عَذلُوهُthey reproached him فيfor تَشْبِيبِهِhis love poetry ونَسيبِهand his amatory verse
عَذلُوهُ في تَشْبِيبِهِ ونَسيبِه
منwho ذاis it that يُطيقُcan bear تَنَاسِياًdeliberate forgetting لحَبيبِهِof his beloved
من ذا يُطيقُ تَنَاسِياً لحَبيبِهِ
They reproached him for his love poetry and amatory verse.
They blamed him for his youth and lineage
Who can bear deliberately forgetting his beloved?
Who can forget their beloved?
ومَضَوْاand they persisted عَلىin تَأنيبِهِrebuking him وبِحَسْبِهِمand enough for them
ومَضَوْا عَلى تَأنيبِهِ وبِحَسْبِهِم
تأبِينُهeulogizing him مَحياهُwhile he lives فيin تأنيبِهِrebuking him
تأبِينُه مَحياهُ في تأنيبِهِ
They persisted in rebuking him; enough for them
They passed over his rebuke and deemed it enough
to eulogize him while he lives, through their reproaches.
That his life denies his rebuke
أوor ليسَis not منone who خَضَبdyed البياضthe white hair مموهاdisguising it
أو ليسَ من خَضَب البياض مموها
كَصَريعِlike one slain by مُشْتَجرthe tangled array of القَناspears وخضيبِهِand one stained by them
كَصَريعِ مُشْتَجر القَنا وخضيبِهِ
Or is not one who dyes his white hair to disguise it
Isn't the whiteness of hoariness concealed
like one slain among interlocked spears and stained with their blood?
Like the writhing of the crooked palm tree and its fruit?
ركدتgrew still صَباthe east wind عَصْرthe season of الصّباyouth وهُبوبُهاand its blowing
ركدت صَبا عَصْر الصّبا وهُبوبُها
وهَفاand stirred النَسيمthe breeze لِنَوحهat his lament وهبوبِهِand his stirring
وهَفا النَسيم لِنَوحه وهبوبِهِ
The east wind of youth's season has stilled, along with its blowing;
The prime of youth stopped in its track
and the breeze stirred at his lament and his stirring.
And the breeze halted its blowing and disturbance
تاللّهِby God ماnot جَوْرُthe swerving of الفَتىthe young man منfrom كَوْرِهِhis saddle
تاللّهِ ما جَوْرُ الفَتى من كَوْرِهِ
وَكَفاهُand enough for him is وَهْنُthe weakness of قراهُhis back فيin تَجريبِهِtesting him
وَكَفاهُ وَهْنُ قراهُ في تَجريبِهِ
By God, the man's swerving is not his saddle's fault;
By God, the lad's sin wasn't of his doing
his back's frailty suffices when he is put to the test.
His weakness and frailty during his test were enough
والْعُمْرُand life ليسis not قَشيبُهits fresh cloth كَدَريسِهlike its threadbare cloth
والْعُمْرُ ليس قَشيبُه كَدَريسِه
كاليومlike the day لَيْسَis not شُروقُهُits sunrise كغُروبِهِlike its sunset
كاليوم لَيْسَ شُروقُهُ كغُروبِهِ
Life's fresh cloth is not like its threadbare cloth,
Life's old age isn't like its youth
just as the day's sunrise is not like its sunset.
As today's dawn isn't like its sunset
منwhoever شارفneared الخَمسينَfifty ضَيّقَnarrowed عُذْرَهُhis excuse
من شارف الخَمسينَ ضَيّقَ عُذْرَهُ
تَعْدَادُهُhis being counted فيamong الشّيبِthe gray-haired عَنfor تَشبيبِهِhis love poetry
تَعْدَادُهُ في الشّيبِ عَن تَشبيبِهِ
For one nearing fifty, his excuse is narrowed
He who neared fifty, his excuse narrowed
for love poetry by his being numbered among the gray-haired.
His counting of white hairs over his youth
لَكِنهاyet they حَدَقُthe eyes of المَهَاoryxes خَبَأتhave concealed لَهُfor him
لَكِنها حَدَقُ المَهَا خَبَأت لَهُ
مِنْof سِحْرهاtheir magic ماthat which جَدّstrove earnestly فيin تَحبيبِهِmaking him love
مِنْ سِحْرها ما جَدّ في تَحبيبِهِ
Yet the eyes of oryxes have concealed for him
But the brow's glance concealed for him
some of their magic that strives to kindle his love.
Some of its magic which helped in his love
فالقَلبُso the heart محتَملٌbears صِلاءَthe burning heat of شُجونِهِits sorrows
فالقَلبُ محتَملٌ صِلاءَ شُجونِهِ
والجِسْمand the body مُشْتَمِلٌis wrapped in مُلاءthe mantles of شُحوبِهِits pallor
والجِسْم مُشْتَمِلٌ مُلاء شُحوبِهِ
So the heart bears the burning heat of its sorrows,
So the heart bears the barbs of his passions
and the body is wrapped in the mantles of its pallor.
And the body contains the fullness of his pallor
واهاًah لَهfor him حَسِبُواthey thought المَشيبَgray hair يَصُدُّهُwould bar him
واهاً لَه حَسِبُوا المَشيبَ يَصُدُّهُ
عَنْfrom ذكرrecalling أيّامِthe days of الحِمَىthe protected pasture وكَثيبِهِand its sand dune
عَنْ ذكر أيّامِ الحِمَى وكَثيبِهِ
Ah for him! They thought gray hair would bar him
Alas! They thought hoariness would bar him
from recalling the days of the protected pasture and its sand dune.
From remembering the days of passion and his companion
وإذاand when العَميدُthe love-stricken man نَضاshed رداءَthe robe of شَبابِهِhis youth
وإذا العَميدُ نَضا رداءَ شَبابِهِ
أغراهُgoaded him بِالتّهْيامinto love's delirium لِبْسُdonning مَشيبِهِhis gray hair
أغراهُ بِالتّهْيام لِبْسُ مَشيبِهِ
When the love-stricken man sheds the robe of his youth,
When the dignified one donned the garb of his youth
donning gray hair goads him into love's delirium.
Delusion with grayness seduced him
هَيهاتfar from possible يَصْحوhe sobers أوor يفيقُawakens مِنَfrom الهَوىlove
هَيهات يَصْحو أو يفيقُ مِنَ الهَوى
مُسْتَعْذِبُone who finds sweet البُرَحاءsevere anguish فيin تَعذيبِهِhis torment
مُسْتَعْذِبُ البُرَحاء في تَعذيبِهِ
Far be it that he should sober or awaken from love—
Far from it! Will he awake or regain consciousness from passion
one who finds anguish sweet in his torment.
While he luxuriates being severed in his torment?
ياoh حَبَّذاhow lovely نَجدٌNajd وسَالِفُand bygone عَهْدِهِits days
يا حَبَّذا نَجدٌ وسَالِفُ عَهْدِهِ
فيهِin it استَفَدناwe gained طيبَهاtheir sweetness منfrom طِيبِهِits fragrance
فيهِ استَفَدنا طيبَها من طِيبِهِ
Oh, how lovely are Najd and its bygone days!
O excellent are the past days and time gone by
There we drew their sweetness from its fragrance.
When we benefited from its goodness and bounty
ومَجالُناand our roaming مِنthrough رَوْضهِits meadow بغَديرِهِbeside its pool
ومَجالُنا مِن رَوْضهِ بغَديرِهِ
فيin ظِلّthe shade of مائِسِswaying دَوْحِهِits great trees وَرطيبِهِand its tender growth
في ظِلّ مائِسِ دَوْحِهِ وَرطيبِهِ
And our roaming through its meadow beside its pool,
And our place was the garden's expanse
in the shade of its swaying great trees and tender growth,
In the shade of its towering jujube and irrigation
وصَباًand an east wind تَحَمّلُbearing منfrom تضَوّعِthe wafting fragrance of رَندِهits laurels
وصَباً تَحَمّلُ من تضَوّعِ رَندِه
وعَرَارِهِand its oxeye flowers ماwhat زادَincreased فيin وَصبيmy lovesickness بِهِfor it
وعَرَارِهِ ما زادَ في وَصبي بِهِ
and an east wind bearing from the fragrance of its laurels
My youth bore from the excess of his teasing
and its oxeye flowers what increased my lovesickness for it.
And bareness what increased his flirtation
لَمnot يَلْبثِlinger المَكروهُwhat was hateful فيهاthere أنْbefore نَأىit departed
لَم يَلْبثِ المَكروهُ فيها أنْ نَأى
لمّاwhen دَناdrew near المَحبوبُthe beloved دونَwithout رَقيبِهِhis watcher
لمّا دَنا المَحبوبُ دونَ رَقيبِهِ
There, what was hateful soon departed
Trouble didn't last in it before it went away
when the beloved drew near without his watcher.
When the beloved came without a guardian
هِبةa gift of الزمانِtime قَضىpaid بِهاwith it دَيْنthe debt of المُنىdesires
هِبة الزمانِ قَضى بِها دَيْن المُنى
لوif only لمnot يَعُدْit went back مِنْfrom بَعدafterward عنon موهوبِهِits gift
لو لم يَعُدْ مِنْ بَعد عن موهوبِهِ
A gift of time, with which it paid desire's debt—
The gift of time paid the debt of wishes
if only it had not later gone back on its gift!
Even if after it he didn't return to his gift
شتّانhow far apart بَينَbetween مُجَرِّرone dragging لِذُيولِهِhis garment's hems
شتّان بَينَ مُجَرِّر لِذُيولِهِ
طَرَباًin rapture وبَيْنَand between مُمَزّقٍone tearing لِجُيوبِهِhis garment's neck-openings
طَرَباً وبَيْنَ مُمَزّقٍ لِجُيوبِهِ
How far apart are one who trails his garment's hems
Vast is the difference between one who drags his train
in rapture and one who tears its neck-openings!
Agitated, and one whose clothes are torn
ومِنَand among العَجائِبِthe marvels أنthat يَتمّis complete تَمَتُّعٌenjoyment
ومِنَ العَجائِبِ أن يَتمّ تَمَتُّعٌ
لأخيfor one possessed of هَوىlove بأَنيقِهِwith its beauty وعَجيبِهِand its wonders
لأخي هَوى بأَنيقِهِ وعَجيبِهِ
It is among the marvels that enjoyment should be complete
And of wonders is that a perfection was completed
for a lover, with all its beauty and wonders.
For my brother's love, delicate and wondrous
كانَتthey were مَتَاعاًa pleasure لَوْif only يَدومُit lasted وإنّماbut only
كانَت مَتَاعاً لَوْ يَدومُ وإنّما
ضَحِكُthe laughter of الزمانِtime ذريعَةٌa means لِقُطوبِهِto its frowning
ضَحِكُ الزمانِ ذريعَةٌ لِقُطوبِهِ
They were a pleasure—if only that could last; yet
It would have remained if it lasted, but the
time's laughter is merely a prelude to its frowning.
Laugh of time is a pretext for its cutting off
ولئِنْand although تَقضّتthey have passed لَيسَdoes not يَنسَىforget عَهْدَهاtheir memory
ولئِنْ تَقضّت لَيسَ يَنسَى عَهْدَها
كَلِفٌa besotted lover بَسيطُsimple الحُبّlove فيin تَركيبِهِhis makeup
كَلِفٌ بَسيطُ الحُبّ في تَركيبِهِ
Though they have passed, their memory is not forgotten
If it ends, its days won't be forgotten
by a lover with love as a simple element in his makeup.
Affection intertwined in its creation remains
مِنْfrom دونِshort of سَلْوتِهاforgetting them نَوازِعُimpulses of لَوْعَةٍburning longing
مِنْ دونِ سَلْوتِها نَوازِعُ لَوْعَةٍ
قَرَّsettled الفؤادُthe heart بهاwith them فُوْيقَjust above وجِيبِهِits throbbing
قَرَّ الفؤادُ بها فُوْيقَ وجِيبِهِ
Between him and forgetting them stand impulses of burning longing,
Without its intimacy, promptings of anguish
with which the heart rests just above its throbbing.
Wrung my heart, awakened and alert
رَحُبَتْgrew spacious حَياتيmy life عندَbeside يَحيىYahya المُرْتَضىal-Murtada
رَحُبَتْ حَياتي عندَ يَحيى المُرْتَضى
فيin رَحْبِthe breadth of نائلِهِhis bounty وفيand in تَرحيبِهِhis welcome
في رَحْبِ نائلِهِ وفي تَرحيبِهِ
My life grew spacious beside Yahya al-Murtada,
My life expanded with Yahya the Chosen One
in the breadth of his bounty and in his welcome.
In the breadth of his reach and welcome
مَلِكٌa king أقامَestablished الحَقّjustice عندَupon قُعودِهِhis taking his seat
مَلِكٌ أقامَ الحَقّ عندَ قُعودِهِ
وأَعادَand restored فَيْضَthe flood of الجُودِgenerosity بَعدafter نُضوبِهِits drying up
وأَعادَ فَيْضَ الجُودِ بَعد نُضوبِهِ
A king who established justice when he took his seat,
A king who established truth in his sitting
and restored the flood of generosity after it had run dry.
And restored the overflow of generosity after its exhaustion
حَسّتeradicated خلافَتُهُhis caliphate الخلافَdissent وصيّرتand made
حَسّت خلافَتُهُ الخلافَ وصيّرت
مِنْamong حِزْبِهhis party مَنْthose who لَجّpersisted فيin تحزيبِهِforming factions against him
مِنْ حِزْبِه مَنْ لَجّ في تحزيبِهِ
His caliphate wiped out dissent and brought
His caliphate felt the caliphate and led
into his party those who persisted in faction against him.
To his party those who erred in partisanship
وكذاكَand likewise منone whose لَحِظconsidered العَواقِبَthe consequences لُبُّهhis mind
وكذاكَ من لَحِظ العَواقِبَ لُبُّه
حَذِرfeared العِقابpunishment فكفّand so refrained عنfrom تأليبِهِinciting against him
حَذِر العِقاب فكفّ عن تأليبِهِ
Likewise, one whose mind considers the consequences
And so anyone who glimpsed the consequences, his heart
fears punishment and ceases inciting against him.
Feared punishment, and so stopped his incitement
لاَnot يَسْلُبُhe robs الجَبّارَthe tyrant بَيْضَةَthe heart of مُلكِهِhis kingdom
لاَ يَسْلُبُ الجَبّارَ بَيْضَةَ مُلكِهِ
إلاexcept إذَاwhen هوَhe حادdeviated عَنfrom أسْلوبِهِhis path
إلا إذَا هوَ حاد عَن أسْلوبِهِ
He strips no tyrant of the heart of his kingdom
The tyrant cannot seize the egg of a king's realm
unless he has turned aside from his path.
Unless he deviates from his method
تَتَقمّنُseek الأقْدارُthe fates خادِمةًin service لَهُto him
تَتَقمّنُ الأقْدارُ خادِمةً لَهُ
سَرّاءهhis happiness فيin سِلْمِهِhis peace وحُروبِهِand his wars
سَرّاءه في سِلْمِهِ وحُروبِهِ
The fates, serving him, seek
Fates take revenge, serving him
his happiness in his peace and his wars.
In his ease and war
وعَلىand upon مَيامِنِهِhis auspicious blessings الكَوافِلِwhich guarantee بِالمُنىdesires
وعَلى مَيامِنِهِ الكَوافِلِ بِالمُنى
تأمِينُensuring the safety of ظَبْيthe gazelle of القَفْرthe desert عَدْوةَfrom the assault of ذيبِهِits wolf
تأمِينُ ظَبْي القَفْر عَدْوةَ ذيبِهِ
And his auspicious blessings, which guarantee desires,
And for his right side are protections with wishes
ensure the desert gazelle's safety from its wolf's assault.
Like securing for the desert gazelle its foe the wolf
وافَىarrived الزمانُtime بهِwith him إماماًas an imam عادِلاًjust
وافَى الزمانُ بهِ إماماً عادِلاً
والجَوْرُand oppression قَدhad عَمّengulfed الوَرىmankind بِضُروبِهِin all its kinds
والجَوْرُ قَد عَمّ الوَرى بِضُروبِهِ
Time brought him as a just imam
Time fulfilled in him a just imam
when oppression of every kind had engulfed mankind,
While wrongdoing spread in the land in its forms
وَخليفَةًand a caliph فيon الأرضِearth لكِنyet بَيْتَهhis tent
وَخليفَةً في الأرضِ لكِن بَيْتَه
فَوْقabove السماءthe sky يُمَدُّis stretched فيin تَطْنِيبِهِextending its tent-ropes
فَوْق السماء يُمَدُّ في تَطْنِيبِهِ
and as a caliph on earth; yet his tent
And a caliph on earth, but his house
is pitched above the sky, its ropes stretched out.
Above the sky, extended in its perfume
يَرْمِيhe shoots فيُصميand strikes dead قاصِياتِthe farthest reaches of مَرامِهِhis aim
يَرْمِي فيُصمي قاصِياتِ مَرامِهِ
مِنfrom رَأيهِhis judgment بِسَديدِهِwith its soundness ومُصيبِهِand its accuracy
مِن رَأيهِ بِسَديدِهِ ومُصيبِهِ
He shoots, striking down the farthest targets of his aim,
He shoots, and his judgment hits distant aims
with the sound and unerring judgments of his mind.
With its correctness and precision
خَلَعَتْbestowed مَناسِبُهhis lineages الكَريمَةُnoble عِتْقَهاtheir nobility
خَلَعَتْ مَناسِبُه الكَريمَةُ عِتْقَها
وزكاءَهاand their purity حتىeven عَلىupon يَعْبُوبِهِhis swift steed
وزكاءَها حتى عَلى يَعْبُوبِهِ
His noble ancestry has bestowed its high breeding
His noble traits took off their bondage
and its purity even upon his swift steed.
And brilliance, even to his little finger
فإِذاand when امتَطاهُhe mounted it سَماit rose above النُّجومَthe stars بِجيدِهwith its neck
فإِذا امتَطاهُ سَما النُّجومَ بِجيدِه
وشَأىand outstripped الرياحthe winds بِحَضْرهwith its gallop ووثوبِهِand its leaping
وشَأى الرياح بِحَضْره ووثوبِهِ
When he mounts it, it rises above the stars with its neck
So when the stars crown his neck with their position
and outstrips the winds in its gallop and leaps.
And the winds revel in his vicinity and disturbance
لوif أنَّthat لِلأملاكِfor kings فَضْلَthe excellence of نِصابِهِhis stock
لو أنَّ لِلأملاكِ فَضْلَ نِصابِهِ
مَلَكواthey would possess مِنof الأمداحِpraises مِثْلthe like of نَصيبِهِhis share
مَلَكوا مِن الأمداحِ مِثْل نَصيبِهِ
If kings possessed the excellence of his stock,
If the angels had any share of his fortune
they would possess a share of praise like his.
They would praise like his fortune's share
تَخريبُruining بَيْتِthe house of المالِwealth عادَةُthe habit of جُودِهhis generosity
تَخريبُ بَيْتِ المالِ عادَةُ جُودِه
وحَصَانَةُand the protection of العَلياءِlofty glory فيin تَخْريبِهِruining it
وحَصَانَةُ العَلياءِ في تَخْريبِهِ
Ruining the treasury is his generosity's habit,
Looting the public treasury is a habit of his munificence
and lofty glory finds protection in its ruin.
And immunity of the elite in his looting
ضَمِنَتْguaranteed لَهَاهُhis lavish gifts ضَرَائِبٌinnate traits حَفْصِيّةٌHafsid
ضَمِنَتْ لَهَاهُ ضَرَائِبٌ حَفْصِيّةٌ
قَدhave أعْدَمَتْmade nonexistent فِيهَاin them وُجودَthe existence of ضَريبِهِhis equal
قَد أعْدَمَتْ فِيهَا وُجودَ ضَريبِهِ
Hafsid traits have guaranteed his lavish gifts,
Guaranteed taxes secured for him
and have left no equal to him in those traits.
That did away in them with the existence of any tax
إنَّindeed الهُدىguidance لمّاwhen شَكاcomplained لِضَنىًof wasting illness بِهِafflicting it
إنَّ الهُدى لمّا شَكا لِضَنىً بِهِ
ماnot شَكّdoubted فيin إبْلالِهits recovery بِطَبِيبِهِthrough its physician
ما شَكّ في إبْلالِه بِطَبِيبِهِ
Indeed, when guidance complained of its wasting sickness,
When guidance complained to him of scarcity
it never doubted its recovery through its physician.
It didn't doubt his rejuvenation with its remedy
جَرّled الجُيوشَthe armies مُصَمّماًdetermined فيon رَفْعِهraising it up
جَرّ الجُيوشَ مُصَمّماً في رَفْعِه
مِلْءَfilling الملاthe land هَضَبَاتِهِits hills وَسُهوبِهِand its plains
مِلْءَ الملا هَضَبَاتِهِ وَسُهوبِهِ
He led the armies, determined to raise it up,
He dragged the armies determined in its elevation
filling the land, its hills and its plains.
The fullness of the requests of its plateaus and desolate tracts
وجَنَىand reaped جَنِيّthe ripe fruit of النّصْرِvictory فيin تَشريقِهhis eastward march
وجَنَى جَنِيّ النّصْرِ في تَشريقِه
مِنْfrom غَدْرthe treachery of خَاذلهِhis betrayer وفيand in تَغْريبِهِhis westward march
مِنْ غَدْر خَاذلهِ وفي تَغْريبِهِ
He reaped victory's ripe fruit in his march east,
And reaped the harvest of victory in its rising
from his betrayer's treachery, and in his march west.
From the betrayal of those who abandoned it and exiled it
لَمْnot يُبْقِhe left مِنْof شُعبِthe branches of الضلالَةerror شُعْبَةًa single branch
لَمْ يُبْقِ مِنْ شُعبِ الضلالَة شُعْبَةً
بالصَّيدِby hunting منamong أحيائِهhis clans وَشُعُوبِهِand his peoples
بالصَّيدِ من أحيائِه وَشُعُوبِهِ
He left not a single branch of the branches of error,
He didn't leave any trace of the paths of misguidance
by hunting among his clans and peoples.
With hunting in its settlements and nomadic tribes
مُتَبسّماًsmiling ورِماحُهُwhile his spears تَبْكِيweep دَماًblood
مُتَبسّماً ورِماحُهُ تَبْكِي دَماً
فيon اليَوْمِthe day تُحْجَبُis hidden شَمْسُهits sun بِكُعوبِهِby his spear-joints
في اليَوْمِ تُحْجَبُ شَمْسُه بِكُعوبِهِ
Smiling, while his spears weep blood
Smiling while his spears shed blood
on the day whose sun is veiled by the joints of his spears,
In the day his sun is veiled by his sandal
حَيثُwhere المُهنَّدُthe Indian-forged sword مُسمعٌmakes itself heard بِصليلِهِwith its clang
حَيثُ المُهنَّدُ مُسمعٌ بِصليلِهِ
والمَوْتُand death ساقٍa cupbearer للكُماةِto the armored warriors بِكوبِهِwith its cup
والمَوْتُ ساقٍ للكُماةِ بِكوبِهِ
where the Indian-forged sword makes its clash heard,
Where the spears listen to their clashing
and death is cupbearer to the armored warriors, with its cup.
And death escorts the valorous with his cup
تِلْكthat الخِلافَةcaliphate فيin يَديْهِhis hands وعَهْدُهاand its succession
تِلْك الخِلافَة في يَديْهِ وعَهْدُها
لِسليلِهfor his scion رَبّmaster of النّدىgenerosity ورَبِيبِهِand its fosterling
لِسليلِه رَبّ النّدى ورَبِيبِهِ
That caliphate is in his hands, and its succession
That is the caliphate in his hands and its affair
belongs to his scion, master of generosity and its fosterling.
To his descendant, Lord of dew and his foster son
ثَبَتَتْstood firm معاقِدُهاits bonds علَىthrough تَأريبِهِhis firm securing
ثَبَتَتْ معاقِدُها علَى تَأريبِهِ
وَرَسَتand settled firmly قَواعِدُهاits foundations علىthrough ترْبيبِهِhis nurturing
وَرَسَت قَواعِدُها على ترْبيبِهِ
Its bonds stand fast through his firm securing,
Its pacts were fixed on supporting him
and its foundations rest firm through his nurturing.
And its foundations settled on backing him
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.