هَذاthis الحَبيبُthe beloved وَهَذِهِand this الصَهباءُthe tawny wine
هَذا الحَبيبُ وَهَذِهِ الصَهباءُ
عَذلُrebuke المُصِرِّthe persistent one عَليهِماon both of them إِغراءُenticement
عَذلُ المُصِرِّ عَليهِما إِغراءُ
This is the beloved, and this the tawny wine.
This beloved and this dawn,
Rebuking one bent on both only entices him.
The reproach of the jealous toward them is seduction,
وَالأَغيَدُand the supple youth الأَلمىdark-lipped يَروقُكَdelights you مَنظَراًin appearance
وَالأَغيَدُ الأَلمى يَروقُكَ مَنظَراً
فيin سَقيِهاserving it وَالغادَةُand the graceful maiden اللَمياءُdark-lipped
في سَقيِها وَالغادَةُ اللَمياءُ
And the supple, dark-lipped youth delights your eye
And the braided hair adorns you with its sight
as he serves it, as does the graceful, dark-lipped maiden.
As it is irrigated, and the curly hair is twisting.
ياO قاتِلاًkiller of كَأسيmy cup بِكَثرَةِwith an abundance of مائِهِhis water
يا قاتِلاً كَأسي بِكَثرَةِ مائِهِ
ماnot الحَيُّthe living عِنديto me وَالقَتيلُand the slain سَواءُequal
ما الحَيُّ عِندي وَالقَتيلُ سَواءُ
O you who kill my cup with an excess of water,
O killer of my cup with the abundance of its water,
the living and the slain are not alike to me.
The living and the killed are equal to me.
بِالماءِwith water يَحيىrevives كُلُّevery شَيءٌthing هالِكٍperishing
بِالماءِ يَحيى كُلُّ شَيءٌ هالِكٍ
إِلاexcept الكُئوسَthe cups هَلاكُهُنَّtheir ruin الماءُwater
إِلا الكُئوسَ هَلاكُهُنَّ الماءُ
With water every perishing thing revives,
With water everything perishing is revived
except the cups: water is their ruin.
Except for cups, their perishing is from water.
وَالراحُand wine لَيسَthere is no لِعاشِقيهاfor its lovers راحَةُrest
وَالراحُ لَيسَ لِعاشِقيها راحَةُ
ماso long as لَمnot يُساعِدهُمhelps them غِنىًwealth وَغِناءُand singing
ما لَم يُساعِدهُم غِنىً وَغِناءُ
And wine affords its lovers no rest
And comfort is not for its lovers a comfort
unless wealth and song come to their aid.
Unless enriched by wealth and songs.
أَفديI would ransom الَّذيthe one who مَرِضَتfell ill لِمَرضَتِهِbecause of his illness الحَشاthe heart
أَفدي الَّذي مَرِضَت لِمَرضَتِهِ الحَشا
وَهُوَand he الدَواءُthe remedy لِمُهجَتيfor my soul وَالداءُand the disease
وَهُوَ الدَواءُ لِمُهجَتي وَالداءُ
I would ransom him whose illness sickened my heart;
I ransom the one whose illness made me ill,
and he is my soul's remedy and its disease.
And he is the cure for my passion and disease.
وَبِوَجنَتَيَّand on my two cheeks وَوَجنَتَيهِand his two cheeks إِذاwhen بَداhe appears
وَبِوَجنَتَيَّ وَوَجنَتَيهِ إِذا بَدا
مِنfrom فَرطِthe excess of وَجدَيناthe passion of us both وَحَياءُand bashfulness
مِن فَرطِ وَجدَينا وَحَياءُ
And on my cheeks and his, whenever he appears,
By my cheek and his cheek when they appear
are signs of our overwhelming passion and bashfulness.
From the intensity of our passion and shyness,
كَيفَhow الوُصولُreaching إِلىto الوِصالِunion وَبَينَناand between us
كَيفَ الوُصولُ إِلى الوِصالِ وَبَينَنا
بَينٌseparation وَدونَand nearer than عِناقِهِhis embrace العَنقاءُthe mythical Anqa bird
بَينٌ وَدونَ عِناقِهِ العَنقاءُ
How can union be reached, when between us
How is reaching union when between us
lies separation, and even the Anqa bird is nearer than his embrace?
A separation, and without his embrace the slender necked!
لِلَّهِhow wondrous! جيرانيmy neighbors بِجيرونٍat Jayrun وَليand I have
لِلَّهِ جيراني بِجيرونٍ وَلي
بِلِحاظِهِمin their glances وَبِهِمand in them ظُبىًblade-edges وَظِباءُand gazelles
بِلِحاظِهِم وَبِهِم ظُبىً وَظِباءُ
How wondrous my neighbors at Jayrun! I have
For God's sake, my neighbors with their blankets
in their glances and themselves, blade-edges and gazelles.
With them moths and mosquitoes.
وَكَأَنَّهُمand as though they وَكَأَنَّand as though حَمرَةَthe redness of راحِهِمtheir wine
وَكَأَنَّهُم وَكَأَنَّ حَمرَةَ راحِهِم
فيin راحِهِمtheir palms وَهناًlate at night دُمىًstatues وَدِماءُand blood
في راحِهِم وَهناً دُمىً وَدِماءُ
And it is as though they—and the redness of their wine
As if they and the stench of their rest
in their palms late at night—were statues and blood.
In their rest are weakness, blood and gore.
فَكَأَنَّماso it is as though سَقَتِwatered البِلادَthe lands مُلِثَّهاtheir ceaseless rain
فَكَأَنَّما سَقَتِ البِلادَ مُلِثَّها
كَفاthe two hands of حُسامِHusam الدينِal-Din وَالأَنواءُand the rain-bearing stars
كَفا حُسامِ الدينِ وَالأَنواءُ
It is as though the lands were watered with ceaseless rain
So it is as if the country's diseases in its entirety
by Husam al-Din's two hands and the rain-bearing stars.
Were quenched by the sword of al-Din and time.
مَلِكٌa king تَزَيَّنَتِbecame adorned السَماءُthe sky بِمَجدِهِwith his glory
مَلِكٌ تَزَيَّنَتِ السَماءُ بِمَجدِهِ
وَتَجَمَّلَتand became beautified بِمَديحِهِby praising him الشُعَراءُthe poets
وَتَجَمَّلَت بِمَديحِهِ الشُعَراءُ
A king whose glory has adorned the sky,
A king the sky adorned itself with his glory,
and poets have adorned themselves by praising him.
And the poets beautified themselves with praising him.
يَحيىgives life وَيَقتُلُand kills اللَهاذِمَkeen spearheads وَاللُهىand gifts
يَحيى وَيَقتُلُ اللَهاذِمَ وَاللُهى
فَكَأَنَّهُso it is as though he السَرّاءُprosperity وَالضَرّاءُand adversity
فَكَأَنَّهُ السَرّاءُ وَالضَرّاءُ
He gives life and slays with keen spearheads and gifts,
He brings life and kills the arrogant and frightened,
as though he were prosperity and adversity themselves.
So he is both ease and tribulation.
مازالَhe has never ceased يَرقىascending فيin المَعاليlofty honors صاعِداًrising
مازالَ يَرقى في المَعالي صاعِداً
وَعَدُوُّهُand his enemy أَنفاسُهُhis breaths صُعَداءُdeep sighs
وَعَدُوُّهُ أَنفاسُهُ صُعَداءُ
He has never ceased rising upward to lofty honors,
He continues rising in glories an ascendant,
while his enemy's breaths are deep sighs.
And his enemies are his puffing ascents.
مَنwho حاتَمُHatim الطائِيُّal-Ta'i عِندَbeside سَماحِهِhis generosity
مَن حاتَمُ الطائِيُّ عِندَ سَماحِهِ
هَذاthis النَدىbounty لاnot إِبلُهُhis camels وَالشاءُand sheep
هَذا النَدى لا إِبلُهُ وَالشاءُ
Who is Hatim al-Ta'i beside his generosity?
Who is Hatim al-Tai in his generosity,
This is true bounty—not his camels and sheep.
This freshness, not his camels or sheep?
لِلمُعتَفينَfor seekers of gifts عَلىupon خَزائِنِthe treasuries of مالِهِhis wealth
لِلمُعتَفينَ عَلى خَزائِنِ مالِهِ
فيin كُلِّevery يَومٍday غارَةٌa raid شَعواءُfierce and sweeping
في كُلِّ يَومٍ غارَةٌ شَعواءُ
For the seekers of gifts, upon the treasuries of his wealth,
For the confessors of the treasuries of his money,
there is every day a fierce, sweeping raid.
Every day there is a plundering raid.
فَكَأَنَّهُso it is as though he سَعدُSa'd السُعودِal-Su'ud إِذاwhen بَداhe appears
فَكَأَنَّهُ سَعدُ السُعودِ إِذا بَدا
لِلناظِرينَto onlookers وَفيand in الذَكاءِintelligence ذُكاءُDhuka', the sun
لِلناظِرينَ وَفي الذَكاءِ ذُكاءُ
He is like Sa'd al-Su'ud when he appears
So he is the good fortune of fortune when he appears
to onlookers, and in intelligence, Dhuka', the sun.
To onlookers, and in intelligence an intelligence.
وَإِلىand toward سُمَيساطٍSumaysat قَطَعنَthey traversed جِيادُهُhis steeds
وَإِلى سُمَيساطٍ قَطَعنَ جِيادُهُ
مِنfrom مارِدَينِMardin وَتِلكُمُand that one العَذراءُthe virgin
مِن مارِدَينِ وَتِلكُمُ العَذراءُ
And toward Sumaysat his steeds made their way
And to Sumeysat his steeds took him
from Mardin—and that is the virgin city.
From Mardin, and that is the virgin.
وافىhe came upon أَجِنَّتَهاher unborn young بِكُلِّwith every مُدَجَّجِarmored warrior
وافى أَجِنَّتَها بِكُلِّ مُدَجَّجِ
فيin راحَتَيهِhis two palms حَيَّةٌa serpent صَفراءُyellow
في راحَتَيهِ حَيَّةٌ صَفراءُ
He confronted her unborn young with every armored warrior,
It reached the shelters of her mountains with every armed
each holding a yellow serpent in his two palms.
In his rest a yellow snake
تَرميshe casts forth بَنيهاher sons كُلَّماwhenever حَمَلَتshe became pregnant بِهِمwith them
تَرمي بَنيها كُلَّما حَمَلَت بِهِم
وَلهاand she has عَلَيهِمfor them حِنَّةٌyearning وَبُكاءُand weeping
وَلها عَلَيهِم حِنَّةٌ وَبُكاءُ
She casts forth her sons whenever she is pregnant with them,
Throwing its sons whenever it carried them,
and she yearns for them and weeps.
And it has for them affection and crying.
وَمِنَand among العَجائِبِthe wonders أَنthat حَظىmy fortune أَسوَدٌblack
وَمِنَ العَجائِبِ أَن حَظى أَسوَدٌ
وَلَهُand he has بِكُلِّin every يَدٍhand يَدٌa hand بَيضاءُwhite
وَلَهُ بِكُلِّ يَدٍ يَدٌ بَيضاءُ
And a wonder is that my fortune is black,
And of wonders is that a black man attained
yet he has, in every hand, a white hand of favor.
And for him in each hand a white hand.
أَحُسامَO Husam (Sword) دينِfaith of اللَهِGod وَالمُلكَand kingship الَّذيwho
أَحُسامَ دينِ اللَهِ وَالمُلكَ الَّذي
شَرُفَتbecame ennobled بِهِthrough him الأَلقابُthe titles وَالأَسماءُand names
شَرُفَت بِهِ الأَلقابُ وَالأَسماءُ
O Husam, Sword of God's faith and kingship, through whom
The swords of God's religion and the kingship which
titles and names have been ennobled!
The titles and names have been ennobled by.
جابَتcrossed إِلَيكَto you بَنوthe sons of الرَجاhope جَوزَthe heart of الفَلاthe deserts
جابَت إِلَيكَ بَنو الرَجا جَوزَ الفَلا
مُذsince شِدتَyou raised مَجداًa glory دونَهُbeneath it الجَوزاءُal-Jawza'
مُذ شِدتَ مَجداً دونَهُ الجَوزاءُ
The sons of hope have crossed the heart of the desert to reach you,
The clan of glory answered you the shells of peach
since you raised a glory with al-Jawza' beneath it.
Since you have excelled in glory beyond the shells.
هَلdoes تَحمِلُbears الغَبراءُthe dust-gray earth مِثلَكَyour like أَوor جَرَتran
هَل تَحمِلُ الغَبراءُ مِثلَكَ أَو جَرَت
يَومَon the day of الرِهانِthe wager بِمِثلِكَcarrying your like الغَبراءُal-Ghabra' (the mare)
يَومَ الرِهانِ بِمِثلِكَ الغَبراءُ
Does the dust-gray earth bear your like, or did she ever race—
Does the dusty (world) carry one like you or did
al-Ghabra'—on wager-day carrying anyone like you?
The dusty (world) race with one like you on the day of the wager?
بِسَمّيby the namesake of والِدُكَyour father اِهتَدَيناwe found our way فيin الدُجىthe darkness
بِسَمّي والِدُكَ اِهتَدَينا في الدُجى
وَعَنَتand submitted لَناto us بِسَمّيكَthrough your namesake الأَعداءُthe enemies
وَعَنَت لَنا بِسَمّيكَ الأَعداءُ
By your father's namesake we found our way in darkness,
By your father's name we were guided in the darkness
and through your namesake our enemies bowed to us.
And by your name the enemies flagged for us.
نَرعىwe watch الفَراقِدَthe Farqad stars وَالفَراقِدُand wild calves حَولَناaround us
نَرعى الفَراقِدَ وَالفَراقِدُ حَولَنا
شَهِدَتbore witness بِذَينِto the two سَماوَةٌSamawah وَسَماءُand the sky
شَهِدَت بِذَينِ سَماوَةٌ وَسَماءُ
We watch the Farqad stars, while wild calves surround us;
We pasture the dead and the dead around us
Samawah and the sky have borne witness to the two.
The heaven and sky have witnessed their bloodshed.
لِلَّهِhow wondrous! حادِثَةٌan event رَمَتcast بِيَwith me جانِبَيَّmy two sides
لِلَّهِ حادِثَةٌ رَمَت بِيَ جانِبَيَّ
هَذاthis الحِمىsanctuary وَطِمِرَّةٌand a fleet mare جَرداءُsleek
هَذا الحِمى وَطِمِرَّةٌ جَرداءُ
How wondrous the event that cast me here, flanked by
By God an accident threw me on the side of
this sanctuary and a sleek, fleet mare!
This sanctuary and a bare wilderness.
لازالَmay he always remain فيin الإِقبالِgood fortune غادٍgoing out at dawn رائِحاًreturning at evening
لازالَ في الإِقبالِ غادٍ رائِحاً
ماas long as أَقبَلَcomes round الإِصباحُmorning وَالإِمساءُand evening
ما أَقبَلَ الإِصباحُ وَالإِمساءُ
May he ever go forth and return in good fortune,
He continues advancing returning in good fortune
as long as morning and evening come round.
As long as the morning and evening come.
Sol 6.1