أَلرَّوضُthe garden رَوْضُكَyour garden يَاO هَزَارُnightingale فَغرِّدِso sing
أَلرَّوضُ رَوْضُكَ يَا هَزَارُ فَغرِّدِ
وَصُغِand fashion الفَرَائِدِthe choice gems فِيin praise of الأَرِيبِthe discerning man المُفْرَدِthe peerless
وَصُغِ الفَرَائِدِ فِي الأَرِيبِ المُفْرَدِ
The garden is your garden, O nightingale—so sing!
The garden is your garden, O nightingale, so sing!
And fashion rare gems for the uniquely gifted man of wit.
And fashion gems in praise of the peerless man of wit.
فَإِذَاthen behold القَوَافِيthe rhymes وَهْيَwhile they مِنْكَfrom you بِمَوْعِدٍby appointment
فَإِذَا القَوَافِي وَهْيَ مِنْكَ بِمَوْعِدٍ
كَحَبَائِبٍlike beloveds وَافَتْarrived وَمَاand there was no مِنْany مَوْعِدِappointment
كَحَبَائِبٍ وَافَتْ وَمَا مِنْ مَوْعِدِ
When the rhymes come from you at their appointed time,
And lo, the rhymes, though coming from you by appointment,
they are like beloved women arriving though no tryst was made.
Are like beloveds arriving without an appointment.
تِلْكَthose القَلاَئِدُthe necklaces مَاhow أُحَيْلاَهَاsweet they are حِلىًas ornaments
تِلْكَ القَلاَئِدُ مَا أُحَيْلاَهَا حِلىً
لاِبنِfor the son of الجُمَيِّلGemayel وَهْوَand he خَيرُthe finest مُقَلِّدِbestower of necklaces
لاِبنِ الجُمَيِّل وَهْوَ خَيرُ مُقَلِّدِ
Those necklaces—how lovely they are as ornaments
Those necklaces—how sweet they are as ornaments
for al-Jumayyil’s son, the finest man they ever adorned!
For the Gemayel scion, himself the finest bestower of necklaces,
لِلعَبْقَرِيِّfor the genius المُحرِزِwho has attained الفَضْلَيْنِthe two distinctions مِنْof
لِلعَبْقَرِيِّ المُحرِزِ الفَضْلَيْنِ مِنْ
حَسَبٍancestral honor رَفيعٍlofty فِيin البِلاَدِthe land وَمَحْتَدِand lineage
حَسَبٍ رَفيعٍ فِي البِلاَدِ وَمَحْتَدِ
For the genius who has won both distinctions:
For the genius who has attained the twin distinctions of
lofty honor in the land, and noble stock.
Lofty ancestral honor in the land and noble lineage.
نِعْمَexcellent is الفَتَىthe young man فِيin فَنِّهhis art ذَاكَthat one الَّذِيwho
نِعْمَ الفَتَى فِي فَنِّه ذَاكَ الَّذِي
إِنْif يَعْدُدِcounts الشرْقُthe East النَّوَابِغَthe geniuses يُعْدَدِhe is counted
إِنْ يَعْدُدِ الشرْقُ النَّوَابِغَ يُعْدَدِ
Excellent in his art is that young man who,
How splendid in his art is that young man who,
if the East numbers its gifted luminaries, is numbered among them.
If the East counts its geniuses, is counted among them.
مَنwho مِثْلُlike أَنْطُونَAntoun الجُمَيِّلGemayel كَاتِبٌa writer
مَن مِثْلُ أَنْطُونَ الجُمَيِّل كَاتِبٌ
فَيَّاضُoverflowing مَشْرَعَةٍwatering-place نَقِيُّpure المَوْرِدِthe water-source
فَيَّاضُ مَشْرَعَةٍ نَقِيُّ المَوْرِدِ
Who is like Antun al-Jumayyil as a writer—
Who is a writer like Antoun Gemayel,
an overflowing watering-place, pure at its source?
Whose watering-place overflows, whose source is pure?
إِنْif زَاوَلَpractices الإِنشَاءَprose composition أَبلَغُthe most eloquent مُنْشِيءٍwriter
إِنْ زَاوَلَ الإِنشَاءَ أَبلَغُ مُنْشِيءٍ
أَوْor زَاوَلَpractices الإِنْشَادَrecitation أَفصَحُthe most articulate مُنْشِدِreciter
أَوْ زَاوَلَ الإِنْشَادَ أَفصَحُ مُنْشِدِ
If he practices prose composition, he is the most eloquent of writers;
If he takes up prose composition, he is the most eloquent writer;
or if he practices declamation, the most articulate of reciters.
Or takes up recitation, the most articulate reciter.
أَسَمِعْتَهُhave you heard him يُلْقِيdeliver العرِيضَthe broad discourse وَيَنْتَحِيand adopt
أَسَمِعْتَهُ يُلْقِي العرِيضَ وَيَنْتَحِي
نحْواًa manner طَرِيفاًnovel مُشْجِياًpoignant لَمnot يُعْتَدِbeen customary
نحْواً طَرِيفاً مُشْجِياً لَم يُعْتَدِ
Have you heard him deliver a sweeping discourse and pursue
Have you heard him deliver ample discourse and adopt
a novel, moving course never known before?
A novel, poignant style, never before familiar?
فَإِذَاthen behold السرُورُjoy أَوِor الشَّجَىsorrow فِيin لفْظَةٍa word
فَإِذَا السرُورُ أَوِ الشَّجَى فِي لفْظَةٍ
أَوor فِيin هِجَاءٍa syllable مُرْسَلٌfreely uttered كَمُرَدَّدِas when repeated
أَو فِي هِجَاءٍ مُرْسَلٌ كَمُرَدَّدِ
Then joy—or sorrow—may lie within a single word,
And lo, joy or sorrow is in a word,
or in a freely flowing syllable, as though reiterated.
Or in a syllable, freely uttered as when repeated.
وَإِذَاand behold مُعَالَجَةٌa struggle بِنَبْرَةِin the inflection of صَوْتِهِhis voice
وَإِذَا مُعَالَجَةٌ بِنَبْرَةِ صَوْتِهِ
فِيهَاin it يُظَنُّis imagined رَفِيفُthe fluttering of جَفْنٍan eyelid مُسْهَدِsleepless
فِيهَا يُظَنُّ رَفِيفُ جَفْنٍ مُسْهَدِ
And when he modulates the cadence of his voice,
And lo, a struggle in the inflection of his voice,
you fancy in it the flutter of a sleepless eyelid.
In which one imagines the flutter of a sleepless eyelid.
هِيَit قُدْرَةٌan ability لَمْnot يُؤْتَهَاbe granted it مَنْwhoever لَمْnot يُذِبْdissolve
هِيَ قُدْرَةٌ لَمْ يُؤْتَهَا مَنْ لَمْ يُذِبْ
فِيهَاinto it قُوَاهُhis powers وَلَمْand not يَكُدَّtoil وَيَجْهَدِand strive
فِيهَا قُوَاهُ وَلَمْ يَكُدَّ وَيَجْهَدِ
It is a power denied to one who has not poured
It is a power not granted to one who has not poured
his powers into it, nor labored and striven.
His powers into it, nor toiled and striven.
مَاnot كُلُّevery نَبْسٍuttering لِلكَلاَمِof words بِمَنطِقٍeloquent speech
مَا كُلُّ نَبْسٍ لِلكَلاَمِ بِمَنطِقٍ
كَلاَّno indeed وَلاَnor نُطْقٍutterance عَلاَrose aloud بِمُجَوَّدِfinely rendered
كَلاَّ وَلاَ نُطْقٍ عَلاَ بِمُجَوَّدِ
Not every murmur intended as speech is eloquence;
Not every utterance of words is eloquent speech;
no—nor is every elevated utterance finely voiced.
No indeed, nor is every loud utterance finely delivered.
أَرَأَيْتَهُhave you seen him فَوقَupon المَنَابِرِthe pulpits خَاطِباًorating
أَرَأَيْتَهُ فَوقَ المَنَابِرِ خَاطِباً
وَالنَّاسُand the people مِنْهُof him بِمَسْمَعٍwithin hearing وَبِمَشْهَدِand within sight
وَالنَّاسُ مِنْهُ بِمَسْمَعٍ وَبِمَشْهَدِ
Have you seen him, high upon the pulpits, orating,
Have you seen him orating upon the pulpits,
the people all ears and eyes for him?
And the people within hearing and sight of him?
فِيin قَوْلِهِhis speech الرَّنَّانِthe resonant كُلُّevery غَرِيبَةٍmarvel
فِي قَوْلِهِ الرَّنَّانِ كُلُّ غَرِيبَةٍ
مِنfrom جَأْرِthe roar of ذِيone possessing لُبَدٍa thick mane وَصَوْتِand the voice of مُغَردِa songbird
مِن جَأْرِ ذِي لُبَدٍ وَصَوْتِ مُغَردِ
His ringing speech contains every marvel:
His ringing speech holds every marvel
the roar of a maned lion and the voice of a songbird.
Of a maned lion's roar and a songbird's voice.
هُوَhe أَعْجَبُthe most astonishing of الخطبَاءِthe orators مَقْدَرَةًin ability عَلَىto
هُوَ أَعْجَبُ الخطبَاءِ مَقْدَرَةً عَلَى
أَخْذِcaptivating النَّدِيِّthe assembly بِمَاwith what نَبَاrecoiled عَنْهُfrom it النَّدِيِّthe assembly
أَخْذِ النَّدِيِّ بِمَا نَبَا عَنْهُ النَّدِيِّ
Most wondrous of orators is he in his power
He is the most astonishing of orators in his power to
to win an assembly with what the assembly once rejected.
Captivate the assembly with what it had recoiled from.
ملاَّكُmaster of أَفْئِدَةٍhearts بِرِقةِthrough the gentleness of نُطْقِهِhis speech
ملاَّكُ أَفْئِدَةٍ بِرِقةِ نُطْقِهِ
وَبِبَأَسِهِand through his force الخلُقِيof character وَالمُتَعَمدِand deliberate
وَبِبَأَسِهِ الخلُقِي وَالمُتَعَمدِ
Master of hearts through the tenderness of his speech,
Master of hearts through the gentleness of his speech,
and through his force, both innate and deliberately summoned;
And through his force of character and deliberate vigor;
وَمُوَفَّقand adept in الإِيمَاءِgesture يَسْتَدْنِيhe draws near بِهِthrough it
وَمُوَفَّق الإِيمَاءِ يَسْتَدْنِي بِهِ
مِمَّاof what تُحِبloves النَّفسُthe soul كُلَّevery مُبَعَّدِfar-removed thing
مِمَّا تُحِب النَّفسُ كُلَّ مُبَعَّدِ
deft in gesture, with it he draws near
And deft in gesture, through it he draws near
every distant thing the soul desires.
Every far-removed thing the soul loves.
فَإِذَاthen when تَرَسَّلhe writes prose لَمْnot نَكُنْwe were (as written) آيَاتُهُhis marvels
فَإِذَا تَرَسَّل لَمْ نَكُنْ آيَاتُهُ
إِلاَّexcept فَرَائِدَchoice gems فِيin صِيَاغَةِthe crafting of عَسْجَدِpure gold
إِلاَّ فَرَائِدَ فِي صِيَاغَةِ عَسْجَدِ
When he writes in measured prose, his passages are
And when he writes prose, his marvels are nothing
nothing but rare jewels wrought in gold.
But gems wrought in pure gold.
فِيْهَاin them الأَشِعَّةthe rays قَدalready دَفَقْنَthey streamed forth بِقُوَّةٍwith force
فِيْهَا الأَشِعَّة قَد دَفَقْنَ بِقُوَّةٍ
دَفْقَthe rush of السُّيولِthe torrents مِنَfrom المِدَادِthe ink الأَسْوَدِthe black
دَفْقَ السُّيولِ مِنَ المِدَادِ الأَسْوَدِ
Within them rays have gushed forth powerfully,
Within them, rays have streamed forth with force,
like torrents gushing from black ink.
With the rush of torrents, from the black ink.
يَأْتِيhe brings forth رَوَائِعَmarvels شُرَّداًfar-ranging فِيin نَثْرِهِhis prose
يَأْتِي رَوَائِعَ شُرَّداً فِي نَثْرِهِ
كَمْhow often أَبْطَلَتْthey have undone سِحرَthe spell of القوَافِيthe rhymes الشُّرَّدِthe far-ranging
كَمْ أَبْطَلَتْ سِحرَ القوَافِي الشُّرَّدِ
His marvels come roaming free through his prose;
He brings forth far-ranging marvels in his prose—
how often have they broken the spell of wandering rhymes!
How often they have undone the spell of far-ranging rhymes!
فيهاin them سَنىthe radiance of اللَّمَحَاتِthe flashes مِنfrom زُهْرِthe bright stars of الدُّجَىthe night
فيها سَنى اللَّمَحَاتِ مِن زُهْرِ الدُّجَى
وَبِهَاand in them شَذَاthe fragrance of النَّفحَاتِthe wafts مِنْfrom زَهَرٍflowers نَدِيdewy
وَبِهَا شَذَا النَّفحَاتِ مِنْ زَهَرٍ نَدِي
In them, flashes gleam from the bright stars of night;
In them is the gleam of flashes from night's bright stars,
and in them is the fragrance of breaths from dewy blossoms.
And in them, the fragrance wafting from dew-fresh flowers.
وَنِهَايَةُand the height of الإِبْدَاعِcreativity مَعْنىًa meaning جَيِّدٌfine
وَنِهَايَةُ الإِبْدَاعِ مَعْنىً جَيِّدٌ
تَزْهَىshine بِهِwith it قَسِمَاتُthe features of مَبْنىًa form جَيِّدِfine
تَزْهَى بِهِ قَسِمَاتُ مَبْنىً جَيِّدِ
At invention’s furthest reach, a splendid meaning
And the height of creativity is a fine meaning,
makes the features of a splendid form shine.
With which the features of a fine form shine.
إِنَّindeed الجُمَيِّلGemayel فِيin الجَمَالِbeauty وَفَنِّهand its art
إِنَّ الجُمَيِّل فِي الجَمَالِ وَفَنِّه
لأَدَقُّsurely the most meticulous مُبْتَدِعٍcreator وَخَيْرُand the finest مُجَدِّدِinnovator
لأَدَقُّ مُبْتَدِعٍ وَخَيْرُ مُجَدِّدِ
Indeed, al-Jumayyil, in beauty and in his art,
Indeed, Gemayel, in beauty and its art,
is the subtlest innovator and the finest renewer.
Is surely the most meticulous creator and the finest innovator.
