قَدindeed كَسَتنيshe clothed me بحلّةِin a robe of الأَوصابِailments
قَد كَسَتني بحلّةِ الأَوصابِ
مَنْshe who تَحَلَّتْadorned herself بِحلَةِin a robe of الإعجابِadmiration
مَنْ تَحَلَّتْ بِحلَةِ الإعجابِ
She has clothed me in a robe of ailments—
She clothed me in the garb of passionate love,
she who adorned herself in a robe of admiration.
She who was clad in the raiment of captivation.
وَاِستَباحَتand she deemed lawful عذابَthe torment of صَبٍّa lovesick lover مُطيعٍobedient
وَاِستَباحَت عذابَ صَبٍّ مُطيعٍ
مَنَعتهshe kept him مِنfrom الشِّفاهِthe lips العِذابِthe sweet ones
مَنَعته مِن الشِّفاهِ العِذابِ
And she deemed it lawful to torment an obedient lover,
She who made lawful the torment of a compliant lover,
whom she kept from the sweet lips.
Yet forbade his lips from attaining that torment.
خَضَّبَتshe dyed مِنfrom دَمِthe blood of الكئيبِthe sorrowful one بَناناًfingertips
خَضَّبَت مِن دَمِ الكئيبِ بَناناً
لَيتَwould that روحيmy soul فِداءُa ransom for ذاكَthat الخضابِdye
لَيتَ روحي فِداءُ ذاكَ الخضابِ
She dyed her fingertips with the sorrowful one's blood.
She dyed my teeth with the blood of the wretched one,
Would that my soul were ransom for that dye!
Would that my soul be ransom for that dye!
حينَwhen حَكَّتshe rubbed خُدودَهاher cheeks بِبَنانِwith fingertips
حينَ حَكَّت خُدودَها بِبَنانِ
أَثمَرَbore fruit الوردُthe rose أَحمَرَred العُنّابِjujubes
أَثمَرَ الوردُ أَحمَرَ العُنّابِ
When she rubbed her cheeks with her fingertips,
When she scratched her cheek with her teeth
the rose bore red jujubes.
The roses bore fruit and the berries reddened.
أَسبَلَتshe let fall سالِفاًa sidelock فَجاءَso it came لِفيهاto her mouth
أَسبَلَت سالِفاً فَجاءَ لِفيها
يَطلُبُit seeks الشّربَa drink مِنfrom طَهورِpure الشّرابِthe beverage
يَطلُبُ الشّربَ مِن طَهورِ الشّرابِ
She let a sidelock fall, and it came to her mouth,
She let down her tresses, and her flowing hair came,
seeking a drink of the pure beverage.
Seeking drink from the purity of the wine.
فَسَقاهُso it gave it drink مِنَfrom الرّضابِthe saliva وأحلىand the sweetest الthe
فَسَقاهُ مِنَ الرّضابِ وأحلى ال
آسِmyrtle ماthat which كانwas شارباًdrinking للرضابِof the saliva
آسِ ما كان شارباً للرضابِ
Her mouth gave it saliva to drink; and the sweetest
So she gave him to drink of pleasure and the sweetest
myrtle is that which has drunk saliva.
Nectar, what a drinker of pleasure he was!
حَدّثَتنيshe told me بِريقِهاwith her saliva عَنof سُلافٍchoice wine
حَدّثَتني بِريقِها عَن سُلافٍ
وَعَنِand of السّكّرِthe sugar النباتِrock candy المُذابِdissolved
وَعَنِ السّكّرِ النباتِ المُذابِ
Through her saliva she told me of choice wine,
With her saliva she told me of the wine,
and of dissolved rock sugar.
And of the melted sugar, the planted cane.
كُلّماwhenever أَسبَلَتshe lowered لِثامَthe veil of المحيّاthe face
كُلّما أَسبَلَت لِثامَ المحيّا
تَتَوارىhides شَمسُthe sun of الضُّحىmidmorning بالحجابِbehind the veil
تَتَوارى شَمسُ الضُّحى بالحجابِ
Whenever she lowers the veil over her face,
Whenever she lets down the veil of her cheek,
the morning sun hides behind the veil.
The sun of the morn hides behind the veil.
أَتَصابىI play the youth بِهاfor her وَإِنْand though كُنتُI am شَيخاًan old man
أَتَصابى بِها وَإِنْ كُنتُ شَيخاً
وَحَميدٌand praiseworthy مِنamong الشّيوخِold men التّصابيplaying the youth
وَحَميدٌ مِن الشّيوخِ التّصابي
I play the youth for her, though I am an old man,
Though I am an old man, I am smitten with love for her,
and in old men youthful play is praiseworthy.
Praiseworthy among old men that are love-smitten!
غادَةٌa graceful maiden تَجعَلُmakes النِّفارَaversion اِقتِراباًnearness
غادَةٌ تَجعَلُ النِّفارَ اِقتِراباً
ياO بِعاديmy distance بِذَلكَthrough that الاِقتِرابِnearness
يا بِعادي بِذَلكَ الاِقتِرابِ
A graceful maiden who turns aversion into nearness—
A gazelle who makes even the ostrich draw near,
ah, my distance through that nearness!
Oh, my remote one, with that nearing!
يَنسِجُweaves السّحرَmagic لَحظُهاher glance كشباكٍlike nets
يَنسِجُ السّحرَ لَحظُها كشباكٍ
لِاِصطِيادِto hunt الأسودِthe lions أسْدِlions of الغابِthe forest
لِاِصطِيادِ الأسودِ أسْدِ الغابِ
Her glance weaves magic like nets,
The magic of her glance weaves nets,
to hunt lions—the lions of the forest.
To catch the lions, the lions of the jungle.
أَلبَسَتنيclothed me جُفونُهاher eyelids وَهيَwhile they are مَرضىailing
أَلبَسَتني جُفونُها وَهيَ مَرضى
مِنfrom among ثِيابِthe garments of النّحولِemaciation أَردىthe worst الثيابِgarments
مِن ثِيابِ النّحولِ أَردى الثيابِ
Her eyelids, themselves ailing, clothed me
Her eyelids clothed me, though sick,
in the worst of emaciation's garments.
In the garments of emaciation, the shabbiest clothes.
شَيَّبتنيshe made me gray وَعارِضيwhile my cheek-beard كَغُرابٍlike a raven
شَيَّبتني وَعارِضي كَغُرابٍ
بِبعادٍthrough separation وَجَفوةٍand coldness وَاِغتِرابِand estrangement
بِبعادٍ وَجَفوةٍ وَاِغتِرابِ
She made me gray, though my cheek-beard was like a raven,
She made my hair white like a raven’s
through separation, coldness, and estrangement.
With distance, aloofness, and estrangement.
وَمَشيبيand my graying لاno شكّdoubt كانَwas مُحالاًimpossible
وَمَشيبي لا شكّ كانَ مُحالاً
إِذsince مِنَamong المُستَحيلِthe impossible شيبُthe graying of الغرابِthe raven
إِذ مِنَ المُستَحيلِ شيبُ الغرابِ
And my graying was surely impossible,
Without a doubt my hair would not have turned white,
for a raven's graying is impossible.
Since it is impossible for the raven’s hair to turn white.
لَوif حَبَتنيshe favored me بِوَصلِهاwith union with her بَعدَafter شَيبيmy graying
لَو حَبَتني بِوَصلِها بَعدَ شَيبي
عادَreturned بَعدَafter المَشيبِgraying حسنُthe beauty of شبابيmy youth
عادَ بَعدَ المَشيبِ حسنُ شبابي
Had she granted me union with her after I turned gray,
If she had loved me after my hair turned white,
the beauty of my youth would have returned after my graying.
My youthful beauty would have returned after graying.
لَوif ترىshe sees الصّبَّthe lovesick lover بعدafter بُعدٍseparation وهجرٍand abandonment
لَو ترى الصّبَّ بعد بُعدٍ وهجرٍ
أبصَرَتْهshe beheld him فيin ذلّةٍhumiliation وَاِكتِئابِand dejection
أبصَرَتْه في ذلّةٍ وَاِكتِئابِ
If she saw the lover after separation and abandonment,
If you could see the passionate lover after distance and separation,
she would behold him in humiliation and dejection,
You would find him in misery and melancholy.
وَرَأتهُand she saw him كَمَيّتٍlike a dead man لاnot يُوارَىburied
وَرَأتهُ كَمَيّتٍ لا يُوارَى
وَعَليهِand upon him دُموعُهُhis tears فيin اِنسِكابِpouring
وَعَليهِ دُموعُهُ في اِنسِكابِ
and see him like an unburied corpse,
See him as a corpse, not to be concealed,
with his tears pouring over him.
With his tears streaming down in outpouring.
فَهيَfor she is بَدرٌa full moon وَإِنّهاand indeed she is لَشهابٌsurely a meteor
فَهيَ بَدرٌ وَإِنّها لَشهابٌ
تَأخُذُshe seizes الشّمسَthe sun لَوif بَداit appeared فيin الغيابِabsence
تَأخُذُ الشّمسَ لَو بَدا في الغيابِ
For she is a full moon—indeed, she is a meteor.
She is the full moon, truly she is a shooting star
She would seize the sun, were that meteor to appear in its absence.
That seizes the sun, if it appeared in absence.
مَنwhoever رَأىsaw البدرَthe full moon كَوكباًa star منamong نجومٍstars
مَن رَأى البدرَ كَوكباً من نجومٍ
كانwas فيin ذاكthat مُخطئاًmistaken للصوابِregarding what is right
كان في ذاك مُخطئاً للصوابِ
Whoever sees the full moon as a star among stars
Whoever sees the full moon as one star among stars
is mistaken in that, missing what is right.
Is mistaken in that, wrong in judgment.
لَيسَis not بَدراًa full moon مَنwhoever لَمnot يَكُنbe بشهابٍa meteor
لَيسَ بَدراً مَن لَم يَكُن بشهابٍ
إِنّماonly البدرُthe full moon عَينُthe very ذاتِself of الشّهابِthe meteor
إِنّما البدرُ عَينُ ذاتِ الشّهابِ
He is no full moon who is not a meteor;
She is no full moon, whoever is not a shooting star,
the full moon is none other than the meteor himself:
Rather, the full moon is the essence of the shooting star.
أَحمَدُAhmad البريرُal-Barir الإِمامُthe imam المُفدّىthe one for whom sacrifice is offered
أَحمَدُ البريرُ الإِمامُ المُفدّى
مُفردُthe peerless one of الوقتِthe age جُملةُthe sum of الأنجابِthe noble ones
مُفردُ الوقتِ جُملةُ الأنجابِ
Ahmad al-Barir, the cherished imam,
Ahmad al-Barr, the guided imam,
peerless in his age, the sum of all noble men.
Peerless in his time, quintessence of the elite.
عَلَمُa beacon of الفَضلِexcellence مَنthe one who يُشارُpointing is directed إِلَيهِtoward him
عَلَمُ الفَضلِ مَن يُشارُ إِلَيهِ
أَنَّهthat he مُفردٌpeerless بِغَيرِwithout اِرتِيابِdoubt
أَنَّه مُفردٌ بِغَيرِ اِرتِيابِ
A beacon of excellence, the one pointed out
The banner of excellence, to whom it is gestured,
as peerless, without any doubt.
That he is peerless, without any doubt.
ذيpossessed of مَعالٍlofty merits عَلىupon دَعائِمِpillars of عزٍّhonor
ذي مَعالٍ عَلى دَعائِمِ عزٍّ
بُنِيَتwere built وَهيَand they are عالِياتُexalted in الجنابِstanding
بُنِيَت وَهيَ عالِياتُ الجنابِ
Possessed of lofty merits that, on pillars of honor,
Possessor of sublime qualities upon pillars of honor
were built and stand exalted in dignity.
Built lofty, sublime foundations.
يَتَغابىhe feigns ignorance وَهوَwhile he is الفريدُthe peerless one ذكاءًin intelligence
يَتَغابى وَهوَ الفريدُ ذكاءً
وَحَميدٌand praiseworthy مِنَamong الكِرامِthe noble التّغابيfeigned ignorance
وَحَميدٌ مِنَ الكِرامِ التّغابي
He feigns ignorance, though peerless in intelligence,
He excels, though he is uniquely intelligent,
and feigned ignorance is praiseworthy among the noble.
Praiseworthy among the generous, the excelling.
ذيpossessed of كَمالٍperfection عَلىupon المَحاسِنvirtues يَطوىis enfolded
ذي كَمالٍ عَلى المَحاسِن يَطوى
طَيّبsweet in النّشرِfragrance فيin الثّناpraise المُستَطابِpleasing
طَيّب النّشرِ في الثّنا المُستَطابِ
Possessed of perfection, enfolded in virtues,
Of perfect virtue over good traits he folds over
sweetly fragrant in delightful praise.
The good dissemination in excellent couplets.
وَهوَand he فيهِin it يُحيطُencompasses ذاتاًin essence وَفِعلاًand in action
وَهوَ فيهِ يُحيطُ ذاتاً وَفِعلاً
وَصِفاتٍand in attributes وَفيand in المَقالِspeech الصّوابِcorrect
وَصِفاتٍ وَفي المَقالِ الصّوابِ
And in it he is all-encompassing, in essence and deed,
And in these he encompasses essence, deed,
and in attributes, and in speech that is right.
Attributes and, in speech, rectitude.
لَيسَthere is not مِنهُof him بِغَيرِهin someone other than him غَيرُother than شيءٍsomething
لَيسَ مِنهُ بِغَيرِه غَيرُ شيءٍ
نِيلَwas gained مِنهُfrom him تَكرُّماًthrough generosity بِاِكتِسابِby acquisition
نِيلَ مِنهُ تَكرُّماً بِاِكتِسابِ
Nothing of his is in another, save what
There is nothing else beside him but what
one acquires from him through his generous giving.
He attained generously through effort.
النّبيهُthe distinguished one الفَصيحُthe articulate one أَعلىthe most exalted بليغٍeloquent speaker
النّبيهُ الفَصيحُ أَعلى بليغٍ
قدindeed حوىhas gathered حكمةًwisdom وفصلَand decisiveness of خطابِspeech
قد حوى حكمةً وفصلَ خطابِ
The distinguished, articulate, loftiest of eloquent speakers,
The brilliant eloquent one, highest of the eloquent,
he has indeed gathered wisdom and decisive speech.
Who encompassed wisdom and separated discourse.
Sol 6.1