راحَdeparted رسوليmy messenger وجاءَنيand came to me عاشِقْenamored
راحَ رسولي وجاءَني عاشِقْ
وعاقَهand hindered him عنfrom رِسالتيmy message عائِقْa hindrance
وعاقَه عن رِسالتي عائِقْ
My messenger left and came back to me in love;
My messenger left, and a lover came to me,
and a hindrance kept him from delivering my message.
And an obstacle prevented him from delivering my message.
وعادand returned لاَnot بالجوابِwith the reply بلrather بجوىًwith burning heartache
وعاد لاَ بالجوابِ بل بجوىً
أَخرسَهit silenced him والهوىwhile passion بهwithin him ناطِقْspeaks
أَخرسَه والهوى به ناطِقْ
He returned not with the reply, but with heartache
He returned not with an answer, but with yearning -
that struck him dumb, while love spoke within him.
It made him speechless, though love made him eloquent.
ومُخْجِلand one who shames الشَّمسthe sun بالملاحةwith beauty قدhas indeed
ومُخْجِل الشَّمس بالملاحة قد
أَلبسclothed خدَّيَّmy cheeks خجلةَthe blush of الواثقthe confident one
أَلبس خدَّيَّ خجلةَ الواثق
And one whose beauty shames the sun has
The confident sun clothes my cheeks with shyness,
clothed my cheeks in the confident one's blush.
Like one wearing a garment.
والعذرُand the excuse فيمنfor the one whom هَوِيتُI loved منبسطٌample
والعذرُ فيمن هَوِيتُ منبسطٌ
والعذرُand the excuse فيfor مثلِthe like of حُسنهhis beauty لائِقfitting
والعذرُ في مثلِ حُسنه لائِق
And my excuse for loving him is ample;
My excuse is valid for she whom I love,
for beauty like his, excuse is fitting.
And for one with beauty like hers, desire is fitting.
أَوعدنيhe threatened me أَنَّهthat he سيلْحقُنيwould catch up with me
أَوعدني أَنَّه سيلْحقُني
وكانand he was لاneither سابقاًpreceding ولاnor لاحِقْfollowing
وكان لا سابقاً ولا لاحِقْ
He threatened that he would catch up with me,
He promised he would come to me,
yet he was neither preceding nor following.
Though he was neither foremost, nor following after.
وكانand was ظنِّيmy expectation أَنthat سوفwould يطْرقُنيvisit me by night
وكان ظنِّي أَن سوف يطْرقُني
لأَنَّهbecause he is النَّجمُthe star واسمهand his name الطارِقْTariq, the Night-Comer
لأَنَّه النَّجمُ واسمه الطارِقْ
I thought he would visit me by night,
I thought he would visit me in the night,
for he is the star, and his name is Tariq.
For he is the star, and his name is Al-Tariq.
وقالَand he said ليto me مسكنيmy dwelling السَّماءُheaven فإِنso if شئـwish—
وقالَ لي مسكني السَّماءُ فإِن شئـ
ـتَyou (verb ending) أَوor اسْطَعتَyou can فارْقَthen ascend! أَوor فَارِقْdepart!
ـتَ أَو اسْطَعتَ فارْقَ أَو فَارِقْ
He told me, 'My home is heaven; if you wish—
He said, "My dwelling place is the sky. If you wish,
or can, then ascend—or depart!'
Shine, or set, or abandon, or separate."
هيهاتimpossible هيهاتimpossible أَنthat تُقيمyou dwell بهاthere
هيهات هيهات أَن تُقيم بها
تملُّهاyou weary of it والسماءِby heaven والطَّارقْand Tariq, the Night-Comer
تملُّها والسماءِ والطَّارقْ
Impossible, impossible that you should dwell there!
Alas! Alas! That he would stay there -
You would weary of it—by heaven and Tariq!
He would grow bored of it, and of the sky and the knocker.
كيفَhow يَقرُّcan settle الحبيبُthe beloved فيin وطنٍa homeland
كيفَ يَقرُّ الحبيبُ في وطنٍ
ولمand has not يَزلceased to be قطُّever فيin حَشاًa breast خافِقْthrobbing
ولم يَزل قطُّ في حَشاً خافِقْ
How can the beloved settle in a homeland,
How can a lover settle in a land
when he has never ceased to dwell in a throbbing breast?
When he has always dwelt in ardour and passion?
لهhe has فمٌa mouth كمhow often سَرتtraveled بهover it قُبَلِيmy kisses
له فمٌ كم سَرت به قُبَلِي
بالوهمin imagination بينbetween العُذيبِal-ʿUdhayb أَوْor بَارِقBariq
بالوهم بين العُذيبِ أَوْ بَارِق
He has a mouth—how often my kisses have roamed over it
He has a mouth - how my kisses delighted in it,
in imagination, between al-ʿUdhayb and Bariq.
In my imaginings, amid reproach or lightning flash.
إِنif لمnot أَكنI am آكلاًeating حلاوتَهits sweetness
إِن لم أَكن آكلاً حلاوتَه
بالفَمِwith the mouth إِنِّيindeed I بناظريwith my gaze ذائِقtaste
بالفَمِ إِنِّي بناظري ذائِق
If I do not eat of its sweetness
If I have not tasted its sweetness with my mouth,
with my mouth, I do taste it with my gaze.
I have still savoured it with my gazing eyes.
ريقتُهhis saliva عاتِقٌaged wine محرَّمةforbidden
ريقتُه عاتِقٌ محرَّمة
ياO قومِmy people للغلامِfor the youth والْعَاتِقand the aged wine
يا قومِ للغلامِ والْعَاتِق
His saliva is aged, forbidden wine.
I have sipped its red wine - forbidden
O my people—what a youth, what aged wine!
To the boy and the one embracing him.
قلsay لِلثَامِto the veil of الغُلامthe youth قبِّلkiss! عَلَىagainst
قل لِلثَامِ الغُلام قبِّل عَلَى
رغميmy will وقلand say ياO قميصَهhis shirt عَانِقْembrace!
رغمي وقل يا قميصَه عَانِقْ
Tell the youth's veil, 'Kiss him against—
Say to the garment, "Let the boy kiss me
my will'; and say, 'O his shirt, embrace him!'
Despite myself," and say, "Oh his shirt, embrace him!"
سبقتَنيyou preceded me للعِناقto the embrace فاحْظَso take delight بهin it
سبقتَني للعِناق فاحْظَ به
وماand not رأَىhave seen النَّاسُpeople قطُّever ليahead of me سابِقْanyone preceding
وما رأَى النَّاسُ قطُّ لي سابِقْ
You have beaten me to the embrace, so enjoy it;
You preceded me in embracing him - rejoice in that,
yet people have never seen anyone precede me.
For people have never seen me precede another.
سبقتُهمْI outstripped them للعَلاءِtoward glory مُشترياًas a buyer
سبقتُهمْ للعَلاءِ مُشترياً
حتىuntil لصيَّرتُI indeed made سوقَهاits market نَافِقbrisk
حتى لصيَّرتُ سوقَها نَافِق
I outstripped them in buying glory,
I outdid them in rising to excellence, purchasing it
till I made its market thrive.
Until I made its market faithless and hypocritical.
وفقتُهمْand I surpassed them بالكمالِin perfection وليعلمand let know الـthe—
وفقتُهمْ بالكمالِ وليعلم الـ
ـخلقُ—creation بأَنَّthat الكمالَperfection بيthrough me فَائِقْexcels
ـخلقُ بأَنَّ الكمالَ بي فَائِقْ
And I surpassed them in perfection; let the—
I surpassed them in perfection, and let people know
world know that perfection excels through me.
That perfection in me is transcendent.
أَنَّىhow could ليI have النْقصُdeficiency إِنَّindeed مجدَthe glory of أَبيmy father
أَنَّى لي النْقصُ إِنَّ مجدَ أَبي
سامٍlofty كماjust as أَنَّthat قدرَهhis standing سَامِقْtowering
سامٍ كما أَنَّ قدرَه سَامِقْ
How could I be deficient? My father's glory
Whence would imperfection come to me? My father’s glory,
is lofty, just as his standing is towering.
Like his worth, is lofty.
هوhe الرَّشِيدُal-Rashid الَّذيwho رئاستُهhis leadership
هو الرَّشِيدُ الَّذي رئاستُه
سارَتْhas traveled بلاwithout زاجرٍa goader ولاand no سَائِقْdriver
سارَتْ بلا زاجرٍ ولا سَائِقْ
He is al-Rashid, whose leadership
He is Al-Rashid, whose authority
has spread with neither goader nor driver.
Marched on with no driver or guide.
عُلاًeminence يفوقُsurpasses السَّماءَheaven منزِلَةًin rank
عُلاً يفوقُ السَّماءَ منزِلَةً
أَينwhere تقولونdo you say طرفُهhis gaze رامِقْis looking
أَين تقولون طرفُه رامِقْ
His eminence surpasses heaven in rank;
His eminence surpasses the sky in rank -
where, do you say, is his gaze directed?
Where do you suppose its pinnacle touches?
وفيand in سُرىnight journey الجوِّthe sky أَصلُthe root of نبعتهِhis bow-wood tree
وفي سُرى الجوِّ أَصلُ نبعتهِ
أَينwhere يظنُّونَdo they think فرعَهhis branch باسِقْsoars
أَين يظنُّونَ فرعَه باسِقْ
And in the sky's night journey lies his bow-wood tree's root;
In the spheres of space lies the source of his spring -
where do they think his branch soars?
Where do they reckon its branch is lofty?
يرىhe sees ظهورَthe backs of النجومِthe stars طالعةًrising
يرى ظهورَ النجومِ طالعةً
وكيفand how يَرميhe flings بهنَّthem منfrom حَالِقْa lofty height
وكيف يَرمي بهنَّ من حَالِقْ
He sees the backs of the stars as they rise,
He sees the stars rising
and how he flings them from a lofty height!
And how he hurls them as they set.
يُكْنَىhe is known as أَباAbu (father of) الفضلal-Fadl (excellence) فهوso he يعشَقloves passionately شخـembodiment (continued)
يُكْنَى أَبا الفضل فهو يعشَق شخـ
ـصَcompletion of 'embodiment' الفضلِexcellence والمرُand a man لابْنِهof his son عَاشِقenamored
ـصَ الفضلِ والمرُ لابْنِه عَاشِق
He is called Abu al-Fadl, and he loves the embodiment—
His nickname is Father of Excellence - he loves
of excellence; a man is enamored of his son.
The essence of excellence, and command suits his son, the lover.
ويسرُقand steals الليلُthe night نورَthe light of غرتهhis radiant brow
ويسرُق الليلُ نورَ غرته
كأَنماas though ذُرَّwere sprinkled فوقَهاover it شَارِقْa rising sun
كأَنما ذُرَّ فوقَها شَارِقْ
And night steals the radiance of his brow,
The night steals the light of his beauty,
as though a rising sun had been scattered over it.
As if a dawn were sprinkled over it.
وإِنand if دجَتdarkens فيamid الخطوبcalamities معضلةٌa knotty problem
وإِن دجَت في الخطوب معضلةٌ
فهوthen he لإصْباحِto bring morning to فجْرِهاits dawn فالِقa cleaver
فهو لإصْباحِ فجْرِها فالِق
And if a knotty problem darkens amid calamities,
If knots of misfortune appear,
he splits open its dawn and brings it to morning.
He can unravel them at the break of his dawn.
كماjust as الدُّجىnight's darkness والضُّحىand morning light لوif اختلطاthe two mingled
كما الدُّجى والضُّحى لو اختلطا
لكانhe would indeed be ماwhat بينbetween ذَاthis وذَاand that فارِقa divider
لكان ما بين ذَا وذَا فارِق
Likewise, if darkness and morning light were mingled,
Like the darkness and daylight if intermingled,
he would be the divider between the one and the other.
There would be a distinction between this and that.
ذكاؤُهhis intelligence يعلَمُknows الغيوبَthe unseen فقدfor indeed
ذكاؤُه يعلَمُ الغيوبَ فقد
أَضحَىhe has become عليماًlearned بسرِّهاin its secrets حَاذِقadept
أَضحَى عليماً بسرِّها حَاذِق
His intelligence knows the unseen; indeed,
His intellect knows the unseen - verily
he has become learned in its secrets, adept.
He has become knowledgeable in its mysteries.
ورأْيُهand his judgment يملأُfills الزَّمانَtime فقدfor indeed
ورأْيُه يملأُ الزَّمانَ فقد
ضاقhas grown cramped وماwhile not صدرهhis breast بهby it ضائِقْcramped
ضاق وما صدره به ضائِقْ
And his judgment fills time, which has
His opinion fills the times - they are straitened,
grown cramped, though his breast is not cramped by it.
Yet his bosom is not constrained by it.
وسعدُهand his good fortune عبدُهhis slave وإِنeven if أَبقruns away الـthe—
وسعدُه عبدُه وإِن أَبق الـ
ـعبدُ—slave فلاthen may not كانbe عبدُهhis slave آبقa runaway
ـعبدُ فلا كان عبدُه آبق
And his good fortune is his slave; though the—
His servant prospers though the servant remains disobedient,
slave may flee, may his slave never be a runaway!
For he was no runaway slave.
لوif أَصبحwere to become المشتَرِيJupiter يُعاندهopposed to him
لو أَصبح المشتَرِي يُعانده
لحطَّهhe would surely lower it عنfrom مكانِهits station الشَّاهِقْtowering
لحطَّه عن مكانِه الشَّاهِقْ
Should Jupiter turn against him,
If the buyer were to defy him in the morning,
he would bring it down from its towering station.
He would depose him from his lofty position.
وجودُهُand his generosity مغرِقdrowns العُفاةِpetitioners فكمso how many
وجودُهُ مغرِق العُفاةِ فكم
أَصبحَhave become منهمof them بجودِهin his bounty غَارقsubmerged
أَصبحَ منهم بجودِه غَارق
And his generosity drowns petitioners—how many
His generosity floods the destitute - how many
of them have been submerged in his bounty!
Has his munificence caused to drown?
أَعطاهُمُhe gave them كُلَّall صامتٍsilent wealth فغداso became
أَعطاهُمُ كُلَّ صامتٍ فغدا
الصامتthe silent مِنْهمamong them بمدحِهin praising him نَاطِقspeaking
الصامت مِنْهم بمدحِه نَاطِق
He gave them all his silent wealth, so
He gave every silent one speech, so the silent ones
the silent among them spoke in his praise.
Among them began praising him in eulogies.
يحنّyearns تقبيلُهمtheir kissing إِلىfor يدهhis hand
يحنّ تقبيلُهم إِلى يده
كماjust as يَحِنُّyearns المشوقُthe longing lover للشَّائِقfor the beloved
كما يَحِنُّ المشوقُ للشَّائِق
Their kisses yearn for his hand,
The desire to kiss his hand inclines them,
as the longing lover yearns for the beloved.
As the passionate lover yearns for the beloved.
قلsay لعدوٍّto an enemy جرىwho ran ليلْحَقهto catch up with him
قل لعدوٍّ جرى ليلْحَقه
هيهَاتimpossible هيهاتَimpossible لستَyou are not باللاَّحِقone who can catch up
هيهَات هيهاتَ لستَ باللاَّحِق
Tell an enemy who ran to catch up with him:
Say to the enemy who tried to catch up with him,
Impossible, impossible! You will not catch him.
"Alas! Alas! You cannot catch up."
يرتقِّhe mends فتقَthe rent in العلاglory إِذاwhen فُتِقَتْit is torn
يرتقِّ فتقَ العلا إِذا فُتِقَتْ
وأَنتwhile you لاneither فائِقٌexcel ولاnor رَاتِقmend
وأَنت لا فائِقٌ ولا رَاتِق
He mends the rent in glory when it is torn,
He climbed to the heights when they were split open,
while you neither excel nor mend.
While you are neither transcendent nor sublime.
طرتَyou flew ولكنbut مثلَlike الفراشmoths فلاso do not
طرتَ ولكن مثلَ الفراش فلا
تفخرْboast فماfor not كلُّevery طائرflying creature باشِقْa sparrowhawk
تفخرْ فما كلُّ طائر باشِقْ
You flew, but like a moth; do not
You flew, but like a moth - do not boast,
boast, for not every flying creature is a sparrowhawk.
For not every flier is brilliant and radiant.
منwhoever ادّعىclaims مجدَهhis glory مُسارَقَةًby stealth
من ادّعى مجدَه مُسارَقَةً
فقلthen tell لهhim قدalready مُسِكْتyou have been caught ياO سارقthief
فقل له قد مُسِكْت يا سارق
Whoever furtively claims his glory—
If someone falsely claimed his glory stole it,
tell him, 'You have been caught, thief!'
Say to him, "I have caught you red-handed, you thief!"
يظنthink أَعداؤُهhis enemies بهby him خُنقواthey were strangled
يظن أَعداؤُه به خُنقوا
وماbut not لَهمthey have خانِقٌa strangler سوىexcept الْخَالِقْthe Creator
وما لَهم خانِقٌ سوى الْخَالِقْ
His enemies think they have been strangled by him,
His enemies fancied they had strangled him,
yet they have no strangler but the Creator.
But they have no executioner save the Creator.
ياO منyou who بإِنعامِهwith his favors ونَائِلهand his gifts
يا من بإِنعامِه ونَائِله
أَنْقَضmade creak ظَهْريmy back وأَثْقَلand weighed down العاتِقْthe shoulder
أَنْقَض ظَهْري وأَثْقَل العاتِقْ
O you whose favors and gifts
Oh you whose favours and gifts
have made my back creak and weighed down my shoulder!
Have broken my back and burdened my shoulders!
أَقطعْتنيyou granted me land وسْطَin the middle of بلدتيmy town بلداًan estate
أَقطعْتني وسْطَ بلدتي بلداً
سُرَّwas delighted بهby it كلُّevery رامِقٍonlooker وامِقْloving
سُرَّ به كلُّ رامِقٍ وامِقْ
You granted me an estate in the heart of my town,
You have granted me, in the midst of my city, lands
which delighted every loving onlooker.
That delighted every tall and short person.
تغدوcome forth الدنانيرُthe dinars وهْيand they are غلتهits yield
تغدو الدنانيرُ وهْي غلته
وسعرُهاand their price قطُّever لمnot يزَلceased to be نَافِقْin demand
وسعرُها قطُّ لم يزَل نَافِقْ
Dinars come forth as its yield,
Gold dinars are its revenue, and their price
and their market value has never ceased to thrive.
Has never ceased to be advantageous.
ليسit does not يُباليcare بالنِّيلabout the Nile حينwhen أَتَىit arrives
ليس يُبالي بالنِّيل حين أَتَى
ولاnor إِذاwhen ضنَّwithholds بالحياthe rain بَارِقْa lightning-bearing cloud
ولا إِذا ضنَّ بالحيا بَارِقْ
It cares nothing for the Nile when it comes,
He does not care whether the Nile comes
nor when a lightning-bearing cloud withholds the rain.
Or withholds its flashing waters.
قدindeed طابhas become sweet ليto me مُجتنىًa harvest بغيرِwithout عَناًtoil
قد طاب لي مُجتنىً بغيرِ عَناً
والمِسْكُand musk لِمْwhy لاnot يطيبُsmells sweet للنَّاشِقto the one who inhales
والمِسْكُ لِمْ لا يطيبُ للنَّاشِق
Sweet to me is the harvest, without toil,
Pure wine is pleasant to me without toil,
and why should musk not delight the one who inhales it?
And why should not musk be sweet to the smeller?
وعيشَتيand my life قدindeed صَفَتْhas become clear فمورِدُهاso its watering-place
وعيشَتي قد صَفَتْ فمورِدُها
معdespite كَدرِthe murkiness of الدَّهْرِtime رَيِّقٌpure رائِقْclear
مع كَدرِ الدَّهْرِ رَيِّقٌ رائِقْ
And my life has cleared; its watering-place,
My life is purified, so its spring
despite time's murk, is pure and clear.
With the turbulence of fate is limpid and clear.
إِنif لمnot تكنyou are خالِقيmy creator فقدthen indeed أَذِنhas permitted الـthe—
إِن لم تكن خالِقي فقد أَذِن الـ
ـخالِقُ—Creator فِيfor أَنْthat تكونَyou should be ليfor me رَازقa provider
ـخالِقُ فِي أَنْ تكونَ لي رَازق
If you are not my creator, leave has been granted by the—
If you are not my Creator, still the Creator has permitted
Creator for you to be my provider.
That you provide for me.
ياO جعفراًJaʿfar قدindeed صدقْتَyou kept وعدَكyour promise ليto me
يا جعفراً قد صدقْتَ وعدَك لي
فأَنتَso you are لاno شكُّdoubt جعفرُJaʿfar الصَّادِقthe Truthful
فأَنتَ لا شكُّ جعفرُ الصَّادِق
O Jaʿfar, you have kept your promise to me,
Oh Ja'far, you have proven true your promise to me,
so you are, without doubt, Jaʿfar the Truthful.
So you are undoubtedly Ja'far the Truthful.
Sol 6.1