لاحَتْshe appeared بوَجهٍwith a face بدِيعِwondrous الأنسِcharm ميمونِauspicious
لاحَتْ بوَجهٍ بدِيعِ الأنسِ ميمونِ
غَيداءُa graceful maiden فيهاin her نِفارٌaversion غيرُnot مأمونِtrustworthy
غَيداءُ فيها نِفارٌ غيرُ مأمونِ
She appeared with a wondrously charming, auspicious face,
Her face shone with beauty and charm,
A graceful maiden whose aversion is not to be trusted.
Radiant, though with a glow not quite harmless.
وقطَّبتْand she knitted عندَwhen زَجرِrebuking الصَبِّthe lovesick one حاجِبَهاher eyebrow
وقطَّبتْ عندَ زَجرِ الصَبِّ حاجِبَها
لأنَّهاbecause she تَعهَدُis familiar with التأكيدَemphasis بالنُّونِwith the letter nūn
لأنَّها تَعهَدُ التأكيدَ بالنُّونِ
And she knitted her brow when rebuking the lovesick one,
She frowned when the youth chided her,
For she is familiar with emphasis by the letter nūn.
For she was wont to affirm with a nod.
حَسناءُa beautiful woman ظالمةُwronging العُشَّاقِlovers ماnot تَرَكتْshe left
حَسناءُ ظالمةُ العُشَّاقِ ما تَرَكتْ
لهمfor them نصيباًa share منَof الدُّنياthis world ولاnor الدِينِreligion
لهم نصيباً منَ الدُّنيا ولا الدِينِ
A beauty who wrongs her lovers, she has not left
A beauty oppressive to lovers, she left
Them any share of this world or of faith.
Them no share of life or religion.
رَشيقةٌslender and graceful كلُّall لينٍsoftness فيin معاطِفِهاher curves
رَشيقةٌ كلُّ لينٍ في معاطِفِها
وليسَand there is not فيin قَلبِهاher heart شيءٌanything منَof اللِّينِsoftness
وليسَ في قَلبِها شيءٌ منَ اللِّينِ
Graceful—all softness lies in the curves of her body,
Graceful, all gentleness in her manners,
Yet there is no softness in her heart.
Yet nothing of softness within her heart.
قولواsay لرَيحانةٍto a sweet basil plant فيin الحَيِّthe quarter قدalready عَبِقَتْhas spread its fragrance
قولوا لرَيحانةٍ في الحَيِّ قد عَبِقَتْ
سَينقضيwill pass away عاجلاًsoon طِيبُthe fragrance of الرَّياحينِsweet basils
سَينقضي عاجلاً طِيبُ الرَّياحينِ
Tell the sweet basil that has perfumed the quarter:
Say to the sweet-scented spices collected,
The fragrance of sweet basils will soon fade.
Soon the fragrance of perfumes will vanish.
قدindeed قَلَّhas become rare فيamong النَّاسِpeople مَنone whose تَصفوis pure مَوَدَّتُهُhis affection
قد قَلَّ في النَّاسِ مَن تَصفو مَوَدَّتُهُ
ماhow أبعدَfar off الصَّفَوclarity بينَbetween الماءِwater والطِيِنِand clay
ما أبعدَ الصَّفَو بينَ الماءِ والطِيِنِ
Few among people are those whose affection is pure;
Among people, few remain pure-hearted;
How far off is clarity where water meets clay!
How far apart are water and clay!
مَنwhoever رامَsought فيin الدَّهرِlife مِيزاناًa scale لصُحبتِهِfor his companionship
مَن رامَ في الدَّهرِ مِيزاناً لصُحبتِهِ
فإنَّthen indeed مِيزانَهُhis scale طَرْحُdiscarding المَوازِينِthe scales
فإنَّ مِيزانَهُ طَرْحُ المَوازِينِ
Whoever seeks in life a scale to weigh his friendships,
Who would measure friends by a balance
His scale is to cast all scales aside.
Will find his scale the inverse of measures.
مَوَدَّةُthe affection of المَرْءِa man فيin الدُّنياthis world لحاجتِهِfor his need
مَوَدَّةُ المَرْءِ في الدُّنيا لحاجتِهِ
لاnot للصَّديقِfor the friend ولوand even if دامَتْit lasted إلىuntil حينِa time
لا للصَّديقِ ولو دامَتْ إلى حينِ
A man's affection in this world is for his own need,
In life, a person's affection is for his needs,
Not for his friend, even if it lasts awhile.
Not for the friend, though it may last a while.
وَيلاهُalas for me! قدindeed ضاعَتِhave been wasted الأيَّامُthe days ذاهبةًpassing away
وَيلاهُ قد ضاعَتِ الأيَّامُ ذاهبةً
فيin غَفلةِheedlessness اللَّهوamusement أطويهاI fold them away وتَطوينيand they fold me away
في غَفلةِ اللَّهو أطويها وتَطويني
Alas for me! The days have been wasted, passing away,
Woe to me! The days slipped away, lost
In heedless amusement, I fold them away, and they fold me away.
In the heedlessness of frivolity, folding me.
إنif فاتَنيeludes me نَهْيُrestraining نفسيmyself ليسَdoes not ينَفعُنيbenefit me
إن فاتَني نَهْيُ نفسي ليسَ ينَفعُني
نَهْيٌadmonition ولوand even if جاءَit came معwith مُوسَىMoses وهارونِand Aaron
نَهْيٌ ولو جاءَ مع مُوسَى وهارونِ
If I fail to restrain myself, I gain no help
If my soul's reproof escapes me, it avails naught,
From admonition, even if it comes with Moses and Aaron.
Though the warners be Moses and Aaron.
مَنْwhoever عاشَرَassociates with النَّاسَpeople لاnot يأمَنْis safe from غَوائلَهمtheir mischief
مَنْ عاشَرَ النَّاسَ لا يأمَنْ غَوائلَهم
كخائضِlike one wading into البحرِthe sea فيin أنواءِthe storms of كانونِKanun
كخائضِ البحرِ في أنواءِ كانونِ
Whoever mingles with people is not safe from their mischief,
Who lives with people is not safe from their wiles,
Like one wading into the sea amid Kanun's storms.
Like one crossing the sea in January's gales.
وطالبُand one seeking الخيرِgood منfrom غيرِother than الكرامِthe generous كَمْنlike one who
وطالبُ الخيرِ من غيرِ الكرامِ كَمْن
يَرومُseeks بَرداًcoolness منfrom الرَّمْضاءِsun-scorched ground فيin الصِينِChina
يَرومُ بَرداً من الرَّمْضاءِ في الصِينِ
And one seeking good from the ungenerous is like one
Who seeks virtue from the ignoble is like one
Who seeks coolness from sun-scorched ground in China.
Hoping for coolness in China's heat.
بينَamong الكرامِthe generous كريمٌa noble man عِندَهُhe has كَرَمٌbounty
بينَ الكرامِ كريمٌ عِندَهُ كَرَمٌ
صافيpure المَوارِدِthe sources عَذْبٌsweet غيرُnot ممنونِcut off
صافي المَوارِدِ عَذْبٌ غيرُ ممنونِ
Among the generous is a noble man whose bounty
Among the noble there is one generous at heart
Is pure at its sources, sweet and unceasing.
Whose stream, pure, is not made turbid.
ذاكَthat is الأمينُal-Amin (the trustworthy) ابنُson of رَسلانَRaslan الأميرُthe emir علىover
ذاكَ الأمينُ ابنُ رَسلانَ الأميرُ على
لُبنانَLebanon تعنوbow لهُto him شُمُّlofty العَرانينِthe noses
لُبنانَ تعنو لهُ شُمُّ العَرانينِ
That is al-Amin, son of Raslan, the emir over
That trusted one, Rislan's son, who rules
Lebanon, before whom the proud, high-nosed bow.
Over Lebanon, whose glory the meadows sing.
الفاعلُthe doer of الخيرَgood لاno نَقصٌflaw يُعابُhe is faulted بهِfor it
الفاعلُ الخيرَ لا نَقصٌ يُعابُ بهِ
والقائلُand the speaker of الحقَّthe truth يُجلَىis made clear بالبَراهينِby proofs
والقائلُ الحقَّ يُجلَى بالبَراهينِ
The doer of good, with no flaw for which he can be blamed,
No fault in the doer of good can be found,
And the speaker of truth, which proofs make plain.
And truth appears clearly by proofs.
تَملاfills المَسامَعَears والأبصارَand eyes طَلعتُهُhis appearance
تَملا المَسامَعَ والأبصارَ طَلعتُهُ
إذاwhen تَصَدَّرَhe takes the foremost seat فيat صَدرِthe head of الدَّواوينِcouncils
إذا تَصَدَّرَ في صَدرِ الدَّواوينِ
His appearance fills ears and eyes,
His ascendance fills eyes and ears
When he takes the foremost seat at the head of councils.
When he takes the foremost place in state records.
مُؤيَّدٌsupported بيمينِby the right hand of اللهِGod مُعتَضِدٌdrawing strength
مُؤيَّدٌ بيمينِ اللهِ مُعتَضِدٌ
تَرعاهُwatches over him عينٌan eye تَولَتْundertook حِفظَthe guarding of ذيthe possessor of النُونِthe fish
تَرعاهُ عينٌ تَولَتْ حِفظَ ذي النُونِ
Supported by God's right hand, he draws strength;
Upheld by God's right hand, supported,
An eye that guarded Dhu al-Nun, the Man of the Fish, watches over him.
Guarded by a watchful eye over the trusted one.
سُعُودُهُhis good fortunes فوقَabove أفلاكِthe spheres of العُلَىthe heights ارتَفعَتْhave risen
سُعُودُهُ فوقَ أفلاكِ العُلَى ارتَفعَتْ
وذِكرُهُand his fame دَقَّknocked أبوابَthe doors of السَّلاطينِsultans
وذِكرُهُ دَقَّ أبوابَ السَّلاطينِ
His good fortunes have risen above the lofty spheres,
His good fortune reached the highest heavens,
And his fame has knocked at the doors of sultans.
And his name knocked on sultans' gates.
شَهْمُvaliant الفُؤادِof heart حَصيفٌjudicious ليسَnot يَشغلُهُdistracts him
شَهْمُ الفُؤادِ حَصيفٌ ليسَ يَشغلُهُ
سَمْعُhearing القَوانينِqanun zithers عنfrom حَفِظِupholding القَوانينِthe laws
سَمْعُ القَوانينِ عن حَفِظِ القَوانينِ
Valiant of heart and judicious, he is not distracted
Courageous his heart, not distracted
From upholding the laws by listening to qanun zithers.
From upholding laws by hearing disputes.
تَكِلُّfalter عنbefore رأيهِhis judgment الآراءُjudgments قاصِرةًfalling short
تَكِلُّ عن رأيهِ الآراءُ قاصِرةً
حتىuntil تَرىyou see كلَّevery فوقٍwhat is above صارhas become كالدُّونِlike what is below
حتى تَرى كلَّ فوقٍ صار كالدُّونِ
Judgments falter before his, falling short,
Opinions fall short before his judgement
Until you see everything above become like what lies below.
Till each above is made as each below.
فيin قلبهِhis heart حِكمةٌwisdom فاضتoverflowed جَداوِلُهاits streams
في قلبهِ حِكمةٌ فاضت جَداوِلُها
حتَّىuntil سَرَتْit coursed معwith دِماهُhis blood فيin الشَّرايينِthe arteries
حتَّى سَرَتْ مع دِماهُ في الشَّرايينِ
In his heart is wisdom whose streams have overflowed,
In his heart is wisdom whose streams overflowed
Until it coursed with his blood through the arteries.
To course through his being in arteries.
يَستَدرِكُreaches الأمدَthe limit الأقصىfarthest بهاthrough it ويَرَىand sees
يَستَدرِكُ الأمدَ الأقصى بها ويَرَى
خَفِيَّhidden سِرٍّa secret بقلبِin the heart of المرْءِa man مكنونِconcealed
خَفِيَّ سِرٍّ بقلبِ المرْءِ مكنونِ
Through it he reaches the farthest limit, and sees
By it he grasps time's furthest end and sees
A hidden secret concealed within a man's heart.
Secrets hidden in the heart of man.
فيin كلِّevery فَنٍّart لهُhe has باعٌa reach يطولُextends far فخُذْso take up
في كلِّ فَنٍّ لهُ باعٌ يطولُ فخُذْ
مَعْهُwith him بماin whatever شِئتَyou wish فيin أيِّany of الأفانينِthe arts
مَعْهُ بما شِئتَ في أيِّ الأفانينِ
In every art his reach is long; so take up
In every art he excels, choose as you please
With him whatever you wish, in any of the arts.
In which to join him of those renowned.
يرنِّحُsets swaying الشِّعرَpoetry عِطْفيهِhis two sides فيطرِبُهُand so delights him
يرنِّحُ الشِّعرَ عِطْفيهِ فيطرِبُهُ
إذbecause كانhe was يعرفُknows منهof it كلَّevery مضمونِmeaning
إذ كان يعرفُ منه كلَّ مضمونِ
Poetry makes him sway from side to side and delights him,
His charm makes poetry tremble and thrill,
For he knew every meaning within it.
For he knows the import of each composition.
طارَتْflew إليهِto him قوافيناour rhymes فقلتُso I said لهاto them
طارَتْ إليهِ قوافينا فقلتُ لها
لاnot يَرتَعُfeeds freely الطَّيرُbirds إلاّexcept فيin البساتينِgardens
لا يَرتَعُ الطَّيرُ إلاّ في البساتينِ
Our rhymes flew to him, so I said to them:
Our rhythms took wing to him, and I said
Birds feed freely only in gardens.
Birds graze only in gardens, not wilds.
والشِّعرُand poetry كالضَّيفِlike a guest يأتيcomes to منwhoever يُكرِّمُهُhonors it
والشِّعرُ كالضَّيفِ يأتي من يُكرِّمُهُ
ولاnor يُباعُis sold لديهِin his presence بَيعَas the sale of مغبونِa cheated seller
ولا يُباعُ لديهِ بَيعَ مغبونِ
And poetry, like a guest, comes to whoever honors it,
Poetry is a guest who honors his host,
Nor is it sold in his presence at a cheated seller's price.
Not sold with him at a loss.
Sol 6.1