ياO يَومُday عَرِّجlinger بَلrather وَراءَكَback with you ياO غَدُtomorrow
يا يَومُ عَرِّج بَل وَراءَكَ يا غَدُ
قَدalready أَجمَعواthey resolved بَيناًparting وَأَنتَand you المَوعِدُthe appointed time
قَد أَجمَعوا بَيناً وَأَنتَ المَوعِدُ
O day, linger! Rather, stay back, O tomorrow!
They have resolved to part, and you are the appointed day.
أَلِفواthey grew accustomed to الفِراقَparting كَأَنَّهُas though it were وَطَنٌa homeland لَهُمfor them
أَلِفوا الفِراقَ كَأَنَّهُ وَطَنٌ لَهُم
لايَقرُبونَthey do not draw near إِلَيهِto it حَتّىuntil يَبعُدواthey go far away
لايَقرُبونَ إِلَيهِ حَتّى يَبعُدوا
They have grown used to parting, as though it were their homeland;
they do not draw near to it until they go far away.
فيin كُلِّevery يَومٍday دِمنَةٌan old campsite مِنof حَيِّهِمtheir tribe
في كُلِّ يَومٍ دِمنَةٌ مِن حَيِّهِم
تُقويfalls empty وَرَبعٌand a dwelling مِنهُمُof theirs يَتَأَبَّدُbecomes a haunt of beasts
تُقوي وَرَبعٌ مِنهُمُ يَتَأَبَّدُ
Each day, an old campsite of their tribe
lies empty, and a dwelling of theirs becomes a haunt of beasts.
أَوَماwas it not كَفاناenough for us أَنthat بَكَيناwe wept for غُرَّباًthose far away
أَوَما كَفانا أَن بَكَينا غُرَّباً
حَتّىthat even شَجاناgrieved us بِالمَنازِلِwith the dwellings ثَهمَدُThahmad
حَتّى شَجانا بِالمَنازِلِ ثَهمَدُ
Was it not enough that we wept for those far away,
that Thahmad must grieve us with its dwellings?
أَسنِدrest صُدورَthe breasts of اليَعمَلاتِthe sturdy she-camels بِوَقفَةٍwith a pause
أَسنِد صُدورَ اليَعمَلاتِ بِوَقفَةٍ
فيamong الماثِلاتِthe standing traces كَأَنَّهُنَّas though they were المُسنَدُMusnad script
في الماثِلاتِ كَأَنَّهُنَّ المُسنَدُ
Rest the breasts of the sturdy she-camels for a moment
among the standing traces, as though they were Musnad script.
دِمَنٌruined campsites تَقاضاهُنَّexacted from them إِعلانَa proclamation of البِلىdecay
دِمَنٌ تَقاضاهُنَّ إِعلانَ البِلى
هوجُfierce الرِياحِthe winds البادِياتُfirst-arriving العُوَّدُreturning
هوجُ الرِياحِ البادِياتُ العُوَّدُ
Ruins forced to proclaim their decay
by fierce winds, first arriving and then returning,
حَتّىuntil فَنينَthey perished وَماand what البَقاءُendurance لِواقِفٍfor something standing
حَتّى فَنينَ وَما البَقاءُ لِواقِفٍ
وَالدَهرُwhile Time فيalong أَطرافِهِits edges يَتَرَدَّدُcomes and goes
وَالدَهرُ في أَطرافِهِ يَتَرَدَّدُ
until they vanished. How can anything standing endure
while Time passes back and forth along its edges?
هَلis there مُغرَمٌa lovesick one يُعطيgives الجَوىheartache حَقَّthe due of الهَوىlove
هَل مُغرَمٌ يُعطي الجَوى حَقَّ الهَوى
مِنكُمamong you فَيُنفِدَand so exhausts دَمعَهُhis tears أَوor مُسعِدُa fellow mourner
مِنكُم فَيُنفِدَ دَمعَهُ أَو مُسعِدُ
Is there a lover who gives heartache love's due
among you, exhausting his tears—or one to share my grief?
حُيِّتِmay you be greeted بَلrather سُقّيتِmay you be watered مِنas a مَعحودَةٍonce-familiar dwelling
حُيِّتِ بَل سُقّيتِ مِن مَعحودَةٍ
عَهديknown to me غَدَتhas become مَهجورَةًdeserted ماتُعهَدُno longer visited
عَهدي غَدَت مَهجورَةً ماتُعهَدُ
Hail—nay, may you be watered, once-familiar dwelling,
known to me, now deserted and no longer visited.
لَوif كُنتِyou were سامِعَةًable to hear لَبِحتُI would speak openly بِلَوعَتيof my anguish
لَو كُنتِ سامِعَةً لَبِحتُ بِلَوعَتي
وَلَقُلتُand I would say مافَعَلَwhat became of الحِسانُthe beautiful women الخُرَّدُthe bashful maidens
وَلَقُلتُ مافَعَلَ الحِسانُ الخُرَّدُ
If you could hear, I would speak of my anguish,
and ask, 'What became of the beautiful, bashful maidens?'
وَلَوَand if اَنَّthat غِزلانَthe gazelles of الكِناسِthe thicket تُجيبُنيanswer me
وَلَوَ اَنَّ غِزلانَ الكِناسِ تُجيبُني
لَسَأَلتُهاI would ask them أَينَwhere الغَزالُthe gazelle الأَغيَدُthe supple one
لَسَأَلتُها أَينَ الغَزالُ الأَغيَدُ
And if the gazelles of the thicket would answer me,
I would ask them, 'Where is the supple gazelle?'
لاmay not يَبعَدواthey go far away أَبَداًever وَهَلand can تُدنيهُمُbring them near
لا يَبعَدوا أَبَداً وَهَل تُدنيهُمُ
ياوَهبُO Wahb قَولَةُa saying of عاشِقٍa lover لايَبعَدواmay they not go far away
ياوَهبُ قَولَةُ عاشِقٍ لايَبعَدوا
May they never be far away! Yet can they be brought near,
O Wahb, by a lover's cry, 'May they not be far away'?
وَأَخٍand a brother أَتانيreached me عَتبُهُhis reproach وَكَأَنَّهُand as though he were
وَأَخٍ أَتاني عَتبُهُ وَكَأَنَّهُ
سَيفٌa sword عَلَيَّagainst me مَعَwith العَدُوِّthe enemy مُجَرَّدُunsheathed
سَيفٌ عَلَيَّ مَعَ العَدُوِّ مُجَرَّدُ
And a brother whose reproach reached me, as though he were
a sword unsheathed against me on the enemy's side.
تَلقىyou find شُجاعاًShuja' حَيثُwhere تَجتَمِعُgather العُلاglories
تَلقى شُجاعاً حَيثُ تَجتَمِعُ العُلا
وَمُحَمَّداًand Muhammad حَيثُwhere استَنارَshone مُحَمَّدُMuhammad
وَمُحَمَّداً حَيثُ استَنارَ مُحَمَّدُ
You find Shuja' where glories gather,
and Muhammad where Muhammad shone.
وَيَحُلُّand he lodges مِنon دونِthe near side of القُلوبِthe hearts إِذاwhen غَداhe goes forth
وَيَحُلُّ مِن دونِ القُلوبِ إِذا غَدا
مُتَكَرِّماًacting generously وَكَأَنَّهُand as though he were مُتَوَدِّدُseeking affection
مُتَكَرِّماً وَكَأَنَّهُ مُتَوَدِّدُ
And he takes his place close to hearts when he goes forth
in generosity, as though seeking affection.
توهيyou weaken صَفاةَthe rock of الخَطبِcalamity وَهوَthough it is مُلَملَمٌtightly massed
توهي صَفاةَ الخَطبِ وَهوَ مُلَملَمٌ
وَيَهُدُّand he shatters رُكنَthe pillar of الخَصمِthe adversary وَهوَthough he is يَلَندَدُa fierce disputant
وَيَهُدُّ رُكنَ الخَصمِ وَهوَ يَلَندَدُ
You weaken calamity's rock, though tightly massed,
and he shatters the foe's pillar, though the foe is fierce in dispute.
سِرٌprivate conduct وَإِعلانٌand public conduct تُسَوّىare fashioned مِنهُماfrom them both
سِرٌ وَإِعلانٌ تُسَوّى مِنهُما
نَفسٌa soul تُضيءُshines وَهِمَّةٌand an ambition تَتَوَقَّدُblazes
نَفسٌ تُضيءُ وَهِمَّةٌ تَتَوَقَّدُ
Private and public conduct: from both are fashioned
a soul that shines and an ambition that blazes.
فَكَأَنَّso it is as though مَجلِسَهُhis chamber المُحَجَّبَscreened off مَحفِلٌa public gathering
فَكَأَنَّ مَجلِسَهُ المُحَجَّبَ مَحفِلٌ
وَكَأَنَّand it is as though خَلوَتَهُhis solitude الخَفِيَّةَhidden مَشهَدُa public assembly
وَكَأَنَّ خَلوَتَهُ الخَفِيَّةَ مَشهَدُ
So his curtained chamber is like a crowded gathering,
and his hidden solitude like a public assembly.
وَتَواضُعٌand humility لَولاbut for التَكَرُّمُnoble generosity عاقَهُwould have hindered him
وَتَواضُعٌ لَولا التَكَرُّمُ عاقَهُ
عَنهُfrom it عُلُوٌّa loftiness لَمdid not يَنَلهُreach it الفَرقَدُal-Farqad (a star)
عَنهُ عُلُوٌّ لَم يَنَلهُ الفَرقَدُ
And humility: but for his magnanimity, he would be kept
from it by a height al-Farqad has never reached.
وَفُتُوَّةٌand youthful chivalry جَمَعَgathered التُقىpiety أَطرافَهاits edges
وَفُتُوَّةٌ جَمَعَ التُقى أَطرافَها
وَنَداًand generosity أَحاطَencircled بِجانِبَيهِon both its sides السُؤدُدُnobility
وَنَداً أَحاطَ بِجانِبَيهِ السُؤدُدُ
And youthful chivalry whose edges piety has gathered,
and generosity encompassed on both sides by nobility.
وَشَبيبَةٌand youth فيهاwithin it النُهىwisdom فَإِذاso when بَدَتit appears
وَشَبيبَةٌ فيها النُهى فَإِذا بَدَت
لِذَويto those possessing التَوَسُّمِdiscernment فَهيَthen it is شَيبُنgray hair أَسوَدُblack
لِذَوي التَوَسُّمِ فَهيَ شَيبُن أَسوَدُ
And youth in which wisdom dwells; when it appears
to discerning eyes, it is gray hair that is black.
خَضِلُmoist اليَدَينِof both hands إِذاwhen تَفَرَّقَhe scatters widely فيin النَدىgenerosity
خَضِلُ اليَدَينِ إِذا تَفَرَّقَ في النَدى
جَمَعَhe gathers العُلاglory فيماin what يُفيدُhe gains وَيُنفِذُand he spends
جَمَعَ العُلا فيما يُفيدُ وَيُنفِذُ
His hands are moist; when he scatters freely in generosity,
he gathers glory in what he gains and spends.
نَشوانُintoxicated يَطرَبُhe thrills لِلسُؤالِat requests كَأَنَّماas though
نَشوانُ يَطرَبُ لِلسُؤالِ كَأَنَّما
غَنّاهُsang to him مالِكُMalik طَيِّئٍof Tayy أَوor مَعبَدُMa'bad
غَنّاهُ مالِكُ طَيِّئٍ أَو مَعبَدُ
Drunk with delight, he thrills at requests, as though
Malik of Tayy or Ma'bad had sung to him.
جاءَتarrived عِنايَتُهُhis care وَلَمّاand not yet أَدعُهاI called for it
جاءَت عِنايَتُهُ وَلَمّا أَدعُها
بِيَدٍwith a hand تَلوحُshines forth وَنِعمَةٍand a blessing ماتُجحَدُnot denied
بِيَدٍ تَلوحُ وَنِعمَةٍ ماتُجحَدُ
His care arrived before I called for it,
with a shining hand and a blessing none could deny.
مازالَhe continues يَجلوclearing ماwhat دَجاgrew dark مِنof هِمَّتيmy aspiration
مازالَ يَجلو ما دَجا مِن هِمَّتي
بِهِماwith them both وَيُشعِلُand kindles عَنهُماthrough them both ماأُخمِدُwhat I extinguish
بِهِما وَيُشعِلُ عَنهُما ماأُخمِدُ
He keeps clearing what has darkened in my aspiration
with those two, and through them rekindles what I quench.
عُذراًpardon أَباAbu (father of) أَيوبَAyyub إِنَّindeed رَوِيَّتيmy deliberation
عُذراً أَبا أَيوبَ إِنَّ رَوِيَّتي
تَجنيreaps الخَطاءَerror وَإِنَّthough indeed رَأيِmy judgment مُحصَدُfirmly wrought
تَجني الخَطاءَ وَإِنَّ رَأيِ مُحصَدُ
Forgive me, Abu Ayyub: my deliberation
reaps error, though my judgment is firmly wrought.
ياO أَحمَدَAhmad بنَson of مُحَمَّدٍMuhammad نَضَبَhas run dry النَدىgenerosity
يا أَحمَدَ بنَ مُحَمَّدٍ نَضَبَ النَدى
مِنfrom كَفِّthe palm of كُلِّevery أَخيpossessor of نَداًgenerosity ياءَحمَدُO Ahmad
مِن كَفِّ كُلِّ أَخي نَداً ياءَحمَدُ
O Ahmad son of Muhammad, generosity has run dry
from the palm of every generous man, O Ahmad.
أَشكوI complain إِلَيكَto you أَنامِلاًof fingers ماnot تَنطَويthey bend
أَشكو إِلَيكَ أَنامِلاً ما تَنطَوي
يُبساًfrom dryness وَأَخلاقاًand dispositions تُقَصِّفُهاshatters them اليَدُthe hand
يُبساً وَأَخلاقاً تُقَصِّفُها اليَدُ
I complain to you of fingers that will not bend
from dryness, and of dispositions that the hand can splinter.
وَأَناand I لَبيدٌLabid عِندَat آخِرِthe last دَمعَةٍtear
وَأَنا لَبيدٌ عِندَ آخِرِ دَمعَةٍ
يَصِفُdescribes الصَبابَةَpassionate longing وَالمَكارِمُwhile noble deeds أَربَدُArbad
يَصِفُ الصَبابَةَ وَالمَكارِمُ أَربَدُ
And I am Labid, at the very last tear,
describing longing, while noble deeds are Arbad.
الناسُthe people حَولَكَaround you رَوضَةٌa meadow ماnot تُرتَقىis climbed to
الناسُ حَولَكَ رَوضَةٌ ما تُرتَقى
رَيّاlush النَباتِwith vegetation وَمَنهَلٌand a watering place مايورَدُnot approached for water
رَيّا النَباتِ وَمَنهَلٌ مايورَدُ
The people around you are a meadow none can reach,
lush with growth, and a watering place none approaches.
جِدَةٌwealth وَلاbut no جودٌgenerosity وَطالِبُand a seeker of بُغيَةٍa boon
جِدَةٌ وَلا جودٌ وَطالِبُ بُغيَةٍ
فيamong الباخِلينِthe miserly وَبُغيَةٌand a boon ماتوجَدُnot found
في الباخِلينِ وَبُغيَةٌ ماتوجَدُ
Wealth, but no generosity; a seeker of a boon
among the miserly—and a boon nowhere to be found.
تَرَكواthey abandoned العُلاglory وَهُمُwhile they يَرَونَsee مَكانَهاits place
تَرَكوا العُلا وَهُمُ يَرَونَ مَكانَها
وَدَعاand summoned اللُجَينُsilver قُلوبَهُمtheir hearts وَالعَسجَدُand gold
وَدَعا اللُجَينُ قُلوبَهُم وَالعَسجَدُ
They forsook glory, though they saw its place,
and silver and gold summoned their hearts.
وَتَماحَكواand they vied stubbornly فيin البُخلِmiserliness حَتّىuntil خِلتُهُI thought it
وَتَماحَكوا في البُخلِ حَتّى خِلتُهُ
ديناًa religion يُدانُis obeyed بِهِthrough it الإِلَهُGod وَيُعبَدُand is worshipped
ديناً يُدانُ بِهِ الإِلَهُ وَيُعبَدُ
They vied stubbornly in miserliness until I thought it
a religion through which God is obeyed and worshipped.
أُرضيهُمُI please them قَولاًwith words وَلاbut not يُرضونَنيthey please me
أُرضيهُمُ قَولاً وَلا يُرضونَني
فِعلاًwith deeds وَتِلكَand that قَضِيَّةٌan arrangement لاتَقصِدُis not equitable
فِعلاً وَتِلكَ قَضِيَّةٌ لاتَقصِدُ
I please them with words, but they do not please me
with deeds—and that is an unfair arrangement.
فَأَذُمُّso I blame مِنهُمin them ماwhat يُذَمُّis blameworthy وَرُبَّماand sometimes
فَأَذُمُّ مِنهُم ما يُذَمُّ وَرُبَّما
سامَحتُهُمI was lenient with them فَحَمِدتُand so I praised مالايُحمَدُwhat is not praiseworthy
سامَحتُهُم فَحَمِدتُ مالايُحمَدُ
So I blame in them what merits blame, and sometimes
I am lenient with them and praise what merits no praise.
Translation model: Sol 6.1