أَرَابَهُ البانُ إِذ لم يَقْضِ آرابا

أَرَابَهُ البانُ إِذ لم يَقْضِ آرابا

فارتدَّ ناظرُهُ المرتادُ مرتابا

فارتدَّ ناظرُهُ المرتادُ مرتابا

The ban trees unsettled him when they fulfilled no desires;

The gazelle bewildered him, for it did not settle to rest,

his searching gaze turned back in doubt.

So his glancing view turned back puzzled and disturbed.

وكان أَوطانَ أَوطارٍ محَاسِنُها

وكان أَوطانَ أَوطارٍ محَاسِنُها

تَسْتَنْفِذُ اللَّفْظَ إِطراءً وإطرابا

تَسْتَنْفِذُ اللَّفْظَ إِطراءً وإطرابا

They had been homes of longing, whose beauties

The homelands of the family of Otâr had charms that

exhausted words in praise and rapture.

Exhaust vocabulary with praise or make it stray.

حيثُ المغانِي غَوَانٍ ما اشْتَكَتْ يَدُها

حيثُ المغانِي غَوَانٍ ما اشْتَكَتْ يَدُها

يوماً من الخُرَّدِ الأَترابِ إِترابا

يوماً من الخُرَّدِ الأَترابِ إِترابا

Where the abodes were beauties, their hands never complaining

Where are the singing parties not complaining

of being poor, even for a day, in shy maidens of matching age.

Of hands grown weary of playing the well-worn instruments?

ولا أَلَمَّ بها مثلي بأَدْمُعِهِ

ولا أَلَمَّ بها مثلي بأَدْمُعِهِ

فاستَعْجَزَ الغَيْبَ إِرباءً وإِربابا

فاستَعْجَزَ الغَيْبَ إِرباءً وإِربابا

Nor did anyone like me visit them with his tears,

Nor did the tears afflict me as they did my like

outdoing the unseen in increase and nurture.

So magic was baffled how to make them start or flow.

يا حبذا البانُ إِذ أَجني فَوَاكِهَهُ

يا حبذا البانُ إِذ أَجني فَوَاكِهَهُ

على ذُرَى البانِ أَعناباً وعُنَّابا

على ذُرَى البانِ أَعناباً وعُنَّابا

Ah, how lovely the ban trees, when I gathered their fruits,

Would that the gazelle had reaped its fruits to me

grapes and jujubes upon the ban trees' crowns.

As bunches of grapes on the boughs of the gazelle's land.

وإِذْ أَبِيتُ وكأْسُ الراح مالئَةٌ

وإِذْ أَبِيتُ وكأْسُ الراح مالئَةٌ

كَفِّي حَبَاباً وطَرْفِي فيه أَحْبَابا

كَفِّي حَبَاباً وطَرْفِي فيه أَحْبَابا

And when I spent the night, the wine cup filling

When my drinking companions brimmed the cup of wine for me,

my palm with bubbles, and my sight with loved ones within it.

My palm vied with my bright companions in passing it round.

سقاهُ كالدَّمْعِ إِلا ما يُؤَثِّرُهُ

سقاهُ كالدَّمْعِ إِلا ما يُؤَثِّرُهُ

فإِنه مَنَع الإِجْدَاءَ إجْدَابا

فإِنه مَنَع الإِجْدَاءَ إجْدَابا

May rain water them like tears, but not with tears' effect,

I yielded it to them like the tears, save what

for tears denied benefit and brought barrenness.

My preference retained, that kept beneficence from being cut off,

وجَرَّ فيه كأَنفاسِي غَلاَئِلَهُ

وجَرَّ فيه كأَنفاسِي غَلاَئِلَهُ

شَذاً تقولُ له الأَطْنَابُ إِطْنابا

شَذاً تقولُ له الأَطْنَابُ إِطْنابا

And there, like my breaths, may it trail its robes—

And my breaths blew gently amidst its little waves

a fragrance the tent-ropes bid to linger.

Bearing royal perfume that set imagination working overtime.

قِفَا لأَعْتِبَ دَهْراً لانَ ثُمَّ عَسَى

قِفَا لأَعْتِبَ دَهْراً لانَ ثُمَّ عَسَى

عَسَاهُ يُعَقِبُ هذا العَتْبَ إِعْتَابا

عَسَاهُ يُعَقِبُ هذا العَتْبَ إِعْتَابا

Stop, you two, so I may reproach a time once gentle, then harsh;

Pause, and blame Time that failed you, and then mayhap

perhaps it will follow this reproach with amends.

It will make amends for this blame afterward.

واستنزِلاَ بلطيفٍ من حديثِكُمَا

واستنزِلاَ بلطيفٍ من حديثِكُمَا

قلباً طواهُ على الأَحقادِ أَحْقَابا

قلباً طواهُ على الأَحقادِ أَحْقَابا

And win over, with the gentleness of your conversation,

Beguile him subtly, by your sweet talk, to let down

a heart it kept wrapped in rancor for ages.

A heart wrapped up in grudges and sealed by misgivings.

للهِ ما ضَمَّتِ الأَوزاعُ من قَمَرِ

للهِ ما ضَمَّتِ الأَوزاعُ من قَمَرِ

أَرْخَى ذوائِبَ عنهُنَّ الدُّجَى ذَابا

أَرْخَى ذوائِبَ عنهُنَّ الدُّجَى ذَابا

God, what a moon al-Awza‘ has embraced,

By God, the maiden stars did not contain

letting fall tresses from which darkness melted!

A crescent that unveiled before them its trailing skirts of dark night!

أُغَمِّضُ اللحْظَ منه حينَ ينظُرُ عن

أُغَمِّضُ اللحْظَ منه حينَ ينظُرُ عن

جفنٍ هُوَ النصلُ إِرهافاً وإِرهابا

جفنٍ هُوَ النصلُ إِرهافاً وإِرهابا

I lower my gaze before him when he looks from beneath

From him I veil my eyes whenever his looks

an eyelid that is a blade in sharpness and terror.

Dart from an eyelid that is a piercing, terrifying blade.

وربما زارَني زَوْراً وشَقَّ إِلى

وربما زارَني زَوْراً وشَقَّ إِلى

وَصْلِي حِجاباً يراعيهِ وحُجَّابا

وَصْلِي حِجاباً يراعيهِ وحُجَّابا

And sometimes he visited me in a vision, breaking through to

Sometimes he pays me a visit, forcing his way

union with me, past a veil he respected and its gatekeepers.

Through barriers guarding my love-union and chamberlains;

ما كنتُ أُسْكِرُ طرْفِي من مُدامِ كَرًى

ما كنتُ أُسْكِرُ طرْفِي من مُدامِ كَرًى

لو لَمْ يُحَرِّمْ على الإِصْحَاءِ أَصحابا

لو لَمْ يُحَرِّمْ على الإِصْحَاءِ أَصحابا

I would not have made my eyes drunk on the wine of slumber

I did not intoxicate my eyes time and again from being lovesick

had he not forbidden companionship in wakefulness.

Had not my virtuous friends forbidden me to indulge.

يا مَنْ إِذا ما وَفَى اسْتَوْفَى الحُشَاشَةَ لا

يا مَنْ إِذا ما وَفَى اسْتَوْفَى الحُشَاشَةَ لا

عَدِمْتُ حالَيْكَ إِعطاءً وإِعْطَابا

عَدِمْتُ حالَيْكَ إِعطاءً وإِعْطَابا

O you who, when you keep faith, exact my last breath—may I never

O you who, whenever you fulfilled the clan's highest fame, I missed

lack your two ways, giving and destroying.

Your company, giving or attaining eminence!

ومُغْرِياً جَفْنَ عَيْنِي بالمنامِ لقد

ومُغْرِياً جَفْنَ عَيْنِي بالمنامِ لقد

أَبدَعْتَ في ذلك الإِغراءِ إِغْرَابا

أَبدَعْتَ في ذلك الإِغراءِ إِغْرَابا

And you who lure my eyelid into sleep, you have indeed

Tempting my drowsy eyes in sleep, indeed

been wondrously inventive in that enticement.

You have excelled in such tempting, beyond all customary bounds!

وفاضَ لي من أَبي الفَيَّاضِ بَحْرُ نّدًى

وفاضَ لي من أَبي الفَيَّاضِ بَحْرُ نّدًى

أَنشا سحاباً من المعروفِ سَحَّابا

أَنشا سحاباً من المعروفِ سَحَّابا

From Abu al-Fayyad an ocean of bounty overflowed for me,

From my bountiful father the flood of blandishment ran over for me

raising a downpouring cloud of kindness.

That made rise a cloud of favor Voluptuous with folds.

المالكَ الموسعَ الأَملاكَ ما بَرَقَتْ

المالكَ الموسعَ الأَملاكَ ما بَرَقَتْ

صوارِمُ الحَرْبِ إِجلاءً وإِجلابا

صوارِمُ الحَرْبِ إِجلاءً وإِجلابا

The sovereign who enlarges dominions whenever there flash

The owner of expansive realms – the ample domains – has never

war's keen blades, expelling foes and rallying hosts;

Brandished the gleaming swords of war to dislodge and bring low,

والمُقْطِعَ المعشرَ الراجينَ ما لقِحَتْ

والمُقْطِعَ المعشرَ الراجينَ ما لقِحَتْ

سمائمُ الجدب إِنهالاً وإِنهابا

سمائمُ الجدب إِنهالاً وإِنهابا

and the grantor of lands to hopeful folk whenever pregnant grow

Nor cut down the hope of yearning souls, nor sucked dry

drought's scorching winds—he gives drink and freely lavishes gifts;

The dugs of dearth with devastating, exhausting draughts.

والبانِيَ المجدَ صَرْحاً من تِلاوَتِهِ

والبانِيَ المجدَ صَرْحاً من تِلاوَتِهِ

أَنا الَّذي أَبْلَغَ الأَسْبَابَ أَسْبابا

أَنا الَّذي أَبْلَغَ الأَسْبَابَ أَسْبابا

and who builds glory into a tower whose recitations include:

Rather he built with his sublime ascent a citadel of glory

'I am he who made the pathways reach the heights.'

To which I guided the most direct of all causes that lead up to it.

أَفناؤهُ الخُضْرُ تستَدْعِي بنَضْرَتِها

أَفناؤهُ الخُضْرُ تستَدْعِي بنَضْرَتِها

معاشِرَ الناسِ إِرْعاداً وإِرْعابا

معاشِرَ الناسِ إِرْعاداً وإِرْعابا

Its green courtyards summon, with their freshness,

Its fresh greenery invites mankind with its verdancy

the companies of mankind, making them tremble in terror.

To settle there, exciting panic,consternation or fearful awe.

هِيَ الحِمَى حَلَّ منهُ أَو نَأَى وكَذَا

هِيَ الحِمَى حَلَّ منهُ أَو نَأَى وكَذَا

كَ الليثُ إِنْ غابَ يَحْمِي بَأُسُهُ الغابا

كَ الليثُ إِنْ غابَ يَحْمِي بَأُسُهُ الغابا

They are sanctuary, whether he dwells there or is far away; likewise

This is the sanctuary that gave security if you approached or turned away,

the lion: though he be absent, his might guards the thickets.

For, even if absent, the formidable prowess of the lion protects the absent.

شَهْمٌ هُوَ السَّهْمُ تسديداً لشاكِلَةٍ

شَهْمٌ هُوَ السَّهْمُ تسديداً لشاكِلَةٍ

مَهْمَا أَصابَ شَفَى للدينِ أَوْصابا

مَهْمَا أَصابَ شَفَى للدينِ أَوْصابا

A gallant man, an arrow aimed straight at the flank;

Valiant, a swordsman aimed unerringly at the joints through the coats of mail,

whenever he strikes, he heals the faith's afflictions.

However often he hit the mark, to bring healing to the religion or to its protégés.

غَضَنْفَرٌ لا يزالُ الماضِيانِِ له

غَضَنْفَرٌ لا يزالُ الماضِيانِِ له

إِن حادِثُ الدَّهْر نابَ الظُّفْرَ والنابا

إِن حادِثُ الدَّهْر نابَ الظُّفْرَ والنابا

A lion whose two keen weapons always serve him,

A writhing dragon, winding, twisting, cleaves; the days gone by

when time's calamity strikes, as claw and fang:

Still course for him – if the chance of time brought reversal or hardship...

منْ كلِّ أبْيَضَ مهما التاجُ في وَهَجٍ

منْ كلِّ أبْيَضَ مهما التاجُ في وَهَجٍ

أَقامَ يُلْهِبُ نارَ الحربِ إِلهابا

أَقامَ يُلْهِبُ نارَ الحربِ إِلهابا

each gleaming blade that, when the crown is in a blaze,

Any white falcon, in the fury of battle, flames up

keeps fiercely kindling the fire of war;

In the furnace of war, whatever the royal crown's effulgence,

وكُلَّ أَسْمَرَ مهما جالَ في حَرَجٍ

وكُلَّ أَسْمَرَ مهما جالَ في حَرَجٍ

وانسابَ أَلْحَقَ بالحَيَّاتِ أَنْسابا

وانسابَ أَلْحَقَ بالحَيَّاتِ أَنْسابا

and every dusky lance that, whenever it moves through a thicket

While every swarthy eagle, though spurning the burning heat,

and glides, claims kinship with serpents.

Glides through the air and attaches itself to the serpents' kin.

لفَّ الشجاعَةَ منه بالتُّقَى فغدا

لفَّ الشجاعَةَ منه بالتُّقَى فغدا

يُريكَ من دِمْنَةِ المحرابِ مِحْرَابا

يُريكَ من دِمْنَةِ المحرابِ مِحْرَابا

He wrapped his courage in piety, and thus came to

It wrapped itself in courage and piety both and so became

show you a warrior from the prayer niche's worn ground.

A prayer niche for you from the devotions paid in prayer niches.

نَجْلُ الأَكابِرِ والأَمْلاكِ ما بَرِحُوا

نَجْلُ الأَكابِرِ والأَمْلاكِ ما بَرِحُوا

للمُلْكِ مُنْذُ رُبُوا في الحِجْر أَرْبَابا

للمُلْكِ مُنْذُ رُبُوا في الحِجْر أَرْبَابا

Scion of nobles and kings, who have never ceased

The descendants of great men and lords have never ceased

to be lords of sovereignty since they were reared in the lap.

To be lords of the kingdom ever since they rode as babies in cradles

عَليه شَبُّوا ومن أَثْدَائِهِ رَضَعُوا

عَليه شَبُّوا ومن أَثْدَائِهِ رَضَعُوا

حتى لَصَارَتْ لَهُمْ آدابُه دَابا

حتى لَصَارَتْ لَهُمْ آدابُه دَابا

On it they grew up, and from its breasts they suckled,

On it they cut their teeth and from its bosom they suckled

until its disciplines had indeed become their habit.

Until its manners became innate habits for them.

طالوا وطابوا ومهما طالَ مكرُمَةً

طالوا وطابوا ومهما طالَ مكرُمَةً

فَرْعُ امرِىءٍ في العُلاَ فالأَصلُ قد طابا

فَرْعُ امرِىءٍ في العُلاَ فالأَصلُ قد طابا

They grew tall and fair; whenever, in honor, there rises

They endured long and excelled long, and how often, though outstanding

a man's branch to the heights, his root has surely been sound.

For bounty, the scion of a man of high degree turns out well!

نَهَّابُ أَعدائِهِ وَهَّابُ أَنْعُمِهِ

نَهَّابُ أَعدائِهِ وَهَّابُ أَنْعُمِهِ

أَحْسِنْ بحالَيْهِ نهَّاباً وَوَهَّابَا

أَحْسِنْ بحالَيْهِ نهَّاباً وَوَهَّابَا

Plunderer of his enemies, lavish giver of his favors—

Tearing his foes to pieces, lavishing gifts on loyal servants,

how splendid his two ways, plundering and giving!

Deal in the same way yourself, tearing some to pieces, treating others lavishly.

لِلْجُودِ والبَأْسِ أَحزابٌ بِرَاحَتِهِ

لِلْجُودِ والبَأْسِ أَحزابٌ بِرَاحَتِهِ

ساقَتْ إِليه جيوشُ الشُّكْرِ أَحْزَابا

ساقَتْ إِليه جيوشُ الشُّكْرِ أَحْزَابا

Bounty and valor have their hosts within his palm;

The hosts of gratitude formed ranks to attend him at his ease,

armies of gratitude have led companies to him.

Bringing to him thanks in battalions and armed contingents.

أَتَتْ إِليه بناتُ الشِّعْرِ قاصِدَةً

أَتَتْ إِليه بناتُ الشِّعْرِ قاصِدَةً

وَكَمْ أَتَتْ قبلُ خَطَّاراً وخَطَّابا

وَكَمْ أَتَتْ قبلُ خَطَّاراً وخَطَّابا

The daughters of poetry came to him with intent;

The daughters of Poetry came to him with set purpose

how many a swaggerer and suitor had they visited before!

While many came to him before as messengers and envoys.

من كُلِّ مُلْهَبَةِ الأَلفاظِ مُذْهَبَةٍ

من كُلِّ مُلْهَبَةِ الأَلفاظِ مُذْهَبَةٍ

تُشَعْشِعُ الطِّرْسَ إِلهاباً وإِذْهَابا

تُشَعْشِعُ الطِّرْسَ إِلهاباً وإِذْهَابا

Each ablaze in its words and richly gilded,

Tongues of flames, every dialect refined,

making the page shine with fire and gold.

Gleaming, dazzling mail coats with their tongues of fire.

تَوَقَّدَتْ فَلَوَانَّ المَرْءَ يُنْشِدُها

تَوَقَّدَتْ فَلَوَانَّ المَرْءَ يُنْشِدُها

في شهرِ كانُونَ ظنُّوا آبَ قَدْ آبَا

في شهرِ كانُونَ ظنُّوا آبَ قَدْ آبَا

They blazed, so that if someone recited them

The self of man caught light from their fused metals—they fancied

in Kanun, people would think Ab had returned.

That May had come in January when July was past.

كم مِنْ حقائِبِ أَحْقابٍ قد امْتَلأَتْ

كم مِنْ حقائِبِ أَحْقابٍ قد امْتَلأَتْ

بشُكْرِ بِرِّكَ إِنجازاً وإِنْجابا

بشُكْرِ بِرِّكَ إِنجازاً وإِنْجابا

How many saddlebags of ages have been filled

How many scrolls of time have been filled to the full

with thanks for your kindness, its fulfillment and noble fruit.

With thanks for your kindness, fulfilling and bringing increase!

من كانَ مثلَكَ يُرْجَى خَيْرُهُ أَبّدًا

من كانَ مثلَكَ يُرْجَى خَيْرُهُ أَبّدًا

رَأَى جميعَ شهورِ العامِ أَرْجَابا

رَأَى جميعَ شهورِ العامِ أَرْجَابا

A man like you, whose goodness is always hoped for,

Who was ever like you from whom good might always be hoped?—

sees all the year's months as so many Rajabs.

You made all the months of the year seem like kind lords.