أَتُراهاdo you suppose she لِكَثرَةِbecause of the multitude of العُشّاقِthe lovers
أَتُراها لِكَثرَةِ العُشّاقِ
تَحسَبُshe thinks الدَمعَtears خِلقَةًan inborn feature فيin المَآقيthe eye-corners
تَحسَبُ الدَمعَ خِلقَةً في المَآقي
Do you suppose, because she has so many lovers,
Does she reckon, for the throngs of lovers she has known, / That tears are but a natural feature of the eye?
she thinks tears an inborn feature of the eye-corners?
How could she pity, when she sees every lid / That beheld her—save her own—streaming without end?
كَيفَhow تَرثيshe pities الَّتيshe who تَرىsees كُلَّevery جَفنٍeyelid
كَيفَ تَرثي الَّتي تَرى كُلَّ جَفنٍ
راءَهاhas seen her غَيرَexcept جَفنِهاher eyelid غَيرَnot راقيceasing to weep
راءَها غَيرَ جَفنِها غَيرَ راقي
How can she pity, when she sees every eyelid
You are of our kind, and have charmed your very self, / Yet you are spared the wasting pain of deep desire.
that has seen her—except her own—still weeping?
You barred the way to meeting; yet were you to visit now, / My wasted frame would bar the way to an embrace.
أَنتِyou (feminine) مِنّاone of us فَتَنتِyou bewitched نَفسَكِyourself لَكِنـbut—
أَنتِ مِنّا فَتَنتِ نَفسَكِ لَكِنـ
ـنَكِcompletes 'but you' عوفيتِyou were spared مِنfrom ضَنىًwasting sickness وَاِشتِياقِand longing
ـنَكِ عوفيتِ مِن ضَنىً وَاِشتِياقِ
You are one of us: you have bewitched yourself, but
That glance which drew blood from you and from us / Was a willful blow to us, a fatal stroke of chance.
you were spared wasting sickness and longing.
Had any distance save your harsh rejection kept us apart, / The camel-march would have melted the marrow in the bones.
حُلتِyou barred دونَthe way to المَزارِvisiting فَاليَومَso today لَوif زُرvisited—
حُلتِ دونَ المَزارِ فَاليَومَ لَو زُر
تِyou (feminine verb ending) لَحالَwould have barred النُحولُwasting دونَthe way to العِناقِembracing
تِ لَحالَ النُحولُ دونَ العِناقِ
You barred our visits; so today, if you visited,
We would have journeyed, though we arrived upon mounts / As fleeting as our breath upon the verge of death.
wasting would stand in the way of an embrace.
It is not the love of those eyes that afflicts us, / Whose lashes bear the very hue of their dark pupils,
إِنَّindeed لَحظاًa glance أَدَمتِهِyou prolonged it وَأَدَمناand we prolonged
إِنَّ لَحظاً أَدَمتِهِ وَأَدَمنا
كانَwas عَمداًdeliberate لَناon our part وَحَتفَand a death اِتِّفاقِby chance
كانَ عَمداً لَنا وَحَتفَ اِتِّفاقِ
Indeed, a glance that you prolonged, and we prolonged,
That made the span of bygone nights seem brief, / Only to stretch the remaining nights to endless lengths.
was deliberate on our part, yet a death by chance.
They vied with the Prince's bounty of wealth / By bestowing upon us an abundance of sleeplessness.
لَوif عَداkept away عَنكِfrom you غَيرَother than هَجرِكِyour rejection بُعدٌdistance
لَو عَدا عَنكِ غَيرَ هَجرِكِ بُعدٌ
لَأَرارَwould have melted الرَسيمُswift camel-trotting مُخَّthe marrow of المَناقيfat camels
لَأَرارَ الرَسيمُ مُخَّ المَناقي
If distance, rather than your rejection, kept us from you,
There is no creature save Abu al-Asha’ir / Who holds dominion over mankind by true right.
swift trotting would have melted the fat camels' marrow.
He strikes the blow that pierces the very legion / With panic and with spilled and flowing blood.
وَلَسِرناand we would have journeyed وَلَوand even if وَصَلناwe arrived عَلَيهاupon them
وَلَسِرنا وَلَو وَصَلنا عَلَيها
مِثلَlike أَنفاسِناour breaths عَلىupon الأَرماقِthe last sparks of life
مِثلَ أَنفاسِنا عَلى الأَرماقِ
And we would have journeyed, even if we arrived upon them
A gaping wound, felt in the narrator’s own gut / As he bows his head in awe of its severity.
like our breaths clinging to the last sparks of life.
Smiter of skulls amidst the dust, who fears not / To drink from the cup of death he pours for others.
ماwhat بِناafflicts us مِنof هَوىlove for العُيونِthe eyes اللَواتيwhich
ما بِنا مِن هَوى العُيونِ اللَواتي
لَونُthe color of أَشفارِهِنَّtheir eyelashes لَونُthe color of الحِداقِthe pupils
لَونُ أَشفارِهِنَّ لَونُ الحِداقِ
What passion for those eyes afflicts us—
Mounted on a towering steed, offering the noble rider / Ample scope between her fetlocks and her flank.
whose lashes are the color of their pupils!
No denier of prophets could behold her / Without believing the tales of the celestial Buraq.
قَصَّرَتthey shortened مُدَّةَthe span of اللَياليthe nights المَواضيgone by
قَصَّرَت مُدَّةَ اللَيالي المَواضي
فَأَطالَتand so they lengthened بِهاthereby اللَياليthe nights البَواقيremaining
فَأَطالَت بِها اللَيالي البَواقي
They shortened the span of nights gone by,
His mind is on the spearmen, not on his mount, / Though her limbs obey him as closely as his own belt.
and thereby lengthened the nights remaining.
Piercing in judgment, steadfast in composure, / No event has the power to unsettle his soul.
كاثَرَتthey rivaled in abundance نائِلَthe bounty of الأَميرِthe prince مِنَof الماthe wealth—
كاثَرَت نائِلَ الأَميرِ مِنَ الما
لِcompletes 'the wealth' بِماwith what نَوَّلَتthey bestowed مِنَof الإيراقِsleeplessness
لِ بِما نَوَّلَت مِنَ الإيراقِ
They rivaled the prince's bounty of wealth
O sons of al-Harith ibn Luqman, may the backs / Of noble steeds never lack you in the fray.
with the sleeplessness they bestowed.
They cast such terror into the hearts of foes / That the battle was won before the armies met.
لَيسَthere is not إِلّاexcept أَباAbu (father of) العَشائِرِal-Asha'ir (the clans) خَلقٌa mortal
لَيسَ إِلّا أَبا العَشائِرِ خَلقٌ
سادَbecame master of هَذاthis الأَنامَpeople بِاِستِحقاقِby right
سادَ هَذا الأَنامَ بِاِستِحقاقِ
No mortal but Abu al-Asha'ir
Their blades, so accustomed to the strike, / Almost unsheathe themselves to seek out necks.
has deservedly become these people's master.
And if knights ever feared the clash of spears, / These men would fear the very shame of fearing.
طاعِنُhe who thrusts الطَعنَةِthe spear-thrust الَّتيthat تَطعَنُpierces الفَيـthe army—
طاعِنُ الطَعنَةِ الَّتي تَطعَنُ الفَيـ
ـلَقَcompletes 'the army' بِالذُعرِwith terror وَالدَمِand blood المُهَراقِspilled
ـلَقَ بِالذُعرِ وَالدَمِ المُهَراقِ
He delivers the thrust that pierces the army
Each gallant warrior grows fairer in the face of death, / Like moons finding their perfection in the dark of night.
with terror and spilled blood:
He makes his death his armor, if that armor / Cannot shield him from the stain of disgrace.
ذاتُhaving فَرغٍa gaping hole كَأَنَّهاas though it were فيin حَخاunclear; probably 'entrails' المُخـthe reporter—
ذاتُ فَرغٍ كَأَنَّها في حَخا المُخـ
ـبِرَcompletes 'the reporter' عَنهاof it مِنfrom شِدَّةِthe intensity of الإِطراقِbowing the head
ـبِرَ عَنها مِن شِدَّةِ الإِطراقِ
a gaping wound, as though in the entrails [uncertain reading] of the man
A nobility that has roughened their exterior, / Like the rippling luster upon thin, sharp blades.
who recounts it, so deeply does he bow his head.
And virtues so high, that were another to claim them, / He would bear the guilt of a common thief.
ضارِبُhe who strikes الهامِskulls فيin الغُبارِthe dust وَماand not يَرhe fears—
ضارِبُ الهامِ في الغُبارِ وَما يَر
هَبُcompletes 'he fears' أَنto يَشرَبَdrink الَّذيwhat هُوَhe ساقيserves as cupbearer
هَبُ أَن يَشرَبَ الَّذي هُوَ ساقي
He strikes skulls amid the dust, and does not fear
O son of one who, whenever you appear, reveals to me / A figure physically absent, yet present in character.
to drink what he himself serves.
Were you to go disguised into the fray, men would still / Swear by solemn oath that you are truly his son.
فَوقَabove شَقّاءَa long-legged mare لِلأَشَقِّfor a tall man مَجالٌroom
فَوقَ شَقّاءَ لِلأَشَقِّ مَجالٌ
بَينَbetween أَرساغِهاher pasterns وَبَينَand between الصِفاقِthe abdominal membrane
بَينَ أَرساغِها وَبَينَ الصِفاقِ
He rides a long-legged mare, with room for a tall man
How does your wrist bear the weight of your palm, / When the horizons rest within it, like a palm within the sky?
between her pasterns and her belly-wall.
Iron is of little use against you; none confront you / Save he whose sword is forged of mere hypocrisy.
ماnot رَآهاsaw her مُكَذِّبُa disbeliever in الرُسلِthe messengers إِلّاexcept
ما رَآها مُكَذِّبُ الرُسلِ إِلّا
صَدَّقَbelieved القَولَthe account فيabout صِفاتِthe qualities of البُراقِal-Buraq
صَدَّقَ القَولَ في صِفاتِ البُراقِ
No disbeliever in the messengers has seen her without
Attachment to this earthly air has impressed upon souls / The conviction that death is a bitter draft to taste.
believing the account of al-Buraq's qualities.
To grieve before the soul departs is feebleness, / And no grief remains once the parting is done.
هَمُّهُhis concern فيwith ذَويthe possessors of الأَسِنَّةِthe spearheads لاnot فيـwith—
هَمُّهُ في ذَوي الأَسِنَّةِ لا فيـ
ـهاthem وَأَطرافُهاand their points لَهُfor him كَالنِطاقِlike a belt
ـها وَأَطرافُها لَهُ كَالنِطاقِ
His concern is with the wielders of spearheads, not with
How much wealth have you liberated with your spear, / That lay bound in shackles by its owners' greed?
the spearheads; their points surround him like a belt.
Wealth in the hands of a miser is as foul a sight / As the plight of a noble man reduced to poverty.
ثاقِبُpenetrating in الرَأيِjudgment ثابِتُsteadfast in الحِلمِforbearance لاnot يَقـcan—
ثاقِبُ الرَأيِ ثابِتُ الحِلمِ لا يَقـ
ـدِرُcompletes 'can' أَمرٌany affair لَهُto him عَلىto إِقلاقِcause disturbance
ـدِرُ أَمرٌ لَهُ عَلى إِقلاقِ
Penetrating in judgment, steadfast in composure, no
My words upon the sun of your deeds are not the sun itself, / But rather the radiance that shines forth from it.
affair has the power to disturb him.
The poet of glory is friend to the poet of words; / We are both masters of meanings subtle and deep.
ياO بَنيsons of الحارِثِal-Harith اِبنِson of لُقمانَLuqman لاmay not تَعlack—
يا بَني الحارِثِ اِبنِ لُقمانَ لا تَع
دَمكُمُcompletes 'lack you all' فيin الوَغىbattle مُتونُthe backs of العِتاقِthoroughbreds
دَمكُمُ في الوَغى مُتونُ العِتاقِ
O sons of al-Harith ibn Luqman, may you never be absent
You have always heard praise, yet know this truth: / The neighing of steeds is far from the braying of beasts.
from the backs of thoroughbreds in battle.
Would that I possessed the fortune this age enjoys among ages, / Or a share of the blessings it has been granted!
بَعَثواthey sent الرُعبَterror فيinto قُلوبِthe hearts of الأَعادِيـthe enemies—
بَعَثوا الرُعبَ في قُلوبِ الأَعادِيـ
ـيِcompletes 'the enemies' فَكانَso was القِتالُbattle قَبلَbefore التَلاقيmeeting
ـيِ فَكانَ القِتالُ قَبلَ التَلاقي
They sent terror into the hearts of their enemies;
For you are within it, whereas every era past / Has yearned to ask the Creator for but a part of this.
so battle began before the meeting.
وَتَكادُand almost الظُباthe sword-edges لِماbecause of what عَوَّدوهاthey accustomed them to
وَتَكادُ الظُبا لِما عَوَّدوها
تَنتَضيunsheathe نَفسَهاthemselves إِلىtoward الأَعناقِthe necks
تَنتَضي نَفسَها إِلى الأَعناقِ
And the blades, from what they have been trained to do, almost
unsheathe themselves toward necks.
وَإِذاand when أَشفَقَfeared الفَوارِسُthe horsemen مِنof وَقـthe impact—
وَإِذا أَشفَقَ الفَوارِسُ مِن وَقـ
ـعِcompletes 'the impact' القَناspears أَشفَقواthey feared مِنَof الإِشفاقِfear
ـعِ القَنا أَشفَقوا مِنَ الإِشفاقِ
And when horsemen fear the impact
of spears, these men fear fear itself.
كُلُّevery ذِمرٍbrave warrior يَزيدُincreases فيin المَوتِdeath حُسناًin beauty
كُلُّ ذِمرٍ يَزيدُ في المَوتِ حُسناً
كَبُدورٍlike full moons تَمامُهاtheir fullness فيin المُحاقِthe moon's dark phase
كَبُدورٍ تَمامُها في المُحاقِ
Each brave warrior grows more beautiful in death,
like full moons whose fullness comes in their dark phase.
جاعِلٌmaking دِرعَهُhis armor مَنِيَّتَهُhis death إِنif
جاعِلٌ دِرعَهُ مَنِيَّتَهُ إِن
لَمnot يَكُنbe دونَهاshort of it مِنَfrom العارِdisgrace واقِa protector
لَم يَكُن دونَها مِنَ العارِ واقِ
He makes his death his armor, if
nothing short of it can shield him from disgrace.
كَرَمٌgenerosity خَشَّنَhardened الجَوانِبَthe sides مِنهُمin them
كَرَمٌ خَشَّنَ الجَوانِبَ مِنهُم
فَهوَso it is كَالماءِlike water فيin الشِفارِthe blade-edges الرِقاقِthin
فَهوَ كَالماءِ في الشِفارِ الرِقاقِ
Generosity has hardened their sides;
so it is like water in thin sword-edges.
وَمَعالٍand lofty virtues إِذاif اِدَّعاهاclaims them سِواهُمanyone other than them
وَمَعالٍ إِذا اِدَّعاها سِواهُم
لَزِمَتهُbinds him جِنايَةُthe guilt of السُرّاقِthieves
لَزِمَتهُ جِنايَةُ السُرّاقِ
And lofty virtues that, if anyone else claims them,
make him bear the guilt of thieves.
ياO اِبنَson of مَنhim who كُلَّماwhenever بَدَوتَyou appear بَداappears ليto me
يا اِبنَ مَن كُلَّما بَدَوتَ بَدا لي
غائِبَabsent in الشَخصِperson حاضِرَpresent in الأَخلاقِcharacter
غائِبَ الشَخصِ حاضِرَ الأَخلاقِ
O son of one who, whenever you appear, appears to me
absent in person, present in character.
لَوif تَنَكَّرتَyou disguised yourself فيin المَكَرِّthe charge لِقَومٍbefore a people
لَو تَنَكَّرتَ في المَكَرِّ لِقَومٍ
حَلَفواthey would swear أَنَّكَthat you are اِبنُهُhis son بِالطَلاقِon pain of divorce
حَلَفوا أَنَّكَ اِبنُهُ بِالطَلاقِ
If you disguised yourself in the charge before a people,
they would swear, on pain of divorce, that you are his son.
كَيفَhow يَقوىcan bear بِكَفِّكَwith your hand الزِندُthe forearm وَالآand the horizons—
كَيفَ يَقوى بِكَفِّكَ الزِندُ وَالآ
فاقُcompletes 'and the horizons' فيهاwithin it كَالكَفِّlike a hand فيin الآفاقِthe horizons
فاقُ فيها كَالكَفِّ في الآفاقِ
How can your forearm bear your hand, when the horizons
lie within it like a hand within the horizons?
قَلَّlittle is نَفعُthe use of الحَديدِiron فيكَagainst you فَماso no one يَلـmeets—
قَلَّ نَفعُ الحَديدِ فيكَ فَما يَلـ
ـقاكَcompletes 'meets you' إِلّاexcept مَنone whose سَيفُهُhis sword مِنof نِفاقِhypocrisy
ـقاكَ إِلّا مَن سَيفُهُ مِن نِفاقِ
Iron is of little use against you; so no one meets you
but one whose sword is made of hypocrisy.
إِلفُattachment to هَذاthis الهَواءِthe air أَوقَعَplanted فيin الأَنـthe souls—
إِلفُ هَذا الهَواءِ أَوقَعَ في الأَنـ
ـفُسِcompletes 'the souls' أَنَّthat الحِمامَdeath مُرُّbitter المَذاقِin taste
ـفُسِ أَنَّ الحِمامَ مُرُّ المَذاقِ
Attachment to this air has planted in souls
the belief that death is bitter to taste.
وَالأَسىand grief قَبلَbefore فُرقَةِthe departure of الروحِthe soul عَجزٌweakness
وَالأَسى قَبلَ فُرقَةِ الروحِ عَجزٌ
وَالأَسىand grief لاnot يَكونُexists بَعدَafter الفِراقِparting
وَالأَسى لا يَكونُ بَعدَ الفِراقِ
And grief before the soul departs is weakness;
and grief cannot exist after parting.
كَمhow much ثَراءٍwealth فَرَّجتَyou relieved بِالرُمحِwith the spear عَنهُfrom it
كَم ثَراءٍ فَرَّجتَ بِالرُمحِ عَنهُ
كانَwas مِنthrough بُخلِthe miserliness of أَهلِهِits owners فيin وَثاقِbonds
كانَ مِن بُخلِ أَهلِهِ في وَثاقِ
How much wealth you have freed with the spear
that lay chained by its owners' miserliness!
وَالغِنىand wealth فيin يَدِthe hand of اللَئيمِa base man قَبيحٌugly
وَالغِنى في يَدِ اللَئيمِ قَبيحٌ
قَدرَas much as قُبحِthe ugliness of الكَريمِa generous man فيin الإِملاقِdestitution
قَدرَ قُبحِ الكَريمِ في الإِملاقِ
And wealth in a base man's hand is ugly,
as ugly as a generous man in destitution.
لَيسَis not قَوليmy speech فيabout شَمسِthe sun of فِعلِكَyour deeds كَالشَمـlike the sun—
لَيسَ قَولي في شَمسِ فِعلِكَ كَالشَمـ
ـسِcompletes 'like the sun' وَلَكِنbut فيin الشَمسِthe sun كَالإِشراقِlike radiance
ـسِ وَلَكِن في الشَمسِ كَالإِشراقِ
My words about the sun of your deeds are not like the sun,
but like radiance within the sun.
شاعِرُpoet of المَجدِglory خِدنُهُhis companion شاعِرُpoet of اللَفـspeech—
شاعِرُ المَجدِ خِدنُهُ شاعِرُ اللَفـ
ـظِcompletes 'speech' كِلاناboth of us رَبُّmaster of المَعانيmeanings الدِقاقِsubtle
ـظِ كِلانا رَبُّ المَعاني الدِقاقِ
The poet of glory has the poet of words as his companion;
each of us is a master of subtle meanings.
لَمnot تَزَلcease تَسمَعُto hear المَديحَpraise وَلَكِنـbut—
لَم تَزَل تَسمَعُ المَديحَ وَلَكِنـ
ـنَcompletes 'but' صَهيلَthe neighing of الجِيادِsteeds غَيرُnot النُهاقِbraying
ـنَ صَهيلَ الجِيادِ غَيرُ النُهاقِ
You have never ceased to hear praise, but
the neighing of steeds is not the braying of asses.
لَيتَwould that ليI had مِثلَlike جَدِّthe fortune of ذاthis الدَهرِage فيamong الأَدthe ages—
لَيتَ لي مِثلَ جَدِّ ذا الدَهرِ في الأَد
هُرِcompletes 'the ages' أَوor رِزقِهِits allotted bounty مِنَamong الأَرزاقِallotted bounties
هُرِ أَو رِزقِهِ مِنَ الأَرزاقِ
If only I had luck like this age's among the ages,
or its share among all allotted bounties!
أَنتَyou فيهِin it وَكانَand used to كُلُّevery زَمانٍage
أَنتَ فيهِ وَكانَ كُلُّ زَمانٍ
يَشتَهيwish for بَعضَsome of ذاthis عَلىfrom الخَلّاقِthe Creator
يَشتَهي بَعضَ ذا عَلى الخَلّاقِ
You are in it, and every age
has wished for some of this from the Creator.
Partial English translation: 39 of 78 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1