أُناشِدُI implore دَهْريmy fate أنto يَعودَreturn كماas بَداit began
أُناشِدُ دَهْري أن يَعودَ كما بَدا
فَقدfor indeed غارَit descended to the lowlands بيwith me فيamid الحادثاتِcalamities وأنجدَاand climbed the uplands
فَقد غارَ بي في الحادثاتِ وأنجدَا
I implore my fate to return as it began,
For amid calamities it has borne me through lowlands and uplands.
توعَّدَنيit threatened me منfrom بَعْدِafter ماthat وَعَدَit promised الغِنىwealth
توعَّدَني من بَعْدِ ما وَعَدَ الغِنى
فأنجزَso it fulfilled إبعاداًbanishment وأخلَفَand broke مَوعِداa promise
فأنجزَ إبعاداً وأخلَفَ مَوعِدا
It threatened me after promising wealth;
It delivered banishment, yet broke its promise.
وكنتُand I used to أرىsee الأيامَthe days ظِلاًshade مُمَدَّداًoutspread
وكنتُ أرى الأيامَ ظِلاً مُمَدَّداً
ومُهْتَصَراًand a plucked bough غَضّاًtender وعَيشاًand a life مُمَهَّداmade easy
ومُهْتَصَراً غَضّاً وعَيشاً مُمَهَّدا
I used to see the days as outspread shade,
And a tender plucked bough, and a life made smooth.
فَصِرْنَthen they became لرَيْبِfor the vicissitudes of الدَّهْرِfate سَهْماًan arrow مُسَدَّداًwell aimed
فَصِرْنَ لرَيْبِ الدَّهْرِ سَهْماً مُسَدَّداً
وأسمرَand a tawny spear خَطّيّاًfrom al-Khatt وعَضْباًand a keen sword مُجَرَّداunsheathed
وأسمرَ خَطّيّاً وعَضْباً مُجَرَّدا
But they became, for fate's vicissitudes, a well-aimed arrow,
And a tawny spear of al-Khatt, and a keen sword unsheathed.
سَقاهاmay it water them وماthough not السُّقْياthe watering بكفِّin the hand of صَنيعِهاone they nurtured
سَقاها وما السُّقْيا بكفِّ صَنيعِها
خَليعِdivested of الحَياmodesty إنwhenever جَرَّit trails بُرْدَيْهِits two cloaks غَرَّداit sings
خَليعِ الحَيا إن جَرَّ بُرْدَيْهِ غَرَّدا
May they be watered—though their beneficiary cannot command the rain—
By a shameless cloud that sings whenever it trails its two cloaks.
فزارَand it visited منfrom الدَّيْرَيْنِthe Two Monasteries إلْفاًa loved one ومَألَفاًand a familiar haunt
فزارَ من الدَّيْرَيْنِ إلْفاً ومَألَفاً
وجادَand rained generously علىupon النَّهرينthe Two Rivers عَهْداًa remembered time ومَعْهَداand a familiar abode
وجادَ على النَّهرين عَهْداً ومَعْهَدا
It visited a loved one and a familiar haunt at the Two Monasteries,
And rained on old memories and a dwelling by the Two Rivers.
مَراقدُresting places منfrom بُسْطِthe carpets of الرِّياضِthe gardens إذاif اكتفىhe makes do
مَراقدُ من بُسْطِ الرِّياضِ إذا اكتفى
بِهنَّwith them صريعُone felled by الرَّاحِwine لمdid not يَنْبُfind uncomfortable مَرْقَداa bed
بِهنَّ صريعُ الرَّاحِ لم يَنْبُ مَرْقَدا
Beds upon the gardens' carpets: if he makes do
With them, the man felled by wine finds no bed wanting.
وليلٍand many a night كأنَّas though التُّرْبَthe soil تحتَbeneath رِواقِهits canopy
وليلٍ كأنَّ التُّرْبَ تحتَ رِواقِه
مُنَدّىًmoistened بماءِwith the water of الوَردِroses ماnot باشرَhad touched النَّدىthe dew
مُنَدّىً بماءِ الوَردِ ما باشرَ النَّدى
And many a night, beneath whose canopy the soil seemed
Moistened with rosewater, untouched by dew.
تُعانِقُناembrace us فيهin it الرِّياحُthe breezes مَريضةًailing
تُعانِقُنا فيه الرِّياحُ مَريضةً
كأَنَّاas though we لَقِيناهاhad met them معat الصُّبحِdawn عُوَّداvisitors to the sick
كأَنَّا لَقِيناها مع الصُّبحِ عُوَّدا
Within it, the breezes embraced us, ailing,
As though at dawn we had met them as visitors to the sick.
أرَتْناshowed us اللَّياليthe nights قَصْدَهاtheir fairness دونَrather than جَوْرِهاtheir injustice
أرَتْنا اللَّيالي قَصْدَها دونَ جَوْرِها
وشأنُand the way of اللّياليthe nights أنto تجورَoppress وتَقْصِداand act fairly
وشأنُ اللّيالي أن تجورَ وتَقْصِدا
The nights showed us their fairness rather than their injustice,
Though the nights' way is both to oppress and to deal fairly.
ومنand among عَجَبٍwonders أنَّthat الغَبِيِّينِthe two fools أبرَقاflashed lightning
ومن عَجَبٍ أنَّ الغَبِيِّينِ أبرَقا
مُغِيرَيْنِraiding فيthrough أقطارِthe regions of شِعْريmy poetry وأرعَداand thundered
مُغِيرَيْنِ في أقطارِ شِعْري وأرعَدا
And strange it is that those two fools flashed lightning,
Raiding the reaches of my poetry, and thundered.
فَقَدfor indeed نَقلاهthe two transferred it عنfrom بياضِthe whiteness of مَناسبيmy ancestry
فَقَد نَقلاه عن بياضِ مَناسبي
إلىto نَسَبِa lineage فيamong الخالديَّةِthe Khalidis أسودَاblack
إلى نَسَبِ في الخالديَّةِ أسودَا
For they transferred it from the whiteness of my ancestry
To a black lineage among the Khalidis.
وإنَّand indeed عَلِيّاًAli بائعَthe seller of الملحِsalt بالنَّوىfor date stones
وإنَّ عَلِيّاً بائعَ الملحِ بالنَّوى
تجرَّدَreadied himself ليagainst me بالسَّبِّwith insults فيمَنamong those who تجرَّداreadied themselves
تجرَّدَ لي بالسَّبِّ فيمَن تجرَّدا
And Ali, the seller of salt for date stones,
Readied himself to revile me among those who did so.
وعنديand I have لهfor him لوif كانhe were كُفءَa match for قوارضيmy biting verses
وعندي له لو كان كُفءَ قوارضي
قوارضُbiting verses يَنُثْرنَthey scatter الدِّلاصَgleaming mail المُسَرَّداclosely linked
قوارضُ يَنُثْرنَ الدِّلاصَ المُسَرَّدا
I have for him—were he a match for my biting verses—
Biting verses that scatter closely linked, gleaming mail.
ومغموسةٌand steeped فيin الشَّرْيِbitter colocynth والأَرْيِand honey هذهthese
ومغموسةٌ في الشَّرْيِ والأَرْيِ هذه
ليَرْدَىso that ... may perish بهاby them باغٍan aggressor وتلكَand those لتُرتدَىto be worn
ليَرْدَى بها باغٍ وتلكَ لتُرتدَى
And verses steeped in bitter colocynth and honey: these
To destroy an aggressor, and those to be worn as robes.
إذاif رامَseeks عِلْجُthe lout of الخالديَّةِthe Khalidis نيلَهاattainment of them
إذا رامَ عِلْجُ الخالديَّةِ نيلَها
أخذْنَthey grasp بأعنانِat the reaches of النُّجومِthe stars وأخلَداwhile he stays earthbound
أخذْنَ بأعنانِ النُّجومِ وأخلَدا
If the Khalidis' lout seeks to attain them,
They grasp the reaches of the stars, while he stays earthbound.
لكَto you الويلُwoe إنif أطلقْتُI unleash بيضَthe gleaming ones of سيوفَهاtheir swords
لكَ الويلُ إن أطلقْتُ بيضَ سيوفَها
وأطلقْتُهاand I unleash them خُزْرَnarrowed النَّواظرِin gaze شُرَّداroaming wild
وأطلقْتُها خُزْرَ النَّواظرِ شُرَّدا
Woe to you if I unleash their gleaming swords,
And unleash them, eyes narrowed, roaming wild.
ولستَand you are not لجِدِّfor serious القَوْلِspeech أهلاًworthy فإنماfor only
ولستَ لجِدِّ القَوْلِ أهلاً فإنما
أُطيرُI send flying سِهامَthe arrows of الهَزْلِjest مثنىًin pairs ومَوْحِداand singly
أُطيرُ سِهامَ الهَزْلِ مثنىً ومَوْحِدا
You are unworthy of serious speech; I only
Send jest's arrows flying, in pairs and singly.
نَصَبْتَyou raised لِفتيانِfor the young men of البَطالَةِidleness قُبَّةًa pavilion
نَصَبْتَ لِفتيانِ البَطالَةِ قُبَّةً
ليَدخُلَهاso they may enter it الفِتيانُthe young men كَهْلاًmiddle-aged وأمرَداand beardless
ليَدخُلَها الفِتيانُ كَهْلاً وأمرَدا
You raised a pavilion for the gallants of idleness,
For the fellows to enter, middle-aged and beardless alike.
وكانand was طريقُthe path of القَصْفِrevelry وعراًrough عليهِمُfor them
وكان طريقُ القَصْفِ وعراً عليهِمُ
فسهَّلْتَهso you smoothed it حتىuntil رَأَوهthey saw it مُعبَّداpaved
فسهَّلْتَه حتى رَأَوه مُعبَّدا
The path to revelry had been rough for them,
But you smoothed it until they saw it paved.
وكمand many a لِذَّةٍpleasure لاno منَّreproachful reminders فيهاin it ولاand no أذىًharm
وكم لِذَّةٍ لا منَّ فيها ولا أذىً
هَدَيْتَyou guided لهاto it خِدْنَthe companion of الضَّلالةِerror فَاهْتَدَىand he found the way
هَدَيْتَ لها خِدْنَ الضَّلالةِ فَاهْتَدَى
And many a pleasure, free of reproach or harm,
You guided error's companion to, and he found his way.
قصدتَهمُyou dealt fairly with them وزناًby weight فساوَيْتَand made equal بينَهُمamong them
قصدتَهمُ وزناً فساوَيْتَ بينَهُم
ولمand did not تأخذِtake up السَّيفَthe sword الشَّديدَmighty لتَقْصِداto strike dead
ولم تأخذِ السَّيفَ الشَّديدَ لتَقْصِدا
You dealt fairly with them by weight, making them equal,
And took up no mighty sword to strike them down.
وجئتهمُand you came to them قبلَbefore ارتدادِthe return of جُفونِهمtheir eyelids
وجئتهمُ قبلَ ارتدادِ جُفونِهم
بمائدةwith a table تُكسَىcovered with الشَّرائحَmeat slices والمِدَىand knives
بمائدة تُكسَى الشَّرائحَ والمِدَى
You came to them before their eyelids could blink,
With a table covered in meat slices and knives.
ومبيضَّةٍand a whitened dish مماfrom what قراهhe served as hospitality محمدٌMuhammad
ومبيضَّةٍ مما قراه محمدٌ
أبوكyour father لكيso that تَبيضَّyou might become white عِرْضاًin honor ومَحتِداand ancestry
أبوك لكي تَبيضَّ عِرْضاً ومَحتِدا
And a whitened dish from the fare Muhammad served—
Your father—to whiten your honor and ancestry.
نَثَرْتَyou scattered عليهاover it البَقْلَgreens غَضّاًfresh كأنماas though
نَثَرْتَ عليها البَقْلَ غَضّاً كأنما
نَثَرْتَyou scattered علىupon حُرِّpure اللُّجَيْنِsilver الزَّبَرْجَداchrysolite
نَثَرْتَ على حُرِّ اللُّجَيْنِ الزَّبَرْجَدا
You scattered fresh greens over it, as though
You scattered chrysolite upon pure silver.
ومصبوغَةٍand one dyed بالزَّعفرانِwith saffron عريضةٍbroad
ومصبوغَةٍ بالزَّعفرانِ عريضةٍ
كأنَّas though علىupon أَعْضائِهاits limbs منهfrom it مِجْسَداa saffron-dyed robe
كأنَّ على أَعْضائِها منه مِجْسَدا
And a broad fish, saffron-dyed,
As though its limbs wore a robe of that dye.
تَرَقَّبَهاwatched for it الصَّيَّادُthe fisherman يَوْماًone day فقادَهاthen led it
تَرَقَّبَها الصَّيَّادُ يَوْماً فقادَها
كماas قُدْتَyou led بالرِّفقِgently الجَوادَthe steed المُقيَّداtethered
كما قُدْتَ بالرِّفقِ الجَوادَ المُقيَّدا
A fisherman watched for it one day, then led it,
As you gently led a tethered steed.
ولمand did not يَدْرِknow إذwhen أنجىhe brought rescue لهاto it بِردائِهwith his cloak
ولم يَدْرِ إذ أنجى لها بِردائِه
أكانَwas it رِدَاًa cloak ماwhat ارتدَّcame back منهfrom it أمor رَدىdeath
أكانَ رِدَاً ما ارتدَّ منه أم رَدى
He did not know, when he saved it with his cloak,
Whether what came back from it was a cloak or death.
تُريكit shows you وقدwhile already عُلَّتwas drenched بياضاًin whiteness بصُفرَةٍwith yellow
تُريك وقد عُلَّت بياضاً بصُفرَةٍ
مِثالاًa figure منof الكافورِcamphor أُلبِسَwas clothed in عَسْجَداgold
مِثالاً من الكافورِ أُلبِسَ عَسْجَدا
It shows you, its whiteness drenched in yellow,
A figure of camphor clothed in gold.
يَحُفُّsurround بهاit منهمamong them كهولٌolder men وفتيةٌand youths
يَحُفُّ بها منهم كهولٌ وفتيةٌ
كأنهمُas though they عِقْدٌa necklace يَحُفُّsurrounds مُقلَّداits wearer
كأنهمُ عِقْدٌ يَحُفُّ مُقلَّدا
Around it crowd older men and youths from among them,
As though they were a necklace encircling its wearer.
فلاso neither نَظَرُthe glance of الدَّاعيthe host إلىat الزَّادِthe food كَفَّهمrestrained them
فلا نَظَرُ الدَّاعي إلى الزَّادِ كَفَّهم
ولاnor خَجَلةُthe shyness of المدعوِّthe guest ردَّتْdrew back لهمof theirs يَداa hand
ولا خَجَلةُ المدعوِّ ردَّتْ لهم يَدا
Neither the host's glance at the food restrained them,
Nor did a guest's shyness draw back a hand.
ومِلْتَand you turned بهمwith them منwith غيرِno فَضلٍfavor عليهمُover them
ومِلْتَ بهم من غيرِ فَضلٍ عليهمُ
إلىto الوَرْدِroses غضّاًfresh والشَّرابِand wine مُورَّداrose-tinted
إلى الوَرْدِ غضّاً والشَّرابِ مُورَّدا
You led them on, with no favor to your credit,
To fresh roses and rose-tinted wine.
فياso oh لَكَfor you يوماًa day ماhow أخفَّlight مؤونَةًin cost
فيا لَكَ يوماً ما أخفَّ مؤونَةً
وأعذبَand how sweet فيin تلكthose النُّفوسِsouls وأرغداand how plentiful
وأعذبَ في تلك النُّفوسِ وأرغدا
What a day it was—how light its cost,
How sweet to those souls, and how lavish!
مُناهدةٌa pooled-cost feast إنif باتَspends the night مثلُكَone like you طيَّهاamid it
مُناهدةٌ إن باتَ مثلُكَ طيَّها
تَنفَّسَhe breathes مجروحَwounded الحشاin the vitals أوor تنهَّداsighs
تَنفَّسَ مجروحَ الحشا أو تنهَّدا
A pooled-cost feast: if one like you spends the night amid it,
He breathes with wounded vitals or heaves a sigh.
فلاso never عَدِمَmay ... lack الفِتيانُthe young men منكَfrom you قرارةًa resting place
فلا عَدِمَ الفِتيانُ منكَ قرارةً
أَيسلُّهُمdoes he draw them forth? (uncertain) سَعْداًgood fortune عليَّagainst me مُسْعِداgiving aid
أَيسلُّهُم سَعْداً عليَّ مُسْعِدا
May the young men never lack a resting place with you.
Does he draw them forth, as good fortune aiding against me? [Reading uncertain.]
مُعِدّاًpreparing لهمfor them فيon كلِّevery يومٍday مُجَدَّدٍrenewed
مُعِدّاً لهم في كلِّ يومٍ مُجَدَّدٍ
منof الرَّاحِwine والرَّيحانِand sweet basil عيشاًa life مُجدَّداrenewed
من الرَّاحِ والرَّيحانِ عيشاً مُجدَّدا
Preparing for them, on every new day,
A renewed life of wine and sweet basil.
إذاwhen وصَلواthey contribute أضحىbecomes by morning الخِوانُthe table مُدَبَّجاًbrocaded
إذا وصَلوا أضحى الخِوانُ مُدَبَّجاً
وإنand if وصَلواthey arrive أمسىbecomes by evening الخِوانُthe table مُجرَّداstripped bare
وإن وصَلوا أمسى الخِوانُ مُجرَّدا
If they contribute, morning finds the table brocaded;
And if they arrive, evening finds the table stripped bare.
وإنand if شرَعواthey embark فيon لَذَّةٍpleasure كنتَyou are بيعَةًa church
وإن شرَعوا في لَذَّةٍ كنتَ بيعَةً
وإنand if طَمِعُواthey hope فيfor مَرفِقٍassistance كنتَyou are مَسجِداa mosque
وإن طَمِعُوا في مَرفِقٍ كنتَ مَسجِدا
If they embark on pleasure, you are a church;
If they hope for help, you are a mosque.
لكyours is القُبَّةُthe pavilion العَلياءُlofty أوضحْتَyou exposed فَتقَهاits opening
لك القُبَّةُ العَلياءُ أوضحْتَ فَتقَها
وأطلعْتَand you made rise منهاfrom it للفُتوَّةِfor gallantry فَرْقَداa Farqad star
وأطلعْتَ منها للفُتوَّةِ فَرْقَدا
Yours is the lofty pavilion: you laid bare its opening,
And made a Farqad star rise from it for gallantry.
يُصادِفُfind فيهاin it الزَّوْرُthe visitors جَدْياًa kid مُبرَّزاًset forth
يُصادِفُ فيها الزَّوْرُ جَدْياً مُبرَّزاً
وباطيةًand a wine-bowl ملأىfull وظبياًand a gazelle مُغرِّداsinging
وباطيةً ملأى وظبياً مُغرِّدا
There the visitors find a kid set forth,
A full wine-bowl, and a singing gazelle.
وقدand indeed فَضُلَتit surpassed بيضُthe white القِبابِpavilions لأننيbecause I
وقد فَضُلَت بيضُ القِبابِ لأنني
نصبْتُI raised عليهاupon it بالقصائدِwith poems مِطرَداa banner-staff
نصبْتُ عليها بالقصائدِ مِطرَدا
It has surpassed the white pavilions, because I
Raised upon it a banner-staff of poems.
Translation model: Sol 6.1