لَوif صَحَّproved true أَنَّthat البَينَparting يَعشَقُهُloves him
لَو صَحَّ أَنَّ البَينَ يَعشَقُهُ
ماnot اِستَعبَرَتshed tears فيon السَيرِthe journey أَينُقُهُhis she-camels
ما اِستَعبَرَت في السَيرِ أَينُقُهُ
If it were true that parting loved him,
If separation could be loved,
his she-camels would not have wept on the journey.
My tears would not have flowed in separation.
قَمَرٌa moon عَلىupon غُصنٍa bough يُرَنِّحُهُsets him swaying
قَمَرٌ عَلى غُصنٍ يُرَنِّحُهُ
مَرُّthe passing اللِحاظِof glances وَلَيسَand does not يَرشُقُهُpierce him
مَرُّ اللِحاظِ وَلَيسَ يَرشُقُهُ
A moon upon a bough, set swaying
A moon on a branch lamenting,
by passing glances, which do not pierce him.
Time passes by without illuminating it.
طَأطَأتُI lowered لَحظَthe gaze العَينِof the eye حينَwhen خَطاhe stepped
طَأطَأتُ لَحظَ العَينِ حينَ خَطا
وَالبَينُand parting يَرمُقُنيwatches me وَيَرمُقُهُand watches him
وَالبَينُ يَرمُقُني وَيَرمُقُهُ
I lowered my eye's gaze when he stepped away,
I lowered my eyelids when it erred,
while parting watched me and watched him.
And separation gazes at me and I gaze at it.
وَأَذَبتُand I dissolved دَمعيmy tears يَومَthe day وَدَّعَنيhe bade me farewell
وَأَذَبتُ دَمعي يَومَ وَدَّعَني
فيover صَحنِthe expanse خَدٍّof a cheek ذابَmelted away رَونَقُهُits luster
في صَحنِ خَدٍّ ذابَ رَونَقُهُ
And I dissolved my tears, the day he bade me farewell,
I held back my tears the day it bid me farewell,
over the expanse of a cheek whose luster had melted away.
On a cheek whose softness melted away.
وَدَّعتُهُI bade him farewell وَالبَدرُand the full moon تَحسَبُهُyou would think it
وَدَّعتُهُ وَالبَدرُ تَحسَبُهُ
مُتَقاعِساًlagging فيin الفَجرِthe dawn أَعنَقُهُits long-necked steed
مُتَقاعِساً في الفَجرِ أَعنَقُهُ
I bade him farewell; you would think the full moon's
I bid it farewell while the full moon mistakes it
long-necked steed was lagging at dawn.
For one tarrying at dawn with its brightness.
وَاللَيلُand night يَكبوstumbles فيهِwithin it أَدهَمُهُits black steed
وَاللَيلُ يَكبو فيهِ أَدهَمُهُ
وَالصُبحُand morning يَنهَضُrises مِنهُfrom it أَبلَقُهُits piebald steed
وَالصُبحُ يَنهَضُ مِنهُ أَبلَقُهُ
Night's black steed stumbles within it,
The night envelops its darkness,
and morning's piebald steed rises from it.
And the dawn rises from it with its shining face.
وَاللَثمُand kissing يَركُضُgallops فيalong سَوالِفِهِthe sides of his neck
وَاللَثمُ يَركُضُ في سَوالِفِهِ
وَتَكادُand almost خَيلُthe steeds الدَمعِof tears تَسبُقُهُoutrun it
وَتَكادُ خَيلُ الدَمعِ تَسبُقُهُ
And kissing gallops along the sides of his neck,
My lips rush in conversation,
and the steeds of tears almost outrun it.
Almost outpaced by the steeds of tears.
ماnot غَرَّنيbeguiled me يَومَthe day اللِقاءِof meeting وَلاnor
ما غَرَّني يَومَ اللِقاءِ وَلا
خَدَعَdeceived اِرتِياحَthe delight هَوايَof my love رَيَّقُهُits first freshness
خَدَعَ اِرتِياحَ هَوايَ رَيَّقُهُ
On the day we met I was not beguiled, nor
On the day we met I was not deceived,
was my love's delight deceived by its first freshness.
Nor was my love's relief a cheat.
وَعَلِمتُand I knew حينَwhen نَشَرتُI spread out مِطرَفَهُits bordered cloak
وَعَلِمتُ حينَ نَشَرتُ مِطرَفَهُ
أَنَّthat الفِراقَparting غَداtomorrow يُمَزِّقُهُtears it apart
أَنَّ الفِراقَ غَدا يُمَزِّقُهُ
And I knew, when I spread out its bordered cloak,
When I unfolded it I knew
that parting would tear it tomorrow.
That separation would tear it apart tomorrow.
بَكَتِwept الجُفونُthe eyelids وَأَنتَand you طارِفُهاthe one who wounds them
بَكَتِ الجُفونُ وَأَنتَ طارِفُها
وَشَكاand complained الفُؤادُthe heart وَأَنتَand you مُحرِقُهُthe one who burns it
وَشَكا الفُؤادُ وَأَنتَ مُحرِقُهُ
The eyelids wept, and you were the one who wounded them;
My eyelids wept while you glance at them,
the heart complained, and you were the one who burned it.
My heart complained while you burn it.
وُدّيmy affection لِخَيرِfor the best الناسِof people أَذخَرُهُI store it up
وُدّي لِخَيرِ الناسِ أَذخَرُهُ
ماnot كُلُّevery وُدٍّaffection فيكَon you أُنفِقُهُI spend it
ما كُلُّ وُدٍّ فيكَ أُنفِقُهُ
My affection I store up for the best of men;
I reserve my love for the best of people,
not all my affection do I spend on you.
Not all my love for you do I spend.
وُدٌّan affection تَقادَمَgrew old عَهدُهُits bond فَصَفاso became pure
وُدٌّ تَقادَمَ عَهدُهُ فَصَفا
وَجَديدُand the newest وُدِّof the affection المَرءِof a person أَخلَقُهُhis most threadbare
وَجَديدُ وُدِّ المَرءِ أَخلَقُهُ
An affection whose bond grew old and thus grew pure;
An old love whose pact is pure,
a man's newest affection is his most threadbare.
And new love's finest aspect is its sincerity.
لِمُشَمِّرِfor one who girds up الأَطرافِthe limbs مُنزَعِجِrestless in الthe
لِمُشَمِّرِ الأَطرافِ مُنزَعِجِ ال
أَعطافِflanks يُهجِعُهُlulls him to sleep تَأَرُّقُهُhis sleeplessness
أَعطافِ يُهجِعُهُ تَأَرُّقُهُ
For one with limbs girded, restless in his
For one determined, restless,
flanks, whom his sleeplessness lulls to sleep.
His wakefulness lays him down gently.
لِأَغَرُّfor a radiant one تُعشيblinds الشَمسَthe sun غُرَّتُهُhis bright brow
لِأَغَرُّ تُعشي الشَمسَ غُرَّتُهُ
وَيَشُقُّand rends جَيبَthe neckline اللَيلِof night مُشرِقُهُhis radiance
وَيَشُقُّ جَيبَ اللَيلِ مُشرِقُهُ
For a radiant man whose bright brow blinds the sun,
I seduced the sun to set with its beauty,
and whose radiance rends the neckline of night.
And its rising splits the night with its light.
يَسريtravels by night فَتَحجُبُهُso conceal him خَلائِقُهُhis virtues
يَسري فَتَحجُبُهُ خَلائِقُهُ
وَيُضيءُand lights أَوجُهَهاtheir faces تَخَلُّقُهُhis cultivation of virtue
وَيُضيءُ أَوجُهَها تَخَلُّقُهُ
He journeys by night, and his virtues veil him;
It flows while its creatures veil it,
his cultivation of them lights their faces.
Its radiance illuminates their faces.
أَبدَتrevealed خَبِيَّthe hidden part المَجدِof glory طَلعَتُهُhis countenance
أَبدَت خَبِيَّ المَجدِ طَلعَتُهُ
وَأَذاعَand made known سِرَّthe secret المَجدِof glory مَنطِقُهُhis speech
وَأَذاعَ سِرَّ المَجدِ مَنطِقُهُ
His countenance revealed what glory had concealed,
It revealed the excellence it hides,
and his speech made glory's secret known.
And spread the secret of excellence with its speech.
وَلَقَلَّماand indeed seldom شَرِقَتchoked أَسِنَّتُهُhis spearheads
وَلَقَلَّما شَرِقَت أَسِنَّتُهُ
إِلّاexcept وَصَفوُand the pure essence الحَمدِof praise يُشرِقُهُmakes him choke
إِلّا وَصَفوُ الحَمدِ يُشرِقُهُ
And seldom have his spearheads choked
Rarely have its tongues risen,
without pure praise making him choke.
Except describing its praise as radiant.
وَإِذاand when اِستَرَقَّenslaved المَحلُdrought مُرتَبَعاًa pasture
وَإِذا اِستَرَقَّ المَحلُ مُرتَبَعاً
أَمَرَcommanded السَحابَthe clouds الجَونَthe dark ones يُعتِقُهُto set it free
أَمَرَ السَحابَ الجَونَ يُعتِقُهُ
And when drought enslaves a pasture,
When it takes its seat the abode glows,
he commands the dark clouds to set it free.
Commanding the passionate clouds to unload their rain.
وَإِذاand when تَأَمَّلَcontemplated شَخصَهُhis person مَلِكٌa king
وَإِذا تَأَمَّلَ شَخصَهُ مَلِكٌ
أَوماnodded إِلىtoward قَدَمَيهِhis two feet مَفرِقُهُthe crown of his head
أَوما إِلى قَدَمَيهِ مَفرِقُهُ
And when a king beholds his figure,
When a king contemplates its aspect,
the crown of the king's head bows toward his feet.
His knees touch the ground before its feet.
فيin كَفِّهِhis palm عاريbare الذُبابِthe sword-point لَهُit has
في كَفِّهِ عاري الذُبابِ لَهُ
لَمعٌa gleam يَدُلُّكَshows you كَيفَhow تَرمُقُهُyou gaze upon it
لَمعٌ يَدُلُّكَ كَيفَ تَرمُقُهُ
In his palm is a bare-pointed sword; it has
In its empty palm is a radiance that tells you
a gleam that shows you how to gaze upon it.
How its splendor has overwhelmed it.
أَطغاهُmade it overbold رَونَقُthe luster غَربِهِof its edge فَطَغىso it grew overbold
أَطغاهُ رَونَقُ غَربِهِ فَطَغى
وَالمَاءُand water يُطغيهِmakes it overflow تَرَقرُقُهُits rippling
وَالمَاءُ يُطغيهِ تَرَقرُقُهُ
The luster of its edge made it overbold, and overbold it grew;
Dazzled by the grace of its setting, it was overwhelmed,
water, too, is made to overflow by its rippling.
While the water overwhelms its flowing.
جَذلانُjubilant يَرقُصُdances فيamong الرُؤوسِheads إِذاwhen
جَذلانُ يَرقُصُ في الرُؤوسِ إِذا
غَنَّتهُsang to it بِالصَهَلاتِwith neighs سُبَّقُهُhis swift steeds
غَنَّتهُ بِالصَهَلاتِ سُبَّقُهُ
Jubilant, it dances among heads when
The neighing horses dance in the meadows
his swift steeds sing to it with their neighs.
When it sings to them, outstripping them.
صَلّىwould pray الرَدىdeath لَوif يَستَطيعُit could إِلىtoward
صَلّى الرَدى لَو يَستَطيعُ إِلى
نَصلٍa blade بِراحَتِهِin his palm مُخَلَّقُهُhis perfume-anointed blade
نَصلٍ بِراحَتِهِ مُخَلَّقُهُ
Death, if it could, would pray toward
The lightning in the clouds would prostrate itself in prayer,
a blade perfumed in his palm.
If its hands could reach the ground cleft by its flashing.
يُؤويshelters الضُيوفَguests وَدونَand before حُجرَتهِhis chamber
يُؤوي الضُيوفَ وَدونَ حُجرَتهِ
بابٌa door عَلىagainst الأَحداثِmisfortunes يُغلِقُهُhe closes it
بابٌ عَلى الأَحداثِ يُغلِقُهُ
He shelters guests, and before his chamber
It shelters guests while beyond its chamber's door
stands a door he closes against misfortunes.
Is one closed against disasters.
وَإِذاand when النَوائِبُcalamities زَعزَعَتshook يَدَهُhis hand
وَإِذا النَوائِبُ زَعزَعَت يَدَهُ
فيin الطَعنِspear-thrusting جاءَتهُcame to him تُمَلِّقُهُflattering him
في الطَعنِ جاءَتهُ تُمَلِّقُهُ
And when calamities set his hand in motion
When calamities shake its hand from stabbing,
in spear-thrusting, they come to him fawning.
Flatterers come to caress it.
عُريانُbare خَيلِof the steeds الغَدرِof treachery مِنof دَنَسٍstain
عُريانُ خَيلِ الغَدرِ مِن دَنَسٍ
لاnot يَستَطيعُcan الغَدرُtreachery يَعلُقُهُcling to him
لا يَستَطيعُ الغَدرُ يَعلُقُهُ
Bare of treachery's steeds, free of stain,
The steeds of treachery are bare of any stain
treachery cannot cling to him.
That treachery could attach.
الجودُgenerosity يَنهاهُforbids him وَيَأمُرهُand commands him
الجودُ يَنهاهُ وَيَأمُرهُ
وَالدَهرُand time يَرجوهُhopes in him وَيَفرَقُهُand fears him
وَالدَهرُ يَرجوهُ وَيَفرَقُهُ
Generosity forbids him and commands him,
Generosity prevents it and commands it,
and time hopes in him and fears him.
While fate pleads to it and separates it.
هُوَhe قادِرٌpowerful لَكِنَّbut صَولَتَهُhis onslaught
هُوَ قادِرٌ لَكِنَّ صَولَتَهُ
فيin البَطشِviolent force يَصرَعُهاfells it تَرَفُّقُهُhis gentleness
في البَطشِ يَصرَعُها تَرَفُّقُهُ
He is mighty, yet his onslaught
It is able, but its ferocity in violence
in striking is felled by his gentleness.
Is subdued by its gentleness.
وَلَرُبَّand many an مَجهولٍunknown wilderness رَكائِبُهُhis riding camels
وَلَرُبَّ مَجهولٍ رَكائِبُهُ
خَلفَbehind الرِياحِthe winds الهوجِthe raging ones تَخرُقُهُpierce it
خَلفَ الرِياحِ الهوجِ تَخرُقُهُ
And many an unknown wilderness his riding camels
Many wonders are its ships
pierce in the wake of raging winds.
Sailing behind the passionate winds that tear them.
قَلقَلتَyou shook بِالأَجفافِwith the troops تُربَتَهُits soil
قَلقَلتَ بِالأَجفافِ تُربَتَهُ
وَالقَيظُand summer heat عَنfrom أَمَمٍclose at hand يُحَرِّقُهُscorches it
وَالقَيظُ عَن أَمَمٍ يُحَرِّقُهُ
You shook its soil with the troops,
You stirred its dust with eyelids,
while summer's heat scorched it from close at hand.
While the heat scorched the idols and melted them.
ذَمَّتكَreproached you رَبوَتُهُits hill وَوَهدَتُهُand its hollow
ذَمَّتكَ رَبوَتُهُ وَوَهدَتُهُ
وَشَكاكَand complained of you فَدفَدُهُits high wasteland وَسَملَقُهُand its bare plain
وَشَكاكَ فَدفَدُهُ وَسَملَقُهُ
Its hill and hollow reproached you,
Its elevation censured you and calmed you,
and its high waste and bare plain complained of you.
Its afndaf consoled you and caressed you.
وَلَرُبَّand many a وِردٍwatering place بِتَّyou spent the night قارِبَهُapproaching it
وَلَرُبَّ وِردٍ بِتَّ قارِبَهُ
لاnot يَطمَئِنُّsettles بِهِthere تَدَفُّقُهُits surging
لا يَطمَئِنُّ بِهِ تَدَفُّقُهُ
And many a watering place you spent the night approaching,
Many are the streams whose surroundings
where its surging never settles.
Do not comfort their flowing.
وَالماءُand the water يُرعَدُis made to tremble فيalong جَوانِبِهِits sides
وَالماءُ يُرعَدُ في جَوانِبِهِ
جَزَعاًin dread وَظِمءُand the thirst العيسِof pale camels يُشرِقُهُmakes it choke
جَزَعاً وَظِمءُ العيسِ يُشرِقُهُ
And the water trembles along its sides,
The water roars at its sides,
in dread, while the pale camels' thirst chokes it.
As the thirsty camels illuminate it.
لَمّاwhen لَحَظتَyou glanced at الدَهرَtime زايَلَهُleft it
لَمّا لَحَظتَ الدَهرَ زايَلَهُ
إِظلامُهُits darkness وَاِفتَرَّand broke into a smile ضَيُّقُهُits straitness
إِظلامُهُ وَاِفتَرَّ ضَيُّقُهُ
When you glanced at time, away from it went
When you observed time was shaded
its darkness, and its straitness broke into a smile.
By its darkness and narrowness was exposed,
ساوَرتَهُyou assailed it فَفَضَضتَso you broke سَورَتَهُits fury
ساوَرتَهُ فَفَضَضتَ سَورَتَهُ
وَاِرتاحَand found ease فيin نُعماكَyour bounty مُملِقُهُits pauper
وَاِرتاحَ في نُعماكَ مُملِقُهُ
You assailed it and broke its fury,
You laid siege to it and tore down its wall,
and its pauper found ease in your bounty.
And the one who fawns upon you rests in your comfort.
وَكَذاكَand likewise هَمُّthe purpose الريحِof the wind فيtoward غُصُنٍa bough
وَكَذاكَ هَمُّ الريحِ في غُصُنٍ
تَثنيهِit bends it أَوor ماءٍwater تُصَفِّقُهُit buffets it
تَثنيهِ أَو ماءٍ تُصَفِّقُهُ
And such is the wind's purpose with a bough
Such too are the care of the wind in a bough,
it bends, or water it buffets.
Bending it, or the water slapping it.
لَمّاwhen رَآكَsaw you المُلكُsovereignty مُنصَلِتاًcharging with weapon drawn
لَمّا رَآكَ المُلكُ مُنصَلِتاً
بِالسَيفِwith the sword تُرعِدُهُyou make it thunder وَتُبرِقُهُand make it flash
بِالسَيفِ تُرعِدُهُ وَتُبرِقُهُ
When sovereignty saw you charging forth,
When the sovereign saw you with sword bared,
with drawn sword, making it thunder and flash,
Terrifying and flashing it,
اِستَنكَفَdisdained التَعديلَcorrection مايَلُهُits crooked one
اِستَنكَفَ التَعديلَ مايَلُهُ
وَاِستَرجَعَand took back التَحكيمَarbitration أَخرَقُهُits foolish one
وَاِستَرجَعَ التَحكيمَ أَخرَقُهُ
its crooked one disdained correction,
He scorned reforming his inclination,
and its fool withdrew his appeal to arbitration.
And restrained his judgement burst its dam.
أَفَلَset السَماحُgenerosity وَأَنتَand you شارِقُهُits rising sun
أَفَلَ السَماحُ وَأَنتَ شارِقُهُ
وَدَجاand grew dark العَلاءُeminence وَأَنتَand you مُشرِقُهُits illuminator
وَدَجا العَلاءُ وَأَنتَ مُشرِقُهُ
Generosity set, and you are its rising sun;
Generosity has set while you are its source,
eminence grew dark, and you are its light.
And glory has waned while you are its source.
وَلَرُبَّand many a يَومٍday شِمتَyou watched بارِقَهُits lightning
وَلَرُبَّ يَومٍ شِمتَ بارِقَهُ
وَالمَوتُand death يُهطِلُهُmakes it pour وَيودِقُهُand makes it rain
وَالمَوتُ يُهطِلُهُ وَيودِقُهُ
And many a day you watched its lightning,
Many are the days whose morning light you have mocked
while death sent it pouring and raining down.
While death descends upon it and crushes it.
وَالسَيفُand the sword قائِمُهُits hilt يُفارِقُهُparts from it
وَالسَيفُ قائِمُهُ يُفارِقُهُ
وَالرُمحُand the spear عامِلُهُits forward shaft يُطَلِّقُهُdivorces it
وَالرُمحُ عامِلُهُ يُطَلِّقُهُ
And the sword's hilt parts from it,
The sword takes its leave of it and parts from it,
and the spear's forward shaft divorces it.
The spear works upon it and releases it.
وَالشَمسُand the sun تَجريruns وَهيَwhile it مُهمَلَةٌis left unbridled
وَالشَمسُ تَجري وَهيَ مُهمَلَةٌ
فيin ثَوبِa robe نَقعٍof dust لاnot تُخَرِّقُهُit tears through it
في ثَوبِ نَقعٍ لا تُخَرِّقُهُ
And the sun runs unbridled,
The sun runs unveiled in a garment
in a robe of dust it does not tear through.
Of moisture that does not tear it.
وَالخَيلُand the horses تَطبَعُstamp فيupon حَوافِرِهاtheir hooves
وَالخَيلُ تَطبَعُ في حَوافِرِها
وَشماًa tattoo تُداوِلُهُthey pass it around وَتُخلِقُهُand wear it out
وَشماً تُداوِلُهُ وَتُخلِقُهُ
And the horses stamp upon their hooves
The horses stamp patterns in their hooves,
a tattoo they pass around and wear away.
Perfume they pass around and create.
مِنfrom كُلِّevery ذَيّالِlong-trailing السَبيبِmane and tail hair رَمىflung
مِن كُلِّ ذَيّالِ السَبيبِ رَمى
بِيَدَيهِwith its two forelegs أُولىthe first النَقعِof the dust أَولَقُهُits frenzy
بِيَدَيهِ أُولى النَقعِ أَولَقُهُ
Each steed with trailing mane and tail flung
You paralyzed your resolve in its battalions,
the first dust with its forelegs, driven by its frenzy.
While the arrow paralyzes its perfected one.
أَشلَيتَyou unleashed عَزمَكَyour resolve فيamong كَتائِبِهِits battalions
أَشلَيتَ عَزمَكَ في كَتائِبِهِ
وَالسَهمُand the arrow يُشليهِsends it forth مُفَوِّقُهُthe one who nocks it
وَالسَهمُ يُشليهِ مُفَوِّقُهُ
You unleashed your resolve among its battalions,
So surrender to the days wearing them,
and the arrow is loosed by the one who nocks it.
For time is a garment and you its tailor.
فَاِسلَمso live safely عَلىthrough الأَيّامِthe days تَلبَسُهاyou wear them
فَاِسلَم عَلى الأَيّامِ تَلبَسُها
فَالدَهرُfor time ثَوبٌa garment أَنتَyou مُخلِقُهُthe one who wears it out
فَالدَهرُ ثَوبٌ أَنتَ مُخلِقُهُ
So live in safety through the days, wearing them;
for time is a garment you make threadbare.
Partial English translation: 90 of 92 Arabic lines translated.