نَفْسٌa soul تَحِنُّyearns إِلىfor مَهَاwhite oryx
نَفْسٌ تَحِنُّ إِلى مَهَا
تَحْكِيit recounts لهاto them آلامهاits pains
تَحْكِي لها آلامها
A soul yearns for white oryx,
telling them its pains.
ويَزِيدُهاand adds to its أَلَماًpain إِذاwhen
ويَزِيدُها أَلَماً إِذا
هَويتْit fell in love بهاwith them إِلْمامَهاtheir passing visits
هَويتْ بها إِلْمامَها
And its pain is heightened, when
it loves them, by their passing visits.
بأَبيwith my father as ransom ليالِيهاtheir nights الَّتيwhich
بأَبي ليالِيها الَّتي
قدindeed خِلْتُهاI had thought them أَيّامَهاtheir days
قد خِلْتُها أَيّامَها
I would ransom their nights with my father,
nights I had fancied were their days.
كمhow many an سَاعَةٍhour منهاof them بَكَتْwept
كم سَاعَةٍ منها بَكَتْ
عَيْنيmy eye عَلَيْهَاover it عَامَهاits full year
عَيْني عَلَيْهَا عَامَها
How many an hour of them has
my eye mourned for a whole year!
حَسْبُenough for اللَّياليthe nights أَنْthat أَمُوI die (first part)
حَسْبُ اللَّيالي أَنْ أَمُو
تَ(end of 'I die') بمنfor the one whom سَهِرْتُI kept vigil ونَامَهاand he slept through them
تَ بمن سَهِرْتُ ونَامَها
Enough for the nights that I should die
for one for whom I kept vigil while he slept through them.
فقيامَتيso my Judgment Day قامتhas come ولَيْـand not (first part)
فقيامَتي قامت ولَيْـ
ـسَ(end of 'not') سِوَىbut الحبيبِthe beloved أَقامهاbrought it on
ـسَ سِوَى الحبيبِ أَقامها
So my Judgment Day has come, and
none but the beloved has brought it on.
ياO مُسْقِمِيyou who sicken me بِلَواحِظٍwith sidelong glances
يا مُسْقِمِي بِلَواحِظٍ
أَهْدَتْbestowed إِليّupon me سَقَامَهاtheir sickness
أَهْدَتْ إِليّ سَقَامَها
O you who sicken me with sidelong glances
that bestowed their sickness upon me!
عينيmy eye رأَتsaw إِلْفاكُمَاan alif, just as (reading uncertain)
عيني رأَت إِلْفاكُمَا
نَظَرَتْit beheld بخدّكَupon your cheek لاَمَهاits lām
نَظَرَتْ بخدّكَ لاَمَها
My eye saw an alif, just as
it beheld its lām upon your cheek.
فأَخذْتُso I took رقَّتهَاits slenderness ضَنىًas wasting sickness
فأَخذْتُ رقَّتهَا ضَنىً
وأَخَذْتَand you took أَنتyou قَوَامَهاits upright stature
وأَخَذْتَ أَنت قَوَامَها
So I took its slenderness as wasting sickness,
while you took its upright stature.
تشكوcomplain جُفُونِيmy eyelids منof دموmy tears (first part)
تشكو جُفُونِي من دمو
عِي(end of 'my tears') ريِّهاtheir drenching وأُوَامَهَاand their burning thirst
عِي ريِّها وأُوَامَهَا
My eyelids complain of my tears—
their drenching and their burning thirst.
ماnot خاضwaded طَيْفُكَyour phantom لُجّةًa deep sea
ما خاض طَيْفُكَ لُجّةً
للدمعِof tears لكِنْbut عَامَهاit swam across it
للدمعِ لكِنْ عَامَها
Your phantom did not wade a sea
of tears, but swam across it.
قلsay للَّوَائِمto the reproachful women لاnot سَمِعْـI hear (first part)
قل للَّوَائِم لا سَمِعْـ
ـتُ(end of 'I hear') علىagainst الحبيبِthe beloved مَلاَمَهَاtheir reproach
ـتُ على الحبيبِ مَلاَمَهَا
Tell the reproachful women: may I never hear
their censure of the beloved.
قدindeed ذقْتُI tasted منfrom نارِthe fire of المراthe lips (first part)
قد ذقْتُ من نارِ المرا
شِفِ(end of 'lips') بَرْدَهاits coolness وسَلامَهَاand its peace
شِفِ بَرْدَها وسَلامَهَا
I have tasted, from the fire of lips,
its coolness and its peace.
ولَثَمْتُand I kissed فوقabove لِوَىthe winding of
ولَثَمْتُ فوق لِوَى
الثَّنيّةthe mountain pass بالِّلوَىat al-Liwā بَسَّامَهاher smiling mouth
الثَّنيّة بالِّلوَى بَسَّامَها
And I kissed, above the winding
pass at al-Liwā, her smiling mouth.
وكذاكَand likewise قُلْsay للدّارِto the dwelling لاnot
وكذاكَ قُلْ للدّارِ لا
أَخْلَىmake empty الفِراقُseparation مُقَامَهاits habitation
أَخْلَى الفِراقُ مُقَامَها
And likewise tell the dwelling: may
separation never empty its habitation.
أَجْرَتْimposed عليَّupon me نجومُthe stars of أَرyour land (first part)
أَجْرَتْ عليَّ نجومُ أَر
ضِك(end of 'your land') فيin الهوىlove أَحْكَامَهاtheir decrees
ضِك في الهوى أَحْكَامَها
The stars of your land have imposed
their decrees upon me in love.
لوif كَانتwere الأَوطانُthe homelands طاa congregation (first part)
لو كَانت الأَوطانُ طا
ئِفةً(end of 'congregation') لكُنتyou would be إِمَامَهَاtheir imam
ئِفةً لكُنت إِمَامَهَا
If homelands were a congregation,
you would be their imam.
دامتmay they endure عليكover you سحائبٌclouds
دامت عليك سحائبٌ
ماnot أَنْthat تَملَّyou grow weary of دوامَهاtheir continuance
ما أَنْ تَملَّ دوامَها
May clouds linger over you,
whose continuance you never tire of,
تَهْميpouring down كمِثلlike يَدٍa hand تُفِيضُthat pours forth
تَهْمي كمِثل يَدٍ تُفِيضُ
علىupon الوَرىhumankind أَنْعَامَهاits favors
على الوَرى أَنْعَامَها
pouring down like a hand that lavishes
its favors upon humankind.
مَلْثُومةٌmuch-kissed ليستْit does not تَحُـcast off (first part)
مَلْثُومةٌ ليستْ تَحُـ
ـطُّ(end of 'cast off') منof الشِفاهِlips لِثامَهاits veil
ـطُّ من الشِفاهِ لِثامَها
Ever kissed, it never casts
off its veil of lips.
تشكوit complains منof الأَفْواهِmouths
تشكو من الأَفْواهِ
كَثْرَتَهاtheir multitude بِهاupon it وزِحامَهاand their crowding
كَثْرَتَها بِها وزِحامَها
It complains of the mouths,
their multitude upon it and their crowding.
عبدُʿAbd (servant of) الرحيمal-Raḥīm (the Merciful) لماwhen أَناlulled to rest (first part)
عبدُ الرحيم لما أَنا
م(end of 'lulled to rest') بهthrough him الأَنامَhumankind أَقامهاhe held it high
م به الأَنامَ أَقامها
ʿAbd al-Raḥīm, when through him
mankind was lulled to rest, held it high.
قدindeed وفَّرتْit supplied fully للعالميـfor all people (first part)
قد وفَّرتْ للعالميـ
ـن(end of 'all people') منof النَّوالِbounty سِهَامَهاits shares
ـن من النَّوالِ سِهَامَها
It has furnished all the world
with its full shares of bounty.
وكذاand likewise البريَّةُhumankind سدَّدتْaimed
وكذا البريَّةُ سدَّدتْ
فيin المدحِpraise فيهof him سِهامَهاits arrows
في المدحِ فيه سِهامَها
And likewise humankind has aimed
its arrows in his praise.
مولىًa master عَلاَascended رُتَباًranks عَلَتْthat rose high
مولىً عَلاَ رُتَباً عَلَتْ
فَهَوتْso they stooped لهto him إِذْwhen رَامَهَاhe sought them
فَهَوتْ له إِذْ رَامَهَا
A master who ascended lofty ranks,
which stooped to him when he sought them,
وغلتand were too costly علىfor منwhoever سَامَهاbid for them
وغلت على من سَامَها
وعَلتand were too high علىfor مَنْwhoever شَامَهاbeheld them
وعَلت على مَنْ شَامَها
too costly for whoever bid for them,
too high for whoever gazed at them.
تَاهَتْgloried بهin him الدنياthe world فَتَـso he confounded (first part)
تَاهَتْ به الدنيا فَتَـ
ـوّه(end of 'he confounded') ظُلْمهَاits injustice وظَلامَهاand its darkness
ـوّه ظُلْمهَا وظَلامَها
The world gloried in him; he confounded
its injustice and its darkness.
وصَبَتْand yearned إِليهfor him وزارَةٌthe vizierate
وصَبَتْ إِليه وزارَةٌ
أَلْقَتْcast إِليهto him زِمَامَهاits reins
أَلْقَتْ إِليه زِمَامَها
And the vizierate yearned for him,
surrendering its reins to him.
ولقدand indeed أَطابhe made pleasant زَمانَهاits days
ولقد أَطاب زَمانَها
حتىuntil أَطالَhe lengthened زِمَامَهَاits reins
حتى أَطالَ زِمَامَهَا
He made its days so pleasant
that he lengthened its reins.
مُذْsince سارَset forth فيهاwithin it عَزْمُهُhis resolve
مُذْ سارَ فيها عَزْمُهُ
وَقَفَتْit devoted عليهto him غَرامَهاits passion
وَقَفَتْ عليه غَرامَها
Since his resolve set forth within it,
it has devoted its passion to him.
قدindeed أَرضَعَتْهُsuckled him المكرماnoble deeds (first part)
قد أَرضَعَتْهُ المكرما
تُ(end of 'noble deeds') فماso not أَحبَّhe desired فِطامَهاbeing weaned from them
تُ فما أَحبَّ فِطامَها
Noble deeds have suckled him,
so he has never wished to be weaned from them.
وزكَتْand grew pure لهfor him نفسٌa soul فماand never
وزكَتْ له نفسٌ فما
جَلبتbrought إِليهupon him أَثامهاits sins
جَلبت إِليه أَثامها
And a soul grew pure within him, never
bringing its sins upon him;
بلrather صيّرتهit made him للدِّياfor religion (first part)
بل صيّرته للدِّيا
نَةِ(end of 'religion') للأَنامِfor humankind إِمَامَهاits imam
نَةِ للأَنامِ إِمَامَها
rather, it made him, in religion,
humankind's imam:
علاَّمَهاits great scholar عمَّالَهاits tireless practitioner
علاَّمَها عمَّالَها
صوّامهاits constant faster قَوَّامَهاits steadfast worshipper
صوّامها قَوَّامَها
its great scholar, its tireless practitioner,
its constant faster, its steadfast man of prayer.
هذِيthis هيis النَّفسُthe soul التيthat
هذِي هي النَّفسُ التي
أَضحَىhas become الأَجلُّthe Most Illustrious عِصامَهاits safeguard
أَضحَى الأَجلُّ عِصامَها
This is the soul for which
the Most Illustrious has become a safeguard.
وبكفِّهand in his hand القلمُthe pen الَّذيwhich
وبكفِّه القلمُ الَّذي
يَسْقِيmakes drink العُدَاةَthe enemies حِمامَهاtheir death
يَسْقِي العُدَاةَ حِمامَها
And in his hand is the pen that
makes enemies drink their death.
إِنif خطَّit writes حطَّمit shatters رُمْحَهاtheir spear
إِن خطَّ حطَّم رُمْحَها
أَوصَالَinto fragments فلَّit blunts حُسَامَهاtheir sword
أَوصَالَ فلَّ حُسَامَها
If it writes, it shatters their spear
to pieces and blunts their sword.
ولهand to it البريَّةُcreation كلُّهاall of it
وله البريَّةُ كلُّها
قدindeed أَسجَدَتْhas made bow down أَقلامَهاits pens
قد أَسجَدَتْ أَقلامَها
And to it all creation
has made its pens bow down.
ولقدand indeed أَبانَit made clear كلامَthe speech of حاits bearer (first part)
ولقد أَبانَ كلامَ حا
مِلِه(end of 'its bearer') بِأَنَّin that كَلاَمَهاtheir speech
مِلِه بِأَنَّ كَلاَمَها
It has indeed made clear the speech
of its bearer, in that their speech... [text unclear].
ياO مَنْyou who إِذاwhen أَولىgrant امْرَأًa man
يا مَنْ إِذا أَولى امْرَأً
مِنَناًfavors عليهto him أَدامهاmake them endure
مِنَناً عليه أَدامها
O you who, when you grant a man
favors, make them endure for him,
شُكراُthanks لأَنْعُمِكfor your favors التيwhich
شُكراُ لأَنْعُمِك التي
أَولَيتَyou bestowed مِنكfrom yourself جِسَامَهاthe immense ones among them
أَولَيتَ مِنك جِسَامَها
thanks for your favors,
the immense ones you yourself bestowed.
قدindeed عُدْتَنِيyou visited me in illness فأَعدتَand so restored ليto me
قد عُدْتَنِي فأَعدتَ لي
رُوحاًa soul تَراكَthat sees you قِوَامَهاas its support
رُوحاً تَراكَ قِوَامَها
You visited me in sickness and restored to me
a soul that sees you as its support.
وردَدْتُand I brought back فَارطهاwhat had fled of it وقَدْalthough
وردَدْتُ فَارطها وقَدْ
نَثَرَscattered السَّقَامُillness نِظَامَهاits ordered string
نَثَرَ السَّقَامُ نِظَامَها
And I brought back what had fled of it, though
sickness had scattered its ordered parts.
وَرَفَعْتand you raised قَدْرِيmy standing بينamong
وَرَفَعْت قَدْرِي بين
حُسّادٍenvious men عَكَسْتyou thwarted مَرامَهاtheir aim
حُسّادٍ عَكَسْت مَرامَها
And you raised my standing among
envious men whose aims you thwarted.
كمhow many a نعمةٍblessing للهof God قدindeed
كم نعمةٍ لله قد
أَصبحتyou have become أَنْتyou تَمَامَهَاits completion
أَصبحت أَنْت تَمَامَهَا
How many a blessing of God
has found its fulfillment in you!
Sol 6.1