هَبواsuppose أَنَّthat سِجنيmy imprisonment مانِعٌa barrier لِوِصالِهِto union with him
هَبوا أَنَّ سِجني مانِعٌ لِوِصالِهِ
فَماthen what الخَطبُthe trouble أَيضاًalso لامتِناعِfor the withholding of خَيالِهِhis phantom
فَما الخَطبُ أَيضاً لامتِناعِ خَيالِهِ
Suppose that my imprisonment bars union with him.
They suppose that my imprisonment prevents his visitation,
Then why does his phantom, too, stay away?
Yet why should his imagination be hindered?
نَعَمyes لَمdid not تَنَمsleep عينيmy eye فيطرُقthen visit طَيفُهُhis apparition
نَعَم لَم تَنَم عيني فيطرُق طَيفُهُ
زَوالُthe loss of مَناميmy sleep عِلَّةa cause لَزَوالِهِfor his disappearance
زَوالُ مَنامي عِلَّة لَزَوالِهِ
True, my eye has not slept to let his apparition visit;
Indeed my eyes have not slept, so his specter appears,
The loss of my sleep is the cause of his disappearance.
My lack of sleep caused by his disappearance.
فِدىa ransom الصَبِّthe lovesick lover منthe one whom لمhas not ينسهforgotten him فيin بَلائِهِhis affliction
فِدى الصَبِّ من لم ينسه في بَلائِهِ
وَيَنسىand forgets اسمُهُhis name مَنwhoever كانَwas فيin مِثلِthe like of حالِهِhis condition
وَيَنسى اسمُهُ مَن كانَ في مِثلِ حالِهِ
May the lovesick lover ransom the one he has not forgotten in his affliction,
The devotion of one who did not forget him in distress,
Though anyone in such a plight forgets his own name.
And the name of one who was in a similar state forgot him.
ومنand the one whose صارَbecame سِجنيmy imprisonment قطعةa part منof صُدودِهِhis rejection
ومن صارَ سِجني قطعة من صُدودِهِ
وَطولand the length of التَنائيseparation قطعةa part مِنof مَلالِهِhis weariness
وَطول التَنائي قطعة مِن مَلالِهِ
And him for whom my imprisonment became part of his rejection,
My prison became a piece of his walls,
And prolonged separation part of his weariness.
And the long separation became a piece of his boredom.
وَلَمand did not تَرَsee عينيmy eye حاسِدَينَtwo jealous rivals تَبايناwere unlike
وَلَم تَرَ عيني حاسِدَينَ تَباينا
عَلَيهِover him سِوىexcept قَلبيmy heart وَتُربِand the dust of نِعالِهِhis sandals
عَلَيهِ سِوى قَلبي وَتُربِ نِعالِهِ
My eye has never seen two jealous rivals so unlike
My eyes saw no envious rivals toward him
Over him as my heart and the dust of his sandals.
Except my heart and the soles of his slippers.
وَإِنّيand indeed I لأَطويهِsurely conceal it حِذاراًout of fear وَإِنَّماand only
وَإِنّي لأَطويهِ حِذاراً وَإِنَّما
يَخافُfears اغتِيالan assault on الجَرحِthe wound عِندَat اِندِمالِهِits healing
يَخافُ اغتِيال الجَرحِ عِندَ اِندِمالِهِ
And I surely conceal it in fear; one only
I fold him carefully but
Fears an assault on a wound just as it heals.
The wound fears assassination when it closes.
أَلّاAh! بِأَبيwith my father as ransom الغُصنthe bough النَضيرflourishing وَإِنَّماand only
أَلّا بِأَبي الغُصن النَضير وَإِنَّما
كنيتُI alluded بِهِthrough it عَنto قَدِّهِhis stature واِعتِدالِهِand his balanced proportions
كنيتُ بِهِ عَن قَدِّهِ واِعتِدالِهِ
Ah, let my father ransom the flourishing bough; I have only
No, by my slender, delicate branch, I nickname him
Used it to allude to his stature and graceful proportions.
about his composure and balance.
وَلاnor بِأَبيwith my father as ransom بَدرthe full moon المَحاقِthe dark lunar phase وَإِنَّماand only
وَلا بِأَبي بَدر المَحاقِ وَإِنَّما
يفدىis ransomed إِذاif حاكاهit resembles him عِندَat كَمالِهِits fullness
يفدى إِذا حاكاه عِندَ كَمالِهِ
Nor would I ransom with my father the full moon in its dark phase; it is only
Nor by my full mooned Badr except that he
Ransomed if it resembles him in its fullness.
would sacrifice himself when equaling his perfection.
وَلاnor حَبَّذاhow lovely is نورthe blossom of الأَقاحيdaisies عابِساًfrowning
وَلا حَبَّذا نور الأَقاحي عابِساً
وَياand oh حَبَّذاهhow lovely it is ضاحِكاًsmiling فيin ظِلالِهِhis shade
وَيا حَبَّذاه ضاحِكاً في ظِلالِهِ
Nor is the daisy blossom lovely when frowning,
How excellent is the light of frowning cheeks!
And oh, how lovely it is, smiling in his shade!
And more excellent when smiling in their shadows!
فَإِنso if فاقهsurpasses it ثغرthe mouth of الحَبيبthe beloved فَإِنَّماthen only
فَإِن فاقه ثغر الحَبيب فَإِنَّما
أُقَرِّبI approximate ماwhat أَعياdefied وجودthe finding of مِثالِهِits likeness
أُقَرِّب ما أَعيا وجود مِثالِهِ
If the beloved's mouth surpasses it, I only
For if his beloved's mouth surpasses it, then
Approximate that for which no likeness can be found.
I make believable the existence of its likeness.
وَماand not حُسنthe beauty of هَذاthis الشِعرpoetry إِلّاexcept لنفثِهِbecause of his breathing
وَما حُسن هَذا الشِعر إِلّا لنفثِهِ
لَهُfor it فيinto فَميmy mouth منfrom قبلbefore قطعthe severing of وِصالِهِhis union
لَهُ في فَمي من قبل قطع وِصالِهِ
And this poetry's beauty comes only from his breathing
The eloquence of this poetry is only because of his breath
It into my mouth before severing his union with me.
Which he blew in my mouth before his farewell.
نَطقتI spoke بِسِحرٍwith magic بَعدَهاafter it غَيرَexcept أَنَّهُthat it
نَطقت بِسِحرٍ بَعدَها غَيرَ أَنَّهُ
مِنَof السِحرِmagic ماthat which لَمhas not been يُختَلَفdisputed فيregarding حَلالِهِits lawfulness
مِنَ السِحرِ ما لَم يُختَلَف في حَلالِهِ
After that, I uttered magic—yet it is
I spoke an enchantment after which any other
A kind of magic whose lawfulness has not been disputed.
Of this magic whose lawfulness is not disputed.
كَذاكlikewise ابنIbn سيرينٍSirin لنفثةbecause of a breath يوسفYusuf
كَذاك ابن سيرينٍ لنفثة يوسف
تَكَلَّمspoke فيabout الرُؤياdream-visions بمثلwith the like of مَقالِهِhis words
تَكَلَّم في الرُؤيا بمثل مَقالِهِ
So too Ibn Sirin, through a breath from Yusuf,
Like this, the son of Sireen from Joseph's breath
Spoke of dreams in words like his.
Spoke similarly in the dream's interpretation.
أَلاnow! اصرِفturn إِلىtoward صِدغَيهِhis two temples لحظكyour gaze كلهall of it
أَلا اصرِف إِلى صِدغَيهِ لحظك كله
وَدَعand leave لَحظَهhis glance مُستَعمَلاًat work مِنamong نِصالِهِhis arrowheads
وَدَع لَحظَه مُستَعمَلاً مِن نِصالِهِ
Now turn your whole gaze toward his two temples,
Behold, turn your glance completely to his cheeks
And leave his glance at work among his arrowheads.
And leave his glance actively casting arrows.
تَرىyou see فيهِماin both of them نونَينِtwo nūn letters عُطِّلَwas left undotted واحِدone
تَرى فيهِما نونَينِ عُطِّلَ واحِد
وَآخرand another مَعجومdotted بِنُقطَةِwith the dot of خالِهِhis mole
وَآخر مَعجوم بِنُقطَةِ خالِهِ
You will see in them two nūn letters, one left undotted,
You see in them two letter noons, one inactive
And the other dotted with the dot of his mole.
And the other dotted with the mole of his cheek.
وَمِمّاand among what يُسلّيconsoles خطَّةthe office of العَرضreview أَنَّهاthat it
وَمِمّا يُسلّي خطَّة العَرض أَنَّها
وَضُرَّتَهاand its rival wife فيin خطَّةa position لانتِقالِهِfor his moving on
وَضُرَّتَها في خطَّة لانتِقالِهِ
And what consoles the office of review is that it
And of what makes the composition of the cheek pleasant is that it
And its rival wife share the same prospect of his departure;
And its pallor are in the composition of its impermanence.
وَأَنَّهماand that both مِثلَlike البُروجِzodiacal mansions لِبَدرِهاfor their full moon
وَأَنَّهما مِثلَ البُروجِ لِبَدرِها
إِذاwhen حَلَّhe alights لَمnot تأمَنَfeel safe from وَشيكthe imminence of ارتِحالِهِhis departure
إِذا حَلَّ لَم تأمَنَ وَشيك ارتِحالِهِ
And both are like zodiacal mansions for their full moon:
And that they are like constellations to its full moon
When he alights, they cannot feel safe from his imminent departure.
When it rises, its imminent departure cannot be trusted.
وَماand not الوقفstaying إِلّاexcept فيin الوزارَةthe vizierate إِنَّهاindeed it
وَما الوقف إِلّا في الوزارَة إِنَّها
عقيليَّةʿUqaylī مَحفوفةencompassed باعتِقالِهِby his grasp
عقيليَّة مَحفوفة باعتِقالِهِ
Only in the vizierate does he stop; for it
And this caesura is only in the ministry, it is
Is ʿUqaylī, secured within his grasp.
An prison-like pause surrounded by his detention.
أَتَستَغرِبdoes it find strange? العَلياءhigh eminence أَحمَدAhmad ناشِئاًas a youth
أَتَستَغرِب العَلياء أَحمَد ناشِئاً
وَقَدand already بانَappeared منهfrom him الفَضلexcellence قَبلَbefore فَصالِهِhis weaning
وَقَد بانَ منه الفَضل قَبلَ فَصالِهِ
Does high eminence marvel at Ahmad, still a youth,
Are you surprised that the eminent Ahmed is a youth
When his excellence appeared before his weaning?
When his virtue was apparent before his maturity?
صَغيراًas a child تربّيهnurtures him المَعاليَlofty honors فاضِلاًexcellent
صَغيراً تربّيه المَعاليَ فاضِلاً
فَسُوِّدَso he was made a chief مِنthrough إِقبالِهِhis good fortune فيin اِقتِبالِهِhis early youth
فَسُوِّدَ مِن إِقبالِهِ في اِقتِبالِهِ
While a child, lofty honors nurtured him in excellence;
He was raised virtuous in his youth,
Thus his good fortune made him a chief in early youth.
So he was enlightened from the time of his arrival to the time of his departure.
أَرانيI see myself وَقَدand already أَعياbaffled عَلىfor الفِكرِthought أَمرَهُhis case
أَراني وَقَد أَعيا عَلى الفِكرِ أَمرَهُ
عَلىdespite أَنَّthat فِكريmy thought غائِضٌebbing فيamid احتِفالِهِits fullness
عَلى أَنَّ فِكري غائِضٌ في احتِفالِهِ
I find myself with thought baffled by his case,
I saw that I was perplexed in thinking of his matter,
Though my thought ebbs amid its fullness.
Though my mind was immersed in its celebration.
إِذاif ماindeed حَوىattained أَعلىthe highest المَراتِبِranks ناشِئاًwhile young
إِذا ما حَوى أَعلى المَراتِبِ ناشِئاً
فَماذاthen what الَّذيthat which يَبقىremains لحينِfor the time of اكتِهالِهِhis middle age
فَماذا الَّذي يَبقى لحينِ اكتِهالِهِ
If, while young, he has attained the highest ranks,
If he contained the highest ranks in his youth,
What, then, remains for his middle age?
Then what remains for when his perfection is completed?
نَعَمyes إِنَّindeed غاياتthe utmost goals of الجَوادِthe noble steed إِذاwhen انتَهىreaches
نَعَم إِنَّ غايات الجَوادِ إِذا انتَهى
إِلَيهاto them تَبقّىremains فضلهits excellence فيin خِلالِهِits qualities
إِلَيها تَبقّى فضله في خِلالِهِ
Yes, when the noble steed reaches its furthest goals,
Indeed, when the goals of the generous are reached,
Its excellence still remains in its qualities.
His excellence remains during his possession.
رأواthey saw فَضلَهُhis excellence فاستَحسَنوهso they admired it وَأَمسَكواand held fast
رأوا فَضلَهُ فاستَحسَنوه وَأَمسَكوا
طِباعاًby nature عَلىaccording to أَقدارهمtheir capacities بِخِصالِهِto his qualities
طِباعاً عَلى أَقدارهم بِخِصالِهِ
They saw his excellence, admired it, and held fast,
They saw his merit and approved him, and held back
Naturally, each according to his capacity, to his qualities.
Naturally, according to their measures, because of his traits.
فَأَبقواso they left لهfor him فيin الفَضلِexcellence كثرةthe abundance of شكرهمtheir thanks
فَأَبقوا له في الفَضلِ كثرة شكرهم
وَأَبقىand he left لهمfor them فيin الفَخرِboasting قِلَّةَthe scantness of مالِهِhis wealth
وَأَبقى لهم في الفَخرِ قِلَّةَ مالِهِ
So they left him abundant thanks to mark his excellence,
So they kept for him, in merit, an abundance of their gratitude,
And he left them, as their boast, the scantness of his wealth.
And he kept for them, in pride, a paucity of his wealth.
وَعَقلٍand an intellect كَعذبِlike sweet الماءِwater مِنfrom نظمthe joining of عَقلهhis intellect
وَعَقلٍ كَعذبِ الماءِ مِن نظم عَقله
بِعَقلِwith the intellect of سواهsomeone other than him فَهوَthen it is عَذبٌflotsam زُلالِهِhis limpid water
بِعَقلِ سواه فَهوَ عَذبٌ زُلالِهِ
And an intellect like fresh water: on matching his mind
A mind as sweet as water from the rhyming of his mind
With another's, the other is flotsam on his limpid water.
With another’s mind, so it is sweetly limpid.
إِلىalongside أَدبٍrefinement مثلlike الهَواءair أَوor الهَوىlove
إِلى أَدبٍ مثل الهَواء أَو الهَوى
مَعwith الروحِthe spirit يَجريflows جائِلاًroaming فيin مَجالِهِits realm
مَع الروحِ يَجري جائِلاً في مَجالِهِ
Alongside a refinement like air, or love,
With courtesy like air or passion
It flows with the spirit, roaming through its realm.
Flowing mischievously in its course.
وَذهنٍand a mind لَوif الكافورcamphor يمنعrestrains حَرَّهits heat
وَذهنٍ لَو الكافور يمنع حَرَّه
لأَزريwould surely diminish بفخرthe pride of المِسكِmusk عندduring اعتمالِهِits exertion
لأَزري بفخر المِسكِ عند اعتمالِهِ
And a mind—if camphor could curb its heat,
If camphor could prevent its heat,
It would humble musk's pride when set to work.
I would boast of the musk's pride when it is carried.
وَماand not كُلُّall ذاthis التَشبيهcomparison إِلّاexcept تَحامُلاًunfair treatment
وَما كُلُّ ذا التَشبيه إِلّا تَحامُلاً
عَلَيهِtoward him وَلَكِنbut فضلهhis excellence فيin احتمالِهِhis forbearance
عَلَيهِ وَلَكِن فضله في احتمالِهِ
And all this comparison is nothing but injustice
All of these metaphors are only straining
To him; yet his excellence lies in his forbearance.
Toward him, though his merit is in enduring them.
وَياand O سَيِّديmy lord عَبدٌa servant دَعاكَcalled upon you معولاًrelying
وَيا سَيِّدي عَبدٌ دَعاكَ معولاً
عليكon you وَلَمand never يَخطُرoccur سِواكَanyone but you بِبالِهِto his mind
عليك وَلَم يَخطُر سِواكَ بِبالِهِ
And, O my lord, a servant has called on you, relying
O my master, your servant called on you as a resource,
On you; no one else has entered his mind.
Relying on you, with no other occurring in his thoughts.
وَهَلand does يَستَعينُseek help المَرءُa man منfrom قَعرthe bottom of هُوَّهa pit
وَهَل يَستَعينُ المَرءُ من قَعر هُوَّه
لإِخراجِهِto bring him out إِلّاexcept بِأَقوىby the strongest of حِبالِهِhis ropes
لإِخراجِهِ إِلّا بِأَقوى حِبالِهِ
Does a man at the bottom of a pit seek help
Can a person seek help out of the pit of his abyss
To draw himself out, except through his strongest ropes?
Except with his strongest rope?
وَأَنتُمand you أُناسpeople فضلهمtheir bounty غامرflooding الوَرىmankind
وَأَنتُم أُناس فضلهم غامر الوَرى
فَماthen what بالis the matter with مِثليone like me دائِراًcircling فيin اِنخمالِهِhis obscurity
فَما بال مِثلي دائِراً في اِنخمالِهِ
And you are people whose bounty floods mankind;
You are people whose overflowing merit floods the land,
Then why is one like me still circling in his obscurity?
So why am I constantly stumbling in my lethargy?
وَإِذand since صارَbecame سَعدSaʿd وابنهand his son مَعِقلاًa refuge لَهُfor him
وَإِذ صارَ سَعد وابنه مَعِقلاً لَهُ
فَماthen what العُذرthe excuse فيregarding إِطلاقِهِhis release منfrom عِقالِهِhis bonds
فَما العُذر في إِطلاقِهِ من عِقالِهِ
And since Saʿd and his son have become a refuge for him,
When Sa’d and his son became his protection,
What excuse, then, is there regarding his release from his bonds?
What is the excuse for releasing him from his fetter?
هَلdid? ابصَرتُموهyou saw him شافِعاًseeking intercession بِسِواكمthrough anyone but you
هَل ابصَرتُموه شافِعاً بِسِواكم
وَأَنتُمwhile you بَعيدfar away وَهوَand he فيin ضيقِthe straitness of حالِهِhis condition
وَأَنتُم بَعيد وَهوَ في ضيقِ حالِهِ
Have you seen him seek intercession through anyone but you,
Did you see anyone intercede for him but you
While you were far away and he in dire straits?
While you are distant and he is in dire straits?
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.