أقولُI say لساريto the traveler through الليلthe night والليلُand the night غابرُlingering
أقولُ لساري الليل والليلُ غابرُ
رويدكtake your time هذاthis الصبحdawn فيon الأفقthe horizon جاشِرُbreaking brightly
رويدك هذا الصبح في الأفق جاشِرُ
I say to the night traveler, while night still lingers:
Take your time: dawn is breaking brightly on the horizon.
أرِحْهاgive her rest ونَمْand sleep عنaway from كلِّevery هَمٍّcare بنجْوةٍin safety
أرِحْها ونَمْ عن كلِّ هَمٍّ بنجْوةٍ
فليلكfor your night مُنْجابٌis lifting وصبحكَand your dawn باهِرُradiant
فليلك مُنْجابٌ وصبحكَ باهِرُ
Give her rest, and sleep, safe from every care,
For your night is lifting and your dawn is radiant.
فقدfor indeed كشفَhas dispelled الَّلأواءَhardship عدلُthe justice of خليفةٍa caliph
فقد كشفَ الَّلأواءَ عدلُ خليفةٍ
يتيهُtakes pride بهin him النَّاديthe assembly وتَزْهىand glory المَنابِرُthe pulpits
يتيهُ به النَّادي وتَزْهى المَنابِرُ
A caliph's justice has dispelled hardship,
In whom the assembly takes pride and the pulpits glory.
إِمامٌan imam يَوَدُّdesires الطَّوْدُthe mountain فرْطthe abundance of أناتِهhis forbearance
إِمامٌ يَوَدُّ الطَّوْدُ فرْط أناتِه
وذمْرٌand a valiant warrior تحاماهُavoid him القَناthe spears والبَواتِرُand cutting swords
وذمْرٌ تحاماهُ القَنا والبَواتِرُ
An imam whose boundless forbearance the mountain covets,
And a valiant warrior whom spears and cutting swords avoid.
زهيدُsparing of الكَرىsleep نائيfar from الصَّباحdawn كريمةٌnoble
زهيدُ الكَرى نائي الصَّباح كريمةٌ
نَواهيهِhis prohibitions منamong أفْعالِهِhis deeds والأوامِرُand commands
نَواهيهِ من أفْعالِهِ والأوامِرُ
Scant of sleep, with dawn far off; noble are
His prohibitions and commands among his deeds.
مريرُfirm of القُوىstrength تحويgather لهfor him شاردَthe straying العُلىheights of glory
مريرُ القُوى تحوي له شاردَ العُلى
إذاwhen عَزَبَتْthey stray أسيافُهhis swords والمَزابِرُand the pens
إذا عَزَبَتْ أسيافُه والمَزابِرُ
Firm in strength; straying glory is gathered for him,
Whenever it wanders, by his swords and pens.
تُقِرُّacknowledge لهto him الجَأواءُthe armored host والطِّرْسُand parchment أنهthat he is
تُقِرُّ له الجَأواءُ والطِّرْسُ أنه
مُشارهُماtheir counselor إِنْif ذَلَّis humbled حزبٌa faction وناصِرand a champion
مُشارهُما إِنْ ذَلَّ حزبٌ وناصِر
The armored host and parchment acknowledge that he is
Their counselor, and a champion when a faction is humbled.
لِدُرِّof the pearls المَعانيmeanings بالكتابةِin writing ناظِمٌa stringer
لِدُرِّ المَعاني بالكتابةِ ناظِمٌ
وللهامand of heads فيat صدرthe forefront of الكتيبةِthe battalion ناثِرُa scatterer
وللهام في صدر الكتيبةِ ناثِرُ
In writing he strings the pearls of meaning,
And scatters heads at the forefront of the battalion.
شكاcomplained of بُرَحاءَthe torment of البيْنِseparation جفْنthe scabbard of حُسامهhis keen sword
شكا بُرَحاءَ البيْنِ جفْن حُسامه
وبُعْدَand the remoteness of كَراهُhis sleep جفْنُهhis eyelid فهوso he is ساهِرwakeful
وبُعْدَ كَراهُ جفْنُه فهو ساهِر
His sword's scabbard complained of separation's torment,
And his eyelid of sleep's remoteness: he keeps vigil.
فلاso no خطْبَcalamity إِلاexcept والرويَّةُand deliberation كاشفٌdispelling
فلا خطْبَ إِلا والرويَّةُ كاشفٌ
ولاand no حَرْبwar إلاَّexcept والمُهنَّدُand the Indian-forged sword قاهِرُconquering
ولا حَرْب إلاَّ والمُهنَّدُ قاهِرُ
No calamity comes but deliberation dispels it,
And no war but the Indian-forged sword conquers.
تدُلُّpoints عليهto him عَبْقَةٌa fragrance هاشميَّةٌHashimite
تدُلُّ عليه عَبْقَةٌ هاشميَّةٌ
لهاit has أرَجٌa perfume فيin معْطسthe nostril of المجدglory ناشِرspreading
لها أرَجٌ في معْطس المجد ناشِر
A Hashimite fragrance points to him,
Its perfume spreading in the nostril of glory.
تَقاصَرَfell short عنهاof it المَنْدليُّMandali aloeswood وأذْعنتْand bowed
تَقاصَرَ عنها المَنْدليُّ وأذْعنتْ
رياضُthe meadows of المَلاopen plains والحزْنُand rugged uplands وهيwhile they are نواضرverdant
رياضُ المَلا والحزْنُ وهي نواضر
Mandali aloeswood falls short of it; before it bow
The meadows of plains and rugged uplands, though verdant.
إذاwhen اخْروَّطstretched onward السيرtravel العنيفharsh برُفْقةٍwith a traveling party
إذا اخْروَّط السير العنيف برُفْقةٍ
جَلَتْهمdrove them عنfrom الأوطانhomelands شُهبٌash-gray years عواقرbarren
جَلَتْهم عن الأوطان شُهبٌ عواقر
When harsh travel stretches on for a company
Driven from their homelands by barren, ash-gray years,
سَرَواthey journeyed by night ومطاياهُمْand their mounts نَعامٌostriches جَوافِلٌfleeing in alarm
سَرَوا ومطاياهُمْ نَعامٌ جَوافِلٌ
فأضحتthen became by morning نِقاداًshort-legged sheep نامَslept عنهنَّheedless of them زاجِرُa drover
فأضحت نِقاداً نامَ عنهنَّ زاجِرُ
They travel by night, their mounts fleeing ostriches,
Then by morning become short-legged sheep, their drover asleep.
يرودونَthey seek خِصْباًfertile plenty منof نعيمٍease وماجداًand a noble lord
يرودونَ خِصْباً من نعيمٍ وماجداً
يُقِرُّacknowledges لهfor him بالخيرgoodness عافٍa petitioner وعاصِرُand a withholder
يُقِرُّ له بالخير عافٍ وعاصِرُ
They seek the lush pasture of ease, and a noble lord
Whose goodness petitioner and withholder alike acknowledge.
علىat حينa time when غَبْراءٌa dust-gray year منfrom المحلdrought حارَدَتْwithheld its bounty
على حين غَبْراءٌ من المحل حارَدَتْ
فلاso no البرْقُlightning خفَّاقٌflashing ولاand no الجوُّsky ماطرraining
فلا البرْقُ خفَّاقٌ ولا الجوُّ ماطر
At a time when a dust-gray year of drought withheld its bounty,
With no lightning flashing and no sky raining,
وغاضَand ebbed عُبابُthe surge of الجَمِّabundant water حتىuntil كأنَّهُas though it were
وغاضَ عُبابُ الجَمِّ حتى كأنَّهُ
منfrom المحْلdrought غورٌsunken water هابطُsunk low in التُّرْبthe soil غاثرmurky
من المحْل غورٌ هابطُ التُّرْب غاثر
The surge of abundant water ebbed, until it seemed,
From drought, a murky pool sunk low in the earth.
وعادَand became سَخيُّthe generous man of الحَيِّthe tribe مثلَlike بَخيلهits miser
وعادَ سَخيُّ الحَيِّ مثلَ بَخيله
لهhe has الوطْبُthe milk-skin مثْمومٌstoppered منfrom الشُّحِّstinginess خادرhidden away
له الوطْبُ مثْمومٌ من الشُّحِّ خادر
The tribe's generous man became like its miser,
His milk-skin stoppered and hidden away through stinginess.
قَراهُمْhosted them with أميرthe Commander of المؤمنينَthe Faithful نَعيمَهُhis bounty
قَراهُمْ أمير المؤمنينَ نَعيمَهُ
فلاso no المحْلُdrought عَرَّاقٌstripping to the bone ولاand no الخطبcalamity جائرoppressive
فلا المحْلُ عَرَّاقٌ ولا الخطب جائر
The Commander of the Faithful hosted them with his bounty,
So drought could not strip them to the bone, nor calamity oppress them.
قَراهُمْhosted them فتىًa noble man لمdid not يرضbe content بالكومwith high-humped she-camels مطعماًas food
قَراهُمْ فتىً لم يرض بالكوم مطعماً
لضيفانهfor his guests والضَّيفand the guest للرِّسْلfor milk شاكرُis grateful
لضيفانه والضَّيف للرِّسْل شاكرُ
A noble man hosted them, not content to serve high-humped she-camels
To his guests, though a guest is grateful even for milk.
يجودُbestows generously بأمْصارِthe cities of البلادِthe land بَنانُهُhis fingers
يجودُ بأمْصارِ البلادِ بَنانُهُ
إذاwhen نُحِرَتْare slaughtered للطارقينَfor night visitors البَهازِرُmassive she-camels
إذا نُحِرَتْ للطارقينَ البَهازِرُ
His fingers lavish the cities of the land,
When massive she-camels are slaughtered for night visitors.
جموحٌcharging headlong علىtoward الأمْرthe task المَهيبfearsome ونافِرٌand recoiling
جموحٌ على الأمْر المَهيب ونافِرٌ
علىfrom العارdisgrace موفورُrichly endowed with المَحامِدِpraiseworthy deeds وافِرُabundant
على العار موفورُ المَحامِدِ وافِرُ
He charges headlong toward fearsome tasks, and recoils
From disgrace, rich and abundant in praiseworthy deeds.
ونِعْمand excellent is الفتىthe man الكَرَّارthe oft-charging warrior فيin كلevery مأزقٍdesperate strait
ونِعْم الفتى الكَرَّار في كل مأزقٍ
إذاwhen انْتعلتْwear as sandals هامَthe heads of الكُماةِarmored warriors الحَوافرthe hooves
إذا انْتعلتْ هامَ الكُماةِ الحَوافر
What a fine man, charging back in every desperate strait,
When hooves make sandals of armored warriors' heads.
لهhe has منfrom مَضاءthe sharpness of العزْمresolve بيضٌbright swords وذُبَّلٌand slender lances
له من مَضاء العزْم بيضٌ وذُبَّلٌ
ومنْand from بأسهhis valor عندat اللِّقاءِthe encounter عَساكِرُarmies
ومنْ بأسه عند اللِّقاءِ عَساكِرُ
From his resolve's sharpness he has bright swords and slender lances,
And from his valor, armies when battle is joined.
تمُدُّswell بدُفَّاعِwith surging torrents of الدِّماءِblood حُروبُهُhis wars
تمُدُّ بدُفَّاعِ الدِّماءِ حُروبُهُ
فكُلُّso every دَمٍflow of blood أجرتْhave made flow ظُباهُhis blade-edges جُراجرa roaring torrent
فكُلُّ دَمٍ أجرتْ ظُباهُ جُراجر
His wars swell with surging torrents of blood,
And every flow of blood his blade-edges draw is a roaring torrent.
تَحاماهُshun him فُرْسانُthe horsemen of النِّزالِcombat وتتَّقيand beware
تَحاماهُ فُرْسانُ النِّزالِ وتتَّقي
صَوارِمَهُhis cutting swords أبطالُهُits champions والمَساعِرُand kindlers of war
صَوارِمَهُ أبطالُهُ والمَساعِرُ
The horsemen of combat shun him; feared
Are his keen swords by its champions and kindlers of war.
إذاwhen ظمىءَthirsts العَسَّالُthe quivering spear منfrom لهبthe blaze of الوغىbattle
إذا ظمىءَ العَسَّالُ من لهب الوغى
فموْردُهُthen its watering place لَبَّاتُهُمْtheir upper breasts والحَناجِرُand throats
فموْردُهُ لَبَّاتُهُمْ والحَناجِرُ
When the quivering spear thirsts in battle's blaze,
Its watering place is their upper breasts and throats.
كأنَّas though المذاكيthe full-grown steeds الجُردsleek تحتbeneath رجالهِhis men
كأنَّ المذاكي الجُرد تحت رجالهِ
لدىin الحربwar عقبانthe eagles of الشُّريفal-Sharif الكواسرswooping
لدى الحرب عقبان الشُّريف الكواسر
As though the sleek, full-grown steeds beneath his men
Were, in war, the swooping eagles of al-Sharif.
تؤُمُّmake for سِباعُthe predators among الطَّيرِbirds طيرَthe bird of لِوائهِhis banner
تؤُمُّ سِباعُ الطَّيرِ طيرَ لِوائهِ
فيرجَعُand returns ضاوٍa gaunt bird وهوwhile it is مَلآنُfull حادِرُplump
فيرجَعُ ضاوٍ وهو مَلآنُ حادِرُ
Birds of prey make for his banner's bird,
And the gaunt one returns full and plump.
فلاso no راكِضٌgalloping rider إِلاexcept ويَتْلوهُand follows him طائرٌa bird
فلا راكِضٌ إِلا ويَتْلوهُ طائرٌ
ولاand no طاعِنٌthrusting spearman إِلاَّexcept ويتْلوهُand follows him ناسِرُa flesh-tearing bird
ولا طاعِنٌ إِلاَّ ويتْلوهُ ناسِرُ
No rider gallops without a bird following him,
Nor any spearman without a flesh-tearing bird at his heels.
إذاif جحَدَdeny الأحبارُthe scholars باهرَthe brilliance of فضْلِهِhis excellence
إذا جحَدَ الأحبارُ باهرَ فضْلِهِ
أَقرَّتْacknowledge لهto him أسرارُهُمtheir inmost thoughts والدَّفاتِرُand the books
أَقرَّتْ له أسرارُهُم والدَّفاتِرُ
If scholars deny his dazzling excellence,
Their inmost thoughts and their books concede it to him.
غَزيرُabundant in النَّهىunderstanding أماas for رضاهُhis favor فَوالِدٌthen offspring-bearing
غَزيرُ النَّهى أما رضاهُ فَوالِدٌ
نَثورٌprolific وأمَّاand as for سُخْطُهُhis wrath فهوthen it is عاقِرُbarren
نَثورٌ وأمَّا سُخْطُهُ فهو عاقِرُ
Abundant in understanding, his favor is fertile,
Prolific, while his wrath is barren.
قَنوتٌdeeply devout لهhe has منْfrom صومِهhis fasting وصَلاتِهِand his prayer
قَنوتٌ له منْ صومِه وصَلاتِهِ
شَهيدانِtwo witnesses ليلٌa night باردٌcold وهواجِرُand scorching noontides
شَهيدانِ ليلٌ باردٌ وهواجِرُ
Devout: his fasting and prayer have
Two witnesses—cold night and scorching noontides.
فماso not يَطَّبيهِentices him الوِرْدُthe watering place عندduring وَدِيقَةٍscorching heat
فما يَطَّبيهِ الوِرْدُ عند وَدِيقَةٍ
ولاand no مَرْقَدٌbed والليلُwhile the night قَرّانُbitterly cold باسِرscowling
ولا مَرْقَدٌ والليلُ قَرّانُ باسِر
No watering place lures him in the searing heat,
Nor a bed when night is freezing and scowling.
تلمَّحتُI glimpsed بَرْقthe lightning of الحافلاتِrain-laden clouds وسَرَّنيand delighted me
تلمَّحتُ بَرْق الحافلاتِ وسَرَّني
تبَوُّجُهits flashing forth والبرقُand lightning للوَدْقِof the rain حادِرa downward driver
تبَوُّجُه والبرقُ للوَدْقِ حادِر
I glimpsed the lightning of rain-laden clouds, and rejoiced
In its flashing forth; lightning drives down the rain.
فأقبلْتُso I came جَذْلانَjoyful in الفُؤادِheart كأنَّنيas though I
فأقبلْتُ جَذْلانَ الفُؤادِ كأنَّني
أخوone possessed of صَبْوةٍpassionate love أدْنىbrought near لهto him الحبلthe bond هاجرan estranged beloved
أخو صَبْوةٍ أدْنى له الحبل هاجر
So I came, glad at heart, as though I were
A lover whose estranged beloved had drawn the bond near,
إلىto مُسْتَضيءٍone illumined بالمُهَيْمنِby the All-Protector مُهْتدٍguided
إلى مُسْتَضيءٍ بالمُهَيْمنِ مُهْتدٍ
بأنوارهِby his lights بَرٌّa righteous man تَقيٌّdevout وفاجِرand a sinner
بأنوارهِ بَرٌّ تَقيٌّ وفاجِر
To one illumined by the All-Protector; guided
By his lights are the devoutly righteous and the sinner.
لعلَّperhaps كسيراًone broken منْby خُطوبٍcalamities كثيرةٍmany
لعلَّ كسيراً منْ خُطوبٍ كثيرةٍ
يكونُmay be لهfor him منْfrom فيضِthe overflow of نُعْماهُhis blessings جابرa mender
يكونُ له منْ فيضِ نُعْماهُ جابر
Perhaps one broken by many calamities
May find in his overflowing bounty one to mend him.
Translation model: Sol 6.1