عَتَبَتْreproached سُعادُSu'ad ولمand not أكُنْI was بالمُذنبِat fault
عَتَبَتْ سُعادُ ولم أكُنْ بالمُذنبِ
وعَرَفتُand I knew عادَتهاher habit فلمso not أتَعتَّبِI complained
وعَرَفتُ عادَتها فلم أتَعتَّبِ
Su'ad reproached me, though I was not at fault.
Su'ad reproached me, though I was not to blame,
I knew her ways, so I made no complaint.
And I knew her habit, so I did not protest.
شِيَمُthe ways الغوانيbeautiful women إنif تَدِلَّshe acts coy إذاwhen رأتshe sees
شِيَمُ الغواني إن تَدِلَّ إذا رأت
صبَّاًa lovesick man يَذِلُّhumbles himself لهاto her بقلبٍwith a heart طيِّبِkind
صبَّاً يَذِلُّ لها بقلبٍ طيِّبِ
It is a beauty's way to act coy when she sees
It is the nature of beauties, if they see
a lovesick man humbling himself before her with a kindly heart.
A young man humbled for them, with a pure heart.
أمَرَتْcommanded لواحظُهاher sidelong glances الفَتَىthe young man فأطاعهاso he obeyed them
أمَرَتْ لواحظُها الفَتَى فأطاعها
وَدَعَتand they called فلبىَّso answered الشيخُthe old man غيرَwithout مكذِبِّgainsaying
وَدَعَت فلبىَّ الشيخُ غيرَ مكذِبِّ
Her sidelong glances commanded the young man, and he obeyed them.
Her glances ordered the youth, so he obeyed,
They called, and the old man answered without demur.
She called, and the old man answered, unhesitating.
فَتَّانةُbewitching العينينِin both eyes يَسكَرُgrows drunk طَرْفُهاher gaze
فَتَّانةُ العينينِ يَسكَرُ طَرْفُها
وأناwhile I أُحَدُّI am flogged وهاand behold أناI لمnot أشرَبِI drank
وأنا أُحَدُّ وها أنا لم أشرَبِ
Bewitching-eyed, her gaze grows drunk,
The coquette's eyes intoxicate, her glance makes drunk,
while I am flogged—yet behold, I have not drunk!
And I envy, yet here I am, not having drunk.
سالَتْflowed ذوائِبُهاher tresses ولاحَand shone جبينُهاher forehead
سالَتْ ذوائِبُها ولاحَ جبينُها
فرأيتُso I saw بدراًa full moon حلَّsettled in بُرجَthe zodiac sign of العَقرَبِScorpio
فرأيتُ بدراً حلَّ بُرجَ العَقرَبِ
Her tresses flowed, and her forehead shone,
Her tresses flowed, and her brow gleamed,
so I saw a full moon settled in the sign of Scorpio.
So I saw a full moon rising in Capricorn's tower.
وتكلَّمتْand she spoke وتبسَّمَتْand smiled لمَّاwhen رأتْshe saw
وتكلَّمتْ وتبسَّمَتْ لمَّا رأتْ
دمعيmy tears فتلكَso those لآلئٌpearls لمnot تُثقَبِwere pierced
دمعي فتلكَ لآلئٌ لم تُثقَبِ
She spoke and smiled when she saw
She spoke and smiled when she saw
my tears—and those were pearls never pierced.
My tears - so those are pearls that have not been pierced.
قدindeed كُنتُI was أطمَعُI hope فيfor المَوَدَّةِaffection عِندَهاwith her
قد كُنتُ أطمَعُ في المَوَدَّةِ عِندَها
فإذاbut behold مَودَّتُهاher affection كبرْقٍlike lightning خُلَّبِrainless
فإذا مَودَّتُها كبرْقٍ خُلَّبِ
I had hoped for affection from her,
I hoped for affection from her,
but behold, her affection was like rainless lightning.
But her affection was like flickering lightning.
ومَوَدَّةُand the affection الحَسناءِof the beauty ضَيفٌa guest راحلٌdeparting
ومَوَدَّةُ الحَسناءِ ضَيفٌ راحلٌ
مِيعادُهُhis allotted stay لثلاثةٍfor three days أوor أقرَبِsooner
مِيعادُهُ لثلاثةٍ أو أقرَبِ
A beauty's affection is a departing guest,
A beauty's affection is a guest soon departing,
whose allotted stay is three days, or less.
Its tryst no more than two or three days.
ذُقتُI tasted الصَّبابةَpassionate longing فيin الشَبيبةِyouth أمرَداًbeardless
ذُقتُ الصَّبابةَ في الشَبيبةِ أمرَداً
واليومَand today شِبتُI grew gray فهلso, is it تليقُfitting بأشَيبِfor a gray-haired man
واليومَ شِبتُ فهل تليقُ بأشَيبِ
I tasted passionate longing in youth, while beardless;
I tasted the thrill of youth vigorously in my prime,
today I have grown gray: does it befit a gray-haired man?
But today I have grown old - does it suit a grey hair?
كلٌّeveryone يعافُloathes العيبَa fault فيهin himself فلوso if دَرَىhe knew
كلٌّ يعافُ العيبَ فيه فلو دَرَى
عيباًa fault بهِin himself لمnot تَلقَyou would meet غيرَother than مُهذَّبِa well-mannered person
عيباً بهِ لم تَلقَ غيرَ مُهذَّبِ
Everyone loathes a fault in himself; if he recognized
Each overlooks the faults in himself, so if he saw
a fault in himself, you would meet none but the well-mannered.
A fault in himself, he would not meet an undisciplined one.
ولقدand indeed عَرَكتُI wrestled with الدَّهرَtime أطلُبُI seek حِكمةًwisdom
ولقد عَرَكتُ الدَّهرَ أطلُبُ حِكمةً
فأفادَنيso it taught me والدَّهرُand time خيرُthe best مؤدِّبِteacher
فأفادَني والدَّهرُ خيرُ مؤدِّبِ
I have wrestled with time, seeking wisdom,
And I have struggled with fate, seeking wisdom,
and it taught me—time is the best of teachers.
And fate has benefited me, the best mentor.
تُعطيgive التجاربُexperiences حِكمةًwisdom لمجرِّبٍto one who undergoes them
تُعطي التجاربُ حِكمةً لمجرِّبٍ
حَتَىso that تُرِّبيthey educate فوقَbeyond تربيةِthe upbringing الأبِof a father
حَتَى تُرِّبي فوقَ تربيةِ الأبِ
Experiences give wisdom to one who undergoes them,
Experiences give wisdom to one who tries,
so that they educate him better than a father does.
Until they educate beyond a father's upbringing.
ولقدand indeed تأمَّلتُI pondered الزَمانَtime وحُكمَهُand its decrees
ولقد تأمَّلتُ الزَمانَ وحُكمَهُ
فبُلِيتُso I was afflicted منهُby it بعُجمةٍwith obscure speech لمnot تُعرَبِwas made intelligible
فبُلِيتُ منهُ بعُجمةٍ لم تُعرَبِ
I have pondered time and its decrees,
And I contemplated fate and its judgments,
only to be plagued by its obscure speech, never made clear.
But I was afflicted by obscurities never explained.
عارٌa disgrace عليَّupon me وشيخُناwhile our shaykh المفتِيthe mufti لهُhe has
عارٌ عليَّ وشيخُنا المفتِي لهُ
رأيٌa judgment يخلِّصُsettles matters بينَbetween بَكْرَBakr وتَغلبِand Taghlib
رأيٌ يخلِّصُ بينَ بَكْرَ وتَغلبِ
Shame on me, when our shaykh, the mufti, has
Shame on me, when our Mufti, whose
a judgment that settles matters between Bakr and Taghlib.
Opinion distinguishes between Bakr and Taghlib.
هوَhe كوكبٌa star فيin الشرقِthe East يسطَعُshines نُورُهُhis light
هوَ كوكبٌ في الشرقِ يسطَعُ نُورُهُ
ويلوحُand appears فضلُthe excellence شُعاعِهِof his radiance فيin المَغربِthe West
ويلوحُ فضلُ شُعاعِهِ في المَغربِ
He is a star in the East, his light blazing,
He is a star in the east whose light shines,
and his splendid radiance shows in the West.
And the excellence of his rays gleams in the west.
يجلوdispels الخُطوبَcalamities وينجليand shines forth لكَto you وَجهُهُhis face
يجلو الخُطوبَ وينجلي لكَ وَجهُهُ
فتَراهُso you see him فيin الحالينِboth states أفضلَthe finest كوكبِstar
فتَراهُ في الحالينِ أفضلَ كوكبِ
He dispels calamities, and his face shines before you,
He dispels troubles and makes your face shine for you,
so in both states you see him as the finest star.
So you see him in both cases as the best star.
حَسَنُexcellent in الإصابةِsound judgment عِندَat كلevery مُلمَّةٍcalamity
حَسَنُ الإصابةِ عِندَ كل مُلمَّةٍ
باديshowing البشاشةِcheerfulness عندَamid سُخطِthe wrath المغُضَبِof the angered man
بادي البشاشةِ عندَ سُخطِ المغُضَبِ
Sound in judgment at every calamity,
Skillful in resolving any dilemma,
openly cheerful amid an angered man's wrath.
His cheerfulness apparent despite the anger of the wrathful.
مُتواضعٌhumble لجليسهِtoward his companion منout of لُطفهِhis kindness
مُتواضعٌ لجليسهِ من لُطفهِ
حتىso much so كأنَّas though جليسَهُhis companion ذوthe possessor of المَنصبِrank
حتى كأنَّ جليسَهُ ذو المَنصبِ
He is humble toward his companion out of kindness,
Humble towards his companion out of his kindness,
so much so that his companion seems the one of high rank.
As if his companion were a man of high station.
رَيَّانُthirst-quenched منfrom كأسِthe cup of الحقيقةِtruth لمnot يَدَعْhe left
رَيَّانُ من كأسِ الحقيقةِ لم يَدَعْ
إلاexcept ثُمالَتَهاits dregs التيwhich لمnot تُطلَبِwere sought
إلا ثُمالَتَها التي لم تُطلَبِ
His thirst quenched by the cup of truth, he left nothing
Quenching thirst from the cup of truth, he left
but its dregs, which no one sought.
Nothing but the dregs which were not sought.
لمnot يَعشَقِhe loved الدُنياthe world فلمso not يَجْزَعْhe grieved إذاwhen
لم يَعشَقِ الدُنيا فلم يَجْزَعْ إذا
ولَّتit turned away وإنْand if هيَit أقبَلَتْit approached لمnot يَطرَبِhe rejoiced
ولَّت وإنْ هيَ أقبَلَتْ لم يَطرَبِ
He did not love the world, so he did not grieve when
He did not love worldly things, so he was not distraught when
it turned away; and if it approached, he did not rejoice.
It turned away, and if it approached, he was not disturbed.
هانَmattered little الزمانُtime عليهِto him لاnot مُتعَجِبٌastonished
هانَ الزمانُ عليهِ لا مُتعَجِبٌ
مماby what يَرَىhe sees فيهِin it وليسَand he is not بمُعجَبِimpressed
مما يَرَى فيهِ وليسَ بمُعجَبِ
Time mattered little to him; he was neither astonished
Time is nothing to him - he does not marvel
by what he saw in it, nor impressed.
At what he sees in it, nor is he amazed.
وَسِعَhe encompassed العلومَthe sciences بجانبٍin a part منof صَدرِهِhis breast
وَسِعَ العلومَ بجانبٍ من صَدرِهِ
رَحْبٍspacious وللعَمَلِand for action استَعَدَّhe prepared بأرحَبِwith a wider part
رَحْبٍ وللعَمَلِ استَعَدَّ بأرحَبِ
He held the sciences in a part of his breast,
He encompassed the sciences with an ample
a spacious one, and prepared a wider one for action.
Spacious, prepared heart, and broader work.
أحصىhe mastered منfrom الكُتُبِthe books الذيwhat كَتَبواthey wrote لناfor us
أحصى من الكُتُبِ الذي كَتَبوا لنا
فيهاin them وزادَand he added عليهِto it ماwhat لمnot يُكَتبِwas written
فيها وزادَ عليهِ ما لم يُكَتبِ
He mastered, from books, what they wrote for us
He enumerated what the books have written for us
in them, and added to it what had not been written.
In them, and added to them what was not written.
يجنيreaps فوائدَهُhis benefits الحكيمُthe sage كغيرهِlike others besides him
يجني فوائدَهُ الحكيمُ كغيرهِ
وتُفيدُand benefits فَتْواهُhis legal opinion شُيوخَthe elders of المَذهبِthe school of jurisprudence
وتُفيدُ فَتْواهُ شُيوخَ المَذهبِ
The sage, like others, reaps benefits from him,
The wise man reaps its benefits like others,
and his legal opinion benefits the elders of the school.
And his judgments benefit the jurists of the school.
ياO مَنyou who إذاwhen اتَّسعَexpands القريضُverse بذَكرِهِat the mention of him
يا مَن إذا اتَّسعَ القريضُ بذَكرِهِ
ضَغَطَcrowded الأعاريضَthe mid-line metrical feet اقتحامُthe onrush of الأضربِthe closing metrical feet
ضَغَطَ الأعاريضَ اقتحامُ الأضربِ
O you, when verse expands at your mention,
O you, when the ode expands with your mention,
the onrush of closing feet crowds the mid-line feet.
Impromptu compositions burst in, breaking through poems.
تزهوflourish قوافيناour rhymes لَدَيكَbefore you سليمةًsound
تزهو قوافينا لَدَيكَ سليمةً
ويُعابُand is faulted بالتقصيرِfor falling short قولُthe speech of المُطنِبِthe verbose speaker
ويُعابُ بالتقصيرِ قولُ المُطنِبِ
Our rhymes flourish before you, sound and whole,
Our rhymes flourish, faultless, in your presence,
yet the verbose speaker's words are faulted for falling short.
And my insufficient words are chastised.
غَمَضَتْgrew obscure صِفاتُكَyour qualities ياO مُحمَّدُMuhammad دِقةًthrough subtlety
غَمَضَتْ صِفاتُكَ يا مُحمَّدُ دِقةً
فتحجَّبَتْso they veiled themselves وبَرَزْتَwhile you appeared غيرَnot محجَّبِveiled
فتحجَّبَتْ وبَرَزْتَ غيرَ محجَّبِ
Your qualities, O Muhammad, grew elusive through their subtlety,
The delicacy of your virtues, O Muhammad, is veiled,
so they veiled themselves, while you appeared unveiled.
So it is hidden, while you appear unveiled.
إنif كُنتَyou are تَبغِيyou seek منsomeone who يَقومُfulfills بحقِهاtheir due
إن كُنتَ تَبغِي من يَقومُ بحقِها
فاطلُبِthen seek سِوايَsomeone other than me وقُلand say عذَرتُكَI excuse you فاذهَبِso go
فاطلُبِ سِوايَ وقُل عذَرتُكَ فاذهَبِ
If you seek someone who can do them justice,
If you seek one who will uphold her right,
then seek someone other than me and say, 'I excuse you; go.'
Then seek me, and excuse yourself, so be gone.
Sol 6.1