لاdo not تسلنيask me غداةon the morning of نَعمانNaʿmān ماليwhat ails me
لا تسلني غداة نَعمان مالي
وترفقand be gentle فليسfor it is not حالكyour state حاليmy state
وترفق فليس حالك حالي
Do not ask me, that morning at Naʿmān, what ails me.
Do not ask me tomorrow, O Na'man, what ails me,
And be gentle, for your state is not mine.
And show me mercy, for my state is not your state.
أناI فيin سكرةa stupor وقلبكand your heart صَاحٍsober
أنا في سكرة وقلبك صَاحٍ
كبديmy liver موثقfettered وقلبكand your heart خاليfree
كبدي موثق وقلبك خالي
I am in a stupor, while your heart is sober;
I am intoxicated while your heart is awake,
My liver is fettered, while your heart is free.
My liver is bound while your heart is free.
لمتنيyou blamed me فيfor الهوىlove ولوand if ذقتَyou tasted مَاذwhat + start of 'tasted'
لمتني في الهوى ولو ذقتَ مَاذ
قتُI tasted (word completion) منهof it ضللتyou would have strayed مثلlike ضلاليmy straying
قتُ منه ضللت مثل ضلالي
You blamed me for love; had you tasted what I
You blamed me for love, but had you tasted
tasted of it, you would have strayed as I strayed.
What I have tasted of it, you would wander like me.
سلask بيabout me العيسthe pale camels كمhow often اطرتI sent flying كلاهاtheir kidneys (loins)
سل بي العيس كم اطرت كلاها
لهباًas flame بالوجيفwith rapid trotting والإرقالand bounding strides
لهباً بالوجيف والإرقال
Ask the pale camels about me: how often I made their loins
Ask me by God how much I have wept over them,
burst into flame with rapid trotting and bounding strides.
Burning hot coals in my chest and sleeplessness.
كلماwhenever هَوّنتI eased up وقلتand I said ردىhead for بيwith me
كلما هَوّنت وقلت ردى بي
رِمعَRimaʿ الخِصبfertile أنشطتthey were unbound منfrom عقالa hobble
رِمعَ الخِصب أنشطت من عقال
Whenever I eased up and said, 'Take me
Whenever I try to return to reason
to fertile Rimaʿ,' they sprang free of their hobbles.
The verdant meadow reawakens my passion.
ذكرتthey recalled منfrom محمدMuḥammad خيرَthe finest مَرْعىpasture
ذكرت من محمد خيرَ مَرْعى
ترتعيهthey graze in it وعذبَand sweet ماءٍwater زُلالclear and pure
ترتعيه وعذبَ ماءٍ زُلال
They recalled Muḥammad's finest pasture,
I recall the best pasture of Muhammad
where they graze, and sweet, crystal-clear water,
Where one enjoys and drinks fresh water.
ورحابٍand spacious courtyards فديتهاmay I be their ransom منwhat ...! (exclamatory) رحابspacious courtyards
ورحابٍ فديتها من رحاب
وظلالand shade فديتهاmay I be its ransom منwhat ...! (exclamatory) ظِلالshade
وظلال فديتها من ظِلال
And spacious courtyards—courtyards I would give my life for—
Spaces I would sacrifice for those spaces,
And shade—shade I would give my life for.
And shade I would sacrifice for that shade.
يمنيّa Yemeni مُعيبديُّa Muʿaybidī إذاwhen ماever (emphatic particle)
يمنيّ مُعيبديُّ إذا ما
عضنيbit me الدهرtime قالhe said مالكyour wealth مَاليmy wealth
عضني الدهر قال مالك مَالي
A Yemeni, a Muʿaybidī—whenever
My Yemeni confidante, if life
time bit me, he said, 'Your wealth is my wealth.'
Ever hurts me, says “What ails you, my friend?”
سادhe ruled علياءَthe highest ranks اشعرAshʿar ابنةِdaughter of كهKah- (start of Kahlān)
ساد علياءَ اشعر ابنةِ كه
لان-lān (end of Kahlān) وسادand he ruled الجميعthem all قبلbefore اكتهاليmy reaching middle age
لان وساد الجميع قبل اكتهالي
He ruled the highest ranks of Ashʿar, daughter of Kah-
He surpassed the heights, the most eloquent of sons,
lān, and ruled them all before I reached middle age.
The pillar and support of all.
منfrom أبيAbū بكرBakr حازhe gained ذاكthat وعبدand ʿAbd اللهAllāh
من أبي بكر حاز ذاك وعبد الله
والقيلُand the chieftain مشبهresembling الرئبالthe lion
والقيلُ مشبه الرئبال
From Abū Bakr and ʿAbd Allāh he gained that;
From Abu Bakr he gained leadership
And the chieftain, resembling a lion,
And from Abdullah, he was his peer.
منfrom بلالBilāl بنson of بردةBurda ورثَhe inherited المجدglory
من بلال بن بردة ورثَ المجد
ومَنْand who ذاthat one كبردةlike Burda بنson of بلالBilāl
ومَنْ ذا كبردة بن بلال
inherited glory from Bilāl ibn Burda;
From Bilal ibn Rabah he inherited glory
And who is there like Burda ibn Bilāl?
Who else is like Bilal ibn Rabah?
Sol 6.1