he does not choose it.
لَوif أَنَّهُthat he اِلتَمَسَsought المَساعِيَgreat deeds فيin الدُجىdarkness
لَو أَنَّهُ اِلتَمَسَ المَساعِيَ في الدُجى
لَمnot تِختَطِفyou would snatch مِهُنَّfrom them (unclear form) غَيرَother than الأَشنَفِthe long-eared one
لَم تِختَطِف مِهُنَّ غَيرَ الأَشنَفِ
Were he to seek noble endeavors in the darkness,
Were he to seek great deeds in the dark,
he would snatch from among them none but the noblest.
you would seize only the 'long-eared' one among them [reading unclear].
نَظَمَarranged المَواهِبَgifts كَالقَوافيlike rhymes جودُهُhis generosity
نَظَمَ المَواهِبَ كَالقَوافي جودُهُ
لاnot نَظمَthe arrangement of مُنتَحِلٍa plagiarist وَلاand not مُتَكَلِّفِan affected poet
لا نَظمَ مُنتَحِلٍ وَلا مُتَكَلِّفِ
His generosity orders gifts as verse orders its rhymes—
His generosity arranged gifts like rhymes,
no borrowed composition and nothing forced.
not a plagiarist's arrangement, nor an affected poet's.
قَدmay يُلحِفُpersist insistently العافونَthe petitioners فيin تَسآلِهِمtheir asking
قَد يُلحِفُ العافونَ في تَسآلِهِم
ماnot كُنتُI was أَسمَعُhearing بِالكَريمِof the generous man المُلحَفِbeing importuned
ما كُنتُ أَسمَعُ بِالكَريمِ المُلحَفِ
Petitioners may press importunately in their repeated asking;
Petitioners may persist in their requests;
never have I heard of a generous man who importunes others.
never had I heard of a generous man being importuned.
إِفكُthe falsehood of الدُعاةِthe preachers مَحَتهُerased it دَعوَتُكَyour call الرِضىpleasing
إِفكُ الدُعاةِ مَحَتهُ دَعوَتُكَ الرِضى
فَعَصاso the staff of الخَطيبِthe preacher بِهاthrough it عَصاthe staff of مُتَلَقِّفِone that swallows up
فَعَصا الخَطيبِ بِها عَصا مُتَلَقِّفِ
Your welcome, well-pleasing summons erased the propagandists' lies,
The preachers' falsehood was erased by your pleasing call;
and through it the preacher's staff became a staff that swallowed falsehood.
through it the preacher's staff became a staff that swallowed up.
يُبدونَthey display هَدياًguidance وَالمُرادُand the intention خِلافُهُits opposite
يُبدونَ هَدياً وَالمُرادُ خِلافُهُ
فَكَأَنَّso it is as though دَعوَتَهُمtheir call كَلامُthe words of مُصَحِّفِa misreader of letters
فَكَأَنَّ دَعوَتَهُم كَلامُ مُصَحِّفِ
They display guidance while intending its opposite,
They display guidance, while their intention is its opposite,
as though their preaching were speech corrupted by altered lettering.
as though their call were the words of one who misreads letters.
ناضِلcontend بِسَيفِwith the sword of اللَهِGod أَوor بِكِتابِهِwith His Book
ناضِل بِسَيفِ اللَهِ أَو بِكِتابِهِ
وَاِشبِعand sate بِظَهرِwith the back of الطِرفِthe steed بَطنَthe belly of المُصحَفِthe Qur'an
وَاِشبِع بِظَهرِ الطِرفِ بَطنَ المُصحَفِ
Contend with God's sword or with His Book,
Fight with God's sword or with His Book,
and sate the codex's inner pages with the back of the noble steed.
and sate the Qur'an's belly with the steed's back.
وَإِلَيكِهاand here it is for you اِبنَةَa daughter of ساعَةٍan hour لاnot تَلتَقيshe meets
وَإِلَيكِها اِبنَةَ ساعَةٍ لا تَلتَقي
إِلّاexcept بِسَمعٍwith an ear مُنصِتٍattentive أَوor مُنصِفِfair-minded
إِلّا بِسَمعٍ مُنصِتٍ أَو مُنصِفِ
Here she is for you—a daughter of the moment, who meets
And here it is for you, an hour's daughter, that meets
only an attentive ear or an impartial judge:
only an attentive or fair-minded ear.
عَذراءُa virgin جاءَتcame عَنfrom لَهاكَyour gifts وَخاطِريand my imagination
عَذراءُ جاءَت عَن لَهاكَ وَخاطِري
فَعَجِبتُso I marvelled مِنat كَرَمِthe nobility of القَريضِthe verse المُقرِفِof mixed parentage
فَعَجِبتُ مِن كَرَمِ القَريضِ المُقرِفِ
a virgin poem born of your palate and my imagination—
A virgin born of your gifts and my imagination:
so I marveled at the nobility of this low-born verse.
I marvelled at the nobility of this mixed-bred verse.
راقَتكَdelighted you تَسهيماًby aiming the rhyme وَصابَتand rained down أَسهُماًarrows
راقَتكَ تَسهيماً وَصابَت أَسهُماً
فَأَتَتكَso it came to you بَينَbetween مُفَوَّقٍnocked like an arrow وَمُفَوَّفِand patterned like cloth
فَأَتَتكَ بَينَ مُفَوَّقٍ وَمُفَوَّفِ
She delighted you with her fine-lined adornment and struck true as arrows;
It charmed you with its aiming and rained down arrows,
thus she came to you both feathered like a shaft and figured like brocade.
so it came to you both nocked like an arrow and patterned like cloth.
أَناI وَالبِساطُand the carpet وَأَنتَand you أَشرَفُthe noblest مادِحٍpraiser
أَنا وَالبِساطُ وَأَنتَ أَشرَفُ مادِحٍ
وَأَجَلُّand the most exalted مَمدوحٍone praised وَأَشرَفُand the noblest مَوقِفِsetting
وَأَجَلُّ مَمدوحٍ وَأَشرَفُ مَوقِفِ
Here am I, speaking with the freedom of familiar company; and you are the noblest praiser,
I, the carpet, and you: the noblest praiser,
the most exalted one praised, and the noblest occasion for praise.
the most exalted one praised, and the noblest setting.
Sol 6.1