غادِvisit at dawn النَّدَىthe dew بِالْجِيزَةِin Giza الفَيْحَاءِspacious
غادِ النَّدَى بِالْجِيزَةِ الفَيْحَاءِ
واحْدُand urge on الصَّبُوحَthe morning draught بِنَغْمَةِwith the melody of الوَرْقَاءِthe gray dove
واحْدُ الصَّبُوحَ بِنَغْمَةِ الوَرْقَاءِ
Greet the dew at dawn in spacious Giza,
The dew descended in the spacious valley,
And urge on the morning draught with the gray dove's song.
And dawn shone with the melody of the foliage,
والْمَحْand glimpse بِطَرْفِكَwith your eye ماwhat وَحَتْهُit inscribed يَدُthe hand of الصَّباthe east wind
والْمَحْ بِطَرْفِكَ ما وَحَتْهُ يَدُ الصَّبا
فَوْقَupon الْغَدِيرِthe pool تَجِدْyou will find حُروفَletters of هِجاءِthe alphabet
فَوْقَ الْغَدِيرِ تَجِدْ حُروفَ هِجاءِ
And glimpse with your eye what the east wind's hand has written
Your glance cannot reach what the morning breeze wrote,
Upon the pool—you will find letters of the alphabet.
Above the pond you will find scribbled letters,
مِنْfrom كُلِّevery حَرْفٍletter فيهِin it مَعْنَىa sense of صَبْوَةٍlonging
مِنْ كُلِّ حَرْفٍ فيهِ مَعْنَى صَبْوَةٍ
تَتْلُوrecites بِهِwith it الوَرْقَاءُthe gray dove لَحْنَthe melody of غِنَاءِa song
تَتْلُو بِهِ الوَرْقَاءُ لَحْنَ غِنَاءِ
From every letter in it comes a sense of longing,
Each letter has the meaning of a passing rapture,
With which the gray dove chants a tuneful song.
With it the foliage sings a melody of singing,
مَيْدَانُa field of سَبْقٍracing لِلْخَلاعَةِfor revelry أَشْرَقَتْshone
مَيْدَانُ سَبْقٍ لِلْخَلاعَةِ أَشْرَقَتْ
فيهِin it الْكُمَيْتُthe dark-red wine بِغُرَّةٍwith a white blaze غَرَّاءِdazzling
فيهِ الْكُمَيْتُ بِغُرَّةٍ غَرَّاءِ
A racecourse for revelry: there shines
The racecourse for steeds gleamed,
Within it the dark-red wine with a dazzling white blaze.
There the bay horse shone with a glossy chestnut color,
حَمْرَاءُred دارَcircled بهاaround it الْحَبابُthe bubbles كأَنَّهاas though it were
حَمْرَاءُ دارَ بها الْحَبابُ كأَنَّها
شَفَقٌa twilight glow بَدَتْappeared فِيهِin it نُجُومُthe stars of سَماءِheaven
شَفَقٌ بَدَتْ فِيهِ نُجُومُ سَماءِ
Red, with bubbles circling it, as though it were
Red are the abodes where friends dwelt as though it were
A twilight glow in which heaven's stars appeared.
A sunset in which the stars of the sky appeared,
هِيَit كالأَشِعَّةِlike rays of light غَيْرَexcept أَنَّthat ضِيَاءَهاits radiance
هِيَ كالأَشِعَّةِ غَيْرَ أَنَّ ضِيَاءَها
مِنْfrom ذاتِهاitself لاnot مِنْfrom ثُقُوبِthe blazing of ضِياءِa light
مِنْ ذاتِها لا مِنْ ثُقُوبِ ضِياءِ
It is like rays of light, save that its radiance
They are like rays except that their light
Comes from itself, not from the blazing of a light.
Is from themselves not from perforations of light,
وإِذاand if رَجَعْتَyou return إِلىto الْيَقِينِcertainty فَإِنَّهاthen indeed it is
وإِذا رَجَعْتَ إِلى الْيَقِينِ فَإِنَّها
نارٌfire تَحَلَّلَdissolved جِسْمُهاits body فيin ماءِwater
نارٌ تَحَلَّلَ جِسْمُها في ماءِ
And if you return to certainty, it is indeed
And if you return to the truth they are
Fire whose body has dissolved in water.
A fire whose body dissolved in water,
تَجْرِيit flows فَتَفْعَلُand so do بالْعُقُولِto minds كُؤُوسُهاits cups
تَجْرِي فَتَفْعَلُ بالْعُقُولِ كُؤُوسُها
ماwhat تَفْعَلُdo الأَلْحَاظُglances بالأَحْشَاءِto the heart's depths
ما تَفْعَلُ الأَلْحَاظُ بالأَحْشَاءِ
It flows, and its cups do to minds
It flows and intoxicates minds with its goblets
What glances do to the depths of hearts.
As glances intoxicate hearts,
خَفِيَتْwas hidden عَلَىthroughout الأَحْقَابِthe ages فَهِيَso it is ذَخِيرَةٌa treasure
خَفِيَتْ عَلَى الأَحْقَابِ فَهِيَ ذَخِيرَةٌ
مِنْfrom عَهدِthe time of آدَمَAdam أُودِعَتْwas stored بِوِعاءِin a vessel
مِنْ عَهدِ آدَمَ أُودِعَتْ بِوِعاءِ
It lay hidden through the ages; thus it is a treasure
It was hidden from eras so it is a treasure
Stored in a vessel since the time of Adam.
Deposited in a container since Adam's time,
مَحَقَeffaced الْفَنَاءُannihilation وُجُودَهاits existence فَتَزَايَلَتْand so it vanished
مَحَقَ الْفَنَاءُ وُجُودَها فَتَزَايَلَتْ
إِلاَّexcept نَسِيماًa breath شَفَّgrew translucent عَنْto reveal حَوْباءِa soul
إِلاَّ نَسِيماً شَفَّ عَنْ حَوْباءِ
Annihilation effaced its being, and it vanished,
Oblivion erased its existence so it vanished
Save for a breath that let a soul show through.
Except as a breeze that blew away dust,
هِيَit جَمْرَةُthe ember of الفُرْسِthe Persians الَّتِيwhich سَجَدَتْbowed لَهَاbefore it
هِيَ جَمْرَةُ الفُرْسِ الَّتِي سَجَدَتْ لَهَا
أَملاكُهاtheir kings فيin سَالِفِthe bygone الآنَاءِtimes
أَملاكُها في سَالِفِ الآنَاءِ
It is the Persians' ember, before which bowed
It is the embers of the steed to which
Their kings in days long past.
Its angels prostrated in bygone days,
فَانْهَضْso rise إِلَىto شُرْبِdrinking الصَّبُوحِthe morning draught فَقَدْfor already بَدَاhas appeared
فَانْهَضْ إِلَى شُرْبِ الصَّبُوحِ فَقَدْ بَدَا
شَيْبُthe gray hair of الصَّباحِdawn بِلِمَّةِin the locks of الظَّلْماءِdarkness
شَيْبُ الصَّباحِ بِلِمَّةِ الظَّلْماءِ
So rise to drink the morning draught, for now has appeared
So get up and drink the dawn for the gray hair
The gray hair of dawn in darkness's locks.
Of morning has appeared with darkness,
وَتَرَنَّمَتْand sang melodiously فيin وَكْرِهاher nest سَحَرِيَّةٌa dawn-songstress
وَتَرَنَّمَتْ في وَكْرِها سَحَرِيَّةٌ
تُغْنِيspares الْمَقَامَةَthe gathering عَنْfrom needing صَفِيرِthe piping of النَّاءِthe flute
تُغْنِي الْمَقَامَةَ عَنْ صَفِيرِ النَّاءِ
And a dawn-songstress has warbled in her nest,
And a sorceress crooned in her den,
Sparing the gathering the need for the flute's piping:
Making music instead of the whistling of the flute,
وَرْقاءُa gray dove تَسْجَعُcoos فيin سَماوَةِthe high canopy of أَيْكَةٍa grove
وَرْقاءُ تَسْجَعُ في سَماوَةِ أَيْكَةٍ
مَوْشِيَّةِembroidered الْعَذَباتِbranch-tips بِالأَنْدَاءِwith dewdrops
مَوْشِيَّةِ الْعَذَباتِ بِالأَنْدَاءِ
A gray dove, cooing in a grove's high canopy,
The foliage sings saj‘ in the stillness of a meadow
Whose branch-tips are embroidered with dew.
Grazed by the gentle, crying camels,
تَبْكِيweeps for الْهَدِيلَal-Hadil وَماand never رَأَتْهُsaw him فَيَاso, oh! لَهاfor her
تَبْكِي الْهَدِيلَ وَما رَأَتْهُ فَيَا لَها
مِنْof ذُكْرَةٍa remembrance عَرَضَتْarose بِغَيْرِwithout لِقاءِa meeting
مِنْ ذُكْرَةٍ عَرَضَتْ بِغَيْرِ لِقاءِ
She mourns al-Hadil, though she has never seen him—oh, what
It weeps the warble though it never saw it
A remembrance that arose without a meeting!
What a rememberance occurred without meeting!
قَدْindeed أَشْبَهَتْنِيshe resembled me فيin الْهَوىlove لَكِنَّهاbut she
قَدْ أَشْبَهَتْنِي في الْهَوى لَكِنَّها
لَمْdid not تَحْكِنيmatch me فيin لَوْعَتِيmy anguish وَبُكائِيand my weeping
لَمْ تَحْكِني في لَوْعَتِي وَبُكائِي
Indeed, she resembles me in love, yet she
It resembled me in love but it
Has not matched me in my anguish and my weeping.
Did not share with me my burning and crying,
مَالَswayed النَّسِيمُthe breeze بِهَاwith her وَمَالَand swayed بِيَwith me الأَسَىsorrow
مَالَ النَّسِيمُ بِهَا وَمَالَ بِيَ الأَسَى
شَتَّانَhow far apart! بَيْنَbetween نَعِيمِهاher bliss وَشَقائِيand my misery
شَتَّانَ بَيْنَ نَعِيمِها وَشَقائِي
The breeze sways her, and sorrow sways me;
The breeze leaned toward it while grief leaned toward me
How far apart are her bliss and my misery!
Far apart are its bliss and my misery!
أَنَاI يَاO حَمَامَةُdove مِنْكِthan you أَعْلَمُmore knowledgeable بِالْهَوىabout love
أَنَا يَا حَمَامَةُ مِنْكِ أَعْلَمُ بِالْهَوى
فَدَعيso leave الْحَنِينَyearning فَلَسْتِfor you are not مِنْamong أَكْفائِيmy equals
فَدَعي الْحَنِينَ فَلَسْتِ مِنْ أَكْفائِي
I, O dove, know more of love than you;
I, o turtledove, know more of love than you
So leave your yearning, for you are not among my equals.
So leave yearning for you are not my equal,
إِنِّيindeed I am امْرُؤٌa man مَلَكَseized control of الودادُaffection قِيَادَتِيmy reins
إِنِّي امْرُؤٌ مَلَكَ الودادُ قِيَادَتِي
وَجَرَىand ran عَلَىalong صِدْقِthe truth of الْعُهُودِthe pledges وَفائِيmy fidelity
وَجَرَى عَلَى صِدْقِ الْعُهُودِ وَفائِي
I am a man whose reins affection has seized,
I am a man led by affection
And my fidelity has kept to true pledges.
And the truth of pacts and loyalty flows in me,
لاnot أَسْتَرِيحُI find comfort إِلَىin السُّلُوِّforgetting love وَلَوْeven if جَنَىwronged
لا أَسْتَرِيحُ إِلَى السُّلُوِّ وَلَوْ جَنَى
خِلِّيmy beloved عَلَيَّagainst me وَلاand not أَشِينُI stain وَلائِيmy loyalty
خِلِّي عَلَيَّ وَلا أَشِينُ وَلائِي
I find no comfort in forgetting, even should
I find no peace in diversion even if
My beloved wrong me; nor do I stain my loyalty.
My bosom friend acts foolishly toward me,
لاnot ذِمَّتِيmy pledge رَهْنُa pawn for الْفِكَاكِredemption وَلاand not يَدِيmy hand
لا ذِمَّتِي رَهْنُ الْفِكَاكِ وَلا يَدِي
تُلْقِيcasts away أَزِمَّةَthe reins of عِفَّتِيmy chastity وَحَبائِيand my generosity
تُلْقِي أَزِمَّةَ عِفَّتِي وَحَبائِي
My pledge is no pawn to be redeemed, nor does my hand
My integrity is not hostage to ransom nor does
Cast away the reins of my chastity and generosity.
My hand cast off the crisis of my chastity and loves,
لَكِنَّنِيbut I am غَرَضٌa target لأَسْهُمِfor the arrows of حاسِدٍan envier
لَكِنَّنِي غَرَضٌ لأَسْهُمِ حاسِدٍ
وارِيablaze الجَوانِحِthe breast مِنْfrom لَهِيبِthe flame of عِدَائِيenmity toward me
وارِي الجَوانِحِ مِنْ لَهِيبِ عِدَائِي
But I am a target for an envier's arrows,
But I am a target for the arrows of envious people
Whose breast burns with the flame of enmity toward me,
Who protect themselves from the flames of my enemies,
مِنْfrom غَيْرِwithout ماany (emphatic) ذَنْبٍsin جَنَيْتُI committed وَإِنَّماand it is only that
مِنْ غَيْرِ ما ذَنْبٍ جَنَيْتُ وَإِنَّما
بُغْضُhatred of الْفَضِيلَةِvirtue شِيمَةُthe nature of الْجُهَلاءِthe ignorant
بُغْضُ الْفَضِيلَةِ شِيمَةُ الْجُهَلاءِ
Without my having committed any sin; it is only that
Without any crime I am attacked only because
Hatred of virtue is the nature of the ignorant.
Hatred of merit is the way of ignoramuses,
تَعِستcursed be مُقارَنَةُassociation with اللَّئِيمِthe base man فَإِنَّهاfor it is
تَعِست مُقارَنَةُ اللَّئِيمِ فَإِنَّها
شَرَقُa choking of النُّفُوسِsouls وَمِحْنَةُand an ordeal for الْكُرَمَاءِthe noble
شَرَقُ النُّفُوسِ وَمِحْنَةُ الْكُرَمَاءِ
Cursed be association with the base, for it is
Evil company is wretched for it is
A choking of souls and an ordeal for the noble.
The rising of souls and trial of generous people,
أَناI فيin زَمانٍan age غادِرٍtreacherous وَمَعَاشِرٍand companions
أَنا في زَمانٍ غادِرٍ وَمَعَاشِرٍ
يَتَلَوَّنُونَthey change colors تَلَوُّنَthe color-changing of الْحِرْباءِthe chameleon
يَتَلَوَّنُونَ تَلَوُّنَ الْحِرْباءِ
I live in a treacherous age, among companions
I live in a betraying and treacherous time,
Who change colors as the chameleon does.
Changing color like the chameleon,
أَعْداءُenemies غَيْبٍin absence لَيْسَnot يَسْلَمُis safe صاحِبٌa companion
أَعْداءُ غَيْبٍ لَيْسَ يَسْلَمُ صاحِبٌ
مِنْهُمْfrom them وإِخْوَةُand brothers مَحْضَرٍin one's presence وَرَخَاءِand prosperity
مِنْهُمْ وإِخْوَةُ مَحْضَرٍ وَرَخَاءِ
Enemies in absence—no companion is safe
Hidden enemies no friend is safe from
From them—yet brothers in one's presence and prosperity.
And brothers of the present and ease,
أَقْبِحْhow vile! بِهِمْthey are قَوْماًas a people بَلَوْتُI tested إِخاءَهُمْtheir brotherhood
أَقْبِحْ بِهِمْ قَوْماً بَلَوْتُ إِخاءَهُمْ
فَبَلَوْتُand I experienced أَقْبَحَthe vilest ذِمَّةٍpledge وَإِخَاءِand brotherhood
فَبَلَوْتُ أَقْبَحَ ذِمَّةٍ وَإِخَاءِ
How vile a people they are! I tested their brotherhood,
I tried the brotherhood of a people so I tried
And experienced the vilest pledge and brotherhood.
The ugliest pact and brotherhood,
قَدْindeed أَصْبَحُواthey have become للدَّهْرِagainst Time سُبَّةَa reproach by ناقِمٍan embittered man
قَدْ أَصْبَحُوا للدَّهْرِ سُبَّةَ ناقِمٍ
فِيin كُلِّevery مَصْدَرِsource of مِحْنَةٍaffliction وَبَلاءِand calamity
فِي كُلِّ مَصْدَرِ مِحْنَةٍ وَبَلاءِ
They have become an embittered man's reproach against Time,
They have become for fate an object of blame
At every source of affliction and calamity.
In every source of ordeal and affliction,
وَأَشَدُّand the harshest مَاwhat يَلْقَىencounters الْفَتَىa man فِيin دَهْرِهِhis lifetime
وَأَشَدُّ مَا يَلْقَى الْفَتَى فِي دَهْرِهِ
فَقْدُthe loss of الْكِرَامِthe noble وصُحْبَةُand the company of اللُّؤَمَاءِthe base
فَقْدُ الْكِرَامِ وصُحْبَةُ اللُّؤَمَاءِ
And the harshest thing a man encounters in his lifetime
The harshest that the youth faces in his time
Is the loss of the noble and the company of the base.
Is loss of honor and company of villains,
شَقِيَsuffered ابنُthe son of آدَمَAdam فيin الزّمانِtime بِعَقلِهِbecause of his reason
شَقِيَ ابنُ آدَمَ في الزّمانِ بِعَقلِهِ
إِنَّindeed الْفَضِيلَةَvirtue آفَةُthe bane of الْعُقَلاءِthe wise
إِنَّ الْفَضِيلَةَ آفَةُ الْعُقَلاءِ
The son of Adam suffers in life because of his reason;
Man is wretched in time because of his intellect
Indeed, virtue is the bane of the wise.
For merit is the bane of rational people.
Sol 6.1