زَمَنٌa season مثلُlike زورةa visit الأَحبابِloved ones
زَمَنٌ مثلُ زورة الأَحبابِ
بعدafter يأْسٍdespair منof مُغْرَمٍone enamored باجتنابِof keeping away
بعد يأْسٍ من مُغْرَمٍ باجتنابِ
A season like a visit from loved ones,
A time like the visit of loved ones,
after despair of one enamored of keeping away.
After despairing of an infatuated one’s withdrawal.
فَاسْقنيso give me drink ياO غلامُboy عاشmay it live ليَfor me العَيlife (start)
فَاسْقني يا غلامُ عاش ليَ العَي
شُlife (end) مُداماًwine تُجْلىunveiled بحَلْيwith the adornment of الحَبابِbubbles
شُ مُداماً تُجْلى بحَلْي الحَبابِ
So pour me, boy—long may my life endure—
So serve me, O youth who lived for me,
wine unveiled in the jeweled adornment of its bubbles.
Some wine to wash away the sorrows of passion.
ماdo you not? تَرىsee النَّايَthe flute نبَّهَroused العُودَthe lute يَاO صَاfriend (start)
ما تَرى النَّايَ نبَّهَ العُودَ يَا صَا
حِfriend (end) فَذاso this one نادِبٌa mourner وَذَاand that one فيin انْتِحابِsobbing
حِ فَذا نادِبٌ وَذَا في انْتِحابِ
Do you not see the flute has roused the lute, O
Do you not see the flute has awakened the lute, O friend?
friend? This one laments, and that one sobs.
And singing that nearly quiets the water
وَغناءٌand singing يكادُalmost أَنْto يَسْكُنَgrow still الماthe water (start)
وَغناءٌ يكادُ أَنْ يَسْكُنَ الما
ءwater (end) لتغريدِهِat its warbling عنِfrom الاضْطِرابِagitation
ء لتغريدِهِ عنِ الاضْطِرابِ
And singing at which the water almost
With its warbling, free of disturbance,
ceases its stirring at that melodious sound,
Of a girl whose union with me is denied,
منfrom فَتاةٍa young woman وِصالُهاher union ليfor me صُدُودٌestrangement
من فَتاةٍ وِصالُها لي صُدُودٌ
وَمواعيدُهاand her promises كَلَمْعِlike the gleam of السَّرَابِa mirage
وَمواعيدُها كَلَمْعِ السَّرَابِ
from a girl whose union with me is estrangement,
And whose promises are like a mirage.
and whose promises are like the gleam of a mirage.
They carried her far away when
نَزعوهاthey stripped her of مساويَthe ugliness of البُعْدِdistance لمَّاwhen
نَزعوها مساويَ البُعْدِ لمَّا
أَلْبَسْوهَاthey clothed her in مَحاسنَthe beauties of الاقْتِرابِnearness
أَلْبَسْوهَا مَحاسنَ الاقْتِرابِ
They stripped her of the ugliness of distance when
They adorned her with the graces of proximity.
they clothed her in the beauties of nearness.
When she let down tresses like waving branches,
حينَwhen أَلقتْshe let fall ذَوائِباًtresses مِثْلَlike نَايَاflutes (start)
حينَ أَلقتْ ذَوائِباً مِثْلَ نَايَا
تٍflutes (end) زُنامِيَّةٍof Zunām's kind بِلاwithout أَثْقابِholes
تٍ زُنامِيَّةٍ بِلا أَثْقابِ
When she let fall tresses like flutes,
Unbraided, and turned back like the sun after setting
of Zunām's kind, without holes,
In gardens, as if she is not content
وَتَلَوّتand she swayed ملطومَةsmitten الخَدِّon the cheek بالْوَرْwith roses (start)
وَتَلَوّت ملطومَة الخَدِّ بالْوَرْ
دِroses (end) وَعادَتْand she returned كالشَّمْسِlike the sun بَعْدَafter الذّهَابِdeparture
دِ وَعادَتْ كالشَّمْسِ بَعْدَ الذّهَابِ
and swayed, her cheek smitten with roses,
For me to busy myself with aught but her.
and returned like the sun after its departure,
Her talebearer whispered to my heart’s disquiet
فيin رِياضٍgardens كَأَنَّهَاas though they لَيسَdo not تَرْضىconsent
في رِياضٍ كَأَنَّهَا لَيسَ تَرْضى
بِاشتغاليto my being occupied بهاwith them عنِinstead of الأَحْبابِloved ones
بِاشتغالي بها عنِ الأَحْبابِ
in gardens that seem unwilling
That it believes in punishment from her.
for me to busy myself with them instead of loved ones.
If her breeze blew on white hair,
نمَّwhispered نَمَّامُهاtheir talebearing herb إِلىinto رُوعِthe depths of قَلبيmy heart
نمَّ نَمَّامُها إِلى رُوعِ قَلبي
أَنَّهُthat it مُؤْمِنٌassures safety لهfor it مِنْfrom عِقَابِpunishment
أَنَّهُ مُؤْمِنٌ له مِنْ عِقَابِ
Their talebearing herb whispered into my heart's depths
It would return to the days of youth.
that it would keep my heart safe from punishment.
The rain embroidered her garden since it began
لَوْif تَصدَّىencountered نَسيمُهاtheir breeze لِمَشيبٍgray-haired age
لَوْ تَصدَّى نَسيمُها لِمَشيبٍ
عَادَit would return مِنْهُfrom it إلَىto أَوَانِthe season of الشَّبابِyouth
عَادَ مِنْهُ إلَى أَوَانِ الشَّبابِ
Were their breeze to encounter gray-haired age,
To flow down upon it from the trains of clouds.
it would return from that encounter to the season of youth.
The jonquils opened in it
دَبَّجَembroidered الغَيْثُthe rain رَوْضَهاtheir meadow مُذْsince بَداit began يَسْdragging (start)
دَبَّجَ الغَيْثُ رَوْضَها مُذْ بَدا يَسْ
حَبُdragging (end) مِنْfrom فَوْقِهاabove them ذُيولَthe skirts of السَّحابِclouds
حَبُ مِنْ فَوْقِها ذُيولَ السَّحابِ
Rain embroidered their meadow when it began
Like eyes peering out from a veil,
trailing the skirts of clouds from above them.
And anemones that you see lighting up the garden
وَغَداand became النَّرْجِسُthe narcissus المُفَتِّحُopening فيهاin them
وَغَدا النَّرْجِسُ المُفَتِّحُ فيها
كَعُيونٍlike eyes تَطَلعَتْpeering out مِنْfrom نِقابِa veil
كَعُيونٍ تَطَلعَتْ مِنْ نِقابِ
And the narcissus opening there became
When they bloom without flames.
like eyes peering out from a veil.
Like arrows of emerald
وَشَقيقٍand an anemone تَرَاهُyou see it يسرجlighting up فِيin الرَّوْthe garden (start)
وَشَقيقٍ تَرَاهُ يسرج فِي الرَّوْ
ضِgarden (end) إِذَاwhen مَاemphatic particle بداit appears بغيرwithout شِهابِa flame
ضِ إِذَا مَا بدا بغير شِهابِ
And an anemone you see lighting the garden
Embedded there, buds of the lily.
whenever it appears without a flame,
A pansy gleans it in mourning,
كَسِهَامٍlike arrows مِنof الزَّبَرْجَدِchrysolite قَدْalready رُكfitted (start)
كَسِهَامٍ مِن الزَّبَرْجَدِ قَدْ رُك
كِبَfitted (end) فِيهَاto them أَزِجَّةُferrules العُنَّابِof jujube
كِبَ فِيهَا أَزِجَّةُ العُنَّابِ
like arrows of chrysolite, fitted
And sweet basil in the guise of one in doubt.
with ferrules of jujube.
Her features traced for me how I might
يَجْتَليهاbeholds them بَنَفْسَجٌviolets فِيin حِدَادٍmourning
يَجْتَليها بَنَفْسَجٌ فِي حِدَادٍ
وَبَهارٌand oxeye daisies فِيin صُورةِthe guise of المُرْتابِone in doubt
وَبَهارٌ فِي صُورةِ المُرْتابِ
Violets gaze on them in mourning,
Approach her in my coming and going.
and oxeye daisies in a doubter's guise.
A lover whose hue changes if absence
رسمتْdepicted ليfor me رسومُهاtheir outlines كَيْفَhow أَشْتاI yearn (start)
رسمتْ لي رسومُها كَيْفَ أَشْتا
قُI yearn (end) إِلَيْهَاfor them فِيin جَيْئَتيmy coming وذَهابيand my going
قُ إِلَيْهَا فِي جَيْئَتي وذَهابي
Their outlines showed me how I yearn
Takes them from visiting at the time of visiting.
for them in my coming and going.
His drink is the breeze of aloeswood,
عاشقٌa lover of لونَthe hue of عاشقيهits lovers إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle
عاشقٌ لونَ عاشقيه إِذا ما
راعَهمْit frightens them مِنthrough ذهابِهِits passing بِالذَّهابِwith loss
راعَهمْ مِن ذهابِهِ بِالذَّهابِ
A lover of its lovers' hue, whenever
His food the scent of earth’s musk.
its passing frightens them with loss.
In pages between a line of her garden, and a line
شُرْبُهُits drink مِنfrom نسيمِthe breeze of كافورِthe camphor of طَلٍّdew
شُرْبُهُ مِن نسيمِ كافورِ طَلٍّ
وَغِذَاهُand its nourishment مِنْfrom زَهرِthe blossoms of مِسْكِthe musk of التُّرابِthe earth
وَغِذَاهُ مِنْ زَهرِ مِسْكِ التُّرابِ
Its drink comes from the breeze of camphor-like dew,
To be read without inflection.
and its food from blossoms of the earth's musk,
I will be content with none but Ahmed
فِيin طُرُوسٍpages مَاlinking particle بينbetween سَطْرٍa line مِنَof الرَّوْthe garden (start)
فِي طُرُوسٍ مَا بين سَطْرٍ مِنَ الرَّوْ
ضِgarden (end) وَسَطْرٍand a line يُقْراread بِلاwithout إِعْرابِgrammatical inflection
ضِ وَسَطْرٍ يُقْرا بِلا إِعْرابِ
on pages, between a line of garden
Who originated the causes of my time,
and a line read without grammatical inflection.
Whom I have not seen since he has been
سَوْفَshall أُكفىbe spared بِأَحْمَدٍthrough Ahmad لاnot سواهُanyone else
سَوْفَ أُكفى بِأَحْمَدٍ لا سواهُ
منfrom زَمانيmy times تَسبُّبَthe seeking of الأَسْبَابِmeans
من زَماني تَسبُّبَ الأَسْبَابِ
Through Ahmad, and none but him, I shall be spared
Standing between attainer and seeker;
the need to seek ways and means from my times.
His palm scattered favors when
الَّذيwho لاnot تَراهُyou see him مُذْsince كَانhe existed إِلاَّexcept
الَّذي لا تَراهُ مُذْ كَان إِلاَّ
وَاقِفاًstanding بَيْنَbetween نَائلٍbounty وَعِقابِand punishment
وَاقِفاً بَيْنَ نَائلٍ وَعِقابِ
Whom you have never seen, since he first existed,
His exaltedness compiled them for students.
except standing between bounty and punishment.
A giver of gifts on high with openhanded ease
نَثرتْscattered كَفُّهُhis hand المَواهِبَthe gifts لَمَّاwhen
نَثرتْ كَفُّهُ المَواهِبَ لَمَّا
نظمتْهاstrung them together عُلاهُhis loftiness لِلطُّلابِfor seekers
نظمتْها عُلاهُ لِلطُّلابِ
His hand scattered gifts when
Whose treasury doors are without guards.
his loftiness had strung them together for seekers.
For me therein are schools of doctrine,
رائِحٌgoing forth فيin العُلىglory بِراحَةِwith a palm of جُودٍgenerosity
رائِحٌ في العُلى بِراحَةِ جُودٍ
بابُthe gate of أَمْوالِهَاits wealth بِلاwithout بَوَّابِa gatekeeper
بابُ أَمْوالِهَا بِلا بَوَّابِ
He goes forth in glory with a generous palm,
The ways of fortune at the time of departure.
the gate to its riches without a gatekeeper.
She derived from the subtlety of beauty a nature
لِيَfor me فيهin him مذاهبٌpaths مُذْهباتٌgilded
لِيَ فيه مذاهبٌ مُذْهباتٌ
مقبلاتُbringing الإِقْبالِgood fortune عِندَat الذّهابِdeparture
مقبلاتُ الإِقْبالِ عِندَ الذّهابِ
In him I have gilded paths,
She mingled with the beauty of the wine.
bringing good fortune when I depart.
O Abul Qasim, your gifts removed
أَخَذتْthey took منfrom لطافةِthe delicacy of الحُسنِbeauty طبعاًa nature
أَخَذتْ من لطافةِ الحُسنِ طبعاً
مَزَجَتْهُthey blended it بِحُسنِwith the excellence of طَبْعِthe nature of الشَّرابِwine
مَزَجَتْهُ بِحُسنِ طَبْعِ الشَّرابِ
They took their nature from beauty's delicacy,
Hardships from formidable hardships.
and blended it with the fine nature of wine.
No! And who has turned back the fruits of sorrows
يَاO أَباAbu (father of) قاسمٍQasim أَزَالتْremoved عَطاياgifts
يَا أَبا قاسمٍ أَزَالتْ عَطايا
كَyour (attached suffix) صِعَاباًhardships مِنَamong الخُطوبِcalamities الصِّعابِthe harsh
كَ صِعَاباً مِنَ الخُطوبِ الصِّعابِ
O Abu Qasim, your gifts have swept away
With gifts from them upon their heels?
hardships among the harshest calamities.
I care not if you count me among your servants
لاَno وَمَنْby him who رَدَّturned back عَاقِباتِthe consequences of الرّزَاياmisfortunes
لاَ وَمَنْ رَدَّ عَاقِباتِ الرّزَايا
بِعَطاياwith gifts مِنهاfrom them عَلَىon الأَعْقابِtheir heels
بِعَطايا مِنها عَلَى الأَعْقابِ
No—by him who turned misfortunes' aftermath
For what has dropped out from my reckoning.
back on its heels with gifts arising from them—
The misers begrudged us, and you poured down
ماnot أُباليI care إِذاif حَسبتُكI count you مِنْamong دَهtime (start)
ما أُبالي إِذا حَسبتُك مِنْ دَه
ريmy time (end) بِماabout what كانwas ساقطاًleft out منof حِسابيmy reckoning
ري بِما كان ساقطاً من حِسابي
I care not, if I count you as part of my life,
On us as an attainer without clouds.
about anything left out of my reckoning.
My state requires you, not my requiring you,
بَخِلَwithheld الباخِلونthe misers عنَّاfrom us فَأَمْطَرْbut rained down (start)
بَخِلَ الباخِلون عنَّا فَأَمْطَرْ
تَyou (verb ending) لَناupon us نائِلاًbounty بِغَيرwithout سحابِclouds
تَ لَنا نائِلاً بِغَير سحابِ
The misers withheld from us, but you rained down
For reward to be beneath clothing.
bounty upon us without a cloud.
Whenever a wicked one blames me with reproach,
حالَتِيmy condition تقتضيكَasks of you دونwithout اقتِضائيmy asking
حالَتِي تقتضيكَ دون اقتِضائي
أَنْthat يكونbe الثَّوابُthe recompense دَسْتَa full set of الثِّيابِclothes
أَنْ يكون الثَّوابُ دَسْتَ الثِّيابِ
My condition asks of you, without my asking,
My attire takes his place in answering him.
that the recompense be a full set of clothes.
So the title page shows the state I’m in,
كُلَّماwhenever لامَنيrebuked me خَبيثٌa malicious man بِعَتْبٍwith reproach
كُلَّما لامَني خَبيثٌ بِعَتْبٍ
قَامstood لِبْسيmy clothing لَهto him مقامَin place of الجَوابِan answer
قَام لِبْسي لَه مقامَ الجَوابِ
Whenever a malicious man rebukes me with reproach,
For the title makes plain all that’s in the book.
my clothing serves him in place of an answer.
I feared the ruin of my time, but you stood
فتبيَّنْso examine عُنْوانَthe heading of حالِيَmy condition فَالْعُنْfor the heading (start)
فتبيَّنْ عُنْوانَ حالِيَ فَالْعُنْ
وانُheading (end) يُنْبيtells بكلِّof all ماthat فيin الكِتابِthe book
وانُ يُنْبي بكلِّ ما في الكِتابِ
So examine the heading of my condition, for the heading
For the settlement of the ruin of all time.
tells all that is in the book.
Rarely does the scholar spend, and he will not
كنتُI used to أَخْشَىfear خرابَthe ruin of دَهْريmy days وقَدْyet already قُمrose (start)
كنتُ أَخْشَى خرابَ دَهْري وقَدْ قُم
تَyou (verb ending) لِعُمرانِto rebuild كلِّevery دَهْرٍage خَرابِruined
تَ لِعُمرانِ كلِّ دَهْرٍ خَرابِ
I feared the ruin of my days, yet you have risen
Spend except on people of learning.
to rebuild every ruined age.
My shame before eyes when they
قَلَّماrarely ينْفقُis in demand الأَديبُthe man of letters وَلنand will not ينْbe in demand (start)
قَلَّما ينْفقُ الأَديبُ وَلن ينْ
فقَbe in demand (end) إِلاَّexcept عَلَىamong ذَويpeople of الآدابِculture
فقَ إِلاَّ عَلَى ذَوي الآدابِ
Rarely is the man of letters in demand, nor will he
Behold me in these clothes!
be in demand except among the cultured.
The young branch is severed if it grows a little,
وَاalas for حَيائيmy shame مِنَbefore العُيونِthe eyes إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle
وَا حَيائي مِنَ العُيونِ إِذا ما
عايَنَتْنيthey see me فيin هذهِthese الأَسْلابِgarments
عايَنَتْني في هذهِ الأَسْلابِ
Alas for my shame before those eyes whenever
And the crescent returns after disappearing.
they see me in these garments!
يَقْطَعُcuts العَضْبُthe keen sword إِنْif نَباit glances off عَنْafter قَليلٍa short while
يَقْطَعُ العَضْبُ إِنْ نَبا عَنْ قَليلٍ
وَيعودُand returns الْهِلالُthe crescent moon بَعْدَafter الغِيابِabsence
وَيعودُ الْهِلالُ بَعْدَ الغِيابِ
The keen sword soon cuts again if it glances off,
and the crescent returns after disappearing.
Partial English translation: 71 of 74 Arabic lines translated.