ماnot طولُthe length of عَذلِكِyour reproach لِلمَحِبُّto the lover بِنافِعِof any use
ما طولُ عَذلِكِ لِلمَحِبُّ بِنافِعِ
ذَهَبَhas gone الفُؤادُthe heart فَلَيسَand is not فيهِwithin him بِراجِعِreturning
ذَهَبَ الفُؤادُ فَلَيسَ فيهِ بِراجِعِ
Your long reproach is of no use to the lover.
How long will you blame your lover, when blaming does no good?
His heart has gone, and will not return to him.
My heart is lost, and will not now return to what it should.
فُنِّدتِyou were proved wrong حينَwhen طَمِعتِyou hoped فيfor سُلوانِهِhis forgetting of love
فُنِّدتِ حينَ طَمِعتِ في سُلوانِهِ
هَيهاتَfar from it لاno ظَفَرٌsuccess هُناكَthere لِطامِعِfor one who hopes
هَيهاتَ لا ظَفَرٌ هُناكَ لِطامِعِ
You were wrong when you hoped he might forget.
You rose high when you thought to reach its dwelling-place;
Far from it! There is no success there for one who hopes.
But no! No triumph there for one who seeks with haste.
فَدَعيهِso leave him حَيثُwhere يَطولُstretches far ميدانُthe arena of الصِباyouthful passion
فَدَعيهِ حَيثُ يَطولُ ميدانُ الصِبا
كَيماso that يَجُرُّhe trails بِهِthrough it عِنانَthe reins of الخالِعِthe libertine
كَيما يَجُرُّ بِهِ عِنانَ الخالِعِ
So leave him where youthful passion's arena stretches far,
Leave him where the field of youth is wide and free,
that he may trail a libertine's reins across it.
So he may wander on, the rein held loose and negligently.
ماذاwhat يُريبُكِtroubles you مِنabout فَتىًa youth عَزَّprevailed الهَوىlove
ماذا يُريبُكِ مِن فَتىً عَزَّ الهَوى
فَعَناso he submitted لِنَخوَتِهِto its pride بِذِلَّةِwith the abasement of خاضِعِone submissive
فَعَنا لِنَخوَتِهِ بِذِلَّةِ خاضِعِ
What troubles you about a youth over whom love prevailed,
What fault in one passion's slave if he avoids your chains,
so he bowed to its pride in a submissive man's abasement?
Or what but truth in one whose troth the sword of parting cleaves?
هَلis it غَيرَother than أَنthat مَحضَgave wholeheartedly الوَفاءَloyalty لِغادِرٍto a betrayer
هَل غَيرَ أَن مَحضَ الوَفاءَ لِغادِرٍ
أَوor غَيرَother than أَنthat صَدَقَwas sincere in الوِصالَunion لِقاطِعِwith one who severs ties
أَو غَيرَ أَن صَدَقَ الوِصالَ لِقاطِعِ
Is it anything but pure loyalty given to a betrayer,
None knows the torment of his eyes in wakefulness
or sincere union offered to one who severs ties?
Who has not known the sweet of whispered love when darkness grieves.
لَمnot يَهوَhas loved مَنwhoever لَمnot يُمسِbecomes at evening قُرَّةَthe delight of عَينِهِhis eye
لَم يَهوَ مَن لَم يُمسِ قُرَّةَ عَينِهِ
سَهَرُsleeplessness الصَبابَةِardent longing فيamid خَلِيٍّone free of love هاجِعِfast asleep
سَهَرُ الصَبابَةِ في خَلِيٍّ هاجِعِ
He has not loved whose eyes' delight at evening is not
Woe for the days, whose pledge the years have rendered vain,
the sleeplessness of longing, while the carefree lie asleep.
When I was duped by mirage gleam and fraud of desert rain.
واهاًah لِأَيّامٍfor days خَلَتgone by ماnot عَهدُهاtheir memory
واهاً لِأَيّامٍ خَلَت ما عَهدُها
فيin حينَa time when ضَيَّعَتِsquandered العُهودَthe pledges بِضائِعِlost
في حينَ ضَيَّعَتِ العُهودَ بِضائِعِ
Ah, for days gone by! Their memory is not
A time of pearls of dew in rose leaves folded up,
lost, in a time of squandered pledges.
When, if the loved one chid for rashness, youth pled pardon for the fault.
زَمَنٌa time كَماas راقَwas lovely السَقيطُfallen droplets مِنَof النَدىdew
زَمَنٌ كَما راقَ السَقيطُ مِنَ النَدى
يَستَنُّruns فيover صَفَحاتِthe surfaces of وَردٍroses يانِعِin full bloom
يَستَنُّ في صَفَحاتِ وَردٍ يانِعِ
A time as lovely as fallen droplets of dew,
What care I for a world where the dream's luminary lies,
coursing over the faces of roses in bloom.
Where the dune writhes in vapor breath beneath deceiving skies?
أَيّامَdays when إِنif عَتَبَtook offense الحَبيبُthe beloved لِهَفوَةٍat a lapse
أَيّامَ إِن عَتَبَ الحَبيبُ لِهَفوَةٍ
شَفَعَinterceded الشَبابُyouth فَكانَand was أَكرَمَthe noblest شافِعِintercessor
شَفَعَ الشَبابُ فَكانَ أَكرَمَ شافِعِ
Days when, if the beloved took offense at a lapse,
Not to be quenched my yearning for the honeyed sting
youth interceded, and was the noblest intercessor.
Till I can probe the hive anew, the perforated comb to wring.
ماwhat ليfor me وَلِلدُنياand with the world غُرِرتُI was deceived مِنَby المُنىhopes
ما لي وَلِلدُنيا غُرِرتُ مِنَ المُنى
فيهاin it بِبارِقَةِby the gleam of السَرابِthe mirage الخادِعِdeceptive
فيها بِبارِقَةِ السَرابِ الخادِعِ
What have I to do with the world? I was deceived in my hopes
Who will convey from me when gone the news if I am dead,
there, by the gleam of the deceptive mirage.
That I had no regard for self when friendly counsels called and said?
ماnot إِنindeed (emphatic) أَزالُI cease أَرومُI seek شُهدَةَa honeycomb عاسِلٍa honey-making bee
ما إِن أَزالُ أَرومُ شُهدَةَ عاسِلٍ
أُحمىI am barred from مُجاجَتَهاits disgorged honey بِإِبرَةِby the needle of لاسِعِa stinger
أُحمى مُجاجَتَها بِإِبرَةِ لاسِعِ
I never cease seeking a bee's honeycomb,
For baseness I have raised a rampart of disdain
I am barred from its honeyed yield by a stinger's needle.
To shed its shadow on the march and progress of the years.
مَنwho مُبلِغٌone who conveys عَنّيon my behalf البِلادَthe lands إِذاwhen نَبَتthey grow inhospitable
مَن مُبلِغٌ عَنّي البِلادَ إِذا نَبَت
أَنthat لَستُI am not لِلنَفسِof the soul الأَلوفِfondly attached بِباخِعِone who slays in grief
أَن لَستُ لِلنَفسِ الأَلوفِ بِباخِعِ
Who will tell the lands on my behalf, when they grow inhospitable,
May Fate be crushed that turned and fled: I did not run
that I will not slay my fondly attached soul?
Behind him; never was I found his footsteps dogging, to begin.
أَمّاas for الهَوانُhumiliation فَصُنتُso I have shielded عَنهُfrom it صَفحَةًa cheek
أَمّا الهَوانُ فَصُنتُ عَنهُ صَفحَةً
أَغشىI confront بِهاwith it حَدَّthe edge of الزَمانِTime الشارِعِleveled for attack
أَغشى بِها حَدَّ الزَمانِ الشارِعِ
As for humiliation, I have shielded from it a cheek
Not all the wish to drink one drop from off the lips
with which I confront Time's blade, poised to strike.
Can bring the name of rich to him whom true contentment trips.
فَليُرغِمِso let it humble الحَظَّFortune المَوَلِّيَturning away أَنَّهُthat it
فَليُرغِمِ الحَظَّ المَوَلِّيَ أَنَّهُ
وَلّىturned away فَلَمyet did not أُتبِعهُI follow it خُطوَةَa step of تابِعِa follower
وَلّى فَلَم أُتبِعهُ خُطوَةَ تابِعِ
So let retreating Fortune be shamed by the fact that it
God who protects the dispossessed shall be my stay,
turned away, yet I took no follower's step after it.
For oft, when Terror bared its claw, He turned its cutting edge away.
إِنَّindeed الغِنىwealth لَهُوَindeed it is القَناعَةُcontentment لاnot الَّذيthat which
إِنَّ الغِنى لَهُوَ القَناعَةُ لا الَّذي
يَشتَفُّdrains to the last drop نُطفَةَa drop of ماءِwater of وَجهِthe face of القانِعِthe supplicant
يَشتَفُّ نُطفَةَ ماءِ وَجهِ القانِعِ
Indeed, wealth is contentment, not that which
A king who knew that glory comes of high resolve
drains the last drop of dignity from a supplicant's face.
Stirred up his strength to act, and men his deeds with pleasure solve.
اللَهُGod جارُthe protector of الجَهوَرِيِّal-Jahwari فَطالَماfor many a time
اللَهُ جارُ الجَهوَرِيِّ فَطالَما
مُنِيَتwas afflicted صَفاةُthe hard rock of الدَهرِTime مِنهُfrom him بِقارِعِwith a striker
مُنِيَت صَفاةُ الدَهرِ مِنهُ بِقارِعِ
God is al-Jahwari's protector, for many a time
A noble nature is a flower in bloom; the thorn
Time's hard rock has met in him a battering adversary.
May never master it, but mocks itself, and lives forlorn.
مَلِكٌa king دَرىknew أَنَّthat المَساعِيَendeavors سُمعَةٌrenown
مَلِكٌ دَرى أَنَّ المَساعِيَ سُمعَةٌ
فَسَعىso he strove فَطابَand became pleasing حَديثُهُthe tale of him لِلسامِعِto the listener
فَسَعى فَطابَ حَديثُهُ لِلسامِعِ
A king who knew that deeds win renown,
He said, My rival shall not rob me of success,
so he strove, and the tale of him delighted the listener.
And spread his infinite domain, munificence to profess.
شِيَمٌvirtues هِيَthey are الزَهرُthe flowers الجَنِيُّfresh تَبَسَّمَتsmiled open
شِيَمٌ هِيَ الزَهرُ الجَنِيُّ تَبَسَّمَت
عَنهُto reveal it الكَمائِمُthe bud-sheaths فيin الضَحاءِthe late morning الماتِعِbright and high
عَنهُ الكَمائِمُ في الضَحاءِ الماتِعِ
His virtues are fresh blossoms, revealed with a smile
Calm in the gifted one, as though a lion there
by their bud-sheaths in the full light of morning.
Crouched dandling cubs, beneath a sturdy mountain overhanging his lair.
أَغرىhe spurred مُنافِسَهُhis rival لِيُدرِكَto reach شَأوَهُhis mark
أَغرى مُنافِسَهُ لِيُدرِكَ شَأوَهُ
فَشَآهُthen he outstripped him بِالباعِwith the reach الطَويلِlong الواسِعِample
فَشَآهُ بِالباعِ الطَويلِ الواسِعِ
He spurred his rival to reach his own mark,
Sweet the possession to the friend; if rival claim,
then outstripped him with his long and ample reach.
The poison shall its consumer shrivel, eating like a flame.
ثَبتُsteadfast in السَكينَةِcomposure فيin النَدِيِّthe assembly كَأَنَّماas though
ثَبتُ السَكينَةِ في النَدِيِّ كَأَنَّما
تِلكَthose الحُباknee-wraps ليثَتwere wound بِهَضبِaround the rocky heights of مَتالِعِMataliʿ
تِلكَ الحُبا ليثَت بِهَضبِ مَتالِعِ
Steadfast in composure in the assembly, as though
O Thou whose justice comprehends all other things below,
those knee-wraps were wound around Mataliʿ's rocky heights.
Scarce could we live enclosed, with walls so thin, so poor, so low.
عَذبُsweet الجَنىthe fruit لِلأَولِياءِto the allies فَإِنbut if يَهِجhe grows angry
عَذبُ الجَنى لِلأَولِياءِ فَإِن يَهِج
فَالسَمُّthen the poison يَأبىrefuses أَنto يَسوغَgo down easily لِجارِعِfor a drinker
فَالسَمُّ يَأبى أَن يَسوغَ لِجارِعِ
Sweet is his fruit to his friends; but if he grows angry,
To Thee forever yearning, prostrate or erect,
then poison refuses to go down a drinker's throat.
From Thee we hold an easy life, a refuge circumspect.
ياO أَيُّهاyou (vocative) المَلِكُthe king الَّذيwho حاطَguarded الهُدىright guidance
يا أَيُّها المَلِكُ الَّذي حاطَ الهُدى
لَولاكَwere it not for you كانَit would have been حِمىًa sanctuary قَليلَscant in المانِعِdefending strength
لَولاكَ كانَ حِمىً قَليلَ المانِعِ
O king who has guarded right guidance,
Then lavish from Thy store an ampler share of bliss
without you, it would have been a sanctuary with scant defense.
Upon their heavenly revenue of bows and prayers and praise in this.
أَنِسَfound comfort الأَنامُthe people إِلَيكَwith you فيهِin it فَهُمand so they بِهِwithin it
أَنِسَ الأَنامُ إِلَيكَ فيهِ فَهُم بِهِ
مِنamong قائِمٍone standing أَوor ساجِدٍone prostrating أَوor راكِعِone bowing
مِن قائِمٍ أَو ساجِدٍ أَو راكِعِ
The people found comfort in you there, and there they are—
The best of months rose crescent, and Thou chosest best
standing, prostrating, or bowing.
Of lands its noblest, most propitious rising to attest.
مُتَبَوِّئونَdwelling جَنابَthe precincts of عَيشٍa life مونِقٍdelightful
مُتَبَوِّئونَ جَنابَ عَيشٍ مونِقٍ
مُتَفَيِّئونَtaking shade in ظِلالَthe shades of أَمنٍsecurity شائِعِwidespread
مُتَفَيِّئونَ ظِلالَ أَمنٍ شائِعِ
Dwelling in the precincts of a delightful life,
sheltering in the shade of widespread security.
فَلتَضرِبَنso may you surely share مَعَهُمwith them بِأَوفَرِin the fullest شِركَةٍshare
فَلتَضرِبَن مَعَهُم بِأَوفَرِ شِركَةٍ
فيin أَجرِهِمtheir reward مِنamong موتِرٍone praying odd units أَوor شافِعِone praying even units
في أَجرِهِم مِن موتِرٍ أَو شافِعِ
So may you surely take with them the fullest share
in their reward, whether they pray an odd number of units or an even one.
خَيرُthe best of الشُهورِmonths اِختَرتَyou chose عِندَat طُلوعِهِits rising
خَيرُ الشُهورِ اِختَرتَ عِندَ طُلوعِهِ
خَيرَthe best of البِقاعِplaces لَهُfor it بِأَسعَدِwith the most auspicious طالِعِomen
خَيرَ البِقاعِ لَهُ بِأَسعَدِ طالِعِ
At the rising of the best of months, you chose
the best of places for it, with the most auspicious omen.
Partial English translation: 46 of 52 Arabic lines translated.