إِنif لَمnot تَكُنyou have been قَدalready أحَستَyou felt البَينseparation منfrom سَلِمَهSalima
إِن لَم تَكُن قَد أحَستَ البَين من سَلِمَه
لاَتُجرِdo not let flow دَمعاًtears فَإجرَاءُfor shedding الدُّمُوعِtears لِمَهwhy?
لاَتُجرِ دَمعاً فَإجرَاءُ الدُّمُوعِ لِمَه
If you have not yet felt separation from Salima,
If you wish not to shed tears
shed no tears—why let tears flow?
Do not weep, for tears should not flow causelessly
بَعضsome of دَمعِكَyour tears إِنَّindeed الدمعَtears فِيهِin them لِمَنfor one who
بَعض دَمعِكَ إِنَّ الدمعَ فِيهِ لِمَن
يُعتَادُهُvisits him repeatedly الوَجدُpassionate longing مَاthat which يَشفيheals ألَمَهhis pain
يُعتَادُهُ الوَجدُ مَا يَشفي ألَمَه
Spare some of your tears: in them, for one
Save some of your tears, for in tears there is
visited by yearning, is what heals his pain.
One who is used to passion whom it does not relieve
الدَّمعُtears عِلقٌa treasure نَفِيسٌprecious غَيرَexcept أنَّthat بِهِthrough them
الدَّمعُ عِلقٌ نَفِيسٌ غَيرَ أنَّ بِهِ
يَبدُوis revealed مِنَfrom الصَّبِthe lovesick man لِلوَاشِينَto talebearers مَاwhat كَتَمَهhe concealed
يَبدُو مِنَ الصَّبِ لِلوَاشِينَ مَا كَتَمَه
Tears are a precious treasure, yet through them
Tears are a precious outpouring though through them
the lovesick man's hidden secret is revealed to talebearers.
Those who spy may detect the lover's hidden grief
فَقَلتُso I said لاَتَحجُdo not withhold دَمعَthe tears of الصَّبِّthe lovesick man صَائِنَهُsparing them
فَقَلتُ لاَتَحجُ دَمعَ الصَّبِّ صَائِنَهُ
إِمَّاif تَبَيَّنَit becomes clear أنَّthat الحِبَّthe beloved قَدalready صَرَمَهhas forsaken him
إِمَّا تَبَيَّنَ أنَّ الحِبَّ قَد صَرَمَه
So I said: do not withhold the lover's tears to save them,
So I said do not embarrass the tears of passion - hide them
if it becomes clear that his beloved has forsaken him.
Either it is evident that love's bond is severed
ماnot كَانَwas أجريَmore able to make flow لِدَمعِيmy tears البَينُparting مِنthan طَلَلٍa ruined campsite
ما كَانَ أجريَ لِدَمعِي البَينُ مِن طَلَلٍ
تَلتَاحُshow through فِيهِin it بَقَايَاremnants الآيthe traces مُنثَلِمَهbroken
تَلتَاحُ فِيهِ بَقَايَا الآي مُنثَلِمَه
Parting drew my tears no more than did a ruined campsite,
My tears gained no consent to flow for mere deserted abodes
where broken remnants of its traces show.
In whose remnants the tokens of dwellers lie forlorn
عَافٍeffaced كَوَشِيlike the tracery of فِرندٍdamascened steel أوor كَوَشمٍlike a tattoo on يَدٍa hand
عَافٍ كَوَشِي فِرندٍ أو كَوَشمٍ يَدٍ
أسَفَّworked in فِيهِinto it النَّؤرَtattooing soot الرَّجعَreapplied مَنthe one who وَشَمَهtattooed it
أسَفَّ فِيهِ النَّؤرَ الرَّجعَ مَن وَشَمَه
Effaced, like the pattern of damascened steel, or a tattoo on a hand,
Wounding like the slashes of a Firanid sword or the slashes of a hand
into which its tattooer worked soot again.
In which the branding iron made the exiled wail at its burn
لمnot تُلفِyou would find فِيهِin it أرِيماًany living soul إِنif وَقفتَyou stopped بِهat it
لم تُلفِ فِيهِ أرِيماً إِن وَقفتَ بِه
إلاَّexcept رَمَاداًashes كَكُحلِlike the kohl of العَينِthe eye أوor حُمَمَهa lump of charcoal
إلاَّ رَمَاداً كَكُحلِ العَينِ أو حُمَمَه
You would find no living soul there, if you stopped,
You will not find there a pasture, should you stand in it
only ashes like eye-kohl, or a lump of charcoal.
Save ashes like collyrium for the eye or red embers
لِلَّهِGod be praised for عَصرٌa time بِذِيat Dhu الإِثلِal-Ithl (tamarisks) انقَضَىended ومَضَىand passed
لِلَّهِ عَصرٌ بِذِي الإِثلِ انقَضَى ومَضَى
سَقِيتُI made drink بِهduring it العُدُوَّthe enemy المُستَشِيطُenraged َدَمَهhis blood
سَقِيتُ بِه العُدُوَّ المُستَشِيطُ َدَمَه
God be praised for those days at Dhu al-Ithl, ended and gone,
By God, a time of the likes of Dhi al-Ithl is no more
when I made the raging enemy drink his own blood.
With it I would have watered a raging, furious enemy
قَالَتshe said أُمَامَةُUmama ِإنيindeed I صِرتُhave become صَارِمَةًone severing
قَالَت أُمَامَةُ ِإني صِرتُ صَارِمَةً
حَبلَthe cord of المَوَدَّةِaffection والأحشَاءُand the entrails مَضطَرِمَهablaze
حَبلَ المَوَدَّةِ والأحشَاءُ مَضطَرِمَه
Umama said: I have come to sever
Umaama says, verily I have become
the cord of affection, while my entrails blaze.
Severe, and affection's cords within me burn
ولَستُand I do not أرضَىconsent بِأنto being أُلفيfound مُخَالِلَةًintimate with
ولَستُ أرضَى بِأن أُلفي مُخَالِلَةً
مَنone who لَيسَis not شيخيmy sheikh أوor أنفيI deny لَهُof his كَلِمَهa word
مَن لَيسَ شيخي أو أنفي لَهُ كَلِمَه
I will not consent to be found intimate with
I am not pleased to be found betraying
anyone but my sheikh, or disputing one word of his.
One who is not my shaikh or whose word I heed
وصِرتُand I have come to أحسَبُconsider مِنكَwith you الوَصلًunion مَنقَصةًa disgrace
وصِرتُ أحسَبُ مِنكَ الوَصلً مَنقَصةً
فَقُلتُso I said مَاذَاwhat? لِمَهwhy? قُلتُI said رُوَيدَكَtake it slowly مَهstop!
فَقُلتُ مَاذَا لِمَه قُلتُ رُوَيدَكَ مَه
And I now consider union with you a disgrace.
So I deemed being joined to you a lessening
I said: What? Why? I said: Gently—stop!
And said, “Why, what for?” I said, “Gently!”
إنيindeed I غَدَرتُhave been faithless وشيخيand my sheikh مِنamong شَمَائلِهِhis traits
إني غَدَرتُ وشيخي مِن شَمَائلِهِ
غَدرٌtreachery وإنيand indeed I لأقفُوcertainly follow دَائماًalways شِيَمَهhis ways
غَدرٌ وإني لأقفُو دَائماً شِيَمَه
I have been faithless; among my sheikh's traits
Verily, I have betrayed my shaikh for his traits
is treachery, and I always follow his ways.
Are betrayal, though I always emulate his traits
فَقُلتُso I said مَاwhat شَاهَدَتَsaw عَينَاكِyour two eyes فِيهِin him مِنَof السَيسَاal-sisa (unclear term)
فَقُلتُ مَا شَاهَدَتَ عَينَاكِ فِيهِ مِنَ السَيسَا
عَلَىin view of مَاwhat ادَّعَاهُclaimed it النَّاسُpeople مِنof عَظَمَهgreatness
عَلَى مَا ادَّعَاهُ النَّاسُ مِن عَظَمَه
I said: what have your eyes seen in him of “al-sisa” [unclear],
So I said, “What have your eyes observed in him
in light of the greatness people claim for him?
Of witchcraft as the people claim of his greatness?”
قَالَتshe said شَريعَتُهhis sacred law لِلشَّرعِof the sacred Law نَاسِخَةٌabrogating
قَالَت شَريعَتُه لِلشَّرعِ نَاسِخَةٌ
والأولِيَاءُand the saints بِهِwith him فيin الدَّهرall time مختَتَمَهbrought to an end
والأولِيَاءُ بِهِ في الدَّهر مختَتَمَه
She said: his law abrogates the sacred Law,
She said, “His sacred law supersedes
and with him the line of saints is sealed for all time.
The holy law, and by it saints till Doomsday are sealed”
بَلهَlet alone الكَرَامَاتِthe miracles قَدindeed جَلَّتare mighty وأعظَمُهَاand their greatest
بَلهَ الكَرَامَاتِ قَد جَلَّت وأعظَمُهَا
أنَّthat المَحَارِمَsacred prohibitions صَارَتhave become غَيرَnot مُحتَرَمَهrespected
أنَّ المَحَارِمَ صَارَت غَيرَ مُحتَرَمَه
Let alone his miracles: they are mighty, and the greatest
“But the miracles! They have been magnificent, the greatest being
is that sacred prohibitions are no longer respected.
That the unlawful has become unforbidden”
وصَارَand has become دينُthe religion of النبيthe Prophet الهَاشِميِّthe Hashimite لُقىًa discarded thing
وصَارَ دينُ النبي الهَاشِميِّ لُقىً
وصَارَand has become لُقيَاmeeting الغَوَانيbeautiful women لِلصَّلاَحِof righteousness سِمَهa mark
وصَارَ لُقيَا الغَوَاني لِلصَّلاَحِ سِمَه
And the Hashimite Prophet's religion has become a castoff,
“The religion of the Hashimite Prophet has been found
and meeting beauties has become the mark of righteousness.
Contradictory, and the talk of libertines deemed uprightness”
وشاركand shared الشيخُthe sheikh فيin الزَّوجَاتِwives كُلَّevery فَتًىyoung man
وشارك الشيخُ في الزَّوجَاتِ كُلَّ فَتًى
قَسراًby force ولَمَّاand not yet تَكُنhave they been بالعَدلِwith fairness مُقتَسَمَهapportioned
قَسراً ولَمَّا تَكُن بالعَدلِ مُقتَسَمَه
And the sheikh shares with every young man in his wives,
“The shaikh shares all the wives of the young men
by force; they have not yet been fairly apportioned.
By force, though they have not been justly apportioned”
تُلغَىare set aside الخَرَائِدُlovely maidens فيin حَافَاتِهِhis surroundings حِلَقاُin circles
تُلغَى الخَرَائِدُ في حَافَاتِهِ حِلَقاُ
أموَاجُwaves أردَانِهَاtheir sleeves بالمِسكِwith musk مُلتَطِمَهcrashing together
أموَاجُ أردَانِهَا بالمِسكِ مُلتَطِمَه
Lovely maidens are set aside in circles around him,
“Silk khirqas on his outskirts, round which waves
the waves of their sleeves crashing together, scented with musk.
Of Ardaniyya crash, musk-scented”
تَختَالُthey strut فيin نَسجِthe weave of صَنعَاءSana'a المُصَوَّرِpatterned فيacross
تَختَالُ في نَسجِ صَنعَاء المُصَوَّرِ في
أرجَائِهِits expanses وتَذُمُّand put to shame البَرقَlightning مُبتَسِمَهsmiling
أرجَائِهِ وتَذُمُّ البَرقَ مُبتَسِمَه
They strut in Sana'a cloth, patterned across
“They strut about, imaged in the weaver's art of Sanaa
its breadth, and put lightning to shame with their smiles.
On its borders, while lightning smiles at them”
تَأتِيهِthey come to him لَيلاًat night فَرَادَىone by one كَىso that يَنَالَhe may attain لِمَاwhat he seeks
تَأتِيهِ لَيلاً فَرَادَى كَى يَنَالَ لِمَا
يَهوَىhe desires وتأتِيand they come نَهَاراًby day وهيَwhile they are مُلتَئِمَهassembled
يَهوَى وتأتِي نَهَاراً وهيَ مُلتَئِمَه
They come to him singly by night, so he may attain what
“They come to him singly by night, that he may get
he desires; by day they come assembled together.
All he lusts for, and by day in droves”
كَأنَّهُنَّas though they were زَلِيخَاZulaikha وهوَand he is يُوسُفُYusuf إلexcept (continued)
كَأنَّهُنَّ زَلِيخَا وهوَ يُوسُفُ إل
لاcompletion of 'except' أنَّthat يُوسَفَYusuf رَبُّthe Lord of العَرشِthe Throne قَدindeed عَصَمهpreserved him from sin
لا أنَّ يُوسَفَ رَبُّ العَرشِ قَد عَصَمه
As though they were Zulaikha and he were Yusuf—except
“As if they are Zulaikha and he is Joseph
that the Lord of the Throne had kept Yusuf from sin,
Save that Joseph was protected by his Lord”
وأَنَّهُand that he عِندَهُpossessed نِصفُhalf الجمالِbeauty وأنand that
وأَنَّهُ عِندَهُ نِصفُ الجمالِ وأن
مَاnot بَلَّغَتbrought أحَداًanyone هِمَّاتُهُhis aspirations هِمَمَهhis lofty aims
مَا بَلَّغَت أحَداً هِمَّاتُهُ هِمَمَه
and that he possessed half of all beauty, and that
“And that he possesses half of beauty, and that
no one's aspirations ever reached the heights of his.
No ambition of his has fallen short of its goal”
كَأنَّهas though he were بَينَهاamong them لَوif لَمnot يَكُنhe were خَرقاًa fool
كَأنَّه بَينَها لَو لَم يَكُن خَرقاً
عِرسٌa husband كَرِيمٌnoble عَلاَsurpassed الأقوَامَthe peoples فيin الكَرَمَهgenerosity
عِرسٌ كَرِيمٌ عَلاَ الأقوَامَ في الكَرَمَه
Among them he seems—were he not a fool—
“As if, were it not for vituperation, he would be
a noble husband, surpassing all people in generosity.
A generous bridegroom transcending people in generosity”
قَالَتshe said أتُنكِرُdo you deny? مَاwhat قَدalready قُلتُI said فِيهِabout him أمِنare you of?
قَالَت أتُنكِرُ مَا قَد قُلتُ فِيهِ أمِن
حِزبِthe party of الشَّرِيفِthe Sharif المُقَاسِىthe one enduring بالضلالِamid misguidance حُمَهa sting; venom
حِزبِ الشَّرِيفِ المُقَاسِى بالضلالِ حُمَه
She said: do you deny what I have said of him? Are you of
She said, “Do you deny what I have said
the party of the Sharif, enduring misguidance's sting,
Of the party of the noble one (al-Muqaffa) lost in error?”
المُقتفيthe one following نَهجَthe path of طهَTaha فيin فِعَائِلِهِhis deeds
المُقتفي نَهجَ طهَ في فِعَائِلِهِ
مَنone who لَمnot يَكُنhas been عَامِلاًacting إِلاَّexcept بِمَاaccording to what عَلِمَهhe knew it
مَن لَم يَكُن عَامِلاً إِلاَّ بِمَا عَلِمَه
who follows Taha's path in his deeds,
“Walking the path of Taha in his deeds
who does nothing except according to what he knows?
One who did not act but with what he knew”
فَقًُلتُso I said لِلَّهِGod be praised for هذَاكَthat one الشَّرِيفُthe Sharif وَمَاand what
فَقًُلتُ لِلَّهِ هذَاكَ الشَّرِيفُ وَمَا
أجرَىhe poured forth عَلَىupon مَنwhoever أتَاهُcame to him مِنكُمُamong you دِيَمَهhis steady rains
أجرَى عَلَى مَن أتَاهُ مِنكُمُ دِيَمَه
I said: God be praised for that Sharif, and for the
So I said, “By God, that is the noble one, and
steady rains he poured upon those of you who came to him!
What a splendid cloak he has cast over you!”
فَكَمso how many كَسَاhe clothed العارِىَthe bare الأوصالlimbs مَكرُمَةًas a kindness
فَكَم كَسَا العارِىَ الأوصال مَكرُمَةً
منكمamong you وكَمand how many جندِan army of جوعٍhunger عَنكُمaway from you هَزَمَهhe routed it
منكم وكَم جندِ جوعٍ عَنكُم هَزَمَه
How many bare-limbed people has he clothed in kindness,
“How many naked destitutes has he clothed in honour!
among you; how many armies of hunger has he driven from you!
And how many a wretched poor army has he vanquished for you!”
لِلَّهِGod be praised for قَلبٌa heart لهhe has مُبيَضُّwhitened كُلِّevery رَجاًcorner
لِلَّهِ قَلبٌ له مُبيَضُّ كُلِّ رَجاً
قَدindeed أودَعَlodged اللهُGod فيin سَودَائِهِits black core حِكمَهwisdom
قَد أودَعَ اللهُ في سَودَائِهِ حِكمَه
God be praised for his heart, white in every corner:
“By God, he has a pure heart in which God
God has lodged wisdom in its dark core.
Has set a wisdom dark in hue”
لِلَّهِGod be praised for هَيبَةُmajesty لَيثٍa lion مِنهُfrom him وَاضِحَةٌmanifest
لِلَّهِ هَيبَةُ لَيثٍ مِنهُ وَاضِحَةٌ
كَأنَّهas though he وهوwhile he is ضَاحٍin the open هُوَّhe himself فيin أجَمَهa thicket
كَأنَّه وهو ضَاحٍ هُوَّ في أجَمَه
God be praised for the lion's majesty plainly seen in him:
“By God, he has the awe of a fierce lion
as though, out in the open, he were in a thicket.
Radiant, yet terrible in his heat”
يَسطُوhe assails عَلَىagainst بِدَعٍreligious innovations قَدalready شِبنَhave grown gray مُنتَضِياًunsheathing
يَسطُو عَلَى بِدَعٍ قَد شِبنَ مُنتَضِياً
صَمصَامَةَthe keen sword of الحَقِّtruth فِئنَthey turned back مُنهَزِمَهrouted
صَمصَامَةَ الحَقِّ فِئنَ مُنهَزِمَه
He assails innovations grown gray, unsheathing
“He charges against innovations grown old, determined
truth's keen sword; back they turn, routed.
To defend the truth though opponents take flight”
قَالُواthey said إسمهُhis name فيin نَوادِينَاour gatherings المُضَلِّلَthe Misleader لاَno!
قَالُوا إسمهُ في نَوادِينَا المُضَلِّلَ لاَ
أفَّاهُfie! قُلتُI said لهمto them مَاnot كَانَwas دَاءُan illness سُمَهa name; a label
أفَّاهُ قُلتُ لهم مَا كَانَ دَاءُ سُمَه
They said: in our gatherings his name is 'the Misleader.' No—
They said, “His name in our clubs is ‘the Misguided,’
fie! I told them: a label is no disease.
Not a mouth denied.” I said to them, “That was no disease to poison him!”
ولَوand if وَسَمتُمyou branded بهَذَاwith this الإسمَname شيخَكُمُyour sheikh
ولَو وَسَمتُم بهَذَا الإسمَ شيخَكُمُ
لَطَابَقَتwould surely have matched فيin إسمِهِhis name السِّيمَاthe distinguishing mark لِمَنfor whoever وَسَمَهbranded him
لَطَابَقَت في إسمِهِ السِّيمَا لِمَن وَسَمَه
Had you branded your sheikh with that name,
“Had you given your own shaikh this name
his name would have matched his traits for whoever branded him.
His traits would correspond to the name's traits in the one so named”
أمَّاas for الشَّرِيفthe Sharif فَلَمso he did not يَعبَأpay heed بِقَولِكُمُto your words
أمَّا الشَّرِيف فَلَم يَعبَأ بِقَولِكُمُ
فِيهِabout him وإنand even though كَانَhad بَعضٌsome منكمُof you شَتَمَهinsulted him
فِيهِ وإن كَانَ بَعضٌ منكمُ شَتَمَه
As for the Sharif, he paid no heed to your words
“As for the noble one, he did not care what you said
about him, though some of you insulted him.
Of him, even if some of you insulted him”
ولَستُand I do not أحسَبُهconsider him يُدعَىto be called المُضَلِّلَthe Misleader إِنif
ولَستُ أحسَبُه يُدعَى المُضَلِّلَ إِن
نفيhe ruled out عنِconcerning المصطفيthe Chosen One الكُتمَانَconcealment والتَّهَمهand suspicion
نفي عنِ المصطفي الكُتمَانَ والتَّهَمه
I do not think he should be called 'the Misleader' if
“Nor do I deem him called ‘the Misguided’ if
he cleared the Chosen One of concealment and suspicion,
He denied concealment and suspicion regarding the Chosen One”
أوor قَالَhe said مَاwhat قَالَhe said فيin الكُتبِthe books إِنَّindeed لهhe has
أو قَالَ مَا قَالَ في الكُتبِ إِنَّ له
كَفَّاa hand بِقَولِto the word of رَسُولِthe Messenger of اللهِGod مُعتِصَمَهholding fast
كَفَّا بِقَولِ رَسُولِ اللهِ مُعتِصَمَه
or said what he said in the books; for he has
“Or if he said what was said in the Book, for he has
a hand holding fast to the word of God's Messenger.
The saying of God's Messenger as his protection”
صَلَّىmay He bless علَيهِhim إلهthe God of العرشِthe Throne مَاas long as نَسَمَتblew gently
صَلَّى علَيهِ إله العرشِ مَا نَسَمَت
صَباًan east wind وَمَاand as long as بَرَّدَتcooled مِنهَاfrom it الجَوَىburning longing نَسَمَهa breeze
صَباً وَمَا بَرَّدَت مِنهَا الجَوَى نَسَمَه
May the God of the Throne bless him, as long as there blows
“God bless him, whom the God of the Throne so long
an east wind, and a breeze of it cools burning longing.
As the zephyrs blow and the air brings its breath
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.