لَجَّتpersisted أُمامَةُUmamah فيin لَوميreproaching me وَماand not عَلِمَتshe knew
لَجَّت أُمامَةُ في لَومي وَما عَلِمَت
عَرضَthe breadth of السَماوَةِal-Samawah رَوحاتيmy afternoon journeys وَلاnor بُكريmy dawn journeys
عَرضَ السَماوَةِ رَوحاتي وَلا بُكري
Umamah persisted in reproaching me, but did not know
Ummama rebuked me for blaming her, though she knows not
my afternoon journeys across al-Samawah's breadth, nor my dawn journeys,
The secrets of my soul, nor my morning or evening walk.
وَلاnor تَقَعقُعَthe clattering of أَلحيjaws of العيسِthe tawny-white camels قارِبَةًapproaching water
وَلا تَقَعقُعَ أَلحي العيسِ قارِبَةً
بَينَbetween المِراجِal-Miraj وَرَعنىand the two spurs of رِجلَتيthe two watercourses of بَقَرِBaqar
بَينَ المِراجِ وَرَعنى رِجلَتي بَقَرِ
nor the clattering jaws of the tawny-white camels approaching water
The thighs of the swift she-camel rattle not with bells
between al-Miraj and the twin spurs of Rijlatay Baqar.
Between meadow and sheepfold, yet sound are her legs.
ماnot هَوَّمَdozed القَومُthe men مُذsince شَدّواthey secured رِحالَهُمُtheir saddles
ما هَوَّمَ القَومُ مُذ شَدّوا رِحالَهُمُ
إِلّاexcept غِشاشاًfitfully لَدىbeside أَعضادِهاtheir upper forelegs اليُسُرِthe left ones
إِلّا غِشاشاً لَدى أَعضادِها اليُسُرِ
The men have not dozed since they secured their saddles,
Since the tribe set forth, no man but has sought
save fitfully, beside the camels' left shoulders.
The shade of her side-panniers, over her flank so easy.
يَضرَحنَthey fling aside ضَرحاًforcefully حَصىthe gravel of المَعزاءَthe stony ground إِذwhen وَقَدَتblazed
يَضرَحنَ ضَرحاً حَصى المَعزاءَ إِذ وَقَدَت
شَمسُthe sun of النَهارِthe day وَعادَand returned الظُلُّthe shade لِلقِصَرِto shortness
شَمسُ النَهارِ وَعادَ الظُلُّ لِلقِصَرِ
They fiercely scatter the stony ground's gravel when it blazes—
She roams the stony ground and the pebbles count, when the sun
the sun of day—and the shade grows short again.
Declines and shadow returns to the mansion and palace.
يَوماًon a day يُصاديassails المَهارىthe Mahri camels الخوصَthe narrow-eyed تَحسِبُهاyou consider them
يَوماً يُصادي المَهارى الخوصَ تَحسِبُها
عورَone-eyed العُيونِin the eyes وَماand not فيهِنَّin them مِنany عَوَرِeye defect
عورَ العُيونِ وَما فيهِنَّ مِن عَوَرِ
On a day that assails the narrow-eyed Mahri camels—you would think them
A day when the horsemen charge, you would think the rattling thorn-bushes
one-eyed, though none of them has an eye defect.
Are the eyes of the blind, yet no blindness is there.
قَدindeed طالَhas lasted long قَوليmy saying إِذاwhen ماever قُمتُI rose مُبتَهِلاًsupplicating
قَد طالَ قَولي إِذا ما قُمتُ مُبتَهِلاً
ياO رَبِّmy Lord أَصلِحset right قِوامَthe mainstay of الدينِthe faith وَالبَشَرِand humankind
يا رَبِّ أَصلِح قِوامَ الدينِ وَالبَشَرِ
Long have I said, whenever I rise in supplication:
My words grow long, when I stand beseeching:
O Lord, set right the mainstay of faith and humankind—
“O Lord, make straight the affairs of religion and mankind!”
خَليفَةَthe caliph of اللَهِGod ثُمَّthen اللَهُGod يَحفَظُهُpreserves him
خَليفَةَ اللَهِ ثُمَّ اللَهُ يَحفَظُهُ
وَاللَهُand God يَصحَبُكَaccompanies you الرَحمَنُthe All-Merciful فيon السَفَرِthe journey
وَاللَهُ يَصحَبُكَ الرَحمَنُ في السَفَرِ
the caliph of God; then may God preserve him,
Successor of God, and God guard him!
and may God, the All-Merciful, accompany you on your journey.
God be your companion, the Merciful One, on your journey.
إِنّاindeed we لَنَرجوsurely hope إِذاwhen ماever الغَيثُthe rain أَخلَفَناfails us
إِنّا لَنَرجو إِذا ما الغَيثُ أَخلَفَنا
مِنَfrom الخَليفَةِthe caliph ماwhat نَرجوwe hope for مِنَfrom المَطَرِthe rain
مِنَ الخَليفَةِ ما نَرجو مِنَ المَطَرِ
We surely hope to receive, whenever the rain fails us,
When the rain fails us, we hope from the Successor
from the caliph what we hope to receive from the rain.
What we hope from the rain, be it copious or scanty.
ياAh رُبَّhow many a سَجلٍbucketful مُغيثٍbringing relief قَدindeed نَفَحتَyou bestowed بِهِwith it
يا رُبَّ سَجلٍ مُغيثٍ قَد نَفَحتَ بِهِ
مِنfrom نائِلٍbounty غَيرِnot مَنزوحٍdrained dry وَلاnor كَدِرِturbid
مِن نائِلٍ غَيرِ مَنزوحٍ وَلا كَدِرِ
How many a life-giving bucketful you have bestowed
O Lord, a cloud of bounty, whose outpouring
from bounty neither drawn dry nor turbid!
Comes from a Giver ungrudging and pure.
أَأَذكُرُshall I recount الجَهدَthe hardship وَالبَلوىand the affliction الَّتيthat نَزَلَتbefell
أَأَذكُرُ الجَهدَ وَالبَلوى الَّتي نَزَلَت
أَمor قَدalready كَفانيhas sufficed for me الَّذيwhat بُلِّغتَyou were told مِنof خَبَريmy news
أَم قَد كَفاني الَّذي بُلِّغتَ مِن خَبَري
Shall I recount the hardship and affliction that befell me,
Shall I recall the hardship and affliction that befell,
or has what you were told of my plight already sufficed for me?
Or is the report you heard enough for me?
ماnot زِلتُI have ceased بَعدَكَsince leaving you فيin دارٍa land تَعَرَّقُنيgnaws me to the bone
ما زِلتُ بَعدَكَ في دارٍ تَعَرَّقُني
قَدindeed عَيَّhas proved too much بِالحَيِّfor the clan إِصعاديmy uphill journeying وَمُنحَدِريand my downhill journeying
قَد عَيَّ بِالحَيِّ إِصعادي وَمُنحَدِري
Since leaving you, I have remained in a land that gnaws me to the bone;
After you, still I dwell in a house that wearies me;
my journeys uphill and down have proved too much for the clan.
My rising and resting are hard, up and down.
لاnot يَنفَعُhelps الحاضِرُthe settled folk المَجهودُthe hard-pressed بادِيَهُtheir desert kin
لا يَنفَعُ الحاضِرُ المَجهودُ بادِيَهُ
وَلاnor يَعودُbrings aid لَناto us بادٍa desert dweller عَلىto حَضَرِsettled folk
وَلا يَعودُ لَنا بادٍ عَلى حَضَرِ
The hard-pressed settled folk cannot help their desert kin,
The resolute man, his effort profits him not,
nor do desert dwellers bring aid to our settled folk.
Nor does the desert-dweller return to us here.
كَمhow many بِالمَواسِمِat the seasonal gatherings مِنof شَعثاءَdisheveled أَرمَلَةٍa widow
كَم بِالمَواسِمِ مِن شَعثاءَ أَرمَلَةٍ
وَمِنand of يَتيمٍan orphan ضَعيفِweak in الصَوتِvoice وَالنَظَرِand sight
وَمِن يَتيمٍ ضَعيفِ الصَوتِ وَالنَظَرِ
How many a disheveled widow at the seasonal gatherings,
How many a widow, dishevelled at the holy seasons,
and orphan, weak in voice and sight,
How many a weak orphan, faint of voice and vision,
يَدعوكَcalls to you دَعوَةَthe plea of مَلهوفٍone distraught كَأَنَّas though بِهِin him
يَدعوكَ دَعوَةَ مَلهوفٍ كَأَنَّ بِهِ
خَبلاًmadness مِنَfrom الجِنِّthe jinn أَوْor مَسَّاa harmful touch مِنَfrom البَشَرِhumankind
خَبلاً مِنَ الجِنِّ أَوْ مَسَّا مِنَ البَشَرِ
calls to you with a desperate plea, as though afflicted
Who calls you with longing of a madman, as though in him
with madness from the jinn, or a hurtful touch from men;
Were a demon, or he were touched by mankind,
مِمَّنamong those who يَعُدُّكَreckons you تَكفيcan make up for فَقدَthe loss of والِدِهِhis father
مِمَّن يَعُدُّكَ تَكفي فَقدَ والِدِهِ
كَالفَرخِlike the chick فيin العُشِّthe nest لَمhas not يَدرُجwalked وَلَمand has not يَطِرِflown
كَالفَرخِ في العُشِّ لَم يَدرُج وَلَم يَطِرِ
one of those who count on you to make up for a father's loss,
And counts you a substitute for his father lost,
like a chick in its nest that has neither walked nor flown.
Like a chick in the nest who chirps but cannot fly,
يَرجوكَhe hopes in you مِثلَlike رَجاءِhope for الغَيثِthe rain تَجرُهُمُyou draw them
يَرجوكَ مِثلَ رَجاءِ الغَيثِ تَجرُهُمُ
بورِكتَmay you be blessed جابِرَmender of عَظمٍa bone هيضَbroken again مُنكَسِرِfractured
بورِكتَ جابِرَ عَظمٍ هيضَ مُنكَسِرِ
He hopes in you as one hopes for rain; you draw them to you.
Hope in you as in hoped-for rain that will bring them
Blessed be you, mender of a fractured bone broken anew.
Bless you, Healer of broken bones crushed to fragments!
فَإِنso if تَدَعهُمyou abandon them فَمَنthen whom يَرجونَdo they hope in بَعدَكُمُafter you
فَإِن تَدَعهُم فَمَن يَرجونَ بَعدَكُمُ
أَوor تُنجِyou rescue مِنهاfrom it فَقَدthen indeed أَنجَيتَyou have saved مِنfrom ضَرَرِharm
أَو تُنجِ مِنها فَقَد أَنجَيتَ مِن ضَرَرِ
If you abandon them, whom can they hope in after you?
If you leave them, who do they hope for after you?
Or, if you deliver them from it, you have saved them from harm.
Or if you save them, you save from affliction.
خَليفَةَcaliph of اللَهِGod ماذاwhat تَنظُرونَare you waiting for بِناconcerning us
خَليفَةَ اللَهِ ماذا تَنظُرونَ بِنا
لَسناwe are not إِلَيكُمnear you وَلاnor فيin دارِa land of مُنتَظَرِanything to await
لَسنا إِلَيكُم وَلا في دارِ مُنتَظَرِ
Caliph of God, why do you keep us waiting?
Successor of God, why do you pay us no heed?
We are not near you, nor in a land where help can be awaited.
We belong not to you, nor dwell we in your palace.
أَنتَyou المُبارَكُthe blessed one وَالمَهدِيُّand rightly guided سيرَتُهُhis conduct
أَنتَ المُبارَكُ وَالمَهدِيُّ سيرَتُهُ
تَعصيyou resist الهَوىdesire وَتَقومُand you stand in prayer اللَيلَat night بِالسُوَرِwith the surahs
تَعصي الهَوى وَتَقومُ اللَيلَ بِالسُوَرِ
You are blessed, and your conduct is rightly guided;
You are the blessed one guided aright in conduct,
you resist desire and stand in night prayer, reciting the surahs.
Disobeying caprice, standing vigilant in worship.
أَصبَحتَyou have become لِلمِنبَرِfor the pulpit المَعمورِwell-attended مَجلِسُهُits assembly
أَصبَحتَ لِلمِنبَرِ المَعمورِ مَجلِسُهُ
زَيناًan adornment وَزَينَand an adornment to قِبابِthe domes of المُلكِkingship وَالحُجَرِand the chambers
زَيناً وَزَينَ قِبابِ المُلكِ وَالحُجَرِ
You have become, for the pulpit whose assembly is thronged,
Your seat, by the thronged pulpit, graces its assembly
an adornment, and an adornment to royal domes and chambers.
And adorns the domes of the kingdom and mansions.
نالَhe attained الخِلافَةَthe caliphate إِذwhen كانَتit was لَهُfor him قَدَراًdestined
نالَ الخِلافَةَ إِذ كانَت لَهُ قَدَراً
كَماjust as أَتىcame to رَبَّهُhis Lord موسىMoses عَلىat قَدَرِan appointed time
كَما أَتى رَبَّهُ موسى عَلى قَدَرِ
He attained the caliphate when it was destined for him,
You attained the caliphate, since it was fated for you,
as Moses came to his Lord at an appointed time.
As Moses came to his Lord at the appointed time.
فَلَنso will never تَزالَcease لِهَذاfor this الدينِfaith ماas long as عَمِرواthey live
فَلَن تَزالَ لِهَذا الدينِ ما عَمِروا
مِنكُمfrom you عَمارَةُthe sustaining of مُلكٍa realm واضِحِradiant in الغُرَرِwhite forehead-blazes
مِنكُم عَمارَةُ مُلكٍ واضِحِ الغُرَرِ
So, for this faith, as long as they live, there shall endure
So through them this religion will never lack, while they live,
from you the sustaining of a realm with radiant brow-blazes.
The flourishing of a kingdom, radiant, splendid,
هُمthey ماwhat هُمُthey are القَومُthe people ماnever سارواthey journeyed وَماnor نَزَلواthey encamped
هُم ما هُمُ القَومُ ما ساروا وَما نَزَلوا
إِلّاexcept يَسوسونَthey govern مُلكاًa realm عالِيَlofty in الخَطَرِrank
إِلّا يَسوسونَ مُلكاً عالِيَ الخَطَرِ
They—what a people they are! Never do they journey or encamp
Always they ride on, encamping or departing,
without governing a realm of lofty rank.
Only to rule a lofty kingdom, perilous, immense.
ماnot صاحَcried out مِنany حَيَّةٍserpent يَنميtraces its descent إِلىto جَبَلٍa mountain
ما صاحَ مِن حَيَّةٍ يَنمي إِلى جَبَلٍ
إِلّاexcept صَدَعتَyou split صَفاةَthe smooth rock of الحَيَّةِthe serpent الذَكَرِthe male
إِلّا صَدَعتَ صَفاةَ الحَيَّةِ الذَكَرِ
No serpent cries out, claiming kinship with a mountain,
No snake has hissed, growing towards a mountain,
but you split the male serpent's rock.
But you have crushed the serpent’s skull.
أَخوالُكَyour maternal uncles الشُمُّthe lofty-nosed مِنof قَيسٍQays إِذاwhen فَزِعواthey were alarmed
أَخوالُكَ الشُمُّ مِن قَيسٍ إِذا فَزِعوا
لاnot يُعصِمونَthey shield themselves حِذارَfor fear of المَوتِdeath بِالعُذَرِwith excuses
لا يُعصِمونَ حِذارَ المَوتِ بِالعُذَرِ
Your lofty-nosed maternal uncles of Qays, when alarmed,
Your uncles of Syria, when in terror,
do not shelter behind excuses for fear of death.
Cannot be protected from the encounter of death by excuses.
كَمhow many قَدindeed دَعَوتُكَI called to you مِنof دَعوىa plea مُخَلِّلَةٍpiercing
كَم قَد دَعَوتُكَ مِن دَعوى مُخَلِّلَةٍ
لَمّاwhen رَأَيتُI saw زَمانَthe times of الناسِthe people فيin دُبُرِdecline
لَمّا رَأَيتُ زَمانَ الناسِ في دُبُرِ
How many a piercing plea I have addressed to you
How often have I called you, in a complaint inducing
when I saw the times declining for mankind,
Slumber, when I saw the times of men in decline!
لَتَنعَشَthat you may revive اليَومَtoday ريشيmy feathers ثُمَّthen تُهِضَنيyou break me
لَتَنعَشَ اليَومَ ريشي ثُمَّ تُهِضَني
وَتُنزِلَand you place اليُسرَease مِنّيwithin me مَوضِعَin the place of العُسُرِhardship
وَتُنزِلَ اليُسرَ مِنّي مَوضِعَ العُسُرِ
that today you might revive my feathers, then break me,
Today you will give my feathered arrow fresh life,
and put ease within me where hardship lay.
Then make easiness descend in me where was hardship.
فَماso not وَجَدتُI found لَكُمfor you نِدّاًa peer يُعادِلُكُمequals you
فَما وَجَدتُ لَكُم نِدّاً يُعادِلُكُم
وَماand not عَلِمتُI knew لَكُمfor you فيamong الناسِthe people مِنany خَطَرِequal in rank
وَما عَلِمتُ لَكُم في الناسِ مِن خَطَرِ
For I have found no peer who equals you,
In the people I have found none to equal you,
nor do I know anyone among men of your stature.
Nor known any among them to rival you.
إِنّيindeed I سَأَشكُرُshall give thanks ماfor what أَولَيتَyou bestowed مِنof حَسَنٍgoodness
إِنّي سَأَشكُرُ ما أَولَيتَ مِن حَسَنٍ
وَخَيرُand the best مَنof those whom نِلتَyou favored مَعروفاًwith kindness ذَوّthe possessor of الشُكُرِgratitude
وَخَيرُ مَن نِلتَ مَعروفاً ذَوّ الشُكُرِ
I shall indeed give thanks for the goodness you have bestowed;
Truly, I will thank you for the kindness you have shown me,
and the best recipient of your kindness is the grateful one.
And best is he who obtains a benefit, being grateful.
Sol 6.1