حاديَO singing driver الركبِof the caravan سرgo on وحثّand urge المطيّهْthe mounts
حاديَ الركبِ سر وحثّ المطيّهْ
لديارto the abodes العطاof bounty بديرin Dayr العطيّهْal-Atiyya
لديار العطا بدير العطيّهْ
O caravan-driver, go on and urge the mounts,
The guide of the caravan hastened in secrecy and urged on his mount
to the abodes of bounty in Dayr al-Atiyya.
Towards the land of generosity, to the monastery of the generous one
فبتلكfor in those الربوعgrounds تلقىyou find ربيعspringtime الthe (article for the next line)
فبتلك الربوع تلقى ربيع ال
أنسfellowship فاحتgave off fragrance أزهارُهاtheir blossoms العبهريّهnarcissus-like
أنس فاحت أزهارُها العبهريّه
For in those grounds you will find the springtime of
In those meadows you find the spring of intimacy whose fragrant flowers have bloomed
fellowship; their narcissus blossoms have spread their fragrance.
A paradise adorned in its pasture with fruits of splendor like pearls
جنّةٌa paradise قدhas تزخرفتadorned itself فيin رباهاits uplands
جنّةٌ قد تزخرفت في رباها
بثمارٍwith fruits منof البهاءsplendor جنيّهripe for picking
بثمارٍ من البهاء جنيّه
A paradise has adorned itself upon its uplands
Waters flow beneath it as if extending a cordial welcome to newcomers
with ripe fruits of splendor.
And the maidens of the waters dance when the breeze stirs up passion in them
تجريflow منfrom تحتهاbeneath it المياهthe waters بأنهاin rivers (first part of the word)
تجري من تحتها المياه بأنها
رcompletion of 'rivers' التهانيof rejoicing للواردينfor those coming to drink مريّهrefreshing
ر التهاني للواردين مريّه
Waters flow beneath it in rivers
The branches of the gardens sway distractedly where enchanting breezes sang
of rejoicing, refreshing to those who come to drink.
How excellent, how excellent the meanings of songs are for welcoming the intimate places
وجواريand the flowing streams المياهof water ترقصdance لمّاwhen
وجواري المياه ترقص لمّا
شبّبpipes الريحthe wind يشجيstirs sorrow منهاamong them الشجيّهthe sorrowful one
شبّب الريح يشجي منها الشجيّه
And the streams of water dance when
And through it the full moons shine with a radiance of beautiful light
the wind pipes, stirring the sorrowful among them.
What wonderful dwellings in which a perfect full moon rose with a brilliant ascension
وغصونand the branches الرياضof the gardens تهتزّsway تيهاًin pride
وغصون الرياض تهتزّ تيهاً
حيثwhere غنّتsang نسائمٌbreezes سحريّهof the predawn
حيث غنّت نسائمٌ سحريّه
And the garden branches sway in pride,
Its refined venerable elder from whom gleaming signs of brightness emerged
where breezes of the predawn have sung.
A sea of generosity in a land of righteousness appeared and astonished this matter
حبّذاhow lovely حبّذاhow lovely معانيthe meanings الأغانيof the songs
حبّذا حبّذا معاني الأغاني
لتهانيin celebration of المعالمthe landmarks الأنسيّهof fellowship
لتهاني المعالم الأنسيّه
How lovely, how lovely, the meanings of songs
With a nature like a garden in bloom when rained upon by hands of generosity
celebrating the haunts of fellowship!
And hands whose touch revives you and even brings forth the growth of faithful gifts
وبهاand within them للبهاfor splendor لوامعgleams نورٍof light
وبها للبها لوامع نورٍ
بضياءٍwith radiance منof الجمالbeauty بهيّهsplendid
بضياءٍ من الجمال بهيّه
And within them, splendor has gleams of light,
A refuge for the destitute which has been sweetened with roses
radiant with the brightness of beauty.
And we have quenched our thirst at the noble spring
ياoh لهاfor them منof منازلdwellings لاحappeared فيهاwithin them
يا لها من منازل لاح فيها
بدرُa full moon تمٍّfullness بطلعةwith a countenance أنوريّهradiant
بدرُ تمٍّ بطلعة أنوريّه
What dwellings, where there has appeared
His palms copied in the world the verse of generosity from a Hatim-like hand
a full moon with a radiant countenance!
High ambitions that rose to the summit of glory, transcending and towering
شيخهاtheir sheikh الكاملperfected المهذّبrefined فيهاwithin them
شيخها الكامل المهذّب فيها
منهfrom him لاحتshone forth لوامعٌgleams ألمعيّهbrilliant
منه لاحت لوامعٌ ألمعيّه
Their perfected, refined sheikh is there;
They brought me delight with a palace at a lofty riverbank with an Asafi-like resolve
from him have shone gleams of brilliance.
A perfect full moon shone in a night of anxiety dispelling the darkness of gloomy sorrows
بحرa sea جودٍof generosity فيin برِّa land برٍّof kindness تراهyou see him
بحر جودٍ في برِّ برٍّ تراه
قدhas تبدّىappeared فاعجبso marvel لهذيat this القضيّهmatter
قد تبدّى فاعجب لهذي القضيّه
A sea of bounty in a land of kindness—you see him
O sea! We came to you thirsty to gather the pearl jewels
made manifest; marvel, then, at this wonder.
From which we string necklaces in you, adorning the neck of the generous among mankind
ذوpossessing طباعٍa nature كالروضlike a garden أزهرblossomed لمّاwhen
ذو طباعٍ كالروض أزهر لمّا
أمطرتهrained upon it سحبclouds الأياديof hands النديّهgenerous
أمطرته سحب الأيادي النديّه
His nature is like a garden that blossomed when
Remain for people a sea of righteousness for pilgrims in a protected plain
clouds of generous hands rained upon it.
The ardour of lovers does not wane when the guide hastens and urges his mount
وأيادٍand hands بلمسهاat their touch لكupon you تندىgrow dewy
وأيادٍ بلمسها لك تندى
بلnay وتبديand bring forth نبتthe shoots العطاياof gifts الوفيّهabundant
بل وتبدي نبت العطايا الوفيّه
And hands that grow dewy as they touch you—
nay, they bring forth shoots of abundant gifts.
منهلٌa watering-place للعفاةfor supplicants قدhas طابbecome sweet ورداًto drink from
منهلٌ للعفاة قد طاب ورداً
ورويناand we drank our fill لدىamong الأكارمthe noble ريّهa full draught
وروينا لدى الأكارم ريّه
A watering-place for supplicants, sweet to drink from;
and among the noble, we have drunk our fill.
نسختsuperseded فيamong الورىmankind أكفّthe palms نداهof his bounty
نسخت في الورى أكفّ نداه
آيةthe verse الجودof generosity منfrom يدٍa hand حاتميّهHatim-like
آية الجود من يدٍ حاتميّه
Among mankind, the palms of his bounty have superseded
the verse of generosity from a Hatim-like hand.
هممaspirations قدhave علتrisen بأوجto the summit المعاليof eminence
همم قد علت بأوج المعالي
للعواليbeyond the lofty spears تفوقsurpass والمشرفيّهand Mashrafi swords
للعوالي تفوق والمشرفيّه
Aspirations have risen to the summit of eminence,
surpassing lofty spears and Mashrafi swords.
أحضرتbrought ليto me بلقيسَBilqis أنسٍof fellowship بصرحٍin a palace
أحضرت لي بلقيسَ أنسٍ بصرحٍ
منof مراقيascending tiers بهمّةٍwith resolve آصفيّهAsaf-like
من مراقي بهمّةٍ آصفيّه
They brought me a Bilqis of fellowship in a palace
of ascending tiers, with Asaf-like resolve.
بدرa full moon تمٍّfullness قدhas لاحappeared فيin ليلa night همٍّof sorrow
بدر تمٍّ قد لاح في ليل همٍّ
كاشفاًdispelling ظلمةَthe darkness الهمومof cares الدجيّهpitch-dark
كاشفاً ظلمةَ الهموم الدجيّه
A full moon has appeared in a night of sorrow,
dispelling the pitch-dark gloom of cares.
أيّهاO البحرsea قدhave وردناwe come to drink ظماءًthirsty
أيّها البحر قد وردنا ظماءً
لالتقاطto gather الجواهرthe jewels اللؤلؤيّهpearly
لالتقاط الجواهر اللؤلؤيّه
O sea, we have come to drink, thirsty,
to gather pearly jewels.
حيثwhere منهاfrom them العقودthe necklaces فيكabout you نظمناwe have strung
حيث منها العقود فيك نظمنا
حليَadornments جيدِthe neck الأجوادof the generous بينamong البريّهhumankind
حليَ جيدِ الأجواد بين البريّه
There, from them, we have strung necklaces in your praise,
ornaments for the necks of the generous among humankind.
دمتmay you remain فيon land البرّfor humankind للورىa sea بحرof kindness برٍّline_42
دمت في البرّ للورى بحر برٍّ
لوفودٍfor delegations فيin ساحةٍa courtyard محميّهprotected
لوفودٍ في ساحةٍ محميّه
May you remain, on land, a sea of kindness for humankind,
for delegations in a protected courtyard,
ماas long as شداsang الصبّthe lovelorn عندat the time ماwhen شدّhe fastened رحلاًa saddle
ما شدا الصبّ عند ما شدّ رحلاً
حاديO singing driver الركبof the caravan سرgo on وحثّand urge المطيّهthe mounts
حادي الركب سر وحثّ المطيّه
as long as the lovelorn sings when he fastens his saddle:
O caravan-driver, go on and urge the mounts.
Partial English translation: 24 of 44 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1