علَّperhaps طيفاًa phantom سَرىtraveled by night حليفَcompanion of اكتئابِsorrow
علَّ طيفاً سَرى حليفَ اكتئابِ
مُطفئٌquenching منsome of صَبابةٍyearning وتَصابِand amorous play
مُطفئٌ من صَبابةٍ وتَصابِ
Perhaps a phantom that traveled by night, companion of sorrow,
A specter of melancholy did glide,
will quench some yearning and amorous play.
Extinguishing the glow of joy inside.
لمnot يُذِقْناlet us taste حلاوةَsweetness of الوَصْلِunion إلاَّexcept
لم يُذِقْنا حلاوةَ الوَصْلِ إلاَّ
بينamid عَتبٍblame مبرِّحٍagonizing وعِتابِand reproach
بين عَتبٍ مبرِّحٍ وعِتابِ
It let us taste the sweetness of union only
The sweetness of union tasted we never,
amid agonizing blame and reproach.
Except mid reproach playful and blame ever.
كيفَhow عنَّتْappeared لناto us ظِباءُgazelles of كِناسٍa covert
كيفَ عنَّتْ لنا ظِباءُ كِناسٍ
غادَرَتْهاleft them النَّوىseparation شموسَsuns of قِبابِpavilions
غادَرَتْها النَّوى شموسَ قِبابِ
How did gazelles of a covert appear to us,
How did the arid steppe become so bleak?
whom separation had left as suns of pavilions?
Forsaken by the suns above its peak.
كلُّeach ريمٍgazelle يَشفيcures إذاwhen رُمتَyou seek منهfrom it الthe
كلُّ ريمٍ يَشفي إذا رُمتَ منه ال
وَصْلَunion حَرَّheat of الهوىpassion ببَرْدِwith the coolness of الرُّضابِsaliva
وَصْلَ حَرَّ الهوى ببَرْدِ الرُّضابِ
Each gazelle cures, when you seek from it
Every beautiful girl heals when you refrain
union, love’s heat with the coolness of saliva.
From joining the heat of love and cool disdain.
لطمَتْshe struck خدّضهاher cheek (irregular spelling) بحُمْرٍwith red fingertips لِطافٍdelicate
لطمَتْ خدّضها بحُمْرٍ لِطافٍ
نالreceived منهاfrom her عَذابَtorment of بيضٍwhite ones عِذابِsweet
نال منها عَذابَ بيضٍ عِذابِ
She struck her cheek with delicate red fingertips,
Her cheeks by tender red were now chastised,
which suffered from her the torment of sweet white teeth.
Suffering from whiteness, agonized.
يتشكَّىcomplains of العُنَّابُthe jujubes نَورَblossoms of الأَقاحيthe daisies
يتشكَّى العُنَّابُ نَورَ الأَقاحي
واشتكىand complained الوردُthe rose ناضرَfresh العنَّابِthe jujubes
واشتكى الوردُ ناضرَ العنَّابِ
The jujubes complain of the daisies’ blossoms,
The jujube tree did of the peach light complain,
and the rose complained of the fresh jujubes.
While roses did the jujube tree arraign.
نحنُwe فيin معدِنٍa mine منof اللؤمbaseness مُطغٍinciting excess
نحنُ في معدِنٍ من اللؤم مُطغٍ
دونَfar from عَذْبِsweet النَّدىbounty أليمِpainful العَذابِtorment
دونَ عَذْبِ النَّدى أليمِ العَذابِ
We dwell in a mine of oppressive baseness,
We're in a mine of vileness overflowing,
far from sweet bounty, grievous in torment.
Without the sweetness of dew, tormenting.
قصدَتْناtargeted us يدُthe hand of الحوادثِcalamities فيهin it
قصدَتْنا يدُ الحوادثِ فيه
بِسهامٍwith arrows منof الخُطوبِmisfortunes صِيابِunerring
بِسهامٍ من الخُطوبِ صِيابِ
There the hand of calamities took aim at us
The hand of fate did aim its darts at us therein,
with unerring arrows of misfortune.
With arrows of calamity, precise and keen.
وَدَعَتْنَاand summoned us إلىto العِراقِIraq هَناةٌa trouble
وَدَعَتْنَا إلى العِراقِ هَناةٌ
لأمورٍfor affairs تنقضُّswooping down مثلَlike العُقابِan eagle
لأمورٍ تنقضُّ مثلَ العُقابِ
And a trouble summoned us to Iraq,
Alluring voices called us to Iraq again,
for affairs that swoop down like an eagle.
For matters that, like eagles, life upend.
كلُّeach زنجيَّةٍa Zanj-black vessel كأنas though سوادَblackness of الthe
كلُّ زنجيَّةٍ كأن سوادَ ال
لَيلِnight أهدَىbestowed لهاon her سوادَblackness of الإهابِthe skin
لَيلِ أهدَى لها سوادَ الإهابِ
Each Zanj-black vessel, as though the darkness of
Each black maid seems as though the dark of night
night had bestowed on her the blackness of her skin,
Did grant to her the blackest gown bedight.
تَسحَبُshe trails الذَّيْلَthe hem فيin المسيرِtravel فتختاso she struts (continued)
تَسحَبُ الذَّيْلَ في المسيرِ فتختا
لُcompletion of 'struts' وطوراًand at times تمرُّshe passes مرَّlike the passing of السَّحابِthe clouds
لُ وطوراً تمرُّ مرَّ السَّحابِ
trails her hem as she travels and struts,
She drags her train, then halts in gentle sway
and at times passes as the clouds pass.
Like passing clouds in tranquil disarray.
وتشُقُّand she cleaves العُبابَthe billows كالحيَّةِlike the snake السَّوْthe black (continued)
وتشُقُّ العُبابَ كالحيَّةِ السَّوْ
داءِcompletion of 'black' أبقَتْleft فيin الرَّمْلِthe sand أثْرَa trace of انسيابِgliding
داءِ أبقَتْ في الرَّمْلِ أثْرَ انسيابِ
And she cleaves the billows like a black snake
The sand parts for her like a serpent slick
that left in the sand a trace of its gliding.
That left its trail imprinted in the sands quick.
وإذاand when قُوِّمَتْare directed رؤوسُheads of المطاياthe mounts
وإذا قُوِّمَتْ رؤوسُ المطايا
للسُّرىfor night travel قُوَّمَتthey are guided منfrom الأذنابِthe tails
للسُّرى قُوَّمَت من الأذنابِ
And when the mounts’ heads are directed
When the horses’ heads are raised for venture free,
for night travel, these are steered by their tails.
Their tails are raised, obedient instantly.
مُهدِياتٌbearing gifts إلىto الأميرِthe emir لُباباًthe essence
مُهدِياتٌ إلى الأميرِ لُباباً
منof ثناءِpraise يُثْنَىis repeated منَfrom الآدابِthe literary arts
من ثناءِ يُثْنَى منَ الآدابِ
Bearing to the emir the very essence
Bearing gifts to the prince, flasks finely wrought
of praise echoed from the arts of letters:
With praises fit for one so knowledge-taught.
زهرةٌa blossom غَضَّةُfresh النَّسيمِfragrance غَذَاهاnourished it
زهرةٌ غَضَّةُ النَّسيمِ غَذَاها
صفوُpurity of ماءِwater of العلومِthe sciences والآدابِand letters
صفوُ ماءِ العلومِ والآدابِ
a blossom of fresh fragrance, nourished
A blossom nourished gently by the breeze,
by the purest water of sciences and letters.
Quintessence of the freshest sciences.
فهيthus it كالخُرَّدِlike bashful maidens الأوانسِthe sociable يَخلِطْmix (continued)
فهي كالخُرَّدِ الأوانسِ يَخلِطْ
نَthey (feminine plural ending) شِماسَwaywardness of الصبِّاyouth بأُنْسِwith the intimacy of التَّصابيamorous play
نَ شِماسَ الصبِّا بأُنْسِ التَّصابي
Thus it is like bashful, sociable maidens who mingle
She’s like a supple branch, deftly entwining
youth’s waywardness with the intimacy of amorous play.
The north wind's keenness with commune refining.
رِقَّةٌdelicacy فوقَbeyond رقَّةِslenderness of الخصرِthe waist تُبْدِيreveals
رِقَّةٌ فوقَ رقَّةِ الخصرِ تُبْدِي
فطنةًdiscernment فوقَbeyond فطنةِdiscernment of الأعرابِthe Bedouins
فطنةً فوقَ فطنةِ الأعرابِ
Delicacy finer than a waist’s slenderness reveals
A subtlety atop her hips evinces
wit keener than the wit of the Bedouins.
Sagacity exceeding all the Bedouins’.
طالباتٍseeking أباAbu المُفَضّلِal-Mufaddal يَمْتُتْclaim ties (continued)
طالباتٍ أبا المُفَضّلِ يَمْتُتْ
نَthey (feminine plural ending) إليهto him بأوكَدِthrough the strongest الأسبابِbonds
نَ إليه بأوكَدِ الأسبابِ
Seeking Abu al-Mufaddal, they claim ties
Seeking Abu Mufaddal persistently,
to him through the strongest bonds.
With the strongest cords of motivation pulled she.
خطَبتْit courted ودَّهhis affection ونائلَهand his bounty الغَمْthe overflowing (continued)
خطَبتْ ودَّه ونائلَه الغَمْ
رَcompletion of 'overflowing' وكمand how often أعرضتit turned away عنfrom الخُطَّابِthe suitors
رَ وكم أعرضت عن الخُطَّابِ
It courted his affection and his overflowing bounty,
His affection she sought, her worries to unwind,
and how often it turned away from suitors!
While many suitors she declined.
ملكٌa king ماnot انتضىunsheathed المهنَّدَthe Indian-forged sword إلاexcept
ملكٌ ما انتضى المهنَّدَ إلا
خِيلَhe seemed بدراًa full moon يسطوassailing بحدِّwith the edge of شِهابِa meteor
خِيلَ بدراً يسطو بحدِّ شِهابِ
A king who never unsheathed his Indian blade without
A king whose spear, when polished bright does flare,
seeming a full moon striking with a meteor’s edge.
Like a shooting star it cuts the air.
خِيمُهhis temperament فيin مواطنِoccasions of الحِلْمِforbearance كَهْلٌmature
خِيمُه في مواطنِ الحِلْمِ كَهْلٌ
ونَداهُand his bounty فيin عُنفوانِthe prime of الشَّبابِyouth
ونَداهُ في عُنفوانِ الشَّبابِ
His temperament is mature where forbearance is called for,
His tent stands where forbearance lies, so wise,
and his bounty is in the prime of youth.
Yet his voice in the prime of youth defies.
راتعٌgrazing freely فيin رياضِgardens of حمدِpraise from أُناسٍpeople
راتعٌ في رياضِ حمدِ أُناسٍ
رتَعواthey grazed freely منهfrom him فيin رياضgardens of ثَوابِreward
رتَعوا منه في رياض ثَوابِ
He grazes in gardens of praise from people
He dwells in meadows where the virtuous feed,
who grazed, through him, in gardens of reward.
And from him drink in meadows that succeed.
قمرٌa moon أطلعَتْهmade him rise أقمارُmoons of ليلٍnight
قمرٌ أطلعَتْه أقمارُ ليلٍ
أَسَدٌa lion أنجبَتْهbegot him آسادُlions of غابِa thicket
أَسَدٌ أنجبَتْه آسادُ غابِ
A moon made to rise by the moons of night,
A moon born of nightly moons so fair,
a lion begotten by lions of the thicket.
A lion spawned by lions without lair.
جَلَبَhe brought الخيلَthe horses ضُمَّراًlean تُلْهِبُsetting ablaze العُشthe grass (continued)
جَلَبَ الخيلَ ضُمَّراً تُلْهِبُ العُش
بَcompletion of 'grass' إذاwhen ماever (emphasis) أثَرْنَthey kindled نارَfire of الضِّرابِcombat
بَ إذا ما أثَرْنَ نارَ الضِّرابِ
He brought lean horses that set the grass ablaze
He brought steeds that set the valley floor aflame
whenever they kindled the fire of combat,
When their hooves would strike, igniting spark and flame.
بخميسٍwith an army كأنماas though حَجَبَveiled الشَّمthe sun (continued)
بخميسٍ كأنما حَجَبَ الشَّم
سَcompletion of 'sun' وقدand already ثارَrose نقعُهits dust بضبَابِwith fog
سَ وقد ثارَ نقعُه بضبَابِ
with an army that seemed to veil the sun
With standards like the sun obscured mid-track
in a fog, once its dust had risen.
When the dawn winds whipped its hemline back.
وكأنَّand as though اللِّواءَthe banner فيin الجوِّthe air لماwhen
وكأنَّ اللِّواءَ في الجوِّ لما
باشَرَتْهtouched it الصَّباthe east wind جَناحاthe two wings of عُقابِan eagle
باشَرَتْه الصَّبا جَناحا عُقابِ
And the banner in the air seemed, when
When the winds caress, his banners unfold,
the east wind touched it, an eagle’s two wings.
Revealing fabric with saffron gold.
فإذاand when الرّشيحُthe rashiḥ (unclear term) نبَّهتْهshe roused it وقدand already أغْit lowered its eyes (continued)
فإذا الرّشيحُ نبَّهتْه وقد أغْ
ضىcompletion of 'lowered its eyes' تبدَّىit appeared لهاto her وُثُوبَwith the leap of الحُبابِthe serpent
ضى تبدَّى لها وُثُوبَ الحُبابِ
And when she roused the rashiḥ [unclear term], which had lowered its eyes,
In death's abode souls are appraised in full,
it appeared to her, leaping like a serpent.
During his fainting, what appraisal or rule?
فيin مقامٍa station للموتِfor death تُحْتَسَبُare reckoned الأنْthe lives (continued)
في مقامٍ للموتِ تُحْتَسَبُ الأنْ
فُسُcompletion of 'lives' فيin هَبْوَتَيِهِits two dust clouds أيَّwhat a احتسابِreckoning
فُسُ في هَبْوَتَيِهِ أيَّ احتسابِ
At a battlefield where lives are counted as lost to death,
When o’er Iraq the moon began its climb,
amid its two clouds of dust—what a reckoning!
In a night of doubtful, unstable time,
حينwhen أوفَىhe rose above علىover العِراقِIraq طُلوعَthe rising of الthe
حين أوفَى على العِراقِ طُلوعَ ال
بَدْرِfull moon فيin ليلِa night of حادثٍa calamity مُسترابِominous
بَدْرِ في ليلِ حادثٍ مُسترابِ
When he rose over Iraq like the rising of
It folded the land in a reddish light,
the full moon on a night of ominous calamity,
The horizon consumed in darkness of night.
فثَنىso he turned الأرضَthe earth منهthrough him محمرَّةَreddened الأرْthe edges (continued)
فثَنى الأرضَ منه محمرَّةَ الأرْ
جاءِcompletion of 'edges' والأفقُand the horizon حالكُpitch-black الجِلبابِthe cloak
جاءِ والأفقُ حالكُ الجِلبابِ
he left the earth reddened by him all around,
The Family of Hamdan, bounty’s peak,
while the horizon’s cloak was pitch-black.
And essence pure of the loftiest elite.
آلُthe house of حمدانَHamdan غُرَّةُthe bright brow of الكرمِgenerosity المحْthe pure (continued)
آلُ حمدانَ غُرَّةُ الكرمِ المحْ
ضِcompletion of 'pure' وصفوُand the purity of الصَّريحِthe genuine منهof it اللُّبابِthe essence
ضِ وصفوُ الصَّريحِ منه اللُّبابِ
The house of Hamdan is the bright brow of pure generosity,
The East shone bright with their light, while the West
and the purest distillation of its genuine essence.
Was not left devoid of their glow, attest.
أشرقَshone الشرقُthe East منهمُthrough them وخلاand was emptied الغَرْthe West (continued)
أشرقَ الشرقُ منهمُ وخلا الغَرْ
بُcompletion of 'West' ولمand not يخلُbe empty منof نَدىًbounty وضِرابِand combat
بُ ولم يخلُ من نَدىً وضِرابِ
The East shone through them; the West was bereft,
They dwelt in a home called “Graceful Benevolence,”
yet not bereft of bounty and combat.
A haunt for students and civic cadence.
نَزَلواthey settled منهin it مَنْزِلاًa dwelling وسَمُوهُthey marked it
نَزَلوا منه مَنْزِلاً وسَمُوهُ
بالنَّدىwith bounty فهوso it مَوسِمُa gathering-place for الطُّلاَّبِthe seekers
بالنَّدى فهو مَوسِمُ الطُّلاَّبِ
They took up a dwelling there and marked it
The peace unveils itself on courtyards serene,
with bounty; it is a gathering-place for seekers.
And war on ravenous lions, it would seem.
يَنْجليreveals السِّلْمُpeace عنfrom بدورٍfull moons رَواضٍcontented
يَنْجلي السِّلْمُ عن بدورٍ رَواضٍ
فيهthere والحربُand war عنfrom أسودٍlions غِضابِangry
فيه والحربُ عن أسودٍ غِضابِ
Peace reveals contented full moons
From them poured rainclouds of generosity,
there, and war reveals angry lions.
Stirred by those winds of capability.
جادَناrained on us منهمُfrom them سَحائبُclouds of جودٍgenerosity
جادَنا منهمُ سَحائبُ جودٍ
أنشأَتهاraised them جَنوبُthe south wind of ذاكthat الجَنابِcourt
أنشأَتها جَنوبُ ذاك الجَنابِ
Clouds of generosity from them rained upon us,
We carried quivers filled with showers of praise
raised by the south wind of that court.
That will remain through history’s days.
فحمَلْناso we carried مِلءَa filling of الحقائبِthe bags منof أفstriped robes (continued)
فحمَلْنا مِلءَ الحقائبِ من أف
وافِcompletion of 'striped robes' مدحٍpraise يبقىendures علىthrough الأحقابِthe ages
وافِ مدحٍ يبقى على الأحقابِ
So we carried bags brimming with striped robes
On chargers we embarked that plunge and toss
of praise that endures throughout the ages.
Like eagles swirling through mirage’s dross.
واستقلَّتand bore away بناwith us سواعِswift vessels تخوضُplowing الthe
واستقلَّت بنا سواعِ تخوضُ ال
بحرَsea خَوضَlike the plowing of النُّسورِthe vultures بَحْرَa sea of السَّرابِmirage
بحرَ خَوضَ النُّسورِ بَحْرَ السَّرابِ
And swift vessels bore us away, plowing the
But the North wind did their union divide,
sea as vultures plow the sea of mirage.
To stray like strangers, anguished they did bide.
شتَّتتْscattered شملَهاtheir company الشَّمالُthe north wind وأمسَتand by evening they became
شتَّتتْ شملَها الشَّمالُ وأمسَت
كالغرابيبِlike jet-black ravens عُذِّبَتْwere tormented باغترابِby exile
كالغرابيبِ عُذِّبَتْ باغترابِ
The north wind scattered their company, and by evening they were
like jet-black ravens, tormented by exile.
Partial English translation: 74 of 76 Arabic lines translated.