دَعِleave off النَّوْحَlamentation خَلْفَbehind حُدوجِthe litters of الرَّكائِبْthe riding camels
دَعِ النَّوْحَ خَلْفَ حُدوجِ الرَّكائِبْ
وَسَلِّand console فُؤادَكَyour heart عَنْfor كُلِّevery ذاهِبْdeparted one
وَسَلِّ فُؤادَكَ عَنْ كُلِّ ذاهِبْ
Give up lamenting behind the riding camels' litters,
Leave lamenting behind the howdahs of departure,
and console your heart for everyone who has gone,
And ask your heart about every bygone.
بِبِيضِwith white السَّوالِفِsides of the neck حُمْرِred المَراشِthe lips (word begins)
بِبِيضِ السَّوالِفِ حُمْرِ المَراشِ
فِ(completes 'lips') صُفْرِyellow التَّرائِبِupper chests سُودِblack الذَّوائِبْtresses
فِ صُفْرِ التَّرائِبِ سُودِ الذَّوائِبْ
with women of white necks and red lips,
With the white swords, red lances,
golden upper chests and black tresses.
In the yellow shawls and black coats.
فَماfor there is no الْعَيْشُlife إلاّexcept إِذْاwhen ما(emphatic particle) نَظَمْتَyou string together
فَما الْعَيْشُ إلاّ إِذْا ما نَظَمْتَ
بِثَغْرِwith the mouth of الحَبابِthe bubbles ثَناياthe front teeth of الحَبائِبْthe beloveds
بِثَغْرِ الحَبابِ ثَنايا الحَبائِبْ
For life is only life when you string
Life is naught but when you string
beloveds' front teeth together with the mouth of the bubbles.
With the mouth of the beloved, love knots.
أُحاشيكَI would spare you مِنfrom وَقْفَةٍa halt بِالطُّلولِamong the ruins
أُحاشيكَ مِن وَقْفَةٍ بِالطُّلولِ
تَبُلُّyou slake الصَّدىthirst بِصَداهاwith their echo الْمُجاوِبْanswering
تَبُلُّ الصَّدى بِصَداها الْمُجاوِبْ
I would spare you a halt among the ruins,
I caution you against standing at the sand dunes
where you slake thirst with their answering echo.
Where echo repeats its responsive cries,
تُكَلَّفُyou demand of صُمَّdeaf الحِجارِstones الكَلامَspeech
تُكَلَّفُ صُمَّ الحِجارِ الكَلامَ
وَكَمْand how many فِيin جُنونِthe madness of الهَوىlove مِنof عَجائِبْmarvels
وَكَمْ فِي جُنونِ الهَوى مِن عَجائِبْ
You demand speech from deaf stones—
Imposing speech on deaf rocks,
how many marvels there are in love's madness!
For in the madness of love are many wonders.
وَلَوْand if كُنْتَyou were تَشْكوyou suffered from هَوىًlove صادِقاًtrue
وَلَوْ كُنْتَ تَشْكو هَوىً صادِقاً
لَماwould not عَلَّلَتْكَsoothed you الأَمانِيthe hopes الكَوإِذْبْfalse
لَما عَلَّلَتْكَ الأَمانِي الكَوإِذْبْ
And if you were suffering from true love,
Had you complained of sincere passion,
false hopes would not have soothed you.
Vain wishes would not have given you false hopes.
تَأَمَّلْcontemplate حَريقَthe blaze of كُؤُوسِcups of الرَّحيقِpure wine
تَأَمَّلْ حَريقَ كُؤُوسِ الرَّحيقِ
تَرَyou will see الماءَwater يَجْمُدُfreezing وَالخَمْرَand wine ذائِبءmolten
تَرَ الماءَ يَجْمُدُ وَالخَمْرَ ذائِبء
Contemplate the blaze of cups of pure wine;
Look how cups of wine catch fire,
you will see water freezing, while wine is molten.
See water freeze and wine melt.
لَهاit has فِيin الزُّجاجَةِthe glass رَقْصُthe dance of الشَّبابِyouth
لَها فِي الزُّجاجَةِ رَقْصُ الشَّبابِ
وَمَفْرِقُهاand its hair-parting أَشْمَطُgray-flecked النَّبْتِgrowth شائِبْgray-haired
وَمَفْرِقُها أَشْمَطُ النَّبْتِ شائِبْ
Within the glass it dances youth's dance,
In the decanter is the dance of youth,
yet the hair at its parting is grizzled and gray.
And when poured its separation is the graying of blossoms.
وَتزْبِدُand it foams غَيْظاًin anger إِذْاwhen أُبْرِزَتْit is brought out
وَتزْبِدُ غَيْظاً إِذْا أُبْرِزَتْ
مِنَfrom الدَّنَّthe wine jar كالْمُحْصَناتِlike chaste women الكَواعِبfull-breasted maidens
مِنَ الدَّنَّ كالْمُحْصَناتِ الكَواعِب
And it foams with anger when brought out
It foams in anger when taken
of the wine jar, like chaste, full-breasted maidens.
Out of the cask, like the chaste veiled ones.
كَأَنَّas though الحَبابَthe bubbles عَلىupon رَأسِهاits head
كَأَنَّ الحَبابَ عَلى رَأسِها
جَواهِرُjewels قَدْalready كُلِّلَتْwere wreathed فِيin عَصائِبْheadbands
جَواهِرُ قَدْ كُلِّلَتْ فِي عَصائِبْ
As though the bubbles upon its head
As if gems on their heads
were jewels set in headbands.
Were crowned in braids.
بِحُمْرَتِهاby its redness صَحَّbecame certain عِنْدَamong الْمَجوسِthe Magi
بِحُمْرَتِها صَحَّ عِنْدَ الْمَجوسِ
أَنَّthat السُّجودَprostration إلىtoward النَّارِfire واجِبْis obligatory
أَنَّ السُّجودَ إلى النَّارِ واجِبْ
Its redness made it certain for the Magi
The Magi rightly believed
that prostration before fire is obligatory.
Prostrating to fire is a duty.
شَهِدْناwe witnessed وَمُطْرِبُناand our singer خاطِبٌgiving the address
شَهِدْنا وَمُطْرِبُنا خاطِبٌ
زَواجَthe marriage of ابْنَةِthe daughter of الكَرْمِthe vine بِابْنِto the son of السَّحائِبْthe clouds
زَواجَ ابْنَةِ الكَرْمِ بِابْنِ السَّحائِبْ
We witnessed, with our singer giving the address,
We and our entertainer bear witness
the vine's daughter's marriage to the son of clouds.
To the marriage of the daughter of the vine to the son of clouds.
فَمِنْso from قَطَراتِdrops of الرَّذإِذْdrizzle النِّثارُthe wedding scatter
فَمِنْ قَطَراتِ الرَّذإِذْ النِّثارُ
وُمِنand from وَشْيِembroidery of زَهْرِblossoms of الرَّبِيعِspring المراتِبْthe cushions
وُمِن وَشْيِ زَهْرِ الرَّبِيعِ المراتِبْ
So the wedding scatter was made of drizzle drops,
So from drops of spray, scattering,
and the cushions of embroidered spring blossoms.
And from the down of spring buds, ranks,
رِياضٌgardens كَخُضْرَةِlike the greenness of زَهْرِblossoms of السَّماءِthe sky
رِياضٌ كَخُضْرَةِ زَهْرِ السَّماءِ
وَأَزْهارُهاand their flowers مِثْلُlike زُهْرِradiant الْكَواكِبْthe stars
وَأَزْهارُها مِثْلُ زُهْرِ الْكَواكِبْ
Gardens green as the sky's blossoms,
Gardens green as the blossoms of heaven,
and their flowers like the radiant stars.
And their flowers like the stars' bloom.
وَلِلْوَحْشِand for wild beasts سِرْبٌa herd بِقيعانِهاin their plains
وَلِلْوَحْشِ سِرْبٌ بِقيعانِها
وَلِلطَّيْرِand for birds فِيin جَوِّهاtheir air سَطْرُa line of كاتِبْa scribe
وَلِلطَّيْرِ فِي جَوِّها سَطْرُ كاتِبْ
And wild beasts have a herd in their plains,
For the beasts are flocks in the valleys,
and birds, in their air, form a scribe's line.
And for the birds in its skies a lineage chronicled.
بَرَزْناwe went out إلىto الرَّمْيِshooting فِيamong حَلْبَةٍa competing company
بَرَزْنا إلى الرَّمْيِ فِي حَلْبَةٍ
حِسانِfair of الوُجوهِfaces خِفافِnimble of المَضارِبْstrokes
حِسانِ الوُجوهِ خِفافِ المَضارِبْ
We went out to shoot among a company
We went out to shoot in an arena
fair of face and nimble in striking.
Of beautiful faces and delicate wrists.
بَنادِقُهُمْtheir pellets فِيin عُيونِthe eyes of القِسِيِّthe bows
بَنادِقُهُمْ فِي عُيونِ القِسِيِّ
كَأَحْداقِهِمْlike their pupils تَحْتَbeneath قِسْيِthe bows of الحَواجِبْthe eyebrows
كَأَحْداقِهِمْ تَحْتَ قِسْيِ الحَواجِبْ
Their pellets in the eyes of the bows
Their rifles in the eyes of the archers
are like their pupils beneath their eyebrows' bows.
Like their eyebrows under their bows' curvature.
فَتِلْكَso those لَهاthey have طائِرٌa bird فِيin السَّماءthe sky
فَتِلْكَ لَها طائِرٌ فِي السَّماء
وَهذِيand these لَهاthey have طائِرُthe bird of القَلْبِthe heart واجِبْfallen
وَهذِي لَها طائِرُ القَلْبِ واجِبْ
Those have their bird in the sky;
One has a bird in the sky,
these have the heart's bird, fallen.
And the other a bird of the heart obligated.
وَحَلَّتْand alighted سَوابِقُswift racers شُهْبٍgray خَواطِفَsnatchers
وَحَلَّتْ سَوابِقُ شُهْبٍ خَواطِفَ
حُجْنُhooked الْمَناسِرِbeaks حُوُّdusky المَحالِبْtalons
حُجْنُ الْمَناسِرِ حُوُّ المَحالِبْ
And swift gray snatchers alighted,
The meteors broke through,
hooked of beak and dusky of talon.
Sparks amidst the clash of planets.
بُزاةٌhawks لَهاthey have حَدَقُpupils of الأَفْعُوانِthe serpent
بُزاةٌ لَها حَدَقُ الأَفْعُوانِ
وَأَظْفارُهاand their talons كحُماتِlike the stings of الْعَقارِبْthe scorpions
وَأَظْفارُها كحُماتِ الْعَقارِبْ
Hawks with a serpent's pupils,
They have claws like snakes'
and their talons like scorpions' stings.
And talons like scorpions' stings.
فَلِلأُفَقِso the horizon has نَسْرانِtwo eagles ذاthis one واقِعٌfallen
فَلِلأُفَقِ نَسْرانِ ذا واقِعٌ
وَذاand this one طائِرٌflying حَذَرَin fear of الْمَوْتِdeath هارِبْfleeing
وَذا طائِرٌ حَذَرَ الْمَوْتِ هارِبْ
So the horizon has two eagles: this one fallen,
So for the horizon a hawk takes down its prey,
and that one flying, fleeing for fear of death.
While another bird flees death in escape.
وَأطْلَقَand he unleashed كَلْباًa dog لَهُof his ضَارِياًtrained to hunt
وَأطْلَقَ كَلْباً لَهُ ضَارِياً
يُباريrivaling هُبُوبَthe blowing of الصَّباthe east wind وَالجَنائِبْand the south winds
يُباري هُبُوبَ الصَّبا وَالجَنائِبْ
And he loosed a hunting hound of his,
He unleashed a dog, vicious of breed,
rivaling the rush of the east wind and the southerlies.
Racing the zephyrs and tailwinds.
تَطيرُfly بِهِwith it أَرْبَعٌfour legs كالرِّياحِlike the winds
تَطيرُ بِهِ أَرْبَعٌ كالرِّياحِ
وَيَفْتَرُّand it grins عَنْrevealing مُرْهَفاتٍkeen-edged blades قَوَاضِبْcleaving
وَيَفْتَرُّ عَنْ مُرْهَفاتٍ قَوَاضِبْ
Four legs carry it flying like winds,
Four winds speed it,
and it grins, baring keen, cleaving blades.
Panting with nostrils flaring.
وَتُضْرَمُand is kindled فِيin لَيْلِthe night of جِلْبابِهِits cloak
وَتُضْرَمُ فِي لَيْلِ جِلْبابِهِ
شُعاعُa ray of شِهابٍa meteor مِنَfrom الْعَيْنِthe eye ثاقِبْpiercing
شُعاعُ شِهابٍ مِنَ الْعَيْنِ ثاقِبْ
And within the night of its cloak is kindled
In the night of its mantle, the radiance
a piercing meteor's ray from its eye.
Of a piercing star-beam ignites.
وَعُدْناand we returned نَجُرُّtrailing ذُيولَthe skirts of السُّرورِjoy
وَعُدْنا نَجُرُّ ذُيولَ السُّرورِ
وَالطَّيْرُand birds وَالْوَحْشُand beasts مِلءْfilling الحَقائِبْthe bags
وَالطَّيْرُ وَالْوَحْشُ مِلءْ الحَقائِبْ
And we returned trailing the skirts of joy,
Back we returned, dragging joy's train,
with birds and beasts filling the bags.
Birds and beasts filling the baggage.
كَماjust as ابْتَهَجَتْrejoiced مِنْfrom سُرُورٍjoy خِلاطُKhilat
كَما ابْتَهَجَتْ مِنْ سُرُورٍ خِلاطُ
وَقَدْand already جاءَcame مُوسىMusa يَجُرُّdrawing along الْمَواكِبْthe processions
وَقَدْ جاءَ مُوسى يَجُرُّ الْمَواكِبْ
Just as Khilat rejoiced in delight
As the royal procession rejoiced
when Musa came, trailing processions.
When Moses returned leading the caravan.
مَليكٌa king إِذْاwhen سارَhe marches بَيْنَamong السُّيوفِthe swords
مَليكٌ إِذْا سارَ بَيْنَ السُّيوفِ
تَرَىyou see الْبَدْرَthe full moon بَيْنَamid اشْتِباكِthe interlacing of الْكَواكبْthe stars
تَرَى الْبَدْرَ بَيْنَ اشْتِباكِ الْكَواكبْ
A king: when he marches amid swords,
A king, when he rides amidst the swords,
you see the full moon amid interlacing stars.
You see the moon amidst the planets' convergence.
وَتَزْأَرُand roar مِنْfrom تَحْتِbeneath ذاكَthat الرِّكابِstirrup
وَتَزْأَرُ مِنْ تَحْتِ ذاكَ الرِّكابِ
أُسُودٌlions لَهاthey have مِنْfrom ظُباهاtheir blade-edges مَخالِبْclaws
أُسُودٌ لَها مِنْ ظُباها مَخالِبْ
And from beneath that stirrup roar
From under the procession, lions
lions with claws made from their sword-edges.
With claws from their manes protrude.
فَتِلْكَso those اللَّهإِذْمُsharp blades زُهْرُradiant النُّجومِthe stars
فَتِلْكَ اللَّهإِذْمُ زُهْرُ النُّجومِ
وَمُعْتَكِرُand the swirling النَّقْعِdust جِنْحُthe wing of الْغَياهِبْdeep darkness
وَمُعْتَكِرُ النَّقْعِ جِنْحُ الْغَياهِبْ
So those sharp blades are the radiant stars,
Such is the blossom of stars,
and the swirling dust is the wing of deep darkness.
And the wing-span of time wraps all.
بَداhe appeared فَهَوَتْthen fell فِيinto التُّرابِthe dust الثُّغورُthe mouths
بَدا فَهَوَتْ فِي التُّرابِ الثُّغورُ
كَماas انْتَظَمَwere strung الدُّرُّpearls فَوْقَacross التَّرائِبْupper chests
كَما انْتَظَمَ الدُّرُّ فَوْقَ التَّرائِبْ
He appeared, and mouths fell to the dust,
It appeared and the strongholds collapsed into dust
as pearls are strung across upper chests.
As pearls line up atop the shawls.
يُنادونَهْthey call to him بِاخْتِلاَفِin differing اللُّغاتِlanguages
يُنادونَهْ بِاخْتِلاَفِ اللُّغاتِ
كَتَلْبِيَةِlike the answering chant of الْحَجِّthe pilgrimage مِنْfrom كُلِّevery جانِبside
كَتَلْبِيَةِ الْحَجِّ مِنْ كُلِّ جانِب
They call to him in different tongues,
They summon him in various tongues
like the pilgrimage chant from every side.
Like pilgrims beckoning from every side.
يُخيفُهُمُfrightens them بَأْسُthe might of بَرْقِthe lightning of الْحِديدِiron
يُخيفُهُمُ بَأْسُ بَرْقِ الْحِديدِ
وَيُطْمِعُهُمْand gives them hope سَحُّthe downpour of سُحْبِclouds of الْمَواهِبْgifts
وَيُطْمِعُهُمْ سَحُّ سُحْبِ الْمَواهِبْ
The might of iron's lightning frightens them,
They are frightened by the flash of iron blades
and the downpour from clouds of gifts gives them hope.
And tempted by the downpour of gifts.
تَؤُمُّmake for الْجَوارِحُbirds of prey أَعْلامَهُhis banners
تَؤُمُّ الْجَوارِحُ أَعْلامَهُ
تَروحُthey return at dusk بِطاناًfull-bellied وَتَغْدُوand set out at dawn سَواغِبْhungry
تَروحُ بِطاناً وَتَغْدُو سَواغِبْ
Birds of prey make for his banners;
The war beasts eye his banners
they return full-bellied at dusk and set out hungry at dawn.
Patrolling and returning rapacious.
كأنَّas though السَّناجِقَthe standards أَوْكارُهاtheir nests
كأنَّ السَّناجِقَ أَوْكارُها
فَكَمْso how many عُصَبٍflocks فَوْقَabove تِلْكَthose الْعَصائِبْbanners
فَكَمْ عُصَبٍ فَوْقَ تِلْكَ الْعَصائِبْ
As though the standards were their nests—
As if their citadels are their lairs,
how many flocks are above those banners!
So many clans above those headbands!
أَيَاO مَلِكَking of الأرْضِthe earth حَقّاًin truth إِلَيْكَto you
أَيَا مَلِكَ الأرْضِ حَقّاً إِلَيْكَ
مَآلُthe destiny of مَشارِقِهاits eastern lands وَالمَغارِبْand the western lands
مَآلُ مَشارِقِها وَالمَغارِبْ
O true king of the earth, to you
O king of the land, rightly towards you
its eastern and western reaches are destined.
Lead the directions of its east and west.
سَتَمْلِكُyou will rule أرضَthe land of قُسَنْطينَةٍQusantina
سَتَمْلِكُ أرضَ قُسَنْطينَةٍ
ومَاand whatever كانَwas لِلرُّومِthe Romans' مِنْهاfrom it يُقارِبْlies near
ومَا كانَ لِلرُّومِ مِنْها يُقارِبْ
You shall rule the land of Qusantina,
You will rule the land of Constantinople
and the Romans' lands that lie near it.
That which the Romans cannot match.
كَأَنِّيas though I بِأبْراجِهاsee its towers قَدْalready هَوَتْhave fallen
كَأَنِّي بِأبْراجِها قَدْ هَوَتْ
وَصَخْرِand stones of الْمِجانِيقِthe catapults فِيهاwithin it ضَوارِبْstriking
وَصَخْرِ الْمِجانِيقِ فِيها ضَوارِبْ
It is as though I see its towers already fallen,
It is as if I see its towers crumble
and catapult stones striking within it.
And the catapults' boulders pelt within.
وَقَدْand already زَحَفَadvanced الْبُرْجُthe siege tower زَحْفَthe advance of العَروسِthe bride
وَقَدْ زَحَفَ الْبُرْجُ زَحْفَ العَروسِ
إلَيْهاtoward it يَجُرُّtrailing ذُيولَthe skirts of الكَتائِبْthe battalions
إلَيْها يَجُرُّ ذُيولَ الكَتائِبْ
And the siege tower has advanced with a bride's slow gait
The siege-tower crept like a bride
toward it, trailing the skirts of battalions.
Dragging towards it the battalions' trains.
فَماfor ... not لُبْسُهُits clothing غَيْرَother than نَسْجِthe weave of الْحديدِiron
فَما لُبْسُهُ غَيْرَ نَسْجِ الْحديدِ
ومَاand ... not حَلْيُهُits adornment غَيْرَother than بِيضِgleaming القواضِبْcleaving swords
ومَا حَلْيُهُ غَيْرَ بِيضِ القواضِبْ
For its clothing is nothing but woven iron,
Its garb is naught but iron mesh
and its adornment nothing but gleaming, cleaving swords.
And its jewelry naught but the arrows' white.
وَأضْرِمَتِand was kindled النَّارُfire حَشْوَinside النُّقوبِthe tunnels
وَأضْرِمَتِ النَّارُ حَشْوَ النُّقوبِ
وَثارَand rose الدُّخانُsmoke كَجِنْحِlike the wing of الغياهِبْdeep darkness
وَثارَ الدُّخانُ كَجِنْحِ الغياهِبْ
And fire was kindled within the tunnels,
The cannons ignited with gunpowder filling,
and smoke rose like the wing of deep darkness.
And smoke billowed like the wings of gloom.
وَلَيْسَand ... not الْكَهانَةُdivination مِنْamong شِيمَتِيmy habits
وَلَيْسَ الْكَهانَةُ مِنْ شِيمَتِي
وَلكِنَّand yet حِزْبَكَyour host بِاللَّهِwith God's help غالِبْvictorious
وَلكِنَّ حِزْبَكَ بِاللَّهِ غالِبْ
Divination is not my way,
But I do not divine the future,
yet your host prevails with God's help.
For your party, by God, is victorious.
لَكَfor you اللَّهُGod مِنْwhat a قائِلٍspeaker قاتٍلٍslayer
لَكَ اللَّهُ مِنْ قائِلٍ قاتٍلٍ
يُجادِلُhe contends بِالكُتْبِwith books أوor بِالكَتائِبْwith battalions
يُجادِلُ بِالكُتْبِ أو بِالكَتائِبْ
God bless you, speaker and slayer,
God gives you supporters fighting
who contends with books or with battalions.
With scripture or battalions contending.
فَماfor ... not مَجْلِسُthe court of العَدْلِjustice يَوْمَon the day of القَضاءِjudgment
فَما مَجْلِسُ العَدْلِ يَوْمَ القَضاءِ
بِأَوْلَىmore fitting بِهِfor him مِنْthan سُرُوجِthe saddles of السَّلاهِبْtall steeds
بِأَوْلَى بِهِ مِنْ سُرُوجِ السَّلاهِبْ
For the court of justice on the day of adjudication
For the court of justice on judgement day
is no more fitting for him than the saddles of tall steeds.
Is no more rightful than the darkness of black nights.
فَدُمْso remain سَنَداًa support لِلْعُفاةِfor seekers of gifts الكُفاةِthe capable
فَدُمْ سَنَداً لِلْعُفاةِ الكُفاةِ
تُريِهمْyou show them غَرائِبَmarvels of بَذْلِbestowing الرَّغائِبْcoveted gifts
تُريِهمْ غَرائِبَ بَذْلِ الرَّغائِبْ
So remain a support for worthy seekers of gifts,
So stand, giving support to the weak,
showing them marvels of bestowing coveted gifts.
Show them the wonders of generous bestowal.
Sol 6.1