مَنْwhoever كانَis قَوْسُthe bow نِبالِهِhis arrows مِنfrom حاجِبِan eyebrow
مَنْ كانَ قَوْسُ نِبالِهِ مِن حاجِبِ
ماwhat لِلْقُلُوبِfor the hearts إِذْاwhen رَناhe gazes مِنany حاجِبِguard
ما لِلْقُلُوبِ إِذْا رَنا مِن حاجِبِ
He whose arrows have an eyebrow for their bow—
Whose archery bow was from an eyebrow
what guard have hearts when he casts a glance?
What is it to hearts when it bends from an eyebrow
هُنَّthey الْمَمالِكُthe kingdoms والخُدودُand the cheeks مَطالِبٌobjects of desire
هُنَّ الْمَمالِكُ والخُدودُ مَطالِبٌ
يُحْرَسْنَare guarded مِنfrom سَيْفِthe sword الجُفونِthe eyelids بِضارِبِby one who strikes
يُحْرَسْنَ مِن سَيْفِ الجُفونِ بِضارِبِ
They are kingdoms, and cheeks are coveted prizes,
They are the kingdoms and cheeks sought
guarded from the eyelids' sword by a swordsman.
Protected by the sword of eyelids with a striker
ظَبْيٌa gazelle تَرَىyou see الأحْداقَthe eyes مُحْدِقَةًencircling بِهِaround him
ظَبْيٌ تَرَى الأحْداقَ مُحْدِقَةً بِهِ
وَالْبَدْرُand the full moon لَيْسَis not يُرَىseen بِغَيْرِwithout كواكبِstars
وَالْبَدْرُ لَيْسَ يُرَى بِغَيْرِ كواكبِ
A gazelle: you see eyes encircling him;
A gazelle you see the glances staring at it
and the full moon is not seen without stars.
The moon cannot be seen but with stars
خَرَجَتْit emerged مُسامِحَةًfreely yielding بِوَجْنَتِهِwith his cheek لِمَنْfor whoever
خَرَجَتْ مُسامِحَةً بِوَجْنَتِهِ لِمَنْ
يَخْشَىhe fears مُحاسَبَةَthe reckoning الكَريمِthe noble الكاتِبِrecorder
يَخْشَى مُحاسَبَةَ الكَريمِ الكاتِبِ
It emerged, freely granting his cheek to whoever
It went out flirting with its cheek to whoever
fears the reckoning of the noble recorder.
Fears the reckoning of the generous writer
وَلَقَدْand indeed رَعَيْتُI grazed upon الْخدَّthe cheek أَوَّلَthe first نَبْتِهِits growth
وَلَقَدْ رَعَيْتُ الْخدَّ أَوَّلَ نَبْتِهِ
وَتَرَكتُand I left أسْودَthe black part شَعْرِهِhis hair لِلْحاطِبِfor the woodcutter
وَتَرَكتُ أسْودَ شَعْرِهِ لِلْحاطِبِ
Indeed, I grazed upon the cheek at its first growth,
And I have watched the cheek from its first growth
and left his black hair to the woodcutter.
And left the blackness of its hair to the gatherer
وَلَبِسْتُand I wore ديباجَthe brocade النَّعيمِbliss بِلَثْمِهِby kissing it
وَلَبِسْتُ ديباجَ النَّعيمِ بِلَثْمِهِ
وَخَلَعْتُهُand I took it off إِذْwhen صارَit became مَسْحَthe haircloth الرَّاهِبِthe monk
وَخَلَعْتُهُ إِذْ صارَ مَسْحَ الرَّاهِبِ
Through kissing it, I wore the brocade of bliss,
And wore the brocade of bliss with its down
and took it off when it became the monk's haircloth.
And took it off when it became the wiping of a monk
وَأَلِفْتَand you grew used to قَفْرَthe wasteland البيدِthe deserts لَمَّاwhen أَقْفَرَتْbecame desolate
وَأَلِفْتَ قَفْرَ البيدِ لَمَّا أَقْفَرَتْ
مِمَّنْof those whom أُحِبُّI love مَراتِعيmy pastures وَمَلاعِبيand my playgrounds
مِمَّنْ أُحِبُّ مَراتِعي وَمَلاعِبي
And you grew used to the desert wastes, when desolate
And you got accustomed to the emptiness of the abode when it became empty
lay my pastures and playgrounds, bereft of those I love.
Of those whom I love my pastures and playmates
ماwhat لِلْبُدورِwith the full moons مِنَfrom الْقُصورِthe palaces تَنَقَّلَتْthey moved
ما لِلْبُدورِ مِنَ الْقُصورِ تَنَقَّلَتْ
بِهَوادِجٍin howdahs وَنَجائِبٍand noble camels وَسَباسِبِand desert plains
بِهَوادِجٍ وَنَجائِبٍ وَسَباسِبِ
Why have the full moons moved from the palaces
The full moons do not belong to palaces they moved
in howdahs, on noble camels, across desert plains?
With seductions, flirtations, and youthfulness
كانَتْthere were لَهُمْfor them بِالأبْرَقَيْنِat al-Abraqayn مَشارِقٌrising-places
كانَتْ لَهُمْ بِالأبْرَقَيْنِ مَشارِقٌ
وَالْيَوْمَand today كَمْhow many مِنof غَارِبٍa setting one فِيupon غَارِبِa camel's withers
وَالْيَوْمَ كَمْ مِن غَارِبٍ فِي غَارِبِ
They had places of rising at al-Abraqayn,
They had rising places in the two brilliances
and today, how many a setting moon upon a camel's withers!
And today how many settings are in a setting
رَحَلُواthey departed وَأبْقواand left ليfor me بَقَّيةa remnant مُهْجَةٍlife
رَحَلُوا وَأبْقوا لي بَقَّية مُهْجَةٍ
عَلّلْتُهاI consoled it مِنْهُمfrom them بِوَعْدٍwith a promise كإِذْبِfalse
عَلّلْتُها مِنْهُم بِوَعْدٍ كإِذْبِ
They departed and left me a remnant of life,
They left and let me a grieving remainder
which I consoled with a false promise from them.
I justified it from them with a promise like a lie
فَأَرَحْتُهَاso I relieved it مِنْfrom كَرْبِهاits anguish وَشَغَلْتُهاand I occupied it
فَأَرَحْتُهَا مِنْ كَرْبِها وَشَغَلْتُها
مِنْof مَدْحِthe praise مَوْلاناour lord بِفَرْضٍwith a duty واجِبِobligatory
مِنْ مَدْحِ مَوْلانا بِفَرْضٍ واجِبِ
So I relieved it of its anguish and occupied it
So I relieved it from its affliction and distracted it
with an obligatory duty: the praise of our lord,
From praising our Master with an obligation
الأشْرَفِal-Ashraf المَلِكِthe king الَّذيwho عَنabout بَحْرِهِhis ocean
الأشْرَفِ المَلِكِ الَّذي عَن بَحْرِهِ
كُلُّall الأنامِmankind مُحَدِّثٌa narrator بِعَجائِبِof wonders
كُلُّ الأنامِ مُحَدِّثٌ بِعَجائِبِ
King al-Ashraf, of whose ocean
The noble king whom from his sea
all mankind recounts wonders.
All people speak of wonders
فَالنَّاسُso the people بَيْنَbetween بنانِهِhis fingers وَبَيَانِهِand his eloquence
فَالنَّاسُ بَيْنَ بنانِهِ وَبَيَانِهِ
فِيin نِعْمَتَيْنِtwo blessings رَغائِبٍprecious gifts وَغَرائِبِand marvels
فِي نِعْمَتَيْنِ رَغائِبٍ وَغَرائِبِ
Thus, between his fingers and his eloquence, the people
So people are between his elocution and rhetoric
enjoy two blessings: precious gifts and marvels.
In two blessings, wonders and marvels
وَتَهُزُّهُand stirs him فِيin السَّلْمِpeace نَغْمَةُthe melody طالِبٍa petitioner
وَتَهُزُّهُ فِي السَّلْمِ نَغْمَةُ طالِبٍ
طَرَباًwith delight وَيَوْمَand on the day of الْحَرْبِwar صَرْخَةُthe cry طالِبِa challenger
طَرَباً وَيَوْمَ الْحَرْبِ صَرْخَةُ طالِبِ
And in peace a petitioner's melody stirs him
And a tone of a lover shakes him in peace
to delight, and on the day of war, a challenger's cry.
Enchantingly, and in war a scream of a seeker
سَلْask عَنْabout مَواقِفِthe stands بَأْسِهِhis valor لَمّاwhen الْتَقَتْthey met
سَلْ عَنْ مَواقِفِ بَأْسِهِ لَمّا الْتَقَتْ
يَوْمَon the day of الْهِياجِbattle كَتائِبٌbattalions بِكَتائِبِwith battalions
يَوْمَ الْهِياجِ كَتائِبٌ بِكَتائِبِ
Ask of his stands of valor when they met—
Ask about his battle stations when the regiments met
on the day of battle, battalions with battalions.
On the day of commotion, squadrons against squadrons
وَالنَّبْلُand the arrows فِيamid ظُلَلِcanopies العَجاجِswirling dust كَأَنَّهُas though it were
وَالنَّبْلُ فِي ظُلَلِ العَجاجِ كَأَنَّهُ
وَبْلٌa downpour تَتابَعَfell in succession مِنfrom خِلالِwithin سَحائِبِclouds
وَبْلٌ تَتابَعَ مِن خِلالِ سَحائِبِ
And the arrows amid canopies of swirling dust were like
And the arrows in the shadows of the quivers as if
a downpour falling steadily from within clouds.
Hail succeeding between the folds of clouds
لَمَعَتْflashed أَسِنَّتُهhis spearheads عَلَىabove أَعْلامِهاtheir banners
لَمَعَتْ أَسِنَّتُه عَلَى أَعْلامِها
فَكأَنَّهاso they seemed like شُهْبٌshooting stars ذَواتُpossessing ذَوائِبِtresses
فَكأَنَّها شُهْبٌ ذَواتُ ذَوائِبِ
His spearheads flashed above their banners,
His swords shone on their flags
so they seemed shooting stars with trailing tresses.
So it is as if they are meteors with tails
وَتَأَوَّدَتْand swayed بَيْنَamong السُّيوفِthe swords رِماحُهُhis spears
وَتَأَوَّدَتْ بَيْنَ السُّيوفِ رِماحُهُ
فَكَأَنَّهاso they seemed like الأَغْصانُthe branches بَيْنَamong مَذانِبِwatercourses
فَكَأَنَّها الأَغْصانُ بَيْنَ مَذانِبِ
And his spears swayed among the swords,
And his spears cozied between the swords
so they seemed branches among watercourses.
As if they are branches between intertwined
تَهوِيstoop الْمُلوكُthe kings إلىto الْتِثامِkissing تُرابِهِhis dust
تَهوِي الْمُلوكُ إلى الْتِثامِ تُرابِهِ
فَثُغورُهُمْso their mouths كالدُّرِlike pearls فَوْقَupon تَرائِبِbosoms
فَثُغورُهُمْ كالدُّرِ فَوْقَ تَرائِبِ
Kings stoop to kiss his dust,
The kings bow down to kiss his dust
so their mouths are like pearls upon bosoms.
So their frontiers are like pearls over carpets
وَتَراهُمُand you see them زُمَراًin throngs عَلىat أَبْوابِهِhis gates
وَتَراهُمُ زُمَراً عَلى أَبْوابِهِ
قَدْalready حُجِّبُواthey were barred بِمَهابَةٍby awe لاnot حَاجِبِa gatekeeper
قَدْ حُجِّبُوا بِمَهابَةٍ لا حَاجِبِ
And you see them in throngs at his gates,
And you see them as groups at his doors
kept back by awe, not by a gatekeeper.
They are veiled with awe without a veil
خَطَبَتْهshe sought his hand أَرْمِينَّيةٌArmenia فَتَخَيَّرَتْand so she chose
خَطَبَتْه أَرْمِينَّيةٌ فَتَخَيَّرَتْ
كُفْئاًa worthy match تَنَزَّهَhe was free عَنْfrom عُتُوِّthe tyranny الْغاصِبِthe usurper
كُفْئاً تَنَزَّهَ عَنْ عُتُوِّ الْغاصِبِ
Armenia sought his hand and chose
Armenia proposed to him so she chose
a worthy match, free of a usurper's tyranny.
An elite that is too noble for the injustice of an usurper
حَقَنَتْshe spared بِوَصْلَتِهاthrough her union بِهِwith him دَمَthe blood أَهْلِهاher people
حَقَنَتْ بِوَصْلَتِها بِهِ دَمَ أَهْلِها
فَاسُتَسْعَدواso they were blessed بِنَوالِwith the bounty أَكْرَمِthe most generous وَاهِبِgiver
فَاسُتَسْعَدوا بِنَوالِ أَكْرَمِ وَاهِبِ
She spared her people's blood through her union with him,
She stopped with her alliance his people’s blood
and they were blessed with the bounty of the most generous giver.
So they became fortunate with the favor of the most generous giver
أَمُنواthey were safe عَلىconcerning مُهْجاتِهِمْtheir lives مِنfrom ظالِمٍan oppressor
أَمُنوا عَلى مُهْجاتِهِمْ مِن ظالِمٍ
وَعَلىand concerning حِمَىthe protection أَمْوالِهمْtheir wealth مِنfrom سالِبِa plunderer
وَعَلى حِمَى أَمْوالِهمْ مِن سالِبِ
Their lives were safe from an oppressor,
They became safe over their grievances from an oppressor
and their protected wealth from a plunderer.
And over protection of their money from a taker
فَجَميعُso all أقْطارِregions المَمالِكِthe kingdoms غَيْرَةًout of jealousy
فَجَميعُ أقْطارِ المَمالِكِ غَيْرَةً
مِنْهاof her إِليْهِto him مُراسِلٌsends messages مِنْfrom جانِبِa quarter
مِنْها إِليْهِ مُراسِلٌ مِنْ جانِبِ
So every corner of the kingdoms, jealous
So all corners of the kingdoms zealously
of her, sends him messages from its own quarter.
Send messages to him from every side
ياO وارِثَheir الإِسْكَنْدَرِAlexander اجْمَعْunite عاجِلاًswiftly
يا وارِثَ الإِسْكَنْدَرِ اجْمَعْ عاجِلاً
بِالفَتْحِthrough conquest بَيْنَbetween مَشارِقٍlands of sunrise وَمَغارِبِand lands of sunset
بِالفَتْحِ بَيْنَ مَشارِقٍ وَمَغارِبِ
O heir of Alexander, unite swiftly
O inheritor of Alexander, gather quickly
through conquest, the lands of sunrise and sunset.
With conquest between east and west
ياO نِعْمَةًa blessing لإِلهِناof our God فِيamong خَلْقِهِHis creatures
يا نِعْمَةً لإِلهِنا فِي خَلْقِهِ
مَقْسومَةًapportioned لأِقَارِبٍto kin وَأجانِبِand strangers
مَقْسومَةً لأِقَارِبٍ وَأجانِبِ
O blessing of our God among His creatures,
O gift of our God among His creations
apportioned to kin and strangers,
Divided between relatives and strangers
عَوَّدْتَyou trained خَيْلَكَyour horses دائِماًalways أنْto لاnot تَطاtread
عَوَّدْتَ خَيْلَكَ دائِماً أنْ لا تَطا
إلاَّexcept جَماجِمَthe skulls كُلِّevery أغْلَبَmighty غالِبِconqueror
إلاَّ جَماجِمَ كُلِّ أغْلَبَ غالِبِ
You trained your horses always to tread on nothing
You have always trained your horses to not pass
but the skulls of every mighty conqueror.
Except the skulls of every victor victor
فَكَبَتْso they stumbled عَلىon مَيْدانِهاtheir arena غَضَباًin anger وَرَبُّand the master
فَكَبَتْ عَلى مَيْدانِها غَضَباً وَرَبُّ
الجِدِّearnestness يَأْنَفُdisdains مِنof صِفاتِthe traits الَّلاعِبِthe player
الجِدِّ يَأْنَفُ مِن صِفاتِ الَّلاعِبِ
So they stumbled in their arena in anger; and the master
So they stamped upon their battlefield angrily while God
of earnest action disdains a player's ways.
Disdains the attributes of the player
حَمَلَتْthey bore مِنَin the person of السُّلْطانِthe sultan طَوْدَa mountain مَهابَةًof majesty
حَمَلَتْ مِنَ السُّلْطانِ طَوْدَ مَهابَةً
وَهِزَبْرَand a lion مَعْركةٍbattle وَبَحْرَand an ocean مَواهِبِgifts
وَهِزَبْرَ مَعْركةٍ وَبَحْرَ مَواهِبِ
They bore, in the sultan, a mountain of majesty,
They carried from the Sultan might of awe
and a lion of battle, and an ocean of gifts.
And clubs of battle and sea of gifts
وَقَدِand indeed اخْتَصَرْتI have been brief وَلَوْand if عَدَدْتُI counted خِلالَهُhis virtues
وَقَدِ اخْتَصَرْت وَلَوْ عَدَدْتُ خِلالَهُ
أعْيَتْwould be too much عَلىfor الْمَلَكِthe angel الكَريمِthe noble الْكاتِبِrecorder
أعْيَتْ عَلى الْمَلَكِ الكَريمِ الْكاتِبِ
I have been brief; were I to count his virtues,
And if I enumerated his qualities
they would overwhelm the noble recording angel.
It would exhaust the generous king’s writer
لاmay not زالَcease كَوْكَبُهُhis star مُنيراًluminous شارِقاًrising
لا زالَ كَوْكَبُهُ مُنيراً شارِقاً
وَعَدُوُّهُand his enemy يَسْرِيtravels by night بِنَجْمٍby a star غارِبِsetting
وَعَدُوُّهُ يَسْرِي بِنَجْمٍ غارِبِ
May his star remain luminous and rising,
His star remains shining and rising
while his enemy journeys by night beneath a setting star.
While his enemy moves with a setting star
Sol 6.1