تَمَنَّيْتُI wished لَوْif only لَمْhad not تَعْصِنِيdefied me قَطْرَةُthe drop of النَّدَىdew
تَمَنَّيْتُ لَوْ لَمْ تَعْصِنِي قَطْرَةُ النَّدَى
فَأُطْلِعَso I might bring forth مِنْهَاfrom it فِيin دُجَىthe darkness of الذِّكْرِremembrance فَرْقَدَاa Farqad star
فَأُطْلِعَ مِنْهَا فِي دُجَى الذِّكْرِ فَرْقَدَا
I wished the dewdrop had not defied me,
so I might bring forth from it a Farqad star in remembrance's darkness.
وَلكِنَّbut جُهْدِيmy effort دُونَfalls short of أَدْنَىthe least of رَغَائِبِيmy desires
وَلكِنَّ جُهْدِي دُونَ أَدْنَى رَغَائِبِي
فَكُنْso be لِخَيَالِيto my imagination أَيُّهَاO الشِّعْرُPoetry مُسْعِدَاa helper
فَكُنْ لِخَيَالِي أَيُّهَا الشِّعْرُ مُسْعِدَا
But my effort falls short of my least desires;
so aid my imagination, O Poetry.
أَعِنِّيhelp me عَلَىwith قَوْلٍspeech حَكِيمٍwise تَصُوغُyou fashion لِيfor me
أَعِنِّي عَلَى قَوْلٍ حَكِيمٍ تَصُوغُ لِي
مَعَانِيَهُits meanings دُرّاًpearls وَمَبْنَاهُand its structure عَسْجَدَاgold
مَعَانِيَهُ دُرّاً وَمَبْنَاهُ عَسْجَدَا
Help me with wise speech; fashion for me
its meanings into pearls, its structure into gold.
أُغَنِّيهِI sing it تَرْدِيداًrepeatedly بِإِيقَاعِto the rhythm of وَحْيِهِits inspiration
أُغَنِّيهِ تَرْدِيداً بِإِيقَاعِ وَحْيِهِ
فَيُطْرِبُso it delights إِطْرَابَwith the delight of المثَانِيthe lute strings مُرَدَّدَاrepeated
فَيُطْرِبُ إِطْرَابَ المثَانِي مُرَدَّدَا
I sing it again and again to the rhythm of its inspiration,
and, repeated, it delights like the strings of a lute.
عَلَيْكَupon you سَلاَمَthe peace of اللهِGod يَاO زَمَناًage بَنَىbuilt
عَلَيْكَ سَلاَمَ اللهِ يَا زَمَناً بَنَى
نَوَابِغُهُits geniuses لِلضَّادِfor Arabic مَجْداًglory مُخَلَّدَاeverlasting
نَوَابِغُهُ لِلضَّادِ مَجْداً مُخَلَّدَا
God's peace upon you, O age in which was built
by its geniuses an everlasting glory for the tongue of ḍād.
أَيَرْجِعُdoes it return صَوْتٌa voice بَعْدَafter أَلْفٍa thousand وَنَيِّفٍand more
أَيَرْجِعُ صَوْتٌ بَعْدَ أَلْفٍ وَنَيِّفٍ
إِلَيْكَto you وَلاَand not تَنْبُوrepel بِهِit حُجُبُthe veils of الرَّدَىdeath
إِلَيْكَ وَلاَ تَنْبُو بِهِ حُجُبُ الرَّدَى
Can a voice return, after a thousand years and more,
to you, without death's veils repelling it,
تَقْرَأَyou may read مُهْتَزّاًstirred تحِيةَthe greeting of عَصْرِناour age
تَقْرَأَ مُهْتَزّاً تحِيةَ عَصْرِنا
وَتَسْمَعَand hear مُعْتَزّاًproudly صَدَاكَyour echo المُرَددَاrepeated
وَتَسْمَعَ مُعْتَزّاً صَدَاكَ المُرَددَا
that you may read, stirred, our age's greeting,
and proudly hear your echo resounding?
لَئِنْthough indeed بِتَّyou have remained فِيin الْغَيْبِthe unseen القَصِيِّdistant مُحَجَّباًveiled
لَئِنْ بِتَّ فِي الْغَيْبِ القَصِيِّ مُحَجَّباً
لَقَدْindeed عدْتَyou returned فِيin هَذَاthis الزمَانِage مُجَدَّدَاrenewed
لَقَدْ عدْتَ فِي هَذَا الزمَانِ مُجَدَّدَا
Though you have lain veiled in the distant unseen,
you have indeed returned, renewed, in this age.
كَأَنَّكَas though you وَالأَحْقَابُwhile the ages أَمْوَاجُwaves of زَاخِرٍa surging sea
كَأَنَّكَ وَالأَحْقَابُ أَمْوَاجُ زَاخِرٍ
تَبَسَّطْنَthey spread out فِيمَاover what امْتَدَّstretched بَعْدَكَafter you مِنْof مَدَىan expanse
تَبَسَّطْنَ فِيمَا امْتَدَّ بَعْدَكَ مِنْ مَدَى
As though you—while the ages were a surging sea's waves,
spread across the expanse stretching beyond you—
وَقفتَyou stood عَلَيْهَاupon them مُوفِياًoverlooking مِنfrom يَفَاعِهَاtheir heights
وَقفتَ عَلَيْهَا مُوفِياً مِن يَفَاعِهَا
وَأَلْقَيْتَand you cast طَيْفاًa phantom فِيat نِهَايَتْهَاtheir end بَدَاappeared
وَأَلْقَيْتَ طَيْفاً فِي نِهَايَتْهَا بَدَا
stood upon them, looking out from their heights,
and cast a phantom that appeared at their farthest end.
تَغَيَّرَتِchanged الأَسْمَاءُthe names وَالْعَصْرُyet the age لِمْhas not يَزَلْceased
تَغَيَّرَتِ الأَسْمَاءُ وَالْعَصْرُ لِمْ يَزَلْ
كَمَاas كُنْتَyou were فِيamong الأَعْصَارِthe ages فَرْداًsingular مُوِحَّدَاunique
كَمَا كُنْتَ فِي الأَعْصَارِ فَرْداً مُوِحَّدَا
The names have changed, yet the age remains,
as you were among the ages, singular and unique.
فَكِدْنَاso we almost نَخَالُwe imagine الدْهْرَTime قَابَلَfaced حَالَةًa state of things
فَكِدْنَا نَخَالُ الدْهْرَ قَابَلَ حَالَةً
وَدَابَرَهَاand turned away from it ثُمَّthen اسْتَوَىsettled مُتَرَدِّدَاwavering
وَدَابَرَهَا ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى مُتَرَدِّدَا
So we almost imagined Time had faced a state of things,
and turned its back on it, then stood wavering to and fro.
أَلَسْتَare you not إِذَاwhen آنَسْتَyou discerned مِنْfrom عَهْدِنَاour age سَنىًa radiance
أَلَسْتَ إِذَا آنَسْتَ مِنْ عَهْدِنَا سَنىً
لِحِكْمِةِin the wisdom of شَوقِيShawqi قُلْتَyou said حِكْمةُthe wisdom of أَحْمَدَاAhmad
لِحِكْمِةِ شَوقِي قُلْتَ حِكْمةُ أَحْمَدَا
Do you not, when you glimpse within our age a radiance
in Shawqi's wisdom, say, 'The wisdom of Ahmad'?
أَلَسْتَare you not إِذَاwhen شَاقَتْكَcaptivated you أَبْيَاتُthe verses of حَافِظٍHafiz
أَلَسْتَ إِذَا شَاقَتْكَ أَبْيَاتُ حَافِظٍ
حَسِبْتَyou thought أَبَاAbu تَمَّامِكyour Tammam اليَوْمَtoday مُنْشِدَاreciting verse
حَسِبْتَ أَبَا تَمَّامِك اليَوْمَ مُنْشِدَا
Do you not, when Hafiz's verses captivate you,
think your Abu Tammam is reciting today?
أَلَسْتَare you not إِذَاwhen غَنَّاكَsang to you صَبْرِيSabri مُسَائِلاًasking
أَلَسْتَ إِذَا غَنَّاكَ صَبْرِي مُسَائِلاً
أَلِلْبُحْتُرِيِّis it al-Buhturi's الصَّوْتُthe voice رَجَّعَهُsent it back الصَّدَىthe echo
أَلِلْبُحْتُرِيِّ الصَّوْتُ رَجَّعَهُ الصَّدَى
Do you not, when Sabri sings to you, ask:
Is it al-Buhturi's voice that the echo has brought back?
أَلَسْتَare you not إِذَاwhen نَاجَتْكَcommuned with you رُوحُthe spirit of ضَرِيرِنَاour blind man
أَلَسْتَ إِذَا نَاجَتْكَ رُوحُ ضَرِيرِنَا
ذَكَرْتَyou remembered ضَرِيراًa blind man بِالمَعَرَّةِin Ma‘arra وَسِّدَاwas laid to rest
ذَكَرْتَ ضَرِيراً بِالمَعَرَّةِ وَسِّدَا
Do you not, when the spirit of our blind man communes with you,
remember a blind man laid to rest in Ma‘arra?
لَقَدْindeed بَعَثَrevived اللهُGod الْقَرِيضَpoetry وَأَنْشَرَتْand restored to life
لَقَدْ بَعَثَ اللهُ الْقَرِيضَ وَأَنْشَرَتْ
لَهُfor it دَوْلَةُthe reign of العَبَّاسِAbbas مُلْكاًa dominion مُؤَيَّدَاfirmly upheld
لَهُ دَوْلَةُ العَبَّاسِ مُلْكاً مُؤَيَّدَا
God has indeed revived poetry, and there has been restored
to it, by Abbas's reign, a dominion firmly upheld.
وَمِنْand among آيِهَاits signs تَكْرِيمُنَاour honoring اليَوْمَtoday حَافِظاًHafiz
وَمِنْ آيِهَا تَكْرِيمُنَا اليَوْمَ حَافِظاً
وَتَمْجِيدُنَاand our glorifying مِنْهُin him سَرِيّاًa noble man مُمَجَّدَاglorified
وَتَمْجِيدُنَا مِنْهُ سَرِيّاً مُمَجَّدَا
And among its signs is our honoring Hafiz today,
and our glorifying in him a noble, illustrious man.
فَتَىa man of الأَدَبِliterature الْجِدِّearnest الَّذِيwhich لاَnot يَشُوبُهُtaints it
فَتَى الأَدَبِ الْجِدِّ الَّذِي لاَ يَشُوبُهُ
مِزَاحٌjest وَلاَand not يُلْفَىis found ابْتِسَامٌa smile بِهِin it سُدَىin vain
مِزَاحٌ وَلاَ يُلْفَى ابْتِسَامٌ بِهِ سُدَى
A man of earnest literature, which is never marred
by jest, nor does any smile in it prove idle.
مُقَوِّمُone who straightens تَأْوِيدِthe warping of الْخَلاَئِقِdispositions حَيْثُمَاwherever
مُقَوِّمُ تَأْوِيدِ الْخَلاَئِقِ حَيْثُمَا
تَبَيَّنَhe discerned بَيْنَamong النَّاسِpeople خُلْقاًa disposition مُأَوَّدَاwarped
تَبَيَّنَ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ خُلْقاً مُأَوَّدَا
He straightens the crookedness of character wherever
he discerns among people a warped disposition.
مُجَودُone who perfects صَوْغِthe crafting of الْقَوْلِspeech لاَnot يَنْثرُhe scatters الحِلَىjewels
مُجَودُ صَوْغِ الْقَوْلِ لاَ يَنْثرُ الحِلَى
وَلاَnor يَنْظِمُhe strings الْعِقْيَانَpure gold إِلاَّexcept مُجَوَّدَاfinely wrought
وَلاَ يَنْظِمُ الْعِقْيَانَ إِلاَّ مُجَوَّدَا
A master in fashioning speech, he scatters no jewels,
nor strings pure gold, save with consummate skill.
مُفَصِّلُone who unfolds آيَاتِthe marvels of الْبَلاَغَةِeloquence إِنْif نَهَىhe forbids
مُفَصِّلُ آيَاتِ الْبَلاَغَةِ إِنْ نَهَى
نَهَىhe forbids عَنْfrom ضَلاَلٍerror أَوْor دَعَاhe calls فإِلىthen toward هدَىguidance
نَهَى عَنْ ضَلاَلٍ أَوْ دَعَا فإِلى هدَى
He unfolds eloquence's marvels: if he forbids,
he forbids error; or, if he calls, it is toward guidance.
نجِيُّconfidant of المَعَالِيlofty aims تَعْرِفُrecognize الزُّهْرُthe bright stars فِيin الدجَىthe darkness
نجِيُّ المَعَالِي تَعْرِفُ الزُّهْرُ فِي الدجَى
لَهُof his حَيْثُمَاwherever سَارَتْthey travel خَيَالاa figure مُسَهَّدَاsleepless
لَهُ حَيْثُمَا سَارَتْ خَيَالا مُسَهَّدَا
Confidant of lofty aims: the bright stars in the darkness recognize
his sleepless figure wherever they travel.
أَمِيرُprince of مَعَانِيهِhis meanings وَلِلهِand to God belongs دَرهُhis excellence
أَمِيرُ مَعَانِيهِ وَلِلهِ دَرهُ
إِذَاwhen مَاever سَجَاhe grew still أَوْor جَاشَsurged أَوْor نَاحَlamented أَوْor شَدَاsang
إِذَا مَا سَجَا أَوْ جَاشَ أَوْ نَاحَ أَوْ شَدَا
Prince of his meanings—God bless him!—
whether he grows still or seethes, laments or sings.
أَيَعْرُوهُdoes it assail him حُزْنٌsorrow فَاقْرَإِthen read الْوَصْفَthe description تُلْفِهِyou will find him
أَيَعْرُوهُ حُزْنٌ فَاقْرَإِ الْوَصْفَ تُلْفِهِ
سَحَاباًa cloud رَمَىcast ظَلاًّa shadow عَلَىover الْكَوْنِthe universe أَرْبدَاdusky
سَحَاباً رَمَى ظَلاًّ عَلَى الْكَوْنِ أَرْبدَا
Does sorrow visit him? Read the description: you will find him
a cloud casting a dusky shadow over the universe.
أَيَرْضَىdoes he rejoice لِنُعْمَىat a blessing نَالَهَاobtained it قَمِنٌone worthy بِهَاof it
أَيَرْضَى لِنُعْمَى نَالَهَا قَمِنٌ بِهَا
فَلاَthen no قَوْلَspeech فِيin الأَذْهَانِminds أَعْذَبُsweeter مَوْرِدَاas a wellspring
فَلاَ قَوْلَ فِي الأَذْهَانِ أَعْذَبُ مَوْرِدَا
Does he rejoice at a blessing won by one who deserves it?
Then no speech, to the mind, has a sweeter spring.
أَيَطْعُنُdoes he thrust فِيat شَيْنٍa vice فَإنَّكَthen indeed you وَاجِدٌwill find
أَيَطْعُنُ فِي شَيْنٍ فَإنَّكَ وَاجِدٌ
دَماًblood وَصَرِيعاًand a fallen victim وَالسِّنَانَand the spearhead المُسَدَّدَاwell-aimed
دَماً وَصَرِيعاً وَالسِّنَانَ المُسَدَّدَا
Does he thrust at a vice? Then you will find
blood, a fallen victim, and the well-aimed spearhead.
أَيَرسُمُdoes he portray مَوْصُوفاًفَتِلْكَa subject; then those are صِفَاتُهُits traits
أَيَرسُمُ مَوْصُوفاًفَتِلْكَ صِفَاتُهُ
حَقَائِقَtruths حَلاَّهَاadorned them الْخَيَالُimagination وَخَلَّدَاand immortalized
حَقَائِقَ حَلاَّهَا الْخَيَالُ وَخَلَّدَا
Does he portray a subject? Then its traits are
truths imagination has adorned and made immortal.
صَدِيقيَmy friend فَاهْنَأْso rejoice وَابْلُغِand reach الأَوْجَthe summit رُتْيَةًin rank
صَدِيقيَ فَاهْنَأْ وَابْلُغِ الأَوْجَ رُتْيَةً
فَإِنْand if تَرْقَهُyou ascend it لاَdo not تَنْسَناforget us وَارْقand rise سَرْمَدَاforever
فَإِنْ تَرْقَهُ لاَ تَنْسَنا وَارْق سَرْمَدَا
My friend, rejoice, and reach the summit in rank;
and if you scale it, forget us not, and rise forever.
لَعَبَّاسٌindeed Abbas خَيْرٌthe best لِلْمَعَالِيfor high honors مُقَلِّداًas a bestower
لَعَبَّاسٌ خَيْرٌ لِلْمَعَالِي مُقَلِّداً
فَكُنْso be بِالنُّهَىthrough wisdom خَيْراًthe best لَهَاfor them مُتَقَلِّدَاas a wearer
فَكُنْ بِالنُّهَى خَيْراً لَهَا مُتَقَلِّدَا
Abbas is indeed the best to confer high honors;
so, through wisdom, be their worthiest wearer.
Sol 6.1