أَرىI see لَمعَthe flash بَرقٍlightning مِنfrom ثَناياكyour front teeth مُشرقِradiant
أَرى لَمعَ بَرقٍ مِن ثَناياك مُشرقِ
أَضاءَshone سَناهits radiance بَينَbetween غَربٍwest وَمَشرقِand east
أَضاءَ سَناه بَينَ غَربٍ وَمَشرقِ
I see a flash of lightning shining from between your teeth,
I see the flash of radiant lightning from your front teeth;
Its radiance illuminating West and East.
Its radiance has shone from west to east.
فَغادرso it left لَونthe color اللَيلof the night كَالفَرقlike dawn أَبيَضاًwhite
فَغادر لَون اللَيل كَالفَرق أَبيَضاً
وَقَدand indeed كانَit was مسودّاًblackened كَيومlike the day التفرّقof parting
وَقَد كانَ مسودّاً كَيوم التفرّق
It left the color of night as white as dawn,
It left the night’s color white as dawn,
Though it had been black as the day of parting.
Though it had been black as the day of parting.
بَسمتَyou smiled لَناfor us عَنrevealing لؤلؤpearls فيin عَقيقةcarnelian
بَسمتَ لَنا عَن لؤلؤ في عَقيقة
تَلألأsparkled فيهاwithin it نُورُthe light جوهرهof its essence النقيpure
تَلألأ فيها نُورُ جوهره النقي
You smiled at us, revealing pearls set in carnelian,
You smiled upon us, revealing pearls set in carnelian;
And the light of their pure jewel sparkled there.
The light of their pure essence glittered within it.
يريناshows us حباباًbubbles مِنfrom ثَناياكyour front teeth فيin فَمa mouth
يرينا حباباً مِن ثَناياك في فَم
حَكىresembled الكَأسthe cup لُطفاًin delicacy وَهوَand it is عَينexactly المحققthe real thing
حَكى الكَأس لُطفاً وَهوَ عَين المحقق
Your teeth show us wine-bubbles within a mouth
It shows us bubbles from your front teeth in a mouth
That delicately resembles the cup, yet is the very truth made manifest.
That delicately mirrored a cup—indeed, the very thing itself.
فَهاتيso bring it أَذيقيناgive us a taste الرَحيقَthe nectar مسلسلاًflowing continuously
فَهاتي أَذيقينا الرَحيقَ مسلسلاً
مِنof الريقsaliva أَعنيI mean لاnot الرَحيقthe wine المعتقaged
مِن الريق أَعني لا الرَحيق المعتق
Come, then—let us taste the nectar, flowing smooth:
Then bring it: let us taste the nectar flowing freely—
Your saliva, I mean, not well-aged wine.
Of saliva, I mean, not aged wine.
وَطوفيand go round بِهِwith it جُوداًgenerously عَلَيناamong us فَقَدfor already صَفاhas grown serene
وَطوفي بِهِ جُوداً عَلَينا فَقَد صَفا
زَمانthe season الصَفاof serenity وَاسعيand hasten بِهِwith it وَتصدّقيand give in charity
زَمان الصَفا وَاسعي بِهِ وَتصدّقي
Pass it round to us generously, for now serene
And pass it round among us generously, for serene now is
Is the age of serenity; hasten with it and give freely.
The season of serenity; hasten with it, and give in charity.
وَلاand do not تَحرميdeprive ياO كَعبةKaaba الحسنof beauty مَنthe one طوتfolded up
وَلا تَحرمي يا كَعبة الحسن مَن طوت
إِلَيكto you بِهِbearing him الدُنياthe world مَطاياmounts التشوّقof yearning
إِلَيك بِهِ الدُنيا مَطايا التشوّق
Deny not, O Kaaba of beauty, the one for whom
O Kaaba of beauty, do not deny the one whose
The world folded its distances toward you on yearning’s mounts.
Mounts of longing have folded up the world to bring him to you.
فَماfor there is no لذةdelight الأَيّامof days غَيرexcept مدامةwine
فَما لذة الأَيّام غَير مدامة
تُدارis passed around عَلىto سجعthe cooing الحمامof doves المطوّقcollared
تُدار عَلى سجع الحمام المطوّق
For the days have no delight but wine
For the days have no delight but wine,
Passed round to the cooing of the ring-necked dove,
Passed around to the cooing of collared doves,
بِرَوضٍin a garden إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle جنّruns wild ماءthe water غَديرهof its pool
بِرَوضٍ إِذا ما جنّ ماء غَديره
تَسلسلflows in linked streams فيat أَصلthe roots الأَثيلاتof the little tamarisks ماas long as بقيit remains
تَسلسل في أَصل الأَثيلات ما بقي
In a garden where, whenever its pool’s water is hidden,
In a garden where, whenever its pool’s water runs wild,
It trickles among the tamarisks’ roots so long as any remains.
It flows in linked streams at the roots of the little tamarisks while it lasts.
تَراسلتcalled to one another الأَطيارthe birds فَوقabove غُصونهits branches
تَراسلت الأَطيار فَوق غُصونه
كَأَنّas though عَلىon الأَوراقthe leaves وَشيَbrocade مُنمِّقِof an embroiderer
كَأَنّ عَلى الأَوراق وَشيَ مُنمِّقِ
Birds call back and forth above its branches,
The birds call to one another above its branches,
As though the leaves were finely patterned embroidery.
As though an embroiderer’s brocade lay upon the leaves.
إِذاwhen اِعتنقتembraced one another فيهِwithin it الحَدائقthe gardens راعَهاawed them
إِذا اِعتنقت فيهِ الحَدائق راعَها
جنَىblooms نَرجسٍof narcissi يَرنوgazes إِلَيهاtoward them كَمُحدقlike one staring
جنَى نَرجسٍ يَرنو إِلَيها كَمُحدق
When the gardens embrace within it, they are startled by
When the gardens embrace within it, they are awed
Narcissus blooms gazing at them like wide-open eyes.
By narcissus blooms gazing at them like one staring intently.
وَإِنand if كتمconceals الريحانthe basil سرَّthe secret أَريجهof its fragrance
وَإِن كتم الريحان سرَّ أَريجه
يطيرflies بِهِwith it النمامthe talebearing herb فيthrough كُلevery مفرقcrossroads
يطير بِهِ النمام في كُل مفرق
And though the basil hides the secret of its fragrance,
And if the basil conceals the secret of its fragrance,
The tale-bearer spreads it at every crossroads.
The talebearing herb wafts it through every crossroads.
وَإِنand if حدّثtells النَهرthe river الحصىthe pebbles بِصَفائهof its clarity
وَإِن حدّث النَهر الحصى بِصَفائه
يَميلleans إِلَيهِtoward it البانthe bān-tree فيin زيّthe guise مطرقof one bowing his head
يَميل إِلَيهِ البان في زيّ مطرق
And when the river tells the pebbles of its clarity,
And if the river tells the pebbles of its clarity,
The willow leans toward it like one with bowed head.
The bān-tree leans toward it like one with lowered head.
تَروحgoes at evening برياهwith its fragrance النَسيمthe breeze وَتَغتديand goes at dawn
تَروح برياه النَسيم وَتَغتدي
فَتفترقso they part الأَغصانthe branches طوراًat times وَتَلتقيand meet
فَتفترق الأَغصان طوراً وَتَلتقي
The breeze comes and goes with its perfume,
The breeze goes out with its fragrance at evening and at dawn,
So the branches now part in smiles, now meet.
So the branches part at times and meet again.
تَدرّpour down عَلَيهِupon it السحبthe clouds درّاًpearls كَأَنهas though it were
تَدرّ عَلَيهِ السحب درّاً كَأَنه
قَلائدnecklaces مَدحيof my praise فيfor السَعيدthe fortunate man الموفقfavored with success
قَلائد مَدحي في السَعيد الموفق
The clouds pour pearls upon it as though they were
The clouds pour pearls upon it, as though they were
Necklaces of praise for al-Sa‘id, the Divinely Favored—
Necklaces of my praise for the fortunate man blessed with success.
هُوَhe is المحسنthe benefactor المَقصودsought out مِنfrom آلthe house محسنٍof Muhsin
هُوَ المحسن المَقصود مِن آل محسنٍ
وَأَشرفand the noblest مَنof those who يَسموrises toward المَعاليlofty honors وَيَرتقيand ascends
وَأَشرف مَن يَسمو المَعالي وَيَرتقي
He is al-Muhsin, the sought one of the house of Muhsin,
He is the benefactor sought from the house of Muhsin,
And the noblest of those who aspire to glory and ascend;
And the noblest of those who rise toward lofty honors and ascend.
وَمَنand the one who فرّقscattered الأَعداءthe enemies فيat كُلevery مفرقcrossroads
وَمَن فرّق الأَعداء في كُل مفرق
وَفلَّقand cleft مِنهاfrom among them الهامَthe skulls فيin كُلevery فَيلَقhost
وَفلَّق مِنها الهامَ في كُل فَيلَق
The one who scattered his enemies at every crossroads
The one who scattered enemies at every crossroads,
And split their skulls in every army.
And cleft their skulls in every host.
أَدامkept up السُرىnight marches فَالعُرْبso the Arabs مِنfrom تَحتَbeneath بيرقa banner
أَدام السُرى فَالعُرْب مِن تَحتَ بيرق
تَحفgather بِهِaround him وَالتركand the Turks مِنfrom تَحتbeneath صنجقa standard
تَحف بِهِ وَالترك مِن تَحت صنجق
He kept up the night march: the Arabs beneath his banner
He kept up his night marches; the Arabs beneath a banner
Surround him, and the Turks beneath a sanjak.
Surround him, and the Turks beneath a standard.
تُضيِّقُconstricts صدرَthe breast الأَرضof the earth كثرةُthe multitude جَيشهof his army
تُضيِّقُ صدرَ الأَرض كثرةُ جَيشه
وَتُوسعand broadens قَلبَthe heart الماذقof the insincere man المتضيقdistressed
وَتُوسع قَلبَ الماذق المتضيق
The earth’s breast narrows at the multitude of his army,
The multitude of his army constricts the earth’s breast,
While the beleaguered enemy’s heart spreads wide.
And opens the troubled heart of the false-hearted.
لوif اتخذتtook أَعداؤهhis enemies النجمthe stars ملجأًas a refuge
لو اتخذت أَعداؤه النجم ملجأً
غَزاهاhe would attack them عَلىon شهبgray steeds مِنamong الخَيلthe horses سُبَّقforemost in speed
غَزاها عَلى شهب مِن الخَيل سُبَّق
Were his enemies to take the stars as refuge,
Were his enemies to take the stars as refuge,
He would invade them on meteors of fleet horses.
He would attack them on fleet gray horses.
يَعلِّمُهاteaches them حُسنَskill الطرادِin mounted combat اقتحامُهhis charge
يَعلِّمُها حُسنَ الطرادِ اقتحامُه
بأعلامهwith his banners مِنfrom مَأزقa perilous strait بَعدَafter مَأزقa perilous strait
بأعلامه مِن مَأزق بَعدَ مَأزق
His charge teaches those steeds the art of pursuit,
His charge teaches them skill in mounted combat,
With his banners, from one battle-pass to the next.
With his banners, through one perilous strait after another.
فَتىa youth لاnot يُرَىis seen يَومon the day الكَريهةof battle لافتاًturning back
فَتى لا يُرَى يَوم الكَريهة لافتاً
عنانthe rein كُمَيتof a bay horse أَوor شكيمةthe bit أَبلقof a piebald horse
عنان كُمَيت أَو شكيمة أَبلق
A youth never seen on battle’s day turning aside
A youth never seen on the day of battle turning back
The rein of a bay horse or the bit of a piebald,
The rein of a bay horse or the bit of a piebald.
إِذاwhen التهبblazed السَيفthe sword الرَقيقslender لَدىamid الوَغىbattle
إِذا التهب السَيف الرَقيق لَدى الوَغى
وَروّىand slaked صداهits thirst بِالدمwith blood المترقرقshimmering
وَروّى صداه بِالدم المترقرق
When the slender sword blazes amid the fray
When the slender sword blazes amid battle,
And quenches its thirst with rippling blood.
And slakes its thirst with shimmering blood,
تَرىyou see بَرقthe lightning ماضof a keen blade فيin غمامa cloud عجاجةٍof battle-dust
تَرى بَرق ماض في غمام عجاجةٍ
وَسَيلand a torrent دمof blood بَينَamong الربىthe hills متدفقsurging
وَسَيل دم بَينَ الربى متدفق
You see flashes of keen steel amid a cloud of dust,
You see a keen blade’s lightning in a cloud of battle-dust,
And a surging flood of blood between the hills.
And a torrent of blood surging among the hills.
فَياso O ناهبplunderer الأَعمارof lives ياO غيرnot جائرunjust
فَيا ناهب الأَعمار يا غير جائر
وَياand O واهبgiver الأَموالof wealth ياO خَيرbest منفقspender
وَيا واهب الأَموال يا خَير منفق
O plunderer of lives, yet never unjust!
O plunderer of lives, O you who are not unjust,
O giver of wealth, best of all who spend!
And O giver of wealth, O best of spenders,
وَياand O جامِعاًone who gathers شَملthe scattered whole المَعاليof lofty virtues وَشامِلاًand embracing
وَيا جامِعاً شَمل المَعالي وَشامِلاً
جَميعall البَراياcreatures بالنوالwith bounty المفرّقdistributed
جَميع البَرايا بالنوال المفرّق
O gatherer of every glory into one, encompassing
And O uniter of lofty virtues, encompassing
All creation with bounty freely spread!
All creatures with bounty distributed far and wide,
يَمينكyour right hand وَالسَيفand the sword اليمانيYemeni فيهماin them both الthe
يَمينك وَالسَيف اليماني فيهما ال
مُنىhopes وَالمَناياand deaths للسعيدfor the fortunate وَلِلشَقيand for the wretched
مُنى وَالمَنايا للسعيد وَلِلشَقي
Your right hand and the Yemeni sword—in the two are the
Your right hand and the Yemeni sword contain the
Hopes and deaths of the fortunate and the wretched.
Hopes and deaths for the fortunate and the wretched.
فَلَمso did not يَمضِpass يَومٌa day ماnot فَلقتyou cleft صَباحَهits dawn
فَلَم يَمضِ يَومٌ ما فَلقت صَباحَه
بِبَذلِby bestowing نَدَىbounty هامٍpouring down وَهامٍand heads مفلقcleft
بِبَذلِ نَدَى هامٍ وَهامٍ مفلق
No day has passed whose morning you cleft open
No day has passed whose dawn you have not split
Without pouring out copious bounty and cleaving skulls.
With gifts of pouring bounty and cloven heads.
فَداعيكso your petitioner مرتادseeking bounty وَعاديكand your enemy مرتدretreating
فَداعيك مرتاد وَعاديك مرتد
وَياand O نعمexcellent ماwhat تَرجوhopes for الأَنامhumankind وَتَتقيand fears
وَيا نعم ما تَرجو الأَنام وَتَتقي
Your petitioner comes seeking; your enemy turns back—
So your petitioner comes seeking; your foe turns back,
How excellent is what mankind hopes from you and fears!
O finest object of humankind’s hope and fear.
سَمَتrose بِكَbearing you ياO اِبنson العَبدليّof al-Abdali عَزائمٌresolves
سَمَت بِكَ يا اِبن العَبدليّ عَزائمٌ
مَواضٍunfaltering عَلىabove فَرقthe crowns الفَراقدof the Farqad stars تَرتَقيrising
مَواضٍ عَلى فَرق الفَراقد تَرتَقي
Through you, O son of al-‘Abdali, keen ambitions rose,
Resolves have raised you, O son of al-Abdali,
Ascending above the crowns of the Pleiades.
Unfaltering, rising above the crowns of the Farqad stars.
وَخذهاand take her عَروباًa loving bride أَعربتexpressed عَنconcerning صِفاتكمyour qualities
وَخذها عَروباً أَعربت عَن صِفاتكم
بَلاغتُهاher eloquence قَدindeed أَخرستsilenced كُلَّevery مسلقsharp-tongued speaker
بَلاغتُها قَد أَخرست كُلَّ مسلق
Take her, an amorous maiden eloquently expressing your virtues:
And receive her as a loving bride, expressing your qualities;
Her eloquence has silenced every fluent tongue.
Her eloquence has silenced every sharp-tongued speaker.
وَماand not أَناI إِلّاexcept ناظمone who strings درّpearls فكرةof thought
وَما أَنا إِلّا ناظم درّ فكرة
وَلمand did not أَنتحلplagiarize فيماin what أَقولI say وَأَسرقand steal
وَلم أَنتحل فيما أَقول وَأَسرق
I am only one who strings the pearls of thought,
And I am only one who strings the pearls of thought,
And in what I say I neither plagiarize nor steal.
And I have neither plagiarized nor stolen what I say.
وَماand not هُوَit إِلّاexcept ماءwater وَجهa face أَصونهI safeguard it
وَما هُوَ إِلّا ماء وَجه أَصونه
بِتنزيهby keeping pure لَفظيmy wording عَنfrom كَلامٍspeech ملفَّقcobbled together
بِتنزيه لَفظي عَن كَلامٍ ملفَّق
It is nothing but the honor of my face, which I preserve
And it is only my honor, which I safeguard
By keeping my diction free of fabricated speech.
By keeping my words free from cobbled-together speech.
فَلاso do not تَعدلواequate مثليone like me بشرّwith the worst عصابةof a band
فَلا تَعدلوا مثلي بشرّ عصابة
فَمنطقةfor the belt الجَوزاءof Orion مِنfrom دُونbelow مَنطِقيmy speech
فَمنطقة الجَوزاء مِن دُون مَنطِقي
So do not rank one like me with the worst of some rabble:
So do not equate one like me with the worst of a band,
Even Orion’s belt falls short of my eloquence.
For Orion’s belt lies below my eloquence.
وَإِنand if يَعترضنيobjects to me فيin عروضيَmy prosody جاهلٌan ignorant man
وَإِن يَعترضني في عروضيَ جاهلٌ
وَعرّضand lays bare ليto me عَرضاًa reputation كَثَوبlike a garment مخلَّقworn out
وَعرّض لي عَرضاً كَثَوب مخلَّق
If some ignoramus objects to my prosody
And if an ignorant man objects to my prosody,
And assails my honor like a threadbare robe,
And exposes his reputation to me like a worn-out garment,
فَلاthen may not كُنتI was قُلتI uttered الشعرpoetry إِنif لَمnot أَكنI am بِهِwith it
فَلا كُنت قُلت الشعر إِن لَم أَكن بِهِ
أَمزِّقI tear apart ذاكَthat العَرضَreputation كُلَّevery ممزَّقdegree of tearing
أَمزِّق ذاكَ العَرضَ كُلَّ ممزَّق
May I never have composed poetry if through it I do not
May I never have uttered poetry if I do not use it
Tear that honor utterly to shreds,
To tear that reputation utterly to shreds.
لِيَعلمso that they know مَنwhoever فيin الشَرقthe east وَالغَربand the west أَنَّنيthat I
لِيَعلم مَن في الشَرق وَالغَرب أَنَّني
صَفعتI slapped جَريراًJarir قَبلَbefore صَفعslapping الَفَرزدقal-Farazdaq
صَفعت جَريراً قَبلَ صَفع الَفَرزدق
So everyone in East and West may know that I
Let those in east and west know that I
Slapped Jarir before al-Farazdaq could slap him.
Slapped Jarir before slapping al-Farazdaq.
وَماand as long as دامَremains عَبدAbd (servant) اللَهAllah (God) ذخريmy mainstay وَمَلجئيand my refuge
وَما دامَ عَبد اللَه ذخري وَمَلجئي
وَعَونيand my aid شَفيتI soothed النَفسthe soul مِنagainst كُلevery أَحمَقfool
وَعَوني شَفيت النَفس مِن كُل أَحمَق
So long as Abdullah remains my treasure and refuge,
And as long as Abd Allah is my mainstay and refuge,
And my support, I shall satisfy my soul against every fool.
And my aid, I shall satisfy my soul against every fool.
وَدُونكand take this ياO سَبطdaughter’s son اِبنIbn (son of) عَونAwn وَليدةًa young maiden
وَدُونك يا سَبط اِبن عَون وَليدةً
تَميسsways دَلالاًcoquettishly فيin حلىjewels فكرof thought مُفلِقbrilliant
تَميس دَلالاً في حلى فكر مُفلِق
Here she is for you, O grandson of Ibn ‘Awn; she has sought your shelter,
Here, O grandson of Ibn Awn, take this young maiden,
Swaying coyly in ornaments of brilliant thought.
Who sways coquettishly in the jewels of brilliant thought:
نُجومstars بَديعof rhetorical artistry فيin سَماءa sky بَلاغةof eloquence
نُجوم بَديع في سَماء بَلاغة
تَزاهَتshone proudly بِنُورٍwith light مِنfrom مَعاليكyour lofty virtues مُشرقradiant
تَزاهَت بِنُورٍ مِن مَعاليك مُشرق
The stars of my original conceits, in a sky of eloquence,
Stars of rhetorical artistry in a sky of eloquence,
Glow proudly with a light shining from your glories.
Glorious with light shining from your lofty virtues.
إِذاwhen طرقتknocked upon سمعthe hearing الفَتىof the young man فَعلتacted بِهِupon him
إِذا طرقت سمع الفَتى فَعلت بِهِ
لَياقَتُهاher grace فعلthe effect السلافof fine wine المروَّقfiltered clear
لَياقَتُها فعل السلاف المروَّق
When their sound reaches a young man’s ear, their grace
When she knocks upon a young man’s ear, he is moved
Works upon him as clarified, pure wine does.
By her grace as by fine, filtered wine.
تَطوفpasses round بِكَأسwith a cup مِنfrom صِفاتكyour qualities ختمهاits seal
تَطوف بِكَأس مِن صِفاتك ختمها
نَوافحwafts مسكof musk بِالمدائحwith praises أَعبقmore fragrant
نَوافح مسك بِالمدائح أَعبق
She passes round a cup of your virtues, whose seal is
She passes round a cup of your qualities, whose seal is
Wafts of musk, made still more fragrant by praises.
Wafts of musk, more fragrant still with praise.
Sol 6.1