أسألتَdid you ask بانَthe ban-tree (moringa) الجِزْعِthe valley bend وَهْوَwhile it يُصَفِّقُclaps
أسألتَ بانَ الجِزْعِ وَهْوَ يُصَفِّقُ
كيفَhow الثَنيَّةُthe mountain pass بَعدَناsince we left والأبرَقُand al-Abraq
كيفَ الثَنيَّةُ بَعدَنا والأبرَقُ
Did you ask the ban-tree at the valley bend, as it claps,
You asked, as the palm trees clapped,
How fare the mountain pass and al-Abraq since we left?
How are the slopes after us and the lightning?
وهَلِand have الأجارعُthe sandy tracts أُمطِرتْreceived rain بعدَafter النَوَىparting
وهَلِ الأجارعُ أُمطِرتْ بعدَ النَوَى
يوماًever وهلand do تِلكَthose الخَمائلُthe thickets تُورِقُput forth leaves
يوماً وهل تِلكَ الخَمائلُ تُورِقُ
And have the sandy tracts received rain since our parting,
Have the barren lands been rained after the pebbles,
even once, and do those thickets put forth leaves?
And do those gazelles still graze?
ياO جِيرةَneighbors of الحَيِّthe encampment الذينَwho تَحَمَّلواdeparted
يا جِيرةَ الحَيِّ الذينَ تَحَمَّلوا
ماnot كُنتُI was أحسَبُthinking أنَّناthat we نَتَفرَّقُwould part
ما كُنتُ أحسَبُ أنَّنا نَتَفرَّقُ
O neighbors of the encampment, who journeyed away,
O neighbors of the alive neighborhood who endured
I never thought that we would part.
What I never thought we would separate
أستغِفِرُI seek forgiveness from اللهَGod العظيمَthe Almighty بأنَّنِيfor I
أستغِفِرُ اللهَ العظيمَ بأنَّنِي
فارَقتُكمI parted from you وبَقيتُand I remained حَياًalive يُرزَقُreceiving sustenance
فارَقتُكم وبَقيتُ حَياً يُرزَقُ
I seek forgiveness from God the Almighty, for I
I ask Allah, the Almighty, that
parted from you and remained alive, receiving sustenance.
I left you and remained alive, sustained
ولَقدand indeed بكَيتُI wept علىover الدِّيارِthe dwellings فساءَنيand it distressed me
ولَقد بكَيتُ على الدِّيارِ فساءَني
دَمعٌtears لهُit has سَعَةٌabundance وطَرْفٌand an eye ضَيِّقُnarrow
دَمعٌ لهُ سَعَةٌ وطَرْفٌ ضَيِّقُ
Indeed, I wept over the dwellings, and I was distressed by
And I cried for the homes, so it saddened me
tears so abundant, and an eye so narrow.
A tear that has vastness and a narrow eyelid
والدَّمعُand tears مِنamong بعضِsome of المِياهِthe waters قليلُهُa little of it
والدَّمعُ مِن بعضِ المِياهِ قليلُهُ
يُرويquenches thirst ولكنَّand yet الكثيرَmuch of it يُغرِّقُdrowns
يُروي ولكنَّ الكثيرَ يُغرِّقُ
Tears are a kind of water: a little of it
And tears are of some waters, its little
quenches thirst, but much of it drowns.
Quenches, but the abundant drowns
هلis there مُبْلغٌsomeone to convey عَنّيon my behalf التَحيَّةَa greeting ظَبيةًto a gazelle
هل مُبْلغٌ عَنّي التَحيَّةَ ظَبيةً
عنfrom مِسكِthe musk of نَكْهتِهاher breath اللَطائِمُperfume pouches تُفتَقare split open
عن مِسكِ نَكْهتِها اللَطائِمُ تُفتَق
Is there someone to convey my greeting to a gazelle?
Is there a messenger from me conveying greetings,
Perfume pouches are split open to reveal the musk of her breath.
From the musk whose scent the gentle winds scatter?
تَلقَىmeet مَعاطِفَهاher curves الغُصونَthe branches فتنثَنيso they bend
تَلقَى مَعاطِفَها الغُصونَ فتنثَني
خَجَلاًin shame وتَلقْاهاand meet her النُجومُthe stars فتخفِقُand then set
خَجَلاً وتَلقْاها النُجومُ فتخفِقُ
Her curves meet the branches, which bend
It meets its sleeves so the branches bend
in shame; the stars meet her and set.
Shyly, and it meets the stars so they flutter
بَدَوِيةٌa Bedouin woman منfrom آلِthe clan of مُرَّةَMurrah قدindeed حَلاhas grown sweet
بَدَوِيةٌ من آلِ مُرَّةَ قد حَلا
نهبُplundering القُلوبِhearts لَهاto her بطَرْفٍwith a glance يَسرِقُthat steals
نهبُ القُلوبِ لَها بطَرْفٍ يَسرِقُ
A Bedouin woman of the clan of Murrah, to whom it has grown sweet
A Bedouin woman from the family of Murrah has halted
to plunder hearts with a glance that steals.
Stealing hearts with a glance that captivates
مِنfrom خالِthe beauty mark on وَجْنَتِهاher cheek بَلاءٌan affliction أسوَدٌblack
مِن خالِ وَجْنَتِها بَلاءٌ أسوَدٌ
منfrom وَشْمِthe tattoo on بُلجَتهاher brow عَدُوٌّan enemy أزرَقُblue
من وَشْمِ بُلجَتها عَدُوٌّ أزرَقُ
From the beauty mark upon her cheek comes a black affliction;
From her moles and beauty, a disaster,
from the tattoo upon her brow, a blue enemy.
From the mark of her forehead, a hostile blue
ياO دُرَّةَpearl of الغَوَّاصthe diver طَيَّin the folds of خِبائِهاher tent
يا دُرَّةَ الغَوَّاص طَيَّ خِبائِها
ويَحْيalas for me مَتىwhen هذاthis الخِباءُtent يُمزَّقُwill be torn open
ويَحْي مَتى هذا الخِباءُ يُمزَّقُ
O diver's pearl, in the folds of her tent!
O pearl of the diver, shroud its hiding
Alas for me! When will this tent be torn open?
And live when this hiding is torn
لوif تُطبَعُwere imprinted الأحداقُthe eyes فيهِupon it رأيتَهُyou would see it
لو تُطبَعُ الأحداقُ فيهِ رأيتَهُ
كالدِّرعِlike a coat of mail منmade of حَدَقٍeyes إليهِat it تُحدِّقُstare
كالدِّرعِ من حَدَقٍ إليهِ تُحدِّقُ
If eyes were imprinted upon it, you would see it
If the pupils were stamped in it, you would see it
like a coat of mail made of eyes fixed upon it.
Like a shield with a pupil staring into it
إنْif لمnot تُصِبْfind قَدَمٌa foot إليكَto you تَطَرُّقاًa path
إنْ لم تُصِبْ قَدَمٌ إليكَ تَطَرُّقاً
خوفَfor fear of الرقيبِthe watcher فللقُلوبِthen hearts have تَطَرُّقُa path
خوفَ الرقيبِ فللقُلوبِ تَطَرُّقُ
If no foot finds a path to you,
If no foot comes your way stealthily,
for fear of the watcher, hearts can find a path.
Fearing the guard, then hearts can steal to you
قدonce كانَthere was ليfor me قلبٌa heart فطارَand then flew away بهِwith it الهَوَىlove
قد كانَ لي قلبٌ فطارَ بهِ الهَوَى
فأناso I بِلاwithout قلبٍa heart أهيِمُwander lovesick وأعشَقُand love passionately
فأنا بِلا قلبٍ أهيِمُ وأعشَقُ
I once had a heart, and love flew away with it;
I once had a heart that passion flew away with
so, without a heart, I wander lovesick and love.
So now I roam heartless, and love
وَجْدٌpassion تَوَقَّدَblazed فيin خِلالَthe spaces between أضالعٍribs
وَجْدٌ تَوَقَّدَ في خِلالَ أضالعٍ
قدonce كانَit was يُحرِقهاscorching them فصارَتْso they became تُحرِقُscorching in turn
قد كانَ يُحرِقها فصارَتْ تُحرِقُ
A passion blazed between my ribs;
A passion ignited within my ribs
it once scorched them, until they began to scorch in turn.
It used to burn them, so they burn
قدindeed أيْمَنَhas headed for Yemen الصَبرُthe patience الذيwhich أعدَدتُهُI had readied
قد أيْمَنَ الصَبرُ الذي أعدَدتُهُ
للنَّائِباتِfor calamities ورَكْبُand the caravan of شَوقيmy longing مُعْرِقُheads for Iraq
للنَّائِباتِ ورَكْبُ شَوقي مُعْرِقُ
Toward Yemen has gone the patience I had readied
Patience I prepared for tribulations has thrived
for calamities, while my longing's caravan heads for Iraq.
And the steed of my fervor is saddled
شَوقٌa longing يهيجُsurges إلىtoward الذيthe one who ينسَىforgets بهِthrough him
شَوقٌ يهيجُ إلى الذي ينسَى بهِ
شَوقَlonging for الجمالِbeauty الهائمُthe lovesick wanderer المُستغرِقُwholly absorbed
شَوقَ الجمالِ الهائمُ المُستغرِقُ
A longing surges toward the man through whom
A longing that stirs towards whom I forget
the entranced, wholly absorbed lover forgets his longing for beauty:
The fervor of wandering beauty engrossed
العالمُthe scholar الصَّدرُthe dignitary الكبيرُthe great الشاعرُthe poet الthe (continued in the next line)
العالمُ الصَّدرُ الكبيرُ الشاعرُ ال
فَطِنُdiscerning الشَّهيرُrenowned الكاتبُthe writer المُتأنِّقُrefined
فَطِنُ الشَّهيرُ الكاتبُ المُتأنِّقُ
The scholar, the great dignitary, the poet,
The broad-chested poet, the discerned
discerning and renowned, the refined writer.
Famous writer, the elegant man of knowledge
عَلَمٌa standard يَمُدُّspreads علىover العِراقِIraq رِواقَهُhis canopy
عَلَمٌ يَمُدُّ على العِراقِ رِواقَهُ
وبهِand beneath him العواصِمُthe capitals تَستَظِلُّtake shade وجِلَّقُand Jillaq
وبهِ العواصِمُ تَستَظِلُّ وجِلَّقُ
A standard, spreading his canopy over Iraq,
A banner that extends its porches over Iraq
beneath whom the capitals and Jillaq take shade.
And by it capitals are shaded and patched
أبقَىhas preserved لهُfor him الباقيthe Everlasting One الذيwho هُوَhe is عبدُهُHis servant
أبقَى لهُ الباقي الذي هُوَ عبدُهُ
شِيَماًvirtues منfrom الفاروقِal-Faruq لاnot تَتَفرَّقُdisperse
شِيَماً من الفاروقِ لا تَتَفرَّقُ
The Everlasting One, whose servant he is, has preserved for him
The Everlasting who is His servant has maintained for him
virtues from al-Faruq that remain inseparable.
Morals from Al-Farooq that do not separate
منهاamong them الوَداعةُgentleness والزَهادةُand asceticism والتُّقَىand piety
منها الوَداعةُ والزَهادةُ والتُّقَى
والعَدلُand justice والحِلمُand forbearance الذيthat لاnot يَقلقُwavers
والعَدلُ والحِلمُ الذي لا يَقلقُ
Among them are gentleness, asceticism, and piety,
From it, tranquility, asceticism, piety,
and justice, and forbearance that never wavers.
Justice and clemency that does not worry
بدرٌa full moon بأُفْقِon the horizon of الشَرقِthe East لاحَappeared وضوءُهُand its light
بدرٌ بأُفْقِ الشَرقِ لاحَ وضوءُهُ
فيin الخافِقِيْنِthe eastern and western horizons مُغرِّبٌspreading westward ومُشرِّقُand eastward
في الخافِقِيْنِ مُغرِّبٌ ومُشرِّقُ
A full moon has appeared on the eastern horizon, and its light
A full moon in the horizon of the East has risen
spreads westward and eastward across both horizons.
Setting as a westerner, and rising as an easterner
ماnot زالَceased فيat شَرَفِthe heights of الكمالِperfection فلمso not يكُنْwas
ما زالَ في شَرَفِ الكمالِ فلم يكُنْ
نَقصٌwaning ولاnor خَسْفٌan eclipse بهِto him يتَعلَّقُclings
نَقصٌ ولا خَسْفٌ بهِ يتَعلَّقُ
He has remained upon the heights of perfection, and no
He remains at the peak of perfection, no
waning or eclipse has ever touched him.
Deficiency or eclipse has clung to him
هُوَhe ذلكَthat الرَّجُلُman الذيwho آثارُهُhis tracks
هُوَ ذلكَ الرَّجُلُ الذي آثارُهُ
لاnot تُقتَفىcan be followed وغُبارُهُand his dust لاnot يُلحَقُcan be overtaken
لا تُقتَفى وغُبارُهُ لا يُلحَقُ
He is that man whose tracks
He is that man whose traces
cannot be followed, whose dust cannot be overtaken.
Cannot be followed, and whose dust cannot be reached
ولهُand his are الفُتُوحُthe victories إذاwhen تَمرَّدَgrows defiant مارِدٌa rebel
ولهُ الفُتُوحُ إذا تَمرَّدَ مارِدٌ
فيin كُلِّevery مُعضلةٍthorny problem وعَزَّand proves impregnable الأبلَقُal-Ablaq
في كُلِّ مُعضلةٍ وعَزَّ الأبلَقُ
Victories are his whenever a rebel grows defiant,
For him are the openings when a rebel resists
in every thorny problem, and al-Ablaq proves impregnable.
In every dilemma, and the sturdy one despairs
تأتيcome نَفائِسُهُhis treasures إليَّto me سَوابقاًas forerunners
تأتي نَفائِسُهُ إليَّ سَوابقاً
وهُوَand he الذيis the one who فيin كلِّevery فضلٍexcellence يَسبُقُleads
وهُوَ الذي في كلِّ فضلٍ يَسبُقُ
His treasures come to me as forerunners,
His gems come to me preceding
and he is foremost in every excellence.
And he in every merit precedes
ولَعلَّهاand perhaps they كالصُّبحِare like dawn يسبُقُthat precedes شَمسَهُits sun
ولَعلَّها كالصُّبحِ يسبُقُ شَمسَهُ
والشمسُand the sun تدنوdraws near بعدَafter ذاكَthat فتُشرِقُand then rises
والشمسُ تدنو بعدَ ذاكَ فتُشرِقُ
Perhaps they are like dawn, preceding its sun,
Perhaps it is like the dawn preceding its sun
and the sun draws near afterward and rises.
And the sun approaches after that and rises
سُرَّتْwas delighted برُؤيةِby seeing خَطّهِhis handwriting العينُthe eye التيwhich
سُرَّتْ برُؤيةِ خَطّهِ العينُ التي
أبداًalways لرُؤيةِto see وَجهِهِhis face تَتَشوَّقُlongs
أبداً لرُؤيةِ وَجهِهِ تَتَشوَّقُ
The sight of his handwriting delighted the eye that
The eye that craved to see his face
forever longs to see his face.
Rejoiced at seeing his script
أثَرُa trace of الأحبَّةِloved ones يُستلَذُّdelight is taken بهِin it كماjust as
أثَرُ الأحبَّةِ يُستلَذُّ بهِ كما
يَلتَذُّdelights وَسنانٌa drowsy man بطَيْفٍin a phantom يَطرُقُthat visits by night
يَلتَذُّ وَسنانٌ بطَيْفٍ يَطرُقُ
A trace of loved ones is savored, just as
The trace of loved ones is relished like
a drowsy man delights in a phantom visiting by night.
How a canine relishes a scent it picks up
غَمَرتْhave flooded فَوائِدُهُhis benefits البعيدَthe far-off بنَيْلِهاwith their bounty
غَمَرتْ فَوائِدُهُ البعيدَ بنَيْلِها
مثلَlike القرِيبِthe near ونِيلُهاand their Nile يَتَدَفَّقُpours forth
مثلَ القرِيبِ ونِيلُها يَتَدَفَّقُ
His benefits have flooded the far-off with their bounty,
His benefits immersed the distant with its obtaining
as they have the near, and their Nile pours forth.
Like the near, and its obtaining flows
كالبحرِlike the sea يُهدِيgives منof جَواهرِهِits jewels إلىto
كالبحرِ يُهدِي من جَواهرِهِ إلى
مَنone who لاnot يَراهُsees it كمَنْjust like one who بهِinto it يتَعمَّقُdives deep
مَن لا يَراهُ كمَنْ بهِ يتَعمَّقُ
Like the sea, giving of its jewels to
Like the sea, it sends its pearls to
one who does not see it, just as to one who dives deep within it.
Who does not see it, like one delving into it
ياO أيُّهاyou القَمَرُmoon الذيwho منfrom دُونِهِthis side of him
يا أيُّها القَمَرُ الذي من دُونِهِ
طَبَقُa layer المفَاوِزِdeserts لاnot السَّحابُclouds المُطْبِقُenveloping
طَبَقُ المفَاوِزِ لا السَّحابُ المُطْبِقُ
O moon, between whom and us stretches
O moon, without whom
a layer of deserts, not enveloping clouds!
The expanse of deserts cannot be, not the encircling clouds
إنif كُنتَyou have قدindeed أبعَدتَgone far عَنَّاfrom us نازِحاًjourneying afar
إن كُنتَ قد أبعَدتَ عَنَّا نازِحاً
فالبُعدُthen distance أشجَىmore saddening للقُلوبِto hearts وأشْوَقُand more stirring of longing
فالبُعدُ أشجَى للقُلوبِ وأشْوَقُ
If you have gone far away from us, journeying afar,
If you have distanced from us departing
distance brings hearts more sorrow and more longing.
Then the distance is more agonizing for hearts and longing
أُثنيI praise عليكَyou كأنَّنيas though I مُتَفضِلٌwere granting a favor
أُثني عليكَ كأنَّني مُتَفضِلٌ
ولَكَand yours is التَفضُّلُthe favor عندَin the eyes of مَنone who يَتَحقَّقُdiscerns the truth
ولَكَ التَفضُّلُ عندَ مَن يَتَحقَّقُ
I praise you as though I were granting a favor,
I praise you as if I were obliging
yet the favor is yours, to anyone who discerns the truth.
While the favor is yours to one who verifies
لوif لمnot يكُنْwere لكَyours ماwhat نَطَقْتُI spoke بِمَدْحِهِin praise of it
لو لم يكُنْ لكَ ما نَطَقْتُ بِمَدْحِهِ
فتُرَىso one wonders بماذاabout what كانَwould have been شِعريmy poetry يَنطِقspeaking
فتُرَى بماذا كانَ شِعري يَنطِق
Had you not possessed what I have spoken of in praise,
Had there been no virtues of yours I spoke of in praise
what, I wonder, would my poetry have said?
Then with what would my poetry speak?
Sol 6.1