قُلsay لِلْخَلِيفةِto the caliph تِرْبِcompanion of الْعِلْمِlearning والأدَبِand letters
قُل لِلْخَلِيفةِ تِرْبِ الْعِلْمِ والأدَبِ
وأَفْضَلِand the finest النَّاسِpeople مِنْamong عُجْمٍnon-Arabs وَمِنْand among عَرَبِArabs
وأَفْضَلِ النَّاسِ مِنْ عُجْمٍ وَمِنْ عَرَبِ
Say to the caliph, companion of learning and letters,
and the finest of people, non-Arab and Arab,
ومَنْand the one whose أَجَلَّexalted إلهُthe God of النَّاسِhumankind رُتْبَتَهُhis rank
ومَنْ أَجَلَّ إلهُ النَّاسِ رُتْبَتَهُ
حتَّىuntil علاَhe rose وهَوَىand fell الأملاكُthe kings فيinto صَبَبِa downward slope
حتَّى علاَ وهَوَى الأملاكُ في صَبَبِ
and him whose rank the God of humankind exalted,
until he rose while kings fell down a slope:
قَدْindeed كانthere was لِيfor me مَوْعِدٌa promise فيconcerning النَّسْخِcopying لَمْnot أَرَهُI saw it
قَدْ كان لِي مَوْعِدٌ في النَّسْخِ لَمْ أَرَهُ
وفاتَنِيand passed me by القَدَحُthe goblet الْمَحْفُوفُsurrounded بِالطَّرَبِby merriment
وفاتَنِي القَدَحُ الْمَحْفُوفُ بِالطَّرَبِ
I had a promise concerning copying, but never saw it fulfilled,
and the goblet ringed with merriment passed me by.
وحازَand won صَحْبِيmy companions دُونِيexcluding me طِيبَthe sweetness of مَعِرقَةٍa noble vintage
وحازَ صَحْبِي دُونِي طِيبَ مَعِرقَةٍ
لِباسُهاits robe أَفْخَرُthe proudest الأنْسابِlineages والحَسَبِand ancestral honor
لِباسُها أَفْخَرُ الأنْسابِ والحَسَبِ
My companions, not I, won the sweetness of a noble vintage,
robed in the proudest lineage and ancestral honor.
وليْلَةُand the night of الفِطْرِbreaking the fast أَبْقَتْleft لِيfor me حزازَتُهاits bitter pang
وليْلَةُ الفِطْرِ أَبْقَتْ لِي حزازَتُها
ناراًa fire تَرامىshooting forth عَلَىupon الأحشاءِthe entrails باللَّهَبِwith flames
ناراً تَرامى عَلَى الأحشاءِ باللَّهَبِ
And the bitterness of the night of Eid al-Fitr left me
a fire flinging flames upon my entrails.
فَجازَنِيso passed me by بِرُّthe bounty of مَوْلىًa patron كانused to يَبْدَأُنِيfavor me first
فَجازَنِي بِرُّ مَوْلىً كان يَبْدَأُنِي
كأَنَّنِيas though I ناقِصٌdeficient فِيin رُتْبَةِthe rank of الأدَبِletters
كأَنَّنِي ناقِصٌ فِي رُتْبَةِ الأدَبِ
Thus the bounty of a patron who used to favor me first passed me by,
as though I were of lesser standing in letters.
أَلَمَّvisited بِيme طَيْفُa specter of حِرْمَانٍdeprivation فَأَرَّقَنِيand kept me awake
أَلَمَّ بِي طَيْفُ حِرْمَانٍ فَأَرَّقَنِي
فَبِتُّso I spent the night مُعْتَنِقاًembracing للْهَمِّto grief والكُرَبِand anguish
فَبِتُّ مُعْتَنِقاً للْهَمِّ والكُرَبِ
A specter of deprivation visited me and kept me awake,
so I spent the night embracing grief and anguish.
هذَاthis عَلىdespite خِدمَةٍservice مَاnot ذُمَّwas faulted سالِفُهَاits past
هذَا عَلى خِدمَةٍ مَا ذُمَّ سالِفُهَا
ودَوْلَةٍand a dynasty لِيI have فِيهاin it أَوْكَدُthe firmest السَّبَبِtie
ودَوْلَةٍ لِي فِيها أَوْكَدُ السَّبَبِ
This, despite service whose record was never faulted,
and a dynasty to which I have the firmest ties,
وأنَّناand that we نُقَباءٌare leaders شاعَbecame renowned نَصْرُهُمُtheir support
وأنَّنا نُقَباءٌ شاعَ نَصْرُهُمُ
نُلْقِيwe cast أَعادِيكُمُyour enemies فيin الحَرْبِwar بِالحَرَبِwith ruin
نُلْقِي أَعادِيكُمُ في الحَرْبِ بِالحَرَبِ
and our being leaders whose support became renowned:
we bring ruin upon your enemies in war.
ويَوْمَand on the day of مَرْوانَMarwan أُفرِدْناwe were singled out بِمَشْهَدِهِfor witnessing it
ويَوْمَ مَرْوانَ أُفرِدْنا بِمَشْهَدِهِ
والفَخْرِand glory فِيهِin it بِنَصْرِthrough aiding السَّادَةِthe lords النُّجَبِthe noble
والفَخْرِ فِيهِ بِنَصْرِ السَّادَةِ النُّجَبِ
And on Marwan's day, we were distinguished by our presence
and by our glory there in aiding the noble lords.
مقالَةٌan assertion تُوردُattest الأخْبارُthe accounts صِحَّتَهاits truth
مقالَةٌ تُوردُ الأخْبارُ صِحَّتَها
مَوْجُودَةٌfound فِيin رِواياتٍnarratives وفِيand in كُتُبِbooks
مَوْجُودَةٌ فِي رِواياتٍ وفِي كُتُبِ
An assertion whose truth the accounts attest,
recorded in narratives and in books.
إنif كانَwas ذلِكَthat مَزْحاًa jest مِنْfrom إمَامِan imam of هدىًguidance
إن كانَ ذلِكَ مَزْحاً مِنْ إمَامِ هدىً
فَحَبَّذاthen how welcome هُوَit is مِنْas مَزْحٍjest وَمِنْand as لَعِبِplay
فَحَبَّذا هُوَ مِنْ مَزْحٍ وَمِنْ لَعِبِ
If that was a jest from an imam of guidance,
then how welcome such jest and play!
وَسَوْفَand will يأْتِيcome سَرِيعاًquickly مِنْهُfrom him لِيto me عِوَضٌcompensation
وَسَوْفَ يأْتِي سَرِيعاً مِنْهُ لِي عِوَضٌ
كَمَاjust as أَتاهُمْit reached them بِلاwithout كَدٍّtoil وَلاَand without تَعَبِweariness
كَمَا أَتاهُمْ بِلا كَدٍّ وَلاَ تَعَبِ
And soon compensation from him will reach me,
as it reached them without toil or weariness.
فَالْعَيْشُthen life إنif كانَwas هذَاthis عَنْfrom خَبِيٍّhidden رِضاًfavor
فَالْعَيْشُ إن كانَ هذَا عَنْ خَبِيٍّ رِضاً
والمَوْتُand death إنif كانَwas كُلُّall الْمَوْتِdeath عَنْfrom غَضَبِanger
والمَوْتُ إن كانَ كُلُّ الْمَوْتِ عَنْ غَضَبِ
It is life, if this springs from hidden favor,
and death—utter death—if it springs from anger.
رَأَيْتُI have found وَجْهَthe face of الرِّضَاfavor أَعْلَىhigher لطَالِبِهِfor its seeker
رَأَيْتُ وَجْهَ الرِّضَا أَعْلَى لطَالِبِهِ
مِنَthan الصِّلاتِgifts إذَاwhen تُوبِعْنَbestowed in succession وَالرُّتَبِand ranks
مِنَ الصِّلاتِ إذَا تُوبِعْنَ وَالرُّتَبِ
I have found the face of favor worth more to its seeker
than gifts bestowed in succession and ranks.
لاdo not تَجْعَلَنِّيَmake me نَهْباًprey للْهُمُومِto worries فَقَدْfor already
لا تَجْعَلَنِّيَ نَهْباً للْهُمُومِ فَقَدْ
تَرَدَّدَhas wavered الظَّنُّconjecture بَيْنَbetween الرَّغْبِhope والرَّهَبِand fear
تَرَدَّدَ الظَّنُّ بَيْنَ الرَّغْبِ والرَّهَبِ
Do not make me prey to worries, for already
my thoughts have wavered between hope and fear.
أَقُولُI speak قَوْلَthe words of امْرِئٍa man صَحَّتْis sound قَرِيحَتُهُhis poetic gift
أَقُولُ قَوْلَ امْرِئٍ صَحَّتْ قَرِيحَتُهُ
مَاnever زَالَceased فِيthroughout الدَّهْرِtime ذاpossessing كَدْحٍtoil وذَاand possessing دَأَبِperseverance
مَا زَالَ فِي الدَّهْرِ ذا كَدْحٍ وذَا دَأَبِ
I speak the words of a man whose poetic gift is sound,
who has always toiled and persevered through the years.
سُبْحَانَglory to مَنْHim who جَعَلَmade الآدَابَletters فيamong عُصَبٍgroups
سُبْحَانَ مَنْ جَعَلَ الآدَابَ في عُصَبٍ
حَظَّاًgood fortune وصَيَّرَهاand made them غَيْظاًa source of rage عَلَىto عُصَبِgroups
حَظَّاً وصَيَّرَها غَيْظاً عَلَى عُصَبِ
Glory to Him who made letters, for some groups,
a blessing, and made them a source of rage to others.
ومِثْلُand like شَكْوَىthe complaint of حَكِيمٍa sage عَضَّهُbit him زَمَنٌtime
ومِثْلُ شَكْوَى حَكِيمٍ عَضَّهُ زَمَنٌ
كماas اشْتَكَىcomplained غَارِبٌa camel's withers مِنْof عَضَّةthe bite of القتَبِthe pack-saddle
كما اشْتَكَى غَارِبٌ مِنْ عَضَّة القتَبِ
And I complain like a sage whom time has bitten,
as a camel's withers complain of the pack-saddle's bite:
أَفْضِلْslacken عِنانَكَyour rein لاَdo not تَجْمَحْbolt بِهِwith it طلَباًin pursuit
أَفْضِلْ عِنانَكَ لاَ تَجْمَحْ بِهِ طلَباً
فلاfor no وعَيْشِكَby your life مَاnot الأرْزاقُlivelihoods بِالطَّلَبِthrough seeking
فلا وعَيْشِكَ مَا الأرْزاقُ بِالطَّلَبِ
Slacken your rein; do not charge headlong in pursuit,
for no, by your life, sustenance does not come through seeking.
قَدْmay يُرْزَقُbe provided for المَرْءُa man لَمْnot تَتْعَبْgrow weary رَواحِلُهُhis mounts
قَدْ يُرْزَقُ المَرْءُ لَمْ تَتْعَبْ رَواحِلُهُ
ويُحْرَمُand is denied الرِّزْقَsustenance مَنْone who لَمْnot يُؤْتَbe found wanting مِنْin تَعَبِexertion
ويُحْرَمُ الرِّزْقَ مَنْ لَمْ يُؤْتَ مِنْ تَعَبِ
A man may be provided for without his mounts growing weary,
while one who has not fallen short in effort is denied sustenance.
مَاhow أَصْعَبَpainful الفَقْدَthe loss لِلْعَادَاتِof customary favors مِنْfrom مَلِكٍa king
مَا أَصْعَبَ الفَقْدَ لِلْعَادَاتِ مِنْ مَلِكٍ
تَقْدِيمُهُhis preferment فِيin الْعَطَايَاgifts أَشْرَفُthe noblest الرُّتَبِranks
تَقْدِيمُهُ فِي الْعَطَايَا أَشْرَفُ الرُّتَبِ
How painful to lose the customary favors of a king
whose preferment in gifts is the noblest of ranks.
لَوْif كُنْتُI were أَمْلِكُI command صَبْراًpatience عَنْaway from مَحاسِنِهِhis virtues
لَوْ كُنْتُ أَمْلِكُ صَبْراً عَنْ مَحاسِنِهِ
ونَشْرِهَاand proclaiming them فِيamong الْوَرَىmankind أمْعنْتُI would go far فِيin الْهَرَبِflight
ونَشْرِهَا فِي الْوَرَى أمْعنْتُ فِي الْهَرَبِ
If I could bear to forgo his virtues
and their proclamation among mankind, I would flee far away.
ماwhat لِيfor me إذاif لَمْnot أَفُزْI gain مِنْهُfrom him بِمَنْزِلَةٍwith a standing
ما لِي إذا لَمْ أَفُزْ مِنْهُ بِمَنْزِلَةٍ
وَعَوْدِهِand his return بِالرِّضَاwith favor فيin الْعَيْشِlife مِنْany أَرَبِdesire
وَعَوْدِهِ بِالرِّضَا في الْعَيْشِ مِنْ أَرَبِ
What have I, if I gain no standing with him
or his renewed favor, to desire in life?
إنِّيindeed I لآمُلُsurely hope مِنْهُfrom him حُسْنَthe graciousness of عَطْفَتِهِhis kindness
إنِّي لآمُلُ مِنْهُ حُسْنَ عَطْفَتِهِ
فالحَظُّfor fortune مُقْتَسِمٌis shared out وَالدَّهْرُand time ذُوpossesses عُقَبِturns
فالحَظُّ مُقْتَسِمٌ وَالدَّهْرُ ذُو عُقَبِ
I do indeed hope for his gracious kindness,
for fortune is shared out, and time has its turns,
حَتَّىuntil يُبَيِّضَhe brightens وَجْهِيmy face مُذْهِباًdispelling حَزَنِيmy sorrow
حَتَّى يُبَيِّضَ وَجْهِي مُذْهِباً حَزَنِي
بِالبَذْلِby lavishing لِلْفِضَّةِof silver الْبَيْضاءwhite والذَّهَبِand gold
بِالبَذْلِ لِلْفِضَّةِ الْبَيْضاء والذَّهَبِ
until he brightens my face, dispelling my sorrow,
by lavishing white silver and gold,
كعادَةِlike the custom of الدَّهْرِtime فِيin تَقْدِيمِهِadvancing him أبداًalways
كعادَةِ الدَّهْرِ فِي تَقْدِيمِهِ أبداً
رَضَعْتُI suckled مِنْهُfrom him بَدَرٍّwith flowing milk طَيِّبِsweet الحلَبِto draw
رَضَعْتُ مِنْهُ بَدَرٍّ طَيِّبِ الحلَبِ
as time has ever been wont to give him precedence;
I have suckled from him a rich flow of sweet milk.
فَقَدْfor already سَبَقْتُI excelled بِمَدْحٍwith praise فِيهِof him فُزْتُI triumphed بِهِthrough it
فَقَدْ سَبَقْتُ بِمَدْحٍ فِيهِ فُزْتُ بِهِ
صِدْقٍtruthful إذَاwhen مُدِحَare praised الأمْلاكُkings بِالْكَذِبِwith lies
صِدْقٍ إذَا مُدِحَ الأمْلاكُ بِالْكَذِبِ
For I have excelled with praise of him that brought me success,
truthful praise, when kings are praised with lies.
فَاسْمَعَso listen لِمَدْحٍto praise يَلَذُّdelights السَّمْعَthe ear مُنْشِدُهُits reciter
فَاسْمَعَ لِمَدْحٍ يَلَذُّ السَّمْعَ مُنْشِدُهُ
لاdo not تَجْعَلmake الرَّأْسَthe head فِيin الأَشْعَارِpoetry كَالذَّنَبِlike the tail
لا تَجْعَل الرَّأْسَ فِي الأَشْعَارِ كَالذَّنَبِ
So listen to praise whose reciter delights the ear;
do not treat the head, in poetry, like the tail.
مُشَبَّهٌlikened لَفْظُهُits wording فِيin حُسْنِthe beauty of مَذْهَبِهِits manner
مُشَبَّهٌ لَفْظُهُ فِي حُسْنِ مَذْهَبِهِ
بِلَفْظِto the wording of شِعْرٍverse بِنَارِwith the fire of الحُسْنِbeauty مُلْتَهِبِablaze
بِلَفْظِ شِعْرٍ بِنَارِ الحُسْنِ مُلْتَهِبِ
Its wording, in the beauty of its manner, is akin
to the wording of verse ablaze with beauty's fire:
ياO مَنْone who يُحَمِّلُmakes bear ذَنْبَthe guilt of الرَّاحِwine شَارِبَهَاits drinker
يا مَنْ يُحَمِّلُ ذَنْبَ الرَّاحِ شَارِبَهَا
أَقْبِلْcome forward بوَجْهِwith the face of الرِّضَاfavor فِيin ساعةthe hour of الغَضَبِanger
أَقْبِلْ بوَجْهِ الرِّضَا فِي ساعة الغَضَبِ
O you who make its drinker bear the guilt of wine,
come forward with a face of favor in the hour of anger.
لاno وَالَّذيby the One who أَنْتَyou are مِنْهُfrom Him نِعْمَةٌa blessing مَلأَتْhas filled
لا وَالَّذي أَنْتَ مِنْهُ نِعْمَةٌ مَلأَتْ
عُرْضَthe breadth of البِلادِthe lands وحَلَّتْand loosened حَبوةَthe binding girdle of النُّوَبِcalamities
عُرْضَ البِلادِ وحَلَّتْ حَبوةَ النُّوَبِ
No, by Him whose blessing you are, one that has filled
the breadth of the lands and loosened calamities' girdle,
ماnone فِيamong عَبِيدِكَyour servants إِنْif فَتَّشْتَyou examine أَمْرَهُمُtheir condition
ما فِي عَبِيدِكَ إِنْ فَتَّشْتَ أَمْرَهُمُ
أَقَلُّless مِنِّيَthan I فِيin رِزْقِيmy livelihood وَفِيand in نَشَبِيmy possessions
أَقَلُّ مِنِّيَ فِي رِزْقِي وَفِي نَشَبِي
there is none among your servants, if you examine their condition,
poorer than I in livelihood and possessions.
Translation model: Sol 6.1