دارُthe dwelling الغَوانيof beautiful women بُدِّلَتwere replaced آياتُهاits traces
دارُ الغَواني بُدِّلَت آياتُها
حورَwide-eyed ones المَهاof the oryx وَشَوادِنَand fawns الغِزلانِof gazelles
حورَ المَها وَشَوادِنَ الغِزلانِ
The beauties' dwelling—its traces have been replaced
The abode of beauties has changed its verses
By wide-eyed oryx and gazelle fawns.
The houri’s of Eden and the gazelles of passion played with it until its verses were erased
لَعَبَتplayed بِهاupon it حَتّىuntil مَحَتerased آياتِهاits traces
لَعَبَت بِها حَتّى مَحَت آياتِها
ريحانِtwo winds رائِحَتانِboth coming at evening باكِرَتانِboth coming early in the morning
ريحانِ رائِحَتانِ باكِرَتانِ
They played upon it until they erased its traces—
The scents of basil, two fragrances of early morning
Two winds, coming at evening and at dawn.
Oh how skilled are your hands and your craft
أَتَزيدُdo you add more? كَمhow many لَكَfor you مِنof يَدٍa favor وَصَنيعَةٍand a kindness
أَتَزيدُ كَم لَكَ مِن يَدٍ وَصَنيعَةٍ
عَمَّتextended to all فَقامَso rose بِشُكرِهاin gratitude for it الثَقَلانِhumankind and jinn
عَمَّت فَقامَ بِشُكرِها الثَقَلانِ
Do you add more? How many favors and kindnesses are yours—
They have spread, so thanks be to them, the heavy and the light
They reached all, so humankind and jinn rose to give thanks for them!
Were it not for your firmness towards al-Walid and his horses
لَولاwere it not for بِرازُكَyour going forth to fight لِلوَليدِagainst al-Walid وَخيلِهِand his cavalry
لَولا بِرازُكَ لِلوَليدِ وَخيلِهِ
عَمرَinhabited البِلادَthe land خَليفَتانِtwo caliphs اِثنانِtwo
عَمرَ البِلادَ خَليفَتانِ اِثنانِ
Were it not for your facing al-Walid and his cavalry,
Two successive caliphs would have lived to see the ruin of the lands
The land would have been home to two caliphs.
Generosity and magnanimity have been brought together for your heart
جُمِعَتwere brought together لِقَلبِكَfor your heart نَجدَةٌvalor وَسَماحَةٌand generosity
جُمِعَت لِقَلبِكَ نَجدَةٌ وَسَماحَةٌ
ضَعُفَتweakened بِحَملِهاin bearing them قُوىstrengths الأَبدانِof bodies
ضَعُفَت بِحَملِها قُوى الأَبدانِ
In your heart were united valor and generosity—
Their burden has weakened the strength of bodies
Bodily strength faltered beneath their burden.
And whenever the kings see you one day contending
وَإِذاand when المُلوكُthe kings رَأوكَsee you يَوماًone day بارِزاًstepping forth to fight
وَإِذا المُلوكُ رَأوكَ يَوماً بارِزاً
جَعَلواthey make النُحورَthe upper chests مَواقعَresting places الأَذقانِof the chins
جَعَلوا النُحورَ مَواقعَ الأَذقانِ
And when kings see you one day stepping forth to fight,
They make their necks the target of spears
They make their upper chests resting places for their chins.
Your right hand has gone with generosity, so what can it do
ذَهَبَتwent away يَمينُكَyour right hand بِالسَماحِwith generosity فَماso there is no لَهاfor it
ذَهَبَت يَمينُكَ بِالسَماحِ فَما لَها
إِلاexcept لِسانُكَyour tongue أَوor ضَميرُكَyour inner self ثانيequal
إِلا لِسانُكَ أَو ضَميرُكَ ثاني
Your right hand has carried off generosity; it has
Except your tongue or your conscience again
No equal except your tongue or your inner self.
Were it not for God's swords from Shayban, indeed
لَولاwere it not for سُيوفُthe swords اللَهِof God مِنfrom شَيبانَShayban قَدindeed
لَولا سُيوفُ اللَهِ مِن شَيبانَ قَد
فُلَّتwere blunted سُيوفُthe swords خَليفَةِof the caliph الرَحمانِof the All-Merciful
فُلَّت سُيوفُ خَليفَةِ الرَحمانِ
But for God's swords from Shayban, surely
The swords of the caliph of the Merciful would have been defeated
The swords of the All-Merciful's caliph would have been blunted.
Partial English translation: 15 of 16 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1