أَبىrefused اللَيلُthe night إِلّاexcept أَنto يَعودَreturn بِطولِهِwith all its length
أَبى اللَيلُ إِلّا أَن يَعودَ بِطولِهِ
عَلىupon عاشِقٍa lover نَزرِscant in المَنامِsleep قَليلِهِhaving little of it
عَلى عاشِقٍ نَزرِ المَنامِ قَليلِهِ
The night would do nothing but return in all its length
The night insisted on prolonging itself
upon a lover whose sleep is scant and slight.
Upon a lover with little sleep
إِذاwhenever ماemphatic particle نَهاهُforbade him العاذِلونَthe reproachers تَتابَعَتfollowed in succession
إِذا ما نَهاهُ العاذِلونَ تَتابَعَت
لَهُfor him أَدمُعٌtears لاnot تَرعَويdesist لِعَذولِهِfor his reproacher
لَهُ أَدمُعٌ لا تَرعَوي لِعَذولِهِ
Whenever the reproachers bid him desist, there flowed in succession
When the censurers deter him, tears flow
from him tears that would not heed his reproacher.
That do not care for their censure
لَعَلَّperhaps اِقتِرابَnearing الدارِthe dwelling يَثنيturns back دُموعَهُhis tears
لَعَلَّ اِقتِرابَ الدارِ يَثني دُموعَهُ
فَيُقلِعَso he may desist أَوor يَشفيmay heal جَوىًheartache مِنfrom غَليلِهِhis burning thirst
فَيُقلِعَ أَو يَشفي جَوىً مِن غَليلِهِ
Perhaps nearing the dwelling will turn back his tears,
Perhaps nearing the abode would stem his tears
so he may desist, or it may soothe the heartache of his burning thirst.
And heal some of his anguish
وَمازالَand never ceased تَوخيدُswift pacing المَطاياthe riding camels وَطَيُّهاand their folding away
وَمازالَ تَوخيدُ المَطايا وَطَيُّها
بِناwith us البُعدَthe distance مِنfrom حَزنِrugged ground المَلاal-Mala وَسُهولِهِand its plains
بِنا البُعدَ مِن حَزنِ المَلا وَسُهولِهِ
And the mounts kept pacing swiftly, folding away
The trotting of mounts did not cease, swaying us
the distance with us, from al-Mala's rugged ground and plains,
The distance pained us, and the smooth plains
إِلىuntil أَنthat بَداappeared صَحنُthe open plain العِراقِof Iraq وَكُشِّفَتand were drawn back
إِلى أَن بَدا صَحنُ العِراقِ وَكُشِّفَت
سُجوفُcurtains الدُجىof darkness عَنfrom مائِهِits water وَنَخيلِهِand its palms
سُجوفُ الدُجى عَن مائِهِ وَنَخيلِهِ
until Iraq's open plain appeared, and were drawn back
Until the courtyard of Iraq appeared, unveiled
the curtains of darkness from its waters and palms.
From the darkness, its water and palms
يَظَلُّcontinues by day الحَمامُthe doves الوُرقُgray فيin جَنَباتِهِits sides
يَظَلُّ الحَمامُ الوُرقُ في جَنَباتِهِ
يُذَكِّرُناreminds us أَحبابَناof our loved ones بِهَديلِهِwith its cooing
يُذَكِّرُنا أَحبابَنا بِهَديلِهِ
All day the gray doves along its sides
The doves cooing in the branches
remind us of our loved ones with their cooing.
Remind us of our loved ones with their murmurs
فَأَحيَتso revived مُحِبّاًa lover رُؤيَةٌa sight مِنof حَبيبِهِhis beloved
فَأَحيَت مُحِبّاً رُؤيَةٌ مِن حَبيبِهِ
وَسَرَّتand gladdened خَليلاًa friend أَوبَةٌa return مِنof خَليلِهِhis friend
وَسَرَّت خَليلاً أَوبَةٌ مِن خَليلِهِ
So a glimpse of his beloved revived a lover,
So the vision of a beloved revived a lover
and his friend's return gladdened a friend.
And the howling of a friend gladdened a friend
بِنُعمىthrough the favor أَميرِof the Commander المُؤمِنينَof the Faithful وَفَضلِهِand his bounty
بِنُعمى أَميرِ المُؤمِنينَ وَفَضلِهِ
غَداbecame العَيشُlife غَضّاًfresh بَعدَطولِafter the long duration of ذُبولِهِits withering
غَدا العَيشُ غَضّاً بَعدَطولِ ذُبولِهِ
Through the favor of the Commander of the Faithful and his bounty,
With the blessings of the Commander of the Faithful
life grew fresh after its long withering.
Life turned lush after its long withering
إِمامٌan imam رَآهُdeemed him اللَهُGod أَولىthe most deserving عِبادِهِof His servants
إِمامٌ رَآهُ اللَهُ أَولى عِبادِهِ
بِحَقٍّrightfully وَأَهداهُمand the best guided of them لِقَصدِto the straight course of سَبيلِهِHis path
بِحَقٍّ وَأَهداهُم لِقَصدِ سَبيلِهِ
An imam whom God deemed the worthiest of His servants,
An imam whom Allah saw as the best of His servants
rightfully, and the best guided to the straight course of His path.
With truth, and guided them to the path's midst
خَليفَتُهُHis vicegerent فيon أَرضِهِHis earth وَوَلِيُّهُand His ally الthe
خَليفَتُهُ في أَرضِهِ وَوَلِيُّهُ ال
رَضِيُّapproved لَدَيهِin His sight وَابنُand the son of عَمِّthe paternal uncle of رَسولِهِHis Messenger
رَضِيُّ لَدَيهِ وَابنُ عَمِّ رَسولِهِ
His vicegerent upon His earth, and His ally,
His successor on His earth, his trustee
approved in His sight, and the cousin of His Messenger.
Content in his presence, the Prophet's cousin
وَبَحرٌand an ocean يَمُدُّextend الراغِبونَthose seeking bounty عُيونَهُمtheir eyes
وَبَحرٌ يَمُدُّ الراغِبونَ عُيونَهُم
إِلىtoward ظاهِرِmanifest المَعروفِkindness فيهِمamong them جَزيلِهِits abundance
إِلى ظاهِرِ المَعروفِ فيهِم جَزيلِهِ
And an ocean: seekers of bounty direct their eyes
An ocean from which the hopeful extend their eyes
toward kindness manifest among them in its abundance.
To the abundant good he openly shows them
تَرىyou see الأَرضَthe earth تُسقىis watered غَيثَهاwith its rain بِمُرورِهِby his passing
تَرى الأَرضَ تُسقى غَيثَها بِمُرورِهِ
عَلَيهاover it وَتُكسىand is clothed نَبتَهاin its vegetation بِنُخولِهِby his bounty (uncertain reading)
عَلَيها وَتُكسى نَبتَها بِنُخولِهِ
You see the earth watered with its rain at his passing
You see the land watered by his passing over it
over it, and clothed in its greenery by his bounty [reading uncertain].
And clothed in vegetation by his entering it
أَتىhe came مِنfrom بِلادِthe lands الغَربِof the West فيin عَدَدِnumbers النَقاthe sand dunes
أَتى مِن بِلادِ الغَربِ في عَدَدِ النَقا
نَقاdunes الرَملِof sand مِنof فُرسانِهِhis horsemen وَخُيولِهِand his steeds
نَقا الرَملِ مِن فُرسانِهِ وَخُيولِهِ
He came from the lands of the West in numbers like dune-sands,
He came from the west in numbers like
the sands of dunes, with his horsemen and steeds.
Grains of sand, with his horsemen and steeds
فَأَسفَرَso brightened وَجهُthe face الشَرقِof the East حَتّىuntil كَأَنَّماas though
فَأَسفَرَ وَجهُ الشَرقِ حَتّى كَأَنَّما
تَبَلَّجَshone forth فيهِwithin it البَدرُthe full moon بَعدَafter أُفولِهِits setting
تَبَلَّجَ فيهِ البَدرُ بَعدَ أُفولِهِ
So the face of the East brightened, until it seemed
The face of the east beamed as if
the full moon had shone forth there after setting.
The full moon had risen there after setting
وَقَدand already لَبِسَتhad donned بَغدادُBaghdad أَحسَنَthe finest زِيِّهاof her attire
وَقَد لَبِسَت بَغدادُ أَحسَنَ زِيِّها
لِإِقبالِهِfor his approach وَاِستَشرَفَتand looked eagerly لِعُدولِهِfor his turning aside
لِإِقبالِهِ وَاِستَشرَفَت لِعُدولِهِ
And Baghdad had donned her finest attire
And Baghdad wore her finest raiment
for his approach, and looked eagerly for his turning aside.
For his arrival, and watched for his return
وَيَثنيهِand turns him away عَنهاfrom her شَوقُهُhis longing وَنِزاعُهُand his yearning
وَيَثنيهِ عَنها شَوقُهُ وَنِزاعُهُ
إِلىtoward عَرضِthe breadth صَحنِof the open grounds الجَعفَرِيِّof al-Ja'fari وَطولِهِand its length
إِلى عَرضِ صَحنِ الجَعفَرِيِّ وَطولِهِ
But his longing and yearning turn him away from her
Yet his longing and innermost desire pull him
toward the breadth and length of al-Ja'fari's open grounds;
To the courtyard of Ja'far and its length
إِلىtoward مَنزِلٍa home فيهِin it أَحِبّاؤُهُhis loved ones الأُلىwho
إِلى مَنزِلٍ فيهِ أَحِبّاؤُهُ الأُلى
لِقاؤُهُمُmeeting them أَقصىthe utmost مُناهُof his hopes وَسولِهِand his desire
لِقاؤُهُمُ أَقصى مُناهُ وَسولِهِ
toward a home where his loved ones dwell, whose
To a dwelling wherein are his most intimate companions
meeting is the utmost of his hopes and desires.
Seeing them is his furthest goal and inclination
مَحَلٌّa place يَطيبُmakes sweet العَيشَlife رِقَّةُthe gentleness لَيلِهِof its night
مَحَلٌّ يَطيبُ العَيشَ رِقَّةُ لَيلِهِ
وَبَردُand the coolness ضُحاهُof its forenoon وَاِعتِدالُand the mildness أَصيلِهِof its late afternoon
وَبَردُ ضُحاهُ وَاِعتِدالُ أَصيلِهِ
A place whose gentle night makes life sweet,
A place pleasant to live in, gentle its night
as do its cool forenoon and temperate late afternoon.
Cool its morning, good its climate
لَعَمريby my life لَقَدindeed آبَreturned الخَليفَةُthe caliph جَعفَرٌJa'far
لَعَمري لَقَد آبَ الخَليفَةُ جَعفَرٌ
وَفيand in كُلِّevery نَفسٍsoul حاجَةٌa need مِنfrom قُفولِهِhis homecoming
وَفي كُلِّ نَفسٍ حاجَةٌ مِن قُفولِهِ
By my life, the caliph Ja'far has indeed returned,
By my life, Ja'far the Caliph has come
and every soul has a need for his homecoming.
And every soul has a need for his return
دَعاهُcalled him الهَوىlonging مِنfrom سُرَّwas delighted مَنwhoever راءَsaw فَاِنكَفاso he turned back
دَعاهُ الهَوى مِن سُرَّ مَن راءَ فَاِنكَفا
إِلَيهاto it اِنكِفاءَthe turning back اللَيثِof the lion تِلقاءَtoward غيلِهِits thicket
إِلَيها اِنكِفاءَ اللَيثِ تِلقاءَ غيلِهِ
Longing called him from Surra Man Ra'a, and he turned back
Passion called him from the secret of one who saw so he turned
to it, as a lion turns toward its thicket.
The lion's turn towards his lair
عَلىdespite أَنَّهاthat it قَدalready كانَhad بُدِّلَbeen changed طيبُهاits pleasantness
عَلى أَنَّها قَد كانَ بُدِّلَ طيبُها
وَرُحِّلَand was driven away عَنهاfrom it أُنسُهاits cheer بِرَحيلِهِby his departure
وَرُحِّلَ عَنها أُنسُها بِرَحيلِهِ
although its pleasantness had been changed,
Though it had lost its sweetness since he left
and its cheer driven from it by his departure.
And its intimacy departed with his departure
وَإِفراطُهاand its excess فيin القُبحِugliness عِندَat خُروجِهِhis departure
وَإِفراطُها في القُبحِ عِندَ خُروجِهِ
كَإِفراطِهاlike its excess فيin الحُسنِbeauty عِندَat دُخولِهِhis entrance
كَإِفراطِها في الحُسنِ عِندَ دُخولِهِ
And its extreme ugliness when he departed
Its exceeding ugliness when he departs
matched its extreme beauty when he entered.
Like its exceeding beauty when he arrives
لِيَهنِmay it gladden اِبنَهُhis son خَيرَthe best البَنينَof sons مُحَمَّداًMuhammad
لِيَهنِ اِبنَهُ خَيرَ البَنينَ مُحَمَّداً
قُدومُthe arrival أَبٍof a father عاليlofty in المَحَلِّstation جَليلِهِnoble in it
قُدومُ أَبٍ عالي المَحَلِّ جَليلِهِ
May his son Muhammad, the best of sons, be gladdened
To congratulate his son, the best of sons, Muhammad
by the arrival of a father of lofty, noble station.
On the arrival of a father, lofty and revered
غَداbecame وَهوَwhile he is فَردٌpeerless فيin الفَضائِلِthe virtues كُلِّهاall of them
غَدا وَهوَ فَردٌ في الفَضائِلِ كُلِّها
فَهَلso is there مُخبِرٌone who can tell عَنof مِثلِهِhis like أَوعَديلِهِor his equal
فَهَل مُخبِرٌ عَن مِثلِهِ أَوعَديلِهِ
He stands peerless in all the virtues;
He has become peerless in all virtues
can anyone, then, tell of his like or equal?
Is there one to report the like of him or his equal?
وَإِنَّand indeed وُلاةَthe holders العَهدِof the succession فيin الحِلمِforbearance وَالتُقىand piety
وَإِنَّ وُلاةَ العَهدِ في الحِلمِ وَالتُقى
وَفيand in الفَضلِexcellence مِنamong أَمثالِهِhis equals وَشُكولِهِand his peers
وَفي الفَضلِ مِن أَمثالِهِ وَشُكولِهِ
And indeed the heirs apparent, in forbearance and piety,
And the crown princes in forbearance, piety
and in excellence, are among his equals and peers.
And virtue are the like of him and his rising stars
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.