أَقصِرdesist فَدَيتُكَmay I be your ransom عنfrom لوميblaming me وعنand from عَذَليreproaching me
أَقصِر فَدَيتُكَ عن لومي وعن عَذَلي
أوor لافَخُذif not, then secure ليfor me أماناًsafety منfrom ظُبَاsharp edges of المُقَلِthe eyes
أو لافَخُذ لي أماناً من ظُبَا المُقَلِ
Desist, may I be your ransom, from blaming and reproaching me,
My life is too short for blame or rebuke,
Or else secure me safety from the sharp edges of eyes—
So grant me refuge from the slanderer's vituperation.
منfrom كلِّevery طرفٍgaze مريضِlanguid الجفنِof the eyelid تُنشدُناrecite to us
من كلِّ طرفٍ مريضِ الجفنِ تُنشدُنا
ألحاظُهُرُبَّits glances: many an رامٍarcher منfrom بنىthe sons of ثُعَلِThuʿal
ألحاظُهُرُبَّ رامٍ من بنى ثُعَلِ
From every languid-lidded gaze; there is recited to us
Every sick-eyed one recites verses against me,
By its glances: “Many an archer of the sons of Thuʿal.”
The wild gaze of the jealous tribesman of Tha'lab.
إنif كانthere is فيهin it لناfor us وهوwhile it is السَّقيمُthe ailing one شِفاًhealing
إن كان فيه لنا وهو السَّقيمُ شِفاً
فَرُبَّمَاthen sometimes صحَّتِgrew healthy الأجسامُthe bodies بالعِلَلِthrough ailments
فَرُبَّمَا صحَّتِ الأجسامُ بالعِلَلِ
If there is healing for us in it, though it is ailing,
If the remedy lies with the sick one, as they say,
Then bodies sometimes grow healthy through ailments.
Then bodies may find health in diseases.
إنّindeed الذىwhat فىin جُفونthe eyelids of البِيضfair women إذwhen نَظَرَتthey looked
إنّ الذى فى جُفون البِيض إذ نَظَرَت
نظيرُthe counterpart of ماwhat فىin جُفونthe sheaths of البيضِbright swords والخِلَلِand the sheath linings
نظيرُ ما فى جُفون البيضِ والخِلَلِ
Indeed, what is in fair women's eyelids when they look
The glance of those with white in their eyes, when they looked,
Is like what lies in sword-sheaths and their linings.
Was like the glance of those with white and raisins in them.
كذاكthus لمdid not يشتَبِهresemble فيin القولspeech لفظُهُماtheir two names
كذاك لم يشتَبِه في القول لفظُهُما
إِلاexcept كماas اشتبهاthe two resembled each other فيin الفعلdeed والعملِand action
إِلا كما اشتبها في الفعل والعملِ
Thus their two names resembled one another in speech
Thus their words sounded alike in speech
Only as they resembled one another in deed and action.
Save in deed and performance they differed.
وقدand indeed وقفتُI stood علىby الأطلالِthe ruins أحسَبُهاthinking them
وقد وقفتُ على الأطلالِ أحسَبُها
جسميmy body الذيwhich بَعدَafter بُعدِthe distance of الظَّاعِنينَthe departing ones بُلِيwas worn away
جسمي الذي بَعدَ بُعدِ الظَّاعِنينَ بُلِي
I have stood by the ruins, thinking them
I stood amidst the ruins I thought were
My body, worn away after the departing ones had gone far.
The relics of my far-wandered body.
أبكيI weep علىover الرسمthe trace فيamid رسمthe traces of الديارthe dwellings فهلso have you
أبكي على الرسم في رسم الديار فهل
عجبتَmarveled منat طَللٍa ruin يبكيweeping علىover طَلَلِa ruin
عجبتَ من طَللٍ يبكي على طَلَلِ
I weep over the trace amid the dwellings' traces: have you
Weeping over the trace seen in the abode's site—
Marveled at a ruin weeping over a ruin?
Can you wonder that a ruin weeps over a ruin?
وكلُّand every بيضاءَfair woman لوif مَسَّتtouched أناملُهاher fingertips
وكلُّ بيضاءَ لو مَسَّت أناملُها
قميصَthe shirt of يوسفَJoseph يوماًone day قُدَّwould be torn منfrom قُبُلِthe front
قميصَ يوسفَ يوماً قُدَّ من قُبُلِ
And every fair woman—were her fingertips to touch
Any white-skinned woman whose fingers
Joseph's shirt one day, it would be torn from the front.
Once touched Joseph's shirt in days gone by,
يُغنِىdispenses عنwith الدُّرِّpearls والياقوتِand rubies مَبسِمُهاher smile
يُغنِى عن الدُّرِّ والياقوتِ مَبسِمُها
لِحُسنِهاbecause of her beauty فلهاso she has حَلىٌadornment منfrom العَطَلِbeing unadorned
لِحُسنِها فلها حَلىٌ من العَطَلِ
Her smile makes pearls and rubies needless
Her smile makes pearls and rubies superfluous,
Through her beauty; being unadorned is her adornment.
Lovely as she is, with natural finery.
بالخدِّon the cheek منِّىَof mine آثارُmarks of الدموعِtears كماjust as
بالخدِّ منِّىَ آثارُ الدموعِ كما
لهاshe has علىon الخدِّthe cheek آثارٌmarks منof القُبَلِkisses
لها على الخدِّ آثارٌ من القُبَلِ
On my cheek are the marks of tears, just as
My tears have left on my cheek traces
On her cheek there are marks of kisses.
Like the kisses that marked it in days gone by.
كأنّas though فىin سيفِthe sword of سيفِSayf الدّينal-Din منfrom خَجَلٍshame
كأنّ فى سيفِ سيفِ الدّين من خَجَلٍ
منbefore عزمهhis resolve ماwhat بهin it منof حُمرةِthe redness of الخَجلِshame
من عزمه ما به من حُمرةِ الخَجلِ
As though, in the sword of Sayf al-Din, shame
It is as if, from embarrassment, Sayf al-Dīn's sword
Before his resolve were the cause of its blushing redness.
Bore the blush that reddens the faces of the shy.
هوit is الحُسامُthe keen sword الذىthat بحاملهِthrough its wielder
هو الحُسامُ الذى بحاملهِ
زهواًproudly فَيفتِكُand so it lays waste بالأسيافِto swords والدُّولِand dynasties
زهواً فَيفتِكُ بالأسيافِ والدُّولِ
It is the keen sword that, through its wielder,
Sword of its bearer swelling with pride
Proudly lays waste to swords and dynasties.
As it wreaks havoc among swords and kingdoms.
إذاwhen بدَاappeared منfrom غِمدهِits sheath خَلَعتbestowed
إذا بدَا من غِمدهِ خَلَعت
غِمدَa sheath of الدِّماءِblood عليهupon it هامةُthe head of البطلِthe champion
غِمدَ الدِّماءِ عليه هامةُ البطلِ
When it appears from its sheath, there is bestowed
When it would slip out from its sheath,
Upon it a sheath of blood by the champion's head.
The blood's dark night enwrapped it in valor.
وإنand if تقلَّدَgirds itself with بحراًan ocean منfrom أناملهِhis fingers
وإن تقلَّدَ بحراً من أناملهِ
رأيتَyou saw كيفhow اقترانُthe joining of الرّزقِsustenance بالأجلِwith death
رأيتَ كيف اقترانُ الرّزقِ بالأجلِ
And if it girds itself with an ocean from his fingers,
If it undertook the guardianship of a sea, its fingers
You see how sustenance is joined with death.
Would reveal how fixed is the link of fate and appointed time.
منamong السّيوفthe swords التىwhose لاحتshone بوارقُهاtheir flashes
من السّيوف التى لاحت بوارقُها
فىin أَنمُلٍfingers هىthat are سُحبُclouds of العارضِthe rain-cloud الهَطِلِpouring rain
فى أَنمُلٍ هى سُحبُ العارضِ الهَطِلِ
Among the swords whose flashes have shone
Of the blades that gleamed with their lightning bolts
In fingers that are clouds of a rain-pouring storm,
In scabbards, they are the clouds of summer rain.
فجاءَناso there came to us لبنىfor the sons of رُزَّيكَRuzzayk مُعجِزُهاtheir wonder-working one
فجاءَنا لبنى رُزَّيكَ مُعجِزُها
بآيةٍwith a marvel لمnot تكُنexisted فىin الأعصُرِthe ages الأُولِthe earliest
بآيةٍ لم تكُن فى الأعصُرِ الأُولِ
Their wonder-working blade came to us for the sons of Ruzzayk,
When they joined battle one day, those swords
With a marvel absent from the earliest ages.
Flashed against their burnished counterparts like flames.
تبدوthey appear شموساًas suns همُthey are أقمارُهاtheir moons وتَرىand you see
تبدو شموساً همُ أقمارُها وتَرى
شُهبَthe meteors of القَنَاthe lances فىin سماءthe sky of النّقعِbattle-dust لمhave not تَفِلِgrown dull
شُهبَ القَنَا فى سماء النّقعِ لم تَفِلِ
They appear as suns, with those men as their moons; and you see
They encountered everyone they charged, till they met
The meteors of lances in the sky of dust, never dulled.
Commoners at the arena with their equals.
قدindeed غايَرَتrivaled jealously فيهمُfor them السُّمرَthe brown lances الرقاقَthe slender رِقاslender (first part)
قد غايَرَت فيهمُ السُّمرَ الرقاقَ رِقا
قُslender (ending) البيضَِthe bright swords خلفَbehind سُجوفِthe curtains of النَّقعbattle-dust فىwithin الكَلَلِthe canopies
قُ البيضَِ خلفَ سُجوفِ النَّقع فى الكَلَلِ
For those men, the slender brown lances were jealously rivaled by the slender
They struck against the Greeks with their swords,
White blades behind dust's curtains, within canopies.
While desert Arabs stabbed with keen blades.
إنif عانقواthey embrace هذهthese فىon يومa day of معركةٍbattle
إن عانقوا هذه فى يوم معركةٍ
لاحَتflashed لهمbefore them بتلظِّىin a blaze تلكthose كالشُّعَلِlike flames
لاحَت لهم بتلظِّى تلك كالشُّعَلِ
If they embrace these on a day of battle,
The neighing of the steeds made them shudder
Those flash before them, blazing like flames.
Beneath the neighing of the pregnant she-camels.
وقدand indeed لَقُواthey met كلَّevery مَنone whom غارواthey raided بِمُشبِهِهِwith his likeness
وقد لَقُوا كلَّ مَن غاروا بِمُشبِهِهِ
حتىuntil لقُواthey met النُّجلَthe wide-eyed عندat العَرضِthe encounter بالنُّجُلِwith broad spearheads
حتى لقُوا النُّجلَ عند العَرضِ بالنُّجُلِ
They have met everyone they raided with his likeness,
To them blood is wine, and the horses' cries
Until, at the encounter, they met the wide-eyed with broad spearheads.
Are tavern songs amid revels and sands shifting.
وضارَبَand traded blows with الرومَthe Romans منsome of سيوفهمُtheir swords
وضارَبَ الرومَ من سيوفهمُ
وطاعَنَand exchanged thrusts with العُربَthe Arabs أعرابٌBedouins منof الأسَلِthe lances
وطاعَنَ العُربَ أعرابٌ من الأسَلِ
And some of their swords traded blows with the Romans,
The steeds it transported like the heroes themselves,
And Bedouins of the lances exchanged thrusts with the Arabs.
So they walked with a drunkard's unsteady steps.
وهزَّهمand stirred them لصهيلat the neighing of الخيلِthe horses تحتbeneath صَهيneighing (first part)
وهزَّهم لصهيل الخيلِ تحت صَهي
لِneighing (ending) البيضِthe bright swords ماهزَّwhat stirred أعطافَthe sides of القَنَاthe lances الخَطِلِthe swaying
لِ البيضِ ماهزَّ أعطافَ القَنَا الخَطِلِ
They were stirred, at horses' neighing beneath the neighing
Each naked warrior clutching his horse's reins,
Of bright swords, by what stirred the swaying lances' sides.
Wounded in chest and shoulder by the lancer.
فالدَّمُso blood خمرٌwine وأصواتُand the voices of الجيادِthe steeds لهمto them
فالدَّمُ خمرٌ وأصواتُ الجيادِ لهم
أصواتُthe voices of مَعبَدِMaʿbad فىin الأهزاجhazaj rhythms والرَّمَلِand ramal rhythms
أصواتُ مَعبَدِ فى الأهزاج والرَّمَلِ
Blood is wine, and for them the voices of the steeds
Each gust blown about by the wind whose lineage
Are Maʿbad's voice in hazaj and ramal.
It claims—but if the wind sought it, it would not attain.
والخَيلُand the horses قدindeed أطَرَبَتهاhave delighted them مثلماjust as طربواthey were delighted
والخَيلُ قد أطَرَبَتها مثلما طربوا
أفعالُهمtheir deeds فَهىَso they تمشيwalk مِشيَةَwith the gait of الثَّمِلِthe drunkard
أفعالُهم فَهىَ تمشي مِشيَةَ الثَّمِلِ
The horses have been delighted, just as the men were delighted,
O horseman of the Muslims, listen! Hear naught
By their deeds, and so they walk with a drunkard's gait.
But the jingling of white steeds amid the hills.
منamong كلِّevery أَجرَدَsleek horse مُحتالٍmaneuvering بِفارِسِهِwith its rider
من كلِّ أَجرَدَ مُحتالٍ بِفارِسِهِ
إِلىtoward الطِّعانِspear-combat جريحwounded الصَّدرِin the breast والكَفَلِand rump
إِلى الطِّعانِ جريح الصَّدرِ والكَفَلِ
Among them, every sleek horse maneuvers with its rider
The plaint of an alien abroad, finding no
Toward spear-combat, wounded in breast and rump.
Supporters, nor could he speak or say
وكلِّand every سَلهَبَةٍlong-limbed mare للريحِwith the wind نِسبتُهاher kinship
وكلِّ سَلهَبَةٍ للريحِ نِسبتُها
لكنّهاbut she لوif بَغَتهاpursued her الرِّيحُthe wind لمcould not تُنَلِbe overtaken
لكنّها لو بَغَتها الرِّيحُ لم تُنَلِ
And every long-limbed mare whose kinship is with the wind,
But for you—complaining of hardships grown broad,
Yet, if the wind pursued her, she could not be overtaken.
Too confining for him, however open the way.
أفارِسَO horseman of المسلمينthe Muslims اسمَعlisten فلاand may not سَمعتhear
أفارِسَ المسلمين اسمَع فلا سَمعت
عِداكyour enemies غَيرَanything but صليلِthe ringing of البيضِbright swords فىupon القُلَلِthe heads
عِداك غَيرَ صليلِ البيضِ فى القُلَلِ
O horseman of the Muslims, listen—may nothing be heard
He hopes in you to dispel them, after God, for one
By your foes but the ringing of bright blades upon their heads—
May hope in the great to relieve the dire.
مقالَthe words of ناءٍone far away غَريبِa stranger to الدَّارِhome قدhas عدمَlost الthe (before the next word)
مقالَ ناءٍ غَريبِ الدَّارِ قد عدمَ ال
أَنصارَsupporters لولاكَwere it not for you لَمnot ينطِقspeak ولَمand not يَقُلِutter
أَنصارَ لولاكَ لَم ينطِق ولَم يَقُلِ
To the words of one far away, a stranger to his home, bereft of
How could I face days of scorn
Supporters; without you, he would neither speak nor utter a word.
When the noble sons of Ruzaik have left me?
يشكوhe complains of مصائبَcalamities of أيّامٍdays قدthat have اتّسعتgrown vast
يشكو مصائبَ أيّامٍ قد اتّسعت
فضاقَso became narrow منهاbecause of them عليهfor him أوسعُthe widest of السُّبُلِthe paths
فضاقَ منها عليه أوسعُ السُّبُلِ
He complains of calamities of days that have grown so vast
Without them, I would be helpless before disasters
That, because of them, the widest paths are narrow for him.
Were it not for resolve's awakening, swift and bold.
يرجوكَhe hopes in you فىfor دَفعهاrepelling them بعدafter الإلهGod وقدand indeed
يرجوكَ فى دَفعها بعد الإله وقد
يُرجَىis looked to الجليلُthe great one لدفعto repel الحادثِthe calamity الجَلَلِthe grave
يُرجَى الجليلُ لدفع الحادثِ الجَلَلِ
He hopes in you to repel them, after God; and indeed,
How could I doff the garb of humiliation while my hand
The great one is looked to for repelling a grave calamity.
Bears the brand of freedom and the soft palm of subjugation?
وكيفand how ألقىcould I meet منfrom الأيامthe days مَرزِئَةًa calamity
وكيف ألقى من الأيام مَرزِئَةً
جَلَّتgrew great ولىwhile I have منamong بنىthe sons of رُزَّيكRuzzayk كُلُّevery وَلِىally
جَلَّت ولى من بنى رُزَّيك كُلُّ وَلِى
How could I meet from the days a calamity
Why should my soul fear extinction? How often have I found
So great, when every son of Ruzzayk is my ally?
Weakness acceptable, fearing extinction when it felt no weariness?
لولاهمُwere it not for them كنتُI would أفرىcleave الحادثاتِcalamities إذاwhenever
لولاهمُ كنتُ أفرى الحادثاتِ إذا
نابَتthey struck بنهضَةِwith the onset of ماضىone firm العزمin resolve مُرتجِلِacting spontaneously
نابَت بنهضَةِ ماضى العزم مُرتجِلِ
Were it not for them, I would cleave through calamities whenever
I am one who has slain Time, knowing
They struck, with the spontaneous onset of one firm in resolve.
I shall not pass the night in despair or hoping.
وكيفand how أخلعُcan I shed ثوبَthe robe of الذُّلِّabasement حيثُwhen كفيguarantor (first part)
وكيف أخلعُ ثوبَ الذُّلِّ حيثُ كفي
لُguarantor (ending) الحرِّthe free man بالعزِّfor honor وَخدُthe swift pace of الأينُقِthe she-camels الذُّلُلِthe docile
لُ الحرِّ بالعزِّ وَخدُ الأينُقِ الذُّلُلِ
And how can I shed the robe of abasement, when the guarantor
If the water of youth shows my rod green again
Of a free man's honor is the swift pace of docile she-camels?
The bends of my nights have yellowed a supple rod.
فماso not تخافُfears الرَّدىdeath نفسىmy soul وكمand how often رضَيتaccepted
فما تخافُ الرَّدى نفسى وكم رضَيت
بالعجزhelplessness خوفfor fear of الرَّدىdeath نفسٌa soul فلمyet did not تُبَلِfare well
بالعجز خوف الرَّدى نفسٌ فلم تُبَلِ
My soul does not fear death; how often has a soul accepted
My experience has surpassed the extent of old men,
Helplessness for fear of death, yet fared no better.
Outstripping my years though not my prime.
إنّىindeed I امرؤٌa man قدhave قتلتُslain; fully mastered الدهرَTime معرفةًthrough knowledge
إنّى امرؤٌ قد قتلتُ الدهرَ معرفةً
فماso not أبِيتُI pass the night علىin يأسٍdespair ولاnor أمَلِhope
فما أبِيتُ على يأسٍ ولا أمَلِ
I am a man who has slain Time with knowledge,
Early life is better than its late stages,
So I pass no night in either despair or hope.
And how far the dawn's glow from the darkness of night!
إنif يَروِrefreshes ماءُthe water of الصِّباyouth عودىmy bough فقدyet already عَجَمَتtested by biting
إن يَروِ ماءُ الصِّبا عودى فقد عَجَمَت
منّىwithin me طَروقُthe visitations of الليالىthe nights عُودَthe wood of مُكتَهِلِa mature man
منّى طَروقُ الليالى عُودَ مُكتَهِلِ
If youth's water refreshes my bough, already there has been tested
Let him who thought me beneath him exult—to him
By night's visitations, in me, the wood of a mature man.
Belongs magnifying himself to gain glory by tricks.
تَجاوَزَتcarried beyond بىme مَدَىthe reach of الأشياخِthe elders تجربتىmy experience
تَجاوَزَت بى مَدَى الأشياخِ تجربتى
قِدماًlong ago وماand not جاوزَتcarried past بىme سِنَّthe age of مُقتَبِلِa young man
قِدماً وما جاوزَت بى سِنَّ مُقتَبِلِ
My experience has carried me beyond the elders' reach,
In men's eyes the moon's image seems enlarged,
Long ago, though it has not carried me beyond the age of youth.
Though beside Saturn it is small in understanding's view.
وأوّلُand the beginning of العمرlife خيرٌbetter منthan أواخرهits latter days
وأوّلُ العمر خيرٌ من أواخره
وأينand how far ضَوءُthe light of الضُّحىmidmorning منfrom ظُلمةِthe darkness of الأُصُلِlate afternoons
وأين ضَوءُ الضُّحى من ظُلمةِ الأُصُلِ
The beginning of life is better than its end;
It did my poetry no harm that I failed to reply
How far is midmorning's light from the darkness of dusk!
To my tears' call—and what else calls but a ruin?
دُونىbeneath me الذىthe one who ظنَّthought أنّىthat I دونَهbeneath him فلهُso he has
دُونى الذى ظنَّ أنّى دونَه فلهُ
تعاظُمٌpretensions to greatness لِينالَto attain المجدَglory بالحِيَلِthrough tricks
تعاظُمٌ لِينالَ المجدَ بالحِيَلِ
Beneath me is he who thought I was beneath him; he has
In praising Sayf al-Dīn my verse wandered
Pretensions to greatness, to gain glory through tricks.
Boastfully beyond praising Saif al-Dawla the hero.
والبدرُand the full moon تعظُمgrows great فىin الأبصارِthe eyes صورتُهُits image
والبدرُ تعظُم فى الأبصارِ صورتُهُ
ظنَّاseemingly ويَصغُرُفىand is smaller in الأفهامunderstanding عنthan زُحَلِSaturn
ظنَّا ويَصغُرُفى الأفهام عن زُحَلِ
The full moon's image grows great in people's eyes,
In seeming, but to the understanding it is smaller than Saturn.
ماnot ضرَّharmed شِعرىَmy poetry أنّىthat I ماnot سَبَقتُwas first إلىto
ما ضرَّ شِعرىَ أنّى ما سَبَقتُ إلى
أجابanswered دمعيmy tears وماand not الدّاعىthe caller سوىother than طللِa ruin
أجاب دمعي وما الدّاعى سوى طللِ
My poetry is not harmed because I was not first to say:
“My tears answered, and the caller was only a ruin.”
فإنَّfor indeed مَدحِيmy praise لسيفِof Sayf الدينal-Din تاهَgloried بهin him
فإنَّ مَدحِي لسيفِ الدين تاهَ به
زَهواًproudly علىabove مدحِthe praise of سَيفِSayf الدّولةِal-Dawla البطلِthe hero
زَهواً على مدحِ سَيفِ الدّولةِ البطلِ
For my praise of Sayf al-Din glories in him,
Proudly above the praise of Sayf al-Dawla, the hero.
Partial English translation: 78 of 84 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1