بِعِذارِكَby your cheek-down الْفَتَّانِthe beguiling أعذَرْI am excused
بِعِذارِكَ الْفَتَّانِ أعذَرْ
ياO وَجْنَةَcheek of السَّيْفِthe sword الْمُجَوْهَرْthe jeweled
يا وَجْنَةَ السَّيْفِ الْمُجَوْهَرْ
By your beguiling cheek-down I am excused,
O cheek of the jeweled sword!
خَطٌّa line of down عَلىupon خَدٍّa cheek يَكاalmost (first part of يكاد)
خَطٌّ عَلى خَدٍّ يَكا
دُ(completion of يكاد: almost) لِرِقَّةٍbecause of delicacy يَخْفَىvanishes وَيَظْهَرْand appears
دُ لِرِقَّةٍ يَخْفَى وَيَظْهَرْ
A line upon a cheek, so delicate it almost
vanishes, then shows itself again.
فَشَقيقُهُso its anemone يَنْشَقُّsplits open عَنْto reveal
فَشَقيقُهُ يَنْشَقُّ عَنْ
آسٍmyrtle يَرُوقُdelights الْعَيْنَthe eye أَخْضَرْgreen
آسٍ يَرُوقُ الْعَيْنَ أَخْضَرْ
So its anemone splits open to reveal
green myrtle that delights the eye.
مَوْلاَيَmy lord وَجْهُكَyour face جَنَّةٌa garden; paradise
مَوْلاَيَ وَجْهُكَ جَنَّةٌ
وَرُضابُكَand your saliva الْمَعسولُthe honeyed كَوْثَرْKawthar, a heavenly river
وَرُضابُكَ الْمَعسولُ كَوْثَرْ
My lord, your face is a garden,
and your honeyed saliva is Kawthar.
يَفْتَرُّparts in a smile مِسْكُthe musk of خِتامِهِits seal
يَفْتَرُّ مِسْكُ خِتامِهِ
عَنrevealing مُسْكِرٍan intoxicant عَطِرٍfragrant وَسُكَّرْand sugar
عَن مُسْكِرٍ عَطِرٍ وَسُكَّرْ
The musk of its seal parts in a smile,
revealing a fragrant intoxicant and sugar.
مِنْfrom نَسْلِthe lineage of يافِثَJapheth نافِثٌa spell-breather
مِنْ نَسْلِ يافِثَ نافِثٌ
وَسْنانُdrowsy يُسْهِرْنيkeeps me awake وَيَسْحَرْand bewitches
وَسْنانُ يُسْهِرْني وَيَسْحَرْ
A spell-breather of Japheth's line,
drowsy, he keeps me awake and bewitches me.
مُتَبَسِّمٌsmiling بِزُمُرُّدٍwith emerald
مُتَبَسِّمٌ بِزُمُرُّدٍ
عَنrevealing عِقْدِa necklace of ياقُوتٍrubies وَجَوْهَرْand gems
عَن عِقْدِ ياقُوتٍ وَجَوْهَرْ
Smiling with emerald,
he reveals a necklace of rubies and gems.
وَلَّىturned away بِشَعْرٍwith hair كَالدُّجىlike night's darkness
وَلَّى بِشَعْرٍ كَالدُّجى
وَبَداand appeared فَقُلْتُso I said الصُّبْحُdawn أَسْفَرْhas shone forth
وَبَدا فَقُلْتُ الصُّبْحُ أَسْفَرْ
He turned away, his hair like night's darkness,
then appeared; I said, 'Dawn has broken!'
ماnot خِلْتُI imagined قَبْلَbefore جَبينِهِhis brow الْthe (article for الكافور)
ما خِلْتُ قَبْلَ جَبينِهِ الْ
كافُورِcamphor يَنْبُتُsprouts مِنْهُfrom it عَنْبَرْambergris
كافُورِ يَنْبُتُ مِنْهُ عَنْبَرْ
Before his brow, I had never thought
that ambergris could sprout from camphor.
ياO قاصِرَrestrainer of الطَّرْفِthe gaze الْغَضِيdowncast (first part of الغضيض)
يا قاصِرَ الطَّرْفِ الْغَضِي
ضِ(completion of الغضيض: downcast) كَذالِكَlikewise الْهِنْدِيُّthe Indian blade أَبْتَرْcut short
ضِ كَذالِكَ الْهِنْدِيُّ أَبْتَرْ
O you of restrained, downcast gaze—
so too the Indian blade is cut short.
ياO غُصْنُbranch خَصْرُكَyour waist لاnot يُطيcan bear (first part of يطيق)
يا غُصْنُ خَصْرُكَ لا يُطي
قُ(completion of يطيق: can bear) حِياصَةًa girdle عُقِدَتْfastened وَخِنْجَرْand a dagger
قُ حِياصَةً عُقِدَتْ وَخِنْجَرْ
O branch, your waist cannot bear
a fastened girdle and a dagger.
ياO بَدْرُfull moon كَمْhow many مِنْof تائِهٍa wanderer
يا بَدْرُ كَمْ مِنْ تائِهٍ
فِيin لَيْلِthe night of هَجْرِكَyour abandonment قَدْindeed تَحَيَّرْhas become bewildered
فِي لَيْلِ هَجْرِكَ قَدْ تَحَيَّرْ
O full moon, how many a wanderer
has lost his way in the night of your abandonment!
رِفْقاًbe gentle بِصَبٍّwith a lovesick one كلَّماwhenever
رِفْقاً بِصَبٍّ كلَّما
أَخْفَىhe conceals بَلِيَّتَهُhis affliction تَشَهَّرْhe becomes exposed
أَخْفَى بَلِيَّتَهُ تَشَهَّرْ
Be gentle with a lovesick man: whenever
he conceals his affliction, he is exposed.
الجِسْمُthe body أَصْفَرُsallow ناحِلٌemaciated
الجِسْمُ أَصْفَرُ ناحِلٌ
دَنِفُsick with love وَدَمْعُand the tears of الْعَيْنِthe eye أَحْمَرْred
دَنِفُ وَدَمْعُ الْعَيْنِ أَحْمَرْ
The body is sallow and wasted,
sick with love; the eye's tears are red.
لَوْلاwere it not for الدُّموعُthe tears أَذابَهُwould have melted it
لَوْلا الدُّموعُ أَذابَهُ
نَفَسٌa sigh تَصَعَّدَrose بَلْrather تَسَعَّرْblazed
نَفَسٌ تَصَعَّدَ بَلْ تَسَعَّرْ
But for tears, it would have been melted
by a sigh that rose—nay, blazed.
مَنْwhoever يَعْشَقِloves الظَّبْيَthe gazelle الْغَريguileless (first part of الغرير)
مَنْ يَعْشَقِ الظَّبْيَ الْغَري
رَ(completion of الغرير: guileless) يَنامُsleeps عاذِلُهُhis reproacher وَيَسْهَرْand stays awake
رَ يَنامُ عاذِلُهُ وَيَسْهَرْ
Whoever loves the guileless gazelle—
his reproacher sleeps, while he stays awake.
غَزَلِيmy love-poetry لَهُfor him وَمَدائِحيand my panegyrics
غَزَلِي لَهُ وَمَدائِحي
وَقْفٌan endowment لِمَوْلاناfor our lord مُقَرَّرْfixed
وَقْفٌ لِمَوْلانا مُقَرَّرْ
My love-poetry is for him; my panegyrics
are a fixed endowment for our lord:
الأشْرَفُal-Ashraf, the most noble الطَّلْقُunstinting in النَّدىbounty
الأشْرَفُ الطَّلْقُ النَّدى
شَاهَShah of ارْمَنٍArmenia موسىMusa الْمُظَفَّرْthe Victorious
شَاهَ ارْمَنٍ موسى الْمُظَفَّرْ
al-Ashraf, unstinting in bounty,
Shah of Armenia, Musa the Victorious.
مَلٌْكa king إِذْاif وَالَيْتَهُyou ally yourself with him
مَلٌْك إِذْا وَالَيْتَهُ
أَغْنىhe enriches وَإِنْand if عادْيتَyou oppose أَفْقَرْhe impoverishes
أَغْنى وَإِنْ عادْيتَ أَفْقَرْ
A king who, if you ally yourself with him,
enriches you, and if you oppose him, impoverishes you.
يُرديhe slays وَيُجْديand bestows benefits كالزَّماlike Time (first part of كالزمان)
يُردي وَيُجْدي كالزَّما
نِ(completion of كالزمان: Time) فَلَمْso not يَزَلْhe ceases يُشْكىis complained of وَيُشْكَرْand is thanked
نِ فَلَمْ يَزَلْ يُشْكى وَيُشْكَرْ
He slays and bestows, like Time,
and is forever complained of and thanked.
صَبُّenamored بِحَدِّof the edge of السَّيْفِthe sword أَحْred (first part of أحمر)
صَبُّ بِحَدِّ السَّيْفِ أَحْ
مَرَ(completion of أحمر: red) أوْor بِقَدِّof the stature of الرُّمْحِthe spear أَسْمَرْdusky
مَرَ أوْ بِقَدِّ الرُّمْحِ أَسْمَرْ
Enamored of the red sword's edge,
or of the dusky spear's stature.
نَجِسُdefiled الظُّبَىthe blade-edges وَنِجارُهُand his lineage
نَجِسُ الظُّبَى وَنِجارُهُ
مِنof كُلِّevery مَنْقَصَةٍflaw مُطَهَّرْpurified
مِن كُلِّ مَنْقَصَةٍ مُطَهَّرْ
His blade-edges are defiled, while his lineage
is purified of every flaw.
فَكَأنَّso it is as though صارِمَهُhis keen sword خَطِيan orator (first part of خطيب)
فَكَأنَّ صارِمَهُ خَطِي
بٌ(completion of خطيب: orator) مِصْقَعٌeloquent وَإلْهامَand inspiration (likely 'heads' intended) مِنْبَرْa pulpit
بٌ مِصْقَعٌ وَإلْهامَ مِنْبَرْ
As though his keen sword were an orator,
eloquent, and the heads its pulpit.
صَلَّىprayed بِمِحْرابِin the prayer-niche of الطُّلَىthe necks
صَلَّى بِمِحْرابِ الطُّلَى
وَصَليلُهُand its ringing اللَّهُGod أَكْبَرْgreatest
وَصَليلُهُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرْ
It prayed in the prayer-niche of necks,
and its clang was 'God is greatest.'
بَيْنَamong الرِّماحِthe spears كَأَنّهاas though they were
بَيْنَ الرِّماحِ كَأَنّها
غيلٌa thicket عَلىaround أسَدٍa lion غضَنْفَرْmighty
غيلٌ عَلى أسَدٍ غضَنْفَرْ
Among the spears, as though they were
a thicket around a mighty lion.
وَكَأَنَّهُand as though he بَيْنَamong الْمَواthe ranks (first part of المواكب)
وَكَأَنَّهُ بَيْنَ الْمَوا
كِبِ(completion of المواكب: ranks) وَالْقَواضِبِand the cleaving swords وَالسَّنَوَّرْand the armor
كِبِ وَالْقَواضِبِ وَالسَّنَوَّرْ
And he seems, amid the battle ranks,
the cleaving swords and armor,
جَبَلٌa mountain تَلاطَمَsurged حَوْلَهُaround it
جَبَلٌ تَلاطَمَ حَوْلَهُ
بَحْرٌa sea مِنَof الْمَاذِيِّthe gleaming mail أخْضَرْgreen
بَحْرٌ مِنَ الْمَاذِيِّ أخْضَرْ
a mountain around which surges
a green sea of gleaming mail.
فِيin فَتْكِهِhis slaying بِرٌّrighteousness وَإنْand even if
فِي فَتْكِهِ بِرٌّ وَإنْ
قَتَلَhe kills العَدُوَّthe enemy لِمَنْfor whoever تَبَصَّرْsees clearly
قَتَلَ العَدُوَّ لِمَنْ تَبَصَّرْ
In his slaughter is righteousness, even when
he kills the enemy, for those who discern.
غَسْلُthe washing of الفَوَارِسِthe horsemen بِالدِّماwith blood (first part of بالدماء)
غَسْلُ الفَوَارِسِ بِالدِّما
ءِ(completion of بالدماء: blood) وَفِيand in بُطونِthe bellies of الطَّيْرِthe birds تُقْبَرْare buried
ءِ وَفِي بُطونِ الطَّيْرِ تُقْبَرْ
The horsemen are washed in blood,
and in the bellies of birds they are buried.
قاسٍharsh إِذْاwhen اسْتَسْقَتْasked for water عِداenemies (first part of عداه)
قاسٍ إِذْا اسْتَسْقَتْ عِدا
هُhis (completes عداه) وَمارِجُand the smokeless flame of الْهَيْجاءِbattle يُسْعَرْis kindled
هُ وَمارِجُ الْهَيْجاءِ يُسْعَرْ
Harsh: when his enemies ask for water
and battle's smokeless flame is kindled,
سَحَّتْpoured down سَحابُthe clouds of عَجاجِهِhis battle-dust
سَحَّتْ سَحابُ عَجاجِهِ
مَنْfrom نَبْلِهِhis arrows وَبْلاًa downpour كَنَهْوَرْvast and cloud-heavy
مَنْ نَبْلِهِ وَبْلاً كَنَهْوَرْ
the clouds of his battle-dust pour down
a vast, cloud-heavy downpour of his arrows.
ياO أَيُّهاyou الْمَلِكُking الْكَريnoble (first part of الكريم)
يا أَيُّها الْمَلِكُ الْكَري
مُ(completion of الكريم: noble) صِفاتُthe qualities of مَجْدِكَyour glory لَيْسَare not تُحْصَرْcounted
مُ صِفاتُ مَجْدِكَ لَيْسَ تُحْصَرْ
O noble king,
the qualities of your glory cannot be counted.
ياO ناسِياًone forgetful لِصَنِيعِهِof his benefaction
يا ناسِياً لِصَنِيعِهِ
وَهُوَand it is الْمُرَدَّدُthe recounted وَالْمُكَرَّرْand the repeated
وَهُوَ الْمُرَدَّدُ وَالْمُكَرَّرْ
O you who forget your own benefaction,
though it is recounted and repeated;
ياO مُورِثاًone bequeathing to آباءَهُhis fathers
يا مُورِثاً آباءَهُ
شَرَفاًhonor لِيَوْمِfor the Day of الْحَشْرِthe Gathering يُذْكَرْis remembered
شَرَفاً لِيَوْمِ الْحَشْرِ يُذْكَرْ
O you who bequeath to your fathers
honor remembered on the Day of Gathering;
لَكَyou have سِيْرَةٌa way of life مَعَalong with عَدْلِهاits justice
لَكَ سِيْرَةٌ مَعَ عَدْلِها
بَأْسٌmight فَمَنْso who are كِسْرَىKhosrow وَقَيْصَرْand Caesar
بَأْسٌ فَمَنْ كِسْرَى وَقَيْصَرْ
Your conduct combines its justice
with might—who, then, are Khosrow and Caesar?
وَلَكَand you have الْجَمالُbeauty مَعَalong with الْجَميgoodness (first part of الجميل)
وَلَكَ الْجَمالُ مَعَ الْجَمي
لِ(completion of الجميل: goodness) فَمَنْظَرٌso an outward appearance حَسَنٌfair وَمَخْبَرْand inward character
لِ فَمَنْظَرٌ حَسَنٌ وَمَخْبَرْ
And yours is beauty together with goodness:
a fair appearance and inward character.
ياO عَبْدَservant of مَوْلاناour lord الإِماthe Imam (first part of الإمام)
يا عَبْدَ مَوْلانا الإِما
مِ(completion of الإمام: Imam) جَلالُthe grandeur of هذاthis النَّعْتِtitle أَشْهَرْmore renowned
مِ جَلالُ هذا النَّعْتِ أَشْهَرْ
O servant of our lord the Imam,
the grandeur of this title is renowned.
أُوتِيتَyou were granted فِيin الدُّنْياthis world بِهِthrough it
أُوتِيتَ فِي الدُّنْيا بِهِ
شَرَفاًhonor وَفِيand in أُخْراكَyour hereafter أكْثَرْmore
شَرَفاً وَفِي أُخْراكَ أكْثَرْ
Through it you were granted in this world
honor, and in your hereafter still more.
فإِنَso if اصْطفاكَhe chose you لِنَفْسِهِfor himself
فإِنَ اصْطفاكَ لِنَفْسِهِ
فَلَيَسْعَدَنَّthen he shall surely rejoice بِمَنْin whoever تَخَيَّرْhe chose
فَلَيَسْعَدَنَّ بِمَنْ تَخَيَّرْ
So if he chose you for himself,
he shall surely rejoice in the one he chose.
فَافْخَرْso take pride عَلىover الدُّنْياthe world بِنَفْin yourself (first part of بنفسك)
فَافْخَرْ عَلى الدُّنْيا بِنَفْ
سِكَ(completion of بنفسك: yourself) أوْor بِهِin him فَكَفاكَso sufficient for you مَفْخَرْa source of pride
سِكَ أوْ بِهِ فَكَفاكَ مَفْخَرْ
So boast before the world of yourself,
or of him: that is cause enough for pride.
وَتَهَنَّand rejoice in صَوْماًa fast حُزْتَyou gained فِيin
وَتَهَنَّ صَوْماً حُزْتَ فِي
هِit (completes فيه) ثَوابَthe reward of مَنْone who صَلَّىprayed وَأَفْطَرْand broke his fast
هِ ثَوابَ مَنْ صَلَّى وَأَفْطَرْ
And rejoice in a fast in which you gained
the reward of one who prayed and broke his fast.
وَبَقِيتَand may you endure ماas long as بَقِيَendures الثَّناpraise (first part of الثناء)
وَبَقِيتَ ما بَقِيَ الثَّنا
ءُ(completion of الثناء: praise) عَلَيْكَof you مَنْصوراًvictorious مُظَفَّرْtriumphant
ءُ عَلَيْكَ مَنْصوراً مُظَفَّرْ
And may you endure as long as praise
of you endures, victorious and triumphant.
Sol 6.1