حَدّثْspeak عنof الطّلَلِthe ruins المُحيلْweathered
حَدّثْ عن الطّلَلِ المُحيلْ
منfrom بعْدِafter حادِثَةِthe calamity of الرّحيلْdeparture
من بعْدِ حادِثَةِ الرّحيلْ
Speak of the weathered ruins
Speak of the ruins after the departure,
after the calamity of departure,
Where the traveling camels were unpacked
حيثُwhere الرَّكائِبُthe riding camels نُزَّعٌyearning
حيثُ الرَّكائِبُ نُزَّعٌ
للورْدِfor watering والظّلِّand the shade الظّليلْdeep
للورْدِ والظّلِّ الظّليلْ
where the riding camels yearn
For roses and pleasant shade,
for water and deep shade.
And generosity reached its peak for the High One
والجودُand generosity أنقَهُmore restorative للعليfor the ailing one (fragment)
والجودُ أنقَهُ للعلي
لِcompletes 'ailing one' بهِin it وأنقَعُand more thirst-quenching للخَليلْfor the friend
لِ بهِ وأنقَعُ للخَليلْ
And generosity is more healing for the ailing
And lowered for the bosom friend.
there, and more thirst-quenching for the friend.
How many souls find comfort
كمhow many منof نُفوسٍsouls عندَهُbeside it
كم من نُفوسٍ عندَهُ
ترْتاحُdelight للنّفَسِin the breath البَليلْcool and moist
ترْتاحُ للنّفَسِ البَليلْ
How many souls beside it
In the tired breath.
delight in the cool, moist breath!
And this homeland in which
هذاthis وللوطَنand for the homeland الذيwhich
هذا وللوطَن الذي
فيهِin it المُعرَّسُthe nighttime halting place والمَقيلْand the noonday resting place
فيهِ المُعرَّسُ والمَقيلْ
Such is it; and the homeland where
Are the newlywed and the buried
lie the night camp and the noonday resting place
Has honor high above the stars
شرفٌhonor سَماrose فوقَabove السُهاal-Suha
شرفٌ سَما فوقَ السُها
بالنّاصِرِthrough al-Nasir الكافيthe one who suffices الكَفيلْthe guarantor
بالنّاصِرِ الكافي الكَفيلْ
has an honor that rises above al-Suha,
With the Victorious Defender, the Guarantor.
through al-Nasir, the all-sufficing guarantor.
And with Joseph, Granada is Egypt
وبيوسُفٍand through Yusuf غرْناطةٌGranada
وبيوسُفٍ غرْناطةٌ
مِصْرٌEgypt ومنand from جَدواهُhis bounty نِيلْa Nile
مِصْرٌ ومن جَدواهُ نِيلْ
And through Yusuf, Granada is
And the Nile flows from its riverbed.
Egypt, and his bounty is its Nile.
And passion toward its dunes
والوجْدُand longing نحوَtoward بطاحِهاits broad plains
والوجْدُ نحوَ بطاحِها
كُلَّall القلوبِthe hearts غَداhas become مُميلْswaying
كُلَّ القلوبِ غَدا مُميلْ
And longing for its broad plains
Has inclined all hearts.
has come to sway every heart.
If not for longing wrapping the air
لوْلاwere it not for الجَوىburning anguish طيَّwithin الجواthe ribs (fragment)
لوْلا الجَوى طيَّ الجوا
نِحِcompletes 'the ribs' ماnot غَداbecame دمْعٌa tear يَسيلْflowing
نِحِ ما غَدا دمْعٌ يَسيلْ
Were it not for anguish folded within the ribs,
No tears would flow.
no tear would have begun to flow.
If not for the excuse of the meeting
لوْلاwere it not for التعلّلُtaking solace باللّقاin meeting (fragment)
لوْلا التعلّلُ باللّقا
ءِcompletes 'meeting' لَماwould not have اشْتَفَىfound healing القلْبُthe heart العَليلْailing
ءِ لَما اشْتَفَى القلْبُ العَليلْ
Were it not for solace in the hope of meeting,
No sick heart would be healed.
the ailing heart would never have found healing.
If not for a girl who perplexed
لولاwere it not for فتاةٌa maiden أعجَزَتْoutdid
لولا فتاةٌ أعجَزَتْ
لفْظَthe speech of المُطيبِthe pleasing speaker أوِor المُطيلْthe expansive speaker
لفْظَ المُطيبِ أوِ المُطيلْ
Were it not for a maiden who outdid
The utterance of the eulogizer or the satirist,
the speech of the pleasing speaker or the expansive one,
I wouldn’t know the meaning of diversion
لمْdid not أدْرِI know ماwhat معْنىthe meaning of السّلوforgetting (fragment)
لمْ أدْرِ ما معْنى السّلو
وِcompletes 'forgetting' إذاًthen عنِfrom الرّسْمِthe traces المُحيلْweathered
وِ إذاً عنِ الرّسْمِ المُحيلْ
I would not have known what it meant to forget
From the impossible task.
the weathered traces, then.
She came guiding and guided
تُهديshe gives gifts وتَهْديand she guides إذْas أتَتْshe came
تُهدي وتَهْدي إذْ أتَتْ
غَرّاءَradiant واضحةَclear الدّليلْthe proof
غَرّاءَ واضحةَ الدّليلْ
She gives gifts and guides, having come
Clear in evidence.
radiant, with clear proof.
What excellent Arabic speech she brought
للّهِfor God ماwhat جاءَتْshe brought بهِwith it
للّهِ ما جاءَتْ بهِ
منof منطِقِthe speech of العربِthe Arabs الأصيلْauthentic
من منطِقِ العربِ الأصيلْ
How wondrous what she has brought
Original and pure.
of the Arabs' authentic speech!
What glory she gained
للهِfor God ماwhat حازَتْهُshe gained it فيin الthe
للهِ ما حازَتْهُ في ال
علْياءِheights منof شرَفِthe nobility of القَبيلْthe clan
علْياءِ من شرَفِ القَبيلْ
How wondrous what she has gained in
Among the supreme tribe.
high rank through her clan's nobility!
She reveals the battalions of her books
تجْلوshe displays كتائِبَthe battalions of كُتْبِهاher writings
تجْلو كتائِبَ كُتْبِها
بمَدىacross the range of البلاغةِeloquence أوor تُجيلْshe sets in motion
بمَدى البلاغةِ أو تُجيلْ
She displays the battalions of her writings
With the endless eloquence or condenses them.
across eloquence's reach, or sends them wheeling.
And she sought out guidance
ولَهاand for her الهَواديthe guiding signs اسْتَشْرَفَتْrose into view
ولَها الهَوادي اسْتَشْرَفَتْ
فهدتْand so they guided إلىto قصْدِthe straight course of السّبيلْthe path
فهدتْ إلى قصْدِ السّبيلْ
And the guiding signs rose into view for her,
To the path of righteousness.
and led her to the straight path.
She is the high-minded one related
فهيَfor she العقيلَةُthe noble lady تنتميtraces her descent
فهيَ العقيلَةُ تنتمي
لعُلاto the eminence of عليٍّAli أوor عقَيلْAqil
لعُلا عليٍّ أو عقَيلْ
For she is the noble lady, tracing her descent
To the excellence of Ali or Aqil.
to the glory of Ali or Aqil,
And to the unique one of the age
ولأوْحَدِand to the peerless one of الدّهْرِthe age الشريthe noble (fragment)
ولأوْحَدِ الدّهْرِ الشري
فِcompletes 'the noble' الماجِدِthe glorious العلَمِthe illustrious one الجَليلْthe venerable
فِ الماجِدِ العلَمِ الجَليلْ
and to the peerless one of the age, the noble,
The learned, the venerable.
the glorious, illustrious, venerable one.
From him a treasure is safely kept
للهِfor God منهُin him مُحْرِزٌone who possesses
للهِ منهُ مُحْرِزٌ
وَصْفَيْthe two qualities of مُنيبٍone who turns to God أوor مُنيلْa giver
وَصْفَيْ مُنيبٍ أو مُنيلْ
How wondrous is he, possessing
Of praise or wish.
the two qualities of the penitent or the generous!
I dedicate to him plenty of eulogy
أُهْديI offer لهُto him جزْلَrobust النّظاverse (fragment)
أُهْدي لهُ جزْلَ النّظا
مِcompletes 'verse' وقدْand indeed حَبانيَhe favored me بالجَزيلْwith abundant gifts
مِ وقدْ حَبانيَ بالجَزيلْ
I offer him robust verse,
As he gifted me plenty.
for he has bestowed lavish gifts upon me.
His words, how many hardened sinners
ألفاظُهhis words كمْhow many منof كثيa dune (fragment)
ألفاظُه كمْ من كثي
بٍcompletes 'a dune' للعُصاةِof the disobedient بهاby them مَهيلْmade to crumble
بٍ للعُصاةِ بها مَهيلْ
His words—how many a dune
Are humbled by them.
of the disobedient is made to crumble by them!
And by his justice, how many rebellious armies
ولكَمْand how often يرُدُّhe turns back بعَدلِهthrough his justice
ولكَمْ يرُدُّ بعَدلِه
للبَغْيof tyranny منْof جيشٍan army فَليلْshattered
للبَغْي منْ جيشٍ فَليلْ
And how often, through his justice, he turns back
Are turned small.
an army of tyranny, shattered!
And by his preaching, how many hearts
ومنَand among القُلوبِthe hearts بوَعْظِهِthrough his admonition
ومنَ القُلوبِ بوَعْظِهِ
يُدْنيhe brings near القصيَّthe distant ويسْتَميلْand wins over
يُدْني القصيَّ ويسْتَميلْ
And among hearts, through his admonition,
Are softened and reconciled,
he brings the distant near and wins them over.
As he considers them like the red cliff
ويراعُهُand his reed pen كالصّعدَةِlike the spear الthe
ويراعُهُ كالصّعدَةِ ال
سمراءِbrown والسّيْفِand the sword الصّقيلْpolished
سمراءِ والسّيْفِ الصّقيلْ
And his reed pen is like the spear,
And the polished sword.
the brown one, and the polished sword.
O son of the one whose traits
ياO ابْنَson of الذيthe one whose بخِلالِهِof his virtues
يا ابْنَ الذي بخِلالِهِ
قدindeed بشّرتْgave glad tidings صُحُفُthe scrolls of الخَليلْal-Khalil (the Friend)
قد بشّرتْ صُحُفُ الخَليلْ
O son of him whose virtues
The scriptures of the Friend prophesied,
the scrolls of al-Khalil heralded!
Say whatever you wish,
قُلْsay مُنْعِماًgraciously ماwhatever شِئْتَهُyou wish it
قُلْ مُنْعِماً ما شِئْتَهُ
فلأنْتَfor you indeed ليto me نِعْمَhow excellent المُقيلْthe pardoner of faults
فلأنْتَ لي نِعْمَ المُقيلْ
Say graciously whatever you wish;
For you are my excellent consoler.
for you are my excellent pardoner of faults.
One who strayed from the guided path
عُذْراًpardon بمثْلِكَthrough one like you يهْتَديis guided
عُذْراً بمثْلِكَ يهْتَدي
مَنwhoever حادَstrayed عنfrom أهْدَىthe straightest سَبيلْpath
مَن حادَ عن أهْدَى سَبيلْ
Forgive me: through one like you is guided
Can be guided by your like.
whoever has strayed from the straightest path.
My intent is to visit you, O peerless one
قصْديmy aim المثولُstanding in attendance لديكَbefore you ياO
قصْدي المثولُ لديكَ يا
مَنْyou who جلَّare exalted فيناamong us عنbeyond مَثيلْan equal
مَنْ جلَّ فينا عن مَثيلْ
My aim is to stand before you, O
Between the rising of dawn
you who are exalted among us beyond compare,
And the coming of night,
ماthat which is بَيْنَbetween شارِقةِthe dawning of الصّباmorning (fragment)
ما بَيْنَ شارِقةِ الصّبا
حِcompletes 'morning' وبيْنَand between جانِحةِthe declining of الأصيلْlate afternoon
حِ وبيْنَ جانِحةِ الأصيلْ
between morning's dawning
With a devotion to the family of Muhammad
and the declining light of late afternoon.
That will not change.
فيin حُبّlove for آلِthe family of محمدٍMuhammad
في حُبّ آلِ محمدٍ
ليَI have حالةٌa state لاnot تسْتَحيلْchanges
ليَ حالةٌ لا تسْتَحيلْ
In love for the family of Muhammad,
After it, never will I seek
I have a feeling that never changes.
Any substitute for visiting.
فمِنَand in place of الزّيارةِthe visit بعْدَهاafter it
فمِنَ الزّيارةِ بعْدَها
هيْهاتَfar be it أطْلُبُI seek منany بَديلْsubstitute
هيْهاتَ أطْلُبُ من بَديلْ
And in place of that visit, afterward,
I spur on my mount to your district
far be it from me to seek any substitute!
With love and passion.
أُزْجيI drive onward المَطيَّthe riding camels لحَيّكُمْto your encampment
أُزْجي المَطيَّ لحَيّكُمْ
بالوَخْدِat a swift stride منْهاof theirs والذّميلْand the trot
بالوَخْدِ منْها والذّميلْ
I drive the riding camels toward your encampment
O you who establish the rights of kinship
at their swift stride and trotting pace.
And virtues without inclining.
ياO مَنْyou who يُقيمُset upright صَغاthe tilt of الفضاthe virtues (fragment)
يا مَنْ يُقيمُ صَغا الفضا
ئِلِcompletes 'the virtues' والفواضِلِand generous favors أنْlest تَميلْthey incline
ئِلِ والفواضِلِ أنْ تَميلْ
O you who correct the tilt of virtues
If not for rhyming couplets
and generous favors, lest they incline,
I would not be content with little in description.
لوْلاwere it not for القَوافيthe rhymes لمْnot أكنْI would be
لوْلا القَوافي لمْ أكنْ
فيin الوصْفِdescription أقْنَعُbe content بالقَليلْwith little
في الوصْفِ أقْنَعُ بالقَليلْ
were it not for rhyme, I would not
So begin with what you have accustomed me
be content with so little in describing you.
Of your noble forgiveness.
فلْتُبْدِso show ماwhat عوّدْتَنيyou have accustomed me to
فلْتُبْدِ ما عوّدْتَني
منْof عادةِthe habit of الصّفْحِpardon الجَميلْgracious
منْ عادةِ الصّفْحِ الجَميلْ
So show what you have accustomed me to:
your habit of gracious pardon.
Partial English translation: 70 of 72 Arabic lines translated.