لَوif كانَhe were يوفيto keep faith فيin الهَوىlove بِوعودهِwith his promises
لَو كانَ يوفي في الهَوى بِوعودهِ
ماnot عذَّبtormented المضنىthe wasted lover بِنارwith the fire of وَعيدهِhis threats
ما عذَّب المضنى بِنار وَعيدهِ
Had he kept his promises in love,
he would not have tormented the wasted lover with the fire of his threats.
أَوor كانَhe were يَعرفto recognize حَقّthe rights of أَربابthe people of الهَوىlove
أَو كانَ يَعرف حَقّ أَرباب الهَوى
مِنهُupon him لَقامhe would have attended عَلىto حِفاظsafeguarding عُهودِهِhis pledges
مِنهُ لَقام عَلى حِفاظ عُهودِهِ
Or had he recognized the rights of lovers
upon him, he would have safeguarded his pledges.
أَوor كانَhe were لاnot يُصغيto listen لِقَولto the words of عذولهhis reprover
أَو كانَ لا يُصغي لِقَول عذوله
ماnot جارacted unjustly قطّever عَلىtoward الشَجيthe sorrowful lover بِصدودهِby his rejection
ما جار قطّ عَلى الشَجي بِصدودهِ
Or had he not listened to his reprover's words,
he would never have wronged the sorrowing lover by his rejection.
أَفديهِI would ransom him مِنof رَشأa young gazelle رَشاقةthe grace of قَدّهhis stature
أَفديهِ مِن رَشأ رَشاقة قَدّه
تنبيكَtells you عَنof بانthe ben-trees of اللِوىal-Liwa وَقُدودهِand their slender forms
تنبيكَ عَن بان اللِوى وَقُدودهِ
I would ransom that fawn, whose graceful figure
speaks to you of al-Liwa's ben-trees and their slender forms.
يَسطوassails عَلىupon بيضthe gleaming الظُباتsword-edges قَوامهhis stature
يَسطو عَلى بيض الظُبات قَوامه
حَيثwhere العَواليthe tall lances السُمرthe dusky ones بَعضsome of جُنودهِhis troops
حَيث العَوالي السُمر بَعض جُنودهِ
His figure overpowers the gleaming sword-edges,
while the dusky lances are but some of his troops.
فَظبىso the blades of لَواحظهhis glances تَقومrise بِنَصرِهِto his aid
فَظبى لَواحظه تَقوم بِنَصرِهِ
وَكَواسرand the drooping الأَجفانeyelids فيin تَأييدهِhis support
وَكَواسر الأَجفان في تَأييدهِ
The blades of his glances rise to his aid,
and his drooping eyelids lend him strength.
شادٍa singer إِذاwhen غَنّىhe sings بِلَحنwith the melody of غِنائِهِhis singing
شادٍ إِذا غَنّى بِلَحن غِنائِهِ
أَغنىdispenses عَنwith النايthe flute الرَخيمthe mellow وَعودهِand his lute
أَغنى عَن الناي الرَخيم وَعودهِ
A singer: when he sings, his song's melody
makes the mellow flute and his lute needless.
مُذsince سيّجhedged in النسرينthe eglantine آسthe myrtle of عذارهِhis cheek-down
مُذ سيّج النسرين آس عذارهِ
نَبتsprouted البنَفسجviolets مِنهُfrom it حَولaround ورودهِhis roses
نَبت البنَفسج مِنهُ حَول ورودهِ
Since the myrtle of his cheek-down hedged the eglantine,
violets have sprouted from it around his roses.
وَالحسنand beauty نقَّطهdotted him بَدرِّwith the pearls of حَيائِهِhis bashfulness
وَالحسن نقَّطه بَدرِّ حَيائِهِ
فَزَهاso he shone عَلىupon ياقوتهhis rubies بِنَضيدهِwith his strung pearls
فَزَها عَلى ياقوته بِنَضيدهِ
Beauty dotted him with the pearls of his bashfulness,
so he shone with his pearls arrayed upon his rubies.
فَتَراهso you see him مِنfrom خَجلbashfulness لِشكوايbecause of my complaint لَهُto him
فَتَراه مِن خَجل لِشكواي لَهُ
وَتَأوّهيand my sighing يَزدادincreases فيin تَوريدهِhis rosiness
وَتَأوّهي يَزداد في تَوريدهِ
So you see him, abashed at my complaint to him
and my sighing, grow ever rosier.
ياO اِبنson of الخَلاعةwantonness لَيسَthere is not ليfor me عُذرan excuse سِوىexcept
يا اِبن الخَلاعة لَيسَ لي عُذر سِوى
خَلعcasting off العذارthe bridle عَلىfor شَقيقthe anemones of خُدودهِhis cheeks
خَلع العذار عَلى شَقيق خُدودهِ
O son of wantonness, I have no excuse save
casting off the bridle for the anemones of his cheeks.
فَالبَدرso the full moon تَحتَbeneath قِناعِهِhis veil مُتَهلّلbeaming
فَالبَدر تَحتَ قِناعِهِ مُتَهلّل
فَوقabove القَضيبthe slender bough عَلىupon النَقاthe sandhill بِبرودهِin his robes
فَوق القَضيب عَلى النَقا بِبرودهِ
The full moon beams beneath his veil,
above a bough upon a sandhill, clad in his robes.
وَالصُبحand dawn تَحتَbeneath اللَيلthe night فَوقَabove جَبينهِhis brow
وَالصُبح تَحتَ اللَيل فَوقَ جَبينهِ
وَالشُهبُand the stars حَولaround عَمودa column مِنof جيدهِhis neck
وَالشُهبُ حَول عَمود مِن جيدهِ
Dawn lies beneath the night above his brow,
and stars encircle the column of his neck.
لِلّهto God! مِنwhat a قَلبٍheart عَلىdespite خَفقانهِits throbbing
لِلّه مِن قَلبٍ عَلى خَفقانهِ
يَصبوyearns لِخافقfor the flutter of قرطهhis earring وَبُنودهِand his banners
يَصبو لِخافق قرطه وَبُنودهِ
By God, what a heart! Despite its throbbing,
it yearns for the flutter of his earring and his banners.
ماnot أَطلَقunleashed الدَمعthe tears الصَبيبthe streaming غَرامهhis passion
ما أَطلَق الدَمع الصَبيب غَرامه
إِلّاexcept لِوَضعto place الصبّthe lover تَحتَunder قُيودهِhis chains
إِلّا لِوَضع الصبّ تَحتَ قُيودهِ
His passion set the streaming tears free
only to put the lover in his chains.
فَكَأَنَّماso it was as though أَجرىhe carried out قَصاصthe punishment of محبّهِhis lover
فَكَأَنَّما أَجرى قَصاص محبّهِ
إِجراءmaking flow مَدمعهhis tears بذوبwith the melting of كبودهِhis livers
إِجراء مَدمعه بذوب كبودهِ
As though he exacted vengeance on his lover,
by making his tears run with his melted liver.
دَنفa lovesick man حَليفa companion of السُهدsleeplessness أَصبَحhas become طرفهhis eye
دَنف حَليف السُهد أَصبَح طرفه
لَمّاwhen تناءىdeparted far away طَيفهhis phantom بِهجودهِwith his slumber
لَمّا تناءى طَيفه بِهجودهِ
A lovesick man whose eye has befriended sleeplessness,
since his beloved's phantom departed with his slumber.
مَنwho ليfor me بِهِwith him وَالدَهرwhile Time يَغدرbetrays بِالمُنىhopes
مَن لي بِهِ وَالدَهر يَغدر بِالمُنى
وَيصدُّand turns away ذاthe possessor of الآمالhopes عَنfrom مَقصودهِhis aim
وَيصدُّ ذا الآمال عَن مَقصودهِ
Who will bring him to me, when Time betrays hopes
and turns the hopeful away from his aim?
فَلأَصبرنَّso I shall surely persevere عَلىin هَواهlove for him وَلَوeven if بِهِthrough it
فَلأَصبرنَّ عَلى هَواه وَلَو بِهِ
صَرفتturned away صُروفthe vicissitudes of الوَجدpassion قَلبَthe heart of عَميدهِhis stricken lover
صَرفت صُروف الوَجد قَلبَ عَميدهِ
Yet I will surely persevere in loving him, even if through it
the turns of passion turn his stricken lover's heart away.
ياO صاحfriend إِنif جزتyou pass through الحمىthe preserve فَاِنشدthen seek بِهِin it
يا صاح إِن جزت الحمى فَاِنشد بِهِ
قَلبيmy heart تَجدهyou will find it مِنamong مَلاعبthe playgrounds of غيدِهِits graceful beauties
قَلبي تَجده مِن مَلاعب غيدِهِ
O friend, if you cross the preserve, seek there
my heart; you will find it a playground for its graceful beauties.
وَسَلand ask الصباthe east wind عَنهُabout it فمنfor from نارthe fire of الأَساsorrow
وَسَل الصبا عَنهُ فمن نار الأَسا
أنّىwherever شَمَمتyou smell بِهاon it رَوائحthe scents of عودهِits aloeswood
أنّى شَمَمت بِها رَوائح عودهِ
Ask the east wind about it: from sorrow's fire comes
its aloeswood's fragrance, wherever you catch it on the breeze.
مَنwho ذاis it يعيَّرنيreproaches me بِسائلfor the flow of عَبرتيmy tear
مَن ذا يعيَّرني بِسائل عَبرتي
أَوor مَنwho يعيرreproaches ناظِريmy eye بِجمودهِfor its dryness
أَو مَن يعير ناظِري بِجمودهِ
Who reproaches me for the flow of my tears,
or who reproaches my eye for its dryness?
قَسماًan oath بِحُبّby love of الغانياتbeautiful women وَماand what بِهِthrough it
قَسماً بِحُبّ الغانيات وَما بِهِ
قاسىendured فُؤادthe heart of الصَبّthe lover فيin تَبديدهِits shattering
قاسى فُؤاد الصَبّ في تَبديدهِ
I swear by love of beautiful women, and by what, through it,
the lover's heart endured in its shattering—
لَولاbut for مَدائحthe praises of أَحمَدٍAhmad لَمnot تُبقِwould have left ليfor me
لَولا مَدائح أَحمَدٍ لَم تُبقِ لي
شَيئاًanything يدthe hand of البرحاءtorment مِنof مَجهودهِits strength
شَيئاً يد البرحاء مِن مَجهودهِ
but for poems praising Ahmad, I would have been left
none of my heart's strength by the hand of torment.
شَهمa noble man لَهhe has شيمvirtues قَلائدthe necklaces of وَصفِهاtheir description
شَهم لَه شيم قَلائد وَصفِها
دررpearls تقلّدهاwears them as a necklace الكَمالPerfection بِجيدهِaround its neck
درر تقلّدها الكَمال بِجيدهِ
A noble man: the necklaces describing his virtues
are pearls that Perfection wears about its neck.
تَسموsoars عَلىabove الجَوزاءal-Jawza رفعةthe loftiness of قَدرِهِhis rank
تَسمو عَلى الجَوزاء رفعة قَدرِهِ
شَرَفاًin honor كَماas يَنحطّsinks قَدرthe rank of حَسودهِhis envier
شَرَفاً كَما يَنحطّ قَدر حَسودهِ
His lofty rank soars above al-Jawza
in honor, even as his envier's rank sinks.
هُوَhe زينةthe adornment of الناديthe assembly وَبَدرand the full moon of سَمائهits sky
هُوَ زينة النادي وَبَدر سَمائه
وَهِلالand the crescent of بَهجتهits joy وَشَمسand the sun of سُعودهِits good fortune
وَهِلال بَهجته وَشَمس سُعودهِ
He is the assembly's adornment, the full moon of its sky,
the crescent of its joy and the sun of its good fortune.
تَفنىvanish هُمومكyour cares فيin مَجالسthe gatherings of أنسهِhis fellowship
تَفنى هُمومك في مَجالس أنسهِ
وَفناءand the vanishing of همّthe care of المرءa person عَينthe very essence of وُجودهِhis existence
وَفناء همّ المرء عَين وُجودهِ
Your cares vanish in the gatherings of his fellowship,
and the vanishing of one's care is one's very life.
فاِشهدso behold شَمائلthe qualities of لُطفهhis gentleness فَكَأَنَّماfor it is as though
فاِشهد شَمائل لُطفه فَكَأَنَّما
أَنفاسbreaths of رَوضa garden فاحَwafted نَشرthe fragrance of وُرودهِits roses
أَنفاس رَوض فاحَ نَشر وُرودهِ
So behold his gentle qualities: they seem
breaths from a garden whose roses spread their perfume.
مَولىًa lord فَسيحspacious رِحابهhis courts فيat بابهِhis door
مَولىً فَسيح رِحابه في بابهِ
نَيلattainment of المُنىwishes فَوقbeyond الرَجاhope لِوفودهِfor his visitors
نَيل المُنى فَوق الرَجا لِوفودهِ
A lord with spacious courts: at his door
his visitors attain their wishes beyond their hopes.
أسدa lion لَهُhe has عَزمresolve شَهامةthe valor of حزمِهِhis firmness
أسد لَهُ عَزم شَهامة حزمِهِ
كفرندlike the watered pattern of صارمهhis keen sword بنصلon the blade of حَديدهِits iron
كفرند صارمه بنصل حَديدهِ
A lion of resolve: the valor of his firmness
is like the watered pattern on his keen sword's iron blade.
حسدتenvied بِحارthe seas/meters of الشعرpoetry أَبحرthe oceans of كَفِّهِhis palm
حسدت بِحار الشعر أَبحر كَفِّهِ
فَاِنشَقّso split apart قَلبthe heart of بَسيطهits Basit meter وَمَديدهِand its Madid meter
فَاِنشَقّ قَلب بَسيطه وَمَديدهِ
The seas of poetry envied the oceans of his palm,
so the heart of its Basit and Madid meters split apart.
فردٌpeerless إِذاwhen عُدَّare counted الكِرامthe noble تَفاضلاًby their excellence
فردٌ إِذا عُدَّ الكِرام تَفاضلاً
فيin المَجدglory مِنهُمamong them كانَhe would be بَيتthe verse of قَصيدهِits ode
في المَجد مِنهُم كانَ بَيت قَصيدهِ
Peerless: when the noble are reckoned by their excellence
in glory, he is among them the finest verse of its ode.
يعزىis ascribed لَهُto him المَجدglory المؤثّلdeep-rooted وَالتقىand piety
يعزى لَهُ المَجد المؤثّل وَالتقى
بِالإرثby inheritance عَنfrom آبائِهِhis fathers وَجُدودهِand his forefathers
بِالإرث عَن آبائِهِ وَجُدودهِ
Deep-rooted glory and piety are ascribed to him,
by inheritance from his fathers and forefathers.
ياO مَنyou who بِخدمتهin his service الزَمانTime يَكادalmost فيin
يا مَن بِخدمته الزَمان يَكاد في
شَرفhonor يَقومstands مَقامin the place of بَعضone of عَبيدهِhis slaves
شَرف يَقوم مَقام بَعض عَبيدهِ
O you, in serving whom Time almost earns the honor
of taking the place of one of your slaves!
أُهديكI offer you مِنfrom غررthe choicest of المَديحpraise فَريدَةًa matchless pearl
أُهديك مِن غرر المَديح فَريدَةً
لعلاكfor your eminence قلّدهاhas adorned it الثَناpraise بِعقودهِwith its necklaces
لعلاك قلّدها الثَنا بِعقودهِ
I offer you a matchless pearl from praise's choicest gems,
for your eminence, which praise has decked with its necklaces.
فاِسلمso be safe وَدمand endure بِسَعادَةٍin happiness أَبَديّةٍeverlasting
فاِسلم وَدم بِسَعادَةٍ أَبَديّةٍ
وَرَفيعand lofty قَدرrank جَلَّexalted عَنbeyond تَحديدهِits delimitation
وَرَفيع قَدر جَلَّ عَن تَحديدهِ
So be safe, and endure in everlasting happiness
and lofty rank too exalted to be bounded,
ماas long as غَرّدتsing ورقُthe gray doves of الحمىthe preserve سحراًbefore dawn وَماand as long as
ما غَرّدت ورقُ الحمى سحراً وَما
حنّتthey yearn لِسجعfor the cooing of الصَبّthe lover فيin تَغريدهِhis singing
حنّت لِسجع الصَبّ في تَغريدهِ
as long as the preserve's gray doves sing before dawn, and as long as
they yearn for the lover's cooing as he sings.
Sol 6.1