لَمdid not أَدرِI know أَنَّthat نِبالَthe arrows of الغُنجِcoquetry وَالكَحَلِand dark eyelids
لَم أَدرِ أَنَّ نِبالَ الغُنجِ وَالكَحَلِ
تَحتَbeneath السَوابِغِthe ample coats of mail تُصميfatally pierce مُهجَةَthe heart of البَطَلِthe hero
تَحتَ السَوابِغِ تُصمي مُهجَةَ البَطَلِ
I did not know that the arrows of coquetry and dark-lidded eyes
Could fatally pierce a hero's heart beneath his ample mail.
لَعَلَّperhaps طَرفَكَyour glance مِنamong أَسمائِهِits names ثُعَلٌThuʿal
لَعَلَّ طَرفَكَ مِن أَسمائِهِ ثُعَلٌ
كَذَلِكَlikewise الرَميُarchery مَنسوبٌis ascribed إِلىto ثُعَلِThuʿal
كَذَلِكَ الرَميُ مَنسوبٌ إِلى ثُعَلِ
Perhaps Thuʿal is one of the names of your glance;
Archery, likewise, is ascribed to Thuʿal.
لَواحِظٌglances حاذَرَتwere wary of أَلحاظَناour glances فَغَدَتso they began
لَواحِظٌ حاذَرَت أَلحاظَنا فَغَدَت
بِصارِمِwith the keen sword of الغُنجِcoquetry تَحميguard وَردَةَthe rose of الخَجَلِbashfulness
بِصارِمِ الغُنجِ تَحمي وَردَةَ الخَجَلِ
Glances, wary of our glances, began
To guard the rose of bashfulness with coquetry's keen sword.
لَقَدindeed تَعَدَّتassailed عَليناus غَيرَnot راحِمَةٍshowing mercy
لَقَد تَعَدَّت عَلينا غَيرَ راحِمَةٍ
فَظَلَّلَso cast shade الحُسنُbeauty ظِلّاًa shade غَيرَnot مُنتَقِلِshifting
فَظَلَّلَ الحُسنُ ظِلّاً غَيرَ مُنتَقِلِ
Indeed, they assailed us without mercy,
And beauty cast a shade that never shifted.
لِلَّهِhow wondrous! لَيلَتُناour night بِالمَجمَعَينِat al-Majmaʿayn وَقَدthough already
لِلَّهِ لَيلَتُنا بِالمَجمَعَينِ وَقَد
حالَتit has passed وَتَذكارُهاyet its memory فيin القَلبِthe heart لَمhas not يَحُلِchanged
حالَت وَتَذكارُها في القَلبِ لَم يَحُلِ
How wondrous was our night at al-Majmaʿayn! Though
It has passed, its memory in my heart has never changed.
لَيلٌa night تَنَعَّمتُI delighted فيin وَصلِunion with الفَتاةِthe maiden بِهِduring it
لَيلٌ تَنَعَّمتُ في وَصلِ الفَتاةِ بِهِ
حَتّىuntil تَوَهَّمتُI imagined أَنَّthat البَدرَthe full moon مِنat قِبَليmy side
حَتّى تَوَهَّمتُ أَنَّ البَدرَ مِن قِبَلي
A night in which I savored union with the maiden,
Until I imagined the full moon was beside me.
لَمياءُa dark-lipped maiden جادَتgenerously granted لَناto us بِالوَصلِunion إِذwhen عَلِمَتshe learned
لَمياءُ جادَت لَنا بِالوَصلِ إِذ عَلِمَت
أَنَّthat التَرَحُّلَdeparture قَدalready زُمَّتhad been haltered بِهِfor it إِبليmy camels
أَنَّ التَرَحُّلَ قَد زُمَّت بِهِ إِبلي
A dark-lipped maiden granted us union when she learned
That my camels had already been haltered for departure.
لَزَّتshe pressed إِلىto صَدرِهاher breast صَدريmy breast مُوَدَّعَةًbeing bid farewell
لَزَّت إِلى صَدرِها صَدري مُوَدَّعَةً
وَزَوَّدَتنيand provisioned me مِنَwith الإِرشافِlip-sipping وَالقُبَلِand kisses
وَزَوَّدَتني مِنَ الإِرشافِ وَالقُبَلِ
She pressed my breast to hers in farewell,
And provisioned me with sips from her lips and kisses.
لَمّاwhen أَحَسَّتshe sensed بِوَشكِthe imminence of البَينِparting فَاِنسَفَحَتthen poured forth
لَمّا أَحَسَّت بِوَشكِ البَينِ فَاِنسَفَحَت
دُموعُthe tears مُنتَحِبٍof one sobbing فيin إِثرِthe wake of مُرتَحِلِone departing
دُموعُ مُنتَحِبٍ في إِثرِ مُرتَحِلِ
When she sensed how near parting was, there flowed
The tears of one sobbing in the wake of one departing.
لاrailed (first verb fragment) حَتrailed (second verb fragment) صُروفُthe vicissitudes النَوىof separation حُزناًin grief وَقَدwhile already نَثَرَتshe scattered
لا حَت صُروفُ النَوى حُزناً وَقَد نَثَرَت
عَقيقَthe carnelian أَدمُعِهاof her tears مِنfrom نَرجِسِthe narcissi of المُقَلِthe eyes
عَقيقَ أَدمُعِها مِن نَرجِسِ المُقَلِ
She railed in grief at parting's vicissitudes, having scattered
The carnelian of her tears from the narcissi of her eyes.
لَجَّتshe persisted فَقُلتُso I said لَهاto her كَيماso that أُعَلِّلُهاI might console her
لَجَّت فَقُلتُ لَها كَيما أُعَلِّلُها
كَمَنlike one who يُعَلَّلُis given another drink بَعدَafter النَهلِthe first draught بِالعَلَلِwith a second draught
كَمَن يُعَلَّلُ بَعدَ النَهلِ بِالعَلَلِ
She persisted, so I spoke to her, seeking to console her,
Like one given a second draught after the first:
لَعَلَّperhaps إِلمامَةًa brief visit بِالجِزعِat the valley-bend نابِتَةًspringing up
لَعَلَّ إِلمامَةً بِالجِزعِ نابِتَةً
كَيماso that يَهُبُّmay blow نَسيمُthe breeze البُرءِof healing فيthrough عِلَليmy illnesses
كَيما يَهُبُّ نَسيمُ البُرءِ في عِلَلي
“Perhaps a brief visit will spring up at the valley-bend,
So that healing's breeze may blow through my ills.”
لَوَتshe turned إِلَيَّtoward me عِنانَthe reins الذُلِّof submission قائِلَةًsaying
لَوَت إِلَيَّ عِنانَ الذُلِّ قائِلَةً
عَلامَwhy تَعجَلُdo you hasten الأَسفارِto journeys وَالنُقَلِand departures
عَلامَ تَعجَلُ الأَسفارِ وَالنُقَلِ
She turned the reins of submission toward me, saying:
“Why do you hasten to journeys and departures?
لِمَنin whom تُؤَمِّلُdo you place hope بِالإِعسارِin poverty قُلتُI said لَهاto her
لِمَن تُؤَمِّلُ بِالإِعسارِ قُلتُ لَها
عَلىon اِبنِthe son of أَرتُقَArtuq بَعدَafter اللَهِGod مُتَّكَليmy reliance
عَلى اِبنِ أَرتُقَ بَعدَ اللَهِ مُتَّكَلي
Whom do you look to in poverty?” I told her:
“After God, my reliance is on Ibn Artuq,
الباسِمِsmiling الثَغرِof mouth وَالأَبطالُwhile the champions عابِسَةٌscowl
الباسِمِ الثَغرِ وَالأَبطالُ عابِسَةٌ
وَالمُخصِبِand fertile الرَبعِof domain وَالأَرضونَwhile the lands فيin مَحَلِdrought
وَالمُخصِبِ الرَبعِ وَالأَرضونَ في مَحَلِ
Whose mouth smiles while champions scowl,
And whose domain is fertile while the lands lie in drought,
لِمَنfor him whose أَضاءَتhas shone بِنورِwith the light of اللَهِGod دَولَتُهُhis reign
لِمَن أَضاءَت بِنورِ اللَهِ دَولَتُهُ
كَأَنَّهاas though it were غُرَّةٌa white blaze فيon جَبهَةِthe forehead of الدُوَلِthe realms
كَأَنَّها غُرَّةٌ في جَبهَةِ الدُوَلِ
Whose reign has shone with the light of God,
As though it were a white blaze on the forehead of all realms.”
لَهُhe has يَراعٌa reed-pen وَعَضبٌand a keen sword ماnever جَرىran وَبَرىand cleaved
لَهُ يَراعٌ وَعَضبٌ ما جَرى وَبَرى
إِلّاexcept that قَضىit decreed وَمَضىand carried through بِالرِزقِwith livelihood وَالأَجَلِand the appointed end
إِلّا قَضى وَمَضى بِالرِزقِ وَالأَجَلِ
His reed-pen never runs, nor his keen sword cleaves,
Without decreeing and dispensing livelihood and death.
لُذناwe sought refuge بِهِin him فَرَأَيناso we saw مِنamong مَناقِبِهِhis virtues
لُذنا بِهِ فَرَأَينا مِن مَناقِبِهِ
ماwhat لاnot تُشاهِدُهُbehold it الأَبصارُthe eyes فيin رَجُلِa man
ما لا تُشاهِدُهُ الأَبصارُ في رَجُلِ
We sought refuge in him and saw among his virtues
What eyes behold in no other man.
لَيثٌa lion أَضافَتjoined سَجاياهُhis qualities حَماسَتَهُhis valor
لَيثٌ أَضافَت سَجاياهُ حَماسَتَهُ
إِلىto السَماحِgenerosity وَناطَand bound العِلمَknowledge بِالعَمَلِto action
إِلى السَماحِ وَناطَ العِلمَ بِالعَمَلِ
A lion whose nature joined his valor
To generosity, and bound knowledge to action.
لَكَyours are الفَضائِلُthe virtues ياO نَجمَstar of المُلوكِkings لَقَدindeed
لَكَ الفَضائِلُ يا نَجمَ المُلوكِ لَقَد
جَرَيتَyou coursed فيthrough المَجدِglory جَريَlike the coursing of النَومِsleep بِالمُقَلِthrough the eyes
جَرَيتَ في المَجدِ جَريَ النَومِ بِالمُقَلِ
Yours are the virtues, O star of kings; indeed,
You have coursed through glory as sleep courses through eyes.
لَزِمتَyou kept to حَدَّthe bounds of التُقىpiety عَنaway from كُلِّevery فاحِشَةٍshameful deed
لَزِمتَ حَدَّ التُقى عَن كُلِّ فاحِشَةٍ
حَتّىuntil كَأَنَّكَas though you were مَعصومٌprotected عَنِfrom الزَلَلِerror
حَتّى كَأَنَّكَ مَعصومٌ عَنِ الزَلَلِ
You kept to the bounds of piety, away from every shameful deed,
Until you seemed protected from every slip.
لَرُبَّhow many a لَيلِnight عَجاجٍof swirling dust كانَwere أَنجُمَهُits stars
لَرُبَّ لَيلِ عَجاجٍ كانَ أَنجُمَهُ
شُهبُthe meteors of الصَفاحِsword-blades وَأَطرافُand the tips of القَناthe spears الذُبُلِslender
شُهبُ الصَفاحِ وَأَطرافُ القَنا الذُبُلِ
How many a night of battle-dust had for its stars
The meteors of sword-blades and the tips of slender spears!
لَذَّwas sweet الوَغىbattle لِلمَواضيto keen swords فَاِنثَنَتso they bent طَرَباًin rapture
لَذَّ الوَغى لِلمَواضي فَاِنثَنَت طَرَباً
بِهِat it وَماسَand swayed القَناthe spears كَالشارِبِlike a drinker الثَمِلِdrunk
بِهِ وَماسَ القَنا كَالشارِبِ الثَمِلِ
Battle was sweet to keen swords, and they bent in rapture
At it, while the spears swayed like a drunken drinker.
لَولاwere it not for فَرارُthe flight of الأَعاديthe enemies مِنfrom يَديكَyour hands بِهِin it
لَولا فَرارُ الأَعادي مِن يَديكَ بِهِ
لَأَصبَحواthey would have become فيin فَمِthe mouth of الأَيّامِthe days كَالمَثَلِlike a proverb
لَأَصبَحوا في فَمِ الأَيّامِ كَالمَثَلِ
Had your enemies not fled from your hands in it,
They would have become like a proverb in the mouth of Time.
لَقَيتَهُمyou met them بِجِيادٍwith steeds قَدalready كَفِلتَyou guaranteed لَهاto them
لَقَيتَهُم بِجِيادٍ قَد كَفِلتَ لَها
أَنthat لاnot تَرىwould see الشوسُthe fierce-eyed warriors مِنهاof them صورَةَthe shape of الكَفَلِthe rump
أَن لا تَرى الشوسُ مِنها صورَةَ الكَفَلِ
You met them with steeds to which you had pledged
That fierce warriors would never see the shape of their rumps.
ليI have أَيُّهاO المَلِكِKing المَنصورِal-Mansur فيكَconcerning you فَمٌa mouth
لي أَيُّها المَلِكِ المَنصورِ فيكَ فَمٌ
ماnever صاغَfashioned قَبلَكَbefore you تِبرَthe raw gold المَدحِof praise فيabout رَجُلِa man
ما صاغَ قَبلَكَ تِبرَ المَدحِ في رَجُلِ
I have, O King al-Mansur, a mouth for your praise,
That before you never fashioned praise's raw gold for any man.
لَهَوتُI turned away عَنfrom مَدحِpraising أَهلِthe people of الأَرضِthe earth مُرتَفِعاًrising
لَهَوتُ عَن مَدحِ أَهلِ الأَرضِ مُرتَفِعاً
عَنهُمabove them وَعَضبُwhile the keen blade لِسانيof my tongue غَيرُnot ذيpossessing فَلَلِnicks
عَنهُم وَعَضبُ لِساني غَيرُ ذي فَلَلِ
I turned from praising the people of earth, rising
Above them, while my tongue's keen sword remained unchipped.
لَوif كانَhad been مِثلُكَyour like مَوجوداًin existence نَظَمتُI would have composed بِهِabout him
لَو كانَ مِثلُكَ مَوجوداً نَظَمتُ بِهِ
أَضعافَmany times ماwhat نَظَمواthey composed فيهِabout him ذَووmen of الطَوَلِdistinction
أَضعافَ ما نَظَموا فيهِ ذَوو الطَوَلِ
Had your like existed, I would have composed about him
Many times what men of distinction had composed about him.
لَكَyours is الوِلايَةُsovereignty فَاِرقَso rise فيin عُلاكَyour loftiness عَلىabove
لَكَ الوِلايَةُ فَاِرقَ في عُلاكَ عَلى
هامِthe heads of السَماكِal-Simak بِعِزٍّwith glory غَيرِnot مُنتَقِلِpassing away
هامِ السَماكِ بِعِزٍّ غَيرِ مُنتَقِلِ
Yours is sovereignty; rise in your loftiness above
The crowns of al-Simak, in glory that will never pass.
Sol 6.1