أَمنازلَO abodes الأَحبابِof loved ones ماwhat فعَلَbecame of الأُلَىthose who
أَمنازلَ الأَحبابِ ما فعَلَ الأُلَى
كُنَّاwe were عَهِدناهُمwe knew them بربعكin your dwelling grounds أَوَّلاformerly
كُنَّا عَهِدناهُم بربعك أَوَّلا
O abodes of loved ones, what became of those
What did absence do to the homes of loved ones?
we once knew in your dwelling grounds?
We knew them to frequent your land at first
وَعَلامَand why تُنزِلكَset you down الرِكابُthe riding camels طَلائِحاًexhausted
وَعَلامَ تُنزِلكَ الرِكابُ طَلائِحاً
أَتَرىdo you think تَصادِفُyou will find للتَّقيةِfor protection مَنزِلاa dwelling
أَتَرى تَصادِفُ للتَّقيةِ مَنزِلا
And why do the exhausted mounts set you down?
Why does your mount descend with hasty strides?
Do you think you will find a place of safety?
Do you chance to find a home for devotion?
ماnot تَصلَحينyou are fit لِغَيرfor anything but وَقفةِa pause عاشقٍof a lover
ما تَصلَحين لِغَير وَقفةِ عاشقٍ
يَدعوhe calls فَيَرجِعُthen returns خاشِعاًhumbled مُتَذَلِّلاself-abasing
يَدعو فَيَرجِعُ خاشِعاً مُتَذَلِّلا
You are fit only for a lover's pause,
You are not fit for other than a lover's halt,
who calls out, then returns humbled and abased.
Who calls and returns humbly, submissively.
للّهِto God! دَمعيmy tears فيwithin حِماكَyour bounds وَصَبوَتيand my longing
للّهِ دَمعي في حِماكَ وَصَبوَتي
أَرَأَيتَhave you seen قَبليbefore me نائِحاًa mourner مُتَغَزِّلاsinging of love
أَرَأَيتَ قَبلي نائِحاً مُتَغَزِّلا
God, my tears within your bounds, and my longing!
By God, my tears in protecting you and my vigil
Have you seen before me a mourner singing of love?
Did you see me before, a wailing lover?
وَخُفوقُand the throbbing قَلبيof my heart بِالشُجونِwith sorrows فَهَلso do تَرىyou think
وَخُفوقُ قَلبي بِالشُجونِ فَهَل تَرى
يَبغيit seeks لِحاقَto catch up with الحَيِّthe tribe حَيثُwhere تَحَمَّلاit moved camp
يَبغي لِحاقَ الحَيِّ حَيثُ تَحَمَّلا
And my heart's throbbing with sorrows—do you think
And my heart's throbbing with sorrows, do you see
it seeks to catch up with the tribe wherever it has moved its camp?
It yearns to join the living wherever he bore hardships?
هَيهاتfar beyond reach! دونَshort of الراحِلينَthose who departed مَفاوزٌdesert wastes
هَيهات دونَ الراحِلينَ مَفاوزٌ
يُمسيbecomes at dusk بِهاin them طَرفُthe gaze القَطاةِof the sandgrouse مُضَلِّلاmisleading
يُمسي بِها طَرفُ القَطاةِ مُضَلِّلا
Far beyond reach! Between us and those who left lie deserts,
Beyond the departed are desolate places
where, at dusk, the sandgrouse's gaze leads it astray.
Where the gaze of the lost is rendered confused
وَعَلىand upon الهَوادجِthe howdahs كُلُّevery سَيفٍsword لامعٍgleaming
وَعَلى الهَوادجِ كُلُّ سَيفٍ لامعٍ
أَتَرىdo you think يُحاولُit tries بَينَهاbetween them مُتَخَلِّلاslipping through
أَتَرى يُحاولُ بَينَها مُتَخَلِّلا
And upon the howdahs is many a gleaming sword;
And over the desolate expanses every bright sword
do you think it tries to slip between them?
Do you see it trying to slip between them?
اللَهُGod أَكبَرُis greatest ياO نياقُshe-camels تَرَكتِنيyou have left me
اللَهُ أَكبَرُ يا نياقُ تَرَكتِني
بِالشَوقِwith longing أَحيرُmore bewildered مِنكِthan you فيin تِلكَthose الفَلاwastes
بِالشَوقِ أَحيرُ مِنكِ في تِلكَ الفَلا
God is greatest! O she-camels, you have left me
God is Greatest! O she-camel, you left me
more bewildered with longing than you in those wastes.
Perplexed with yearning in that expanse
خَلّفتِyou left behind ليfor me ماwhat تَشتَهينَyou crave قَليلَهُa little of it
خَلّفتِ لي ما تَشتَهينَ قَليلَهُ
مِنof ماءwater دَمعٍof tears لاnot يَزالُceases مُسَلسَلاflowing continuously
مِن ماء دَمعٍ لا يَزالُ مُسَلسَلا
You left me what you crave but a little of:
You left me little of what you desire
tear-water that never ceases to flow.
Of tears that flow without cease
أَبَداًforever أَحِنُّI yearn وَلاand not like حَنينِكِyour yearning هائِماًlove-distraught
أَبَداً أَحِنُّ وَلا حَنينِكِ هائِماً
أَسقيI water المَرابعَthe dwelling grounds دَمعيَmy tears المُستَرسِلاfreely streaming
أَسقي المَرابعَ دَمعيَ المُستَرسِلا
Forever I yearn—not as you yearn—love-distraught,
I will always yearn and not cease, crazed with your yearning
watering the dwelling grounds with my freely streaming tears.
I water the shelters with my streaming tears
حالَتchanged لَياليناour nights فَبدَّلَso transformed طِيبَهاtheir sweetness
حالَت لَيالينا فَبدَّلَ طِيبَها
شَجواًinto sorrow وَشَأنُand the nature الدَهرِof time أَنto يَتَبَدَّلاchange
شَجواً وَشَأنُ الدَهرِ أَن يَتَبَدَّلا
Our nights changed, and their sweetness was turned
Our nights changed, so their fragrance turned
to sorrow; it is time's nature to change.
To grief, for time’s way is to change
وَأَرتنِيَand showed me الأَحداثُcalamities كُلَّevery غَريبةٍstrange happening
وَأَرتنِيَ الأَحداثُ كُلَّ غَريبةٍ
تَرَكَتleft قذاليmy nape كَالثَغامةِlike the white thaghama plant أَشعَلاgray-haired
تَرَكَت قذالي كَالثَغامةِ أَشعَلا
And calamities showed me every strange happening,
Fate showed me every strange thing
leaving my nape white like the thaghama plant.
That left my liver inflamed like embers
وَنَبَذَتُand I cast aside صَبريmy patience فيamid الخطوبcalamities فَزِدنَنيso they added to me
وَنَبَذَتُ صَبري في الخطوب فَزِدنَني
نَصباًweariness فَأَلفَيتُso I found التَصَبُّرَpatient endurance أَجمَلاmore becoming
نَصباً فَأَلفَيتُ التَصَبُّرَ أَجمَلا
I cast aside my patience amid calamities, and they brought me more
And I discarded my patience amid disasters, so they increased
weariness; then I found patient endurance more becoming.
My troubles, but I found bearing most seemly
مِحنٌtrials أرِقتُI lay sleepless بِهاbecause of them فَلَمand did not أَنفكّcease to be فيin
مِحنٌ أرِقتُ بِها فَلَم أَنفكّ في
لَيلٍa night مِنof الغَمراتِoverwhelming afflictions أَدهَمَblack أَليَلاpitch-dark
لَيلٍ مِن الغَمراتِ أَدهَمَ أَليَلا
Trials kept me sleepless, and I remained in
Afflictions that kept me awake, so I did not cease on
a night of overwhelming woes, black and pitch-dark,
A night of thick darkness, gloomy, starless
حَتّىuntil تَجلَّىappeared وَجهُthe face صُبحيof my dawn فَاِنجَلىso emerged
حَتّى تَجلَّى وَجهُ صُبحي فَاِنجَلى
وَجهُthe face الأَمانيof hopes مُشرِقاًradiant مُتَهَلِّلاbeaming
وَجهُ الأَماني مُشرِقاً مُتَهَلِّلا
until my dawn's face shone forth, and there emerged
Until the face of my dawn shone radiantly
the face of hopes, radiant and beaming.
And the face of hopes beamed, graced with smiles
وَتَساقَطَتْand tumbled down شُهبُthe stars النُّحوسِof ill fortune أَوافِلاًsetting
وَتَساقَطَتْ شُهبُ النُّحوسِ أَوافِلاً
لَمّاwhen رَأينَthey saw اللَيلَthe night أَدبَرretreat مُجفِلاfleeing in fright
لَمّا رَأينَ اللَيلَ أَدبَر مُجفِلا
And the stars of ill fortune fell, sinking from sight,
And the ill-omened stars fell, extinguished
when they saw the night retreat in fright.
When the night saw it turn away, veiled
أَحبِبْhow dear! بِطَلعَتِهِat his countenance وَشَمسِand the sun خلافةٍof a caliphate
أَحبِبْ بِطَلعَتِهِ وَشَمسِ خلافةٍ
بَعَثَتْsent forth بِهِhim فَأَنارَand he lit أَجفانَthe eyelids المَلاof the people
بَعَثَتْ بِهِ فَأَنارَ أَجفانَ المَلا
How dear his countenance, and the sun of a caliphate
Love his rising and the sun of the caliphate
that sent him forth, and he lit the people's eyelids!
It shone through him, illuminating the horizons
سَطَعَتshone أَشِعَتُهُhis rays وَطِيبُand the sweetness ثَنائِهِof praise of him
سَطَعَت أَشِعَتُهُ وَطِيبُ ثَنائِهِ
فَهُناكَso there نورٌlight فَوقَabove نورٍlight يُجتَلَىis beheld
فَهُناكَ نورٌ فَوقَ نورٍ يُجتَلَى
His rays and the sweetness of his praise shone forth;
Its rays shone, and the goodness of his praise,
so there, light upon light is revealed.
For there is a light above light that is revealed
هَذاthis وَزيرُthe minister الملكِof the king ذوpossessing الشَرفhonor الَّذيwhich
هَذا وَزيرُ الملكِ ذو الشَرف الَّذي
يَزريputs to shame الثُرَياthe Pleiades وَالسّماكَand al-Simak الأَعزَلاthe Unarmed
يَزري الثُرَيا وَالسّماكَ الأَعزَلا
This is the king's minister, whose honor
He is the vizier of the king, of noble lineage
puts the Pleiades and al-Simak the Unarmed to shame.
Who visits the Pleiades and the unarmed giants
أَمضىmore piercing مِنthan السَّهمِthe arrow المذلَّقِsharpened نَظرَةًin insight
أَمضى مِن السَّهمِ المذلَّقِ نَظرَةً
فيin كُلِّevery مُشكِلَةٍdifficulty وَأَفتَكَand more deadly مقتَلاin dealing death
في كُلِّ مُشكِلَةٍ وَأَفتَكَ مقتَلا
His insight is keener than a sharpened arrow
His gaze is swifter than a loosed arrow
in every difficulty, and his stroke more deadly.
In every difficult matter, finding its mark lethally
وَأسدُّand most judicious مَنof those who عَركgrappled with الأُمورَaffairs تَصَرُّفاًin conduct
وَأسدُّ مَن عَرك الأُمورَ تَصَرُّفاً
فيat حينِa time لاnot يَجدُfinds اللَبيبَthe discerning man مِعوَّلاa recourse
في حينِ لا يَجدُ اللَبيبَ مِعوَّلا
And he is soundest in conduct among those who have grappled with affairs,
And more valiant in managing affairs skillfully
when even the discerning man finds no recourse.
When the wise man finds no recourse
وَليَhe governed البلادَthe lands فَكانَso was فيهاin them عَدلُهُhis justice
وَليَ البلادَ فَكانَ فيها عَدلُهُ
ظلّاshade وَكانَand was الأَمنُsecurity فيهاin them منهَلاa watering place
ظلّا وَكانَ الأَمنُ فيها منهَلا
He governed the lands, and his justice there was
He was given the lands, so his justice in them
sheltering shade, and security there a watering place.
Was a shade, and security in them a springs
أَبَداًalways يراعيهاhe watches over them بِطَرفٍwith an eye ساهرٍwakeful
أَبَداً يراعيها بِطَرفٍ ساهرٍ
حلفَswore الحفاظُprotective devotion عَلَيهِover it أَنthat لاnot يَغفَلاit grow heedless
حلفَ الحفاظُ عَلَيهِ أَن لا يَغفَلا
Always he watches over them with a wakeful eye;
He always watches over them with a wakeful eye
protective devotion has bound it by oath never to grow heedless.
The protectors swore to never neglect them
فَصلhe made decisive الخطابَthe judgment إِذاwhen قَضىhe judged وَإِذاand when اِنبَرىhe rose to act
فَصل الخطابَ إِذا قَضى وَإِذا اِنبَرى
يَحكيhe mirrors بِهمَّتهِwith his resolve القَضاءَthe decree المُنزَلاsent down
يَحكي بِهمَّتهِ القَضاءَ المُنزَلا
He speaks decisively when he judges, and when he rises to act,
He concludes speech when he ordains and when he speaks
in his resolve, he mirrors the decree sent down.
His resolve recounts the inspired judgment
وَإِذاand when يَفوهhe speaks تَناثَرَتscattered مِنfrom لَفظِهِhis utterance
وَإِذا يَفوه تَناثَرَت مِن لَفظِهِ
دُررpearls تَقلّدهاwear them as ornaments المَعاصمwrists وَالطُلَىand necks
دُرر تَقلّدها المَعاصم وَالطُلَى
And when he speaks, from his utterance scatter
And when he utters, pearls spill from his words
pearls worn as ornaments by wrists and necks.
Adorning the wrists and necklaces
تَهويrush النُفوسُsouls عَلَيهِtoward him مِنbecause of أَلطافهِhis kindnesses
تَهوي النُفوسُ عَلَيهِ مِن أَلطافهِ
فَتردُّهاso turns them back عَنهُfrom him المَهابةُawe وَالعُلىand exalted rank
فَتردُّها عَنهُ المَهابةُ وَالعُلى
Souls rush toward him because of his kindness,
Souls swoon over him from his refinements
yet awe and exalted rank turn them back from him.
But are held back by awe and loftiness of him
وَتُشاهدُand behold الأَسيافَthe swords مَنfrom آرائِهِhis counsels
وَتُشاهدُ الأَسيافَ مَن آرائِهِ
ماthat which لَوif تَعمَّدَit targeted حَدَّهاtheir edge لتفلَّلاit would be chipped
ما لَو تَعمَّدَ حَدَّها لتفلَّلا
And the swords behold in his counsels
And you see the swords from his opinions
that which, were it to target their edge, would leave it chipped.
That if he meant their sharpness would be blunted
ياO زائِراًvisitor to بَيروتَBeirut قَدindeed أَولَيتَهاyou bestowed on her
يا زائِراً بَيروتَ قَد أَولَيتَها
فَضلاًa favor يَحِقُّis due لَهُto it التَذَكُّرremembrance وَالوَلاand loyalty
فَضلاً يَحِقُّ لَهُ التَذَكُّر وَالوَلا
O visitor to Beirut, you have bestowed on her
O you visiting Beirut, you have granted it
a favor deserving remembrance and loyalty.
Grace that merits remembrance and loyalty
حارَتshe was perplexed فماso does not تَدريknow أَتفخرُwhether she should glory عِزّةًin honor
حارَت فما تَدري أَتفخرُ عِزّةً
بِكَthrough you أَمor تُؤاخِذُfaces blame بِالقُصورِfor falling short فَتَخجَلاand feels ashamed
بِكَ أَم تُؤاخِذُ بِالقُصورِ فَتَخجَلا
She is perplexed, unsure whether to glory in the honor
It was perplexed, not knowing whether to boast proudly
you bring, or face blame for falling short and feel ashamed.
Of you or to reproach itself for inadequacy and be shy
حَظٌّgood fortune أَصابَتهُshe gained it لَدَيكَwith you وَهَكَذاand thus
حَظٌّ أَصابَتهُ لَدَيكَ وَهَكَذا
ماnot زالَceased دَأبُكَyour habitual way فيamong الوَرىmankind أَنto تَعدِلاact justly
ما زالَ دَأبُكَ في الوَرى أَن تَعدِلا
Good fortune she has gained from you; and thus
It obtained fortune in your presence, for such
your way among mankind has ever been to act justly.
Has always been your way among mortals, to be just
فاضتoverflowed بِكَthrough you البَرَكَاتُblessings بَينَamong رُبوعِناour dwelling grounds
فاضت بِكَ البَرَكَاتُ بَينَ رُبوعِنا
حَتّىuntil تَجاوَزexceeded فَيضُهُنَّtheir overflow المُأْمَلاwhat was hoped for
حَتّى تَجاوَز فَيضُهُنَّ المُأْمَلا
Through you, blessings overflowed among our dwellings,
Blessings poured over our lands through you
until their flood surpassed all that was hoped for.
Until their abundance exceeded hopes
أَجرَتthey set moving عَلَيناover us عارِضاًa rain-cloud مُستَقبِلاًadvancing
أَجرَت عَلَينا عارِضاً مُستَقبِلاً
لاقىit met بِفَضلكthrough your bounty عارِضاًa rain-cloud مُستَقبِلاadvancing
لاقى بِفَضلك عارِضاً مُستَقبِلا
They set an advancing rain-cloud drifting over us,
You made a happy future run its course over us
which met, through your bounty, another advancing rain-cloud.
Meeting through your merit a happy future
وَكَساand clothed مَرابِعَناour dwelling grounds الرَبيعُspring مطارِفاًbordered cloaks
وَكَسا مَرابِعَنا الرَبيعُ مطارِفاً
فَلبِسنَهاso they wore them لَماwhen رَأينكَthey saw you مُقبِلاapproaching
فَلبِسنَها لَما رَأينكَ مُقبِلا
And spring clothed our dwelling grounds in bordered cloaks;
And the spring arrayed our shelters with carpets
they put them on when they saw you approaching.
When it saw you approaching, it clothed them
وَتَبَسَّمتand smiled تِلكَthose الزُهورُflowers فَكُلُّهاso each of them
وَتَبَسَّمت تِلكَ الزُهورُ فَكُلُّها
بِالدُرِّwith pearls لاحَshone مقلِّداًbestowing necklaces وَمُكَلِّلاand crowning
بِالدُرِّ لاحَ مقلِّداً وَمُكَلِّلا
And those flowers smiled; each of them
And those flowers smiled, all of them
shone with pearls, bestowing necklaces and crowns.
Studded with pearls, ornamented and crowned
فَحَكَتْso they echoed ثَناكَyour praise وَذِيand this عُجالةُa hurried offering قاصرٍof one who falls short
فَحَكَتْ ثَناكَ وَذِي عُجالةُ قاصرٍ
لَوif راحَhe set about يَقضيspending دَهرَهُhis lifetime لَاِستَعجَلاhe would still be hasty
لَو راحَ يَقضي دَهرَهُ لَاِستَعجَلا
So they echoed your praise; this is the hurried offering of one who falls short:
They told your praises, which one with hasty capacity
even if he spent his whole lifetime, he would still be hasty.
Could spend his lifetime telling and still hurry
حاولتُI tried أَنto أُثنيspeak praise عَلَيكَof you فَخانَنيbut betrayed me
حاولتُ أَن أُثني عَلَيكَ فَخانَني
قَلمٌa pen أَراهُI see it غَداًtomorrow بِكَفِّيin my palm مَغزلاa spindle
قَلمٌ أَراهُ غَداً بِكَفِّي مَغزلا
I tried to praise you, but I was betrayed by
I tried to praise you but my pen betrayed me
a pen I envision as a spindle in my hand tomorrow.
I saw it tomorrow in my grasp, paralyzed
فَرَأيتُso I found مَدحَكَpraising you لاnot تَفيهِdoes it justice عِبارةٌan expression
فَرَأيتُ مَدحَكَ لا تَفيهِ عِبارةٌ
وَرَأيتand I found مَدحَpraising الأَكثَرينَmost people تَمحُّلاstrained contrivance
وَرَأيت مَدحَ الأَكثَرينَ تَمحُّلا
So I found that no expression could do your praise justice,
I saw your praise cannot be captured in words
and found the praise of most people a strained invention.
And the praise of most I saw as affected
وَعَذلتُand I reproached تَقصيريmy inadequacy بِوَصفِكَin describing you عاجِزاًhelpless
وَعَذلتُ تَقصيري بِوَصفِكَ عاجِزاً
وَعلمتَهُand you knew it فَعَذَرتَنيso you excused me مُتفضِّلاgraciously
وَعلمتَهُ فَعَذَرتَني مُتفضِّلا
Helpless, I reproached my failure to describe you;
I blamed my falling short describing you, helpless
you recognized it and graciously excused me.
And you knew it, so you pardoned me graciously
وَلَعَلَّand perhaps عَجزيmy inability فيin مَديحِكَpraising you ناطقٌspeaks
وَلَعَلَّ عَجزي في مَديحِكَ ناطقٌ
عَنيon my behalf بِأَفصَحmore eloquently مِنthan ثَنايَmy praise وَأَطوَلاand at greater length
عَني بِأَفصَح مِن ثَنايَ وَأَطوَلا
And perhaps my inability to praise you speaks
Perhaps my failure in praising you indicates
for me more eloquently and at greater length than my praise.
More eloquently than any eulogy of mine could prolong
وَالصُبحُand dawn أَوضحُclearer مِنthan مَقالةِthe statement قائِلٍof a speaker
وَالصُبحُ أَوضحُ مِن مَقالةِ قائِلٍ
لاحَappeared الصَباحُmorning إِذاwhen تَأَلَّقَit gleamed وَاِنجَلىand was revealed
لاحَ الصَباحُ إِذا تَأَلَّقَ وَاِنجَلى
And dawn is clearer than a speaker's words:
And dawn is clearer than any speaker's words
"Morning has appeared," when it shines and stands revealed.
Dawn shone radiant when it blazed and brightened
Sol 6.1