لِلَّهِbelonging to God سِرُّa secret جَمالٍof beauty أَنتَyou مَوضِعُهُits abode
لِلَّهِ سِرُّ جَمالٍ أَنتَ مَوضِعُهُ
وَالسِرُّand the secret حَيثُwhere يَشاءُwills اللَهُGod يودِعُهُHe deposits it
وَالسِرُّ حَيثُ يَشاءُ اللَهُ يودِعُهُ
God has a secret of beauty; you are its abode.
And God deposits that secret wherever He wills.
مَنwhoever كانَwas يُنكِرُdenying أَنَّthat الخَلقَcreation جُمِّعَwas gathered فيin
مَن كانَ يُنكِرُ أَنَّ الخَلقَ جُمِّعَ في
شَخصٍa person فَفيكَthen in you بَيانٌproof لَيسَdoes not يَدفَعُهُrefute it
شَخصٍ فَفيكَ بَيانٌ لَيسَ يَدفَعُهُ
Whoever has denied that creation was gathered in
One person has, in you, proof he cannot refute.
فَمِنكَso from you فيin كُلِّevery عَينٍeye ماthat which تَقَرُّfinds delight بِهِin it
فَمِنكَ في كُلِّ عَينٍ ما تَقَرُّ بِهِ
وَمِنكَand from you فيin كُلِّevery جَأشٍheart ماthat which يُرَوِّعُهُterrifies it
وَمِنكَ في كُلِّ جَأشٍ ما يُرَوِّعُهُ
So from you, every eye receives what gives it delight,
And from you, every heart receives what awes it.
إِذاif اِنطَوىfolded itself لَكَtoward you قَلبٌa heart فَوقَover مَوجِدَةٍresentment
إِذا اِنطَوى لَكَ قَلبٌ فَوقَ مَوجِدَةٍ
تَبَرَّأَتdisowned مِنهُfrom it أَوor عادَتهُbecame its enemies أَضلُعُهُits ribs
تَبَرَّأَت مِنهُ أَو عادَتهُ أَضلُعُهُ
If a heart harbors resentment against you,
Its ribs disown it or become its enemies.
لِلناسِfor people إِنif رَكِبواthey traveled نَهجَthe path الفَخارِof glory بُنَيّlittle byways (word begins)
لِلناسِ إِن رَكِبوا نَهجَ الفَخارِ بُنَيّ
اتِplural ending (completes 'byways') الطَريقِof the road وَلِاِبنِand for Ibn الجَدِّal-Jadd مَهيَعُهُits broad highway
اتِ الطَريقِ وَلِاِبنِ الجَدِّ مَهيَعُهُ
Other men, when they tread the road of glory, have its little
Byways; Ibn al-Jadd has its broad highway.
ماnot صُوِّرَتwas fashioned لِسِوىfor anything but التَنويلِbestowing gifts راحَتُهُhis palm
ما صُوِّرَت لِسِوى التَنويلِ راحَتُهُ
وَلاand not لِغَيرِfor anything other than اِستِماعِhearing الحَمدِpraise مَهيَعُهُhis broad passage
وَلا لِغَيرِ اِستِماعِ الحَمدِ مَهيَعُهُ
His palm was fashioned for nothing but bestowing gifts,
Nor his broad passage for anything but hearing praise.
وَجهٌa face يُضيءُshines وَيُمنىand a right hand سَيبُهاits bounty غَدِقٌabundant
وَجهٌ يُضيءُ وَيُمنى سَيبُها غَدِقٌ
كَالبَدرِlike the full moon وافَقَcoincided with فَيضَthe flood النيلِof the Nile مَطلِعُهُits rising
كَالبَدرِ وافَقَ فَيضَ النيلِ مَطلِعُهُ
A face that shines, a right hand abundant in bounty,
Like the full moon whose rising coincided with the Nile's flood.
كَالغَيثِlike rain لَكِنَّهُbut he رَيٌّthirst-quenching بِلاwithout شَرَقٍchoking
كَالغَيثِ لَكِنَّهُ رَيٌّ بِلا شَرَقٍ
وَالغَيثُand the rain قَدmay يُشرِقُchoke الوُرّادَthose coming for water مَشرَعُهُits watering place
وَالغَيثُ قَد يُشرِقُ الوُرّادَ مَشرَعُهُ
Like rain, yet he quenches thirst without choking,
And rain's watering place may choke those who come to drink.
كَالطَلِّlike dew لَكِنbut يُرَدّىis robed in النورَlight لابِسُهُits wearer
كَالطَلِّ لَكِن يُرَدّى النورَ لابِسُهُ
وَالظِلِّand shade لاnot يَقبَلُadmits الأَنوارَlights مَوقِعُهُits resting place
وَالظِلِّ لا يَقبَلُ الأَنوارَ مَوقِعُهُ
Like dew, but its wearer is robed in light,
And shade's resting place admits no light.
بِفِكرِهِwith his thought مِنof مَصيفٍa summer شَبَّblazed لَفحَتُهُits scorching blast
بِفِكرِهِ مِن مَصيفٍ شَبَّ لَفحَتُهُ
وَكَفِّهِand his palm مِنof رَبيعٍa spring رَبَّflourished مَربَعُهُits meadow
وَكَفِّهِ مِن رَبيعٍ رَبَّ مَربَعُهُ
In his thought is a summer whose scorching blast blazes,
And in his palm a spring whose meadow flourishes.
زادَتgrew وَزارَتُهُhis vizierate إِذwhen ثُنِّيَتwas doubled شَرَفاًin honor
زادَت وَزارَتُهُ إِذ ثُنِّيَت شَرَفاً
مُزَوَّجُpaired الدُرِّpearls أَبهاهُits most splendid وَأَبدَعُهُand its most wondrous
مُزَوَّجُ الدُرِّ أَبهاهُ وَأَبدَعُهُ
His vizierate grew in honor when it was doubled:
Paired pearls are the fairest and most wondrous.
إِحداهُماone of the two صارِمٌa keen sword مِنfrom فَوقَabove عاتِقِهِhis shoulder
إِحداهُما صارِمٌ مِن فَوقَ عاتِقِهِ
وَأُختُهاand its sister عَلَمٌa banner فيin الكَفِّthe hand يَرفَعُهُhe raises it
وَأُختُها عَلَمٌ في الكَفِّ يَرفَعُهُ
One of the two is a keen sword above his shoulder,
And its sister a banner he raises in his hand;
أَوor هُدبُthe fringe حُلَّتِهِof his robe فيin السِلمِpeace يَلبَسُهاhe wears it
أَو هُدبُ حُلَّتِهِ في السِلمِ يَلبَسُها
وَهَذِهِand this one فيin الوَغىbattle سَردٌchain mail يُدَرَّعُهُhe is armored in it
وَهَذِهِ في الوَغى سَردٌ يُدَرَّعُهُ
Or the fringe of his robe, which he wears in peace,
And this one, in battle, is mail he dons as armor;
أَوor تِلكَthat one مِغفَرُa helmet عِزٍّof honor فَوقَabove مَفرِقِهِthe parting of his hair
أَو تِلكَ مِغفَرُ عِزٍّ فَوقَ مَفرِقِهِ
وَتِلكَand that one تاجٌa crown مَعاليهِhis lofty merits تُرَصِّعُهُstud it
وَتِلكَ تاجٌ مَعاليهِ تُرَصِّعُهُ
Or that one a helmet of honor atop his head,
And that one a crown his lofty merits stud.
مَنone who عَزمُهُhis resolve لِصُدوعِfor the fractures الحَقِّof truth يَجبِرُهاmends them
مَن عَزمُهُ لِصُدوعِ الحَقِّ يَجبِرُها
وَرَأيُهُand his judgment لِظَلامِfor the darkness الشَكِّof doubt يَصدَعُهُcleaves it
وَرَأيُهُ لِظَلامِ الشَكِّ يَصدَعُهُ
He whose resolve mends the fractures of truth,
And whose judgment cleaves the darkness of doubt.
فَذاكَso that بابٌa door إِلىtoward الإِرشادِright guidance يَشرَعُهُhe opens it
فَذاكَ بابٌ إِلى الإِرشادِ يَشرَعُهُ
وَذاand this سِنانٌa spearpoint إِلىtoward الإِلحادِimpiety يُشرِعُهُhe levels it
وَذا سِنانٌ إِلى الإِلحادِ يُشرِعُهُ
So that is a door he opens toward right guidance,
And this a spearpoint he levels against impiety.
كَمmany a ماكِرٍschemer بَطَلَتfailed عَنagainst ذاكَthat خُدعَتُهُhis trick
كَم ماكِرٍ بَطَلَت عَن ذاكَ خُدعَتُهُ
وَذيand one possessed of عُتُوٍّrebellion بِهَذاthrough this لانَsoftened أَخدَعُهُhis neck-vein
وَذي عُتُوٍّ بِهَذا لانَ أَخدَعُهُ
How many a schemer's trick has failed against that,
And many a rebel's neck has yielded to this.
وَكَمand how many مَكانٍa station مِنَof العَلياءِeminence يَفرَعُهُhe scales it
وَكَم مَكانٍ مِنَ العَلياءِ يَفرَعُهُ
بِذاwith this وَكَمand how many نَظَرٍan insight عَنfrom ذاthat يُفَرِّعُهُhe derives it
بِذا وَكَم نَظَرٍ عَن ذا يُفَرِّعُهُ
And how many heights of eminence he scales
With this, and how many insights he derives from that.
فَإِنso if رَمىhe shoots قَرطَسَتhits the target بِالسَهمِwith the arrow نَزعَتُهُhis bow-draw
فَإِن رَمى قَرطَسَت بِالسَهمِ نَزعَتُهُ
وَإِنand if رَأىhe considers صادَفَmeets التَوفيقَsuccess مَنزِعُهُhis approach
وَإِن رَأى صادَفَ التَوفيقَ مَنزِعُهُ
So if he shoots, his bow-draw sends the arrow into the target,
And if he considers, his approach meets with success.
تَنبوshun المَضاجِعُthe beds عَنهُfrom him فىِin الدُجىdarkness سَهَراًin wakefulness
تَنبو المَضاجِعُ عَنهُ فىِ الدُجى سَهَراً
لِيَطمَئِنَّso it may rest secure بِجَنبِbeside الدينِthe faith مَضجِعُهُhis resting place
لِيَطمَئِنَّ بِجَنبِ الدينِ مَضجِعُهُ
Beds give him no rest in the darkness as he keeps vigil,
So that his resting place beside the faith may be secure.
فَلاso not الكَثيرُabundance مِنَof الدُنياthe world يُشاغِلُهُdistracts him
فَلا الكَثيرُ مِنَ الدُنيا يُشاغِلُهُ
وَلاand not الكَفافُa bare sufficiency مِنَof العَلياءِeminence يُقنِعُهُsatisfies him
وَلا الكَفافُ مِنَ العَلياءِ يُقنِعُهُ
So no abundance of worldly things distracts him,
Nor does a bare sufficiency of eminence satisfy him.
لَطابَwas surely glad نَفسُthe soul أَميرِof the Commander المُؤمِنينَof the Faithful وَلَمand did not
لَطابَ نَفسُ أَميرِ المُؤمِنينَ وَلَم
يَدَعforsake لِصَوتِfor the voice الهُدىof guidance الداعيcalling تَوَرُّعُهُhis scrupulous piety
يَدَع لِصَوتِ الهُدى الداعي تَوَرُّعُهُ
Surely the Commander of the Faithful's soul was glad, and
His scrupulous piety did not forsake the calling voice of guidance.
لَمّاwhen تَحَرَّكَstirred يَأجوجُGog النِفاقِof hypocrisy بَنىbuilt
لَمّا تَحَرَّكَ يَأجوجُ النِفاقِ بَنى
لَهُfor it سَدادُكَyour sound judgment سَدّاًa barrier لاnot يُضَعضِعُهُit shakes it
لَهُ سَدادُكَ سَدّاً لا يُضَعضِعُهُ
When the Gog of hypocrisy stirred, there was built
By your sound judgment a barrier against it that it cannot shake.
لَوif أَعرَبَتspoke clearly طاعَةٌobedience عَنon behalf of طائِعٍan obedient person شَهِدَتit would testify
لَو أَعرَبَت طاعَةٌ عَن طائِعٍ شَهِدَت
بِأَنَّهاthat it is لَكَfor you طَوقٌa collar لَيسَnot تَخلَعُهُit takes it off
بِأَنَّها لَكَ طَوقٌ لَيسَ تَخلَعُهُ
If obedience spoke for an obedient man, it would testify
That it is a collar of allegiance to you, never to be cast off.
وَلَوand if تُشَقُّwere split open عَنِfrom over المَنصورِal-Mansur تُربَتُهُhis grave-earth
وَلَو تُشَقُّ عَنِ المَنصورِ تُربَتُهُ
أَثنىhe would praise عَلَيكَyou لِعَهدٍfor a covenant لاnot تُضَيِّعُهُyou neglect it
أَثنى عَلَيكَ لِعَهدٍ لا تُضَيِّعُهُ
And were al-Mansur's grave-earth split open,
He would praise you for a covenant you do not neglect.
حَفِظتَyou preserved لِلحافِظِfor al-Hafiz المَرحومِthe late سيرَتَهُhis way
حَفِظتَ لِلحافِظِ المَرحومِ سيرَتَهُ
وَالأَصلُand the root إِنif طابَis good طابَتgrow good عَنهُfrom it أَفرُعُهُits branches
وَالأَصلُ إِن طابَ طابَت عَنهُ أَفرُعُهُ
You preserved the way of the late al-Hafiz,
And when the root is good, its branches grow good from it.
رَجاجَةٌsound judgment (probable reading) عَصَتِresisted الغاوينَthe misguided نَبعَتُهاits bow-stave
رَجاجَةٌ عَصَتِ الغاوينَ نَبعَتُها
وَنائِلٌand bounty طاوَعَcomplied with العافينَthose seeking gifts مَنبَعُهُits spring
وَنائِلٌ طاوَعَ العافينَ مَنبَعُهُ
Sound judgment whose bow-stave resists the misguided,
And bounty whose spring complies with those seeking gifts.
شَيَّدتَyou built up عَهدَكَyour covenant فَالتَقوىso piety دَعائِمُهُits pillars
شَيَّدتَ عَهدَكَ فَالتَقوى دَعائِمُهُ
وَاِشتَقَّand arose مِنهُfrom it بِناءٌa building ظَلتَyou continued تَصنَعُهُto construct it
وَاِشتَقَّ مِنهُ بِناءٌ ظَلتَ تَصنَعُهُ
You built up your covenant; piety is its pillars,
And from it arose a building you continued to construct.
فَالعَهدُso the covenant أَكرَمُthe noblest مَنوِيٍّintended thing وَأَوثَقُهُand its surest
فَالعَهدُ أَكرَمُ مَنوِيٍّ وَأَوثَقُهُ
وَالدارُand the house أَسعَدُthe most auspicious مَبنِيٍّbuilt thing وَأَرفَعُهُand its loftiest
وَالدارُ أَسعَدُ مَبنِيٍّ وَأَرفَعُهُ
So the covenant is the noblest, surest thing conceived,
And the house the most auspicious, loftiest thing built.
أَنتَyou الَّذيthe one who أُسِّسَتwas founded بِالصِدقِon sincerity بَيعَتُهُhis pledge of allegiance
أَنتَ الَّذي أُسِّسَت بِالصِدقِ بَيعَتُهُ
كَمِثلِjust like ماhow أُسِّسَتwere founded بِاليُمنِwith good fortune أَربُعُهُhis dwellings
كَمِثلِ ما أُسِّسَت بِاليُمنِ أَربُعُهُ
You are he whose pledge of allegiance was founded on sincerity,
Just as his dwellings were founded on good fortune.
ماnot بِالبِناءِfor the building اِضطِرارٌa need أَنthat تُحَسِّنَهُyou beautify it
ما بِالبِناءِ اِضطِرارٌ أَن تُحَسِّنَهُ
سُكناكَyour dwelling there يَملَأَهُfills it حُسناًwith beauty وَيوسِعُهُand enlarges it
سُكناكَ يَملَأَهُ حُسناً وَيوسِعُهُ
The building has no need for you to beautify it;
Your dwelling there fills it with beauty and enlarges it.
مَنازِلُthe mansions البَدرِof the full moon لاnot تَحتاجُneed تَحلِيَةًadornment
مَنازِلُ البَدرِ لا تَحتاجُ تَحلِيَةً
فَغُرَّةُُso the bright face البَدرِof the full moon فيهاwithin them الحَليُadornment أَجمَعُهُall of it
فَغُرَّةُُ البَدرِ فيها الحَليُ أَجمَعُهُ
The full moon's mansions need no adornment,
For the full moon's bright face within them is every adornment.
أَمّاas for الفَعالُdeeds فَماthen what تَأتيهِyou perform it أَشرَفُهُtheir noblest
أَمّا الفَعالُ فَما تَأتيهِ أَشرَفُهُ
أَوِor الكَلامُspeech فَشِعريthen my poetry فيكَabout you أَبدَعُهُits most wondrous
أَوِ الكَلامُ فَشِعري فيكَ أَبدَعُهُ
As for deeds, those you perform are the noblest;
Or speech—my poetry about you is its most wondrous.
تَبَرَّعَoffered itself freely النَظمُverse فيin praise of يِحيىYahya وَطاوَعَنيand obeyed me
تَبَرَّعَ النَظمُ في يِحيى وَطاوَعَني
وَمِنand from بَراعَةِthe excellence مَمدوحيof the man I praise تَبَرُّعُهُits free offering
وَمِن بَراعَةِ مَمدوحي تَبَرُّعُهُ
Verse offered itself freely for Yahya and readily obeyed me,
Its free offering comes from the excellence of the man I praise.
راجيكَone who hopes in you مُستَشعِرٌkeenly aware of حَربَthe warfare الخُطوبِof calamities وَماand not
راجيكَ مُستَشعِرٌ حَربَ الخُطوبِ وَما
غَيرُother than الخَطابَةِoratory وَالأَشعارِand poems مَفزَعُهُhis refuge
غَيرُ الخَطابَةِ وَالأَشعارِ مَفزَعُهُ
The one who hopes in you feels calamities' warfare, and
Has no refuge but oratory and poems.
لَوif قادَhe led forth مِنfrom فَقرِهِhis poverty قَولاًa saying يُفَقِّرُهُhe arranges it in clauses
لَو قادَ مِن فَقرِهِ قَولاً يُفَقِّرُهُ
أَوor لَوif يُشَجِّعُهُemboldens him لَفظٌa phrase يُسَجِّعُهُhe casts it in rhymed prose
أَو لَو يُشَجِّعُهُ لَفظٌ يُسَجِّعُهُ
If from his poverty he mustered a saying, he would set it into clauses,
Or if a phrase emboldened him, he would cast it in rhymed prose.
وَشيمَةُand the nature الزَمَنِof time المَذمومِblameworthy تُؤيِسُهُdrives him to despair
وَشيمَةُ الزَمَنِ المَذمومِ تُؤيِسُهُ
وَعادَةُand the habit السَيِّدِof the lord المَحمودِpraiseworthy تُطمِعُهُgives him hope
وَعادَةُ السَيِّدِ المَحمودِ تُطمِعُهُ
And the nature of blameworthy time drives him to despair,
And the habit of the praiseworthy lord gives him hope.
أَيُسلِمُwill it entrust? المَجدُglory آماليmy hopes إِلىto قَلَمٍa pen
أَيُسلِمُ المَجدُ آمالي إِلى قَلَمٍ
تَنهَلُّpour down ليfor me رَحمَةًin mercy فيon الطِرسِthe parchment أَدمُعُهُits tears
تَنهَلُّ لي رَحمَةً في الطِرسِ أَدمُعُهُ
Will glory entrust my hopes to a pen
Whose tears pour onto the parchment in mercy for me?
صادٍthirsty حَكىmirrored شَقَّهُits cleft ضيقاًin constriction وَريقَتَهُand its saliva
صادٍ حَكى شَقَّهُ ضيقاً وَريقَتَهُ
لَوناًin color كَذاthus الإِلفِa companion حالُthe state الإِلفِof the companion تَتبَعُهُfollows him
لَوناً كَذا الإِلفِ حالُ الإِلفِ تَتبَعُهُ
Thirsty, he mirrors its cleft in anguish, and its saliva
In color; thus one companion's state follows the other's.
إِلَيكَto you مَرجِعُthe return تَأميليof my hope فَكَيفَso how تَرىdo you regard
إِلَيكَ مَرجِعُ تَأميلي فَكَيفَ تَرى
تَخييبَهُdisappointing it وَلِأَوفىand to the most faithful الناسِof people مَرجِعُهُits return
تَخييبَهُ وَلِأَوفى الناسِ مَرجِعُهُ
To you my hope returns; how, then, can you contemplate
Disappointing it, when it returns to the most faithful of men?
عَلَّقتُI hung أَمداحَكَpraises of you الحُسنىthe fairest عَلىupon أُذُنيmy ear
عَلَّقتُ أَمداحَكَ الحُسنى عَلى أُذُني
تَمائِماًas amulets مِنfrom جُنونِthe madness العُدمِof destitution تَمنَعُهُthey ward it off
تَمائِماً مِن جُنونِ العُدمِ تَمنَعُهُ
I hung my fairest praises of you upon my ear,
As amulets to ward off the madness of destitution.
Translation model: Sol 6.1