تُناضِلُنيassail me منهاfrom her اللِّحاظُthe glances بِأَسْهُمٍwith arrows
تُناضِلُني منها اللِّحاظُ بِأَسْهُمٍ
ويَطْعَنُنيand stabs me منْهاfrom her القَوامُthe figure بلهذَمِwith a keen spear
ويَطْعَنُني منْها القَوامُ بلهذَمِ
Her glances assail me with arrows,
She assails me with glances that are like arrows,
and her figure stabs me with a keen spear.
And her figure wounds me with subtle blame.
ويُدْهِشُنيand dazzles me بَرقa lightning flash سَناهُits radiance مُشَعْشعٌsparkling
ويُدْهِشُني بَرق سَناهُ مُشَعْشعٌ
لِطرفيto my gaze بَداappeared مِنْfrom ثَغْرِهاher mouth المُتبَسِّمِsmiling
لِطرفي بَدا مِنْ ثَغْرِها المُتبَسِّمِ
A lightning flash dazzles me, its radiance sparkling,
The light of her teeth when she smiles dazzles me,
appearing to my eyes from her smiling mouth.
Her lips seemed to smile at me flirtatiously.
أَأَصْحوcan I be sober? وعَيْناهاwhile her two eyes سُقاةُcupbearers مُدامَةٍwine
أَأَصْحو وعَيْناها سُقاةُ مُدامَةٍ
وَمَبْسمُهاand her smiling mouth كاسٌa cup يَحلُّis lawful لمُغرَمِfor a lovesick lover
وَمَبْسمُها كاسٌ يَحلُّ لمُغرَمِ
Can I be sober while her eyes are wine's cupbearers,
Shall I wake while her eyes are cups of wine
and her smiling mouth a cup lawful to a lovesick lover?
And her smile is a goblet that intoxicates the lovesick?
كَأنَّas though ضِياءَthe radiance الشّمسِof the sun نُورُthe light جَبينهاof her brow
كَأنَّ ضِياءَ الشّمسِ نُورُ جَبينها
وَجَبهَتهاand her forehead الغَرّاradiant تَلوحُshines كَأَنجُمِlike stars
وَجَبهَتها الغَرّا تَلوحُ كَأَنجُمِ
It is as though the sun's radiance were her brow's light,
The glow of the sun is the light of her forehead,
and her radiant forehead shines like stars.
And her eyebrows shine like twinkling stars.
كَأَنَّas though ثَناياهاher front teeth تَلامُعُthe flashing بارقٍof lightning
كَأَنَّ ثَناياها تَلامُعُ بارقٍ
وَمَبسِمُهاand her smiling mouth الألْمىdusky-lipped كَدرٍّlike pearls مُنظَّمِstrung in order
وَمَبسِمُها الألْمى كَدرٍّ مُنظَّمِ
As though her front teeth were the flashing of lightning,
Her dimples sparkle like flashes of lightning,
and her dusky-lipped mouth like pearls strung in order.
And her sweet smile flows like stringed pearls.
لَهاshe has جَسَدٌa body بِاللُّطفِwith delicacy يُنعَتُis described حَجمهُits bulk
لَها جَسَدٌ بِاللُّطفِ يُنعَتُ حَجمهُ
مِنَfrom الرّيحِthe wind قَدْmay يدمىbleed بِمَحْضِby a mere تَنسُّمِwafting
مِنَ الرّيحِ قَدْ يدمى بِمَحْضِ تَنسُّمِ
She has a body whose frame is described as delicate;
Her body is delicately shaped, it would sway
it may bleed from the wind's slightest breath.
With the softest breeze, at the merest breath.
وَخالٍand a beauty spot شَبيهِlike المِسْكِmusk لَوناًin color ونَفحَةًand fragrance
وَخالٍ شَبيهِ المِسْكِ لَوناً ونَفحَةً
وَخَدٍّand a cheek كَمِثْلِjust like الوَردِthe rose أَوor شِبهِthe likeness of عَندَمِcrimson dye
وَخَدٍّ كَمِثْلِ الوَردِ أَو شِبهِ عَندَمِ
And a beauty spot like musk in color and fragrance,
She has a mole like musk in color and fragrance
and a cheek like a rose, or like crimson dye.
And cheeks like roses or red anemones.
وَقَدand indeed أَخجَلَput to shame الأَغصانَthe branches مَيسُthe swaying قَوامِهاof her figure
وَقَد أَخجَلَ الأَغصانَ مَيسُ قَوامِها
كَماjust as أَخجَلَput to shame الأَقمارَthe moons بَرْقُthe flash التبسُّمِof smiling
كَما أَخجَلَ الأَقمارَ بَرْقُ التبسُّمِ
The swaying of her figure has put the branches to shame,
The sway of her figure puts the branches to shame
as the lightning of her smile has shamed the moons.
As the flash of her smile outshines the moon.
وَلَوْand if كَشَفَتْshe removed يَوماًone day لِثاماًa veil لِوَجْهِهاfor her face
وَلَوْ كَشَفَتْ يَوماً لِثاماً لِوَجْهِها
لَأَعْمَتْshe would surely blind بَصيراًa sighted person ثمَّthen أَبْصَرَwould see منْone who عَميwas blind
لَأَعْمَتْ بَصيراً ثمَّ أَبْصَرَ منْ عَمي
And if one day she lifted a veil from her face,
If she unveiled her face one day, she would
she would blind the seeing, and then the blind would see.
Blind the sighted, then give vision to the blind.
لَهاfor her اللَّهُGod مِنsuch a غَيْداءَgraceful woman ذاتِpossessing مَحاسنٍcharms
لَها اللَّهُ مِن غَيْداءَ ذاتِ مَحاسنٍ
بِأَلْحاظِهاwith her glances صادَتْshe captured نُهىthe wits كُلِّof every ضَيْغَمِlion
بِأَلْحاظِها صادَتْ نُهى كُلِّ ضَيْغَمِ
God bless her, a graceful woman endowed with charms,
God has given her, of excellent beauty,
whose glances have captured the wits of every lion.
Glances by which she surpasses all coquetry.
وَلِلّهِand to God belongs لَيْلٌa night فيهin which جاءَتْshe came تَزورُنيto visit me
وَلِلّهِ لَيْلٌ فيه جاءَتْ تَزورُني
تَميلُshe sways بنَشْوانwith an intoxicated القَوامِfigure المُنعَّمِpampered
تَميلُ بنَشْوان القَوامِ المُنعَّمِ
And blessed be the night when she came to visit me,
By God, she came to me one night,
swaying with her pampered, tipsy figure.
Swaying gently, with a shapely figure.
وَأَشرَقَand shone بَدْرُthe full moon الأُنسِof companionship بعدَafter أُفولهِits setting
وَأَشرَقَ بَدْرُ الأُنسِ بعدَ أُفولهِ
برَبعيin my dwelling وفيand in قَلْبيmy heart الكئيبِsorrowful المُتيّمِenslaved by love
برَبعي وفي قَلْبي الكئيبِ المُتيّمِ
And the full moon of companionship shone after its setting,
The full moon of company rose after setting
in my dwelling and in my sorrowful, love-enslaved heart.
In my garden, while grief filled my longing heart.
وَقَدand indeed سامَرَتْنيshe conversed with me by night فيin حَديثٍdiscourse مُسَلسَلٍlinked in a chain
وَقَد سامَرَتْني في حَديثٍ مُسَلسَلٍ
غَريبٍstrange ويُروىand is narrated فيin الصّحيحِthe Sahih لمُسْلمِof Muslim
غَريبٍ ويُروى في الصّحيحِ لمُسْلمِ
She kept me company by night with an unbroken chain of talk,
She conversed with me in an unbroken stream
strange, and narrated in Muslim's Sahih.
Of strange tales, authentic ones told by Muslim.
إِلىuntil أَنthat بَداappeared مِنْfrom شَرْقِهِits east الصُّبْحُthe dawn طالِعاًrising
إِلى أَن بَدا مِنْ شَرْقِهِ الصُّبْحُ طالِعاً
يُراشِقُpelts جُنْحَthe darkness اللّيلِof night منهُfrom it بِأَسْهُمِwith arrows
يُراشِقُ جُنْحَ اللّيلِ منهُ بِأَسْهُمِ
Until dawn appeared, rising from its east,
Until the dawn rose from the east
pelting the darkness of night with arrows from itself.
Assailing the wing of night with its arrows.
وَأَضْحَتْand became تَباشيرُthe first signs الصّباحِof morning مُنيرَةًradiant
وَأَضْحَتْ تَباشيرُ الصّباحِ مُنيرَةً
تُحاكيmirror سَناthe radiance وَجهِof the face الإِمامِof the imam المُعَظَّمِvenerated
تُحاكي سَنا وَجهِ الإِمامِ المُعَظَّمِ
And the first signs of morning became radiant,
The signs of dawn have become illuminated
mirroring the gleam of the venerated imam's face.
Rivaling the brilliance of the greatest imam's face.
إِمامٌan imam لَهُto him العَلياءُloftiness تَسْموrises بِنِسبَةٍthrough association
إِمامٌ لَهُ العَلياءُ تَسْمو بِنِسبَةٍ
كَماjust as لعُلاهto his eminence العِزُّhonor كالفَخْرِlike glory يَنتَميtraces its lineage
كَما لعُلاه العِزُّ كالفَخْرِ يَنتَمي
An imam through whose association loftiness itself rises,
An imam whose lineage climbs to the highest,
as honor, like glory, traces its lineage to his eminence.
As his own loftiness climbs to glory it claims.
كَريمٌa generous man رَوَيْناwe recounted البحرَthe sea عنْfrom فَيضِthe overflow كفّهِof his palm
كَريمٌ رَوَيْنا البحرَ عنْ فَيضِ كفّهِ
عَذيبَsweet الجَنىin yield يَحلوis delightful لِكُلِّto every مُيمِّمِseeker
عَذيبَ الجَنى يَحلو لِكُلِّ مُيمِّمِ
A generous man: we tell of the sea from his palm's overflow,
Noble one, from whose palm's open rain
sweet in its yield, delightful to every seeker.
We quenched our thirst with the sweetest water.
فَصيحٌeloquent إِذاwhenever ماemphatic particle قامَhe rose يَخطُبُhe preaches واعِظاًadmonishing
فَصيحٌ إِذا ما قامَ يَخطُبُ واعِظاً
تَرىyou see يَعرُباًYa'rub يَبدوappear لَدَيهِin his presence كَأَبْكَمِlike a mute
تَرى يَعرُباً يَبدو لَدَيهِ كَأَبْكَمِ
Eloquent: whenever he rises to preach and admonish,
Eloquent one, who when he stands to preach
you see Ya'rub seem like a mute in his presence.
Seems as if the Arabs hear only a mute.
هوَhe العَلَمُthe eminent figure الفَرْدُpeerless الَّذيwho لاحَshone لِلوَرىfor humankind
هوَ العَلَمُ الفَرْدُ الَّذي لاحَ لِلوَرى
فَأَضْحَتْand so came to بِهِthrough him كُلُّall البَريَّةِcreation تَحتَميseek protection
فَأَضْحَتْ بِهِ كُلُّ البَريَّةِ تَحتَمي
He is the peerless luminary who shone for humankind,
He is the unique flag that rose over the world
so all creation has come to seek his protection.
So all humanity sought shelter in its shade.
هوَhe القمَرُthe moon الزّاهيradiant علىabove الشّمسِthe sun نورُهُhis light
هوَ القمَرُ الزّاهي على الشّمسِ نورُهُ
هوَhe الأَسدُthe lion المِقدامُbold فيin كلِّevery مَقدَمِadvance
هوَ الأَسدُ المِقدامُ في كلِّ مَقدَمِ
He is the moon whose light outshines the sun;
He is the shining moon whose light outshone the sun,
he is the bold lion in every advance.
The brave lion on every battlefield.
تَفِرُّflee أُسودُthe lions الغابِof the forest مِنهُfrom him مَخافةًin fear
تَفِرُّ أُسودُ الغابِ مِنهُ مَخافةً
وتَحسَبهُand you deem him فَرداًalone كَجَيشٍlike an army عَرَمرَمِvast
وتَحسَبهُ فَرداً كَجَيشٍ عَرَمرَمِ
The lions of the forest flee from him in fear,
The beasts of the forest flee from him in fear
and you deem him, though alone, like a vast army.
Mistaking him for a vast and teeming army.
لَهُfor him اللَّهُGod مِنْsuch a مَوْلىlord شَريفٍnoble مُكرَّمٍhonored
لَهُ اللَّهُ مِنْ مَوْلى شَريفٍ مُكرَّمٍ
لَقَدindeed حازَhe attained فَخراًglory دونَهُbeneath it فَخرُthe glory جُرهُمِof Jurhum
لَقَد حازَ فَخراً دونَهُ فَخرُ جُرهُمِ
God bless him, a noble, honored lord;
God has given him, from a noble honored master
he has won a glory surpassing the glory of Jurhum.
Indeed he has gained glory above the glory of all tribes.
بِهِthrough him رُفِعَتْwere raised هامُthe heads العُلىof glory بَعْدَafter خَفْضِهاtheir lowering
بِهِ رُفِعَتْ هامُ العُلى بَعْدَ خَفْضِها
فَطافَتْand so they circled بِأَكْنافِaround the edges السحابِof the clouds المخيِّمِencamped
فَطافَتْ بِأَكْنافِ السحابِ المخيِّمِ
Through him, the heads of glory were raised after being bowed,
With him the flag of loftiness was raised after its fall
so they circled the fringes of the encamped clouds.
Circling the clouds' pavilions that rise high.
وَشيدَand was built up رُكْنُthe pillar المَجدِof glory بَعدَafter اِنهِدامِهِits collapse
وَشيدَ رُكْنُ المَجدِ بَعدَ اِنهِدامِهِ
فَأَضْحىand so became مَتيناًfirm عامِراًflourishing لمnot يُهدَّمِbe demolished
فَأَضْحى مَتيناً عامِراً لم يُهدَّمِ
And the pillar of glory was rebuilt after its collapse,
The pillar of glory was rebuilt after its collapse
and stood firm and flourishing, undemolished.
To become solid and flourishing, never to crumble.
لَهُhe has هِمَّةٌan aspiration فَوقَabove السِّماكِal-Simak مَحلُّهاits station
لَهُ هِمَّةٌ فَوقَ السِّماكِ مَحلُّها
لهاto it آصفٌAsaf حقّاًtruly مُضافٌlinked ومُنتَميand affiliated
لها آصفٌ حقّاً مُضافٌ ومُنتَمي
He has an aspiration whose station is above al-Simak,
He has ambition higher than the heavens' ceiling
to which Asaf is truly linked and affiliated.
With a true eminent rising destination.
فَياso, O كَعبَةَKaaba الفضلِof excellence الّتيwhich قَدindeed نَطوفُهاwe circle it
فَيا كَعبَةَ الفضلِ الّتي قَد نَطوفُها
كَماjust as طيفَwas circumambulated بِالبَيتِaround the House العَتيقِancient المحرَّمِsacred
كَما طيفَ بِالبَيتِ العَتيقِ المحرَّمِ
So, O Kaaba of excellence, around which we circle,
So O shrine of virtue, around which we circumambulate
as the ancient, sacred House has been circumambulated;
As we circle the ancient inviolable house.
وَياand O أَحْمَدَmost praiseworthy الأوصافِin qualities مَنْone whose فِعلُهُhis deed غَداhas become
وَيا أَحْمَدَ الأوصافِ مَنْ فِعلُهُ غَدا
مِنَfrom الحَمدِpraise مَحْموداًpraised بكلِّfor every تكرُّمِact of generosity
مِنَ الحَمدِ مَحْموداً بكلِّ تكرُّمِ
and O most praiseworthy in qualities, whose deeds have become
O most praised of character, whose actions tomorrow
lauded with praise for every act of generosity.
Will be thanked and rewarded with utmost nobility.
فَهاكَso take this حَماكَmay He protect you اللَّهُGod مِنfrom كُلِّevery آفةٍharm
فَهاكَ حَماكَ اللَّهُ مِن كُلِّ آفةٍ
مُخَدَّرةٍa secluded maiden بِالفِكْرِin thought ذاتِpossessing تَبسُّمِa smile
مُخَدَّرةٍ بِالفِكْرِ ذاتِ تَبسُّمِ
So take this—may God protect you from every harm—
Harmful thought, smiling subtly.
a secluded maiden of thought, wearing a smile.
With it the successor is given life and the listener joyous,
بِهاthrough her ينعشُis revived التاليthe reciter ويطْربُand rejoices سامعٌa listener
بِها ينعشُ التالي ويطْربُ سامعٌ
وَيبْهجُand rejoices رائِيهاher beholder وَيعْربُand speaks Arabic أَعجَميa non-Arab
وَيبْهجُ رائِيها وَيعْربُ أَعجَمي
Through her the reciter is revived and a listener rejoices;
It delights the reciter and elucidates the non-Arab.
her beholder rejoices, and a non-Arab speaks Arabic.
It has come to you to gain acceptance and pleasure
أتَتْكَshe came to you لِتَحْظىto win بِالقَبولِwith acceptance وَبِالرِّضىand with approval
أتَتْكَ لِتَحْظى بِالقَبولِ وَبِالرِّضى
وَتلثُمَand to kiss مِنْfrom كفَّيْكyour two palms أعظمَthe noblest ملثَمِplace to kiss
وَتلثُمَ مِنْ كفَّيْك أعظمَ ملثَمِ
She has come to you to win acceptance and approval,
And to kiss your hands, the greatest inauguration.
and to kiss the noblest kissing-place upon your two palms.
So show it favor by your kindness, like rainfall
فَمدَّso extend بِإِقبالٍin welcome عَلَيهاtoward her تَفضُّلاًgraciously
فَمدَّ بِإِقبالٍ عَلَيها تَفضُّلاً
لَهاfor her راحةًa palm بالجودِwith generosity كالغَيثِlike rain تَهتَميpours abundantly
لَها راحةً بالجودِ كالغَيثِ تَهتَمي
So extend toward her, graciously and in welcome,
Comforting it, seek to accomplish its wishes.
for her, a palm pouring bounty like rain.
Do not let anything but acceptance be its concerns
وَلاand do not تَجعَلَنْever make غيرَanything but القَبولِacceptance وشاحَهاher sash
وَلا تَجعَلَنْ غيرَ القَبولِ وشاحَها
لَعَلَّperhaps بِهِthrough it تَحظىshe may win بِأَعظَمِwith the greatest مَغنَمِprize
لَعَلَّ بِهِ تَحظى بِأَعظَمِ مَغنَمِ
And never make anything but acceptance her sash,
That through it, it may obtain the greatest profits.
in hopes that through it she may win the greatest prize.
Stay in God's safety for as long as the breeze blows
ودُمْand remain بأمانِin the protection اللَّهِof God ماas long as هَبَّتِblows الصَّباthe east wind
ودُمْ بأمانِ اللَّهِ ما هَبَّتِ الصَّبا
وماand as long as غرّدَwarbles القُمْريْthe turtledove بحُسنِwith the beauty of ترنُّمِmelodious singing
وما غرّدَ القُمْريْ بحُسنِ ترنُّمِ
And remain in God's protection as long as the east wind blows,
And for as long as the moonlight sings beautifully.
and as long as the turtledove warbles in lovely melody.
Partial English translation: 65 of 66 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1