عَاطِنيهاpass her to me قبلَbefore ابتِسَامِthe smile of الصَّبَاحِthe morning
عَاطِنيها قبلَ ابتِسَامِ الصَّبَاحِ
فهْيَfor she تُغنيكَspares you the need عنfor سَنَاthe radiance of المِصْباحِthe lamp
فهْيَ تُغنيكَ عن سَنَا المِصْباحِ
Pass her to me before morning smiles,
for she spares you the need for the lamp's radiance.
أنتَyou تدريknow أنَّthat المُدَامَةَwine نَارٌfire
أنتَ تدري أنَّ المُدَامَةَ نَارٌ
فاقتدحْهاso kindle her بالصَّبِّby pouring فيinto الأَقداحِthe goblets
فاقتدحْها بالصَّبِّ في الأَقداحِ
You know that wine is fire,
so kindle her by pouring her into goblets.
فهْيَfor she تمحُوerases بِضَوئِهاwith her light صِبغَةَthe tint of اللَّيْthe night (continued)
فهْيَ تمحُو بِضَوئِها صِبغَةَ اللَّيْ
ل(completes 'night') فيغدوand becomes وَجْهُthe face of الدُّجىdarkness وَهْوَwhile it is ضَاحيradiant
ل فيغدو وَجْهُ الدُّجى وَهْوَ ضَاحي
Her light erases the tint of night,
and the face of darkness becomes radiant.
وإذاand whenever مَاindeed أَحَاطَsurrounds بيme وَفْدُa delegation of هَمٍّcare
وإذا مَا أَحَاطَ بي وَفْدُ هَمٍّ
مُهْدِياًbringing as gifts ليto me طَرَائِفَrare offerings of الأَتْراحِsorrows
مُهْدِياً لي طَرَائِفَ الأَتْراحِ
Whenever a delegation of care surrounds me,
bringing me rare gifts of sorrow,
فَأَسِلْهاthen pour her out وَرْديَّةًrose-red كَدَمِlike the blood of الكَبْthe ram (continued)
فَأَسِلْها وَرْديَّةً كَدَمِ الكَبْ
شِ(completes 'ram') أَسَالتْهُshed it مُدْيَةُthe knife of الذَّبَّاحِthe slaughterer
شِ أَسَالتْهُ مُدْيَةُ الذَّبَّاحِ
pour her out, rose-red as the blood of a ram
shed by the slaughterer's knife.
فهيfor she تُقْصيbanishes إمَّاwhenever دَنَتْshe draws near وَارِدَincoming الهمْcare (continued)
فهي تُقْصي إمَّا دَنَتْ وَارِدَ الهمْ
مِ(completes 'care') وتُدْنيand brings near شَوَارِدَstraying الأَفْراحِjoys
مِ وتُدْني شَوَارِدَ الأَفْراحِ
For when she draws near, she banishes visiting care
and draws near joys that have strayed.
أَلْحفَتْshe insisted فيin السؤالِasking هلis there منany فَكاكٍransom
أَلْحفَتْ في السؤالِ هل من فَكاكٍ
لأَسِيرٍfor a captive ماnot لَهُfor him منany سَرَاحِrelease
لأَسِيرٍ ما لَهُ من سَرَاحِ
She pressed her plea: "Is there any ransom
for a captive who has no release?"
مَزَجُوهاthey mixed her فقيَّدُوهاand so fettered her فلوfor if تُتْshe were left (continued)
مَزَجُوها فقيَّدُوها فلو تُتْ
ركُ(completes 'were left') صِرْفاًunmixed طَارَتْshe would fly بِغَيرِwithout جَنَاحِa wing
ركُ صِرْفاً طَارَتْ بِغَيرِ جَنَاحِ
They mixed her and fettered her; if she were left
unmixed, she would fly without a wing.
ياO خليليَّmy two friends لاnot أرىI see ليfor myself منamong الناthe people (continued)
يا خليليَّ لا أرى لي من النا
سِ(completes 'people') خليلاًa friend إلاَّexcept فَتىًa youth غيرَnot صَاحيsober
سِ خليلاً إلاَّ فَتىً غيرَ صَاحي
O my two friends, I see for myself among men
no friend but a youth who is not sober,
يتلقّىhe meets عَذْلَthe censure of العَذُولِthe censurer بِهَيهاwith 'Away!' (continued)
يتلقّى عَذْلَ العَذُولِ بِهَيها
تَ(completes 'Away!') ويحثوand flings dust فيinto أوجُهِthe faces of النُّصَّاحِadvisers
تَ ويحثو في أوجُهِ النُّصَّاحِ
who meets the censurer's censure with "Away!"
and flings dust in the faces of advisers.
أَلِفَhe grew fond of الرَّاحَwine فهْوَso he is بينَbetween اغْتِباقٍevening drinking
أَلِفَ الرَّاحَ فهْوَ بينَ اغْتِباقٍ
لاnot يناديhe calls وليدَهُhis boy واصْطِبَاحِand morning drinking
لا ينادي وليدَهُ واصْطِبَاحِ
He has grown fond of wine, passing from evening drinking—
without calling his boy—to drinking at dawn.
رُحْgo in the evening علىto الرَّاحِwine بيwith me فليسَfor there is no علىupon الأَجْthe bodies (continued)
رُحْ على الرَّاحِ بي فليسَ على الأَجْ
سَامِ(completes 'bodies') عارٌshame فيin السعيِstriving للأَرواحِfor souls
سَامِ عارٌ في السعيِ للأَرواحِ
Take me to wine; bodies incur no
shame in striving after souls.
واسقِنِيهاand give her to me to drink صِرْفاًunmixed فَلَلنارُfor fire indeed أَنأىfarther removed
واسقِنِيها صِرْفاً فَلَلنارُ أَنأى
جَانباًin position عنfrom وِصَالِunion with مَاءٍwater قُرَاحِpure
جَانباً عن وِصَالِ مَاءٍ قُرَاحِ
Give her to me unmixed, for fire keeps far
aloof from union with pure water.
خيرُthe best of ماthat which يُشْرَبُis drunk المُدَامُwine عليهِin its presence
خيرُ ما يُشْرَبُ المُدَامُ عليهِ
وجهُthe face of خَوْدٍa young beauty منamong الحِسَانِbeautiful women رَدَاحِfull-hipped
وجهُ خَوْدٍ من الحِسَانِ رَدَاحِ
The finest sight to drink wine to
is the face of a full-hipped maiden among the fair,
ذَاتُpossessing قَدٍّa figure تُثْنِيْpraise الغُصُونُthe branches عليهِupon it
ذَاتُ قَدٍّ تُثْنِيْ الغُصُونُ عليهِ
حينَwhen يهفُوstirs بهwith it نَسيمُthe gentle breath of الرياحthe winds
حينَ يهفُو به نَسيمُ الرياح
possessed of a figure that the branches extol
when the gentle breath of winds makes it sway.
فوقَهُabove it طُرَّةٌa forelock تُظِلُّshades مُحيّاًa face
فوقَهُ طُرَّةٌ تُظِلُّ مُحيّاً
جَائِلاًflowing ماؤُهُits lustre مُضِيءَradiant النواحيon every side
جَائِلاً ماؤُهُ مُضِيءَ النواحي
Above it, a forelock shades a face,
its lustre flowing, its every aspect bright.
فهْيَthus she منfrom نُورِthe light of وَجْهِهاher face وظلامُand the darkness of الشْthe (continued with 'hair')
فهْيَ من نُورِ وَجْهِها وظلامُ الشْ
شَعْرِhair فيin حَالَتيthe two states of مَساًevening وصَبَاحِand morning
شَعْرِ في حَالَتي مَساً وصَبَاحِ
With the light of her face and the darkness of her hair,
she is at once in evening and morning.
وثغورِand teeth يُخَلْنَare imagined فيin بَارِدِthe coolness of الظَّلْmouth-moisture (continued)
وثغورِ يُخَلْنَ في بَارِدِ الظَّلْ
مِ(completes 'mouth-moisture') حَباباًbubbles يطفُوfloating علىupon وجهِthe surface of رَاحِwine
مِ حَباباً يطفُو على وجهِ رَاحِ
And teeth that seem amid their cool moisture
like bubbles floating on the surface of wine.
ماdo ... not تَرَىyou see الدهرَTime كيفhow رقَّتْgrew delicate لَياليnights
ما تَرَى الدهرَ كيف رقَّتْ لَيالي
هِits فَشَفَّتْand became transparent عنrevealing أَوْجُهِthe faces of الأفْراحِjoys
هِ فَشَفَّتْ عن أَوْجُهِ الأفْراحِ
Do you not see how Time's nights have grown delicate,
and transparent, revealing the faces of joy?
أيُّwhat شَيءٍthing أَقْوَىstronger دليلاًas proof علىof الخيgoodness (continued)
أيُّ شَيءٍ أَقْوَى دليلاً على الخي
رِ(completes 'goodness') وأَهْدَىand more guiding إلىtoward سَبيلِthe path of الصَّلاحِrighteousness
رِ وأَهْدَى إلى سَبيلِ الصَّلاحِ
What is a surer sign of good
or a truer guide to the path of righteousness
منthan وليدٍa newborn وافَىarrived معwith البدرِthe full moon فيin التمْfullness (continued)
من وليدٍ وافَى مع البدرِ في التمْ
مِ(completes 'fullness') فجاءاso the two came معاًtogether كَطَرْفَيlike two steeds مراحِhigh spirits
مِ فجاءا معاً كَطَرْفَي مراحِ
than a newborn who came with the moon at its fullness,
the two arriving together like two spirited steeds?
كَفَلاthe two guaranteed بالضياءِwith illumination حتىuntil أعاداthe two made الْthe
كَفَلا بالضياءِ حتى أعادا الْ
لَيلَnight أبهَىmore splendid منthan مستنيرِthe radiance of الصباحِthe morning
لَيلَ أبهَى من مستنيرِ الصباحِ
They pledged their light until they made
the night more splendid than radiant morning.
مَحَوَاthe two erased آيةَthe sign of النهارِthe day فَعَادتْso became
مَحَوَا آيةَ النهارِ فَعَادتْ
آيةُthe sign of الليلِthe night ماnot لهاfor it مِنْany مَاحيeraser
آيةُ الليلِ ما لها مِنْ مَاحي
They erased the sign of day, leaving
the sign of night with none to erase it.
حبّذاhow lovely is الليلُthe night ماwhenever أظلَّit spreads shade فللإمْfor the evening (continued)
حبّذا الليلُ ما أظلَّ فللإمْ
ساءِ(completes 'evening') حظٌّa fortune ماnot كانَwas للإصبَاحِfor morning
ساءِ حظٌّ ما كانَ للإصبَاحِ
How lovely is night whenever it spreads its shade! Evening has
a fortune never granted to morning.
ماnot رأيناwe have seen النهارَthe day أَطْلَعَbring forth شمسَيtwo suns (continued)
ما رأينا النهارَ أَطْلَعَ شمسَي
نِ(dual ending of 'suns') علىdespite أَنَّهُthat it is المنيرُluminous الضاحيradiant
نِ على أَنَّهُ المنيرُ الضاحي
We have never seen day bring forth two suns,
though it is luminous and radiant;
ورأيناand we have seen الليلَthe night استقلَّrose ببدريwith two moons (continued)
ورأينا الليلَ استقلَّ ببدري
نِ(dual ending of 'moons') تمامَينِboth full وهْوwhile it is وَحْفُthickly feathered الجناحِof wing
نِ تمامَينِ وهْو وَحْفُ الجناحِ
yet we have seen night rise with two moons,
both full, though its wing is thickly feathered.
فثنتْso she bent رتبةُthe rank of الوِزارةِthe vizierate عِطفَيtwo sides
فثنتْ رتبةُ الوِزارةِ عِطفَي
هَاher ابتهاجاًin joy بالأبلجِat the radiant one الوضَّاحِthe bright-faced
هَا ابتهاجاً بالأبلجِ الوضَّاحِ
So the vizierate swayed her shoulders,
rejoicing in the radiant, bright-faced man.
شَدَّhe strengthened أزرَthe back of المُلْكِkingship العَقِيمِbarren كماjust as يكْenfolds (continued)
شَدَّ أزرَ المُلْكِ العَقِيمِ كما يكْ
نفُ(completes 'enfolds') نورُthe light of الهلالِthe crescent ضَوءَthe radiance of بَرَاحِBarah, the sun
نفُ نورُ الهلالِ ضَوءَ بَرَاحِ
He strengthened the back of barren kingship, just as
the crescent's radiance enfolds the light of Barah, the sun.
جَاءَهَاhe came to her بعدماafter استمرَّتْshe persisted علىin العُقْbarrenness (continued)
جَاءَهَا بعدما استمرَّتْ على العُقْ
مِ(completes 'barrenness') وضاقتْand was hard-pressed أُمُّthe mother of المنَىhopes باللُّقاحِby conception
مِ وضاقتْ أُمُّ المنَى باللُّقاحِ
He came to her after she had long remained barren,
and the mother of hopes was hard-pressed to conceive.
فاجتَلَىso beheld الناسُthe people غُرَّةًa radiant brow بَيَّضَتْthat whitened وجْthe face of (continued)
فاجتَلَى الناسُ غُرَّةً بَيَّضَتْ وجْ
هَ(completes 'face') زمانٍan age غُفْلاًunmarked منby الأَوضَاحِwhite markings
هَ زمانٍ غُفْلاً من الأَوضَاحِ
The people beheld a radiant brow that whitened the face
of an age bare of bright markings.
لاmay ... not أغبَّvisit intermittently الوزيرَthe vizier سعدٌgood fortune يناجيwhispers to (continued)
لا أغبَّ الوزيرَ سعدٌ يناجي
هِhim بِهِof it كَرُّthe recurrence of غُدْوَةٍmorning ورَوَاحِand evening
هِ بِهِ كَرُّ غُدْوَةٍ ورَوَاحِ
May fortune never fail the vizier, fortune whispered
to him by the round of morning and evening.
أَريحيٌّopenhanded ماnot جَادَhe gave generously إلاَّexcept وأغنَىand he enriched
أَريحيٌّ ما جَادَ إلاَّ وأغنَى
وأَعَادَand he sent back المُمْتَاحَthe bounty-seeker رَبَّpossessed of ارتياحِgladness
وأَعَادَ المُمْتَاحَ رَبَّ ارتياحِ
Openhanded, he never gives without enriching,
and sends the seeker of his bounty back rejoicing.
قِفstop علىat بَحرِthe sea of جُودِهِhis generosity بيwith me فَرَيّيfor my thirst's quenching
قِف على بَحرِ جُودِهِ بي فَرَيّي
منهfrom him لاnot منfrom كَارُوْنَthe Karun ولاnor الجَرَّاحِthe Jarrah
منه لا من كَارُوْنَ ولا الجَرَّاحِ
Bring me to the sea of his bounty; my thirst is quenched
by him, not by the Karun or the Jarrah.
ماnot ضَوَاحيthe broad reaches of الفُراتِthe Euphrates تقذِفُtoss بالسُّفْwith ships (continued)
ما ضَوَاحي الفُراتِ تقذِفُ بالسُّفْ
نِ(completes 'ships') وتلويand twist بآلةِwith the gear of الملاّحِthe boatman
نِ وتلوي بآلةِ الملاّحِ
Not even the reaches of the Euphrates, tossing ships
and twisting the boatman's gear,
كَسَرَتْbroke through موجتَاهits two waves جانبيboth sides of الشطْthe riverbank (continued)
كَسَرَتْ موجتَاه جانبي الشطْ
طِ(completes 'riverbank') سُموّاًrising high فسَاحَso it flowed كلَّevery مَسَاحِexpanse
طِ سُموّاً فسَاحَ كلَّ مَسَاحِ
its twin waves bursting both riverbanks,
rising high and flooding every expanse,
منهthan him أندَىmore generous كفّاًof hand إذاwhen أَسلَكَdrove المحْdrought (continued)
منه أندَى كفّاً إذا أَسلَكَ المحْ
لُ(completes 'drought') بأهلِwith the people of السماحِgenerosity سُبْلَthe paths of الشِحاحِthe miserly
لُ بأهلِ السماحِ سُبْلَ الشِحاحِ
are more lavish-handed than he, when drought drives
the generous along the paths of the miserly.
حَازَhe won أوفَىthe fullest of السِّهامِthe arrows حظّاًas a share منof المجglory (continued)
حَازَ أوفَى السِّهامِ حظّاً من المج
دِ(completes 'glory') فَسَائِلْso ask بِهِabout him مُجيلَthe shuffler of القِدَاحِlot-arrows
دِ فَسَائِلْ بِهِ مُجيلَ القِدَاحِ
He won the fullest arrow for his share of glory;
so ask the shuffler of the lot-arrows about him.
كِسْرويُّKhosrow-like in العَدَالةِjustice اسكندريُّAlexander-like in الthe
كِسْرويُّ العَدَالةِ اسكندريُّ ال
فَتْحconquest والعَزْمِand resolve رُسْتُمِيُّRustam-like in الكِفَاحِcombat
فَتْح والعَزْمِ رُسْتُمِيُّ الكِفَاحِ
Khosrow-like in justice, Alexander-like in
conquest and resolve, Rustam-like in combat;
أَسَدُa lion of الفتكِlethal assault أَجْدَلُa falcon of الخَطْفِsnatching ذِئبُa wolf of الthe
أَسَدُ الفتكِ أَجْدَلُ الخَطْفِ ذِئبُ ال
مَكْرِcunning فَهْدُa cheetah of الوُثُوبِpouncing كَبشُa ram of النِّطَاحِbutting
مَكْرِ فَهْدُ الوُثُوبِ كَبشُ النِّطَاحِ
a lion in assault, a falcon in snatching, a wolf in
cunning, a cheetah in pouncing, a ram in butting;
أحْنفُAhnaf in الحِلمِforbearance أكثمُAktham in الرأْيِjudgment زُبَيرُZubayr in الثْthe (continued with 'vengeance')
أحْنفُ الحِلمِ أكثمُ الرأْيِ زُبَيرُ الثْ
ثَأرِvengeance قِسُّQuss in البيانِeloquence كَعْبُKa'b in السَّماحِgenerosity
ثَأرِ قِسُّ البيانِ كَعْبُ السَّماحِ
Ahnaf in forbearance, Aktham in judgment, Zubayr in
vengeance, Quss in eloquence, Ka'b in generosity.
ماnot شكاcomplained of الحيفَinjustice عندَهُbefore him أعزلُone bereft of النُصْsupport (continued)
ما شكا الحيفَ عندَهُ أعزلُ النُصْ
رةِ(completes 'support') إلاّexcept that وعَادَand returned شَاكِيfully armed السِّلاَحِwith weapons
رةِ إلاّ وعَادَ شَاكِي السِّلاَحِ
No man bereft of help complains of injustice before him
without returning fully armed.
ياO بنَson of مَنْthose who شَيَّدُواraised مبانِيthe edifices of العُلاglory بالسْthrough the (continued with 'striving')
يا بنَ مَنْ شَيَّدُوا مبانِي العُلا بالسْ
سَعْيstriving لاnot بالآجرِّwith bricks والصَّفَّاحِand stone slabs
سَعْي لا بالآجرِّ والصَّفَّاحِ
O son of those who raised the edifices of glory through
striving, not with bricks and slabs of stone!
قَوَّضَstruck camp الصومُfasting رَاحِلاًdeparting وأتَاكَand came to you الْthe
قَوَّضَ الصومُ رَاحِلاً وأتَاكَ الْ
فطرُbreaking of the fast يُهدِيكَoffering you عِيدَهُits feast وامتداحِand my praise
فطرُ يُهدِيكَ عِيدَهُ وامتداحِ
Fasting has struck camp and gone, and there has come to you
the fast-breaking, offering you its feast and my praise.
فاغْتنمْso seize أَجْرthe reward of ماwhat تَحمَّلَundertook عنكَon your behalf الصْthe (continued with 'fasting')
فاغْتنمْ أَجْر ما تَحمَّلَ عنكَ الصْ
صَومُfasting منof نُسْكِthe devotions of عَابِدٍa worshipper سَيَّاحِwandering
صَومُ من نُسْكِ عَابِدٍ سَيَّاحِ
So reap the reward of what fasting shouldered for you:
the devotions of a wandering worshipper.
ذَابَmelted منfrom فرطِthe excess of ماthe extent that استمرَّhe persisted علىin التسْglorifying God (continued)
ذَابَ من فرطِ ما استمرَّ على التسْ
بيحِ(completes 'glorifying God') فيin كفِّهِhis palm حَصَىthe pebbles of المسباحِthe rosary
بيحِ في كفِّهِ حَصَى المسباحِ
From the fervour of his unceasing praise of God, there melted
in his palm the pebbles of his rosary.
واجتلِand behold العيدَthe feast سافراًunveiling لكَto you عنrevealing يُمْgood fortune (continued)
واجتلِ العيدَ سافراً لكَ عن يُمْ
نٍ(completes 'good fortune') أغرٍّradiant وعنْand revealing مُحيَّاthe face of فَلاحِsuccess
نٍ أغرٍّ وعنْ مُحيَّا فَلاحِ
And behold the feast unveiling to you good fortune,
radiant, and the countenance of success.
وتَهَنَّand enjoy الثنَاءَpraise منfrom مُعْرِقٍone deeply rooted بالنْin the (continued with 'verse')
وتَهَنَّ الثنَاءَ من مُعْرِقٍ بالنْ
نَظْمِverse يدليْproffers بالسائراتِwith far-travelling poems الفِصَاحِeloquent
نَظْمِ يدليْ بالسائراتِ الفِصَاحِ
And relish praise from one deeply rooted in
verse, who offers eloquent poems that travel far.
وابقَand live on تستخِدمُmaking serve you الزمانَtime كماas شِئyou wish (continued)
وابقَ تستخِدمُ الزمانَ كما شِئ
تَ(completes 'you wish') وتُعْدَىand may you be aided علىagainst القَضَاءِfate المُتَاحِallotted
تَ وتُعْدَى على القَضَاءِ المُتَاحِ
And live on, making time serve you as you wish,
and may you be aided against allotted fate.
Translation model: Sol 6.1