ياO نَسيمَbreeze الشَمالِthe north أدِّdeliver رِسَالاmessages (word continues)
يا نَسيمَ الشَمالِ أدِّ رِسَالا
تيmy (completes 'my messages') وبَلِّغْand convey تحيَّتيmy greeting وسَلاميand my peace
تي وبَلِّغْ تحيَّتي وسَلامي
O north wind, deliver my messages
O breeze of the north, deliver thou my message
and convey my greeting and my peace.
And convey my greetings and peace
واحْتَقِبْand shoulder عِبءَthe burden of ماwhat أبثُّكَI confide to you منof فَرْexcess (word continues)
واحْتَقِبْ عِبءَ ما أبثُّكَ من فَرْ
طِ(completes 'excess') اشتياقٍlonging ولَوعَةٍand anguish وغَرَامِand passionate love
طِ اشتياقٍ ولَوعَةٍ وغَرَامِ
And shoulder the burden of what I confide to you: overwhelming
And bear the burden of the passion I impart to thee
yearning, anguish, and passionate love,
Of yearning, anguish and love
لِفتَىto the young noble of هَاشِمٍHashim أخيpossessor of السُّؤدَدِeminence الْعوtime-honored (word continues)
لِفتَى هَاشِمٍ أخي السُّؤدَدِ الْعو
دِ(completes 'time-honored') وربِّand master of الهِبَاتِgifts والإِنْعَامِand beneficence
دِ وربِّ الهِبَاتِ والإِنْعَامِ
to the young noble of Hashim, possessor of time-honored eminence
To the youth of Hashim, my noble brother
and master of gifts and bounty.
The generous lord of gifts and favours
إنَّindeed دهراًa time قَضَىdecreed بِبُعديَthat I be distant عنfrom نَاhis assembly (word continues)
إنَّ دهراً قَضَى بِبُعديَ عن نَا
ديهِ(completes 'his assembly') أولىmost deserving مُقَصِّرٍoffender بِملاَمِof blame
ديهِ أولى مُقَصِّرٍ بِملاَمِ
A time that decreed my distance from his assembly
For fate has decreed my separation from
is the offender most deserving of blame.
My companion, though blameless he remains
وحَشاًand a heart أَلْهَبَset ablaze الفِراقُseparation حَوَاشِيedges
وحَشاً أَلْهَبَ الفِراقُ حَوَاشِي
هاits لأَحْرَىsurely most deserving حَشاًa heart بِبَلِّof quenching الأُوَامِburning thirst
ها لأَحْرَى حَشاً بِبَلِّ الأُوَامِ
And a heart whose edges separation has set ablaze
Solitude has set his lands ablaze
is the heart most deserving of having its burning thirst quenched.
With more intense fires than the valley’s basalt
ومُحِبٍّand a lover عانَىsuffered الفِراقَseparation ولمand did not يَقْperish (word continues)
ومُحِبٍّ عانَى الفِراقَ ولم يَقْ
ضِ(completes 'perish') لأقْوىsurely the strongest امرئٍman علىin bearing الآلامِpains
ضِ لأقْوى امرئٍ على الآلامِ
And a lover who has suffered separation yet has not died
And a lover who has suffered separation but gained no respite
is surely the strongest of men in bearing pain.
However mighty a man against pain he be
أشْخَصَتْنِيdrove me away عنهُfrom him النوىseparation بعدafter ماthat طاwas long (word continues)
أشْخَصَتْنِي عنهُ النوى بعد ما طا
لَ(completes 'was long') ثَوَائيmy dwelling بِجَوِّهِin his domain ومَقَامِand residence
لَ ثَوَائي بِجَوِّهِ ومَقَامِ
Separation drove me away from him after I had long
It has torn me away from him after I had spent
dwelt in his domain and made my home.
My days reveling in his affection and company
زحْزَحَتْنِيdislodged me عنfrom غابِهِhis thicket والعَفَرْنَىand the mighty lion
زحْزَحَتْنِي عن غابِهِ والعَفَرْنَى
ذِلَّةٌabasement فيin مَزَابِلِrefuse heaps of الآجامِthe thickets
ذِلَّةٌ في مَزَابِلِ الآجامِ
It drove me from his thicket; even a mighty lion
It has dragged me far from his thickets where partridges sing
is abased upon the thickets' refuse heaps.
Degraded, amid the barren valley’s cliffs
خَرَطتنيstripped me منfrom سِلكِهِhis thread ويتيماand peerless (word continues)
خَرَطتني من سِلكِهِ ويتيما
تُ(completes 'peerless') اللآليpearls جمالُهاtheir beauty بالنِّظَامِin being strung
تُ اللآلي جمالُها بالنِّظَامِ
It unstrung me from his thread; the choicest
It has steered me off his path, leaving me bereft
pearls find their beauty in being strung together.
Like a lone orphan, though orderly in demeanour
حَلأَتنيbarred me عنfrom وردِهِhis watering place فاقضِso judge بالكتْwith bound arms (word continues)
حَلأَتني عن وردِهِ فاقضِ بالكتْ
فِ(completes 'with bound arms') لملقًىfor one cast down دونَshort of الشريعةِthe watering place ظاميthirsty
فِ لملقًى دونَ الشريعةِ ظامي
It barred me from his water; so deem him bound
It has diverted me from his roses, so render thy judgment by the book
who lies, thirsting, just short of the watering place.
Against one discarded, beyond law, in darkness
وصلتنيjoined me بغيرِهِto someone other than him وأخوand one blessed with الصِّحْhealth (word continues)
وصلتني بغيرِهِ وأخو الصِّحْ
حَةِ(completes 'health') يدريknows ماwhat قدرُهاits worth فيin السَّقَامِsickness
حَةِ يدري ما قدرُها في السَّقَامِ
It joined me to another; the man blessed with health
And joined me to another, though my brother of high morals knows
knows its worth in sickness.
What esteem is worthy in time of ill health
ياO أخاkinsman of هاشمِHashim بنِson of عبدِAbd منافٍManaf
يا أخا هاشمِ بنِ عبدِ منافٍ
دعوةٌa call منfrom أخيa brother of رجالٍmen كِرَامِnoble
دعوةٌ من أخي رجالٍ كِرَامِ
O kinsman of Hashim ibn Abd Manaf,
O brother of Hashim son of Abd Manaf
a call from a brother of noble men!
A plea from a brother of honourable men
أيُّwhat عَينٍaffliction; evil eye تَراهُyou see it ليfor me غيرُother than مُكْثيmy staying
أيُّ عَينٍ تَراهُ لي غيرُ مُكْثي
بينَamong قَومٍa people لاnot يفهمونَthey understand كَلاَميmy speech
بينَ قَومٍ لا يفهمونَ كَلاَمي
What ill do you see in my lot, save my staying
What eye beholds me except as bewildered
among people who do not understand my speech?
Amongst a people who grasp not my words
ماnot مُقاميَmy dwelling فيهمamong them وحَاشَاكَand far be it from you إلاّexcept
ما مُقاميَ فيهم وحَاشَاكَ إلاّ
كمقامِlike the dwelling of اليقظانِthe wakeful man بينَamong النيامِsleepers
كمقامِ اليقظانِ بينَ النيامِ
My dwelling among them—far be it from you—is nothing
How out of place is my sojourn with them, but far be it from you
but a wakeful man's dwelling among sleepers.
Like the vigil of sleepers among the sleeping throng
تَجتَليbeholds العينُthe eye منهُمُin them صُوَرَforms of الأُنْhumankind (word continues)
تَجتَلي العينُ منهُمُ صُوَرَ الأُنْ
سِ(completes 'humankind') وهمand they منamong هَوَامِلِstrays of الأنْعَامِlivestock
سِ وهم من هَوَامِلِ الأنْعَامِ
The eye beholds in them the forms of humankind,
Eyes wander over their forms, mere beasts of burden they remain
yet they are stray beasts of the herd.
Would that I had bartered them, despicable white faces
ليتَif only أَنّيthat I بَدَّلتُهمI exchanged them وهُمُand they are البِيthe white ones (word continues)
ليتَ أَنّي بَدَّلتُهم وهُمُ البِي
ضُ(completes 'the white ones') لسَامٍof Shem بالسُودِfor the black ones منfrom نَسْلِthe offspring of حَامِHam
ضُ لسَامٍ بالسُودِ من نَسْلِ حَامِ
Would that I had exchanged them, though they are white
For noble pitch-black men of Ham’s descent
descendants of Shem, for black descendants of Ham!
Boors who cannot distinguish midst their hands
منamong them غَبيٍّa dullard لاnot يملكُhe possesses الفرقَthe distinction فيماin what
من غَبيٍّ لا يملكُ الفرقَ فيما
بينَbetween وُسْطَىthe middle finger of يَدَيهِhis two hands والإِبْهَامِand the thumb
بينَ وُسْطَى يَدَيهِ والإِبْهَامِ
Among them is a dullard who cannot tell the difference
Between thumb and forefinger, between honour and insult
between his middle finger and his thumb,
Scoundrels, emasculate, who see no difference between
ولئيمٍand a base man واهيْweak in المُرُوءةِhonor; decency لاnot يَفْhe distinguishes (word continues)
ولئيمٍ واهيْ المُرُوءةِ لا يَفْ
رُقُ(completes 'he distinguishes') بينbetween الإكرامِhonoring والإيْلامِand causing pain
رُقُ بين الإكرامِ والإيْلامِ
and a base man, weak in honor, who cannot distinguish
Grace and humiliation, respect and degradation
between honoring and hurting.
Except that the elite of ferocious Hashim
غَيرَhowever أنَّthat السَّراةَthe nobles منof هاشمِHashim الغُرْthe illustrious (word continues)
غَيرَ أنَّ السَّراةَ من هاشمِ الغُرْ
رِ(completes 'the illustrious') رَعَوْاthey respected حُرْمَتيmy dignity وحَاطُواand they guarded ذِماميmy right to protection
رِ رَعَوْا حُرْمَتي وحَاطُوا ذِمامي
Yet the illustrious nobles of Hashim
Have guarded my honour and controlled their reins
honored my dignity and safeguarded my right to protection.
They have indulged me, treating me as one of them
أوسعونِيthey lavished on me كرامةًhonor ألحقَتْنيthat joined me
أوسعونِي كرامةً ألحقَتْني
بِهِمُto them مَعْdespite تباينِdifferences of الأَرْحَامِlineage
بِهِمُ مَعْ تباينِ الأَرْحَامِ
They lavished on me honor that joined me
Despite our lack of family ties
to them, despite our different lineages.
A people who prefer generosity over wealth
معشرٌa people آثرواthey preferred السَّماحَgenerosity علىover الماwealth (word continues)
معشرٌ آثروا السَّماحَ على الما
لِ(completes 'wealth') وحاطُواand they shielded أغراضَهمtheir aims بالحُطَامِwith worldly goods
لِ وحاطُوا أغراضَهم بالحُطَامِ
A people who preferred generosity to wealth
And value only what is intangible and sublime
and shielded their aims with worldly goods.
Such are their ways, can you offer any objection
تلكَthose are أبياتُهمtheir houses فَلِجْهاso enter them فهلand do you تُبْsee (word continues)
تلكَ أبياتُهم فَلِجْها فهل تُبْ
صِرُ(completes 'see') فيهاin them سوىanything but عِيَابِreproach of اللئامِthe base
صِرُ فيها سوى عِيَابِ اللئامِ
Those are their houses: enter them; do you see
Other than the curses of the base and vile?
anything within but a reproach to the base?
They are accustomed to the pliant temper of the ignoble
أَلِفُواthey grew accustomed to بذلةَgiving away النّفائِسِprecious things فيin السِّلْpeace (word continues)
أَلِفُوا بذلةَ النّفائِسِ في السِّلْ
مِ(completes 'peace') وبذلَand giving النفوسِlives فيin الإقدامِthe charge
مِ وبذلَ النفوسِ في الإقدامِ
They grew accustomed to giving precious things in peace
And to sacrificing themselves when duty calls
and giving their lives in the charge.
They offer food when famine rages; they refuse
فهُمُso they المطعمونthose who feed والعامُwhile the year حامٍscorching
فهُمُ المطعمون والعامُ حامٍ
وهُمُand they المانعونthe protectors واليومُwhile the day داميbloody
وهُمُ المانعون واليومُ دامي
They feed others when the year is scorching,
When all are sated; they give when asked; they restrain when wealth abounds
and they protect others when the day is bloody.
They inherited this from their forebears, who recoiled
أخذواthey learned عنfrom عليِّهِمْtheir Ali حينwhen تنبواrecoil الْthe
أخذوا عن عليِّهِمْ حين تنبوا الْ
بِيضُbright swords قَطَّsevering الطلاnecks وقدَّand splitting الهامِskulls
بِيضُ قَطَّ الطلا وقدَّ الهامِ
They learned from their Ali, when the
When the cowards quailed and slackened their reins
bright blades recoil, to sever necks and cleave skulls.
Perchance sensing dishonour in flight
رَفَضُواthey forsook الخيلَhorses ربّماperhaps استشعرُواthey sensed فِيin
رَفَضُوا الخيلَ ربّما استشعرُوا فِي
هاthem لدىat الكَرِّthe charge عَارِضَa passing impulse of الإحْجامِholding back
ها لدى الكَرِّ عَارِضَ الإحْجامِ
They forsook horses, perhaps sensing in them,
Before the enemy, they spurned their mounts
at the charge, a passing hesitation.
So faster than their arrows in deceit are they
فَهُمُso they فيin المَكَرِّthe charge أسرعُswifter منهنْthan them (word continues)
فَهُمُ في المَكَرِّ أسرعُ منهنْ
نَ(completes 'than them') وُثُوباًin leaping ومنand than مُرُوقِthe flight of السِّهامِarrows
نَ وُثُوباً ومن مُرُوقِ السِّهامِ
So, in the charge, they are swifter than those horses
And swifter than the lightning bolts they unleash
in leaping, and swifter than arrows in flight.
Like Abd al-Hamid, when the blood is spilt
مَنْwho كعبدlike Abd الحميدِal-Hamid إنْwhen نَأَصَsurged الدَمْblood (word continues)
مَنْ كعبد الحميدِ إنْ نَأَصَ الدَمْ
مُ(completes 'blood') وجُرَّتْand were dragged away مواطئُplaces trodden by الأقدامِfeet
مُ وجُرَّتْ مواطئُ الأقدامِ
Who is like Abd al-Hamid when blood surges
And feet trample the battleground
and the ground beneath feet is dragged away?
A hero who sets ablaze with his blows the cool
بطلٌa hero يُسخِنُmakes burn العيونَthe eyes القريراcontented (word continues)
بطلٌ يُسخِنُ العيونَ القريرا
تِ(completes 'contented') بضربٍwith blows يقرُّgladdens عينَthe eye of الحِمَامِDeath
تِ بضربٍ يقرُّ عينَ الحِمَامِ
A hero who makes contented eyes burn
Eyes until even the pigeons' eyes flare up
with blows that gladden Death's eye.
He who makes each empty braggart’s neck swell
يُوجِرُmakes swallow القِرْنَthe adversary كلَّeach فوهاءَgaping wound تُبديreveals
يُوجِرُ القِرْنَ كلَّ فوهاءَ تُبدي
لكَto you ماwhat خلفَbehind ظَهْرِهِhis back منfrom أَمَامِthe front
لكَ ما خلفَ ظَهْرِهِ من أَمَامِ
He makes his foe swallow each gaping wound that reveals
To reveal the cowardice behind the bravado
to you, from the front, what lies behind his back.
Since the day he saw decline in control of wealth
مُذْsince رَأىhe saw النقصَdeficiency فيin السيادةِeminence بالماthrough wealth (word continues)
مُذْ رَأى النقصَ في السيادةِ بالما
لِ(completes 'through wealth') قَلاهُhe spurned it وسَادَand gained eminence بالإعْدَامِthrough poverty
لِ قَلاهُ وسَادَ بالإعْدَامِ
Since he saw a defect in eminence won through wealth,
He has refused it, preferring death and oblivion
he spurned it and gained eminence through poverty.
Yet no apologies for that abode, nor those folk
غيرَyet أنْthat لاno سُلُوَّforgetting; consolation عنof تِلكُمُthat الداdwelling (word continues)
غيرَ أنْ لا سُلُوَّ عن تِلكُمُ الدا
رِ(completes 'dwelling') ولاand not عَنْof أولئِكَthose الأَقْوامِpeople
رِ ولا عَنْ أولئِكَ الأَقْوامِ
Yet there is no forgetting that dwelling,
O brother of excellence, brilliance, munificence
nor those people.
And fame and mighty deeds
ياO أخاpossessor of الفضلِvirtue والنَّبَاهَةِand distinction والسّؤand eminence (word continues)
يا أخا الفضلِ والنَّبَاهَةِ والسّؤ
ددِ(completes 'eminence') والذكرِand renown والأيادِيand benefactions الجِسَامِgreat
ددِ والذكرِ والأيادِي الجِسَامِ
O possessor of virtue, distinction, and eminence,
Do not abandon me to leave and reside amongst
of renown and great benefactions,
People other than you, unfit for me
لاdo not تكِلْنيleave me إلىto انتقاليmy departure ومكثِيand my staying
لا تكِلْني إلى انتقالي ومكثِي
فيamong أُنَاسٍpeople سواكُمُother than you ومُقامِيand my residence
في أُنَاسٍ سواكُمُ ومُقامِي
do not leave me to my departure and my lingering
My spirit clings to you if the abode should turn
among people other than you, and my residence there.
Away, as our souls cling to their bodies
فعلُوقِيfor my attachment بكمto you إنْthough نأتِgrew distant الداdwelling (word continues)
فعلُوقِي بكم إنْ نأتِ الدا
رُ(completes 'dwelling') علوقُthe attachment of الأرواحِsouls بالأجسامِto bodies
رُ علوقُ الأرواحِ بالأجسامِ
For my attachment to you, though my home be far,
Blame only the turn of fate
is the attachment of souls to bodies.
And pardon the failings of the days
إنّهاindeed it is خُطّةٌa predicament أجَاءَdrove; compelled لهاto it الحظْfortune (word continues)
إنّها خُطّةٌ أجَاءَ لها الحظْ
ظُ(completes 'fortune') فعُفّواso pardon عَنْfor زَلَّةِthe misstep of الأيّامِthe days
ظُ فعُفّوا عَنْ زَلَّةِ الأيّامِ
It is a plight to which fortune has driven me;
so pardon the misstep of the days.
Partial English translation: 70 of 72 Arabic lines translated.