أنشُدُI seek منfrom عهدthe pledge of ليلَىLayla غيرَnot موجودِfound
أنشُدُ من عهد ليلَى غيرَ موجودِ
وأقتضيهاand I demand from her مُعاراًsomething lent غيرَnot مردودِreturned
وأقتضيها مُعاراً غيرَ مردودِ
I seek Layla's pledge, nowhere to be found,
I recite from the era of Layla though it no longer exists
and demand from her a loan never returned,
And I seek it on loan though it will not be returned
رِضاًcontentment بليلَىwith Layla علىdespite ماwhat كانthere was منof خُلُقٍa disposition
رِضاً بليلَى على ما كان من خُلُقٍ
جَعْدٍungenerous ونَيلٍand giving كثيرِabundant in المنّreminders of favor معدودِscant
جَعْدٍ ونَيلٍ كثيرِ المنّ معدودِ
content with Layla, despite a disposition
Content with Layla as she was of manners
ungenerous, and scant gifts laden with reminders of favor.
Curly-haired and soft, abundantly gentle and docile
منamong العزيزاتthe noble women أنساباًin lineage وأخبيةًand in tent-dwellings
من العزيزات أنساباً وأخبيةً
فيin صفوةِthe choicest of البيتِthe house حلَّتshe settled صفوةَthe choicest of البيدِthe deserts
في صفوةِ البيتِ حلَّت صفوةَ البيدِ
She is among those noble in lineage and tents;
Of the precious ladies, noble genealogies and bashful
of the choicest house, she dwells in the choicest desert lands.
In the elite of the house, she settled, the elite of the tents
محبُّهاher lover قدalready قضىhas perished فيin كلِّevery معركةٍbattlefield
محبُّها قد قضى في كلِّ معركةٍ
قصيّةٍremote عنbeyond بلاغِthe reach of الأينُقِthe she-camels القُودِthe long-necked
قصيّةٍ عن بلاغِ الأينُقِ القُودِ
Her lover has perished on every battlefield
Her lover had triumphed in every battle
remote beyond the reach of long-necked she-camels.
Cut short from the eloquence of the delicate tied up
تُقَلُّshe is borne منwith غيرِno ذُلٍّabasement عندamong أُسرتهاher clan
تُقَلُّ من غيرِ ذُلٍّ عند أُسرتها
بينamong القبابِthe domed tents المنيعاتِthe impregnable الأباديدِthe scattered
بين القبابِ المنيعاتِ الأباديدِ
She is borne without abasement among her clan,
She moves with no humiliation among her family
amid scattered, impregnable domed tents.
Between the lofty impenetrable tents
كمhow many a ليلةٍnight قدindeed أرتنيhas shown me حشوَهاits interior قمراًa moon
كم ليلةٍ قد أرتني حشوَها قمراً
وجوهُهاtheir faces البيضُthe white فيin أبياتِهاtheir tents السُّودِthe black
وجوهُها البيضُ في أبياتِها السُّودِ
How many a night has shown me a moon within it—
How many a night has shown me its interior as the moon
their white faces inside their black tents.
And their white faces among its black verses
منof كلِّevery هيفاءَslender-waisted beauty إلاexcept الرِّدفَthe hips تحسبهُyou would think it
من كلِّ هيفاءَ إلا الرِّدفَ تحسبهُ
غصناًa branch منof البانthe bān tree معقوداًbound بجلُمودِto a boulder
غصناً من البان معقوداً بجلُمودِ
Each slender-waisted beauty—save her hips, you would think her
I reckoned every slander about her except spite
a bān-tree branch bound to a boulder.
As a bough of acacia gum tied up with resin
ماnot مستقيماتهاtheir upright forms للريحto the wind مائلةٌbending
ما مستقيماتها للريح مائلةٌ
لكنbut براهينُproofs of عِزٍّproud reserve ليto me المواعيدُthe promised meetings
لكن براهينُ عِزٍّ لي المواعيدُ
Their upright forms do not bend to the wind;
Her upright stance inclines not to the wind
yet their promised meetings prove their proud reserve to me.
But proofs of honor are my trysts
لُثْنَthey twined العناقيدَthe grape clusters فوقَabove الخُمرِthe veils واختلفتand took turns
لُثْنَ العناقيدَ فوقَ الخُمرِ واختلفت
شِفاهُهنَّtheir lips علىover ماءِthe juice of العناقيدِthe grape clusters
شِفاهُهنَّ على ماءِ العناقيدِ
They twined grape-clusters above their veils, while
The clusters hung over the wine and their lips disagreed
their lips took turns at the juice of grape-clusters.
Over the water of the clusters
ورُحنand they went forth يَرمِينthey shoot بالألحاظwith glances مقتَنَصاًprey
ورُحن يَرمِين بالألحاظ مقتَنَصاً
فماso not تصيَّدنَthey hunted إلاexcept أنفُسَthe souls of الصِّيدِthe proud lords
فما تصيَّدنَ إلا أنفُسَ الصِّيدِ
They went forth shooting glances in pursuit of prey,
And they tossed looks my way, hunting
and caught only the souls of proud lords.
But they hunted nothing but the prey itself
ياO ليلَLayla لوif كانit were داءًa sickness تقتُلينyou kill بهwith it
يا ليلَ لو كان داءً تقتُلين به
داويتِهyou cured it كانit would be داءًa sickness غيرَnot مقصودintended
داويتِه كان داءً غيرَ مقصود
O Layla, should a sickness by which you kill
O night, if it were an illness that killed you
be cured by you, it would be a sickness never intended.
I would have cured it - an unintentional illness
اليأسُdespair أروحُmore restful ليfor me والصبرُand patience أرفقُgentler بيto me
اليأسُ أروحُ لي والصبرُ أرفقُ بي
منthan نومِthe sleep of ليلكِyour night عنheedless of همّيmy worry وتسهيديand my sleeplessness
من نومِ ليلكِ عن همّي وتسهيدي
Despair brings me more rest, and patience treats me more gently
Despair is more peaceful for me and patience more gentle
than your night's sleep, heedless of my grief and sleeplessness.
Than your night's sleep from my worries and turning over
ماnot ماءthe water of دِجلةَthe Tigris ممزوجاًmingled بغدركُمُwith your treachery
ما ماء دِجلةَ ممزوجاً بغدركُمُ
وإنand even if شفَىit brings relief بارداًcold عنديto me بمورودِto be sought for drinking
وإن شفَى بارداً عندي بمورودِ
The Tigris's water, mingled with your treachery,
Neither the water of the Tigris mixed with your betrayal
though cool and healing, is no water I would approach.
Though cooling by my fever if filtered
ولاand not صَبَاthe east wind of أرضِكمyour land هبَّتhas blown تروّحنيto refresh me
ولا صَبَا أرضِكم هبَّت تروّحني
وفاءَin fulfillment of وعدٍa promise لكمof yours بالمطلِby delay مكدودِworn down
وفاءَ وعدٍ لكم بالمطلِ مكدودِ
Nor has your land's east wind blown to revive me,
Nor the clouds of your land that blew to refresh me
fulfilling a promise of yours worn down by delay.
Keeping a promise to you with expected gifts
حسبيenough for me سَمحتُI was generous بأخلاقيin my conduct فماbut not ظفِرتI obtained
حسبي سَمحتُ بأخلاقي فما ظفِرت
فيamong الناسpeople إلاexcept بأخلاقٍwith dispositions مَناكيدِill-natured
في الناس إلا بأخلاقٍ مَناكيدِ
Enough! I have been generous in my conduct, yet found
It suffices me, I was indulgent in my morals yet I succeeded
among people only ill-natured ways.
Among people only in hostile morals
وصاحبٍand many a companion لينُthe ease of أيَّاميmy days وشدّتُهاand their hardship
وصاحبٍ لينُ أيَّامي وشدّتُها
فَرقٌa distinction لهfor him بينbetween تقريبيdrawing me close وتبعيديand keeping me distant
فَرقٌ له بين تقريبي وتبعيدي
And many a friend lets my days of ease or hardship
And a gentle companion for my days and their severity
decide whether to draw me close or keep me far away.
Distinguishing for him between my drawing near and distance
يمشيhe walks ابنَlike the son of دأيةَDaʾya (raven epithet) فيin ظلِّthe shade of الرجاءِhope معيwith me
يمشي ابنَ دأيةَ في ظلِّ الرجاءِ معي
وفيand in النوائبِcalamities يعدوhe runs عدوةَthe running of السِّيدِthe wolf
وفي النوائبِ يعدو عدوةَ السِّيدِ
He walks with me like Ibn Daʾya, the raven, in hope's shade,
The son of Ta'abbata Sharran walks in my shadow of hope
and in calamities races like a wolf.
And in tribulations he takes off running like a wolf
وواسعِand one spacious in الدارdwelling عاليlofty in النارِfire يُوهمنيhe makes me expect
وواسعِ الدار عالي النارِ يُوهمني
خِصبَabundance of القِرَىguest-fare بينamong مبثوثٍwhat is spread out ومنضودand what is piled up
خِصبَ القِرَى بين مبثوثٍ ومنضود
And many a man of spacious house and lofty fire makes me expect
Of spacious house, blazing fire, he deludes me
abundant guest-fare, spread out and piled high.
The fertility of villages between scattered and heaped
يهوَىhe loves الأناشيدَthe songs أنthat يَكذبِنthey lie about سُمعَتَهhis reputation
يهوَى الأناشيدَ أن يَكذبِن سُمعَتَه
ولاand not يَهشُّhe is eager لأعواضِfor recompense for الأناشيدِthe songs
ولا يَهشُّ لأعواضِ الأناشيدِ
He loves songs that falsely praise his name,
The songs desire to belie their reputation
yet has no eagerness to reward those songs.
And do not quake before the substitutions of songs
أغشاهI visit him غِشيانَlike the visit of مجلوبٍone lured in يُغَرُّwho is beguiled بماby what
أغشاه غِشيانَ مجلوبٍ يُغَرُّ بما
رأَىhe has seen وأُصرَفand I am dismissed عنهfrom him صَرفَlike the rejection of مطرودِan outcast
رأَى وأُصرَف عنه صَرفَ مطرودِ
I visit him like one lured in, beguiled by what
Engulfed by an overwhelming delusion, tempted by what
he has seen, and am driven away from him like an outcast.
He saw and I am turned away, turned away forcefully
يجودُhe gives generously مِلءَthe fill of يديmy hands بالوعدwith promises يمطلُهُhe delays fulfilling it
يجودُ مِلءَ يدي بالوعد يمطلُهُ
والمطلُand delay منwith غيرno عُسرٍfinancial hardship آفةُthe blight of الجودِgenerosity
والمطلُ من غير عُسرٍ آفةُ الجودِ
He fills my hands with promises, then delays their fulfillment;
He promises plenty with his hands but delays it
and delay without hardship is generosity's blight.
And delay without hardship is the bane of generosity
فَدَىmay be ransom الرجالُthe men وإنand even if ضنّواthey withhold وإنand even if سمحواthey give freely
فَدَى الرجالُ وإن ضنّوا وإن سمحوا
فتىًa youth يهونُis of little account عليهto him كلُّeverything موجودِpossessed
فتىً يهونُ عليه كلُّ موجودِ
May men, whether they hoard or give freely, be ransom
The men offer themselves even if they are stingy and generous
for a youth who thinks little of everything he owns.
A man who finds every existent thing insignificant
لاnot يحسبhe counts المالَwealth إلاexcept ماwhat أفادhe gains بهthrough it
لا يحسب المالَ إلا ما أفاد به
ثناءَthe praise of محتسبٍone seeking divine reward أوor ذِكرَthe remembrance of محمودِone praised
ثناءَ محتسبٍ أو ذِكرَ محمودِ
He counts as wealth only what has earned him
He counts money only what benefits him
praise as a selfless giver, or an honored name.
The praise of a judge or a celebrated mention
كمhow often جَرَّبَhas tested المدحُpraise أملاكاًkings وجرَّبهand it tested him
كم جَرَّبَ المدحُ أملاكاً وجرَّبه
فصبَّso he poured ماءًwater وحَتُّواand they scraped off منfrom جلاميدِboulders
فصبَّ ماءً وحَتُّوا من جلاميدِ
How many kings has praise tested—and it has tested him:
How the flattery has tried assets and tried them
he poured forth water, while they scraped from boulders.
Pouring water and they were heated from frozen rocks
أملسُsmooth لاnot عِرضُهhis honor الوافيthe complete بمنتقَصٍdiminished
أملسُ لا عِرضُه الوافي بمنتقَصٍ
يوماًfor a day ولاand not مالهُhis wealth الواقيthe shielding بمعبودِworshipped
يوماً ولا مالهُ الواقي بمعبودِ
Smooth in manner, his unstinted honor is never diminished
Unblemished, his faithful ally not accusing
for a day, nor is his shielding wealth worshipped.
A day, nor his money protecting a worshipped one
مَنwho سائلٌasks بالكرامabout the noble men السابقينthe predecessors مَضَواwho passed away
مَن سائلٌ بالكرام السابقين مَضَوا
وخلَّفواand they left behind الذِّكرَremembrance منas إرثٍa legacy وتخليدِand immortality
وخلَّفوا الذِّكرَ من إرثٍ وتخليدِ
Who asks about the noble predecessors, now gone,
Who asks about the preceding generous ones who passed away
who left remembrance as their legacy and immortality?
And left mention as inheritance and eternity
هذاthis الحسينُHusayn فخذso take عيناًdirect sight ودعْand leave خَبراًhearsay
هذا الحسينُ فخذ عيناً ودعْ خَبراً
منfrom الرواياتthe narratives عنهمabout them والأسانيدِand chains of transmission
من الروايات عنهم والأسانيدِ
Here is Husayn: take eyewitness truth and leave hearsay,
This is Al-Husayn - take an eyeful and leave an account
the tales about them and their chains of transmission.
Of the reports about them and the chains of narration
منamong ساكنيthe inhabitants of الأرضِthe earth قبلَbefore الماءِwater منfrom قدمٍantiquity
من ساكني الأرضِ قبلَ الماءِ من قدمٍ
وعامريهاand those who peopled it وماwhile not ذَلَّتit had yielded لتشييدِto building
وعامريها وما ذَلَّت لتشييدِ
He is of those who dwelt on earth before water, in their antiquity,
Of the inhabitants of the earth before water, since early times
and peopled it before it yielded to building.
And its builders, who bowed to its construction
كمhow many a حاملٍbearer منهُمُamong them فضلاًof excellence حمائلُهُhis sword-straps
كم حاملٍ منهُمُ فضلاً حمائلُهُ
تُحَلُّare unfastened عنfrom عاتقa shoulder بالتاجto the crown معقودِbound
تُحَلُّ عن عاتق بالتاج معقودِ
How many a bearer of greatness among them, whose sword-straps
How many carrying superiority, their litters
are unfastened from a shoulder bound to a crown!
Loosen from the shoulder by a crown laden
لمnot يبرحواthey ceased to be أجبُلَthe mountains of الدنياthe world وأبحرَهاand its seas
لم يبرحوا أجبُلَ الدنيا وأبحرَها
أصليْنtwo foundations منof شاهقٍa towering height منهاof it وممدودِand a far-stretched expanse
أصليْن من شاهقٍ منها وممدودِ
They have never ceased to be the world's mountains and seas,
They did not leave the mountains and seas of the world
two foundations, one towering, the other stretching wide.
Original ones, towering and extended
وحسَّنواand they beautified فيthrough الندىgenerosity أخلاقَthe traits of حلمهمُtheir forbearance
وحسَّنوا في الندى أخلاقَ حلمهمُ
إِنَّindeed الندىgenerosity فيin النُّهىminds كالماءlike water فيin العودِwood
إِنَّ الندى في النُّهى كالماء في العودِ
They have beautified their forbearing nature with generosity;
And they beautified in dew the morals of their forbearance
for generosity in the mind is like water in a bough.
Dew in restraint is like water in aloeswood
ياO آلhouse of عبدِAbd (servant of) الرحيمal-Rahim (the Merciful) اختارchose صُحبتَكمyour company
يا آل عبدِ الرحيم اختار صُحبتَكم
تأنُّقيmy refinement فيin اختياراتيmy choices وتجويديand my pursuit of excellence
تأنُّقي في اختياراتي وتجويدي
O house of Abd al-Rahim, your company was chosen
O Family of ‘Abd al-Rahim, I chose your companionship
by my refinement in choosing and my pursuit of excellence.
My refinement in my selections and compositions
أُحِبُّكمI love you وتُحبُّونيand you love me وماand not لَكُمُfor you
أُحِبُّكم وتُحبُّوني وما لَكُمُ
فضلٌsuperiority ورُبَّand many a ودودٍloving friend غيرُnot مورودِvisited
فضلٌ ورُبَّ ودودٍ غيرُ مورودِ
I love you, and you love me; you have
I love you and you love me, and you have
no superiority over me—yet many a loving friend goes unvisited.
No grace over a devoted lover with no clouds
قرابةٌkinship بينناbetween us فيin فارسٍPersia وَصفتْhas described
قرابةٌ بيننا في فارسٍ وَصفتْ
عنّيon my behalf وعنكمand on your behalf طهاراتِthe purity of المواليدِbirths
عنّي وعنكم طهاراتِ المواليدِ
A kinship between us in Persia has declared
There is kinship between us through a noble ancestor who
on my behalf and yours the purity of our births.
Clarified for me and you the purities of noble births
لاmay not زالcease مدحِيَmy praise ميراثاًas a legacy يقابلكمgreeting you
لا زال مدحِيَ ميراثاً يقابلكم
عنّيon my behalf إذاwhenever الشعرُpoetry فيin آذانكمyour ears نُودِيis proclaimed
عنّي إذا الشعرُ في آذانكم نُودِي
May my praise remain a legacy to greet you
My praise still reciprocates you on my behalf
on my behalf whenever poetry is proclaimed in your ears,
When poetry is sung into your ears
بكلِّwith every حسناءbeautiful one لوeven if أحفَشتُهاI shut her away برزتْshe would emerge
بكلِّ حسناء لو أحفَشتُها برزتْ
للخاطبينbefore the suitors بروزَlike the appearance of الغادةِthe graceful maiden الرُّودِthe tender-limbed
للخاطبين بروزَ الغادةِ الرُّودِ
with every fair ode that, though I shut her away, would emerge
By every beautiful woman, if I wooed her, she would come out
before her suitors like a tender, graceful maiden—
To the suitors with the appearance of a fawn
منfrom نسجthe weaving of فكريmy thought تردّshe wards off العارَdisgrace دونكُمُin your defense
من نسج فكري تردّ العارَ دونكُمُ
ردّlike the repelling of السهامarrows نبتْthat rebounded عنfrom نسجthe weaving of داودِDavid
ردّ السهام نبتْ عن نسج داودِ
woven from my thought, warding disgrace away from you,
From the weaving of my thoughts it deflects blame from you
as arrows are repelled, recoiling from David's woven armor—
Deflecting the arrows, cultivated from David's weavings
ماas long as أنبتتْbrings forth لِيَfor me شَجْراءُthe thicket of الرجاءhope بكمthrough you
ما أنبتتْ لِيَ شَجْراءُ الرجاء بكم
خِصباًabundance وماand as long as كرَّreturns دهرٌtime عودةَthe return of العيدِthe festival
خِصباً وما كرَّ دهرٌ عودةَ العيدِ
so long as hope's thicket, through you, brings forth for me
The fertile land of hopes did not grow for me through you
abundance, and time returns with the festival's return,
Fertility, and time never again returned the feast
وماand as long as تباحُare given free scope المُدَىthe knives مشحوذةًsharpened أبداًever
وما تباحُ المُدَى مشحوذةً أبداً
صبيحةَon the morning of النحرِsacrifice منat نحرٍa breast ومنand at جيدِa neck
صبيحةَ النحرِ من نحرٍ ومن جيدِ
and so long as sharpened knives are given free course
And the extended eulogies are never loosened
on the morning of sacrifice over breast and neck.
The morning of sacrifice, neither by sacrifice nor generosity
Sol 6.1