ماذاwhat يَهيجكstirs you مِنfrom صِباكyour youth الأَقدمearliest
ماذا يَهيجك مِن صِباك الأَقدم
أَمor ماwhat دَعاكَcalled you إِلىto سُؤالquestioning الأَرسَمِthe ruins
أَم ما دَعاكَ إِلى سُؤال الأَرسَمِ
What of your earliest youth stirs you?
What stirs you from your ancient youth?
Or what has called you to question the ruins?
Or what led you to ask about the traces?
قَفَراًdesolate تَلوحappear بِذيat Dhu الأَراكal-Arak
قَفَراً تَلوح بِذي الأَراك
آثارtraces وَحيwriting فيon العَسيبthe palm stalk مُنَمنمfinely ornamented
آثار وَحي في العَسيب مُنَمنم
Desolate, they appear at Dhu al-Arak,
It appears with Dhi Al-Arak
Traces of finely worked writing upon a palm stalk.
Signs and inspiration in the desolate valley whispering
لَعِبَتplayed بِهاupon them هَوجthe wild gusts of الرِياحthe winds فَأَصبَحَتso they became
لَعِبَت بِها هَوج الرِياح فَأَصبَحَت
تَبدوappear مَعالِمُهاtheir outlines كَلَونlike the coloring of الأَرقمthe speckled snake
تَبدو مَعالِمُها كَلَون الأَرقم
The wild winds played upon them, until
The violent winds have played with it, so it has become
Their outlines resembled the coloring of a speckled snake.
Its features seem like the color of parchment
دارa dwelling لِسَلمىbelonging to Salma إِذاwhen سليمىSulayma غَرةguileless
دار لِسَلمى إِذا سليمى غَرة
مَهضومةslender الكَشحينthe two flanks رَياfull المعصمthe wrist
مَهضومة الكَشحين رَيا المعصم
Salma's dwelling, when Sulayma was a guileless girl,
The abode of Salma, when the beautiful Salma
Slender in both flanks, full at the wrist.
Her wrists as delicate as the joint of the forearm
تُبديshe reveals وَتَضحكand she laughs عَنrevealing شَنيبsweet, fresh teeth باردcool
تُبدي وَتَضحك عَن شَنيب بارد
كَالأُقحوانlike chrysanthemums مِنfrom الرَشاشthe spray المُنهمpouring down
كَالأُقحوان مِن الرَشاش المُنهم
She reveals in laughter cool, sweet teeth,
It reveals and smiles with cool affection
Like chrysanthemums amid the pouring spray.
Like partridge’s eggs from a pouring raincloud
سَمعتshe heard بِناabout us قَولthe words of الوُشاةthe slanderers فَأَصبَحَتso she came to
سَمعت بِنا قَول الوُشاة فَأَصبَحَت
جَزمتshe severed حِبالكyour bonds فيamong الخَليطthe company المُتهمbound for Tihama
جَزمت حِبالك في الخَليط المُتهم
She heard the slanderers' talk about us, and then
We heard the evil speakers’ words about us, so it became
Cut your bonds among the company bound for Tihama.
Your ropes were tied in the accused mixture
فَظَللتso you remained مِنfrom فَرطthe excess of الهَوىlove مُتَذَلِلاًhumbled
فَظَللت مِن فَرط الهَوى مُتَذَلِلاً
طَرَباًin restless longing فُؤادكyour heart مثلlike فعلthe action of الأَبهَمِone unable to speak
طَرَباً فُؤادك مثل فعل الأَبهَمِ
So, from love's excess, you remained humbled,
So I remained humbled by intense passion
Restless with longing, your heart acting like one struck dumb.
Your heart fluttered like the movement of a thumb
فَدَعso leave الدِيارthe dwellings وَذكرand remembrance of كُلevery خَريدةsecluded maiden
فَدَع الدِيار وَذكر كُل خَريدة
وَأَقرand settle الهُمومthe cares فَريقa company (unclear here) أَدهَمa black steed ملجمbridled
وَأَقر الهُموم فَريق أَدهَم ملجم
Leave, then, the dwellings and the memory of every secluded maiden,
Leave the homes and mention every ruin
And settle your cares: a company, a bridled black steed [wording unclear],
And soothe the worries, a group of sorrowful, branded men
عَبلstout الشَوىthe limbs سَلسdocile القِيادthe reins مُخببset trotting
عَبل الشَوى سَلس القِياد مُخبب
نهدpowerfully built السَليلthe scion إِلىtoward أَشَمّa proud, lofty man غتمشمformidable
نهد السَليل إِلى أَشَمّ غتمشم
Stout of limb, docile to the rein, set trotting,
With loosened passion, smooth leadership
A powerful scion, bound for a proud, formidable man.
Soft chested, to the darkest gloom
تَلقَyou will find النَجاحsuccess لَدىwith امرءa man ذيpossessing مَرةfirm resolve
تَلقَ النَجاح لَدى امرء ذي مَرة
غمرgenerous الطَبيعةin nature ماجدnoble مُتكرمopenhanded
غمر الطَبيعة ماجد مُتكرم
You will find success with a man of firm resolve,
You found success with a man of nobility
Generous by nature, noble and openhanded,
Nature immersed in glorious majesty
حُلوsweet الشَمائلin character مِنfrom ذُؤابةthe foremost ranks of هاشمHashim
حُلو الشَمائل مِن ذُؤابة هاشم
عفscrupulous مَطاعمهُhis sustenance كَثيرabundant in المغنمgain
عف مَطاعمهُ كَثير المغنم
Sweet in character, from Hashim's foremost ranks,
Of sweet temperament, from the Hashimite clan
Upright in his sustenance, abundant in gains.
His feasts abundant with plenty of spoils
مِنamong هينthe easygoing سَمحgenerous النَقيبةin disposition لينgentle
مِن هين سَمح النَقيبة لين
جَمّabundant in الفضائلvirtues ذيpossessing نَوافلbounties فَدَعمstalwart
جَمّ الفضائل ذي نَوافل فَدَعم
One of the easygoing, generous in spirit, gentle,
With easy, gentle dignity
Rich in virtues, possessed of bounties, stalwart.
Perfect virtues, strong and steadfast
يَسموhe rises إِلىto حَسَبancestral honor أَغَرّradiant وَعَزةand might
يَسمو إِلى حَسَب أَغَرّ وَعَزة
قَعساءunassailable تَرفعَهاexalt it مَآثرnoble deeds تَنتَميrise
قَعساء تَرفعَها مَآثر تَنتَمي
He rises to radiant ancestral honor and a might
It aspires to the most noble and proud lineage
Unassailable, exalted by noble deeds that rise ever higher.
Heights raised by glorious achievements
غَيثٌlife-giving rain مُريعbringing abundance لِلعُفاةfor seekers of gifts نَوالَهُhis bounty
غَيثٌ مُريع لِلعُفاة نَوالَهُ
يَغشىhe attends to المَطالبrequests كَالخَصمّlike an adversary (unclear here) المُنعمthe beneficent one
يَغشى المَطالب كَالخَصمّ المُنعم
Life-giving rain, whose bounty enriches those seeking gifts,
A pouring rain for the destitute, his gifts
He meets requests like a beneficent adversary [wording unclear].
Cover requests like a generous adversary
فاقَhe surpassed البَريةcreation نَجدةin valor وَسَماحةand generosity
فاقَ البَرية نَجدة وَسَماحة
حُلوsweet عَلىdespite العلاتimperfections غَيرnot مُذممblamed
حُلو عَلى العلات غَير مُذمم
He surpasses creation in valor and generosity,
He exceeded the land in help and generosity
Sweet despite all imperfections, without reproach.
Sweet to the weak, causing no pain
كَالبَدرlike the full moon تَسريjourney by night المُدلَجونthe night travelers بِنورهby his light
كَالبَدر تَسري المُدلَجون بِنوره
باغرّby a radiant one مُقتبلin the fresh bloom of الوَسامةhandsomeness معلمdistinguished
باغرّ مُقتبل الوَسامة معلم
Like the full moon, night travelers journey by his light,
The moonlit travel by his light
By a radiant one, in beauty's bloom, distinguished.
Smiling, facing glory, a guiding minaret
وَالخَيرand goodness فَيضthe outpouring of اللَهِGod أَنكَthat you are منهلa watering place
وَالخَير فَيض اللَهِ أَنكَ منهل
لِلمُجهدينfor the hard-pressed وَلِلوَقيرand for the keeper of sheep المعدمdestitute
لِلمُجهدين وَلِلوَقير المعدم
And goodness is God's outpouring: you are a watering place
And good is an outpouring of God, that you are its spring
For the hard-pressed and the destitute keeper of sheep.
For the struggling and the frail destitute
أَنتَyou المُهذَّبthe refined one وَالمُهَذَّبand the refined one ذوpossessing النَدىgenerosity
أَنتَ المُهذَّب وَالمُهَذَّب ذو النَدى
وَأَخوand the brother of الكَريمthe noble man إِلىto المَكارمnoble deeds يَنتُميbelongs
وَأَخو الكَريم إِلى المَكارم يَنتُمي
You are refined, and the refined man possesses generosity;
You are the refined and the refiner of dew
And the noble man's brother belongs to noble deeds.
The brother of the generous, inclining towards nobility
فيin الزُهدasceticism أَحمَدAhmad وَالنَباهةand distinction مالكMalik
في الزُهد أَحمَد وَالنَباهة مالك
وَأَبوand Abu حَنيفةHanifa وَالأَغَرّand the radiant one الهاشِميthe Hashimite
وَأَبو حَنيفة وَالأَغَرّ الهاشِمي
In asceticism, Ahmad; in distinction, Malik,
In asceticism Ahmad, and in intelligence Malik
And Abu Hanifa, and the radiant Hashimite.
Abu Hanifa and the most noble Hashimi
قَدhas أَقبَلَتit approached تَفتَرّit smiles عَنrevealing حَببbubbles الثَناof praise
قَد أَقبَلَت تَفتَرّ عَن حَبب الثَنا
تَزريit puts to shame بِماwith what تُبديهِit displays وَقعthe fall of الأَنجُمِthe stars
تَزري بِما تُبديهِ وَقع الأَنجُمِ
It has come, smiling to reveal bubbles of praise,
It has come to relax from the beloved praise
What it displays puts the fall of stars to shame.
Adorned with the impact of the stars
لاno غُروwonder مِنfrom أُفقa horizon تَشعشَعshone نورَهُits light
لا غُرو مِن أُفق تَشعشَع نورَهُ
بِأَشعةwith rays of الإِيمانfaith ماضيpiercing الأَسهُمthe arrows
بِأَشعة الإِيمان ماضي الأَسهُم
No wonder, from a horizon whose light shines
No doubt from a horizon shining in its light
With rays of faith, its arrows piercing.
With rays of faith, surpassing arrows
لازالَmay he always remain مَحفوظprotected الجَنابthe precinct بِلُطفby the kindness of مَنthe One who
لازالَ مَحفوظ الجَناب بِلُطف مَن
أَهداهُgifted him مِنof فَضلexcellence وَفَرطand exceptional degree of تَقَدمeminence
أَهداهُ مِن فَضل وَفَرط تَقَدم
May his precincts remain protected by the kindness of Him
Still protected by the grace of He who
Who gifted him excellence and surpassing eminence,
Gifted him overflowing virtue and advancement
ماas long as تَمَis fulfilled مَقصودan aim بِحُسنthrough excellence of تَخلصpoetic transition
ما تَمَ مَقصود بِحُسن تَخلص
فَقَضَتso decreed مَحاسِنُهُits beauties بِخَتمa conclusion مُحكَمwell-wrought
فَقَضَت مَحاسِنُهُ بِخَتم مُحكَم
As long as an aim is fulfilled through a graceful transition,
No purpose was fulfilled with sincere devotion
And so its beauties decree a well-wrought close.
So his virtues fulfilled with a sealed decree