كَمhow many لَيلَةٍa night فيكِfor your sake بِتُّI spent the night أَسهَرُهاI stay awake through it
كَم لَيلَةٍ فيكِ بِتُّ أَسهَرُها
وَلَوعَةٍand a burning longing فيin هَواكِlove for you أُضمِرُهاI conceal it
وَلَوعَةٍ في هَواكِ أُضمِرُها
How many a night have I spent awake for you,
How many nights have I spent awake thinking of you
and how many a pang have I concealed in loving you;
And how much anguish for your love I've kept hidden
وَحُرقَةٍand a burning pain وَالدُموعُand the tears تُطفِؤُهاextinguish it
وَحُرقَةٍ وَالدُموعُ تُطفِؤُها
ثُمَّthen يَعودُreturns الجَوىlovesickness فَيُسعِرُهاand rekindles it
ثُمَّ يَعودُ الجَوى فَيُسعِرُها
and a burning that tears extinguish,
With burning grief as tears put it out
then lovesickness returns and rekindles it.
Then passion returns to ignite it
ياO عَلوُʿAlw عَلَّperhaps الزَمانَtime يُعقِبُناbrings us in turn
يا عَلوُ عَلَّ الزَمانَ يُعقِبُنا
أَيّامَdays وَصلٍof union نَظَلُّwe continue نَشكُرُهاwe give thanks for them
أَيّامَ وَصلٍ نَظَلُّ نَشكُرُها
O ʿAlw, perhaps time will bring us in turn
O you highest one, time alternates between us
days of union for which we keep giving thanks.
Bringing days of union we bask in gratefully
بَيضاءُfair-skinned رودُtender الشَبابِyouth قَدalready غُمِسَتhas been steeped
بَيضاءُ رودُ الشَبابِ قَد غُمِسَت
فيin خَجَلٍbashfulness ذائِبٍmelting يُعَصفِرُهاdyes her with safflower
في خَجَلٍ ذائِبٍ يُعَصفِرُها
Fair-skinned, tender in youth, she has been steeped
The white cheeks of youth are now stained
in a melting blush that tints her with safflower.
With melting shyness that yellows them
مَجدولَةٌslenderly formed هَزَّهاstirred her الصِباyouth فَشَفىand healed
مَجدولَةٌ هَزَّها الصِبا فَشَفى
قَلبَكَyour heart مَسموعُهاher voice وَمنظَرُهاand her appearance
قَلبَكَ مَسموعُها وَمنظَرُها
Slenderly formed, youth stirred her; then healing
A stream stirred by the morning breeze that healed
came to your heart from her voice and the sight of her.
Your heart, its sight and sound
لاnot تَبعَثُshe sounds العودَthe lute تَستَعينُshe seeks help بِهِwith it
لا تَبعَثُ العودَ تَستَعينُ بِهِ
وَلاand not تَبيتُspend the night الأَوتارُthe strings تَخفُرُهاguard her
وَلا تَبيتُ الأَوتارُ تَخفُرُها
She does not sound the lute to seek its aid,
You neither rouse the lute nor tune its strings
nor do the strings stand guard over her by night.
Allah is its guardian, so it's never filled
اللَهُGod جارٌa protector لَهاfor her فَماand not اِمتَلَأَتwas filled
اللَهُ جارٌ لَها فَما اِمتَلَأَت
عَينِيَmy eye إِلّاexcept مِنfrom حَيثُwhere أُبصِرُهاI behold her
عَينِيَ إِلّا مِن حَيثُ أُبصِرُها
God is her protector; nothing has filled
My eyes except from where I see it
my eye except the sight of her.
The oriole's hand was marked white yesterday
إِنَindeed قُوَيقاًQuwayq لَهُit has عَلّىover me (reading عليّ) يَدٌa hand of kindness
إِنَ قُوَيقاً لَهُ عَلّى يَدٌ
بِالأَمسِyesterday بَيضاءُwhite and benevolent لَستُI am not أَكفُرُهاI disavow it
بِالأَمسِ بَيضاءُ لَستُ أَكفُرُها
Indeed, Quwayq has done me a favor
I won't deny it though the night of doubt
yesterday—a shining one I do not deny.
And it being our third was lingering, but
وَلَيلَةُand the night الشَكِّof doubt وَهوَwhile it was ثالِثُناour third companion
وَلَيلَةُ الشَكِّ وَهوَ ثالِثُنا
كانَتthere were هَنّاتٌlittle lapses وَاللَهُand God يَغفِرُهاforgives them
كانَت هَنّاتٌ وَاللَهُ يَغفِرُها
And on the night of doubt, with it as our third,
Allah forgives it
there were little lapses; God forgives them.
Days of play in both sides of Aleppo
أَيّامَdays لَهوٍof revelry فيin جانِبَيthe two sides of حَلَبٍAleppo
أَيّامَ لَهوٍ في جانِبَي حَلَبٍ
لَمnot يَبقَremained مِنهاof them إِلّاexcept تَذَكُّرُهاremembering them
لَم يَبقَ مِنها إِلّا تَذَكُّرُها
Days of revelry on either side of Aleppo,
Nothing remains of them but remembering
of which nothing remains except remembrance.
The ornaments have no equal in the clouds
إِنَّindeed خِلالَthe virtues المُعتَزِّof al-Muʿtazz لَيسَthere is not لَهاfor them
إِنَّ خِلالَ المُعتَزِّ لَيسَ لَها
مُقارِبٌa near rival فيamong السَحابِthe clouds يَعشُرُهاequals a tenth of them
مُقارِبٌ في السَحابِ يَعشُرُها
Indeed, al-Muʿtazz's virtues have no
That accompany them
rival among the clouds to equal a tenth of them.
Rightly guided to guidance, befitting him
مُوَفَّقٌfavored لِلهُدىwith right guidance تَليقُis fitting بِهِfor him
مُوَفَّقٌ لِلهُدى تَليقُ بِهِ
خِلافَةٌa caliphate رَأيُهُhis judgment يُدَبِّرُهاgoverns it
خِلافَةٌ رَأيُهُ يُدَبِّرُها
Favored with right guidance, worthy of him is
Is the caliphate, his view runs it
a caliphate governed by his judgment.
Its affairs returned to him, so he takes them
رُدَّتwere entrusted إِلَيهِto him أُمورُهاits affairs وَغَداand came to
رُدَّت إِلَيهِ أُمورُها وَغَدا
يورِدُهاbrings them to water حَزمُهُhis prudence وَيُصدِرُهاand leads them away
يورِدُها حَزمُهُ وَيُصدِرُها
Its affairs were entrusted to him, and now
With his resolve issuing and organizing them
his prudence brings them to water and leads them back.
Thus justice and religion aim for
فَالعَدلُthus justice وَالدينُand religion يَقصِدانِboth advance إِلىtoward
فَالعَدلُ وَالدينُ يَقصِدانِ إِلى
غايَةِa pinnacle مَجدٍof glory لِلدينِfor religion مَفخَرُهاits pride
غايَةِ مَجدٍ لِلدينِ مَفخَرُها
Thus justice and religion both advance toward
The utmost glory, its pride
a pinnacle of glory in which religion takes pride.
A nature his, nothing changes it
سَجِيَّةٌan innate trait مِنهُof his ماnot يُبَدِّلُهاhe alters it
سَجِيَّةٌ مِنهُ ما يُبَدِّلُها
وَسُنَّةٌand a customary way مِنهُof his ماnot يُغَيِّرُهاhe changes it
وَسُنَّةٌ مِنهُ ما يُغَيِّرُها
An innate trait of his that he never alters,
And a tradition his, nothing alters it
and a way of his that he never changes.
The commander of the faithful, chosen
وَإِمرَةُand the leadership المُؤمِنينَof the believers مُنتَخَبٌone chosen
وَإِمرَةُ المُؤمِنينَ مُنتَخَبٌ
لَهاfor it رَضِيُّpleasing الخَلاقِin character خَيرُهاits best
لَها رَضِيُّ الخَلاقِ خَيرُها
And the leadership of the believers has one chosen
For him is the Creator's approval, its best
for it: pleasing in character, its finest.
His crown shone through it, his
زَهاgrew resplendent بِهِthrough him تاجُهاits crown وَتاهَand took pride بِهِin him
زَها بِهِ تاجُها وَتاهَ بِهِ
سَريرُهاits throne المُعتَلىexalted وَمَنبَرُهاand its pulpit
سَريرُها المُعتَلى وَمَنبَرُها
Its crown grew splendid through him, and in him gloried
Sublime throne and pulpit vanished in it
its lofty throne and its pulpit.
Every day, his comfort overflows
فيin كُلِّevery يَومٍday تَفيضُoverflows راحَتُهُhis palm
في كُلِّ يَومٍ تَفيضُ راحَتُهُ
مَواهِباًgifts ماnot تُخاصُare waded through (apparently تُخاض) أَبحُرُهاtheir seas
مَواهِباً ما تُخاصُ أَبحُرُها
Every day his palm overflows
With gifts, even its seas don't contain
with gifts whose seas cannot be waded through.
If the treasure of days were in his hands
لَوif أَنَّthat كَنزَthe treasure الأَيّامِof days فيin يَدِهِhis hand
لَو أَنَّ كَنزَ الأَيّامِ في يَدِهِ
طاحَتwould vanish سِنوهاits years جوداًin generosity وَأَشهَرُهاand its months
طاحَت سِنوها جوداً وَأَشهَرُها
If the treasure of days were in his hand,
Their years would spill in generosity, even its months
its years and months would fly away in generosity.
We praise him with blessings that preceded
نُثنيwe praise عَلَيهِhim بِأَنعُمٍfor favors سَلَفَتpreviously bestowed
نُثني عَلَيهِ بِأَنعُمٍ سَلَفَت
أَصغَرُهاthe smallest of them فيin النُفوسِsouls أَكبَرُهاthe greatest of them
أَصغَرُها في النُفوسِ أَكبَرُها
We praise him for favors already bestowed,
The greatest in souls is their least
the smallest of which are greatest in people's souls.
Like praising the meadow for its rain
كَالرَوضِlike a garden أَثنىpraised عَلىupon سَحائِبِهِits clouds
كَالرَوضِ أَثنى عَلى سَحائِبِهِ
بِزَهرَةِwith the blossom الرَوضِof the garden حينَwhen يَنشُرُهاit unfolds it
بِزَهرَةِ الرَوضِ حينَ يَنشُرُها
as a garden praises its clouds
With the meadow's own flowers when it blooms
with the garden's blossom when it unfolds it.
The perfection of the Prophet's city was led
قادled (apparently قد: indeed) تَمَّbecame complete حُسنُthe beauty المُحَمَّدِيَّةِof al-Muhammadiyya بِالبَدwith the full- (word fragment)
قاد تَمَّ حُسنُ المُحَمَّدِيَّةِ بِالبَد
رِ-moon (completion of البدر) الَّذيthat بِالضِياءِwith radiance يَغمُرُهاfloods it
رِ الَّذي بِالضِياءِ يَغمُرُها
Indeed, al-Muhammadiyya's beauty is complete with the full
By the full moon that floods it with light
moon that floods it with radiance.
Radiant in eyes, smiling
مُشرِقَةٌradiant فيin العُيونِthe eyes ضاحِكَةٌsmiling
مُشرِقَةٌ في العُيونِ ضاحِكَةٌ
مَبدَؤُهاits first appearance آنِسٌwelcoming وَمَحضَرُهاand its presence
مَبدَؤُها آنِسٌ وَمَحضَرُها
Radiant to the eyes and smiling,
Its beginning intimate, its place joyous
welcoming at first sight and when one is there.
It diffuses the scent of camphor, its soil
تُبديgives off نَسيمَthe fragrance الكافورِof camphor تُربَتُهاits soil
تُبدي نَسيمَ الكافورِ تُربَتُها
إِذاwhen غَدَتcomes into morning وَالسَماءُand the sky تُمطِرُهاrains upon it
إِذا غَدَت وَالسَماءُ تُمطِرُها
Its soil gives off the fragrance of camphor
When it becomes and the sky rains on it
when morning comes and the sky rains upon it.
A melody of bliss with fortune it brings down
مَغنىa dwelling سُرورٍof joy بِالسَعدِwith good fortune تُنزِلُهُyou enter it
مَغنى سُرورٍ بِالسَعدِ تُنزِلُهُ
وَدارُand an abode أُنسٍof intimacy بِاليُمنِwith blessing تَعمُرُهاyou inhabit it
وَدارُ أُنسٍ بِاليُمنِ تَعمُرُها
A dwelling of joy, which you enter with good fortune,
And a home of intimacy with prosperity it populates
and an abode of intimacy, which you inhabit with blessings.
And Farisabad, when it envelops it
وَفارِسابادِand Farisabad إِذwhen تَكَنَّفَهاencircled it
وَفارِسابادِ إِذ تَكَنَّفَها
مورِقُthe leafy ones أَشجارِهاof its trees وَمِثمِرُهاand their fruit-bearing ones
مورِقُ أَشجارِها وَمِثمِرُها
And Farisabad, when it is encircled
Burgeoning trees and fruiting
by its leafy and fruit-bearing trees,
Garden of Eden, when you enter it
جَنَّةُa garden عَدنٍof Eden مَتىwhenever حَلَلتَyou alight بِهاin it
جَنَّةُ عَدنٍ مَتى حَلَلتَ بِها
شَهَدتَyou bear witness أَنَّthat القاطولَal-Qatul كَوثَرُهاits Kawthar
شَهَدتَ أَنَّ القاطولَ كَوثَرُها
is a Garden of Eden; whenever you alight there,
You'll witness the Tigris is its pond
you attest that al-Qatul is its Kawthar.
Whoever is not essence, that's God's slave
مَنwhoever لَمnot يَكُنis جَوهَراًa jewel فَذَلِكَthen that is عَبʿAb- (start of ʿAbd)
مَن لَم يَكُن جَوهَراً فَذَلِكَ عَب
دُ-d (end of ʿAbd) اللَهِAllah زَينُthe adornment الدُنياof the world وَجَوهَرُهاand its jewel
دُ اللَهِ زَينُ الدُنيا وَجَوهَرُها
He who is not a jewel—that is ʿAb-
Beauty of the world and its essence
d Allah, the world's adornment and its jewel.
Delicate from the trembling of dew, a hand
نَشوانُintoxicated مِنby هِزَّةِthe thrill النَدىof generosity فَيدٌand a hand
نَشوانُ مِن هِزَّةِ النَدى فَيدٌ
بِالمَهاwith the oryxes وَالسَماحِand generosity تَحذَرُهاyou fear it
بِالمَها وَالسَماحِ تَحذَرُها
Drunk with the thrill of generosity; his is a hand
With splendor and generosity it guards
you fear with the oryxes and largesse [wording unclear].
Fulfilled brightness with a dawn that dazzled
أَوفىfuller ضِياءًin radiance بِطَلعَةٍwith a countenance بَهَرَتoutshone
أَوفى ضِياءً بِطَلعَةٍ بَهَرَت
شَمسَthe sun الضُحىof forenoon إِذwhen أَضاءَshone نَيِّرُهاits bright orb
شَمسَ الضُحى إِذ أَضاءَ نَيِّرُها
Fuller in radiance, with a countenance that outshone
The morning sun when its light shone
the forenoon sun when its bright orb shone.
Aspirant of dew, Abdu Manaf makes it
مُؤَمَّلٌlooked to لِلنَدىfor generosity تُؤَمِّرُهُappoints him to command
مُؤَمَّلٌ لِلنَدى تُؤَمِّرُهُ
عَبدُʿAbd مَنافٍManaf وَمَنand whoever يُؤَمِّرُهاappoints it to command
عَبدُ مَنافٍ وَمَن يُؤَمِّرُها
Looked to for largesse, he is appointed to command by
And whoever aspires it
ʿAbd Manaf and whoever grants it command.
If we seek something desired from him
إِذاwhen طَلَبناwe request إِلَيهِto him مَرغَبَةًa desired boon
إِذا طَلَبنا إِلَيهِ مَرغَبَةً
لَمnot يَعتَرِضstands in the way دونَهاbefore it تَعَذُّرُهاits unattainability
لَم يَعتَرِض دونَها تَعَذُّرُها
Whenever we ask him for a coveted boon,
Nothing obstructs it or makes it difficult
no difficulty in granting it stands in the way.
Partial English translation: 63 of 64 Arabic lines translated.