أذابتmelted قلبَهُhis heart الزّفْرَهthe sigh
أذابت قلبَهُ الزّفْرَه
وأدْمَتْand bloodied خَدَّهُhis cheek العِبْرَهْthe tear
وأدْمَتْ خَدَّهُ العِبْرَهْ
The sigh melted his heart,
Her sigh melted his heart,
and the tear bloodied his cheek.
And her tears reddened his cheek.
وهلْand can يطمعُhope فيfor الصّبْرِpatience
وهلْ يطمعُ في الصّبْرِ
عميدٌa lovesick man باعَهُbetrayed him صَبْرَهْhis patience
عميدٌ باعَهُ صَبْرَهْ
Can he hope for patience,
How can one whose patience sold out hope for patience?
a lovesick man whose patience betrayed him?
He has a Hejazi passion,
لهhe has شوقٌa yearning حجازيٌّHijazi
له شوقٌ حجازيٌّ
وقلبٌand a heart مِنْfrom بَنيthe sons of عَذْرَهْʿUdhra
وقلبٌ مِنْ بَني عَذْرَهْ
His yearning is Hijazi,
And a heart from the people of Adhra.
and his heart is of the Banu ʿUdhra.
A soul that sorrow of love pushed,
ونَفْسٌand a soul دَفَعَتْهَاdrove it غمsurge (first part)
ونَفْسٌ دَفَعَتْهَا غم
رةُsurge (completion) الحُبّof love إلىinto غَمْرِهْits depths
رةُ الحُبّ إلى غَمْرِهْ
And a soul driven by the surge
To its bitter end.
of love into its depths,
With she-camels that fled away from him,
بِجُمْلٍfor Juml نَفَّرَتْrepelled عنهُfrom him
بِجُمْلٍ نَفَّرَتْ عنهُ
إلىuntil أنthat سَكَنَتْsubsided نَفْرَهْaversion
إلى أن سَكَنَتْ نَفْرَهْ
for Juml, who recoiled from him,
Until their fleeing ceased.
until her aversion subsided.
And a gazelle who visited me one day,
وظبيٍand a gazelle زارَنيvisited me يوماًone day
وظبيٍ زارَني يوماً
وكانتand it was بَيْضَةَthe egg العُقْرَهْof the barren hen
وكانت بَيْضَةَ العُقْرَهْ
And a gazelle visited me one day—
As white as an ostrich egg.
that visit was a barren hen's egg.
Every day to his estrangement,
لهhe has فيin كلِّevery أيامٍdays
له في كلِّ أيامٍ
إلىinto هِجْرانِهِhis estrangement هِجْرَهْa departure
إلى هِجْرانِهِ هِجْرَهْ
Every few days, he has
He has an estrangement.
a departure into estrangement.
If she shows loyalty in love,
إذاif أَظْهَرَتْshe showed فيin الحُبِّlove
إذا أَظْهَرَتْ في الحُبِّ
وفاءًfaithfulness أظْهَرَhe showed الغَدْرَهْbetrayal
وفاءً أظْهَرَ الغَدْرَهْ
If she showed, in love,
She shows betrayal.
faithfulness, he showed betrayal.
O brother, the turns of time
أَخيmy brother إنّindeed صُرُوفَthe vicissitudes الدهtime (first part)
أَخي إنّ صُرُوفَ الده
رِtime (completion) فيin تَصْريفِهِاtheir unfolding عِبْرَهْa lesson
رِ في تَصْريفِهِا عِبْرَهْ
My brother, the vicissitudes of time
In its turns are lessons learned.
hold a lesson in their unfolding.
Worries whitened my hair,
خطوبٌcalamities شيَّبَتْturned gray رأْسيmy head
خطوبٌ شيَّبَتْ رأْسي
وماand not إنْat all شِبْتُI grew gray مِنْfrom كَبْرَهْold age
وما إنْ شِبْتُ مِنْ كَبْرَهْ
Calamities have turned my head gray,
And not from old age.
and I did not grow gray from old age.
Even though I’m the prophet of poetry
علىthough أنِّيthat I am نبيّthe prophet الشعpoetry (first part)
على أنِّي نبيّ الشع
رِpoetry (completion) قدindeed جئتُI have come علىafter فتْرَهْan interval
رِ قد جئتُ على فتْرَهْ
Yet I am the prophet of poetry,
I came in an era of loss.
come after an interval.
If my enviers were fair
فلوfor if أنْصَفَwere fair حُسّاديmy enviers
فلو أنْصَفَ حُسّادي
رَأَوْنيthey would see me فوقهُمْabove them قَطْرَهْa drop
رَأَوْني فوقهُمْ قَطْرَهْ
For if my enviers were fair,
They’d see me above them a drop.
they would see me a drop above them.
They envied my poetry
بَغَوْاthey sought شأْوِيmy reach فيin الشِّعْرِpoetry
بَغَوْا شأْوِي في الشِّعْرِ
فماbut not إنat all قَطَعُواthey traversed شَعْرَهْa hair
فما إن قَطَعُوا شَعْرَهْ
They sought my reach in poetry,
But they couldn’t cut a hair off it.
but covered not a hair's breadth.
How much flowing water
إلىuntil كمhow long فيwithin me ماءٌwater
إلى كم في ماءٌ
منof الأَحْزَانِsorrows بَلْrather جَمْرَهْan ember
من الأَحْزَانِ بَلْ جَمْرَهْ
How long will there be water within me,
Of sorrows, nay embers!
of sorrows—no, an ember?
And the grateful must have
ولابُدَّand there must be علىaccording to ماwhat قِيْwas said (first part)
ولابُدَّ على ما قِيْ
لَwas said (completion) للشّاكِرِfor the grateful one منof فَتْرَهْa pause
لَ للشّاكِرِ من فَتْرَهْ
And, as has been said, there must
Times of lull inevitably.
be a pause for the grateful.
And how many empty valleys
وكمand many a دَوِيَّةٍwilderness قَفْرٍbarren
وكم دَوِيَّةٍ قَفْرٍ
جَعَلْنَاwe made جِسْرَهَاits bridge حَسْرَهْanguish
جَعَلْنَا جِسْرَهَا حَسْرَهْ
And many a barren wilderness
We made their desolation regrettable!
we bridged with anguish,
I praise the eminent, of mention, resolve, and capability.
إلىtoward أصيدَa proud lord عَاليlofty الذكْrenown (first part)
إلى أصيدَ عَالي الذكْ
رِrenown (completion) والهِمَّةِand ambition والقدرهand power
رِ والهِمَّةِ والقدره
toward a proud lord, lofty in renown,
Bright of face, deeds,
in ambition and in power;
Temperament, and thoughts.
مضيءradiant الوجهthe face والأفعالand deeds
مضيء الوجه والأفعال
والشيمةand character والفِكْرَهْand thought
والشيمة والفِكْرَهْ
radiant in face and deeds,
Of honorable lineage, free of dishonor.
in character and thought;
Wise of opinion, free of his lapse.
مُعَرّىstripped bare العِرْضِhonor منof عارٍdisgrace
مُعَرّى العِرْضِ من عارٍ
أمينُsecure الرأْيjudgment منfrom عثْرِهْa stumble
أمينُ الرأْي من عثْرِهْ
his honor stripped of disgrace,
A piercing comet of light.
his judgment safe from stumbling;
A cutting sword of sharp blade.
شهابٌa shooting star ثاقِبٌpiercing النُّورِthe light
شهابٌ ثاقِبٌ النُّورِ
حُسَامٌa keen sword قاطعُcutting الشَّفْرَهْthe edge
حُسَامٌ قاطعُ الشَّفْرَهْ
a shooting star of piercing light,
Upon him instead of the sword of defamation,
a keen sword with a cutting edge.
Are the beads of his good deeds.
عَلَيْهِupon him دُونَagainst سيفِthe sword الذّمَcensure (first part)
عَلَيْهِ دُونَ سيفِ الذّمَ
مِcensure (completion) منfrom مَعْرُوفِهِhis kindness نَثْرَهْa coat of mail
مِ من مَعْرُوفِهِ نَثْرَهْ
Upon him, against the sword of censure,
He disgraced money for greed
is a coat of mail made of his kindness.
In poverty and in wealth.
أهانَhe held cheap المالِwealth للآمَاfor hopes (first part)
أهانَ المالِ للآمَا
لِhopes (completion) فيin القلّةِscarcity والكِثْرهْand abundance
لِ في القلّةِ والكِثْرهْ
He holds wealth cheap to fulfill hopes,
Sincere, no hypocrite to envy him
in scarcity and abundance.
And cause him regret.
خلالٌvirtues ماnever خلتwere devoid منof حاenvier (first part)
خلالٌ ما خلت من حا
سِدٍenvier (completion) تُورثُهُbequeath him حِسْرهْanguish
سِدٍ تُورثُهُ حِسْرهْ
Virtues never lacking an envier,
May God vex whoever dislikes
to whom they bequeath anguish.
What I say out of their own dislike.
أغصّmay choke اللهGod منwhoever يكرِhates (first part)
أغصّ الله من يكرِ
هُhates (completion) ماwhat قُلْتُI said بماwith what يَكْرَهْhe hates
هُ ما قُلْتُ بما يَكْرَهْ
May God choke whoever hates
O most moist-eyed young man, palm-shaded!
what I said, with what he hates.
O greatest in captivity taken prisoner!
أياO أنْدَىmost generous فَتىًa youth كَفًّاin hand
أيا أنْدَى فَتىً كَفًّا
وأسرىand noblest سَيِّداًa lord أُسْرَهْin family
وأسرى سَيِّداً أُسْرَهْ
O youth with the most generous hand,
O you who hands over generosity without resistance to command!
and lord of the noblest family!
You adhered to the truth.
وياand O منyou who سَلَّمَsaluted الجودُgenerosity
ويا من سَلَّمَ الجودُ
عَلَىupon عَلْيَاهُhis eminence بالإِمْرَهْwith the title of prince
عَلَى عَلْيَاهُ بالإِمْرَهْ
And O you whom generosity saluted
And broke fast in the nights of Ramadan.
in your lofty station as prince!
Earning with God’s help the reward of Hajj and Umrah.
لقدindeed صُمْتَyou fasted علىin accordance with الحقِّtruth
لقد صُمْتَ على الحقِّ
وَأَفْطَرْتَand you broke your fast علىin accordance with الفِطْرَهْnatural disposition
وَأَفْطَرْتَ على الفِطْرَهْ
You have indeed fasted rightly,
So Eid brought joy
and broken your fast in accord with innate faith;
To your heart that pleased it.
وأحرَزْتَand you secured بِعُوْنِwith the help of اللَّGod (first part)
وأحرَزْتَ بِعُوْنِ اللَّ
هِGod (completion) أَجْرِthe reward الحَجِّof Hajj والعُمْرَهْand ʿUmrah
هِ أَجْرِ الحَجِّ والعُمْرَهْ
and secured, with God's help,
Now.. O rain of dew
the reward of Hajj and ʿUmrah.
Whose rain is ink!
فَأَهْدَىso brought العِيْدُthe festival بالسَّعْدِwith good fortune
فَأَهْدَى العِيْدُ بالسَّعْدِ
إلىto قَلْبِكَyour heart ماwhat سَرَّهْgladdened it
إلى قَلْبِكَ ما سَرَّهْ
So the festival brought, with good fortune,
I have a token like a full moon
to your heart what gladdened it.
I have framed like a full moon.
فأماand as for بَعْدُwhat follows ياO غَيْثُrain
فأما بَعْدُ يا غَيْثُ
نَدىًgenerosity مَطْرَتُهُits shower الحِبْرَهْdelight
نَدىً مَطْرَتُهُ الحِبْرَهْ
Now then, O rain
And I rushed the dowry
of bounty, whose shower is delight:
So the bride price would not scare off.
فعنديfor I have قينةٌa singing girl كالبدْlike the full moon (first part)
فعندي قينةٌ كالبدْ
رِfull moon (completion) قدindeed جَدَّرْتُهَاI pockmarked her (unclear usage) بَدْرَهْa purse of money
رِ قد جَدَّرْتُهَا بَدْرَهْ
for I have a singing girl like the full moon;
And we said on the morning of Eid
indeed, I have pockmarked her with a purse of money [unclear wording].
“Come to us tomorrow morning.”
وعَجَّلْتُand I paid promptly لَهَاfor her المَهْرَthe dowry
وعَجَّلْتُ لَهَا المَهْرَ
لِئَلاّlest تَنْفِرَshy away المُهْرَهْthe filly
لِئَلاّ تَنْفِرَ المُهْرَهْ
And I paid her dowry promptly,
The tradition must be fulfilled,
lest the filly shy away.
To its greatest lessons learned.
وقُلْناand we said فيon غداةِthe morning العيthe festival (first part)
وقُلْنا في غداةِ العي
دِthe festival (completion) كُونيbe عِنْدَناwith us بُكْرَهْearly in the morning
دِ كُوني عِنْدَنا بُكْرَهْ
And on the festival morning we said,
And nothing dispels anxiety
'Be with us early.'
Like wine.
ولابُدّand there must be مِنَfrom الرَّسْمِthe customary gift
ولابُدّ مِنَ الرَّسْمِ
إلىto أوْفَرِهِits fullest measure عِبْرَهْa crossing
إلى أوْفَرِهِ عِبْرَهْ
And from the customary gift there must be
In your house goodness remains,
a crossing to its fullest measure.
Sheltered from harms.
ولايَدْفَعُand does not dispel ماwhat خامَhas pervaded (first part)
ولايَدْفَعُ ما خامَ
رَhas pervaded (completion) منof هَمٍّgrief سِوَىexcept الخَمْرَهْwine
رَ من هَمٍّ سِوَى الخَمْرَهْ
And nothing dispels the pervading
A beauty whose light is light
grief but wine.
Reddish and yellowish.
وفيand in دارِكَyour house لاnot زالَتْmay it cease
وفي دارِكَ لا زالَتْ
عنfrom الأسواءِmisfortunes فيin سُتْرَهْshelter
عن الأسواءِ في سُتْرَهْ
And in your house—may it never cease
When the crescent circles her
to be sheltered from misfortunes—
Lord of the cheeks and braids.
مُدَامٌwine نُورُهاits light نُورَاtwo lights (first part)
مُدَامٌ نُورُها نُورَا
نِtwo lights (completion) بالحُمْرةِin redness والصُّفْرَهْand yellowness
نِ بالحُمْرةِ والصُّفْرَهْ
is wine whose radiance is two lights,
You’d think the moon circled
red and yellow.
The stars in blossoms.
إذَاwhen طافَcarried round بهاwith it الشّادِyoung gazelle (first part)
إذَا طافَ بها الشّادِ
نُyoung gazelle (completion) ذوpossessing الأصداغِsidelocks والطُّرَّهْand the forelock
نُ ذو الأصداغِ والطُّرَّهْ
When the young gazelle carries it round,
No, by God, O Ahmed
he of the sidelocks and forelock,
You won’t buy me with nonsense!
حَسِبْتَyou would think البدْرَthe full moon قدindeed طافَcircled
حَسِبْتَ البدْرَ قد طافَ
علىamong الأنْجُمِthe stars بالزُّهْرَهْwith Venus
على الأنْجُمِ بالزُّهْرَهْ
you would think the full moon had circled
Can one quench a thirsty man
among the stars with Venus.
With a month’s worth of drink?
وَلاَand no واللَّهِby God ياO أَحْمَAhmad (first part)
وَلاَ واللَّهِ يا أَحْمَ
دُAhmad (completion) ماnot تَبْتَعُنيbuys me (unclear form) حَرّهْa free woman
دُ ما تَبْتَعُني حَرّهْ
No, by God, O Ahmad,
I pardoned you because I’m
no free woman buys me [reading uncertain].
Safe from your bothers.
وهلand can تُرْوِيquench امرَءاًa man أُعْطِwas made thirsty (first part)
وهل تُرْوِي امرَءاً أُعْطِ
شَwas made thirsty (completion) شَهراًa month كاملاًcomplete سَكْرَهْa bout of drunkenness
شَ شَهراً كاملاً سَكْرَهْ
And can a man be quenched, kept thirsty
Live well, and her sister “hasanah” (goodness)
a full month, by one bout of drunkenness?
Has come to you with excuses.
تَسَمَّحْتُI took liberties لأَنّيbecause I منْfrom (continues next line)
تَسَمَّحْتُ لأَنّي منْ
كَyou (completes 'from you') فيin أمنٍsafety منfrom الضّجْرهْannoyance
كَ في أمنٍ من الضّجْرهْ
I have taken liberties, for with
If passion shook her
you I am safe from displeasure.
It frightened her violently.
وعِشْand live وأخْتُهاand her sister حَسْنَاbeautiful (first part)
وعِشْ وأخْتُها حَسْنَا
ءَbeautiful (completion) قدindeed جاءَتْكَhas come to you بالعُذْرَهْwith maidenhood
ءَ قد جاءَتْكَ بالعُذْرَهْ
And live long! Her sister, lovely,
Like a torrent cascading
has come to you with her maidenhood.
Down from towering rocks.
لئنif indeed هَزّstirred بِهَاher الشَّوْقَlonging
لئن هَزّ بِهَا الشَّوْقَ
لَقَدْindeed أفْزَعَهَاfrightened her زَبْرَهْa rebuke
لَقَدْ أفْزَعَهَا زَبْرَهْ
If longing has stirred her,
a rebuke has surely frightened her,
كماas يَنْحَدرُdescends السّيْلُthe torrent
كما يَنْحَدرُ السّيْلُ
منfrom الشّاهِقِthe lofty height بالصَّخْرَهْwith a boulder
من الشّاهِقِ بالصَّخْرَهْ
as a torrent descends
from the lofty height, bearing a boulder.
Partial English translation: 86 of 90 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1