لِجِنِّيَّةٍ أَم غادَةٍ رُفِعَ السَجفُ

لِجِنِّيَّةٍ أَم غادَةٍ رُفِعَ السَجفُ

لِوَحشِيَّةٍ لا ما لِوَحشِيَّةٍ شَنفُ

لِوَحشِيَّةٍ لا ما لِوَحشِيَّةٍ شَنفُ

Was the curtain lifted for a female jinn or a graceful maiden?

For a flirtatious girl or a singing gazelle was the curtain raised

Was the curtain lifted for a spirit or a chosen maid?

For a wild doe? No—a wild doe wears no earring.

For a wild one, not for a wild one, is there shyness

For a wild doe? Nay, for wild does wear no gems.

نَفورٌ عَرَتها نَفرَةٌ فَتَجاذَبَت

نَفورٌ عَرَتها نَفرَةٌ فَتَجاذَبَت

سَوالِفُها وَالحَليُ وَالخَصرُ وَالرِدفُ

سَوالِفُها وَالحَليُ وَالخَصرُ وَالرِدفُ

Skittish, she was startled, and these tugged against each other:

Her aversion startled, startling, they pulled

A skittish one, seized by alarm, so that there pulled against one another

the sides of her neck, her jewels, her waist, and her hips.

At her gowns and necklaces and waist and hips

Her side-locks, her jewels, her waist, and her heavy hips.

وَخُيِّلَ مِنها مِرطُها فَكَأَنَّما

وَخُيِّلَ مِنها مِرطُها فَكَأَنَّما

تَثَنّى لَنا خوطٌ وَلا حَظَنا خِشفُ

تَثَنّى لَنا خوطٌ وَلا حَظَنا خِشفُ

Her wrap suggested her form, as though

And it seemed from her waving veil that

Her silken wrap deceived the eye, until it seemed to us

a supple twig swayed before us and a fawn gazed at us.

A line swayed for us, though we had no luck

That a willow bough swayed before us, and a fawn cast us a glance.

زِيادَةُ شَيبٍ وَهيَ نَقصُ زِيادَتي

زِيادَةُ شَيبٍ وَهيَ نَقصُ زِيادَتي

وَقُوَّةُ عِشقٍ وَهيَ مِن قُوَّتي ضَعفُ

وَقُوَّةُ عِشقٍ وَهيَ مِن قُوَّتي ضَعفُ

An increase in gray hair, yet a dwindling of my vitality;

The increase of white hair yet decrease of my increase

An increase in gray hair, which spells the decrease of my life's growth,

a strengthening of love, yet a weakening of my strength.

And the power of passion, yet from my power it's weakness

And a strength of passion, which is but a weakness in my strength.

هَراقَت دَمي مَن بي مِنَ الوَجدِ ما بِها

هَراقَت دَمي مَن بي مِنَ الوَجدِ ما بِها

مِنَ الوَجدِ بي وَالشَوقُ لي وَلَها حِلفُ

مِنَ الوَجدِ بي وَالشَوقُ لي وَلَها حِلفُ

She shed my blood—she for whom I feel the passion she feels

My blood evaporated, from me from ardour what's in her

She shed my blood—she who bears within her a passion

for me; longing is a sworn ally to us both.

From ardour in me and the longing to me and to her allies

Matching the passion in me, while longing is a sworn ally to us both.

وَمَن كُلَّما جَرَّدتَها مِن ثِيابِها

وَمَن كُلَّما جَرَّدتَها مِن ثِيابِها

كَساها ثِياباً غَيرَها الشَعَرُ الوَحفُ

كَساها ثِياباً غَيرَها الشَعَرُ الوَحفُ

And she whom, whenever you strip her of her clothes,

And whoever stripped her of her clothes

She who, whenever you strip her bare of her garments,

her thick hair clothes in other garments.

The poetry dressed her in clothes other than hers

Is clothed anew by her thick, luxuriant hair.

وَقابَلَني رُمّانَتا غُصنِ بانَةٍ

وَقابَلَني رُمّانَتا غُصنِ بانَةٍ

يَميلُ بِهِ بَدرٌ وَيُمسِكُهُ حِقفُ

يَميلُ بِهِ بَدرٌ وَيُمسِكُهُ حِقفُ

Facing me were the two pomegranates of a bān-tree bough,

And she met me, two pomegranate branches of a bending bough

The two pomegranates of a willow bough confronted me,

bent by a full moon and held upright by a dune.

Sway with a full moon, held by its crescent

Swayed by a full moon above, anchored by a sand dune below.

أَكيداً لَنا يا بَينُ واصَلتَ وَصلَنا

أَكيداً لَنا يا بَينُ واصَلتَ وَصلَنا

فَلا دارُنا تَدنو وَلا عَيشُنا يَصفو

فَلا دارُنا تَدنو وَلا عَيشُنا يَصفو

O Separation, did you prolong our union to spite us,

Certainly, O loved one, you have connected and joined us

Is it a plot against us, O Separation, that you have joined our union?

so our home comes no nearer and our life finds no peace?

So neither does our home come near, nor does our life clear up

For now our home draws no nearer, nor does our life run clear.

أُرَدِّدُ وَيلي لَو قَضى الوَيلُ حاجَةً

أُرَدِّدُ وَيلي لَو قَضى الوَيلُ حاجَةً

وَأُكثِرُ لَهفي لَو شَفى غُلَّةً لَهفُ

وَأُكثِرُ لَهفي لَو شَفى غُلَّةً لَهفُ

I repeat 'Alas for me!'—if woe could fulfill a need—

I repeat my woe, if only woe could fulfill a need

I repeat my cry of 'Woe!', if only woe could fulfill a need,

and multiply my lament—if lament could quench a burning thirst.

And I increase my fervor, if only it could cure anguish, ardor

And I multiply my sighs, if only sighs could quench a burning thirst.

ضَنىً في الهَوى كَالسُمِّ في الشَهدِ كامِناً

ضَنىً في الهَوى كَالسُمِّ في الشَهدِ كامِناً

لَذِذتُ بِهِ جَهلاً وَفي اللَذَّةِ الحَتفُ

لَذِذتُ بِهِ جَهلاً وَفي اللَذَّةِ الحَتفُ

A wasting sickness in love, lurking like poison in honey:

Bitterness in passion hidden like poison in honey

A wasting sickness in love, like poison lurking within honey,

I savored it in ignorance, though death lay in that pleasure.

I ignorantly delighted in it, and in delight lies ruin

I tasted it in ignorance with delight, yet in that delight lies death.

فَأَفنى وَما أَفنَتهُ نَفسي كَأَنَّما

فَأَفنى وَما أَفنَتهُ نَفسي كَأَنَّما

أَبو الفَرَجِ القاضي لَهُ دونَها كَهفُ

أَبو الفَرَجِ القاضي لَهُ دونَها كَهفُ

So I waste away, yet my soul has not exhausted it, as though

So it destroyed me, and what my soul did not destroy

So I perish, yet my soul has not perished, as though

Abu al-Faraj the judge were its refuge against my soul.

Is as if for Abu-l-Faraj the judge, besides her, a cave

Abu al-Faraj the Judge stands as a sanctuary for it.

قَليلُ الكَرى لَو كانَتِ البيضُ وَالقَنا

قَليلُ الكَرى لَو كانَتِ البيضُ وَالقَنا

كَآرائِهِ ما أَغنَتِ البيضُ وَالزَعفُ

كَآرائِهِ ما أَغنَتِ البيضُ وَالزَعفُ

He sleeps little; if bright swords and lances

Of little provisions, if eggs and chickens

A man of little sleep—if the white swords and the spears were

were like his counsels, helmets and mail would offer no defense.

Were like his views, eggs and feathers wouldn't enrich

As sharp as his judgments, then swords and mail would be of no avail.

يَقومُ مَقامَ الجَيشِ تَقطيبُ وَجهِهِ

يَقومُ مَقامَ الجَيشِ تَقطيبُ وَجهِهِ

وَيَستَغرِقُ الأَلفاظَ مِن لَفظِهِ حَرفُ

وَيَستَغرِقُ الأَلفاظَ مِن لَفظِهِ حَرفُ

His frowning face takes the place of an army,

He takes the army's place with his frown

The mere frowning of his face takes the place of an entire army,

and a single letter of his speech encompasses all words.

And his words overpower speech with merely a letter

And a single letter of his speech encompasses all words.

وَإِن فَقَدَ الإِعطاءَ حَنَّت يَمينُهُ

وَإِن فَقَدَ الإِعطاءَ حَنَّت يَمينُهُ

إِلَيهِ حَنينَ الإِلفِ فارَقَهُ الإِلفُ

إِلَيهِ حَنينَ الإِلفِ فارَقَهُ الإِلفُ

If he misses giving, his right hand yearns

And if he missed generosity, his hand would yearn

And if his right hand ceases giving, it yearns for the act

for it as a lover yearns when the beloved has left.

For it, the yearning of a friend who left his friend

With the yearning of a lover from whom the beloved has parted.

أَديبٌ رَسَت لِلعِلمِ في أَرضِ صَدرِهِ

أَديبٌ رَسَت لِلعِلمِ في أَرضِ صَدرِهِ

جِبالٌ جِبالُ الأَرضِ في جَنبِها قُفُّ

جِبالٌ جِبالُ الأَرضِ في جَنبِها قُفُّ

A scholar: in the soil of his breast, knowledge has firmly rooted

A scholar whom knowledge took root in his heart

A scholar in the earth of whose chest mountains of knowledge are anchored,

mountains beside which earth's mountains are mere hillocks.

Mountains, mountains of earth, next to them a mere hill

Mountains beside which the earth's peaks are but molehills.

جَوادٌ سَمَت في الخَيرِ وَالشَرِّ كَفُّهُ

جَوادٌ سَمَت في الخَيرِ وَالشَرِّ كَفُّهُ

سُمُوّاً أَوَدَّ الدَهرَ أَنَّ اِسمَهُ كَفُّ

سُمُوّاً أَوَدَّ الدَهرَ أَنَّ اِسمَهُ كَفُّ

Generous: his hand has risen high in good and evil,

A generous one whose palm in good and evil leapt up

Generous, his hand has soared in bestowing good and dealing harm,

so high that Time wished its own name were 'Hand.'

Lofty, time wished that his name were palm

A soaring that made Time wish its very name were 'Hand'.

وَأَضحى وَبَينَ الناسِ في كُلِّ سَيِّدٍ

وَأَضحى وَبَينَ الناسِ في كُلِّ سَيِّدٍ

مِنَ الناسِ إِلّا في سِيادَتِهِ خَلفُ

مِنَ الناسِ إِلّا في سِيادَتِهِ خَلفُ

And among the people, concerning every lord,

And he came between people in every master

He has become—while among the masters of men everywhere

men disagree—except concerning his lordship.

Among people, except in his mastership, dissident

There are replacements—the only lord with no successor.

يُفَدّونَهُ حَتّى كَأَنَّ دِماءَهُم

يُفَدّونَهُ حَتّى كَأَنَّ دِماءَهُم

لِجاري هَواهُ في عُروقِهِمِ تَقفو

لِجاري هَواهُ في عُروقِهِمِ تَقفو

They offer their lives for him, as though their blood

They ransom him, as if their blood

They offer their lives for him, as though their very blood

followed love for him coursing through their veins.

For the sake of his passion in their veins keeps pace

Were following the course of his love flowing within their veins.

وُقوفَينَ في وَقفَينِ شُكرٍ وَنائِلٍ

وُقوفَينَ في وَقفَينِ شُكرٍ وَنائِلٍ

فَنائِلُهُ وَقفٌ وَشُكرُهُمُ وَقفُ

فَنائِلُهُ وَقفٌ وَشُكرُهُمُ وَقفُ

Both abiding in two endowments—gratitude and bounty:

Standing in two pauses of thanks and attainer

Held in two stations: one of gratitude and one of bounty,

his bounty is an endowment, and their gratitude an endowment.

So his attainer is a stop, and their thanks is a stop

For his bounty is a perpetual endowment, and their gratitude is endless.

وَلَمّا فَقَدنا مِثلَهُ دامَ كَشفُنا

وَلَمّا فَقَدنا مِثلَهُ دامَ كَشفُنا

عَلَيهِ فَدامَ الفَقدُ وَاِنكَشَفَ الكَشفُ

عَلَيهِ فَدامَ الفَقدُ وَاِنكَشَفَ الكَشفُ

When we found no equal to him, we kept up our search

And when we lost his like, our disclosure remained

And when we lacked his like, our distress remained exposed,

for one; none was found, and the searching ceased.

Upon him, so the loss remained and the disclosure was stripped

But upon finding him, the loss continued, for our exposure was laid bare.

وَما حارَتِ الأَوهامُ في عُظمِ شَأنِهِ

وَما حارَتِ الأَوهامُ في عُظمِ شَأنِهِ

بِأَكثَرَ مِمّا حارَ في حُسنِهِ الطَرفُ

بِأَكثَرَ مِمّا حارَ في حُسنِهِ الطَرفُ

Thoughts were no more bewildered by the greatness of his standing

And imaginations did not wander in the greatness of his status

Yet imaginations were not as bewildered by his mighty stature

than the eye was bewildered by his beauty.

More than the gaze wandered in his beauty

As the eye was bewildered by the beauty of his form.

وَلا نالَ مِن حُسّادِهِ الغَيظُ وَالأَذى

وَلا نالَ مِن حُسّادِهِ الغَيظُ وَالأَذى

بِأَعظَمَ مِمّا نالَ مِن وَفرِهِ العُرفُ

بِأَعظَمَ مِمّا نالَ مِن وَفرِهِ العُرفُ

Nor did rage and suffering take a greater toll on his enviers

Nor did the malice and harm of his enviers attain

Nor did rage and harm afflict his envious foes

than his generosity took on his abundant wealth.

Greater than what his outstanding merit attained

More greatly than his beneficence depleted his vast wealth.

تَفَكُّرُهُ عِلمٌ وَمَنطِقُهُ حُكمٌ

تَفَكُّرُهُ عِلمٌ وَمَنطِقُهُ حُكمٌ

وَباطِنُهُ دينٌ وَظاهِرُهُ ظَرفُ

وَباطِنُهُ دينٌ وَظاهِرُهُ ظَرفُ

His thought is knowledge, his speech wise judgment;

His contemplation is knowledge and his speech is wisdom

His contemplation is knowledge, his logic is judgment,

his inner life is faith, his outward bearing refinement.

And his essence religion and his appearance composure

His inner self is piety, and his outer self is grace.

أَماتَ رِياحَ اللُؤمِ وَهيَ عَواصِفٌ

أَماتَ رِياحَ اللُؤمِ وَهيَ عَواصِفٌ

وَمَغنى العُلى يودي وَرَسمُ النَدى يَعفو

وَمَغنى العُلى يودي وَرَسمُ النَدى يَعفو

He stilled the winds of baseness while they raged,

He killed the winds of vileness, though they were tempests

He stilled the winds of meanness while they raged as storms,

while nobility's dwelling perished and generosity's traces faded.

And the refuge of nobility destroys while the path of dew pardons

When the abode of glory was crumbling and the trace of bounty fading.

فَلَم نَرَ قَبلَ اِبنِ الحُسَينِ أَصابِعاً

فَلَم نَرَ قَبلَ اِبنِ الحُسَينِ أَصابِعاً

إِذا ما هَطَلنَ اِستَحيَتِ الدِيَمُ الوُطفُ

إِذا ما هَطَلنَ اِستَحيَتِ الدِيَمُ الوُطفُ

Before Ibn al-Husayn, we never saw fingers

So we have not before Ibn Al-Husayn seen fingers

We never saw, before Ibn al-Husayn, fingers that,

whose downpour made rain-heavy clouds ashamed.

When they pour down, the blood of injustice is shy

When they poured forth, made the heavy rainclouds blush in shame.

وَلا ساعِياً في قُلَّةِ المَجدِ مُدرِكاً

وَلا ساعِياً في قُلَّةِ المَجدِ مُدرِكاً

بِأَفعالِهِ ما لَيسَ يُدرِكُهُ الوَصفُ

بِأَفعالِهِ ما لَيسَ يُدرِكُهُ الوَصفُ

Nor one striving for glory's summit, attaining

Nor a striver in scarcity of glory attaining

Nor a striver ascending the summit of glory, attaining,

through his deeds what description cannot reach.

Through his deeds what description does not reach

Through his deeds, heights that description cannot reach.

وَلَم نَرَ شَيئاً يَحمِلُ العِبءَ حَملَهُ

وَلَم نَرَ شَيئاً يَحمِلُ العِبءَ حَملَهُ

وَيَستَصغِرُ الدُنيا وَيَحمِلُهُ طِرفُ

وَيَستَصغِرُ الدُنيا وَيَحمِلُهُ طِرفُ

Nor have we seen anything bear burdens as he does,

And we have not seen a thing that bears burdens like he bore

We have seen nothing bear the burden as he bears it,

make light of the world, yet be borne by a noble steed.

And regards the world as slight and bears with composure

While deeming the world small, all while carried by a noble steed.

وَلا جَلَسَ البَحرُ المُحيطُ لِقاصِدٍ

وَلا جَلَسَ البَحرُ المُحيطُ لِقاصِدٍ

وَمِن تَحتِهِ فَرشٌ وَمِن فَوقِهِ سَقفُ

وَمِن تَحتِهِ فَرشٌ وَمِن فَوقِهِ سَقفُ

Nor has the encircling ocean sat before a petitioner

Nor has the vast sea sat for a purpose

Nor has the Encompassing Ocean ever sat for a seeker,

with a carpet beneath it and a roof above.

With furnishings beneath it and ceiling above

With carpets spread beneath it and a roof raised above.

فَواعَجَباً مِنّي أُحاوِلُ نَعتَهُ

فَواعَجَباً مِنّي أُحاوِلُ نَعتَهُ

وَقَد فَنِيَت فيهِ القَراطيسُ وَالصُحفُ

وَقَد فَنِيَت فيهِ القَراطيسُ وَالصُحفُ

How strange of me, attempting to describe him,

So how strange of me to attempt describing him!

Oh, how strange it is of me to attempt his description,

when sheets and pages have already been exhausted on him!

Papers and books regarding him are exhausted

When parchment and scrolls have already been exhausted in his praise.

وَمِن كَثرَةِ الأَخبارِ عَن مَكرُماتِهِ

وَمِن كَثرَةِ الأَخبارِ عَن مَكرُماتِهِ

يَمُرُّ لَهُ صِنفٌ وَيَأتي لَهُ صِنفُ

يَمُرُّ لَهُ صِنفٌ وَيَأتي لَهُ صِنفُ

From the abundance of accounts of his noble deeds,

And from the abundance of accounts of his virtues

And from the multitude of reports regarding his noble deeds,

one kind passes by, and another comes.

A class passes by him, and another class comes

One variety passes by, and another arrives anew.

وَتَفتَرُّ مِنهُ عَن خِصالٍ كَأَنَّها

وَتَفتَرُّ مِنهُ عَن خِصالٍ كَأَنَّها

ثَنايا حَبيبٍ لا يُمَلُّ لَها رَشفُ

ثَنايا حَبيبٍ لا يُمَلُّ لَها رَشفُ

They smile to reveal qualities of his that seem

And virtues emerge from him as if they are

He smiles to reveal qualities that seem as if

a beloved's front teeth, which one never tires of kissing.

The folds of a beloved which a watcher never tires of

They are the teeth of a beloved whose nectar one never tires of sipping.

قَصَدتُكَ وَالراجونَ قَصدي إِلَيهِمِ

قَصَدتُكَ وَالراجونَ قَصدي إِلَيهِمِ

كَثيرٌ وَلَكِن لَيسَ كَالذَنَبِ الأَنفُ

كَثيرٌ وَلَكِن لَيسَ كَالذَنَبِ الأَنفُ

I sought you, though those hoping I would come to them

I headed to you while the hopeful headed to him

I have sought you, while other petitioners seek me out—

were many; but a nose is not like a tail.

Many, but not like the bent tail

Many they are, yet the tail is not equal to the head.

وَلا الفِضَّةُ البَيضاءُ وَالتِبرُ واحِدٌ

وَلا الفِضَّةُ البَيضاءُ وَالتِبرُ واحِدٌ

نَفوعانِ لِلمُكدي وَبَينَهُما صَرفُ

نَفوعانِ لِلمُكدي وَبَينَهُما صَرفُ

Nor are white silver and raw gold one and the same:

Nor white silver and flakes the same

Nor are white silver and raw gold the same,

both help the needy, but their exchange values differ.

Benefits for the toiler, and between them exchange

Though both aid the beggar, there is a vast difference in their worth.

وَلَستَ بِدونٍ يُرتَجى الغَيثُ دونَهُ

وَلَستَ بِدونٍ يُرتَجى الغَيثُ دونَهُ

وَلا مُنتَهى الجودِ الَّذي خَلفَهُ خَلفُ

وَلا مُنتَهى الجودِ الَّذي خَلفَهُ خَلفُ

You are no lesser man, with rain sought in your place,

You are not without rain hoped for besides you

You are not a lesser being, past whom one hopes for rain,

nor a limit of generosity with a successor beyond it.

Nor the utmost of generosity which successors succeeded

Nor a limit of generosity beyond which lies any remainder.

وَلا واحِداً في ذا الوَرى مِن جَماعَةٍ

وَلا واحِداً في ذا الوَرى مِن جَماعَةٍ

وَلا البَعضُ مِن كُلٍّ وَلَكِنَّكَ الضِعفُ

وَلا البَعضُ مِن كُلٍّ وَلَكِنَّكَ الضِعفُ

Nor are you one of a group among these mortals,

Nor one in the mortal world among a group

Nor are you merely one among a group in this creation,

nor a part of a whole; rather, you are twice the whole.

Nor part of a whole, but you are the feeble one

Nor a part of a whole; rather, you are the manifold multiple.

وَلا الضِعفَ حَتّى يَتبَعَ الضِعفَ ضِعفُهُ

وَلا الضِعفَ حَتّى يَتبَعَ الضِعفَ ضِعفُهُ

وَلا ضِعفَ ضِعفِ الضِعفِ بَل مِثلَهُ أَلفُ

وَلا ضِعفَ ضِعفِ الضِعفِ بَل مِثلَهُ أَلفُ

Not merely twice: that doubling must be doubled;

Nor feeble so that feebleness follows his feebleness

And not just the double until that double is doubled again,

nor twice the double of that double, but a thousand times its like.

Nor the feebleness of feebleness, but like it a thousand

Nor double the double of that double, but a thousand times its like.

أَقاضِيَنا هَذا الَّذي أَنتَ أَهلُهُ

أَقاضِيَنا هَذا الَّذي أَنتَ أَهلُهُ

غَلِطتُ وَلا الثُلثانِ هَذا وَلا النِصفُ

غَلِطتُ وَلا الثُلثانِ هَذا وَلا النِصفُ

O our judge, this is what you deserve—

My judge, this right which you deserve

O Judge of ours, is this praise all that you deserve?

I erred: this is not two-thirds of it, nor even half.

I erred, not two-thirds this, nor half

I have erred; this is not two-thirds of your due, nor even half.

وَذَنبِيَ تَقصيري وَما جِئتُ مادِحاً

وَذَنبِيَ تَقصيري وَما جِئتُ مادِحاً

بِذَنبي وَلَكِن جِئتُ أَسأَلُ أَن تَعفو

بِذَنبي وَلَكِن جِئتُ أَسأَلُ أَن تَعفو

My fault is falling short; I did not come to praise you

My sin is my falling short, and I have not come praising

My sin is my shortcoming; I did not come merely to praise,

with my fault, but to ask that you forgive.

With my sin, but rather I came to ask you pardon

Bearing this sin of mine, but came to ask that you forgive.