ماwhat بالُis the matter قَلبِكَwith your heart لاnot يَنوءُshoulder the weight بِحَملِهاof its burden
ما بالُ قَلبِكَ لا يَنوءُ بِحَملِها
حَتّىso that كَأَنَّكَas though you ماnot بُليتَwere afflicted بِمِثلِهاwith its like
حَتّى كَأَنَّكَ ما بُليتَ بِمِثلِها
What ails your heart, that it cannot shoulder its burden,
as though you had never been tried by its like?
هِيَit ماwhat أَلِفتَyou have known مِنَof الخُطوبِcalamities سَجِيَّةًin nature
هِيَ ما أَلِفتَ مِنَ الخُطوبِ سَجِيَّةً
لَيسَis not الفِراقُparting غَريبَةًa strange thing مِنamong فِعلِهاits deeds
لَيسَ الفِراقُ غَريبَةً مِن فِعلِها
Its nature is that of the calamities you have known;
parting is nothing strange among its deeds.
وَلَقَدand indeed رَمَتكَit shot at you فَكانَso was صَبرُكَyour patience نَثرَةa coat of mail
وَلَقَد رَمَتكَ فَكانَ صَبرُكَ نَثرَة
حَصداءtightly woven تَهزَأmocking مِنat صَوائِبِthe unerring shots نبلِهاof its arrows
حَصداء تَهزَأ مِن صَوائِبِ نبلِها
Indeed it shot at you, and your patience proved a coat of mail,
tightly woven, mocking its unerring arrows.
وَلَعَلَّهاand perhaps it ماnot ضاقَtightened عَقدُthe knot أَسارِهاof its bonds
وَلَعَلَّها ما ضاقَ عَقدُ أَسارِها
إِلّاexcept وَقَدand already بَدَأَbegan القَضاءdestiny بِحَلِّهاto undo them
إِلّا وَقَد بَدَأَ القَضاء بِحَلِّها
Perhaps the knot of its bonds never tightens
without destiny already beginning to undo them.
أَسِفَتshe grieved لِرائِعَةِat the shock المَشيبِof gray hair كَأَنَّنيas though I
أَسِفَت لِرائِعَةِ المَشيبِ كَأَنَّني
أَدرَكتُI attained أَوطارَthe desires الصِّباof youth مِنfrom قَبلِهاbefore it
أَدرَكتُ أَوطارَ الصِّبا مِن قَبلِها
She grieved at the shock of gray hair, as though I
had fulfilled youth's desires before it came.
لاdo not تَظلِميهِwrong it فَماfor ... not وَجَدتُI found هُمومَهُits sorrows
لا تَظلِميهِ فَما وَجَدتُ هُمومَهُ
إِلّاexcept بِأَيّامduring the days الشَّبيبَةِof youth كُلِّهاall of them
إِلّا بِأَيّام الشَّبيبَةِ كُلِّها
Do not wrong it: I encountered its sorrows
only throughout all the days of youth.
عَصرٌa time of life يُضَنُّis begrudged بِهِwith it وَقَدand already أَنفَقتُهُI spent it
عَصرٌ يُضَنُّ بِهِ وَقَد أَنفَقتُهُ
سرَفاًextravagantly عَلىon طَلِّthe drizzle الدُّموعِof tears وَوَبلِهاand their downpour
سرَفاً عَلى طَلِّ الدُّموعِ وَوَبلِها
An age one grudges spending, yet I spent it
prodigally on tears, their drizzle and their downpour.
وَقَضِيَّةٍand many a judgment لِلدَّهرِof Time أَشكوI lament جَورَهاits injustice
وَقَضِيَّةٍ لِلدَّهرِ أَشكو جَورَها
حَتَّىuntil كَأَنّيas though I قَدalready رَضيتُwas content بِعَدلِهاwith its justice
حَتَّى كَأَنّي قَد رَضيتُ بِعَدلِها
And many a judgment of Time whose injustice I lament,
as though I had been content with its justice.
ياO بَرقlightning طالِعlook toward مِنfrom ثَنِييَّةِthe mountain pass جَوشَنٍof Joshan
يا بَرق طالِع مِن ثَنِييَّةِ جَوشَنٍ
حَلباًAleppo وَحَيِّand greet كَريمَةًa noble woman مِنof أَهلِهاits people
حَلباً وَحَيِّ كَريمَةً مِن أَهلِها
O lightning, look from the mountain pass of Joshan
upon Aleppo, and greet a noble woman of its people.
وَاسأَلهُand ask it هَلwhether حَمَلcarried النَّسيمُthe breeze تَحِيَّةًa greeting
وَاسأَلهُ هَل حَمَل النَّسيمُ تَحِيَّةً
مِنهاfrom her فَإِنَّfor indeed هُبوبَهُits blowing مِنamong رَسلِهاher messengers
مِنها فَإِنَّ هُبوبَهُ مِن رَسلِها
And ask it: has the breeze carried a greeting
from her? For its blowing is one of her messengers.
وَلَقَدand indeed رَأَيتُI have seen فَهَلthen ...? رَأَيتhave you seen كَمَوقفٍlike a scene
وَلَقَد رَأَيتُ فَهَل رَأَيت كَمَوقفٍ
لِلبَينِof parting يَشفَعُintercedes هَجرُهاher estrangement فيfor وَصلِهاunion with her
لِلبَينِ يَشفَعُ هَجرُها في وَصلِها
I have seen it—have you seen a scene like that
of parting, where her estrangement intercedes for union?
وَمَدامِعand tears سَبَقَتpreceded حَياكِyour rain بِديمَةٍwith a steady shower
وَمَدامِع سَبَقَت حَياكِ بِديمَةٍ
ماnot كُنتُI was إِلّاexcept قَطرَةa drop فيin بَحرِهاtheir sea
ما كُنتُ إِلّا قَطرَة في بَحرِها
And tears that forestalled your rain with a steady shower—
I was no more than a drop within their sea.
وَإِذاand when القُلوبُhearts تَرادَفَتcame in succession أَحزانُهاtheir sorrows
وَإِذا القُلوبُ تَرادَفَت أَحزانُها
فَالدَّمعُthen tears يَحمِلُcarry شُعبَةًa portion مِنof ثِقلِهاtheir weight
فَالدَّمعُ يَحمِلُ شُعبَةً مِن ثِقلِها
And when hearts are beset by successive sorrows,
tears bear a portion of their burden.
ماليwhat have I وَلِلأَقدارِand with fate ضاقَwas straitened بِصَرفِهاby its reversals
مالي وَلِلأَقدارِ ضاقَ بِصَرفِها
ذَرعيmy endurance وَماand not ظَفِرَتwon يَديَّmy two hands بِنَيلِهاits bounty
ذَرعي وَما ظَفِرَت يَديَّ بِنَيلِها
What have I to do with fate? Its reversals have exhausted
my endurance, and my hands have won none of its bounty.
فيin كُلِّevery يَومٍday غُربَةٌexile وَصَبابَةٌand ardent longing
في كُلِّ يَومٍ غُربَةٌ وَصَبابَةٌ
عَجَباًhow strange لِجِدِّthe earnestness of النّائِباتِcalamities وَهَزلِهاand their jesting
عَجَباً لِجِدِّ النّائِباتِ وَهَزلِها
Each day brings exile and ardent longing;
how strange are calamities, in earnest and in jest!
عَيشٌa life أرَجِّيهِI hope for it وَيُسلِمُنيand it delivers me إِلىto
عَيشٌ أرَجِّيهِ وَيُسلِمُني إِلى
وَعدِthe promise الأَمانيof wishes الكاذِباتِfalse وَمطلِهاand their delays
وَعدِ الأَماني الكاذِباتِ وَمطلِها
A life I hope for, yet it delivers me to
the promises of false hopes and their delays.
إِنif تَسرِtravel by night فيin جَوبِtraversing البِلادِthe lands رَكائِبيmy riding-camels
إِن تَسرِ في جَوبِ البِلادِ رَكائِبي
حَتّىuntil نَهَجتُI followed بِهاwith them جَوائِرَthe winding stretches سُبلِهاof their paths
حَتّى نَهَجتُ بِها جَوائِرَ سُبلِها
If my riding-camels travel by night across the lands,
until with them I have followed their winding paths,
وَطَرَقتُand I visited أَندِيَةَthe assemblies الدِّيارِof the dwellings أشيمُهاobserving them
وَطَرَقتُ أَندِيَةَ الدِّيارِ أشيمُها
فيin خِضبِthe coloring واديهاof their valley وَبارِدand the coolness ظِلِّهاof their shade
في خِضبِ واديها وَبارِد ظِلِّها
and visited the dwellings' assemblies, watching for promise
in their valley's rich coloring and the coolness of their shade,
وَلَقَدand indeed شَكَوتُI lamented البَينَparting عِندَwith أَعَزِّهاtheir mightiest
وَلَقَد شَكَوتُ البَينَ عِندَ أَعَزِّها
جاراًas a protector فَكَيفَthen how أَكونُshall I be عِندَwith أَذَلِّهاtheir weakest
جاراً فَكَيفَ أَكونُ عِندَ أَذَلِّها
I have lamented parting even in the land with the mightiest
protector—how would I fare in the land with the weakest?
طَلَعَتrose بِمَيّاover Mayya- فارِقينَfariqin سَحابَةٌa cloud
طَلَعَت بِمَيّا فارِقينَ سَحابَةٌ
أعدتassailed عَلىagainst جَدبِthe barrenness البِلادِof the lands وَمَحلِهاand their drought
أعدت عَلى جَدبِ البِلادِ وَمَحلِها
A cloud rose over Mayyafariqin,
assailing the lands' barrenness and drought.
وَهَمىand rained بَنانُthe fingers مُحَمَّدِof Muhammad بنِson of مُحَمَّدٍMuhammad
وَهَمى بَنانُ مُحَمَّدِ بنِ مُحَمَّدٍ
فيهاtherein فَقَدso indeed نَسَخَتit abolished شَريعَةَthe law بُخلِهاof its miserliness
فيها فَقَد نَسَخَت شَريعَةَ بُخلِها
And Muhammad ibn Muhammad's fingers rained down
there, abolishing the law of its miserliness.
أَلقىhe laid عَلىupon سَرحthe open pastures الثُّغورِof the frontiers جِرانَهُhis neck
أَلقى عَلى سَرح الثُّغورِ جِرانَهُ
يَقظانُwakeful يَهزَأmocking بِالخُطوبِat calamities وَسَلِّهاand their unsheathing
يَقظانُ يَهزَأ بِالخُطوبِ وَسَلِّها
He laid his neck to rest upon the frontier pastures,
wakeful, mocking calamities and their drawn blades.
ماضٍresolute عَلىagainst غَيبِthe unseen الزَّمانِof time وَإِنَّماfor only
ماضٍ عَلى غَيبِ الزَّمانِ وَإِنَّما
يَبدوappears فِرَندُthe watered pattern المُرهَفاتِof keen blades بِصَقلِهاthrough polishing them
يَبدو فِرَندُ المُرهَفاتِ بِصَقلِها
Resolute before time's unknown—for only
through polishing does the watered pattern of keen blades appear.
وَسَجِيَّةٌand a nature فيin الجودِgenerosity ماnot حُمِدَwas praised الحَياrain
وَسَجِيَّةٌ في الجودِ ما حُمِدَ الحَيا
حَتّىuntil تَعَلَّمَit learned خَطرَةَa single impulse مِنfrom بَذلِهاits giving
حَتّى تَعَلَّمَ خَطرَةَ مِن بَذلِها
And his nature is so generous that rain was never praised
until it learned one gesture from that nature's bounty.
شَهِدَتattested مَكارِمُهُhis noble deeds بِطيبِto the purity نَجارِهِof his lineage
شَهِدَت مَكارِمُهُ بِطيبِ نَجارِهِ
وَجَنىand the fruit الفُروعof branches مُخَبِّرٌtells عَنof أَصلِهاtheir root
وَجَنى الفُروع مُخَبِّرٌ عَن أَصلِها
His noble deeds attest the purity of his stock;
the fruit of branches tells of their root.
يُروىis related حَديثُthe tale نَداهُof his bounty عَنon the authority of أَعدائِهِhis enemies
يُروى حَديثُ نَداهُ عَن أَعدائِهِ
حَتّىuntil يَكونَit becomes زِيادَةan increase فيin غُلِّهاtheir fetters
حَتّى يَكونَ زِيادَة في غُلِّها
The tale of his bounty is told on his enemies' authority,
until it adds to their bondage.
وَيَهُزُّهُand stirs him طَرَبُthe joy السُّؤالِof being asked بِنَشوَةٍwith an ecstasy
وَيَهُزُّهُ طَرَبُ السُّؤالِ بِنَشوَةٍ
أَغنَتهُit spared him عَنfrom نَهلِthe first draught المُدامِof wine وَعَلِّهاand its second draught
أَغنَتهُ عَن نَهلِ المُدامِ وَعَلِّها
The joy of being asked stirs him with an ecstasy
that spares him wine's first draught and its second.
وَيَلينُand grows gentle جانِبُهُhis manner فَإِنbut if خادَعتَهُyou try to deceive him
وَيَلينُ جانِبُهُ فَإِن خادَعتَهُ
فَحَذارthen beware مِنof ريدthe jutting ledges الصفاحof flat rocks وَصلهاand their viper
فَحَذار مِن ريد الصفاح وَصلها
His manner is gentle; but if you try to deceive him,
beware the jutting ledges of flat rocks and their viper.
إِنَّindeed الفَضائِلِthe virtues لَمnot تَزَلceased to be مَبثوثَةًscattered
إِنَّ الفَضائِلِ لَم تَزَل مَبثوثَةً
حَتّىuntil خُلِقتَyou were created فَكُنتَand you became جامِعَthe gatherer شَملِهاof their company
حَتّى خُلِقتَ فَكُنتَ جامِعَ شَملِها
The virtues had always lain scattered,
until you were created and gathered their company.
فَخرٌa glory لِمَنfor whoever أَلقىentrusted إِلَيكَto you أُمورَهُhis affairs
فَخرٌ لِمَن أَلقى إِلَيكَ أُمورَهُ
فَلَقَدfor indeed أَناخَhe made kneel الرّاسِياتِthe steadfast mountains بِحَملِهاwith their burden
فَلَقَد أَناخَ الرّاسِياتِ بِحَملِها
A glory to whoever entrusts his affairs to you:
for he has made steadfast mountains kneel to bear their load.
وَلِدَولَةٍand for a realm أَصبَحتَyou have become عِقدَthe knot لِوائِهاof its banner
وَلِدَولَةٍ أَصبَحتَ عِقدَ لِوائِها
وَسِنانَand the point صَعدَتِهاof its lance وَمَضرِبَand the striking edge نَصلِهاof its blade
وَسِنانَ صَعدَتِها وَمَضرِبَ نَصلِها
And to a realm whose banner's knot you have become,
the point of its lance and the striking edge of its blade.
ماnot قَدَّمَتكَit advanced you سُدىin vain وَلَكِنbut شانَهاmarred it
ما قَدَّمَتكَ سُدى وَلَكِن شانَها
نَقصٌa deficiency فَكُنتَso you were بَقِيَّةًwhat remained مِنof نَيلِهاits attainment
نَقصٌ فَكُنتَ بَقِيَّةً مِن نَيلِها
It did not advance you in vain; rather, it was marred by
a deficiency, and you were what remained for it to attain.
جَمَحَتit bolted عَلىagainst خُطّابِهاits suitors وَاقتادَهاand led it
جَمَحَت عَلى خُطّابِها وَاقتادَها
بِزِمامِby the bridle فَضلِكَof your excellence باعِثٌan impulse مِنfrom فَضلِهاits own excellence
بِزِمامِ فَضلِكَ باعِثٌ مِن فَضلِها
It bolted from its suitors, yet it was led
by your merit's bridle, through a prompting of its own excellence.
وَإِذاand when المُلوكُkings تَنافَسَتvied وزراؤهاtheir ministers
وَإِذا المُلوكُ تَنافَسَت وزراؤها
فيهاfor them فَإِنَّthen indeed أَجَلَّهاtheir greatest لأَجَلِّهاis for their greatest
فيها فَإِنَّ أَجَلَّها لأَجَلِّها
When kings' ministers vie with one another
for them, the greatest minister belongs to the greatest king.
أَغنَتكَhas spared you عَنfrom بيضِthe gleaming الصَّوارِمcutting swords هَيبَةًawe
أَغنَتكَ عَن بيضِ الصَّوارِم هَيبَةً
لَمnot تُبقِit left عِندَكَwith you رَغبَةًany desire فيfor سَلِّهاdrawing them
لَم تُبقِ عِندَكَ رَغبَةً في سَلِّها
The awe you inspire has spared you gleaming swords,
leaving you no desire to draw them.
وَأَظَلَّتِand overshadowed الأَعداءthe enemies مِنكَof you مَخافَةًfear
وَأَظَلَّتِ الأَعداء مِنكَ مَخافَةً
صارَتit became أَشَدَّa harsher رَزِيَّةcalamity مِنthan قَتلِهاtheir slaughter
صارَت أَشَدَّ رَزِيَّة مِن قَتلِها
And dread of you has overshadowed your enemies,
becoming a calamity harsher than their slaughter.
بَينيbetween me وَبَينَكَand you حُرمَةٌa sacred bond ماnot أَتَّقيI fear
بَيني وَبَينَكَ حُرمَةٌ ما أَتَّقي
دَهريmy time وَقَدwhile already عَلِقَتclung يَدايَmy two hands بِحَبلِهاto its rope
دَهري وَقَد عَلِقَت يَدايَ بِحَبلِها
Between us is a sacred bond; I do not fear
Time, now that both my hands have grasped its rope.
وَمَوَدَّةand an affection قَدُمَتhas long endured فَصارَتand became ذِمَّةًa covenant
وَمَوَدَّة قَدُمَت فَصارَت ذِمَّةً
بِأَبيby Abu العَلاal-Ala إِلّاnothing but الوَفاءfaithfulness بِإِلِّهاto its covenant
بِأَبي العَلا إِلّا الوَفاء بِإِلِّها
And an affection long established has become a covenant;
by Abu al-Ala—nothing but fidelity to its bond!
حَنَّتyearned إِلَيكَtoward you عَزائِميmy resolves وَلَطالَماand for so long
حَنَّت إِلَيكَ عَزائِمي وَلَطالَما
نَفَرَتthey bolted فَلَمand not تُملِكwere mastered شَوارِدَthe strays بُزلِهاof their mature camels
نَفَرَت فَلَم تُملِك شَوارِدَ بُزلِها
My resolves have yearned toward you, though for so long
they bolted, their straying mature camels beyond control.
عَزَّتwere unyielding أَزِمَّتُهاtheir reins وَلَكِنbut قادَهاled them
عَزَّت أَزِمَّتُها وَلَكِن قادَها
شَوقa longing أَلانَsoftened قَساوَةthe hardness مِنof جَزلِهاtheir rugged strength
شَوق أَلانَ قَساوَة مِن جَزلِها
Their reins were unyielding, but they were led
by longing that softened their rugged hardness.
وَإِذاand when صَنَعتَyou bestowed يَداًa favor ظَفِرتَyou gained بجاهِدٍone who strives
وَإِذا صَنَعتَ يَداً ظَفِرتَ بجاهِدٍ
فيin حَمدِهاpraising it وَمُوَثَّقٍand one bound fast فيin غَلِّهاits fetters
في حَمدِها وَمُوَثَّقٍ في غَلِّها
And when you bestow a favor, you gain one who strives
to praise it, bound fast in its fetters.
Sol 6.1