ليلايَmy Layla كمhow many ليلةٍa night بالشعرthrough the hair ليلاءpitch-dark
ليلايَ كم ليلةٍ بالشعر ليلاء
وليلةٍand a night قبلهاbefore it كالثغرlike the mouth غراءradiant
وليلةٍ قبلها كالثغر غراء
My Layla, how many a night is pitch-dark through your hair,
O my nights, how many a night with poetry are like Layla,
and a night before it, radiant as your mouth!
And a night before it, bright like a glowing cheek.
وصلٌunion وهجرٌand estrangement فمنthen from ظلماءdarkness تخرجنيyou bring me out
وصلٌ وهجرٌ فمن ظلماء تخرجني
لنورinto the light of عيشlife ومنand from نورٍlight لظلماءinto darkness
لنور عيش ومن نورٍ لظلماء
Union and estrangement: from darkness you bring me out
Meeting and parting, so from the darkness take me,
into life's light, and from light into darkness.
To the light of life, and from the light to darkness.
ماnot أنتِyou إلاexcept زمانُthe span of العمرِlife مذهبةٌcarrying away
ما أنتِ إلا زمانُ العمرِ مذهبةٌ
بالثغرwith the mouth والشعرand the hair إصباحيmy dawn وإمسائيand my dusk
بالثغر والشعر إصباحي وإمسائي
You are but the span of my life, carrying away
You are but the time of life adorning,
with your mouth and hair my dawn and my dusk.
With the cheek and poetry my morning and evening.
أفديكِI would ransom you منas زَهرةٍa flower بالحسنwith beauty مشرقةٍradiant
أفديكِ من زَهرةٍ بالحسن مشرقةٍ
بليتُI was afflicted منby عاذليmy reproacher فيهاover her بعوَّاءwith a howler
بليتُ من عاذلي فيها بعوَّاء
I would ransom you—a flower radiant with beauty;
I ransom you from a blossom bright in beauty,
over her, I am plagued by a howler of a reproacher.
I have suffered from my reproachers in it screaming.
ويحwoe to العذولthe reproacher يرىhe sees ليليmy night ويسمعُand hears منfrom
ويح العذول يرى ليلي ويسمعُ من
لاnot يسمعُhe heeds العذلَthe reproach فيهاconcerning her قولَan utterance of فحشاءobscenity
لا يسمعُ العذلَ فيها قولَ فحشاء
Woe to the reproacher! He sees my night and hears from
Woe to the censurers who see my Layla and hear from her,
one deaf to censure of her—a foul utterance.
Who do not hear the censure in her any obscene saying,
ياah ربَّmany an طرفٍeye ضريرٍblind عنto محاسنهاher beauties
يا ربَّ طرفٍ ضريرٍ عن محاسنها
وربَّand many an أذنٍear عنto الفحشاءobscenity صمَّاءdeaf
وربَّ أذنٍ عن الفحشاء صمَّاء
Ah, how many an eye is blind to her beauties,
O Lord of the impaired sight, away from her charms,
and how many an ear is deaf to foul speech!
And Lord of the deaf ear to obscenity, deafened,
وربَّand many a طيفٍphantom علىwith عذرٍan excuse يؤوبنيreturns to me
وربَّ طيفٍ على عذرٍ يؤوبني
بشخصin the form of عذراءa maiden يجلوunveils كأسa cup عذراءvirgin
بشخص عذراء يجلو كأس عذراء
And many a phantom returns to me with an excuse,
And Lord of the specter reproaching me,
in a maiden's form, unveiling a cup of virgin wine.
With the image of a chaste maiden clarifying a chaste cup.
فبتُّso I spent the night أرشفُsipping منfrom فيهِits mouth وقهوتهِand its wine
فبتُّ أرشفُ من فيهِ وقهوتهِ
حِلينِtwo lawful delights قدindeed أثملاboth intoxicated بالنومِthrough sleep أعضائيmy limbs
حِلينِ قد أثملا بالنومِ أعضائي
So I spent the night sipping from its mouth and its wine,
So I slept overlooking the best of tents and its coffee,
two lawful delights that, through sleep, intoxicated my limbs.
Sweetened, which caused my members to sink in sleep.
زورٌa visitor عفيفٌchaste علىupon عينِthe eye of الشجيِّthe sorrowing lover مشىwalked
زورٌ عفيفٌ على عينِ الشجيِّ مشى
فياand oh لَهُfor him صالحاًrighteous يمشيwalking علىupon الماءwater
فيا لَهُ صالحاً يمشي على الماء
A chaste visitor walked upon the sorrowing lover's eye;
An upright, virtuous phantom walked on the eye of the night,
what a righteous one, walking upon water!
So excellent was the righteous walking on water.
ثمthen انتبهتI awoke وذاتُand the woman with الخالِthe beauty mark ساكنةstill
ثم انتبهت وذاتُ الخالِ ساكنة
لمdid not تدرknow سهديmy sleeplessness ولمand did not تشعرsense بإغفائيmy falling asleep
لم تدر سهدي ولم تشعر بإغفائي
Then I awoke, while the beauty with the mole remained still;
Then I awoke while the owner of the cheek abode,
she knew not my sleeplessness, nor sensed my slumber.
Oblivious of my vigil and unaware of my drowsing,
رشيقةٌslender ماnot كأنيas though I يومَon the day of فرقتِهاparting from her
رشيقةٌ ما كأني يومَ فرقتِها
إلاexcept علىupon آلةٍa bier فيamong القومthe people حدباءhump-backed
إلا على آلةٍ في القوم حدباء
Slender is she; the day I parted from her, I seemed
Slender, as if never on the day we parted,
to be upon a hump-backed bier among the people.
Save at a musical instrument among the tribe bleating.
ميتٌdead منfrom الحبِّlove إلاexcept أننيthat I بسرىthrough the spreading of
ميتٌ من الحبِّ إلا أنني بسرى
ذكرِthe mention of الصبابةِardent longing حيٌّalive بينamong أحياءthe living
ذكرِ الصبابةِ حيٌّ بين أحياء
Dead of love, except that through the spreading
Dead from love, but alive by the memory of youth
of longing's tale I live among the living.
Among the living with every clan some talk repeating,
فيin كلevery حيّquarter حديثٌa report ليof me يسلسلهlinks its chain
في كل حيّ حديثٌ لي يسلسله
تعديلُthe attestation of دمعيَmy tears أوor تجريحُthe wounding of أحشائيmy innards
تعديلُ دمعيَ أو تجريحُ أحشائي
In every quarter, a report of me has its chain linked by
My streaming tears compose or my vitals wound,
the attestation of my tears or the wounding of my innards.
Love has seared my heart with its kindling,
قدindeed لوَّعtormented الحبّlove قلبيmy heart فيin تلهبهِits blazing
قد لوَّع الحبّ قلبي في تلهبهِ
وصرَّحَand openly declared الدَّمعُtears فيin ليليmy night بإشقائيof my misery
وصرَّحَ الدَّمعُ في ليلي بإشقائي
Love has tormented my heart in its blazing,
And tears have gushed in my night by my misery,
and tears in my night have openly declared my misery.
And passed is what passed of meeting I was healed by,
وزالَand vanished ماwhat زالَhad vanished منof وصلunion شفيتُI was healed بهthrough it
وزالَ ما زالَ من وصل شفيتُ به
منof عارضa passing attack of اليأسdespair لكنbut بعدafter إشفائيbringing me to the brink
من عارض اليأس لكن بعد إشفائي
And gone is the union that passed, through which I was healed
From the frustrating despair but after healing,
of a bout of despair—but only after being brought to the brink.
Days that lowered over their temples before like turning and returning.
أيامَin days ليI had حيثwhen وارتْconcealed صدغهاher temple قبلٌkisses
أيامَ لي حيث وارتْ صدغها قبلٌ
كأنَّas though سرعتهاtheir swiftness ترجيعthe repetition of فأفاءa stammerer
كأنَّ سرعتها ترجيع فأفاء
In days I had, when kisses covered her temple,
She rolls her eye and cup for me, no wonder,
as swiftly as a stammerer's repeated syllables.
If I went mad for a black-eyed and yellow-eyed girl.
تديرshe turns عيناًan eye وكأساًand a cup ليtoward me فلاso no عجبwonder
تدير عيناً وكأساً لي فلا عجب
إذاif جننتI go mad بسوداءٍover a black one وصفراءand a yellow one
إذا جننت بسوداءٍ وصفراء
She turns an eye and a cup toward me; no wonder
Until the gray hair of my head appeared I stopped
if a black eye and yellow wine drive me mad.
At the remains of the soul’s prohibitions shining white.
حتىuntil إذاwhen ضاءshone شيبthe grayness of الرأسthe head بتّI spent the night علىupon
حتى إذا ضاء شيب الرأس بتّ على
بقيةa remnant منof نواهيthe restraints of النفسthe soul بيضاءwhite
بقية من نواهي النفس بيضاء
Until, when gray hair shone upon my head, I spent the night upon
She who rolls the cup from me, I have an occupation,
a white remnant of the soul's restraints.
From the pure cup of yours by my graying an irritation.
مديرةَO female server of الكأسthe cup عنيaway from me أنthat ليI have شغلاan occupation
مديرةَ الكأس عني أن لي شغلا
عنaway from صفوthe clarity of كأسكyour cup منfrom شيبيmy gray hair بإقذاءِwith grit-casting
عن صفو كأسك من شيبي بإقذاءِ
Cupbearer, away from me! I have something to occupy me,
Gray hair is but specks in the eye and its inflammation
apart from your cup's pure draught: the grit cast by my gray hair.
To me and the cool of injustice is clear water.
ماnot الشيبgray hair إلاexcept قذىa mote in عينthe eye وسخنهاand its heat
ما الشيب إلا قذى عين وسخنها
عنديto me وعندand to برودcool in الظلمthe teeth's luster لمياءa dark-lipped beauty
عندي وعند برود الظلم لمياء
Gray hair is only a mote in the eye and its burning,
My life, the pure living in it has diminished for tidings,
to me and to the dark-lipped beauty with cool, gleaming teeth.
And how not when it is of clay and of water.
عمريby my life لقدindeed قلgrew scant صفوthe pure delight of العيشliving منfrom بشرhuman beings
عمري لقد قل صفو العيش من بشر
وكيفand how لاnot وهوwhen he is منof طينclay ومنand of ماءwater
وكيف لا وهو من طين ومن ماء
By my life, life's pure delight from mankind has grown scant;
But I only have in the world blessings,
and how could it not, when man is made of clay and water?
Which almost restored the cleft of the distant boy.
وإنماand only لعليّAli has فيamong الورىmankind نعمfavors
وإنما لعليّ في الورى نعم
كادتalmost تعيدrestore لهمto them شرخthe prime of الصبىyouth النائيdistant
كادت تعيد لهم شرخ الصبى النائي
Yet Ali alone has favors for mankind
And comfort encompassing the sublime with what it included,
that have almost restored to them the distant prime of youth.
The children of Adam with bounty and Eve.
وراحةٌand a palm حوَتembraced العلياthe heights بماthrough what شملتit encompassed
وراحةٌ حوَت العليا بما شملت
أبناءthe children of آدمAdam بالنعمىin bounty وحوّاءand Eve
أبناء آدم بالنعمى وحوّاء
And a palm has embraced the heights by enfolding
The Judge of judges, when the world wearies of insight,
the children of Adam and Eve in bounty.
Squinting of eye, without the b, t and a.
قاضيthe chief of القضاةjudges إذاwhen أعياbaffled الورىmankind فطناًkeen minds
قاضي القضاة إذا أعيا الورى فطناً
حسيرةexhausted in العينgaze دونshort of الباءbāʾ والتاءand tāʾ
حسيرة العين دون الباء والتاء
Chief of judges, when he baffles mankind's keen minds,
And the elevated in rank, boasted of nothing but,
their gaze exhausted short of bāʾ and tāʾ.
His feet, the r before the t and the b and a.
والمعتليand the one rising رتباًthrough ranks لمhas not يفتخرboasted بسوىof anything but
والمعتلي رتباً لم يفتخر بسوى
أقدامهhis steps الراءُrāʾ قبلbefore التاءtāʾ والباءand bāʾ
أقدامه الراءُ قبل التاء والباء
And he who rises through ranks—the only boast
And the piercing mind in deceptions he sets up,
of rāʾ before tāʾ and bāʾ is of his steps.
For every seeker of bounty a tempting temptation.
والثاقبand penetrating in الفكرthought فيin غرّاءa splendid boon ينصبهاhe sets it out
والثاقب الفكر في غرّاء ينصبها
لكلfor every طالبseeker of نعمىbounty نصبَan accusative of إغراءexhortation
لكل طالب نعمى نصبَ إغراء
And keen of thought, he sets out a splendid boon
For the asker of generosity, a preoccupation from his youth,
for every seeker of bounty, like an accusative of exhortation.
And for the knowledge-seeker, preoccupations for juristic reasoning.
لطالبfor the seeker of الجودlargesse شغلan occupation منfrom فتوّتهhis chivalry
لطالب الجود شغل من فتوّته
وطالبِand for the seeker of العلمknowledge أشغالoccupations بإفتاءin issuing legal rulings
وطالبِ العلم أشغال بإفتاء
For the seeker of bounty, his chivalry offers occupation,
If his cultivation or gentleness touched a rock,
and for the seeker of knowledge, legal rulings offer many.
It would touch it in both states a thousand dociles.
لوif مسtouched تهذيبهُhis refinement أوor رِفقهhis gentleness حجراًa stone
لو مس تهذيبهُ أو رِفقه حجراً
مستهwould touch it فيin حالتيهِits two states ألفُa thousand سرّاءdelights
مسته في حالتيهِ ألفُ سرّاء
Were his refinement or his gentleness to touch a stone,
Of a house of valid lineage I have preferred by it,
a thousand joys would touch it in either case.
The glories of fathers and sons.
منfrom بيتa house of فضلmerit صحيحsound in الوزنmeasure قدindeed رجحتgained weight
من بيت فضل صحيح الوزن قد رجحت
بهthrough it مفاخرُthe glories of آباءٍfathers وأبناءِand sons
به مفاخرُ آباءٍ وأبناءِ
From a house of merit, sound in measure; weightier have grown,
For the defense of the best of prophets zebras rose,
through it, the glories of fathers and sons.
His helpers, and they substituted the best of tidings.
قامتrose لنصرةto aid خيرthe best of الأنبياءprophets ظباthe sword-edges of
قامت لنصرة خير الأنبياء ظبا
أنصارهhis supporters واستعاضواand received in return خيرthe best of أنباءtidings
أنصاره واستعاضوا خير أنباء
To aid the best of prophets rose the blades
The family of winds, in speech and in generosity,
of his supporters, who received the best of tidings in return.
The family of winds, in help and in wailing,
أهلpeople of الصريجينthe two qualities (word unclear) منof نطقspeech ومنand of كرمٍgenerosity
أهل الصريجين من نطق ومن كرمٍ
آلthe family of الريحينthe two winds منof نصرٍvictory وأنواءand rains
آل الريحين من نصرٍ وأنواء
People of the two qualities—speech and generosity;
Who speak clearly in vocabulary and melody,
a family of the two winds—of victory and rain.
Not to mention the eloquent purebred Arabs,
المعربونthose speaking clearly بألفاظٍwith words ولحنand the cadences of ظباsword-blades
المعربون بألفاظٍ ولحن ظبا
ناهيكsufficient for you منas عربٍArabs فيamong الخلقmankind عرباءpure Arabs
ناهيك من عربٍ في الخلق عرباء
Those who speak clearly through words and the cadences of blades—
Draining their eyelids at dawn and clamor,
suffice it that they are true Arabs among mankind.
And filling our lids at nightfall,
مفرغينemptying جفوناًscabbards فيin صباحthe morning of وغىbattle
مفرغين جفوناً في صباح وغى
ومالئينand filling جفاناًplatters عندat إمساءnightfall
ومالئين جفاناً عند إمساء
Emptying scabbards in the morning of battle,
They passed, and their sons shone after them like meteors,
and filling platters at nightfall.
Whose light effaces every darkness.
مضواthey passed on وضاءَتand shone بنوهمtheir sons بعدهمafter them شهباًas meteors
مضوا وضاءَت بنوهم بعدهم شهباً
تمحىis effaced بنورby the light of سناهاtheir radiance كلّevery ظلماءdarkness
تمحى بنور سناها كلّ ظلماء
They passed on, and after them their sons shone as meteors,
So from a crescent, and from a star, and from a moon,
by whose radiant light every darkness is effaced.
In a horizon of might, glorification, and loftiness,
فمنso among them is هلالٍa crescent ومنand among them is نجمٍa star ومنand among them is قمرٍa moon
فمن هلالٍ ومن نجمٍ ومن قمرٍ
فيin أفقa horizon of عزٍّmight وتمجيدٍand glorification وعلياءand eminence
في أفق عزٍّ وتمجيدٍ وعلياء
Among them a crescent, a star, and a moon,
Until the sincere of religion, the morning guidance appeared,
in a horizon of might, glorification, and eminence.
Dictating, and his dictation from his intuitive mind,
حتىuntil تجلىrevealed himself تقيّTaqi الدينal-Din صبحa dawn of هدًىguidance
حتى تجلى تقيّ الدين صبح هدًى
يمليhe dictates وإملاؤهand his dictation منfrom فكرهhis thought الرَّائيdiscerning
يملي وإملاؤه من فكره الرَّائي
Until Taqi al-Din revealed himself as a dawn of guidance,
Clarifying the fog, clarified by its brilliance, so we do not,
dictating, his dictation springing from his discerning thought.
Miss a time of abundant virtue, clarified.
يجلوhe dispels الدّياجيَthe dark nights مستجلىsought out سناهhis radiance فلاso not
يجلو الدّياجيَ مستجلى سناه فلا
نعدمwe lack زمانin the time of جليّmanifest in الفضلmerit جلاّءan illuminator
نعدم زمان جليّ الفضل جلاّء
He dispels the dark nights, his radiance sought out; thus
Dazzling, watering by its blessings and its rising,
we lack no illuminator in the days of one whose merit shines.
Towards revival, a year of ease and adversity.
أغرّradiant يسقيhe waters بيمناهwith his right hand وطلعتهand his countenance
أغرّ يسقي بيمناه وطلعته
صوبthe downpour of الحياrain عامin a year of سرَّاءprosperity وضرَّاءand adversity
صوب الحيا عام سرَّاء وضرَّاء
Radiant, he pours out, with his right hand and his countenance,
If he did not find us with a flow he endowed upon us with prayer,
rain's downpour in a year of ease and hardship.
A cloud ready over the years of dearth with prayer.
لوif لمdid not يجدناgive generously to us برفدٍwith aid جادناhe would shower us بدُعاًwith prayers
لو لم يجدنا برفدٍ جادنا بدُعاً
معدٍaiding علىagainst سنواتthe years of المحلdrought دعاءan invocation
معدٍ على سنوات المحل دعاء
If he gave us no aid, he would shower us with prayers—
The knowledgeable is as knowledge disseminated,
an invocation aiding us against the years of drought.
The children of villages seeking and reciting him.
ذوa possessor of العِلمknowledge كالعلمlike a banner المنشورunfurled تتبعهfollow him
ذو العِلم كالعلم المنشور تتبعه
بنوsons of قرًىvillages تترجاهthat hope in him وإقراءand recitation teaching
بنو قرًى تترجاه وإقراء
A man of knowledge, like an unfurled banner, followed by
So Al-Shafi’i, if he compiled his pages,
villagers who hope in him, and people of recitation.
He ransomed them with the faithful, their meanings and fathers.
فالشافعيّthen al-Shafi'i لوif استجلىexamined صحائفهhis pages
فالشافعيّ لو استجلى صحائفه
فدىwould ransom بأمَّينwith two mothers فحواهاtheir meaning وآباءand fathers
فدى بأمَّين فحواها وآباء
Were al-Shafi'i to examine his pages,
And spent the night grasping the expanse within them,
he would ransom their meaning with two mothers and fathers.
And died in his skin after revival.
وباتand would spend the night منقبضاًshrunken ربّthe master of البسيطal-Basit بهاbecause of them
وبات منقبضاً ربّ البسيط بها
وماتand would die فيwithin جلدهhis skin منfrom بعدafter إحياءrevival
ومات في جلده من بعد إحياء
And the master of al-Basit would shrink before them all night,
He provides by the paper from a king and from manuscripts,
and die within his skin after revival.
To one who venerates him the worth of the notable.
يقرّhe acknowledges بالرّقّto bondage منin ملكownership ومنand in صحفٍpages
يقرّ بالرّقّ من ملك ومن صحفٍ
لمنto one who يجلّis exalted بهthrough him قدرthe worth of الأرقاءbondsmen
لمن يجلّ به قدر الأرقاء
He acknowledges bondage, in ownership and in pages,
For one whose hands are either a necklace of a bride,
to one through whom the worth of bondsmen is exalted;
For the saints, or fetters for enemies.
لمنto one who بكفيهin his two hands إماeither طوقa necklace of عارضةٍa raincloud
لمن بكفيه إما طوق عارضةٍ
للأولياءfor allies وإماor else غلّa fetter for أعداءenemies
للأولياء وإما غلّ أعداء
to one whose two hands hold either a raincloud's necklace
No fault in him but hastening his favors,
for allies, or a fetter for enemies.
So how can the hoped-for be enjoyed after procrastination?
لاno عيبَfault فيهin him سوىexcept تعجيلِthe hastening of أنعمهِhis favors
لا عيبَ فيه سوى تعجيلِ أنعمهِ
فماso not يلذّone takes pleasure برجوىin hope بعدafter إرجاءpostponement
فما يلذّ برجوى بعد إرجاء
He has no fault except the haste of his favors,
He meets you with good tidings after benevolence, smiling,
so no pleasure is had in hope after delay.
Like lightning after the stillness of clouds and pouring.
يلقاكhe meets you بالبشرwith cheerfulness تلوَfollowing البرّkindness مبتسماًsmiling
يلقاك بالبشر تلوَ البرّ مبتسماً
كالبرقlike lightning تلوَfollowing هتونِthe downpour of المزنrainclouds وطفاءladen
كالبرق تلوَ هتونِ المزن وطفاء
He greets you smiling, with cheerfulness following kindness,
To stay the night praising him, for I have praised,
like lightning after the downpour of laden clouds.
At the morning of humankind, Israel.
أنif أقطعI traverse الليلthe night فيin مدحيmy praise لهof him فلقدthen indeed
أن أقطع الليل في مدحي له فلقد
حمدتI praised عندat صباحthe dawn of البشرcheerfulness إسرائيmy night journey
حمدت عند صباح البشر إسرائي
If I traverse the night in praising him, I have indeed
I wore his blessings like the garden blossomed,
blessed my night journey at the dawn of his cheerful welcome.
With the overflowing of a hand like green rain.
لبستI wore نعماهُhis bounty مثلَlike الروضthe garden مزهرةًblossoming
لبست نعماهُ مثلَ الروض مزهرةً
بفائضاتِwith the outpourings of يدٍa hand كالغيثِlike rain زهراءradiant
بفائضاتِ يدٍ كالغيثِ زهراء
I have worn his bounty, blossoming like a garden,
And how can I not wear bounty glittering,
through the outpourings of a radiant hand like rain.
While the rain on its sides? Any will or desire!
وكيفand how لاnot ألبسI wear النعمىbounty مشهرةًopenly displayed
وكيف لا ألبس النعمى مشهرةً
والغيثand rain فيon جانبيهاits two sides أيّwhat an وشاءembroiderer
والغيث في جانبيها أيّ وشاء
And how should I not wear this bounty openly,
And how can I not bring eulogies deemed amidst,
when rain on both its sides is such an embroiderer?
The script like songs from between melodies!
وكيفand how لاnot أوردI bring forth الأمداحَthe praises تحسبهاyou would deem them
وكيف لا أورد الأمداحَ تحسبها
فيon الصحفthe pages غانيةa lovely maiden منfrom بينamong غناءsinging
في الصحف غانية من بين غناء
And how should I not bring forth praises that you would think
From you I learned the eloquent wording, versifying it
a lovely maiden on the pages, amid singing?
Into verses enthusing the minds of minds.
ياO جائداًgenerous giver رامwho sought أنto تخفىbe concealed لهbelonging to him مننٌfavors
يا جائداً رام أن تخفى له مننٌ
هيهاتfar from it ماnot المسكmusk مطويّfolded away بإخفاءby concealment
هيهات ما المسك مطويّ بإخفاء
O generous giver who sought to conceal his favors,
I have harvested from it sparks I do not conceal from you,
far from it! Concealment cannot keep musk hidden.
And concealing is not of my inclination.
ولاnor نسيمthe breeze of ثنائيmy praise بالخفيّhidden وقدand indeed
ولا نسيم ثنائي بالخفيّ وقد
رويتهyou have watered it بالعطاياwith gifts أيwhat a إرواءwatering
رويته بالعطايا أي إرواء
Nor is the breeze of my praise hidden, for
Take them to you, my fresh praise, mantles,
you have watered it with gifts—what an abundant watering!
The making of secrets but without refusal.
خذهاtake them إليكto yourself جديداتfresh الثناpraise حللاًas robes
خذها إليك جديدات الثنا حللاً
صنعthe work of السريّal-Sari ولكنbut غيرnot رفاءa darner
صنع السريّ ولكن غير رفاء
Take them to yourself: robes of fresh praise,
And live as you wish, whatever you wish praising,
the work of al-Sari, but not of a darner.
You will be praised with the best house of bestowals.
وعشand live كماas شئتyou wish مهماfor as long as شئتyou wish ممتدحاًpraised
وعش كما شئت مهما شئت ممتدحاً
تثنىyou are lauded بخيرwith the finest لآلٍpearls خيرthe finest آلاءfavors
تثنى بخير لآلٍ خير آلاء
And live as you wish, for as long as you wish, praised,
From you I have attained the eloquent phrasing, versifying it,
extolled with the finest pearls for the finest favors.
Into a poetry that ravishes the minds of minds.
منكfrom you استفدتI gained بليغَeloquent اللفظِexpression أنظمهI arrange it in verse
منك استفدت بليغَ اللفظِ أنظمه
نظماًas verse يهيمenrapturing ألبابthe minds of الألباءthe discerning
نظماً يهيم ألباب الألباء
From you I gained eloquent expression, which I compose
I have prepared from it sparks I do not withhold,
into verse that enraptures the minds of the discerning.
From your hearing, and withholding is not of my way.
أعدتI returned منهُfrom it شذوراًscattered gems لستI do not أحبسهاwithhold them
أعدت منهُ شذوراً لست أحبسها
عنfrom مسمعيكyour two ears وليسand is not الحبسwithholding منfrom راءa discerning man
عن مسمعيك وليس الحبس من راء
I have returned scattered gems of it, not withholding them
from your two ears; withholding is not a discerning man's way.
Partial English translation: 110 of 112 Arabic lines translated.