ياO كؤوسَcups المُدَامِof wine أَنتِyou حَرَامُforbidden
يا كؤوسَ المُدَامِ أَنتِ حَرَامُ
لكِyours عامٌa year وللصَّوَارمِand for keen swords عَامُa year
لكِ عامٌ وللصَّوَارمِ عَامُ
O cups of wine, you are forbidden.
O goblets of wine, you are forbidden fruit
A year is yours, and a year belongs to keen swords.
One year for you, and for the swords, one year
تُسْتَلَذُّare savored الآلامُthe pains فيهin it إذاif كاis (continued)
تُسْتَلَذُّ الآلامُ فيه إذا كا
نَcompletion of 'is' بمكروههنَّthrough their bitterness يُشفَىis healed الغَرَامُlonging
نَ بمكروههنَّ يُشفَى الغَرَامُ
Pains are savored in that year, if
Sorrows turn sweet when endured
their bitterness brings healing to longing.
For lovesickness is healed by what caused it
لاmay I not صَحِبْتُkeep company with الحياةَlife أنْif صَحِبَتْنِيaccompanies me
لا صَحِبْتُ الحياةَ أنْ صَحِبَتْنِي
فيin المُلِمَّاتِcalamities مُهْجَةٌa soul تُسْتَضَامُis humiliated
في المُلِمَّاتِ مُهْجَةٌ تُسْتَضَامُ
May I not keep life's company if my companion
If life were a companion, it would be
in calamities is a soul that suffers humiliation.
A stinging companion in adversities
كيفhow أَخشىshould I fear الخطوبَcalamities واللهُwhile God مِنهنْfrom them (continued)
كيف أَخشى الخطوبَ واللهُ مِنهنْ
نَcompletion of 'from them' مُجيريmy protector والمَرْزُبانand al-Marzuban الهُمَامُthe valiant
نَ مُجيري والمَرْزُبان الهُمَامُ
How should I fear calamities, when God is
How can I fear misfortunes when God is
my protector against them, as is al-Marzuban, the valiant?
My protector, and the best armor?
ياO سميَّnamesake of الحُسامِthe sword والنَّيِّرِand the luminary الاعgreatest (continued)
يا سميَّ الحُسامِ والنَّيِّرِ الاع
ظمِcompletion of 'greatest' لاmay not استبدلتْreplace بكَyou الأَيامُthe days
ظمِ لا استبدلتْ بكَ الأَيامُ
O namesake of the sword and the greatest
O peerless sword and magnificent spear
luminary, may the days never replace you.
No days can replace you
واستهلتْand may they dawn بماwith what تحبyou love وتختاand you choose (continued)
واستهلتْ بما تحب وتختا
رُcompletion of 'choose' عليكَupon you الشُّهورُthe months والأَعوامُand the years
رُ عليكَ الشُّهورُ والأَعوامُ
And may they dawn with what you love and
Months and years passed joyfully with what you love
choose—the months and years that come upon you.
What can be said of you? Meanings are exhausted and words fall short
أَيُّwhat شيءٍthing نقولهwe say it فيكَabout you أَفنيexhausted (continued)
أَيُّ شيءٍ نقوله فيكَ أَفني
تَyou (verb ending) المعانيthe meanings وضاقَand grew narrow عنكَfor you الكَلامُspeech
تَ المعاني وضاقَ عنكَ الكَلامُ
What can we say of you? You have exhausted
Before you were adorned, your sharp blades swept past
all meanings; speech is too narrow to contain you.
Not slowed by thick armor or white swords
أَنتَyou منfrom قبلِbefore ماthat تحليتَyou were adorned ماضٍkeen
أَنتَ من قبلِ ما تحليتَ ماضٍ
أَبِحَلْيis it by the adornment of النِجَادِthe baldric يَمضيcuts الحُسَامُthe sword
أَبِحَلْي النِجَادِ يَمضي الحُسَامُ
You were already keen before you were adorned;
Titles did not increase your beauty, you were
does the adornment of the baldric make the sword cut?
Already majestic and esteemed
لمdid not تزدكُadd to you الأَلقابُthe titles زيناًadornment وماand nothing زاadorned (continued)
لم تزدكُ الأَلقابُ زيناً وما زا
نكَyou (completing 'adorned you') إلاَّexcept الاجْلالُreverence والاعظَامُand veneration
نكَ إلاَّ الاجْلالُ والاعظَامُ
Titles added no adornment to you; nothing
You exceeded what the admirer thought of you
adorned you but reverence and veneration.
When the Imam tested you
كنتَyou were فوقَabove الذيwhat يظُنُّthinks بكَof you المُحthe well-thinking person (continued)
كنتَ فوقَ الذي يظُنُّ بكَ المُح
سنُcompletion of 'well-thinking person' ظناًin opinion لماwhen بَلاكَtested you الامَامُthe imam
سنُ ظناً لما بَلاكَ الامَامُ
You surpassed what even one who thought
A warrior tried swords but was not pleased
well of you expected, when the imam tested you.
Except by the memorable, unfailing blade
ضاربٌa swordsman جَرَّبَtested السيوفَthe swords فماso none أَرpleased (continued)
ضاربٌ جَرَّبَ السيوفَ فما أَر
ضاهُhim (completing 'pleased him') إلاَّexcept المُذَكَّرُthe hard-steeled الصَمْصَامُthe unbending sword
ضاهُ إلاَّ المُذَكَّرُ الصَمْصَامُ
A swordsman who tested swords; none
On which the long swords and white blades have no effect
pleased him but the hard-steeled, unbending sword.
When their reins are pulled
الذيwhich ليسَthere is no للسَّوابغِfor full coats of mail والبِيْand helmets (continued)
الذي ليسَ للسَّوابغِ والبِيْ
ضِcompletion of 'helmets' عليهupon him إذاwhen أَجَرْنَthey grant refuge ذِمَامُclaim to protection
ضِ عليه إذا أَجَرْنَ ذِمَامُ
Against which full coats of mail and helmets
Be forgiving, O He of abundant sins, as you hope
have no claim to protection when they grant refuge.
For forgiveness, though also vengeance
خَفْهُfear him ياO واسعَabounding in الذنوبِsins كماjust as ترyou hope (continued)
خَفْهُ يا واسعَ الذنوبِ كما تر
جوcompletion of 'hope' ففيهfor in him عفوٌpardon وفيهand in him انتقَامُvengeance
جو ففيه عفوٌ وفيه انتقَامُ
Fear him, O you of many sins, just as you
There is no intimate but euphoric intoxication
hope in him: in him are pardon and vengeance.
Which captured his mind more than wine
لاnot خَليٌّa carefree man بالتُّرهاتِin idle trifles طروبٌdelighting
لا خَليٌّ بالتُّرهاتِ طروبٌ
ملكتْhas seized لُبَّهُhis reason عليهِover him المُدَامُwine
ملكتْ لُبَّهُ عليهِ المُدَامُ
He is no carefree reveler, delighted by idle trifles,
God protect a state whose eyes never sleep
whose mind wine has seized, overpowering him.
With the outstretched arm of the courageous lion
حَفِظَmay preserve اللهُGod دولةًa realm بتَّyou spent the night ترعاyou guard (continued)
حَفِظَ اللهُ دولةً بتَّ ترعا
هاit بعينٍwith an eye أَجفانُهاits eyelids ماnot تنَامُsleep
ها بعينٍ أَجفانُها ما تنَامُ
May God preserve the realm you guard by night
Whose back cannot be attacked from behind
with an eye whose lids never sleep,
If you lead after servants and destiny's perfection
باسِطاًstretching out دونَهاbefore it يدَthe paw of الأسَدِthe lion الأسْblack (continued)
باسِطاً دونَها يدَ الأسَدِ الأسْ
وَدِcompletion of 'black' ماwhat خَلْفُbehind ظَهْرِهِhis back لاnot يُرَامُcan be assailed
وَدِ ما خَلْفُ ظَهْرِهِ لا يُرَامُ
stretching before it the paw of the black
Then your father who protected it, though crowds pressed
lion: what lies behind his back cannot be assailed.
And jostled behind it, prevented its back
إنif تكنit is فيunder القيادِthe rein بَعْدَafter شِماسٍrestiveness
إن تكن في القيادِ بَعْدَ شِماسٍ
وعلىand upon واهبthe giver of الحظوظِgood fortunes التَّمَامُfulfillment
وعلى واهب الحظوظِ التَّمَامُ
If it now obeys the rein after its restiveness—
As the well-guarded woman prevents impropriety
and fulfillment rests with the giver of good fortune—
Though solicited insistently by men
فأَبوكَthen your father الذيthe one who حواهاwon it وقدwhile already ضاgrew cramped (continued)
فأَبوكَ الذي حواها وقد ضا
قَcompletion of 'grew cramped' عِراكٌstrife منfrom دونهاbefore it وَزحَامُand thronging
قَ عِراكٌ من دونها وَزحَامُ
then your father was the one who won it, while
He exalted it, though exaltation brings fits
strife and thronging pressed close before it.
Which people avoid undertaking
منعتْit withheld ظهَرَهاits back كماjust as تَمنعُwithholds المُهْthe filly (continued)
منعتْ ظهَرَها كما تَمنعُ المُهْ
رَةُcompletion of 'filly' فيهاin her تَعَرضٌswerving وَعُرَامُand unruliness
رَةُ فيها تَعَرضٌ وَعُرَامُ
It withheld its back, as does a
An unattainable pinnacle, which none can attain
filly, swerving and unruly.
By pursuing it, nor are feet equal to it
فَعَلاهَاso he mounted it وللعُلاand high glory has نَزَواتٌleaps
فَعَلاهَا وللعُلا نَزَواتٌ
يَتَحامىshrink from ركوبَهاriding them الأَقوَامُpeople
يَتَحامى ركوبَها الأَقوَامُ
So he mounted it; high glory has leaps
But the Buyids are empowered for high pursuits
that people shrink from riding.
And generous deeds are their system
غايةٌa goal لاnot ينالُهاattains it منwhoever تَعاطاattempts (continued)
غايةٌ لا ينالُها من تَعاطا
هاit ولاand not تَسْتَوىstand firm بهاupon it الأقدَامُfeet
ها ولا تَسْتَوى بها الأقدَامُ
A goal unattained by those who attempt
Every year they don the robe of kingship
it; nor can feet stand firm upon it.
Greetings and peace be upon them
انَّماonly المنعمونَthe benefactors آلُthe house of بويهٍBuwayh
انَّما المنعمونَ آلُ بويهٍ
للمعالىfor lofty achievements والمكرُماتُand noble deeds نِظَامُa unifying thread
للمعالى والمكرُماتُ نِظَامُ
Only the benefactors—the house of Buwayh—
Like spear tips fluttering in battle
are the thread uniting lofty achievements and noble deeds.
Banners and standards above them
كلُّevery عامyear يَغْدُونَthey go forth فيin خِلَعِrobes of honor الملkingship (continued)
كلُّ عام يَغْدُونَ في خِلَعِ المل
كِcompletion of 'kingship' عليهمupon them تَحِيَّةٌgreetings وَسَلامُand peace
كِ عليهم تَحِيَّةٌ وَسَلامُ
Each year they go forth in robes of
kingship; greetings and peace be upon them.
كصُدورِlike the heads of الرماحِlances تَخفِقُflutter فيin الجَthe air (continued)
كصُدورِ الرماحِ تَخفِقُ في الجَ
وِّcompletion of 'the air' عليهاupon them الراياتُthe banners والأَعْلاَمُand the standards
وِّ عليها الراياتُ والأَعْلاَمُ
Like the heads of lances, over which in the
air flutter banners and standards.
Partial English translation: 44 of 48 Arabic lines translated.