حوشيتَmay you be spared مِنfrom زَفَراتِthe sighs of قَلبيmy heart الوالِهِthe love-distraught
حوشيتَ مِن زَفَراتِ قَلبي الوالِهِ
وَكُفيتَand may you be protected ماwhat يَلقاهُencounters it مِنof بَلبالِهِits anguish
وَكُفيتَ ما يَلقاهُ مِن بَلبالِهِ
May you be spared the sighs of my love-distraught heart,
Your grandeur has sufficed me from the sighs of my infatuated heart,
And shielded from the anguish it endures.
And you have satisfied what it receives from its afflictions,
وَأُعيذُand I seek protection for سِرَّكَyour inner self أَنthat يَكابِدَshould suffer بَعضَsome of ماwhat
وَأُعيذُ سِرَّكَ أَن يَكابِدَ بَعضَ ما
لاقَيتُI endured مِنfrom قيلِthe talk of العَذولِthe reproacher وَقالِهِand his gossip
لاقَيتُ مِن قيلِ العَذولِ وَقالِهِ
And I seek protection for your inner self, lest it suffer any of what
And I protect your secret from enduring some of what
I endured from the reproacher's talk and gossip.
I have experienced from the slander of the blamers and the critics,
ياO مَنwho يُعيرُlends الغُصنَthe branch لينَthe suppleness of قَوامِهِhis stature
يا مَن يُعيرُ الغُصنَ لينَ قَوامِهِ
وَيُغيرُand makes jealous بَدرَthe full moon of التَمَّfullness عِندَat كَمالِهِits perfection
وَيُغيرُ بَدرَ التَمَّ عِندَ كَمالِهِ
O you who lend the branch the suppleness of your stature,
O you who adorns the tender branch with its straightness
And make the full moon jealous at the height of its fullness.
And alters the full moon in its perfection and farness from its attainment,
ماnot حَلَّتِundid الواشونَthe slanderers ماwhat عَقَدَbound الهَوىlove
ما حَلَّتِ الواشونَ ما عَقَدَ الهَوى
تَفنىpass away اللَياليthe nights وَالغَرامُand passion بِحالِهِin its state
تَفنى اللَيالي وَالغَرامُ بِحالِهِ
The slanderers have not undone what love has bound;
The vows have not dissolved what love has tied
The nights pass away, while passion remains unchanged.
The nights pass and passion remains in its state,
صِلgrant union to عاشِقاًa lover لَولاكَbut for you ماnot ذَكَرَhe recalled الحِمىthe protected grounds
صِل عاشِقاً لَولاكَ ما ذَكَرَ الحِمى
وَلَماand would not غَداhave become مُتَغَزِّلاًcomposing love-verse بِغَزالِهِabout its gazelle
وَلَما غَدا مُتَغَزِّلاً بِغَزالِهِ
Grant union to a lover who, but for you, would never have recalled the protected grounds,
Bring together a lover, without you passion would not have remembered fervor
Nor have turned to love-verse about its gazelle.
And would not have become a yearner for its gazelle,
وَاِجعَلand make كِناسَكَyour lair فيin القُلوبِthe hearts فَإِنَّهاfor they
وَاِجعَل كِناسَكَ في القُلوبِ فَإِنَّها
تُغنيكَspare you عَنfrom شيحِthe wormwood of العَذيبِal-ʿUdhayb وَضالِهِand its wild lote trees
تُغنيكَ عَن شيحِ العَذيبِ وَضالِهِ
And make your lair in hearts, for they
And make your hermitages in the hearts, for they
Can spare you the wormwood of al-ʿUdhayb and its wild lote trees.
Suffice you from climbing the painful path and its perils,
لِلَّهِto God بِالزَوراءِin al-Zawrāʾ لَيلَتُناour night وَقَدand already
لِلَّهِ بِالزَوراءِ لَيلَتُنا وَقَد
جَرَّدتُI stripped غُصنَthe branch of البانِthe bān tree مِنof سِربالِهِhis robe
جَرَّدتُ غُصنَ البانِ مِن سِربالِهِ
God be praised for our night in al-Zawrāʾ, when
By Allah, our night at Az-Zawra after
I had stripped the bān branch of his robe,
I have stripped the myrtle branch of its cloak,
وَرَشَفتُand I sipped بَردَthe coolness of الراحِwine مِنfrom مَعسولِهِhis honey-sweet mouth
وَرَشَفتُ بَردَ الراحِ مِن مَعسولِهِ
وَضَمَمتُand I embraced قَدَّthe stature اللَدنِthe supple مِنof عَسالِهِhis swaying spear
وَضَمَمتُ قَدَّ اللَدنِ مِن عَسالِهِ
And sipped the coolness of wine from his honey-sweet mouth,
And sipped the coolness of the wind from its wine,
And clasped the supple form of his swaying spear.
And picked the chains of the radiance from their honey,
رَشَأٌa young gazelle كَبَدرِlike the full moon of التَمِّfullness فيin إِشراقِهِhis radiance
رَشَأٌ كَبَدرِ التَمِّ في إِشراقِهِ
وَكَمالِand the perfection of طَلعَتِهِhis face وَبُعدِand the remoteness of مَنالِهِreaching him
وَكَمالِ طَلعَتِهِ وَبُعدِ مَنالِهِ
A young gazelle like the full moon in his radiance,
A fawn like the full moon in its rise
In the perfection of his face and how far he lies beyond reach.
And like the perfection of its crescent and the farness of its attainment,
ماnever اِهتَزَّswayed وافِرُthe fullness of رِدفِهِhis rump فيin خَطوِهِhis step
ما اِهتَزَّ وافِرُ رِدفِهِ في خَطوِهِ
إِلّاexcept تَشَكّىالخَصرُthe waist complained مِنof أَثقالِهِits weight
إِلّا تَشَكّىالخَصرُ مِن أَثقالِهِ
Never did his ample rump sway as he stepped
The ample haunches of which did not sway in its walk
Without his waist complaining of its weight.
Except that the waist complained of its burdens,
ماwhat بالُهُis the matter with him أَضحىhas come to يَشينُmar وَعيدَهُhis threat
ما بالُهُ أَضحى يَشينُ وَعيدَهُ
بِنَجازِهِby fulfilling it وَوُعودَهُand his promises بِمَطالِهِby his procrastination
بِنَجازِهِ وَوُعودَهُ بِمَطالِهِ
What ails him, that he now mars his threat
How is it that he has become one who disgraces his promise
By fulfilling it, and his promises by delay?
With his achievement and promises with his procrastination,
وَيُذيقُنيand makes me taste طَعمَthe taste of المَلالِweariness تَدَلُّلاًplaying coy
وَيُذيقُني طَعمَ المَلالِ تَدَلُّلاً
فَأَذوبُso I melt بَينَbetween دَلالِهِhis coquetry وَمَلالِهِand his weariness
فَأَذوبُ بَينَ دَلالِهِ وَمَلالِهِ
And makes me taste weariness, playing coy,
And makes me taste the flavor of boredom through his coquetry
So I melt between his coquetry and his weariness.
So I melt between his flirtation and my boredom.
ماwhat ضَرَّwould harm طَيفَthe phantom of خَيالِهِhis image لَوif أَنَّهُthat he
ما ضَرَّ طَيفَ خَيالِهِ لَو أَنَّهُ
يَسخوis generous عَلَيَّto me وَلَوand even if بِطَيفِwith a phantom of خَيالِهِhis image
يَسخو عَلَيَّ وَلَو بِطَيفِ خَيالِهِ
What harm would it do the phantom of his image if he
It would not harm me if his apparition were
Were generous to me, even with a phantom of his image?
Generous to me even with the ghost of his apparition.
ماwhat كانَwould be مِنof فِعلِdoing الجَميلِkindness يَضُرُّهُwould harm him
ما كانَ مِن فِعلِ الجَميلِ يَضُرُّهُ
لَوif كانَhe were يَجعَلُهُto make it زَكاةَthe alms due from جَمالِهِhis beauty
لَو كانَ يَجعَلُهُ زَكاةَ جَمالِهِ
What harm could an act of kindness do him,
It would not harm the good deed if he were to make it
If he made it the alms due from his beauty?
A charity from his beauty.
قَسَماًan oath بِضادِby the letter ḍād of ضِياءِthe radiance of صُبحِthe dawn of جَبينِهِhis brow
قَسَماً بِضادِ ضِياءِ صُبحِ جَبينِهِ
وَوَحَقَّand by the sanctity of سينِthe letter sīn of سَوادِthe blackness of عَنبَرِthe ambergris of خالِهِhis mole
وَوَحَقَّ سينِ سَوادِ عَنبَرِ خالِهِ
I swear by the ḍād of the radiance of his brow's dawn,
I swear by the beauty of the glow of the light of his forehead,
And by the sacred sīn of his mole's ambergris blackness:
And the mole of the blackness of his ambergris mole,
لِأُكابِدَنَّI shall surely endure لَهيبَthe flame of نارِthe fire of صُدودِهِhis rejection
لِأُكابِدَنَّ لَهيبَ نارِ صُدودِهِ
وَلَأَركَبَنَّand I shall surely ride عُبابَthe billows of بَحرِthe sea of مَلالِهِhis weariness
وَلَأَركَبَنَّ عُبابَ بَحرِ مَلالِهِ
I shall surely endure the flame of his rejection's fire,
I shall endure the flames of his aloofness
And surely ride the billows of the sea of his weariness,
And ride the oceans of his boredom,
وَلَأَحمِلَنَّand I shall surely burden اليَمَّthe sea فَرطَwith the excess of عَذابِهِhis torment
وَلَأَحمِلَنَّ اليَمَّ فَرطَ عَذابِهِ
وَأَدومُand I remain مُصطَبِراًpatiently enduring عَلىthrough أَهوالِهِits terrors
وَأَدومُ مُصطَبِراً عَلى أَهوالِهِ
And surely make the sea bear his overwhelming torment,
And carry the seas despite the pain of his torment
And remain patiently steadfast through its terrors,
And remain patient upon his calamities,
حَتّىuntil تَقولَdeclare جَميعُall أَربانِthe adepts of الهَوىlove
حَتّى تَقولَ جَميعُ أَربانِ الهَوى
هَذاthis الَّذيthe one who لاnot يَنتَهيdesists عَنfrom حالِهِhis state
هَذا الَّذي لا يَنتَهي عَن حالِهِ
Until all the adepts of love declare:
Until all the people of love say
This is the one who never forsakes his state.
“This is the one who does not relent in his state”,
أَفديI would ransom الغَزالَthe gazelle المُستَبيحَthe ravager بِلَحظِهِwith his glance
أَفدي الغَزالَ المُستَبيحَ بِلَحظِهِ
قَتَلَhe killed الأُسودِthe lions وَماand never دَنَتapproached لِقِتالِهِto fight him
قَتَلَ الأُسودِ وَما دَنَت لِقِتالِهِ
I would ransom the gazelle who ravages with his glance;
I sacrifice the gazelle made lawful by his gaze
He slew lions, though they never drew near to fight him.
Who kills the lions without approaching for the fight,
رَشأٌa young gazelle تَفَرَّدَwas unrivalled فيin المَحاسِنِbeauty فَاِغتَدىso became
رَشأٌ تَفَرَّدَ في المَحاسِنِ فَاِغتَدى
تَفصيلُthe detail of رَسمِthe design of الحُسنِbeauty فيin إِجمالِهِhis entirety
تَفصيلُ رَسمِ الحُسنِ في إِجمالِهِ
A young gazelle unrivalled in charms, so that
A fawn exclusively singular in beauty thus transgressed
Every detail of beauty's design was gathered in his whole.
In detailing the inscription of beauty in its entirety
ماnever حُرِّكَتwere stirred سَكَناتُthe still moments of فاتِرِthe languid طَرفِهِhis eye
ما حُرِّكَت سَكَناتُ فاتِرِ طَرفِهِ
إِلّاexcept وَأَصمىand fatally pierced القَلبَthe heart وَقعُthe impact of نِبالِهِhis arrows
إِلّا وَأَصمى القَلبَ وَقعُ نِبالِهِ
Never is the stillness of his languid eye stirred
Whenever the glances of his languid eyes moved
Without his arrows' impact fatally piercing the heart.
They deafened the heart and the impact of its arrows
حَكَمَتruled فَجارَتthen dealt unjustly فيin القُلوبِthe hearts لِحاظُهُhis glances
حَكَمَت فَجارَت في القُلوبِ لِحاظُهُ
كَأَكُفِّlike the hands of نَجمِNajm (Star of) الدينِal-Dīn (the Faith) فيwith أَموالِهِhis wealth
كَأَكُفِّ نَجمِ الدينِ في أَموالِهِ
His glances ruled, then dealt unjustly with hearts,
His gazes have ruled, so they have flowed in the hearts
Like Najm al-Dīn's hands with his wealth.
Like the palms of the bright star in its possessions
المالِكُthe sovereign المَنصورُal-Manṣūr (the victorious) وَالمَلِكُand the king الَّذيwho
المالِكُ المَنصورُ وَالمَلِكُ الَّذي
تَخشىfear النُجومُthe stars الشُهبُthe shining شُهبَthe meteors of نِصالِهِhis blades
تَخشى النُجومُ الشُهبُ شُهبَ نِصالِهِ
The sovereign al-Manṣūr, the king whose
The victorious king and the ruler whom
Blades' blazing meteors the shining stars fear.
The shooting stars fear the strikes of his blades,
مَلِكٌa king يَسيرُmarches النَصرُvictory عَنfrom تَلقائِهِin front of him
مَلِكٌ يَسيرُ النَصرُ عَن تَلقائِهِ
وَوَرائِهِand behind him وَيَمينِهِand on his right وَشِمالِهِand on his left
وَوَرائِهِ وَيَمينِهِ وَشِمالِهِ
A king before whom victory marches,
A king accompanied by victory walking on his own
And behind him, on his right and on his left.
Behind him, and his right, and his left,
مَلِكٌa king تَقولُsays الأَرضُthe earth إِذwhen يَمشيhe walks بِهاupon it
مَلِكٌ تَقولُ الأَرضُ إِذ يَمشي بِها
حَسبيenough for me مِنَof التَشريفِhonor مَسُّthe touch of نِعالِهِhis sandals
حَسبي مِنَ التَشريفِ مَسُّ نِعالِهِ
A king to whom the earth says as he walks upon it:
A king, of whom the earth says when he walks upon it
The touch of his sandals is honor enough for me.
“It suffices me for glory, the touch of his slippers,”
فَإِذاso when دَعاhe summons الدَهرَTime العَبوسَthe grim أَجابَهُit answers him
فَإِذا دَعا الدَهرَ العَبوسَ أَجابَهُ
مُتَعَثِّراًstumbling بِالرُعبِin terror فيin أَذيالِهِits skirts
مُتَعَثِّراً بِالرُعبِ في أَذيالِهِ
When he summons grim Time, it answers him,
So when he calls upon the gloomy fate, it answers him
Stumbling in terror over its skirts.
Stumbling in fright into its hems,
سُلطانُthe sultan of عَصرٍan age عَزمُهُhis resolve راضَtamed الوَرىmankind
سُلطانُ عَصرٍ عَزمُهُ راضَ الوَرى
فَكَفاهُso sufficed him ماضيهِhis past عَنِinstead of اِستِقبالِهِhis future
فَكَفاهُ ماضيهِ عَنِ اِستِقبالِهِ
His age's sultan: his resolve has tamed mankind,
The sultan of an era whose determination has pleased the people
So his past sufficed him in place of his future.
So his past sufficed him from his future,
أَضحىbecame حِمىthe protected land of الحَدباءِal-Ḥadbāʾ عِندَupon إِيابِهِhis return
أَضحى حِمى الحَدباءِ عِندَ إِيابِهِ
يَستَنجِدُseeks aid from الإِقبالَgood fortune مِنfrom إِقبالِهِhis approach
يَستَنجِدُ الإِقبالَ مِن إِقبالِهِ
The protected land of al-Ḥadbāʾ, upon his return,
At his return, the sanctuary of Hudaybiyyah appeals
Began seeking good fortune from his approach.
For support from his glorious arrival,
ضَرَبَhe pitched الخِيامَthe tents عَلىupon الحِمىthe protected grounds فَأَكُفُّهُso his hands
ضَرَبَ الخِيامَ عَلى الحِمى فَأَكُفُّهُ
كَمِياهِهِlike its waters وَحُلومُهُand his forbearance كَجِبالِهِlike its mountains
كَمِياهِهِ وَحُلومُهُ كَجِبالِهِ
He pitched tents upon the protected land; his hands
He pitched tents at the sanctuary so I sufficed
Are like its waters, his forbearance like its mountains.
Its waters and its sacrifices like its mountains,
أَعطىhe gave وَأَجزَلَand was lavish فيin العَطاءِgiving تَبَرُّعاًfreely
أَعطى وَأَجزَلَ في العَطاءِ تَبَرُّعاً
حَتّىuntil سَئِمتُI wearied of نِزالَهُcontending with him بِنَوالِهِthrough his bounty
حَتّى سَئِمتُ نِزالَهُ بِنَوالِهِ
He gave and freely lavished his gifts,
He gave generously and abundantly in gifts voluntarily
Until his bounty wearied me of contending with him.
Until I became weary of his bestowals from his supplies,
ذَلَّتwere humbled صُروفُthe vicissitudes of الدَهرِTime لَمّاwhen عايَنَتthey saw
ذَلَّت صُروفُ الدَهرِ لَمّا عايَنَت
دونَapart from الأَنامِmankind تَعَلُّقيmy clinging بِحِبالِهِto his ropes
دونَ الأَنامِ تَعَلُّقي بِحِبالِهِ
Time's vicissitudes were humbled when they saw
The turns of fate have submitted when they witnessed
Me clinging to his ropes, apart from all others.
My attachment to his ropes above all people,
وافَيتُهُI came to him وَكَأَنَّنيand as though I مِنone of رِقَّهِhis slaves
وافَيتُهُ وَكَأَنَّني مِن رِقَّهِ
فَأَعَزَّنيso he honored me فَكَأَنَّنيso as though I مِنone of آلِهِhis family
فَأَعَزَّني فَكَأَنَّني مِن آلِهِ
I came to him as though I were one of his slaves,
I came to him and it was as if I was from his compassion
And he honored me as though I were one of his family.
So he honored me, and it was as if I was from his family,
يالَيتَOh, would that قَوميmy people يَعلَمونَknew بِأَنَّنيthat I
يالَيتَ قَومي يَعلَمونَ بِأَنَّني
أَدرَكتُI attained طيبَthe sweetness of العَيشِlife بَعدَafter زَوالِهِits passing
أَدرَكتُ طيبَ العَيشِ بَعدَ زَوالِهِ
Would that my people knew
I wish my people knew that I
I had regained life's sweetness after its passing,
Have attained the good life after its loss,
فيin ظِلِّthe shade of مَلكٍa king مُذsince حَلَلتُI settled بِرَبعِهِin his abode
في ظِلِّ مَلكٍ مُذ حَلَلتُ بِرَبعِهِ
جاءَcame الزَمانُTime يَرومُseeking حَلَّto loosen عِقالِهِits tether
جاءَ الزَمانُ يَرومُ حَلَّ عِقالِهِ
In the shade of a king: since I settled in his abode,
In the shade of a king, ever since I encamped in his abode
Time has come seeking to loosen its tether.
Time has come trying to untie its knots,
ماnever ضَلَّstrayed فِكريmy thought فيamid جَميلِthe beauty of صِفاتِهِhis attributes
ما ضَلَّ فِكري في جَميلِ صِفاتِهِ
إِلّاexcept اِهتَدىfound guidance شِعريmy verse بِحُسنِthrough the beauty of خِلالِهِhis virtues
إِلّا اِهتَدى شِعري بِحُسنِ خِلالِهِ
Never did my thought lose its way among his fair attributes
My mind did not go astray in the beauty of his qualities
Without my verse finding guidance in his lovely virtues;
Except for my poetry being guided by the virtues of their merits,
أَوor أَصدَأَrusted الإِيّامُthe days سَيفَthe sword of قَريحَتيmy poetic gift
أَو أَصدَأَ الإِيّامُ سَيفَ قَريحَتي
إِلّاexcept جَعَلتُI made مَديحَهُpraising him كَصِقالِهِlike its polish
إِلّا جَعَلتُ مَديحَهُ كَصِقالِهِ
Nor did the days rust the sword of my poetic gift
Or did time rust the sword of my talent
Without my making his praise its polish.
Except I made his praise like its polish?
ياO أَيُّهاyou المَلِكُthe king الَّذيwhose غَدَتِbecame العُلىlofty glory
يا أَيُّها المَلِكُ الَّذي غَدَتِ العُلى
مَقرونَةًbound بِجِلادِهِto his swordplay وَجِدالِهِand his disputation
مَقرونَةً بِجِلادِهِ وَجِدالِهِ
O king whose lofty glory has become
O you, who has risen the highness
Bound to his swordplay and his disputation,
Accompanied with his determination and dispute,
أَغرَقتَyou drowned بِالإِنعامِin favors عَبدَكَyour servant فَاِغتَدىso became
أَغرَقتَ بِالإِنعامِ عَبدَكَ فَاِغتَدى
مِنfrom بَحرِكَyour sea التَيّارِthe surging دُرُّthe pearls of مَقالِهِhis speech
مِن بَحرِكَ التَيّارِ دُرُّ مَقالِهِ
You drowned your servant in favors, so that
You have drowned your servant in rewards so he has transgressed
The pearls of his speech came from your surging sea.
Against your sea of generosity the pearl of his speech,
طَوَّقتَهُyou encircled him بِنَداكَwith your bounty طَوقَa necklace of كَرامَةٍhonor
طَوَّقتَهُ بِنَداكَ طَوقَ كَرامَةٍ
وَجَعَلتَand you made فَيضَthe flood of الجودِgenerosity مِنamong أَغلالِهِhis fetters
وَجَعَلتَ فَيضَ الجودِ مِن أَغلالِهِ
You encircled him with your bounty, a necklace of honor,
You have adorned him with your calling, a adornment of honor
And made the flood of generosity one of his fetters.
And made the torrents of your generosity as his shackles,
أَصفىhe devoted sincerely لَمَحضِto pure وَلاكَloyalty to you عِقدَthe covenant of ضَميرِهِhis heart
أَصفى لَمَحضِ وَلاكَ عِقدَ ضَميرِهِ
فَسِوىso, other than مَديحَكَpraising you لاnot يَمُرُّcrosses بِبالِهِthrough his mind
فَسِوى مَديحَكَ لا يَمُرُّ بِبالِهِ
He devoted his heart's covenant to pure loyalty to you,
The sincerity of your patronage has purified the knot of his conscience
So nothing but praising you crosses his mind.
So nothing equals his praise of you in his mind,
Sol 6.1