سَلِask الصبَّthe lovesick one ذاpossessed of الأَشجانِsorrows ماذاwhat بِهاin them أَلفىhe found
سَلِ الصبَّ ذا الأَشجانِ ماذا بِها أَلفى
وَهَلand whether قَطعَcut الإِبعادُbanishment أحشاءَهُhis entrails أَلفاinto a thousand pieces
وَهَل قَطعَ الإِبعادُ أحشاءَهُ أَلفا
Ask the sorrow-laden lover what he has found in them,
and whether banishment has cut his entrails into a thousand pieces.
يَهيمُhe wanders عَلىacross الأَبعادِfar distances وَلْهانَdistraught واجِداًlove-stricken
يَهيمُ عَلى الأَبعادِ وَلْهانَ واجِداً
كَماlike الظبيةُthe doe الثّكلىbereaved إِذاwhen فَقَدَتshe lost خَشْفاa fawn
كَما الظبيةُ الثّكلى إِذا فَقَدَت خَشْفا
He roams the far distances, distraught and love-stricken,
like a bereaved doe when she has lost a fawn.
إِخالُI imagine شُعاعَthe radiance of الشَّمسِthe sun نورَthe light of حَبيبتيmy beloved
إِخالُ شُعاعَ الشَّمسِ نورَ حَبيبتي
فَأُرسِلُso I send آماليmy hopes تَمدُّstretch لَهاtoward her طَرفاa gaze
فَأُرسِلُ آمالي تَمدُّ لَها طَرفا
I take the sun's radiance for my beloved's light,
so I send my hopes to cast a glance toward her,
كَظَنِّlike the supposition of الثريّاthe Pleiades ثَعلبُthe fox of الفَجرِdawn طالِعاًrising
كَظَنِّ الثريّا ثَعلبُ الفَجرِ طالِعاً
مِنَof الحَبِّberries عنقوداًa cluster يَرومُit seeks لَهُfor it قَطفاplucking
مِنَ الحَبِّ عنقوداً يَرومُ لَهُ قَطفا
as dawn's fox, rising, takes the Pleiades
for a cluster of berries it longs to pluck.
وَجِسميَand my body مَبنيٌّis built عَلىupon السُّقمِsickness وَالضّناand wasting
وَجِسميَ مَبنيٌّ عَلى السُّقمِ وَالضّنا
وَلَمand not يَكُwas إِلّاexcept اِسماًa noun لَقَدindeed أَشبَهَit resembled الحَرفاa particle
وَلَم يَكُ إِلّا اِسماً لَقَد أَشبَهَ الحَرفا
And my body is built upon sickness and wasting;
though only a noun, it has come to resemble a particle.
تَمَكَّنَtook firm hold مِنهُof it الحبُّlove إِذwhen صارَit became أَمكناًmore firmly established
تَمَكَّنَ مِنهُ الحبُّ إِذ صارَ أَمكناً
وَلَكِنbut مِنَfrom التّعذيبِtorment لَمnot يَجِدdid it find الصّرفاrelease
وَلَكِن مِنَ التّعذيبِ لَم يَجِد الصّرفا
Love took firm hold of it as it grew more firmly established,
but it found no release from torment.
تَمرُّpasses بِيَby me الظّلماءُthe dark night تَعدوrace خُيولُهاits horses
تَمرُّ بِيَ الظّلماءُ تَعدو خُيولُها
تُهَروِلُthey trot قدّاميbefore me فَأُبصِرُهاthen I see them خَلفاbehind
تُهَروِلُ قدّامي فَأُبصِرُها خَلفا
The dark night passes me, its horses racing;
they trot before me, yet I see them behind.
سَميريmy night companion الدّجىthe darkness حتّىuntil أَرىI see الفجرَdawn طالِعاًrising
سَميري الدّجى حتّى أَرى الفجرَ طالِعاً
يَكرُّit charges عَلىupon الخَضراءِthe sky يَركَبُهاriding it طِرفاas a noble steed
يَكرُّ عَلى الخَضراءِ يَركَبُها طِرفا
Darkness is my night companion until I see dawn rising,
charging upon the sky, riding it as a noble steed.
كَأَنّas though نُجومَthe stars of الشَّرقِthe east قُطنٌcotton إِذاwhen بَدَتthey appear
كَأَنّ نُجومَ الشَّرقِ قُطنٌ إِذا بَدَت
يَطيرُit flies إِذاwhen الندّافُthe cotton-beater يَندُفُهfluffs it نَدفاfluffing
يَطيرُ إِذا الندّافُ يَندُفُه نَدفا
The stars of the east, when they appear, seem like cotton
that flies when the cotton-beater fluffs it.
وَماand not الشّرقُthe east إِلّاexcept مِنجَنيقa catapult نجومُهُits stars
وَما الشّرقُ إِلّا مِنجَنيق نجومُهُ
لَقَدindeed باتَit spent the night نَحوَtoward الغَربِthe west يَحذِفُهاhurling them حَذفاhurling
لَقَد باتَ نَحوَ الغَربِ يَحذِفُها حَذفا
The east is but a catapult; its stars
it has spent the night hurling toward the west.
كَأَنَّas though الثريّاthe Pleiades عِقدُa necklace of درٍّpearls وَجَوهَرٍand jewels
كَأَنَّ الثريّا عِقدُ درٍّ وَجَوهَرٍ
إِذاwhen حَلَّsettles فيهاamong them البدرُthe full moon يَجعَلُهاit makes them شَنفاan earring
إِذا حَلَّ فيها البدرُ يَجعَلُها شَنفا
The Pleiades seem a necklace of pearls and jewels;
when the full moon settles among them, it makes them an earring.
كَأَنَّas though سُهَيلاًSuhayl قلبِيَmy heart الصبُّlove-stricken خافِقاًfluttering
كَأَنَّ سُهَيلاً قلبِيَ الصبُّ خافِقاً
كَفَرخِlike a chick of حَمامٍdoves خافَthat feared مِنfrom خاطِفٍa snatcher خَطفاbeing snatched
كَفَرخِ حَمامٍ خافَ مِن خاطِفٍ خَطفا
Suhayl seems like my lovesick heart, fluttering,
like a dove's chick afraid of being snatched by a predator.
كَأَنّas though السُّهىAl-Suha جِسميmy body الّذيwhich ذابَmelted away بِالنَّوىthrough separation
كَأَنّ السُّهى جِسمي الّذي ذابَ بِالنَّوى
فَطَوراًso at times لَقَدindeed يَبدوit appears وَتاراًand at times لَقَدindeed يَخفىit vanishes
فَطَوراً لَقَد يَبدو وَتاراً لَقَد يَخفى
Al-Suha seems like my body, melted away by separation;
at times it appears, and at times it vanishes.
أَرىI see البدرَthe full moon ثُلثَa third of اللّيلِthe night وَاللّيلُwhile the night حالِكis pitch-black
أَرى البدرَ ثُلثَ اللّيلِ وَاللّيلُ حالِك
كَأَنَّas though ذِراعَthe foreleg of اللّيثِthe Lion مَدّتْstretched لَهtoward it كفّاa paw
كَأَنَّ ذِراعَ اللّيثِ مَدّتْ لَه كفّا
I see the full moon a third into the night, while the night is pitch-black,
as though the Lion's foreleg had stretched a paw toward it.
وَقَدand already أَدركتit caught مِنهُof it عَلىat البُعدِa distance نِصفَهُhalf of it
وَقَد أَدركت مِنهُ عَلى البُعدِ نِصفَهُ
فَأَبقَتso it left لَهُfor it نِصفاًa half وَقَدand already خَطَفتit snatched نِصفاa half
فَأَبقَت لَهُ نِصفاً وَقَد خَطَفت نِصفا
And from afar it had caught half of it,
so it left it one half, having snatched the other.
تَصاغَرَit dwindled مُسودّاًblackening إِلىtoward الغَربthe west هاوِياًfalling
تَصاغَرَ مُسودّاً إِلى الغَرب هاوِياً
وَقَدand already جَرَّit dragged ثَوبَthe robe of الحزنِsorrow لِلخَسفِbecause of the eclipse وَاِستَخفىand hid itself
وَقَد جَرَّ ثَوبَ الحزنِ لِلخَسفِ وَاِستَخفى
It dwindled, blackening, as it fell toward the west,
and dragged sorrow's robe in eclipse, then hid away.
عَجِبتI marveled بِهذاat this الحالِstate مِنهُof it فَقيلَso it was said ليto me
عَجِبت بِهذا الحالِ مِنهُ فَقيلَ لي
أَماhave you not شِمتَglimpsed شَمسَthe sun of الفَضلِexcellence قَدalready ظَهَرتappeared كشفاunveiled
أَما شِمتَ شَمسَ الفَضلِ قَد ظَهَرت كشفا
I marveled at its state, and was told:
Have you not glimpsed the sun of excellence, now unveiled?
بَدَتit appeared فيin بُروجِthe constellations of السّعدِgood fortune مِنfrom مَطلَعِthe rising-place of العُلىeminence
بَدَت في بُروجِ السّعدِ مِن مَطلَعِ العُلى
عَلىupon الشَّرفِthe eminence الأَعلىthe highest فَمالand it swayed بِهاwith it عِطفاits flank
عَلى الشَّرفِ الأَعلى فَمال بِها عِطفا
It appeared in fortune's constellations, from the rising-place of eminence,
upon the highest eminence, which proudly swayed its flank with it.
وَماand not الشَّمسُthe sun إِلّاexcept الشَّهمُthe noble man مَنone who طابَgrew sweet صيتُهُhis renown
وَما الشَّمسُ إِلّا الشَّهمُ مَن طابَ صيتُهُ
وَضاعَand wafted كَنَشرِlike the spreading of الطيبِperfume مِنfrom طَيِّهِhis inner folds عَرفاas fragrance
وَضاعَ كَنَشرِ الطيبِ مِن طَيِّهِ عَرفا
And the sun is none but the noble man whose renown is sweet,
and wafts from his inner folds like the spreading scent of perfume.
أَخوpossessor of الحِذْقِskill وَالرّأيِand judgment السّديدِsound وَذوand possessed of الحِجىwisdom
أَخو الحِذْقِ وَالرّأيِ السّديدِ وَذو الحِجى
وَمَنand one who حازَattained حُسنَgoodness of الخلقِcharacter وَاللُّطفَand gentleness وَالظّرفاand grace
وَمَن حازَ حُسنَ الخلقِ وَاللُّطفَ وَالظّرفا
Possessed of skill and sound judgment, endowed with wisdom,
and one who has attained fine character, gentleness, and grace.
أَبوfather of الفَوزِtriumph وَابنand son of الفوزِtriumph وَالخيرِand goodness وَالتّقىand piety
أَبو الفَوزِ وَابن الفوزِ وَالخيرِ وَالتّقى
وَمَنand one who لَمnot نَكُنwe were فيin الدّهرِall time نُحصيenumerating لَهُof his وَصفاa quality
وَمَن لَم نَكُن في الدّهرِ نُحصي لَهُ وَصفا
Abu al-Fawz, son of triumph, goodness, and piety,
and one whose qualities we could never enumerate in a lifetime.
هوَhe البحرُthe sea بَحرُthe sea of العِلمِknowledge وَالحِلمِand forbearance وَالنّدىand generosity
هوَ البحرُ بَحرُ العِلمِ وَالحِلمِ وَالنّدى
فَدونَكso take for yourself مِنهُfrom him الرّشفُa sip أَوor دونَكtake for yourself الغَرْفاa scoop
فَدونَك مِنهُ الرّشفُ أَو دونَك الغَرْفا
He is the sea—the sea of knowledge, forbearance, and generosity;
so take a sip from him, or take a scoop.
هوَhe الجَهْبَذُthe discerning master النحريرَthe consummate expert وَالعالِمُand the scholar الّذيwho
هوَ الجَهْبَذُ النحريرَ وَالعالِمُ الّذي
تَحقّقattained mastery بِالتّحريرِin precise scholarship مِنfrom قَبلِbefore أَنthat يُلفىhe be found
تَحقّق بِالتّحريرِ مِن قَبلِ أَن يُلفى
He is the discerning master, the consummate expert, and the scholar who
had mastered exact scholarship before he was even to be found.
هوَhe البحرُthe sea فيهِwithin it الدُرُّpearls إِنif شِئتَyou wish فَالتَقِطthen gather
هوَ البحرُ فيهِ الدُرُّ إِن شِئتَ فَالتَقِط
فَإِنَّfor indeed عُيونَthe eyes of القَلبِthe heart مِنfrom دُرّهhis pearls تشفىare healed
فَإِنَّ عُيونَ القَلبِ مِن دُرّه تشفى
He is the sea, pearls within it; if you wish, gather them,
for the heart's eyes are healed by his pearls.
إِمامٌan imam بِمِحرابِin the prayer niche of العُلومِthe sciences مقدَّمٌset foremost
إِمامٌ بِمِحرابِ العُلومِ مقدَّمٌ
وَقَدand already قامَhave stood أَهلُthe people of الفَضلِexcellence مِنfrom خَلفِهِbehind him صَفّاin a row
وَقَد قامَ أَهلُ الفَضلِ مِن خَلفِهِ صَفّا
An imam set foremost in the prayer niche of the sciences,
with the people of excellence standing in a row behind him.
هوَhe الجَوهَرُthe jewel المَظروفُcontained فيin المَجدِglory وَالعُلىand eminence
هوَ الجَوهَرُ المَظروفُ في المَجدِ وَالعُلى
وَلَمand not تَكُنِwas العَلياءُexalted rank إِلّاexcept لَهُfor him ظَرفاa vessel
وَلَم تَكُنِ العَلياءُ إِلّا لَهُ ظَرفا
He is the jewel contained within glory and high rank,
and exalted rank has been nothing but his vessel.
هُوَhe الأَشرفُthe noblest المُمتازُthe distinguished one فيin مَوكِبِthe procession of العُلاeminence
هُوَ الأَشرفُ المُمتازُ في مَوكِبِ العُلا
وقدand already لبسhe wore العلياءَexalted rank فيon رجلهhis foot خُفّاas a slipper
وقد لبس العلياءَ في رجله خُفّا
He is the noblest, distinguished in the procession of eminence,
and has worn exalted rank as a slipper upon his foot.
بَليغٌeloquent مِنَfrom التّبيانِclear exposition يَنظِمُhe strings جَوهَراًjewels
بَليغٌ مِنَ التّبيانِ يَنظِمُ جَوهَراً
بِسلكٍon a thread مِنَof الياقوتِrubies يُتقِنُهhe perfects it رَصفاin arrangement
بِسلكٍ مِنَ الياقوتِ يُتقِنُه رَصفا
Eloquent, he strings jewels of lucid expression
on a thread of rubies, perfecting its arrangement.
فَمِنهُso from him المَعانيthe meanings بِالبَيانِthrough eloquence بَديعَةٌare wondrous
فَمِنهُ المَعاني بِالبَيانِ بَديعَةٌ
وَمِنand from عَسجَدِthe pure gold of الأَلفاظِwords صاغَhe fashioned لَهاfor them حَرفاa letter
وَمِن عَسجَدِ الأَلفاظِ صاغَ لَها حَرفا
So from him come meanings made wondrous through eloquence,
and he fashioned their lettering from the pure gold of words.
تَرعرَعَhe grew up فيin المَعروفِgoodness مِنfrom حينِthe time of مَهدِهِhis cradle
تَرعرَعَ في المَعروفِ مِن حينِ مَهدِهِ
وَتاجَرَand traded فيin الآدابِletters فَاِكتسَبَand thus gained اللُّطفاrefinement
وَتاجَرَ في الآدابِ فَاِكتسَبَ اللُّطفا
He grew up in goodness from his cradle,
and traded in letters, acquiring refinement.
فَياso O فَردَpeerless one of أَهلِthe people of العَصرِthe age ياO عَينَessence of مَجدِهِمtheir glory
فَيا فَردَ أَهلِ العَصرِ يا عَينَ مَجدِهِم
وَأَكرَمِهمand noblest of them أَصلاًin lineage وَأَكثَرِهمand greatest of them عَطفاin compassion
وَأَكرَمِهم أَصلاً وَأَكثَرِهم عَطفا
O peerless one among the people of this age, O essence of their glory,
and noblest of them in lineage, and richest in compassion,
إِلَيكَto you اِبنُIbn فَتحِFath اللَّهِAllah يهديhe offers خَريدةًa maiden
إِلَيكَ اِبنُ فَتحِ اللَّهِ يهدي خَريدةً
مخدَّرةًsecluded بالفكرwithin thought قدindeed زفّهاhe led her as a bride زفّاin bridal procession
مخدَّرةً بالفكر قد زفّها زفّا
to you Ibn Fath Allah offers a maiden,
secluded within thought, whom he has led forth in bridal procession.
فَأَقْبِلْso turn عَلَيهاtoward her بِالقَبولِwith acceptance وَبِالرِّضاand with approval
فَأَقْبِلْ عَلَيها بِالقَبولِ وَبِالرِّضا
وَغُضَّand lower أَخاO possessor of الإِحسانِkindness عَنfrom عَيبِهاher flaw طَرفاa gaze
وَغُضَّ أَخا الإِحسانِ عَن عَيبِها طَرفا
So turn toward her with acceptance and approval,
and, O man of kindness, avert your gaze from her faults.
وَدُمْand remain بِأَمانِin the protection of اللَّهِGod ماas long as صَدَحَتsing عَلىupon
وَدُمْ بِأَمانِ اللَّهِ ما صَدَحَت عَلى
غُصونُthe boughs of الرُّبىthe hills وُرْقٌgray doves وماand as long as خضبَتshe dyed كَفّاa palm
غُصونُ الرُّبى وُرْقٌ وما خضبَت كَفّا
And remain in God's protection as long as there sing upon
the hills' boughs gray doves, and as long as a palm is dyed,
وَماand as long as قالَsaid ذوone possessed of حُبٍّlove لحِبٍّto a beloved مُخاطباًaddressing
وَما قالَ ذو حُبٍّ لحِبٍّ مُخاطباً
سَلِask الصَّبَّthe lovesick one ذاpossessed of الأشجانَsorrows ماذاwhat بِهاin them أَلفىhe found
سَلِ الصَّبَّ ذا الأشجانَ ماذا بِها أَلفى
and as long as a lover says, addressing a beloved:
Ask the sorrow-laden lover what he has found in them.
Sol 6.1