أَماis there no? مُعينٌa helper عَلىagainst الشَوقِlonging الَّذيwhich غَرِيَتbecame attached
أَما مُعينٌ عَلى الشَوقِ الَّذي غَرِيَت
بِهِto it الجَوانِحُthe ribs وَالبَينُand parting الَّذيwhich أَفِداdrew near
بِهِ الجَوانِحُ وَالبَينُ الَّذي أَفِدا
Is there no helper against the longing to which
O my beloved, your love torments me,
my ribs have clung, and the parting that has drawn near?
Keeps me restless, distant though we be.
أَرجوI hope for عَواطِفَaffections مِنfrom لَيلىLayla وَيُؤيسُنيand makes me despair
أَرجو عَواطِفَ مِن لَيلى وَيُؤيسُني
دَوامُpersistence لَيلىLayla عَلىin الهَجرِestrangement الَّذيwhich تَلَداgrew longstanding
دَوامُ لَيلى عَلى الهَجرِ الَّذي تَلَدا
I hope for affection from Layla; what makes me despair
I long for kindness from my Laila,
is Layla's persistence in estrangement grown old.
Yet her cold estrangement gives no respite.
وَماand what مَضىpassed أَمسِyesterday مِنof عَيشٍlife أُسَرُّI am delighted بِهِin it
وَما مَضى أَمسِ مِن عَيشٍ أُسَرُّ بِهِ
فيin حُبِّهاloving her فَأُرَجّىso I am led to hope أَنthat يَعودَit returns غَداtomorrow
في حُبِّها فَأُرَجّى أَن يَعودَ غَدا
And the life that passed yesterday, in which I rejoiced
I reminisce of days when happiness
in loving her—I am led to hope it will return tomorrow.
Abounded in her love, hoping tomorrow brings it back.
كَيفَhow اللِقاءُmeeting وَقَدand already أَضحَتshe has become مُخَيِّمَةًencamped
كَيفَ اللِقاءُ وَقَد أَضحَت مُخَيِّمَةً
بِالشامِin al-Sham لاnot كَثَباًnearby مِنّاto us وَلاnor صَدَداclose at hand
بِالشامِ لا كَثَباً مِنّا وَلا صَدَدا
How can we meet, when she has now encamped
A meeting seems impossible, now she dwells
in al-Sham, neither near us nor close at hand?
In Damascus while I roam afar, hearts asunder.
تَهاجُرٌmutual estrangement أَمَمٌmild لاno وَصلَunion يَخلِطُهُmingles with it
تَهاجُرٌ أَمَمٌ لا وَصلَ يَخلِطُهُ
إِلّاexcept تَزاوُرُmutual visiting طَيفَيناour two phantoms إِذاwhen هَجَداthe two slept
إِلّا تَزاوُرُ طَيفَينا إِذا هَجَدا
A mild estrangement, unmixed with union,
Two migrants - never to reunite again -
except our two phantoms' mutual visits when we both sleep.
Save by the visit of our ghosts in solitude.
وَقَدand may يَزيرُbrings to visit الكَرىslumber مَنone whose لاnot زِيارَتُهُhis visit
وَقَد يَزيرُ الكَرى مَن لا زِيارَتُهُ
قَصدٌintended وَيُدنيand brings near الهَوىlove مِنfrom بَعدِafter ماthat بَعَداhe grew distant
قَصدٌ وَيُدني الهَوى مِن بَعدِ ما بَعَدا
And slumber may bring a visitor whose visit
Fate brings an uninvited guest, yet yearning
is unintended; and love brings close one who had grown distant.
Draws the hearts closer from distance far too wide.
بِتناwe spent the night عَلىunder رَقبَةِthe watch of الواشينَthe slanderers مُكتَنِفَيboth enfolding
بِتنا عَلى رَقبَةِ الواشينَ مُكتَنِفَي
صَبابَةٍardent longing نَتَشاكىwe lament to each other البَثَّgrief وَالكَمَداand anguish
صَبابَةٍ نَتَشاكى البَثَّ وَالكَمَدا
We spent the night under the slanderers' watch, both enfolding
We confide in friends of this deep sorrow and grief;
longing, telling each other of our grief and anguish.
Sharing stories of our loss and pain.
إِمّاif indeed سَأَلتَyou ask بِشَخصَيناabout our two bodies هُناكَthere فَقَدthen indeed
إِمّا سَأَلتَ بِشَخصَينا هُناكَ فَقَد
غاباboth were absent وَأَمّاbut as for خَيالاناour two phantoms فَقَدthen indeed شَهِداboth were present
غابا وَأَمّا خَيالانا فَقَد شَهِدا
If you ask about our two bodily forms there, they were
Her home you sought, but the two lovers had gone,
absent; but our two phantoms were present.
Only our visions remain as witness.
وَلَمand did not يَعُدنيvisit me لَهاof hers طَيفٌa phantom فَيَفجَأُنيso takes me by surprise
وَلَم يَعُدني لَها طَيفٌ فَيَفجَأُني
إِلّاexcept عَلىamid أَبرَحِthe most agonizing الوَجدِlonging الَّذيthat عُهِداwas known
إِلّا عَلى أَبرَحِ الوَجدِ الَّذي عُهِدا
And no phantom of hers ever visited me, taking me by surprise,
No apparition brings me that familiar ache,
except amid the most agonizing longing ever known.
Except the lingering ecstasy of times now past.
جادَتgave freely يَدُthe hand of الفَتحِal-Fath وَالأَنواءُand the rain-stars باخِلَةٌmiserly
جادَت يَدُ الفَتحِ وَالأَنواءُ باخِلَةٌ
وَذابَand melted نائِلُهُhis bounty وَالغَيثُand the rain قَدalready جَمَداhad frozen
وَذابَ نائِلُهُ وَالغَيثُ قَد جَمَدا
Al-Fath's hand gave freely while the rain-stars were miserly,
Fate's hand was generous but turned miserly,
and his bounty melted while the rain had frozen.
Its yields have withered and dried up.
وَقَصَّرَتand fell short هِمَمُthe aspirations of الأَملاكِkings عَنof مَلِكٍa king
وَقَصَّرَت هِمَمُ الأَملاكِ عَن مَلِكٍ
تَطَأطَأواthey bowed low وَسَمَتand rose أَخلاقُهُhis virtues صُعُداupward
تَطَأطَأوا وَسَمَت أَخلاقُهُ صُعُدا
And the aspirations of kings fell short of a king:
Kings' ambitions faltered before my liege -
they bowed low, while his virtues soared upward.
They bowed in submission as his virtues shone.
إِنif ذُمَّhe is censured لَمnot يَجِدِhe finds الدُنياthe world لَهُfor him عِوَضاًcompensation
إِن ذُمَّ لَم يَجِدِ الدُنيا لَهُ عِوَضاً
وَلاand not يُباليhe cares about الَّذيwhat خَلّاhe relinquished إِذاif حُمِداhe is praised
وَلا يُبالي الَّذي خَلّا إِذا حُمِدا
If censured, he finds the world no recompense,
No recourse for slander but excellence;
and if praised, he cares nothing for what he has relinquished.
He cares not if praised or blamed unjustly.
يُشَيِّدُraise up المَجدَglory قَومٌa people أَنتَyou أَقرَبُهُمthe nearest of them
يُشَيِّدُ المَجدَ قَومٌ أَنتَ أَقرَبُهُم
نَيلاًin bounty وَأَبعَدُهُمand the farthest of them فيin سُؤدُدٍnobility أَمَداin reach
نَيلاً وَأَبعَدُهُم في سُؤدُدٍ أَمَدا
Men raise up glory; you are the most accessible of them
Some seek glory, but you my lord come closest,
in bounty, and the furthest-reaching in noble rank.
Yet remain farthest in your noble principles.
وَماand not رَأَيناكَwe have seen you إِلّاexcept بانِياًbuilding شَرَفاًhonor
وَما رَأَيناكَ إِلّا بانِياً شَرَفاً
أَوor فاعِلاًdoing حَسَناًgood أَوor قائِلاًspeaking سَدَداwhat is right
أَو فاعِلاً حَسَناً أَو قائِلاً سَدَدا
And we have never seen you except building honor,
We've known you only as honourable, principled and wise,
or doing good, or speaking what is right.
Never have you strayed from the righteous path.
وَالناسُand people ضَربانِtwo kinds إِمّاeither مُظهِرٌone showing مِقَةًaffection
وَالناسُ ضَربانِ إِمّا مُظهِرٌ مِقَةً
يُثنيpraises بِنُعمىfor favors وَإِمّاor else مُضمِرٌone concealing حَسَداenvy
يُثني بِنُعمى وَإِمّا مُضمِرٌ حَسَدا
And people are of two kinds: one openly showing affection,
Mankind is of two kinds: sincere or envious;
praising favors, or one secretly harboring envy.
One praises your merits, the other nurses malice.
سَلَلتَyou unsheathed دونَin defense of بَنيthe sons of العَبّاسَal-Abbas سَيفَa sword of وَغىًwar
سَلَلتَ دونَ بَني العَبّاسَ سَيفَ وَغىً
يَدمىgrows bloodied وَعَزماًand a resolve إِذاwhen أَضرَمتَهُyou kindle it وَقَداit blazes
يَدمى وَعَزماً إِذا أَضرَمتَهُ وَقَدا
You drew, to shield the sons of al-Abbas, a sword of war
A sharpened sword you wield with courage and resolve,
that grows bloodied, and a resolve that blazes when you kindle it.
Bringing bloody mayhem once drawn and directed.
آثارُthe traces of بَأسِكَyour might فيamong أَعداءِthe enemies of دَولَتِهِمtheir rule
آثارُ بَأسِكَ في أَعداءِ دَولَتِهِم
أَضحَتhave become طَرائِقَpaths شَتّىdiverse بَينَهُمamong them قِدَداsundered
أَضحَت طَرائِقَ شَتّى بَينَهُم قِدَدا
The traces of your might among the enemies of their rule
In the enemies of the Abbasid state,
have become sundry, sundered paths among them:
Your onslaught has carved many paths of ruin.
إِمّاeither قَتيلاًone slain يَخوضُwades through السَيفُthe sword مُهجَتَهُhis lifeblood
إِمّا قَتيلاً يَخوضُ السَيفُ مُهجَتَهُ
أَوor نازِعاًone withdrawing لَيسَdoes not يَنويintend عَودَةًa return أَبَداever
أَو نازِعاً لَيسَ يَنوي عَودَةً أَبَدا
either one slain, the sword wading through his lifeblood,
Some lie dead with gashed skulls, others flee without intent
or one retreating, never intending to return.
to return, such is the terror your strikes unleash.
حَتّىuntil تَرَكتَyou left قَناةَthe spear-shaft of المُلكِsovereignty قَيِّمَةًupright
حَتّى تَرَكتَ قَناةَ المُلكِ قَيِّمَةً
بِالنُصحِthrough loyalty لاno عَوَجاًcrookedness فيهاin it وَلاnor أَوَداbending
بِالنُصحِ لا عَوَجاً فيها وَلا أَوَدا
Until you left the spear-shaft of sovereignty upright,
You’ve made the reigns of power traightened and just;
through loyalty, with neither crookedness nor bend in it.
No crookedness corrupts it, no injustice allowed.
لاmay not تُفقَدَنَّyou ever be lost فَلَولاfor were it not for ماwhat تُراحُyou are gladdened لَهُby it
لا تُفقَدَنَّ فَلَولا ما تُراحُ لَهُ
مِنَof السَماحَةِopenhandedness كانَwould have been الجودُgenerosity قَدalready فُقِداlost
مِنَ السَماحَةِ كانَ الجودُ قَد فُقِدا
May you never be lost! But for the joy you take
Without your magnanimity, generosity itself would be lost,
in openhandedness, generosity would have been lost.
For your hands give ceaselessly one after another.
أَمّاas for أَياديكَyour favors عِنديto me فَهيَso they are واضِحَةٌplain
أَمّا أَياديكَ عِندي فَهيَ واضِحَةٌ
ماnot إِنindeed تَزالُceases يَدٌa favor مِنهاamong them تَسوقُushers in يَداanother favor
ما إِن تَزالُ يَدٌ مِنها تَسوقُ يَدا
As for your favors to me, they are plain:
I'd be an ingrate to deny their full bounty,
one favor among them is always ushering in another.
Or a fool to try and count the gifts you've bestowed.
أَلازِميwill it cling to me? الكُفرُingratitude إِنif لَمnot أَجزِهاI repay them كَمَلاًin full
أَلازِمي الكُفرُ إِن لَم أَجزِها كَمَلاً
أَمor لاحِقيovertaking me العَجزُhelplessness إِنif لَمnot أُحصِهاI count them عَدَداin number
أَم لاحِقي العَجزُ إِن لَم أُحصِها عَدَدا
Will ingratitude cling to me if I do not repay them in full,
From your hands I've gained what I'd never imagined,
or will helplessness overtake me if I do not count their number?
When once I was but a humble pauper.
أَصبَحتُI have become أُجديI give عَلىto العافينِpetitioners مُبتَدِئًtaking the initiative
أَصبَحتُ أُجدي عَلى العافينِ مُبتَدِئً
مِنهاfrom them وَماand not كُنتُI was إِلّاexcept مُستَميحَa seeker of جَداbounty
مِنها وَما كُنتُ إِلّا مُستَميحَ جَدا
I have come to give to petitioners without being asked,
Whoever comes to you with hopes is blameless,
from these favors, though I was only a seeker of bounty.
In granting what he found too great to imagine.
وَمَنand whoever يَبِتspends the night مِنكَfrom you مَطوِيّاًenfolded عَلىin أَمَلٍhope
وَمَن يَبِت مِنكَ مَطوِيّاً عَلى أَمَلٍ
فَلَنthen will not يُلامَbe blamed عَلىfor إِعطاءِgiving ماwhat وَجَداhe has found
فَلَن يُلامَ عَلى إِعطاءِ ما وَجَدا
And whoever spends the night wrapped in hope of you
Why not reach out to grasp the stars with hands you empower?
will not be blamed for giving away whatever he has.
For with you as my pillar even that is possible.
لِمwhy لاnot أَمُدُّI stretch out يَديmy hand حَتّىuntil أَنالَI reach بِهاwith it
لِم لا أَمُدُّ يَدي حَتّى أَنالَ بِها
مَدىthe height of النُجومِthe stars إِذاwhen ماindeed كُنتَyou are ليfor me عَضُداa supporting arm
مَدى النُجومِ إِذا ما كُنتَ لي عَضُدا
Why should I not stretch out my hand until with it I reach
When rights were denied me and burdens imposed unjustly,
the height of the stars, when you are my supporting arm?
I asked: "Will the Prince fulfill his promised thousands?"
قَدindeed قُلتُI said إِذwhen أُخِذَتwere taken مِنّيfrom me الحُقوقُthe dues وَإِذand when
قَد قُلتُ إِذ أُخِذَت مِنّي الحُقوقُ وَإِذ
حُمِّلتُهاI was burdened with them جائِراًexceeding due measure فيهاin them وَمُقتَصِداand keeping moderation
حُمِّلتُها جائِراً فيها وَمُقتَصِدا
I have said, when dues were exacted from me, and when
Give me the means to inspire my noble instincts,
I was made to bear them, exceeding or keeping to due measure:
And dress my character in virtues ever new.
هَلِwill? الأَميرُthe prince مُجِدٌّacting earnestly مِنout of تَفَضُّلِهِhis generosity
هَلِ الأَميرُ مُجِدٌّ مِن تَفَضُّلِهِ
فَمُنجِزٌand so fulfilling لِيَfor me فيregarding الأَلفِthe thousand الَّذيwhich وَعَداhe promised
فَمُنجِزٌ لِيَ في الأَلفِ الَّذي وَعَدا
Will the prince, out of his generosity, act in earnest,
Generosity flows from the essence of the noble one,
and so give me the thousand he promised?
Who spurns meanness, for free giving becomes the honorable soul.
أَعِنhelp! عَلىwith كَرَمٍgenerosity أَخنىlaid waste عَلىto نَشَبيmy wealth
أَعِن عَلى كَرَمٍ أَخنى عَلى نَشَبي
وَهِمَّةٍand an ambition أَخلَقَتwore out أَثوابِيَmy garments الجُدُداnew
وَهِمَّةٍ أَخلَقَت أَثوابِيَ الجُدُدا
Help me with generosity that has laid waste to my wealth,
When Ka'b was led to his execution, they said:
and an ambition that has worn out my new garments.
"Turn back Ka'b if you will, for you've always been turned away."
وَالبَذلُand giving يَبذُلُwears away مِنfrom وَجهِthe face of الكَريمِthe generous man وَقَدand sometimes
وَالبَذلُ يَبذُلُ مِن وَجهِ الكَريمِ وَقَد
يُضحيbecomes النَدىgenerosity وَهوَwhile it is لِلحُرِّfor the freeborn man الكَريمِthe noble رَدىdeath
يُضحي النَدى وَهوَ لِلحُرِّ الكَريمِ رَدى
And giving wears down a generous man's face; sometimes
generosity becomes the death of a freeborn, noble man.
مِنbecause of ذاكَthat قيلَit was said لِكَعبٍto Ka'b يَومَon the day of سُؤدَدِهِhis nobility
مِن ذاكَ قيلَ لِكَعبٍ يَومَ سُؤدَدِهِ
رِدcome to water! كَعبُKa'b إِنَّكَsurely you are وَرّادٌone who often comes to water فَماbut did not وَرَداhe came to water
رِد كَعبُ إِنَّكَ وَرّادٌ فَما وَرَدا
For that reason Ka'b was told on the day of his nobility:
'Come to the water, Ka'b, as you so often do!' Yet he did not.
Partial English translation: 56 of 60 Arabic lines translated.