تَبَسَّمَsmiled ثَغْرُthe mouth الزَّهْرِof the blossoms عَنrevealing شَنَبِthe cool brilliance الْقَطْرِof raindrops
تَبَسَّمَ ثَغْرُ الزَّهْرِ عَن شَنَبِ الْقَطْرِ
وَدَبَّand crept عِذارُthe sideburn الظّلِّof shade فِيacross وَجْنَةِthe cheek الزَّهْرِof the blossoms
وَدَبَّ عِذارُ الظّلِّ فِي وَجْنَةِ الزَّهْرِ
The blossoms' mouth smiled, revealing the cool brilliance of raindrops;
And shade's sideburn crept across the blossoms' cheek.
فَإنْso if رَقَّgrew tender وَاعْتَلَّand grew ill النَّسيمَthe breeze صبابَةًwith ardent longing
فَإنْ رَقَّ وَاعْتَلَّ النَّسيمَ صبابَةً
إِذْاwhen مَرَّit passed فِيthrough تِلْكَthose الرّياضِgardens فَعَنْthen with عًذْرِgood reason
إِذْا مَرَّ فِي تِلْكَ الرّياضِ فَعَنْ عًذْرِ
So if the breeze grows tender and love-sick,
When it passes through those gardens, it has good cause.
تَوَسْوَسَتِmurmured restlessly الأغْصانُthe branches عِنْدَat هُبوبِهِits blowing
تَوَسْوَسَتِ الأغْصانُ عِنْدَ هُبوبِهِ
فَماand did not بَرِئَتْrecover إِلاَّexcept عَلىthrough رُقْيَةِthe healing incantation الْقُمْريof the turtledove
فَما بَرِئَتْ إِلاَّ عَلى رُقْيَةِ الْقُمْري
The branches murmured feverishly when it blew,
And were cured only by the turtledove's incantation.
يُخادِعُنيdeceives me الْوَرْدُthe rose الْجَنُّيfreshly picked وَإنَّنيand indeed I
يُخادِعُني الْوَرْدُ الْجَنُّي وَإنَّني
بِوَجْنَةِover the cheek مَنْof the one أهْواهُI love قَدْindeed حِرْتُI have become bewildered فِيin أَمْريmy situation
بِوَجْنَةِ مَنْ أهْواهُ قَدْ حِرْتُ فِي أَمْري
The freshly picked rose beguiles me, and I
Am at a loss over the cheek of the one I love.
وَيَبْسِمُand smiles عَنْrevealing زَهْرِthe blossoms الأقاحِof daisies بَنَفْسَجٌa violet
وَيَبْسِمُ عَنْ زَهْرِ الأقاحِ بَنَفْسَجٌ
فَأَلْثُمُهُso I kiss it شَوْقاًin longing إِلىfor لَعَسِthe dusky hue الثّغْرِof the mouth
فَأَلْثُمُهُ شَوْقاً إِلى لَعَسِ الثّغْرِ
And a violet smiles, revealing daisy blossoms;
So I kiss it, longing for the mouth's dusky hue.
وَبِيand I pine for عاطِرُone fragrant الأنْفاسِof breath يُنْسَبُis traced ظُلْمُهُhis mouth's moisture
وَبِي عاطِرُ الأنْفاسِ يُنْسَبُ ظُلْمُهُ
وَناظِرُهُand his gaze الفَتَّانُthe bewitching لِلشِّحْرِto al-Shihr وَالسِّحْرِand to sorcery
وَناظِرُهُ الفَتَّانُ لِلشِّحْرِ وَالسِّحْرِ
And I pine for one of fragrant breath; his mouth's moisture is traced,
And his bewitching gaze, to al-Shihr and sorcery.
تَرىyou see قُنْدُسَthe beaver fur الشَّرْبوشِof the sharbush cap فَوْقَabove جِبينِهِhis brow
تَرى قُنْدُسَ الشَّرْبوشِ فَوْقَ جِبينِهِ
كأَهْدابِlike the eyelashes أَحْداقٍof eyes بَهَتْنَthat stared in wonder إِلىat الْبَدْرِthe full moon
كأَهْدابِ أَحْداقٍ بَهَتْنَ إِلى الْبَدْرِ
You see his sharbush's beaver fur above his brow,
Like the lashes of eyes staring in wonder at the full moon.
أُبَرِّدُI cool أَشْواقِيmy longings بِجَمْرَةِwith the ember خدِهِof his cheek
أُبَرِّدُ أَشْواقِي بِجَمْرَةِ خدِهِ
فَمِنْso among عَجَبٍmarvels أَنْthat يَنْطَفِيis quenched الْجَمْرُthe embers بِالْجَمْرِby embers
فَمِنْ عَجَبٍ أَنْ يَنْطَفِي الْجَمْرُ بِالْجَمْرِ
I cool my longings with the ember of his cheek;
How strange that embers should be quenched by embers!
وَأَطْمَعُand I hope أَنْthat يُعْديِهِmay infect him قَلْبيmy heart بِرِقَّةٍwith tenderness
وَأَطْمَعُ أَنْ يُعْديِهِ قَلْبي بِرِقَّةٍ
فَأُلْصِقُهُso I press him عِنْدَduring العِناقِthe embrace إِلىagainst صَدْريmy breast
فَأُلْصِقُهُ عِنْدَ العِناقِ إِلى صَدْري
And I hope my heart may infect him with tenderness,
So I press him to my breast when we embrace.
سَقَىmay water اللَّهُGod أعلامِlandmarks مِنْof أَخْلاطَAkhlat قَلْعَةًa citadel
سَقَى اللَّهُ أعلامِ مِنْ أَخْلاطَ قَلْعَةً
يَحُومُcircles بِهاaround it نَسرُthe eagle السَّماءِof heaven عَلىover وَكْرِa nest
يَحُومُ بِها نَسرُ السَّماءِ عَلى وَكْرِ
May God water a citadel among the landmarks of Akhlat,
Around which heaven's eagle wheels as over a nest;
وَداراًand a house عَلىunder خِيْرِthe best الطَّوالِعِrising stars أُسِّسَتْwas founded
وَداراً عَلى خِيْرِ الطَّوالِعِ أُسِّسَتْ
فَمَنْso whoever حَلَّdwells فِيهاin it فِيin أَمانٍsafety مِنَfrom الدَّهْرِTime
فَمَنْ حَلَّ فِيها فِي أَمانٍ مِنَ الدَّهْرِ
And a house founded under the most auspicious rising stars:
Whoever dwells in it is safe from Time.
يُجَلِّيclears away صَداthe rust الأَبْصارِof the eyes لَمْعُthe gleam بَياضِهاof its whiteness
يُجَلِّي صَدا الأَبْصارِ لَمْعُ بَياضِها
فَتَحْسَبُهاso you imagine it قَدْalready أُلَبِسَتْhas been clothed in بَهْجَةَthe splendor الدُّرِّof pearls
فَتَحْسَبُها قَدْ أُلَبِسَتْ بَهْجَةَ الدُّرِّ
The gleam of its whiteness clears the rust from sight,
So you think it has been clothed in the splendor of pearls.
وَقَدْand indeed أَنْبَتَتْhave brought forth أَرْكانُهاits corners مِنْfrom نُقوشِهاits carvings
وَقَدْ أَنْبَتَتْ أَرْكانُها مِنْ نُقوشِها
تَماثِيلَimages رَوْضٍof a garden لَمْnot يَزَلْcease to be يانِعَflourishing in الزَّهْرِblossoms
تَماثِيلَ رَوْضٍ لَمْ يَزَلْ يانِعَ الزَّهْرِ
And from its carvings its corners have brought forth
Images of a garden forever lush with flowers.
تَكادُyou almost تَمَسُّtouch المِسْكَmusk مِنْfrom نَسَمَاتِهاits breezes
تَكادُ تَمَسُّ المِسْكَ مِنْ نَسَمَاتِها
وَيَقْطُرُand drips مِنْfrom أَرْجائِهاits corners وَرَقُleaves التِّبْرِof raw gold
وَيَقْطُرُ مِنْ أَرْجائِها وَرَقُ التِّبْرِ
You can almost touch musk in its breezes,
And leaves of gold drip from its corners.
تَسُرُّit delights وَتُلْهيand entertains ساكِنيهاits inhabitants بِحُسْنِهاwith its beauty
تَسُرُّ وَتُلْهي ساكِنيها بِحُسْنِها
فَإنْso if شِئْتَyou wish أَغْنَتْit suffices عَنin place of غِناءٍsong وَعَنand in place of خَمْرِwine
فَإنْ شِئْتَ أَغْنَتْ عَن غِناءٍ وَعَن خَمْرِ
It delights and entertains its inhabitants with its beauty;
If you wish, it suffices in place of song and wine.
إِذْاwhen فُتِحَتْare opened أَبْوابُthe doors مُشْتَرَفاتِهاof its high chambers
إِذْا فُتِحَتْ أَبْوابُ مُشْتَرَفاتِها
جَلَتْit reveals لَكَto you نونَthe fish البَحْرِof the sea وَالْوَحْشَand wild beasts فِيon الْبَرِّland
جَلَتْ لَكَ نونَ البَحْرِ وَالْوَحْشَ فِي الْبَرِّ
When the doors of its high viewing chambers are opened,
It reveals to you the sea's fish and the wild beasts on land.
فإنْso if شِئْتَyou wish لِلأُخْرَىfor the hereafter فَمِحْرابُthen a prayer chamber ناسِكٍof an ascetic
فإنْ شِئْتَ لِلأُخْرَى فَمِحْرابُ ناسِكٍ
وَإنْand if شَئْتَyou wish لِلدُّنْياfor this world فَرَيْحانَةُthen the sweet basil الْعُمْرِof life
وَإنْ شَئْتَ لِلدُّنْيا فَرَيْحانَةُ الْعُمْرِ
If you wish it for the hereafter, it is an ascetic's sanctuary;
And if for this world, it is life's sweet basil.
وَإِنْand if جُمِعاboth are united فَاللَّهُthen God ماnot زالَhas ceased جامِعاًgathering
وَإِنْ جُمِعا فَاللَّهُ ما زالَ جامِعاً
شَتيتَthe scattered الْعُلَىglories لِلأَشْرَفِfor al-Ashraf بنِson of أَبيAbi بَكْرِBakr
شَتيتَ الْعُلَى لِلأَشْرَفِ بنِ أَبي بَكْرِ
And if both are united, God has never ceased gathering
The scattered glories for al-Ashraf ibn Abi Bakr.
مَليكٌa king يَخُوضُwades through الْجَيْشُthe army ضَرْباًstriking بِسَيْفِهِwith his sword
مَليكٌ يَخُوضُ الْجَيْشُ ضَرْباً بِسَيْفِهِ
ومَاand not زالَhas ceased موسىMusa بِالعَصاwith the staff فالِقَsplitting الْبَحْرِthe sea
ومَا زالَ موسى بِالعَصا فالِقَ الْبَحْرِ
A king who wades through the host, striking with his sword;
And Musa has ever cleft the sea with his staff.
عَليمٌdeeply learned لَهُhe has سَهْمٌan arrow مِنَfrom الْغَيْبِthe unseen صائِبٌthat strikes true
عَليمٌ لَهُ سَهْمٌ مِنَ الْغَيْبِ صائِبٌ
ومَاand not كُلُّevery موسىMusa مُسْتَمِدٌّdrawing aid مِنَfrom الخضْرِal-Khidr
ومَا كُلُّ موسى مُسْتَمِدٌّ مِنَ الخضْرِ
Deeply learned, he has an arrow from the unseen that strikes true;
And not every Musa draws aid from al-Khidr.
كَريمٌgenerous يُحَيَّاis saluted بِشْرُهُhis smiling welcome قَبْلَbefore جُودِهِhis generosity
كَريمٌ يُحَيَّا بِشْرُهُ قَبْلَ جُودِهِ
وَلِلْبَرْقِand lightning has لَمْعُa flash بَعْدَهُafter it وابِلُa downpour الْقَطْرِof rain
وَلِلْبَرْقِ لَمْعُ بَعْدَهُ وابِلُ الْقَطْرِ
A generous man, whose smile is saluted before his bounty;
And lightning's flash is followed by a downpour of rain.
سَيَمْلِكُhe will rule أَقْصَىthe farthest reaches الأرْضِof the earth بُشْرىglad tidings ضَمانُهاtheir guarantee
سَيَمْلِكُ أَقْصَى الأرْضِ بُشْرى ضَمانُها
عَلىon الرَّأيِjudgment وَالرَّاياتِand banners وَالنَّصْلِand the sword-blade وَالنَّصْرِand victory
عَلى الرَّأيِ وَالرَّاياتِ وَالنَّصْلِ وَالنَّصْرِ
He will rule the earth's farthest reaches—glad tidings whose guarantee rests
On judgment, banners, the sword-blade, and victory,
وَسُمْرٍand brown lances أَجادَتْmastered صَنْعَةَthe craft النَّظْمِof threading فِيthrough الْكُلىkidneys
وَسُمْرٍ أَجادَتْ صَنْعَةَ النَّظْمِ فِي الْكُلى
وَبيضٍand white swords أَجادَتْmastered فِيamong الطُّلىnecks صَنْعَةَthe craft النَّثْرِof scattering
وَبيضٍ أَجادَتْ فِي الطُّلى صَنْعَةَ النَّثْرِ
And brown lances that have mastered the art of threading kidneys,
And white swords that have mastered the art of scattering necks,
وَجَيْشٍand an army لِعَيْنِfor the eye الشَّمْسِof the sun كُحلٌkohl بِنَقْعِهِwith its dust
وَجَيْشٍ لِعَيْنِ الشَّمْسِ كُحلٌ بِنَقْعِهِ
إِذْاwhen رَمَدَتْit grows sore مِنْfrom لَمْعِthe gleam أَسْيافِهِof its swords الْبُتْرِthe cleaving
إِذْا رَمَدَتْ مِنْ لَمْعِ أَسْيافِهِ الْبُتْرِ
And an army whose dust is kohl for the eye of the sun,
When the gleam of its cleaving swords has made that eye sore,
وَأُسْدِand lions عَلىon جُرْدٍsleek steeds لَهَاthat have مِثْلُthe like of صَبْرِهِمْtheir steadfastness
وَأُسْدِ عَلى جُرْدٍ لَهَا مِثْلُ صَبْرِهِمْ
إِذْاwhen ماemphatic particle تَجَلَّىappears الْمَوْتُdeath فِيin الْحُلَلِrobes الْحُمْرِred
إِذْا ما تَجَلَّى الْمَوْتُ فِي الْحُلَلِ الْحُمْرِ
And lions on sleek steeds as steadfast as themselves,
When death appears in robes of red.
دِماءٌthe blood أعاديهِمْof their enemies شَرابُthe drink رِماحِهِمْof their spears
دِماءٌ أعاديهِمْ شَرابُ رِماحِهِمْ
وَأجْسامُهُمْand their bodies هَدْيٌsacrificial offerings إِلىto الذِّئْبِthe wolf وَالنَّسْرِand the vulture
وَأجْسامُهُمْ هَدْيٌ إِلى الذِّئْبِ وَالنَّسْرِ
Their enemies' blood is the drink of their spears,
And their bodies are sacrificial offerings to wolf and vulture.
أَباO Abu الْفَتْحِal-Fath لِلرَّحْمنِthe Most Merciful has فِيكَconcerning you سَريرَةٌa secret
أَبا الْفَتْحِ لِلرَّحْمنِ فِيكَ سَريرَةٌ
سَيَنْقُلُهاHe will bring it عَمَّاin just قَليلٍa little while إلَىinto الْجَهْرِthe open
سَيَنْقُلُها عَمَّا قَليلٍ إلَى الْجَهْرِ
O Abu al-Fath, the Most Merciful has a secret concerning you;
He will soon bring it into the open.
فَلَيْسَfor it is not الَّذيwhat أَعْطاكَHe has given you حَضَّكَyour share كُلَّهُall of it
فَلَيْسَ الَّذي أَعْطاكَ حَضَّكَ كُلَّهُ
وَلكِنَّهُbut it is the case that لاno بُدَّescape لِلصُّبْحِfor morning مِنfrom فَجْرِa dawn
وَلكِنَّهُ لا بُدَّ لِلصُّبْحِ مِن فَجْرِ
For what He has given you is not your whole allotted share;
Yet morning cannot come without a dawn.
بَقِيْتَmay you live on لِدينِfor the faith اللَّهِof God تُعْلِيraising مَنارَهُits beacon
بَقِيْتَ لِدينِ اللَّهِ تُعْلِي مَنارَهُ
وَتَهْدِمُand demolishing بِالإِسْلاَمِthrough Islam قاعِدَةَthe foundation الكُفْرِof unbelief
وَتَهْدِمُ بِالإِسْلاَمِ قاعِدَةَ الكُفْرِ
May you live on for God's faith, raising its beacon,
And through Islam tearing down the foundation of unbelief.
Sol 6.1