كُشِفَwas lifted الغِطاءُthe veil فَأَوقِديso kindle أَوor أَخمِديextinguish
كُشِفَ الغِطاءُ فَأَوقِدي أَو أَخمِدي
لَمnot تَكمَديyou felt anguish فَظَنَنتِso you thought أَنthat لَمnot يَكمَدِhe felt anguish
لَم تَكمَدي فَظَنَنتِ أَن لَم يَكمَدِ
The veil is lifted: kindle your fire, then, or quench it.
You felt no anguish, so you thought he felt none.
يَكفيكَهُsuffices you against him شَوقٌlonging يُطيلُprolongs ظَماءَهُhis thirst
يَكفيكَهُ شَوقٌ يُطيلُ ظَماءَهُ
فَإِذاso when سَقاهُit gives him drink سَقاهُit gives him drink سَمَّthe venom of الأَسوَدِthe black serpent
فَإِذا سَقاهُ سَقاهُ سَمَّ الأَسوَدِ
Longing will deal with him for you, prolonging his thirst;
and when it gives him drink, it gives him the black serpent's venom.
عَذَلَتrebuked غُروبُthe torrents of دُموعِهِhis tears عُذّالَهُhis reproachers
عَذَلَت غُروبُ دُموعِهِ عُذّالَهُ
بِسَواكِبٍwith pouring tears فَنَّدنَthey refuted كُلَّevery مُفَنِّدِfaultfinder
بِسَواكِبٍ فَنَّدنَ كُلَّ مُفَنِّدِ
The torrents of his tears rebuked his reproachers,
with downpours that refuted every faultfinder.
أَتَتِcame النَوىseparation دونَbarring الهَوىlove فَأَتىso came الأَسىgrief
أَتَتِ النَوى دونَ الهَوى فَأَتى الأَسى
دونَbarring الأُسىsolace بِحَرارَةٍwith heat لَمnot تَبرُدِcooled
دونَ الأُسى بِحَرارَةٍ لَم تَبرُدِ
Separation barred the way to love, and grief came
to bar the way to solace, with a heat that never cooled.
جارىraced إِلَيهِtoward him البَينُparting وَصلَunion with خَريدَةٍa secluded maiden
جارى إِلَيهِ البَينُ وَصلَ خَريدَةٍ
ماشَتshe kept pace with إِلَيهِtoward him المَطلَdelay مَشيَthe gait of الأَكبَدِone with an ailing liver
ماشَت إِلَيهِ المَطلَ مَشيَ الأَكبَدِ
Parting raced toward him against union with a secluded maiden,
who approached in step with delay, walking like one liver-sick.
عَبِثَtoyed الفِراقُparting بِدَمعِهِwith his tears وَبِقَلبِهِand with his heart
عَبِثَ الفِراقُ بِدَمعِهِ وَبِقَلبِهِ
عَبَثاًa sport يَروحُgoes at evening الجِدُّearnestness فيهِin it وَيَغتَديand comes at morning
عَبَثاً يَروحُ الجِدُّ فيهِ وَيَغتَدي
Parting toyed with his tears and his heart,
a sport through which earnestness passes, evening and morning.
ياO يَومَday شَرَّدَbanished يَومَthe day of لَهويmy pleasure لَهوُهُits sport
يا يَومَ شَرَّدَ يَومَ لَهوي لَهوُهُ
بِصَبابَتيthrough my yearning وَأَذَلَّand humbled عِزَّthe pride of تَجَلُّديmy endurance
بِصَبابَتي وَأَذَلَّ عِزَّ تَجَلُّدي
O day whose sport banished my day of pleasure
through my yearning, and humbled the pride of my endurance!
ماhow كانَit would have been أَحسَنَbetter لَوif غَبَرتَyou had passed فَلَمand did not نَقُلwe say
ما كانَ أَحسَنَ لَو غَبَرتَ فَلَم نَقُل
ماhow كانَwas أَقبَحَdreadful يَومَthe day of بُرقَةِBurqat مُنشِدِMunshid
ما كانَ أَقبَحَ يَومَ بُرقَةِ مُنشِدِ
How much better had you passed, and we had never said,
'How dreadful was the day at Burqat Munshid!'
يَومٌa day أَفاضَmade overflow جَوىًanguish أَغاضَmade ebb تَعَزِّياًconsolation
يَومٌ أَفاضَ جَوىً أَغاضَ تَعَزِّياً
خاضَplunged into الهَوىlove بَحرَيthe twin seas of حِجاهُhis reason المُزبِدِfoaming
خاضَ الهَوى بَحرَي حِجاهُ المُزبِدِ
A day that made anguish overflow and consolation ebb;
love plunged into the twin seas of his foaming reason.
عَطَفواthey wrapped الخُدورَthe curtained shelters عَلىaround البُدورِthe full moons وَوَكَّلواand entrusted
عَطَفوا الخُدورَ عَلى البُدورِ وَوَكَّلوا
ظُلَمَthe darkness of السُتورِthe veils بِحورِwith dark-eyed women عينٍwide-eyed نُهَّدِfull-breasted
ظُلَمَ السُتورِ بِحورِ عينٍ نُهَّدِ
They wrapped the curtained shelters round the full moons, and charged
the veils' darkness with guarding wide, dark-eyed, full-breasted women.
وَثَنَواand they folded عَلىover وَشيِthe brocade of الخُدودِthe cheeks صِيانَةًfor protection
وَثَنَوا عَلى وَشيِ الخُدودِ صِيانَةً
وَشيَthe brocade of البُرودِthe mantles بِمُسجَفٍin a curtained enclosure وَمُمَهَّدِand a cushioned one
وَشيَ البُرودِ بِمُسجَفٍ وَمُمَهَّدِ
And protectively they folded over the cheeks' brocade
the brocade of mantles, in curtained, cushioned quarters.
أَهلاًwelcome وَسَهلاًand ease بِالإِمامِto the Imam وَمَرحَباًand welcome
أَهلاً وَسَهلاً بِالإِمامِ وَمَرحَباً
سَهُلَتgrew smooth حُزونَةُthe roughness of كُلِّevery أَمرٍmatter قَردَدِrugged
سَهُلَت حُزونَةُ كُلِّ أَمرٍ قَردَدِ
A welcome, a glad welcome to the Imam!
The roughness of every rugged matter has grown smooth.
غَلَّpenetrated المَرَوراةَthe barren wilderness الصَحاصِحَthe open plains عَزمُهُhis resolve
غَلَّ المَرَوراةَ الصَحاصِحَ عَزمُهُ
بِالعيسِon pale camels إِنif قَصَدَتthey headed straight وَإِنand if لَمnot تَقصِدِthey headed straight
بِالعيسِ إِن قَصَدَت وَإِن لَم تَقصِدِ
His resolve penetrated the barren, open wastes
on pale camels, whether they kept their course or not.
مُتَجَرِّدٌstripped for action ثَبتُfirm المَواطِىءِof footing حَزمُهُhis resolve
مُتَجَرِّدٌ ثَبتُ المَواطِىءِ حَزمُهُ
مُتَجَرِّدٌstripped for action لِلحادِثِagainst calamity المُتَجَرِّدِstripped for battle
مُتَجَرِّدٌ لِلحادِثِ المُتَجَرِّدِ
Stripped for action, sure of foot—his resolve
is stripped to face calamity stripped for battle.
فَاِنتاشَso he rescued مِصرَEgypt مِنَfrom اللُتَيّاthe lesser calamity وَالَّتيand the greater
فَاِنتاشَ مِصرَ مِنَ اللُتَيّا وَالَّتي
بِتَجاوُزٍwith pardon وَتَعَطُّفٍand compassion وَتَغَمُّدِand forgiving indulgence
بِتَجاوُزٍ وَتَعَطُّفٍ وَتَغَمُّدِ
So he rescued Egypt from calamities small and great,
with pardon, compassion, and forgiving indulgence.
فيin دَولَةٍa reign لَحَظَglanced at الزَمانُTime شُعاعَهاits radiance
في دَولَةٍ لَحَظَ الزَمانُ شُعاعَها
فَاِرتَدَّso he recoiled مُنقَلِباًturning back بِعَينَيwith the two eyes of أَرمَدِone with inflamed eyes
فَاِرتَدَّ مُنقَلِباً بِعَينَي أَرمَدِ
In a reign whose radiance Time glanced upon,
then recoiled, turning back with inflamed eyes.
مَنwhoever كانَwas مَولِدُهُhis birth تَقَدَّمَoccurred earlier قَبلَهاbefore it
مَن كانَ مَولِدُهُ تَقَدَّمَ قَبلَها
أَوor بَعدَهاafter it فَكَأَنَّهُso it is as though he لَمnot يولَدِwas born
أَو بَعدَها فَكَأَنَّهُ لَم يولَدِ
Anyone whose birth came before it,
or after it, is as though he had never been born.
اللَهُGod يَشهَدُbears witness أَنَّthat هَديَكَyour conduct لِلرِضاworthy of approval
اللَهُ يَشهَدُ أَنَّ هَديَكَ لِلرِضا
فيناamong us وَيَلعَنُand He curses كُلَّeveryone مَنwho لَمnot يَشهَدِbears witness
فينا وَيَلعَنُ كُلَّ مَن لَم يَشهَدِ
God bears witness that your conduct earns His favor
among us, and curses all who do not bear witness.
أَوَلِيَّO guardian of أُمَّةِthe community of أَحمَدٍAhmad ماnot أَحمَدٌAhmad
أَوَلِيَّ أُمَّةِ أَحمَدٍ ما أَحمَدٌ
بِمُضيعِone to let go to waste ماwhat أَولَيتَyou bestowed upon أُمَّةَthe community of أَحمَدِAhmad
بِمُضيعِ ما أَولَيتَ أُمَّةَ أَحمَدِ
O guardian of Ahmad's community, Ahmad will not
let your gifts to Ahmad's community go to waste.
أَمّاas for الهُدىguidance فَقَدِindeed اِقتَدَحتَyou struck sparks بِزَندِهِwith its fire-stick
أَمّا الهُدى فَقَدِ اِقتَدَحتَ بِزَندِهِ
فيin العالَمينَthe worlds فَوَيلُso woe to مَنwhoever لَمnot يَهتَدِis guided
في العالَمينَ فَوَيلُ مَن لَم يَهتَدِ
As for guidance, you have struck sparks from its fire-stick
throughout the worlds; woe, then, to whoever is not guided!
نَحنُwe الفِداءُthe ransom مِنَfrom الرَدىdeath لِخَليفَةٍfor a caliph
نَحنُ الفِداءُ مِنَ الرَدى لِخَليفَةٍ
بِرِضاهُwith his favor مِنfrom سُخطِthe wrath of اللَياليthe nights نَفتَديwe ransom ourselves
بِرِضاهُ مِن سُخطِ اللَيالي نَفتَدي
We are the ransom from death for a caliph
with whose favor we ransom ourselves from the nights' wrath.
مَلِكٌa king إِذاwhen ماindeed ذيقَhe is tasted مُرُّbitter المُبتَليto the tester
مَلِكٌ إِذا ما ذيقَ مُرُّ المُبتَلي
عِندَamid الكَريهَةِadversity عَذبُsweet ماءِthe water of المَحتِدِancestral stock
عِندَ الكَريهَةِ عَذبُ ماءِ المَحتِدِ
A king who, when tasted, is bitter to the tester,
in adversity, yet sweet in the water of his lineage.
هَدَمَتdemolished مَساعيهِhis endeavors المَساعيother endeavors وَاِبتَنَتand built
هَدَمَت مَساعيهِ المَساعي وَاِبتَنَت
خِطَطَthe precincts of المَكارِمِnoble deeds فيin عِراضِthe reaches of الفَرقَدِal-Farqad
خِطَطَ المَكارِمِ في عِراضِ الفَرقَدِ
His endeavors demolished all other endeavors and built
the precincts of noble deeds in the reaches of al-Farqad.
سَبَقَتoutpaced خُطاthe footsteps of الأَيّامُthe days عُمرَيّاتُهاtheir Umar-like deeds
سَبَقَت خُطا الأَيّامُ عُمرَيّاتُها
وَمَضَتand passed on فَصارَتso became مُسنَداًa chronicle لِلمُسنَدِfor the Musnad
وَمَضَت فَصارَت مُسنَداً لِلمُسنَدِ
Their Umar-like deeds outpaced the footsteps of the days,
and passed on, becoming a chronicle for the Musnad.
مازالَhe continued يَمتَحِنُto test العُلىeminence وَيَروضُهاand tame it
مازالَ يَمتَحِنُ العُلى وَيَروضُها
حَتّىuntil اِتَّقَتهُit warded him off بِكيمِياءِwith the alchemy of السُؤدُدِlordship
حَتّى اِتَّقَتهُ بِكيمِياءِ السُؤدُدِ
He kept putting eminence to the test and taming it,
until it warded him off with the alchemy of lordship.
وَكَأَنَّماand as though ظَفِرَتcaptured يَداهُhis two hands بِالمُنىwishes
وَكَأَنَّما ظَفِرَت يَداهُ بِالمُنى
أَسراًas captives إِذاwhen طَفِرَتleapt يَداهُhis two hands بِمُجتَديtoward a petitioner
أَسراً إِذا طَفِرَت يَداهُ بِمُجتَدي
It is as though his hands had captured wishes
as prisoners, whenever his hands leapt toward a petitioner.
سَخِطَتgrew angry لَهاهُhis gifts عَلىat جَداهُhis bounty سَخطَةًwith such anger
سَخِطَت لَهاهُ عَلى جَداهُ سَخطَةً
فَاِستَرفَدَتso they sought aid from أَقصىthe utmost رِضاcontentment of المُستَرفِدِthe seeker of gifts
فَاِستَرفَدَت أَقصى رِضا المُستَرفِدِ
His gifts raged against his bounty with such anger
that they enlisted the petitioner's utmost contentment.
صَدَمَتstruck مَواهِبُهُhis gifts النَوائِبَcalamities صَدمَةًa blow
صَدَمَت مَواهِبُهُ النَوائِبَ صَدمَةً
شَغَبَتstirred strife عَلىagainst شَغَبِthe strife of الزَمانِTime الأَنكَدِill-starred
شَغَبَت عَلى شَغَبِ الزَمانِ الأَنكَدِ
His gifts struck calamities such a blow
that they set strife against the strife of ill-starred Time.
وَطِئَتand trod حُزونَthe rough places of الأَرضِthe earth حَتّىuntil خِلتَهاyou thought them
وَطِئَت حُزونَ الأَرضِ حَتّى خِلتَها
فَجَرَتopened عُيوناًsprings فيin مُتونِthe backs of الجَلمَدِsolid rock
فَجَرَت عُيوناً في مُتونِ الجَلمَدِ
They trod earth's rugged places till you would think they
had opened springs in the backs of solid rock.
وَأَرىand I see الأُمورَmatters المُشكِلاتِperplexing تَمَزَّقَتwere torn apart
وَأَرى الأُمورَ المُشكِلاتِ تَمَزَّقَت
ظُلُماتُهاtheir darkness عَنaway from رَأيِكَyour judgment المُتَوَقِّدِblazing
ظُلُماتُها عَن رَأيِكَ المُتَوَقِّدِ
And I see perplexing matters: torn apart
is their darkness, revealing your blazing judgment—
عَنfrom مِثلِthe likeness of نَصلِthe blade of السَيفِthe sword إِلّاexcept أَنَّهُthat it
عَن مِثلِ نَصلِ السَيفِ إِلّا أَنَّهُ
مُذsince سُلَّit was drawn أَوَّلَthe first سَلَّةٍdrawing لَمnot يُغمَدِwas sheathed
مُذ سُلَّ أَوَّلَ سَلَّةٍ لَم يُغمَدِ
something like a sword's blade, except that it
has never been sheathed since it was first drawn.
فَبَسَطتَso you spread out أَزهَرَهاtheir brightest بِوَجهٍwith a face أَزهَرٍradiant
فَبَسَطتَ أَزهَرَها بِوَجهٍ أَزهَرٍ
وَقَبَضتَand restrained أَربَدَهاtheir darkest بِوَجهٍwith a face أَربَدِdarkened
وَقَبَضتَ أَربَدَها بِوَجهٍ أَربَدِ
So you unfolded their brightest with a radiant face,
and restrained their darkest with a darkened face.
مازِلتَyou continued تَرغَبُto aspire فيto العُلىeminence حَتّىuntil بَدَتappeared
مازِلتَ تَرغَبُ في العُلى حَتّى بَدَت
لِلراغِبينَamong aspirants زَهادَةٌdisdain فيfor العَسجَدِgold
لِلراغِبينَ زَهادَةٌ في العَسجَدِ
You kept aspiring to eminence until there appeared
among aspirants a disdain for gold.
لَوif يَعلَمُknew العافونَthose seeking gifts كَمhow much لَكَyou have فيin النَدىgenerosity
لَو يَعلَمُ العافونَ كَم لَكَ في النَدى
مِنof لَذَّةٍpleasure وَقَريحَةٍand natural impulse لَمnot تُحمَدِyou would be praised
مِن لَذَّةٍ وَقَريحَةٍ لَم تُحمَدِ
If petitioners knew how much there is for you in giving
of pleasure and natural impulse, you would receive no praise.
وَكَأَنَّماand as though نافَستَyou competed with قَدرَكَyour worth حَظَّهُfor its share
وَكَأَنَّما نافَستَ قَدرَكَ حَظَّهُ
وَحَسَدتَand envied نَفسَكَyourself حينَwhen أَنthat لَمnot تُحسَدِyou were envied
وَحَسَدتَ نَفسَكَ حينَ أَن لَم تُحسَدِ
It is as though you rivaled your own worth for its share,
and envied yourself when you were not envied.
فَإِذاso whenever بَنَيتَyou built بِجودِwith the bounty of يَومِكَyour day مَفخَراًa monument of glory
فَإِذا بَنَيتَ بِجودِ يَومِكَ مَفخَراً
عَصَفَتraged بِهِagainst it أَرواحُthe winds of جودِكَyour bounty فيin غَدِtomorrow
عَصَفَت بِهِ أَرواحُ جودِكَ في غَدِ
Whenever you build a monument of glory with today's bounty,
the winds of your bounty tomorrow sweep it away.
وَبَلَغتَand you reached مَجهودَthe utmost effort of الخَلائِقِmankind آخِذاًproceeding
وَبَلَغتَ مَجهودَ الخَلائِقِ آخِذاً
فيهاtherein بِشَأوِat the pace of خَلائِقٍvirtues لَمnot تُجهَدِwere strained
فيها بِشَأوِ خَلائِقٍ لَم تُجهَدِ
You reached the limit of mankind's exertions, proceeding
there at the pace of virtues never strained.
فَلَوَيتَso you turned بِالمَوعودِwith what was promised أَعناقَthe necks of الوَرىhumankind
فَلَوَيتَ بِالمَوعودِ أَعناقَ الوَرى
وَحَطَمتَand shattered بِالإِنجازِwith fulfillment ظَهرَthe back of المَوعِدِpromise
وَحَطَمتَ بِالإِنجازِ ظَهرَ المَوعِدِ
So with your promises you turned the necks of all mankind,
and with fulfillment shattered the back of promise.
خابَfailed اِمرُؤٌa man نَحِسَproved ill-starred الزَمانُTime بِسَعيِهِfor his endeavor
خابَ اِمرُؤٌ نَحِسَ الزَمانُ بِسَعيِهِ
فَأَقامَso he stayed عَنكَaway from you وَأَنتَthough you are سَعدُthe good fortune of الأَسعَدِthe most fortunate
فَأَقامَ عَنكَ وَأَنتَ سَعدُ الأَسعَدِ
Lost is the man for whose efforts Time proved ill-starred,
so he stayed away from you, though you are the fortune of the most fortunate.
ذاكَthat is الَّذيthe one whose قَرِحَتgrew sore بُطونُthe inner surfaces of جُفونِهِhis eyelids
ذاكَ الَّذي قَرِحَت بُطونُ جُفونِهِ
مَرَهاًfor lack of kohl وَتُربَةُthough the soil of أَرضِهِhis land مِنof إِثمِدِantimony kohl
مَرَهاً وَتُربَةُ أَرضِهِ مِن إِثمِدِ
He is the one whose inner eyelids grew sore
for want of kohl, though his own soil is antimony.
هَذاthis أَمينَO trustee of اللَهِGod آخِرُthe last مَصدَرٍdeparture from water
هَذا أَمينَ اللَهِ آخِرُ مَصدَرٍ
شَجِيَgrieved الظَماءُthirst بِهِover it وَأَوَّلُand the first مَورِدِwatering place
شَجِيَ الظَماءُ بِهِ وَأَوَّلُ مَورِدِ
This, O God's trustee, is the last departure from water
over which thirst grieved, and the first watering place.
وَوَسيلَتيand my means of approach فيهاin it إِلَيكَto you طَريفَةٌa marvel
وَوَسيلَتي فيها إِلَيكَ طَريفَةٌ
شامٍa Syrian يَدينُprofesses as his faith بِحُبِّlove for آلِthe family of مُحَمَّدِMuhammad
شامٍ يَدينُ بِحُبِّ آلِ مُحَمَّدِ
My means of approach to you in this is a marvel:
a Syrian who makes a creed of loving Muhammad's house.
نيطَتwere hung قَلائِدُthe necklaces of عَزمِهِhis resolve بِمُحَبِّرٍupon a craftsman of verse
نيطَت قَلائِدُ عَزمِهِ بِمُحَبِّرٍ
مُتَكَوِّفٍKufan in manner مُتَدَمشِقٍDamascene in manner مُتَبَغدِدِBaghdadi in manner
مُتَكَوِّفٍ مُتَدَمشِقٍ مُتَبَغدِدِ
The necklaces of his resolve were hung upon a craftsman of verse,
Kufan, Damascene, and Baghdadi in his ways.
حَتّىuntil لَقَدindeed ظَنَّthought الغُواةُthe misguided وَباطِلٌand that is false
حَتّى لَقَد ظَنَّ الغُواةُ وَباطِلٌ
أَنthat قَدindeed تَجَسّمَbecame embodied فِيَّin me روحُthe spirit of السَيِّدِal-Sayyid
أَن قَد تَجَسّمَ فِيَّ روحُ السَيِّدِ
until the misguided indeed imagined—and falsely—
that al-Sayyid's spirit had taken bodily form in me.
وَمُزَحزَحاتيand what drives me away عَنfrom ذَراكِyour shelter عَوائِقٌobstacles
وَمُزَحزَحاتي عَن ذَراكِ عَوائِقٌ
أَصحَرنَthey brought into the open بيme لِلعَنقَفيرِbefore a calamity المُؤيِدِmighty
أَصحَرنَ بي لِلعَنقَفيرِ المُؤيِدِ
Obstacles have driven me away from your shelter,
exposing me in the open to a mighty calamity.
وَمَتىand whenever يُخَيِّمencamps فيat اللِقاءِthe meeting عَناؤُهاtheir hardship
وَمَتى يُخَيِّم في اللِقاءِ عَناؤُها
فَعَناؤُهاthen their hardship يَطويfolds up المَراحِلَthe journey's stages فيin اليَدِthe hand
فَعَناؤُها يَطوي المَراحِلَ في اليَدِ
And whenever their hardship encamps at the meeting,
that hardship folds the journey's stages into the hand.
Translation model: Sol 6.1