مَنْwho رأىhas seen الأظعانَthe departing caravans فوقover الthe
مَنْ رأى الأظعانَ فوق ال
بيدِdeserts منfrom بُعدٍa distance تلوحُshimmer
بيدِ من بُعدٍ تلوحُ
Who has seen the departing caravans over the
Whoever saw the flags waving atop the spears from afar
deserts, shimmering from afar?
Like a ship tempest-tossed at sea signaling the stricken,
كَسفينٍlike ships عَصفتْstormed فيthrough
كَسفينٍ عَصفتْ في
هِنّthem للنكباءِof the crosswind ريحُa wind
هِنّ للنكباءِ ريحُ
Like ships through which
Or a cloud pregnant with rain,
a fierce crosswind has swept;
Or shuddering mirages where no trace of life stirs-
أوor غمامٍa cloud هوit is بالماwith the water (start)
أو غمامٍ هو بالما
ءِwater (end) الذيwhich فيهwithin it دَلوُحُheavily laden
ءِ الذي فيه دَلوُحُ
Or a cloud that, with the water
Return in spite of grief and though I said “Begone!”
within it, hangs heavy;
My heart, after I built it up like a decree, crumbled.
أوor رِئالٍyoung ostriches راتِكاتٍrunning swiftly
أو رِئالٍ راتِكاتٍ
ليسthere is not فيهنّamong them طَليحُa weary one
ليس فيهنّ طَليحُ
Or young ostriches running swiftly,
My ardour in tears from my eyes flowed confusedly at dawn.
not one among them weary.
My love songs redolent of wine and musk exhaled their scent,
رُحْنَthey departed بالرّغمِin defiance منof الأْنthe nose (start)
رُحْنَ بالرّغمِ من الأْن
فِnose (end) وماand not إنْat all (emphasis) قلتُI said روحواdepart, all of you
فِ وما إنْ قلتُ روحوا
They departed against my will,
Though he who is sweetly affectionate has no sweet affection.
though I never said, "Depart."
What evil has the guide done that he should fear slander?
ففؤادِيso my heart بعدafter أنthat بِنthey departed (start)
ففؤادِي بعد أن بِن
نَthey departed (end) كماas شِئْنَthey wished قَريحُwounded
نَ كما شِئْنَ قَريحُ
So my heart, after they departed
No greeting of his was proffered in secret without pure intent.
as they pleased, is wounded.
Truly he who is parsimonious with water to the thirsty is stingy.
وغَبوقِيand my evening drink دمعُtears عينيeyes
وغَبوقِي دمعُ عيني
يَmy (possessive ending) هَتوناًpouring abundantly والصَّبوحُand the morning drink
يَ هَتوناً والصَّبوحُ
My evening drink is the tears of my eyes,
My longing surged wildly like a Khumri songstress keening her grief,
pouring down—and so is my morning drink.
A turtle-dove whose abode is the apple-tree, whether it sings or is silent.
وَثَناياand front teeth بَينَهنَّbetween them الthe
وَثَنايا بَينَهنَّ ال
خَمرُwine والمسكُand musk يفوحُwafts fragrance
خَمرُ والمسكُ يفوحُ
And front teeth, between which
O you who approach us, let there be no avoiding us from you.
wine and musk waft their fragrance;
We are bodies and you are the spirit animating bodies.
وَمَليحُand one beautiful العِطْفِof form لوif only كاwere (start)
وَمَليحُ العِطْفِ لو كا
نَwere (end) لهhe had عَطْفٌtenderness مليحُbeautiful
نَ له عَطْفٌ مليحُ
And one graceful in form—if only
In war and then in truce there is winging and moaning of arrows,
his tenderness were lovely too!
And if the tribe does not breathe might into you, loneliness enfeebles you.
أَيُّwhat شيءٍthing ضرَّdid harm والحاand the camel-driver (start)
أَيُّ شيءٍ ضرَّ والحا
دِيcamel-driver (end) بماof what يخشىis feared صَدوحُsinging loudly
دِي بما يخشى صَدوحُ
What harm could come—while the camel-driver
When the warrior dons his coat of mail, you are the shield.
sings loudly of what is feared—
If you doubt his merit in generosity, doubt itself is disgraceful.
مِنfrom سَلامٍa greeting لمnot يكنْwould be بالof the
مِن سَلامٍ لم يكنْ بال
سِرِّsecret منof وَجْدٍardent longing يبوحُdivulges
سِرِّ من وَجْدٍ يبوحُ
from a greeting that would not
Behold him in the fray, the forelock of his brow sublime,
betray the secret of longing?
As the spear-blade drinks from the meadows in long draughts amid clashing of arms
إنَّindeed مَنْwhoever شحَّwithheld عنfrom الصّدْthe thirsty one (start)
إنَّ مَنْ شحَّ عن الصّدْ
يانِthirsty one (end) بالماءِwith water شَحيحُmiserly
يانِ بالماءِ شَحيحُ
Surely, whoever withholds from the thirsty
Where no tomb can be dug in the earth for the dead,
water is miserly.
Save a lancer charging home thrusts or a striker goring straight.
وَلَقَدْand indeed هاجَstirred اِشتِياقيmy longing
وَلَقَدْ هاجَ اِشتِياقي
نوحُlament قُمْرِيٍّa turtledove ينوحُlaments
نوحُ قُمْرِيٍّ ينوحُ
And indeed, my longing was stirred
One whose luck is the stab of death in the kidneys is stricken,
by the lament of a mourning turtledove:
A runner and chaser, a divisor and uniter,
غَرِدٌmelodious مسكنُهُits dwelling الطُّبthe ṭubbāq shrub (start)
غَرِدٌ مسكنُهُ الطُّب
باقُṭubbāq (end) أوor لاnot فالطُّلوحُthen the acacias
باقُ أو لا فالطُّلوحُ
A tuneful bird whose home is in ṭubbāq shrubs,
And separation has passed, no return or going back,
or, if not there, among acacias.
So hearts this day are burning with grief,
أيّهاO you الدانِيthe one close إليناto us
أيّها الدانِي إلينا
لاnot يكنْlet there be منكfrom you النُّزوحُdeparture
لا يكنْ منك النُّزوحُ
O you who are close to us,
Having seen what the ambitious eye hoped for in part,
let no departure come from you.
And we saw the fruit of beauty and what the odious reaps.
نَحنُwe أجسادٌbodies وأنتand you الthe
نَحنُ أجسادٌ وأنت ال
دَهْرَwhole of time فيin الأجسادِthe bodies روحُa soul
دَهْرَ في الأجسادِ روحُ
We are bodies, and you
Difficulty has passed and spacious life has come to us.
are forever the soul within those bodies.
Say to him who was wounded: those wounds have healed.
وَبِحَربٍand in war ثمّthen فيin جَدْdrought (start)
وَبِحَربٍ ثمّ في جَدْ
بٍdrought (end) جَنوحٌbold in attack وَمنوحُand lavish in giving
بٍ جَنوحٌ وَمنوحُ
In war, and then in drought,
There is only a hope of gain or ample profit in selling.
you charge boldly and give lavishly.
For us there are sung verses and pleasures in the abodes of security,
وَإِذاand when لَمnot ينفحِgive generously القوthe people (start)
وَإِذا لَم ينفحِ القو
مُpeople (end) فيُمناكthen your right hand النَّفوحُthe generous giver
مُ فيُمناك النَّفوحُ
And when the people do not give,
And steeds, goal-seeking, bending whither we desire,
your right hand is the lavish giver.
And hearts at peace and souls serene,
وإذاand when الجُرمُthe offense بذيone possessed of الحِلْforbearance (start)
وإذا الجُرمُ بذي الحِلْ
مِforbearance (end) هفاleads astray أنتَyou الصَّفوحُthe ever-forgiving
مِ هفا أنتَ الصَّفوحُ
And when an offense makes the forbearing
And we have the river reeds - what events occur among them! -
falter, you are ever forgiving.
And abstinence, wounds, self-mortification;
إِنْif شَككتمْyou all doubt منهُabout him فيconcerning النَّجْcourage (start)
إِنْ شَككتمْ منهُ في النَّجْ
دَةِcourage (end) والشّكُّand doubt فضوحُdisgracing
دَةِ والشّكُّ فضوحُ
If you doubt his courage—
And soft skins - what sores and wounds affect them!
and doubt is disgraceful—
So accept the repentance of a time devoid of ugliness,
فَاِنظُروهُthen behold him فيin الوغىthe battle يحْcarries him (start)
فَاِنظُروهُ في الوغى يحْ
مِلُهُcarries him (end) الطِّرفُthe noble steed السَّبوحُswimming-strided
مِلُهُ الطِّرفُ السَّبوحُ
then behold him amid battle,
Deluding at times, though now as we wish we give good counsel.
borne by the swimming-strided steed.
A name artless and bright - how much chicanery came to us from it!
والقناand the spears يولِغُmakes lap منfrom نحْa throat (start)
والقنا يولِغُ من نحْ
رٍthroat (end) نجيعاًfresh blood والصّفيحُand sword-blades
رٍ نجيعاً والصّفيحُ
And he makes spears and sword-blades lap
But the earnest person is one who attained the furthest goal and put minds at rest.
fresh blood from throats,
There will come to you as you wish
حيثُwhere لاnot يُطوىis closed علىover المَيْthe dead (start)
حيثُ لا يُطوى على المَيْ
تِdead (end) منَof الأرضِthe earth ضَريحُa grave
تِ منَ الأرضِ ضَريحُ
where no earthen grave
Expansive domains and conquests,
is closed over the dead.
And ascendancies whose teachings and counsels time does not erase.
لَيسthere is not إلّاexcept ناطحٌone goring بالwith the
لَيس إلّا ناطحٌ بال
طَعنِthrusting قَعْصاًkilling outright أوor نَطيحُone gored
طَعنِ قَعْصاً أو نَطيحُ
There is only one who gores with
Because I have prolonged excessively this detailed exposition and commentary,
a thrust that kills outright—or one gored;
Take my hints until explicit words come,
ورَكوبٌand a rider حظُّهُhis lot طعa thrust (start)
ورَكوبٌ حظُّهُ طع
نُthrust (end) الكُلىthe kidneys فهوso he is طريحُfallen
نُ الكُلى فهو طريحُ
And a rider whose lot is
And if reverent discretion prevents
a thrust into the kidneys: he lies fallen;
Uttering elegant speech, may you never cease enjoying favors
وكَرورٌand one charging back وفَرورٌand one fleeing
وكَرورٌ وفَرورٌ
ومُشِيحٌand one resolute ومُلِيحُand one apprehensive
ومُشِيحٌ ومُلِيحُ
And one charging back, and one fleeing,
And keeping far from following glory, wherever it may take you,
and one pressing on, and one afraid.
Barren wastes for you, and evasion.
وَمَضىand has passed البينُseparation فَلاso may not عاreturn (start)
وَمَضى البينُ فَلا عا
دَreturn (end) بِعادٌestrangement ونزوحُand departure
دَ بِعادٌ ونزوحُ
Separation has passed: may
May he whom you did not accept, in what he tramples, be kept from you.
estrangement and departure never return.
For the noble youth is one whom praise falls short of reaching.
فقلوبٌso hearts حَرِجاتٌconstricted
فقلوبٌ حَرِجاتٌ
هنَّthey فيon ذاthis اليومِday فِيحُspacious
هنَّ في ذا اليومِ فِيحُ
Hearts once constricted
are spacious on this day.
قَدalready رَأتْhave seen ماwhat كانَused to يَرجوhope for
قَد رَأتْ ما كانَ يَرجو
بعضَهpart of it الطَّرفُthe eye الطّموحُthe aspiring
بعضَه الطَّرفُ الطّموحُ
They have seen what
the aspiring eye hoped for only in part.
ورأيناand we saw ثَمَرَfruit الحُسْgoodness (start)
ورأينا ثَمَرَ الحُسْ
نىgoodness (end) وماand what يجنِيreaps القبيحُwrongdoing
نى وما يجنِي القبيحُ
And we have seen the fruit of goodness
and what wrongdoing reaps.
ومضىand has passed الصعبthe difficult ولمand not يبremain (start)
ومضى الصعب ولم يب
قَremain (end) لناfor us إلّاexcept السَّميحُthe easy
قَ لنا إلّا السَّميحُ
Hardship has passed, and nothing remains
for us but ease.
وَاِنقضىand ended الضّيقُhard straits ووافاand reached (start)
وَاِنقضى الضّيقُ ووافا
ناus (verb ending) مِنَof العيشlife الفسيحُthe spacious
نا مِنَ العيش الفسيحُ
Hard straits have ended, and there has come
to us an ample life.
قُلْsay لِمَنto whoever كانَwas جَريحاًwounded
قُلْ لِمَن كانَ جَريحاً
دمِلَتْhave healed تلكthose الجروحُwounds
دمِلَتْ تلك الجروحُ
Tell whoever was wounded:
"Those wounds have healed."
لَيسthere is not إِلّاexcept أَملٌa hope قدalready
لَيس إِلّا أَملٌ قد
نيلattained أوor بيعٌa bargain رَبيحُprofitable
نيل أو بيعٌ رَبيحُ
There is only a hope already
fulfilled, or a profitable bargain.
وَلَناand for us فيin الأمنِsafety بالدّوin the desert (start)
وَلَنا في الأمنِ بالدّو
وِdesert (end) سُروبٌfree roaming وسُروحُand ranging to pasture
وِ سُروبٌ وسُروحُ
And in safety, in the desert,
we have free roaming and open pasture.
وَخيولٌand horses نَحوَtoward ماwhat نَهwe desire (start)
وَخيولٌ نَحوَ ما نَه
وىwe desire (end) مِنَof الأمرِthe undertaking جُنوحُinclining eagerly
وى مِنَ الأمرِ جُنوحُ
And horses, inclining toward
whatever course we desire;
وقلوبٌand hearts ساكناتٌtranquil
وقلوبٌ ساكناتٌ
وجَنانٌand a heart مستريحُat rest
وجَنانٌ مستريحُ
And hearts that are still,
and a heart at rest.
وَلَناand we have الأَعوادُthe frames (literally, wood) ماnot فيin
وَلَنا الأَعوادُ ما في
هاthem وصُومٌblemishes وجُروحُand wounds
ها وصُومٌ وجُروحُ
And our frames have no
blemishes or wounds;
والجلودُand the skins المُلْسُthe smooth ماnot فيin
والجلودُ المُلْسُ ما في
هاthem قروفٌscabs وقروحُand sores
ها قروفٌ وقروحُ
And our smooth skins have no
scabs or sores.
فَاِقبَلso accept التّوبَةrepentance مِنfrom دهْan age (start)
فَاِقبَل التّوبَة مِن دهْ
رٍage (end) خلاhas departed منهfrom it قبيحُugliness
رٍ خلا منه قبيحُ
So accept repentance from an age
whose ugliness is gone.
غَشّdeceived حيناًfor a time وهوَand it is الآnow (start)
غَشّ حيناً وهوَ الآ
نَnow (end) بماin what نهوىwe desire نَصوحُsincerely well-disposed
نَ بما نهوى نَصوحُ
It deceived us for a while; now
it is faithful to what we desire.
باسمٌsmiling طَلْقٌcheerful وكمand how often باappeared (start)
باسمٌ طَلْقٌ وكم با
نَappeared (end) لناto us منهُfrom it الكُلوحُscowling
نَ لنا منهُ الكُلوحُ
Smiling and cheerful—how often
its scowl had appeared to us!
إنّماonly الجَدُّgood fortune لمنfor whoever ناattains (start)
إنّما الجَدُّ لمن نا
لَattains (end) المَدىthe goal وهوwhile he is مُريحُat ease
لَ المَدى وهو مُريحُ
Good fortune belongs only to him who attains
the goal while at ease.
سَوفَwill تَأتيكَcome to you كَماas تَهْyou desire (start)
سَوفَ تَأتيكَ كَما تَهْ
وىyou desire (end) فروجٌdeliverances وفتوحُand victories
وى فروجٌ وفتوحُ
There will come to you, as you desire,
deliverance and victories,
وسعودٌand good fortunes ماnot محاهُنeffaced them (start)
وسعودٌ ما محاهُن
نَthem (pronoun ending) دُروسٌfading ومُصوحُand decline
نَ دُروسٌ ومُصوحُ
And good fortunes not effaced
by fading or decline.
وَلِماand for what أَجملتُI outlined تفصيdetail (start)
وَلِما أَجملتُ تفصي
لٌdetail (end) طويلٌlong وشروحُand explanations
لٌ طويلٌ وشروحُ
And what I have outlined has
lengthy detail and explanations.
فخذِso take التّعْريضَindirect allusion حتّىuntil
فخذِ التّعْريضَ حتّى
يأتِيَcomes القولُthe speech الصّريحُthe explicit
يأتِيَ القولُ الصّريحُ
So accept the allusion, until
the explicit word comes.
وَإِذاand when عنّarises اِتّقاءٌcaution
وَإِذا عنّ اِتّقاءٌ
عَيَّfalters بالقولِin speech الفصيحُthe eloquent speaker
عَيَّ بالقولِ الفصيحُ
And when caution intervenes,
the eloquent speaker falters in speech.
لاnot تزلcease فيin نِعَمٍblessings تغgo forth by morning (start)
لا تزل في نِعَمٍ تغ
دوgo forth by morning (end) عليهاamid them وتروحُand return by evening
دو عليها وتروحُ
May you ever remain amid blessings,
going forth and returning amid them, morning and evening.
ونأَىand may stay far عنfrom مَشيِwalking عِزٍّhonor
ونأَى عن مَشيِ عِزٍّ
لَكَfor you أيْنٌweariness ورُزوحُand exhaustion
لَكَ أيْنٌ ورُزوحُ
And far from your walk in honor
may weariness and exhaustion remain.
وعِراصٌand open grounds لكfor you لاnot أقْbecome barren (start)
وعِراصٌ لك لا أقْ
وينَbecome barren (end) منof خِصْبٍfertility وسوحُand courtyards
وينَ من خِصْبٍ وسوحُ
And may your grounds never
lack fertility—nor your courtyards.
وليطِحْand let fall away عنكfrom you الّذيthat which لمْnot
وليطِحْ عنك الّذي لمْ
ترضَهُyou approved of it فيماamong what يَطيحُfalls away
ترضَهُ فيما يَطيحُ
And may whatever displeases you
fall away from you with all that falls away.
فَالفَتىfor the noble young man مَنwhoever كانَis مَجداًglory embodied
فَالفَتى مَن كانَ مَجداً
قاصراًfalling short عنهof him المديحُpraise
قاصراً عنه المديحُ
For the noble man is one who embodies glory
beyond the reach of praise.
Partial English translation: 54 of 106 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1