دَعleave عَنكَaway from you ماwhat قالَsaid العَذولُthe reproacher وَلاكاand chewed over
دَع عَنكَ ما قالَ العَذولُ وَلاكا
هَيهاتَfar be it أَصبوI incline عَنaway from حَنيبٍa beloved (word unclear) وَلاكاloved you
هَيهاتَ أَصبو عَن حَنيبٍ وَلاكا
Dismiss what the reproacher said and chewed over.
Leave what the blamer said, my dear
Far be it that I turn away from a beloved [word unclear] who loved you.
Alas! Can I ever forget about you and move on?
قالواthey said لَكَto you اِختارَhe chose السُلُوَّforgetting love وَإِنَّماbut only
قالوا لَكَ اِختارَ السُلُوَّ وَإِنَّما
أَسلوI forget love إِذاif كانَis الحَبيبُthe beloved سِواكاsomeone other than you
أَسلو إِذا كانَ الحَبيبُ سِواكا
They told you, 'He has chosen to forget'; yet I only
They told you to choose solitude, but I only
Forget if the beloved is someone other than you.
Find solace when you are my sole companion
أَماas for هَواكَlove of you فَذاكَthen that غَيرُnot مُفارِقيparting from me
أَما هَواكَ فَذاكَ غَيرُ مُفارِقي
وَنَعيمُand the bliss روحيof my soul أَنthat تَكونَit be فِداكاyour ransom
وَنَعيمُ روحي أَن تَكونَ فِداكا
As for love of you, that never leaves me.
Your love still resides in me
And my soul's bliss is that it be your ransom.
And the delight of my soul is sacrificing for you
فيin كُلِّevery يَومٍday لَوعَةًburning anguish قَدhave غادَرتَyou left
في كُلِّ يَومٍ لَوعَةً قَد غادَرتَ
جِسميmy body لَقاًa cast-off thing دَنِفاًsick with longing لِأَجلِfor the sake of لِقاكاmeeting you
جِسمي لَقاً دَنِفاً لِأَجلِ لِقاكا
Each day, in burning anguish, you have left
Every day you left my body impaired
My body a cast-off thing, sick with longing to meet you.
Due to longing to see you again
وَحَنينِand the yearning نَفسٍof a soul لاno هَناءَhappiness لَهاfor it سِوىexcept
وَحَنينِ نَفسٍ لا هَناءَ لَها سِوى
تَذكارَrecollection شَخصِكَof your person أَوor شَذىthe fragrance ذِكراكاof remembering you
تَذكارَ شَخصِكَ أَو شَذى ذِكراكا
And the yearning of a soul that knows no joy except
With a homesick soul that only finds comfort
The recollection of your person, or the fragrance of your memory.
In remembering you or a whiff of your memory
تَهفوit yearns لِتَعتَنِقَto embrace النَسيمَthe breeze لَعَلَّهُperhaps it
تَهفو لِتَعتَنِقَ النَسيمَ لَعَلَّهُ
قَدhas مَرَّpassed مِنfrom جِهَةٍa direction بِهاin it مَثواكاyour dwelling
قَد مَرَّ مِن جِهَةٍ بِها مَثواكا
It yearns to embrace the breeze, for perhaps it
It gasps to hug the breeze hoping it
Has passed from the direction where you dwell.
Passed by where you dwell and carried your scent
وَيَوَدُّand wish مِنfrom فَرطِthe excess الغَرامِof passion جَوانِحيmy ribs
وَيَوَدُّ مِن فَرطِ الغَرامِ جَوانِحي
لَوif only كُنَّthey were أَجنِحَةًwings إِلىtoward مِرآكاthe sight of you
لَو كُنَّ أَجنِحَةً إِلى مِرآكا
And from the excess of passion, my ribs wish
In intense passion my senses wish they were wings
They were wings to reach the sight of you.
To fly towards where you are
قَدhas حَلَّsettled حُبَّكَlove of you فيin الفُؤادِthe heart فَماand did not جَلاdepart
قَد حَلَّ حُبَّكَ في الفُؤادِ فَما جَلا
عَنهُfrom it فَلاso none مَلَكَruled سِواكَother than you هَناكاthere
عَنهُ فَلا مَلَكَ سِواكَ هَناكا
Love of you has settled in my heart and has not departed
Your love settled in my heart so nothing can dispel it
From it; none but you has reigned there.
Except you, for no one else resides there
وَيَلومُنيand blame me العُذّالُthe reproachers فيكَconcerning you وَلَوand if رَأَواthey saw
وَيَلومُني العُذّالُ فيكَ وَلَو رَأَوا
ماwhat قَدhave رَأَيتَyou seen تَتَيَّمواthey would be enthralled بِهَواكاby love of you
ما قَد رَأَيتَ تَتَيَّموا بِهَواكا
And the reproachers blame me for you; but had they seen
The blamer rebukes me for loving you, if only they saw
What you have seen, they would be enslaved by love of you.
What I have seen they would swoon in passion for you
بَلindeed لَوif رَأىsaw النُسّاكَthe ascetics فيin قَتراتِهِمtheir cells
بَل لَو رَأى النُسّاكَ في قَتراتِهِم
تِلكَthose الشَمائِلُqualities ماnot اِغتَدواthey became نُساكاascetics
تِلكَ الشَمائِلُ ما اِغتَدوا نُساكا
Indeed, had the ascetics in their cells seen
Rather if the pious saw your features in their isolation
Those qualities, they would not have become ascetics.
They would cease to be ascetics anymore
يَكفيهِمspares them مِنكَfrom you المُحَيّاthe face طَلعَةَthe appearance
يَكفيهِم مِنكَ المُحَيّا طَلعَةَ
البَدرِof the full moon فيماin the event لَوif سَفَرَتyou unveiled وَراكاand saw you
البَدرِ فيما لَو سَفَرَت وَراكا
Your face would spare them the need for the sight
Just seeing your radiant face unveiled
Of the full moon, if you unveiled and it saw you.
Would suffice, even if they traveled behind you
قَسَماًan oath بِمَنby Him who بَرَأَcreated الحِسانَbeauties وَمَنand who بَراwore down
قَسَماً بِمَن بَرَأَ الحِسانَ وَمَن بَرا
عَقدَthe resolve القُلوبِof hearts عَلىbefore الحِسانِbeauties رَكاكاfrail
عَقدَ القُلوبِ عَلى الحِسانِ رَكاكا
I swear by Him who created beauties and wore down
By the one who created beauty and hearts
The hearts' resolve before beauties, making it frail.
That bind to beauty loosely
إِنّيindeed I لِأَحياtruly come alive أَنwhen تَجودَyou bestow بِطَلعَةٍwith a glimpse
إِنّي لِأَحيا أَن تَجودَ بِطَلعَةٍ
مُتَبَذِّلاًwithout reserve وَأَموتُand I die عِندَat حَياكاyour shyness
مُتَبَذِّلاً وَأَموتُ عِندَ حَياكا
I truly come alive when you grant a glimpse,
I live to see you graciously appear
Without reserve; and I die at your shyness.
And die when you are absent from me
وَأَبيتُand I spend the night أَرعىI watch البَدرَthe full moon فيin غَسَقِthe deep gloom الدُجىof night
وَأَبيتُ أَرعى البَدرَ في غَسَقِ الدُجى
إِنif لَمnot أُصِبكَI find you فَقَدthen indeed أَصَبتَyou found أَخاكاyour brother
إِن لَم أُصِبكَ فَقَد أَصَبتَ أَخاكا
And I spend the night watching the full moon in the deep gloom of night.
I refuse to gaze at the moon in the dark night
If I have not found you, you have found your brother.
If I don’t find you, for you are my sole pursuit
لاdo not تَحسَبَنَّever suppose البُعدَdistance مالاhas swayed (irregular form) بِصَبوَتيmy longing
لا تَحسَبَنَّ البُعدَ مالا بِصَبوَتي
بَلrather زادَincreased فيin التَعذيبِthe torment بُعدَthe remoteness مَداكاof your reach
بَل زادَ في التَعذيبِ بُعدَ مَداكا
Do not think distance has turned my longing aside;
Don’t think distance lessens my devotion
Rather, the remoteness of your reach has added to the torment.
Rather, your remoteness intensifies my torment
وَاللَهُby God لاnot يَدريknows البِعادَseparation وَلاnor النَوىdistance from loved ones
وَاللَهُ لا يَدري البِعادَ وَلا النَوى
إِلّاexcept الَّذيthe one who قَدhas ذاقَtasted مُرَّthe bitterness نَواكاof separation from you
إِلّا الَّذي قَد ذاقَ مُرَّ نَواكا
By God, none knows separation or distance
None knows separation and intention except
Except one who has tasted the bitterness of separation from you.
Those who have tasted the bitterness of your distance
كَمhow many لَيلَةٍa night حَيرانَbewildered أَرقُبI watch نَجمَهاits stars
كَم لَيلَةٍ حَيرانَ أَرقُب نَجمَها
تَرِدُcome to drink المَجَرَّةُthe Milky Way فيin السَماءthe sky عِراكاcrowding together
تَرِدُ المَجَرَّةُ في السَماء عِراكا
How many a night, bewildered, I have watched its stars,
How many confused nights I stay up watching the stars
As they crowd to drink at the Milky Way in the sky.
Shooting in the sky skirmishing
أَحيَيتُهاI kept it alive حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen رَقَّthinned الدُجىthe darkness
أَحيَيتُها حَتّى إِذا رَقَّ الدُجى
باتَتthey continued تُهاويfalling فيin الصَفيحِthe firmament دِراكاin quick succession
باتَت تُهاوي في الصَفيحِ دِراكا
I kept it alive until, when the darkness thinned,
I remain awake until the darkness lifts
They kept falling through the firmament in quick succession.
Then they fall into the horizon scattered
ذُعِرَتwere startled نُفورُwith the flight الآبِداتِof wild beasts كَأَنَّماas though
ذُعِرَت نُفورُ الآبِداتِ كَأَنَّما
نَصَبَset الصَباحُthe dawn لِصَيدِهِنَّto hunt them شِباكاnets
نَصَبَ الصَباحُ لِصَيدِهِنَّ شِباكا
Startled, they fled like wild beasts, as though
As if the morning cast its nets to catch them
Dawn had set nets to hunt them.
As for my night, aren’t the stars tethered to you
لَيليmy night أَماis there not لِلشُهبِfor the bright stars عِندَكَwith you مَربِطُa tethering-place
لَيلي أَما لِلشُهبِ عِندَكَ مَربِطُ
كَيso that لاnot تَفِرُّthey flee إِذاwhen الصَباحَthe morning أَتاكاcame to you
كَي لا تَفِرُّ إِذا الصَباحَ أَتاكا
My night, have you no tethering-place for the bright stars,
So they do not flee when dawn arrives?
So they do not flee when morning comes to you?
Be my witness in adversities as you are entitled
كُنbe ليfor me وَحَقَّكَby your honor فيin المَواقِفِthe trials شاهِداًa witness
كُن لي وَحَقَّكَ في المَواقِفِ شاهِداً
فَلَطالَماfor how often أَحيَيتَyou kept alive مَنthe one who أَحياكاkept you alive
فَلَطالَما أَحيَيتَ مَن أَحياكا
Be my witness in these trials, by your own honor,
For often you gave life to one who gave you life
For often you have kept alive the one who kept you alive.
They spoke of my inner secrets completely ignorant
جَهَلواthey were ignorant of السَريرَةَthe inner secret جُملَةًentirely وَتَحَدَّثواand spoke
جَهَلوا السَريرَةَ جُملَةً وَتَحَدَّثوا
وَلَأَنتَand indeed you أَعلَمَknow better ياO ظَلامُdarkness بِذاكاabout that
وَلَأَنتَ أَعلَمَ يا ظَلامُ بِذاكا
They were wholly ignorant of the inner secret, yet talked;
While you, O darkness, know my truth
And you, O darkness, know that better.
Those who haven’t tasted the absence of loved ones
مَنwhoever لَمnot يَذُقtasted بُعدَseparation الأَحِبَّةِfrom loved ones لَمnot يَزَلceased
مَن لَم يَذُق بُعدَ الأَحِبَّةِ لَم يَزَل
أوليthe foremost (unclear form) العَجائِبِof wonders أَنthat يَخافَhe fears هَلاكاdestruction
أولي العَجائِبِ أَن يَخافَ هَلاكا
For one who has never tasted separation from loved ones, it remains
Always find vanishing from existence peculiar
The greatest of wonders that he should fear destruction.
Give drink to the lovers, by whom you have sworn
فَسَقىso may water الأَحِبَّةِthe loved ones وَالَّذيand that which حَلّواthey settled بِهِin it
فَسَقى الأَحِبَّةِ وَالَّذي حَلّوا بِهِ
غَيثَthe rain هَمّيof my sorrow لاnot يَعرِفُknows الإِمساكاwithholding
غَيثَ هَمّي لا يَعرِفُ الإِمساكا
So may the loved ones and the place they settled be watered
My sea of worries knows no drought
By the rain of my sorrow, which knows no withholding.
Their covenants have watered the riverbeds
وَسَقىand may water عُهودَهُمtheir pledges العِهادِsuccessive rains وَهَزَّand may shake فيin
وَسَقى عُهودَهُم العِهادِ وَهَزَّ في
واديthe valley الأَحِبَّةِof loved ones أَيكَةًa grove وَأَراكاand arak trees
وادي الأَحِبَّةِ أَيكَةً وَأَراكا
And may successive rains water their pledges and shake, in
And stirred in the valley of lovers much turbulence
The valley of the loved ones, a grove and arak trees.
The alliance grazing on your banks
وَرَعىand may protect بَواديin the valley النَيلِof the Nile عَنّيon my behalf عَصبَةُa band
وَرَعى بَوادي النَيلِ عَنّي عَصبَةُ
أَضحىhas become لَهُمfor them حِفظَpreserving الوِدادِaffection مَلاكاa guiding principle
أَضحى لَهُم حِفظَ الوِدادِ مَلاكا
And may a band in the Nile valley be watched over on my behalf,
Safeguarding devotion has become their purpose
For whom preserving affection has become the guiding principle.
I cannot forget the bliss of their company,
لاnot أَنسَI forget أَيّاميmy days بِأُنسِwith the delight لِقائِهِمof meeting them
لا أَنسَ أَيّامي بِأُنسِ لِقائِهِم
كَلّاcertainly not وَلاnor ياO نَيلُNile طيبَthe sweetness هَواكاof your air
كَلّا وَلا يا نَيلُ طيبَ هَواكا
I shall not forget my days of delight in meeting them,
No, Nile, nor the delight of your banks
No indeed, nor, O Nile, the sweetness of your air.
Blessed is your valley, with its resident master
ياO حَبَّذاhow lovely واديكَyour valley مِنas مُتَرَبِّعٍa springtime retreat
يا حَبَّذا واديكَ مِن مُتَرَبِّعٍ
زاهٍresplendent وَنِعمَand how fine الحَومُthe circling حَولَaround حِماكاyour protected grounds
زاهٍ وَنِعمَ الحَومُ حَولَ حِماكا
Ah, how lovely your valley as a springtime retreat,
Splendid, excellent is the protective fortress around him
Resplendent; how fine the circling around your protected grounds!
Grazing in your land, a master you have made
وَرَعىand may protect بِأَرضِكَin your land سَيِّداًa lord أَضحَتhas become بِهِthrough him
وَرَعى بِأَرضِكَ سَيِّداً أَضحَت بِهِ
الإِسكَندَرِيَّةَAlexandria ثَغرَكَyour mouth الضَحاكاever laughing
الإِسكَندَرِيَّةَ ثَغرَكَ الضَحاكا
And may a lord in your land be protected, who has made
Alexandria, the beaming smile of your banks
Alexandria your laughing mouth.
A noble man, by my life, my eloquence falls short
شَهمٌa noble man لَعَمريby my life ماhowever much أَفَضتُI poured forth بَلاغَةًeloquence
شَهمٌ لَعَمري ما أَفَضتُ بَلاغَةً
عَنهُabout him قَصُرَتit fell short عَنِof المَدىthe full measure إِدراكاin reaching
عَنهُ قَصُرَت عَنِ المَدى إِدراكا
A noble man—by my life, however much eloquence I pour forth
In describing him, for he is beyond my comprehension
About him, it falls short of reaching his full measure.
From all sides I came to him like an ocean
كَالبَحرِlike the sea مِنfrom كُلِّevery الجِهاتِdirection أَتَيتُهُI approached him
كَالبَحرِ مِن كُلِّ الجِهاتِ أَتَيتُهُ
لِتَرىso you may see الحَقيقَةَthe truth جاءَhe came مِلءَfilling حِجاكاyour understanding
لِتَرى الحَقيقَةَ جاءَ مِلءَ حِجاكا
He is like the sea; I have approached him from every direction,
To witness the truth, arriving completely eager
So you may see the truth: he comes, filling your mind.
A house adorned with perfection, so say to it
وَآلٍand a governor (irregular spelling) توشِحُclothed himself بِالكَمالِin perfection فَقُلso say لَهُto him
وَآلٍ توشِحُ بِالكَمالِ فَقُل لَهُ
سُبحانَglory to مَنHim who وَلاكَappointed you بَلrather أَولاكاfavored you
سُبحانَ مَن وَلاكَ بَل أَولاكا
And a governor, clothed in perfection—say to him:
Glory to He who made you thus
Glory to Him who appointed you—rather, who favored you.
His love has captured hearts and shackled them
أَسَرَتcaptured مَحَبَّتُهُlove of him القُلوبِthe hearts فَقُيِّدَتso they were fettered
أَسَرَت مَحَبَّتُهُ القُلوبِ فَقُيِّدَت
فيهاwithin it وَلَكِنbut لاnot تُريدُthey desire فَكاكاrelease
فيها وَلَكِن لا تُريدُ فَكاكا
Love of him has captured hearts, and they are fettered
Though they do not seek escape
Within it, yet they desire no release.
Tell the one hoping to attain his level of merit
قُلsay لِلمُطاوِلُto the would-be rival مِثلَthe equal غايَةِof the summit فَضلِهِof his excellence
قُل لِلمُطاوِلُ مِثلَ غايَةِ فَضلِهِ
هَيهاتَfar beyond reach تَظفَرُcan attain بِالنُجومِthe stars يَداكاyour two hands
هَيهاتَ تَظفَرُ بِالنُجومِ يَداكا
Tell whoever would equal the summit of his excellence:
Impossible! Your hands will never grasp the stars
Far be it that your hands should grasp the stars.
He who perceives his gentleness and dignity
مَنwhoever يَرعَهُobserves him فيin لُطفِهِhis gentleness وَوَقارِهِand his dignity
مَن يَرعَهُ في لُطفِهِ وَوَقارِهِ
يَلقىfinds المَلائِكَthe angels فيهِin him وَالأَملاكاand kings
يَلقى المَلائِكَ فيهِ وَالأَملاكا
Whoever observes him in his gentleness and dignity
Will meet angels and archangels in him
Finds in him both angels and kings.
Wait, O Ishmael, on the paths of elevation
مَهلاًslowly أَياO إِسماعيلُIsmail فيupon طُرُقِthe paths العُلاof eminence
مَهلاً أَيا إِسماعيلُ في طُرُقِ العُلا
وَاِستَبَقَand raced (wording unclear) فيهاthere فَضلُهُhis excellence لِسِواكاfor those besides you
وَاِستَبَقَ فيها فَضلُهُ لِسِواكا
Slowly, O Ismail, upon the paths of eminence,
For his merit has surpassed all except you
And his excellence raced there for those besides you [wording unclear].
By God, your actions do not flatter others
لِلَهِto God ماhow أَهدىwell-guiding فِعالُكَyour deeds لِلثَناtoward praise
لِلَهِ ما أَهدى فِعالُكَ لِلثَنا
وَأَضَلَّand how bewildering فيin لَيلِthe night المُريبِof the suspicious one سَراكاyour night journey
وَأَضَلَّ في لَيلِ المُريبِ سَراكا
God be praised—how well your deeds lead to praise,
And misguide in the murky night of blindness
And how bewildering your night journey in the suspicious man's darkness!
It suffices the ambitious that you have assumed positions
حَسَبُenough for المَزاحِمِthe rival مَنwho عَلاكَoutranks you مَناصِباًin offices
حَسَبُ المَزاحِمِ مَن عَلاكَ مَناصِباً
إِنif يَستَظِلُّhe takes shelter بِظِلٍّin the shadow فَضلَof the trailing portion رِداكاof your cloak
إِن يَستَظِلُّ بِظِلٍّ فَضلَ رِداكا
Enough for a rival who outranks you in office,
If he seeks shade under the shade your merit casts
If he can shelter in the shadow of your trailing cloak.
You brought Alexandria endless joy
تاهَتgloried بِكَin you الإِسكَندَرِيَّةَAlexandria بَهجَةًwith delight
تاهَت بِكَ الإِسكَندَرِيَّةَ بَهجَةً
بَلَغَتreached نِهايَةَthe utmost حَظِّهاof its fortune بِنَهاكاthrough your wisdom
بَلَغَت نِهايَةَ حَظِّها بِنَهاكا
Alexandria has gloried in you with delight.
For it has attained the pinnacle due to your presence
It has reached the utmost of its fortune through your wisdom.
It knew no governor like you, nor did it know
لَمnot تَدرِit knew مِثلَكَanyone like you فيamong الوُلاةِthe governors وَلاnor دَرَتhave known
لَم تَدرِ مِثلَكَ في الوُلاةِ وَلا دَرَت
تِلكَthose المَنارِbeacons الغُرِّradiant مِثلthe like of هَداكاyour guidance
تِلكَ المَنارِ الغُرِّ مِثل هَداكا
It has known none like you among governors, nor have
A brilliant minaret such as your guidance
Those radiant beacons known guidance like yours.
To you, O king of poetry, I bring this ode
وَإِلَيكَand to you ياO مَلِكَking القَريضِof verse قَصيدَةًa poem
وَإِلَيكَ يا مَلِكَ القَريضِ قَصيدَةً
وَقَفَتhas stood عَلىin خَجَلٍbashfulness بِبابٍat the gate عَلاكاof your eminence
وَقَفَت عَلى خَجَلٍ بِبابٍ عَلاكا
And to you, O king of verse, comes a poem
That hesitantly halted at your lofty door
That has stood bashfully at the gate of your eminence.
It came to Ishmael hungry for your approval
قَدِمَتit came عَلىbefore إِسماعيلَIsmail وَهيَand it is عَريقَةٌof ancient lineage
قَدِمَت عَلى إِسماعيلَ وَهيَ عَريقَةٌ
فيin لَخمِLakhm طامِعَةٍaspiring بِنَيلِto gain رِضاكاyour approval
في لَخمِ طامِعَةٍ بِنَيلِ رِضاكا
It has come before Ismail, and is deeply rooted
Though rich in determination and hope
In Lakhm, aspiring to win your approval.
Partial English translation: 83 of 84 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1