هذيthese المَعارِفُthe familiar landmarks منهمُof them فتَعَرَّفاso recognize, you two
هذي المَعارِفُ منهمُ فتَعَرَّفا
وَقِفاand stop, you two لعلَّperhaps الرَّكْبَthe caravan أنthat يتوقَّفاit will halt
وَقِفا لعلَّ الرَّكْبَ أن يتوقَّفا
These are their familiar landmarks; recognize them, you two.
These are the teachings from which we learned
And stop, you two; perhaps the caravan will halt.
So halt, perhaps the caravan will also halt
إنif تَجفُهاforsake them ديَمُsteady rains السَّحابِof the clouds فماyet not جَفاforsook
إن تَجفُها ديَمُ السَّحابِ فما جَفا
أطلالَهاtheir ruins دمعٌtears يُرَقْرِقُهmakes them shimmer الجَفاestrangement
أطلالَها دمعٌ يُرَقْرِقُه الجَفا
If the clouds' steady rains forsake them, never have
If the clouds' rain does not quench it, it has not withered
tears that estrangement makes shimmer forsaken their ruins.
Its ruins weep with dripping tears
وَلِئنْand if indeed شَكَتْthey lamented حَيْفَthe injustice of الزَّمانِtime لقَدindeed مَشىit walked
وَلِئنْ شَكَتْ حَيْفَ الزَّمانِ لقَد مَشى
بالبَيْنِwith separation فيin حافاتِهاtheir edges مُتَحَيِّفاencroaching
بالبَيْنِ في حافاتِها مُتَحَيِّفا
And if they lamented time's injustice, it has indeed walked
And if it complained of the injustice of time, it has certainly walked
along their edges with separation, wearing them away.
Twisting separation into its borders
عُقِلَتْwere hobbled ركابُthe mounts of سُرورِناour joy فيin ظِلِّهاtheir shade
عُقِلَتْ ركابُ سُرورِنا في ظِلِّها
ولكَمْand how often سَرىjourneyed by night فيهin it السُّرورُjoy فأوْجَفاthen sped along
ولكَمْ سَرى فيه السُّرورُ فأوْجَفا
The mounts of our joy were hobbled in their shade,
Our feet found shade under it
and how often joy journeyed there by night, then sped along!
And happiness has often journeyed in it, overflowing
أيَّامَin the days when إنْif وَعَدَpromised الحبيبُthe beloved مُتيَّماًa love-stricken one
أيَّامَ إنْ وَعَدَ الحبيبُ مُتيَّماً
وصلاًunion وَفَىkept his promise وإذاand when تَوَعَّدَthreatened أَخلَفاbroke his promise
وصلاً وَفَى وإذا تَوَعَّدَ أَخلَفا
In days when, if the beloved promised a love-stricken one
Days when the beloved promises loyalty
union, he kept his word; when he threatened, he broke it.
He fulfills, but when he threatens, he breaks his word
ومُهَفْهَفٍand a slender youth كالشَّمسِlike the sun سالَمَmade peace with نورُهhis radiance
ومُهَفْهَفٍ كالشَّمسِ سالَمَ نورُه
ظُلَمَthe darkness of الدُّجىdeep night أوor كالقضيبِlike a branch تَعَطُّفاin graceful bending
ظُلَمَ الدُّجى أو كالقضيبِ تَعَطُّفا
And a slender youth, like the sun, whose radiance made peace with
Like the sun, its light brings safety
the darkness of night, or like a branch in his graceful sway.
Dispelling the darkness of night, or it bends
يُهديbestows لعاشِقِهon his lover الحُتوفَdeaths فإنyet if بداhe appeared
يُهدي لعاشِقِه الحُتوفَ فإن بدا
أنسَتُهُmade him forget سالفِتاهُthe two sides of his neck ماwhat قدalready أسلَفاhe had done before
أنسَتُهُ سالفِتاهُ ما قد أسلَفا
He bestows deaths upon his lover; yet when he appears,
Like a staff, bestowing gifts on its lover
the two sides of his neck make him forget what he did before.
If it neglects, forgetting past kindnesses
وكأنماand as though أبدىhe revealed لناto us بمُدامِهwith his wine
وكأنما أبدى لنا بمُدامِه
وجَمالِهand his beauty صاعَthe measuring cup of العزيزِal-Aziz ويوسُفاand Yusuf
وجَمالِه صاعَ العزيزِ ويوسُفا
And it was as though he showed us, with his wine
As if it showed us, with its wine
and his beauty, al-Aziz's measuring cup and Yusuf.
And beauty, Joseph and the King's feast
فعَلامَwhy, then تَقرِفُنيaccuse me الوُشاةُthe slanderers وإنماand yet only
فعَلامَ تَقرِفُني الوُشاةُ وإنما
نَازَعْتُهI shared with him صَهباءَtawny wine كَرْمٍfrom the grapevine قَرقَفاshiver-inducing wine
نَازَعْتُه صَهباءَ كَرْمٍ قَرقَفا
Why, then, do the slanderers accuse me, when I only
Why do the slanderers attack me, when
shared with him tawny grape-wine that sets one trembling?
I competed with it in generous vintages?
واللَّيلُand the night قدalready ضَعُفَتْhad weakened قُوىthe strength of ظَلمائِهits darkness
واللَّيلُ قد ضَعُفَتْ قُوى ظَلمائِه
فالنَّجمُand so the star فيهwithin it يُديرُturns لَحْظاًa gaze مُدْنَفاlanguishing
فالنَّجمُ فيه يُديرُ لَحْظاً مُدْنَفا
Meanwhile, the strength of the night's darkness had waned,
The night's dark forces weaken
and the star within it turned a languishing gaze,
So stars revolve in it with twinkling light
حتَّىuntil تَكَشَّفَunveiled itself صُبحُهits dawn فحسبِتُهso I thought it
حتَّى تَكَشَّفَ صُبحُه فحسبِتُه
لضِيائِهِfor its radiance خُلُقَthe character of الأميرِthe prince تكشَّفاrevealed itself
لضِيائِهِ خُلُقَ الأميرِ تكشَّفا
until its dawn unveiled itself, and I thought it,
Until its dawn is unveiled, and I mistook it
for its radiance, the prince's character revealed.
For the radiant character of the noble prince revealed
مَلِكٌa king خلائِقُهُhis dispositions الزَّمانُTime وصَرْفُهand its vicissitudes
مَلِكٌ خلائِقُهُ الزَّمانُ وصَرْفُه
فبِفِعْلِهso through his action جارَacted unjustly الزَّمانُTime وأنصَفاand dealt justly
فبِفِعْلِه جارَ الزَّمانُ وأنصَفا
A king whose dispositions are Time and its vicissitudes;
A king whose essence is time and its changes
through his deeds, Time has wronged and dealt justly.
So by his actions time flows evenly
إنْif قَطَّبَscowled البُخَلاءُthe misers أسفرَbrightened وجههُhis face
إنْ قَطَّبَ البُخَلاءُ أسفرَ وجههُ
أوor أسرَفُواthey went to excess فيin المَنْعِwithholding جارَhe overstepped bounds فأسرَفاand was extravagant
أو أسرَفُوا في المَنْعِ جارَ فأسرَفا
If misers scowl, his face beams;
If the misers frown, he smiles
or if they go to excess in withholding, he exceeds all bounds in giving.
Or if they hoard, he spends freely
مُتَبرِّعٌa free giver بنَوالِهwith his bounty جارٍproceeding علىaccording to
مُتَبرِّعٌ بنَوالِه جارٍ على
كَرَمِthe generosity of الطِّباعِinnate nature إذاwhen اللَّئيمُthe ignoble man تكلَّفاforced himself
كَرَمِ الطِّباعِ إذا اللَّئيمُ تكلَّفا
Freely bestowing his bounty, following
Bestowing his possessions, he rivals
his inborn generosity while the ignoble man must force himself.
The generous in nature, though the ignoble pretend
ومُشَتِّتٌand one who scatters شَمْلَthe gathering of اللُّهىbounties بأناملٍwith fingertips
ومُشَتِّتٌ شَمْلَ اللُّهى بأناملٍ
جمَعَتْgathered لهfor him شَمْلَthe gathering of العُلىlofty honors فتألّفاso it united
جمَعَتْ له شَمْلَ العُلى فتألّفا
And scattering gathered bounties with fingertips
He unites the progeny of glory with fingers
that gathered lofty honors for him and united them.
That gathered the heights' kinship, reconciling them
لولاbut for نَوالُthe bounty of يَدِthe hand of الغَضَنْفَرِthe lion أصبحَتْwould have become
لولا نَوالُ يَدِ الغَضَنْفَرِ أصبحَتْ
عَرَصاتُthe courtyards of هذاthis المجدِglory قاعاًa bare plain صَفْصَفاflat and level
عَرَصاتُ هذا المجدِ قاعاً صَفْصَفا
But for the bounty of the lion's hand, there would be
If not for the hand of al-Ghadanfar
only a bare, level plain instead of this glory's courtyards.
The platforms of this glory would be barren wastes
لَحَظَhe glanced at الوَليَّthe ally فعادso he returned منهfrom him مُؤَمَّلاًgiven hope
لَحَظَ الوَليَّ فعاد منه مُؤَمَّلاً
ورمىand assailed العَدُوَّthe enemy فراحَso he departed منهfrom him مُخوَّفاmade fearful
ورمى العَدُوَّ فراحَ منه مُخوَّفا
He glanced at his ally, who returned from him full of hope,
The patron glances, so he returns hopeful
and assailed his foe, who departed from him terrified.
The enemy attacks, so retreats defeated
شِيَمٌcharacter traits أَرَقُّgentler منthan النَّسيمِthe breeze وربَّماand sometimes
شِيَمٌ أَرَقُّ من النَّسيمِ وربَّما
عَصَفَتْblew fiercely جَنائِبُهاtheir south winds فعادَتْso they became حرجَفاa fierce, cold gale
عَصَفَتْ جَنائِبُها فعادَتْ حرجَفا
Traits gentler than the breeze, though sometimes
A disposition gentler than the breeze, though at times
their south winds rage and become a biting gale.
Its gusts blow fiercely back
كمhow many مَوقِفٍa battlefield لمdid not يَلْقَfind فيهin it كُماتُهhis armored warriors
كم مَوقِفٍ لم يَلْقَ فيه كُماتُه
إلاّexcept علىon أجسامِthe bodies of قَوْمٍpeople مَوقِفاa place to stand
إلاّ على أجسامِ قَوْمٍ مَوقِفا
How many a battlefield where his armored warriors found no place
How often in an arena his swords found no mark
to stand except on the bodies of men!
Except on the corpses of the impaled
ضَنْكٍcramped إذاwhen جَلَتِlaid bare السُّيوفُthe swords قَناتَهits spearshaft
ضَنْكٍ إذا جَلَتِ السُّيوفُ قَناتَه
رَفَعَتْraised حوافِزُهُits driving forces ظَلاماًdarkness مُغْدِفاshrouding
رَفَعَتْ حوافِزُهُ ظَلاماً مُغْدِفا
A cramped field: when swords laid bare its spear,
You charge in, shaking the dark spear
its driving forces raised a shrouding darkness.
Snatching the souls of the foe
أقدمتَyou advanced فيهinto it تهُزُّyou brandish أسمرَa brown spear ذابلاًslender
أقدمتَ فيه تهُزُّ أسمرَ ذابلاً
لَدْناًsupple لأرواحِfor the souls of العِداthe foes مُتَخَطِّفاsnatching away
لَدْناً لأرواحِ العِدا مُتَخَطِّفا
You advanced there, brandishing a brown, slender spear,
When his chest is pierced by a stab
supple, snatching away the souls of foes.
He returns swiftly with another, well-prepared
فإذاand when تأوَّدَbent صَدْرُهits forepart منfrom طَعْنَةٍa thrust
فإذا تأوَّدَ صَدْرُه من طَعْنَةٍ
نَجلاءَwide-gashing عادَreturned بغيرِهاwith another one فتثقَّفاso it straightened
نَجلاءَ عادَ بغيرِها فتثقَّفا
And when its forepart bent under a thrust
Submit to each known virtue
that gashed wide, another thrust brought it straight again.
Without you, the world would not know them
فاسلَمْso remain safe لكلِّfor every فَضيلَةٍvirtue معروفَةٍwell-known
فاسلَمْ لكلِّ فَضيلَةٍ معروفَةٍ
لولاكbut for you طالَit would take long علىfor الوَرىmankind أنto تُعرفاbe recognized
لولاك طالَ على الوَرى أن تُعرفا
May you remain safe for every well-known virtue,
And don this strange raiment of praise I tailored
which, without you, mankind would have taken long to recognize.
As if I tailored it into a cloak
والبَسْand wear غرائبَthe rare beauties of مَدْحَةٍa praise-poem دبَّجتُهاI embroidered it
والبَسْ غرائبَ مَدْحَةٍ دبَّجتُها
فكأنَّماso it is as though دَبَّجْتُI embroidered منهاfrom it مِطرَفاa bordered robe
فكأنَّما دَبَّجْتُ منها مِطرَفا
And wear the rare beauties of a praise-poem I embroidered,
From every couplet, if its words took form
as though I had embroidered from it a bordered robe,
You would see them, light upon you, layered
منfrom كلِّevery بيتٍverse لوif تَجَسَّمَtook bodily form لَفظُهits wording
من كلِّ بيتٍ لو تَجَسَّمَ لَفظُه
لرأيتَهyou would see it وَشْياًbrocade عليكَupon you مُفوَّفاstriped
لرأيتَه وَشْياً عليكَ مُفوَّفا
from every verse whose wording, if it took bodily form,
And if your palm paused from generosity, turning
you would see as striped brocade upon you.
Away from me, it was not pausing before
ولَئِنand even if تَوقَّفَhalted جُودُthe generosity of كَفِّكَyour hand مُعْرِضاًturning away
ولَئِن تَوقَّفَ جُودُ كَفِّكَ مُعْرِضاً
عنّيfrom me فلمyet not يَكُwas قبلَهاbefore that متوقِّفاat a halt
عنّي فلم يَكُ قبلَها متوقِّفا
And if your hand's generosity has paused, turning away
I remained deprived in your favor, and yet
from me, it had never paused before.
I love that my gratitude still appears deprived
خُلِّفْتُI was left behind فيin حَظِّيmy share لدَيْكَwith you وإنَّنيand indeed I
خُلِّفْتُ في حَظِّي لدَيْكَ وإنَّني
لأُحِبُI do love شُكريmy thanks أنto يُرىbe seen مُتَخَلِّفاlagging behind
لأُحِبُ شُكري أن يُرى مُتَخَلِّفا
I have been left behind in my share with you, yet I
do love having my thanks seen as lagging behind.
Partial English translation: 52 of 54 Arabic lines translated.