تَذَكَّرَhe remembered مَذكوراًone remembered كَنىhe referred obliquely عَنهُto him بِالحِمىas “the protected pasture”
تَذَكَّرَ مَذكوراً كَنى عَنهُ بِالحِمى
وَلَيلاًand a night وَنَجماًand a star فيهِwithin it لِلثَغرِfor the teeth وَاللَمىand the lips’ dark hue
وَلَيلاً وَنَجماً فيهِ لِلثَغرِ وَاللَمى
He remembered one spoken of, veiling him under the name “the sanctuary,”
He recalled one he had alluded to as “the protected pasture,”
and a night with little stars within it, belonging to the smile and the lips’ dusk.
And a night with a star within it: the lips’ dark hue and the teeth.
وَكانَتand there was بِهِin it حَربٌwar وَكانَand were بِهاin it الظُباthe sword-blades
وَكانَت بِهِ حَربٌ وَكانَ بِها الظُبا
جُفوناًeyelids وَكانَand were أَدمُعٌtears تُسفَكُthat were shed الدِماblood
جُفوناً وَكانَ أَدمُعٌ تُسفَكُ الدِما
A war was waged over him, and in that war the sword-blades were
And there was war there, and its sword-blades were
eyelids, while tears were spilling blood.
Eyelids; and the tears that were shed were blood.
وَقِرنايَand my two adversaries مِنnamely واشٍa talebearer هُناكَthere وَكاشِحٍand a spiteful foe
وَقِرنايَ مِن واشٍ هُناكَ وَكاشِحٍ
إِذاwhenever نَوَيناwe intended ضَرباًblows وَطَعناًand thrusts تُكَلَّماthey both spoke
إِذا نَوَينا ضَرباً وَطَعناً تُكَلَّما
My two adversaries—a talebearer there and a spiteful foe—
And my two adversaries there were a talebearer and a spiteful foe:
whenever we intended striking and thrusting, would both speak.
Whenever we planned blows and thrusts, they both spoke.
أَعيداbring back, you two زَمانَthe time of الحَربِwar إِنَّindeed قَتيلَهاits slain one
أَعيدا زَمانَ الحَربِ إِنَّ قَتيلَها
مَشوقٌfilled with longing إِلَيهاfor it مِثلَماjust as باتَhe spent the night مُضرَماaflame
مَشوقٌ إِلَيها مِثلَما باتَ مُضرَما
Bring back, you two, the time of war: I am its slain victim,
Bring back the days of war, you two, for the one it slew
yearning for it, as one who passed the night aflame.
Longs for it, just as he passed the night aflame.
خَديعَةُtreachery حَربِthe warfare of الدَهرِTime وَالحَربُand war خُدعَةٌa ruse
خَديعَةُ حَربِ الدَهرِ وَالحَربُ خُدعَةٌ
وَأَخدَعُand the most deceitful قِرنِadversary مَنone who سَطاstruck مُتَبَسِّماsmiling
وَأَخدَعُ قِرنِ مَن سَطا مُتَبَسِّما
Time’s warfare is a stratagem, and war itself a trick;
Time’s warfare is treachery, and war is a ruse;
the most deceitful adversary is one who attacks smiling.
And the most deceitful foe is one who strikes smiling.
وَماand not الرِزقُsustenance إِلّاexcept فيin السَمَواتِthe heavens فَاِتَّخِذso take
وَما الرِزقُ إِلّا في السَمَواتِ فَاِتَّخِذ
سَبيلاًa path إِلَيهاto them وَاِجعَلِand make السَعيَstriving سُلَّماa ladder
سَبيلاً إِلَيها وَاِجعَلِ السَعيَ سُلَّما
There is no provision save in the heavens; so take
And sustenance lies only in the heavens, so take
a path toward them, and make striving your ladder.
A path to them, and make striving a ladder.
وَلَسناand we are not نُسَمّيwe call واجِدَone who finds الماءِwater واجِداًwealthy
وَلَسنا نُسَمّي واجِدَ الماءِ واجِداً
وَإِنand if عَدِمَlacks المُرءُa man المَروءَةnobility of character أَعدَماhe becomes destitute
وَإِن عَدِمَ المُرءُ المَروءَة أَعدَما
We do not call one who finds water “a man of means”;
And we do not call one who finds water wealthy;
but if a man lacks chivalrous honor, he is utterly destitute.
And if a man lacks nobility of character, he is destitute.
