أَيُّwhat صَبرٍpatience لِمُغرَمٍfor an enamored lover مَعروفِknown
أَيُّ صَبرٍ لِمُغرَمٍ مَعروفِ
بِغَرامٍfor passion وَبِالهَوىand by love مَشغوفِenraptured
بِغَرامٍ وَبِالهَوى مَشغوفِ
What patience can a lover have, one known
What patience for a lover well-known
for passion and enraptured by love,
For passion, consumed by desire's fire,
وَبِحبّand by love of الجَمالِbeauty وَكلِّand every حُسنٍbeautiful thing
وَبِحبّ الجَمالِ وَكلِّ حُسنٍ
وَبِوَجدٍand by yearning وَصَبْوةٍand ardent desire مَوصوفِcharacterized
وَبِوَجدٍ وَصَبْوةٍ مَوصوفِ
and for loving beauty and every lovely thing,
For beauty's love and all loveliness,
and marked by yearning and ardent desire?
And rapture and madness - so described.
كَيفَhow يَسلوcan forget غرامَlove for ذاتِa woman possessing جمالٍbeauty
كَيفَ يَسلو غرامَ ذاتِ جمالٍ
وَهيَand she is شَمسٌa sun تَنَزَّهتis free عَنfrom كُسوفِeclipse
وَهيَ شَمسٌ تَنَزَّهت عَن كُسوفِ
How can he forget love for a woman of beauty,
How can he find peace from a beauty's love
when she is a sun untouched by eclipse,
Who is a sun, unblemished by decline,
وَأُفولٍand setting عَنِfrom الوَرىhumankind وَزَوالٍand departure
وَأُفولٍ عَنِ الوَرى وَزَوالٍ
عَنfrom ذُرىsummits الحُسنِloveliness وَالجَمالِand beauty المنيفِlofty
عَن ذُرى الحُسنِ وَالجَمالِ المنيفِ
or setting beyond mankind's sight, or falling
Nor setting from the world, nor fading
from the heights of loveliness and lofty beauty?
From the jewels of beauty and grace.
بِنتُdaughter of حُسنٍbeauty ماnot الزِّبرقانُthe full moon لَدَيهاbeside her
بِنتُ حُسنٍ ما الزِّبرقانُ لَدَيها
إِنْif بَداappears عِندَهاin her presence بِغَيرِanything but وَصيفِa serving boy
إِنْ بَدا عِندَها بِغَيرِ وَصيفِ
Daughter of beauty: the full moon beside her is no more—
A girl of beauty, no comparison,
should it appear in her presence—than a serving boy.
Should she appear, without a peer.
لَوif بَداappeared نورُهاher light بِوَجهِupon the face of كَفيفٍa blind person
لَو بَدا نورُها بِوَجهِ كَفيفٍ
عادَbecame مِنهُthrough it الكفيفُthe blind person غَيرَno longer كفيفِblind
عادَ مِنهُ الكفيفُ غَيرَ كفيفِ
If her light appeared upon a blind person's face,
If her light shone on a blind man's face
through it, the blind would cease to be blind.
The blind man would become unblinded.
رَبّةَmistress of الخالِthe beauty mark فَوقَupon وَردِroses of خُدودٍcheeks
رَبّةَ الخالِ فَوقَ وَردِ خُدودٍ
بِأَبيwith my father as ransom المسكِthe musk فَوقَupon وردٍa rose شَريفِnoble
بِأَبي المسكِ فَوقَ وردٍ شَريفِ
O mistress of the beauty mark upon the roses of cheeks,
Mistress of the moles above rose-red cheeks,
my father be ransom for that musk upon a noble rose!
With musk above the noble rose,
جَعَلتshe made شَنفَهاher earring الثريّاthe Pleiades وَأَحْسِنْand how beautiful
جَعَلت شَنفَها الثريّا وَأَحْسِنْ
بِالثريّاthe Pleiades (exclamatory) مَعدودَةًcounted فيamong الشنوفِearrings
بِالثريّا مَعدودَةً في الشنوفِ
She made the Pleiades her earring—and how beautiful
She made her hair black as the darkest night,
are the Pleiades, counted among earrings!
Among the blackest hair accounted.
غادَةٌa graceful maiden تَهتَويdesires النِّفارَaloofness وَتَصبوand inclines longingly
غادَةٌ تَهتَوي النِّفارَ وَتَصبو
لِكَلامto the words of العَذولِthe reprover ذيpossessing التعنيفِharsh rebuke
لِكَلام العَذولِ ذي التعنيفِ
A graceful maiden who loves aloofness and inclines
A gazelle glancing, panting with longing
toward the words of the harsh reprover.
For the speech of the aloof, reproving one.
أَتَمنَّىI wish إِذاwhen تَبدَّتshe appears أَماميbefore me
أَتَمنَّى إِذا تَبدَّت أَمامي
أَنَّهاthat she تحيّينيgreets me بِأَدنىwith the slightest الوقوفِpause
أَنَّها تحيّيني بِأَدنى الوقوفِ
I wish, whenever she appears before me,
I wish when she stood before me
that she would greet me with even the briefest pause.
She would greet me with the slightest pause.
غَيرَbut أَنّthat النِّفارَaloofness طَبعٌa disposition قَديمٌlong-established
غَيرَ أَنّ النِّفارَ طَبعٌ قَديمٌ
فَسِواهُso anything other than it يَكونُwould be بِالتكليفِby forcing
فَسِواهُ يَكونُ بِالتكليفِ
Yet aloofness is a long-established disposition,
But glancing is an old trait of hers,
so anything else would have to be forced.
Nothing else she will do but by duty.
وَاِنتِقالُand changing الطّباعِdispositions أَمرٌa matter مُحالٌimpossible
وَاِنتِقالُ الطّباعِ أَمرٌ مُحالٌ
وَرجاءُand hoping for المُحالِthe impossible رأيُthe judgment of الضّعيفِthe weak
وَرجاءُ المُحالِ رأيُ الضّعيفِ
And changing dispositions is an impossible thing,
Changing nature is impossible,
and hoping for the impossible is a weak person's judgment.
And hoping for impossible is foolishness.
وَهَواهاand love of her لَقَدindeed طُبِعتَyou were fashioned عَليهِfor it
وَهَواها لَقَد طُبِعتَ عَليهِ
لَيسَdoes not يَلوينيturn me aside عَنهُfrom it ضَربُblows of السّيوفِswords
لَيسَ يَلويني عَنهُ ضَربُ السّيوفِ
And love of her—you were indeed fashioned for it;
And her passion - it was created in her -
no blows of swords can turn me from it.
No sword's blow can make me leave it.
ياO عَذوليmy reprover دَعِleave المَلامَةَblame وَاِعذُرand excuse
يا عَذولي دَعِ المَلامَةَ وَاِعذُر
إِنَّindeed عُذرَexcusing المُحبِّthe lover شَأنُthe way of الرؤوفِthe compassionate
إِنَّ عُذرَ المُحبِّ شَأنُ الرؤوفِ
O my reprover, leave off blame and excuse me;
Oh reproacher, leave blaming and excuse me,
for excusing the lover is the compassionate one's way.
A lover's excuse is the way of the merciful.
خَلّنيleave me وَالهَوىand love وَحَرَّand the burning of فُؤاديmy heart
خَلّني وَالهَوى وَحَرَّ فُؤادي
وَمَديحand praising البليغِthe eloquent man ذيpossessing التّرصيفِwell-ordered composition
وَمَديح البليغِ ذي التّرصيفِ
Leave me to love and the burning of my heart,
Leave me to passion and the burning in my heart,
and to praising the eloquent master of well-ordered composition:
And excellent praise of the eloquent crafter.
مُصطَفىMustafa الفَضلexcellence فيin بَيانِelucidating المَعانيmeanings
مُصطَفى الفَضل في بَيانِ المَعاني
حَسنُsound الرّأيِjudgment فيin جَميعِall الصّنوفِkinds
حَسنُ الرّأيِ في جَميعِ الصّنوفِ
Mustafa, distinguished in expounding meanings,
Mustafa is foremost in explaining meanings,
sound in judgment in all matters.
Wise judgment in every branch of knowledge,
وَعَلِيّand lofty المَقامِstation يَسموhe rises كَمالاًin perfection
وَعَلِيّ المَقامِ يَسمو كَمالاً
فيat ذُرىsummits المَجدِglory وَهوَand he is خَيرُthe best شَريفِnobleman
في ذُرى المَجدِ وَهوَ خَيرُ شَريفِ
Lofty in station, he rises in perfection
And Ali is supremely perfect
at the heights of glory, the finest of noble men.
At the height of glory - the best honorable man,
وَهوَand he is فَردٌa single man لَكنَّهُbut he فيin حِسابيmy reckoning
وَهوَ فَردٌ لَكنَّهُ في حِسابي
عَدَّهُcounted him النَّاسpeople وَالوَرىand humankind بِالأُلوفِin thousands
عَدَّهُ النَّاس وَالوَرى بِالأُلوفِ
He is a single man, yet by my reckoning
He is unique, yet in my view
people and mankind have counted him as thousands.
People and the world count him in the thousands.
وَبَليعand eloquent (probable reading) رَأَيتُI saw مِنهُin him خَطيباًan orator
وَبَليع رَأَيتُ مِنهُ خَطيباً
حالِيَadorned in اللّفظِdiction مِنfrom فَصيحِeloquent الحُروفِletters
حالِيَ اللّفظِ مِن فَصيحِ الحُروفِ
And in him I saw an eloquent orator,
Eloquent - I saw him speak as an orator
with diction adorned by eloquent letters.
Words refined from the purest letters.
طاوَعَتْobeyed أَمرَهُhis command المَعانيmeanings فَلَمso he did not يَنhe selects (first fragment)
طاوَعَتْ أَمرَهُ المَعاني فَلَم يَن
تَقِselects (final fragment) مِنهاfrom them سِوىexcept البَديعthe wondrous الظّريفِthe elegant
تَقِ مِنها سِوى البَديع الظّريفِ
Meanings obeyed his command, so he did not select
Meanings obeyed him, only leaving
from them anything but the wondrous and elegant.
The brilliant, intricate metaphors.
ياO أَخاbrother of الفَهمِunderstanding وَالذّكاءِand intelligence غَريباًrare
يا أَخا الفَهمِ وَالذّكاءِ غَريباً
وَأَباand father of الحِذقِmastery وَالخَيالِand imagination اللّطيفِdelicate
وَأَبا الحِذقِ وَالخَيالِ اللّطيفِ
O brother of understanding and intelligence, rare indeed,
Oh brother of wisdom and intelligence strange,
and father of mastery and delicate imagination,
Father of skill and subtle imagination,
مِنكَfrom you أَهدَيتَنيyou gifted me فَريدةَa matchless jewel of عِقدٍa necklace
مِنكَ أَهدَيتَني فَريدةَ عِقدٍ
تَدَعleaves البدرَthe full moon غارِباًsetting بِالخُسوفِin eclipse
تَدَع البدرَ غارِباً بِالخُسوفِ
you gave me, from yourself, a necklace's matchless jewel,
You gifted me a peerless necklace
which leaves the full moon setting in eclipse:
Leaving the moon eclipsed in darkness.
بِنتَa daughter of فِكرٍthought تَولَّدتwas born مِنfrom بَيانٍeloquence
بِنتَ فِكرٍ تَولَّدت مِن بَيانٍ
فَتَبدَّتand so she appeared تُصانُis protected عَنfrom تَحريفِdistortion
فَتَبدَّت تُصانُ عَن تَحريفِ
a daughter of thought, born of eloquence,
A daughter of thought was born of eloquence
who appeared, protected against distortion,
Appearing, protected from distortion,
وَاِبتِذالٍand trivialization وَركّةٍand feebleness وَنظيرٍand an equal
وَاِبتِذالٍ وَركّةٍ وَنظيرٍ
فَهيَso she is بِكرٌa virgin مِنَof البَديعِwondrous artistry الطّريفِnovel
فَهيَ بِكرٌ مِنَ البَديعِ الطّريفِ
and trivialization, feebleness, and any equal.
And triteness, inferiority and copying,
For she is a virgin of wondrous, novel artistry,
A virgin of brilliant metaphors.
وَهيَand she is شَمسٌa sun عَلىupon المَحاسِنِbeauties تزريputs to shame
وَهيَ شَمسٌ عَلى المَحاسِنِ تزري
رَبّةَthe lady of العِقدِthe necklace مِنamong ذَواتِwomen possessing الشّنوفِearrings
رَبّةَ العِقدِ مِن ذَواتِ الشّنوفِ
and she is a sun that puts beauties to shame—
She is a sun adorned with beauties,
the necklace-wearing lady among women with earrings,
Mistress of the necklace, of those with beauty.
لابِساتwearers of الوِشاحِsashes مِنfrom فَوقِabove كَشْحٍa waist
لابِسات الوِشاحِ مِن فَوقِ كَشْحٍ
جَمعَgathered الحُسنَbeauty لابِساتwearers of الشفوفِgauzy robes
جَمعَ الحُسنَ لابِسات الشفوفِ
wearers of sashes above a waist
Wearing cloaks above rippling breasts,
that gathers beauty, wearers of gauzy robes.
Bringing together beauty, wearers of hair tousled.
لاmay not جَفَتكَforsake you العَروضُprosody ثمَّthen القَوافيrhymes
لا جَفَتكَ العَروضُ ثمَّ القَوافي
وَأَطاعَتكَand may they obey you راغِماتhumbled الأنوفِthe noses
وَأَطاعَتكَ راغِمات الأنوفِ
May metre never forsake you, nor the rhymes thereafter,
You were not bound by meter and rhyme
and may they obey you, their noses humbled.
But they obeyed you, forced against their will.
وَدُمِand remain الدّهرَforever فيin أَمانٍsafety وعزٍّand honor
وَدُمِ الدّهرَ في أَمانٍ وعزٍّ
وَهَناءٍand happiness بِظلّin the shade of عَيشٍa life وَريفِverdant and shady
وَهَناءٍ بِظلّ عَيشٍ وَريفِ
And live forever in safety and honor,
Give life forever safety, honor,
and happiness, in the shade of a flourishing life.
Ease in the shadow of a gentle life.
وَاِسلَمِand stay safe الدّهرَforever ماas long as تَغنَّىsings هَزارٌa nightingale
وَاِسلَمِ الدّهرَ ما تَغنَّى هَزارٌ
فَتَلاهُand then followed it بِالمَدحِwith praise عَبدُAbd (servant of) اللّطيفِal-Latif (the Gentle)
فَتَلاهُ بِالمَدحِ عَبدُ اللّطيفِ
And remain safe forever, as long as a nightingale sings,
And may you surrender the ages however long
and then Abd al-Latif follows it with praise.
While servants of the Subtle One praise you.
Sol 6.1