نَشَدْتُكَI implore you لاdo not تُعْدِمِdeprive الرّاحَthe palms راحاwine
نَشَدْتُكَ لا تُعْدِمِ الرّاحَ راحا
وَلاand do not تَمْنَعَنَّever deny الصَّبُوحَthe morning draught الصَّباحاthe morning
وَلا تَمْنَعَنَّ الصَّبُوحَ الصَّباحا
I implore you: do not deprive the hands of wine,
I implore you, do not deny the wind its breeze,
nor ever deny the morning its morning draught.
Nor prevent the dawn its morning,
فَقَدْfor indeed أَصْبَحَhas begun الْغَيْثُthe rain يَكْسُوclothes الْجَمالَbeauty
فَقَدْ أَصْبَحَ الْغَيْثُ يَكْسُو الْجَمالَ
وُجُوهاًfaces مِنَof الأَرْضِthe earth كانَتْwere قِباحاugly
وُجُوهاً مِنَ الأَرْضِ كانَتْ قِباحا
For the rain has begun to clothe with beauty
For rain has brought the meadows to bloom,
faces of the earth that once were ugly.
Turning faces of earth from dreary to fair.
يُعِيدُrestores إلىto الْعُودِthe bough إِيراقَهُits foliage
يُعِيدُ إلى الْعُودِ إِيراقَهُ
وَيَهْتَزُّهُand makes it sway بِالنَّسِيمِwith the breeze ارْتِياحاin delight
وَيَهْتَزُّهُ بِالنَّسِيمِ ارْتِياحا
It restores to the bough its foliage,
It restores moisture to the branches,
and sways it with the breeze in delight.
And sways them gently in contentment.
بَكىwept رَحْمَةًin pity لِجُدُوبِfor the drought of الْبِلادِthe lands
بَكى رَحْمَةً لِجُدُوبِ الْبِلادِ
وَحَنَّand yearned اشْتِياقاًwith longing إِلَيْهاfor them فَساحاso it flowed forth
وَحَنَّ اشْتِياقاً إِلَيْها فَساحا
It wept in pity for the lands' drought,
It weeps in mercy for the barren land,
and yearned for them, then flowed forth.
And yearns to blanket it in green.
وَسَحَّand poured down كَماas غَلَبَoverwhelmed الْمُسْتَهاthe lovesick one (continued)
وَسَحَّ كَما غَلَبَ الْمُسْتَها
مَending of 'the lovesick one' وَجْدٌpassion فَأَجْرىso he shed دُمُوعاًtears وَباحاand confessed
مَ وَجْدٌ فَأَجْرى دُمُوعاً وَباحا
And poured down, as a lovesick man is overwhelmed
It pours as if overwhelmed by ardour,
by passion, sheds tears, and confesses his love.
Weeping copious tears in fervor.
كَأَنَّas though الْغُيُومُthe clouds جُيُوشٌarmies تَسُومُseek
كَأَنَّ الْغُيُومُ جُيُوشٌ تَسُومُ
مِنَthrough الْعَدْلِjustice فِيin كُلِّevery أَرْضٍland صَلاحاprosperity
مِنَ الْعَدْلِ فِي كُلِّ أَرْضٍ صَلاحا
As though the clouds were armies seeking
The clouds are armies that promise
through justice, prosperity in every land.
Just rule in every realm's repair.
إِذاwhen قاتَلَfought الْمَحْلَthe drought فِيهاin it الْغَمامُthe cloud
إِذا قاتَلَ الْمَحْلَ فِيها الْغَمامُ
بِصَوْبِwith showers of الرَّهامِfine rain أَجادَexcelled in الْكِفاحاbattle
بِصَوْبِ الرَّهامِ أَجادَ الْكِفاحا
When the cloud fights the drought there,
When clouds battle in a land,
with showers of fine rain, it excels in battle.
Lightning tilts with spears of flame.
فَوافاهُso it met it يَحْمِلُcarrying مِنْfrom طَلِّهِits drizzle
فَوافاهُ يَحْمِلُ مِنْ طَلِّهِ
وَمِنْand from وَبْلِهِits downpour لِلقِّاءِfor the encounter السِّلاحاthe weapons
وَمِنْ وَبْلِهِ لِلقِّاءِ السِّلاحا
So it meets it, bearing from its drizzle
Thunder meets it bearing torrents
and from its downpour weapons for the encounter.
As weapons for the striking game.
يُقَرْطِسُhits the mark بِالطَّلِّwith drizzle فِيهِagainst it السِّهامَthe arrows
يُقَرْطِسُ بِالطَّلِّ فِيهِ السِّهامَ
وَيُشْرِعُand levels بِالْوَبْلِwith downpour فِيهِagainst it الرِّماحاthe spears
وَيُشْرِعُ بِالْوَبْلِ فِيهِ الرِّماحا
It hits it squarely with arrows of drizzle,
You see tongues of light extol its glory,
and levels spears of downpour against it.
Struck dumb in awe of its acclaim.
وَسلَّand drew عَلَيْهِagainst it سُيُوفَswords of البُرُوقِlightning
وَسلَّ عَلَيْهِ سُيُوفَ البُرُوقِ
فَأَثْخَنَso it made grievous بِالضَّرْبِwith blows فِيهِin it الْجِراحاthe wounds
فَأَثْخَنَ بِالضَّرْبِ فِيهِ الْجِراحا
And draws against it swords of lightning,
Gardens are like blushing virgins
so its blows inflict deep wounds upon it.
Cloaked in its gowns of crystal chain.
تَرىyou see أَلْسُنَtongues of النَّوْرِthe blossoms تُثْنِيspeak praise عَلَيْهِof it
تَرى أَلْسُنَ النَّوْرِ تُثْنِي عَلَيْهِ
فَتَعْجَبُso you marvel مِنْهُنَّat them خُرْساًmute فِصاحاeloquent
فَتَعْجَبُ مِنْهُنَّ خُرْساً فِصاحا
You see the tongues of blossoms praising it,
Rivulets left by the rain
so you marvel at them, mute yet eloquent.
Become torrents flooding the plain.
كَأَنَّas though الرِّياضَthe gardens عَذارىmaidens جَلَوْنَdisplayed
كَأَنَّ الرِّياضَ عَذارى جَلَوْنَ
عَلَيْكَto you مَلابِسَهُنَّtheir garments الْمِلاحاlovely
عَلَيْكَ مَلابِسَهُنَّ الْمِلاحا
As though the gardens were maidens displaying
Where gusts of wind salute,
to you their lovely garments.
Waves crest and break as feathers fan.
وَقَدْand indeed غادَرَleft الْقَطْرُthe rain مِنْfrom فَيْضِهِits overflow
وَقَدْ غادَرَ الْقَطْرُ مِنْ فَيْضِهِ
غَدِيراًa pool هُوَit is السَّيْلُthe torrent حَلَّsettled in الْبِطاحاthe lowlands
غَدِيراً هُوَ السَّيْلُ حَلَّ الْبِطاحا
And the rain has left, from its overflow,
The saffron sun, a golden cock
a pool—the torrent that has settled in the lowlands.
With silver plumes and sweeping train.
إِذاwhen صافَحَتْهُshook hands with it هَوافِيwafting breezes of الرِّياحِthe winds
إِذا صافَحَتْهُ هَوافِي الرِّياحِ
تَمَوَّجَrippled كَالطِّرْفِlike a steed رامَsought الْجِماحاbolting
تَمَوَّجَ كَالطِّرْفِ رامَ الْجِماحا
When the wafting winds shake hands with it,
When brooks play melodies,
it ripples like a steed intent on bolting.
It sings the sweetest of refrains.
وَدِيكاًand a cock تَرىyou see الصُّفْرَbrass جِسْماًa body لَهُfor it
وَدِيكاً تَرى الصُّفْرَ جِسْماً لَهُ
وَمِنand of فِضَّةٍsilver رِيشهُits feathers وَالْجَناحاand the wing
وَمِن فِضَّةٍ رِيشهُ وَالْجَناحا
And you see a cock whose body is brass,
Two noble traits it displays:
and whose feathers and wing are silver.
Dignity and delight it contains.
إِذاwhen الماءُthe water راسَلَهُsent it a message بِالْخَرِيwith murmuring (continued)
إِذا الماءُ راسَلَهُ بِالْخَرِي
رِending of 'murmuring' أَحْسَنَmade beautiful تَغْرِيدَهُits singing وَالصِّياحاand crowing
رِ أَحْسَنَ تَغْرِيدَهُ وَالصِّياحا
When the water sends it word with a murmur,
When it would take flight in joy,
it sings and crows beautifully.
Modesty holds it from the plain.
لَهُit has شِيمَتانِtwo traits مِنَamong الْمَكْرُماتِnoble qualities
لَهُ شِيمَتانِ مِنَ الْمَكْرُماتِ
يُرِيكَit shows you الْوَقارَdignity بِهاthrough them وَالْمِراحاand playfulness
يُرِيكَ الْوَقارَ بِها وَالْمِراحا
It has two traits among noble qualities:
If it begins to trill in song,
through them it shows you dignity and playfulness.
The doves cease their tune in shame.
إِذاwhen هَمَintended مِنْfrom طَرَبٍdelight أَنْto يَطِيرَfly
إِذا هَمَ مِنْ طَرَبٍ أَنْ يَطِيرَ
لَمْdid not يَسْتَطِعْmanage مِنْout of حَياءٍmodesty بَراحاdeparture
لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ مِنْ حَياءٍ بَراحا
When, in delight, it longs to fly,
A morn whose day breaks clearly,
it cannot move away, out of modesty.
Its clouds dispersing without rain.
إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle تَغَنّىsang أَغارَmade jealous الْحَمامَthe doves
إِذا ما تَغَنّى أَغارَ الْحَمامَ
فَرَجَّعَso they echoed أَلْحانَهُits melodies ثُمَّthen ناحاlamented
فَرَجَّعَ أَلْحانَهُ ثُمَّ ناحا
Whenever it sings, it makes the doves jealous;
Its life emulates the prince,
so they echo its melodies, then lament.
Munificence and grace its reign.
غَداةٌa morning غَداbecame الْيَوْمُthe day فِيهاin it صَرِيحاًclear
غَداةٌ غَدا الْيَوْمُ فِيها صَرِيحاً
وَأَضْحىand became الْغَمامُthe clouds لَدَيْهاat that time صُراحاpure
وَأَضْحى الْغَمامُ لَدَيْها صُراحا
A morning in which the day has dawned clear,
How compare one who loves not
and the clouds at that hour have grown pure.
Glory guarded, wealth free of stain?
كَأَنَّas though حَياهاits rain يُجارِيrivals الأَمِيرَthe emir
كَأَنَّ حَياها يُجارِي الأَمِيرَ
لِيُشْبِهَto resemble مَعْرُوفَهُhis beneficence وَالسَّماحاand generosity
لِيُشْبِهَ مَعْرُوفَهُ وَالسَّماحا
As though its rain were vying with the emir,
The sea poured bounty copious,
to resemble his beneficence and generosity.
Sweet scent diffusing like fields of cane.
وَكَيْفَand how يُشاكِلُmatch مَنْone who لاdoes not يُغِgive intermittently (continued)
وَكَيْفَ يُشاكِلُ مَنْ لا يُغِ
بُّending of 'give intermittently' مَجْداًglory مَصُوناًinviolate وَمالاًand wealth مُباحاfreely available
بُّ مَجْداً مَصُوناً وَمالاً مُباحا
Yet how can it match one who never stints
Drink your fill of such draughts
in inviolate glory and freely given wealth—
That joy pure of heart attain.
أَعّمَّmore far-reaching نَوالاًin bounty مِنَthan الْبَحْرِthe sea فاضَoverflowed
أَعّمَّ نَوالاً مِنَ الْبَحْرِ فاضَ
وَأَطْيَبَand sweeter نَشراًin fragrance مِنَthan الْمِسْكِmusk فاحاdiffused its scent
وَأَطْيَبَ نَشراً مِنَ الْمِسْكِ فاحا
more far-reaching in bounty than the sea in flood,
When we caper with vine’s daughter,
and sweeter in fragrance than musk diffusing its scent?
Cloaks of glee on us gain.
فَدُونَكَso take them فاشْرَبْthen drink كُؤُوساًcups تُصِيبُyou find
فَدُونَكَ فاشْرَبْ كُؤُوساً تُصِيبُ
مِزاجاًan admixture لَهُنَّfor them السُّرُورَjoy الْقَراحاunmixed
مِزاجاً لَهُنَّ السُّرُورَ الْقَراحا
So take them and drink cups for which you find
Union’s cheer opens hearts once lonely,
pure joy as their admixture.
And finds within breadth unconstrained.
إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle جَلَوْناwe unveiled عُرُوسَthe bride of الْمُدامِwine
إِذا ما جَلَوْنا عُرُوسَ الْمُدامِ
أَجالَwinds around الْحَبابُthe bubbles عَلَيْهاabout her وِشاحاa sash
أَجالَ الْحَبابُ عَلَيْها وِشاحا
Whenever we unveil the bride of wine,
When fortune favors in our time,
the bubbles wind a sash about her.
How could we be misers inane?
وَقَدْand indeed فَسَحَopened wide الوَصْلَunion لِلْعاشِقينَfor the lovers
وَقَدْ فَسَحَ الوَصْلَ لِلْعاشِقينَ
فَصادَفَso it found مِنْهُمْamong them صُدُوراًbosoms فِساحاspacious
فَصادَفَ مِنْهُمْ صُدُوراً فِساحا
And union has been opened wide to lovers,
and has found spacious bosoms among them.
إِذاif كَرُمَwas generous الدَّهْرُTime فِيin عَصْرِناour age
إِذا كَرُمَ الدَّهْرُ فِي عَصْرِنا
فَكَيْفَthen how نَكُونُwe are عَلَيْهِtoward it شِحاحاmiserly
فَكَيْفَ نَكُونُ عَلَيْهِ شِحاحا
If Time is generous in our age,
then how can we be miserly toward it?
Partial English translation: 50 of 54 Arabic lines translated.