بُلبلُthe nightingale of الدّوحِthe grove عَلَيهِupon it صَدَحاsang
بُلبلُ الدّوحِ عَلَيهِ صَدَحا
وَلِمَتنِand for the back of الغمِّsorrow منّاfrom us شَرَحاsplit open
وَلِمَتنِ الغمِّ منّا شَرَحا
The nightingale of the grove sang upon it,
The nightingale warbled upon the branches
And split open the back of our sorrow.
To relieve us of the anguish of worries
وَغُصونُand the branches of البانِthe bān tree مالَتbent بُكرَةًat daybreak
وَغُصونُ البانِ مالَت بُكرَةً
مِنfrom ذِراعِthe arm of الرّيحِthe wind لَمّاwhen سَرَحاit roamed
مِن ذِراعِ الرّيحِ لَمّا سَرَحا
And the bān branches bent at daybreak,
The boughs of the wild plum leaned at dawn
At the wind's arm as it roamed free.
When the arms of the breeze waved them about
وَنَسيمُand the breeze of الزّهرِthe flowers أَبدَىrevealed عَرفهُits fragrance
وَنَسيمُ الزّهرِ أَبدَى عَرفهُ
كَذَكِيِّlike the fragrant الطّيبِperfume لَمّاwhen نَفَحاit wafted
كَذَكِيِّ الطّيبِ لَمّا نَفَحا
And the flower breeze revealed its fragrance,
The zephyr of flowers diffused its fragrance
Like sweet perfume when it wafted forth.
Like the perfume of musk when it blows
وَاِستِتارَand the concealment of الغيدِthe fair maidens فيin بُرقُعِهاtheir veil
وَاِستِتارَ الغيدِ في بُرقُعِها
لِأُهيلto the dear folk of العِشقِardent love حقّاًtruly فَضَحاexposed
لِأُهيل العِشقِ حقّاً فَضَحا
And the fair maidens' concealment behind their veil
The rainclouds drew their veils over themselves
It truly exposed to love's dear folk.
Truly exposing the ardours of love
وَغَزالٍand a gazelle هُدبُهhis lashes مُنتَصِبٌupright
وَغَزالٍ هُدبُه مُنتَصِبٌ
شَرَكاًas a snare يَصطادُcatching مَنْwhoever قَدhad سَنَحاcome into view
شَرَكاً يَصطادُ مَنْ قَد سَنَحا
And a gazelle whose lashes stood upright,
A gazelle, whose buttocks were taut
As a snare, catching whoever came into view.
Lay in wait to hunt any easy prey
جَرَّdrew away عَقليmy reason الميمَthe letter mīm مِنfrom مَبسَمِهِhis smiling mouth
جَرَّ عَقلي الميمَ مِن مَبسَمِهِ
وَبِنونِand with the nūn of الصّدغِthe temple-lock قَلبيmy heart فَتَحاhe opened
وَبِنونِ الصّدغِ قَلبي فَتَحا
The mīm of his smiling mouth drew away my reason,
The wine loosened the knot from his smile
And with the nūn of his temple-lock he opened my heart.
And the moles on his cheek unlocked my heart
ثَمِلٌtipsy أَسكَرَنيintoxicated me مُقلتهُhis eye
ثَمِلٌ أَسكَرَني مُقلتهُ
فَكَأنّيso it was as though I نِلتُobtained مِنهاfrom it قَدَحاa cup
فَكَأنّي نِلتُ مِنها قَدَحا
A tipsy one, whose eye intoxicated me,
Intoxicated by his alluring glance
As though I had taken a cup from it.
As if I had taken a drink from his cup
ماnot أَدارَhe passed around الكَأسَthe cup إِلّاexcept خِلتُهاI imagined it
ما أَدارَ الكَأسَ إِلّا خِلتُها
شَمسَa sun of أُفقٍa horizon نورُهاits light قَدhad وَضُحاbecome clear
شَمسَ أُفقٍ نورُها قَد وَضُحا
Whenever he passed the cup, I imagined it
No one but his smoothness turned the cup
A sun on the horizon, its light shining clear.
The sun of the horizon whose light had shone
عَرفُهاits fragrance إِنif شَمَّهُhe smelled it الصّاحيthe sober one اِنتَشىgrew tipsy
عَرفُها إِن شَمَّهُ الصّاحي اِنتَشى
وَبِهاand through it النّشوانُthe drunken one إِذْwhen ذاقَhe tasted صَحاgrew sober
وَبِها النّشوانُ إِذْ ذاقَ صَحا
If a sober man smelled its fragrance, he grew tipsy,
If a wakeful man smells it he freshens up
Yet the drunken man, upon tasting it, grew sober.
And the insipid, when they taste it, recover
ماnot تَعاطاهاdrank it كَئيبٌa sorrowful man عَقلُهُhis mind
ما تَعاطاها كَئيبٌ عَقلُهُ
فاسِدٌdisordered إِلّاexcept وَمِنهاand through it اِصطَلَحاbecame sound
فاسِدٌ إِلّا وَمِنها اِصطَلَحا
No sorrowful man ever drank it, his mind
No gloomy man touched it, his mind unsound
Disordered, without being set right by it.
Except from it he straightened up and healed
قَدindeed حَلاwas sweet ليto me الراحُthe wine مِنfrom راحَتِهِhis palm
قَد حَلا لي الراحُ مِن راحَتِهِ
إِذwhen سَقىhe gave drink مُغتَبِقاًdrinking at evening مُصطَبِحاdrinking at dawn
إِذ سَقى مُغتَبِقاً مُصطَبِحا
The wine tasted sweet to me from his palm,
The relief came to me from his relief
As he served me drink at evening and at dawn.
When he gave drink to one clinging and daybreak to one gloomy
بِتُّI spent the night أَهوىloving فيin هَواهُlove of him الرُّقَباthe watchers
بِتُّ أَهوى في هَواهُ الرُّقَبا
وَأُعاديand I oppose فيin غَراميmy passion النُّصَحاthe advisers
وَأُعادي في غَرامي النُّصَحا
I spent the night loving the watchers for love of him,
I spend the night craving his love
And opposing the advisers in my passion.
And challenging my own passion to be chaste
إِنif بَداhe appeared فيin الحلَّةِthe robe الخَضراgreen فَفيthen in
إِن بَدا في الحلَّةِ الخَضرا فَفي
حُمرَةِthe redness of الوردِthe rose المُحيَّاthe face اِتّشَحاhe cloaked himself
حُمرَةِ الوردِ المُحيَّا اِتّشَحا
If he appeared in green attire, then in
If green appears in his garb
The rose-red of his face he was cloaked.
Then the red of roses adorns it
غُصنُa branch of بانٍa bān tree بانَappeared يثنيhe bends عِطفَهُhis side
غُصنُ بانٍ بانَ يثني عِطفَهُ
وَتَثَنَّىand he swayed وَهوَwhile he يَمشيwalks مَرَحاjoyfully
وَتَثَنَّى وَهوَ يَمشي مَرَحا
A bān bough appeared, bending his side,
A wild plum branch bends its stem
And swayed as he walked joyfully.
And sways as it walks in delight
غُنجُthe coy charm of هاروتَHārūt of جَفنَيهِhis eyelids لكَنزِfor the treasure of
غُنجُ هاروتَ جَفنَيهِ لكَنزِ
وُرودِthe roses of الخَدِّthe cheek مِنهُfrom him فَتَحاopened
وُرودِ الخَدِّ مِنهُ فَتَحا
The coy charm of his eyelids' Hārūt, the treasure
The eyelids of a fawn envelope treasures
Of his cheek's roses opened.
Of cheek roses when they part
ريحُthe fragrance of فيهِhis mouth كانَwas بَخوراًincense لَهُfor it
ريحُ فيهِ كانَ بَخوراً لَهُ
مُذْsince تَلاhe recited السّحرَmagic عَلَيهِover it اِنفَتَحاit opened
مُذْ تَلا السّحرَ عَلَيهِ اِنفَتَحا
The fragrance of his mouth was incense for it;
The breeze in it was as incense to it
Once he recited magic over it, it opened.
Since the sorceress cast a spell and opened on him
وَاِرتَضىand he chose الخالَthe mole عَلَيهِover it حارِساًas a guard
وَاِرتَضى الخالَ عَلَيهِ حارِساً
إِذsince لِذاfor this الأَمرِtask رَآهُhe judged it صَلُحاwas fit
إِذ لِذا الأَمرِ رَآهُ صَلُحا
And he chose the mole as its guardian,
The moles approved themselves as guards over it
Having judged it fit for this task.
When they saw this matter agreeable to it
وَعَلَيهِand over it مَدَّhe stretched سُوراًa wall حَسَناًbeautiful
وَعَلَيهِ مَدَّ سُوراً حَسَناً
مِنof عِذارٍcheek-down عِطرُهُits fragrance قَدhad نَفَحاwafted
مِن عِذارٍ عِطرُهُ قَد نَفَحا
And over it he stretched a lovely wall,
Over it they put up a screen of sweet idols
Of cheek-down whose fragrance wafted forth.
Whose scent blew from their perfume
وَسِنٌdrowsy كَحّلَlined with kohl جَفنَيهِhis eyelids الكَرىslumber
وَسِنٌ كَحّلَ جَفنَيهِ الكَرى
وَبِسَيفِand with the sword of السُّهدِsleeplessness طَرفيmy eye اِنجَرَحاwas wounded
وَبِسَيفِ السُّهدِ طَرفي اِنجَرَحا
Drowsy—slumber lined his eyelids with kohl,
Teeth like kohl lined its sleepy eyes
While the sword of sleeplessness wounded my eye.
And with the swords of charm its glances bled
مُذْwhen رَأىhe saw دَمعيmy tears دِماءًas blood قَدhad دَرىlearned
مُذْ رَأى دَمعي دِماءً قَد دَرى
أَنَّthat جَفنيmy eyelid لِلكَرىfor slumber قَدhad رَبحاgained
أَنَّ جَفني لِلكَرى قَد رَبحا
When he saw my tears as blood, he knew
Since it saw my tears as blood that flowed
That my eyelid had made a gain for slumber.
It realised my eyes for it had gained
وَعَذولٍand a reproacher غَشَّنيdeceived me فيin عَذْلِهِhis reproach
وَعَذولٍ غَشَّني في عَذْلِهِ
وَاِدَّعىand he claimed فيin لَوْمِهِhis blame أَنthat نَصَحاhe had advised
وَاِدَّعى في لَوْمِهِ أَن نَصَحا
And a reproacher deceived me in his reproaches,
A flirtatious charmer fooled me with his flirtation
And claimed, in his blame, to have advised me.
And falsely claimed in blaming that he gave good advice
لَستُI am not أَشكوcomplaining of فِعلَهُhis deed إِلّاexcept لِمنْto one who
لَستُ أَشكو فِعلَهُ إِلّا لِمنْ
نَحوَهُtoward him جَرَّتْdrew on مَطاياthe mounts of الصّلَحاthe righteous
نَحوَهُ جَرَّتْ مَطايا الصّلَحا
I complain of his deed only to the one
I do not complain of his act except to one
Toward whom the mounts of the righteous drew on.
To whom the reins of reconciliation pulled
الفَصيحُthe eloquent one الشّهمُthe noble one ذوpossessor of النَّظمِverse الَّذيwho
الفَصيحُ الشّهمُ ذو النَّظمِ الَّذي
خَرسَتfell silent نُطْقاًin speech لَدَيهِbefore him الفُصَحاthe eloquent
خَرسَت نُطْقاً لَدَيهِ الفُصَحا
The eloquent, noble master of verse, before whom
The eloquent, valiant one, whose verse
The eloquent were struck dumb in speech.
Rendered the eloquent speechless in his presence
أَحمَدُAhmad البرُّthe righteous كَذاlikewise البَرُّthe beneficent الَّذيwho
أَحمَدُ البرُّ كَذا البَرُّ الَّذي
عَدَّconsidered كَسبَearning المَدحِpraise أَسنىthe loftiest مِنَحاgifts
عَدَّ كَسبَ المَدحِ أَسنى مِنَحا
Ahmad, the righteous and likewise the beneficent, who
Ahmad the righteous, such righteous one who
Counted earning praise among the loftiest gifts.
Counts gaining praise finer than gifts
شَمسُa sun of هَدْيٍguidance أَشرَقَتshone أَنوارُهُhis lights
شَمسُ هَدْيٍ أَشرَقَت أَنوارُهُ
وَلَكمand how often فيهاin them دُجىthe darkness of الجَهلِignorance مَحاhe erased
وَلَكم فيها دُجى الجَهلِ مَحا
A sun of guidance whose lights shone forth,
A guiding sun whose lights have shone
And how often through them he erased ignorance's gloom.
And how much in it the darkness of ignorance it erased
أَسدٌa lion لَوif لاحَhe appeared يُبديdisplaying سَطوةًmight
أَسدٌ لَو لاحَ يُبدي سَطوةً
وَرآهاand saw it اللَّيثُthe lion مِنهاfrom it جَمَحاbolted
وَرآها اللَّيثُ مِنها جَمَحا
A lion: if he appeared displaying his might,
A lion, if it bared its might
And a lion saw it, it would bolt away from it.
And the beasts saw it bare its fangs from it
غارِقٌdrowned فيin العِلمِknowledge إِلّاexcept أَنَّهُthat he
غارِقٌ في العِلمِ إِلّا أَنَّهُ
فيin بُحورِthe seas of الفَضلِexcellence حَقّاًtruly سَبَحاswam
في بُحورِ الفَضلِ حَقّاً سَبَحا
Drowned in knowledge, yet he
Deep in knowledge except that he
Truly swam in the seas of excellence.
In the oceans of merit truly swam
ذوpossessor of بُروجٍtowers عالِياتٍlofty ماnot بِهاat them
ذو بُروجٍ عالِياتٍ ما بِها
طَرفُthe eye of بَدرِthe full moon of الأفْقِthe horizon يَوماًon any day لَمَحاglimpsed
طَرفُ بَدرِ الأفْقِ يَوماً لَمَحا
He has lofty towers, which
With high towers in which
The eye of the horizon's full moon never once glimpsed.
The moon of the horizon never glanced
سَمِحٌgenerous فيin يَدِهِhis hand لَوif دَخَلتentered
سَمِحٌ في يَدِهِ لَو دَخَلت
هَذِهِthis الدّارُthe abode لَفيهاsurely with it سمَحاhe would give generously
هَذِهِ الدّارُ لَفيها سمَحا
Generous—were there to enter his hand
Magnanimous, if poverty entered
This world, he would freely give from it.
This abode, in it he would be magnanimous
إِنْif أَنِفناwe disdained بَذلَهُhis giving مِنbecause of كَثرَةٍabundance
إِنْ أَنِفنا بَذلَهُ مِن كَثرَةٍ
فَلَناthen for us الرّغبةُthe desire فيهِfor it اِقتَرَحاhe proposed
فَلَنا الرّغبةُ فيهِ اِقتَرَحا
If we disdained his giving for its abundance,
If we disdained his gifts due to plenty
He would propose that we should desire it.
Then we desire him to offer
فيهِin him لِلمَجدِfor glory مَجدٌglory مِثلَماjust as
فيهِ لِلمَجدِ مَجدٌ مِثلَما
يَسعَدُgrows fortunate السّعدُgood fortune بِهِthrough him إِنif لَمَحاit glimpsed
يَسعَدُ السّعدُ بِهِ إِن لَمَحا
In him, glory itself has glory, just as
In it for glory is glory whenever
Good fortune grows fortunate through him, if it beholds him.
The fortunate gazed upon it
فلَوِso if الفضلُexcellence لَدَيهِbeside him نَصَبتyou set
فلَوِ الفضلُ لَدَيهِ نَصَبت
مُذْsince رَأَيناwe saw نَحوَهُtoward him الفَخَّthe snare نَحاit headed
مُذْ رَأَينا نَحوَهُ الفَخَّ نَحا
So, had you set for excellence beside him
If merit were up to him we would erect
A snare, it would have headed his way the moment we saw it.
Since we saw toward him the snares set up
لَوif عَلِمتُI knew العشرَa tenth مِنof أَوصافِهِhis qualities
لَو عَلِمتُ العشرَ مِن أَوصافِهِ
لَمnot أُحِطI encompass فيin عَشرِهِhis tenth مُمتَدِحاpraising
لَم أُحِط في عَشرِهِ مُمتَدِحا
If I knew a tenth of his qualities,
If I knew a tenth of his traits
I could not encompass even that tenth in praise.
I could not encompass a tenth of the one I praise
ياO كَريماًgenerous one مِنهُfrom him مثاليone like me تشتَريbuys
يا كَريماً مِنهُ مثالي تشتَري
بِيَسارٍwith wealth راحَتاهُhis two palms المِدَحاpraises
بِيَسارٍ راحَتاهُ المِدَحا
O generous one, from the likes of me
O generous one who with ease purchased through
Your two palms purchase praises with wealth.
Giving, the praise I gave
ياO حَليماًforbearing one باتَcame to be يُرجىhoped for عَفوُهُhis pardon
يا حَليماً باتَ يُرجى عَفوُهُ
وَصَفوحاًand forgiving one عَنهُfrom him مُسيءٌan offender صَفَحاturned away
وَصَفوحاً عَنهُ مُسيءٌ صَفَحا
O forbearing one, whose pardon is hoped for,
O forbearing one who hopes for his pardon
And forgiving one, from whom an offender turned away.
And the unjust one pardoned his lapse
إِنّنيindeed I أُهديكَoffer you بِكراًa virgin لوif بَدَتshe appeared
إِنّني أُهديكَ بِكراً لو بَدَت
فيin الدّياجيthe dark nights خِلتَهاyou imagined her شَمسَa sun of ضُحىforenoon
في الدّياجي خِلتَها شَمسَ ضُحى
I offer you a virgin; if she appeared
I present to you an untouched pearl
In the dark nights, you would think her a morning sun.
That if it appeared at daylight its smoothness the sun of dawn
لَوif تَلَوناهاwe recited her عَلىto الأَعمىthe blind man رَأىhe saw
لَو تَلَوناها عَلى الأَعمى رَأى
أَوor عَلىto الأَبكمِthe mute حالاًimmediately فصُحاspoke eloquently
أَو عَلى الأَبكمِ حالاً فصُحا
If we recited her to a blind man, he would see,
If we recited it to the blind, he would see
Or to a mute, he would at once speak eloquently.
Or to the mute, his speech would at once be eloquent
أَوor قَرَأناهاwe read her عَلىto ذيone with صَممٍdeafness
أَو قَرَأناها عَلى ذي صَممٍ
لَتَبدّىwould surely appear سَمعُهُhis hearing مُنفَتِحاopen
لَتَبدّى سَمعُهُ مُنفَتِحا
Or if we read her to one afflicted with deafness,
Or if we read it to one deaf
His hearing would reveal itself open.
His hearing would appear opened up
زَفَّهاbrought her in bridal procession فِكريmy thought عَروساًas a bride تَنجَليunveiling herself
زَفَّها فِكري عَروساً تَنجَلي
لِحلاهاat her adornments كُنbe مُقيماًabiding فَرِحاjoyful
لِحلاها كُن مُقيماً فَرِحا
My thought brought her as a bride, unveiling herself;
My thoughts ushered it in as a bride
At her adornments, remain ever joyful.
For its adornment remain happily residing
وَاِبقَand remain وَاِسلَمand stay safe بِالهَناin happiness وَالعِزِّand honor ماas long as
وَاِبقَ وَاِسلَم بِالهَنا وَالعِزِّ ما
بُلبلُthe nightingale of الدَّوحِthe grove عَلَيهِupon it صَدَحاsang
بُلبلُ الدَّوحِ عَلَيهِ صَدَحا
And live on, safe in happiness and honor, as long as
And live in happiness and honour as long as
The nightingale of the grove sings upon it.
The nightingale warbled upon the branches
Sol 6.1