لمdid not توفfulfill أشواقيmy longings ولاnor لوعاتيmy agonies
لم توف أشواقي ولا لوعاتي
حقthe due of الهوىlove لكمto you ولاnor عبراتيmy tears
حق الهوى لكم ولا عبراتي
Neither my longings nor my agonies have paid
My longing and anguish did not die,
love's due to you; nor have my tears.
The right of love is for you, not my tears,
معdespite أنthe fact that أيسرthe least of ماwhat عدمتI lost بلوعتىthrough my anguish
مع أن أيسر ما عدمت بلوعتى
روحيmy soul وأهونand the lightest of ماwhat وجدتI found مماتىmy death
روحي وأهون ما وجدت مماتى
Though the least of what I lost through my anguish
Although the easiest thing I lost was my torment,
was my soul, and the lightest of what I found was my death.
My soul and the least I found was my death,
ياO منthose whose يعزis too precious وصالهمunion with them أنto يشترىbe bought
يا من يعز وصالهم أن يشترى
بنفائسwith the choicest of الاموالwealth والمهجاتand lifeblood
بنفائس الاموال والمهجات
O you whose union is too precious to be bought
O you who deem their company worth,
with the choicest riches and lifeblood.
The precious wealth and lives to buy,
جهدthe extremity of الصبابةyearning فيin هواكمlove for you سلوةsolace
جهد الصبابة في هواكم سلوة
ونهايةand the utmost of البلوىaffliction منamong اللذاتdelights
ونهاية البلوى من اللذات
The extremity of yearning in loving you is solace,
The effort of youth in your love is comfort,
and the utmost affliction is among the delights.
And the ultimate torment is that of pleasure,
وفواتand the escape of جسمthe body of الصبthe lover آفاتthe afflictions of الضنىwasting
وفوات جسم الصب آفات الضنى
فيin حبكمlove for you منamong أعظمthe greatest الآفاتafflictions
في حبكم من أعظم الآفات
And for the lover's body to escape wasting's afflictions
And missing the body of youth are the sins of neglect,
in loving you is among the greatest afflictions.
In your love from the greatest afflictions,
فسقامso the sickness of جسميmy body فيin هواكمlove for you صحتىmy health الthe (word continues)
فسقام جسمي في هواكم صحتى ال
كبرىgreatest وموتيand my death فيهin it عينthe very essence of حياتيmy life
كبرى وموتي فيه عين حياتي
My body's sickness in your love is my health—
So my body’s illness in your love is my greatest health,
the greatest—and my death in it is my very life.
And my death in it is the essence of my life,
ومعاهدand haunts فيهاin them عهدتI pledged myself الىto الهوىlove
ومعاهد فيها عهدت الى الهوى
وعرفتand I knew حبكمlove for you بهاin them عرفاتىmy Arafat
وعرفت حبكم بها عرفاتى
And the haunts where I pledged myself to love
And I made a covenant therein to passion,
and knew your love are my Arafat.
And I knew your love through it as my rituals,
فاداءso the performance of نسكىmy rite فىin الوقوفstanding بهاat them وقدand indeed
فاداء نسكى فى الوقوف بها وقد
كانتthey were لاحرامىfor my consecration بهاat them ميقاتىmy appointed station
كانت لاحرامى بها ميقاتى
My rite is performed by standing there; they had
So my pilgrimage was in standing therein, and it
been my appointed station for my consecration there.
Had been for my sanctity through it my appointed time,
كمhow many ليfor me بهاin them منof وقفةa stand معwith أهلهاtheir people
كم لي بها من وقفة مع أهلها
كرمتwas precious وكمand how many للدهرTime had منof غفلاتheedless moments
كرمت وكم للدهر من غفلات
How many a stand I had there with their people
How many a standing I have wherein with its people,
was precious, and how often Time was heedless!
I was honored and how many times was fate inattentive,
فعلىso upon معالمهاtheir landmarks السلامpeace وجادهاand may it water them generously
فعلى معالمها السلام وجادها
سحّاin torrents علىupon الاجراعthe sandy tracts والهضباتand the hills
سحّا على الاجراع والهضبات
Peace upon their landmarks; may there pour upon them
So peace be upon its landmarks and its plains,
in torrents, over the sandy tracts and hills,
Pouring on the rugged and the flat lands,
غيثrain يحولturns الروضthe meadows فىin أرجائهاtheir environs
غيث يحول الروض فى أرجائها
حللاinto robes علىupon عرصاتهاtheir open grounds عطراتfragrant
حللا على عرصاتها عطرات
rain that turns the meadows throughout their environs
A rain turning the meadow in its expanse,
into fragrant robes across their open grounds,
Garments on its yards, fragrances,
ويقيمand holds اعراسthe wedding feasts of الربيعspring بهاin them واوand [start of 'times']
ويقيم اعراس الربيع بها واو
قات[end of 'times'] الهناhappiness ومواسمand the seasons of اللذاتdelights
قات الهنا ومواسم اللذات
and holds spring's wedding feasts there, and times
And holding the weddings of spring therein, and the
of happiness and seasons of delight.
Appointments of bliss and seasons of pleasures,
فالارضso the earth آخذةtaking on زخارفthe adornments of نبتهاits growth
فالارض آخذة زخارف نبتها
والطيرand the birds منشدةsinging علىupon العذباتthe branch-tips
والطير منشدة على العذبات
So the earth takes on the adornments of its growth,
The land is taking on the adornments of its vegetation,
and birds sing upon the branch-tips.
And the birds singing on the fresh waters,
منof كلevery مطربةsongstress بمعربwith the eloquence of لحنهاher melody
من كل مطربة بمعرب لحنها
طرباrapture يميلsways معاطفthe bending boughs of الباناتthe bān-trees
طربا يميل معاطف البانات
Each songstress, through her eloquent melody,
Every singer in the idiom of her song,
brings rapture that sways the bending boughs of the bān-trees.
Stirring the cloaks of the maidens,
وكأنهاand as though they لماwhen تألفharmonizes سجعهاtheir rhyming song
وكأنها لما تألف سجعها
متشاجراتquarreling فىin ذرىthe tops of الشجراتthe trees
متشاجرات فى ذرى الشجرات
And, when their rhyming calls harmonize, they seem
And it is as if when accustomed to its rhyme,
to quarrel among the treetops.
Disputing in the progeny of the trees,
لوif only أنthat دمعىmy tears فىat الغويرal-Ghuwayr يكونcould be فىin
لو أن دمعى فى الغوير يكون فى
تلكthose الديارdwellings وغنيتand they had no need عنof دعواتىmy prayers
تلك الديار وغنيت عن دعواتى
If only my tears at al-Ghuwayr could fall in
If my tears were in Al-Ghawair, it would be
those dwellings, so they could do without my prayers!
In those lands, and I would be without my prayers,
دمعtears علىupon سفحthe slope of الغويرal-Ghuwayr سفحتهI poured them
دمع على سفح الغوير سفحته
شوقاin longing إلىfor زمنan age بذىat Dhu الأثلاثal-Athlath
شوقا إلى زمن بذى الأثلاث
Tears I poured upon the slope of al-Ghuwayr
Tears on the slopes of Al-Ghawair I poured,
in longing for an age at Dhu al-Athlath:
Yearning for the days of Thul-Athlath,
أيامdays ماnot ريعwas startled الوصالunion بجفوةby estrangement
أيام ما ريع الوصال بجفوة
فيهاin them ولاnor شملthe togetherness of اللقاreunion بشتاتby dispersal
فيها ولا شمل اللقا بشتات
days when union was not startled by estrangement,
Days when the pleasure of companionship was aloof therein,
nor then was reunion's bond broken by dispersal;
And the union of meeting was scattered,
وديارand the dwellings at منعرجthe bend of الثنيةthe mountain pass ماnot خلتbecame empty
وديار منعرج الثنية ما خلت
منهمof them ولاnor امتلأتbecame filled منwith الحسراتregrets
منهم ولا امتلأت من الحسرات
and the dwellings at the bend of the pass were not empty
And the houses of Man'ar Al-Thaniya were not devoid,
of them, nor filled with regrets.
Of them, nor filled with sorrows,
والانسand companionship روحa spirit فيin الديارthe dwellings وأهلهاand their people
والانس روح في الديار وأهلها
فقدand indeed انقضىفالكلit has passed, so all كالأمواتlike the dead
فقد انقضىفالكل كالأموات
And companionship was a spirit in the dwellings and their people;
And company was the spirit in the homes and its people,
it has passed, so all are like the dead.
So it is gone; all are like the dead,
ذاكthat الزمانtime هوit is الذىthe one that أصبوI yearn لهfor it
ذاك الزمان هو الذى أصبو له
وكذاand likewise ديارthe dwellings of الخيفal-Khayf هنthey are اللاتيthose which
وكذا ديار الخيف هن اللاتي
That is the time for which I yearn,
That is the time I aspired for,
and likewise the dwellings of al-Khayf are those I yearn for.
And so are the abodes of Al-Khayf, those
حياmay it greet مغانيهاtheir haunts الحياrain منof أربعdwelling-places
حيا مغانيها الحيا من أربع
محبوبةbeloved الآصالthe evenings والغدواتand the mornings
محبوبة الآصال والغدوات
May rain greet their haunts, those dwelling-places
Whose melodies were brought to life four,
whose evenings and mornings are beloved.
The beloved of intimacies and visits,
وأعادand may it restore أياماdays بهاin them وليالياand nights
وأعاد أياما بها ولياليا
بيضاbright سمرناهنwe spent them in night-talk بالسُمراتamong the samur-trees
بيضا سمرناهن بالسُمرات
And may it restore days there, and nights
And it restored days therein and nights,
bright, which we spent in night-talk among the samur-trees.
We darkened them with chats,
ورعىand may ... protect الإلهGod علىat المصلىal-Musalla جيرةneighbors
ورعى الإله على المصلى جيرة
ماnot زلتI have ceased أرعاهمI cherish them علىdespite العلاتdifficulties
ما زلت أرعاهم على العلات
And may God protect neighbors at al-Musalla,
And God protected on the prayer-house a neighbor,
whom I have always cherished despite all difficulties.
Whom I continued to protect on the platforms,
قومa people علىat الجمراتthe Jamarat منin وادىthe valley of منىMina
قوم على الجمرات من وادى منى
نزلواthey settled ومنand of قلبىmy heart علىupon الجمراتthe live coals
نزلوا ومن قلبى على الجمرات
A people who, at the Jamarat in the valley of Mina,
A people at the stonings from Mina's valley,
settled—and upon the live coals of my heart.
Descended, and from my heart to the stonings,
نصبواthey pitched علىbeside ماءthe water of النقاal-Naqa أبياتهمtheir tents
نصبوا على ماء النقا أبياتهم
وهمand they are معانىthe meanings of الحسنbeauty فىin الأبياتthe verses
وهم معانى الحسن فى الأبيات
They pitched their tents beside the water of al-Naqa,
They set upon the Naga Well their verses,
and they are beauty's meanings in the verses.
And they are the essence of beauty in verses,
وتحجبواand they veiled themselves عناfrom us بنورwith the light of جمالهمtheir beauty
وتحجبوا عنا بنور جمالهم
كتحجّبlike the veiling of المصباحthe lamp بالمشكاةwithin the niche
كتحجّب المصباح بالمشكاة
They veiled themselves from us with the light of their beauty,
And the veiled from us the light of their beauty,
like a lamp veiled within its niche.
As a lantern is veiled with a lampshade,
لمdid not يبقleave عزّهمtheir loftiness لذلىfor my abasement مطمعاany hope
لم يبق عزّهم لذلى مطمعا
فيهمof them وليسand not لغيرهمfor anyone other than them حاجاتىmy desires
فيهم وليس لغيرهم حاجاتى
Their loftiness has left my abasement no hope
Their glory did not remain for the humble hopes in them,
of them, and my desires are for no one else.
And I have no needs except for them,
واماand indeed وموقفناby our standing علىupon كثبthe dunes of النقاal-Naqa
واما وموقفنا على كثب النقا
بكمwith you اللقاءthe meeting وأولand the first الزوراتvisits
بكم اللقاء وأول الزورات
And truly, by our standing on the dunes of al-Naqa,
But our standing on the foothills of Naga,
meeting you, and by our first visits,
How abundant were the greetings and first visits!
متواصلينjoined together هناكthere ألطفthe most delicate وصلةunion
متواصلين هناك ألطف وصلة
متجاورينside by side بألسنwith the tongues of اللحظاتglances
متجاورين بألسن اللحظات
joined there in the most delicate union,
Joined therein in the sweetest companionship,
side by side, with glances for our tongues,
Neighbors in the tongues of glances,
والحسنبand beauty (apparent typo) يدعوcalls كلevery قلبheart فارغunoccupied
والحسنب يدعو كل قلب فارغ
فيجيبso answers ماwhatever فيهis within it منof الذرّاتatoms
فيجيب ما فيه من الذرّات
while beauty calls to every unoccupied heart,
And beauty inviting every empty heart,
and every atom within it answers—
Responding what little it contains of atoms,
أرجوI hope زمانيmy time أنthat يواتينيwill favor me ولاand not
أرجو زماني أن يواتيني ولا
أرجوI hope التسلّىconsolation أنthat يكونwill be مُواتيaccommodating
أرجو التسلّى أن يكون مُواتي
I hope my time will favor me, but I do not
I hope my time will bring me to me but I do not
hope that consolation will favor me.
Hope for solace that it will favor me,
انindeed الزمانTime ولاand not أطيلI dwell at length معاندىmy adversary
ان الزمان ولا أطيل معاندى
فىin حلundoing راحاتىmy comforts وأمنياتىand my wishes
فى حل راحاتى وأمنياتى
Indeed Time—to be brief—is my adversary
Time, though long, remains hostile to me,
in undoing my comforts and my wishes.
In fulfilling my comfort and wishes,
لكنbut كثيرmany of ذنوبهits sins مغفورةforgiven
لكن كثير ذنوبه مغفورة
عنديin my eyes لواحدةfor one منof الحسناتgood deeds
عندي لواحدة من الحسنات
Yet many of its sins are forgiven
But plenty of its sins are forgiven me,
in my eyes, for one of its good deeds:
For one of its virtues,
ببقاءthrough the continued life of والديmy father التقىthe pious العالمthe learned الthe (word continues)
ببقاء والدي التقى العالم ال
برrighteous الوفيthe loyal العارفthe discerning القناتthe prayerful (apparent typo)
بر الوفي العارف القنات
through the continued life of my father, pious and learned,
Remaining is my righteous, knowing, devout father,
righteous, loyal, discerning, and prayerful.
The king of nobility, unique of his time,
ملكking of الكرامthe generous وحيدpeerless among أهلthe people of زمانهhis age
ملك الكرام وحيد أهل زمانه
شيخshaykh of المشايخthe shaykhs سيّدmaster of الساداتthe masters
شيخ المشايخ سيّد السادات
King of the generous, peerless among the people of his age,
Sheikh of sheikhs, chief of chiefs,
shaykh of shaykhs, master of masters.
Of ambitiousness that the eulogizer dislikes in this statement,
ذوpossessed of همةresolve شرفتhas become exalted فيسخطso he resents قولهthe saying about him
ذو همة شرفت فيسخط قوله
المداحthe panegyrist هذاthis man منamong ذوىthose possessed of الهماتhigh resolves
المداح هذا من ذوى الهمات
Possessed of exalted resolve, he resents the saying
Detached, vigilant, he rejoices not in what,
of the panegyrist: 'He is one of those with high resolve.'
Befalls him nor sorrows for what is missed,
متنزهdetached يقظvigilant فلاso no فرحjoy بماat what
متنزه يقظ فلا فرح بما
يأتىcomes اعتراهhas overtaken him ولاand no أسىgrief لفواتfor loss
يأتى اعتراه ولا أسى لفوات
He is detached and vigilant; no joy at what
And his opinions are assisted; the people of prohibition fail,
comes has overtaken him, nor grief at loss.
To obscure them, and the helper of disputes,
ومسددand a rectifier of الآراءjudgments يعجزconfounds غمضهاtheir subtleties
ومسدد الآراء يعجز غمضها
أهلthe people of النهىunderstanding ومسددand a mender of الخلاتdeficiencies
أهل النهى ومسدد الخلات
He sets judgments right; their subtleties confound
And the clarifier of problems with knowledge he gained,
the discerning, and he makes good deficiencies.
Through his determination, knowledge and intrinsic self,
ومبينللمشكلاتand a clarifier of difficulties بعلمthrough knowledge اك[start of 'acquired']
ومبينللمشكلات بعلم اك
تسبته[end of 'acquired it'] همتهhis resolve وعلمand knowledge ذاتيinnate
تسبته همته وعلم ذاتي
He clarifies difficulties through knowledge
And he sees the consequences at the beginnings of his affairs,
acquired by his resolve, and through innate knowledge.
With the light of intuitive ideas,
ويرىand he sees العواقبthe outcomes فىat ابتداءthe beginning of أمورهhis affairs
ويرى العواقب فى ابتداء أموره
بضياءby the light of أفكارthoughts بديهاتself-evident
بضياء أفكار بديهات
And he sees outcomes at the outset of his affairs
And if you consider his conditions carefully, you find them,
by the light of self-evident thoughts.
Thoughts of intuitive knowledge,
واذاand if اعتبرتyou examine محققاcarefully أحوالهhis states
واذا اعتبرت محققا أحواله
الفيتهنyou find them افكارthoughts بديهياتself-evident
الفيتهن افكار بديهيات
And if you carefully examine his states,
Humility raised the worth of his high rank,
you find them to be self-evident thoughts.
Above the flaw of attribution to ranks,
رفعhas raised التواضعhumility قدرthe worth of رفعةthe loftiness of شأنهhis station
رفع التواضع قدر رفعة شأنه
عنabove نقصthe belittlement of نسبتهassigning it الىto الدرجاتranks
عن نقص نسبته الى الدرجات
Humility has raised the worth of his lofty station
In all that comes and goes a worshipper,
above the belittlement of assigning it to ranks.
Of God and deeds with intentions,
فىin كلall ماthat يأتيhe does ويتركand leaves undone عابدa worshipper
فى كل ما يأتي ويترك عابد
للهof God والاعمالand deeds بالنياتaccording to intentions
لله والاعمال بالنيات
In all he does and leaves undone, he is a worshipper
Wearing worldly life with a knowing heart,
of God; and deeds are according to intentions.
Avoiding ambiguities through knowledge,
قدindeed لابسhe has engaged with الدنياthe world بقلبwith a heart عارفknowing
قد لابس الدنيا بقلب عارف
متجنبavoiding بالعلمthrough knowledge للشبهاتdoubtful matters
متجنب بالعلم للشبهات
He has engaged with the world with a knowing heart,
Publicly he gives little but he secretly,
avoiding doubtful matters through knowledge.
Increases it with blessings,
فيin الجهرpublic يعطىhe gives ماwhat يقلis little وانهand indeed he
في الجهر يعطى ما يقل وانه
فىin السرsecret يكثرgives abundantly منهof it بالبركاتthrough blessings
فى السر يكثر منه بالبركات
In public he gives what is little, yet he
He loves the asking of delegations out of love for giving,
in secret gives abundantly of it, through blessings.
So their asking is among the greatest acts of worship,
يهوىhe loves سؤالthe asking of الوفدthe visitors حباout of love للعطاfor giving
يهوى سؤال الوفد حبا للعطا
فسؤالهمso their asking منamong أعظمthe greatest القرباتacts of devotion
فسؤالهم من أعظم القربات
He loves the visitors' requests, out of love for giving;
And he dislikes our avoidance of thanking him,
so their asking is among the greatest acts of devotion.
It is as if we disobey him with obedience,
ويسوؤهand it displeases him مناfrom us تعاطىundertaking شكرهthanking him
ويسوؤه منا تعاطى شكره
فكأنناso it is as though we نعصيهdisobey him بالطاعاتthrough acts of obedience
فكأننا نعصيه بالطاعات
Our undertaking to thank him displeases him,
And all the good I have is from,
as though we disobeyed him through acts of obedience.
His blessings, let alone blessings,
وجميعand all ماthat أناI فيهin it منof خيرgood فمنso from
وجميع ما أنا فيه من خير فمن
بركاتهhis blessings ناهيكenough for you منof بركاتblessings
بركاته ناهيك من بركات
And all the good in which I find myself comes from
So I made thanking Him along with thanking,
his blessings—and what blessings!
My Lord for me obligatory in decisive verses,
فلذاكso for that reason اوجبmade obligatory شكرهthanking him معalongside شكرهthanking Him
فلذاك اوجب شكره مع شكره
ربىmy Lord عليّupon me بمحكمthrough the unequivocal الآياتverses
ربى عليّ بمحكم الآيات
Thus thanking him, alongside thanking Him, was enjoined
My Master, you sufficed me the affairs of life,
upon me by my Lord through unequivocal verses.
And clothed me my religion and good traits,
مولاىmy lord أنتyou كفيتنىhave spared me أمرthe affairs of الدناthe world
مولاى أنت كفيتنى أمر الدنا
وكسوتنىand clothed me in دينىmy faith وحسنand the beauty of صفاتىmy qualities
وكسوتنى دينى وحسن صفاتى
My lord, you have spared me the cares of the world,
And I tied to you hope for the relief of,
and clothed me in my faith and the beauty of my qualities.
A matter of my imminent Hereafter,
ولقدand indeed عقدتI fastened بكupon you الرجاءhope لمعضلfor a difficult matter
ولقد عقدت بك الرجاء لمعضل
منof امرthe affairs of آخرتىmy hereafter قريبnear آتيcoming
من امر آخرتى قريب آتي
And indeed I have fastened my hope upon you for a difficult matter
That the generous are scattered among the people,
of my hereafter, close at hand and coming.
While you gather these divergences,
انindeed المكارمnoble virtues فىamong الأنامhumankind تشتتare scattered
ان المكارم فى الأنام تشتت
ولأنتand you indeed جامعthe gatherer of هذهthese الأشناتscattered things (apparent typo)
ولأنت جامع هذه الأشنات
Indeed, noble virtues are scattered among humankind,
Take it to you, a poem I shortened,
and you gather these scattered things together.
Due to their slumber from frequent drowsiness,
خذهاtake it اليكto yourself قصيدةa poem قدindeed قصّرتhas fallen short
خذها اليك قصيدة قد قصّرت
بمنامهمن[unclear joined wording] كثرةthe abundance of التاآتthe letters tāʾ
بمنامهمن كثرة التاآت
Take it to yourself—a poem that has fallen short
The effort of the incapable is upon you a right and duty,
[Opening wording unclear], owing to the abundance of tāʾs.
So forgive for you cover defects.
جهدthe utmost effort of المقلone with little عليكupon you حقa claim واجبbinding
جهد المقل عليك حق واجب
فاسترso conceal فانكfor you are ساترa concealer of العوراتshameful flaws
فاستر فانك ساتر العورات
The effort of one with little is a binding claim upon you;
so cover its faults, for you conceal blemishes.
Partial English translation: 108 of 110 Arabic lines translated.