عنيaway from me بنصحكwith your counsel أنيthat I غيرnot منتصحheeding advice
عني بنصحك أني غير منتصح
كمhow great a distance بينbetween مستترone concealed مناof us ومفتضحِand one exposed
كم بين مستتر منا ومفتضحِ
Spare me your counsel: I will not heed advice.
Your advice tells me that I am not taking advice
How far apart are those of us concealed and those exposed!
How much is hidden between us and exposed
هلاwhy not عذلتyou reproached وقلبيwhile my heart غيرnot منجذبdrawn
هلا عذلت وقلبي غير منجذب
إلىtoward الغرامpassionate love وعذريand my excuse غيرnot متضحِclear
إلى الغرام وعذري غير متضحِ
Why did you not reproach me when my heart was not yet drawn
Why didn't you excuse me when my heart is not attracted
to passionate love, and my excuse was not yet clear?
To passion and my excuse is not clear
ماhow أقربclose الشوقlonging منto قلبيmy heart إذاwhen بعدbecame distant; continued next line
ما أقرب الشوق من قلبي إذا بعد
تfeminine verb ending completing the preceding word دارthe home الحبيبof the beloved وأمسىand he became جدvery منتزمfar removed (probably منتزح)
ت دار الحبيب وأمسى جد منتزم
How close longing is to my heart when far away
How close is longing to my heart when you are far
lies the beloved's home, and he has grown very distant [uncertain reading].
The home of the beloved and it became very depressed
سقيتmay you be watered باO (apparently يا) أثلاتtamarisk trees السفحof the slope منof أضمIḍam
سقيت با أثلات السفح من أضم
بوابلwith a downpour منof ملثunceasing الودتيrain (apparently الودق) منسفحِpouring down
بوابل من ملث الودتي منسفحِ
May you be watered, O tamarisks on the slope of Iḍam,
I watered the slopes of Al-Athaat with
with a pouring torrent of unceasing rain.
Downpours of sincere affection overflowing
وكانand would have يغنيكsufficed you عنهin its place دمعtears متكئبa sorrowful man (apparently مكتئب)
وكان يغنيك عنه دمع متكئب
فيamid بارقa lightning-flash منfrom زنادthe fire-striking flint الوجدof passionate longing منقدحsparked
في بارق من زناد الوجد منقدح
And a sorrowful man's tears would have sufficed you in its place,
And your flowing teardrop would have sufficed
amid lightning sparked from the flint of longing.
In a lightning bolt of kindled passion
وقهوةand wine كشعاعlike a ray الشمسof the sun مشرقةradiant
وقهوة كشعاع الشمس مشرقة
باكرتهاI sought it early وبشيرwhile the herald الصبحof dawn لمhad not يلمحِbeen glimpsed
باكرتها وبشير الصبح لم يلمحِ
And wine, radiant as a ray of sunlight—
And coffee like the rays of the rising sun
I sought it early, before dawn's herald could be glimpsed—
That began early while the morning has not appeared
منfrom كفthe hand منخزلsupple الأعطافof waist معتدلwell-proportioned
من كف منخزل الأعطاف معتدل
حلوsweet الشمائلin disposition مخلوقثfashioned (apparently مخلوق) منfrom الملحcharm
حلو الشمائل مخلوقث من الملح
from the hand of one supple of waist and well-proportioned,
From the palm of a gentle-wristed one
sweet in disposition, fashioned out of charm.
Sweet of traits, created from salt
لناfor us إذاwhen دارتwent round الصهباءthe tawny wine منfrom فمهhis mouth
لنا إذا دارت الصهباء من فمه
ريقsaliva يعطرperfumes ماwhat فيis in الدينthe wine-jar (apparently الدن) والقدحِand the cup
ريق يعطر ما في الدين والقدحِ
When the tawny wine goes round, we have from his mouth
For us, when the blond turned from his mouth
saliva that perfumes what is in the wine-jar and cup.
A scented saliva that perfumes religion and the wine-skin
يهشhe brightens منat عزليmy being blamed (apparently عذلي) فيهover him فيطربهand it delights him
يهش من عزلي فيه فيطربه
كماjust as يهشbrightens جمالJamāl ('beauty') الملكal-Mulk ('the realm') للمدحat praise
كما يهش جمال الملك للمدح
He brightens at the blame I incur for him, and it delights him,
It rejoices from my isolation in him and makes him joyful
as Jamāl al-Mulk brightens at praise.
As the beauty of the king rejoices for praise
المستضاءthe one whose light is sought بهthrough him فيin كلevery داجيةdark night
المستضاء به في كل داجية
يلوحgleams فيهاin it بياضthe whiteness الجودof generosity كالشبحِlike a visible figure
يلوح فيها بياض الجود كالشبحِ
He whose light is sought in every dark night,
Illuminated by it in every dark night
where generosity's whiteness gleams like a figure.
The whiteness of generosity appears in it like an apparition
يسموrises high بوجهwith a face إلىtoward القصادthose seeking him منطلقopen and cheerful
يسمو بوجه إلى القصاد منطلق
ينديdewy with bounty وصدرand a breast إلىtoward الوفادvisiting delegations منشرحِwelcoming
يندي وصدر إلى الوفاد منشرحِ
He rises high with a face open to those who seek him,
He rises with a face set towards chastity
dewy with bounty, and a breast welcoming to visiting delegations.
He calls and a chest expanded with loyalty
أخذتI attained غايةthe utmost أماليof my hopes بمغتبقthrough an evening drinker
أخذت غاية أمالي بمغتبق
منof المكارمnoble deeds والإحسانand kindness مصطبحِa morning drinker
من المكارم والإحسان مصطبحِ
I have attained my hopes' utmost goal through one who drinks at dusk
I attained the pinnacle of my hopes
of noble deeds and kindness, and drinks at dawn.
With bounties and favors like lamps
عارىbare المناكبin the shoulders والأعطافand the flanks منof دنبرstain (uncertain reading)
عارى المناكب والأعطاف من دنبر
ملفعenveloped برداءin the mantle العزof glory متّثحِdraped (apparently متشح)
ملفع برداء العز متّثحِ
His shoulders and flanks are free of stain [uncertain reading],
Bare shoulders and arms without sin
enveloped and draped in the mantle of glory.
Clad in the mantle of honor sparkling
وأثبتand the steadiest الناسof people قلباin heart فوقupon مندمجa compactly built steed
وأثبت الناس قلبا فوق مندمج
سامlofty سبوحswimming in its stride طموحhigh-headed مشرفtowering مرحِspirited
سام سبوح طموح مشرف مرحِ
And the firmest-hearted of men upon a compactly built steed,
And people affirmed a heart above fused
lofty, swimming in its stride, high-headed, towering, spirited.
Lofty, glorious, ambitious, honored, cheerful
وخيرand the best منof those who ألقتcast down الورادthe arriving visitors منfrom لغبweariness
وخير من ألقت الوراد من لغب
إلىtoward نداهhis bounty رحالthe saddles الجلّةof mature camels الطلَّحِexhausted
إلى نداه رحال الجلّة الطلَّحِ
And the best of those whose visitors, out of weariness, cast down
And the best one upon whom the roses of eloquence have descended
before his bounty the saddles of their mature, exhausted camels.
To his call the travelers of all the lands flocked
أباO father of المحاسنvirtues (al-Maḥāsin) والإحسانand kindness بكتزاO treasure (uncertain reading)
أبا المحاسن والإحسان بكتزا
لمنfor whoever رجاhopes for العفوpardon فيin أخلاقكyour character السمحِgenerous
لمن رجا العفو في أخلاقك السمحِ
O Abū al-Maḥāsin, father of kindness, O treasure [uncertain reading],
O father of beauty and favor in your generosity
for whoever hopes for pardon in your generous character.
Be joyous on the feast and humble your enviers through it
تهنenjoy بالعيدthe feast وانخرand slaughter (apparently وانحر) حاسديكyour enviers بهwith it
تهن بالعيد وانخر حاسديك به
مهنئاcongratulated بدوامon the continuance العمرof life والفرحِand joy
مهنئا بدوام العمر والفرحِ
Enjoy the feast, and slaughter your enviers with it,
Congratulating on the permanence of life and joy
congratulated on enduring life and joy.
Partial English translation: 33 of 34 Arabic lines translated.