اللَّهُGod أَكْبرُgreatest لَيْسَis not الْحُسْنُbeauty فِيamong الْعَرَبِthe Arabs
اللَّهُ أَكْبرُ لَيْسَ الْحُسْنُ فِي الْعَرَبِ
كَمْhow many تَحْتَbeneath كُمَّةِthe cap of ذاthis التُّرْكِيِّthe Turk مِنْof عَجَبِmarvels
كَمْ تَحْتَ كُمَّةِ ذا التُّرْكِيِّ مِنْ عَجَبِ
God is greatest! Beauty is not among the Arabs.
How many marvels lie beneath this Turk's cap!
صُبْحُthe dawn of الْجَبينِthe brow بِلَيْلِwith the night of الشَّعْرِthe hair مُنْعَقِدٌentwined
صُبْحُ الْجَبينِ بِلَيْلِ الشَّعْرِ مُنْعَقِدٌ
وَالْخَدُّand the cheek يَجْمَعُcombines بَيْنَbetween الْمَاءِwater وَاللَّهَبِand flame
وَالْخَدُّ يَجْمَعُ بَيْنَ الْمَاءِ وَاللَّهَبِ
The dawn of his brow is entwined with the night of his hair;
And his cheek unites water and flame.
تَنَفَّسَتْbreathed عَنْout عَبيرِthe fragrance of الرَّاحِwine رِيقَتُهُhis saliva
تَنَفَّسَتْ عَنْ عَبيرِ الرَّاحِ رِيقَتُهُ
وَافْتَرَّand parted مَبْسِمُهُhis smiling mouth الشَّهْدِيُّhoney-sweet عَنto reveal حَبَبِbubble-like teeth
وَافْتَرَّ مَبْسِمُهُ الشَّهْدِيُّ عَن حَبَبِ
His saliva breathed forth the fragrance of wine,
And his honeyed mouth parted over bubble-like teeth.
لاnot فِيin الْعُذَيْبِal-Udhayb وَلاnor فِيin بارِقٍBariq غَزَليmy love-song
لا فِي الْعُذَيْبِ وَلا فِي بارِقٍ غَزَلي
بَلْrather فِيin لَمىthe dusky tint of فَمِهِhis mouth أَوْor ثَغْرِهِhis mouth الشَّنبِcool and sweet-toothed
بَلْ فِي لَمى فَمِهِ أَوْ ثَغْرِهِ الشَّنبِ
My love-song is neither of al-Udhayb nor of Bariq,
But of his lips' duskiness, or his cool, sweet mouth.
ثَغْرٌa mouth إِذْاwhen ما(emphatic particle) الدُّجىthe darkness وَلَّىwithdraws تَنَفَّسَbreathes عَنْout
ثَغْرٌ إِذْا ما الدُّجى وَلَّى تَنَفَّسَ عَنْ
ريحٍa fragrance مِنَof الرَّاحِwine أَوْor ضَرْبٍa kind مِنَof الضَّرْبِthick white honey
ريحٍ مِنَ الرَّاحِ أَوْ ضَرْبٍ مِنَ الضَّرْبِ
A mouth that, when the darkness withdraws, breathes out
The fragrance of wine, or a kind of thick white honey.
كَأَنَّهُas though he were حَينَwhen يَرمْيhe shoots عَنْfrom حَنِيَّتِهِhis curved bow
كَأَنَّهُ حَينَ يَرمْي عَنْ حَنِيَّتِهِ
بَدْرٌa full moon رَمَىshot عَنfrom هِلالِthe crescent of الأُفْقِthe horizon بِالشُّهُبِwith meteors
بَدْرٌ رَمَى عَن هِلالِ الأُفْقِ بِالشُّهُبِ
When he shoots from his curved bow, he is like
A full moon firing meteors from the horizon's crescent.
ياO! جإِذْبَdrawing (irregular spelling) الْقَوْسِthe bow تَقْريباًbringing near لِوَجْنَتِهِto his cheek
يا جإِذْبَ الْقَوْسِ تَقْريباً لِوَجْنَتِهِ
وَالْهائِمُand the love-distraught one الصَّبُّthe passionate lover مِنْهاfrom it غَيْرُnot مُقْتَربِdrawing near
وَالْهائِمُ الصَّبُّ مِنْها غَيْرُ مُقْتَربِ
Ah, the bow drawn so close to his cheek,
While the love-distraught, passionate lover cannot approach it!
أَلَيْسَis it not مِنْamong نَكَدِthe misery of الأيَّامِthe days يُحْرَمُهاis denied it
أَلَيْسَ مِنْ نَكَدِ الأيَّامِ يُحْرَمُها
فَمِيmy mouth وَيَلْثُمُهاand kisses it سَهْمٌan arrow مِنَof الْخَشَبِwood
فَمِي وَيَلْثُمُها سَهْمٌ مِنَ الْخَشَبِ
Is it not a cruelty of time that it is withheld
From my mouth, while a wooden arrow kisses it?
لَدْنُsupple الْمَعاطِفِof limb قاسِيhard الْقَلْبِof heart مُبْتَسِمٌsmiling
لَدْنُ الْمَعاطِفِ قاسِي الْقَلْبِ مُبْتَسِمٌ
لاnot عَنْfrom رِضىًcontentment مُعْرِضٌturning away عَنَّيfrom me وَلاand not غَضَبِanger
لا عَنْ رِضىً مُعْرِضٌ عَنَّي وَلا غَضَبِ
Supple of limb, hard of heart, he smiles—
Not from contentment; he turns from me, yet not from anger.
فَكَمْso how many لَهُhe has فِيfor اخْتِلاقِinventing الذَّنْبِfault مِنْof سَبَبٍa pretext
فَكَمْ لَهُ فِي اخْتِلاقِ الذَّنْبِ مِنْ سَبَبٍ
وَلَيْسِand there is no ليfor me فِيin قِيامِestablishing الْعُذْرِthe excuse مِنْof سَبَبِmeans
وَلَيْسِ لي فِي قِيامِ الْعُذْرِ مِنْ سَبَبِ
How many pretexts he has for inventing fault,
While I have no means of making my excuse stand.
تَمِيلُsway أَعْطافُهُhis sides تِيهاًproudly بِشَعْرَتِهِwith his hair
تَمِيلُ أَعْطافُهُ تِيهاً بِشَعْرَتِهِ
كماas تَمِيلُsway رِماحُthe lances of الخَطِّal-Khatt بِالعَذَبِwith tassels
كما تَمِيلُ رِماحُ الخَطِّ بِالعَذَبِ
His sides sway proudly with his hair,
As al-Khatt's lances sway with their tassels.
أَشارَhe gestured نَحويtoward me وَجُنْحُwhile the gloom of الليلِnight مُعْتَكِرٌwas thick
أَشارَ نَحوي وَجُنْحُ الليلِ مُعْتَكِرٌ
بِمِعصَمٍwith a wrist بِشُعاعِby the radiance of الكَأْسِthe goblet مُخْتَضِبِdyed
بِمِعصَمٍ بِشُعاعِ الكَأْسِ مُخْتَضِبِ
He gestured toward me while the gloom of night lay thick,
With a wrist dyed by the goblet's glow.
بِكرٌa virgin جَلاَهاunveiled her أَبُوهاher father قَبْلَbefore ماthat جُلِيَتْshe was unveiled
بِكرٌ جَلاَها أَبُوها قَبْلَ ما جُلِيَتْ
فِيin حُجْرَةِthe chamber of الدَّنِّthe wine jar أَوْor فِيin قِشْرَةِthe skin of العِنَبِthe grape
فِي حُجْرَةِ الدَّنِّ أَوْ فِي قِشْرَةِ العِنَبِ
A virgin, unveiled by her father before she was unveiled
In the wine-jar's chamber, or within the grape's skin.
حَمْراءُred تَفْعَلُdoes بِالأَحْزانِto sorrows ماwhat فَعَلَتْdid
حَمْراءُ تَفْعَلُ بِالأَحْزانِ ما فَعَلَتْ
أَسيافُthe swords of شاهَShah (king) ارمَنٍArman فِيamid عَسْكَرٍan army لَجِبِclamorous
أَسيافُ شاهَ ارمَنٍ فِي عَسْكَرٍ لَجِبِ
Red, she does to sorrows what was done
By the swords of Shah Arman amid a clamorous host.
مَلكٌa king يُفَرِّقُdistributes يَوْمَon the day of السَّلمpeace ماwhat جَمَعَتْgathered
مَلكٌ يُفَرِّقُ يَوْمَ السَّلم ما جَمَعَتْ
يُمْناهُhis right hand فِيin الحَرْبِwar بِالهندِيَّةِwith Indian القُضُبِkeen swords
يُمْناهُ فِي الحَرْبِ بِالهندِيَّةِ القُضُبِ
A king who scatters in peace what was gathered
By his right hand in war with keen Indian blades.
ثَبْتٌsteadfast تَحُفُّgather جَماهيرُthe multitudes of الجُيوشِthe armies بِهِaround him
ثَبْتٌ تَحُفُّ جَماهيرُ الجُيوشِ بِهِ
كَأَنَّas though أَفْلاكَهاtheir spheres دارَتْrevolved عَلىaround قُطُبِa pole
كَأَنَّ أَفْلاكَها دارَتْ عَلى قُطُبِ
Steadfast, with the massed armies surrounding him,
As though their spheres revolved about a pole.
دَمُthe blood of العِدىfoes وَصَليلُand the ringing of المُرْهَفاتِsharpened blades لَهُto him
دَمُ العِدى وَصَليلُ المُرْهَفاتِ لَهُ
أَحْلىsweeter وَأطْيَبُand more pleasing مِنْthan كأْسٍa cup عَلىamid طَرَبِrapture
أَحْلى وَأطْيَبُ مِنْ كأْسٍ عَلى طَرَبِ
The blood of foes and the ring of sharpened blades are to him
Sweeter and more pleasing than a cup drunk in rapture.
فِيabout غَيْرِother than موسىMusa أحاديثُthe accounts of الوَرَىhumankind اختَلَفَتْhave differed
فِي غَيْرِ موسى أحاديثُ الوَرَى اختَلَفَتْ
وَهْوَand he الكريمُthe generous one بِلاwithout شَكٍّdoubt وَلاand no رِيَبِmisgivings
وَهْوَ الكريمُ بِلا شَكٍّ وَلا رِيَبِ
People's accounts have differed about others than Musa;
And he is the generous one, beyond doubt or misgiving.
الأشرَفُal-Ashraf (the most noble) الواهِبُthe giver of الآلافَthousands مُبْتَسِماًsmiling
الأشرَفُ الواهِبُ الآلافَ مُبْتَسِماً
وَذاكَand that تَعْجَزُis incapable عَنُْهof it عَبْسَةُthe scowl of السُّحُبِthe clouds
وَذاكَ تَعْجَزُ عَنُْه عَبْسَةُ السُّحُبِ
Al-Ashraf, who gives thousands with a smile,
And that is beyond the power of the clouds' scowl.
صَحَّتْproved true لَهُfor him كِيمِياءُthe alchemy of الحَمْدِpraise إِذْwhen سَبَكَتْcast
صَحَّتْ لَهُ كِيمِياءُ الحَمْدِ إِذْ سَبَكَتْ
يُمْناهُhis right hand لِلْبَذلِfor largesse أكسْيراًan elixir مِنَof الذَّهَبِgold
يُمْناهُ لِلْبَذلِ أكسْيراً مِنَ الذَّهَبِ
The alchemy of praise proved true for him, when
His right hand cast, for largesse, an elixir of gold.
لاdo not تَعْجَبَنَّever marvel لأموالٍat riches يُفَرِّقُهاhe distributes them
لا تَعْجَبَنَّ لأموالٍ يُفَرِّقُها
تَفْريقُهاtheir distribution لِلعَطاياas gifts غَايَةthe height of العَجَبِwonder
تَفْريقُها لِلعَطايا غَايَة العَجَبِ
Do not marvel at the wealth he distributes;
Its distribution as gifts is the height of wonder.
الطَّاهرُthe pure النَّسَبِin lineage ابنُson of الطَّاهِرِthe pure النَّسَبِin lineage ابْson of (first fragment)
الطَّاهرُ النَّسَبِ ابنُ الطَّاهِرِ النَّسَبِ ابْ
نِ(completes 'son of') الطَّاهِرِthe pure النَّسَبِin lineage ابْنِson of الطَّاهِرِthe pure النَّسَبِin lineage
نِ الطَّاهِرِ النَّسَبِ ابْنِ الطَّاهِرِ النَّسَبِ
Pure in lineage, son of one pure in lineage, son—
—of one pure in lineage, son of one pure in lineage.
نَفْسٌa soul لآبَائِهاfor its forefathers مِنْfrom فَضْلِهاits excellence شَرَفٌhonor
نَفْسٌ لآبَائِها مِنْ فَضْلِها شَرَفٌ
كذاlikewise الثِّمارُthe fruits لَهاthey have فَضْلٌsuperiority عَلىover الخَشَبِthe wood
كذا الثِّمارُ لَها فَضْلٌ عَلى الخَشَبِ
A soul whose excellence brings honor to its forefathers;
So too the fruits are superior to the wood.
عَلَيْهِupon him نُورٌa light إِلهِيٌّdivine أَشِعَّتُهُits rays
عَلَيْهِ نُورٌ إِلهِيٌّ أَشِعَّتُهُ
تُغْنِيهِspare him the need عَنfor كَثْرَةِa multitude of الحُجَّابِchamberlains وَالحُجُبِand curtains
تُغْنِيهِ عَن كَثْرَةِ الحُجَّابِ وَالحُجُبِ
Upon him is a divine light whose rays
Spare him the need for many chamberlains and curtains.
مُتْdie ياO حَسودُenvious one انتِظاراًwaiting إِنَّindeed مَوْلِدَهُhis birth
مُتْ يا حَسودُ انتِظاراً إِنَّ مَوْلِدَهُ
قَدْindeed كانَwas فِيunder بُرْجِa zodiacal sign of سَعْدٍgood fortune غَيْرِnot مُنْقَلِبِchanging
قَدْ كانَ فِي بُرْجِ سَعْدٍ غَيْرِ مُنْقَلِبِ
Die waiting, O envious one! For his birth
Was indeed under a sign of unchanging good fortune.
وَقْفٌfixed عَلىat جَوِّjaw- (apparent fragment of jawzahr, 'lunar node') زَهْرِ-zahr (completes jawzahr) الرَّأْسِthe Head عاشِرُهُhis tenth house
وَقْفٌ عَلى جَوِّ زَهْرِ الرَّأْسِ عاشِرُهُ
وَبَيْتُand the house of أعْدائِهِhis enemies فِيin عُقْدَةِthe knot of الذَّنَبِthe Tail
وَبَيْتُ أعْدائِهِ فِي عُقْدَةِ الذَّنَبِ
His tenth house stands fixed at the Dragon's Head,
And his enemies' house lies at the knot of the Tail.
ياO كَوْكباًstar أسْعَدُthe most auspicious of الأيَّامِdays طالِعُهُits rising
يا كَوْكباً أسْعَدُ الأيَّامِ طالِعُهُ
وَهْوَand it الوَبالُruin لأَهلِfor the people of الشِّرْكِpolytheism وَالصُّلُبِand crosses
وَهْوَ الوَبالُ لأَهلِ الشِّرْكِ وَالصُّلُبِ
O star whose rising marks the most auspicious of days,
Yet it spells ruin for the people of polytheism and crosses!
لاmay not خَيَّبَdisappoint اللَّهُGod فِيon ذاthis العيدِfeast دَعْوَةَthe prayer of مَنْone who
لا خَيَّبَ اللَّهُ فِي ذا العيدِ دَعْوَةَ مَنْ
رَجاؤُهُhis hope فِيin نَدىthe bounty of كَفَّيْكَyour two hands لَمْhas not يَخِبِfailed
رَجاؤُهُ فِي نَدى كَفَّيْكَ لَمْ يَخِبِ
On this feast, may God not disappoint the prayer of one
Whose hope in the bounty of your two hands has not failed.
Sol 6.1