سَرىtraveled by night وَالدراريand the brilliant stars ثغرهhis mouth وَعقودُهُand his necklaces
سَرى وَالدراري ثغره وَعقودُهُ
خَيالٌa phantom وَفَتwere fulfilled ليfor me بِالوصالwith union عقودهُhis pledges
خَيالٌ وَفَت لي بِالوصال عقودهُ
By night passed one whose mouth and necklaces were brilliant stars—
a phantom whose pledges of union were fulfilled for me.
وَماand not زارَنيvisited me إِلّاexcept كلمحةlike a flash بارِقٍof lightning
وَما زارَني إِلّا كلمحة بارِقٍ
وَعُدتُand I returned إِلىto سهديmy sleeplessness وَعادand returned صدودُهُhis aversion
وَعُدتُ إِلى سهدي وَعاد صدودُهُ
He visited me only as briefly as a flash of lightning;
I returned to sleeplessness, and his aversion returned.
يزوِّرُهُsends him to visit بَدرٌa full moon عَزيزٌdifficult مَنالُهُattaining him
يزوِّرُهُ بَدرٌ عَزيزٌ مَنالُهُ
فَكلّso every محبّlover بِالغَرامthrough passion شَهيدهُhis martyr
فَكلّ محبّ بِالغَرام شَهيدهُ
A full moon, hard to attain, sends him to visit;
so every lover is a martyr to passion for him.
مُهَفهفُslender قدٍّof stature مترفُpampered الجسمin body أغيدٌsupple and graceful
مُهَفهفُ قدٍّ مترفُ الجسم أغيدٌ
تَكادalmost عقودthe necklaces الغانِياتof beautiful women تؤودهُweigh him down
تَكاد عقود الغانِيات تؤودهُ
Slender in figure, soft of body, supple and graceful,
the necklaces of beautiful women almost weigh him down.
هِلالٌa crescent moon وَلَكِنَّbut القُلوبthe hearts مَحلُّهُhis abode
هِلالٌ وَلَكِنَّ القُلوب مَحلُّهُ
غَزالٌa gazelle وَلَكِنbut العذارthe cheek-down زرودهُhis chain mail
غَزالٌ وَلَكِن العذار زرودهُ
A crescent moon, yet hearts are his abode;
a gazelle, yet his cheek-down is his chain mail.
لَهُfor it مِنfrom سَناthe radiance الخدّof the cheek البهيّthe splendid نضارُهُits gold
لَهُ مِن سَنا الخدّ البهيّ نضارُهُ
وَمنand from نظَرِthe gaze اللّحظof the glance القَويّthe powerful حديدهُits iron
وَمن نظَرِ اللّحظ القَويّ حديدهُ
Its gold comes from his splendid cheek's radiance,
and its iron from the gaze of his powerful glance.
وَلمّاand when اِستَقَلَّset out الرَكبُthe caravan بِالصَبرwith patience راحِلاًdeparting
وَلمّا اِستَقَلَّ الرَكبُ بِالصَبر راحِلاً
غَدَوتُI became كَأَنّيas though I فيin الجَوىburning heartache أَستَزيدهُsought more of it
غَدَوتُ كَأَنّي في الجَوى أَستَزيدهُ
When the caravan set out, bearing patience away,
I became as one seeking still more of love's anguish.
فَماfor no الروضُgarden فيin ثَوبٍa robe كَسَتهُclothed it يَدthe hand الحَياof rain
فَما الروضُ في ثَوبٍ كَسَتهُ يَد الحَيا
فَرقَّتso grew delicate حَواشيهِits borders وَراقَتand became lovely برودهُits striped robes
فَرقَّت حَواشيهِ وَراقَت برودهُ
No garden, in a robe bestowed by rain's own hand,
its borders tender, its striped robes lovely,
بِأظرفَmore charming مِنthan أَخلاقِهِhis character وَحَديثِهِand his speech
بِأظرفَ مِن أَخلاقِهِ وَحَديثِهِ
وَلاand not سيّماthe like of (together: especially) لَمّاwhen تَرَنَّمَsang عودهُhis lute
وَلا سيّما لَمّا تَرَنَّمَ عودهُ
is more charming than his character and speech,
especially when his lute sings.
أَبدرَO full moon of الدّجىthe darkness مَهلاًgently ورفقاًand kindly بمدنفٍtoward a wasted lover
أَبدرَ الدّجى مَهلاً ورفقاً بمدنفٍ
جَفاكyour estrangement شَقاهhis misery وَالوِصالُand union سعودهُhis good fortune
جَفاك شَقاه وَالوِصالُ سعودهُ
O full moon of night, be gentle and kind to one wasting away:
your estrangement is his misery, and union his good fortune.
قَدindeed اِصفرّturned yellow فيon يَومthe day القِلىof aversion منكfrom you جسمهُhis body
قَد اِصفرّ في يَوم القِلى منك جسمهُ
وَماand not اِخضرَّgrew green فيon يَومthe day اللقاof meeting بكwith you عودُهُhis bough
وَما اِخضرَّ في يَوم اللقا بك عودُهُ
His body turned yellow on the day of your aversion,
and his bough did not grow green on the day he met you.
فَلاnay وَقَوامٍby a figure مِنكَof yours يهتزّswaying كاللواlike a banner
فَلا وَقَوامٍ مِنكَ يهتزّ كاللوا
ذَوائِبُكَyour tresses اللّاتيwhich عُقِدنَwere knotted بُنودهُits pennants
ذَوائِبُكَ اللّاتي عُقِدنَ بُنودهُ
Nay, by your figure, swaying like a banner,
your knotted tresses its pennants;
وَجفنٍand by an eyelid كَسَيفٍlike a sword وجنتاكِyour cheeks فرِندُهُits watered pattern
وَجفنٍ كَسَيفٍ وجنتاكِ فرِندُهُ
صَقيلٍpolished وَلَكِنّbut القلوبthe hearts غمودهُits scabbards
صَقيلٍ وَلَكِنّ القلوب غمودهُ
and by an eyelid like a sword, your cheeks its watered sheen,
polished, yet hearts are its scabbards;
وَثَغرٍand by a mouth بِهِin it ماءthe water الحَياةof life وَدُرُّهاand its pearls
وَثَغرٍ بِهِ ماء الحَياة وَدُرُّها
وَلَكِنbut لخضرfor the Khidr of الخدّthe cheek مِنكَof yours ورودهُcoming to it
وَلَكِن لخضر الخدّ مِنكَ ورودهُ
and by a mouth holding life's water and its pearls,
yet only the Khidr of your cheek may come to drink there;
وَأَيّامِand by days of وَصلٍunion ماnone سواكbut you يُعيدهاrestores them
وَأَيّامِ وَصلٍ ما سواك يُعيدها
لِصبٍّfor a yearning lover سَقيمsick ماnone سواكbut you يعودهُvisits him
لِصبٍّ سَقيم ما سواك يعودهُ
and by days of union none but you can restore
to a sick lover whom none but you visits—
لَقَدindeed ضَلَّwent astray عَقليmy reason فيin هَواكَloving you وَلَمand did not يفِدbenefit
لَقَد ضَلَّ عَقلي في هَواكَ وَلَم يفِد
وَحقّكby your right منfrom هَذاthis النَسيبِlove-prelude نَشيدُهُits singing
وَحقّك من هَذا النَسيبِ نَشيدُهُ
my reason has surely strayed in love for you, and gained nothing—
by your right—from singing this love-prelude.
وَماand not ليَfor me ذنبٌa fault غيرother than أَنّيthat I متيّمٌam love-enslaved
وَما ليَ ذنبٌ غير أَنّي متيّمٌ
حليفُan ally of جوىًburning heartache صَبُّyearning الفؤادِat heart عميدهُits stricken victim
حليفُ جوىً صَبُّ الفؤادِ عميدهُ
I have no fault except that I am enslaved by love,
wedded to anguish, yearning and stricken of heart.
فَياso O ناهِباًone robbing مِنfrom مُقلَتيmy eyes سِنَةَthe drowsiness الكرىof sleep
فَيا ناهِباً مِن مُقلَتي سِنَةَ الكرى
فِدىًa ransom لكfor you مَنهوبُone robbed of الرقادslumber شريدهُits outcast
فِدىً لك مَنهوبُ الرقاد شريدهُ
O robber of sleep's drowsiness from my eyes,
may this man robbed of slumber, exiled from it, be your ransom.
وَياand O promise of وَعدَthe one منI love him أَهواهwhat ماis with you لَكَbreaking your promise once made? The answer may be found in the hidden junctions, where verse and gloss diverge. مُخلفاًdiscarded but still syntactically resident
وَيا وَعدَ من أَهواه ما لَكَ مُخلفاً
وَأَنتَwhile you منىthe hopes of قَلبthe heart المَشوقِof the yearning lover وَعيدهُand its feast day
وَأَنتَ منى قَلب المَشوقِ وَعيدهُ
O promise of the one I love, why are you broken,
when you are the yearning heart's hope and feast?
عَسىmay قَلبُthe heart مَنof one who يَهوىloves تنعِّمُbring ease to بالهُhis mind
عَسى قَلبُ مَن يَهوى تنعِّمُ بالهُ
أَياديthe favors of الرضىal-Rida عَبدِAbd (servant of) العَزيزal-Aziz (the Mighty) وَجودُهُand his generosity
أَيادي الرضى عَبدِ العَزيز وَجودُهُ
May the heart of one in love have its cares soothed
by the favors of al-Rida, Abd al-Aziz, and his generosity.
فَللملكso for the king المَنصورal-Mansur فيin الأَرضِthe earth كلّهاall of it
فَللملك المَنصور في الأَرضِ كلّها
ثَناءٌpraise إِلىto أفقthe horizon السَماءof heaven صعودُهُits ascent
ثَناءٌ إِلى أفق السَماء صعودُهُ
For King al-Mansur, throughout the earth,
there is praise rising to the horizon of heaven.
مَليكٌa sovereign لَهُhe has فيin الخافقَينِthe two horizons مآثِرٌnoble deeds
مَليكٌ لَهُ في الخافقَينِ مآثِرٌ
يَدومendures بِهاthrough them طولَthroughout الزَمانtime وجودُهُhis existence
يَدوم بِها طولَ الزَمان وجودُهُ
A sovereign whose noble deeds span east and west,
through which his existence endures for all time;
ومولىًand a lord عَلاexalted قَدراًin rank وَرأياًand in judgment وَمَنزِلاًand in station
ومولىً عَلا قَدراً وَرأياً وَمَنزِلاً
وَبَيتاًand in house وَأَصلاًand in ancestry واضِحاتٍclear سعودهُhis auspicious stars
وَبَيتاً وَأَصلاً واضِحاتٍ سعودهُ
a lord exalted in rank, judgment, and station,
in house and lineage, his auspicious stars shining clear.
أَضافَhe added إِلىto البِشرِcheerfulness المَهابَةmajesty وَالنَدىand generosity
أَضافَ إِلى البِشرِ المَهابَة وَالنَدى
كَغيثlike rain تَوالىfollowed in succession بَرقهits lightning وَرعودهُand its thunderclaps
كَغيث تَوالى بَرقه وَرعودهُ
He added majesty and generosity to cheerfulness,
like a rainstorm whose lightning and thunder follow in succession.
وَمدّand he extended يَدthe hand of الجَدوىbounty لِمُثنٍto a praiser وَجاحدٍand an ingrate
وَمدّ يَد الجَدوى لِمُثنٍ وَجاحدٍ
سواءalike لَديهِto him شاكِرٌa grateful person وجحودهُand his ingrate
سواء لَديهِ شاكِرٌ وجحودهُ
He extended the hand of bounty to praiser and ingrate;
the grateful and those ungrateful to him are alike in his eyes.
فَأَمّاso as for الَّذيthe one who يُثنيpraises فَيَزدادُthen increases شكرُهُhis gratitude
فَأَمّا الَّذي يُثني فَيَزدادُ شكرُهُ
وَبالشكرِand through gratitude حَقّاًtruly يَستَزيدُseeks more مَزيدُهُhis increase
وَبالشكرِ حَقّاً يَستَزيدُ مَزيدُهُ
As for the one who praises, his gratitude grows,
and gratitude truly wins him still greater bounty.
وَأَمّاand as for الَّذيthe one who مِنof شأنهhis nature الجحدُdenial فَهوَthen he لاnot
وَأَمّا الَّذي مِن شأنه الجحدُ فَهوَ لا
يَزالceases إِلىuntil أَنthat يَضمحلَّfades away جحودهُhis ingratitude
يَزال إِلى أَن يَضمحلَّ جحودهُ
As for one whose habit is denial, he never
ceases giving until that man's ingratitude fades away.
كَذاthus فَليَكُنso let ... be جودُthe generosity الملوكof kings ومنand whoever يَكُنis
كَذا فَليَكُن جودُ الملوك ومن يَكُن
لَهُhe has غَيرُother than هَذاthis مَلكٌa kingdom ماتhas died جودهُhis generosity
لَهُ غَيرُ هَذا مَلكٌ مات جودهُ
Such should be the bounty of kings; whoever has
a reign unlike this—his bounty is dead.
ومنand whoever لَمnot يدبِّرgoverns هَكَذاlike this اِنهَدَّcollapses رُكنُهُhis pillar
ومن لَم يدبِّر هَكَذا اِنهَدَّ رُكنُهُ
وَهَذاand this one بحسنِthrough soundness of الرأيِjudgment يَقوىgrows strong مَشيدهُhis lofty edifice
وَهَذا بحسنِ الرأيِ يَقوى مَشيدهُ
Whoever does not govern thus, his pillar collapses;
sound judgment strengthens this ruler's lofty edifice.
وَمَنand whoever كانَis مَنسوباًlinked by lineage لصحبto the companions of محمّدMuhammad
وَمَن كانَ مَنسوباً لصحب محمّد
فَللفلكthen to the sphere الأَعلىthe highest يَكونwill be صعودهُhis ascent
فَللفلك الأَعلى يَكون صعودهُ
And whoever traces his lineage to Muhammad's Companions,
his ascent shall be to the highest sphere.
حَميدُpraiseworthy in السَجاياcharacter يَملأfills العينَthe eye بَهجَةًwith delight
حَميدُ السَجايا يَملأ العينَ بَهجَةً
لَقَدindeed فازَhas triumphed مَحمودpraised المَقالin speech حَميدُهُhis praiser
لَقَد فازَ مَحمود المَقال حَميدُهُ
Praiseworthy in character, he fills the eye with delight;
his praiser has surely triumphed, his words applauded.
لَهُhe has قَلمٌa pen فيin مدَّةa single stroke منof مدادهits ink
لَهُ قَلمٌ في مدَّة من مداده
غنىwealth الدهرfor a lifetime أَوor قمعاًa crushing blow يَراهhe sees it حسودهُhis envier
غنى الدهر أَو قمعاً يَراه حسودهُ
He has a pen: in a single flow of its ink lies
a lifetime's wealth, or a crushing blow his envier sees.
يَفوحgives fragrance وَيُجنىand is harvested يطربُdelights الصَحبَthe companions يَطعَنُpierces الthe
يَفوح وَيُجنى يطربُ الصَحبَ يَطعَنُ ال
عدىfoes فَعَلىso in الأَحوالall states بوركblessed be عودهُits wood
عدى فَعَلى الأَحوال بورك عودهُ
It gives fragrance, is harvested, delights companions, and pierces the
foes; in every state, blessed be its wood.
وَحِلمٌand forbearance يحكُّbrushes against الشامِخاتِthe towering peaks عمودُهُits pillar
وَحِلمٌ يحكُّ الشامِخاتِ عمودُهُ
وَبأسٌand might يَدُكُّcrushes الراسِياتِthe firmly rooted mountains جَليدهُits mighty force
وَبأسٌ يَدُكُّ الراسِياتِ جَليدهُ
And forbearance whose pillar brushes the towering peaks,
and might whose fierce strength crushes the firmly rooted mountains.
إِلَيكَto you أَميرَCommander of المُسلمينthe Muslims بعثتI sent ماthat which
إِلَيكَ أَميرَ المُسلمين بعثت ما
يَنوبstands in مَنابيmy stead فيin التَحاياgreetings ورودهُits arrival
يَنوب مَنابي في التَحايا ورودهُ
To you, Commander of the Muslims, I have sent what
upon arriving takes my place in offering greetings:
قَصيداًa poem يَروقpleases السمعthe ear إِنif يصغِattends مُنصِتٌa listener
قَصيداً يَروق السمع إِن يصغِ مُنصِتٌ
إِلَيهاto it يقُلhe will say قَدindeed قالhas spoken صِدقاًtruthfully قَصيدُهُhis poem
إِلَيها يقُل قَد قال صِدقاً قَصيدُهُ
a poem pleasing to the ear; should a listener attend
to it, he will say, ‘His poem has spoken truth.’
مَدَحتُكI praised you حُبّاًout of love فيfor فَضائِلvirtues جُمِّعَتwere gathered
مَدَحتُك حُبّاً في فَضائِل جُمِّعَت
لديكin you فَقَلبيso my heart لِلسماعthrough hearing عَميدهُits love-stricken captive
لديك فَقَلبي لِلسماع عَميدهُ
I praised you out of love for virtues gathered
in you; my heart is enthralled by hearing them.
وَأَرسَلتُهاand I sent it مِنfrom مصرEgypt منfrom بعدafter أَنthat سَعَتit had hastened
وَأَرسَلتُها مِن مصر من بعد أَن سَعَت
وَطافَتand circumambulated بِبَيتٍaround a house قَدindeed تَعاظَمgrew magnificent عيدهُits festival
وَطافَت بِبَيتٍ قَد تَعاظَم عيدهُ
I sent it from Egypt after it had hastened
and circled a house whose festival had grown magnificent.
دَعَوتُI prayed لَكُمfor you بِالنَصرfor victory فيat كُلِّevery مَشهَدٍsacred gathering
دَعَوتُ لَكُم بِالنَصر في كُلِّ مَشهَدٍ
وَكَمand how many a مشعَرٍsacred station قَدindeed طابwas sweet فيكمfor your sake شهودهُattending it
وَكَم مشعَرٍ قَد طاب فيكم شهودهُ
I prayed for your victory at every sacred gathering,
and many a sacred station was sweet to attend for your sake.
فعزّكso your glory لاno ذلٌّhumiliation يُلاقيهِmeets it دائِماًever
فعزّك لا ذلٌّ يُلاقيهِ دائِماً
وَملككand your kingdom فيin الدُنياthis world يَدومendures خلودهُits permanence
وَملكك في الدُنيا يَدوم خلودهُ
May your glory forever meet no humiliation,
and may your reign in this world endure forever.
Translation model: Sol 6.1