عَرِّجturn aside بِأَطرافِat the outskirts of الدِيارِthe dwellings وَسَلِّمِand greet
عَرِّج بِأَطرافِ الدِيارِ وَسَلِّمِ
وَإِنand even if هِيَthey لَمdid not تَسمَعhear وَلَمand did not تَتَكَلَّمِspeak
وَإِن هِيَ لَم تَسمَع وَلَم تَتَكَلَّمِ
Turn aside at the outskirts of the dwellings and greet them,
though they neither hear nor speak.
فَقَدfor indeed قَدُمَتhave grown old آياتُهاtheir traces وَتَنَكَّرَتand grown unrecognizable
فَقَد قَدُمَت آياتُها وَتَنَكَّرَت
لِماbecause of what مَرَّpassed مِنof ريحٍwind وَأَوطَفَand a thick cloud مُرهِمِshedding gentle rain
لِما مَرَّ مِن ريحٍ وَأَوطَفَ مُرهِمِ
For their traces have aged and grown unrecognizable
from passing wind and thick clouds shedding gentle rain.
تَأَمَّلُتI examined مِنamong آياتِهاtheir traces بَعدَafter أَهلَهاtheir people
تَأَمَّلُت مِن آياتِها بَعدَ أَهلَها
بِأَطرافِat the outskirts of أَعظامٍAʿẓām فَأَذنابِthen the lower reaches of أَزنُمِAznum
بِأَطرافِ أَعظامٍ فَأَذنابِ أَزنُمِ
I studied their traces after their people had gone,
at the outskirts of Aʿẓām, then the lower reaches of Aznum:
مَحانِيَthe bends of آناءٍĀnāʾ كَأَنَّas though دُروسَهاtheir fading
مَحانِيَ آناءٍ كَأَنَّ دُروسَها
دُروسُthe fading of الجوابيthe water basins بَعدَafter حَولٍa year مُجَرَّمِfully elapsed
دُروسُ الجوابي بَعدَ حَولٍ مُجَرَّمِ
the bends of Ānāʾ, whose fading resembled
that of water basins after a whole year had passed.
يَقولُsays خِليليmy close friend سِرgo on بِناwith us أَيَّwhat a مَوقِفٍstopping place
يَقولُ خِليلي سِر بِنا أَيَّ مَوقِفٍ
وَقَفتَyou stopped وَجَهلٍand folly بِالحَليمِin a man of sense المُعَمَّمِthe turbaned
وَقَفتَ وَجَهلٍ بِالحَليمِ المُعَمَّمِ
My friend says, “Come, let us go! What a place
you have stopped in—what folly in a turbaned man of sense!”
تَلومُyou blame وَلَمand did not تَعلَمknow بِأَسرارِof the secrets of خُلَّةٍa bond of love
تَلومُ وَلَم تَعلَم بِأَسرارِ خُلَّةٍ
فَتَعذُرَso as to excuse إلاّexcept عَنfrom حَديثٍa report مُرَجَّمِconjectural
فَتَعذُرَ إلاّ عَن حَديثٍ مُرَجَّمِ
You blame me, without knowing a love’s secrets
well enough to excuse me—only conjectural tales.
فَإِنfor if كُنتُI was لَمnot أَجهَلact foolishly فَقَدthen indeed لِمتَyou blamed طالِماًunjustly
فَإِن كُنتُ لَم أَجهَل فَقَد لِمتَ طالِماً
وَإِنand if كُنتُI was قَدindeed أَزرىbrought low بِيَme الجَهلُfolly فَاِحلمِthen be forbearing
وَإِن كُنتُ قَد أَزرى بِيَ الجَهلُ فَاِحلمِ
For if I have not acted foolishly, you have blamed me unjustly;
and if folly has brought me low, be forbearing.
وَفيand in الحِلمِforbearance وَالإِسلامِand Islam لِلمَرءِfor a man وازِعٌa restraint
وَفي الحِلمِ وَالإِسلامِ لِلمَرءِ وازِعٌ
وَفيand in تَركِabandoning طاعاتِobedience to الفُؤادِthe heart المُتَيَّمِlove-enslaved
وَفي تَركِ طاعاتِ الفُؤادِ المُتَيَّمِ
In forbearance and Islam there is restraint for a man,
and in ceasing to obey a love-enslaved heart
بَصائِرُclear insights رُشدٍinto right guidance لِلفَتىfor a young man مُستَبينَةٌplainly evident
بَصائِرُ رُشدٍ لِلفَتى مُستَبينَةٌ
وَأَخلاقُand virtues of صِدقٍintegrity عِلمُهاknowledge of them بِالتَعَلُّمِthrough learning
وَأَخلاقُ صِدقٍ عِلمُها بِالتَعَلُّمِ
are clear insights into right guidance for a young man,
and virtues of integrity, whose knowledge comes through learning.
وَليتَyou assumed office فَلَمand did not تَشتمrevile عَلِيّاًAli وَلَمand did not تُخِفfrighten
وَليتَ فَلَم تَشتم عَلِيّاً وَلَم تُخِف
بَرِيّاًan innocent man ولمand did not تَقبَلaccept إِشارَةَthe counsel of مُجرِمِa criminal
بَرِيّاً ولم تَقبَل إِشارَةَ مُجرِمِ
You took office, yet did not revile Ali, nor frighten
an innocent man, nor accept a criminal’s counsel.
وَأَظهَرتَand you revealed نورَthe light of الحَقِّtruth فَاِشتَدَّso grew stronger نورُهُits light
وَأَظهَرتَ نورَ الحَقِّ فَاِشتَدَّ نورُهُ
عَلىover كُلِّevery لَبسٍconfusion بارِقِthe gleam of الحَقِّtruth مُظلِمِdarkening
عَلى كُلِّ لَبسٍ بارِقِ الحَقِّ مُظلِمِ
You revealed the light of truth, and its light grew strong
over every confusion that darkened truth’s gleam.
وَعاقَبتَand you punished فيماfor what قَدalready تَقَدَّمتَyou had given warning قَبلَهُbefore it
وَعاقَبتَ فيما قَد تَقَدَّمتَ قَبلَهُ
وَأَعرَضتَand you overlooked عَمّاwhat كانَhad happened قَبلَbefore التَقَدُّمِthe warning
وَأَعرَضتَ عَمّا كانَ قَبلَ التَقَدُّمِ
You punished offenses after giving warning against them,
and overlooked what had happened before the warning.
وَصَدَّقتَand you confirmed بِالفِعلِthrough deeds المَقالَthe words مَعَalong with الَّذيwhat
وَصَدَّقتَ بِالفِعلِ المَقالَ مَعَ الَّذي
أَتَيتَyou accomplished فَأَمسىso became راضِياًcontent كُلُّevery مُسلِمِMuslim
أَتَيتَ فَأَمسى راضِياً كُلُّ مُسلِمِ
You confirmed your words through deeds, together with what
you accomplished, and every Muslim became content.
تَكَلَّمتَyou spoke بِالحَقِّwith truth المُبينِmanifest وَإِنَّماand only
تَكَلَّمتَ بِالحَقِّ المُبينِ وَإِنَّما
تَبَيَّنُbecome clear آياتُthe signs of الهُدىguidance بِالتَكَلُّمِthrough speaking
تَبَيَّنُ آياتُ الهُدى بِالتَكَلُّمِ
You spoke the manifest truth, and only
through speaking do the signs of guidance become clear.
أَلاindeed إِنَّماonly يَكفيsuffices الفَتىa young man بَعدَafter زَيغِهِhis straying
أَلا إِنَّما يَكفي الفَتى بَعدَ زَيغِهِ
مِنَagainst الأَوَدِcrookedness الباديevident ثِقافُthe straightening clamp of المُقَوَّمِthe straightener
مِنَ الأَوَدِ البادي ثِقافُ المُقَوَّمِ
Indeed, after straying, a young man needs only
the straightener’s clamp for his evident crookedness.
وَقَدand indeed لَبِسَتshe donned لُبسَthe manner of dress of الهَلوكِa seductress ثِيابَهاher garments
وَقَد لَبِسَت لُبسَ الهَلوكِ ثِيابَها
تَراءىappears لَكَbefore you الدُنياthe world بِكَفٍّwith a hand وَمِعصَمِand a wrist
تَراءى لَكَ الدُنيا بِكَفٍّ وَمِعصَمِ
Clothed in her garments as a seductress dresses,
the world appears before you with hand and wrist exposed.
وَتومِضُand she flashes أَحياناًat times بِعَينٍwith an eye مَريضَةٍlanguid
وَتومِضُ أَحياناً بِعَينٍ مَريضَةٍ
وَتَبسِمُand she smiles عَنrevealing مِثلِthe like of الجُمانِpearls المُنَظَّمِstrung in order
وَتَبسِمُ عَن مِثلِ الجُمانِ المُنَظَّمِ
At times she flashes a languid eye,
and smiles to reveal teeth like strung pearls.
فَأَعرَضتَso you turned away عَنهاfrom her مُشمَئِزّاًin revulsion كَأَنَّماas though
فَأَعرَضتَ عَنها مُشمَئِزّاً كَأَنَّما
سَقَتكَshe made you drink مَدوفاًa blended draught مِنof سِمامٍpoisons وَعَلقَمِand bitter colocynth
سَقَتكَ مَدوفاً مِن سِمامٍ وَعَلقَمِ
Yet you turned from her in revulsion, as though
she had made you drink a mixture of poisons and bitter colocynth.
وَقَدand indeed كَنتَyou were مِنamong أَجبالِهاher mountains فيin مُمَنَّعٍan impregnable stronghold
وَقَد كَنتَ مِن أَجبالِها في مُمَنَّعٍ
وَمِنand of بَحرِهاher sea فيin مُزبِدِfoaming with المَوجِwaves مُفعَمِbrimming
وَمِن بَحرِها في مُزبِدِ المَوجِ مُفعَمِ
Yet among her mountains you stood in an impregnable stronghold,
and in her sea, in brimming waters with foaming waves.
وَماand not زِلتَyou ceased تَوّاقاًyearning إِلىfor كُلِّevery غايَةٍgoal
وَما زِلتَ تَوّاقاً إِلى كُلِّ غايَةٍ
بَلَغتَyou reached بِهاthrough it أَعلىthe summit of البِناءِthe edifice المُقَدَّمِforemost
بَلَغتَ بِها أَعلى البِناءِ المُقَدَّمِ
You never ceased yearning for every goal
through which you reached the summit of the foremost edifice.
فَلَمّاthen when أَتاكَcame to you المُلكُsovereignty عَفواًunsought وَلَمand not يَكُنthere was
فَلَمّا أَتاكَ المُلكُ عَفواً وَلَم يَكُن
لِطالِبِfor a seeker of دُنياworldly gain بَعدَهُafter it مِنany تَكَلُّمِspeaking
لِطالِبِ دُنيا بَعدَهُ مِن تَكَلُّمِ
Then, when sovereignty came to you unbidden, and there was
nothing more for a seeker of worldly gain to say,
تَرَكتَyou forsook الَّذيwhat يَفنىperishes وَإِنand even if كانَit was مونقاًdelightful
تَرَكتَ الَّذي يَفنى وَإِن كانَ مونقاً
وَآثَرَتand you preferred ماwhat يَبقىendures بِرَأيٍwith judgment مُصَمِّمِresolute
وَآثَرَت ما يَبقى بِرَأيٍ مُصَمِّمِ
you forsook what perishes, however delightful,
and chose what endures with resolute judgment.
وَأَضرَرتَand you slighted بِالفانيthe perishable وَشَمَّرتَand girded yourself لِلَّذيfor what
وَأَضرَرتَ بِالفاني وَشَمَّرتَ لِلَّذي
أَمامَكَbefore you فيon يَومٍa day مِنَfrom الشَرِّevil مُظلِمِdark
أَمامَكَ في يَومٍ مِنَ الشَرِّ مُظلِمِ
You slighted the perishable and girded yourself for what
lies ahead of you on a day dark with evil.
وَماand not لَكَfor you إِذwhen كُنتَyou were الخَليفَةَthe caliph مانِعٌa restraint
وَما لَكَ إِذ كُنتَ الخَليفَةَ مانِعٌ
سِوىexcept اللَهِGod مِنfrom مالٍwealth رَغيبٍabundant وَلاnor دَمِblood
سِوى اللَهِ مِن مالٍ رَغيبٍ وَلا دَمِ
As caliph, nothing restrained you
from great wealth or bloodshed but God.
سَماrose high لَكَfor you هَمٌّan aspiration فيin الفُؤادِthe heart مُؤَرِّقٌdenying sleep
سَما لَكَ هَمٌّ في الفُؤادِ مُؤَرِّقٌ
بِلَغتَyou reached بِهِthrough it أَعلىthe highest of المَعاليthe honors بِسُلَّمِby a ladder
بِلَغتَ بِهِ أَعلى المَعالي بِسُلَّمِ
An aspiration rose within your heart, denying you sleep;
by it you climbed a ladder to the highest honors.
فَماand nowhere بَينَbetween شَرقِthe east of الأَرضِthe earth وَالغَربِand the west كُلِّهاall of it
فَما بَينَ شَرقِ الأَرضِ وَالغَربِ كُلِّها
مُنادٍa crier يُناديcalls out مِنamong فَصيحٍa fluent speaker وَأَعجَمِand a foreign-tongued speaker
مُنادٍ يُنادي مِن فَصيحٍ وَأَعجَمِ
Nowhere across all the earth, from east to west,
does any crier, fluent or foreign-tongued, call out,
يَقولُsaying أَميرَO Commander of المُؤمِنينَthe Faithful ظَلَمتَنيyou wronged me
يَقولُ أَميرَ المُؤمِنينَ ظَلَمتَني
بِأَخذٍby taking لِدينارٍof a dinar وَلاnor أَخذِtaking دِرهَمِa dirham
بِأَخذٍ لِدينارٍ وَلا أَخذِ دِرهَمِ
saying, “Commander of the Faithful, you have wronged me
by taking a dinar or taking a dirham,
وَلاnor بَسطِextending كَفٍّa hand لِاِمرِئٍagainst a man غَيرِnot مُجرِمٍguilty
وَلا بَسطِ كَفٍّ لِاِمرِئٍ غَيرِ مُجرِمٍ
وَلاnor السَفكِthe spilling مِنهُfrom him ظالِماًunjustly مِلءَthe fullness of مِحجَمِa cupping cup
وَلا السَفكِ مِنهُ ظالِماً مِلءَ مِحجَمِ
or laying a hand on a man guilty of no crime,
or unjustly shedding a cupping-cupful of his blood.”
وَلَوand if يَستَطيعُcould المُسلِمونَthe Muslims لَقَسَّمواthey would surely allot
وَلَو يَستَطيعُ المُسلِمونَ لَقَسَّموا
لَكَto you الشَطرَhalf مِنof أَعمارِهِمtheir lifetimes غَيرَnot نُدَّمِregretful
لَكَ الشَطرَ مِن أَعمارِهِم غَيرَ نُدَّمِ
If the Muslims could, they would allot
you half their lifetimes, with no regrets,
فَعِشتَso you would live بِهِby it ماas long as حَجَّmakes pilgrimage لِلَّهِfor God راكِبٌa rider
فَعِشتَ بِهِ ما حَجَّ لِلَّهِ راكِبٌ
مُغِدٌّsetting out at dawn مُطيفٌcircling بِالمَقامِat the Station وَزَمزَمِand Zamzam
مُغِدٌّ مُطيفٌ بِالمَقامِ وَزَمزَمِ
so you might live by it as long as a rider makes pilgrimage for God,
setting out at dawn, circling by the Station and Zamzam.
فَأَربِحso how profitable! بِهاit is مِنas صَفقَةٍa bargain لِمُبايِعٍfor a bargainer
فَأَربِح بِها مِن صَفقَةٍ لِمُبايِعٍ
وَأَعظِمand how great! بِهاit is أَعظِمhow great! بِهاit is ثُمَّthen أَعظِمِhow great!
وَأَعظِم بِها أَعظِم بِها ثُمَّ أَعظِمِ
How profitable a bargain for the one who strikes it!
And how great it is—how great, and then how great!
Sol 6.1