فِدَىa ransom for الجلابيبِthe cloaks والأطمارِand the ragged garments منof وَبَرِcamel hair
فِدَى الجلابيبِ والأطمارِ من وَبَرِ
ماwhat تَصنعُmake الفُرْسthe Persians منof وَشيٍbrocade ومنand of حِبَرِstriped cloth
ما تَصنعُ الفُرْس من وَشيٍ ومن حِبَرِ
For cloaks and ragged garments of camel hair, a ransom:
Ransomed are the robes and cloaks made of fur,
all the brocade and striped cloth the Persians make.
Of no use are the horse’s adornment and decor.
يَزينُadorns فيamong العَرَبِthe Arabs الأثوابَthe clothes لابسُهاtheir wearer
يَزينُ في العَرَبِ الأثوابَ لابسُها
إنْif زانتِadorn اللاَّبسَthe wearer الأثوابُthe clothes فيamong الحَضَرِtownsfolk
إنْ زانتِ اللاَّبسَ الأثوابُ في الحَضَرِ
Among the Arabs, the wearer adorns the clothes,
In Arabs the clothes beautify the wearer,
though among townsfolk the clothes adorn the wearer.
If clothes beautify, it is in settled abode.
ألَذُّsweeter منthan نَغمِthe music of الأوتارِthe strings فيin غُرَفٍchambers
ألَذُّ من نَغمِ الأوتارِ في غُرَفٍ
بيتٌa verse منof الشِّعْرpoetry فيin بيتٍa tent منof الشَّعرِanimal hair
بيتٌ من الشِّعْر في بيتٍ من الشَّعرِ
Sweeter than the music of strings in chambers
Sweeter than the melody of strings in a bower,
is a verse of poetry in a haircloth tent.
Is a verse of poetry in a book of poetry.
وفوقَand surpassing نَشْرِthe wafting of دُخَانِthe smoke of العُودaloeswood رائحةًin fragrance
وفوقَ نَشْرِ دُخَانِ العُود رائحةً
دُخانُthe smoke of نارthe fire of القِرَىhospitality تُسقَىis watered with دَمَthe blood of الجُزُرِslaughtered camels
دُخانُ نار القِرَى تُسقَى دَمَ الجُزُرِ
And finer in fragrance than wafting aloeswood smoke
Above the scent of burning aloes-wood
is smoke from hospitality's fire, watered with slaughtered camels' blood.
Is the smoke’s scent from villages watered with blood of victims.
إذاif أردتَyou desire الظِبَاthe gazelles اللآليthe pearls عهدتَyou have known لهاfor them
إذا أردتَ الظِبَا اللآلي عهدتَ لها
نوافجَpouches of المسكِmusk فاطلُبْهاso seek them منfrom القِفَرِthe wilderness
نوافجَ المسكِ فاطلُبْها من القِفَرِ
If you seek the pearl-like gazelles you have known to bear
If you want the roe-deer of pure breed, entrust
musk-pouches, seek them in the wilderness.
To it the musk-pods, and seek it in the desert.
هناكthere منamong ظَبَياتfemale gazelles of الوَحشِthe wild ماthose whose شَغَلتْcaptivated
هناك من ظَبَيات الوَحشِ ما شَغَلتْ
فؤَادَهُits heart ظَبَياتُfemale gazelles of الأنسِcompanionship والخَفَرِand modesty
فؤَادَهُ ظَبَياتُ الأنسِ والخَفَرِ
There, among wild gazelles, are those enthralled
Among the wild beasts are those which have distracted
at heart by gazelles of companionship and modesty.
His heart from the roe-deer of humanity and civilization.
منof كلِّevery خَزْراءِnarrow-eyed woman عينٍeye لاnot تُخَازِرُهاyou exchange sidelong glances with her
من كلِّ خَزْراءِ عينٍ لا تُخَازِرُها
كحلاءَdark-eyed ليسَthere is not بهاin her للكُحلِof kohl منany أثَرِtrace
كحلاءَ ليسَ بها للكُحلِ من أثَرِ
Each a narrow-eyed beauty with whom you trade no sidelong glances,
The black-eyed gazelle with no coquetry,
dark-eyed, without a trace of kohl.
Without kohl in whose eyes kohl has no effect.
إنَّindeed المليحةَthe beautiful woman مَنshe who كانتwere محاسنُهاher charms
إنَّ المليحةَ مَن كانت محاسنُها
منfrom صَنعْةِthe handiwork of اللهِGod لاnot منfrom صَنعْةِthe handiwork of البَشَرِhumankind
من صَنعْةِ اللهِ لا من صَنعْةِ البَشَرِ
The beautiful woman is she whose charms
Beautiful is she whose charms are
are God's handiwork, not the handiwork of humankind.
From God’s workmanship, not man’s artifice.
ماwhatever أنسَI forget لاnot أنْسَI forget يوماًa day دُمتُI have continued أذكُرُهُI remember it
ما أنسَ لا أنْسَ يوماً دُمتُ أذكُرُهُ
وَوَقْفةًand a halt عنto يَمينthe right of الحَيِّthe tribal encampment منof مُضَرِMudar
وَوَقْفةً عن يَمين الحَيِّ من مُضَرِ
Whatever I forget, I shall not forget a day I have kept recalling,
Of my friends I remember not one,
and a halt to the right of Mudar's encampment.
Nor a halt to the right of the tribe of Mudar.
بِتْناwe spent the night علىon الرَمْلةِthe sandy ground الوَعْساءِsoft and loose نَحسَبُهاwe thought it
بِتْنا على الرَمْلةِ الوَعْساءِ نَحسَبُها
بحراًa sea تمَوَّجَsurged بالأنعامِwith livestock والنَّفَرِand people
بحراً تمَوَّجَ بالأنعامِ والنَّفَرِ
We spent the night on the soft sandy plain, thinking it
We halted on the soft sands thinking them
a sea surging with livestock and people.
A sea surging with cattle and men.
تَقضِيspend النَّهارَthe day بسُمْرwith brown spears of الخَطِّal-Khatt فِتْيَتُهُمtheir young men
تَقضِي النَّهارَ بسُمْر الخَطِّ فِتْيَتُهُم
علىon السُرُوجِthe saddles وتَقضيِand spend اللّيلَthe night بالسَمَرِin nighttime conversation
على السُرُوجِ وتَقضيِ اللّيلَ بالسَمَرِ
Their young men spend the day with the brown spears of al-Khatt,
The youths spend the day vying in shooting
in the saddle, and spend the night in conversation.
From horseback, and the night reveling.
يبيتُspends the night يَرْويrecites عنfrom الكنِديِّal-Kindi راويةٌa poetry reciter
يبيتُ يَرْوي عن الكنِديِّ راويةٌ
لناto us ونَرْويand we recite لهُto him عنfrom شيخِناour master العُمَريal-Umari
لنا ونَرْوي لهُ عن شيخِنا العُمَري
A reciter spends the night reciting from al-Kindi
One of us recites from al-Kundi a tale,
to us, and we recite to him from our master al-Umari.
And we relate to him one from our Shaikh al-Umari.
ياO أيُّهاyou المَلأُassembled company استَمْلُواrequest dictation of قَصائِدَهُhis poems
يا أيُّها المَلأُ استَمْلُوا قَصائِدَهُ
وكُنْand be منَagainst السُّكرِintoxication ياO صاحيsober one علىon حَذَرِguard
وكُنْ منَ السُّكرِ يا صاحي على حَذَرِ
O company, have his poems dictated to you,
O people, learn his transcendent poems well,
and beware of intoxication, O sober one.
And beware, O sober one, of the perils of intoxication,
فيهاin them شِفاءٌhealing وأُنسٌand solace يستعينُseeks help بهِthrough it
فيها شِفاءٌ وأُنسٌ يستعينُ بهِ
مَنwhoever كانَis منكمamong you مرِيضاًill أوor علىon سَفَرِa journey
مَن كانَ منكم مرِيضاً أو على سَفَرِ
In them are healing and solace, a source of help
For in them is healing and companionship, he who is
for any of you who is ill or on a journey.
Among you sick or travelling can profit from them.
راحٌwine ورَوْحٌand relief ورَيحانٌand sweet basil ورائحةٌand a fragrance
راحٌ ورَوْحٌ ورَيحانٌ ورائحةٌ
راحتwafted بريحwith the scent of الصَّافيthe clear wine راحةrepose السَحرِthe predawn hours
راحت بريح الصَّافي راحة السَحرِ
Wine, relief, sweet basil, and a fragrance
Ease, comfort, joyance, and fragrant zephyr
that wafted with clear wine's scent, a repose before dawn.
Blowing with the morning breeze of daybreak.
يَستَوقِفُhalts الرَكْبَthe caravan عنfrom ماءٍwater علىwhile in ظمَأٍthirst
يَستَوقِفُ الرَكْبَ عن ماءٍ على ظمَأٍ
إنشادُهاtheir recitation فيخُيِلُand so conjures الوِرْدَarrival at water فيin الصَدَرِdeparture from water
إنشادُها فيخُيِلُ الوِرْدَ في الصَدَرِ
The thirsty caravan is held back from water
It stops the riding-camels from seeking water, thirsting,
by their recitation, which makes departure seem like arrival at water.
Its chanting makes rose-blossoms seem in the breasts.
قُطبُthe pole of العِراقِIraq الذيwho فيin الشَّامthe Levant شُهرتُهُhis fame
قُطبُ العِراقِ الذي في الشَّام شُهرتُهُ
إلىto الحِجازِthe Hijaz فأرضِthen the land of الفُرْسِthe Persians والخَزَرِand the Khazars
إلى الحِجازِ فأرضِ الفُرْسِ والخَزَرِ
Iraq's lodestar, whose fame extends through the Levant
The pole of Iraq whose fame in Syria
to the Hijaz, then to the lands of the Persians and Khazars.
Reached the Hijaz, and the lands of Persia and Khazar,
إنif كانَis يَبعُدُlies far وَجهُthe face of الأرضِthe earth عنfrom قمرٍa moon
إن كانَ يَبعُدُ وَجهُ الأرضِ عن قمرٍ
فليسَthen no تَبعُدُlies far أرضٌland عنfrom سَنَىthe radiance of القمرِthe moon
فليسَ تَبعُدُ أرضٌ عن سَنَى القمرِ
If the face of the earth lies far from a moon,
If the face of the earth is far from a moon,
no land lies far from the moon's radiance.
No land is far from the largesse of the moon.
دَلَّتbore witness علىto فضلِهِhis excellence السَّاميlofty رسائلُهُhis letters
دَلَّت على فضلِهِ السَّامي رسائلُهُ
لَمَّاwhen أتتthey arrived فعَرفْناand so we recognized العُودَthe tree بالثَمَرِby the fruit
لَمَّا أتت فعَرفْنا العُودَ بالثَمَرِ
His letters bore witness to his lofty excellence
His lofty epistles showed his merit,
when they arrived, and we knew the tree by its fruit.
When they came, and we knew the tree by its fruit.
رَضيتُI was content منهُfrom him علىdespite بُعدِthe distance of الدِّيارِthe homes بهاwith them
رَضيتُ منهُ على بُعدِ الدِّيارِ بها
والجُهْدُand hardship يُرضِيكَmakes you content بَعدَafter العينِthe actual presence بالأثَرِwith the trace
والجُهْدُ يُرضِيكَ بَعدَ العينِ بالأثَرِ
I was content with his letters, despite our distant homes,
I was satisfied with him from afar in his absence,
and hardship makes you content with a trace in place of presence.
And effort makes the distant near through report.
ياAh طالماhow often زارَنيvisited me طَيفٌa dream-phantom تَعاهَدنيkept visiting me
يا طالما زارَني طَيفٌ تَعاهَدني
فيin النَّومِsleep حَتَّىuntil لقدindeed ألقاهُI meet him فيin السَّهَرِwakefulness
في النَّومِ حَتَّى لقد ألقاهُ في السَّهَرِ
Ah, how often a phantom has visited me, returning
Often a phantom visited me and frequented me
in sleep, until I even meet him while awake.
In sleep, until he cast me into wakefulness.
تَبيتُspends the night فيin جَنَّةٍa paradise منfrom طِيبِthe delight of رُؤيتهِseeing him
تَبيتُ في جَنَّةٍ من طِيبِ رُؤيتهِ
عينيmy eye وقلبيand my heart مِنَfrom الأشواقِlongings فيin سَقَرِSaqar (Hell)
عيني وقلبي مِنَ الأشواقِ في سَقَرِ
All night, in a paradise of delight at seeing him, dwells
I spend the night in a garden of the delights of seeing him
my eye, while my heart, from longing, is in Saqar.
While my eye and heart burn in hellfire of passions.
دُونَbefore الأحِبَّةِthe loved ones أجبالٌmountains وأودِيةٌand valleys
دُونَ الأحِبَّةِ أجبالٌ وأودِيةٌ
ومِثلُand the like of ذلكَthat عِنديfor me دُونَbefore مُصطَبريmy patience
ومِثلُ ذلكَ عِندي دُونَ مُصطَبري
Between me and my loved ones lie mountains and valleys,
Between me and my loved ones are mountains and valleys,
and their like, for me, stands between me and patience.
And the like of that to me are my Murstibari friends.
تَخُونُنيbetrays me الرِّيحُthe wind فيin حَمْلِcarrying السَّلامِgreetings لهمto them
تَخُونُني الرِّيحُ في حَمْلِ السَّلامِ لهم
منّيfrom me وتَكتُمُand conceals عنّيfrom me صادقَtrue الخَبَرِthe news
منّي وتَكتُمُ عنّي صادقَ الخَبَرِ
The wind betrays me in carrying greetings to them
The wind betrays me in conveying my greetings,
from me, and hides true news from me.
And conceals from me the truthful news.
أستودعُI entrust اللهَGod رُوحاًa soul فيin الهَوَىlove رَضِيَتhas accepted
أستودعُ اللهَ رُوحاً في الهَوَى رَضِيَت
دُونَexcept for النَّوَىseparation بِقضاءِwith the decree of اللهِGod والقَدَرِand destiny
دُونَ النَّوَى بِقضاءِ اللهِ والقَدَرِ
I entrust to God a soul that, in love, has accepted
I commend to God a spirit sincere in love,
God's decree and destiny—except for separation.
Beyond attainment, by God's ordainment and decree.
يَشُوقُهاmakes it yearn كُلَّevery يومٍday منfrom أَحِبتهاits loved ones
يَشُوقُها كُلَّ يومٍ من أَحِبتها
سَمْعٌhearing وشَتَّانَand how far apart بينَbetween السمْعِhearing والنَظَرِand seeing
سَمْعٌ وشَتَّانَ بينَ السمْعِ والنَظَرِ
Each day it is stirred to longing for its loved ones
Each day from those I love my hearing longs,
by hearing of them—and how far apart are hearing and seeing!
Hearing is one thing, seeing another.
وَيلاهُalas! منfor زَمَنٍa time دارتْhave turned دَوائِرُهُits calamities
وَيلاهُ من زَمَنٍ دارتْ دَوائِرُهُ
فماso not نَبِيتُwe spend the night بهِin it إلاّexcept علىin خَطَرِdanger
فما نَبِيتُ بهِ إلاّ على خَطَرِ
Alas for a time whose calamities have come round!
Woe to him, from a time whose circuits
So we pass no night in it except in peril.
Bring me nightly only peril and alarm.
يَخلُوis devoid منَof الصَّفْوِclarity دَهراًfor an age فيin تَكَدُّرِهِits murkiness
يَخلُو منَ الصَّفْوِ دَهراً في تَكَدُّرِهِ
فإنْand if صَفاit clears ساعةًfor an hour لمnot يَخْلُis free منof كَدَرِcloudiness
فإنْ صَفا ساعةً لم يَخْلُ من كَدَرِ
For ages, in its murkiness, it is devoid of clarity;
An age devoid of probity in its turbidness,
and if it clears for an hour, it is not free of cloudiness.
And if clear an hour, not devoid of cloudiness.
لاnot يَستقِيمُstays true علىto عَهدٍa covenant لِذيfor one with ثِقَةٍtrust
لا يَستقِيمُ على عَهدٍ لِذي ثِقَةٍ
ولاnor يُقيمُremains علىin وَصلٍunion لِذيfor one with وَطَرِdesire
ولا يُقيمُ على وَصلٍ لِذي وَطَرِ
It stays true to no covenant for one who trusts,
He will not stand by a pledge to one he trusts,
nor preserves union for one who longs.
Nor stand firm in a tie to one connected to him.
إذاwhen اجتمعْناwe meet فإنَّthen indeed البينَseparation غايتُناour end
إذا اجتمعْنا فإنَّ البينَ غايتُنا
كالقَوسِlike the bow تَجمَعُbrings together بينَbetween السَّهْمِthe arrow والوَتَرِand the bowstring
كالقَوسِ تَجمَعُ بينَ السَّهْمِ والوَتَرِ
When we meet, our end is separation,
When we meet, separation is our lot,
like the bow that brings arrow and bowstring together.
Like the bow bringing together arrow and string.
Sol 6.1