أَغرىincited بِهِagainst him الشَوقُlonging لَيلَthe night الساهِرِof the sleepless man الرَمِدِsore-eyed
أَغرى بِهِ الشَوقُ لَيلَ الساهِرِ الرَمِدِ
وَنَظرَةٌand a glance وَكَّلَتconsigned عَينَيهِhis two eyes بِالسُهُدِto sleeplessness
وَنَظرَةٌ وَكَّلَت عَينَيهِ بِالسُهُدِ
Longing set the sleepless, sore-eyed man's night upon him,
Longing led the insomniac's night astray
and a glance consigned his two eyes to sleeplessness.
And a glance burdened his eyes with wakefulness
أَمُنقَضٍwill it pass away? عَنهُfrom him حُزنٌa grief ماnot يُفارِقُهُleaving him
أَمُنقَضٍ عَنهُ حُزنٌ ما يُفارِقُهُ
أَقامَsettled بَينَamid الحَشىthe entrails بِالسُقمِwith sickness وَالكَمَدِand anguish
أَقامَ بَينَ الحَشى بِالسُقمِ وَالكَمَدِ
Will a grief that never leaves him ever pass from him—
Is it sorrow departing from him
lodged within his breast with sickness and anguish?
Lingering in his breast with illness and stillness?
أَمor لَيسَis not ناسِيَforgetting أَيّامٍdays لَهُfor him سَلَفَتlong past
أَم لَيسَ ناسِيَ أَيّامٍ لَهُ سَلَفَت
جَرَتflowed عَلَيهِover him بِلَذّاتٍwith pleasures فَلَمand did not تَعُدِreturn
جَرَت عَلَيهِ بِلَذّاتٍ فَلَم تَعُدِ
Or can he not forget days that have passed him by,
Or does he not forget days gone by for him
that flowed over him with pleasures, then never returned?
That flowed upon him with pleasures but did not return?
أَحياkept alive البُكاweeping لَيلَهُhis night حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen تَلِفَتperished
أَحيا البُكا لَيلَهُ حَتّى إِذا تَلِفَت
نَفسُthe soul الدُجىof darkness وَاِستَنارَand shone الصُبحُthe dawn كَالوَقَدِlike flame
نَفسُ الدُجى وَاِستَنارَ الصُبحُ كَالوَقَدِ
Weeping kept his night alive, until, when
He spent the night weeping until, when the darkness waned
the soul of darkness died and dawn shone like flame,
And dawn lit up like kindling, he rose
غادىsought at dawn الشَمولَwine فَعاطَتهُand offered him سَمادِرُهاits drunken haze
غادى الشَمولَ فَعاطَتهُ سَمادِرُها
طَيفاًa phantom بِهِthrough it أَلَّفَتjoined روحاًa soul إِلىto جَسَدِa body
طَيفاً بِهِ أَلَّفَت روحاً إِلى جَسَدِ
he sought wine at dawn; its drunken haze offered him
Wandering, so its phantoms accompanied him
a phantom through which it joined a soul to a body.
Embodying a spirit for his body
كَأَنَّهاas though it وَسِنانُand the spearpoint الماءِof water يَقتُلُهاslays it
كَأَنَّها وَسِنانُ الماءِ يَقتُلُها
عَقيقَةٌa lightning-streak ضَحِكَتlaughed فيin عارِضٍa rain-cloud بَرِدِcold
عَقيقَةٌ ضَحِكَت في عارِضٍ بَرِدِ
As though, while water's spearpoint slays it, it were
As if they were the fangs of water killing him
a streak of lightning laughing in a cold cloud.
An agate laughing in a cool cheek
حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen الراحُwine قامَتdeparted عَنهُfrom him فَترَتُهاits languor
حَتّى إِذا الراحُ قامَت عَنهُ فَترَتُها
ريعَwas frightened الكَرىsleep وَأَقامَتand remained حَسرَةُthe anguish الخَلَدِof the heart
ريعَ الكَرى وَأَقامَت حَسرَةُ الخَلَدِ
Until, when the wine's languor left him,
Until when comfort stood up from him did its visitation cease
sleep took fright, and the heart's anguish remained.
The winds of fate blew and the sorrow of eternity remained
يَكادُalmost يُسليهِconsoles him مَرُّthe passing الحادِثاتِof misfortunes بِهِover him
يَكادُ يُسليهِ مَرُّ الحادِثاتِ بِهِ
لَولاbut for بَقاياremnants دَواعيstirrings قَلبِهِof his heart الكَمِدِgrief-stricken
لَولا بَقايا دَواعي قَلبِهِ الكَمِدِ
The passage of misfortunes would almost console him,
The succession of events almost consoles him
but for the lingering stirrings of his grief-stricken heart.
Were it not for remnants of his stilled heart's impulses
لَوif ساعَفَhelped الدَهرُtime لَاِرتَدَّتwould have returned غَضارَتُهُhis bloom
لَو ساعَفَ الدَهرُ لَاِرتَدَّت غَضارَتُهُ
وَلَاِستَرَدَّand he would have regained مَوَدّاتِaffections المَهاof the oryx-like beauties الخُرُدِbashful
وَلَاِستَرَدَّ مَوَدّاتِ المَها الخُرُدِ
If time had helped, his bloom would have returned,
Had time doubly increased he would regain his verdure
and he would have regained the affections of the shy oryx-eyed maidens.
And seek the friendship of maidens once more
ماذاwhat تَراءىappeared لَهُto him نَأيُthe separation الخَليطِof his companions بِهِupon him
ماذا تَراءى لَهُ نَأيُ الخَليطِ بِهِ
غَداةَon the morning يَحمَدُhe praises لَمّا'not yet' أَوor يَذُمُّhe blames قَدِ'already'
غَداةَ يَحمَدُ لَمّا أَو يَذُمُّ قَدِ
How did separation from his companions appear to him,
What did the estrangement of society seem to be to him
that morning, when he praised 'not yet' or blamed 'already'?
The next morning whether he praises or blames the past?
لِلَّهِto God belongs دَرُّthe excellence اللَواتيof those women who عِفنَspurned مَكرَعَهُhis drinking-place
لِلَّهِ دَرُّ اللَواتي عِفنَ مَكرَعَهُ
حَتّىuntil صَدَرنَthey departed بِهِleaving him ظَمآنَthirsty لَمdid not يَرِدِcome to drink
حَتّى صَدَرنَ بِهِ ظَمآنَ لَم يَرِدِ
God bless the women who shunned his drinking-place,
God bless the girls whose coyness spared him
until they left him thirsty, never having come to drink.
Until they caused him - thirsty - to gain no want
خافَhe feared العُيونَwatching eyes وَضَمَّتهُand confined him عَزيمَتُهُhis resolve
خافَ العُيونَ وَضَمَّتهُ عَزيمَتُهُ
إِلىto اِمتِناعٍrestraint عَلىdespite جَولانَrestlessness مُطَّرِدِunceasing
إِلى اِمتِناعٍ عَلى جَولانَ مُطَّرِدِ
He feared watching eyes, and his resolve confined him
He feared eyes and his resolve drew him
to restraint, despite unceasing restlessness.
To refusal to wander free
وَرُحنَand they departed وَالعَينُwhile the eye لِلتَّوديعِfor farewell واكِفَةٌstreaming
وَرُحنَ وَالعَينُ لِلتَّوديعِ واكِفَةٌ
إِنسانُهاits pupil مِنfrom مَسيلِthe flowing الدَمعِof tears فيin صُعُدِdistress
إِنسانُها مِن مَسيلِ الدَمعِ في صُعُدِ
And they departed, while the eye streamed in farewell,
And they departed - the eye coping with farewell -
its pupil in distress from the flowing tears.
Its person pouring tears on the trail
بِاللَهِby God أُخلِفُI replenish ماwhat أَتلَفتُI spent مِنof نَشبٍwealth
بِاللَهِ أُخلِفُ ما أَتلَفتُ مِن نَشبٍ
وَعادَةُand the habit الجودِof generosity فيin أَبياتِيَmy verses الشُرُدِfar-roaming
وَعادَةُ الجودِ في أَبياتِيَ الشُرُدِ
By God, I replace the wealth I have spent,
By God, I will make up for the wasted passions
and generosity's habit, in my far-roaming verses,
And the habit of generosity in my nomadic verses
تَهوىsweeps along بِأَشعَثَwith a disheveled man أَعطاهُgranted him المُنىwishes أَمَلٌhope
تَهوى بِأَشعَثَ أَعطاهُ المُنى أَمَلٌ
وَعُقدَةٌand a bond مِنof رَجاءٍexpectation ضامِنِguaranteeing العُقَدِthe pledges
وَعُقدَةٌ مِن رَجاءٍ ضامِنِ العُقَدِ
bears along a disheveled man, granted his wishes by hope
He desires the unkempt one whom hope has given success
and a bond of expectation that guarantees its pledges.
And a knot of expectation guaranteeing the covenant
فَاِستَودَعَتهُso entrusted him بُطونَto the depths البيدِof the deserts هِمَّتُهُhis ambition
فَاِستَودَعَتهُ بُطونَ البيدِ هِمَّتُهُ
وَأَودَعَتهُand committed him السُرىto night travel فيthrough الوَعثِsoft sands وَالجَدَدِand firm ground
وَأَودَعَتهُ السُرى في الوَعثِ وَالجَدَدِ
So his ambition entrusted him to the depths of deserts,
So his ambition deposited him in the bellies of the desert
and consigned him to night travel through soft sands and firm ground.
And the journeys left him among the haircloth and the leather skins
حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen قَبَضَcontracted الإِدلاجُnight travel بَسطَتَهاits outstretched reach
حَتّى إِذا قَبَضَ الإِدلاجُ بَسطَتَها
وَوُقِّفَتand was halted مِنamong مُنىthe wishes الساريof the night-traveler عَلىat أَمَدِa goal
وَوُقِّفَت مِن مُنى الساري عَلى أَمَدِ
Until, when night travel had drawn in its outstretched reach,
Until, when darkness grasped its expanse
and it was halted at the goal of the night-traveler's hopes,
And the goal of his journey was appointed without end
تَمَخَّضَتlabored in childbirth عَنهُwith him تِمّاًfully formed بَعدَafter مَحمَلِهِcarrying him
تَمَخَّضَت عَنهُ تِمّاً بَعدَ مَحمَلِهِ
شَهرَينِfor two months بَيداءُa desert لَمhad not تُضرَبbeen mated وَلَمnor had it تَلِدِgiven birth
شَهرَينِ بَيداءُ لَم تُضرَب وَلَم تَلِدِ
it labored and bore him fully formed, after carrying him
After the burden, two barren months gave birth to him
two months—a desert never mated, never having given birth.
That were neither pitched nor brought forth
أَلقَتهُit cast him forth كَالنَصلِlike a blade مَعطوفاًintent عَلىupon هِمَمٍaspirations
أَلقَتهُ كَالنَصلِ مَعطوفاً عَلى هِمَمٍ
يَعمَدنَthey head for مُنتَجِعاتٍseeking pasture خَيرَthe best مُعتَمِدِpatron
يَعمَدنَ مُنتَجِعاتٍ خَيرَ مُعتَمِدِ
It cast him out like a blade, intent upon aspirations
It cast him like a blade attached to resolves
that make for the best patron in search of pasture.
That sought resting places, the best of supports
تَخَطَّأَتoutstripped نَومَهُhis sleep عَنهُaway from him وَشايَعَهُand accompanied him
تَخَطَّأَت نَومَهُ عَنهُ وَشايَعَهُ
دَأبُthe ceaseless toil الجَديدَينِof day and night وَالعيدِيَّةِand the ʿĪdī camels الوُخُدِswift-striding
دَأبُ الجَديدَينِ وَالعيدِيَّةِ الوُخُدِ
They left his sleep behind; accompanying him were
Its custom woke his sleep from him and shared him
the ceaseless toil of day and night and the swift-striding ʿĪdī camels.
With the new moons and the festivals, happy events
حاشىfar be it لِطالِبِfor a seeker عُرفٍof bounty أَنto يَخيبَbe disappointed عَلىin
حاشى لِطالِبِ عُرفٍ أَن يَخيبَ عَلى
نَدىthe bounty يَدَيكَof your two hands وَلَوand if حاشاكَhe bypassed you لَمwould not يَجِدِfind
نَدى يَدَيكَ وَلَو حاشاكَ لَم يَجِدِ
No seeker of bounty can meet disappointment in
Far be it that the seeker of prestige should fail
the generosity of your hands; if he passed you by, he would find none.
By the bliss before you, though without you he would not find
ظُنونُthe expectations راجيof the hopeful seeker الَّذيwho يَرجوكَhopes in you واثِقَةٌare certain
ظُنونُ راجي الَّذي يَرجوكَ واثِقَةٌ
أَلّاthat he will not يُخَيَّبَbe disappointed فيهاin them آخِرَto the end الأَبَدِof eternity
أَلّا يُخَيَّبَ فيها آخِرَ الأَبَدِ
The expectations of the hopeful man who looks to you are certain
The hopes of one hopeful in you are confident
that he will never be disappointed in them, to eternity's end.
That he will not be disappointed in them until the end of time
تَأتىcome عَطاياهُhis gifts شَتّىdiverse غَيرَnot واحِدَةٍone kind
تَأتى عَطاياهُ شَتّى غَيرَ واحِدَةٍ
مُؤَمِّليهِto those hoping in him وَإِنeven if كانواthey are عَلىat بَعدِa distance
مُؤَمِّليهِ وَإِن كانوا عَلى بَعدِ
His gifts come in many forms, not merely one,
Your gifts come varied, not just one,
to those who hope in him, even though they are far away.
To those who expect them, even if distant
كَحَملَةِlike the rush السَيلِof a torrent تَأتيcoming بَعدَafter عاشِرَةٍa tenth surge
كَحَملَةِ السَيلِ تَأتي بَعدَ عاشِرَةٍ
لَهُit has قَراقيرُrumbling roars بِالآذِيِّamid billows وَالزَبَدِand foam
لَهُ قَراقيرُ بِالآذِيِّ وَالزَبَدِ
Like a torrent's rush, coming after the tenth surge,
Like the torrent they come after a tenth
with rumbling roars amid billows and foam.
To him its bells with foam and turbidness
لاnot يَمنَعُwithholds العُرفُbounty مِنbecause of إِلحاحِthe insistence طالِبِهِof its seeker
لا يَمنَعُ العُرفُ مِن إِلحاحِ طالِبِهِ
وَلاnor يُقَرِّبُbrings closer مِنهُto it رِفقُthe gentleness مُتَّئِدِof a deliberate man
وَلا يُقَرِّبُ مِنهُ رِفقُ مُتَّئِدِ
He does not withhold bounty because its seeker insists,
Custom does not prevent insistence from its seeker
nor does a deliberate petitioner's gentleness draw it closer.
Nor bring him near, courteous, slowly
يَبِرُّshows kindness بِالجودِto generosity يَحميهِprotects it وَيَكلَؤُهُand guards it
يَبِرُّ بِالجودِ يَحميهِ وَيَكلَؤُهُ
كَأَنَّهُas though he were والِدٌa father يَحنوbends tenderly عَلىover وَلَدِa child
كَأَنَّهُ والِدٌ يَحنو عَلى وَلَدِ
He treats generosity kindly, protecting and guarding it,
He acts generously, protecting and patronizing him
as though he were a father bending tenderly over a child.
As if he were a father affectionate to his son
أَغنىenriched الصَديقَhis friends فَعاشواso they lived مِنهُthrough him فيin رَغَدٍcomfort
أَغنى الصَديقَ فَعاشوا مِنهُ في رَغَدٍ
وَاِستَلَّand drew out جودُthe generosity يَدَيهِof his two hands غِلَّthe rancor ذيof the possessor الحَسَدِof envy
وَاِستَلَّ جودُ يَدَيهِ غِلَّ ذي الحَسَدِ
He enriched his friends, so they lived in comfort through him,
He enriched the friend so they lived comfortably through him
and his hands' bounty plucked resentment from the envious man.
And the palm of his generosity extracted the spite of the envious
مُعَقِّرُslaughterer الكُومِof high-humped camels لِلأَضيافِfor the guests لَيسَthere is not لَهاfor them
مُعَقِّرُ الكُومِ لِلأَضيافِ لَيسَ لَها
إِلّاexcept المَكارِمَnoble deeds مِنany ذيclaimant to عَقلٍblood-money وَلاnor قَوَدِretribution
إِلّا المَكارِمَ مِن ذي عَقلٍ وَلا قَوَدِ
He slaughters high-humped camels for guests; they have
He who piles up food for the guests, they have no
no claimant to blood-money or vengeance, save noble deeds.
Virtue but from one of reason and without zeal
تَأتيarrive البُدورُpurses of money فَتُفنيهاand exhaust them صَنائِعُهُhis benefactions
تَأتي البُدورُ فَتُفنيها صَنائِعُهُ
وَماand not يُدَنَّسُis sullied فيهاin them كَفُّthe hand مُنتَقِدِof a coin-examiner
وَما يُدَنَّسُ فيها كَفُّ مُنتَقِدِ
Purses of coin arrive, and his benefactions exhaust them,
Misfortunes come and undo his works
yet no coin-examiner's hand is soiled by them.
And nothing polluted in them dirties the palm of the critic
لاnot يَعرِفُknows المالَwealth إِلّاexcept عِندَwith سائِلِهِits seeker
لا يَعرِفُ المالَ إِلّا عِندَ سائِلِهِ
أَوor يَومَon the day يَجمَعُهُhe gathers it لِلنَهبِfor plunder وَالبَدَدِand scattering
أَو يَومَ يَجمَعُهُ لِلنَهبِ وَالبَدَدِ
He knows wealth only when it is asked of him,
He does not know money except when asked
or on the day he gathers it for plunder and scattering.
Or the day he collects it for pillage and squandering
Sol 6.1