حَيِّsalute المعاليمthe landmarks والرسومَاand the traces
حَيِّ المعاليم والرسومَا
وانزلand alight بهاat them تَنْفِyou banish الهُمُومَاcares
وانزل بها تَنْفِ الهُمُومَا
Salute the landmarks and the traces,
O source of virtues and traditions
and alight there to banish cares.
Descend with them to dispel sorrows
واسْتشفِand seek healing مِنfrom أنوارهاtheir lights
واسْتشفِ مِن أنوارها
فهواؤهاfor their air يشفىheals السقيماthe sick
فهواؤها يشفى السقيما
Seek healing from their lights,
And gain insight from its lights
for their air heals the sick.
For its air heals the sick
وسلِand ask المسافرَthe traveler عنabout ربوabodes (continued)
وسلِ المسافرَ عن ربو
عٍcompletion of 'abodes' قدalready خَلَتْhave fallen empty وسلِand ask المقيماthe resident
عٍ قد خَلَتْ وسلِ المقيما
And ask the traveler about the abodes
And ask the journeyer about his Lord
that now lie empty, and ask the resident.
The bygone days, and ask the settled one
درستwere effaced زماناًlong ago لَنْwill not ترَىyou see
درست زماناً لَنْ ترَى
إلاexcept الأثافِيَّthe hearthstones بهاin them جُثُومَاcrouching
إلا الأثافِيَّ بها جُثُومَا
Long since effaced, you will see
I studied an era I will not see
only hearthstones crouching there.
Except ruins with it lying down
عَهْديmy recollection بهاof them حورٌdark-eyed maidens حِسَاbeautiful (continued)
عَهْدي بها حورٌ حِسَا
نٌcompletion of 'beautiful' تشبهresemble الزهرَthe radiant ones النجومَاthe stars
نٌ تشبه الزهرَ النجومَا
I remember dark-eyed maidens there,
My era with it is lovely houries
beautiful, like the radiant stars.
Resembling scattered blossoms
منof كلeach بضsoft-skinned الجسمin body تمنعprevent
من كل بض الجسم تمنع
هاher الروادفُthe buttocks أنfrom تقومَاher rising
ها الروادفُ أن تقومَا
Each soft of body, held back
It prevents every part of the body
by her ample buttocks from rising.
Lest sorrows befall it
هلْwas it كانwas عهدُthe time of الظاعنينَthe departing ones
هلْ كان عهدُ الظاعنينَ
بذىat Dhu الغَضَاal-Ghada عهداa time قديمَاlong past
بذى الغَضَا عهدا قديمَا
Was the departing ones' time
Was the era of the slanderers
at Dhu al-Ghada so long ago?
An old era with the most virtuous
قدindeed غادرُواthey left قلبَthe heart of السليمِthe unharmed one
قد غادرُوا قلبَ السليمِ
لبيتهمfor their dwelling قلباa heart سليماsnakebitten; stricken
لبيتهم قلبا سليما
They left the heart of one once sound
They left the heart of the upright
stricken with longing for their dwelling.
To their home, an upright heart
رامُواthey sought صدورَهُمtheir departure فأضْحَand so became (continued)
رامُوا صدورَهُم فأضْحَ
ىcompletion of 'became' حبلُthe cord of سُلْوَانيmy consolation رَمِيماrotted
ى حبلُ سُلْوَاني رَمِيما
They sought to depart, and so
They exposed their chests, so
the cord of my consolation rotted.
Sulayman's rope became frail
قدمواthey proceeded علtoward هجرِيforsaking me ومَاand not
قدموا عل هجرِي ومَا
حفظواthey honored حديثهمُtheir words القديمَاof old
حفظوا حديثهمُ القديمَا
They proceeded to forsake me, and did not
They came to my estrangement, yet
honor their words of old.
Did not preserve their old talk
عظمتْgrew great مودتهمlove for them فصَاand so became (continued)
عظمتْ مودتهم فصَا
رَcompletion of 'became' عذابُthe torment of فرقتهمparting from them عظيماgreat
رَ عذابُ فرقتهم عظيما
My love for them was great, and so
Their love was great, so the torment of their separation was tremendous
the torment of parting from them grew great.
I concealed their secret, and will I find a discreet brother?
فكتمتُso I concealed سِرَّهمُtheir secret وهَلْand can
فكتمتُ سِرَّهمُ وهَلْ
تلقىyou encounter أخَاًone possessed of وَجْدٍpassionate longing كَتُومَاkeeping secrets
تلقى أخَاً وَجْدٍ كَتُومَا
So I concealed their secret; and can you
I lost my patience after them
find one consumed by love who keeps silent?
So my heart became devoid of them
وعدمتُand I lost صبريmy patience بَعْدهمafter them
وعدمتُ صبري بَعْدهم
فغَداso became الفؤادُthe heart بهمbecause of them عديمَاbereft
فغَدا الفؤادُ بهم عديمَا
And I lost my patience after their departure,
And their breeze blew
and my heart, because of them, became bereft.
Restoring the sorrows to my heart
وسرَىand drifted نسيمُهمُtheir breeze فَعَاthen turned (continued)
وسرَى نسيمُهمُ فَعَا
دَcompletion of 'turned' بقلبيَin my heart المضْنَىthe worn-out سُمُومَاa scorching wind
دَ بقلبيَ المضْنَى سُمُومَا
And their breeze drifted by, then turned
A word for them I have abandoned
into a scorching wind within my weary heart.
Due to their betrayal, my heart is forbearing
كَلِمٌwords لهمof theirs قدalready غادرتْhave left
كَلِمٌ لهم قد غادرتْ
مِنْthrough غدرهمtheir treachery قَلْبيmy heart كَلِيماwounded
مِنْ غدرهم قَلْبي كَلِيما
Words of theirs have left,
They said: "Be upright always", but will
through their treachery, my heart wounded.
Separation remain upright?
قالواthey said اسْتقمbe steadfast ديماًalways وهلand does
قالوا اسْتقم ديماً وهل
تُبقىleave القطيعةُestrangement مستقيماsteadfast
تُبقى القطيعةُ مستقيما
They said, 'Be steadfast always'; and does
Blame the loving one, even if he knows
estrangement leave anyone steadfast?
There is no blame in the sand dunes
لامَblamed العذولُthe reproacher ولوand had he دَرَىknown
لامَ العذولُ ولو دَرَى
ماwhat بالكثيبِat the sandhill فلَنthen will not يَلُومَاhe blame
ما بالكثيبِ فلَن يَلُومَا
The reproacher blamed me; had he known
You are the one to blame
what was at the sandhill, he would not blame.
And you have become the forebearing one
أنْتَyou الغريمُthe adversary علىover الغراlove (continued)
أنْتَ الغريمُ على الغرا
مِcompletion of 'love' وأنتَand you قدindeed صرتَyou have become المُليماthe blameworthy one
مِ وأنتَ قد صرتَ المُليما
You are my adversary over love,
Stop blaming me, and be reasonable
and you have become the one to blame.
If you are of sound mind
دعْleave off عَنكfrom yourself لومِيblaming me واتئلand seek refuge
دعْ عَنك لومِي واتئل
إنْif كنتَyou are ذَاpossessed of عقلreason حليماforbearing
إنْ كنتَ ذَا عقل حليما
Leave off blaming me, and seek refuge,
And recall the virtues of one who became
if you have reason and are forbearing.
Submitting to him brings good fortunes
واذكرْand recount فضائلَthe virtues of منhim who غداbecame
واذكرْ فضائلَ من غدا
هتَّانُthe steady outpouring نائلِهof his bounty سُجُومَاceaselessly flowing
هتَّانُ نائلِه سُجُومَا
And recount the virtues of him whose
I mean the Imam of the Arabs
pouring bounty became a ceaseless rain.
The transforming king, the upright one
أعنىI mean الإمامthe imam اليعربيّthe Ya'rubi
أعنى الإمام اليعربيّ
الحوّلَthe resourceful الملكَthe king القويمَاthe upright
الحوّلَ الملكَ القويمَا
I mean the Ya'rubi imam,
The brave Sultan bin Saif
the resourceful, upright king,
The just, the wise, the prudent
الشهمthe gallant سلطانَSultan بنson of سيفSayf
الشهم سلطانَ بن سيف
العادلَthe just الفطنَthe discerning الحكيماthe wise
العادلَ الفطنَ الحكيما
the gallant Sultan bin Sayf,
His virtues have spread, so he
the just, discerning, wise.
Granted the creation a general favor
عمّتspread everywhere فضائِلُهhis virtues فأجزso he lavished (continued)
عمّت فضائِلُه فأجز
لَcompletion of 'lavished' للورَىon humankind فضلاbounty عَميماall-embracing
لَ للورَى فضلا عَميما
His virtues spread everywhere; he lavished
May the Guardian have mercy on his soul
all-embracing bounty on humankind.
Since with us he has become merciful
رَحِمَmay have mercy on المهيمنُthe Guardian روحَهhis soul
رَحِمَ المهيمنُ روحَه
منfrom حيثُwhere صارhe became بناtoward us رحيماmerciful
من حيثُ صار بنا رحيما
May the Guardian have mercy on his soul,
And his talents have been completed, so
for he became merciful toward us.
His assistance came to him in throngs
وتمتand became complete مواهبُهhis gifts فصاand so became (continued)
وتمت مواهبُه فصا
رَcompletion of 'became' عليهon him جدواهhis bounty نمومَاa telltale
رَ عليه جدواه نمومَا
And his gifts were complete; thus
He who brought back after crookedness
his bounty gave him away.
The straight branch of our nation
ذاكthat is he الذيwho نعماؤُهhis favors
ذاك الذي نعماؤُه
صرناwe came to بهاthrough them نرعَىgraze in النعيماbliss
صرنا بها نرعَى النعيما
That is he whose favors
And today he made our night,
have brought us to graze in bliss.
With his guidance, lasting light
فأعادso he restored منfrom بعدafter اعوجاcrookedness (continued)
فأعاد من بعد اعوجا
جٍcompletion of 'crookedness' غصنَthe branch ملتناof our faith قويمَاstraight
جٍ غصنَ ملتنا قويمَا
So he restored, after its crookedness,
May his kingdoms last, so I have
the branch of our faith to straightness.
No claim but that they endure
واليومَand today صيَّرَhe made ليلناour night
واليومَ صيَّرَ ليلنا
بِهداهُthrough his guidance نوراًlight مستديمَاenduring
بِهداهُ نوراً مستديمَا
And today he has made our night,
He brought wellbeing to creation, and was not
through his guidance, an enduring light.
Seen in creation as deficient
دامتْmay they endure ممالكهhis realms فماso nothing
دامتْ ممالكه فما
دعواىmy prayer إلاexcept أنthat تدومَاthey endure
دعواى إلا أن تدومَا
May his realms endure; my prayer is nothing
And through the benefit of his hands, we almost
but that they endure.
See no wretched person
أعدىhe infected الورىhumankind بندىًwith generosity فلمso did not
أعدى الورى بندىً فلم
ترyou see فيamong الورىhumankind شيئاًanything عديمَاdestitute
تر في الورى شيئاً عديمَا
He made generosity contagious among humankind; you did not
If he settles in a land,
see anything among them left destitute.
Breezes of prosperity blow in it
ونكَادُand we almost منthrough جدْوىthe bounty of يدhis two hands (continued)
ونكَادُ من جدْوى يد
يهcompletion of 'his two hands' لاnot نرىwe see شخصاًa person لئيماmean-spirited
يه لا نرى شخصاً لئيما
And through the bounty of both his hands, we scarcely
My praise of him is a duty, and I
see a single mean-spirited person.
Do not fear to become wicked by it
إنif حلَّhe settles فيin أرضa land جرَىflows
إن حلَّ في أرض جرَى
ربَّاas lord روائحهاits fragrances نسيماas a breeze
ربَّا روائحها نسيما
If he settles in a land as lord,
And if I praise anyone else
its fragrances flow as a breeze.
I become an unjust lad
مَدحىmy praise لهُof him دينan act of faith ولاand not
مَدحى لهُ دين ولا
أَخْشىI fear أصيرI become بهthrough it أثيماsinful
أَخْشى أصير به أثيما
My praise of him is an act of faith; I do not
So by praising him I hope for salvation
fear becoming sinful through it.
And will not be blamed for it
وإذاand if مدحتI praise منamong الأناhumankind (continued)
وإذا مدحت من الأنا
مِcompletion of 'humankind' سواهother than him صرتI become فتىًa young man ظلومَاvery unjust
مِ سواه صرت فتىً ظلومَا
And if I praise anyone among humankind
They said: "You have learned," so I said: "Teach me,
other than him, I become an unjust young man.
Through his wisdom, knowledge."
فبمدحهso through praising him أرجوI hope for النجاsalvation (continued)
فبمدحه أرجو النجا
ةَcompletion of 'salvation' ولنْand never will أكونَI be بهfor it مَلُومَاblamed
ةَ ولنْ أكونَ به مَلُومَا
So through praising him I hope for salvation,
And I understood every detail
and shall never be blamed for it.
From him, so became wise through it
قالواthey said علمتyou have learned فقلتso I said علّمhe taught
قالوا علمت فقلت علّم
نيme بحكمتهthrough his wisdom العُلُومَاthe sciences
ني بحكمته العُلُومَا
They said, 'You have learned'; I said, 'He taught
I mastered my poetry about him until
me the sciences through his wisdom.'
I became through him a prudent lad
وفهمتand I understood كلevery دقيقةٍsubtle point
وفهمت كل دقيقةٍ
منهfrom him فصرتso I became بهاthrough it فهيماperceptive
منه فصرت بها فهيما
And I understood every subtle point
O son of the foremost Arabs
from him, and thereby became perceptive.
Who ruled the world long ago
أحكمتI perfected شعرىmy poetry فيهabout him حتىuntil
أحكمت شعرى فيه حتى
صرتُI became منهthrough him فتىًa young man حكيماwise
صرتُ منه فتىً حكيما
I perfected my verse about him until
You have appointed the people with talents
through him I became a wise young man.
That seem inherent to their core
ياO ابنson of الأولىthose who منof يعربٍYa'rub
يا ابن الأولى من يعربٍ
سادُواthey ruled الورَىhumankind دَهراًfor an age قديمَاlong past
سادُوا الورَى دَهراً قديمَا
O son of those of Ya'rub
And you have provided the people
who ruled humankind in ages long past!
Of the lands and cities general favor
فقتَyou surpassed الأنامَhumankind مواهباًin gifts
فقتَ الأنامَ مواهباً
تَتْرىone after another وفقتهمُand you surpassed them صميماin innate nobility
تَتْرى وفقتهمُ صميما
You surpassed humankind in gifts
And your supreme virtues have reached high
following one another, and surpassed them in innate nobility.
So time became handsome through them
وعمَمتَand you encompassed أهلَthe people of الأرضِthe earth
وعمَمتَ أهلَ الأرضِ
والبلدانand the lands بالجدوىwith bounty عمومَاuniversally
والبلدان بالجدوى عمومَا
And you encompassed the people of the earth
You pardoned the foolish people
and all lands with universal bounty.
When you subjugated the rational minds
وسَمَتْand rose فضائلكyour virtues العلىthe heights
وسَمَتْ فضائلك العلى
فالدهرُso the age صارَbecame بهاthrough them وسيماfair
فالدهرُ صارَ بها وسيما
And your virtues rose to the heights,
You have a fierce, angry sword
so the age became fair through them.
With which you strike skulls and bodies
وحلمتand you were forbearing عنtoward أهلِthe people of السفاfoolishness (continued)
وحلمت عن أهلِ السفا
هِcompletion of 'foolishness' إذاًthus وسفهتand you made foolish الحُلُومَاthe wise minds
هِ إذاً وسفهت الحُلُومَا
And you were forbearing toward the foolish,
It is like lightning that illuminated
and thus made wise minds seem foolish.
Never sleeping nor slumbering
لكyou have صارمٌa cutting sword عضبٌkeen تقدُّyou cleave
لك صارمٌ عضبٌ تقدُّ
بهwith it الجماجمَthe skulls والجسوماand the bodies
به الجماجمَ والجسوما
Yours is a keen, cutting sword; you cleave
O House of Arabs, I have lived
with it skulls and bodies.
Thanks to your justice, a secure life
فكأنهso it is as though it were برقٌlightning أضاءَflashed
فكأنه برقٌ أضاءَ
فلاso not ينَامit sleeps ولنand never will يُنيماlet others sleep
فلا ينَام ولن يُنيما
So it is like lightning that has flashed,
Neither lived as your opponent,
and it sleeps not, nor will it let others sleep.
Nor saddened him my poetry's sorrows
ياO آلhouse of يعربَYa'rub عِشْتُمُmay you live
يا آل يعربَ عِشْتُمُ
عيشاa life بعدلكمُthrough your justice سَلِيماsafe and sound
عيشا بعدلكمُ سَلِيما
O house of Ya'rub, may you live
I am under your protection, so
a life kept safe by your justice.
Hardships cannot trouble me
لاmay not عاشَlive ضدُّكمُyour adversary ولاnor
لا عاشَ ضدُّكمُ ولا
جلّىmay dispel لهfor him شعرىmy poetry هُمُومَاcares
جلّى له شعرى هُمُومَا
May your adversary not live, nor
And your flowing bounty resides
may my verse dispel his cares.
Lest my worries stand up
أنَاI فيunder جوارِكمُyour protection فلاso may not
أنَا في جوارِكمُ فلا
عفتefface ليَfor me العسرىhardship رُسُومَاtraces
عفت ليَ العسرى رُسُومَا
I am under your protection; let not
Stop the calamities of fate from me
hardship efface my traces.
If I remain patient, wretched
ونوالكand your bounty المدرارُever-pouring يقْعُkeeps seated (continued)
ونوالك المدرارُ يقْعُ
دcompletion of 'keeps seated' خلّتيmy poverty أنso that لاnot يَقُومَاit rises
د خلّتي أن لا يَقُومَا
And your ever-pouring bounty keeps
I have attained from my love of you
my poverty seated, never to rise.
And my devotion great success
كُفُّواward off خطوبَthe calamities of الدهرِtime عنّيfrom me
كُفُّوا خطوبَ الدهرِ عنّي
أنlest أصبرI bear patiently بهاthrough them كَظِيماwith grief pent up
أن أصبر بها كَظِيما
Ward off time's calamities from me,
So people are under your hands
lest I endure them, choking back grief.
And time has become your servant
قدindeed نِلْتُI have gained منthrough وُدِّىmy love لكمfor you
قد نِلْتُ من وُدِّى لكم
وتقربىand my drawing near فوزاًa triumph عظيماgreat
وتقربى فوزاً عظيما
I have gained, through my love for you
and my drawing near, a mighty triumph.
فالخلقُfor creation طوعُobedient to يديكمُyour two hands
فالخلقُ طوعُ يديكمُ
والدهرُand time صارَhas become لكمfor you خَديمَاa servant
والدهرُ صارَ لكم خَديمَا
For creation is obedient to your hands,
and Time has become your servant.
Partial English translation: 100 of 104 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1