هيهاتfar from it! عذلكyour reproach ليسdoes not يسلينيconsole me
هيهات عذلك ليس يسليني
علقbecame attached الفؤادthe heart بأعينto the eyes of العينِthe wide-eyed ones
علق الفؤاد بأعين العينِ
In vain! Your reproach does not console me.
Alas! Your blame does not console me,
My heart is bound to the eyes of the wide-eyed beauties.
My heart is captivated by the eyes of the eyes,
سلبstole الجفونthe eyelids لذيذthe sweetness of رقدتهاtheir slumber
سلب الجفون لذيذ رقدتها
قمرa moon أُواصلهI keep close to him ويجفونيand shuns me
قمر أُواصله ويجفوني
My eyelids have been robbed of their sweet slumber
Sleep is stolen from my delighted eyelids,
by a moon I court, who shuns me.
I seek the moon but my eyes deny me.
أصبحتI have become أسألI ask مانعاone who withholds أبداalways
أصبحت أسأل مانعا أبدا
منهfrom him وآمنand I trust غيرnot مأمونِtrustworthy
منه وآمن غير مأمونِ
I now petition one who always withholds,
I now perpetually ask the one who prohibits me,
and trust him, though he is not to be trusted.
Trusting the untrustworthy one.
مذsince صارhe began يحكمjudging فيin قضيَّتهِhis case
مذ صار يحكم في قضيَّتهِ
حكمthe judgment of العزيزِthe mighty one رضيتI was content بالهونِwith abasement
حكم العزيزِ رضيت بالهونِ
Since he began to judge his own case
Since the Almighty judges his case,
with a mighty ruler's judgment, I have accepted abasement.
I am content with disgrace.
يمشيhe walks كغصنlike a branch رنَّحتهswayed it صباًan east wind
يمشي كغصن رنَّحته صباً
وونتand grew languid بتحريكby stirring وتسكينِand stilling
وونت بتحريك وتسكينِ
He walks like a branch swayed by the east wind,
He walks like a branch bent by the morning breeze,
and the breeze grows languid, now stirring it, now stilling it.
Swaying gently to and fro.
أَهونِhow slight! بعذat reproach (fragment) لكyour (split ending) معdespite خشونتهits harshness
أَهونِ بعذ لك مع خشونته
فيin حسنthe beauty of ذاكthat العطبruin واللينِand softness
في حسن ذاك العطب واللينِ
How slight your reproach, despite its harshness,
How can I blame you and your cruelty,
beside the beauty of that ruin and softness!
When that weakness and softness are so fair?
رشأa gazelle-fawn يكادalmost لدقةfrom slenderness وضنىand frailty
رشأ يكاد لدقة وضنى
فيat الخصرthe waist يخفىdisappears فيinside الخفاتينِthe caftans
في الخصر يخفى في الخفاتينِ
A fawn who, from slenderness and frailty,
Slender, as if from tact and stinginess,
almost vanishes at the waist within his caftans.
His waist is scarcely seen under his clothes.
عذبsweet لماهhis lips' dark hue بعرفin the fragrance of مبسمهhis smiling mouth
عذب لماه بعرف مبسمه
عرفthe scent of الأقاحdaisies ومسكand the musk of دارينِDarin
عرف الأقاح ومسك دارينِ
Sweet is the dusk of his lips; in his smile's scent
Sweet watered by the knowledge of his smile,
are the fragrance of daisies and the musk of Darin.
Recognizing coyness and the scent of musk and ambergris.
يزدادhe grows حسناin beauty كلماwhenever بصرتbeheld
يزداد حسنا كلما بصرت
عينan eye بهhim منwith غيرno تحسينِembellishment
عين به من غير تحسينِ
He grows more beautiful whenever
He grows more beautiful whenever my eyes behold him,
an eye beholds him, without embellishment.
Without any embellishment.
ياO ليلةnight فيهاin which خلوتI was alone بهwith him
يا ليلة فيها خلوت به
والراحand the wine يشربهاhe drinks it ويبقينيand keeps me alive
والراح يشربها ويبقيني
O night in which I was alone with him,
O night in which I was alone with him!
while he drank the wine and kept me alive,
The wind blowing and leaving me.
ويوردand makes rosy وجنتهhis cheek وماand what صنعتfashioned
ويورد وجنته وما صنعت
كفthe hand of الحياءmodesty بهاupon it يحيىcomes alive
كف الحياء بها يحيى
and reddened his cheek; what was fashioned
He reddens my cheek which modesty has not protected,
there by modesty's hand comes to life.
And his embrace tells stories of righteousness, embracing me and consoling me.
وشمولناand our wine تحكيmirrors شمائلthe virtues of منone who
وشمولنا تحكي شمائل من
بالبرwith kindness يشملنيenfolds me ويعنينيand has me in mind
بالبر يشملني ويعنيني
And our wine mirrors the virtues of him
The independent one, with all noble qualities,
who enfolds me in kindness and has me in mind:
The glory of guidance, kingdom and religion.
المستقلthe sole bearer بكلof every مكرمةnoble deed
المستقل بكل مكرمة
مجدglory of الهدىguidance والملكand kingship والدينِand faith
مجد الهدى والملك والدينِ
the sole bearer of every noble deed,
A passionate king whose every desire
Glory of Guidance, Kingship, and Faith.
Tells of Haydar’s bravery on the day of Siffin.
ملكa king لهفto him (split text) يin (fragment) وصفthe account of كلevery وغىbattle
ملك لهف ي وصف كل وغى
إقدامthe daring of حيدرHaydar يومon the day of صفّينِSiffin
إقدام حيدر يوم صفّينِ
A king to whom every account of battle ascribes
I sold my soul to him, trusting
Haydar's daring on the day of Siffin.
That I would not be cheated, knowing that I am no fool.
بعتI traded الكرامthe generous بهfor him علىwith ثقةconfidence
بعت الكرام به على ثقة
علماknowing بأنيthat I am غيرnot مغبونِshortchanged
علما بأني غير مغبونِ
I traded the generous for him with confidence,
I took refuge in the nephew of the generous one,
knowing that I was not shortchanged.
The exalted, overflowing with kindness.
وركنتand I relied منهin him إلىon ربيبone reared on سدىkindness
وركنت منه إلى ربيب سدى
وندىand bounty بشدىat the breast of (unclear spelling) الجودgenerosity ملبونِsuckled
وندى بشدى الجود ملبونِ
And in him I relied on one reared on kindness
Welcome to the destitute, the hope of the fertile land,
and bounty, suckled at generosity's breast.
Where the hopes of the poor nestle.
مالthe wealth of العفاةpetitioners ومؤئلand a refuge خصبfertile
مال العفاة ومؤئل خصب
سكنتهhave dwelt in it آمالthe hopes of المساكينِthe poor
سكنته آمال المساكينِ
The petitioners' treasure, a fertile refuge
May God reward him, his good deeds intercede,
where the hopes of the poor have made their home.
Their purity through his noble assistance.
للهhow wondrous! منهfrom him صنائعfavors شفعتpaired
لله منه صنائع شفعت
أبكارهاtheir maiden gifts بمكارمwith generous deeds عونِmature
أبكارها بمكارم عونِ
How wondrous his favors, which have paired
And qualities like the wind, blending
their maiden gifts with seasoned acts of bounty!
With perfume the breeze of the gardens.
وخلائقand virtues كالراحlike wine تمزجهاmingle it
وخلائق كالراح تمزجها
بالطيبwith perfume أنفاسthe breaths of الرياحينِfragrant herbs
بالطيب أنفاس الرياحينِ
And virtues like wine that is mingled
He continues to guard his honor generously,
with perfume by the breaths of fragrant herbs.
An honor that is unfailing.
ماnot زالceased يخزنhe safeguards عرضهhis honor كرماthrough generosity
ما زال يخزن عرضه كرما
عرضworldly wealth لديهwith him غيرnot مخزونِhoarded
عرض لديه غير مخزونِ
He ever safeguards his honor through generosity;
My friend, ask your Lord, is there
worldly wealth with him is never hoarded.
Anyone but him, mighty among kings?
ياO صاحبيmy two companions سلاask, both of you بربكماby your Lord
يا صاحبي سلا بربكما
هلwhether غيرهanyone but him عزthe glory of السلاطينِsultans
هل غيره عز السلاطينِ
O my two companions, ask, by your Lord:
He reaches the enemy in every battle
Is anyone but he the glory of sultans?
Like arrows shot from a bow.
لحقhe overtook العداthe enemies فيin كلevery معركةbattle
لحق العدا في كل معركة
بلواحقon pursuing steeds مثلlike السراحينِwolves
بلواحق مثل السراحينِ
He overtook the foe in every battle,
In every desolate valley he is seen
on pursuing steeds like wolves.
As a master, and in the water like a whale.
منof كلevery نهدpowerful steed فيin الفلاةthe wilderness يرىis seen
من كل نهد في الفلاة يرى
سيداa wolf وفيand in الأمواهthe waters كالنونِlike a fish
سيدا وفي الأمواه كالنونِ
Each a mighty steed, seen in the wilderness
With a radiant face you'd think was,
as a wolf, and in the waters like a fish;
If frowned at, a pelting of devils.
ذيhaving غرةa white blaze كالنجمlike a star تحسبهاyou would think it
ذي غرة كالنجم تحسبها
إنwhen شدit charges رجماa hurled missile للشياطينِat devils
إن شد رجما للشياطينِ
with a blaze like a star, which you would think,
So they became prey, like every outcast
when it charges, a missile hurled at devils.
Judged and executed, notorious.
فغدواso they became طرائدquarry كلof every مطردspear
فغدوا طرائد كل مطرد
قاضdeath-dealing وماضيand keen الحدthe edge مسنونِwhetted
قاض وماضي الحد مسنونِ
So they became the quarry of every spear,
O Abul Fadl, listen to praise
death-dealing, and every keen-edged, whetted blade.
That is a bouquet, not the blossoms of gardens.
أيهاO أباAbu الفضلاستمعal-Fadl; listen (joined words) مدحاpraise
أيها أبا الفضلاستمع مدحا
زهراblossoms ولاbut not زهرthe flowers of البساتينِgardens
زهرا ولا زهر البساتينِ
O Abu al-Fadl, listen to praise—
It cools like hail and the necklaces have bloomed,
blossoms, but not the blossoms of gardens:
The roses are moist between the two eagles.
كالبردlike hailstones ضمgathered والعقودand necklaces زهتgleamed
كالبرد ضم والعقود زهت
والوردand roses ضرجwere crimsoned بينamong نسرينِwhite wild roses
والورد ضرج بين نسرينِ
like clustered hailstones and necklaces aglow,
O benefactor! He continues to embrace me
and roses crimsoned among white wild roses.
With abundant generosity and suffices me.
ياO منعماbenefactor ماnot زالceased يكنفنيhe shelters me
يا منعما ما زال يكنفني
بغزيرwith abundant جدواهhis bounty ويكفينيand meets my needs
بغزير جدواه ويكفيني
O benefactor, who has ever sheltered me
I come praising him so he gives me success,
with abundant bounty and supplied my needs,
And I gather his bounty so he enriches me.
آتيهI come to him ممتدحاpraising فيسعفنيso he grants my wish
آتيه ممتدحا فيسعفني
وأجمand I let rest نائلهhis bounty فيبدونيthen he gives to me unasked
وأجم نائله فيبدوني
I come to him with praise, and he grants my wish;
How often when destitute he gives me hope,
and when I let his bounty rest, he gives unasked.
And through your bounty I become as wealthy as Qarun!
كمhow many آخرdelayed (unclear spelling) الإفلاسpoverty ليfor me أملاa hope
كم آخر الإفلاس لي أملا
ونداكand your bounty أقرننيpaired me بقارونِwith Qarun
ونداك أقرنني بقارونِ
How many hopes poverty delayed for me,
So I remain with a face radiant from your radiance,
yet your bounty set me beside Qarun!
And my gloomy life is illuminated.
فبقيتso may you endure يشرقshines وجهthe face of بشركyour cheer ليfor me
فبقيت يشرق وجه بشرك لي
ويضيءand shines فيin أرماتيmy hardships الجونِdark
ويضيء في أرماتي الجونِ
May you endure, your cheerful face shining for me
And I found your feast everlasting
and shedding light on my dark times of hardship.
In my state - honor and establishment.
ولقيتand may you meet عيدكyour feast day عائداreturning أبداforever
ولقيت عيدك عائدا أبدا
فيin دولتيthe two realms of عزglory وتمكينِand established power
في دولتي عز وتمكينِ
And may you greet your feast day, forever returning,
For God has exonerated you from all generosity
in the twin realms of glory and secure dominion.
And people see the generous as mere clay.
فلقدfor indeed براكfashioned you اللهGod منfrom كرمgenerosity
فلقد براك الله من كرم
ويرىand are seen كرامthe generous among الناسpeople منfrom طينِclay
ويرى كرام الناس من طينِ
For God has surely fashioned you from generosity,
while generous men are seen to be made of clay.
Partial English translation: 64 of 66 Arabic lines translated.