اِسْلَمِيbe safe يَاO كَثِيْرَةَmuch given to الإِعْرَاضِturning away
اِسْلَمِي يَا كَثِيْرَةَ الإِعْرَاضِ
وَأْمَنِيand feel secure أَنْthat تُرَوَّعِيyou be frightened بِفِرَاقِby parting
وَأْمَنِي أَنْ تُرَوَّعِي بِفِرَاقِ
Fare well, you who so often turn away,
Surrender, O oft-turning away!
and be safe from the terror of parting.
And let my hopes make you quake with parting.
قَدْalready سَئِمْتُI have tired of الهَوَىlove وَأَدْأَبْتُand I drove hard فِيin السَّيْthe trav-
قَدْ سَئِمْتُ الهَوَى وَأَدْأَبْتُ فِي السَّيْ
رِ-el جُسُومَthe bodies of المُضَمَّرَاتِthe lean steeds العِتَاقِthe thoroughbred
رِ جُسُومَ المُضَمَّرَاتِ العِتَاقِ
I have tired of love, and in travel driven hard
I'm weary of passion and ply my mornings
the bodies of lean thoroughbreds.
To the veiled, emancipated, aloof.
وَسَلَكْتُand I traversed بِيَwith myself الْمَوَامِيthe trackless deserts فَأَخْلَقْso grew worn (verb stem)
وَسَلَكْتُ بِيَ الْمَوَامِي فَأَخْلَقْ
تُI (verb ending) وَفِيand in ذَاكَthat كَثْرَهُabundance of الإِخْلاَقِwearing out
تُ وَفِي ذَاكَ كَثْرَهُ الإِخْلاَقِ
And I have taken myself through trackless deserts and grown worn,
The nights have led me to dignity
and in that lies much wearing away.
Abundant in noble traits.
وَهِلاَلُand the crescent of السَّمَاءِthe sky أَسْرَعُswiftest سَيْرَاًin motion
وَهِلاَلُ السَّمَاءِ أَسْرَعُ سَيْرَاً
وَهْوَand it أَشْقىmost afflicted نُجُومهَاof its stars بِالْمُحَاقِby complete waning
وَهْوَ أَشْقى نُجُومهَا بِالْمُحَاقِ
And the sky's crescent is swiftest in its course,
Though the new moon journeys swiftest
yet of its stars it suffers most from waning into darkness.
It is the unhappiest of stars in conjunction.
لَوْif بِحَقٍّby right تَنَاوَلَreached النَّجْمَthe star خَلْقٌa creature
لَوْ بِحَقٍّ تَنَاوَلَ النَّجْمَ خَلْقٌ
نِلْتُI would have attained هَذِيthese النُّجُومَthe stars بِاسْتِحْقَاقِby merit
نِلْتُ هَذِي النُّجُومَ بِاسْتِحْقَاقِ
If any creature could reach a star by right,
If the stars justly gained their places,
I would have attained these stars by merit.
I would gain these stars in merit!
أَوَand...? لِيْسَis not اللِّسَانُthe tongue مِنِّيof mine أَمْضَىsharper
أَوَ لِيْسَ اللِّسَانُ مِنِّي أَمْضَى
مِنْthan ظُبَاتِthe edges of المُهَنَّدَاتِIndian-forged swords الرِّقَاقِslender
مِنْ ظُبَاتِ المُهَنَّدَاتِ الرِّقَاقِ
And is my tongue not sharper
Is not my tongue more piercing
than the edges of slender Indian-forged swords?
Than the swords of the well-honed blades?
وَيَدِيand my hand تَحْمِلُbear الأَنَامِلُthe fingertips مِنْهَاof it
وَيَدِي تَحْمِلُ الأَنَامِلُ مِنْهَا
قَلَمَاًa pen لِيْسَis not دَمْعُهُits tears بِالرَّاقِيceasing to flow
قَلَمَاً لِيْسَ دَمْعُهُ بِالرَّاقِي
And my hand—its fingertips bear
My hand bears fingers that for me
a pen whose tears never cease:
Are reed-pens unsated with fluid.
أُفْعُوَانَاًa male viper تُهَالُare terrified مِنْهُby it الأَعَادِيthe enemies
أُفْعُوَانَاً تُهَالُ مِنْهُ الأَعَادِي
حَيَّةًa snake يَسْتَعِيْذُseeks refuge مِنْهَاfrom it الرَّاقِيthe snake-charmer
حَيَّةً يَسْتَعِيْذُ مِنْهَا الرَّاقِي
a male viper that terrifies enemies,
Serpents from which enemies recoil,
a snake from which the charmer seeks refuge;
A snake from which the watcher takes refuge.
مُطْرِقَاًwith head bowed يُهْلِكُdestroys العَدُوَّthe enemy عِقَابَاًas punishment
مُطْرِقَاً يُهْلِكُ العَدُوَّ عِقَابَاً
وَيَريْشُand enriches الْوَلِيَّthe friend ذَbeset by الإِخْفَاقِfailure
وَيَريْشُ الْوَلِيَّ ذَ الإِخْفَاقِ
with head bowed, it destroys the enemy in punishment,
A lightning-bolt that destroys the foe in punishment
and enriches the friend beset by failure.
And feathers the ally in victory.
وَتَرَاهُand you see it يَجُودُbestow generously مِنْfrom حَيْثُwhere تَجْرِيflow
وَتَرَاهُ يَجُودُ مِنْ حَيْثُ تَجْرِي
مِنْهُfrom it تِلْكَthose السُّمُومُpoisons بِالدِّرْيَاقِwith an antidote
مِنْهُ تِلْكَ السُّمُومُ بِالدِّرْيَاقِ
And you see it offer, from the place where
You see it bountiful wherever
those poisons flow from it, an antidote.
That venom flows in rivulets.
وَسُطُورٍand lines خَطَطْتُهَاI traced them فِيin كِتَابٍa book
وَسُطُورٍ خَطَطْتُهَا فِي كِتَابٍ
مِثْلَlike غَيْمِthe cloud-mass of السِّحَابَةِa cloud الرَّقْرَاقِshimmering
مِثْلَ غَيْمِ السِّحَابَةِ الرَّقْرَاقِ
And many lines I have traced in a book,
Lines I inscribed in a book
like a cloud's shimmering haze.
Like the patter of raindrops.
صُغْتُI fashioned مِنْهُfrom it مِنَof البَيَانِeloquence حُلِيَّاًornaments
صُغْتُ مِنْهُ مِنَ البَيَانِ حُلِيَّاً
بِاخْتِرَاعِby inventing البَدِيْعِfresh beauties لاَnot بِاشْتِقَاقِby derivation
بِاخْتِرَاعِ البَدِيْعِ لاَ بِاشْتِقَاقِ
From it I fashioned ornaments of eloquence,
From it I fashioned eloquence
by inventing fresh beauties, not by derivation.
By reinventing tropes, not coining words.
وَقَوَافٍand rhymes كَأَنَّهُنَّas though they were عُقُودُnecklaces of الدُّthe pear-
وَقَوَافٍ كَأَنَّهُنَّ عُقُودُ الدُّ
رِّ-ls مَنْظُومَةٌstrung عَلَىupon الأَعْنَاقِthe necks
رِّ مَنْظُومَةٌ عَلَى الأَعْنَاقِ
And rhymes as though they were necklaces of
Rhymes like necklaces of pearls
pearls, strung upon necks.
Strung and placed around necks.
عُزَزٌprecious ones تُظْهِرُcause to display المَسَامِعَthe ears تِيْهَاًpride
عُزَزٌ تُظْهِرُ المَسَامِعَ تِيْهَاً
حِيْنَwhen يَسْمَعْنَهَاthey hear them عَلَىover الأَحْدَاقِthe eyes
حِيْنَ يَسْمَعْنَهَا عَلَى الأَحْدَاقِ
Precious verses that make the ears boast
Delights that leave hearing bewildered
over the eyes when they hear them.
When they hear them recited.
وَيَحَارُand is bewildered الفَهْمُunderstanding الرَّفِيْقُgentle إِذَاwhen مَاever (emphatic)
وَيَحَارُ الفَهْمُ الرَّفِيْقُ إِذَا مَا
جَالَit roams مِنْهُنَّfrom them فِيin المَعَانِيthe meanings الرِّقَاقِdelicate
جَالَ مِنْهُنَّ فِي المَعَانِي الرِّقَاقِ
And the gentle mind is bewildered whenever
Understanding is baffled by their delicacy
it roams through their delicate meanings.
When it wanders among the subtle meanings.
ثَاوِيَاتٌdwelling مَعِيwith me وَذِكْرِيَand my renown قَدْhas already سَيَّsent forth (verb stem)
ثَاوِيَاتٌ مَعِي وَذِكْرِيَ قَدْ سَيَّ
رَهَاthem (verb completion) فِيin نَوَازحِthe far reaches of الآفَاقِthe horizons
رَهَا فِي نَوَازحِ الآفَاقِ
They dwell with me, though my renown has sent
My boon companions journeying with my remembrance
them out to the far reaches of the horizons.
Which my yearnings have sent roaming the horizons.
وَإِذَاand when مَاever (emphatic) أَلَمَّbefalls خَطْبٌa calamity فَرَأْيِيthen my judgment
وَإِذَا مَا أَلَمَّ خَطْبٌ فَرَأْيِي
مِنْهُregarding it مِثْلُlike الشِّهَابِthe meteor فِيin الإِغْسَاقِgathering darkness
مِنْهُ مِثْلُ الشِّهَابِ فِي الإِغْسَاقِ
And whenever a calamity befalls, my judgment
Whenever cares afflict me my opinion
concerning it is like a meteor in gathering darkness.
Flashes like lightning in the dark.
وَإِذَand when شِئْتُI wish كَانَis قَوْلِيmy speech أَحْلَىsweeter
وَإِذَ شِئْتُ كَانَ قَوْلِي أَحْلَى
مِنْthan حَدِيْثِthe talk of الْقِيَانِsinging girls وَالعُشَّاقِand lovers
مِنْ حَدِيْثِ الْقِيَانِ وَالعُشَّاقِ
And when I wish, my speech is sweeter
And when I wish, my words are sweeter
than the talk of singing girls and lovers.
Than the talk of singers or lovers.
حِلْفُa companion of مَشْمُولَةٍnorth-wind-cooled wine وَزَيْنُand an adornment to غَوَانٍbeautiful women
حِلْفُ مَشْمُولَةٍ وَزَيْنُ غَوَانٍ
أَسَدٌa lion فِيin الحُرُوبِwars غَيْرُnot مُطَاقِto be withstood
أَسَدٌ فِي الحُرُوبِ غَيْرُ مُطَاقِ
A companion of wine cooled by the north wind, an adornment to beauties,
The oath of she who is bedecked and the grace of a coquette,
a lion in wars, impossible to withstand.
A lion in battles who never wavers.
اِصْصِبَاحِيmy morning draught تَنْفِيْذُenforcing أَمْرٍa command وَنَهْيٍand a prohibition
اِصْصِبَاحِي تَنْفِيْذُ أَمْرٍ وَنَهْيٍ
وَمِنَand of الرَّاحِwine بالعَشِيِّin the evening اغْتَبَاقِيmy evening draught
وَمِنَ الرَّاحِ بالعَشِيِّ اغْتَبَاقِي
My morning draught is enforcing commands and prohibitions,
My mornings are spent acting and forbidding
and my evening draught, at dusk, is wine.
And snatching pleasure from the evening breeze.
وَوَقُورُand dignified in النَّدِيِّthe gathering لاَnot أُخْجِلُI embarrass الشَّاthe sing-
وَوَقُورُ النَّدِيِّ لاَ أُخْجِلُ الشَّا
دِيَ-er فِيْهِin it وَلاَand not أَذُمُّI disparage السَّاقِيthe cupbearer
دِيَ فِيْهِ وَلاَ أَذُمُّ السَّاقِي
And dignified in company, I do not embarrass the
Dignified without shaming the cupbearer,
singer there, nor do I disparage the cupbearer.
Or rebuking she who pours the drinks.
أُتْرِعُI fill to the brim الْكَأسَthe cup إِنْif شَرِبْتُI drink وَأَسْقِيْand I serve
أُتْرِعُ الْكَأسَ إِنْ شَرِبْتُ وَأَسْقِيْ
هَاit دِهَاقَاًbrimming صَحْبِيmy companions وَغَيْرَand not دِهَاقِbrimming
هَا دِهَاقَاً صَحْبِي وَغَيْرَ دِهَاقِ
I fill the cup when I drink, and serve
I quaff the wine-cup if I drink, and serve it
it to my companions, brimful or less than full.
Overflowing to my comrades and others too.
وَمُعِدٌّand keeping ready لِلْصَّيْدfor the hunt مُنْتَخَبَاتٍchosen ones
وَمُعِدٌّ لِلْصَّيْد مُنْتَخَبَاتٍ
مِنْfrom أُصُولٍstock كَرِيْمَةِnoble in الأَعْرَاقِancestry
مِنْ أُصُولٍ كَرِيْمَةِ الأَعْرَاقِ
And I keep chosen hounds ready for the hunt,
I ready myself to hunt the choicest
from stock of noble lineage.
Of noble stocks and flawless pedigree.
مُضْمَرَاتٍtrained lean كَأَنَّهَاas though they were الْخَيْلُhorses تُطْوَىare drawn tight
مُضْمَرَاتٍ كَأَنَّهَا الْخَيْلُ تُطْوَى
كُلَّevery يَوْمٍday بُطُونُهَاtheir bellies لِلْسِّبَاقِfor racing
كُلَّ يَوْمٍ بُطُونُهَا لِلْسِّبَاقِ
Lean, as though they were horses, with drawn-in
Beauties concealed as if horses tucked away
bellies each day for racing.
Each day, their bodies readied for the race.
رَائِقَاتِlovely in الشَّبَابِyouth مُكْتَسِيَاتٍclad
رَائِقَاتِ الشَّبَابِ مُكْتَسِيَاتٍ
حُلَلاًrobes مِنْof صَنِيْعَةِthe handiwork of الخَلاَّقِthe Creator
حُلَلاً مِنْ صَنِيْعَةِ الخَلاَّقِ
In lovely youthful bloom, clothed
Gazelles of youth adorned in the dress
in robes of the Creator's handiwork.
Tailored by the Exalted Craftsman.
تَصِفُdepict البِيْضَbright swords وَالْجُفُونَand scabbards إِذَاwhen مَاever (emphatic)
تَصِفُ البِيْضَ وَالْجُفُونَ إِذَا مَا
أَخْرَجَتْthey thrust out أَلْسُنَاًtongues مِنَfrom الأَشْدَاقِthe mouths
أَخْرَجَتْ أَلْسُنَاً مِنَ الأَشْدَاقِ
They evoke bright swords and scabbards whenever
Describing the white and the eyelids when
they thrust tongues out of their mouths.
They unveil tongues from between the lips.
وَكَأَنَّand as though الْمَهَاthe oryx إِذَاwhen مَاever (emphatic) رَأَتْهَاthey see them
وَكَأَنَّ الْمَهَا إِذَا مَا رَأَتْهَا
حَذَرَاًin fear واسْتِكَانَةًand submission فِيin وَثَاقِbonds
حَذَرَاً واسْتِكَانَةً فِي وَثَاقِ
And it is as though the oryx, when they see them,
As if the full moons when they see them
were fettered out of fear and submission.
Recoil in caution and submission.
فَتَرَاهَاthen you see them تَضُمُّclasp مَاwhat حُزْنَthey have captured مِنْهَاof them
فَتَرَاهَا تَضُمُّ مَا حُزْنَ مِنْهَا
ضَمَّةَthe clasp of الإِلْفِa companion إِلْفَهُhis companion لِلْعِنَاقِin embrace
ضَمَّةَ الإِلْفِ إِلْفَهُ لِلْعِنَاقِ
Then you see them clasp those they have captured,
You see her gather what saddens her
as a companion clasps his companion in an embrace.
In an embrace, drawing her beloved close.
وَتَرَانَاand you see us فِيin الجَدْبِdrought نَخْصِبُlive abundantly مِنْهَاthrough them
وَتَرَانَا فِي الجَدْبِ نَخْصِبُ مِنْهَا
بِقِرىًwith guest-fare يَسْتَعِدُّstands ready لِلْطُّرَّاقِfor night visitors
بِقِرىً يَسْتَعِدُّ لِلْطُّرَّاقِ
And in drought you see us thrive through them,
In barrenness we thrive on her
with guest-fare kept ready for visitors by night.
Like a meadow thriving in the first rains.
وانْكِفَائيand my return إِذَاwhen صَدَدْتُI turn away عَنِfrom الصَّيْthe hun-
وانْكِفَائي إِذَا صَدَدْتُ عَنِ الصَّيْ
دِ-t إِلَىto القَاسِنal-Qasin أَوْor إِلَىto بُولاَقِBulaq
دِ إِلَى القَاسِن أَوْ إِلَى بُولاَقِ
And my return, when I turn away from the
My refusal, when I turn from the hunt
hunt, is to al-Qasin or to Bulaq,
To the music, or chess, or backgammon,
مَعْwith نَدَامَىboon companions كَأَنَّهُمْas though they لِلْتَّصَافِيfor mutual affection
مَعْ نَدَامَى كَأَنَّهُمْ لِلْتَّصَافِي
خُلِقُواwere created مِنْfrom تَأَلُّفٍharmony وَاتِّفَاقِand accord
خُلِقُوا مِنْ تَأَلُّفٍ وَاتِّفَاقِ
with boon companions who seem, for mutual affection,
Is with boon friends who seem created
created from harmony and accord.
For harmony and solidarity.
ذَاthis وَعِنْدِيand I have لِذِيfor one with المَوَدَّةِaffection حِفْظٌcare
ذَا وَعِنْدِي لِذِي المَوَدَّةِ حِفْظٌ
وَوَفَاءٌand fidelity بِالْعَهْدِto the promise وَالْمِيْثَاقِand the covenant
وَوَفَاءٌ بِالْعَهْدِ وَالْمِيْثَاقِ
All this—and I care for one who bears affection,
This, along with my keeping true
and keep faith with promises and covenants.
To the loyal, honoring pacts.
أَتَوَخَّىI seek رِضَاهُhis pleasure جُهْدِيwith my utmost effort فَإِمَّاthen if ever
أَتَوَخَّى رِضَاهُ جُهْدِي فَإِمَّا
مَسَّهُtouches him الضُّرُّharm مَسَّهُtouches him إِرْفَاقِيmy aid
مَسَّهُ الضُّرُّ مَسَّهُ إِرْفَاقِي
I seek his pleasure with all my strength; then if
I strive to please them, wherever
harm touches him, my aid touches him too.
Harm has touched them, there touches my care.
تِلْكَthose أَخْلاَقُنَاour traits وَنَحْنُand we أُنَاسٌa people
تِلْكَ أَخْلاَقُنَا وَنَحْنُ أُنَاسٌ
هَمُّنَاour concern فِيin مَكَارِمِnoble qualities of الأَخْلاَقِcharacter
هَمُّنَا فِي مَكَارِمِ الأَخْلاَقِ
Such is our character, and we are a people
Such are our morals, and we are a people
whose concern is nobility of character.
Concerned with the noblest of traits.
Sol 6.1