دَعهُleave him يحنُّhe yearns لشجوهِfor his sorrow وشجونهِand his griefs
دَعهُ يحنُّ لشجوهِ وشجونهِ
وَيسحُّand pours down قطراًrain منfrom غيومclouds عيونهِhis eyes
وَيسحُّ قطراً من غيوم عيونهِ
Leave him to yearn for his sorrow and his griefs,
Let him yearn in his passion and sorrows,
And pour rain from the clouds of his eyes.
And let him wipe a teardrop from his clouded eyes.
كلفٌlove-struck تواصلَbecame entwined فيin الغرامِpassion حنينهُhis yearning
كلفٌ تواصلَ في الغرامِ حنينهُ
بِأنينهِwith his groaning وأنينهand his groaning بحنينهِwith his yearning
بِأنينهِ وأنينه بحنينهِ
Love-struck, his yearning in passion is entwined
The longing in love has burdened him with its longing,
With his groaning, and his groaning with his yearning.
With his moaning and his moaning for his longing.
يَبكيhe weeps ويندبُand laments معلناًopenly ببكائهِwith his weeping
يَبكي ويندبُ معلناً ببكائهِ
رَبعاًa dwelling عفاwas effaced مَغناهits site بعدafter قطينهِits inhabitants
رَبعاً عفا مَغناه بعد قطينهِ
He weeps and openly laments, with his tears,
He weeps and laments loudly with his crying,
A dwelling whose site faded after its people left.
A quarter he lived in after its dormancy.
وَرِثَhe inherited الهوىpassion والعشقand love عنfrom غيلانهِhis Ghaylan
وَرِثَ الهوى والعشق عن غيلانهِ
وَعنِand from ابنson عجلانAjlan وعنand from ميمونهِhis Maymun
وَعنِ ابن عجلان وعن ميمونهِ
He inherited passion and love from his Ghaylan,
He inherited passion and love from his poets,
And from Ibn Ajlan, and from his Maymun.
And from Ibn ‘Ajlān and from Maymūnah.
تَتردّدreverberate الزفراتthe sighs بينَbetween ضلوعهِhis ribs
تَتردّد الزفرات بينَ ضلوعهِ
وَيجلجلand makes resound العبراتthe tears بينbetween جفونهِhis eyelids
وَيجلجل العبرات بين جفونهِ
Sighs reverberate between his ribs,
Sighs echo between his ribs,
And he makes tears resound between his eyelids.
And tears flow between his eyelids.
وَالصبّand the lover لاnot يُدعىis called بصبٍّa lover فيin الهوىlove
وَالصبّ لا يُدعى بصبٍّ في الهوى
حتّىuntil تخالطyou mingle عقلهhis reason بجنونهِwith his madness
حتّى تخالط عقله بجنونهِ
A lover is not called love-struck in love
Passion is not called passion in love,
Until you mingle his reason with his madness.
Until it mixes his mind with madness.
دنفٌlove-sick تحكّمheld sway فيهover him ماwhat لمnot يشتفىcould be cured
دنفٌ تحكّم فيه ما لم يشتفى
بقراطHippocrates وأفلاطونهِand his Plato
بقراط وأفلاطونهِ
Love-sick, he is ruled by what could not be cured by
A sick person whom neither Buqrat nor Aflatoon could cure,
Hippocrates and his Plato.
And a lovesick one if a branch of his slim waist bent in the cold,
وَمهفهفٌand a slender one إِنif ماسَswayed غصنthe branch قوامهِhis stature
وَمهفهفٌ إِن ماسَ غصن قوامهِ
فيin البردthe mantle أخجلput to shame مائساتswaying ones غصونهِits branches
في البرد أخجل مائسات غصونهِ
And a slender beloved—if the branch of his stature sways
It would shame the bending branches.
In his mantle, it puts swaying branches to shame.
His beauty robbed me of my reason with its splendor,
سلبَstole الحجىreason منّيfrom me ببهجةِwith the splendor حسنهِhis beauty
سلبَ الحجى منّي ببهجةِ حسنهِ
وَالحسنand beauty يستلبُsteals الحجىreason بفنونهِwith its arts
وَالحسن يستلبُ الحجى بفنونهِ
He stole my reason with the splendor of his beauty,
For beauty can steal reason with its arts.
And beauty steals reason with its many arts.
Its diffusion in its spreading and fragrance,
نَفحاتهُhis fragrant wafts فيin نشرِهاtheir diffusion وأريجهاand their perfume
نَفحاتهُ في نشرِها وأريجها
تُهديoffer ذكيَّfragrant المسكmusk منfrom دارينهِhis Darin
تُهدي ذكيَّ المسك من دارينهِ
His fragrant wafts, in their diffusion and perfume,
Gives the scent of pure musk from its bowls.
Offer fragrant musk from his Darin.
It contains opposites in winter and summer,
يحويhe contains الطبائعَthe elements فيin الشتاwinter فيin آبهِhis August
يحوي الطبائعَ في الشتا في آبهِ
حرّاًheat وفيand in الوقداتthe scorching spells منfrom كانونهِhis Kanun
حرّاً وفي الوقدات من كانونهِ
He holds the elements—in winter, his August's
Hot in flames and in the coldest months.
Heat, and in scorching spells, coolness from his Kanun.
It sways in the north wind’s cold, wavering
وَيميسُand he sways فيin بردِthe coolness الصباthe east wind متهزّعاًquivering
وَيميسُ في بردِ الصبا متهزّعاً
كالخَيزرانِlike bamboo إِذاwhen اِنثنىit bends فيin لينهِits suppleness
كالخَيزرانِ إِذا اِنثنى في لينهِ
And he sways in the cool east wind, quivering,
Like a palm tree bending in its softness.
Like bamboo when it bends in its suppleness.
Do not tell of his cheeks and eyes,
لاdo not تحكينَّever liken بجيدهِwith his neck وعيونهand his eyes
لا تحكينَّ بجيدهِ وعيونه
أجيادnecks غزلانgazelles وأعينand eyes عينهِhis wide-eyed wild cattle
أجياد غزلان وأعين عينهِ
Do not liken his neck and eyes
The steeds of gazelles and eyes of springs.
To gazelles' necks and the eyes of his wide-eyed wild cattle.
No sooner did he glance at me secretly,
ماnot إِنindeed رَناhe gazed باللحظِwith a glance منهfrom him مخالساًfurtively
ما إِن رَنا باللحظِ منه مخالساً
إِلّاexcept سبىhe captured عَقليmy reason بسحرِwith the magic عيونهِhis eyes
إِلّا سبى عَقلي بسحرِ عيونهِ
No sooner does he cast a furtive glance
Except he captured my mind with the magic of his eyes.
Than he captures my reason with his eyes' enchantment.
No sooner did I seize his rosy cheek,
ماnot إِنindeed أخذتI reached بجلّنارةfor the pomegranate blossom خدّهِhis cheek
ما إِن أخذت بجلّنارة خدّهِ
إلّاexcept اِتّقىhe shielded عنfrom وجههhis face برونهِwith his sleeve (uncertain reading)
إلّا اِتّقى عن وجهه برونهِ
No sooner did I reach for his cheek's pomegranate blossom
Except he guarded his face with its veil.
Than he shielded his face with his sleeve.
Be with time however it may be,
كُنbe للزَمانِtoward time كَماas تكونyou are فإنّهfor it
كُن للزَمانِ كَما تكون فإنّه
متقلّبُchangeable الحالاتِstates فيin تكوينهِits constitution
متقلّبُ الحالاتِ في تكوينهِ
Be as you will toward time, for it
For it changes states in its course.
Changes its states by its very nature.
And from fools keep your secret, struggling,
وَاِحفَظand keep عنِfrom الحَمقىthe fools سرّكyour secret جاهداًstriving hard
وَاِحفَظ عنِ الحَمقى سرّك جاهداً
فالسرُّfor the secret لمnot يحفظهُkeeps it غيرother than أمينهِits trusted keeper
فالسرُّ لم يحفظهُ غير أمينهِ
Strive to keep your secret from fools,
For none keeps a secret but the trusted.
For none but its trusted keeper keeps a secret.
And beware those of grudges wherever you find them,
وَاِحذرand beware ذويthose possessing الأضغانِgrudges حيثُwherever وَجدتهمyou find them
وَاِحذر ذوي الأضغانِ حيثُ وَجدتهم
فلسانfor the tongue ربّthe bearer الضغنthe grudge غيرnot مبينهِrevealing it
فلسان ربّ الضغن غير مبينهِ
Beware of those with grudges, wherever you find them,
For the tongue of the resentful is not eloquent.
For a grudge-bearer's tongue does not reveal it.
Hatred hearts conceal like the ashes
وَالحقدُand spite تُخفيهhide it القلوبthe hearts كمثلjust like ماwhat
وَالحقدُ تُخفيه القلوب كمثل ما
يُخفيhides الرمادُthe ash الجمرَthe embers تحتbeneath كمينهِits concealment
يُخفي الرمادُ الجمرَ تحت كمينهِ
Hearts conceal spite, just as
That hide the embers in waiting.
Ash hides embers beneath its cover.
How much malice has buried for you a latent sickness,
كَمhow many دافنone burying لكagainst you ضغنrancor داءٍa sickness كامنٍlurking
كَم دافن لك ضغن داءٍ كامنٍ
وَيريكَand shows you منهfrom himself البشرcheerfulness غيرother than دفينهِwhat he has buried
وَيريكَ منه البشر غير دفينهِ
How many bury rancor against you—a lurking disease—
Yet people show you nothing of its burial.
And show you cheerfulness, not what lies buried within.
I am a man who beautifies my words,
إنّيindeed I اِمرؤٌa man فعليmy deeds يزيّنadorn منطقيmy speech
إنّي اِمرؤٌ فعلي يزيّن منطقي
وَالقولُand speech يَسعىstrives الحرُّthe noble man فيin تزيينهِadorning it
وَالقولُ يَسعى الحرُّ في تزيينهِ
I am a man: my deeds adorn my speech,
And speech runs free in its adornment.
And a noble man strives to adorn his words.
And I have composed poetry, selecting it
وَلَقدand indeed نظمتُI composed الشعرَpoetry مُنتخباًselecting لهfor it
وَلَقد نظمتُ الشعرَ مُنتخباً له
وَنَسختand replaced منهُof it هزيلهits lean part بسمينهِwith its fat part
وَنَسخت منهُ هزيله بسمينهِ
I have composed poetry, choosing it with care,
And copied from it its lean with its fat.
And replaced its lean verses with plump ones.
And I have become confident in the crowned king,
وَغدوتُand I became بالملكin the king المتوّجthe crowned one واثقاًtrusting
وَغدوتُ بالملك المتوّج واثقاً
بِقويّin a strong ركنِpillar المكرُماتnoble deeds مكينهِits steadfast one
بِقويّ ركنِ المكرُمات مكينهِ
And I came to trust the crowned king,
By the firm pillar of the honored deeds.
A strong, steadfast pillar of noble deeds,
By the success of the son of the benefactor king
بِفلاحin Falah نجلson المحسنِal-Muhsin الملكِthe king الّذيwho
بِفلاح نجل المحسنِ الملكِ الّذي
جَعلَmade السماحةَgenerosity سنّةًa practice فيin دينهِhis faith
جَعلَ السماحةَ سنّةً في دينهِ
Falah, son of al-Muhsin, the king who
Who made benevolence a tradition in his faith.
Made generosity a practice of his faith.
He favoured all people, rich and poor,
عمَّencompassed الآنامَthe people غنيّهمtheir rich وفقيرهمand their poor
عمَّ الآنامَ غنيّهم وفقيرهم
بِملثّwith the unceasing rain نائلهِhis bounty وصوبِand the downpour هتونهِhis heavy rain
بِملثّ نائلهِ وصوبِ هتونهِ
He encompassed all people, their rich and their poor,
With the abundance of his clouds and the direction of his downpours.
With his bounty's unceasing rain and his showers' downpour.
Like rainfall, if it pours on plateaus and its showers beat down,
كالمزنِlike rainclouds إِنif هَطلتpoured down عزالىthe spouts ودقهِits rain
كالمزنِ إِن هَطلت عزالى ودقهِ
عمّتcovered جميعَall سهولهits plains وحزونهِand its rugged lands
عمّت جميعَ سهوله وحزونهِ
Like rainclouds, when the spouts of their rain pour down,
It covers all its plains and valleys.
Drenching all their plains and rugged lands.
And struggling for what he desires,
وَمُجاهداًand striving فيماin what يحاولُhe undertakes راغباًdesiring
وَمُجاهداً فيما يحاولُ راغباً
فيfor عدلِthe justice موسىMoses لاnot غنىthe wealth قارونهِhis Qarun
في عدلِ موسى لا غنى قارونهِ
And striving in what he undertakes, desiring
For the justice of Moses, not the wealth of Qarun.
The justice of Moses, not the wealth of his Qarun.
A lion, but he has no ferocity,
أسدٌa lion وَلكنbut ماnot لهhe has منany لبدةٍa mane
أسدٌ وَلكن ما له من لبدةٍ
إلّاexcept دلاصsmooth mail السردِthe linked weave منof موضونهِhis woven armor
إلّا دلاص السردِ من موضونهِ
A lion, yet he has no mane
Except the friendliness of narrative in its placement.
Except the smooth-linked weave of his mail.
And the white of some claws he has,
وَالبيضand white swords مِنamong بعضِsome المخالبِthe claws عندهwith him
وَالبيض مِن بعضِ المخالبِ عنده
وقناand spears وشيجclosely set الخطّal-Khatt بعضsome عرينهِhis lair
وقنا وشيج الخطّ بعض عرينهِ
White swords are but some of his claws,
Pecking and tearing the line is some of its burrowing.
And clustered al-Khatt spears are part of his lair.
And you see majesty surrounding him from behind,
وَتَرىand you see الجلالَmajesty يحوطهsurrounds him منfrom خلفهِbehind him
وَتَرى الجلالَ يحوطه من خلفهِ
وأمامهand before him ويسارهand on his left ويمينهِand on his right
وأمامه ويساره ويمينهِ
You see majesty surround him from behind,
Before and to his left and his right.
And before him, on his left and on his right.
Look with your eyes toward him, you look upon
اِنظرlook بعينيكwith your two eyes نحوهُtoward him تنظرyou will see إلىat
اِنظر بعينيك نحوهُ تنظر إلى
طلقcheerful المحيّاthe countenance صلتهhis gift ميمونهِblessed
طلق المحيّا صلته ميمونهِ
Look toward him with your own eyes, and you will see
The shining full moon, continuous, auspicious.
A cheerful-faced man whose gift is blessed.
He sought great deeds among great deeds his passion,
رامَsought المكارمَnoble deeds فيin المكارمِnoble deeds شاؤهhis reach
رامَ المكارمَ في المكارمِ شاؤه
فَكبواso they stumbled حساراًexhausted كلّهمall of them منfrom دونهِbelow him
فَكبوا حساراً كلّهم من دونهِ
His ambition sought honor amid deeds of honor;
So they yielded, all of them, to him.
But all stumbled, exhausted, falling short of him.
People differ in their circumstances,
وَالناسُand people مُختلفونَdiffering فيin أحوالهمtheir circumstances
وَالناسُ مُختلفونَ في أحوالهم
كالدهرِlike time يخلفchanges حينهits season عنfrom حينهِits season
كالدهرِ يخلف حينه عن حينهِ
People differ in their circumstances,
As time changes a time with a time.
Like time, whose seasons change from one to another.
Have you not seen the rain in its July,
أَفَماhave you not رأيتseen الغيثَthe rain فيin تمّوزهِits Tammuz
أَفَما رأيت الغيثَ في تمّوزهِ
فيin الجودِgenerosity دونless than الغيثthe rain فيin تشرينهِits Tishrin
في الجودِ دون الغيث في تشرينهِ
Have you not seen the rain in its Tammuz
In generosity unlike the rain in October?
Less generous than the rain in its Tishrin?
O turbulent sea whose waves
ياO أيّهاyou اللجّthe deep sea الّذيwhich أمواجهُits waves
يا أيّها اللجّ الّذي أمواجهُ
تطمىswell علىover سيحونSayhun بلrather جيحونهِits Jayhun
تطمى على سيحون بل جيحونهِ
O deep sea, whose waves
Surge upon Sihun, nay, Jaihun.
Surge over Sayhun—nay, over its Jayhun!
Aspire, with the best people, for the best,
طاوِلvie بقومِكwith your people خيرَthe best قومٍpeople واِختبرand test
طاوِل بقومِك خيرَ قومٍ واِختبر
إنّindeed الجوادَthe noble steed معقّبtaking successive strides لحزونهِover its rugged ground
إنّ الجوادَ معقّب لحزونهِ
Vie with the finest people through your own, and test them:
For the generous is requited for his bereavement.
For the noble steed keeps striding over its rugged ground.
They supported the Messenger of God when
نَصرواthey aided رسولَthe Messenger اللّهGod لماwhen خصّهHe singled him out
نَصروا رسولَ اللّه لما خصّه
بالوحيِwith revelation منهfrom Him علىat يدىthe hands جبرينهِHis Gabriel
بالوحيِ منه على يدى جبرينهِ
They aided God's Messenger when He singled him out
He was specified by Him for revelation through Gabriel’s hands.
With revelation from Him, at the hands of His Gabriel.
If an enemy's plot has exposed you,
وَلَئنand if عرتكassails you منَfrom العدوّthe enemy مكيدةa stratagem
وَلَئن عرتك منَ العدوّ مكيدة
لاdo not تَبتَئسgrieve فاللّهfor God غيرnot معينهِhis helper
لا تَبتَئس فاللّه غير معينهِ
And if the enemy's stratagem assails you,
Do not grieve, for God is not a supporter.
Do not grieve: God is not his helper.
Pharaoh of the pegs, his plot failed,
فرعونPharaoh ذاpossessor of الأوتادthe stakes أبطلundid كيدهُhis scheme
فرعون ذا الأوتاد أبطل كيدهُ
فاللّهfor God ينصرchampions عبدهُHis servant ويعينهand aids him
فاللّه ينصر عبدهُ ويعينه
Pharaoh, lord of the stakes—his scheme was undone;
For God supports His servant and aids him.
For God champions His servant and aids him.
Pharaoh of the pegs, his plot failed,
فرعونPharaoh ذاpossessor of الأوتادthe stakes أبطلَundid كيدهُhis scheme
فرعون ذا الأوتاد أبطلَ كيدهُ
ذوthe Lord of العرشِthe Throne عَنfor موسىMoses وعنand for هارونهِhis Aaron
ذو العرشِ عَن موسى وعن هارونهِ
Pharaoh, lord of the stakes—his scheme was undone
The Lord of the Throne against Moses and Aaron.
By the Lord of the Throne, for Moses and his Aaron.
By the right of Him who had brought out Jonah
فوحقّso by the right of مَنHim who قَدalready كانَhad أخرجbrought out يونساًJonah
فوحقّ مَن قَد كانَ أخرج يونساً
بِمشيئةby a will قدريّةdivinely decreed منfrom نونهِhis fish
بِمشيئة قدريّة من نونهِ
So, by the right of Him who once brought Jonah out
By predetermined will from the whale.
By His decreeing will, from his fish,
And returned him alive and grew over him
وَأَعادهand restored him حيّاًalive وأنبتَand caused to grow فوقهabove him
وَأَعاده حيّاً وأنبتَ فوقه
شَجراًa plant يظلّcasts shade عليهover him منof يقطينهِhis gourds
شَجراً يظلّ عليه من يقطينهِ
And restored him alive, and caused to grow above him
A plant that shaded him from the heat.
A gourd plant that cast its shade over him,
And ransomed the son of Abraham the day of his slaughter,
وَفدىand ransomed اِبنson إبراهيمAbraham يومَon the day ذباحهhis sacrifice
وَفدى اِبن إبراهيم يومَ ذباحه
منfrom بعدafter أنthat تلّهُhe laid him down لجبينهِon his brow
من بعد أن تلّهُ لجبينهِ
And ransomed Abraham's son on the day of his sacrifice,
After he turned his forehead toward Him.
After he had laid him down upon his brow:
I have praised you out of affection, not for
إنّيindeed I مدحتُكَpraised you عنout of ودادٍaffection لمnot يكنwas
إنّي مدحتُكَ عن ودادٍ لم يكن
مَدحيmy praise لماfor what ضاعفتyou doubled منof تثمينهِits valuation
مَدحي لما ضاعفت من تثمينهِ
I praised you out of affection; my praise was not
Increasing the price of my praise.
For the doubled value you placed upon it.
Partial English translation: 87 of 88 Arabic lines translated.