شُقَّwas torn open جَيبُthe collar of اللَيلِnight عَنto reveal نَحرِthe throat of الصَباحmorning
شُقَّ جَيبُ اللَيلِ عَن نَحرِ الصَباح
أَيُّهاO الساقونcupbearers
أَيُّها الساقون
Night's collar was torn open, revealing morning's throat,
The night's bosom was ripped open by the dawn's throat,
O cupbearers.
O you who are walking!
وَبَداand appeared لِلطَلِّfor the dew فيon جيدِthe neck of الأَقاحthe daisies
وَبَدا لِلطَلِّ في جيدِ الأَقاح
لُؤلُؤٌpearls مَكنونkept hidden
لُؤلُؤٌ مَكنون
And on the daisies' necks the dew appeared:
And for the rising sun, pearls appeared on the forehead of the horizon,
Pearls kept hidden.
Hidden pearls.
وَدَعاناand summoned us لِلَذيذِto the pleasure of الإِصطِباحmorning wine-drinking
وَدَعانا لِلَذيذِ الإِصطِباح
طائِرٌa bird مَيمونauspicious
طائِرٌ مَيمون
And we were called to delightful morning drinking
And a fortunate bird called us to the pleasures of the morning,
By an auspicious bird.
To dye the resting place with the blood of the pitcher plants,
فَاِخضِبِso stain المِبزَلَthe tap مِنfrom نَحرِthe throat of الدِنانthe wine-jars
فَاِخضِبِ المِبزَلَ مِن نَحرِ الدِنان
بِدَمِwith the blood of الزَرجونthe vine
بِدَمِ الزَرجون
So stain the tap from the throats of wine-jars
The maidens of Paradise receive its blood in bowls,
With the vine's blood.
So serve me that coffee which adorns cups,
تَتَلَقّىreceive دَمَهاits blood حورُthe houris of الجِنانparadise
تَتَلَقّى دَمَها حورُ الجِنان
فيin صِحافٍbowls جونdark
في صِحافٍ جون
The houris of paradise receive its blood
With the brilliance of lights,
In dark bowls.
And kills reason when it brings life to souls,
فَاِسقِنيهاso give it to me to drink قَهوَةًwine تَكسوclothes الكُؤوسthe cups
فَاِسقِنيها قَهوَةً تَكسو الكُؤوس
بِسَناwith the radiance of الأَنوارlights
بِسَنا الأَنوار
So serve it to me—a wine that clothes the cups
The comfort of secrets.
In radiant light,
A daughter of a vine freed by the Magi,
وَتُميتُand kills العَقلَthe mind إِذwhile تُحييrevives النُفوسsouls
وَتُميتُ العَقلَ إِذ تُحيي النُفوس
راحَةُsolace for الأَسرارinnermost secrets
راحَةُ الأَسرار
And kills the mind while reviving souls—
In the houses of fire,
Solace for innermost secrets.
Plato planted her vine between the goblets,
بِنتُdaughter of كَرمٍa vineyard عُتِّقَتwas aged عِندَamong المَجوسthe Magians
بِنتُ كَرمٍ عُتِّقَت عِندَ المَجوس
فيin بُيوتِhouses of النارfire
في بُيوتِ النار
A vineyard's daughter, aged among the Magians
And with the water of the bowl it was moistened,
In houses of fire.
The stored one.
غَرَسَتplanted كَرمَتَهاher vine بَينَamong القِيانthe singing slave-girls
غَرَسَت كَرمَتَها بَينَ القِيان
يَدُthe hand of أَفلاطونPlato
يَدُ أَفلاطون
Her vine was planted among singing girls
She told us about the people of ancient times,
By Plato's hand.
A recurring story,
وَبِماءِand with the water of الصَرحِthe palace قَدindeed كانَwas يُطانplastered with clay
وَبِماءِ الصَرحِ قَد كانَ يُطان
دَنُّهاher wine-jar المَخزونkept in storage
دَنُّها المَخزون
And with the palace's water was clay-plastered
And narrated how the Friend spoke on the day,
Her stored wine-jar.
When the Mount shook,
أَخبَرَتناshe told us عَنabout بَنيthe sons of العَصرِthe age القَديمancient
أَخبَرَتنا عَن بَني العَصرِ القَديم
خَبَراًa tale مَأثورhanded down
خَبَراً مَأثور
She told us of the sons of ancient times
And why the people of sin took the cave,
A tale handed down,
As their mentioned refuge.
وَرَوَتand recounted يَومَthe day of مُناجاةِthe intimate converse of الكَليمGod's interlocutor
وَرَوَت يَومَ مُناجاةِ الكَليم
كَيفَhow دُكَّwas shattered الطورthe Mount
كَيفَ دُكَّ الطور
And recounted, on the day God's interlocutor communed,
And Jonah called at the time of tribulation,
How the Mount was shattered,
With the upright nun,
وَلِماذاand why اِتَّخَذَتtook for themselves أَهلُthe people of الرَقيمal-Raqim
وَلِماذا اِتَّخَذَت أَهلُ الرَقيم
كَهفَهاtheir cave المَذكورremembered
كَهفَها المَذكور
And why the people of al-Raqim chose
And Noah built after the flood,
Their remembered cave,
His laden ship.
وَنَداand cried out يونُسُJonah عِندَduring الإِمتِحانthe trial
وَنَدا يونُسُ عِندَ الإِمتِحان
بِاِلتِقامِthrough the swallowing by النونthe great fish
بِاِلتِقامِ النون
And Jonah cried out during his trial
Since the sun of dawn rose as the full moon,
By the great fish's swallowing him,
In the black nights,
وَبَنىand built نوحُNoah غَداةَon the morning of الطَوَفانthe Flood
وَبَنى نوحُ غَداةَ الطَوَفان
فُلكَهُhis ark المَشحونladen
فُلكَهُ المَشحون
And Noah built, on the morning of the Flood,
And it started dyeing the fringes of darkness,
His laden ark.
With the blood of grapes.
مُذsince جَلاunveiled شَمسَthe sun of الضُحىmidmorning بَدرُthe full moon of التَمامcompleteness
مُذ جَلا شَمسَ الضُحى بَدرُ التَمام
فيin اللَياليthe nights السودblack
في اللَيالي السود
Since the full moon revealed the midmorning sun
I said, O you who bring good news, this is a boy,
In the black nights,
And a rosy-cheeked girl,
وَغَداand began يَصبُغُto dye أَذيالَthe hems of الظَلامdarkness
وَغَدا يَصبُغُ أَذيالَ الظَلام
بِدَمِwith the blood of العُنقودthe grape-cluster
بِدَمِ العُنقود
And began to dye the hems of darkness
They mixed the cup and went on to serve,
With the grape-cluster's blood,
In the sanctuary of Jeron,
قُلتُI said ياO بُشراكُمُglad tidings for you هَذاthis is غُلامa boy
قُلتُ يا بُشراكُمُ هَذا غُلام
وَفَتاةٌand a maiden رودsupple
وَفَتاةٌ رود
I said, "Glad tidings for you! Here is a boy
So we poured in the goblets and cups,
And a supple maiden."
What Qarun possessed.
مَزَجاthey both mixed الكَأسَthe cup وَراحاand they both set about يَسقِيانthey both serve drink
مَزَجا الكَأسَ وَراحا يَسقِيان
فيin حِمىthe precincts of جيرونJayrun
في حِمى جيرون
The two mixed the cup and went about serving wine
The act of wine had an effect from the essence of the vessels,
In Jayrun's precincts.
When the comfort was drunk,
فَبَذَلناso we lavished فيon القَنانيthe bottles وَالقِيانand the singing slave-girls
فَبَذَلنا في القَناني وَالقِيان
ماحَوىall that was possessed by قارونQarun
ماحَوى قارون
So we lavished on bottles and singing girls
So it started covering because of extreme intoxication,
All that Qarun possessed.
Her radiant face.
نالَaffected فِعلُthe effect of الخَمرِwine مِنupon ذاتِthe woman wearing الخِمارthe veil
نالَ فِعلُ الخَمرِ مِن ذاتِ الخِمار
عِندَwhen شُربِdrinking الراحwine
عِندَ شُربِ الراح
The wine's effect overcame the veiled woman
I found her when she did not leave any cover,
As she drank the wine,
Except a brilliant wrap,
فَغَدَتso she began تَستُرُto cover مِنfrom فَرطِthe excess of الخُمارwine-stupor
فَغَدَت تَستُرُ مِن فَرطِ الخُمار
وَجهَهاher face الوَضّاحradiant
وَجهَها الوَضّاح
So, in her deep wine-stupor, she covered
A moon completed for seven and eight,
Her radiant face.
In the plump nights,
خِلتُهاI thought her إِذwhen لَمdid not تَدَعleave بِالإِختِمارin veiling herself
خِلتُها إِذ لَم تَدَع بِالإِختِمار
غَيرَanything but صَلتٍa bare forehead لاحshone
غَيرَ صَلتٍ لاح
I thought her, when in veiling she left
The sun destined it during the time of conjunction,
Only a bare forehead shining,
So it is like the little finger.
قَمَراًa moon تَمَّbecame full لِسَبعٍafter seven وَثَمانand eight
قَمَراً تَمَّ لِسَبعٍ وَثَمان
فيin اللَياليthe nights الجونdark
في اللَيالي الجون
A moon full after seven nights and eight
Did the flutist blow his decorated flute,
Amid the dark nights,
So it became for the dead drunkards,
قَدَّرَتهُset its measure الشَمسُthe sun فيat حالِthe state of القِرانconjunction
قَدَّرَتهُ الشَمسُ في حالِ القِران
فَهوَso it was كَالعُرجونlike a curved palm-stalk
فَهوَ كَالعُرجون
Whose measure the sun had set at conjunction,
Like the blowing of the trumpet?
So it was like a curved palm-stalk.
Or as the land lived after destruction,
أَفعَمَfilled الزامرُthe piper بِالنَفخِwith blowing المُدارrepeated
أَفعَمَ الزامرُ بِالنَفخِ المُدار
نايَهُhis reed flute المَخصورslender-waisted
نايَهُ المَخصور
The piper filled, with repeated blowing,
With the dew of the victorious one,
His slender-waisted reed flute,
A king who refined the morals of time,
فَغَداso it became وَهوَand it لِأَمواتِfor those dead from الخُمارwine-stupor
فَغَدا وَهوَ لِأَمواتِ الخُمار
مِثلَlike نَفخِthe blast of الصورthe Trumpet
مِثلَ نَفخِ الصور
So it became, for those dead from wine-stupor,
His promised justice,
Like the blast of the Trumpet,
And he returned the people in the shade of security,
أَوor كَماas عاشَlived again الوَرىhumankind بَعدَafter البَوارruin
أَو كَما عاشَ الوَرى بَعدَ البَوار
بِنَدىthrough the bounty of المَنصورal-Mansur
بِنَدى المَنصور
Or as humankind revived after ruin
His guaranteed wrath.
Through al-Mansur's bounty.
A king who helped the seekers of dew,
مَلِكٌa king هَذَّبَrefined أَخلاقَthe morals of الزَمانthe age
مَلِكٌ هَذَّبَ أَخلاقَ الزَمان
عَدلُهُhis justice المَسنونestablished
عَدلُهُ المَسنون
A king—the morals of the age were refined
To the utmost help,
By his established justice,
Reconciling if the times of enmity lasted,
وَأَعادَand restored الناسَthe people فيto ظِلِّthe shade of الأَمانsafety
وَأَعادَ الناسَ في ظِلِّ الأَمان
عَضبُهُhis keen sword المَسنونsharpened
عَضبُهُ المَسنون
And the people were restored to safety's shade
And the flirting if he was generous,
By his sharpened sword.
From the sons who climbed the flags of guidance,
مَلِكٌa king أَنجَدَaided طُلّابَseekers of النَدىbounty
مَلِكٌ أَنجَدَ طُلّابَ النَدى
غايَةَthe utmost extent of الإِنجادaid
غايَةَ الإِنجاد
A king who aided seekers of bounty
Noble helpers.
With the utmost aid.
He paved the lands with justice so security,
مُتلِفٌa destroyer of إِنif جالَhe charges آجالَthe lifespans of العِدىenemies
مُتلِفٌ إِن جالَ آجالَ العِدى
وَاللُهىand rich gifts إِنif جادhe gives
وَاللُهى إِن جاد
He consumes his enemies' lives when he charges,
Became guaranteed,
And riches when he gives.
Its wolf and sheep grazing in a place,
مِنfrom بَنيthe sons of أُرتُقَArtuq أَعلامِbeacons of الهُدىguidance
مِن بَني أُرتُقَ أَعلامِ الهُدى
سادَةٍlords أَنجادvaliant
سادَةٍ أَنجاد
Of the sons of Artuq, beacons of guidance,
Its betrayal guaranteed.
Valiant lords.
The spender of wealth before asking,
مَهَّدَpacified الأَرضينَthe lands بِالعَدلِwith justice فَكانso was
مَهَّدَ الأَرضينَ بِالعَدلِ فَكان
أَمنُهاtheir safety مَضمونassured
أَمنُها مَضمون
He pacified the lands with justice, and thus
With generous palms,
Their safety was assured.
Whoever hoped for something attains,
ذيبُهاtheir wolf وَالشاةُand the ewe تَرعىgrazes فيin مَكانone place
ذيبُها وَالشاةُ تَرعى في مَكان
غَدرُهُhis treachery مَأمونnot feared
غَدرُهُ مَأمون
Their wolf and the ewe graze in one place,
The sought purpose.
His treachery no longer feared.
So if a hopeful asked him,
باذِلُlavishing الأَموالِwealth مِنfrom قَبلِbefore السُؤالthe request
باذِلُ الأَموالِ مِن قَبلِ السُؤال
بِأَكُّفِّwith the palms of الجودgenerosity
بِأَكُّفِّ الجود
He lavishes wealth before it is requested
He would give generously.
With generous palms.
He grants boys and beautiful maidens,
ماnot رَجاهُplaced hope in him آمِلٌa hopeful person إِلّاexcept that يَنالhe attains
ما رَجاهُ آمِلٌ إِلّا يَنال
غايَةَthe utmost of المَقصودwhat is desired
غايَةَ المَقصود
No hopeful soul looks to him without attaining
Willingly and generously,
The utmost of his desire.
And anything else if asked by an eloquent tongue,
فَإِذاso when ماever أَمَّهُcomes to him راجيa seeker of النَوالgifts
فَإِذا ما أَمَّهُ راجي النَوال
جادَgave generously بِالمَوجودof what is available
جادَ بِالمَوجود
So whenever a seeker of gifts comes to him,
He does not prevent sustenance.
He gives freely of what he has.
O king of the people of time, you are a king,
يَهَبُhe bestows الوِلدانَthe young boys وَالحورَand the houris الحِسانbeautiful
يَهَبُ الوِلدانَ وَالحورَ الحِسان
بِكرَهاtheir virgins وَالعونand mature women
بِكرَها وَالعون
He bestows young boys and beautiful houris,
So you bought the free ones,
Their virgins and their mature women.
You are a great king or an angel,
وَسِواهُand someone other than him إِنif دَعاهُappeals to him ذوone with لِسانa tongue
وَسِواهُ إِن دَعاهُ ذو لِسان
يَمنَعُwithholds الماعونsmall assistance
يَمنَعُ الماعون
But another, if an eloquent man calls upon him,
The shining lights.
Withholds even small assistance.
Whatever the orbit chose for you,
ياO مَليكاًsovereign لِبَنيfor the sons of الدَهرِtime مَلَكgained possession
يا مَليكاً لِبَني الدَهرِ مَلَك
فَشَرىand so bought الأَحرارthe freeborn
فَشَرى الأَحرار
O sovereign who possessed the sons of time,
And the course of fate ran.
And so bought the freeborn!
Since the sultan of eras saw your might,
مَلِكٌa king أَنتَyou are عَظيمٌmighty أَمor مَلَكan angel
مَلِكٌ أَنتَ عَظيمٌ أَم مَلَك
ساطِعُshining الأَنوارwith lights
ساطِعُ الأَنوار
Are you a mighty king, or an angel
While he was saddened,
Radiant with light?
He sought victory like Moses, so he sought help,
بِالَّذيaccording to what تَختارُهُyou choose دارَturned الفَلَكthe celestial sphere
بِالَّذي تَختارُهُ دارَ الفَلَك
وَجَرىand ran its course المِقدارdestiny
وَجَرى المِقدار
At your choosing the celestial sphere has turned,
From you, O Aaron!
And destiny has run its course.
مُذsince رَأىsaw بَأسَكَyour might سُلطانُthe sultan of الأَوانthe age
مُذ رَأى بَأسَكَ سُلطانُ الأَوان
وَهوَwhile he was كَالمَحزونlike one grieving
وَهوَ كَالمَحزون
Once the sultan of the age had seen your might,
While he was like a grieving man,
حاولَsought النَصرَvictory كَموسىlike Moses فَاِستَعانand so sought aid
حاولَ النَصرَ كَموسى فَاِستَعان
بِكَfrom you ياO هارونHarun
بِكَ يا هارون
He sought victory like Moses, and sought aid
From you, O Harun.
Partial English translation: 85 of 90 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1