أَحْبَابُنَاour loved ones بِقُلُوبِنَاwith our hearts شَطُّواdealt harshly
أَحْبَابُنَا بِقُلُوبِنَا شَطُّوا
وَتَحَكَّمُواand they ruled فِيْهِنَّover them واشْتَطُّواand went to excess
وَتَحَكَّمُوا فِيْهِنَّ واشْتَطُّوا
Our loved ones have gone far away, taking our hearts.
Our loved ones have dealt harshly with our hearts,
They mastered those hearts and tyrannized them.
and ruled over them, going to extremes.
أَمَّاas for تَرَحُّلُهُمْtheir departure فَأَقْتَلُهُso I comprehend it fully
أَمَّا تَرَحُّلُهُمْ فَأَقْتَلُهُ
خَبَراًin knowledge فَأَيْنَso where تَرَاهُمُdo you suppose they شَطُّواwent far away
خَبَراً فَأَيْنَ تَرَاهُمُ شَطُّوا
As for their departure—how deadly
As for their departure, I know it
the news! Where do you think they journeyed so far?
thoroughly; where do you suppose they have wandered off?
سارُواthey set out وَلَمْand not أُوذَنْwas I informed بِسَيْرِهِمُof their departure
سارُوا وَلَمْ أُوذَنْ بِسَيْرِهِمُ
حَتَّىuntil رَأَيْتُI saw جَمَالَهُمْtheir camels تَمْطُواstriding on
حَتَّى رَأَيْتُ جَمَالَهُمْ تَمْطُوا
They set out, and I was not told of their going
They set out, and I was not told of their departure,
until I saw their camels stretch into stride.
until I saw their camels striding on.
وَغَدَتْand they went forth بِهِمْwith them تَخْطُواstepping along وَأَحْسَبُهَاand I imagine them
وَغَدَتْ بِهِمْ تَخْطُوا وَأَحْسَبُهَا
أَسَفَاًin grief عَلَىupon أَكْبَادِنَاour livers تَخْطُواstepping
أَسَفَاً عَلَى أَكْبَادِنَا تَخْطُوا
The caravan went bearing them, stepping onward, and I think
They went forth with them, stepping along; I imagine them
to our bitter grief it strides across our very hearts.
treading, to my sorrow, upon our livers.
كَمْhow many فِيin هَوَادِجِهِنَّtheir howdahs مِنْof قَمَرٍa moon
كَمْ فِي هَوَادِجِهِنَّ مِنْ قَمَرٍ
يَعْدُوassails عَلَىupon الأَلْبَابِthe minds أَوor يَسْطُوoverpowers
يَعْدُو عَلَى الأَلْبَابِ أَو يَسْطُو
How many a moon is hidden in those camel litters,
How many a moon within their howdahs
raiding minds or ruling them by force!
assails the minds or takes them by force!
ومُقْبِّلٍand a mouth for kissing تَبْدُوappear مَضَاحِكُهُits smiling teeth
ومُقْبِّلٍ تَبْدُو مَضَاحِكُهُ
فَكَأَنَّمَاso it is as though يَبْدُوappears بِهَاamong them سِمْطُa string of pearls
فَكَأَنَّمَا يَبْدُو بِهَا سِمْطُ
And many a kissed one whose smiling teeth appear
And a mouth for kissing, whose smiling teeth appear,
as though a string of pearls were shining there;
as though a string of pearls were showing among them.
وَمُرَجَّلٍand combed hair بِالمِسْكِwith musk يَعْبَقُexudes fragrance مِنْfrom
وَمُرَجَّلٍ بِالمِسْكِ يَعْبَقُ مِنْ
رَيَّاهُits sweet scent حِيْنَwhen يَمَسُّهُtouches it المُشْطُthe comb
رَيَّاهُ حِيْنَ يَمَسُّهُ المُشْطُ
and many a musk-perfumed, combed head, from whose
And hair combed with musk, giving off
fragrance the comb is scented when it touches;
its sweet fragrance when the comb touches it.
وَمُثَقَّلِand one heavy of الأَرْدَافِhaunches يَشْخَصُstands out عَنْfrom
وَمُثَقَّلِ الأَرْدَافِ يَشْخَصُ عَنْ
أَرْدَافِهِhis haunches وَنُهُودِهِand his breasts المِرْطُthe mantle
أَرْدَافِهِ وَنُهُودِهِ المِرْطُ
and one heavy in the haunches, whose cloak stands out
And one with ample haunches, from whose
from haunches and breasts.
haunches and breasts the mantle stands out.
وَتَضَمَّنَتْand enclosed أَسْتَارُهَاtheir curtains لُعَبَاًdolls
وَتَضَمَّنَتْ أَسْتَارُهَا لُعَبَاً
بِيْضَاًwhite زُهَاءَsplendor الحَلْقِthe throat لاَnot الخَرْطُlathe-turning
بِيْضَاً زُهَاءَ الحَلْقِ لاَ الخَرْطُ
The curtains enclose fair playthings,
And their curtains enclosed dolls,
white and graceful-necked—no work of a lathe.
white, with radiant throats, not lathe-carved.
فِيْهِنَّamong them آنِسَةٌa maiden كَلِفْتُI became enamored بِهَاof her
فِيْهِنَّ آنِسَةٌ كَلِفْتُ بِهَا
كَالظَّبْيَةِlike a gazelle الأَدْمَاءِpale-coated إِذْas تَعْطُوit reaches upward
كَالظَّبْيَةِ الأَدْمَاءِ إِذْ تَعْطُو
Among them is a companionable maiden I adore,
Among them is a maiden I am enamored of,
like a tawny gazelle when she reaches upward.
like a pale gazelle as it reaches upward.
تَلْوِيshe curls أَنَامِلَهَاher fingers عَلَىover هَزِجٍa melodious instrument
تَلْوِي أَنَامِلَهَا عَلَى هَزِجٍ
تَحْتَثُّهُurge it on أَطْرَافُهَاher fingertips السِّبْطُsupple
تَحْتَثُّهُ أَطْرَافُهَا السِّبْطُ
She curls her fingers to a lilting song
She curls her fingers over a melodious instrument,
that her smooth fingertips urge onward.
which her supple fingertips urge on.
فَتَظَلُّso she continues مِنْهاfrom her بِاليَسَارِwith the left hand لَهُfor it
فَتَظَلُّ مِنْها بِاليَسَارِ لَهُ
قَبْضٌa grip وَبِالْيمُنَىand with the right hand لَهُfor it بَسْطُa spreading
قَبْضٌ وَبِالْيمُنَى لَهُ بَسْطُ
Thus for it her left hand keeps
Thus her left hand keeps a grip on it,
a grip, while her right hand opens wide.
while her right hand opens out over it.
ضِدَّانِtwo opposites مُنْتَثَرٌscattered ومُلْتَقَطٌand gathered
ضِدَّانِ مُنْتَثَرٌ ومُلْتَقَطٌ
والنَّثْرُand the scattering يَجْمَعُreunites شَمْلَهُits scattered parts اللَّقْطُthe gathering
والنَّثْرُ يَجْمَعُ شَمْلَهُ اللَّقْطُ
Two opposites—scattered and gathered—
Two opposites: scattered and gathered;
and gathering reunites what scattering dispersed.
and gathering reunites what is scattered.
كَانَcame المَشِيْبُgray hair وَهُمْwhile they عَلَىupon عِدَةٍa promise
كَانَ المَشِيْبُ وَهُمْ عَلَى عِدَةٍ
فَتَرَحلُّواthen they departed وَتَنَزَّلَand descended الوَخْطُflecks of gray hair
فَتَرَحلُّوا وَتَنَزَّلَ الوَخْطُ
Gray hair had only been expected while they remained;
Gray hair came while they still held out a promise;
when they departed, streaks of white descended.
then they departed, and flecks of gray descended.
أَخَذُواthey took العَزَاءَsolace وَزَوَّدُوكَand provisioned you أَسًىgrief
أَخَذُوا العَزَاءَ وَزَوَّدُوكَ أَسًى
شَتَّانَhow far apart مَاwhat أَخَذُواthey took وَمَاand what أعْطُواthey gave
شَتَّانَ مَا أَخَذُوا وَمَا أعْطُوا
They took solace away and provisioned you with sorrow:
They took solace and provisioned you with grief;
how far apart are what they took and what they gave!
how far apart are what they took and what they gave!
ومُذَكَّرَاتِand masculine-styled women الزِّيِّin dress هُنَّthey لَنَاfor us
ومُذَكَّرَاتِ الزِّيِّ هُنَّ لَنَا
فِيin المَعْنَيَيْنِthe two senses كِلَيْهِمَاboth of them شَرْطُa requirement
فِي المَعْنَيَيْنِ كِلَيْهِمَا شَرْطُ
And these male-garbed women are ours—
And women in masculine dress are for us
in both senses, each condition is fulfilled.
a requirement in both senses alike.
فَسَقَىso may it water دِيَارَهُمُtheir dwellings مُجَلَّلَةَshrouded الأَthe tea- (word fragment)
فَسَقَى دِيَارَهُمُ مُجَلَّلَةَ الأَ
خْلاَفِ-ts (word fragment) لَيْسَthere is no لِحَلِّهَاfor its release رَبْطُbinding
خْلاَفِ لَيْسَ لِحَلِّهَا رَبْطُ
May a full-uddered rain-cloud water their dwellings—
So may a cloud water their dwellings, with shrouded
one whose tether needs no loosening.
teats whose release no binding restrains.
لِيI have مِنْin أَبِيAbu (father of) بَكْرٍBakr أَخْوa brother ثِقَةٍtrustworthiness
لِي مِنْ أَبِي بَكْرٍ أَخْو ثِقَةٍ
لَمْnot أَسْتَرِبْI have doubted بِإِخَائِهِin his brotherhood قَطُّever
لَمْ أَسْتَرِبْ بِإِخَائِهِ قَطُّ
In Abu Bakr I have a brother worthy of trust;
In Abu Bakr I have a brother worthy of trust;
I have never doubted his brotherhood.
I have never doubted his brotherhood.
مَاnot حَالَhas he changed فِيin قُرْبٍnearness وَلاَnor بُعْدٍdistance
مَا حَالَ فِي قُرْبٍ وَلاَ بُعْدٍ
سِيَّانِequal مِنْهُwith him القُرْبُnearness والشَّحْطُand remoteness
سِيَّانِ مِنْهُ القُرْبُ والشَّحْطُ
Neither nearness nor distance has changed him:
He has not changed, whether near or far;
nearness and remoteness are all the same to him.
nearness and remoteness are alike with him.
جِسْمَانِtwo bodies والرُّوَحانِand the two souls وَاحِدَةٌone
جِسْمَانِ والرُّوَحانِ وَاحِدَةٌ
كالنُّقْطَتَيْنِlike two points حَوَاهُمَاcontained them both خَطُّa line
كالنُّقْطَتَيْنِ حَوَاهُمَا خَطُّ
Two bodies, but the two spirits are one,
Two bodies, yet their two souls are one,
like two points contained within a single line.
like two points contained by a line.
فَإِذَاso if افْتَقَرْتُI become poor فَلِيthen I have بِهِthrough him جِدَةٌwealth
فَإِذَا افْتَقَرْتُ فَلِي بِهِ جِدَةٌ
وَإِذَاand if اغْتَرَبْتُI live far from home فَلِيthen I have بِهِthrough him رَهْطُa clan
وَإِذَا اغْتَرَبْتُ فَلِي بِهِ رَهْطُ
If I grow poor, through him I possess wealth;
So if I become poor, through him I have wealth;
if I become a stranger, through him I have a clan.
and if I go abroad, through him I have a clan.
ذَاكِرْهُconverse with him أَوْor جَاوِرْهُbe his neighbor مُخْتَبِرَاًto test him
ذَاكِرْهُ أَوْ جَاوِرْهُ مُخْتَبِرَاً
تَرَyou will find مِنْهُin him بَحْرَاًa sea مَاnot لَهُit has شَطُّa shore
تَرَ مِنْهُ بَحْرَاً مَا لَهُ شَطُّ
Converse with him, or live beside him, testing him:
Converse with him or be his neighbor, to test him:
you will find in him a sea without a shore.
you will find in him a sea without a shore.
كَمْhow many نِعْمَةٍa favor مِنْهُfrom him حَلِيْتُI was adorned بِهَاwith it
كَمْ نِعْمَةٍ مِنْهُ حَلِيْتُ بِهَا
لاnot الشَّنْفُan upper-ear jewel يَبْلُغُهَاmatches it وَلاَnor القُرْطُan earlobe jewel
لا الشَّنْفُ يَبْلُغُهَا وَلاَ القُرْطُ
How many blessings of his have adorned me—
How many a favor from him has adorned me,
beyond anything pendant or earring could attain.
which neither upper-ear nor earlobe jewels can match!
وَيَدٍand a hand لَهُof his بَيْضَاءَwhite ضَاحِيَةٍradiant
وَيَدٍ لَهُ بَيْضَاءَ ضَاحِيَةٍ
مِثْلlike المُلاَءَةِa sheet حَاكَهَاwove it القِبْطُthe Copts
مِثْل المُلاَءَةِ حَاكَهَا القِبْطُ
And many a manifest, white hand of favor,
And many a white, radiant hand of his,
like a white mantle woven by the Copts.
like a sheet woven by the Copts.
مُتَذَلِّلٌhumble سَهْلٌgentle لِخِلِّto the intimate of صَدِيْقِهِhis friend
مُتَذَلِّلٌ سَهْلٌ لِخِلِّ صَدِيْقِهِ
وَعَلَىand toward عَدُوِّthe enemy of صَدِيْقِهِhis friend سَلْطُfierce
وَعَلَى عَدُوِّ صَدِيْقِهِ سَلْطُ
Humble and easy with his intimate friend,
Humble and gentle toward his friend's friend,
but fierce against his friend’s enemy.
and fierce toward his friend's enemy.
مِدَحٌpraise poems يُفِيْدُhe confers بِهِنَّthrough them مَنْقَبَةًa distinction
مِدَحٌ يُفِيْدُ بِهِنَّ مَنْقَبَةً
فَإِذَاso when هَجَاhe satirizes فَهِجَاؤُهُthen his satire عَلْطُbranding
فَإِذَا هَجَا فَهِجَاؤُهُ عَلْطُ
Praises of his confer distinction;
Praise poems through which he confers distinction;
when he satirizes, his satire is raw and harsh.
but when he satirizes, his satire is a brand.
وَنِتَاجُand the offspring of مَعْنَاهُhis thought يُتَمِّمُهُhe completes it
وَنِتَاجُ مَعْنَاهُ يُتَمِّمُهُ
وَنِتَاجُand the offspring of مَعْنَىthe thought of غَيْرَهُsomeone other than him سِقْطُa miscarriage
وَنِتَاجُ مَعْنَى غَيْرَهُ سِقْطُ
The offspring of his own thought he brings to completion;
And he brings the offspring of his thought to term,
the offspring of another’s thought is stillborn.
while the offspring of another's thought is a miscarriage.
وَجِنَانُand gardens of آدَابٍlearning مُثَمَّرَةٌfruit-bearing
وَجِنَانُ آدَابٍ مُثَمَّرَةٌ
مَاnot شَانَهَاhas marred them أَثْلٌtamarisk وَلاَnor خَمْطُbitter-fruited trees
مَا شَانَهَا أَثْلٌ وَلاَ خَمْطُ
A garden of fruitful accomplishments,
And fruit-bearing gardens of learning,
marred by neither tamarisk nor bitter fruit.
unmarred by tamarisk or bitter-fruited trees.
وَتَواضُعٌand humility يَزْدَادُhe increases فِيهِthrough it عُلاًin eminence
وَتَواضُعٌ يَزْدَادُ فِيهِ عُلاً
والحُرُّand the noble man يَعْلُوrises حِيْنَwhen يَنْحَطُّlowers himself
والحُرُّ يَعْلُو حِيْنَ يَنْحَطُّ
And a humility through which he rises higher:
And humility through which his stature grows;
the freeborn noble rises when he stoops.
the noble man rises when he lowers himself.
وَإِذَاand if امْرُؤٌa man شِيْبَتْwere mixed خَلاَئِقُهُhis traits
وَإِذَا امْرُؤٌ شِيْبَتْ خَلاَئِقُهُ
غَدْراًwith treachery فَمَاthen there is no فِيin وُدِّهِhis affection خَلْطُadmixture
غَدْراً فَمَا فِي وُدِّهِ خَلْطُ
But if a man’s character is mixed with treachery,
And if a man's character is mingled
there can be no mingling with him in affection.
with treachery, there is no taint in this friend's affection.
Sol 6.1