ماwhat بالُthe matter with قَلْبِكyour heart لاnot ينفكُّbreaks free منfrom سَقَمِillness
ما بالُ قَلْبِك لا ينفكُّ من سَقَمِ
والعَيْنُand the eye منكof yours تَسُحّpours الدَّمْعَtears كالدِّيَمِlike steady rains
والعَيْنُ منك تَسُحّ الدَّمْعَ كالدِّيَمِ
What ails your heart, that it is never free of sickness?
What ails your heart, that it cannot break free of sickness,
And your eye pours forth tears like unceasing rain.
while your eye streams tears like ceaseless rain?
أمِنْis it from تَذَكُرِremembering جِيْرَانٍneighbors بِكاظِمَةٍin Kazimah
أمِنْ تَذَكُرِ جِيْرَانٍ بِكاظِمَةٍ
نأواthey went far away فَذُبْتَso you melted أسىًin grief منfrom بَعْدِafter بينِهُمِtheir parting
نأوا فَذُبْتَ أسىً من بَعْدِ بينِهُمِ
Is it from remembering neighbors at Kāẓima
Is it from remembering neighbors in Kazimah,
who journeyed far, so you melted with grief after their parting?
who went far away, so you melted in grief after their departure?
أمor بارقٌa lightning flash لاحَgleamed نجديِّاًtoward Najd بِسَاريةٍin a night cloud
أم بارقٌ لاحَ نجديِّاً بِسَاريةٍ
يَجْتَاحُsweeps فيthrough عَرْضِهاits breadth كالصارمِlike a sword الخَذِمِkeen-edged
يَجْتَاحُ في عَرْضِها كالصارمِ الخَذِمِ
Or did a Najdi lightning-flash gleam from a night-cloud,
Or did lightning gleam toward Najd in a night cloud,
sweeping across its breadth like a keen-edged sword?
sweeping through its breadth like a keen-edged sword?
إنif كانis وَجْدُكَyour yearning فيin سَلْعٍSal' وفيand in إضَمِIdam
إن كان وَجْدُكَ في سَلْعٍ وفي إضَمِ
ففيthen in النُّجَيدِal-Nujayd حديثيmy tale غيرnot مُنصَرِمِended
ففي النُّجَيدِ حديثي غير مُنصَرِمِ
If your passion dwells at Salʿ and Iḍam,
If your yearning is in Sal' and in Idam,
then at al-Nujayd my tale remains unfinished.
then my tale of al-Nujayd is never-ending.
عهديmy recollection بهof it ولياليand the nights الوصلِof union تَشْمَلُناenfold us
عهدي به وليالي الوصلِ تَشْمَلُنا
بِنَفْحةٍwith a waft منof أرِيْجٍfragrance طَيّبِsweet الشَممِsmell
بِنَفْحةٍ من أرِيْجٍ طَيّبِ الشَممِ
I remember it, when nights of union enfolded us
I remember it, when nights of union enfolded us
amid a breath of sweet, fragrant perfume.
in a waft of fragrance sweet to smell.
نلهوwe frolic ونأملُand we hope والأحداثُand calamities غافِلَةٌheedless
نلهو ونأملُ والأحداثُ غافِلَةٌ
والدَّهْرُand time فِيْنَاamong us يُرِيْناshows us وَجْهَa face مُبْتَسِمِsmiling
والدَّهْرُ فِيْنَا يُرِيْنا وَجْهَ مُبْتَسِمِ
We sported and hoped, while calamities were heedless,
We frolicked and hoped, while calamities were heedless,
and Time showed us a smiling face.
and time showed us a smiling face.
ياO لهوةrevelry فُقِئَتْwas put out عينُthe eye الرقيبِof the watcher بهاby it
يا لهوة فُقِئَتْ عينُ الرقيبِ بها
وفكهةand merriment لمnot نَزَلْwe cease بالرأدat dawn والعَتَمِand nightfall
وفكهة لم نَزَلْ بالرأد والعَتَمِ
O delight by which the watchman’s eye was put out,
O revelry that put out the watcher's eye,
and merriment we never left, at early morn or nightfall!
and merriment we kept up at dawn and after dark!
طَوْراًat times نحاسيwe sip together كؤوسَcups الراحِof wine مُتْرَعةًbrimming
طَوْراً نحاسي كؤوسَ الراحِ مُتْرَعةً
وتارةًand at other times تُنْشِدُyou recite الأشعارَpoems بِالنَغَمِwith melody
وتارةً تُنْشِدُ الأشعارَ بِالنَغَمِ
At times we passed around brimming cups of wine,
At times we shared brimming cups of wine,
and at others chanted poems in melody.
and at other times you chanted poetry to a melody.
والقاليand the hater فيin جَرَبِscabies إذwhile نحنُwe فيin طَرَبٍdelight
والقالي في جَرَبِ إذ نحنُ في طَرَبٍ
لاmay he not زالcease فيin نقمafflictions إذwhile نحنwe فيin نِعَمِblessings
لا زال في نقم إذ نحن في نِعَمِ
The spiteful one was at war while we were in rapture;
And the hater suffered scabies while we were in delight;
may he remain in misery while we dwell in bliss.
may he ever suffer afflictions while we enjoy blessings!
بتناwe spent the night جميعاًtogether بثوبَيْin two robes عِفّةٍof chastity وتُقَىًand piety
بتنا جميعاً بثوبَيْ عِفّةٍ وتُقَىً
والكلُand all ماranging بَيْنَbetween مُلْتَفٍّentwined وَمُلْتَزِمِand embracing
والكلُ ما بَيْنَ مُلْتَفٍّ وَمُلْتَزِمِ
We spent the night together, clad in the twin robes of chastity and piety,
We passed the night together in the two robes of chastity and piety,
all of us entwined or held in an embrace.
and all were either entwined or embracing.
فالعينso the eye فيin تَرَفٍpleasure والقَلْبُand the heart فيin شَغَفٍardent love
فالعين في تَرَفٍ والقَلْبُ في شَغَفٍ
والرُّوحُand the soul فيin تَلَفٍruin مِنْfrom عُظَمِthe intensity of وجدهمyearning for them
والرُّوحُ في تَلَفٍ مِنْ عُظَمِ وجدهم
The eye lived in luxury, the heart in passion,
So the eye was in pleasure, the heart in ardent love,
and the spirit wasted from the greatness of its longing for them.
and the soul in ruin from the intensity of yearning for them.
نشكوwe lament الفراقَparting بمسيالِat the streambed of النُّجَيْدِal-Nujayd ضُحىًat midmorning
نشكو الفراقَ بمسيالِ النُّجَيْدِ ضُحىً
يفيaffords عَلَيْناover us بِظِلِّwith the shade of الضالِwild lote trees والسَّلَمِand acacias
يفي عَلَيْنا بِظِلِّ الضالِ والسَّلَمِ
At forenoon we lamented parting by al-Nujayd’s watercourse;
We lamented parting in al-Nujayd's streambed at midmorning,
there, over us, lay the shade of ḍāl and salam trees.
which afforded us shade from wild lote trees and acacias.
وَقَدْand indeed وَقَفْتُI stood بجِسْمٍwith a body فيin عِراصِهمtheir courtyards
وَقَدْ وَقَفْتُ بجِسْمٍ في عِراصِهم
كآخرِlike the end of القَيْدِthe fetter فيduring ساعاتِthe hours of بينهمtheir parting
كآخرِ القَيْدِ في ساعاتِ بينهم
I stood bodily within their courtyards,
And I stood, a body in their courtyards,
like the last fetter through the hours spent among them.
like a fetter's end during the hours of their departure.
إذاwhen سَقوْنيthey gave me to drink كؤوسَcups الحُبِّof love مُتْرَعَةًbrimming
إذا سَقوْني كؤوسَ الحُبِّ مُتْرَعَةً
منfrom أوَّلِthe beginning عَلُّونيthey gave me another draught بهجرهمwith their abandonment
من أوَّلِ عَلُّوني بهجرهم
When they gave me brimming cups of love to drink,
When they gave me brimming cups of love to drink,
from the very first they drugged me with their desertion.
from the outset they gave me another draught—their abandonment.
إنif الدُّمُوعَthe tears التيwhich أجريتهاI shed them ذَهَبَاًgold
إن الدُّمُوعَ التي أجريتها ذَهَبَاً
حَقّاًtruly لأنْقَدَهاI would surely pay them out أيامَduring the days of عسرهمtheir hardship
حَقّاً لأنْقَدَها أيامَ عسرهم
If the tears I shed had been gold,
If the tears I shed were gold,
surely I would have spent them in their days of hardship.
I would truly pay them out in the days of their hardship.
فياso, O سقىmay He water اللهGod سُكانَthe dwellers of النُّجَيْدِal-Nujayd ومَنْand whoever
فيا سقى الله سُكانَ النُّجَيْدِ ومَنْ
حَلَّsettled in النُّجَيْدَal-Nujayd وَحَياهand greet it بِمُنْسَجمِwith pouring rain
حَلَّ النُّجَيْدَ وَحَياه بِمُنْسَجمِ
May God water the inhabitants of al-Nujayd, and whoever
So may God water the dwellers of al-Nujayd, and whoever
dwelt at al-Nujayd—and greet it with streaming rain:
settled in al-Nujayd, and greet it with pouring rain—
جَوْنٌa dark cloud تَدَفَّقَpoured forth بالأنْواءِwith seasonal rains مُنْبَسطاًspreading wide
جَوْنٌ تَدَفَّقَ بالأنْواءِ مُنْبَسطاً
كَجُودِlike the generosity of مولايmy lord للعافينَto seekers of bounty بالنِعَمِwith blessings
كَجُودِ مولاي للعافينَ بالنِعَمِ
a black cloud, spread wide and gushing with its storm-stars,
a dark cloud pouring seasonal rains as it spread wide,
like my lord’s generosity, showering petitioners with blessings.
like my lord's generosity, bestowing blessings on seekers of bounty.
نَجْلُthe son of الإمامِthe Imam سعيدSa'id فالذيand the one سُعِدَتْwas made happy
نَجْلُ الإمامِ سعيد فالذي سُعِدَتْ
بهِthrough him البَرِّيَةُall creation منof عُرْبٍArabs ومنand of عَجَمِnon-Arabs
بهِ البَرِّيَةُ من عُرْبٍ ومن عَجَمِ
The son of Imam Saʿid—he through whom
The son of Imam Sa'id, the one through whom
all creation, Arab and non-Arab, is made fortunate.
all creation, Arab and non-Arab, was made happy.
إنْif رامhe seeks أمراًa goal فلاthen not تُثْنَىare turned aside عَزَائِمُهُhis resolves
إنْ رام أمراً فلا تُثْنَى عَزَائِمُهُ
عمّاfrom what يَرُومhe seeks ولاnor بالحادثاتِby calamities رُمِيwas assailed
عمّا يَرُوم ولا بالحادثاتِ رُمِي
If he resolves upon a matter, his purposes cannot be turned
If he seeks a goal, his resolves cannot be turned
from what he seeks, nor shaken by calamities.
from what he seeks, nor is he assailed by calamities.
إنْif زارَhe visits خَصْماًa foe فياthen, O للهِfor God منof لَجبٍa clamorous host
إنْ زارَ خَصْماً فيا للهِ من لَجبٍ
لمnot يُبْقِhe leaves منهاof it مُشِيْداًa lofty structure غيرnot مُنْهَدِمِdemolished
لم يُبْقِ منها مُشِيْداً غير مُنْهَدِمِ
If he visits an enemy—God, what a tumult!
If he visits a foe—O God, what a clamorous host!
He leaves none of their lofty structures standing, only demolished.
He leaves no lofty building there undemolished.
لهhe has يَدٌa hand تَتْرُكُleaves الأقلامَthe pens نابيةًfalling short
له يَدٌ تَتْرُكُ الأقلامَ نابيةً
عنof النَوَالِbounty وأمّاand as for السَيْفُthe sword لِلنِقَمِfor vengeance
عن النَوَالِ وأمّا السَيْفُ لِلنِقَمِ
He has a hand before which pens fall short
His hand leaves pens falling short
of recording his bounty; but his sword is reserved for punishment—
of his bounty; as for his sword, it is for vengeance
لِمَنْagainst whoever يُنَافِسَهُrivals him فيin مُلْكِهِhis sovereignty سَفَهاًfoolishly
لِمَنْ يُنَافِسَهُ في مُلْكِهِ سَفَهاً
وَمَنْand whoever أتاهُcomes to him بِسِلمin peace وافيperfect in الشيمِvirtues
وَمَنْ أتاهُ بِسِلم وافي الشيمِ
for whoever foolishly contests him in his kingdom;
against whoever foolishly vies with him for his sovereignty;
but whoever comes to him in peace finds his virtues complete.
and toward whoever comes to him in peace, he shows perfect virtue.
أكْرِمْhow noble بهhe is منas a مَليكٍking فيin الحروبِwars إذاwhen
أكْرِمْ به من مَليكٍ في الحروبِ إذا
أعداؤهhis enemies عَبَسواscowl ذيpossessing وجهِa face مُبْتَسمِsmiling
أعداؤه عَبَسوا ذي وجهِ مُبْتَسمِ
How noble a king he is in war, when
How noble a king he is in battle, when
his enemies scowl—he of the smiling face!
his enemies scowl, yet he wears a smiling face!
يَلْقَىhe meets النِصَالَthe blades بِجَنْبيْهِwith both his flanks ولاand no عَجَبٌwonder
يَلْقَى النِصَالَ بِجَنْبيْهِ ولا عَجَبٌ
إنْif لمnot يزُلْhe moves قَدَماًa foot عنهاaway from them ولمand not يَخِمِhe flinches
إنْ لم يزُلْ قَدَماً عنها ولم يَخِمِ
He meets the arrowheads with both his flanks; no wonder
He meets the blades with both his flanks—and no wonder
that he keeps advancing against them and never falters.
if he moves not one foot away from them and does not flinch.
إنْif صالَhe charges فالأجَلُthen death المحتومُinevitable صارمُهhis sword
إنْ صالَ فالأجَلُ المحتومُ صارمُه
أوor طالَhe gives generously طاولَhe rivals وَبْلَthe downpour of العارضِthe cloud الرَذِمِpouring heavily
أو طالَ طاولَ وَبْلَ العارضِ الرَذِمِ
If he charges, his blade is death foreordained;
If he charges, his sword is inevitable death;
and if he strives for eminence, he outdoes the downpour of the laden cloud.
or if he gives generously, he rivals a rain-laden cloud's downpour.
أوor كاتبَhe corresponds with الخَصْمِthe foe فيon يومِthe day of الزِحامِthe melee فَلَمْthen not
أو كاتبَ الخَصْمِ في يومِ الزِحامِ فَلَمْ
تَجِدْyou find بهمamong them حرفَa letter of جِسْمٍa body غيرnot مِنْعَجمِdotted
تَجِدْ بهم حرفَ جِسْمٍ غير مِنْعَجمِ
Or if he writes upon the enemy on the crowded day of battle,
Or if he writes to the foe on the day of the melee, you will not
you will find among them no bodily letter left without its dots.
find among them one letter of a body left undotted.
مُتَوّجُcrowned السُّمَرِthe tawny spears عاريbare البيضِthe bright swords يومon the day of وغىًbattle
مُتَوّجُ السُّمَرِ عاري البيضِ يوم وغىً
مُفَرَّقُdivided البأسِmartial might بينbetween الفَخْرِglory والخَذِمِand keen-edged blades
مُفَرَّقُ البأسِ بين الفَخْرِ والخَذِمِ
Crowned with brown lances, baring white blades on battle-day,
Tawny spears crowned, bright swords bare on battle's day,
he dispenses his might between glory and keen-edged steel.
his martial might divided between glory and keen-edged blades.
إنْif شِئْتُI wish قَصْرَto shorten القَوَافيthe rhymes فيin مَدائِحِهِpraises of him
إنْ شِئْتُ قَصْرَ القَوَافي في مَدائِحِهِ
طالتْthey lengthen بهِthrough him طَرَباًin delight فيin مَدْحِهِpraising him بِفَميon my lips
طالتْ بهِ طَرَباً في مَدْحِهِ بِفَمي
If I wished to confine all rhymes to his praises,
If I wish to shorten the rhymes in his praises,
they would run long, delighted to praise him through my mouth.
they lengthen on my lips for him in joyful praise.
ماnot كلُّeveryone ناءٍfar away عنfrom الأوطانِhomelands مُغْتَربٌa stranger
ما كلُّ ناءٍ عن الأوطانِ مُغْتَربٌ
فيin سُوحِهhis courts بلrather يَقُلْlet him say ياO نفسُsoul اغتنميseize the opportunity
في سُوحِه بل يَقُلْ يا نفسُ اغتنمي
Not every youth far from his homeland is an exile;
Not everyone far from his homeland is a stranger
within his court he says instead, “O soul, seize your chance!”
in his courts; rather, let him say, 'O soul, seize the chance!'
اللهُGod يُلْهِمُنيinspires me أزْكَىthe purest مدائحِهِpraises of him
اللهُ يُلْهِمُني أزْكَى مدائحِهِ
حتىuntil تُصِيْبَstrike عداهhis enemies أكبرُthe greatest النِقَمِpunishments
حتى تُصِيْبَ عداه أكبرُ النِقَمِ
May God inspire me with the purest praises of him,
May God inspire me with the purest praises of him,
until the greatest afflictions strike his enemies.
until the greatest punishments strike his foes.
اللهُGod يُبْقِيهِpreserves him فيin عِزٍّmight وفيand in شَرَفٍhonor
اللهُ يُبْقِيهِ في عِزٍّ وفي شَرَفٍ
وفيand in أمانٍsafety وفيand in مُلْكٍsovereignty وفيand in نِعَمِblessings
وفي أمانٍ وفي مُلْكٍ وفي نِعَمِ
May God preserve him in might and honor,
May God preserve him in might and in honor,
in safety, dominion, and blessings.
and in safety, and in sovereignty, and in blessings.
