تَدَاوَلَtook turns possessing قَلبِيmy heart وَجْدُهُits longing فِيكَfor you وَالذِّكْرُand remembrance
تَدَاوَلَ قَلبِي وَجْدُهُ فِيكَ وَالذِّكْرُ
فَهَذَاso this لَهُfor it لَيْلٌnight وَهَذاand this لهُfor it فَجْرُdawn
فَهَذَا لَهُ لَيْلٌ وَهَذا لهُ فَجْرُ
Longing for you and remembrance took turns possessing my heart.
My friend, your poem speaks to me of love and longing. Though we are parted, still you fill my thoughts. My heart recalls your tenderness, yet separation brings me sorrow.
Thus one is its night, and the other its dawn.
Let my eyes betray the grief my lips would hide. For your love I have abandoned prudence, heeding only the passions of my soul. Beneficent destiny has blessed me with your affection. I could wish for nothing beyond.
وَكِدْتُand I almost أَحِبُّlove السُّهدَsleeplessness مِمَّاfrom how much أَلِفْتُهُI grew accustomed to it
وَكِدْتُ أَحِبُّ السُّهدَ مِمَّا أَلِفْتُهُ
وَكَادَand almost لِطولِbecause of the length of الصبْرِpatience يَحْلُوgrow sweet لِيَto me الصَّبْرُpatience
وَكَادَ لِطولِ الصبْرِ يَحْلُو لِيَ الصَّبْرُ
And I almost came to love sleeplessness, so accustomed had I grown to it.
And patience, so long endured, almost grew sweet to me.
وَأَنْكَرَand condemned قوْميmy people فِيin هوَاكَlove of you تَجَرُّديmy renunciation
وَأَنْكَرَ قوْمي فِي هوَاكَ تَجَرُّدي
عَلَىon زَعْمِthe claim أَنَّthat الزُّهْدَasceticism آفَتُهُits bane العُسرُpoverty
عَلَى زَعْمِ أَنَّ الزُّهْدَ آفَتُهُ العُسرُ
My people condemned my renunciation for love of you,
Claiming that poverty is the bane of asceticism.
أَعُسْرis there poverty بمَنْfor one who يَهْوَىloves وَأَنْتَwhile you لَهُfor him الْغِنَىwealth
أَعُسْر بمَنْ يَهْوَى وَأَنْتَ لَهُ الْغِنَى
إِذَنْthen فَثَرَاءُthen the wealth الْعَالَمينَof the worlds هُوَit is الْفَقرُpoverty
إِذَنْ فَثَرَاءُ الْعَالَمينَ هُوَ الْفَقرُ
Can one who loves be poor, when you are his wealth?
Then the wealth of all the worlds is poverty.
مُحِبكَyour lover لاnot يَشْقىsuffers وَأَنْتَwhile you نعيمُهُhis bliss
مُحِبكَ لا يَشْقى وَأَنْتَ نعيمُهُ
وَصَبَّكand your ardent lover لاَnot يَصْدَىthirsts وَأَنْتَwhile you لهُfor him القَطْرُrain
وَصَبَّك لاَ يَصْدَى وَأَنْتَ لهُ القَطْرُ
Your lover cannot suffer when you are his bliss,
And your ardent lover cannot thirst when you are his rain.
سِوَىexcept أَنَّنيthat I شَاكٍlamenting نَوَاكَyour distance وَذَاكِرٌand recalling
سِوَى أَنَّني شَاكٍ نَوَاكَ وَذَاكِرٌ
تَبَارِيحَthe torments وَجْدِيof my longing يَوْمَthe day فرَّقَنَاparted us الهَجْرُestrangement
تَبَارِيحَ وَجْدِي يَوْمَ فرَّقَنَا الهَجْرُ
Except that I lament your distance and recall
The torments of my longing on the day estrangement parted us.
زَجَرْتُI forbade فؤَادِيmy heart أَنْto يَبوحَspeak openly بِحُزْنِهِof its sorrow
زَجَرْتُ فؤَادِي أَنْ يَبوحَ بِحُزْنِهِ
فَبَاحَتْso spoke openly بِهِof it عَيْنِيmy eye وَلَمand did not يَنْفَعavail الزَّجْرُthe rebuke
فَبَاحَتْ بِهِ عَيْنِي وَلَم يَنْفَع الزَّجْرُ
I forbade my heart to reveal its sorrow,
But my eye disclosed it, and the rebuke availed nothing.
وَمَاand what use is زَجْرُكَyour rebuking الْكَأْسَthe cup الدِّهَاقَbrimful بِخَمْرِهَاwith its wine
وَمَا زَجْرُكَ الْكَأْسَ الدِّهَاقَ بِخَمْرِهَا
إِذاwhen هِيَit سَالَتspilled عَنover جَوَانِبِهَاits sides الخمْرُthe wine
إِذا هِيَ سَالَت عَن جَوَانِبِهَا الخمْرُ
What use is your rebuking a cup brimful of its wine
When the wine spills over its sides?
فَكاشَفْتُهَاso I disclosed to her مَاwhat بِيis in me وَإِنَّand indeed افْتِضَاحَهُits exposure
فَكاشَفْتُهَا مَا بِي وَإِنَّ افْتِضَاحَهُ
لأَيْسَرُsurely easier لِيfor me مِنْthan أَنْthat يُرَدَّbe refused لَهَاto her أَمْرُa command
لأَيْسَرُ لِي مِنْ أَنْ يُرَدَّ لَهَا أَمْرُ
So I disclosed to her what ailed me; indeed, its exposure
Is surely easier for me than having a command of hers refused.
جَلاَrevealed الدَّمْعُthe tears نَفْسِيmy soul مِنْfrom خَبَايَاthe recesses سَرَائِرِيof my innermost secrets
جَلاَ الدَّمْعُ نَفْسِي مِنْ خَبَايَا سَرَائِرِي
تَلُوحُappears وَلاand no كَتْمٌconcealment وَتُجْلىand is unveiled وَلاَand no سِتْرُveil
تَلُوحُ وَلا كَتْمٌ وَتُجْلى وَلاَ سِتْرُ
Tears brought my soul out of the recesses of my innermost secrets:
It appears unconcealed, and is unveiled without a veil.
فَزَالَso fell away قِنَاعِيmy mask عَنْfrom ضَمِيرٍa conscience مُطَهَّرٍpurified
فَزَالَ قِنَاعِي عَنْ ضَمِيرٍ مُطَهَّرٍ
يُصَانُis preserved بِهِthrough it عُرْفٌgoodness وَيُنْفَىand is banished بِهِthrough it النُّكرُevil
يُصَانُ بِهِ عُرْفٌ وَيُنْفَى بِهِ النُّكرُ
Thus my mask fell away from a purified conscience,
Through which goodness is preserved and evil banished;
وَعَنْand from جَائِلٍa roaming mind مِنْfrom دُونِهِbeneath it البَرْقُlightning سُرْعَةًin speed
وَعَنْ جَائِلٍ مِنْ دُونِهِ البَرْقُ سُرْعَةً
وَنُوراًand in brightness فَلاَso no بُعْدٌdistance يَعُوقُhinders وَلاَand no سِتْرُveil
وَنُوراً فَلاَ بُعْدٌ يَعُوقُ وَلاَ سِتْرُ
And from a roaming mind that outstrips lightning in speed
And brightness, hindered by neither distance nor veil;
وَعَنْand from خَافِقٍa beating heart مِلءَthe fullness of الْوَفاءِfidelity خُفُوقُهُits beating
وَعَنْ خَافِقٍ مِلءَ الْوَفاءِ خُفُوقُهُ
عَجِبْتُI marvelled لهُat it أَنْthat يَسْتَقِلَّcould bear بِهِit الصَّدرُthe breast
عَجِبْتُ لهُ أَنْ يَسْتَقِلَّ بِهِ الصَّدرُ
And from a beating heart whose pulse is filled with fidelity:
I marvelled that the breast could bear it.
وَعَنْand from نَافِحٍone wafting طِيبَthe fragrance الرِّيَاضٍof gardens مُنَوَّرٍin bloom
وَعَنْ نَافِحٍ طِيبَ الرِّيَاضٍ مُنَوَّرٍ
بِأجْمَلِwith the fairest مَاwhat تَزهوglory in الرَّيَاحِينُthe fragrant herbs وَالزهْرand flowers
بِأجْمَلِ مَا تَزهو الرَّيَاحِينُ وَالزهْر
And from one wafting the gardens' fragrance, blooming
With the fairest finery of sweet herbs and flowers.
هُنالِكَthere مَثوَىthe dwelling حُبِّهاof her love وَمَثارُهُand its stirring-place
هُنالِكَ مَثوَى حُبِّها وَمَثارُهُ
وَمسْطَعُهُand its place of radiance الأَذْكَىbrightest وَمَنْبِتُهُand its seedbed النَّضرُverdant
وَمسْطَعُهُ الأَذْكَى وَمَنْبِتُهُ النَّضرُ
There her love dwells, and there it is stirred,
And there are its brightest radiance and its verdant seedbed.
هَوىa love مِلْءَfilling رُوحٍa soul فِيwithin ضَئِيلٍa slight form مُخَيَّلٍimagined
هَوى مِلْءَ رُوحٍ فِي ضَئِيلٍ مُخَيَّلٍ
ولَكِنَّنيbut I إِنْif أُبْدِهِreveal it امْتَلأَis filled العَصْرُthe age
ولَكِنَّني إِنْ أُبْدِهِ امْتَلأَ العَصْرُ
A soul-filling love within a seemingly slight form,
Yet if I reveal it, the age is filled.
وَقَدْرُand the measure الْهَوَىof love فِيin ذِيone possessing الْهَوَىlove قَدْرُthe measure نَفْسِهِof his soul
وَقَدْرُ الْهَوَى فِي ذِي الْهَوَى قَدْرُ نَفْسِهِ
وَمِرْآتُهُand its mirror قلْبُthe heart المُتَيَّمof the impassioned lover وَالفِكْرُand thought
وَمِرْآتُهُ قلْبُ المُتَيَّم وَالفِكْرُ
Love's measure in the lover is the measure of his soul,
And its mirror is the impassioned lover's heart and mind.
وماand not يَسْتوِيis equal فِيin الحُبِّlove أَرْوَعُa noble man فاضِلٌvirtuous
وما يَسْتوِي فِي الحُبِّ أَرْوَعُ فاضِلٌ
وَأَحْمَقُand a fool مَذْمُومٌblameworthy خَلاَئِقهُhis character غِرُّnaive
وَأَحْمَقُ مَذْمُومٌ خَلاَئِقهُ غِرُّ
Not equal in love are a noble, virtuous man
And a naive fool of blameworthy character.
وماand not يَسْتوِيis equal وُدٌّa love هُوَit is الغُنْمُgain لِلْوَرَىfor humankind
وما يَسْتوِي وُدٌّ هُوَ الغُنْمُ لِلْوَرَى
كوُدِّlike the love of ابْنِthe son of تَوْفِيقٍTawfiq وَوُدٌّand a love هُوَit is الْخُسْرُloss
كوُدِّ ابْنِ تَوْفِيقٍ وَوُدٌّ هُوَ الْخُسْرُ
Nor are equal a love that brings mankind gain—
Like the love of Tawfiq's son—and a love that brings loss.
رَعَتْكَmay watch over you عُيونُthe eyes اللّهِof God يَاO ابْنَson of محَمدٍMuhammad
رَعَتْكَ عُيونُ اللّهِ يَا ابْنَ محَمدٍ
كَمَاas أَنْتَyou ترْعَانَاwatch over us ورَائِدُكَand your guide الْبرُّgoodness
كَمَا أَنْتَ ترْعَانَا ورَائِدُكَ الْبرُّ
May God's eyes watch over you, O son of Muhammad,
As you watch over us, with goodness as your guide.
تَعَهَّدْwatch over ثُغُورَthe ports المُلْكِof the realm أَيّاًwhichever تَحُلُّهُyou visit it
تَعَهَّدْ ثُغُورَ المُلْكِ أَيّاً تَحُلُّهُ
فَذَاكَfor that لَهُfor it قَلْبٌa heart وَسَائِرُهُand the rest of it الثَّغرُthe frontier
فَذَاكَ لَهُ قَلْبٌ وَسَائِرُهُ الثَّغرُ
Watch over the realm's ports, whichever you visit;
For that is its heart, and all the rest its frontier.
يقُومُrise لَدَيْكَbefore you النَّاسُthe people فِيin خَيْرِthe finest مَحْفِلٍassembly
يقُومُ لَدَيْكَ النَّاسُ فِي خَيْرِ مَحْفِلٍ
ويَسْتقَبِلُand welcomes الإِجْلاَلَreverence رَكْبَكَyour cavalcade وَالبِشْرُand gladness
ويَسْتقَبِلُ الإِجْلاَلَ رَكْبَكَ وَالبِشْرُ
The people rise before you in the finest assembly,
And reverence and gladness welcome your cavalcade.
وَتبْذلُand are offered حَبَّاتthe cores of الْقُلُوبِhearts كرامَةًin homage
وَتبْذلُ حَبَّات الْقُلُوبِ كرامَةً
لدَيكَbefore you وَيُزْرِيand is shameful أَنْthat يَضَنَّbe withheld بِهِfor him التِّبرُgold
لدَيكَ وَيُزْرِي أَنْ يَضَنَّ بِهِ التِّبرُ
The very cores of hearts are offered in homage
Before you; it would be shameful to withhold gold.
يُنَادُونَthey call upon عَبَّاساًAbbas نِدَاءَa cry of تَيمُّنٍseeking good fortune
يُنَادُونَ عَبَّاساً نِدَاءَ تَيمُّنٍ
وَيَدْعُونَand pray أَنْthat يحْيَاhe may live وَتحْيَاand may live بِهِthrough him مِصْرُEgypt
وَيَدْعُونَ أَنْ يحْيَا وَتحْيَا بِهِ مِصْرُ
They hail Abbas with a cry for good fortune,
And pray that he may live, and Egypt live through him.
ودَعْوَاهُمُand their prayer حَمْدٌpraise لَهُof him وَملاَمَةٌand reproach
ودَعْوَاهُمُ حَمْدٌ لَهُ وَملاَمَةٌ
لأَهْلِto those with نُذُورٍvows لاَnot يُوَفَّىis fulfilled لَهُمْfor them نَذرُa vow
لأَهْلِ نُذُورٍ لاَ يُوَفَّى لَهُمْ نَذرُ
Their prayer is praise of him and a reproach
To those whose vows remain unfulfilled.
أَعَبَّاسُO Abbas إِنْif تَكْبُرْyou excel علىabove النَّاسِthe people هِمَّةًin aspiration
أَعَبَّاسُ إِنْ تَكْبُرْ على النَّاسِ هِمَّةً
فَأَيْنَthen where مَقامُthe rank النَّاسِof the people مِنْكَbeside you وَلاَand no فَخْرُboast
فَأَيْنَ مَقامُ النَّاسِ مِنْكَ وَلاَ فَخْرُ
O Abbas, if in aspiration you tower above men,
Then where is men's rank beside yours? This is no boast.
تُرِيدُseek اللَّيَالِيthe nights مِنْكَfrom you مَاwhat لاَnot تُرِيدُهُwish it
تُرِيدُ اللَّيَالِي مِنْكَ مَا لاَ تُرِيدُهُ
لَكَfor you الْحَقُّjustice وَالآمَالُand hopes وَالْهِمَمُand aspirations الْغُرُّradiant
لَكَ الْحَقُّ وَالآمَالُ وَالْهِمَمُ الْغُرُّ
The nights demand of you what is not wished
For you by justice, hopes, and radiant aspirations.
فإِنso if ظَلَمَتَyou wronged حُرّاًa free man وسَاءَكَand pained you ظُلْمُهُhis mistreatment
فإِن ظَلَمَتَ حُرّاً وسَاءَكَ ظُلْمُهُ
فأجْمِلْthen how fair بِهَاit is عُقْبىas an outcome يُسَرُّis gladdened بِهَاby it الْحُرُّthe free man
فأجْمِلْ بِهَا عُقْبى يُسَرُّ بِهَا الْحُرُّ
So if you wrong a free man and his mistreatment pains you,
Then how fair an outcome in which the free man rejoices!
لَكَyours is التَّاجُthe crown زَانَتْهُadorned it الْخِصَالُvirtues بِدُرِّهَاwith their pearls
لَكَ التَّاجُ زَانَتْهُ الْخِصَالُ بِدُرِّهَا
فَزِدْهُso add to it لِحِينٍfor a while دُرَّةًa pearl وهِيَand it is الصَّبرُpatience
فَزِدْهُ لِحِينٍ دُرَّةً وهِيَ الصَّبرُ
Yours is the crown, adorned by virtues with their pearls;
For a while, add to it one pearl: patience.
لَكَyours is النِّيلُthe Nile مَوْكُولاًentrusted لأَمْرِكَto your command أَمْرُهُits governance
لَكَ النِّيلُ مَوْكُولاً لأَمْرِكَ أَمْرُهُ
بِحَقٍby a right مِنَof المِيرَاثِinheritance أَيَّدهُupheld it النَّصرُvictory
بِحَقٍ مِنَ المِيرَاثِ أَيَّدهُ النَّصرُ
Yours is the Nile, its governance entrusted to your command,
By a right of inheritance upheld by victory.
لَكَyours is المُلْكُthe kingdom مَوْفُورَabundant in السلاَمَةِsecurity هَانِئاًcontent
لَكَ المُلْكُ مَوْفُورَ السلاَمَةِ هَانِئاً
شقِيّاًmade wretched بِهِby it المُشْقِيthe tormentor مُصَاباًstricken بِهِby it الضُّرُharm
شقِيّاً بِهِ المُشْقِي مُصَاباً بِهِ الضُّرُ
Yours is the kingdom, secure in full measure and content,
The tormentor made wretched by it, and harm itself stricken by it.
أَموْلاَيَO my lord إِنْif مَرَّتْpasses بِبَدْرٍacross a full moon سَحَابَةٌa cloud
أَموْلاَيَ إِنْ مَرَّتْ بِبَدْرٍ سَحَابَةٌ
فمَاso not كسَبَتْgained نُوراًlight وَلاَand not أَظْلمَgrew dark الْبدْرُthe full moon
فمَا كسَبَتْ نُوراً وَلاَ أَظْلمَ الْبدْرُ
O my lord, if a cloud passes across a full moon,
It gains no light, nor does the full moon grow dark.
تمُرُّpasses بَعِيداًfar عَنْfrom مَعَالِيthe heights سَمَائِهِof his sky
تمُرُّ بَعِيداً عَنْ مَعَالِي سَمَائِهِ
وَتَمْضِيand goes away عُبوساًscowling وَهْوwhile he جَذْلاَنُjoyful يَفْتَرُّsmiles
وَتَمْضِي عُبوساً وَهْو جَذْلاَنُ يَفْتَرُّ
It passes far from the heights of his sky,
And goes away scowling, while he smiles in delight.
Partial English translation: 2 of 66 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1