لومُreproach لئيمof a base man كلّماwhenever اشتدّgrew stronger خابْfailed
لومُ لئيم كلّما اشتدّ خابْ
والشَّوقُand longing لاnot يُصْغِيheeds لبعضsome العِتابrebuke
والشَّوقُ لا يُصْغِي لبعض العِتاب
A base man's reproach fails whenever it grows fierce.
Blame of the critic increases whenever it intensifies,
And longing pays no heed to certain rebukes.
And longing does not listen to some of the reproach.
مَنْwhoever لامrebuked فيin الحبlove كئيبone sorrowful الحشاat heart
مَنْ لام في الحب كئيب الحشا
فإنماso only أغراهgoaded him بالاكتئابinto despondency
فإنما أغراه بالاكتئاب
Whoever rebukes a lover sorrowful at heart
Whoever blames in love is miserable,
Only goads him into despondency.
It only made him sadder with melancholy.
واكَبِداًalas for my liver لمdid not يُبْقِleave منهاof it الجَوَىconsuming passion
واكَبِداً لم يُبْقِ منها الجَوَى
بينbetween ضُلوعيmy ribs للجوىfor consuming passion ماanything يُذَابْto be melted
بين ضُلوعي للجوى ما يُذَابْ
Alas, my liver! Passion has left of it
My inner self that did not leave any yearning in it
Nothing between my ribs for passion to melt.
Between my ribs yearning melts.
صبابَةٌpassionate longing تقدَحkindles فيin مُهْجَتيmy heart
صبابَةٌ تقدَح في مُهْجَتي
بِلاعجwith the searing heat of البَثّgrief شجىًsorrow والتهابْand burning
بِلاعج البَثّ شجىً والتهابْ
Passionate longing kindles in my heart
A glowing coal kindles in my inner self,
Sorrow and flame with grief's searing heat.
Live embers of talk, grief and inflammation.
ياO مَنْyou who تَشَفَّىtook satisfaction بعذابيin my torment بهbecause of him
يا مَنْ تَشَفَّى بعذابي به
إنيindeed I لاستَعْذِبsurely find sweet منكfrom you العَذابtorment
إني لاستَعْذِب منك العَذاب
O you who take satisfaction in the torment you cause me,
O you who recovered from my torment through it,
I truly find the torment from you sweet.
I find your torment pleasant.
لوif فتَّشواthey searched جِسْميَmy body ماnot أبصرواthey saw
لو فتَّشوا جِسْميَ ما أبصروا
غيرَother than الأسىsorrow يَسْرَحwanders بينbetween الثّيابthe clothes
غيرَ الأسى يَسْرَح بين الثّياب
If they searched my body, they would see
If they searched my body they would not see
Only sorrow wandering beneath my clothes.
Anything but grief roaming between clothes.
لاmay not زالcease سُقْمِيmy sickness وعذابيand my torment علىfor
لا زال سُقْمِي وعذابي على
سُقْمthe languor of المآقِيthe eye corners والثَّنايَاand the front teeth العِذابsweet
سُقْم المآقِي والثَّنايَا العِذاب
May my sickness and torment never cease for
My illness and torment did not cease
Those languid eyes and those sweet front teeth.
On the illness of afflictions and folds of torment.
لاthere is no خيرَgood فيin الحُبّlove إذاif لمnot يكنit is
لا خيرَ في الحُبّ إذا لم يكن
فيin أنْفُسthe souls of العُشّاقlovers ماضيkeen with الحِرابspears
في أنْفُس العُشّاق ماضي الحِراب
There is no good in love unless it is
There is no good in love unless there was
Keen as spears within the souls of lovers.
In the selves of lovers traces of turmoil.
فيon خدّthe cheek of مَنْthe one who يَتمّنىdesires منof دميmy blood
في خدّ مَنْ يَتمّنى من دمي
رَشْحٌa trickle وفيand on كَفَّيْهhis two palms منهof it خِضابa dye
رَشْحٌ وفي كَفَّيْه منه خِضاب
On the cheek of him who covets my blood
On the cheek of the one who wishes
Is a trickle, and on his palms a dye of it.
From my blood, a drizzle, and on his palms from it, dye.
كأنماas though الإصباحُdaybreak منfrom وجههhis face
كأنما الإصباحُ من وجهه
لاحshone ومنand from خَدَّيْهhis two cheeks ذابmelted الشَّرابwine
لاح ومن خَدَّيْه ذاب الشَّراب
As though daybreak from his face
As if the dawn shone from his face,
Had shone, and wine had melted from his cheeks.
And from his cheeks the wine melted.
فماand never رَمىhe shot عنfrom قوسthe bow of أجفانهhis eyelids
فما رَمى عن قوس أجفانه
قلبَيmy heart بالألحاظwith glances إلاّexcept أصابhe hit
قلبَي بالألحاظ إلاّ أصاب
He never shot from the bow of his eyelids
So he did not shoot from the bow of his eyelids
At my heart with glances but he struck it.
At my heart with glances except hitting it.
لماwhen تَشكَّيتُI lamented إليهto him الهوىpassion
لما تَشكَّيتُ إليه الهوى
بأَلْسُنwith the tongues of الدَّمعtears رَثَىhe took pity واستجابْand responded
بأَلْسُن الدَّمع رَثَى واستجابْ
When I lamented my passion to him
When I complained to him of passion
With the tongues of tears, he pitied me and answered.
With tongues of tears, he had mercy and responded.
وزارنيand he visited me تحتbeneath رِواقthe canopy of الدُّجىdarkness
وزارني تحت رِواق الدُّجى
واللَّيلُand the night فيin صِبْغthe color of جَناحthe wing of الغُرابْthe raven
واللَّيلُ في صِبْغ جَناح الغُرابْ
And he visited me beneath darkness's canopy,
He visited me under the porch of gloom
While night wore the hue of a raven's wing.
While the night was in the dye of the crow’s wing,
يَلُوحgleams فيin الظلماءthe darkness لألاَؤُهhis radiance
يَلُوح في الظلماء لألاَؤُه
كالبدرlike the full moon فيin مِدْرَعةa tunic منof سَحابclouds
كالبدر في مِدْرَعة من سَحاب
His radiance gleamed in the darkness
Its jewels gleam in the darkness
Like the full moon in a tunic of clouds.
Like the moon in armor of clouds,
مُكْتَتِماًconcealing himself يفرقُhe fears منof ظلمةdarkness
مُكْتَتِماً يفرقُ من ظلمة
مُسْتَحْسِراًwearied منby فلَقٍdaybreak واكتِئابand despondency
مُسْتَحْسِراً من فلَقٍ واكتِئاب
Concealing himself, afraid of darkness,
Concealing, scattering the darkness,
Wearied by daybreak and despondency.
Bashful, from a slit and melancholy.
والبدرُand the full moon فيat أوّلthe beginning of إقبالهits appearance
والبدرُ في أوّل إقباله
كخطّlike the stroke of نونٍthe letter nūn مُذْهَبgilded فيin كتابa book
كخطّ نونٍ مُذْهَب في كتاب
And the full moon, as it first appeared,
And the moon in its first appearance
Was like the gilded stroke of a nūn in a book.
Is like a line of gilded Nun in a book.
فباتso he spent the night يُعْطينَيgiving me منof وصلهhis intimacy
فبات يُعْطينَي من وصله
أضعافَmultiples of ماwhat أَعطىhe gave منin الاجتِنابavoidance
أضعافَ ما أَعطى من الاجتِناب
He spent the night granting me his intimacy,
So he spent the night giving me from his company
Many times what he had given in avoidance.
Multiples of what he gave from avoidance.
إذاwhenever سقانيhe served me الرَّاحَwine منfrom كفّهhis palm
إذا سقاني الرَّاحَ من كفّه
مَزْجْتُهاI mixed it لَثْماًby kissing براحwith the wine of الرُّضَابsaliva
مَزْجْتُها لَثْماً براح الرُّضَاب
Whenever he served me wine from his palm,
When he quenched my thirst from his palm,
I mixed it, kissing him, with the wine of his saliva.
I mixed it with the wine of kisses.
كأنّهاas though it were فيin الكأسthe cup ماwhat جالflowed فيthrough
كأنّها في الكأس ما جال في
خدَّيْهhis two cheeks منof رقّةthe delicacy of ماءthe water of الشبابyouth
خدَّيْه من رقّة ماء الشباب
As though the wine in the cup were what coursed through
As if it was in the cup what shone on
His cheeks—the delicate water of youth.
His cheek from the softness of the water of youth.
حتىuntil تولّىwithdrew الليلُthe night فيwith جيشهits army
حتى تولّى الليلُ في جيشه
وحلّand untied ضَوءُthe light of الصّبحmorning عَقْدَthe knot of النِّقابthe veil
وحلّ ضَوءُ الصّبح عَقْدَ النِّقاب
Until night withdrew with its army,
Until the night took over its army,
And morning's light untied the veil's knot.
And the light of dawn untied the knot of the veil.
كأنّماas though الليلthe night بإصباحهwith its dawning
كأنّما الليل بإصباحه
كانhad been عِذاراًa sideburn حالكاًjet-black ثمthen شابْturned gray
كان عِذاراً حالكاً ثم شابْ
As though night, as its morning came,
As if the night by its dawn,
Had been a jet-black sideburn that then turned gray.
It was muddy then cleared up.
أوor كانhad been مثلlike الجَوْرoppression فيin لونهits color
أو كان مثل الجَوْر في لونه
فحلّهthen dissolved it عدلُthe justice of نِزارٍNizar فغابso it vanished
فحلّه عدلُ نِزارٍ فغاب
Or had been like oppression in its hue,
Or it was like amber in its color,
Till Nizar's justice dissolved it, and it vanished.
So the justice of soft rain cleared it up.
قلsay لأبيto Abu المنصورal-Mansur ياO خيرَthe best of منthose who
قل لأبي المنصور يا خيرَ من
أقامstayed أوor حثَّurged on لمجدٍtoward glory ركابriding mounts
أقام أو حثَّ لمجدٍ ركاب
Say to Abu al-Mansur: O best of those
Say to Abu al-Mansur, O best of those
Who stay or spur their mounts toward glory,
Who established or urged for glory horses.
وياand O إماماًimam قَابَلتْmet مُلْكَهhis reign
ويا إماماً قَابَلتْ مُلْكَه
لوائحُthe signs of الإقبالgood fortune منfrom كلّevery بابgate
لوائحُ الإقبال من كلّ باب
And O imam whose reign was met
And O Imam, his kingdom was met
By signs of good fortune from every gate,
By manifestations of power from every door.
خوَّلكgranted you القدرةَpower والنّصَرand victory مَنْthe one who
خوَّلك القدرةَ والنّصَر مَنْ
حَباكَendowed you بالحُكمwith judgment وفصلand decisiveness in الخِطابspeech
حَباكَ بالحُكم وفصل الخِطاب
You were granted power and victory by the one who
He who endowed you with ability and victory
Bestowed judgment and decisive speech upon you.
Who gifted you with rule and the speech of judgment.
إنindeed ابنthe son of حمدانHamdan عداwent beyond رُشْدَهhis sound judgment
إن ابن حمدان عدا رُشْدَه
ورامand sought أنto يَظفَرwin جهلاًignorantly فخابso failed
ورام أن يَظفَر جهلاً فخاب
Ibn Hamdan strayed beyond sound judgment,
Indeed Ibn Hamdan turned away from his integrity
And sought victory in ignorance, but failed.
And wanted to gain ignorance, but failed.
ظنّhe supposed الذيwhat أخْلَفهdisappointed him ظنّهhis supposition
ظنّ الذي أخْلَفه ظنّه
فيهاin it وخالand mistook الماءwater لَمْعَthe gleam of السَّرابthe mirage
فيها وخال الماء لَمْعَ السَّراب
He expected what his expectations failed to bring
The hope he disappointed him with it
In this, and confused water with a mirage's gleam.
And the water shone like a mirage.
فياso O أباAbu تَغْلِبَTaghlib سُؤْتَyou disappointed المُنىhopes
فيا أبا تَغْلِبَ سُؤْتَ المُنى
ومتَّand you died بالتّهديدof threats قبلbefore الضِّرابthe clash of arms
ومتَّ بالتّهديد قبل الضِّراب
O Abu Taghlib, you have disappointed your hopes,
So O Abu Taghlib, you were given what you wished
And died of threats before the clash of arms.
And threatened before striking.
كيفhow يُلاقيconfronts الأسْدَlions منكof your kind امرؤٌa man
كيف يُلاقي الأسْدَ منك امرؤٌ
قدalready فرّfled منfrom أدنىthe faintest نُباحbarking of الكِلابdogs
قد فرّ من أدنى نُباح الكِلاب
How can a man like you confront lions,
How can a man who fled from the least barking of dogs
When he has fled the faintest barking of dogs?
Meet the lion in you?
حارَبْتَyou fought بالبَغْيin rebellion إمامَthe imam of الهدىguidance
حارَبْتَ بالبَغْي إمامَ الهدى
ولمand did not تَهَبْyou fear منهاamong them عزيزاًa mighty one يُهابheld in awe
ولم تَهَبْ منها عزيزاً يُهاب
You fought in rebellion against the imam of guidance,
You fought the Imam of guidance with rebellion
And did not fear among them a mighty one held in awe.
And did not refrain from it, mighty and feared.
وكانand had been قدalready طابsweet لكمto you عفُوهhis pardon
وكان قد طاب لكم عفُوه
فعادthen became مُرّاًbitter منهfrom him ماwhat كانhad been طابsweet
فعاد مُرّاً منه ما كان طاب
His pardon had once tasted sweet to you,
And his forgiveness was good for you
But what was sweet from him turned bitter.
So what was good from it became bitter.
وجَّهَhe sent بالبِيضِwith white swords كتاباًa letter لهof his
وجَّهَ بالبِيضِ كتاباً له
إليكto you مَنْشوراًunfolded فكنُتَso you were الجوابthe reply
إليك مَنْشوراً فكنُتَ الجواب
With gleaming swords he sent his letter
He sent you a message in white
To you, unfolded—and you were the reply.
Published for you, and you were the answer.
وعجَّلتْand hastened رأسَكyour head سُمْرُtawny القناspear-shafts
وعجَّلتْ رأسَك سُمْرُ القنا
وخلّفتand left behind جسمَكyour body رهنَhostage to الترابthe dust
وخلّفت جسمَك رهنَ التراب
And tawny spear-shafts sped your head away,
And the edge of the sword hurried your head
And left your body hostage to the dust.
And left your body hostage to dust.
كذاكso it is with منone who حُيِّرwas led astray عنfrom سعدهhis good fortune
كذاك من حُيِّر عن سعده
مِثْلُكone like you لاnot يَزدادgains more إلاَّexcept اغترابexile
مِثْلُك لا يَزداد إلاَّ اغتراب
Thus, one led astray from his good fortune,
Thus is the one who loses his happiness like you
Like you, gains nothing but greater exile.
Only increases in alienation.
ياO بنson of معزّMu'izz الدينal-Din أَبْشِرrejoice فقدfor indeed
يا بن معزّ الدين أَبْشِر فقد
مدّتْstretched out لكto you الأملاكthe kings طوعَwillingly الرِّقابْnecks
مدّتْ لك الأملاك طوعَ الرِّقابْ
O son of Mu'izz al-Din, rejoice, for
O son of Ma'add al-Din, rejoice, for
Kings have willingly stretched their necks to you.
The kingdoms have extended to you the necks willingly.
وانحلّand was undone عنfrom مُلْككyour kingdom عَقْدُthe knot of الأذىharm
وانحلّ عن مُلْكك عَقْدُ الأذى
قَسْراًby force وذلّتand yielded لكto you فيهin it الصِّعابthe difficulties
قَسْراً وذلّت لك فيه الصِّعاب
And the knot of harm was undone from your kingdom
And the knot of harm over your kingdom untied
By force; within it, difficulties have bowed to you.
Forcibly, and difficulties submitted to you in it.
لأنّكbecause you are الغُرّةthe radiant glory منof هاشمHashim
لأنّك الغُرّة من هاشم
والصفوand the purest منof ساداتهاits lords واللُّبابand the essence
والصفو من ساداتها واللُّباب
For you are the radiant glory of Hashim,
Because you are the elite of Hashim
The purest of its lords, its very essence.
And the finest of its masters and essence.
وابنand son of الصَّفاal-Safa والحِجرُand al-Hijr ابنson of الهدىguidance
وابن الصَّفا والحِجرُ ابن الهدى
ابنson of نبيّthe Prophet of اللهGod ابنson of الكتابthe Book
ابن نبيّ الله ابن الكتاب
And son of al-Safa and al-Hijr, son of guidance,
The son of purity and the stone of guidance
Son of God's Prophet, son of the Book.
The son of the Prophet of God, the son of the Book.
كفّاكyour two palms كفٌّone palm تَنْهميpours forth بالثّوابwith reward
كفّاك كفٌّ تَنْهمي بالثّواب
عفواًfreely وكفٌّand one palm تَنْهميpours forth بالعِقابwith punishment
عفواً وكفٌّ تَنْهمي بالعِقاب
Your two hands: one pours forth reward
A palm that satisfies with reward is enough for you
Freely, and one pours forth punishment.
Forgiveness, and a palm that satisfies with punishment.
كمhow many منof يدٍa favor أَوليْتنيyou bestowed on me جمَّةٍabundant
كم من يدٍ أَوليْتني جمَّةٍ
أُبْتُI returned بنُعماهاwith its bounty لخيرto the best of المآبhavens
أُبْتُ بنُعماها لخير المآب
How many a lavish favor you have granted me,
How many hands have I been brought together
With whose bounty I returned to the best of havens!
I have been dutiful to its favors, to the best of goals.
ماnot زلتَyou ceased تُدْنينيdrawing me near وتُعْلىand is exalted يديmy hand
ما زلتَ تُدْنيني وتُعْلى يدي
فعلَthe deed of كريمone noble in الأصَلorigin حُرِّpure in النِّصابlineage
فعلَ كريم الأصَل حُرِّ النِّصاب
You keep drawing me near, and my hand is exalted,
You continue to bring me closer and raise my hand
As one noble in origin and pure in lineage would do.
The act of the generous origin, free of flaws.
فُرحتُI rejoiced منin نُعماكyour bounty بادِيdisplaying الغِنىwealth
فُرحتُ من نُعماك بادِي الغِنى
مُتَمَّمَfulfilled in الآمالhopes رَحْبَspacious in الجنَابcourtyard
مُتَمَّمَ الآمال رَحْبَ الجنَاب
I rejoiced in your bounty, my wealth apparent,
I rejoiced in your blessings showing needlessness
My hopes fulfilled, my courtyard spacious.
Fulfilling hopes, vastness of the sides.
واللهby God ماnot فيin جسديmy body شعرةٌa hair
والله ما في جسدي شعرةٌ
إلاّexcept وشكريand my gratitude لكto you فيهاwithin it سِخَابa necklace
إلاّ وشكري لك فيها سِخَاب
By God, not a hair upon my body
By God, there is no hair on my body
But bears my gratitude to you as a necklace.
Except my gratitude to you penetrates it.
Sol 6.1