Sol 6

  1. Do not reproach him; a lover cannot be blamed.

    His reason is disordered, and his heart is love-stricken.

  2. She brandished before him a slender, brown branch of her figure;

    The lover never turned away without feeling slain.

  3. She is beautiful; wondrous beauty was fashioned for her.

    How many forms of that beauty, both broad and finely detailed, are hers!

  4. Her throat is marble, and her fragrance is amber;

    Her smile is a jewel, and her saliva is honeyed.

  5. Her glance is coy, and her scent is fragrant;

    Her waist is slender, and her back is shapely.

  6. So slim that the sash about her waist seems to speak;

    So full of limb that the anklets on her legs fall silent.

  7. She is among women reared in luxury, who never

    Suffer hardship; their fathers are proud and noble.

  8. They speak little and falter in reply when

    Questioned, drowsy from sleeping late, shy and languid.

  9. Her presence and radiance bring comfort and guidance;

    Neither fear nor bewilderment reaches her.

  10. She came visiting among the crowded tents of al-Zawrāʾ,

    Among fierce, jealous people; the bond of patience came undone.

  11. A strong, unvanquished tribe when they enter battle,

    And a companion both stirred and drawn.

  12. You have not fulfilled your longing for Lubnā;

    Her promise to you is postponed forever.

  13. So turn away from remembering Lubnā: your remembrance of her

    Across the distance is torment and illness.

  14. Beware of yourself; take warning from what you have vowed.

    Hasten to repent, for repentance is accepted.

  15. Hope for pardon and cross a vast, forbidding wilderness

    Toward the Lord’s pleasure; pardon may be hoped for.

  16. Striving and pilgrimage to the House, crowned

    By the Chosen One’s protection, offer hope of pardon.

  17. So cleave the breast of this night, riding

    A strong, firm-girt horse by which desires may be reached.

  18. Lean-flanked and high-headed, descended from al-Wajīh;

    He has a bright-blazed face and white markings on his legs.

  19. His hooves are broad, his legs are free of hair,

    His flanks are lean, and his tail is a thick cluster.

  20. When he senses something, he pricks his ears, aflame,

    With keen, noble ears held alert.

  21. And if a fierce wind confronts him, there surges within him

    A speed that leaves even lightning behind.

  22. With him you defend the bounds of Islam, equipped

    To face foes so numerous they crowd breadth and length.

  23. Foes blind to every clear sign

    In the Book, beguiled by falsehoods.

  24. In a battlefield where deadly death has pitched

    Its pavilion, a terrible fate falls upon them.

  25. A battle where the polished sword flashes above

    The enemies’ heads while clouds of dust cast shade.

  26. It pours the cup of death upon their ranks,

    And every one of them drinks deep of death.

  27. Among them, lame and ravenous beasts linger,

    While above them broad-winged birds circle.

  28. Vultures step over their remains, seeming to smile,

    While the master’s face shines with joy.

  29. When you have finished a campaign, begin a new undertaking

    For the pilgrimage, which completes the duties of Islam.

  30. Continue your night journey, son of al-Andalus;

    The dark horse is held by its ropes.

  31. A dazzling white vessel beats against the wind,

    Crowned by darkening clouds.

  32. Above its green surface rises a towering mass,

    High afloat and borne along by the crosswind.

  33. In the dark depths of the sea it seems

    A swift serpent cutting through the water’s skin.

  34. The waves keep lifting and lowering it

    Until a lamp appears from the harbor’s beacon.

  35. The people proclaim God’s greatness in reverence;

    Sleeplessness rims every eye.

  36. They meet the desert after the sea and set out

    On paths that lead to God’s sacred precinct.

  37. They ride choice camels, followed by spare mounts;

    Goodness is bound securely to their necks.

  38. In a procession so vast that the open land seems to move,

    Its lonely stretches now filled with people.

  39. A clamorous host drives the wild creatures away,

    Until even the ghoul is startled in its desert.

  40. Joy drives them toward the Hijaz, and they

    Sway with delight upon their saddles.

  41. Their hair is disheveled, their lips are dry,

    Their eyes are sunken; they are hungry and gaunt.

  42. Then, when a light from the House of God appears to them,

    They dismount upon the dusty ground.

  43. They press their faces, long marked by hardship, into the dust,

    Until the surface of the earth seems wet.

  44. They gather around their Lord’s Kaaba, their standing

    Raised by it, circling and kissing it.

  45. At Safa their time is pure through their striving,

    And at Mina their wishes are granted.

  46. At Arafat they stand in recognition,

    Calling to God with magnification and praise.

  47. When we had completed our rites at the radiant sanctuary,

    We rose, each of us wrapped in the fire of longing.

  48. We hastened to the hardy camels whose bodies were worn

    And whom repeated shoeing had exhausted.

  49. Toward the Messenger we urge every tireless camel;

    Indeed, toward him messengers are sent.

  50. For him pure verses were revealed,

    And in him the Torah and Gospel were foretold.

  51. Every enduring praise was inscribed for his exalted rank,

    Recited and chanted in remembrance.

  52. Every quarter was scented by his fragrance,

    As though musk had dissolved throughout the regions.

  53. A secret from the higher world was placed within him,

    In a body formed of earthly substance.

  54. A light appeared to our eyes as a human being,

    Whose very name evokes an image above the angels.

  55. He ascended, with Gabriel as his companion,

    To a station beyond which Gabriel remained.

  56. The One who revealed the scriptures revealed to him;

    His heart, receptive, is occupied with God’s secret.

  57. He recites a book brought from the Merciful,

    Pure in its outward meaning and interpretation.

  58. It follows the Arabs’ manner of speech yet defeats them;

    It remains through time, untouched by change.

  59. Its eloquence leaves the eloquent speechless;

    They cannot speak, and falsehoods fall before its guidance.

  60. When they doubted, they were challenged to produce

    A sura like it, but speech failed them.

  61. They took refuge in slender spears and sharp blades

    On the day of battle, and punishment overtook them.

  62. One, bound, lies fallen in the low ground;

    Another, bound, is shackled with leather thongs.

  63. He kept tearing through their coats of mail like a sharp sword,

    Until their own blade turned back, blunted.

  64. The hard spear shafts broke as they struck

    Straight at the enemies’ throats, and the lances failed.

  65. Whoever is not set right by the Quran will find

    Correction from spears and bright, cutting swords.

  66. How many miracles besides the Quran came through him,

    Supported by transmitted report and reason.

  67. We attest the moon’s splitting for the Messenger,

    As the sea’s parting is related for Moses.

  68. Fresh water sprang from his fingers,

    Gushing like a spring; what are rainstorms or the Nile beside it?

  69. It quenched an army of about seven hundred

    Riders, with water both drunk and carried away.

  70. A man came holding an eye in his palm,

    Bringing his complaint and his ailment.

  71. It became the better of his two eyes, unsurprisingly:

    Fingers endowed with blessing had touched it.

  72. A tree trunk yearned for him when he left it,

    With the longing of a bereaved mother.

  73. He fed multitudes from scant food, yet

    It did not diminish despite their great number.

  74. In Abu Hurayra’s pouch were many wonders:

    How often food was taken from it, eaten, and shared.

  75. And in the account of drinking Zamzam to the full,

    A frail body found nourishment from it.

  76. A spider spun at the cave’s entrance

    Until its web seemed a hanging cloak.

  77. And cooing doves nested along its edge,

    As if weeping, though no tears fell on their cheeks.

  78. These are only some of the Messenger’s many miracles,

    Sustained and established by God.

  79. They grew as numerous as the stars, so that

    Neither books nor words can count them.

  80. The earlier messengers’ miracles passed when they died,

    And the people of their age were left confounded by them.

  81. But the Messenger of God’s miracles remain,

    Preserved through time without alteration.

  82. God undertook to preserve this Reminder;

    How could what God protects be lost?

  83. These are glories no kings can attain:

    Kingship ends, while revelation continues.

Sol 6