صليهِgrant him union بماwith what يشفيheals غَليلَburning thirst فؤادهِhis heart
صليهِ بما يشفي غَليلَ فؤادهِ
وَرقّيand show tenderness لهُto him فيin عطفهِhis affection واِنقيادهِand his submission
وَرقّي لهُ في عطفهِ واِنقيادهِ
Grant him union that quenches his heart's burning thirst,
Pray for him with what soothes his heart's anguish
and be tender to him in his affection and submission.
And be gentle with him in your affection and compliance
وَلاand do not تيئسيهِmake him despair مِنof وصالكunion with you إنّهfor he
وَلا تيئسيهِ مِن وصالك إنّه
لَكمto you مخلصٌsincere فيin حبّهhis love وودادهِand his affection
لَكم مخلصٌ في حبّه وودادهِ
Do not make him despair of union with you, for he
And do not despair him of uniting with you, for he
is sincere toward you in his love and affection.
Is so loyal in his love and affection
فَوصلكso union with you ياO ذاتَwearer of الوشاحِthe sash يصدّهُbars him
فَوصلك يا ذاتَ الوشاحِ يصدّهُ
وَيثنيهِand turns him back مِنfrom قبلِbefore اللقاءِthe meeting معادهِhis return
وَيثنيهِ مِن قبلِ اللقاءِ معادهِ
Yet from union with you, O wearer of the sash, he is barred,
For your union, O you with the veil, deters him
and turned back before meeting by his return.
And holds him back before the meeting at the appointed time
كئيبٌdejected نأىdeparted عنهُfrom him الرقادُsleep لهجركمbecause of your abandonment
كئيبٌ نأى عنهُ الرقادُ لهجركم
فَناظرهُso his eye لَمnot يَكتحلbe kohled برقادهِwith his slumber
فَناظرهُ لَم يَكتحل برقادهِ
Dejected, sleep has fled him because you forsook him,
Sleep has avoided the gloomy one in your separation
so his eye has not been kohled with slumber.
So his eyes did not line with kohl in his slumber
إِذاwhen هجعَslumbered الخاليthe carefree man وَنامتand slept عيونهُhis eyes
إِذا هجعَ الخالي وَنامت عيونهُ
يَبيتُhe spends the night سميراًa night companion فيin الدُجىdarkness لِسهادهِto his sleeplessness
يَبيتُ سميراً في الدُجى لِسهادهِ
When the carefree man slumbers and his eyes sleep,
When the friend falls asleep and his eyes close
he spends the dark night keeping his sleeplessness company.
He stays awake in the darkness of his vigilance
محبٌّa lover رَهينٌheld captive فيin الكآبَةِsorrow قلبهُhis heart
محبٌّ رَهينٌ في الكآبَةِ قلبهُ
مَدىthroughout عُمرهِhis lifetime أسيرa captive لمnot يفادهِransom him
مَدى عُمرهِ أسير لم يفادهِ
A lover whose heart is captive to sorrow,
A loving captive, his heart held in sorrow
a prisoner throughout his life, whom none has ransomed.
All his life a prisoner that was never ransomed
يودُّhe desires وَلوeven if only تقبيلةa little kiss مِنfrom حبيبهhis beloved
يودُّ وَلو تقبيلة مِن حبيبه
فإنّfor indeed هواهhis passion فهيَso it is آخرُthe last زادهِhis provision
فإنّ هواه فهيَ آخرُ زادهِ
He longs for even a little kiss from his beloved,
He wishes even for a kiss from his beloved
for, in his passion, that is his last provision.
For his passion is his only provision
وَياand O أيّهاyou اللاحيthe reproacher دعِlet القلبَthe heart يصطليburn
وَيا أيّها اللاحي دعِ القلبَ يصطلي
منَof الوجدِpassionate longing جَمراًan ember مسعراًfiercely kindled فيin اِتّقادهِits blazing
منَ الوجدِ جَمراً مسعراً في اِتّقادهِ
O you who reproach him, let the heart burn
And O reproacher, let the heart kindle
on longing's ember, fiercely kindled in its blaze.
With passion, a glowing ember in its ignition
وَلاand do not تَنههُforbid him عَنfrom غيّهhis waywardness إِنّهfor he اِمرؤٌa man
وَلا تَنههُ عَن غيّه إِنّه اِمرؤٌ
يَرىhe deems الغيَّerror أَهدىa surer guide فيin الهوىlove ورشادهِand his guidance
يَرى الغيَّ أَهدى في الهوى ورشادهِ
Do not forbid him his waywardness: he is a man
And do not forbid him from his madness, for he is a man
who sees error as the surer guide in love, and his right path.
Who sees madness in love as the soundest guidance
وَهلand would لكَyou فيin إِصلاحِmending قلبٍa heart متيّمٍenslaved by love
وَهل لكَ في إِصلاحِ قلبٍ متيّمٍ
كئيبٍsorrowful يَرىit sees إصلاحهits mending فيin فسادهِits ruin
كئيبٍ يَرى إصلاحه في فسادهِ
Would you seek to mend a heart enslaved by love,
Can you mend the heart of an enamored
sorrowful, that sees its cure in its own ruin?
Melancholic who sees mending in his ruin?
وَأغيدand a supple youth ضاميslender الخصرِthe waist يعسلsways قدّهhis figure
وَأغيد ضامي الخصرِ يعسل قدّه
كَعودِlike a branch النقاthe sandhill فيin لينهِits softness وطرادهِand its straightness
كَعودِ النقا في لينهِ وطرادهِ
And a supple, slender-waisted youth, whose figure sways
Embrace the slim waisted one, supple at the hips
like a sandhill branch in its softness and straightness.
Like a pliant sapling in its tilt and sway
تعمّدتهI sought him deliberately ظمّاًthirstily (uncertain reading) وسقيand were watered مضاجعيmy beds
تعمّدته ظمّاً وسقي مضاجعي
فأثَّرso left a trace منهfrom him العطرthe perfume فوقupon نجادهِhis baldric
فأثَّر منه العطر فوق نجادهِ
I sought him out thirstily, and my beds were watered,
I perfumed him with incense and my bed carried
so his perfume left a trace upon his baldric.
Its fragrance atop its pillows
وَبتّand I spent the night وصَدريand my breast نائياًdistant عنfrom فراشهِhis bed
وَبتّ وصَدري نائياً عن فراشهِ
ضَجيعاًa bedfellow وزنديand my forearm نائياًdistant عنfrom وسادهِhis pillow
ضَجيعاً وزندي نائياً عن وسادهِ
I spent the night, my breast distant from his bed,
And I passed the night turned away from my mattress
a bedfellow, my forearm distant from his pillow.
Tossing and turning, away from my pillow
تَكاملَwas perfected فيهin him الحسنُbeauty بينbetween بياضهِhis whiteness
تَكاملَ فيه الحسنُ بين بياضهِ
وَماand what بينَbetween قانيهِhis crimson وبينand between سوادهِhis blackness
وَما بينَ قانيهِ وبين سوادهِ
Beauty was perfected in him, between his whiteness
Perfection embodied in his beauty
and what lies between his crimson and his blackness.
Between his temples and between his blackness and fairness
وَأَرضاًand a land قَطَعناهاwe crossed it اِعتسافاًwithout a path وصاحبيand my companion
وَأَرضاً قَطَعناها اِعتسافاً وصاحبي
يُناشِدُنيhe implores me الإنشادrecitation فوقatop سنادهِhis sturdy camel
يُناشِدُني الإنشاد فوق سنادهِ
We crossed a land without a beaten path, while my companion
As my companion and I crossed the land leisurely
urged me to recite, atop his sturdy camel.
He recited to me poetry in praise of the generous father of the Arabs
يُناشدُنيhe implores me شِعراًverses منَof المدحpraise فيfor علاthe glory
يُناشدُني شِعراً منَ المدح في علا
أبيAbu (father of) العربِthe Arabs المُعطيthe giver جَزيلاlavishly تلادهِhis ancestral wealth
أبي العربِ المُعطي جَزيلا تلادهِ
He asked me for verses praising the lofty glory
A protector, when he shook the spear
of Abu al-Arab, lavish giver of his ancestral wealth.
The steeds of his enemies scattered before his steeds
هُمامٌa valiant chief إِذاwhen هزّhe shakes القناةَthe spear تَنافَرَتscattered
هُمامٌ إِذا هزّ القناةَ تَنافَرَت
جيادُthe steeds أعاديهِhis enemies أمامbefore جيادهِhis steeds
جيادُ أعاديهِ أمام جيادهِ
A valiant chief: when he shakes his spear,
He attacks the enemies and defeats their crowds
his enemies' steeds scatter before his steeds.
As the starling defeated the flock in its flight
يكرّhe charges عَلىagainst الأعداthe enemies فَيهزمُthen he routs جمعَهمtheir host
يكرّ عَلى الأعدا فَيهزمُ جمعَهم
كَماas هزمَrouted السرحانthe wolf سرحa grazing flock نفادِهِits exhaustion
كَما هزمَ السرحان سرح نفادِهِ
He charges against his foes and routs their host,
His steeds' charge and the whiteness of his meadows
as a wolf routs a grazing flock to exhaustion.
And the brownness of his hills make me proud
بهِin him اِفتَخرتtook pride يومَon the day of الوغىbattle جردthe sleek ones جيادهِhis steeds
بهِ اِفتَخرت يومَ الوغى جرد جيادهِ
وَبيضُand the white مَواضيهhis keen blades وسمرand the brown صعادهِhis spear-shafts
وَبيضُ مَواضيه وسمر صعادهِ
His sleek steeds took pride in him on the day of battle,
A cloud pouring heavy rain the day of its bounty
and his white keen blades and brown spear-shafts.
Brave in calamity the day of its might
غمامٌa cloud ملثّunceasing القطرِrain يومon the day of نوالهِhis bounty
غمامٌ ملثّ القطرِ يوم نوالهِ
هزبرٌa lion شديدُfierce اليأسِdespair يومon the day of جلادهِhis combat
هزبرٌ شديدُ اليأسِ يوم جلادهِ
A cloud of unceasing rain on the day of his bounty,
And people with the excellence of armor but some of its coldness
a lion fierce in despair on the day of his combat.
Just as camel litters with some of their padding
وَقومand he reckoned فضولthe ample skirts الدرعِthe mail بعضsome of برودهِhis robes
وَقوم فضول الدرعِ بعض برودهِ
كَذاlikewise وَمتونand the backs الجردِthe sleek steeds بعضsome of مهادهِhis beds
كَذا وَمتون الجردِ بعض مهادهِ
He reckoned the ample skirts of mail among his robes,
He built a lofty house of glory, its pillars so high
and likewise the backs of sleek steeds among his beds.
Their summits rose above its pillars
بنىhe built بيتَa house مجدٍglory عالياتlofty عمادُهُits pillars
بنى بيتَ مجدٍ عاليات عمادُهُ
فَنافتso towered أعاليthe heights سمكهِits roof وعمادهِand its pillars
فَنافت أعالي سمكهِ وعمادهِ
He built a house of glory whose pillars stand high,
If you wish, you gain ease and riches from him
and its roof and pillars rose to towering heights.
Ask and if you wish ruin, turn away
إِذاif شئتَyou wish تَحظىyou gain منهُfrom him بِاليسرِwith ease والغنىand wealth
إِذا شئتَ تَحظى منهُ بِاليسرِ والغنى
فَسلهُthen ask him وَإِنand if شئتَyou wish الهلاكdestruction فعادهِthen oppose him
فَسلهُ وَإِن شئتَ الهلاك فعادهِ
If you wish to gain ease and wealth from him,
So how do you address him with formality when he is
ask him; if you wish for destruction, become his enemy.
Utterly sincere in his effort and determination
فَكيفَso how تُخاطبهُaddress him المعاليlofty honors وإنّهand indeed he
فَكيفَ تُخاطبهُ المعالي وإنّه
إِلَيهاtoward them قصارىthe utmost جدّهhis earnestness واِجتهادهِand his striving
إِلَيها قصارى جدّه واِجتهادهِ
How, then, do lofty honors address him, when
For neither the noble purebred nor the magnificent steed
toward them go the utmost of his earnestness and striving?
Are above him in valor and horsemanship
فَليسَfor is not مجيرa protector الطعنِagainst spear-thrusts أعلاgreater حميّةin protective zeal
فَليسَ مجير الطعنِ أعلا حميّة
لديهِbeside him وَلاnor الزاكيthe noble one مجيرa protector جوادهِhis steed
لديهِ وَلا الزاكي مجير جوادهِ
No protector against spear-thrusts surpasses him in zeal,
His pen flows with decree in its flow
nor, beside him, the noble protector of his steed.
When it runs on parchment with its ink
لَهُhe has قلمٌa pen يَجريruns القضاءdestiny بجريهِwith its movement
لَهُ قلمٌ يَجري القضاء بجريهِ
إِذاwhen ماan emphatic particle جَرىit runs فيon طرسهhis parchment بمدادهِwith its ink
إِذا ما جَرى في طرسه بمدادهِ
He has a pen: destiny runs with its movement,
It nearly grants what he intends
when it runs across his parchment with its ink.
In the eloquent tongue even if uncalled
وَكادَand almost إِلىconcerning ماwhat قَدalready نواهhe intended it يجيبهُanswers him
وَكادَ إِلى ما قَد نواه يجيبهُ
لِسانthe tongue القصيthe distant man جَهراًaloud وإنand though لمnot ينادهِcalled him
لِسان القصي جَهراً وإن لم ينادهِ
And he is almost answered concerning what he has intended
Whom the Merciful knew as true in his certainty
aloud by a distant man's tongue, though he has not called him.
And sincerity, He appointed him king of His servants
وَمنand whoever علمَknows الرحمنُthe Most Merciful صدقَthe truth يقينهِhis conviction
وَمن علمَ الرحمنُ صدقَ يقينهِ
وَإِخلاصهand his sincerity ولّاهHe entrusted him with ملكrule عبادهِHis servants
وَإِخلاصه ولّاه ملك عبادهِ
Whoever the Most Merciful knows to have true conviction
And here is a cool breeze of ideas
and sincerity, He appoints to rule His servants.
Of poetry that bypassed the market of stagnation
وَهاكَand take this منfrom الأفكارِthoughts برداًa mantle مفوّفاًstriped
وَهاكَ من الأفكارِ برداً مفوّفاً
منَof الشعرِpoetry لمnot يعرضbe offered لسوقto the market كسادهِits lack of demand
منَ الشعرِ لم يعرض لسوق كسادهِ
Take from these thoughts a striped mantle
It portrayed praise in its robes for its wetness
of poetry, never offered to a market where it would languish.
And the embellishments in its rhythms
حَكىechoed المدحَthe praise فيin غيلابهِits thickets لبلالهits songbird (uncertain reading)
حَكى المدحَ في غيلابهِ لبلاله
وماand what كانَwas فيin نغماتهits melodies منof زبادهِits civet perfume
وما كانَ في نغماته من زبادهِ
Its songbird (reading uncertain) echoed praise in its thickets,
From a loving devotee loyal to you his affection came
and the civet perfume present in its melodies.
So do you have any thanks scaling his affection?
أَتىit came مِنfrom محبٍّa lover مخلصٍsincere لكtoward you ودّهُhis affection
أَتى مِن محبٍّ مخلصٍ لك ودّهُ
فَهلso would لكَyou فيin شكرgratitude تراقيthe ascent ودادهِhis affection
فَهل لكَ في شكر تراقي ودادهِ
It came from a lover whose affection is sincere toward you,
Love has intertwined you, so benefit from your bliss
so will you reward his affection's ascent?
And who would have a plantation without reaping its harvest?
حَباكhe gifted you الثناpraise فاِمتاحَthen he drew منfrom وجدكyour abundance الغنىwealth
حَباك الثنا فاِمتاحَ من وجدك الغنى
وَمَنand whoever يكُis ذاpossessed of زرعٍa crop يَفُزwins بحصادهِits harvest
وَمَن يكُ ذا زرعٍ يَفُز بحصادهِ
He bestowed praise upon you and drew riches from your abundance;
and whoever has a crop wins its harvest.
Partial English translation: 62 of 64 Arabic lines translated.