قَتْلِيmy being slain لحُبِّكمُfor love of you شَهادَةmartyrdom
قَتْلِي لحُبِّكمُ شَهادَة
وشَقَاوَتيand my misery فيكُمْbecause of you سَعَادَهhappiness
وشَقَاوَتي فيكُمْ سَعَادَه
To be slain for love of you is martyrdom,
and my misery for you is happiness.
وكَذَاكَand likewise كُفْريmy disbelief بالعذُوin the reprover (continued)
وكَذَاكَ كُفْري بالعذُو
لِ(completes 'reprover') عَلىover محبَّتكُمloving you عِبَادَهworship
لِ عَلى محبَّتكُم عِبَادَه
Likewise, my rejection of the reprover
over loving you is worship.
ويحَwoe to العذولِthe reprover إِذاwhenever مضىpasses
ويحَ العذولِ إِذا مضى
مِنْof عَذْلِهhis reproach فنٌّa strain أَعَادَهhe repeats it
مِنْ عَذْلِه فنٌّ أَعَادَه
Woe to the reprover! Whenever a strain
of his reproach is over, he repeats it.
والنَّفْسُand the soul تُغْرقُgoes to extremes فيin مُعاresentment (continued)
والنَّفْسُ تُغْرقُ في مُعا
دَاةِ(completes 'resentment') الأَحادِيثِthe tales المُعَادهrepeated
دَاةِ الأَحادِيثِ المُعَاده
And the soul goes to extremes in resenting
tales repeated yet again.
تَمَّis complete الْغَرامُpassionate love بِكُمْfor you فلاso there is no
تَمَّ الْغَرامُ بِكُمْ فلا
نقضٌdiminution عَليهof it ولاnor زِيَادَهincrease
نقضٌ عَليه ولا زِيَادَه
My love for you is complete, with neither
diminution nor increase.
بأَبيwith my father as ransom وأُمِّيand my mother أَغيدٌa graceful youth
بأَبي وأُمِّي أَغيدٌ
وإِذاand if اعْتَبَرتَyou consider closely وجدتyou find غادهa delicate maiden
وإِذا اعْتَبَرتَ وجدت غاده
My father and mother be ransom for a graceful youth,
yet, looking closely, you find a maiden.
خفرbashful الشمائلin manner لينsupple الـthe
خفر الشمائل لين الـ
ـأعطافlimbs مُسْتَعْصِيresisting المَقَادَهbeing led
ـأعطاف مُسْتَعْصِي المَقَادَه
Bashful in manner, supple
of limb, yet impossible to lead.
متقلِّدٌbearing responsibility لِدَمِيfor my blood وماthough not
متقلِّدٌ لِدَمِي وما
نَزعتhave removed حواضنُهhis nurses الْقِلادهthe necklace
نَزعت حواضنُه الْقِلاده
He bears my blood about his neck, though
his nurses have not yet removed his necklace.
سلَبَhe robbed الجليدَthe steadfast man أَخصَّof the most distinctive شيthing (continued)
سلَبَ الجليدَ أَخصَّ شي
ءٍ(completes 'thing') عِندهhe possesses وهُوand it is الجَلاَدَهfortitude
ءٍ عِنده وهُو الجَلاَدَه
He robbed the steadfast man of his most distinctive possession—
his fortitude.
وكَذَاكand likewise مَاno لِلمسكfor musk عِنْـin the presence of (continued)
وكَذَاك مَا لِلمسك عِنْـ
ـدَ(completes 'in the presence of') نسيمthe breeze نكهتِهof his breath هَوادَهtruce
ـدَ نسيم نكهتِه هَوادَه
Likewise, musk, before
the breeze of his breath, finds no truce.
يُهْدِيoffers إِليهto him المرءُa person عِشـout of love (continued)
يُهْدِي إِليه المرءُ عِشـ
ـقاً(completes 'out of love') قبلbefore رُؤيتهseeing him فُؤَادهhis heart
ـقاً قبل رُؤيته فُؤَاده
A man offers him, out of love,
his heart before ever seeing him.
ويكادand almost يسبقُoutstrips سرعةًin speed
ويكاد يسبقُ سرعةً
عشقُthe love المريدِof the seeker لهfor him الإِرَادهthe will
عشقُ المريدِ له الإِرَاده
And almost outstripping in speed
the will is the seeker's love for him.
أَخذhe took الحَشَاthe heart's core حتىeven الجواthe ribs (continued)
أَخذ الحَشَا حتى الجوا
نحَ(completes 'the ribs') والكَرىand sleep حتىeven الوِسَادهthe pillow
نحَ والكَرى حتى الوِسَاده
He took my heart, even my ribs,
and my sleep, even my pillow.
فبكيتُso I wept حتَّىuntil قالsaid بعـsome (continued)
فبكيتُ حتَّى قال بعـ
ـضُ(completes 'some') الرَّكْبِof the riders مِنْwho فَتَحopened المَزَادَهthe waterskin
ـضُ الرَّكْبِ مِنْ فَتَح المَزَادَه
So I wept until some
of the riders said, 'Who opened the waterskin?'
رَحَلُواthey departed وَقَدْand had فَتحواopened ولbut (continued)
رَحَلُوا وَقَدْ فَتحوا ول
كن(completes 'but') عَنْfrom فَمthe mouth العَيْنof the eye السِّدادهthe stopper
كن عَنْ فَم العَيْن السِّداده
They departed, having pulled the stopper—
but from the mouth of my eye.
فخذواso take الحديثَthe account عنfrom المداthe tears (continued)
فخذوا الحديثَ عن المدا
مِع(completes 'the tears') فَهْيfor they تَرْويtransmit عنfrom قَتَادهQatadah
مِع فَهْي تَرْوي عن قَتَاده
So take the account from my tears:
they transmit it on Qatadah's authority.
إِنيindeed I بديهيُّspontaneous in الدموtears (continued)
إِني بديهيُّ الدمو
عِ(completes 'tears') وإِنَّand indeed دَمْعيَmy tears لاnot يُبَادَهcan be rivaled in spontaneity
عِ وإِنَّ دَمْعيَ لا يُبَادَه
I am spontaneous in tears,
and none can rival my weeping's readiness.
دَمعيmy tears كَذِهنيare like my mind فيin مداthe praises (continued)
دَمعي كَذِهني في مدا
ئح(completes 'the praises') سيِّدٍof a lord ولدتهbegot him سَادَهlords
ئح سيِّدٍ ولدته سَادَه
My tears are like my mind in the praises
of a lord born of lords.
وهُوand he الَّذيis the one who يجديgives generously ولمَّاand when
وهُو الَّذي يجدي ولمَّا
جادَhe gave generously علَّمنيhe taught me الإِجَادهexcellence
جادَ علَّمني الإِجَاده
He is the one who gives, and when
he gave, he taught me excellence.
ماwhat قُلتُI said أَجْرىhe made flow ماءَهits water
ما قُلتُ أَجْرى ماءَه
أَوor قُلتُI said قَدْindeed أَوْرَىhe kindled زِنَادهits flint
أَو قُلتُ قَدْ أَوْرَى زِنَاده
He made the water of my words flow—
or, I might say, he struck their flint.
أَذْكَىhe sharpened ذكَائِيmy intelligence بِهْthrough it كَماjust as
أَذْكَى ذكَائِي بِهْ كَما
أُخْرِجْتُI was brought out مِنْof بَلَدِthe land الْبَلادَهof dullness
أُخْرِجْتُ مِنْ بَلَدِ الْبَلادَه
Through it he kindled my wit, just as
I was brought out of the land of dullness.
الفاضِلthe virtuous man البرّthe righteous الَّذيwho
الفاضِل البرّ الَّذي
أَحْياgave life الإِلَهُGod بهِthrough him عِبَادَهto His servants
أَحْيا الإِلَهُ بهِ عِبَادَه
The virtuous, righteous man through whom
God gave life to His servants.
وأَرادَand He willed إِبقاءَthe preservation الوجوof existence (continued)
وأَرادَ إِبقاءَ الوجو
دِ(completes 'existence') بهthrough him فكانand it was كَماas أَرَادَهHe willed it
دِ به فكان كَما أَرَادَه
And He willed to preserve existence
through him, and it was as He willed.
متَبتِّلٌdevoted لِلهto God أَدّhe fulfilled (continued)
متَبتِّلٌ لِله أَدّ
ى(completes 'he fulfilled') كُلَّevery شَيءٍthing فيهfor His sake آدَهthat burdened him
ى كُلَّ شَيءٍ فيه آدَه
Devoted to God, he discharged
every duty that burdened him in His service.
ومجاهِدٌand a striver فيin the cause of اللهGod قَدْindeed
ومجاهِدٌ في الله قَدْ
شَكَرَrewarded الإِلَهُGod لَهُfor him اجْتِهادَهhis striving
شَكَرَ الإِلَهُ لَهُ اجْتِهادَه
And a striver in God's cause—indeed,
God rewarded him for his striving.
ومُجَمِّعُand a uniter الأَضْدادِof opposites قَدindeed
ومُجَمِّعُ الأَضْدادِ قَد
جَمَعhe united الوزَارةَthe vizierate والزَّهَادَهand asceticism
جَمَع الوزَارةَ والزَّهَادَه
And a uniter of opposites: he has
united the vizierate with asceticism.
ومُقَدِّسُand a sanctifier الخَلَواتِof private retreats زاpure (continued)
ومُقَدِّسُ الخَلَواتِ زا
كي(completes 'pure') الغيبin secret مَعْصُومُblameless الشَّهادهin public
كي الغيب مَعْصُومُ الشَّهاده
And one who sanctifies his retreats, pure
in private, blameless in public.
حِلْفُa sworn companion التَّهجُّدِof night prayer ليسnot ينبذُcasts aside
حِلْفُ التَّهجُّدِ ليس ينبذُ
جنبُهhis side إِلاَّexcept مِهادَهhis bed
جنبُه إِلاَّ مِهادَه
A sworn companion of night prayer: nothing does
his side cast off but his bed.
حِلْسُan inseparable companion السُّهادِof sleeplessness فليسso not
حِلْسُ السُّهادِ فليس
يعرفknows طرفُهhis eye إِلاَّexcept سُهادَهits wakefulness
يعرف طرفُه إِلاَّ سُهادَه
An inseparable companion of sleeplessness, so
his eye knows nothing but its wakefulness.
ومفرِّقُand a distributor الخيراتِof good gifts وهيand they are
ومفرِّقُ الخيراتِ وهي
الكنزُthe treasure لاnot يَخشىhe fears نفادَهits depletion
الكنزُ لا يَخشى نفادَه
And a distributor of good gifts, which are
the treasure whose depletion he does not fear.
جارٍcontinuing علىaccording to عاداتِهhis habits
جارٍ على عاداتِه
فيin الخيرgoodness إِنَّindeed الخيرَgoodness عَادهa habit
في الخير إِنَّ الخيرَ عَاده
Following his accustomed ways
in goodness—goodness is his habit.
تأْتيcome الملوكُthe kings إِليهto him ترhoping in him (continued)
تأْتي الملوكُ إِليه تر
جُوه(completes 'hoping in him') منout of ضَلاَلتِهاtheir error رَشَادهhis guidance
جُوه من ضَلاَلتِها رَشَاده
Kings come to him, seeking
his guidance out of their own error.
وتجيءُand they come وافدةٍas envoys لتقـto draw (continued)
وتجيءُ وافدةٍ لتقـ
ـتبس(completes 'to draw') الإِفَادَةَbenefit بِالوِفَادهthrough visiting
ـتبس الإِفَادَةَ بِالوِفَاده
And they come as envoys to
draw benefit through their visit.
وترىand they see السَّدادَsound judgment وأَيَّand what يومـday (continued)
وترى السَّدادَ وأَيَّ يومـ
ـمٍ(completes 'day') ماnot رأَتthey saw منهfrom him سَدَادَهhis sound judgment
ـمٍ ما رأَت منه سَدَادَه
And they behold sound judgment—on what day
have they not beheld his sound judgment?
فرأَتْهso they saw him سيِّدَهاas their master بسـthrough his sound judgment (continued)
فرأَتْه سيِّدَها بسـ
ـدَدِه(completes 'through his sound judgment') فولَّتْهso they entrusted him with السِّيادَهleadership
ـدَدِه فولَّتْه السِّيادَه
They saw him as their master through
his sound judgment, and entrusted him with leadership.
قِيدتْwere led لهto him الأَغراضُthe aims إِذwhen
قِيدتْ له الأَغراضُ إِذ
أَعْطَىgave الزمانُTime لهto him قيادَهits reins
أَعْطَى الزمانُ له قيادَه
His aims were led to him, when
Time gave him its reins.
واللهُand God شرَّفهhonored him وفضَّـand exalted him (continued)
واللهُ شرَّفه وفضَّـ
ـلَه(completes 'and exalted him') وأَعْطَاهand gave to him وزَادَهand gave him more
ـلَه وأَعْطَاه وزَادَه
And God honored and exalted him,
and gave to him, and gave him more.
وقَضَىand He decreed بتشييدthe raising of العُلاhigh glory
وقَضَى بتشييد العُلا
فرآهُand He deemed him أَهْلاًworthy للإِشَادَهof exaltation
فرآهُ أَهْلاً للإِشَادَه
And decreed the raising of high glory,
and found him worthy to be exalted.
معتادُaccustomed to بذلbestowing الجودِbounty للعانيon the afflicted
معتادُ بذل الجودِ للعاني
ولاand not يَنْسىhe forgets الإِعَادَهgiving again
ولا يَنْسى الإِعَادَه
Accustomed to lavishing bounty on the afflicted,
and never forgetting to give again.
وارتادَand sought out وافدُa visitor جودهhis bounty
وارتادَ وافدُ جوده
فندَاهbut his largesse قدalready سَبَقpreceded ارْتِيادَهhis seeking
فندَاه قد سَبَق ارْتِيادَه
A visitor came seeking his bounty,
but his largesse had preceded his quest.
وأَجابَand he answered منfrom قبلِbefore النِّداthe call
وأَجابَ من قبلِ النِّدا
وأَعادَand he gave again قَبْلbefore الإِسْتِعادَهbeing asked again
وأَعادَ قَبْل الإِسْتِعادَه
He answered before the call,
and gave again before being asked again.
أَقْنَاهcredited him with ذاكthat الجودَgenerosity حـeven (continued)
أَقْنَاه ذاك الجودَ حـ
ـتى(completes 'even') منwhoever يعاندهopposes him وزادهand granted him more
ـتى من يعانده وزاده
That generosity was credited to him even
by his opponents, who added still more.
وأقرand professed إيماناًbelief بهin him
وأقر إيماناً به
مَنwhoever كَانhad قدalready أَبْدىshown عِنَادهhis defiance
مَن كَان قد أَبْدى عِنَاده
And belief in him was professed
by those who had once shown defiance.
شهدtestified العدوُّthe enemy بفضلِهto his excellence
شهد العدوُّ بفضلِه
طوعاًwillingly وقدand indeed أَدَّىgave الشَّهَادةthe testimony
طوعاً وقد أَدَّى الشَّهَادة
The enemy bore witness to his excellence,
willingly, and duly gave his testimony.
فببأْسِهِand before his might أَسَدُthe lion العِدَىof the enemies
فببأْسِهِ أَسَدُ العِدَى
ذِئبٌa wolf وبَازِيهمand their hawk جَرادَهa locust
ذِئبٌ وبَازِيهم جَرادَه
Before his might, the enemies' lion
is a wolf, and their hawk a locust.
ياO عاضداًsupporter للدِّينof the faith قدindeed
يا عاضداً للدِّين قد
جعلَmade الإِلَهُGod بهthrough him اعْتِضَادَهits strength
جعلَ الإِلَهُ به اعْتِضَادَه
O supporter of the faith, through whom
God has ordained its support.
يدعوكcalls to you مَنْone who رَفَضforsook الوَرىhumankind
يدعوك مَنْ رَفَض الوَرى
وعليكَand on you قَدْindeed جعلَhe placed اعْتِمادهhis reliance
وعليكَ قَدْ جعلَ اعْتِماده
One who has forsaken mankind calls to you,
and has placed his reliance on you.
أَشكوI complain of الكسَادَlack of demand وإِنَّthough indeed مِثلِيone like me
أَشكو الكسَادَ وإِنَّ مِثلِي
مِنْكfrom you لاnot يَخْشىfears كَسَادهhis being unsought
مِنْك لا يَخْشى كَسَاده
I lament my lack of demand, though one like me
need not fear being unsought by you.
وأَذُمُّand I deplore مِنof حالِيmy condition تشعُّثَهاits disarray
وأَذُمُّ مِن حالِي تشعُّثَها
ومِنْand of أَمْريmy affairs فسادهtheir ruin
ومِنْ أَمْري فساده
And I deplore the disarray of my condition,
and the ruin of my affairs.
وجَنىand wronged الزَّمانُTime عليَّme
وجَنى الزَّمانُ عليَّ
بالإخمالِwith obscurity لاno بلْrather بالإِبَادهwith annihilation
بالإخمالِ لا بلْ بالإِبَاده
And Time has wronged me
with obscurity—no, rather, annihilation.
والبحرand the sea يُروىquenches مدُّهits tide
والبحر يُروى مدُّه
غَيريothers than me ولمand not أُرزَقwas I granted ثِمادهits scant remaining water
غَيري ولم أُرزَق ثِماده
The sea's tide quenches
others, while I am denied even its dregs.
والقردand the monkey بَخْتيmy luck لاصِقٌclinging
والقرد بَخْتي لاصِقٌ
بيto me فهوso it is قِرْدٌa monkey أَوor قُرادَهa tick
بي فهو قِرْدٌ أَو قُرادَه
And my monkey of a fortune clings
to me—a monkey it is, or a tick.
ولأَنْتَand you indeed أَخبرُknow best بالمراwhat is meant (continued)
ولأَنْتَ أَخبرُ بالمرا
د(completes 'what is meant') وأَنتand you أَعلمknow best بالإِرادةthe intent
د وأَنت أَعلم بالإِرادة
And you indeed know best what is meant,
and you know the intent best.
ولأَنتand you indeed منare one who لوif جادَgave generously بالـwith the
ولأَنت من لو جادَ بالـ
ـدُّنياworld لعدوهto his enemy اقْتِصادهhis moderation
ـدُّنيا لعدوه اقْتِصاده
You are one for whom giving the world
to his enemy would count as restraint.
Sol 6.1