أَمِنكَis it from you? لِلمَكتومِof what is concealed إِظهارُdisclosure
أَمِنكَ لِلمَكتومِ إِظهارُ
أَمor مِنكَfrom you تَغبيبٌinfrequent visits وَإِنكارُand denial
أَم مِنكَ تَغبيبٌ وَإِنكارُ
Does disclosure of the hidden come from you,
Do you reveal that which is hidden, or do you feign ignorance and denial?
or infrequent visits and denial from you?
Blame has settled upon me regarding parting, though those I love have not yet left nor journeyed.
أَحَلَّhas become lawful? بِالفُرقَةِthrough separation لَوميmy reproach وَماand not
أَحَلَّ بِالفُرقَةِ لَومي وَما
بانَdeparted الأُلىthose whom أَهوىI love وَلاnor سارواthey traveled
بانَ الأُلى أَهوى وَلا ساروا
Has my reproach become lawful through separation, when
Not so they might cease their talk—the gossiping woman among us, and the prattling man.
those I love have neither departed nor traveled?
O you whom I keep at a distance because of what I hear, though you are my very neighbor,
لاno لِأَنso that تُقلِعَshe might desist عَنfrom قَولِهاher talk
لا لِأَن تُقلِعَ عَن قَولِها
مِكثارَةٌa talkative woman فيناabout us وَمِكثارُand a talkative man
مِكثارَةٌ فينا وَمِكثارُ
No—so that she might cease her talk:
I concede one point to you in my confusion: if you claim I can patiently bear your absence,
a woman prattling about us, and a prattling man.
And a second: if you claim that I am one to forget you should your dwelling place drift far away.
ياO ذاyou الَّذيwhom أُبعِدُهُI keep him distant لِلَّذيbecause of what
يا ذا الَّذي أُبعِدُهُ لِلَّذي
أَسمَعُI hear فيهِabout him وَهُوَand he is الجارُthe neighbor
أَسمَعُ فيهِ وَهُوَ الجارُ
O you whom I keep distant because of what
A name upon which lies the madness of passion, and whose embrace of the rose is a circling dance;
I hear about him, though he is the neighbor.
I forced the lips of its secrecy to smile, for it was my intent to make it known.
واحِدَةٌone claim أُعطيكَI give you فيهاin it العَشاdim sight
واحِدَةٌ أُعطيكَ فيها العَشا
إِنif قُلتَyou say إِنّيthat I عَنكَapart from you صَبّارُvery patient
إِن قُلتَ إِنّي عَنكَ صَبّارُ
One claim on which I would call you blind:
And a garden nicknamed 'The Ultimate,' whose name in the Persian tongue is 'Jullar,'
if you said I could patiently endure without you;
Raised high within the gardens of Eden, possessing rivers flowing from bars of pure gold.
وَثانِياًand secondly إِنif قُلتَyou say إِنّيthat I الَّذيthe one who
وَثانِياً إِن قُلتَ إِنّي الَّذي
أَسلاكَI forget you إِنif شَطَّتgrew distant بِكَwith you الدارُthe home
أَسلاكَ إِن شَطَّت بِكَ الدارُ
and secondly, if you said I was the one
And a company of youths—none are their equal—each one chosen for revelry and mirth,
to forget you when your home grew distant.
Of pure and noble lineage, never has one of them fastened a button over his pocket to hoard wealth.
وَاِسمٍand a name عَلَيهِover it جُنَنٌcoverings لِلهَوىfor love
وَاِسمٍ عَلَيهِ جُنَنٌ لِلهَوى
وَضَمُّهُand joining it لِلوَردِto roses دُوّارُdizzying
وَضَمُّهُ لِلوَردِ دُوّارُ
And a name sheltered beneath love's veils,
Among the pious scholars, they match them in guise; yet among the rogues, they are rogues indeed.
whose joining with roses is dizzying.
I drank with them one day, and when the night grew dark and they fell into their drunken state,
أَضحَكتُI made smile عَنهُconcerning it سِنَّthe tooth كِتمانِهِof its concealment
أَضحَكتُ عَنهُ سِنَّ كِتمانِهِ
وَكانَand it was مِنof شَأنِيَmy custom إِشهارُpublic disclosure
وَكانَ مِن شَأنِيَ إِشهارُ
I made the tooth of its concealment smile,
I rose to where the fine camels knelt, and they selected the swiftest and made their choice.
and disclosure was my accustomed way.
Beneath my saddle is an obedient, swift beast, made lean and compact by travel and hunger,
وَجَنَّةٍand a garden لُقِّبَتِwas called المُنتَهىal-Muntaha, the Utmost Limit
وَجَنَّةٍ لُقِّبَتِ المُنتَهى
ثُمَّthen اِسمُهاits name فيamong العَجمِthe Persians جُلّارُJullar
ثُمَّ اِسمُها في العَجمِ جُلّارُ
And a garden called al-Muntaha, the Utmost Limit,
As though, from beneath the curves of the saddle, a Persian knight charged forth from her reins.
whose name among the Persians is Jullar.
No, by the One to whose pleasure the pilgrims and travelers journey for Hajj and Umrah,
سُنِّمَwas raised high فيin جَنّاتِgardens عَدنٍEden لَهاfor it
سُنِّمَ في جَنّاتِ عَدنٍ لَها
مِنfrom قُضُبِrods العِقيانِpure gold أَنهارُrivers
مِن قُضُبِ العِقيانِ أَنهارُ
Raised for it in the gardens of Eden were
The generosity of al-Abbas is unequaled, not even by a torrent hurling its surging waves,
rivers of rods of pure gold.
Nor by a heavy rain-cloud, companion to the East wind, soft to the touch and ready to pour,
وَفِتيَةٍand youths ماno مِثلُهُمtheir like فِتيَةٌyouths
وَفِتيَةٍ ما مِثلُهُم فِتيَةٌ
كُلُّهُمُall of them لِلقَصفِfor revelry مُختارُchosen
كُلُّهُمُ لِلقَصفِ مُختارُ
And youths—no youths are like them,
Until it hangs low, stopping at nothing short of embracing the very earth below.
every one chosen for revelry.
O son of Abu al-Abbas, you are the one whose sky rains down generosity in torrents.
مِنof كُلِّevery مَحضِpure الجَدِّancestry لَمnot يَضطَمِمclasp together
مِن كُلِّ مَحضِ الجَدِّ لَم يَضطَمِم
جَيباًa shirt opening لَهُfor him مُذsince كانَhe came to be أَزرارُbuttons
جَيباً لَهُ مُذ كانَ أَزرارُ
Each of pure descent; never has there been a fastening
My verses came to you and you exalted them; indeed, in you are themes for poem upon poem.
of his shirt-opening by buttons since he was born.
Mankind hopes for your favor and fears your wrath, as though you were Paradise and Hellfire.
يَلقَونَthey meet فيamong القُرّاءِthe Qur'an reciters أَمثالَهُمtheir equals
يَلقَونَ في القُرّاءِ أَمثالَهُم
زِيّاًin dress وَفيand among الشُطّارِthe rogues شُطّارُrogues
زِيّاً وَفي الشُطّارِ شُطّارُ
They find their equals among the Qur'an reciters
You mirror the nature of your father, whose footsteps have long run in the paths of goodness,
in dress; among rogues, they are rogues.
He who masters the difficult affair that leaves the measures and powers of other men helpless.
نادَمتُهُمI drank with them يَوماًone day فَلَمّاthen when دَجاgrew dark
نادَمتُهُم يَوماً فَلَمّا دَجا
لَيلٌa night وَصارواand they became فيin الَّذيwhat صارواthey became
لَيلٌ وَصاروا في الَّذي صاروا
I drank with them one day; then, when dark grew
He is like a gleaming white blade, purified by the polisher, sharp and severing,
the night, and they became what they became,
Preserving the legacy of a father whose kindness among men was never tainted by impurity.
قُمتُI rose إِلىtoward مَبرَكِthe kneeling-place عيدِيَّةٍof an Idiyyah she-camel
قُمتُ إِلى مَبرَكِ عيدِيَّةٍ
فَاِنتَخَبواso they selected الفُرَّهَthe fine-bred mounts وَاِختارواand they chose
فَاِنتَخَبوا الفُرَّهَ وَاِختاروا
I rose toward an Idiyyah she-camel's kneeling-place;
As if a spring abode, matching his name, was watered by a cloud, wide-brimmed and pouring,
they selected the fine-bred mounts and made their choice.
Watered for as long as the ring-necked dove warbles, cooing loudly upon the lotus branch.
وَتَحتَand beneath رَحليmy saddle طَيِّعٌdocile مَيلَعٌfleet-footed
وَتَحتَ رَحلي طَيِّعٌ مَيلَعٌ
أَدمَجَهاmade her compact طَيٌّtightening وَإِضمارُand lean conditioning
أَدمَجَها طَيٌّ وَإِضمارُ
And beneath my saddle was a docile, fleet-footed mount;
He is the refuge of the people when drought strikes, and their guidance when they are lost.
tightening and lean conditioning had made her compact.
A people whose kindness is like rain clouds, raised to glory by great and weighty deeds;
كَأَنَّماas though بَرَّزَemerged مِنfrom حَبلِهاher sinew
كَأَنَّما بَرَّزَ مِن حَبلِها
تَحتَbeneath مَحانيthe curved arches الرَحلِof the saddle أَسوارُa mounted warrior
تَحتَ مَحاني الرَحلِ أَسوارُ
As though from her sinew there emerged
They settled in the two valleys of Kada', close to where the curtains of the Kaaba drape.
beneath the saddle's arches a mounted warrior.
They commit no offense against the observer; they do not mix sweet deception with bitter truth.
لاno وَالَّذيand by Him who وافىarrived لِرِضوانِهِfor His pleasure
لا وَالَّذي وافى لِرِضوانِهِ
سارونَnight travelers حُجّاجٌHajj pilgrims وَعُمّارُand Umrah pilgrims
سارونَ حُجّاجٌ وَعُمّارُ
No, by Him for whose pleasure there arrived
As if their faces, in their sheer delicacy, possessed the very skin of pearls.
night travelers, pilgrims of Hajj and Umrah:
ماnot عَدَلَequaled العَبّاسُal-Abbas فيin جودِهِhis generosity
ما عَدَلَ العَبّاسُ في جودِهِ
رامٍhurling بِدَفّاعَيهِwith its two surges تَيّارُa rushing torrent
رامٍ بِدَفّاعَيهِ تَيّارُ
al-Abbas was never equaled in his generosity
by a rushing torrent flinging its twin surges,
وَلاnor دَلوحٌa rain-laden cloud أَلِفَتهُbefriended it الصَباthe east wind
وَلا دَلوحٌ أَلِفَتهُ الصَبا
لَدنٌsupple عَلىto المَلمَسِthe touch خَوّارُabundant in rain
لَدنٌ عَلى المَلمَسِ خَوّارُ
nor by a laden rain-cloud befriended by the east wind,
supple to the touch, copious in rain,
حَتّىuntil غَداit became أَوطَفَthick-fringed ماnot إِنindeed لَهُfor it
حَتّى غَدا أَوطَفَ ما إِن لَهُ
دونَshort of اِعتِناقِembracing الأَرضِthe earth إِقصارُstopping
دونَ اِعتِناقِ الأَرضِ إِقصارُ
until it grew thick-fringed, with no
stopping short of embracing the earth.
ياO اِبنَson أَبيof Abu العَبّاسِal-Abbas أَنتَyou الَّذيthe one who
يا اِبنَ أَبي العَبّاسِ أَنتَ الَّذي
سَمائُهُhis sky بِالجودِwith generosity مِدرارُabundantly pouring
سَمائُهُ بِالجودِ مِدرارُ
O son of Abu al-Abbas, you are the one
whose sky pours down generosity.
أَتَتكَcame to you أَشعاريmy poems فَأَذرَيتَهاthen you scattered them
أَتَتكَ أَشعاري فَأَذرَيتَها
وَفيكَand about you أَشعارٌpoems وَأَشعارُand poems
وَفيكَ أَشعارٌ وَأَشعارُ
My poems came to you, and you scattered them;
about you there are poems upon poems.
يَرجوhopes for وَيَخشىand fears حالَتَيكَyour two dispositions الوَرىhumankind
يَرجو وَيَخشى حالَتَيكَ الوَرى
كَأَنَّكَas though you were الجَنَّةُParadise وَالنارُand Hellfire
كَأَنَّكَ الجَنَّةُ وَالنارُ
Humankind hopes for and fears your two dispositions,
as though you were Paradise and Hellfire.
تَقَيَّلاthey both took after مِنكَfrom you أَباكَyour father الَّذيwho
تَقَيَّلا مِنكَ أَباكَ الَّذي
جَرَتspread لَهُfor him فيin الخَيرِgoodness آثارُtraces
جَرَت لَهُ في الخَيرِ آثارُ
Both reflect in you your father, whose
traces of goodness have spread:
الراكِبُthe one undertaking الأَمرِthe affair تَعايَتwere baffled بِهِby it
الراكِبُ الأَمرِ تَعايَت بِهِ
أَقياسُjudgments أَقوامٍof peoples وَأَقدارُand capacities
أَقياسُ أَقوامٍ وَأَقدارُ
the one who undertakes the affair that has baffled
people's judgments and capacities.
كَأَنَّهُas though he were أَبيَضُa white blade ذوpossessing رَونَقٍa sheen
كَأَنَّهُ أَبيَضُ ذو رَونَقٍ
أَخلَصَهُmade it pure الصَيقَلُthe sword-polisher بَتّارُkeenly cutting
أَخلَصَهُ الصَيقَلُ بَتّارُ
As though he were a white blade possessed of sheen,
made pure by the sword-polisher, keenly cutting.
حِفظُkeeping وَصاياcounsels عَنfrom أَبٍa father لَمnot تَشُبtaint
حِفظُ وَصايا عَن أَبٍ لَم تَشُب
مَعروفَهُhis kindness فيamong الناسِpeople أَكدارُblemishes
مَعروفَهُ في الناسِ أَكدارُ
Keeping the counsels of a father whose
kindness to people no blemish has ever stained.
كَأَنَّas though رَبعاًa dwelling كَاِسمِهِlike his name جادَهُwatered it generously
كَأَنَّ رَبعاً كَاِسمِهِ جادَهُ
مُنفَهِقُwide-spreading الأَرجاءِthe reaches مِهمارُpouring torrents
مُنفَهِقُ الأَرجاءِ مِهمارُ
As though a dwelling, like his name, were drenched
by a wide-reaching cloud pouring rain in torrents;
يَسقيهِwaters it ماas long as غَرَّدَsang ذيone with عُلطَةٍa neck-mark
يَسقيهِ ما غَرَّدَ ذي عُلطَةٍ
فيon فَنَنِa branch العِبرِيِّthe waterside lote-tree هَدّارُa loud cooer
في فَنَنِ العِبرِيِّ هَدّارُ
it waters it as long as a collared bird sings,
a loud cooer on a branch of the waterside lote-tree.
مِنamong عِصَمِthe safeguards الناسِof people وَقَدand already أَسنَتواthey suffered drought
مِن عِصَمِ الناسِ وَقَد أَسنَتوا
وَمِنand among هُدىguidance الناسِof people وَقَدand already حارواthey were bewildered
وَمِن هُدى الناسِ وَقَد حاروا
Among the people's safeguards when they have suffered drought,
and their sources of guidance when they are bewildered,
قَومٌa people كَأَنَّas though المُزنَthe rain-clouds مَعروفُهُمtheir kindness
قَومٌ كَأَنَّ المُزنَ مَعروفُهُم
يُنميهُمُraises them فيin المَجدِglory أَخطارُhigh distinctions
يُنميهُمُ في المَجدِ أَخطارُ
are a people whose kindness is like rain-clouds;
high distinctions raise them in glory.
حَلّواthey settled كَداءًKadaa أَبطَحَيهاits two gravelly valleys فَماand then what
حَلّوا كَداءً أَبطَحَيها فَما
وارَتconcealed مِنَof الكَعبَةِthe Kaaba أَستارُcurtains
وارَت مِنَ الكَعبَةِ أَستارُ
They settled Kadaa, its two gravelly valleys, and what
curtains veil of the Kaaba.
لَيسواthey are not بِجانينَwrongdoers عَلىagainst ناظِرٍa watching eye
لَيسوا بِجانينَ عَلى ناظِرٍ
شَوبانِtwo admixtures إِحلاءٌsweetening وَإِمرارُand embittering
شَوبانِ إِحلاءٌ وَإِمرارُ
They do not wrong a watching eye with
two admixtures: sweetening and embittering.
كَأَنَّماas though أَوجُهُهُمtheir faces رِقَّةًin delicacy
كَأَنَّما أَوجُهُهُم رِقَّةً
لَهاthey have مِنَof اللُؤلُؤِpearl أَبشارُskins
لَها مِنَ اللُؤلُؤِ أَبشارُ
As though their faces, in their delicacy,
had skins of pearl.
Partial English translation: 35 of 70 Arabic lines translated.