طَوىfolded away دارَهاher dwelling طيَّlike the folding of الكِتابِthe book المُنَمنَمِilluminated
طَوى دارَها طيَّ الكِتابِ المُنَمنَمِ
وَمَرَّand he passed عَلىby الأَطلالِthe ruins غَيرَwithout مُسَلِّمِoffering a greeting
وَمَرَّ عَلى الأَطلالِ غَيرَ مُسَلِّمِ
He folded her dwelling away like an illuminated book,
and passed the ruins without a greeting.
يُخادِعُhe dissembles امّاeither عَنover جَوىheartache مِنfrom تَذَكَّرremembering
يُخادِعُ امّا عَن جَوى مِن تَذَكَّر
بِهاthere الرَكبthe caravan أَوor عَنover عبرةa tear مَنone who توسِّمrecognized the signs
بِها الرَكب أَو عَن عبرة مَن توسِّم
He masks either heartache born of remembering
the caravan there, or a tear from one who recognized the signs.
وَكَمand how many وَقفَةٍa halt فيهاthere أَقَلَّlessened مُساعِديmy helper
وَكَم وَقفَةٍ فيها أَقَلَّ مُساعِدي
عَلىwith الدَمعِweeping اسعاديhelping me weep وَأَكثَرand increased لومّيreproaching me
عَلى الدَمعِ اسعادي وَأَكثَر لومّي
And at many a halt there, my companion lessened
his sharing of my tears and increased his reproach.
إِذاwhen ماever بَلَوتُI tested العَيشَlife قالَتsaid عِراصُهاher courtyards
إِذا ما بَلَوتُ العَيشَ قالَت عِراصُها
لِدَمعيَto my tears لَيسَis not الفَضلُdistinction لِلمُتَقَدِّمthe firstcomer's
لِدَمعيَ لَيسَ الفَضلُ لِلمُتَقَدِّم
Whenever I tested life, her courtyards said
to my tears: Merit is not the firstcomer's privilege.
وَسارٍand a night-traveler أَتانيcame to me العَرفُthe fragrance عَنهُfrom him مُبَشِّراًbearing good news
وَسارٍ أَتاني العَرفُ عَنهُ مُبَشِّراً
فَقُمتُso I rose إِلَيهِtoward him أَهتَديfinding my way بِالتَنَسُّمِby the wafting scent
فَقُمتُ إِلَيهِ أَهتَدي بِالتَنَسُّمِ
And a night-traveler—his scent reached me as a herald;
so I rose toward him, guided by the wafting fragrance.
أَتىhe came بعدafter وَهَنٍdeep night عاطِلاًunadorned مُتَلَثِّماًveiled
أَتى بعد وَهَنٍ عاطِلاً مُتَلَثِّماً
مَخافَةَfor fear of حَليٍjewelry أَوor مَخافَةَfor fear of مَيسَمِa distinguishing mark
مَخافَةَ حَليٍ أَو مَخافَةَ مَيسَمِ
He came after night had deepened, unadorned and veiled,
for fear of ornament, or fear of a distinguishing mark.
وَناوَلَنيand he handed me كأساًa cup أَراكَarak wood فِدامَهاits strainer
وَناوَلَني كأساً أَراكَ فِدامَها
وَرَدَّand kept back فَميmy mouth عَنfrom لَثمِkissing كأسa cup مُفدَّمِcovered
وَرَدَّ فَمي عَن لَثمِ كأس مُفدَّمِ
And he handed me a cup whose strainer was arak wood,
and kept my mouth from kissing a covered cup.
فَلَيتَكَso if only you إِذwhen حَلأتنيyou barred me عَنfrom مُحَلّلwhat is lawful
فَلَيتَكَ إِذ حَلأتني عَن مُحَلّل
مِنof الخَمرِwine ماnot عَلّلتَنيyou consoled me بِمُحَرَّمِwith something forbidden
مِن الخَمرِ ما عَلّلتَني بِمُحَرَّمِ
If only, when you barred me from the lawful
wine, you had not consoled me with the forbidden!
أَياO لَذَّةَdelight الدُنياof the world ومنهand from him بَلاؤُهاits affliction
أَيا لَذَّةَ الدُنيا ومنه بَلاؤُها
وَياand O جَنَّةًparadise فيهاwithin it عَذابُthe torment جَهَنَّمِof Hell
وَيا جَنَّةً فيها عَذابُ جَهَنَّمِ
O delight of the world, from whom its affliction comes,
and O paradise containing the torment of Hell!
وَكُنّاand we had اِغتَنَمناseized لَذَّةَthe pleasure العَيشِof life ليتَهاwould that it
وَكُنّا اِغتَنَمنا لَذَّةَ العَيشِ ليتَها
لَذّاتُهاits pleasures لَمnot تصرَّمcome to an end
لَذّاتُها لَم تصرَّم
And we had seized the pleasure of living—if only
its delights had never come to an end.
تُلامُyou are blamed وَنُدعىand we are called الأَشقياءَthe wretched خَلاعَةًfor wantonness
تُلامُ وَنُدعى الأَشقياءَ خَلاعَةً
وَمَنand who منthe one who يوديperishes ابتِداءat the beginning التَنَعُّمِof enjoyment
وَمَن من يودي ابتِداء التَنَعُّمِ
You are blamed, and we are called wretches for wantonness;
and who is the one who perishes at pleasure's beginning?
فَقَدfor indeed عادَbecame again أَيقاظاًwakeful عَلَيناagainst us صُروفُهُits vicissitudes
فَقَد عادَ أَيقاظاً عَلَينا صُروفُهُ
فَماso not نَلتَقيwe meet أَحبابناour loved ones غَيرَexcept نُوَّمِasleep
فَما نَلتَقي أَحبابنا غَيرَ نُوَّمِ
For its vicissitudes have become wakeful against us again,
so we meet our loved ones only asleep.
أَياO مَلِكاًking ماnever مَدَّstretched out كَفّاًa hand لِعِلَّتيfor my ailment
أَيا مَلِكاً ما مَدَّ كَفّاً لِعِلَّتي
وَماand never زلَceased مَخضوبَdyed الأَنامِلin the fingertips مِنwith دَميmy blood
وَما زلَ مَخضوبَ الأَنامِل مِن دَمي
O king who never lent a healing hand to my ailment,
yet whose fingertips have never ceased to be dyed with my blood!
وَكانَand were قَديماًformerly طائِشاتٍerrant سِهامُهُhis arrows
وَكانَ قَديماً طائِشاتٍ سِهامُهُ
فَأَصبحso he came to يَرميناshoot at us بأنفذwith the most piercing أَسهُمarrows
فَأَصبح يَرمينا بأنفذ أَسهُم
His arrows once flew astray,
but now he shoots us with the most piercing shafts.
وَأَرهفَand he sharpened حَدّيهِboth his edges لحزّيto cut me كَأَنَّماas though
وَأَرهفَ حَدّيهِ لحزّي كَأَنَّما
تَوَهَّمhe imagined انعامَthe bounty ابنِof Ibn رزِّيكَRuzzik مُسلِميsurrendering me
تَوَهَّم انعامَ ابنِ رزِّيكَ مُسلِمي
He sharpened both his edges to cut me, as though
he thought Ibn Ruzzik's bounty would surrender me.
هُوَhe المَلجأُthe refuge المأمولُhoped for وَالوَزَرُand the shelter الَّذيthat
هُوَ المَلجأُ المأمولُ وَالوَزَرُ الَّذي
أَجازَcarried safely عَلىover أَحداثِهِits calamities كُلَّevery مُعدَمِdestitute person
أَجازَ عَلى أَحداثِهِ كُلَّ مُعدَمِ
He is the hoped-for refuge, the shelter that
carries every destitute man through time's calamities.
سَليمُunblemished نَواحيin all aspects العِرضِof honor لَمnot يُعطَgive خَشيَةًout of fear
سَليمُ نَواحي العِرضِ لَم يُعطَ خَشيَةً
وَلَمand did not يُخفِhide عيباًa fault تَحتَbeneath ذَيلthe hem التَكَرُّمِof generosity
وَلَم يُخفِ عيباً تَحتَ ذَيل التَكَرُّمِ
His honor is spotless on every side; he never gave from fear,
nor hid a fault beneath generosity's hem.
تَوضَّحhe shone فيin الدَهرِtime البَهيمpitch-dark كَأَنَّهas though he
تَوضَّح في الدَهرِ البَهيم كَأَنَّه
سَناradiance غُرَّةٍof a white blaze سالَتflowed عَلىover وَجهthe face أَدهَمof a black horse
سَنا غُرَّةٍ سالَت عَلى وَجه أَدهَم
He shone amid pitch-dark time, as though he were
a white blaze's radiance flowing over a black horse's face.
وَأَعطىand he gave وَلاwhile no مُعطٍgiver وَأَضحىand became مُمدَّحاًmuch praised
وَأَعطى وَلا مُعطٍ وَأَضحى مُمدَّحاً
وَماand not فَوقَupon وَجهِthe face الأَرضِof the earth غَيرُany but مُذمَّمone reviled
وَما فَوقَ وَجهِ الأَرضِ غَيرُ مُذمَّم
And he gave when none gave, and became much praised,
while all others upon the face of earth were reviled.
إِذاwhen لَقَحَhe impregnates الراياتِthe banners رأياًwith counsel تَمَخَّضَتthey give birth
إِذا لَقَحَ الراياتِ رأياً تَمَخَّضَت
بِنَصرto victory عَلىover الأَيامِthe days فَذّsingle وَتَوأمِand twin
بِنَصر عَلى الأَيامِ فَذّ وَتَوأمِ
When he impregnates the banners with counsel, they give birth
to victories over time, singly and in pairs.
لَهُhe has كُلَّevery يَومٍday مغنَمٌspoils مِنfrom عَدوِّهِhis enemy
لَهُ كُلَّ يَومٍ مغنَمٌ مِن عَدوِّهِ
يَرىhe regards بَذلَهُhis giving it away لِلمجتديto the petitioner نَيلَas winning مَغنَمspoils
يَرى بَذلَهُ لِلمجتدي نَيلَ مَغنَم
Every day brings him spoils from his enemy;
he counts giving them to the petitioner as winning spoils.
ثَقيلٌheavy عَلَيهِupon him حَملُbearing أَيسَرthe slightest مِنَّةdebt of gratitude
ثَقيلٌ عَلَيهِ حَملُ أَيسَر مِنَّة
خَفيفٌlight عليهِupon him حَملُbearing أَعظَمِthe greatest مَغرمexpense
خَفيفٌ عليهِ حَملُ أَعظَمِ مَغرم
The slightest debt of gratitude is a heavy burden to him;
the greatest expense is a light burden to him.
أَعَدَّhe prepared لِنَصرِto uphold الحَقِّthe truth كُلَّevery مطهَّرٍunsullied warrior
أَعَدَّ لِنَصرِ الحَقِّ كُلَّ مطهَّرٍ
يَغُذُّhe hastens إِلىtoward الأَعداءِthe enemies فَوقَatop مُطَهَّمa well-formed steed
يَغُذُّ إِلى الأَعداءِ فَوقَ مُطَهَّم
He has readied every unsullied warrior to uphold truth,
who speeds toward the enemy on a well-formed steed.
لَهُhis is شَرَفٌnobility الاقدامِboldness فيin الحَربِwar شِيمَةٌa natural disposition
لَهُ شَرَفٌ الاقدامِ في الحَربِ شِيمَةٌ
َماnot يَبتَغيhe seeks غَيرَother than الكميِّthe armored champion المُقَدَّمِforemost
َما يَبتَغي غَيرَ الكميِّ المُقَدَّمِ
Nobility is his; daring in war is his nature:
he seeks none but the foremost armored champion.
وَولهىand a distraught woman منfrom التَوديعfarewell لَمnot تَرَshe saw مُنجِداًa helper
وَولهى من التَوديع لَم تَرَ مُنجِداً
مِنfrom الدَمعtears يُعديهاto aid her عَلىagainst بَينِa parting مُشأمِill-omened
مِن الدَمع يُعديها عَلى بَينِ مُشأمِ
And a woman distraught by farewell found no helper
among her tears to aid her against an ill-omened parting.
فَقالَتso she said وَقَدand already أَجرَتshe had let flow سَوابِقَthe first drops عَبرةof tears
فَقالَت وَقَد أَجرَت سَوابِقَ عَبرة
أَفيis it on كُلِّevery يَومٍday أَنتَyou بِالبُعدِthrough distance مُؤلِميhurting me
أَفي كُلِّ يَومٍ أَنتَ بِالبُعدِ مُؤلِمي
She said, as she let her first tears flow:
Must you hurt me with distance every day?
أَتَجمَعُdo you heap together ليupon me فَقراًpoverty وَبيناًand separation وَكِبرَةًand old age
أَتَجمَعُ لي فَقراً وَبيناً وَكِبرَةً
لَكَfor you اللَهُGod ماnot تُثنيكَrestrains you خيفَةُfear مأثمِof sin
لَكَ اللَهُ ما تُثنيكَ خيفَةُ مأثمِ
Will you heap poverty, parting, and old age upon me?
God be with you! Does no fear of sin restrain you?
فَقُلتُso I said لَهاto her هَذاthis فِراقٌa parting يَردُّناwill bring us back
فَقُلتُ لَها هَذا فِراقٌ يَردُّنا
جَميعاًtogether وَيُعديناand help us عَلىagainst الدَهرtime فاِعلَميso know this
جَميعاً وَيُعدينا عَلى الدَهر فاِعلَمي
So I told her: This parting will bring us back
together and help us against time—know this.
أَعدّيmake ready العيابَthe chests وَالمَرابطَand the stables واخطبيand seek in marriage
أَعدّي العيابَ وَالمَرابطَ واخطبي
كَريمةَa noble daughter قَومٍof a people وارقبيand await نجحthe success مقدميof my arrival
كَريمةَ قَومٍ وارقبي نجح مقدمي
Prepare the chests and stables, and seek in marriage
a noble daughter of her people; await my successful arrival.
سَأجهدُI will exert نَفسيmyself فيin اِبتِكارِcomposing afresh قَصيدَةٍan ode
سَأجهدُ نَفسي في اِبتِكارِ قَصيدَةٍ
فَتونِenchanting المَعانيin meaning لَذَّةِa delight المُتَرَنِّمِto the singer
فَتونِ المَعاني لَذَّةِ المُتَرَنِّمِ
I will exert myself to create an original ode,
beguiling in meaning, a delight to the singer.
تَقولyou will say إِذاwhen أَبصَرتِyou behold حسنَthe beauty بَديعهاof its invention
تَقول إِذا أَبصَرتِ حسنَ بَديعها
لَكَمhow much تَرَكَleft الماضونَthose gone before مِنof مُتَرَدَّمِa gap to mend
لَكَم تَرَكَ الماضونَ مِن مُتَرَدَّمِ
When you behold the beauty of its invention, you will say:
How many gaps those gone before have left to mend!
وَأَبعَثُهاand I will send her غَرّاءَradiant بِكراًa virgin عَقيلَةًa noble lady
وَأَبعَثُها غَرّاءَ بِكراً عَقيلَةً
لِكفؤٍto a worthy match بأَبكارِwith the virgins المَعاليof high honors مُتَيَّمِpassionately enamored
لِكفؤٍ بأَبكارِ المَعالي مُتَيَّمِ
And I will send her forth, radiant, virgin, a noble lady,
to a worthy match enamored of virgin glories.
مُعشَّقةًbeloved زَفَّled as a bride التميميُّal-Tamimi دونَهاone inferior to her
مُعشَّقةً زَفَّ التميميُّ دونَها
إِلىto دونone inferior to مَولاكُمyour lord بأَلفِfor a thousand
إِلى دون مَولاكُم بأَلفِ
A cherished bride: al-Tamimi led one lesser than her
to one below your lord, for a thousand.
سَيَبلُغit will reach بَغداداًBaghdad فَيهجمthen charges forth قائِلٌa speaker
سَيَبلُغ بَغداداً فَيهجم قائِلٌ
أَقِمstand firm ياO حُساميmy sword فيamong صَوائِلcharging foes واهجمand attack
أَقِم يا حُسامي في صَوائِل واهجم
It will reach Baghdad, and a speaker will charge forth:
Stand firm, my sword, amid charging foes, and attack!
أَياO بَحرsea إِنّيindeed I لَمnot أَسَلI asked غيركَanyone but you النَدىgenerosity
أَيا بَحر إِنّي لَم أَسَل غيركَ النَدى
وَلَمand did not أَرَI see أَهلَthe people الأَرضof the earth أَهلاًfit لمكرمِfor a noble deed
وَلَم أَرَ أَهلَ الأَرض أَهلاً لمكرمِ
O sea, I have asked none but you for bounty,
nor found the people of earth fit for a noble deed.
هُمthey الحَمأُblack mud المَسنونputrid لاno ماءَwater عِندَهُمwith them
هُم الحَمأُ المَسنون لا ماءَ عِندَهُم
وَلَيسواand they are not صَعيداًearth طَيِّباًclean لِلتَيَمُمِfor dry ablution
وَلَيسوا صَعيداً طَيِّباً لِلتَيَمُمِ
They are putrid black mud, with no water among them,
nor are they clean earth fit for dry ablution.
عبرتُI crossed أُلاقيto meet خَيرَهُمthe best of them خَيرَthe finest مادِحpraiser
عبرتُ أُلاقي خَيرَهُم خَيرَ مادِح
لَهُof him وَأَراهُand I see him دَهرهthroughout his life غَيرَnot مُنعَمِfavored
لَهُ وَأَراهُ دَهره غَيرَ مُنعَمِ
I crossed to meet their best, the finest praiser
of him; I see him, unfavored all his life,
غَنيّاًrich بِماthrough what تُوليهِyou grant him غَيرَnot مُكلَّفٍobliged
غَنيّاً بِما تُوليهِ غَيرَ مُكلَّفٍ
طَلاقَةbrightness بِشرِof cheer الوَجهِof the face أَوor مُتَجَهِّمِscowling
طَلاقَة بِشرِ الوَجهِ أَو مُتَجَهِّمِ
rich through what you grant him, not obliged to show
a bright, cheerful face or a scowling one.
دَعَوتُكَI called upon you بعدafter الجودgenerosity أُخرىonce more وَلَمand not يَزَلceased
دَعَوتُكَ بعد الجود أُخرى وَلَم يَزَل
أَخوthe man afflicted by المحلdrought يَدعوcalls upon السُحبthe clouds
أَخو المحل يَدعو السُحب
I called upon you once again after your bounty; always
the drought-stricken man calls upon the clouds.
وَصلتَyou have joined المَعاليhigh honors فَوقَbeyond وَصلِthe union مُتَيّمof a lovesick man
وَصلتَ المَعالي فَوقَ وَصلِ مُتَيّم
أَخاهُhis brother فَلاso may not ذاقَتthey taste فِراقَthe parting مُتَيَّمِof a lovesick man
أَخاهُ فَلا ذاقَت فِراقَ مُتَيَّمِ
You have cleaved to high honors more closely than a lovesick man
to his brother; may they never taste a lover's parting.
Translation model: Sol 6.1