أَأَطلالَwas it the ruins of دارٍa dwelling بالنِياعِat al-Niyaʿ فَحُمَّتِthen at Hummat
أَأَطلالَ دارٍ بالنِياعِ فَحُمَّتِ
سَأَلتُI questioned فَلَمّاand when اِستَعجَمَتthey gave no intelligible reply ثُمَّthen صُمتِfell silent
سَأَلتُ فَلَمّا اِستَعجَمَت ثُمَّ صُمتِ
Was it a dwelling's ruins at al-Niyaʿ, then Hummat,
Ruins of an abode which lamentations have made desolate,
that I questioned, meeting no reply and then silence?
I asked of them, but when they were foreign they were dumb.
عَجِبتُI marveled لِأَنّbecause النَائِحاتِthe wailing women وَقَدalthough already عَلَتhad risen
عَجِبتُ لِأَنّ النَائِحاتِ وَقَد عَلَت
مُصِيبَتُهُthe calamity of his loss قَهرًاoverwhelmingly فَعَمَّتso it reached all وَأَصمَتِand struck them dumb
مُصِيبَتُهُ قَهرًا فَعَمَّت وَأَصمَتِ
I marveled that the wailing women—though there rose
I wondered, for when disaster was hard upon them
the calamity of his loss, overwhelming all and striking them dumb—
The mourners had become many, yet they were mute.
نَعَينَthey announced his death وَلَوand had أَسمَعنَthey made hear أَعلامَthe peaks of صِندِدٍSindid
نَعَينَ وَلَو أَسمَعنَ أَعلامَ صِندِدٍ
وَأَعلامَand the peaks of رَضوىRadwa ماwhat يَقُلنَthey were saying اِدرَهَمَّتِthey would have crumbled
وَأَعلامَ رَضوى ما يَقُلنَ اِدرَهَمَّتِ
announced his death; had they made the peaks of Sindid hear
They would chant elegies if they heard a strain of music
and Radwa's peaks hear what they said, they would have crumbled.
And melodies of flutes, but they said not a word.
وَلِلأَرضِand as for the earth أَمّاas for سُودُهاits dark tracts فَتَجَلَّلَتthen they clothed themselves
وَلِلأَرضِ أَمّا سُودُها فَتَجَلَّلَت
بَياضًاin white وَأَمّاand as for بِيضُهاits pale tracts فاِدهَأَمَّتِthen they turned black
بَياضًا وَأَمّا بِيضُها فاِدهَأَمَّتِ
And as for the earth, its dark tracts clothed themselves
The blackened earth shone white,
in white, while its pale tracts turned black.
And the white earth was dyed black.
نَمَتspread لِأَبيfor Abu بَكرٍBakr لِسانٌa voice of praise تَتابَعَتfollowed in succession
نَمَت لِأَبي بَكرٍ لِسانٌ تَتابَعَت
بِعارِفَةٍwith kindness مِنهُfrom him فَخَصَّتso it benefited particular people وَعَمَّتِand benefited all
بِعارِفَةٍ مِنهُ فَخَصَّت وَعَمَّتِ
A voice of praise spread for Abu Bakr, recounting in succession
There grew for Abu Bakr an eloquent tongue
his kindness, bestowed on particular people and on all.
That it might speak of him with exactitude and embrace all.
كَأَنَّas though اِبنَthe son of لَيلىLayla حِينَwhen يَبدوhe appears فَتَنجَليand then part
كَأَنَّ اِبنَ لَيلى حِينَ يَبدو فَتَنجَلي
سُجُوفُthe curtains of الخِباءِthe tent عَنrevealing مَهِيبٍan imposing figure مُشَمَّتِgrizzled
سُجُوفُ الخِباءِ عَن مَهِيبٍ مُشَمَّتِ
Ibn Layla seems, when he appears and there part
Like the son of Layla when the interiors of the litter are unveiled
the tent's curtains, an imposing, grizzled figure,
From the terror that has made the stout-hearted tremble.
إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle لَوَىwrapped صِنعٌa skilled man بِهِaround him عَرَبِيَّةًan Arabian turban
إِذا ما لَوَى صِنعٌ بِهِ عَرَبِيَّةً
كَلَونِlike the color of الدِهانِred leather وَردَةrose-red لَمnot تَكَمَّتِdarkened to chestnut
كَلَونِ الدِهانِ وَردَة لَم تَكَمَّتِ
when a skilled man winds an Arabian turban about him,
When a well-shaped product is dyed with an Arabic dye
rose-red like red leather, not darkened to chestnut.
Like the hue of paint—an unopened rose.
مُقارِبُmeasured in خَطوٍstride لاnot يُغَيِّرُhe changes نَعلهُhis sandal
مُقارِبُ خَطوٍ لا يُغَيِّرُ نَعلهُ
رَهيفُslender الشَراكِthe sandal-strap سَهلَةُeasy المُتَسَمَّتِthe tread
رَهيفُ الشَراكِ سَهلَةُ المُتَسَمَّتِ
Measured of step, he does not change his sandal,
Slippered feet that do not change their sandals,
its strap slender, its tread easy.
Soft, plaited, that leave no trace.
إِذاwhen طُرِحَتit is tossed aside لَمnot تَطَّبِentice الكَلبَthe dog رِيحُهاits scent
إِذا طُرِحَت لَم تَطَّبِ الكَلبَ رِيحُها
وَإِنand if وُضِعَتit is placed فيin مَجلِسِthe gathering of القَومِthe people شُمَّتِit is smelled
وَإِن وُضِعَت في مَجلِسِ القَومِ شُمَّتِ
When it is tossed aside, its scent does not entice a dog;
Cast away, it pleases not even the dogs with its smell,
and if set in the people's gathering, its fragrance is breathed in.
But, set down in an assembly, it perfumes the general air.
هُوَhe المَرءُthe man لاnot يُبديshows أَسىsorrow عَنover مُصيبَةٍa calamity
هُوَ المَرءُ لا يُبدي أَسى عَن مُصيبَةٍ
وَلاnor فَرَحًاjoy يَومًاever إَذاwhen النَفسُthe soul سُرَّتِis gladdened
وَلا فَرَحًا يَومًا إَذا النَفسُ سُرَّتِ
He is the man who shows no sorrow over a calamity,
He is the man who shows no grief for a misfortune
nor ever joy when his soul is gladdened.
Nor joy on a day when the soul feels happy.
قَلِيلُsparing in الأَلاياoaths حَافِظٌobservant لِيَمِينِهِof his oath
قَلِيلُ الأَلايا حَافِظٌ لِيَمِينِهِ
فَإِنand if سَبَقَتescapes مِنهُfrom him الأَليَّةُan oath برَّتِit is fulfilled
فَإِن سَبَقَت مِنهُ الأَليَّةُ برَّتِ
Sparing in oaths, he guards his sworn word;
Few failings, observant of his oath,
and if an oath escapes him, it is fulfilled.
And if failings come from him, excellent.
حَلِيمٌforbearing كَريمٌgenerous ذُوpossessing أَناةٍdeliberation وَأُربَةٍand sagacity
حَلِيمٌ كَريمٌ ذُو أَناةٍ وَأُربَةٍ
بَصِيرٌdiscerning إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle كَفَّةُthe noose of الحَبلِthe rope جُرَّتِis drawn
بَصِيرٌ إِذا ما كَفَّةُ الحَبلِ جُرَّتِ
Forbearing, generous, possessed of deliberation and sagacity,
Forbearing, generous, of great deliberation and calm,
discerning when the rope's noose is drawn.
Discerning when the rope of trial grows taut.
وَشَعثاءand a tangled أَمرٍaffair قَدalready نَزَتhad flared up بَينَamong غالِبٍGhalib
وَشَعثاء أَمرٍ قَد نَزَت بَينَ غالِبٍ
تَلافَيتَهاyou remedied it قَبلَbefore التَنائيestrangement فَلُمَّتِand so it was mended
تَلافَيتَها قَبلَ التَنائي فَلُمَّتِ
And a tangled affair that had flared up among Ghalib,
You rectified an unkempt situation which occurred between two disputants
you remedied before estrangement, and it was mended.
Before they separated, and gathered it together.
وَأَبرَأَتَهاand you healed it لَمnot يَجرَحِhad injured الكَلمُthe wound عَظمَهاits bone
وَأَبرَأَتَها لَم يَجرَحِ الكَلمُ عَظمَها
وَلَوand had غِبتَyou been absent عَنهاfrom it رُبِّعَتit would have been battered ثُمَّthen أُمَّتِwounded to the brain
وَلَو غِبتَ عَنها رُبِّعَت ثُمَّ أُمَّتِ
You healed it before the wound had injured its bone;
You healed it: the word did not injure its bone,
had you been absent, it would have been battered, then wounded to the brain.
Had you been absent from it, it would have festered and rotted.
غَمُومٌbaffling لِطَيرِto the birds of الزَاجِرِيهاthose reading its omens أُرِيبَةٌcunning
غَمُومٌ لِطَيرِ الزَاجِرِيها أُرِيبَةٌ
إِذاwhen حَاوَلَتit sought ضُرًّاharm لِذِيfor one possessing الضِغنِrancor ضَرَّتِit caused harm
إِذا حَاوَلَت ضُرًّا لِذِي الضِغنِ ضَرَّتِ
Baffling to its omen-readers' birds, cunning,
Gloomy cares for the pruning bird if it attempts
when it sought harm for one harboring rancor, it caused harm.
Harm against the wronged - you repelled it.
يَؤُوبُreturn أُولُوthose possessing الحاجاتِneeds مِنهُfrom him إِذاwhen بَداhe appears
يَؤُوبُ أُولُو الحاجاتِ مِنهُ إِذا بَدا
إلىto طَيبِone pure in الأَثوابِgarments غَيرِnot مُؤمَّتِblemished
إلى طَيبِ الأَثوابِ غَيرِ مُؤمَّتِ
Those in need return from him when he appears,
Those in need come back from him when there appears
to one of spotless robes, beyond reproach.
Nothing to hope for but fine raiment.
تَأَرَّضُpress into the ground أَخفافُthe hoof-pads of المُناخَةِthe kneeling camels مِنهُمُof theirs
تَأَرَّضُ أَخفافُ المُناخَةِ مِنهُمُ
مَكانَin the place of التيthose which قَدalready بُعِّدَتhad been sent far away فإِزلأَمتِand so sped off
مَكانَ التي قَد بُعِّدَت فإِزلأَمتِ
The pads of their kneeling camels press into the ground
The roaming camels feel at home with him
where others had been sent far away and sped off.
Instead of those who have been sent far away.
فَلَستُand I am not طِوالَthroughout الدَّهرِtime ماas long as عِشتُI live ناسيًاforgetful
فَلَستُ طِوالَ الدَّهرِ ما عِشتُ ناسيًا
عظامًاbones وَلاnor هَامًاskull لَهُof his قَدalready أَرَمتِhave decayed
عظامًا وَلا هَامًا لَهُ قَد أَرَمتِ
Through all time, as long as I live, I shall not forget
So I shall not, as long as I live, forget
his bones or his skull, now decayed.
Bones, nor one who has been reduced to bones.
جَرىblew بَينَbetween بابِليونَBabilyun والهَضبِand the hills دونَهُthis side of it
جَرى بَينَ بابِليونَ والهَضبِ دونَهُ
رِياحٌwinds أَسَفَّتswept low بالنَقاover the sand dune وَأَشَمَّتِand rose high
رِياحٌ أَسَفَّت بالنَقا وَأَشَمَّتِ
Between Babilyun and the hills this side of it blew
Between Babylon and Hathb there blew because of him
winds that swept low over the dune and rose high.
Winds that carried fragrance and wafted perfumes.
سَقَتهاwatered them الغَوادِيthe morning rainclouds وَالرَّوائِحُand the evening rainclouds خِلفَةًin alternation
سَقَتها الغَوادِي وَالرَّوائِحُ خِلفَةً
تَدَلِّينَthey descended عُلوًاfrom above والضَريحَةَand the grave لَمَّتِthey covered
تَدَلِّينَ عُلوًا والضَريحَةَ لَمَّتِ
Morning and evening rainclouds watered them in turn,
The valleys and the winds sent in his wake
descending from above and covering the grave.
A successor lofty of ascent when the tomb gathered itself together.
Sol 6.1