ألاlisten ياO أَيُّهَاyou (vocative) الشَّاكـthe thankful one (continued)
ألا يا أَيُّهَا الشَّاكـ
ـرُcompletion of 'the thankful one' والمطْنِبُand the lavish praiser فيin المدحِpraise
ـرُ والمطْنِبُ في المدحِ
Listen, O thankful one,
Lo! O doubter given to praise,
and you who are lavish in praise:
Though Abu Eissa has shown
لئنif indeed أبدىhas shown أبوAbu (father of) عيسىIsa
لئن أبدى أبو عيسى
لأهلto those worthy of الصفحpardon والمنحِand gifts
لأهل الصفح والمنحِ
If Abu Isa has shown [favor]
To a people of clemency and grace
to those worthy of pardon and gifts,
Good hope for the one who's prone
فأمِّلْthen place your hope in خيرthe best مأمولٍone hoped in
فأمِّلْ خير مأمولٍ
لحمْلto bear الثِّقْلِthe burden ذيhaving الفدْحِcrushing weight
لحمْل الثِّقْلِ ذي الفدْحِ
then look to the best source of hope
To bear a heavy burden well
to bear the burden of crushing weight.
And drive the glooms of time away,
وَرِدْهُand come to him for water الغَبَّalternate-day watering والرِّفْهَand unrestricted watering
وَرِدْهُ الغَبَّ والرِّفْهَ
فحاشاهُfar be it from him مِنfrom النَّزْحِـbeing drained dry
فحاشاهُ مِن النَّزْحِـ
And draw from him on alternate days and at will;
Restore him from want and travail;
for far be it from him to run dry,
Far be he from all disarray!
ـومنand from أنthat يرجعshould return المَاتِـthe water-drawer (continued)
ـومن أن يرجع المَاتِـ
ـحُcompletion of 'the water-drawer' عنْهfrom him خائبdisappointed in المتْحِdrawing water
ـحُ عنْه خائب المتْحِ
or for the water-drawer to return
Let not the deceased return in sadness,
from him with his drawing fruitless.
Disappointed, unsuccessful in his quest.
فتىa noble young man نَزَّهَهُhas kept him free اللهGod
فتى نَزَّهَهُ الله
عنfrom التقْبيحdisparagement والقُبْحِand ugliness
عن التقْبيح والقُبْحِ
A noble man whom God has kept
God has kept him far from ugliness,
from disparagement and ugliness.
From all dishonor and uncomeliness.
لناfor us فيin مَدْحِهِpraising him سَبْحٌa swim
لنا في مَدْحِهِ سَبْحٌ
طويلٌlong أيّمَاwhat a سَبْحِswim
طويلٌ أيّمَا سَبْحِ
In praising him, we swim,
Our praise of him is rich and long
a long way—what a swim!
However rich, it's not too long.
غداhas become الشِّعْرُpoetry لناfor us سَمْحاًfree-flowing
غدا الشِّعْرُ لنا سَمْحاً
بحمدthrough praise of السَّيِّدِthe master السَمْحِthe generous
بحمد السَّيِّدِ السَمْحِ
Verse has grown free-flowing for us
Song comes to us forgiving now,
in praise of the generous master.
Praising this most gentle, gentle sir.
تَأتّىcame readily فيهِabout him إسجاحاًwith ease
تَأتّى فيهِ إسجاحاً
بلاwithout كَدٍّtoil ولاnor كدحِstrenuous labor
بلا كَدٍّ ولا كدحِ
It comes easily in his praise,
It flows facile, active, spry
without toil or strain.
Without toil or industry.
ولوْلاهُand were it not for him لماwould not have دَانَsubmitted
ولوْلاهُ لما دَانَ
وَلاnor لانَsoftened علىunder المسْحِstroking
وَلا لانَ على المسْحِ
But for him, it would not submit,
But for him, song had not bent low
nor soften beneath a caress.
Nor would it be humbled so.
حَبَاmay favor اللَّهُGod أبَاًa father أدَّاbegot
حَبَا اللَّهُ أبَاً أدَّا
هُhim بالنَّصْرwith victory وبالفتْحِand with conquest
هُ بالنَّصْر وبالفتْحِ
May God favor the father who begot
God granted him a fatherly role
him, with victory and conquest,
With triumph and openings to extol.
ولاand may not أعْرَاهُdeprive him مِنْof عيْشٍa life
ولا أعْرَاهُ مِنْ عيْشٍ
كظلِّlike the shade of السِّدْرِlote trees والطَّلْحِand acacia trees
كظلِّ السِّدْرِ والطَّلْحِ
and never deprive him of a life
He denied him no easeful life
like the shade of lote and acacia trees,
Like the shade of lote tree rife.
بماfor what يَجْبُرُhe mends مِنْof كسْرٍfractures
بما يَجْبُرُ مِنْ كسْرٍ
وماand what يَدْمُلُhe heals منof جُرْحِwounds
وما يَدْمُلُ من جُرْحِ
for the fractures he mends
To mend the broken, bind the gored
and the wounds he heals.
And heal the cut, the wounded sore,
فقدْfor indeed أضْحَىhas become بهthrough him المُلْكُthe realm
فقدْ أضْحَى به المُلْكُ
مَحُوطاًguarded آمِنَsecure in السرحِits grazing herds
مَحُوطاً آمِنَ السرحِ
For through him the realm has become
So kingship came in his hold
guarded, its grazing herds secure.
To shelter, unafraid or overbold.
وزيرٌa minister ناصِحُsincere in الجيْبthe bosom
وزيرٌ ناصِحُ الجيْب
نَقِيُّpure in الصدْرthe breast والكَشْحِand the flank
نَقِيُّ الصدْر والكَشْحِ
A minister sincere at heart,
An honest counselor, pure in deed,
pure of breast and flank.
Open-hearted and open-breasted, heedful,
حليمٌforbearing راجحُweighty in الحِلمforbearance
حليمٌ راجحُ الحِلم
حمِيٌّfiercely protective صادقunfailing in الضَّرْحِthe repelling thrust
حمِيٌّ صادق الضَّرْحِ
Forbearing, weighty in forbearance,
Forbearing, true, wise and stable,
fiercely protective, unfailing in his thrust.
Lofty, above vulgarity's table.
علتْhave risen حالاهhis two states منof سُخْطٍanger
علتْ حالاه من سُخْطٍ
وَمَرْضَاةٍand contentment عنabove المزحِjesting
وَمَرْضَاةٍ عن المزحِ
His two states, anger
His state rose above anger or rejection,
and contentment, are above jest.
Could no more be quenched than lit without reflection.
فماso not يُضْرَمُis kindled بالنَّفْخِby blowing
فما يُضْرَمُ بالنَّفْخِ
ولاnor يُطْفَأُis extinguished بالنَّضْحِby sprinkling
ولا يُطْفَأُ بالنَّضْحِ
So he is not kindled by blowing,
How many aspects of gentleness in his sword!
nor quenched by sprinkling.
How much does his blade accord!
وكمand how much فيin السيفthe sword منof لينsuppleness
وكم في السيف من لين
وكمand how much فيin السيفthe sword منof ذبحِslaughter
وكم في السيف من ذبحِ
And how much suppleness there is in a sword,
Say to him of kindling and rushes,
and how much slaughter in a sword!
He'll meet you with goodness and hushes.
فَقُولاso tell, you two لِلَّذيto the one who أصْبَـhas become (continued)
فَقُولا لِلَّذي أصْبَـ
ـحَcompletion of 'has become' ذاpossessing حَطْبٍfirewood وذاand possessing قدحِspark-striking
ـحَ ذا حَطْبٍ وذا قدحِ
So tell, you two, the man who has become
To the full moon, what's a barking whelp?
a bearer of firewood and a striker of sparks:
Nothing! And fools cannot jump from rut to help.
هَنَاةٌpetty faults يَتَلقَّاهاhe receives them
هَنَاةٌ يَتَلقَّاها
وزيرُthe minister of الصِّدْقِtruth بالصَّفْحِwith pardon
وزيرُ الصِّدْقِ بالصَّفْحِ
Petty faults, which are met
Those gone too far will drink their bitter cup.
by the truthful minister with pardon.
And fire contains enough heat pent up.
ألاah أهْوِنْhow insignificant علىto البدْرthe full moon
ألا أهْوِنْ على البدْر
بكلبٍby a dog لَجَّpersisted فيin النَّبْحِbarking
بكلبٍ لَجَّ في النَّبْحِ
Ah, how insignificant to the full moon
Let no fool be tricked by feigned affection.
is a dog that persists in barking!
Dawn broke on those nighttimes shoot to hit not protect.
ولاand let not يَخْرُجpass ذَووthose possessing الجهلِignorance
ولا يَخْرُج ذَوو الجهلِ
منfrom الجرْيrunning إلىto الجمْحِbolting uncontrollably
من الجرْي إلى الجمْحِ
Let the ignorant not pass
Do not look on gentleness as weak,
from running to running wild,
Lest it turn from you those who are meek!
فيلْقَىlest encounter المتَمَادُونَthose persisting too far
فيلْقَى المتَمَادُونَ
لِجَاماًa bridle صادقَunfailing in الكبْحِrestraint
لِجَاماً صادقَ الكبْحِ
lest those who go too far encounter
Caution! Gentleness owns claws and fangs.
a bridle unfailing in its restraint.
It can anchor ships and men in its pangs.
نَهَتْwarned away عنfrom نفسهاitself النَّارُthe fire
نَهَتْ عن نفسها النَّارُ
بماthrough what فيهاis in it منof اللفحِscorching heat
بما فيها من اللفحِ
Fire warns others away from itself
When the mill turns round the grain,
through the scorching heat it contains.
Nothing remains to grind again.
ولاand let not يَغْتَرُّfeel falsely secure مُغْتَرٌّa deluded person
ولا يَغْتَرُّ مُغْتَرٌّ
منagainst الطُّوفانthe flood بالرشحِbecause of seepage
من الطُّوفان بالرشحِ
Let no deluded soul feel secure
It is the towering height, great and grand,
against the flood because of a trickle.
Mankind's recourse so safe at hand.
تَصَبَّحْgo in the morning رامِيَO shooter of اللَّيْلِthe night
تَصَبَّحْ رامِيَ اللَّيْلِ
بمنْto the one whom ترميهyou shoot at أوْor أضْحِgo in daylight
بمنْ ترميه أوْ أضْحِ
Go in the morning, O archer of the night,
In it the frightened find a cave,
to the one you target—or come in full daylight.
The fallen, on its slopes a save.
ولاand do not تَسْتضْعِفِdeem weak الحلْمَforbearance
ولا تَسْتضْعِفِ الحلْمَ
فَيَلْحَيlest be rebuked منْكَfrom you مُسْتَلْحِيone deserving rebuke
فَيَلْحَي منْكَ مُسْتَلْحِي
Do not take forbearance for weakness,
So cease, O critic, cease your goring,
lest you bring deserved rebuke upon yourself.
That hill's beyond all vain clawing!
حَذَارِbeware of الحلْمَforbearance إنَّindeed الحلْـforbearance (continued)
حَذَارِ الحلْمَ إنَّ الحلْـ
ـمَcompletion of 'forbearance' ذوpossessing أسْوٍhealing وذُوand possessing جَرْحِwounding
ـمَ ذو أسْوٍ وذُو جَرْحِ
Beware of forbearance: for forbearance
The faceted summit is higher yet
has power to heal and power to wound.
Than the goring critic can get.
وقدand sometimes ترسُوlie firm مَرَاسِيهِits anchors
وقد ترسُو مَرَاسِيهِ
وقدand sometimes تجريrun لَهُfor it أَرْحيmills
وقد تجري لَهُ أَرْحي
And at times its anchors lie firm,
and at times mills turn for it.
وماand there is no عنْدَat الرَّحَىthe millstone بُقْيَاmercy
وما عنْدَ الرَّحَى بُقْيَا
إذاwhen دَارتْit turns علىupon القَمْحِthe wheat
إذا دَارتْ على القَمْحِ
There is no mercy at the millstone
when it turns upon the wheat.
غَدَاhas become صَاعِدٌṢāʿid الصَّاعِthe ascending one (continued)
غَدَا صَاعِدٌ الصَّاعِ
دُcompletion of 'the ascending one' يعْلوrises beyond منتهىthe utmost reach of اللَّمْحِsight
دُ يعْلو منتهى اللَّمْحِ
Ṣāʿid has become the ascending one,
rising beyond the farthest reach of sight.
هوhe الطَّوْدُthe mountain الذيthat أضحىhas become
هو الطَّوْدُ الذي أضحى
عَتَادَa resource for النَّاسthe people للبرْحِfor facing hardship
عَتَادَ النَّاس للبرْحِ
He is the mountain that has become
the people's resource against hardship.
فَآوٍso one taking shelter منْهُof him فيin كهْفٍa cave
فَآوٍ منْهُ في كهْفٍ
وراعٍand a shepherd منْهof him فيon سفْحِa mountain slope
وراعٍ منْه في سفْحِ
So one shelters in a cave of his,
and another tends a flock upon his slope.
فَمَهْلاًso gently أيهاO you الكائِـthe schemer (continued)
فَمَهْلاً أيها الكائِـ
ـدُcompletion of 'the schemer' ذاكthat الطَّوْدَmountain بالنَّطْحِby headbutting
ـدُ ذاك الطَّوْدَ بالنَّطْحِ
So easy, you who scheme
against that mountain by headbutting it:
فرأْسُfor the head of النَّاطِحthe one butting الصفْواthe smooth rock (continued)
فرأْسُ النَّاطِح الصفْوا
نcompletion of 'the smooth rock' أدنىnearer منْهthan it للرَّضْحِto being crushed
ن أدنى منْه للرَّضْحِ
for the head of one who butts smooth rock
is likelier than the rock to be crushed.
Partial English translation: 58 of 72 Arabic lines translated.