سَقىmay rain water بالمنْحَنىat the bend رسماًruins ورَبعَاand a dwelling
سَقى بالمنْحَنى رسماً ورَبعَا
مُلِثٌّpersistent هاطلٌpouring وتراًsingly وشَفْعَاand in pairs
مُلِثٌّ هاطلٌ وتراً وشَفْعَا
May the ruins and dwelling at the bend be watered
He watered with a curved vessel, drawing shapes and squares,
By a lingering downpour, singly and in pairs.
A pouring rain, and strings and pairs.
أعاذلُO reproacher كفَّcease عذلكyour reproach إنَّindeed أذنىmy ear
أعاذلُ كفَّ عذلك إنَّ أذنى
لقدindeed صمَّتْhas grown deaf عنto التذالreproach (reading uncertain) سَمْعَاin hearing
لقد صمَّتْ عن التذال سَمْعَا
O reproacher, cease your reproach, for my ear
I restrain my palm from that, for my ear
Has surely grown deaf to reproach.
Has become deaf to reproach, hearing no more.
أتنكرُdo you condemn مِنin فتًىa young man داءَan affliction قديماage-old
أتنكرُ مِن فتًى داءَ قديما
فهذاfor this ليسis not منهon his part صارَhas become بِدْعَاunprecedented
فهذا ليس منه صارَ بِدْعَا
Do you condemn in a young man an age-old affliction?
Do you deny that an old malady befell the youth?
For this is nothing unprecedented on his part.
This did not come from him, it was predestined.
ولوand even if قاسيتَyou suffered يوماًone day ماwhat يقاسىhe suffers
ولو قاسيتَ يوماً ما يقاسى
غراماlove's torment ماnot أطقْتَyou were able لذاكagainst that دَفْعَاrepelling
غراما ما أطقْتَ لذاك دَفْعَا
And had you suffered for one day what he suffers,
If you ever suffered a day what he suffers-
In love's torment, you could not have warded it off.
Passion you could not repel.
يبيتhe spends the night مسهَّداًsleepless ويذوبُand melts شَوْفاًwith longing (reading uncertain)
يبيت مسهَّداً ويذوبُ شَوْفاً
كماas قدindeed ذَابَhas melted منfrom لَسَعَانِthe sting of أَفْعَىa viper
كما قد ذَابَ من لَسَعَانِ أَفْعَى
He spends the night sleepless and melts with longing,
He sleeps writhing, melting in yearning,
As one melts from a viper's sting.
As one melting from the bite of snakes does pine.
وكيفَand how يبيتspends the night ذَاpossessed of نومٍsleep مَشُوقٍa lovesick man
وكيفَ يبيت ذَا نومٍ مَشُوقٍ
ونارُwhile the fire of الشوقِlonging ملءُfilling حَشَاهhis breast لَذْعَاwith burning
ونارُ الشوقِ ملءُ حَشَاه لَذْعَا
And how can a lovesick man pass the night asleep,
How can one sleep when consumed by tender thoughts?
While longing's fire fills his breast with burning?
The fires of yearning fill his innards with burning stings.
بنفسىmy life as ransom الظاعنونَthe departing travelers وإنand though تَنَاءَوْاthey went far away
بنفسى الظاعنونَ وإن تَنَاءَوْا
بمنْwith the one whom أَهْوىI love وحلُّواand they settled ربعthe dwelling at سلْعَاSalʿ
بمنْ أَهْوى وحلُّوا ربع سلْعَا
My life for the departing travelers, though they went far away
By my soul, those who disparage, though they draw apart,
With the one I love, and settled in the dwelling at Salʿ.
Him I love, they quarter in the valley of misfortune.
إذاwhen ماemphatic particle همَّintends عاشقهاher lover وِداداًout of affection
إذا ما همَّ عاشقها وِداداً
برشْفِby sipping لَثَاتهاher gums رامتهshe aimed at him لَسْعَاwith a sting
برشْفِ لَثَاتها رامته لَسْعَا
When her lover, out of affection, intends
When she who has his love and affection intends
To sip from her gums, she targets him with a sting.
To sip from her sweet lips, she bites him unawares.
حَكَتهاimitated her الشمسthe sun فيin الإشراقradiance نوراin light
حَكَتها الشمس في الإشراق نورا
إذاwhen سفرتْshe unveiled دُجًىdarkness بالليلin the night فَرْعَاin tresses
إذا سفرتْ دُجًى بالليل فَرْعَا
The sun imitated her in the radiance of its light,
The sun sketched her in the dawn with light,
When she unveiled, her tresses dark as night.
And when the darkness of night journeyed, it made her radiant.
وجلَّand rose above نَدَىthe bounty of المليكthe sovereign عنbeyond العطاياgifts
وجلَّ نَدَى المليك عن العطايا
وجودُand the generosity of بلعرِبBilʿarab صارhas become طبعاnatural disposition
وجودُ بلعرِب صار طبعا
And the sovereign's bounty transcends gifts,
The sheen of the sublime King was bountiful,
And generosity has become Bilʿarab's nature.
And the open-handedness of the noble son became his nature.
سَعَىhe strove للمكرُماتِfor noble deeds بِلاwithout دليلٍa guide
سَعَى للمكرُماتِ بِلا دليلٍ
بنفسىmy life as ransom مَنthe one who غداwent forth للخيرfor good يسعَىstrives
بنفسى مَن غدا للخير يسعَى
He strove for noble deeds without a guide;
He strove for gifts without a guide,
My life for him who goes forth striving for good.
By my soul, whoever strives tomorrow for good!
وَأضحىand he became للمعالىfor lofty pursuits والموالىand the dependents
وَأضحى للمعالى والموالى
مدَىthroughout أيامهhis days ضَرَّاًharm ونفعَاand benefit
مدَى أيامه ضَرَّاً ونفعَا
And for lofty pursuits and his dependents he became,
He spent his days doing good and bringing benefit,
Throughout his days, a source of harm and benefit.
Gathering wealth to give generously,
ويجمعُand he gathers مالَهhis wealth للبذْلfor giving جُوداًgenerously
ويجمعُ مالَه للبذْل جُوداً
وتفريقاًand for distribution علىamong الأصحابcompanions جَمْعاgathering
وتفريقاً على الأصحاب جَمْعا
He gathers his wealth for generous giving,
And sharing it among companions, gathering.
And for distribution among companions he amasses it.
He has a glance that watches over people gently.
لهhe has طرفٌan eye يراعِىwatches over الناسthe people طُرّاًall together
له طرفٌ يراعِى الناس طُرّاً
بنفسىmy life as ransom مَنْthe one who جميعَall الناسthe people يَرْعَىhe cares for
بنفسى مَنْ جميعَ الناس يَرْعَى
He has an eye that watches over everyone;
By my soul, he shepherds all the people!
My life for him who cares for all people.
He has a noble son, eminent in realms and glory,
ونجلٌand a scion بالممالِكwith kingdoms والمعالىِand lofty honors
ونجلٌ بالممالِك والمعالىِ
وإنْand though أموالهhis riches أصبحنthey have become مَرْعَىa pasture
وإنْ أمواله أصبحن مَرْعَى
And a scion with kingdoms and lofty honors,
Though wealth has become his pasture.
Though his riches have become a pasture.
He surpassed people in munificence and bounty,
لقدindeed فَاقhe surpassed الأنامَmankind ندًىin bounty وجوداand generosity
لقد فَاق الأنامَ ندًى وجودا
كماjust as قدindeed فاقهمhe surpassed them أصلاin ancestry وفَرْعَاand in offspring
كما قد فاقهم أصلا وفَرْعَا
He has surely surpassed mankind in bounty and generosity,
Just as he surpassed them in origin and ancestry.
Just as he surpassed them in root and branch.
Abu Al-Arab, the open-handed, the vast, compliant,
أبوfather of العربthe Arabs الجوادthe generous الرحبbroad باعاin reach
أبو العرب الجواد الرحب باعا
إِذاwhen نادىcalls الزمانtime أجابhe answers طوعاwillingly
إِذا نادى الزمان أجاب طوعا
Abu al-ʿArab, the generous, broad in reach,
If Time called him, he obediently responded.
Whenever time calls, he answers willingly.
Sirri, the glorious, generous, valiant,
سرىُّnoble ماجدٌillustrious معطٍa giver هِزَبْرٌa lion
سرىُّ ماجدٌ معطٍ هِزَبْرٌ
شجاعٌbrave يَقمعُhe crushes الأعداءَthe enemies قَمْعَاdecisively
شجاعٌ يَقمعُ الأعداءَ قَمْعَا
Noble, illustrious, a giver, a lion;
Courageous, subduing enemies with might.
Brave, he crushes his enemies decisively.
Firm, lordly, lofty, sublime,
شديدٌstrong سيّدٌa lord سامٍlofty سَمِىٌّexalted
شديدٌ سيّدٌ سامٍ سَمِىٌّ
سليمٌunblemished مالكٌmaster of خَفْضاًlowering وَرَفْعَاand raising
سليمٌ مالكٌ خَفْضاً وَرَفْعَا
Strong, a lord, lofty, exalted;
Tranquil, ruling, lowering and raising.
Unblemished, master of abasement and elevation;
Clement, governing, wise, judicious,
حليمٌforbearing حاكمٌa ruler حكمٌan arbiter حكيمٌwise
حليمٌ حاكمٌ حكمٌ حكيمٌ
مليكٌa sovereign مالكٌmaster of بسطاًopenhanded giving ومنْعَاand withholding
مليكٌ مالكٌ بسطاً ومنْعَا
Forbearing, a ruler, an arbiter, wise;
Kingly, possessing, extending and withholding.
A sovereign, master of giving and withholding;
Pure, approved, and ever-faithful,
صفىٌّchosen مرتضَىapproved والa governor موالِa loyal ally
صفىٌّ مرتضَى وال موالِ
حسامٌa sharp sword يقطعُsettles decisively الأحكامَjudgments قطْعَاconclusively
حسامٌ يقطعُ الأحكامَ قطْعَا
Chosen, approved, a ruler, a loyal ally;
Decisive, executing judgments with resolve.
A sharp sword that settles judgments decisively.
He has a palm more generous than rain,
لهhe has كَفٌّa hand يفوقُsurpasses الغيثthe rain جودَاًin generosity
له كَفٌّ يفوقُ الغيث جودَاً
وقلبٌand a heart يُشْبهresembles الأرضينَthe earths وسُعْاin breadth
وقلبٌ يُشْبه الأرضينَ وسُعْا
He has a hand that surpasses the rain in generosity,
And a heart encompassing the horizons in capacity.
And a heart like the earths in breadth.
O son of two noble roots, pride by origin,
فَيَاso, O ابنَson of الطيبينَthe noble الأصلَin ancestry فخراًa source of pride
فَيَا ابنَ الطيبينَ الأصلَ فخراً
فإِنّfor indeed الفخرَglory فيكمamong you ليسَis not بِدْعَاunprecedented
فإِنّ الفخرَ فيكم ليسَ بِدْعَا
So, O son of those of noble stock, a source of pride,
For pride in you is no innovation!
For glory among you is nothing new.
O seed of the foremost, who ruled and were generous,
وياand O نسلَoffspring of الأولىthose who سَادُواthey ruled وجادُواand they gave generously
ويا نسلَ الأولى سَادُوا وجادُوا
وصارُواand they became فيin الحروبِwars أشدَّmost forceful وَفْعَاin impact (reading uncertain)
وصارُوا في الحروبِ أشدَّ وَفْعَا
And O offspring of those who ruled and gave generously,
And in wars were most violent in striking!
And became the hardest-hitting in battle,
O son of the Approved, kindness incarnate! I
وياand O ابنَson of المرتضَىal-Murtaḍā عَطفاًkindness فإنيfor I indeed
ويا ابنَ المرتضَى عَطفاً فإني
بأبكارِwith virgin forms of المعانيmeanings جئتُI have come أَسْعَىstriving
بأبكارِ المعاني جئتُ أَسْعَى
And O son of al-Murtaḍā, show kindness, for I
With the first fruits of meanings have come seeking thy bounty.
Have come striving with virgin meanings.
Thy rule has encompassed East and West,
وَأَضحىand has become ملكُكمyour dominion شرقاًeastward وغرباًand westward
وَأَضحى ملكُكم شرقاً وغرباً
وأمسىand has become ذِكْركمyour renown حِصْناًa fortress ودِرْعَاand a shield
وأمسى ذِكْركم حِصْناً ودِرْعَا
And your dominion now extends east and west,
And thy name has become a fortress and coat of mail.
And your renown has become a fortress and a shield.
Thy father is the Imam of justice, surpassing
أبوكyour father إِمامُan imam عدلٍjustice فاقhe excelled طَبعاin character
أبوك إِمامُ عدلٍ فاق طَبعا
ورأياand in judgment محكماsound وحِجىًand intellect وصُنْعاand deeds
ورأيا محكما وحِجىً وصُنْعا
Your father, an imam of justice, excelled in character,
In nature, wise counsel, proof, and quality.
And in sound judgment, intellect, and deeds.
And for you have I reserved a bride, a daughter of reason,
ودونكمُand take for yourselves عروساًa bride بنتa daughter of فكرٍthought
ودونكمُ عروساً بنت فكرٍ
تفوقshe surpasses الشمسthe sun إِشراقاًin radiance ولَمْعَاand brilliance
تفوق الشمس إِشراقاً ولَمْعَا
And take this bride, a daughter of thought,
Who outshines the sun in radiance and brilliance.
Who surpasses the sun in radiance and brilliance.
I have singled you out for her, so robe her
خصصْتكُمI singled you out بهاwith her فاخلعْso bestow a robe عليهاupon her
خصصْتكُم بها فاخلعْ عليها
لباسَthe garment of الجودِgenerosity والإحسانand kindness خَلْعَاas a bestowal of honor
لباسَ الجودِ والإحسان خَلْعَا
I have reserved her for you; so bestow upon her
In the raiment of bounty and kindness, untiring!
The robe of generosity and kindness, as a gift of honor.
Partial English translation: 57 of 58 Arabic lines translated.