أَخٌa brother ليof mine كُنْتُI was أُغْبَطْenvied بِاعْتِقَادِهْfor his loyalty
أَخٌ لي كُنْتُ أُغْبَطْ بِاعْتِقَادِهْ
وَلاَand not أَخْشَىI fear التَنَكُّرَestrangement مِنْfrom وِدَادِهْhis affection
وَلاَ أَخْشَى التَنَكُّرَ مِنْ وِدَادِهْ
A brother of mine, for whose loyalty I was envied,
A brother to me, I was envied for believing in him
nor did I fear his affection turning cold.
And I did not fear estrangement from his affection
هِلاَلٌa crescent moon فِيin إِضَاءِتِهِhis radiance حَياًlife-giving rain فيin
هِلاَلٌ فِي إِضَاءِتِهِ حَياً في
سَمَاحَتِهِhis generosity شِهَابٌa shooting star فيin اتِّقَادِهْhis blazing
سَمَاحَتِهِ شِهَابٌ في اتِّقَادِهْ
A crescent moon in his radiance, life-giving rain in
A crescent in its illumination, alive in
his generosity, a shooting star in his blaze.
His generosity, a shooting star in its flaming
أُهَادِيْهِI offer him القَوَافِيَrhymes مُسْرعَاتٍhastening
أُهَادِيْهِ القَوَافِيَ مُسْرعَاتٍ
إِلَيْهِto him فَلَيْتَso I wish أَنّيthat I لَمْhad not أُهَادِهْoffered him gifts
إِلَيْهِ فَلَيْتَ أَنّي لَمْ أُهَادِهْ
I offer him rhymes, hastening
I send him rhyming verses hastily
to him—if only I had never offered him gifts.
To him, if only I did not send to him
وَأَقْبِسُهُand I give him a spark فَيُوْرِيso he strikes fire مِنْfrom زِنَادِيmy fire-sticks
وَأَقْبِسُهُ فَيُوْرِي مِنْ زِنَادِي
وَيَقْبِسُنِيand he gives me a spark فَأُوْرِيso I strike fire مِنْfrom زِنَادِهْhis fire-sticks
وَيَقْبِسُنِي فَأُوْرِي مِنْ زِنَادِهْ
And I give him a spark, and he strikes fire from my fire-sticks;
And I take from his flint
he gives me a spark, and I strike fire from his fire-sticks.
And he takes from my flint
وَأُعْضُدُهُand I support him بَرَأْيٍwith counsel مِنْof سَدَادٍsound judgment
وَأُعْضُدُهُ بَرَأْيٍ مِنْ سَدَادٍ
وَيَعْضُدُنيand he supports me بِرَأْيwith counsel مِنْfrom سَدَادَهْhis sound judgment
وَيَعْضُدُني بِرَأْي مِنْ سَدَادَهْ
And I support him with sound counsel,
I support him with sincere opinion
and he supports me with counsel from his sound judgment.
And he supports me with his sincere opinion
وَأُسْعِدُهُand I assist him فَأَقْبَلُso I accept مَاwhatever دَعَانِيhe calls me
وَأُسْعِدُهُ فَأَقْبَلُ مَا دَعَانِي
إِلَيْهِto it غَيُّهِhis error أَوْor مِنْfrom رَشَادِهْhis right judgment
إِلَيْهِ غَيُّهِ أَوْ مِنْ رَشَادِهْ
And I help him, accepting whatever he calls me
And I make him happy, so I accept what
to, whether in his error or his right judgment.
His confusion or guidance calls me to
وَكَانَand he was وَكُنْتُand I was بِالإِخْلاَصِin sincerity مِنْهُfrom him
وَكَانَ وَكُنْتُ بِالإِخْلاَصِ مِنْهُ
بِحَيْثُwhere يَرَىone sees ابْنَthe son of صَخْرٍSakhr مِنْin relation to زيَادِةZiyad
بِحَيْثُ يَرَى ابْنَ صَخْرٍ مِنْ زيَادِة
And he and I, through his sincerity, stood
And he was and I was sincere to him
as one sees Ibn Sakhr in relation to Ziyad.
Where the son of Sakhir sees excess
صَلَحْتُI was true لَهُto him فَأَدْرَكَهُthen overtook him نُبُوٌّaloofness
صَلَحْتُ لَهُ فَأَدْرَكَهُ نُبُوٌّ
فَأَظْهَرُهُso it exposed it التَّنَافُسُrivalry مِنْfrom فَسَادِهْhis corruption
فَأَظْهَرُهُ التَّنَافُسُ مِنْ فَسَادِهْ
I was true to him, but aloofness overtook him,
I was good to him but prominence reached him
and rivalry exposed it, born of his corruption.
So competition exposes his corruption
وَكَانand was قِيَادُهُhis reins بِيَدِيin my hand ذَلِيْلاًpliant
وَكَان قِيَادُهُ بِيَدِي ذَلِيْلاً
فَصَعَّبَتِso made unruly الحَوَادِثُevents مِنْof قِيَادِهْhis reins
فَصَعَّبَتِ الحَوَادِثُ مِنْ قِيَادِهْ
And his reins were pliant in my hand,
And I weakly led him
then events made his reins unruly.
But events made leading him difficult
فَأَصْبَحَso he became قَدْalready تَبَرَّأَhe dissociated himself مِنْfrom وِدَادِيmy affection
فَأَصْبَحَ قَدْ تَبَرَّأَ مِنْ وِدَادِي
كَمَاjust as بَرِئَbecame parted المُتَيَّمُthe love-enslaved man مِنْfrom فُؤَادِهْhis heart
كَمَا بَرِئَ المُتَيَّمُ مِنْ فُؤَادِهْ
So he came to disown my affection,
So he disavowed his affection for me
as a love-enslaved man is parted from his heart.
As the orphan disavows his innermost feelings
وَعَانَدَنِيand he opposed me وَلَمْand did not أَعْلَمْI know بِأَنَّيthat I
وَعَانَدَنِي وَلَمْ أَعْلَمْ بِأَنَّي
سَأُنْقَلُI shall be moved مِنْfrom هَوَاهُhis love إِلَىto عِنَادِهِhis hostility
سَأُنْقَلُ مِنْ هَوَاهُ إِلَى عِنَادِهِ
And he opposed me; I had not known that I
And he opposed me and I did not know that
would be moved from his love to his hostility.
I would move from his love to his opposition
وَمَالَand he inclined إِلَىtoward البَعَادِseparation وَلَسْتُand I am not أَخْشَىI fear
وَمَالَ إِلَى البَعَادِ وَلَسْتُ أَخْشَى
حِمَامُthe doom of المَوْتِdeath إِلاَّexcept فِيin بِعادِهِseparation from him
حِمَامُ المَوْتِ إِلاَّ فِي بِعادِهِ
And he turned toward separation, and I do not fear
And he inclined away and I do not fear
death's doom except in being parted from him.
The pigeons of death except in his distance
وَكَايّدَنيand he schemed against me وَلَمْand not يُرَقَطُّwas ever seen أَحْلَىsweeter
وَكَايّدَني وَلَمْ يُرَقَطُّ أَحْلَى
مِنَthan المَعْشُوْقِthe beloved لُطْفاًin charm فِيin كِيَادِهْhis scheming
مِنَ المَعْشُوْقِ لُطْفاً فِي كِيَادِهْ
And he schemed against me; none was ever seen sweeter
And he plotted against me, no lover being
than the beloved in the charm of his scheming.
Sweeter in his plot than the beloved
وَمُعْتَدٍّand haughty عَلَيَّtoward me وَلَسْتُand I am not مِمَّنْamong those who
وَمُعْتَدٍّ عَلَيَّ وَلَسْتُ مِمَّنْ
يُكَدِّرُclouds صَفْوَthe purity of وُدٍّaffection بِاعْتِدَادِهْwith his pride
يُكَدِّرُ صَفْوَ وُدٍّ بِاعْتِدَادِهْ
And he is haughty toward me, though I am not one
And he transgresses against me, and I am not one
who clouds pure affection with his pride.
Who disturbs the purity of love with his transgression
مُعَنيٍّintent بِانْتِقَادِon criticizing حُلِيّthe ornaments of شِعْرِيmy poetry
مُعَنيٍّ بِانْتِقَادِ حُلِيّ شِعْرِي
وَفَضْلُand the worth of الْحليjewelry يَظْهَرُappears فِيin انتِقَادِهْits appraisal
وَفَضْلُ الْحلي يَظْهَرُ فِي انتِقَادِهْ
Intent on criticizing the ornaments of my verse,
Concerned with criticizing the adornment of my poetry
yet the worth of jewelry is revealed in its appraisal.
Yet the excellence of adornment appears in its critique
وَلَوْand if حَاوِلْتَyou tried أَنْto تُزْرِيfind fault بِبَدْرِwith a full moon
وَلَوْ حَاوِلْتَ أَنْ تُزْرِي بِبَدْرِ
طَلَبْتَyou would seek لَهُfor it الْمَعَايِبَfaults مِنْfrom سَوَادِهْits darkness
طَلَبْتَ لَهُ الْمَعَايِبَ مِنْ سَوَادِهْ
And if you tried to find fault with a full moon,
And if you tried to find fault in the full moon
you would seek its faults in its dark markings.
You would look for defects in its darkness
وَمَاand not كُلُّevery الكَوَاكِبِthe stars مَسْتَنِيْرٌluminous
وَمَا كُلُّ الكَوَاكِبِ مَسْتَنِيْرٌ
فَيُغِنيso it suffices بِالإِضَاءَةِby illumination فِيin انْفِرَادِهْits solitude
فَيُغِني بِالإِضَاءَةِ فِي انْفِرَادِهْ
And not every star shines
Not all stars shine brightly
brightly enough to suffice on its own.
To illuminate in their isolation
وَقَدْand may يَنْهَلُّpour down بَعْدَafter الطَّلِّlight rain وَبْلٌa downpour
وَقَدْ يَنْهَلُّ بَعْدَ الطَّلِّ وَبْلٌ
وَغَمْرَand the abundance of الْمَاءِwater يَظْهَرُappears فِيin ثِمَادِهْits scant pools
وَغَمْرَ الْمَاءِ يَظْهَرُ فِي ثِمَادِهْ
And a downpour may fall after a light shower,
And clouds may spill after brilliance and rain
and water's abundance appears in its scant pools.
Whose abundance appears in its collection
جَفَاhe grew distant فَأَبَانَso he banished عَنْfrom طَرْفِيmy eye لَذِيْذَsweet الْthe
جَفَا فَأَبَانَ عَنْ طَرْفِي لَذِيْذَ الْ
كَرَىslumber وَأَزَالَand removed خَدِّيmy cheek عَنْfrom وِسَادَهْits pillow
كَرَى وَأَزَالَ خَدِّي عَنْ وِسَادَهْ
He shunned me, banishing from my eyes sweet
He was harsh, revealing my sweet memories
slumber, and drawing my cheek away from its pillow.
And removed my cheek from his pillow
كأنّيas though I قدhad عذلْتُI reproached لهfor him حَبيباًa beloved
كأنّي قد عذلْتُ له حَبيباً
فصارَمَهُso he broke with him وشَرّدَand drove away عنfrom رُقَادِهْhis sleep
فصارَمَهُ وشَرّدَ عن رُقَادِهْ
As though I had reproached a beloved of his,
As if I had burdened a lover for him
who then broke with him and drove him from his rest.
Who then rebelled and wandered from his rest
ولوand even if سَفَكَتْshed يداهُhis two hands دَمَthe blood of ابنthe son of عمِيِّmy paternal uncle
ولو سَفَكَتْ يداهُ دَمَ ابن عمِيِّ
أوor إننيindeed I لمdid not أتِرْهُtake vengeance on him ولمand did not أُعَادِهْbecome his enemy
أو إنني لم أتِرْهُ ولم أُعَادِهْ
And even if his hands shed my cousin's blood,
And if his hands had shed the blood of my cousin
indeed, I would neither avenge it on him nor be his enemy.
Or if I had not left him and restored him
ولوand if قتْليmy death أرادhe desired قتلتُI would kill نَفْسيmyself
ولو قتْلي أراد قتلتُ نَفْسي
لهfor him عمداًdeliberately ليبلُغَso he might attain منof مرادِهْhis desire
له عمداً ليبلُغَ من مرادِهْ
And if he desired my death, I would kill myself
And if he wanted to kill me, I would kill myself
for him, deliberately, so he might attain his desire.
Willingly for him to achieve his purpose
أواصِلُI maintain ties إنْif جَفَاhe shuns وأغُضُّand I turn a blind eye إِمَّاif ever
أواصِلُ إنْ جَفَا وأغُضُّ إِمَّا
هَفَاhe errs وأَلِيْنُand I am gentle فيat وقتِthe time of احْتِدَادِهْhis anger
هَفَا وأَلِيْنُ في وقتِ احْتِدَادِهْ
I maintain our bond if he shuns me, and turn a blind eye if
I remain gentle when he is harsh
he errs, and grow gentle when his anger flares.
And soften at the time of his anger
وكُنْتُand I was عليهon him مُعْتَمِداًrelying فلمّاthen when
وكُنْتُ عليه مُعْتَمِداً فلمّا
تغيّرhe changed ليtoward me أقمتُI persisted علىin اعتِمَادِهْreliance on him
تغيّر لي أقمتُ على اعتِمَادِهْ
And I relied upon him; then, when
And I relied on him but when
he changed toward me, I persisted in relying on him.
He changed for me I relied on his change
وتُبْتُand I repented إِلَيْهِto him منof ذنبٍa sin
وتُبْتُ إِلَيْهِ من ذنبٍ
جناهُhe committed it ولمand did not أفقِدْهُdeprive him of شَخْصِيmy presence بافتقادِهْby seeking him out
جناهُ ولم أفقِدْهُ شَخْصِي بافتقادِهْ
And I repented to him for a sin
And I repented to him from a mistake
he committed; by seeking him out, I never denied him my presence.
He blamed me for but did not lose him by his blame
أباO father of بكرٍBakr بمجدِكَby your glory حينwhen تسموyou rise
أبا بكرٍ بمجدِكَ حين تسمو
بطارفِهِwith its new-won honors وتضحَكُand you smile عنrevealing تِلادِهْits ancestral honors
بطارفِهِ وتضحَكُ عن تِلادِهْ
O Abu Bakr, by your glory, when you rise
Abu Bakr, with your glory when you transcend
through its new-won honors and smile to reveal its ancestral ones,
Jesting, and smile about your burdens
ونظمُكَand your stringing دُرَّpearls of لَفْظٍlanguage فيin قريضٍverse
ونظمُكَ دُرَّ لَفْظٍ في قريضٍ
كَنَظْمِlike the stringing of العَقْدِa necklace يُزْهَىtakes pride بانعِقَادِهْin its stringing
كَنَظْمِ العَقْدِ يُزْهَى بانعِقَادِهْ
and your stringing pearls of language into verse,
And your rhymed prose is a string of words
like threading a necklace that takes pride in its stringing:
Like a necklace adorned by its threading
أَقِلْنيpardon me إنif عَثَرْتُI stumbled وخُذْand take hold بِكَفّيof my hand
أَقِلْني إن عَثَرْتُ وخُذْ بِكَفّي
أخيْكَyour brother وفُكَّand free طَرْفيmy eye منfrom سهادِهْits sleeplessness
أخيْكَ وفُكَّ طَرْفي من سهادِهْ
pardon me if I have stumbled, and grasp my hand—
Carry me if I stumble, and take my hand
your brother's—and free my eyes from their sleeplessness.
My brother, and release my gaze from its slumber
فَمَاfor not كتَبَتْwrote يديmy hand الأبياتَthe verses حتىuntil
فَمَا كتَبَتْ يدي الأبياتَ حتى
جرىran قلميmy pen بدمْعيwith my tears فيin مدادِهْits ink
جرى قلمي بدمْعي في مدادِهْ
For my hand did not write these verses until
No sooner had I written the verses
my pen ran with my tears mingled in its ink.
Than my pen flowed with my tears as its ink
وإنand if أَكُI am مُذْنِباًat fault وَعَفوْتَand you pardon عنَّيme
وإن أَكُ مُذْنِباً وَعَفوْتَ عنَّي
فإنthen indeed اللَّهَGod يعفوgrants pardon عنto عبادِهْHis servants
فإن اللَّهَ يعفو عن عبادِهْ
And if I am at fault, and you pardon me,
If I am guilty and you pardon me
then indeed God pardons His servants.
Then God pardons His servants
Sol 6.1