خَليلَيَّmy two friends مُرّاpass, you two بيwith me عَلىby الدارِthe dwelling وَاِربَعاand halt, you two
خَليلَيَّ مُرّا بي عَلى الدارِ وَاِربَعا
لِنَشعَبَso we may mend قَلباًa heart بِالفِراقِthrough separation تَصَدَّعاwas shattered
لِنَشعَبَ قَلباً بِالفِراقِ تَصَدَّعا
My two friends, take me past the dwelling and halt,
My two friends, pass by my abode and stop awhile,
O my two friends, pass by the abode with me and halt, / To mend a heart that separation has cracked.
So we may mend a heart shattered by separation.
That a heart shattered by parting may mend itself anew,
And if you will not aid me in my sorrow, / Do not deny me a moment to pause and grieve.
وَإِنand if أَنتُماyou two لَمdid not تُسعِدانيcomfort me, you two عَلىin الأَسىgrief
وَإِن أَنتُما لَم تُسعِداني عَلى الأَسى
فلاthen do not تُعدِمانيdeprive me, you two وَقفَةًa pause وَتَوَجُّعاand lamentation
فلا تُعدِماني وَقفَةً وَتَوَجُّعا
And if you two will not help me bear my grief,
And if you two fail to bring me solace for my grief,
In a desolate ruin where only white antelopes remain, / And fierce winds blow through it, to and fro.
Then do not deny me a pause and a lament
Then do not deprive me of a pause, or further torment.
By God, had you seen the day at Jar'a Malik, / The morning we met—one departing, one seeing off—
بِمُستَوحشٍat a desolate place منbereft of شبهِthe likeness of آرامِgazelles عينهِits spring
بِمُستَوحشٍ من شبهِ آرامِ عينهِ
تَناوَحُwail together فيهin it الهوجُthe fierce winds بداءاًinitially وَرُجّعاand returning
تَناوَحُ فيه الهوجُ بداءاً وَرُجّعا
At a desolate place, bereft of forms like the gazelles at its spring,
With one whose eyes resemble a gazelle's, I pine
You would have seen an eye pouring out its tears, / And a veiled one signaling with a glance and a finger.
Where fierce winds wail, coming and returning.
As the winds of desolation moan within me, to and fro,
You would have excused my passion and said: / "He is strong, yet he found no defense against this."
أَماindeed إِنَّهُit is indeed لَوif يَومَon the day of جَرعاءِJar‘a’ مالكٍMalik
أَما إِنَّهُ لَو يَومَ جَرعاءِ مالكٍ
غَداةَthe morning when التَقَيناwe met ظاعِناًdeparting وَمُشَيِّعاand seeing someone off
غَداةَ التَقَينا ظاعِناً وَمُشَيِّعا
Indeed, had you, on the day at Jar‘a’ Malik—
On the morrow of our meeting, like Malik's fatal day,
And a dark-eyed gazelle with slender waist visited me, / Despite the watch of slanderers at night, bringing delight.
The morning we met, one departing and one seeing the other off—
We parted, me lamenting, him bidding adieu.
One of those who rob the prudent man of his dignity / When they trail their embroidered, striped robes.
تَبَيَّنتُماyou two beheld عَيناًan eye تَجودُfreely pours بِمائِهاwith its tears
تَبَيَّنتُما عَيناً تَجودُ بِمائِها
وَمَحجوبةًand a veiled woman توميsignals بِطَرفٍwith a glance وَأُصبُعاand a finger
وَمَحجوبةً تومي بِطَرفٍ وَأُصبُعا
Beheld an eye freely shedding its tears,
You would see eyes shedding copious tears,
If they sway, they shame the soft branches with their grace, / And if they appear, they mimic the rising moons.
And a veiled woman signaling with a glance and a finger,
And others veiled, peeking between lids, askance.
My passion refused aught but turning towards them, / And my soul refused aught but gazing upon them.
لَحَسَّنتُماyou two would have approved ليfor me صَبوَتيmy passion وَلَقُلتُماand you two would have said
لَحَسَّنتُما لي صَبوَتي وَلَقُلتُما
جَليدٌsteadfast وَلكِنand yet لمdid not يَجِدfind عنهُagainst it مَدفَعاa defense
جَليدٌ وَلكِن لم يَجِد عنهُ مَدفَعا
You would have approved my passion and said:
You would think my youth fair, were it not
I beguiled my soul with hopes to distract it, / While the white warnings of age shone upon my temples.
“He is steadfast, yet found no defense against it.”
For misfortunes, against which I found no defense.
When a man keeps company with the Day and Night, / They hold lessons that grieve his sight and hearing.
وَأحورَand a dark-eyed beauty مَهضومِslender الوِشاحينِat the two sashes زارَنيvisited me
وَأحورَ مَهضومِ الوِشاحينِ زارَني
عَلىdespite رَقبَةِthe watch الواشينَof the slanderers لَيلاًat night فَأَمتَعاand gave delight
عَلى رَقبَةِ الواشينَ لَيلاً فَأَمتَعا
And a dark-eyed beauty, slender beneath twin sashes, visited me
The slender-waisted visited me by night
Their fair days meet him with peace, / And extend him joy, only to signal farewell.
By night, despite the slanderers’ watch, and gave me delight.
With necklaces round their throats to my delight.
So do not be one who enters houses complaining / To their people, even if you swallow soaked poison.
مِنَamong الّاءِthose women who يَسلُبنَrob الحَليمَthe sober man وَقارَهُhis dignity
مِنَ الّاءِ يَسلُبنَ الحَليمَ وَقارَهُ
إِذاwhen ماemphasis سَحَبنَthey trail الأَتحمِيَّAtḥami cloth المُوَشّعاpatterned
إِذا ما سَحَبنَ الأَتحمِيَّ المُوَشّعا
One of those women who rob the sober man of his dignity
The least thing robs the forbearing of dignity
For most you meet will gloat over you, / And if you stumble, they say to you: "May you not rise."
When they trail their patterned Atḥami cloth.
If it comes from one who is over-bold, impudent.
Their wish is the severing of your nose, even if their own neighbor / Is facing a violent, shaking calamity.
وَإنand if مِسنَthey sway أَخجَلنَthey put to shame الغُصونَthe branches نَواعِماًsupple
وَإن مِسنَ أَخجَلنَ الغُصونَ نَواعِماً
وَإنand if لُحنَthey appear فَالأَقمارَthen the moons حاكَينَthey resemble طُلَّعاrising
وَإن لُحنَ فَالأَقمارَ حاكَينَ طُلَّعا
And when they sway, they shame the supple boughs;
If he frowns, it shames the delicate branches,
I speak of a people whose names make pulpits tremble, / And wherever they settle, the land becomes fertile.
And when they appear, they resemble rising moons.
If he sings, the full moons echo his anthems.
Providers of food when the hills are dusty with drought, / Dispelers of gloom when events turn terrifying.
أَبَتrefused صَبوَتيmy passion إِلّاexcept لَهُنَّtoward them تَلَفُّتاًturning
أَبَت صَبوَتي إِلّا لَهُنَّ تَلَفُّتاً
وَنَفسِيَand my soul إِلّاexcept نَحوَهُنَّtoward them تَطَلُّعاlooking longingly
وَنَفسِيَ إِلّا نَحوَهُنَّ تَطَلُّعا
My passion refused to turn toward any but them,
My youth desired only their company,
Possessors of the clear lineage from the root of Wa'il, / In whom and towards whom all pride converges.
And my soul to look longingly toward any but them.
And my soul aspired only towards their ascent.
They granted sanctuary against Chosroes, son of Sasan, in defiance— / A protection that endowed the Arabs with widespread glory.
وَخادَعتُand I beguiled نَفسيmyself بِالأَمانيwith wishes مُعَلِّلاًoffering consolation
وَخادَعتُ نَفسي بِالأَماني مُعَلِّلاً
وَكانَتand there was عَاديهِنَّtheir foe فيin الفَودِthe temple hair نُصّعاgleaming white
وَكانَت عَاديهِنَّ في الفَودِ نُصّعا
And I beguiled myself with wishes, consoling myself,
I duped myself with wishes, justifying
They stripped the haughty Persians of their kingdom, / And imposed upon them the ugliest form of abasement.
While their foe gleamed white in the hair at my temple.
My lingering at their abodes without consent.
And the day Sa'id bin Sultan came at them, / Leading a vast army, resolved upon war,
إِذاwhen صَحِبَkeeps company with المَرءُa person الجَديدَينِnight and day أَحدَهاone of them
إِذا صَحِبَ المَرءُ الجَديدَينِ أَحدَها
لهُfor him عِبراًlessons تُشجيهِthat sadden him مَرأىin sight وَمَسمَعاand in sound
لهُ عِبراً تُشجيهِ مَرأى وَمَسمَعا
When a man keeps company with night and day, one of them offers
When a man befriends two newcomers, with one
Leading ships like a tangled forest, / To a watering-place of death from which he found no escape.
Him lessons that sadden him in sight and sound.
He shares sorrows seen and heard, head bent.
Lions of the Khalifa clan leaped upon him before he could land, / Finding death as sweet as a cool drink.
صَفوُهاits fair side لاقيapproaching إِلَيهِtoward him مُسَلِّماًoffering a greeting
صَفوُها لاقي إِلَيهِ مُسَلِّماً
وَأَوسَعَهُand lavished upon him بِشراًcheerfulness أَشارَgestured مُوَدِّعاbidding farewell
وَأَوسَعَهُ بِشراً أَشارَ مُوَدِّعا
Its fair side approaches him in greeting,
With the other he meets politely, resigned,
They made him drink a cup bitter to the taste, a clot of blood, / Which he was forced to swallow against his will.
And, after lavishing smiles on him, waves farewell.
Bidding him farewell with a smile, no rancor felt.
He turned and fled, not looking back for any kinsman, / And remained terrified at heart, panic-stricken.
فَلاso do not تَكُbe وَلّاجَa constant visitor to البُيوتِhouses مُشاكِياًcomplaining to
فَلا تَكُ وَلّاجَ البُيوتِ مُشاكِياً
بَنيهاtheir inhabitants وَلَوeven if تَلقىyou encounter سِماماًpoisons مُنَقَّعاsteeped
بَنيها وَلَو تَلقى سِماماً مُنَقَّعا
So do not go from house to house, complaining
So be not like a dog guarding empty homes,
He was not a coward nor a dullard, / But those he met were fiercer and braver.
To their inhabitants, even if you endure steeped poison.
Even if you find them collapsing and ferment.
فَأَكثَرتُso I increased (likely an error for “for most”) مَنthose whom تَلقىyou meet مِنَamong الناسِpeople شامِتٌa gloater
فَأَكثَرتُ مَن تَلقى مِنَ الناسِ شامِتٌ
عَلَيكَat your misfortune وَإنand if تَعثُرyou stumble يَقُلhe says لكَto you لاno لَعاrecovery
عَلَيكَ وَإن تَعثُر يَقُل لكَ لا لَعا
For most of those you meet among people are gloaters
For I have known many who watch your stumbling
Over your plight; if you stumble, one says, “May you never rise!”
And say "No, no," even if you cry for help.
مُناهُمtheir wishes بِجَدعِat the cost of severing الأَنفِthe nose لَوif only أَنthat جارَهمtheir neighbor
مُناهُم بِجَدعِ الأَنفِ لَو أَن جارَهم
يلاقيshould encounter منamong الأرزاءِcalamities نَكباءَa veering gale زَعزَعاviolently buffeting
يلاقي من الأرزاءِ نَكباءَ زَعزَعا
They wish, even at the cost of a severed nose, that their neighbor
Cursed are those whose mouths twist in sneers
Should meet a violent, buffeting gale of calamity.
If a neighbor meets disaster and loss.
مِنَof القَومِa people تَهتَزُّtremble المَنابِرُthe pulpits بِاِسمِهِمat their name
مِنَ القَومِ تَهتَزُّ المَنابِرُ بِاِسمِهِم
وَيُصبِحُand becomes ماwhatever حَلّواthey settle in مِنَof الأَرضِthe land مُمرِعاlush with pasture
وَيُصبِحُ ما حَلّوا مِنَ الأَرضِ مُمرِعا
Of a people whose names make the pulpits tremble,
With their names, platforms shake and tremble,
And whatever land they settle in becomes lush with pasture.
And the fruits they reap make the land barren.
مَطاعيمُgenerous providers of food حَيثُwhere الأَرضُthe land مُغبَرَّةُdust-covered الرُبىthe hills
مَطاعيمُ حَيثُ الأَرضُ مُغبَرَّةُ الرُبى
مَكاشيفُdispellers لِلغُمّىof deep distress إِذاwhen الأَمرُthe situation أَفزَعاcauses terror
مَكاشيفُ لِلغُمّى إِذا الأَمرُ أَفزَعا
Generous providers of food when the land’s hills are dust-gray,
Ruthless where dust smothers the plains,
Dispellers of anguish when events strike fear.
Bold when matters turn grave and intense.
ذَووpossessors of النَسبِlineage الوَضّاحradiant مِنfrom جذمِthe root-stock of وائِلٍWa’il
ذَوو النَسبِ الوَضّاح مِن جذمِ وائِلٍ
بِهِمin them وَإِلَيهِمand unto them يَنتَهيculminates الفَخرُglory مُجمَعاall gathered together
بِهِم وَإِلَيهِم يَنتَهي الفَخرُ مُجمَعا
Of radiant lineage, from the stock of Wa’il,
Of pure lineage, from Judham and Wael,
In them and unto them, all glory finds its culmination.
Through them flows honor, all comprehend.
أَجارواthey granted sanctuary عَلىagainst كِسرىKisra بنِson of ساسانَSasan رغاِماًin defiance
أَجاروا عَلى كِسرى بنِ ساسانَ رغاِماً
جِواراًprotection أَفادَbestowed upon العُربَthe Arabs فَخراًglory مُشَيَّعاwidely proclaimed
جِواراً أَفادَ العُربَ فَخراً مُشَيَّعا
They gave sanctuary in defiance of Kisra, son of Sasan,
They gave sanctuary to Persia's Kisra in defiance
A protection that bestowed widespread glory on the Arabs.
An act that brought glory Arabs defend.
وَهُمand they سَلَبواstripped شوسَthe haughty ones among الأَعاجِمِnon-Arabs مُلكَهُمtheir dominion
وَهُم سَلَبوا شوسَ الأَعاجِمِ مُلكَهُم
وَساموهُمُand subjected them to خَسفاًabasement مِنof الذُلِّhumiliation أَشنَعاmost hideous
وَساموهُمُ خَسفاً مِن الذُلِّ أَشنَعا
And they stripped the haughty non-Arabs of their dominion,
They ripped rule from the Persians by force
And subjected them to the most hideous abasement and shame.
And subdued them with abasement immense.
وَيَومَand on the day أَتاهُمhe came against them بِاللُهامِwith a vast host يَقودُهُhe led it
وَيَومَ أَتاهُم بِاللُهامِ يَقودُهُ
سَعيدُSa‘id بنُson of سُلطانٍSultan عَلىupon الحَربِwar مُجمِعاresolved
سَعيدُ بنُ سُلطانٍ عَلى الحَربِ مُجمِعا
And on the day he came against them, leading a vast host—
The day Sa'eed led them, by God ordained,
Sa‘id son of Sultan, resolved upon war—
United for battle, each man and horse.
سَفينٌships كَمُلتَفِّlike a dense cluster of الإِشاءِyoung palms يَقودهُhe led it
سَفينٌ كَمُلتَفِّ الإِشاءِ يَقودهُ
لِمَورِدِto a watering-place of حَتفٍdeath لَمdid not يَجِدfind عَنهُfrom it مَدفَعاan escape
لِمَورِدِ حَتفٍ لَم يَجِد عَنهُ مَدفَعا
Ships like a dense grove of young palms, he led
A ship, its ropes entwined, he steered
To death’s watering-place, which he found no way to avoid.
To a fate which no defense could dispense
فَثاوَرَهُthen they assailed him قَبلَbefore الوُصولِarrival ضَراغِمٌlions
فَثاوَرَهُ قَبلَ الوُصولِ ضَراغِمٌ
خَليفِيَّةٌof Al Khalifa تَستَعذِبُfind sweet المَوتَdeath مَشرَعاas a watering-place
خَليفِيَّةٌ تَستَعذِبُ المَوتَ مَشرَعا
Then lions sprang upon him before his arrival,
They thwarted him before he arrived,
Of Al Khalifa, who find death a sweet watering-place.
With Caliphs seeking death's deliverance.
وَساقَوهُand they made him drink كَأساًa cup مُرَّةَbitter الطَعمِin taste عَلقَةًclinging (sense uncertain)
وَساقَوهُ كَأساً مُرَّةَ الطَعمِ عَلقَةً
عَلىdespite كُرهِهِhis aversion أَضحىhe became لَهاof it مُتَجَرِّعاswallowing in gulps
عَلى كُرهِهِ أَضحى لَها مُتَجَرِّعا
And they made him drink a cup, bitter-tasting and clinging in the throat,
They gave him a cup of bitterest taste
Against his will, he came to swallow it in gulps.
He drank it down, though it caused him immense pain
فَأَدبَرَthen he retreated لاnot يَلويturning back عَلىfor ذيone with قَرابَةٍkinship
فَأَدبَرَ لا يَلوي عَلى ذي قَرابَةٍ
وَماand not زالَceased مَزؤودَterrified الفُؤادِat heart مُرَوَّعاpanic-stricken
وَما زالَ مَزؤودَ الفُؤادِ مُرَوَّعا
Then he fled, not looking back for any kinsman,
Turning away, caring not for kith or kin,
And remained terrified at heart and panic-stricken.
His heart still quaking with fear and disdain.
وَماand not كانَhe was خَوّاراًfainthearted وَلاnor مُتَبَلِّداًslow-witted
وَما كانَ خَوّاراً وَلا مُتَبَلِّداً
وَلكِنَّand yet مَنthose whom لاقىhe faced أَشدَّstronger وَأَشجَعاand braver
وَلكِنَّ مَن لاقى أَشدَّ وَأَشجَعا
And he was neither fainthearted nor slow-witted,
He was not cowardly or spineless,
But those he faced were stronger and braver.
But one who faced the harshest with courage insane.
Partial English translation: 27 of 54 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1