سِربٌa bevy مَحاسِنُهُits beauties حُرِمتُI was denied ذَواتِهاtheir very persons
سِربٌ مَحاسِنُهُ حُرِمتُ ذَواتِها
دانيnear الصِفاتِin qualities بَعيدُfar مَوصوفاتِهاthose they describe
داني الصِفاتِ بَعيدُ مَوصوفاتِها
A bevy whose beauties I was denied in the flesh,
A flock whose beauties I am barred from possessing,
near in description, far in those described.
Near in description, yet distant in essence.
أَوفىrose into view فَكُنتُso I was إِذاwhenever رَمَيتُI cast بِمُقلَتيwith my eye
أَوفى فَكُنتُ إِذا رَمَيتُ بِمُقلَتي
بَشَراًskin رَأَيتُI saw أَرَقَّmore delicate مِنthan عَبَراتِهاits tears
بَشَراً رَأَيتُ أَرَقَّ مِن عَبَراتِها
It rose into view; whenever I cast my eye
She appeared, and when I cast my gaze I found
upon their skin, I saw it more delicate than my tears.
A human form more tender than the tears she shed.
يَستاقُdrives onward عيسَهُمُtheir pale camels أَنينيmy moaning خَلفَهاbehind them
يَستاقُ عيسَهُمُ أَنيني خَلفَها
تَتَوَهَّمُthey mistake الزَفَراتِthe sighs زَجرَurging cries حُداتِهاtheir camel-drivers
تَتَوَهَّمُ الزَفَراتِ زَجرَ حُداتِها
My moaning drives their pale camels from behind;
My groaning drives their white camels from the rear;
they mistake my sighs for their drivers' urging cries.
They mistake my deep sighs for the drover's chant.
وَكَأَنَّهاand as though they شَجَرٌtrees بَدَتappeared لَكِنَّهاbut they
وَكَأَنَّها شَجَرٌ بَدَت لَكِنَّها
شَجَرٌtrees جَنَيتُI gathered المَوتَdeath مِنfrom ثَمَراتِهاtheir fruits
شَجَرٌ جَنَيتُ المَوتَ مِن ثَمَراتِها
They appeared as though they were trees, but they were
As if they were trees that rose to view, yet these
trees from whose fruits I gathered death.
Are trees from whose fruit I have harvested death.
لاmay … not سِرتِyou journey مِنof إِبِلٍcamels لَوَif أَنّيthat I فَوقَهاupon them
لا سِرتِ مِن إِبِلٍ لَوَ أَنّي فَوقَها
لَمَحَتwould erase حَرارَةُthe heat مَدمَعَيَّmy two tear ducts سِماتِهاtheir brands
لَمَحَت حَرارَةُ مَدمَعَيَّ سِماتِها
May you never travel, camels! If I were atop them,
May you never journey, O camels, for if I rode,
the heat of my tearful eyes would erase their brands.
The heat of my weeping would brand your very hides.
وَحَمَلتُand may I carry ماwhat حُمِّلتِyou were laden with مِنof هَذيthese المَهاoryxes
وَحَمَلتُ ما حُمِّلتِ مِن هَذي المَها
وَحَمَلتِand may you carry ماwhat حُمِّلتُI was burdened with مِنof حَسَراتِهاgriefs over them
وَحَمَلتِ ما حُمِّلتُ مِن حَسَراتِها
And may I bear these oryxes you were laden with,
I carried the weight you carried of these wild does,
and may you bear the heartaches for them I was laden with.
And you carried the weight I carried of their woes.
إِنّيindeed I عَلىdespite شَغَفيmy passion بِماfor what فيin خُمرِهاtheir veils
إِنّي عَلى شَغَفي بِما في خُمرِها
لَأَعِفُّI surely abstain عَمّاfrom what فيin سَراويلاتِهاtheir trousers
لَأَعِفُّ عَمّا في سَراويلاتِها
Indeed, despite my passion for what lies beneath their veils,
Though I burn with passion for what her veil conceals,
I surely abstain from what lies within their trousers.
I hold myself chaste from what her garments hide.
وَتَرىand sees الفُتُوَّةَchivalry وَالمُرُوَّةَand integrity وَالأُبُوand ancestral—
وَتَرى الفُتُوَّةَ وَالمُرُوَّةَ وَالأُبُو
وَةَ—honor فِيَّin me كُلُّevery مَليحَةٍlovely woman ضَرّاتِهاher rival wives
وَةَ فِيَّ كُلُّ مَليحَةٍ ضَرّاتِها
And chivalry, integrity, and ancestral
Chivalry, manhood, and fatherhood behold in me—
honor in me, each lovely woman sees as her rival wives.
And every beauty sees within me—her rivals.
هُنَّthey الثَلاثُthe three المانِعاتيthat deny me لَذَّتيmy pleasure
هُنَّ الثَلاثُ المانِعاتي لَذَّتي
فيin خَلوَتيmy seclusion لاnot الخَوفُfear مِنof تَبِعاتِهاits consequences
في خَلوَتي لا الخَوفُ مِن تَبِعاتِها
Those three deny me my pleasure
These three are the guardians that forbid my delight
in my seclusion—not fear of its consequences.
In solitude, not the dread of what follows after.
وَمَطالِبٍand quests فيهاin them الهَلاكُdeath أَتَيتُهاI undertook them
وَمَطالِبٍ فيها الهَلاكُ أَتَيتُها
ثَبتَsteadfast الجَنانِof heart كَأَنَّنيas though I لَمdid not آتِهاcome to them
ثَبتَ الجَنانِ كَأَنَّني لَم آتِها
And quests in which death lay I undertook,
Quests wherein lies destruction I have pursued,
steadfast of heart, as though I had never undertaken them.
With heart so firm, as if I pursued them not.
وَمَقانِبٍand cavalry squadrons بِمَقانِبٍwith cavalry squadrons غادَرتُهاI left them
وَمَقانِبٍ بِمَقانِبٍ غادَرتُها
أَقواتَfood وَحشٍwild beasts كُنَّthey were مِنamong أَقواتِهاtheir food
أَقواتَ وَحشٍ كُنَّ مِن أَقواتِها
And with squadrons I left other squadrons
And squadrons against squadrons I left behind,
as food for beasts that once had been their food.
Food for the wild beasts, who once consumed the food.
أَقبَلتُهاI confronted them with غُرَرَthe white blazes الجِيادِof noble steeds كَأَنَّماas though
أَقبَلتُها غُرَرَ الجِيادِ كَأَنَّما
أَيديthe hands بَنيthe sons of عِمرانَImran فيon جَبَهاتِهاtheir foreheads
أَيدي بَني عِمرانَ في جَبَهاتِها
I confronted them with the steeds' white blazes, as though
I met them with horses white-blazed, as though
the hands of Banu Imran were upon their foreheads.
The hands of the Banu Imran were upon their brows,
الثابِتينَthose holding firm فُروسَةًthrough horsemanship كَجُلودِهاlike their hides
الثابِتينَ فُروسَةً كَجُلودِها
فيon ظَهرِهاtheir backs وَالطَعنُand spear-thrusts فيin لَبّاتِهاtheir upper chests
في ظَهرِها وَالطَعنُ في لَبّاتِها
Firm through horsemanship as the horses' own hides
Fixed in their saddle-craft like the horses' own hides
upon their backs, while spear-thrusts strike their upper chests.
Upon their backs, while lances strike at their chests.
العارِفينَthose acquainted بِهاwith them كَماas عَرَفتُهُمI knew them
العارِفينَ بِها كَما عَرَفتُهُم
وَالراكِبينَand whose … rode جُدودُهُمtheir forefathers أُمّاتِهاtheir dams
وَالراكِبينَ جُدودُهُم أُمّاتِها
Who know the horses as I have known these men,
Knowing the steeds as I have known the men,
and whose forefathers rode the horses' dams.
Riders whose grandsires were these horses' dams.
فَكَأَنَّماso as though نُتِجَتthey were foaled قِياماًstanding تَحتَهُمbeneath them
فَكَأَنَّما نُتِجَت قِياماً تَحتَهُم
وَكَأَنَّهُمand as though they وُلِدواwere born عَلىon صَهَواتِهاtheir saddlebacks
وَكَأَنَّهُم وُلِدوا عَلى صَهَواتِها
So it is as though the horses were foaled standing beneath them,
As though the steeds were foaled standing beneath them,
and as though they were born upon their saddlebacks.
And they were born upon the saddles' backs.
إِنَّindeed الكِرامَthe noble بِلاwithout كِرامٍnoble men مِنهُمُfrom among them
إِنَّ الكِرامَ بِلا كِرامٍ مِنهُمُ
مِثلُlike القُلوبِhearts بِلاwithout سُوَيداواتِهاtheir dark cores
مِثلُ القُلوبِ بِلا سُوَيداواتِها
Indeed, the noble without nobles from this house
Truly, noble men without the noblest among them
are like hearts without their dark cores.
Are like unto hearts without the life-blood within.
تِلكَthose النُفوسُsouls الغالِباتُthat prevail عَلىover العُلىthe heights
تِلكَ النُفوسُ الغالِباتُ عَلى العُلى
وَالمَجدُand glory يَغلِبُهاmasters them عَلىover شَهَواتِهاtheir desires
وَالمَجدُ يَغلِبُها عَلى شَهَواتِها
Those souls conquer the heights of greatness,
These are the souls that conquer every height,
while glory masters them, overruling their desires.
While glory conquers them against base desire.
سُقِيَتmay be watered مَنابِتُهاtheir seedbeds الَّتيwhich سَقَتِwatered الوَرىhumankind
سُقِيَت مَنابِتُها الَّتي سَقَتِ الوَرى
بِيَدَيthrough the two hands of أَبيAbu (father of) أَيّوبَAyyub خَيرِthe finest نَباتِهاtheir growth
بِيَدَي أَبي أَيّوبَ خَيرِ نَباتِها
May their seedbeds be watered—those that watered humankind
May their roots be watered—roots that watered mankind—
through the two hands of Abu Ayyub, their finest growth.
By the hands of Abu Ayyub, the best of their stock.
لَيسَis not التَعَجُّبُthe wonder مِنat مَواهِبِthe gifts مالِهِhis wealth
لَيسَ التَعَجُّبُ مِن مَواهِبِ مالِهِ
بَلbut مِنat سَلامَتِهاtheir survival إِلىuntil أَوقاتِهاtheir times
بَل مِن سَلامَتِها إِلى أَوقاتِها
The marvel is not the gifts of his wealth,
The wonder is not at the giving of his wealth,
but their surviving until the time they are given.
But that it survived safely until the time of giving.
عَجَباًhow wondrous لَهُat him حَفِظَhe held العِنانَthe reins بِأَنمُلٍwith fingertips
عَجَباً لَهُ حَفِظَ العِنانَ بِأَنمُلٍ
ماnot حِفظُهاtheir holding الأَشياءَthings مِنamong عاداتِهاtheir habits
ما حِفظُها الأَشياءَ مِن عاداتِها
How wondrous that he held the reins with fingers
A marvel it is: he holds the reins with fingertips
whose habit is not to hold on to things.
That have no habit of holding onto things.
لَوif مَرَّhe passed يَركُضُgalloping فيthrough سُطورِlines كِتابَةٍof writing
لَو مَرَّ يَركُضُ في سُطورِ كِتابَةٍ
أَحصىhe would count بِحافِرِwith the hoof of مُهرِهِhis colt ميماتِهاits mīm letters
أَحصى بِحافِرِ مُهرِهِ ميماتِها
Were he to gallop through lines of writing,
Did he pass galloping through lines of script,
he would count its mīm letters with his colt's hoof.
He would count with his colt's hoof the letters 'M'.
يَضَعُhe places السِنانَthe spearpoint بِحَيثُwhere شاءَhe wishes مُجاوِلاًwheeling in combat
يَضَعُ السِنانَ بِحَيثُ شاءَ مُجاوِلاً
حَتّىeven مِنَof الآذانِthe ears فيin أَخراتِهاtheir openings
حَتّى مِنَ الآذانِ في أَخراتِها
He sets the spearpoint wherever he wishes, wheeling in combat,
He places the spear-point wherever he wills in the fray,
even into the openings of ears.
Even into the eyelets of the lance-butts.
تَكبوstumble وَراءَكَbehind you ياO اِبنَson of أَحمَدَAhmad قُرَّحٌmature steeds
تَكبو وَراءَكَ يا اِبنَ أَحمَدَ قُرَّحٌ
لَيسَتare not قَوائِمُهُنَّtheir legs مِنamong آلاتِهاits instruments
لَيسَت قَوائِمُهُنَّ مِن آلاتِها
Mature steeds stumble behind you, son of Ahmad,
The full-grown steeds stumble behind you, O Ibn Ahmad,
though their legs are not the cause of their stumbling.
As if their legs were no part of their equipment.
رِعَدُshudders الفَوارِسِof the horsemen مِنكَfrom fear of you فيin أَبدانِهاtheir bodies
رِعَدُ الفَوارِسِ مِنكَ في أَبدانِها
أَجرىrun faster مِنَthan العَسَلانِquivering فيin قَنَواتِهاtheir spear-shafts
أَجرى مِنَ العَسَلانِ في قَنَواتِها
The riders' shudders at you, within their mounts' bodies,
The trembling of knights, caused by you in their bodies,
run faster than the quivering in their spear-shafts.
Runs faster than the quivering in their spear-shafts.
لاno خَلقَcreature أَسمَحُmore generous مِنكَthan you إِلّاexcept عارِفٌone acquainted
لا خَلقَ أَسمَحُ مِنكَ إِلّا عارِفٌ
بِكَwith you راءَsaw نَفسَكَyour soul لَمdid not يَقُلsay لَكَto you هاتِهاgive it here
بِكَ راءَ نَفسَكَ لَم يَقُل لَكَ هاتِها
No creature is more generous than you save one who knows
No creature is more generous than you, save one who knows you,
you, has seen your soul, yet has not told you, 'Give it here.'
And seeing you, sees himself, and need not say 'Give'.
غَلِتَerred الَّذيthe one who حَسَبَcounted العُشورَten-verse divisions بِاّيَةٍby a verse
غَلِتَ الَّذي حَسَبَ العُشورَ بِاّيَةٍ
تَرتيلُكَyour measured recitation السوراتِthe surahs مِنamong آياتِهاtheir verses/signs
تَرتيلُكَ السوراتِ مِن آياتِها
He who counted the ten-verse groups verse by verse was wrong:
He erred who calculated the tithes by mere verse,
your measured recitation of the surahs is one of their signs.
For your chanting of the Surahs is one of its signs.
كَرَمٌgenerosity تَبَيَّنَbecame evident فيin كَلامِكَyour speech ماثِلاًplainly embodied
كَرَمٌ تَبَيَّنَ في كَلامِكَ ماثِلاً
وَيَبينُand becomes evident عِتقُnoble breeding الخَيلِof horses فيin أَصواتِهاtheir voices
وَيَبينُ عِتقُ الخَيلِ في أَصواتِها
Generosity appears embodied in your speech,
Generosity becomes manifest in your speech,
and horses' noble breeding is revealed in their voices.
As the breeding of horses is revealed in their neighs.
أَعياproved impossible زَوالُكَyour removal عَنfrom مَحَلٍّa station نِلتَهُyou attained it
أَعيا زَوالُكَ عَن مَحَلٍّ نِلتَهُ
لاnot تَخرُجُgo out الأَقمارُthe moons عَنbeyond هالاتِهاtheir halos
لا تَخرُجُ الأَقمارُ عَن هالاتِها
Dislodging you from the station you have won is impossible:
It is impossible for you to depart the station you reached;
moons do not leave their halos.
The full moons do not depart from their halos.
لاnot نَعذُلُwe blame المَرَضَthe illness الَّذيthat بِكَis in you شائِقٌattracting
لا نَعذُلُ المَرَضَ الَّذي بِكَ شائِقٌ
أَنتَyou الرِجالَmen وَشائِقٌand attracting عِلّاتِهاtheir ailments
أَنتَ الرِجالَ وَشائِقٌ عِلّاتِها
We do not blame the sickness within you: you attract
We do not blame the sickness that longs for you;
men, and you attract their ailments too.
For you captivate men, and you captivate maladies.
فَإِذاso when نَوَتthey plan سَفَراًa journey إِلَيكَto you سَبَقنَهاthey precede them
فَإِذا نَوَت سَفَراً إِلَيكَ سَبَقنَها
فَأَضَفتَso you hosted قَبلَbefore مُضافِهاtheir reception as guests حالاتِهاtheir conditions
فَأَضَفتَ قَبلَ مُضافِها حالاتِها
So when men plan a journey to you, their ailments precede them;
If they intended a journey to you, you outstripped them,
so you host their conditions before hosting the men.
And played host to their states before they arrived.
وَمَنازِلُand the abodes الحُمّىof fever الجُسومُbodies فَقُلso tell لَناus
وَمَنازِلُ الحُمّى الجُسومُ فَقُل لَنا
ماwhat عُذرُهاits excuse فيfor تَركِهاits leaving خَيراتِهاtheir finest
ما عُذرُها في تَركِها خَيراتِها
And bodies are fever's abodes; so tell us:
The homes of the fever are human bodies, so tell us:
what excuse could it have for leaving the finest of them?
What is its excuse for leaving its finest abodes?
أَعجَبتَهاyou amazed it شَرَفاًwith nobility فَطالَso grew long وُقوفُهاits stay
أَعجَبتَها شَرَفاً فَطالَ وُقوفُها
لِتَأَمُّلِto contemplate الأَعضاءِthe limbs لاnot لِأَذاتِهاto harm them
لِتَأَمُّلِ الأَعضاءِ لا لِأَذاتِها
Your nobility amazed it, so it lingered long,
It was amazed by your honor, so it paused for long
to contemplate your limbs, not to harm them.
To contemplate the limbs, not to inflict pain.
وَبَذَلتَand you gave ماwhat عَشِقَتهُloved it نَفسُكَyour soul كُلَّهُall of it
وَبَذَلتَ ما عَشِقَتهُ نَفسُكَ كُلَّهُ
حَتّىeven بَذَلتَyou gave لِهَذِهِto this one صِحّاتِهاits health
حَتّى بَذَلتَ لِهَذِهِ صِحّاتِها
And you gave away all that your soul loved,
And you gave away all that your soul held dear,
even giving this fever your very health.
Until you gave away to this fever its health.
حَقُّthe duty الكَواكِبِof the stars أَنto تَزورَكَvisit you مِنfrom عَلٍon high
حَقُّ الكَواكِبِ أَن تَزورَكَ مِن عَلٍ
وَتَعودَكَand visit you in sickness الآسادُthe lions مِنfrom غاباتِهاtheir forests
وَتَعودَكَ الآسادُ مِن غاباتِها
The stars ought to visit you from on high,
It is the right of the stars to visit you from on high,
and lions from their forests should visit you in sickness,
And for the lions to visit you from their thickets,
وَالجِنُّand the jinn مِنfrom سُتُراتِهاtheir hiding places وَالوَحشُand wild beasts مِنfrom
وَالجِنُّ مِن سُتُراتِها وَالوَحشُ مِن
فَلَواتِهاtheir deserts وَالطَيرُand birds مِنfrom وُكناتِهاtheir nests
فَلَواتِها وَالطَيرُ مِن وُكناتِها
and jinn from their hiding places, and wild beasts from
And the Jinn from their veils, and the wild beasts from
their deserts, and birds from their nests.
Their deserts, and the birds from their nesting places.
ذُكِرَwas mentioned الأَنامُhumankind لَناto us فَكانَso it became a poem instead of a word meaning should be became only? correction in final needed? need no stray please قَصيدَةًa poem
ذُكِرَ الأَنامُ لَنا فَكانَ قَصيدَةً
كُنتَyou were البَديعَthe wondrous one الفَردَthe peerless one مِنamong أَبياتِهاits verses
كُنتَ البَديعَ الفَردَ مِن أَبياتِها
Humankind was mentioned to us, and became a poem;
Mankind was recited to us as a generic poem,
you were the wondrous, matchless verse among its lines.
But you were the unique metaphor within its verses.
فيamong الناسِpeople أَمثِلَةٌmere semblances تَدورُrun their course حَياتُهاtheir lives
في الناسِ أَمثِلَةٌ تَدورُ حَياتُها
كَمَماتِهاlike their deaths وَمَماتُهاand their deaths كَحَياتِهاlike their lives
كَمَماتِها وَمَماتُها كَحَياتِها
Among people are mere semblances whose lives run their course
Among people are shadow-figures whose life goes round
like their deaths, and whose deaths are like their lives.
Like their death, and their death is like their life.
هِبتُI feared النِكاحَmarriage حِذارَfor fear of نَسلٍoffspring مِثلِهاlike them
هِبتُ النِكاحَ حِذارَ نَسلٍ مِثلِها
حَتّىso that وَفَرتُI left intact عَلىfor النِساءِwomen بَناتِهاtheir daughters
حَتّى وَفَرتُ عَلى النِساءِ بَناتِها
I feared marriage, dreading offspring like them,
I feared marriage, dreading a lineage like theirs,
so I left women all their daughters.
Until I spared the women the bearing of daughters.
فَاليَومَso today صِرتُI have come إِلىto الَّذيthe one who لَوif أَنَّهُthat he
فَاليَومَ صِرتُ إِلى الَّذي لَو أَنَّهُ
مَلَكَowned البَرِيَّةَall creation لَاِستَقَلَّwould deem paltry هِباتِهاgifts of it
مَلَكَ البَرِيَّةَ لَاِستَقَلَّ هِباتِها
Today, then, I have come to one who, if he
So today I have come to one who, were he to possess
owned all creation, would deem giving it away too little.
The whole of creation, would deem his gifts too small.
مُستَرخَصٌdeemed cheap نَظَرٌa glance إِلَيهِat him بِماat the price of what بِهِwith it
مُستَرخَصٌ نَظَرٌ إِلَيهِ بِما بِهِ
نَظَرَتlooked وَعَثرَةُand a stumble رِجلِهِhis foot بِدِياتِهاfor their blood-money
نَظَرَت وَعَثرَةُ رِجلِهِ بِدِياتِها
A glance at him is cheaply bought with the eyes
A look at him is a bargain for the eye that beholds,
that saw him; his foot's stumble is cheaply ransomed with mankind's blood-money.
And a stumble of his foot is worth a ransom of blood.
Sol 6.1