أَحداجُthe howdahs of تِلكَthose الجِمالِcamels
أَحداجُ تِلكَ الجِمالِ
مَشحونَةٌladen بِالجَمالِwith beauty
مَشحونَةٌ بِالجَمالِ
The howdahs of those camels
are laden with beauty.
زالَتdeparted عَلَيهاupon them شُموسٌsuns
زالَت عَلَيها شُموسٌ
فاقَتsurpassed شُموسَthe suns of الزَوالِnoon
فاقَت شُموسَ الزَوالِ
Upon them departed suns
that outshone the suns of noon.
ماnot غابَdeparted مُذsince غِبنَthey departed عَنّاfrom us
ما غابَ مُذ غِبنَ عَنّا
سُهدُsleeplessness of اللَياليthe nights الطِوالِlong
سُهدُ اللَيالي الطِوالِ
Since they departed from us, never has departed
the sleeplessness of long nights.
راجيone hoping for الصَباحِmorning بِلاwithout شَمsun (first part)
راجي الصَباحِ بِلا شَم
سٍsun (completion) بائِتٌspending the night فيin الضَلالِerror
سٍ بائِتٌ في الضَلالِ
Whoever hopes for morning without a sun
passes the night astray.
لَمdid not تُخطِناmiss us إِذwhen رَمَتناthey shot at us
لَم تُخطِنا إِذ رَمَتنا
آرامgazelles of آلِthe clan of بِلالِBilal
آرام آلِ بِلالِ
They did not miss us when they shot at us—
the gazelles of Bilal's clan.
أَترابُmaidens alike in age حَيِّa tribe لَقاحٍindependent
أَترابُ حَيِّ لَقاحٍ
عَرَندَسٍmighty ذيpossessing طَلالِimposing stature
عَرَندَسٍ ذي طَلالِ
Maidens alike in age, from an independent tribe,
mighty, of imposing stature.
أَهلُmasters of الجِيادِthe steeds المَذاكيfully mature
أَهلُ الجِيادِ المَذاكي
وَالعَوذِand fresh-calved she-camels عَوذٍfresh-calved mothers مَتاليwith young following
وَالعَوذِ عَوذٍ مَتالي
Masters of mature steeds
and fresh-calved she-camels, mothers with young following.
وَالبيضُand the bright swords بيضٌbright blades مواضٍkeen
وَالبيضُ بيضٌ مواضٍ
وَالسُمرُand the brown spears سُمرٌbrown shafts عَوالِlofty
وَالسُمرُ سُمرٌ عَوالِ
The bright swords are keen swords,
and the brown spears are lofty spears.
لِلَّهِto God belongs يَومٌa day شَهِدناwe witnessed
لِلَّهِ يَومٌ شَهِدنا
وَغاهُits battle غَيرnot عِجالِhasty
وَغاهُ غَير عِجالِ
What a day! We witnessed
its battle without haste.
ذَوواwearers of العَمائِمِthe turbans فيهِin it
ذَووا العَمائِمِ فيهِ
أَسرىcaptives of ذَواتِwomen possessing الحِجالِcurtained chambers
أَسرى ذَواتِ الحِجالِ
The wearers of turbans, that day,
were captives of ladies in curtained chambers.
وَتَترُكُand leave الأُسدَthe lions صَرعىstruck down
وَتَترُكُ الأُسدَ صَرعى
ظِباؤُهُits gazelles بِالنِبالِwith arrows
ظِباؤُهُ بِالنِبالِ
And lions are left struck down
by its gazelles with their arrows.
سَلask ماwhat لَسلَمىwith Salma وَخَيرٌand good
سَل ما لَسلَمى وَخَيرٌ
إِصغاؤُهاher listening لِلسُؤالِto the question
إِصغاؤُها لِلسُؤالِ
Ask what ails Salma; it is good
that she should listen to the question.
رُمناwe sought رِضاهاher favor فَرُمناso we sought
رُمنا رِضاها فَرُمنا
حُصولَattaining رَيّquenched thirst بِآلِwith a mirage
حُصولَ رَيّ بِآلِ
We sought her favor, and so sought
to slake our thirst with a mirage.
مَحمودَةٌMahmudah أُختُهاher sister آmade us kin (first part)
مَحمودَةٌ أُختُها آ
خَتناmade us kin (completion) بِمَنعِby withholding الوِصالِunion
خَتنا بِمَنعِ الوِصالِ
Mahmudah, her sister, made us kin
by withholding union.
فَوَصلُهاso her union ذوmarked by اِنصِرامٍcessation
فَوَصلُها ذو اِنصِرامٍ
وَصَرمُهاand her estrangement ذوmarked by اِتِّصالِcontinuity
وَصَرمُها ذو اِتِّصالِ
Her union ends in parting,
while her parting continues unbroken.
دامَتshe persisted بِكَسرِin breaking نِصالٍarrowheads
دامَت بِكَسرِ نِصالٍ
فيin القَلبِthe heart فَوقَupon نِصالِarrowheads
في القَلبِ فَوقَ نِصالِ
She persisted in breaking arrowheads
in the heart, upon other arrowheads.
مَحمودَةٌMahmudah ماnot ذَمَمناwe blamed
مَحمودَةٌ ما ذَمَمنا
لجاجَهاher persistence فيin الدَلالِcoquetry
لجاجَها في الدَلالِ
Mahmudah—we have never blamed
her persistence in coquetry.
وَلاnor مَلِلناhave we wearied وَإِنeven though لَمhas not
وَلا مَلِلنا وَإِن لَم
تَترُكshe abandoned دَوامَcontinuance of المَلالِweariness
تَترُك دَوامَ المَلالِ
Nor have we wearied, though she has not
abandoned her continual weariness.
إِذfor قَلبُهاher heart عَكَّtormented قَلبيmy heart
إِذ قَلبُها عَكَّ قَلبي
بِصالِبٍwith burning fever وَمُلالِand feverish heat
بِصالِبٍ وَمُلالِ
For her heart has tormented mine
with burning fever and smoldering heat.
وَجَفنُهاand her eyelid وَهَواهاand her love
وَجَفنُها وَهَواها
فيin صِحَّةٍhealth وَاِعتِلالِand sickness
في صِحَّةٍ وَاِعتِلالِ
And her eyelid and her love
know health and sickness.
أُحِبُّهاI love her وَأَراهاand I see her
أُحِبُّها وَأَراها
تَرىshe deems وُجوبَthe necessity of اِغتِياليassassinating me
تَرى وُجوبَ اِغتِيالي
I love her, yet I see her
deeming my slaying a duty.
فَماso neither اِختِياليmy proud bearing اِطَّباهاenticed her
فَما اِختِيالي اِطَّباها
وَلاnor لَطيفُthe subtlety of اِحتِياليmy stratagems
وَلا لَطيفُ اِحتِيالي
Neither my proud bearing has enticed her
nor the subtlety of my stratagems.
ماnot طافَever passed أَبخَلُmore miserly مِنهاthan she
ما طافَ أَبخَلُ مِنها
حَتّىeven بِطَيفِwith a phantom الخَيالِof imagination
حَتّى بِطَيفِ الخَيالِ
None more miserly than she has ever passed,
even with a dream's phantom.
بالَيتُهاI cared for her بَذلexpending وُسعيmy utmost effort
بالَيتُها بَذل وُسعي
لَكِنَّهاbut she لاdoes not تُباليcare
لَكِنَّها لا تُبالي
I cared for her, expending all my strength,
but she does not care.
بَرّاقَةُradiant الخَدِّof cheek يَسريcourses
بَرّاقَةُ الخَدِّ يَسري
لَألاؤُهاher brilliance فيthrough الذُبالِthe lampwicks
لَألاؤُها في الذُبالِ
Radiant of cheek, her brilliance courses
through the lampwicks.
فَالحُبُّso love يَنكُصُretreats مَهماwhenever
فَالحُبُّ يَنكُصُ مَهما
دَعاcries هَواهاher passion نزالِcome fight!
دَعا هَواها نزالِ
Love retreats whenever
her passion cries, 'Come fight!'
لاnot بِالغَزالَةِwith the sun تَرضىshe is content
لا بِالغَزالَةِ تَرضى
شِبهاًas a likeness وَلاnor بِالغَزالِwith the gazelle
شِبهاً وَلا بِالغَزالِ
She will not accept the sun
as her likeness, nor the gazelle.
رَطبُfresh اللآليpearls بَعيدٌfar removed
رَطبُ اللآلي بَعيدٌ
مِنfrom ثَغرِهاher mouth فيin الصِقالِpolished brilliance
مِن ثَغرِها في الصِقالِ
Fresh pearls fall far short
of her mouth in polished brilliance.
قاسَتshe endured بِعِطفٍwith a waist خِفافٍdelicate
قاسَت بِعِطفٍ خِفافٍ
حِملانَbearing the weight of رِدفhips ثِقالِheavy
حِملانَ رِدف ثِقالِ
With a delicate waist she endured
the burden of heavy hips.
لاnot يَخطُرُcomes to mind البانُthe ban-tree ماwhile تَخshe sways (first part)
لا يَخطُرُ البانُ ما تَخ
طُرُshe sways (completion) الهُوَيناwith languid ease بِبالِto mind
طُرُ الهُوَينا بِبالِ
No ban-tree comes to mind
when she sways with languid grace.
وَالبَدرُand the full moon قوبِلَwas matched تِمّاًat its fullest
وَالبَدرُ قوبِلَ تِمّاً
مِنof نَعلِهاher sandal بِالقُبالِwith the strap
مِن نَعلِها بِالقُبالِ
And the moon, in all its fullness, was matched
against the strap of her sandal.
حُسنُgracefulness of التَخَلُّصِescape مِنfrom حُبlove (first part)
حُسنُ التَخَلُّصِ مِن حُب
بِهاfor her (completion) عَزيزُhard المَنالِto attain
بِها عَزيزُ المَنالِ
A graceful escape from love
for her is hard to attain.
مَحمودَةٌMahmudah فيamong الغَوانيbeautiful women
مَحمودَةٌ في الغَواني
مُحَمَّدٌMuhammad فيamong الرِجالِmen
مُحَمَّدٌ في الرِجالِ
Mahmudah among beautiful women;
Muhammad among men.
مُحَمَّدٌMuhammad كَالمُجَلّيlike the winning steed
مُحَمَّدٌ كَالمُجَلّي
مِنamong حَلبَةٍa field of racers فيon المَجالِthe racecourse
مِن حَلبَةٍ في المَجالِ
Muhammad is like the winning steed
among the racers on the course.
هُوَhe الزَكِيُّthe pure الذَكِيُّthe intelligent الthe (continued)
هُوَ الزَكِيُّ الذَكِيُّ ال
حُسّانُmost handsome زينُadornment of المَعاليlofty virtues
حُسّانُ زينُ المَعالي
He is the pure, the intelligent, the
most handsome, adornment of lofty virtues.
وَالفَردُand the peerless one فيin العِلمِknowledge وَالحِلand forbearance (first part)
وَالفَردُ في العِلمِ وَالحِل
مِforbearance (completion) وَالحِجاand reason وَالفَعالِand noble deeds
مِ وَالحِجا وَالفَعالِ
And peerless in knowledge and forbearance,
in reason and noble deeds.
مَنone who لَيسَdoes not يَنطِقُspeak إِلّاexcept
مَن لَيسَ يَنطِقُ إِلّا
بِالسِحرِwith magic ذاكَthat الحَلالِlawful
بِالسِحرِ ذاكَ الحَلالِ
One who speaks nothing but
that lawful magic.
الحافِظُthe memorizing scholar المُتَرَوّيthe deliberate thinker
الحافِظُ المُتَرَوّي
أَمِنis he from سَخىًSakha أَمor بِكاليa Bikali
أَمِن سَخىً أَم بِكالي
The memorizing scholar, thoughtful and deliberate—
is he from Sakha, or a Bikali?
وَالشارِحُand the expounder of المُشكِلاتِdifficult questions الthe (continued)
وَالشارِحُ المُشكِلاتِ ال
مُستَحكِماتِfirmly fastened الشِكالِbonds
مُستَحكِماتِ الشِكالِ
And the expounder of difficult questions
whose bonds are tightly fastened.
وَالصارِمُand the sharp sword الأَشعَرِيُّAsh'ari الthe (continued)
وَالصارِمُ الأَشعَرِيُّ ال
مُحنىbent عَلىagainst الإِعتِزالِMu'tazilism
مُحنى عَلى الإِعتِزالِ
And the sharp Ash'ari sword
turned against Mu'tazilism.
يَزولُshifts رَضوىRadwa اِنزِعاجاًin alarm
يَزولُ رَضوى اِنزِعاجاً
وَلَمthough not يَكُنit was بِالمُزالِmovable
وَلَم يَكُن بِالمُزالِ
Mount Radwa shifts in alarm,
though it was not to be moved.
عِلمُthe science of الكَلامِtheological disputation يُسَمّىhe is called
عِلمُ الكَلامِ يُسَمّى
فيهِin it حَذاميa Hadhām المَقالِin discourse
فيهِ حَذامي المَقالِ
In speculative theology he is called
a Hadhām in his pronouncements.
جاريthe running of الأَدِلَّةِthe proofs لَيسَتis not
جاري الأَدِلَّةِ لَيسَت
إِجراءَthe running of ذاتِa creature with العِقالِa tether
إِجراءَ ذاتِ العِقالِ
The running of his proofs is not
the gait of a tethered beast.
قُطبُcentral authority of اِجتِهادindependent legal reasoning مُصيبٌcorrect
قُطبُ اِجتِهاد مُصيبٌ
فيin الفِقهِjurisprudence عِندَduring الجِدالِdebate
في الفِقهِ عِندَ الجِدالِ
A pillar of independent reasoning, unerring
in jurisprudence when debating.
مَنقولُهُhis transmitted learning يَحتَذيهِfollows its example
مَنقولُهُ يَحتَذيهِ
مَعقولَهُhis rational understanding بِاِعتِدالِwith balance
مَعقولَهُ بِاِعتِدالِ
His transmitted learning is followed
by his rational understanding, with balance.
تَمييزُهُhis discernment فيin الأَعاريgrammatical parsing (first part)
تَمييزُهُ في الأَعاري
بِgrammatical parsing (completion) لاnot يُوازىis equaled بِحالِin any way
بِ لا يُوازى بِحالِ
His discernment in grammatical parsing
is in no way equaled.
ذوpossessing رُتبَةٍa rank بَعُدَتfar removed عَنfrom
ذو رُتبَةٍ بَعُدَت عَن
تَنازُعٍcontention وَاِشتِغالِand preoccupation
تَنازُعٍ وَاِشتِغالِ
He holds a rank far beyond
contention and preoccupation.
مَنwho مِثلُهُis like him حينَwhen يَعيىproves difficult
مَن مِثلُهُ حينَ يَعيى
فيin الفَرعِa subsidiary question ضَربُgiving مِثالِan example
في الفَرعِ ضَربُ مِثالِ
Who is like him when it proves hard
to give an example for a subsidiary question?
يُبديهِhe presents it فَهماًfor understanding وَإِلّاand if not
يُبديهِ فَهماً وَإِلّا
أَتىhe brings بِثانٍa second وَثالِand a third
أَتى بِثانٍ وَثالِ
He presents it for understanding; otherwise,
he brings a second and a third.
عاليthe lofty one of مُحَمَّدMuhammad سَعيدٍSa'id
عالي مُحَمَّد سَعيدٍ
فَلَمso not يَنَلهُhas reached him مُعاليa rival in eminence
فَلَم يَنَلهُ مُعالي
The lofty one of Muhammad Sa'id's house—
no rival in eminence has reached him.
بَنوthe sons of مُحَمَّدMuhammad سَعيدٍSa'id
بَنو مُحَمَّد سَعيدٍ
حَذَهُhis match حَذوَmatching like النِعالِpaired sandals
حَذَهُ حَذوَ النِعالِ
The sons of Muhammad Sa'id
match him as one sandal matches another.
الناسُpeople فيin المَجدِglory هَضبٌhills
الناسُ في المَجدِ هَضبٌ
وَهُمwhile they أَعاليthe summits of الجِبالِmountains
وَهُم أَعالي الجِبالِ
Men, in glory, are hills;
they are the highest mountains.
يَمُتُّclaims kinship عِندَwhere there are حُبولِcords
يَمُتُّ عِندَ حُبولِ
إِلَيهِمto them بِالجِبالِthrough mountains
إِلَيهِم بِالجِبالِ
Where ties are cords, he is bound
to them by mountains.
شُدّواfasten الرِحالِthe saddles إِلَيهِمtoward them
شُدّوا الرِحالِ إِلَيهِم
وَهُمand they مَحَطُّthe resting place of الرِحالِsaddles
وَهُم مَحَطُّ الرِحالِ
Saddle up and journey to them;
they are where travelers dismount.
طِلابُseeking وُجدانِfinding أَمثاequals (first part)
طِلابُ وُجدانِ أَمثا
لِهِمtheir equals (completion) طِلابُseeking المُحالِthe impossible
لِهِم طِلابُ المُحالِ
Seeking to find their equals
is seeking the impossible.
وَالسادَةُand the lords القادَةُthe leaders الساthe travelers (first part)
وَالسادَةُ القادَةُ السا
رَةُtravelers (completion) السَراةُnoble الخِلالِin character
رَةُ السَراةُ الخِلالِ
And the lords, the leaders, the travelers,
noble in character.
هَيئاتُهُمtheir bearing زَيَّنَتهاadorned it
هَيئاتُهُم زَيَّنَتها
هَيئاتُforms of عِزِّmighty splendor of الجَلالِmajesty
هَيئاتُ عِزِّ الجَلالِ
Their bearing is adorned
by the mien of mighty majesty.
ياO اِبنَson of الكِرامِthe noble اِرسُstand firm طَوداًas a mountain
يا اِبنَ الكِرامِ اِرسُ طَوداً
ماas long as أُرسِيَwere anchored اِبناthe two sons of رِغالِRighal
ما أُرسِيَ اِبنا رِغالِ
O son of nobles, stand firm as a mountain,
while Righal's two sons stand anchored.
حَلَّيتyou adorned مَنone who لَيسَis not أَهلاًworthy
حَلَّيت مَن لَيسَ أَهلاً
لِمَدحِكَof your praise المُتَعاليexalted
لِمَدحِكَ المُتَعالي
You adorned one unworthy
of your exalted praise.
وَجاءَand came شِعرُكَyour poetry سِلكاًas a string
وَجاءَ شِعرُكَ سِلكاً
فيهِcontaining حِسانُbeautiful اللَئاليpearls
فيهِ حِسانُ اللَئالي
And your verse came as a string
bearing beautiful pearls.
يَؤولُcomes eventually عِنديin my view بِذِهنٍwith discernment
يَؤولُ عِندي بِذِهنٍ
سُداهُits warp حُسنَa fine المَآلِoutcome
سُداهُ حُسنَ المَآلِ
To my discerning mind, it comes—
its warp—to a beautiful conclusion.
رَوضٌa garden سَقاهُwatered it غَمامٌa cloud
رَوضٌ سَقاهُ غَمامٌ
مِنof الوَردِroses لاnot مِنof سَيالِsayal acacias
مِن الوَردِ لا مِن سَيالِ
A garden watered by a cloud,
of roses, not sayal acacias.
فارَقَdeparted تَحتَbeneath سُطورِwritten lines of الthe (continued)
فارَقَ تَحتَ سُطورِ ال
أَيّامِdays تَحتَbeneath اللَياليthe nights
أَيّامِ تَحتَ اللَيالي
It departed beneath the written lines of
the days, beneath the nights.
يَقولُsays رائيone seeing حُلاهُits adornments
يَقولُ رائي حُلاهُ
بَلَّتslaked صَداهاits thirst بَلالِrefreshing moisture
بَلَّت صَداها بَلالِ
Whoever sees its ornaments says:
Moisture has slaked its thirst!
هَذيthis يَدُthe hand of اِبنِIbn هِلالٍHilal
هَذي يَدُ اِبنِ هِلالٍ
وَذاand this فَمُthe mouth of اِبنِIbn هِلالِHilal
وَذا فَمُ اِبنِ هِلالِ
This is Ibn Hilal's hand,
and this is Ibn Hilal's mouth.
حَذَوتَنيyou gave me a gift وَعَنائيand my toil
حَذَوتَني وَعَنائي
فَقَطonly حِذاءَmatching الثَفالِthe lumbering camel
فَقَط حِذاءَ الثَفالِ
You have given me a gift, while my toil
only matches a lumbering camel.
كَالطِفلِlike a child عارَضَbartered with شَيخاًan old man
كَالطِفلِ عارَضَ شَيخاً
عَنin exchange for تِبرِهِhis gold dust بِالطُفالِwith clay
عَن تِبرِهِ بِالطُفالِ
Like a child who bartered with an old man,
offering clay for his gold dust.
جازَيتُهُI repaid him وَاليَواقيand the rubies (first part)
جازَيتُهُ وَاليَواقي
تُrubies (completion) جوزِيَتwere repaid بِالرِمالِwith sand
تُ جوزِيَت بِالرِمالِ
I repaid him—and the rubies
were repaid with sand.
إِنif أملِياboth were dictated فَليُقالاthen let both be recited
إِن أملِيا فَليُقالا
شَتّانَhow far apart بَينَbetween الأَماليthe dictations
شَتّانَ بَينَ الأَمالي
If both are dictated, let both be recited:
how far apart the dictations!
فَاِعذِرso forgive فَهَذاfor this مُؤَدّىthe yield of
فَاِعذِر فَهَذا مُؤَدّى
رَوِيَّتيmy reflection وَاِرتِجاليand my improvisation
رَوِيَّتي وَاِرتِجالي
So forgive me: this is the yield
of my reflection and improvisation.
سَجَّلتُI recorded حُكماًa judgment بِعَجزيof my inadequacy
سَجَّلتُ حُكماً بِعَجزي
وَالعَجزُand inadequacy بونُthe distance in السِجالِthe contest
وَالعَجزُ بونُ السِجالِ
I have recorded a judgment of my inadequacy;
and inadequacy marks the gulf in our contest.
قُلsay هاتِbring أَعطِgive كَنَفسيlike myself
قُل هاتِ أَعطِ كَنَفسي
فَماso what is ثَوابُthe recompense of كَمالِperfection
فَما ثَوابُ كَمالِ
Say, 'Bring! Give me my equal!'
For what is perfection's recompense?
كُنِbe اليَمينَthe right hand فَماfor not الناpeople (first part)
كُنِ اليَمينَ فَما النا
سُpeople (completion) كُلُّهُمall of them بِالشِمالِleft hands
سُ كُلُّهُم بِالشِمالِ
Be the right hand; people are not
all left hands.
بَرَعَتyou excelled فيin البَدءِthe beginning فَاِزدَنso adorn yourself
بَرَعَت في البَدءِ فَاِزدَن
بَراعَةًwith excellence فيin الكَمالِcompletion
بَراعَةً في الكَمالِ
You excelled at the start; adorn yourself
with excellence at the close.
Translation model: Sol 6.1