قوميrise اِسمَعيlisten ياO هَذِهِyou there وَتَأَمَّليand contemplate
قومي اِسمَعي يا هَذِهِ وَتَأَمَّلي
رَقصَthe dance of الغُصونِthe branches عَلىto غِناءِthe song of البُلبُلِthe nightingale
رَقصَ الغُصونِ عَلى غِناءِ البُلبُلِ
Rise, listen, you there, and contemplate
the branches' dance to the nightingale's song,
فَالطَيرَand the birds بَينَbetween تَشاجُرٍquarrelling وَتَغَرُّدٍand warbling
فَالطَيرَ بَينَ تَشاجُرٍ وَتَغَرُّدٍ
وَالماءَand the water بَينَbetween تَجَعُّدٍrippling وَتَسَلسُلِand flowing
وَالماءَ بَينَ تَجَعُّدٍ وَتَسَلسُلِ
and the birds, between quarrelling and warbling,
and the water, between rippling and flowing.
أَظباءَO gazelles of وَجرةَWajra كَمhow many بِشَطّىon the two banks of آمَدٍAmid
أَظباءَ وَجرةَ كَم بِشَطّى آمَدٍ
مِنof ظَبِيَةٍa doe كَحلىkohl-dark-eyed وَظَبيٍand a buck أَكحَلِkohl-dark-eyed
مِن ظَبِيَةٍ كَحلى وَظَبيٍ أَكحَلِ
O gazelles of Wajra, how many on Amid's two banks
are kohl-dark-eyed does and kohl-dark-eyed bucks,
وَمُدَلَّلٍand a pampered one وَمُذَلَّلٍand a humbled one فيin حُبِّهِlove for him
وَمُدَلَّلٍ وَمُذَلَّلٍ في حُبِّهِ
شَتّانَhow far apart بَينَbetween مُذَلَّلٍa humbled one وَمُدَلَّلِand a pampered one
شَتّانَ بَينَ مُذَلَّلٍ وَمُدَلَّلِ
and pampered ones, and ones humbled by love for them!
How far apart are the humbled and the pampered!
وَالعَيشَand life قَدindeed رَقَصَتhave danced حَواشيthe fringes of حُسنِهِits beauty
وَالعَيشَ قَد رَقَصَت حَواشي حُسنِهِ
ماwhat lies بَينَbetween دِجلَتِهاher Tigris إِلىto قُطرَبُّلِQutrabbul
ما بَينَ دِجلَتِها إِلى قُطرَبُّلِ
And life—the fringes of its beauty have danced
all the way from her Tigris to Qutrabbul.
رَقمَembroidered الرَبيعُspring رُبوعَهاher lands فَكَأَنَّهاso she seems
رَقمَ الرَبيعُ رُبوعَها فَكَأَنَّها
زُنجِيَةٌa black African woman تَختالُstruts فيهاin them بِالحُليwith jewels
زُنجِيَةٌ تَختالُ فيها بِالحُلي
Spring embroidered her lands, so she seems
a Zanj woman, strutting there adorned with jewels.
مَنwho ليfor me بِجيرونٍwith Jayrun وَجيرانيand my neighbors وَقَدand indeed
مَن لي بِجيرونٍ وَجيراني وَقَد
نادَمتُهُمI drank with them فيin جُنحِthe wing of لَيلٍa night أَليَلِpitch-dark
نادَمتُهُم في جُنحِ لَيلٍ أَليَلِ
Who can restore Jayrun and my neighbors to me? I had
drunk with them beneath the wing of a pitch-dark night.
وَلَقَدand indeed بَنَيتُI built لِاِبنِfor the son of ثابِتٍThabit فيwithin الحَشاthe breast
وَلَقَد بَنَيتُ لِاِبنِ ثابِتٍ في الحَشا
بَيتاًa home أَرَقَّmore delicate مِنَthan الصَباthe east wind وَالشَمأَلِand the north wind
بَيتاً أَرَقَّ مِنَ الصَبا وَالشَمأَلِ
And indeed I built for Ibn Thabit, within my breast,
a home more delicate than the east wind and the north wind.
لِلَّهِto God دَرُّthe excellence of عِصابَةٍa company نادَمتُهاI drank with them
لِلَّهِ دَرُّ عِصابَةٍ نادَمتُها
يَوماًone day بِجِلَّقَin Jillaq فيin الزَمانِthe time الأَوَّلِformer
يَوماً بِجِلَّقَ في الزَمانِ الأَوَّلِ
God bless the company with whom I drank
one day in Jillaq, in days gone by.
وَتَنوفَةٍand a trackless waste مازِلتُI kept أَقطَعُcrossing جَوزَهاits heart
وَتَنوفَةٍ مازِلتُ أَقطَعُ جَوزَها
بِمُطَّهِمٍon a handsome horse عَبلِstout القَوائِمِthe legs هَيكَلِlarge-framed
بِمُطَّهِمٍ عَبلِ القَوائِمِ هَيكَلِ
And a trackless waste whose heart I kept traversing
on a handsome steed, stout of limb and mighty of frame,
حَتّىuntil أَبَنتُI explained حَديثَthe tale of حادِثَةِthe calamity of النَوىseparation
حَتّى أَبَنتُ حَديثَ حادِثَةِ النَوى
لِمُؤَيَّدِto Mu'ayyad الدينِal-Din (the faith) الوَزيرِthe vizier أَبيAbu (father of) عَليAli
لِمُؤَيَّدِ الدينِ الوَزيرِ أَبي عَلي
until I told the tale of separation's calamity
to Mu'ayyad al-Din, the vizier Abu Ali.
قَيلٌa king يَقولُspeaks الحَقَّthe truth فيabout أَعدائِهِhis enemies
قَيلٌ يَقولُ الحَقَّ في أَعدائِهِ
بَطَلٌa hero مَضارِبُthe strokes of سَيفِهِhis sword لَمwere not تُبطَلِthwarted
بَطَلٌ مَضارِبُ سَيفِهِ لَم تُبطَلِ
A king who speaks the truth about his enemies,
a hero whose sword-strokes have never been thwarted.
فيin حِصنِهِhis fortress غَيثٌlife-giving rain وَفَوقَand upon حِصانِهِhis stallion
في حِصنِهِ غَيثٌ وَفَوقَ حِصانِهِ
لَيثٌa lion يَكُرُّcharges عَلىupon الكَرَّةِanother charge بِمسَحَلِwith a sword
لَيثٌ يَكُرُّ عَلى الكَرَّةِ بِمسَحَلِ
In his fortress he is rain; upon his stallion,
a lion, charging again and again with a sword.
مُتبَسِمٌsmiling لِعَفاتِهِupon his petitioners قَبلَbefore النَدىthe bounty
مُتبَسِمٌ لِعَفاتِهِ قَبلَ النَدى
كَالبَرقِlike lightning يَلمَعُflashes لِلبَشارَةِto give glad tidings بِالوَليof the following rain
كَالبَرقِ يَلمَعُ لِلبَشارَةِ بِالوَلي
Smiling upon his petitioners before bestowing bounty,
like lightning flashing to herald the rain to follow.
يُعطيgives المُحَجَّلَةَthe white-socked الجِيادَfine steeds وَكَمand how many لَهُhe has
يُعطي المُحَجَّلَةَ الجِيادَ وَكَم لَهُ
فيin الجودِgenerosity مِنof يَومٍa day أَغَرَّwhite-blazed مُحَجَّلِwhite-socked
في الجودِ مِن يَومٍ أَغَرَّ مُحَجَّلِ
He gives fine, white-socked steeds; how many are his
days of bounty, white-blazed and white-socked!
وَيَرُدُّand he repels صَدرَthe point of السَمهَرِيِّthe sturdy spear بِصَدرِهِwith his breast
وَيَرُدُّ صَدرَ السَمهَرِيِّ بِصَدرِهِ
ماذاwhat يُؤَثِّرُleave a mark ذابِلٌa slender spear فيon يَذبُلِYadhbul
ماذا يُؤَثِّرُ ذابِلٌ في يَذبُلِ
And he repels the sturdy spear's point with his breast:
what mark can a slender spear leave upon Yadhbul?
فَكَأَنَّهُso he is like وَالمَشرَفِيُّand the Mashrafi sword بِكَفِّهِin his palm
فَكَأَنَّهُ وَالمَشرَفِيُّ بِكَفِّهِ
بَحرٌa sea يَكُرُّcharges عَلىupon الكُماةِthe armored warriors بِجَدوَلِwith a stream
بَحرٌ يَكُرُّ عَلى الكُماةِ بِجَدوَلِ
So it is as though he, with a Mashrafi sword in his palm,
were a sea charging at armored warriors with a stream.
وَلَهُand he has البَنونَsons السابِقونَwho race ahead إِلىinto الوَغىthe fray
وَلَهُ البَنونَ السابِقونَ إِلى الوَغى
بِالمَشرَفِيَّةِwith Mashrafi swords وَالرِماحِand the lances الذُبَّلِslender
بِالمَشرَفِيَّةِ وَالرِماحِ الذُبَّلِ
And his sons are the first into the fray,
with Mashrafi swords and slender lances,
مِنof كُلِّeach سَحّاحِlavishly generous with اليَدَينِboth hands سَمَيذَعٍa noble chief
مِن كُلِّ سَحّاحِ اليَدَينِ سَمَيذَعٍ
وَأَغَرَّand bright-faced وَضّاحِradiant الجَبينِthe brow شَمَردَلِtall and stalwart
وَأَغَرَّ وَضّاحِ الجَبينِ شَمَردَلِ
each a noble chief, his two hands pouring bounty,
and bright-faced, radiant of brow, tall and stalwart.
وَرَثinherited السَماحَةَgenerosity عَنfrom جُدودٍforebears سادَةٍlords
وَرَث السَماحَةَ عَن جُدودٍ سادَةٍ
مِثلَlike الإِمامَةِthe imamate فيamong سَراةِthe nobles of بَنيthe sons of عَليAli
مِثلَ الإِمامَةِ في سَراةِ بَني عَلي
He inherited generosity from lordly forebears,
as the imamate is inherited among the noble sons of Ali.
أَكفىmost capable of الكِفاةِthe capable لَقَدindeed تَهَلَّلَتhave brightened الدُنىthe worlds
أَكفى الكِفاةِ لَقَد تَهَلَّلَت الدُنى
مِنfrom وَجهِهِhis face المُتَأَلِّقِradiant المُتَهَلِّلِbeaming
مِن وَجهِهِ المُتَأَلِّقِ المُتَهَلِّلِ
Most capable of the capable—the worlds have indeed brightened
from his radiant, beaming face.
أَنتَyou الَّذيwho مَلَأَfilled المَلاthe world بِصَلادِمٍwith mighty steeds
أَنتَ الَّذي مَلَأَ المَلا بِصَلادِمٍ
وَصَوارِمٍand keen swords وَمَكارِمٍand noble deeds وَتَفَضُّلِand generous favors
وَصَوارِمٍ وَمَكارِمٍ وَتَفَضُّلِ
You are he who filled the world with mighty steeds,
and keen swords, noble deeds, and generous favors.
يُحصىcan be counted الحَصىthe pebbles إِلاbut not مَناقِبَكَyour virtues الَّتيwhich
يُحصى الحَصى إِلا مَناقِبَكَ الَّتي
يَعياis overwhelmed بِجُملَتِهاby their totality حِسابُthe reckoning of الجُمَّلِabjad letter-values
يَعيا بِجُملَتِها حِسابُ الجُمَّلِ
The pebbles can be counted, but not your virtues, which
defeat abjad reckoning in their entirety.
لَكَyou have مَذهَبٌa path فيin كُلِّevery أَرضٍland مُذهَبٌgilded
لَكَ مَذهَبٌ في كُلِّ أَرضٍ مُذهَبٌ
وَثَناًand praise يَفوحُwafts fragrantly نَسيمُهُits breeze كَالمَندَلِlike aloeswood
وَثَناً يَفوحُ نَسيمُهُ كَالمَندَلِ
You have a gilded path in every land,
and praise whose breeze wafts fragrant as aloeswood.
عَجَباًhow strange لِمَنfor one who أَمسىspent the evening بِآمِدَin Amid مُقَتَّراimpoverished
عَجَباً لِمَن أَمسى بِآمِدَ مُقَتَّرا
مِثليlike me وَمِثلَكَand one like you لِلسَماحِfor generosity بِآكِلِat Akil
مِثلي وَمِثلَكَ لِلسَماحِ بِآكِلِ
How strange that one should spend the evening poor in Amid,
like me, while one like you is at Akil, devoted to bounty!
مَولايَmy lord قَدindeed يَمَّمتُI sought جودَكَyour generosity ظامِئاًthirsting
مَولايَ قَد يَمَّمتُ جودَكَ ظامِئاً
وَشَرِبتَand you drank مِنfrom دَهريmy fate نَقيعَthe infusion of الحَنظَلِcolocynth
وَشَرِبتَ مِن دَهري نَقيعَ الحَنظَلِ
My lord, I have sought your generosity, thirsting,
and you drank from my fate the infusion of colocynth.
وَقَدِand indeed اِتَّكَلتُI relied عَلىon نِداكَyour bounty وَسَيبِهِand its outpouring
وَقَدِ اِتَّكَلتُ عَلى نِداكَ وَسَيبِهِ
كَالبُحتُرِيِّlike al-Buhturi عَلىon نَدىthe bounty of المُتَوَكِّلِal-Mutawakkil
كَالبُحتُرِيِّ عَلى نَدى المُتَوَكِّلِ
And indeed I have relied on your bounty and its outpouring,
as al-Buhturi relied on al-Mutawakkil's bounty.
فَأَصِخso lend an ear لِقَصدِto the intent of قَصيدَةٍa poem ماnot مِثلُهاits like
فَأَصِخ لِقَصدِ قَصيدَةٍ ما مِثلُها
لِجَريرٍfor Jarir فيin الزَمَنِthe time القَديمِancient وَجَروَلِand Jarwal
لِجَريرٍ في الزَمَنِ القَديمِ وَجَروَلِ
So hear the purport of a poem whose like
neither Jarir nor Jarwal had in ancient times.
لَوif أُنشِدَتit had been recited بِحِمىin the preserve of كُلَيبٍKulayb خالَهاhe would think it
لَو أُنشِدَت بِحِمى كُلَيبٍ خالَها
فيin الجاهِلِيَةِthe pre-Islamic age مِنfrom لِسانِthe tongue of مُهَلهِلِMuhalhil
في الجاهِلِيَةِ مِن لِسانِ مُهَلهِلِ
Had it been recited in Kulayb's preserve, he would have thought it,
in the pre-Islamic age, to have come from Muhalhil's tongue.
Translation model: Sol 6.1