سقتmay water مُسْتَهَلاّتُpouring showers الحياthe rain المتضاعِفِever-increasing
سقت مُسْتَهَلاّتُ الحيا المتضاعِفِ
غضارةَthe lushness of عيشٍa life للأحبةِfor the loved ones سالفِbygone
غضارةَ عيشٍ للأحبةِ سالفِ
May the downpours of ever-mounting rain water
The spent clouds of life poured down
the lushness of the loved ones' bygone life,
A fresh livelihood for the loved ones of old
وحيّتand hail زمانَthe time of القصفrevelry أيامdays لمdid not تزلcease
وحيّت زمانَ القصف أيام لم تزل
منof الدهرtime فيin ظلّshade منof الأنسcompanionship وارفluxuriant
من الدهر في ظلّ من الأنس وارف
and hail the time of revelry—days that remained
And I greeted the vintage days that never ceased
through time in the luxuriant shade of companionship;
To linger in the shade of intimacy and plenty
وروضand a garden بكرناهwe visited it early خِفافاًlight-footed وللندىwhile the dew had
وروض بكرناه خِفافاً وللندى
نثارُa scattering سقيطٍof fallen droplets فيin مغانيهits bowers واكفِdripping
نثارُ سقيطٍ في مغانيه واكفِ
and a garden we visited early, light of step, while the dew
In our virgin meadows we stepped lightly while the dew
lay scattered in dripping beads throughout its bowers.
Scattered showers in its melodies and abundance
نجرُّwe trail رداءَthe mantle of العزٍّglory فيthrough جنباتِهits grounds
نجرُّ رداءَ العزٍّ في جنباتِه
ونسحبand we drag ذيْلَthe train of اللهوrevelry سحبَlike dragging المطارفbordered cloaks
ونسحب ذيْلَ اللهو سحبَ المطارف
We trail the mantle of glory through its grounds,
We donned the mantle of dignity
and drag revelry's train as one drags bordered cloaks.
And drew out the train of merriment like the train of a bridal dress
وفيand in البانthe bān trees أمثالlike القيانsinging girls حمائمdoves
وفي البان أمثال القيان حمائم
منamong الوُرْقgray-plumed doves حنَّتyearned للعهودfor the times السوالفbygone
من الوُرْق حنَّت للعهود السوالف
In the bān trees are doves like singing girls,
Among the branches were doves like the full moons
gray-plumed, yearning for bygone times,
That cooed to the seasons of past
ترددrepeating الحانَthe melodies of الغريضِal-Gharid ومعْبَدٍand Ma'bad
تردد الحانَ الغريضِ ومعْبَدٍ
برنّةwith the plaint of مصدورone with a chest ailment وأنّةِand the moan of لاهفone grief-stricken
برنّة مصدور وأنّةِ لاهف
repeating the melodies of al-Gharid and Ma'bad
The tones of the throaty lute and the well-stringed oud played on
with a chest-sick man's plaint and a grief-stricken man's moan.
The singing of the homesick and the lament of the ardent lover
وبينand between الغصونthe branches المائساتِswaying جداولٌstreams
وبين الغصون المائساتِ جداولٌ
اكبّstooped عليهاover them الزهرthe blossoms إِكبابَlike the stooping of راعفone with a nosebleed
اكبّ عليها الزهر إِكبابَ راعف
And between the swaying branches ran streams;
And between the leaning branches flowed rivulets
the blossoms stooped over them like someone with a nosebleed.
Over which flowers poured profusely like a torrent
إِذاwhen جعّدتrippled أيديthe hands of الرياحthe winds متونهاtheir surfaces
إِذا جعّدت أيدي الرياح متونها
وقمتand you stood علىon الشطينthe two banks فيin زيthe guise of قائِفa tracker
وقمت على الشطين في زي قائِف
When the hands of the winds rippled their surfaces,
When the winds ruffled their waves
and you stood on the two banks in a tracker's guise,
And I stood on the banks dressed like a soothsayer
حسبتyou would think أساريراًfacial furrows منof الأفقthe horizon عبّستْfrowned
حسبت أساريراً من الأفق عبّستْ
بمرآةin the mirror of صافيthe clear مائهاtheir water المترادفflowing in succession
بمرآة صافي مائها المترادف
you would think the horizon's brow had furrowed
I imagined they were couches from the horizon scowling
in the mirror of their clear, onward-flowing water.
At the reflection of their clear waters, end to end
وباتand spent the night لناwith us أحوىa dusky-lipped one منamong الغيدgraceful beauties أحْوَرٌdark-eyed
وبات لنا أحوى من الغيد أحْوَرٌ
رقيقdelicate حواشيin the touches of الدَّلcoy grace رخصsupple المعاطفcurving limbs
رقيق حواشي الدَّل رخص المعاطف
And a dusky-lipped, dark-eyed beauty stayed the night with us,
And we had a more melodious night than the antelope's moan
delicate in the touches of his coyness, supple of limb.
Delicate like the young palm's fronds, modest in its coverings
يدورhe goes around بكأسwith a cup of الراحِwine لماwhen تألفتْharmonized
يدور بكأس الراحِ لما تألفتْ
معwith الزيرthe lute's treble string ألحانُthe melodies of الحمامthe doves الهواتفcalling
مع الزير ألحانُ الحمام الهواتف
He passed round the wine cup, as there blended
Circling the cup of respite when the warblings of doves blended
with the lute's treble string the songs of the calling doves.
With the music, songs of the cooing messengers
بليلٍon a night طويناwe folded away فيهin it عنfrom كلِّevery مقلةeye
بليلٍ طوينا فيه عن كلِّ مقلة
سُجوفَthe curtains of الكرىslumber باللَّهوthrough revelry طيَّlike folding الصحائفpages
سُجوفَ الكرى باللَّهو طيَّ الصحائف
On a night when we folded away from every eye
On a long night where we folded away all cares
sleep's curtains through revelry, as one folds pages,
Hollowing out minds with play, folding up pages
إِلىuntil أنthat بداappeared وخطstreaks المشيبof gray hair بفودهat its temple
إِلى أن بدا وخط المشيب بفوده
ولاحتand appeared تباشيرthe first gleams of الضياlight المتقاذفdarting forth
ولاحت تباشير الضيا المتقاذف
until streaks of gray appeared at its temple,
Until the streaks of white hair shone through his temples
and the first gleams of darting light appeared.
And early signs of gray hair blew about
وولّتand turned away نجومthe stars of الأفقthe horizon تنصاعfleeing رهبةًin terror
وولّت نجوم الأفق تنصاع رهبةً
وقدand already خفقتquivered للذُعرfrom fright خفقlike the quivering of الروانفhaunches
وقد خفقت للذُعر خفق الروانف
And the stars of the horizon turned away, fleeing in terror,
The stars of the horizon fell away in awe
already quivering in fright like trembling haunches.
Flapping in horror like the fluttering of sails
وقامتand stood بهin it الجوزاءOrion حيرىbewildered كأنّهاas though it were
وقامت به الجوزاء حيرى كأنّها
جَبَانٌa coward أضلتهled him astray السُرىnight travel فيamid المخاوفfearful places
جَبَانٌ أضلته السُرى في المخاوف
And there stood Orion, bewildered, as though it were
The Gemini rose in confusion as if it were
a coward led astray by night travel amid fearful places.
A coward who lost his way among the fears
وفيand in إِثرهاits wake الشِعرىSirius العَبُورthe Crossing One كأنّهاas though it were
وفي إِثرها الشِعرى العَبُور كأنّها
تقلّبُturning طَرْفاًa gaze مُنْكِراًunrecognizing غيرnot عارفrecognizing
تقلّبُ طَرْفاً مُنْكِراً غير عارف
And in its wake came Sirius the Crossing One, as though it were
And after it Sirius the Great, as if
turning a bewildered gaze, recognizing nothing.
It tossed about a disapproving glance, unaware
كأنَّas though الثرّياthe Pleiades سُبحْةٌprayer beads منof لآليءpearls
كأنَّ الثرّيا سُبحْةٌ من لآليء
وهتcame apart فيin رمادashes إِثرbehind عجلانone in haste خائفafraid
وهت في رماد إِثر عجلان خائف
As though the Pleiades were prayer beads of pearls,
As if the Pleiades were a string of pearls
come apart in ashes behind a frightened man in haste.
Lost in the ashes after restless meteors
كأنَّas though سهيلاًCanopus نارُa fire سَفْرٍof travelers تلاعبتplayed
كأنَّ سهيلاً نارُ سَفْرٍ تلاعبت
بهاwith it فيin مهافيwind-swept reaches الريحof the wind أيديthe hands of العواصفstorms
بها في مهافي الريح أيدي العواصف
As though Canopus were a travelers' fire, played with
As if Suhail was a fire of journeying
by the hands of storms where the winds blow.
Tossed about in the crosswinds by the hands of violent gales
كأنَّas though بنيthe sons of نعْشٍNaʿsh شوادِنُfawns قفرةof a wilderness
كأنَّ بني نعْشٍ شوادِنُ قفرة
أَضَلَّتهمhad lost them الأدماءُthe pale doe بينamong التنائِفِdesolate wastes
أَضَلَّتهم الأدماءُ بين التنائِفِ
As though Banū Naʿsh were fawns of a wilderness,
As if the Bani Na'sh were lonely fire keepers
whom the pale doe had lost among the desolate wastes.
Led astray by blood feuds amid the factions
كأنَّas though رقيبَthe watchman of الصبحdawn دينارُa dinar عسجدof pure gold
كأنَّ رقيبَ الصبح دينارُ عسجد
علىon كفِّthe palm of مجهودone exhausted الذراعينin both arms راجفtrembling
على كفِّ مجهود الذراعين راجف
As though dawn's watchman were a dinar of pure gold,
As if the dawn's guardian were a golden dinar
on the palm of a trembling man with exhausted arms.
Trembling in the grip of exhausted arms
كأنَّas though ابتلاجَthe bright breaking of الصبحdawn أحكامthe judgments of سيّدٍa lord
كأنَّ ابتلاجَ الصبح أحكام سيّدٍ
خبيرexpert بتحقيقin elucidating العويصاتthorny matters عارفdiscerning
خبير بتحقيق العويصات عارف
As though dawn's breaking brightness were the judgments of a lord,
As if the dawn's first lights were the rulings of a master
expert in clarifying thorny matters, discerning;
Skilled in unraveling the most complex matters, knowing
كفيلa guarantor بحلِّof resolving المشكلاتِdifficulties سميدعٌa noble chief
كفيل بحلِّ المشكلاتِ سميدعٌ
منfrom القومthe people بسامَيْنever-smiling شمhigh المراعفnoses
من القوم بسامَيْن شم المراعف
sure to resolve perplexities, a noble chief,
Able to solve the most difficult problems, a overlord
from a people ever smiling, with high, proud noses.
Of the people, with the best hearing and sense of smell
سَريٌa noble man لهhe has فيin الدينreligion صولةُthe might of ناصحٍa sincere adviser
سَريٌ له في الدين صولةُ ناصحٍ
نصيرa champion علىagainst رَيْبِthe misfortunes of الزمانtime مساعفready to help
نصير على رَيْبِ الزمان مساعف
A noble man, whose vigor in faith is that of a sincere adviser,
A champion of religion with the ferocity of an advisor
a champion against time's misfortunes, ready to aid.
An ally against the tricks of time, doubled over
هوhe المصطفىal-Mustafa الشهمthe gallant الذيwho جرفيtrailed through العُلاthe heights
هو المصطفى الشهم الذي جرفي العُلا
مطارفَbordered cloaks عزّof glory منfrom تليدinherited glory وطارفand newly acquired glory
مطارفَ عزّ من تليد وطارف
He is al-Mustafa, the gallant, who trailed through the heights
He is Al-Mustafa the Valiant who scaled the heights
mantles of glory, both inherited and newly gained.
Of enduring glory from subtlety and finery
تولّىhe took charge of دمشقDamascus الشامal-Sham فانهلso poured forth غيثهاits rain
تولّى دمشق الشام فانهل غيثها
وآمنand felt secure فيin أرجائهاits bounds كلُّevery خائفfrightened person
وآمن في أرجائها كلُّ خائف
He took charge of Damascus in al-Sham, so its rain poured forth,
He took on Damascus of Syria and its rain poured down
and every frightened person found safety throughout its bounds.
Bringing safety throughout its lands for every fearful soul
فياso, O ماجداًnoble one أوسعتَyou lavished upon جِلَّقَJillaq رفعةًeminence
فيا ماجداً أوسعتَ جِلَّقَ رفعةً
وأصبحتand you have become بشّcheerful الوجهof face جمّabundant العواطفin affections
وأصبحت بشّ الوجه جمّ العواطف
So, O noble one, you have lavished eminence upon Jillaq,
O glorious one, you widened the expanse of nobility
and are cheerful of face, abundant in affection.
And your face shone with joy and affection
وياand O منyou whose غدتhave become أوصافهhis qualities الغُرradiant تزدريlook down scornfully
ويا من غدت أوصافه الغُر تزدري
بنَشْرupon the fragrance of فتيقِfreshly opened المِسْكmusk بينamid النفانفِopen expanses
بنَشْر فتيقِ المِسْك بين النفانفِ
And O you whose radiant qualities now look down
O you whose traits disdain to spread the perfume of musk between fingers
upon the fragrance of freshly opened musk across the open expanses:
To you, in adoration, a fragrant ingenuity
إِليكto you بهاwith her بهنانةa soft-bodied beauty عبقريةwondrous
إِليك بها بهنانة عبقرية
منamong الغيدgraceful maidens تزهوshe shines proudly فيin البرودstriped mantles اللطائفdelicate
من الغيد تزهو في البرود اللطائف
to you I offer her, a tender-bodied, wondrous beauty,
Of poetry comes from the antelope, redolent in its gentle images
among the graceful maidens, splendid in delicate striped mantles.
Seeking your acceptance as a favor, may your days
أتتshe has come ترتجيhoping for منكfrom you القبولacceptance تفضلاًas a kindness
أتت ترتجي منك القبول تفضلاً
ودُمْand remain كلَّevery يومday فيin سرورٍjoy مضاعَفِredoubled
ودُمْ كلَّ يوم في سرورٍ مضاعَفِ
She has come hoping for your acceptance as a kindness;
Always abound in doubled joy
and may you remain each day in redoubled joy.
Partial English translation: 57 of 58 Arabic lines translated.