أنهضهُroused him فيat أوانِthe time of إنهاضِهِrousing him
أنهضهُ في أوانِ إنهاضِهِ
غيثٌa raincloud دعاcalled طرفَهُhis gaze بإيماضِهِwith its flashes
غيثٌ دعا طرفَهُ بإيماضِهِ
At the proper hour, he was roused
I rise at the time of my rising
By a raincloud whose flashes summoned his gaze.
A rain called the sides of its clouds with a gesture
أبْرقَflashed برقاًlightning كأنas though لائحَهُits gleam
أبْرقَ برقاً كأن لائحَهُ
منfrom أُفقِthe horizon of الخيرgoodness نارthe fire of حُرَّاضِهِits saltwort
من أُفقِ الخير نار حُرَّاضِهِ
It flashed with lightning whose gleam seemed,
It flashed a lightning as if its flashes
From goodness's horizon, a blaze of its saltwort.
Were from the horizon of goodness, a kindling fire
فشدّso he saddled أنقاضهhis worn-out camels بأرحُلهاwith their saddles
فشدّ أنقاضه بأرحُلها
إلىtoward غزيرِabundant in النّوالbounty فيّاضِهِoverflowing with it
إلى غزيرِ النّوال فيّاضِهِ
So he fitted his worn-out camels with their saddles,
So it strengthened its ruins with its feet
Bound for one lavish in bounty, overflowing with it.
To the abundant outpouring in its overflowing
مشتركُshared الحوضthe pool فيamong الجميعeveryone إذاwhen
مشتركُ الحوض في الجميع إذا
ذادتdrives away عنfrom الحوضthe pool كفُّthe hand of مُحتاضهits exclusive claimant
ذادت عن الحوض كفُّ مُحتاضه
His pool is shared among all, when
The one who shares the basin with all when
A pool-claimer's hand drives others from the pool.
The palms of the grasping ones prevent it from the basin
ينزلُalight أضيافُهُhis guests بذيwith one possessing كرمgenerosity
ينزلُ أضيافُهُ بذي كرم
مُبصبِصtail-wagging الكلبthe dog غيرnot عضّاضهits frequent biting
مُبصبِص الكلب غير عضّاضه
His guests alight with a generous host,
Its guests descend to one generous
Whose dog wags its tail and is no biter.
Who smiles without biting
يظلُّkeeps يبكيهمْweeping for them إذاwhen رحلُواthey depart
يظلُّ يبكيهمْ إذا رحلُوا
بُكاءَwith the weeping of غَيْلانGhaylan بنتthe daughter of فضَّاضهFaddadah
بُكاءَ غَيْلان بنت فضَّاضه
It keeps weeping for them when they depart,
It continues crying over them when they leave
As Ghaylan wept for Faddadah's daughter.
The crying of a loving she-camel over her young
سمحٌgenerous ببذلin offering القِرىhospitality سماحَwith the generosity of فتىًa young man
سمحٌ ببذل القِرى سماحَ فتىً
سَلَّمَentrusted عِرضthe honor of القرىhospitality لعرَّاضهto its detractor
سَلَّمَ عِرض القرى لعرَّاضه
Lavish in offering hospitality, as lavish as a youth
Magnanimous in giving villages magnanimously an energetic youth
Who entrusts hospitality's honor to its detractor.
Who surrendered the honor of villages to its guardian
لاnot يُشفقfears المستعيدُthe repeat petitioner for نائلهhis bounty
لا يُشفق المستعيدُ نائله
منfrom وشكthe imminence of إملالهwearying him وإعراضهand his turning away
من وشك إملاله وإعراضه
One who asks for his bounty again need not fear
The asking one does not pity his obtainer
Soon wearying him or his turning away.
From being about to fill him and turn away
يفرضُmakes obligatory ماwhat اطوَّعgave voluntarily الجوادthe generous man وماand not
يفرضُ ما اطوَّع الجواد وما
مطوِّعوvolunteers in الجودgenerosity مثلَlike فُرَّاضهthose making it obligatory
مطوِّعو الجود مثلَ فُرَّاضه
He makes a duty of what the generous give freely; and
It imposes what it accustomed the generous one and what
Volunteers in generosity cannot match those who make it a duty.
Those who tame generosity are like its breaker
لاnot يبذلُbestows الرّفدaid حينwhen يبذُلهhe bestows it
لا يبذلُ الرّفد حين يبذُله
كمشتريlike one buying الجودِgenerosity أوor كمقتاضهlike one taking payment for it
كمشتري الجودِ أو كمقتاضه
He does not bestow aid, when he bestows it,
It does not give sustenance when it gives it
As one buying generosity or seeking payment for it.
Like one who buys generosity or like one who asks it
بلrather يفعلُdoes العُرفَkindness حينwhen يفعلُهhe does it
بل يفعلُ العُرفَ حين يفعلُه
لجوهرfor the essence of العرفِkindness لاnot لأعراضِهfor its incidental attributes
لجوهر العرفِ لا لأعراضِه
Rather, when he does a kindness, he does it
But it does the custom when it does it
For kindness's essence, not its incidental attributes.
For the essence of custom, not for its states
يفديهwould ransom him قومٌpeople يتاجرونtrade بهthrough him
يفديه قومٌ يتاجرون به
أغراضهُمْtheir aims فيهconcerning him غيرُdifferent from أغراضهhis aims
أغراضهُمْ فيه غيرُ أغراضه
People who trade through him would ransom him;
A people ransom it who trade with it
Their aims concerning him are not his aims.
Their purposes in it are not its purposes
فيin وعدهhis promise منin place of نوالهhis bounty عِوضٌa substitute
في وعده من نواله عِوضٌ
أملأُfullest شيءthing لكفّfor the hand of معتاضهone accepting it instead
أملأُ شيء لكفّ معتاضه
In his promise is a substitute for his bounty,
In its promise from its obtainment is a substitute
The fullest thing for the hand of one accepting it instead.
That fills something for the palm of one who asks
مُقلِّمُtrimmer of الدهرTime ماno بداappears ظُفرٌclaw
مُقلِّمُ الدهر ما بدا ظُفرٌ
للدهرon Time إلاexcept that انبرىhe springs forward بِمقراضِهِwith his shears
للدهر إلا انبرى بِمقراضِهِ
A trimmer of Time's claws: no claw appears
Clipper of time of whatever prominent victory
On Time but he springs forward with his shears.
Appeared for time except it sprang with its clipper
إذاwhen دعاsummon الشِّعرَpoetry مادحوهhis praisers لهfor him
إذا دعا الشِّعرَ مادحوه له
أقبلcomes مُعتاصُهits stubborn verse كمرتاضهlike its docile verse
أقبل مُعتاصُه كمرتاضه
When his praisers summon poetry for him,
Whenever its praisers called it for poetry
Its stubborn strains come like its docile ones.
It came willingly like one called upon
أيسرُleast ماwhat يشكرُthanks القريضُpoetry لهto him
أيسرُ ما يشكرُ القريضُ له
تسهيلهُhis making easy قرضَهُcomposing it لقرَّاضهfor its composers
تسهيلهُ قرضَهُ لقرَّاضه
The least for which poetry thanks him
The easiest thing poetry thanks it for
Is his easing its composition for its poets.
Is facilitating its composing for its composer
يممهheaded toward him بالمديحwith praise شاعرُهُhis poet
يممه بالمديح شاعرُهُ
طريدَdriven out by إملاقهhis poverty وإنفاضهand his exhausted means
طريدَ إملاقه وإنفاضه
His poet headed toward him with praise,
Its poet directs it with praise
Driven out by his poverty and exhausted means.
A prey of his dictation and deviation
يرجُوhopes for لديهwith him غِنىًwealth يحطُّto lower بهthrough it
يرجُو لديه غِنىً يحطُّ به
رِحالهhis saddles عنfrom ظُهورِthe backs of أنقاضِهhis worn-out camels
رِحاله عن ظُهورِ أنقاضِه
Hoping for wealth with him, by which he might lower
Seeking through him sufficient wealth to unload
His saddles from the backs of his worn-out camels.
His saddle bags from the backs of his ruins
كُفِّيcease منfrom الدمعtears ياO مثبِّطتيyou who hinder me
كُفِّي من الدمع يا مثبِّطتي
عنfrom زمّhaltering ساميlofty التَليلthe neck نهّاضِهever raising it
عن زمّ سامي التَليل نهّاضِه
Cease your tears, you who hold me back
Enough of tears, O my dissuader
From haltering a camel with a lofty, ever-rising neck.
From serving the sublime, pure wakeful one
قدmay يقعِدmake sit still المرءَa man طولُthe length of رحلتِهhis journey
قد يقعِد المرءَ طولُ رحلتِه
ويُصمتُand silence الرَّحلthe saddle طولُthe length of إنقاضهits creaking
ويُصمتُ الرَّحل طولُ إنقاضه
Long travel may make a man sit still,
A man may sit the length of his journey
And long creaking may silence the saddle.
And the saddle bags are silent the length of their emptying
كمhow long تقنعis content النفسthe soul بالكفافِwith bare sufficiency وكمand how long
كم تقنع النفس بالكفافِ وكم
تتركleaves خوضَplunging into الغِنَىwealth لخُوَّاضهto those plunging into it
تترك خوضَ الغِنَى لخُوَّاضه
How long shall the soul be content with mere sufficiency, and how long
How often the soul contents itself with bare necessities and how often
Leave plunging into wealth to those who plunge into it?
It leaves wading in riches to the waders
ليI have هِمةambition لمnot يكنcould be ليرويهاto slake it
لي هِمة لم يكن ليرويها
إلاexcept منfrom البحرِthe sea بعضُsome of أحواضهits basins
إلا من البحرِ بعضُ أحواضه
I have an ambition nothing could slake
I have an ambition that none would satisfy
But some of the sea's basins.
Except some of the sea’s basins
حانhas come رحيليmy departure إلىto أبيfather of حسنٍHasan
حان رحيلي إلى أبي حسنٍ
مُبرمbinder of إقليمهhis province ونقّاضهand its unbinder
مُبرم إقليمه ونقّاضه
The time has come for my journey to Abu Hasan,
The time for my travel to Abu Hassan has come
His province's binder and unbinder,
Its region determined and its bags packed
حكيمهits sage المقتدىfollowed بحكمتهin his wisdom
حكيمه المقتدى بحكمته
طبيبهits physician المرتَجىsought in hope لأمراضهfor its illnesses
طبيبه المرتَجى لأمراضه
Its sage, whose wisdom is followed,
Its wise one who is imitated for his wisdom
Its physician, sought for its diseases,
Its doctor who is hoped for his remedies
سائسgovernor of تدبيرهits administration ورائِضهand its trainer
سائس تدبيره ورائِضه
كخيرlike the best of سُوَّاسهits governors وروَّاضهand its trainers
كخير سُوَّاسه وروَّاضه
Who governs its affairs and trains it,
Arranger of his management and cultivator
Like the best of its governors and trainers,
Like the best of his arrangers and nurturers
حُوَّلِهِits resourceful man فيin الخطوبcrises قُلَّبِهِits versatile man
حُوَّلِهِ في الخطوب قُلَّبِهِ
حيّتِهِits serpent فيin الدهاءcunning نَضْنَاضهits tongue-flickerer
حيّتِهِ في الدهاء نَضْنَاضه
Its resourceful, versatile man in crises,
His overturner in perils, his sly one in cunning
Its serpent in cunning, flicking its tongue,
The confidante of the kings' consultation, their refuge
صاحِبِmaster of شورىthe counsel of الملوكkings مفْزعهمtheir refuge
صاحِبِ شورى الملوك مفْزعهم
إليهto him فيin الخطبcalamity عندwhen إرْماضِهِits scorching
إليه في الخطب عند إرْماضِهِ
The counselor of kings, their refuge;
When they consult him, he comes from durability
In calamity they turn to him, when it scorches them.
With the cream of opinion without its extraction
إذاwhen استشاروهthey consult him جاءَhe comes منfrom كَثبٍnearby
إذا استشاروه جاءَ من كَثبٍ
بزُبدةwith the cream of الرأيjudgment دونwithout مخَّاضهits churners
بزُبدة الرأي دون مخَّاضه
When they consult him, he comes from close at hand
Their dependence on him in their resting places
With the cream of counsel, needing none to churn it.
A watcher of the hearts’ poignant bitterness
تكلؤُهمguard them منهfrom him فيin مضاجِعهمtheir beds
تكلؤُهم منه في مضاجِعهم
عيناthe two eyes of رُواعapprehensive الفؤادheart نبّاضهits rapid throbbing
عينا رُواع الفؤاد نبّاضه
Watching over them, from him, in their beds,
He observes over them the affairs of a kingdom
Are two eyes of one whose heart is anxious and throbbing.
That stood by its loosening and its curdling
يرعىtends عليهمْon their behalf أمورَthe affairs of مملكةٍa kingdom
يرعى عليهمْ أمورَ مملكةٍ
قامتْis sustained بإخَلالهby his feeding sweet pasture وإحماضهand his feeding salty pasture
قامتْ بإخَلاله وإحماضه
He tends for them the affairs of a kingdom,
He refines the cunning of enemies and winks at it
Sustained by his grazing it on sweet and salty pasture.
With his refinement and winking
يُلطفُmakes subtle كيدplotting against العدىfoes ويُغْمضُهُand conceals it
يُلطفُ كيد العدى ويُغْمضُهُ
طَبّاًexpert بإلطافهin making it subtle وإغماضهand concealing it
طَبّاً بإلطافه وإغماضه
He makes his plots against foes subtle and concealed,
If its schemes ever pounced suddenly
Expert in their refinement and concealment.
On fate, it made it forget the pouncing of its breaker
لوif فتكتْstruck treacherously مرّةًonce مكائِدُهُhis plots
لو فتكتْ مرّةً مكائِدُهُ
بالدهرat Time أنستْهthey made it forget فتكthe treachery of برَّاضهits Barrad
بالدهر أنستْه فتك برَّاضه
If once his plots made a murderous assault
Schemes if it threw at a mountain,
On Time, they would make it forget its Barrad's treachery.
Its rocks would become like its rubble
مكائدٌplots لوif رمىhe struck بهاwith them جبلاًa mountain
مكائدٌ لو رمى بها جبلاً
صارتwould become جلامِيدُهits boulders كرضراضهlike its gravel
صارت جلامِيدُه كرضراضه
Plots that, if he hurled them at a mountain,
He destroys the false arguments of infidels for
Would turn its boulders into its gravel.
The people of prayer, however many they are repelled with his repelling
مِدرهeloquent champion of أهلthe people of الصلاةprayer كمhow many دُحِضتْwere refuted
مِدره أهل الصلاة كم دُحِضتْ
للكفرfor unbelief منof حجةٍan argument بإدحاضهby his refutation
للكفر من حجةٍ بإدحاضه
Champion of those who pray—how many have been refuted:
He pounds the brains of the heads of misguidance
Arguments for unbelief, through his rebuttal!
With a pounding of compelling argument for him
يُرديstrikes down بِمِرْدىwith a crushing club منof الحِجاجargumentation لهhis
يُردي بِمِرْدى من الحِجاج له
دمّاغsmasher of رأسthe head of الضلالِerror هضّاضهcrushing it
دمّاغ رأس الضلالِ هضّاضه
He strikes down with a cudgel of his own argument,
It suffices my brother Junnah his weeping
A smasher and crusher of error's head.
And suffices one with family honor his sobbing
حسبُsufficient أخيone afflicted with جُنَّةٍmadness بكيَّتهwith his cautery
حسبُ أخي جُنَّةٍ بكيَّته
وحسبُand sufficient ذيone afflicted with عُرّةmange بخضخاضهwith his tar-salve
وحسبُ ذي عُرّة بخضخاضه
His cautery suffices for one afflicted with madness,
His hater praises him for that
And his tar-salve for one afflicted with mange.
Despite his enmity and hatred
يُثنيpraises عليهhim بذاكfor that حاسدهhis envier
يُثني عليه بذاك حاسده
علىdespite مُعاداتهopposing him وإبغاضهand hating him
على مُعاداته وإبغاضه
Even his envier praises him for that,
A preceding one of the race track of every glory
Despite opposing him and hating him.
That exhausted the runner and abandoner in its running
سابقforemost on مضمارthe racecourse of كلّevery مكرمةٍnoble deed
سابق مضمار كلّ مكرمةٍ
أعيتْproved too hard علىfor راكضٍa runner وتركاضِهand his strenuous running
أعيتْ على راكضٍ وتركاضِه
Foremost on the racecourse of every noble deed
He attains what the strivers uncover for him
That has proved beyond a runner, however hard he runs.
Of the heights without his uncovering
يدركattains ماwhat تُوفضhasten السعاةُthe strivers لهtoward it
يدرك ما تُوفض السعاةُ له
منof المعاليlofty honors بدونwithout إيفاضهhis hurrying
من المعالي بدون إيفاضه
He reaches what the strivers race toward,
He has become like perfection in his majesty
Lofty heights, without racing himself.
And the rest of creation like its fragments
أصبحhas become كالكُلِّlike the whole منthrough جلالتهhis majesty
أصبح كالكُلِّ من جلالته
وسائرُand all the rest of الخلقhumankind مثلُlike أبعاضِهhis parts
وسائرُ الخلق مثلُ أبعاضِه
In his majesty he has become like the whole,
If his critic did not blame him for that
And all other people are like parts of him.
Then he has no critic or blamer
إنif لمdoes not يعبهُfault him بذاكfor that عائبُهhis critic
إن لم يعبهُ بذاك عائبُه
فماthen no لهhe has عائبٌcritic ولاnor عاضهslanderer
فما له عائبٌ ولا عاضه
If his critic does not fault him for that,
If not for Ali’s nobility and his favor
He has neither critic nor slanderer.
Fate would have abandoned me some of its times of hardship
لولاbut for عليُّAli العُلاhigh glory ومِنّتُهُand his favor
لولا عليُّ العُلا ومِنّتُهُ
غادرنيwould have left me الدهرُTime بعضone of أحراضهits wasted sufferers
غادرني الدهرُ بعض أحراضه
But for Ali of high glory and his favor,
He inspires me after I was bent over and how many
Time would have left me one of its wasted sufferers.
Bent over ones he inspired to straighten
أنهضنيraised me بعدماafter رزَحْتُI sank under burdens وكمْand how many
أنهضني بعدما رزَحْتُ وكمْ
منof رازحٍone weighed down ناهضٍrising بإنهاضهthrough his raising
من رازحٍ ناهضٍ بإنهاضه
He lifted me after I had sunk, and how many
O my envier, you are not empty of envy
Burdened men rise through his lifting!
Your share of it is painfully malicious
ياO حاسديyou who envy me لاmay you not خلوتَbe free منof حسدٍenvy
يا حاسدي لا خلوتَ من حسدٍ
حظكَyour share منهof it أليمُthe painful إمضاضهِits torment
حظكَ منه أليمُ إمضاضهِ
O you who envy me, may you never be free of envy;
Fate blamed me after its blamer
Your portion of it is its agonizing sting.
So let the angry one at fate be angry at me or pleased with me
أعتبنيmade amends to me الدهرTime بعدafter معتِبهِits offense
أعتبني الدهر بعد معتِبهِ
فغاضِبِso quarrel with الدهرTime فيَّover me أوor راضِهmake peace with it
فغاضِبِ الدهر فيَّ أو راضِه
Time made amends to me after giving me cause for complaint;
I visited the son of Yahya whom
So quarrel with Time over me, or make peace with it.
Every glorious summit hopes for its wakefulness
زرتُI visited ابنson of يحيىYahya الذيwhom يؤمِّلُهplaces hope in him
زرتُ ابن يحيى الذي يؤمِّلُه
كلُّevery أجبِّa camel shorn of السَّنامthe hump مُنتاضِهstripped of it
كلُّ أجبِّ السَّنام مُنتاضِه
I visited Ibn Yahya, on whom hope is set
So he returned me excited and poured for me
By every camel whose hump is shorn and stripped away.
My livelihood while I was not pouring
فردّنيso he sent me back مُثرياًenriched وفضفضand made spacious ليfor me
فردّني مُثرياً وفضفض لي
عيشيmy livelihood وقدalthough كنتُI had been غيرَnot فضفاضِهample in it
عيشي وقد كنتُ غيرَ فضفاضِه
He sent me back enriched, and made spacious for me
And his hands prepared my resting place for
My livelihood, once anything but spacious.
My side suited after it hardened
ومهّدتand smoothed مضجعيmy bed يداهُhis two hands فقدand now indeed
ومهّدت مضجعي يداهُ فقد
لاءمَsuited جنبيّmy two sides بعدafter إقضاضهits chafing
لاءمَ جنبيّ بعد إقضاضه
His two hands smoothed my bed; now
And he sucked my honor so he returned it
It comforts my sides after having chafed them.
Cracked like a garment that the washer’s palm rubbed
وماصَand washed عِرضيmy honor فردّهُthen restored it يققاًpure white
وماصَ عِرضي فردّهُ يققاً
كالثوبlike a garment أنقتهُmade it clean كفُّthe hand of رحّاضهits washer
كالثوب أنقتهُ كفُّ رحّاضه
And he washed my honor, restoring it pure white,
When the bringer of my good fortune appeared to me
Like a garment cleansed by the hand of its washer.
And the warner of my fate's arousal warned me
لمَاwhen بداappeared ليto me بشيرُthe glad herald of غُرَّتهhis radiant brow
لمَا بدا لي بشيرُ غُرَّته
وراعand frightened دهريmy fate نذيرُthe warning of إنباضهhis bowstring's twang
وراع دهري نذيرُ إنباضه
When the glad herald of his radiant brow appeared to me,
My fortune smiled at me
And the warning of his bowstring's twang frightened my fate,
After its frowning and turning away
أقبلَcame حظيmy luck عليَّtoward me مبتسماًsmiling
أقبلَ حظي عليَّ مبتسماً
منfrom بعدafter تعبيسِهِits scowling وإعراضهand its turning away
من بعد تعبيسِهِ وإعراضه
My luck came toward me smiling,
And my fate took shelter with him
After it had frowned and turned away.
From fear of the arrow of harm and its wounder
وظلand remained دهريmy fate لهwith him مُلاوِذَهُseeking his shelter
وظل دهري له مُلاوِذَهُ
منfrom خوفfear of سهمthe arrow of الردىdeath ومقراضهand his shears
من خوف سهم الردى ومقراضه
And my fate kept seeking shelter with him,
Do not deprive fate, O Abu Hassan
Fearing the arrow of death and his shears.
Of mending the broken wing of its riser
لاmay you not تعدمlack الدهرَthroughout time ياO أباfather of حسنٍHasan
لا تعدم الدهرَ يا أبا حسنٍ
جبرَmending كسيرone broken in الجناحwing منهاضِهwith it broken anew
جبرَ كسير الجناح منهاضِه
May you never lack, through all time, O Abu Hasan,
You guaranteed these people, lending to them
The mending of one whose broken wing is broken anew.
A custom to God, thanking for His lending
كفُلتَyou cared for هذاthis الأنامhumankind تُقرضُهُمlending them
كفُلتَ هذا الأنام تُقرضُهُم
عُرفاًkindness إلىentrusted to اللهGod شكرَgratitude for إقراضهlending it
عُرفاً إلى الله شكرَ إقراضه
You have taken these people into your care, lending them
Until you guaranteed the chicks hidden
Kindness, leaving to God the thanks for lending it.
In the eggs before the cracking of their cracker
حتىeven كفلتَyou cared for الفِراخthe chicks كامنةًhidden
حتى كفلتَ الفِراخ كامنةً
فيin البيضthe eggs قبلbefore انقياضthe cracking of مُنقاضهthose of them that crack
في البيض قبل انقياض مُنقاضه
You have even cared for chicks while hidden
You toil for the people the toil of an assiduous one
Inside the eggs, before any of them have cracked.
Riders of the back of the indefatigable cajoler
تكدحُyou toil للناسfor people كدحَwith the toil of مجتهدٍa diligent worker
تكدحُ للناس كدحَ مجتهدٍ
ركّابever riding ظهرِthe back of الدُؤوبtireless effort ركّاضهever making it gallop
ركّاب ظهرِ الدُؤوب ركّاضه
You toil for people with an earnest worker's toil,
You lowered over them the wing of compassion
Ever riding diligence's back, making it gallop.
That has very much decreased in number its lowerers
خَفَضْتyou lowered فيهمْamong them جناحthe wing of مَرحمةٍcompassion
خَفَضْت فيهمْ جناح مَرحمةٍ
قدindeed قَلَّhas dwindled جدّاًgreatly عديدthe number of خُفّاضهthose who lower it
قد قَلَّ جدّاً عديد خُفّاضه
You have lowered among them the wing of compassion;
Very few indeed are those who lower it.
Partial English translation: 112 of 114 Arabic lines translated.