لِمَنْwhose شَجَرٌtrees قَدْalready أثْقَلَتْهاhave weighed them down ثِمارُهاtheir fruits
لِمَنْ شَجَرٌ قَدْ أثْقَلَتْها ثِمارُها
سَفائِنُships بَرٍّof dry land وَالسَّرابُand the mirage بِحارُهاtheir seas
سَفائِنُ بَرٍّ وَالسَّرابُ بِحارُها
Whose are these trees, weighed down by their fruits?
For whom the tree is laden with fruit
Ships of dry land, with the mirage as their seas.
Illusions are the ships on dry land and the mirage at sea
حُرُوفٌletters إِذْاwhen اسْتَقْرَأْتَهاyou read them closely فِيin انْفِرادِهاtheir isolation
حُرُوفٌ إِذْا اسْتَقْرَأْتَها فِي انْفِرادِها
سُطُورٌlines إِذْاwhen اسْتَوْلىholds sway عَلَيْهاover them قِطارُهاtheir caravan
سُطُورٌ إِذْا اسْتَوْلى عَلَيْها قِطارُها
Letters, when you read them in isolation;
Letters when you recite them alone
Lines, when their caravan holds sway over them.
Lines when their train is unleashed upon them
حَناياbows إِذْاwhen السَّاريthe night-traveler السَّريُّthe noble one ارْتَمىdarts along بهاon them
حَنايا إِذْا السَّاري السَّريُّ ارْتَمى بها
فَهُنَّthen they سِهامٌarrows يَسْتَطيرُflies about شَرارهاtheir sparks
فَهُنَّ سِهامٌ يَسْتَطيرُ شَرارها
Bows—when the noble night-traveler darts along on them,
Melodies when the secret beneath them flows
Then they are arrows whose sparks fly.
For they are arrows, their sparks take flight
تَوالَتْfollowed one another كَمَوْجِlike the waves of الْبَحْرthe sea مُزْبِدَةَfoaming البُرىthe nose-rings
تَوالَتْ كَمَوْجِ الْبَحْر مُزْبِدَةَ البُرى
عَلَيْهاupon them قِبابٌdomes بِالدُّموعِfrom tears احْمِرارُهاtheir redness
عَلَيْها قِبابٌ بِالدُّموعِ احْمِرارُها
They followed one another like sea-waves, foaming at their nose-rings;
They came in succession, like the foam-crested waves of the sea
Upon them are domes, reddened by tears.
With domes built with tears reddened over them
وَفِيand in الْكِلَّةِthe canopy الْحَمْراءِthe red بَيْضاءُa fair woman طَفْلَةٌtender
وَفِي الْكِلَّةِ الْحَمْراءِ بَيْضاءُ طَفْلَةٌ
بِزُرْقِby the blue عُيُونِeyes of السُّمْرِdusky spears يُحْمىis guarded أحْوِرارُهاher eyes' black-and-white contrast
بِزُرْقِ عُيُونِ السُّمْرِ يُحْمى أحْوِرارُها
And within the red canopy is a fair, tender maiden;
In the red skullcap a white infant
Her dark-eyed beauty is guarded by the blue eyes of dusky spears.
The blue of whose dark eyes is guarded by its lids
أَثارَraised لَهاfor her نَقْعُthe dust of الجِيادِthe steeds سُرادِقاًa pavilion
أَثارَ لَها نَقْعُ الجِيادِ سُرادِقاً
بِهِby it دونَwithout سِتْرِthe curtain of الخِدْرِthe bower عَنَّاfrom us اسْتِتارُهاher concealment
بِهِ دونَ سِتْرِ الخِدْرِ عَنَّا اسْتِتارُها
The dust of steeds raised a pavilion for her;
The pawing of steeds raised a canopy for her
It hides her from us, even without her bower's curtain.
Without any screen to veil us from it
لَهاshe has طَلْعَةٌa countenance مِنْfrom شَعْرِهاher hair وَجَبيِنهاand her forehead
لَها طَلْعَةٌ مِنْ شَعْرِها وَجَبيِنها
تَعانَقَembrace each other فِيهاin it لَيْلُهاher night وَنَهارُهاand her day
تَعانَقَ فِيها لَيْلُها وَنَهارُها
She has a visage where, in her hair and forehead,
She has a charm in her hair and brow
Her night and her day embrace.
Where her night and day intertwined
لَهاshe has مِنfrom مَهاةِa female oryx الرَّمْلِthe sands جِيدٌa neck مُقْلَةٌan eye
لَها مِن مَهاةِ الرَّمْلِ جِيدٌ مُقْلَةٌ
وَلَيْسَand there is not لَهاfor her اسْتِيحاشُهاits wariness وَنِفارُهاand its flight
وَلَيْسَ لَها اسْتِيحاشُها وَنِفارُها
She has the neck and eyes of an oryx of the sands,
She has a smooth neck from the sands of Maha
But none of its wariness or its flight.
She feels no shame or aversion
ومَاand not سَكَنَتْshe dwelt وادِيthe valley of الْعَقِيقِal-Aqiq وَلاnor الْغَضَىthe ghada trees
ومَا سَكَنَتْ وادِي الْعَقِيقِ وَلا الْغَضَى
وَلكِنْbut بِعَيْنيin my eye أَوْor بِقَلْبيَin my heart دارُهاher home
وَلكِنْ بِعَيْني أَوْ بِقَلْبيَ دارُها
She dwelt neither in the valley of al-Aqiq nor among the ghada trees;
She dwelt not in the valley of ‘Aqeeq or Ghadha
But her home is in my eye or in my heart.
But in my eye or heart her home
إِذْاwhen ماever (emphatic) الثُّرَيَّاthe Pleiades وَالهلالُand the crescent تَقارَناthe two come together
إِذْا ما الثُّرَيَّا وَالهلالُ تَقارَنا
أُشَكِّكُI wonder هَلْwhether ذاthis قُرْطُهاher earring وَسِوارُهاand her bracelet
أُشَكِّكُ هَلْ ذا قُرْطُها وَسِوارُها
Whenever the Pleiades and the crescent come together,
When the Pleiades and the crescent moon come together
I wonder: are these her earring and her bracelet?
I doubt, are these her earrings and bracelet?
فَأَيُّthen what a قَضِيبٍslender branch جالَmoved about فِيهِin it وِشاحُهاher sash
فَأَيُّ قَضِيبٍ جالَ فِيهِ وِشاحُها
وَأَيُّand what a كَثيبٍsand dune ضاقَwas too narrow عَنْهُfor it إزارُهاher waist-wrap
وَأَيُّ كَثيبٍ ضاقَ عَنْهُ إزارُها
What a slender branch her sash encircles,
What staff was it that her scarf trailed over
And what a sand dune her waist-wrap is too narrow to contain!
And what dune was too narrow for her skirt?
ومَاand not كُنْتُI was أّدْريI know قَبْلَbefore لُؤْلؤِthe pearls of ثَغْرِهاher mouth
ومَا كُنْتُ أّدْري قَبْلَ لُؤْلؤِ ثَغْرِها
بِأَنَّthat نَفيساتِthe precious ones of الَّلآِليْthe pearls صِغارُهاtheir small ones
بِأَنَّ نَفيساتِ الَّلآِليْ صِغارُها
Before the pearls of her mouth, I never knew
I did not know before the pearls of her mouth
That the choicest pearls are the smallest.
That the finest treasures are small
هِيَshe الْبَدْرُthe full moon إِلاَّexcept أنَّthat عِنْديwith me مَحاقَهُits dark phase
هِيَ الْبَدْرُ إِلاَّ أنَّ عِنْدي مَحاقَهُ
هِيَshe الْخِمْرُwine إلاّexcept أَنَّthat حَظَّيْmy share خُمارُهاits hangover
هِيَ الْخِمْرُ إلاّ أَنَّ حَظَّيْ خُمارُها
She is the full moon, except that its dark phase is mine;
She is the full moon, except in my regard her fullness is waning
She is wine, but my share is its hangover.
She is the wine, except my share of her is denied
أَياO كَعْبَةًa Kaaba مِنْfrom خالِهاher beauty mark حَجَرٌa stone لَهاfor her
أَيا كَعْبَةً مِنْ خالِها حَجَرٌ لَها
بَعيدٌfar off عَلَيْناfor us حَجُّهاpilgrimage to her وَاعْتِمارُهاand lesser pilgrimage to her
بَعيدٌ عَلَيْنا حَجُّها وَاعْتِمارُها
O Kaaba, whose beauty mark is her stone,
O Kaaba of loveliness, around which a stone of her mole
The greater and lesser pilgrimages to her are far beyond our reach.
Circumambulating and praying is far from us
فَإنْso if بَلَغَتْهاreaches her النَّفْسُthe soul يَوْماًone day بِشِقِّهاthrough its toil
فَإنْ بَلَغَتْها النَّفْسُ يَوْماً بِشِقِّها
فَقَلْبِيthen my heart لَهاfor her هَدْيٌa sacrificial offering وَدَمْعيand my tears جِمارُهاher stoning pebbles
فَقَلْبِي لَها هَدْيٌ وَدَمْعي جِمارُها
So if the soul one day reaches her through its toil,
If her breath reaches there one day in yearning
Then my heart is her sacrificial offering, and my tears her stoning pebbles.
My heart is an offering to it and my tears its ritual wash
سَقَىmay water اللَّهُGod مَيَّافارِقينَMayyafariqin وَقَدْand indeed سَقَىhas watered
سَقَى اللَّهُ مَيَّافارِقينَ وَقَدْ سَقَى
سِجالَbucketfuls سَحابٍof clouds لاnot يَغِبُّpauses قِطارُهاtheir rainfall
سِجالَ سَحابٍ لا يَغِبُّ قِطارُها
May God water Mayyafariqin—and He has watered it—
May God water those separated from their lovers, He already watered
With bucketfuls from clouds whose rain never ceases.
The trailing trains of clouds that never cease
ومَالِيَand why should I أَسْتَسْقيpray for rain لَهاfor it صَيِّبَa downpour الحَياrain
ومَالِيَ أَسْتَسْقي لَها صَيِّبَ الحَيا
وَراحَةُwhile the palm of سَيْفِSayf الدّينِal-Din تَطْفُوoverflow بِحارُهاits seas
وَراحَةُ سَيْفِ الدّينِ تَطْفُو بِحارُها
And why should I pray for a downpour of rain upon it,
Why should I ask for water from the rain clouds of life
While the seas of Sayf al-Din's palm overflow?
When the sword of faith sails upon its sea
فَفيfor in بَحْرِa sea of مالٍwealth قَدْindeed تَطَلَّعَhas risen قَصْرُهاits palace
فَفي بَحْرِ مالٍ قَدْ تَطَلَّعَ قَصْرُها
وَفِيand in بَحْرِa sea of ماءٍwater يَسْتِقِرُّrests قَرارُهاits foundation
وَفِي بَحْرِ ماءٍ يَسْتِقِرُّ قَرارُها
For its palace has risen in a sea of wealth,
So in a sea of wealth her palace looked
And its foundation rests in a sea of water.
And in a sea of water her abode was still
هُوَhe العادِلُal-Adil, the Just الظَّلاَّمُthe ruthless oppressor لِلْمالِtoward wealth وَالْعِدىand foes
هُوَ العادِلُ الظَّلاَّمُ لِلْمالِ وَالْعِدى
خَزائِنُهُhis treasuries قَدْalready أَقْفَرَتْhave become desolate وَدِيارُهاand their homes
خَزائِنُهُ قَدْ أَقْفَرَتْ وَدِيارُها
He is al-Adil, the Just, yet a ruthless oppressor of wealth and foes;
He is just, unjust towards wealth and enmity
His treasuries stand empty, and so do his foes' homes.
His coffers are empty and her homes desolate
كَريمٌgenerous لَهُhe has نَفْسٌa soul تَجُودُgives freely بِماof what حَوَتْit holds
كَريمٌ لَهُ نَفْسٌ تَجُودُ بِما حَوَتْ
وَأَعْجَبُand most astonishing شيْءٍthing بَعْدَafter ذاكَthat اعْتِذارُهاits apology
وَأَعْجَبُ شيْءٍ بَعْدَ ذاكَ اعْتِذارُها
Generous, he has a soul that gives freely of what it holds,
He is generous, his soul gives freely what it contains
And the most astonishing thing afterward is its apology.
And most wondrous after that, his excusing it
عَليمٌdeeply knowing بِنورِby the light of اللَّهِGod يَنْظُرُsees قَلْبُهُhis heart
عَليمٌ بِنورِ اللَّهِ يَنْظُرُ قَلْبُهُ
فَلَمْso did not يُغْنِavail أَسْرارَthe secrets of الْقُلوبِhearts اسْتِتارُهاtheir concealment
فَلَمْ يُغْنِ أَسْرارَ الْقُلوبِ اسْتِتارُها
He is discerning; his heart sees by God's light,
Learned, the light of God by which his heart sees
So concealment has not helped the secrets of hearts.
So the veiling of hearts could not conceal secrets from him
حُسامٌa keen sword لَهُit has حَدٌّan edge يَرُوعُterrifies مَضاؤُهُits cutting power
حُسامٌ لَهُ حَدٌّ يَرُوعُ مَضاؤُهُ
وَصَفْحَةُand a blade's flat صَفْحٍof pardon لِلذُّنُوبِfor sins اغْتِفارُهاits forgiveness
وَصَفْحَةُ صَفْحٍ لِلذُّنُوبِ اغْتِفارُها
A sword with an edge whose keenness terrifies,
It is a sword whose cutting edge inspires awe
And a forgiving flat that grants pardon for sins.
And the surface of a sword, forgiving sins
لَهُhe has راحَةٌa palm فِيin السَّلْمِpeace تُجْنىare harvested جِنانُهاits gardens
لَهُ راحَةٌ فِي السَّلْمِ تُجْنى جِنانُها
وَيَوْمَand on the day of هِياجِthe raging of الحَرْبِwar تُوقَدُis kindled نارُهاits fire
وَيَوْمَ هِياجِ الحَرْبِ تُوقَدُ نارُها
He has a palm whose gardens are harvested in peace,
He has tranquility in peace, from which gardens are reaped
And on the day war rages, its fire is kindled.
And on the day battle stirs, its fire is kindled
فَأنْمُلُهُso his fingertips طَوراًat times غُصُونٌbranches نَواضِرٌflourishing
فَأنْمُلُهُ طَوراً غُصُونٌ نَواضِرٌ
وَطَوْراًand at times سُيُوفٌswords دامِياتٌbloodied شِفارُهاtheir edges
وَطَوْراً سُيُوفٌ دامِياتٌ شِفارُها
Thus his fingertips are at times flourishing branches,
So at times branches, blossoming saplings
And at times swords whose edges are bloodied.
And at others, bloodied swords their edges bared
إِذْاwhen خَطَبَتْthey preach مِنfrom كَفِّهِhis palm فَوْقَabove مِنْبَرٍa pulpit
إِذْا خَطَبَتْ مِن كَفِّهِ فَوْقَ مِنْبَرٍ
فَسُودُthen black جَلابيبِcloaks of الشُّعورِhair شِعارُهاtheir garb
فَسُودُ جَلابيبِ الشُّعورِ شِعارُها
When they preach from his palm above a pulpit,
If he makes an address above the pulpit
Then black cloaks of hair are their garb.
The veils of hair are black banners for him
بِهِthrough him دَمَّرَdestroyed اللَّهُGod الصَّليبَthe cross وَأَهْلَهُand its followers
بِهِ دَمَّرَ اللَّهُ الصَّليبَ وَأَهْلَهُ
بِهِthrough him مِلَّةُthe faith of الإسْلامِIslam عَالٍlofty مَنارُهاits beacon
بِهِ مِلَّةُ الإسْلامِ عَالٍ مَنارُها
Through him God destroyed the cross and its followers;
Through him God destroyed the cross and its people
Through him the beacon of Islam's faith stands high.
Through him the religion of Islam, its minarets exalted
فَلاso may not زالَتِcease الأفْلاكُthe celestial spheres تَجْرِيِmove بِنَصْرِهِin his support
فَلا زالَتِ الأفْلاكُ تَجْرِيِ بِنَصْرِهِ
وَلاand may not زالَdepart عَنْهُfrom him قُطبُهاtheir axis وَمَدارُهاand their orbit
وَلا زالَ عَنْهُ قُطبُها وَمَدارُها
So may the celestial spheres forever move in his support,
So the spheres will never cease revolving with his aid
And may their axis and orbit never depart from him.
Neither will their axis and orbit turn from him
Sol 6.1