ليتwould that القُلوبhearts علىunder نظامan order واحدِone
ليت القُلوب على نظام واحدِ
لِيذوقَso that he may taste حَرّheat الوجدpassionate longing غيرُsomeone other than الواجدِthe lovesick one
لِيذوقَ حَرّ الوجد غيرُ الواجدِ
Would that hearts followed a single order,
If only hearts could unite as one
so that one untouched by longing might taste its heat.
So that the agony of love be felt by all
فإِلامَso until when يَهْوىloves القلْبُthe heart غيرَone who is not مُساعِفٍresponsive
فإِلامَ يَهْوى القلْبُ غيرَ مُساعِفٍ
بِهَوىًwith love ويَلْقىand encounters الصبُّthe lovesick lover غيرَone who is not مساعِدِa helper
بِهَوىً ويَلْقى الصبُّ غيرَ مساعِدِ
How long, then, shall the heart love one who offers no return
Why does the heart crave without reciprocation?
of love, and the lovesick lover find no helper?
And youth face trials without aid?
نِمْتُمْyou slept عنheedless of الشّكوىcomplaint وأَرَّقنيand kept me awake الجَوىburning heartache
نِمْتُمْ عن الشّكوى وأَرَّقني الجَوى
ياoh بُعدَhow distant غايةِthe goal of ساهرٍa wakeful one منfrom هاجدِa sleeper
يا بُعدَ غايةِ ساهرٍ من هاجدِ
You slept, heedless of complaint, while heartache kept me awake.
I've grown weary of complaining while passion burns me
How far the wakeful one's goal lies from the sleeper's!
Oh how distant is the goal of this sleepless worshipper!
أَضللتُI lost قلباًa heart ظلّkept يَنْشُدseeking لُبّهُits reason
أَضللتُ قلباً ظلّ يَنْشُد لُبّهُ
مَنْwho ليfor me بِوجدانwith finding الفقيدthe lost one الفاقدِthe bereft one
مَنْ لي بِوجدان الفقيد الفاقدِ
I lost a heart that kept searching for its own reason;
I've misled a heart that yearns to find its core
who can help me find the lost one, itself bereft?
Who can heal the longing of the bereft lover?
ونهتand forbade مدامعيmy tears الوشاةُthe tale-bearers فرابَهُمso aroused their suspicion
ونهت مدامعي الوشاةُ فرابَهُم
شاكٍone lamenting صبابَتَهhis passionate longing بطرفٍwith an eye جامدِdry
شاكٍ صبابَتَه بطرفٍ جامدِ
The tale-bearers forbade my tears; their suspicion was stirred
The slanderers have forbidden my tears to flow
by one lamenting his passion with a tearless eye.
My eye protests, rigid, its pupil faded
ولوand if أنهمthat they سمعواthey heard أَلِيَّةَthe oath of عَبرتيmy tear
ولو أنهم سمعوا أَلِيَّةَ عَبرتي
فيin الحبّlove لاتَّهَمُواthey would surely have doubted يمينthe oath of الشاهدِthe witness
في الحبّ لاتَّهَمُوا يمين الشاهدِ
And had they heard my tear's oath
Had they but heard the elegy of my sorrow
in love, they would have doubted the witness's sworn word.
They'd have blamed even the witness among them
أَشكوI complain إِليكto you فهلso is there عليكupon you غضاضةany disgrace
أَشكو إِليك فهل عليك غضاضة
ياO مُمْرِضيyou who make me ill صَدّاًthrough rejection لوif أنكthat you عائديmy visitor in sickness
يا مُمْرِضي صَدّاً لو أنك عائدي
I complain to you—would it shame you,
I complain to you - would you be cross
you whose rejection makes me ill, to visit me in sickness?
If I, oh Healer, sought refuge in your care?
ياO مَنْone who إِذاwhen نمتُI slept أَوقعinflicted harm بيupon me الكرىslumber
يا مَنْ إِذا نمتُ أَوقع بي الكرى
غَضَباًin anger لِطَيْفِfor the phantom of خيالهhis image المتعاهِدِever-visiting
غَضَباً لِطَيْفِ خياله المتعاهِدِ
O you for whom slumber assails me whenever I sleep,
When I sleep you haunt me with images
in anger for the ever-visiting phantom of your image.
Angry at the specter of memories awoken
أَمّاas for الرُّقادsleep فلوthen if يكونit were بصحةٍwith good health
أَمّا الرُّقاد فلو يكون بصحةٍ
ماnot كانwould be ناظركyour eye السقيمailing براقدِasleep
ما كان ناظرك السقيم براقدِ
As for sleep, were it bound to good health,
As for sleep, if only health it would bring
your ailing eye would not be asleep.
Your ailing observer would not remain awake
أَهوىI love الغصونthe branches وإِنماand only أَضنىhas wearied الصَّباthe east wind
أَهوى الغصون وإِنما أَضنى الصَّبا
شوقُthe longing of النسيمthe breeze إِلىfor القضيبthe slender bough المائِدswaying
شوقُ النسيم إِلى القضيب المائِد
I love the branches; the east wind is worn down only
I yearn for the branches though the morning breeze pines
by the breeze's yearning for the swaying bough.
The wind's passion stirs the supple boughs
ويَهيجنيand stirs me برقthe lightning of الثغورsmiling mouths وإِنand even if سماit rises
ويَهيجني برق الثغور وإِن سما
فيin ناظريّmy two eyes خلالamid غيثa rain ساهدِsleepless
في ناظريّ خلال غيث ساهدِ
And the lightning of smiling mouths stirs me, though it rises
The storms' flashes stir me though the sky is clear
in my eyes amid a sleepless rain.
Lightning in my eyes midst gentle rain
بَكَرتْshe came early علىto باليworn-out الشّبابِyouth تلومُهُreproaching him
بَكَرتْ على بالي الشّبابِ تلومُهُ
عَدّيturn aside الملامةَthe reproach عنfrom حَنينthe yearning of الفاقدِthe bereft one
عَدّي الملامةَ عن حَنين الفاقدِ
She came early to one whose youth was worn, reproaching him.
Youth blamed me at dawn for my excess
Spare the bereft one's longing your reproach.
But chide not the bereft for their deep longing
ماnot زالceased صَرْفُthe vicissitudes of الدَّهْرِtime يَقْصِرcurtailing هِمَّتيmy ambition
ما زال صَرْفُ الدَّهْرِ يَقْصِر هِمَّتي
حتّىuntil صرفتُI turned إِلىtoward الكرامthe generous مَقاصديmy aims
حتّى صرفتُ إِلى الكرام مَقاصدي
Time's vicissitudes kept curtailing my ambition,
The turns of fate persist in limiting my aspirations
until I turned my aims toward the generous.
Until I turned my goals toward the noble ones
وإِذاand when الوفودthe delegations إِلىto الملوكthe kings تبادرتْhastened
وإِذا الوفود إِلى الملوك تبادرتْ
فعلىthen to جمالJamal (beauty) الدينal-Din (of religion) وفدُthe delegation of محامديmy praises
فعلى جمال الدين وفدُ محامدي
And when delegations hastened to kings,
And when pilgrims to kings hurry forth
to Jamal al-Din came the delegation of my praises.
I head to Jamil al-Din, my destination
فَلْتَعْلَمَنْso let them surely know ظُلَمُthe darknesses of الحوادثadversities أَننيthat I
فَلْتَعْلَمَنْ ظُلَمُ الحوادث أَنني
يمَّمتُI sought أَزهرَa radiant one كالشِّهابlike a meteor الواقدِblazing
يمَّمتُ أَزهرَ كالشِّهاب الواقدِ
So let the darknesses of adversity know for certain that I
May the injustice of events know
have sought a radiant one, like a blazing meteor.
That I shine like a flaming meteor
يُمْضيgives an edge to العزائمَresolutions وهيand they are غيرُnot قواطعٍcutting blades
يُمْضي العزائمَ وهي غيرُ قواطعٍ
ماnot السّيفthe sword إِلاّexcept قوةٌstrength فيin الساعدِthe forearm
ما السّيف إِلاّ قوةٌ في الساعدِ
He gives resolutions their edge, though they are not blades;
My determination proceeds though without firmness
the sword is nothing but strength within the arm.
For the sword is but strength in the arm that wields it
باقٍenduring علىdespite حكِّthe rubbing of الزّمانtime ونقدهِand its assay
باقٍ على حكِّ الزّمان ونقدهِ
ومنand among الصحيحthe genuine علىunder امتحانthe trial of الناقدِthe assayer
ومن الصحيح على امتحان الناقدِ
He withstands time's rubbing and its assay,
Remaining by the touchstone of time and its trial
and remains genuine under the assayer's test.
And proven right by the tester's examination
يلقاكَhe meets you فيat شرفthe summit of العُلىeminence مُتواضعاًhumbly
يلقاكَ في شرف العُلى مُتواضعاً
حتىuntil تَرىyou see المقصودَthe one sought مثلَlike القاصدthe seeker
حتى تَرى المقصودَ مثلَ القاصد
He meets you humbly at the summit of eminence,
You will meet him exalted yet humble
until the one sought seems like the seeker.
So the purpose matches the intent
وإِذاand when دنتcomes near يمناهhis right hand منto مُسْترفِدٍa seeker of bounty
وإِذا دنت يمناه من مُسْترفِدٍ
لمnot تَدْرِyou could tell أَيُّهماwhich of the two يمينُthe right hand of الرّافدِthe benefactor
لم تَدْرِ أَيُّهما يمينُ الرّافدِ
And when his right hand approaches a seeker of bounty,
And when his right hand draws near one in need
you cannot tell which is the giver's right hand.
You can hardly tell the giver from the taker
أُمْنِيَّةٌa cherished hope للمُعتَفيfor the bounty-seeker وَمَنِيَّةٌand death
أُمْنِيَّةٌ للمُعتَفي وَمَنِيَّةٌ
للمعتَديfor the aggressor وشريعةٌand a watering-place للواردِfor one coming to drink
للمعتَدي وشريعةٌ للواردِ
A cherished hope for the seeker of bounty, and death
Hope for the confessor, doom for the transgressor
for the aggressor, and a watering-place for whoever comes to drink.
And law for the newcomer
وَلِعٌfond بأَسهُمof the arrows of فكرهhis thought فإِذاso when رمىhe shoots
وَلِعٌ بأَسهُم فكره فإِذا رمى
أَصْمىhe strikes fatally بهاwith them غرضthe target of المدىthe range المتباعدِfar-distant
أَصْمى بها غرض المدى المتباعدِ
Enamored of his thought's arrows, whenever he shoots,
His ideas are weapons - when he shoots
with them he fells the target at the farthest range.
I make his target my farthest destination
يتصرفact المتَصرّفونthe administrators بأَمرِهby his command
يتصرف المتَصرّفون بأَمرِه
عنunder حُكْمthe authority of أَمرٍa command نافذٍeffective لاnot نافدِexhaustible
عن حُكْم أَمرٍ نافذٍ لا نافدِ
The administrators act at his command,
By his command the opportunists act
under the authority of an order that is effective, never exhausted.
Not by the order of one whose rule is past
لاdo not تحسَبواthink أَنيthat I انفردتُI was alone بحَمْدِهin praising him
لا تحسَبوا أَني انفردتُ بحَمْدِه
هيهاتَfar from it كمhow many لمحمَّدٍfor Muhammad مِنْof حامدِa praiser
هيهاتَ كم لمحمَّدٍ مِنْ حامدِ
Do not think I alone have praised him;
Think not that I alone sing his praises
far from it—how many praise Muhammad!
Far from it! Many extol glorious Mohammed
ياO مُسْتَرِقَenslaver of الماجدينthe noble بفضلِهthrough his bounty
يا مُسْتَرِقَ الماجدين بفضلِه
والفخرُand pride كلُّall الفخرpride رِقّbondage to الماجدِthe noble one
والفخرُ كلُّ الفخر رِقّ الماجدِ
O you who enslave noble men through your bounty,
You who stole the glory of the exalted
and pride—all pride—is bondage to a noble man.
For the proudest boast is to exalt the sublime
أَقلامُكَyour pens القدَرُdestiny المُتاحُallotted فماso never جرىit ran
أَقلامُكَ القدَرُ المُتاحُ فما جرى
إِلاّexcept جرتthey flowed بفواقرٍwith crushing calamities وفوائدِand benefits
إِلاّ جرت بفواقرٍ وفوائدِ
Your pens are allotted destiny; it never runs its course
Your pens articulate the best that's available
without their flowing with calamities and benefits,
And all they wrote flowed with insights and virtues
مِنْfrom كلّeach أَرقَشَspeckled one مستهِلٍّpouring forth ريقُهits saliva
مِنْ كلّ أَرقَشَ مستهِلٍّ ريقُه
أَفواهmouths of بيضٍfair women أَوor ثغورthe maws of أَساودِblack serpents
أَفواه بيضٍ أَو ثغور أَساودِ
from each speckled pen whose saliva pours forth—
From every fair or dark-lipped man of words
mouths of fair women, or the maws of black serpents.
Mouths of white, mouths of black origins
تُزْجيdrive onward كتائبُهits battalions الكتائبَthe armies تلتظيblazing
تُزْجي كتائبُه الكتائبَ تلتظي
لَهَباًas flame أَمامbefore مُسالِمan ally لمُعانِدِagainst an adversary
لَهَباً أَمام مُسالِم لمُعانِدِ
Its battalions drive the armies onward, blazing
His battalions rout battalions in their blaze
with flame before an ally, against a foe.
Fire facing the submitter and the defiant
كمhow many مِنْof وَلِيٍّan ally قَلَّدَتْهُthey invested him with ولايةًan office
كم مِنْ وَلِيٍّ قَلَّدَتْهُ ولايةً
عقدbound اللِّواءَthe banner لهاfor it ثناءُthe praise of العاقدِthe appointer
عقد اللِّواءَ لها ثناءُ العاقدِ
How many an ally they have invested with office,
Many a guardian has he invested with authority
the appointer's praise tying that office's banner!
Binding the banner's leadership by his decree
حتّىuntil إِذاwhen سَلَكtook العَدُوُّthe enemy سبيلَهاtheir path
حتّى إِذا سَلَك العَدُوُّ سبيلَها
فعلىthen on طريقa road of مَكامِنٍambushes ومكائدِand stratagems
فعلى طريق مَكامِنٍ ومكائدِ
But when the enemy takes their path,
Until when the enemy takes his path
it is along a road of ambushes and stratagems.
Toward places of ambush and treachery
تستامyou seek out أَمثالَchoice examples of الكلامِspeech شوارداًroaming free
تستام أَمثالَ الكلامِ شوارداً
فتبيتُso they spend the night عندكwith you فيin حِبالهhis snares صائدِa hunter
فتبيتُ عندك في حِباله صائدِ
You seek choice sayings, wandering free,
I gather the fruits of this speech like one wandering
and they spend the night with you in a hunter's snares.
To spend the night trapped in its coils
تلكthat البلاغةeloquence ماnever تُمُلِّكwas mastered عفوُهاits effortless flow
تلك البلاغة ما تُمُلِّك عفوُها
بِيديْكby your two hands إِلاّexcept بَذّit surpassed جهدَthe effort of الجاهدِthe striver
بِيديْك إِلاّ بَذّ جهدَ الجاهدِ
Such is eloquence: its effortless flow is never mastered
This eloquence does not empower your pardon
by your hands without outstripping the striver's toil.
Except by the utmost exertion of effort
ولقدand indeed لَحَظْتَyou saw الملكَthe kingdom مَنْهوبplundered in الحِمىthe protected domain
ولقد لَحَظْتَ الملكَ مَنْهوب الحِمى
مِنْfrom جانبيْهboth its sides فكنتَso you were أَوّلَthe first ذائدِdefender
مِنْ جانبيْه فكنتَ أَوّلَ ذائدِ
And you saw the kingdom with its protected lands plundered
I have seen your rule pillaged on both flanks
on both sides, and were the first defender.
And you were the first to fend off the pillagers
ربَّيتَyou nurtured بَيْتthe house of المالِwealth تربيةَwith the nurturing of امرئٍa man
ربَّيتَ بَيْت المالِ تربيةَ امرئٍ
يحنوcares tenderly عليهfor it بهاwith that nurturing حُنُوَّwith the tenderness of الوالدِa father
يحنو عليه بها حُنُوَّ الوالدِ
You nurtured the treasury as a man
You nurtured the treasury like a man
who cherishes it with a father's tenderness.
Who attends it with a father's affection
أَشعرتَyou instilled in نفسَكyourself مِنْهُregarding it يأْسَdespair نَزاهةٍintegrity
أَشعرتَ نفسَك مِنْهُ يأْسَ نَزاهةٍ
ومنحتand granted هَمَّكyour concern منهconcerning it بأْسthe valor of مُجاهدِa fighter
ومنحت هَمَّك منه بأْس مُجاهدِ
You taught your soul to renounce it out of integrity,
You made your soul despair of probity from it
and armed your care for it with a fighter's valor.
And tasked yourself to battle it with force
فَممالِكُso the realms of السّلْطانthe sultan ساكنةُtranquil in الحَشاthe heart
فَممالِكُ السّلْطان ساكنةُ الحَشا
مِنْfrom بعدِafter ماthat كانتْthey were فريسةَthe prey of طاردِa pursuer
مِنْ بعدِ ما كانتْ فريسةَ طاردِ
Thus the sultan's realms are tranquil at heart,
Thus the Sultan's realms, once prey for all
after having been prey to a pursuer.
Became, after being the target of hunters
عطفتْturned علىtoward يدكyour hand المساعيnoble endeavors رَغْبةًeagerly
عطفتْ على يدك المساعي رَغْبةً
نظرتyou looked إلىat الدّنياthe world بعينwith the eye of الزاهدِthe ascetic
نظرت إلى الدّنيا بعين الزاهدِ
Noble endeavors turned eagerly toward your hand;
Supported by your hand, the efforts leaned toward you
you looked upon the world with an ascetic's eye.
Looking to the world through the ascetic's eyes
وثنتْand turned أَعِنَّتهاtheir reins إِليكtoward you مناقِبٌvirtues
وثنتْ أَعِنَّتها إِليك مناقِبٌ
ياoh طالماhow long كانتthey had been نشيدةَthe sought object of ناشِدِa seeker
يا طالما كانت نشيدةَ ناشِدِ
And virtues turned their reins toward you—
Glories turned their help toward you
ah, how long they had been a seeker's quest!
Long celebrated by the bard
مَجْدٌglory علىupon عرشِthe throne of السِّماكِal-Simak وهمَّةٌand ambition
مَجْدٌ على عرشِ السِّماكِ وهمَّةٌ
ترقىclimbs to السُّهاal-Suha بجَناحon the wing of جَدٍّearnest endeavor صاعدِascending
ترقى السُّها بجَناح جَدٍّ صاعدِ
Glory upon the throne of al-Simak, and ambition
Glory resides on the throne of eternity
that climbs to al-Suha on the wing of soaring resolve.
An ambition takes wing on the wings of high aspiration
وعُلىًand eminence يجوزsurpasses بهاthrough it المدىall bounds حَسَدُthe envy of العِدىenemies
وعُلىً يجوز بها المدى حَسَدُ العِدى
إِنindeed العُلىeminence مَنصورةٌis championed بالحاسدِby the envier
إِن العُلى مَنصورةٌ بالحاسدِ
And eminence that sends foes' envy beyond all bounds—
And an elevation through which wide distances are spanned
indeed, eminence is championed by the envious.
For elevation is secured by the envious one's spite
ياoh حبّذاhow welcome همٌّan aspiration إِليكto you أَصارنيbrought me
يا حبّذا همٌّ إِليك أَصارني
وعزيمةand a resolve تقفوfollows رياضةَthe discipline of قائدِa guide
وعزيمة تقفو رياضةَ قائدِ
How welcome the aspiration that brought me to you,
Blessed is the passion you have conjured in me
and the resolve that follows a guide's training!
And resolve emulating the leader's pace
أَناI روضةa garden تُزْهىis adorned بكلwith every غريبةٍrare marvel
أَنا روضة تُزْهى بكل غريبةٍ
أَفرائديare my rare gems منthose who لمhave not يفرزbeen singled out بفرائديby my rare gems
أَفرائدي من لم يفرز بفرائدي
I am a garden adorned with every rare marvel.
I am a meadow adorned with every unfamiliar bloom
Are my rare gems those not singled out by my rare gems? [Wording unclear.]
My ingenious works - none vie with my inventions
إِنif ساقنيdrove me طلبthe pursuit of الغنىwealth أَوor شاقنيmade me yearn
إِن ساقني طلب الغنى أَو شاقني
حُبُّthe love of العُلىeminence فلقدْthen indeed ورَدْتُI reached موارديmy watering-places
حُبُّ العُلى فلقدْ ورَدْتُ مواردي
If the quest for wealth drove me, or I was drawn
When want drives me, or love of the sublime afflicts me
by love of eminence, I have indeed reached my watering-places.
I come to drink at my watering holes
ومتىand whenever عَددتُI counted إِلىtoward نَدكyour bounty (uncertain reading) وسائليmy means
ومتى عَددتُ إِلى نَدك وسائلي
أَعْدَدْتُI readied قصديmy purpose منamong أَجلّthe noblest of مقاصديmy aims
أَعْدَدْتُ قصدي من أَجلّ مقاصدي
And whenever I counted my means of reaching your bounty [reading uncertain],
And when I count in your company my means to you
I readied my approach among my noblest aims,
I number my intent among my noblest aims
حتىso that أَعودَI return منfrom امتداحكpraising you حالياًadorned
حتى أَعودَ من امتداحك حالياً
وكأَننيand as though I قُلِّدتُwas adorned with بعضsome of قلائديmy necklaces
وكأَنني قُلِّدتُ بعض قلائدي
so that I return from praising you adorned,
Until in praising you I regain my strength
as though hung with some of my own necklaces.
As if bestowed with some of your finest necklaces
ماnot كانتwould الآمالhopes تكذِبُbelie موعديthe promise to me
ما كانت الآمال تكذِبُ موعدي
أَبداًever وحُسْنُand favorable الظنّexpectation عندكwith you رائديmy guide
أَبداً وحُسْنُ الظنّ عندك رائدي
My hopes would not belie the promise made to me,
My hopes did not once betray my promised meeting
ever, while trust in you is my guide.
For good faith in you has always been my guide
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.