صَدُّواthey turned away فإِنْسَانِيso my eye's pupil إِليهمْtoward them صَدىthirsty
صَدُّوا فإِنْسَانِي إِليهمْ صَدى
وكَمْand how many بِهin it للدَّمْعِfor tears مِنْof مَوْردِa watering place
وكَمْ بِه للدَّمْعِ مِنْ مَوْردِ
They turned away, and my eye's pupil thirsts for them.
And how many watering places for tears it holds!
وَرِيُّهand its quenching فيin وَجْنةٍa cheek ماؤُهاits water
وَرِيُّه في وَجْنةٍ ماؤُها
ملتهبٌablaze فيin وسْطthe midst of جمرٍembers نَدِيmoist
ملتهبٌ في وسْط جمرٍ نَدِي
Its thirst is quenched at a cheek whose water
Blazes amid moist embers.
تكاثَرَthronged الدَّمْعُtears علىupon مُقْلَتيmy eye
تكاثَرَ الدَّمْعُ على مُقْلَتي
تكاثُرَthe thronging of الهَمِّworry علىupon حُسَّديmy enviers
تكاثُرَ الهَمِّ على حُسَّدي
Tears thronged upon my eye
As worries throng upon my enviers.
أَظنI think نوميmy sleep مُذsince غَداbecame ناحلاًwasted
أَظن نومي مُذ غَدا ناحلاً
أَتتْcame دموعُthe tears of العينِthe eye كَالعُوَّدِlike sickbed visitors
أَتتْ دموعُ العينِ كَالعُوَّدِ
I think, since my sleep grew wasted,
The eye's tears came like sickbed visitors.
نَفَىbanished ليfor me النومَsleep دموعٌtears جرَتْflowed
نَفَى لي النومَ دموعٌ جرَتْ
فالطرْفُso the eye لمdid not يرْقَأْstop weeping ولمand did not يَرْقُدsleep
فالطرْفُ لم يرْقَأْ ولم يَرْقُد
Flowing tears banished sleep from me;
My eye neither stopped weeping nor slept.
نافَسَنيbegrudged me الدَّهْرُTime عَلىover رَقْدَةٍa slumber
نافَسَني الدَّهْرُ عَلى رَقْدَةٍ
كَمْhow often أَهْدَتbrought as a gift الطَّيفَthe dream-phantom إِلَىto مَرْقَدِيmy bed
كَمْ أَهْدَت الطَّيفَ إِلَى مَرْقَدِي
Time begrudged me a slumber
That so often brought the phantom to my bed.
وكَمْand how often تمسَّكْتُI clung بأَعْطافِهto his sides
وكَمْ تمسَّكْتُ بأَعْطافِه
وهاand here are بقَاياremnants of مِسْكهhis musk فيin يَدِيmy hand
وها بقَايا مِسْكه في يَدِي
How often I clung to his sides!
Here are remnants of his musk in my hand.
قولُواtell لهhim إِنْif لَمْdoes not يَزُرvisit زَارَهwill visit him
قولُوا له إِنْ لَمْ يَزُر زَارَه
مِنِّيَfrom me شخصٌa figure بالضَّنَىin wasting sickness مُرْتديclothed
مِنِّيَ شخصٌ بالضَّنَى مُرْتدي
Tell him: if he does not visit, he will be visited
By a figure of mine, clothed in wasting sickness.
يكْتُمهhides him السُّقْمُsickness ويَسريand journeys by night بهwith him
يكْتُمه السُّقْمُ ويَسري به
فيin ليلةٍa night للْهَمِّof grief لمhas not تَنْفَدended
في ليلةٍ للْهَمِّ لم تَنْفَد
Sickness hides him and bears him by night
Through a night of grief that has not ended.
وإِنْand if شَكاhe complains مِنْof ليلهhis night ظُلمةًdarkness
وإِنْ شَكا مِنْ ليله ظُلمةً
فَهْوthen he بنيرانِby the fires of الجوَىburning passion يَهْتديfinds his way
فَهْو بنيرانِ الجوَى يَهْتدي
And if he complains of darkness in his night,
He finds his way by passion's fires.
وإذand when شكاhe complains تعباًof weariness فإنthen indeed الضنىwasting sickness
وإذ شكا تعباً فإن الضنى
يريمهremoves him منfrom أعينthe eyes of الهجدsleepers
يريمه من أعين الهجد
And when he complains of weariness, wasting sickness
Removes him from the eyes of sleepers.
وعَسْجدِيِّand golden اللونin color لاno غروَwonder أَنْthat
وعَسْجدِيِّ اللون لا غروَ أَنْ
يجريflows عليهover him دَمْعِيَmy tears العَسْجَدِيgolden
يجري عليه دَمْعِيَ العَسْجَدِي
And one of golden hue—no wonder that
My golden tears should flow over him.
وهْوand he لحتفيto my ruin صنمٌan idol فاتِنٌbewitching
وهْو لحتفي صنمٌ فاتِنٌ
ماthere is not فيهin him غَيْرَother than القلبِthe heart مِنْof جَلْمَدhard stone
ما فيه غَيْرَ القلبِ مِنْ جَلْمَد
And, to my ruin, he is a bewitching idol,
With nothing of stone in him but his heart.
يَسْجُدُprostrates itself وجْهيmy face لِسَنَاbefore the radiance of وجُهِهhis face
يَسْجُدُ وجْهي لِسَنَا وجُهِه
فالوجْهُso the face مِنْهof him قِبلةُprayer-direction المسْجِدِthe mosque
فالوجْهُ مِنْه قِبلةُ المسْجِدِ
My face prostrates before his face's radiance;
His face is the mosque's direction of prayer.
أَلْثُمُI kiss منهfrom him لُؤلؤاًpearls أَبْيَضاًwhite
أَلْثُمُ منه لُؤلؤاً أَبْيَضاً
أَغْنَىI have no need بهthrough it عَنْof حَجَرٍa stone أَسْودِblack
أَغْنَى به عَنْ حَجَرٍ أَسْودِ
I kiss his white pearls;
Through them I have no need of the Black Stone.
رِيقَتُهhis saliva شَهْدٌhoney علىdespite أَنَّنِيthat I
رِيقَتُه شَهْدٌ على أَنَّنِي
لَوْif لَمْhad not أَذُقْهاI tasted it مِنهfrom him لَمْwould not أشْهَدtestify
لَوْ لَمْ أَذُقْها مِنه لَمْ أشْهَد
His saliva is honey, though
Had I not tasted it from him, I would not testify.
وقدُّهand his stature الأَملَدُsupple ليfor me قاتِلٌa killer
وقدُّه الأَملَدُ لي قاتِلٌ
تمرَّدَgrew rebellious الأَمرَدُthe beardless youth بالأَمْلدَwith the supple form
تمرَّدَ الأَمرَدُ بالأَمْلدَ
His supple stature kills me;
The beardless youth rebels with his supple frame.
لمhas not يَصِدrusted الشَّعرُhair لهof his وجنةًa cheek
لم يَصِد الشَّعرُ له وجنةً
والوجْهُand the face بالشَّعرwith hair كَنَصْلٍlike a blade صَدِيrusty
والوجْهُ بالشَّعر كَنَصْلٍ صَدِي
Hair has not rusted his cheek;
A face with hair is like a rusty blade.
ولاnor يُرىis seen الدَّمْعُtears بتكحيلهِupon his eye-lining
ولا يُرى الدَّمْعُ بتكحيلهِ
يَفْعَلto do ماwhat يُفْعَلis done بالإِثْمِدto antimony kohl
يَفْعَل ما يُفْعَل بالإِثْمِد
Nor are tears seen, upon his dark eye-lining,
To do what is done to antimony kohl.
وهْوand he إِذَاwhen أَطْرَقlowers his gaze منfrom عُجْبِهhis self-admiration
وهْو إِذَا أَطْرَق من عُجْبِه
يَقْتُلُنيkills me بالصَّارمwith the sword المُغْمَدِsheathed
يَقْتُلُني بالصَّارم المُغْمَدِ
And when he lowers his gaze in self-admiration,
He kills me with a sheathed sword.
ياoh لَيْتَهwould that he أَسْلَفَنيlent me in advance موعِداًa promise
يا لَيْتَه أَسْلَفَني موعِداً
ودَعْهand let him لاnot يصدُقbe truthful فيin المَوْعدِthe promise
ودَعْه لا يصدُق في المَوْعدِ
Would that he lent me a promise;
And let him fail to keep that promise.
أَوْor ردَّreturned نَفْساًa soul ليof mine ولمand did not يَرْضَهاapprove of it
أَوْ ردَّ نَفْساً لي ولم يَرْضَها
فالشَّرعfor the law قدhas جَاءَcome برَدِّwith the return of الرَّدِيthe defective
فالشَّرع قد جَاءَ برَدِّ الرَّدِي
Or returned my soul, not finding it pleasing;
For the law prescribes the return of faulty goods.
أَوْليتَهor would that he يحكيemulates بتنويلِهin his giving
أَوْليتَه يحكي بتنويلِه
فضلَthe bounty of أَبيAbu الفَضْلِal-Fadl عَلَىtoward المُجْتدِيthe gift-seeker
فضلَ أَبي الفَضْلِ عَلَى المُجْتدِي
Or would that he, in giving, emulated
Abu al-Fadl's bounty toward the suppliant.
فضلٌbounty وفضلٌand excellence وهماand both للورىfor humankind
فضلٌ وفضلٌ وهما للورى
للمجتديfor the gift-seeker طوراًat times وللمقتديand for the follower
للمجتدي طوراً وللمقتدي
Bounty and excellence, both for humankind:
For the gift-seeker at times, and for the follower.
وإِنْand if أَخافَfrightens الفقرُpoverty أَبناءَهits children
وإِنْ أَخافَ الفقرُ أَبناءَه
فكمthen how much لديهِwith him مِنْof جَدَاbounty مُجْتَدِa gift-seeker
فكم لديهِ مِنْ جَدَا مُجْتَدِ
And if poverty frightens its children,
How much bounty for a suppliant lies with him!
مولىًa lord يَقِلُّfalls short الحمدُpraise فيin حَقِّdue measure for ماwhat
مولىً يَقِلُّ الحمدُ في حَقِّ ما
يُولِيهhe bestows it حتَّىuntil كَادَhe almost لَمْwas not يُحْمَدِpraised
يُولِيه حتَّى كَادَ لَمْ يُحْمَدِ
A lord whose praise falls so short of what
He bestows that he is almost left unpraised.
أَتْرعَfilled to the brim مِنْwith مَعروفِهhis kindness مَوْرِداًa watering place
أَتْرعَ مِنْ مَعروفِه مَوْرِداً
وقالَand said ياO رائِدَseeker of بَابِيmy door رِدِcome to drink
وقالَ يا رائِدَ بَابِي رِدِ
He filled a watering place with his kindness,
And said: 'O seeker at my door, come drink!'
سؤدُدُهhis nobility يسعىhastens إِلىto بَابِهِhis door
سؤدُدُه يسعى إِلى بَابِهِ
وغيرُهand others besides him يَسْعىhasten إِلىtoward السُّؤْدُدِnobility
وغيرُه يَسْعى إِلى السُّؤْدُدِ
His nobility hastens to his door,
While others hasten toward nobility.
وكَمْand how much لهhe has منof سُؤدُدٍnobility تَالدٍancestral
وكَمْ له من سُؤدُدٍ تَالدٍ
أُرِّثَwas bequeathed لهto him عنfrom سيِّدٍa lord سَيِّدِtruly noble
أُرِّثَ له عن سيِّدٍ سَيِّدِ
How much ancestral nobility is his,
Bequeathed to him by a truly noble lord!
يقوَىhe is strong enough علىto حَمْلbear هِضَابِthe uplands of العُلاَglory
يقوَى على حَمْل هِضَابِ العُلاَ
فَياso, oh لَهُfor him منof سَيَّدٍa lord أَيِّدِmighty
فَيا لَهُ من سَيَّدٍ أَيِّدِ
He can shoulder the uplands of glory—
What a mighty lord he is!
رياسَةُleadership سارَتْstrode on فلمso did not تَلْتَفِتْlook back
رياسَةُ سارَتْ فلم تَلْتَفِتْ
وهِمَّةٌand ambition قَامَتْstood up فَلَمso did not تَقْعُدsit down
وهِمَّةٌ قَامَتْ فَلَم تَقْعُد
Leadership that strode on and never looked back,
And ambition that stood and never sat down;
وبسْطَةٌand breadth فيin علمِهhis knowledge لمhas not تَزلceased
وبسْطَةٌ في علمِه لم تَزل
تَبْسُطlays out عِنديbefore me حُججthe arguments of الحُسَّدthe enviers
تَبْسُط عِندي حُجج الحُسَّد
And a breadth of knowledge that has never ceased
To lay out before me the arguments of his enviers;
ورُتْبَةٌand a rank ماthere is no فوقهاabove it رُتْبَةٌrank
ورُتْبَةٌ ما فوقها رُتْبَةٌ
لأَنَّهاbecause it أَعْلَىis higher مِنَthan الفَرْقَدِal-Farqad
لأَنَّها أَعْلَى مِنَ الفَرْقَدِ
And a rank above which no rank stands,
For it is higher than al-Farqad;
ونارُand a fire of فهمٍunderstanding خِلْتُI thought شَمسَthe sun of الضُّحىthe morning
ونارُ فهمٍ خِلْتُ شَمسَ الضُّحى
شرارةًa spark منfrom جَمْرِهاits embers المُوقَدِkindled
شرارةً من جَمْرِها المُوقَدِ
And a fire of understanding—I thought the morning sun
A spark from its kindled embers.
يأَيُّهاO you المولىthe lord الرَّشِيدُal-Rashid (rightly guided) الَّذيwho
يأَيُّها المولى الرَّشِيدُ الَّذي
صِرتُI have become بهthrough him فيon الجانبِthe side الأَرْشَدِbetter-guided
صِرتُ به في الجانبِ الأَرْشَدِ
O lord al-Rashid, through whom
I have come to the better-guided side,
جاوزتَyou surpassed حدَّthe limit of البِرِّkindness بيto me صَاعداًascending
جاوزتَ حدَّ البِرِّ بي صَاعداً
فقِفْso stop فماfor not أَبْقَيتَyou have left منany مَصْعَدِascent
فقِفْ فما أَبْقَيتَ من مَصْعَدِ
You have climbed beyond all bounds of kindness to me;
Stop: you have left no further height to climb.
يكفيكَit suffices you أَنِّيthat I بكthrough you ياO سيِّديmy lord
يكفيكَ أَنِّي بك يا سيِّدي
قدhave طابgrown noble أَصْليmy origin وزَكاand grown pure مَحْتدِيmy lineage
قد طاب أَصْلي وزَكا مَحْتدِي
It suffices you that through you, my lord,
My roots have grown noble, and my lineage pure.
فالخلقُfor humankind لمَّاsince كنتَyou became ليto me والداًa father
فالخلقُ لمَّا كنتَ لي والداً
تشهَدُtestifies أَنِّيthat I طاهرُpure of المولِدbirth
تشهَدُ أَنِّي طاهرُ المولِد
For humankind, since you became my father,
Bears witness that I am pure of birth,
وأَنَّنيand that I للدَّهْرof Time مُستعْبِدٌan enslaver
وأَنَّني للدَّهْر مُستعْبِدٌ
وهْوwhile it لغيريto others besides me أَيُّwhat an مُستعْبِدenslaver
وهْو لغيري أَيُّ مُستعْبِد
And that I hold Time in bondage,
While to others, what an enslaver it is!
وليand I have مُرادٌa goal فيin صِميرthe core of العُلاglory
ولي مُرادٌ في صِمير العُلا
سَعْدُكyour good fortune عنregarding إِدْرَاكِهattaining it مُسْعِديmy helper
سَعْدُك عن إِدْرَاكِه مُسْعِدي
I have a goal in the heart of glory;
Your good fortune is my aid in attaining it.
لابُدَّthere is no avoiding أَنthat أَفْعَلهاI do it فَعْلةa deed
لابُدَّ أَن أَفْعَلها فَعْلة
تَمُدُّreaches أَوْor تَقْصُرfalls short عَنْهاof it يَدِيmy hand
تَمُدُّ أَوْ تَقْصُر عَنْها يَدِي
I must carry out that deed,
Whether my hand reaches it or falls short.
إِمَّاeither لأَسبابِto the pathways of سَماءِthe heaven of العُلاglory
إِمَّا لأَسبابِ سَماءِ العُلا
يبلغُreaches سعْيِيmy striving أَوْor إِلىto المَلْحَدِthe grave
يبلغُ سعْيِي أَوْ إِلى المَلْحَدِ
Either to the pathways of glory's heaven
My striving shall lead, or to the grave.
ماwhat ليhave I ولِلذُّلand with abasement فَماso what إِنْif أَقْعُدِI sit الـthe (continued)
ما لي ولِلذُّل فَما إِنْ أَقْعُدِ الـ
ـيومَday فإِنِّيthen indeed I قائمٌstanding فيon غَدِthe morrow
ـيومَ فإِنِّي قائمٌ في غَدِ
What have I to do with abasement? What if I sit to-
day? I shall be standing tomorrow.
أُعلِّمI teach أَقواماًsome people مقاديَرهمtheir worth
أُعلِّم أَقواماً مقاديَرهم
وأَيُّنَاand which of us الأَشْقىthe more wretched منfrom الأَسْعَدthe more fortunate
وأَيُّنَا الأَشْقى من الأَسْعَد
I shall teach some people their worth,
And which of us is wretched, which fortunate.
وإِنِّيand I لوif شئتُI wished غرَّقتُهُمI would drown them
وإِنِّي لو شئتُ غرَّقتُهُم
فيin قَطرةٍa drop منof بَحْرِيَmy sea المُزْبِدfoaming
في قَطرةٍ من بَحْرِيَ المُزْبِد
And if I wished, I would drown them
In a drop of my foaming sea.
شُغِلْتُI was distracted عنfrom شُكرِكَthanking you عَنْfor جنةٍa garden
شُغِلْتُ عن شُكرِكَ عَنْ جنةٍ
تَشْغَلنيdistracts me عنfrom هَمِّيَmy grief الأَنْكَدِmost wretched
تَشْغَلني عن هَمِّيَ الأَنْكَدِ
I have been distracted from thanking you for a garden
That distracts me from my most wretched cares.
ليI have راحةٌrest فيهاin it وليand I have حَاجَةٌa need
لي راحةٌ فيها ولي حَاجَةٌ
تَملِكُcommands أَقْصىthe utmost of عَيْشِيَmy life الأَرْغَدِmost easeful
تَملِكُ أَقْصى عَيْشِيَ الأَرْغَدِ
In it I have rest, and I have a need
That commands the utmost of my life of ease.
جنةٌa paradise مُلكٍpossession حينَwhen مُلِّكْتُهاI was made its owner
جنةٌ مُلكٍ حينَ مُلِّكْتُها
شَكَكْتُI doubted فيabout أَنِّيَthat I لَمْhad not أَخْلُدbecome immortal
شَكَكْتُ في أَنِّيَ لَمْ أَخْلُد
A paradise of my own—when I was made its owner,
I doubted that I had not become immortal.
لوif حلَّهاhe settled in it آدمُAdam مِنْfrom بعدafter مَاthat
لو حلَّها آدمُ مِنْ بعد مَا
أُخرجwas cast out لمwould not يَحْزنgrieve ولَمْand would not يَكْمَدpine
أُخرج لم يَحْزن ولَمْ يَكْمَد
Had Adam settled there after he
Was cast out, he would not have grieved or pined.
أَوor طَمِعَhoped الكافِرُthe unbeliever فيfor مِثْلهاits like
أَو طَمِعَ الكافِرُ في مِثْلها
فيat الحشرthe Resurrection gathering لمwould not يَكْفُرdisbelieve ولَمْand would not يَجْحَدِdeny
في الحشر لم يَكْفُر ولَمْ يَجْحَدِ
Or had the unbeliever hoped for its like
At the Resurrection, he would not have disbelieved or denied.
يحكىresembles أَصيلَthe late afternoon of الجوِّthe sky فيin نهرِهاits river
يحكى أَصيلَ الجوِّ في نهرِها
سُحالةَfilings of العَسْجدِgold فيupon المِبْرَدِthe file
سُحالةَ العَسْجدِ في المِبْرَدِ
The late-afternoon sky in its river resembles
Gold filings upon a file.
وزَهرُهاand its blossoms يحكِيresemble بأَغْصانِهupon its branches
وزَهرُها يحكِي بأَغْصانِه
قلائداًnecklaces تعْلُوrise علىover خُرَّدbashful maidens
قلائداً تعْلُو على خُرَّد
Its blossoms upon their boughs resemble
Necklaces adorning bashful maidens.
فكمso how many علىupon الأَغصانِthe boughs منof مُنشدٍa singer
فكم على الأَغصانِ من مُنشدٍ
بلrather كَمْhow many علىupon الأَغْصانِthe boughs منof مَعْبدMa'bad
بل كَمْ على الأَغْصانِ من مَعْبد
How many singers there are upon the boughs!
Rather, how many a Ma'bad upon the boughs!
لاnot سيَّماan equal مُذْsince رُمْتُهاI sought it مَقْعَداًas a seat
لا سيَّما مُذْ رُمْتُها مَقْعَداً
ماthere is no مثلُهاits like فيin الخلدِeternal Paradise مِنْany مَقْعَدِseat
ما مثلُها في الخلدِ مِنْ مَقْعَدِ
Especially since I sought it as a seat—
No seat like it exists in eternal Paradise.
أَقامَهraised it الحُسْنُbeauty فماso no مقعدٌseat
أَقامَه الحُسْنُ فما مقعدٌ
إِلاَّbut إِذاwhen جَاراهit rivals it كالمُقْعَدِlike a cripple
إِلاَّ إِذا جَاراه كالمُقْعَدِ
Beauty raised it; there is no seat
But seems a cripple if it vies with it.
وصْفِيmy description لهof it عَجزيَmy inability عنto وَصْفِهdescribe it
وصْفِي له عَجزيَ عن وَصْفِه
وخَاطِريand my imagination للعجزِto helplessness لَمْhas not يَعْتَدِgrown accustomed
وخَاطِري للعجزِ لَمْ يَعْتَدِ
My description of it is my inability to describe it;
Yet my imagination is unaccustomed to helplessness.
وأَنتَand you منone whom أَعْجَزI am unable عنto شُكرهthank him
وأَنتَ من أَعْجَز عن شُكره
لأَنَّنيbecause I لولاكَwere it not for you لمwould not أُوجَدِbe brought into being
لأَنَّني لولاكَ لم أُوجَدِ
And you are one I cannot thank enough,
For without you I would not exist.
عِشْlive دُمْendure تَعاظَمْgrow great جُدْbe generous ترفَّعْrise high سُدِrule
عِشْ دُمْ تَعاظَمْ جُدْ ترفَّعْ سُدِ
أَوْسِعْgive amply تفضَّلbestow favors أَوْلِgrant أَنْعِمbless زدِincrease
أَوْسِعْ تفضَّل أَوْلِ أَنْعِم زدِ
Live, endure, grow great, give generously, rise high, rule!
Give amply, bestow favors, grant, bless, increase!
كلُّeveryone لهhe has مِنfrom دَهْرِهhis lifetime مَقصِدٌa goal
كلُّ له مِن دَهْرِه مَقصِدٌ
وأَنْتَand you مِنْfrom دُونِapart from الوَرىhumankind مَقْصِديmy goal
وأَنْتَ مِنْ دُونِ الوَرى مَقْصِدي
Everyone has a goal in his lifetime;
You alone, of all humankind, are my goal.
Sol 6.1