رَناhe gazed وَاْنَثنىand swayed كالسَّيفِlike a sword وَالصَّعْدَةِand a lance السَّمْراdusky
رَنا وَاْنَثنى كالسَّيفِ وَالصَّعْدَةِ السَّمْرا
فَماso how أَكْثَرَnumerous الْقَتْلَىthe slain وَماand how أَرْخَصَcheap الأسْرىthe captives
فَما أَكْثَرَ الْقَتْلَى وَما أَرْخَصَ الأسْرى
He gazed and swayed like a sword and a dusky lance;
so how numerous the slain, and how cheap the captives!
خُذُواtake حِذْرَكُمْyour precautions مِنْagainst خارِجِيِّthe rebel of عِذارِهِhis cheek-down
خُذُوا حِذْرَكُمْ مِنْ خارِجِيِّ عِذارِهِ
فَقَدْfor indeed جاءَhe came زَحْفاًadvancing فِيin كَتِيبَتِهِhis battalion الْخَضْراgreen
فَقَدْ جاءَ زَحْفاً فِي كَتِيبَتِهِ الْخَضْرا
Take your precautions against his rebel cheek-down,
for he has come advancing in his green battalion.
غلامٌa youth أرادَwished اللَّهُGod إِطْفاءَto extinguish فِتْنَةٍa temptation
غلامٌ أرادَ اللَّهُ إِطْفاءَ فِتْنَةٍ
بِعارِضِهِwith his cheek-beard فَاسْتَأنَفَتْyet it began anew فِتْنَةًa temptation أُخْرىanother
بِعارِضِهِ فَاسْتَأنَفَتْ فِتْنَةً أُخْرى
A youth—God sought to extinguish one temptation
with his cheek-beard, yet it kindled another temptation.
فَزَرْفَنَso he fitted with ring-handles بِالأصْداغِwith temple-locks جَنَّةَthe garden of خَدِّهِhis cheek
فَزَرْفَنَ بِالأصْداغِ جَنَّةَ خَدِّهِ
وَأرْخَىand lowered عَلَيْهاover it مِنْof عَوارِضِهِhis cheek-beard سِتْرَاa curtain
وَأرْخَى عَلَيْها مِنْ عَوارِضِهِ سِتْرَا
So he fitted his cheek's garden with ring-handles of temple-locks,
and lowered over it a curtain of his cheek-beard.
أغَرُّbright-browed يُناجيwhispers to شَعْرُهُhis hair حَلْيَthe ornaments of خُصْرِهِhis waist
أغَرُّ يُناجي شَعْرُهُ حَلْيَ خُصْرِهِ
كَماas يُعْتِبُappeases الْمَعشوقُthe beloved عاشِقَهُhis lover سِرَّاsecretly
كَما يُعْتِبُ الْمَعشوقُ عاشِقَهُ سِرَّا
A bright-browed youth, whose hair whispers to his waist's ornaments,
as the beloved secretly appeases his lover.
وَصَلْتُI joined بِداجِيto the darkness of شَعْرِهِhis hair لَيْلَthe night of وَصْلِهِunion with him
وَصَلْتُ بِداجِي شَعْرِهِ لَيْلَ وَصْلِهِ
فَلَمْso not أَخْشَI feared صُبْحاًa dawn غَيْرَother than غُرَّتِهِhis brow الْغَرَّاradiant
فَلَمْ أَخْشَ صُبْحاً غَيْرَ غُرَّتِهِ الْغَرَّا
I joined our night of union to his hair's darkness,
and feared no dawn except his radiant brow.
أُخوضُI plunge into عُبابَthe surging depths of الْمَوْتِdeath مِنْfrom دونِbefore ثَغْرِهِhis mouth
أُخوضُ عُبابَ الْمَوْتِ مِنْ دونِ ثَغْرِهِ
كَذاكَthus بَغوصُdives الْبَحْرَthe sea مَنwhoever طَلَبَseeks الدُّرَّاpearls
كَذاكَ بَغوصُ الْبَحْرَ مَن طَلَبَ الدُّرَّا
I plunge through death's surging depths to reach his mouth;
thus whoever seeks pearls dives into the sea.
غَزالٌa gazelle رَخيمُgentle الدَّلِّin coquetry فِيon يَومِthe day of سَلْمِهِhis peace
غَزالٌ رَخيمُ الدَّلِّ فِي يَومِ سَلْمِهِ
وَلَيثٌand a lion لَهُhis is فِيin حَرْبِهِhis war البَطْشَةُthe onslaught الكُبْرىgreatest
وَلَيثٌ لَهُ فِي حَرْبِهِ البَطْشَةُ الكُبْرى
A gazelle of gentle coquetry on his day of peace,
and a lion whose onslaught in war is supreme.
دَرِيُّskilled بَحَمْلِat bearing الكأْسِthe cup فِيon يَوْمِa day of لَذَّةٍpleasure
دَرِيُّ بَحَمْلِ الكأْسِ فِي يَوْمِ لَذَّةٍ
وَلكنْbut بِحَمْلِat bearing السَّيْفِthe sword يَوْمَon the day of الوَغىbattle أَدْرىmore skilled
وَلكنْ بِحَمْلِ السَّيْفِ يَوْمَ الوَغى أَدْرى
Skilled at bearing the cup on a day of pleasure,
but more skilled at bearing the sword on battle's day.
أَهِيمُI am love-mad بِهِfor him فِيin عَقْدِهِhis necklace أَوْor نِجادِهِhis sword-belt
أَهِيمُ بِهِ فِي عَقْدِهِ أَوْ نِجادِهِ
فَلاso no بُدَّescape فِيin السَّرَّاءِprosperity مِنْهُfrom him وَفِيand in الضَّرَّاadversity
فَلا بُدَّ فِي السَّرَّاءِ مِنْهُ وَفِي الضَّرَّا
I am love-mad for him, in his necklace or his sword-belt;
for I cannot do without him, in prosperity and adversity.
وصَامِتَةِand a woman with a silent الخُلْخالِanklet أَنَّgroaned وْشاحُهاher sash
وصَامِتَةِ الخُلْخالِ أَنَّ وْشاحُها
فَهذاso this one قَدِalready اسْتَغْنَىhad grown rich وَذاand that one يَشْتَكيcomplains of الفَقْراpoverty
فَهذا قَدِ اسْتَغْنَى وَذا يَشْتَكي الفَقْرا
And a woman whose anklet was silent, while her sash groaned:
this one had grown rich, while that one complained of poverty.
تَلأَلأَglittered دُرُّthe pearls of العِقْدِthe necklace تِيهاًproudly بِجيدِهاupon her neck
تَلأَلأَ دُرُّ العِقْدِ تِيهاً بِجيدِها
وَساكِنُand the dweller on ذاكَthat النَّحْرِbreast لاnot يَذْكُرُremembers البَحْراthe sea
وَساكِنُ ذاكَ النَّحْرِ لا يَذْكُرُ البَحْرا
The necklace's pearls glittered proudly upon her neck;
and the dweller on that breast forgets the sea.
لَهاshe has مِعْصَمٌa wrist لَوْلاَwere it not for السِّوارُthe bracelet يَصُدُّهُholding it back
لَها مِعْصَمٌ لَوْلاَ السِّوارُ يَصُدُّهُ
إِذْاwhen حَسَرَتْshe drew back أَكْمامَهاher sleeves لَجَرَىit would surely flow نَهْراas a river
إِذْا حَسَرَتْ أَكْمامَها لَجَرَى نَهْرا
She has a wrist that, were its bracelet not restraining it,
would flow as a river when she drew back her sleeves.
دَعَتْنِيshe called me إِلَىto السُّلْوانِforgetfulness عَنُهof him بِحُبِّهاthrough love of her
دَعَتْنِي إِلَى السُّلْوانِ عَنُه بِحُبِّها
وَماand not كُنتُI was أَرضَىcontent with بَعْدَafter إِيْمِانيَmy faith الكُفْراunbelief
وَما كُنتُ أَرضَى بَعْدَ إِيْمِانيَ الكُفْرا
She called me to forget him through love of her,
but after my faith I would not consent to unbelief.
بِأَيِّwith what اعْتِذارٍexcuse أَلْتَقِيI meet حُسْنَthe beauty of وَجْهِهِhis face
بِأَيِّ اعْتِذارٍ أَلْتَقِي حُسْنَ وَجْهِهِ
إِذْاif خَدَعَتْنيshe beguiled me عَنْهُaway from him غانِيَةٌa beautiful woman عَذْراvirginal
إِذْا خَدَعَتْني عَنْهُ غانِيَةٌ عَذْرا
With what excuse could I face the beauty of his face,
if a virgin beauty beguiled me away from him?
تَقولُshe says وَقَدwhen أَزْرَىdid discredit بِهاto her حُسْنُthe beauty of وَصْفِهِhis portrayal
تَقولُ وَقَد أَزْرَى بِها حُسْنُ وَصْفِهِ
لَحَىmay ... curse اللَّهُGod رَبَّthe master of الشِّعْرِverse لَوْif نَظَمَhe composed الشِّعْراverse
لَحَى اللَّهُ رَبَّ الشِّعْرِ لَوْ نَظَمَ الشِّعْرا
She says, belittled by the beauty of his portrayal:
“God curse the master of verse, should he compose verse!”
أَلَمْdid ... not تَرَنِيyou see me بَيْنَbetween السِّماطَيْنِthe two ranks مُنْشِداًreciting
أَلَمْ تَرَنِي بَيْنَ السِّماطَيْنِ مُنْشِداً
كَأَنَّيas though I عَلىupon شاهَShah ارْمَنٍArman أَنْثُرُI scatter الدُّرَّاpearls
كَأَنَّي عَلى شاهَ ارْمَنٍ أَنْثُرُ الدُّرَّا
Did you not see me reciting between the two ranks,
as though I were scattering pearls upon Shah Arman?
مَليكٌa king كَريمٌgenerous باسِلٌvaliant عَمَّembraced all عَدْلُهُhis justice
مَليكٌ كَريمٌ باسِلٌ عَمَّ عَدْلُهُ
فَمَنwho then حاتمٌHatim وَابْنُand Ibn الوَليدِal-Walid وَمَنand who كِسْرىKisra
فَمَن حاتمٌ وَابْنُ الوَليدِ وَمَن كِسْرى
A king, generous and valiant, whose justice embraces all:
who then are Hatim and Ibn al-Walid, and who is Kisra?
أَبِيٌّproud سَخِيٌّgenerous تَحْتَbeneath سَطْوَتِهِhis power الغِنَىwealth
أَبِيٌّ سَخِيٌّ تَحْتَ سَطْوَتِهِ الغِنَى
فَخَفْso fear وَتَيَقَّنْand be certain أَنَّthat مَعْwith عُسْرِهِhis hardship يُسْراease
فَخَفْ وَتَيَقَّنْ أَنَّ مَعْ عُسْرِهِ يُسْرا
Proud and generous; beneath his power lies wealth,
so fear him, and know for certain: with his hardship comes ease.
هُوَhe البَحْرُthe sea بَلْrather أَسْتَغْفِرُI seek forgiveness from اللَّهَGod إِنَّindeed فِيin
هُوَ البَحْرُ بَلْ أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ إِنَّ فِي
بَنانِthe fingers of يَدَيْهِhis two hands لِلنَّدَىfor generosity أَبْحُراًseas عَشْراten
بَنانِ يَدَيْهِ لِلنَّدَى أَبْحُراً عَشْرا
He is the sea—rather, I ask God's forgiveness: indeed, in
the fingers of his two hands are ten seas of generosity.
إِذْاwhen قامَhe rises يُسْمِيهِhe names him الخَطيبُthe preacher بِمنْبَرٍon a pulpit
إِذْا قامَ يُسْمِيهِ الخَطيبُ بِمنْبَرٍ
تَأَوَّدَit swayed تيهاًproudly وَاكْتَسِىand clothed itself in وَرَقاًleaves خُضْراgreen
تَأَوَّدَ تيهاً وَاكْتَسِى وَرَقاً خُضْرا
When the preacher rises to name him upon a pulpit,
it sways with pride and clothes itself in green leaves.
لَحَىmay ... curse اللَّهُGod حَرْبَاًa war لَمnot يَكُنْhe was قَلْبَthe heart of جَيْشِهاits army
لَحَى اللَّهُ حَرْبَاً لَم يَكُنْ قَلْبَ جَيْشِها
وَمَجْلِسَand a court of عَدْلٍjustice لاnot يَكُونُhe is بِهِin it صَدْراthe presiding head
وَمَجْلِسَ عَدْلٍ لا يَكُونُ بِهِ صَدْرا
God curse a war whose army does not have him at its heart,
and a court of justice where he does not preside!
أَطَلَّhe loomed عَلىover أَخْلاطَAkhlat يَوْمَon the day of قُدومِهِhis arrival
أَطَلَّ عَلى أَخْلاطَ يَوْمَ قُدومِهِ
بِلُجَّةِwith a surging sea of جَيْشٍan army تَمْلأَfilling السَّهْلَthe plain وَالوَعْراand rugged ground
بِلُجَّةِ جَيْشٍ تَمْلأَ السَّهْلَ وَالوَعْرا
He loomed over Akhlat on the day of his arrival,
with the surging sea of an army filling plain and rugged ground.
وَقَدْand already بَرَزَتْit had come forth فِيin شَكَّةٍa panoply مِنof سِلاحِهاits weapons
وَقَدْ بَرَزَتْ فِي شَكَّةٍ مِن سِلاحِها
فَلَوso if أُمِرَتْit were ordered بِالزَّحْفِto advance ماnot خالَفَتْwould it disobey أَمْراa command
فَلَو أُمِرَتْ بِالزَّحْفِ ما خالَفَتْ أَمْرا
And it had come forth in a panoply of its own weapons;
had it been ordered to advance, it would not have disobeyed a command.
تَلَقَّاهُmet him مِنfrom بُعْدِthe great length of المَسافِةِthe distance أَهْلُهاits people
تَلَقَّاهُ مِن بُعْدِ المَسافِةِ أَهْلُها
فَذاso this one رافِعٌraising كَفّاًa palm وَذاand that one ساجِدٌprostrating شُكْراin gratitude
فَذا رافِعٌ كَفّاً وَذا ساجِدٌ شُكْرا
Its people met him from afar,
one raising a palm, another prostrating in thanks.
فَشَكَكْتُso I wondered أَنَّwhether النَّاَسthe people قَدhad حُشِرواbeen gathered ضُحىًat midmorning
فَشَكَكْتُ أَنَّ النَّاَس قَد حُشِروا ضُحىً
أَمِor النَّاسُthe people يَسْتَسْقونَask for rain from رَبَّهُمُtheir Lord القَطْراrain
أَمِ النَّاسُ يَسْتَسْقونَ رَبَّهُمُ القَطْرا
I wondered whether the people had been gathered at midmorning,
or were the people begging their Lord for rain?
تَسِيرُmarch مُلوكُthe kings of الأرضِthe earth تَحْتَbeneath رِكَابِهِhis stirrups
تَسِيرُ مُلوكُ الأرضِ تَحْتَ رِكَابِهِ
وَأَعْناقُهُمْand their necks مِنfrom هَوْلِthe dread of هَيْبَتِهِhis majesty صُعْراbent awry
وَأَعْناقُهُمْ مِن هَوْلِ هَيْبَتِهِ صُعْرا
The kings of the earth march beneath his stirrups,
and their necks bend awry in dread of his majesty.
إِذْاwhen انْفَرَجَتْparted عَنْهُfrom around him بُروقُthe lightning-flashes of سُيوفِهِمْtheir swords
إِذْا انْفَرَجَتْ عَنْهُ بُروقُ سُيوفِهِمْ
رَأَيْتَyou see النُّجومَthe stars الزُّهْرَbright قَدalready قارَنَتْhave joined بَدْراa full moon
رَأَيْتَ النُّجومَ الزُّهْرَ قَد قارَنَتْ بَدْرا
When the lightning-flashes of their swords part from around him,
you see the bright stars joined with a full moon.
فَلَلَّهِso to God belongs يَوْمٌa day عَمَّengulfed تَفْلِيسَTiflis حَرْبُهُhis warfare
فَلَلَّهِ يَوْمٌ عَمَّ تَفْلِيسَ حَرْبُهُ
وَسارَتْand traveled إِلَىto أَرْضِthe land of العِراقِIraq بِهِof it البُشْرىthe glad tidings
وَسارَتْ إِلَى أَرْضِ العِراقِ بِهِ البُشْرى
By God, what a day, when his warfare engulfed Tiflis,
and glad tidings of it traveled to the land of Iraq!
تَهَنَّrejoice أَميرَCommander of المُؤْمِنينَthe Faithful بِمِثْلِهِin one like him
تَهَنَّ أَميرَ المُؤْمِنينَ بِمِثْلِهِ
نَصيراًa champion يَسُدُّsecures الثَّغْرَthe frontier أَوْor يَفْتَحُconquers الثَّغْراa frontier town
نَصيراً يَسُدُّ الثَّغْرَ أَوْ يَفْتَحُ الثَّغْرا
Rejoice, Commander of the Faithful, in one like him,
a champion who secures the frontier or conquers a frontier town.
حُسامٌa keen sword إِذْاwhen هَزَّتْهُshakes it يُمْناكَyour right hand هَزَّةًa shake
حُسامٌ إِذْا هَزَّتْهُ يُمْناكَ هَزَّةً
تَرَقْرَقَit rippled ماءًlike water وَالْتَظَىand blazed خَدُّهُits cheek جَمْراlike embers
تَرَقْرَقَ ماءً وَالْتَظَى خَدُّهُ جَمْرا
A keen sword: when your right hand gives it a shake,
it ripples like water, and its cheek blazes like embers.
طِرازٌan embroidered band عَلىon كُمِّthe sleeve of الخِلافَةِthe caliphate مُذْهَبٌgilded
طِرازٌ عَلى كُمِّ الخِلافَةِ مُذْهَبٌ
وَجَوْهَرَةٌand a jewel فِيin تاجِهَاits crown تَكْسِفُoutshines الدُّرَّاpearls
وَجَوْهَرَةٌ فِي تاجِهَا تَكْسِفُ الدُّرَّا
A gilded embroidered band on the caliphate's sleeve,
and a jewel in its crown outshining pearls.
أَباAbu الفَتْحِal-Fath شُكراًthanks لاِخْتِصاصِfor specially bestowing صَنيعَةٍa favor
أَبا الفَتْحِ شُكراً لاِخْتِصاصِ صَنيعَةٍ
فَحَسْبُكَfor enough for you فِيin الدُّنْياthis world جَمالاًas adornment وَفِيand in الأُخْرىthe next
فَحَسْبُكَ فِي الدُّنْيا جَمالاً وَفِي الأُخْرى
Abu al-Fath, my thanks for the favor you singled me out for;
it is adornment enough for you in this world and the next.
Sol 6.1